Compulsory Execution

Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Rimer hacking and coughing in the smoke he'd created himself. The dantian is complete.

The Artificial Dantian, once an immature construct, had taken perfect root in Rimer's body and linked itself to his mana circuits. It was like looking at a piece of cloth woven without a single flaw in the weave. It turned out even better than I expected. He was already looking forward to the kind of power Rimer would unleash once that new dantian and those cleanly restored mana circuits merged with the martial arts the elf had spent a lifetime building.

"Ugh, what the hell is this dust?!"

"You're the one who smashed the door and blew the sand everywhere!"

Dokoe kicked Rimer in the rear as the elf stood there scowling.

But that man... Raon's brow furrowed as he watched Rimer sprawl with a yelp. Why does his aura look like that? There was far too little of it.

The aura nested in Rimer's Artificial Dantian was far smaller than expected. Raon had left him two mid-grade elixirs and plenty of time. He couldn't understand how the man had gathered so little. Don't tell me... An insane possibility surfaced. No ordinary person would ever do such a thing—but for that bizarre elf, it was entirely plausible.

"Squad Leader."

Raon stepped up to Rimer. Looking down at the man still on the ground, rubbing his backside, he slowly closed his fist.

"You hid them so you could sell them, didn't you?"

"Huh? Sell what?"

Rimer cocked his head as if he had no idea what Raon was talking about.

"You didn't take the elixirs I left you because you were going to sell them for gambling money, right?"

There was no other explanation for aura that meager.

"You were going to sell the elixirs I went so far as to use a bronze token to obtain, without even taking them? This guy, I swear—!"

"Hah! Don't tell me you actually tried to sell the elixirs this kid left you?"

Dokoe let out a disbelieving puff of air.

"No! I didn't!"

Rimer waved both hands wildly, insisting it wasn't true.

"Right now, Squad Leader, your dantian is like a newborn child. That means it can absorb an elixir's energy in its entirety."

"W-well, that's true, but..."

"You took two mid-grade elixirs in that state and only produced that much aura. That doesn't make any sense."

Raon bit his lip slightly and closed the distance.

"Today I really can't—"

"I filtered them!"

Rimer swallowed dryly and spat the answer out like a scream.

"What?"

"You know this too! Not all of an elixir is pure mana."

"Of course I know that."

An elixir was not a lump of pure mana. Whether crafted artificially or formed in nature, the moment natural mana took shape, impurities inevitably accumulated within it.

"I filtered out every last impurity and took in only the pure mana the elixirs carried!"

Rimer pointed at his dantian, wrinkling his nose. After how grateful I was, you think I'd do something like that? When he'd first seen the elixirs Raon had left behind, he'd nearly wept. As a master, he'd always believed he was the one who should be giving to his disciple—but the help he'd received, help so enormous it overwhelmed him, had brought the feeling rushing up. That's why I went further. He was so grateful to Raon and the children of the Light Wind Squad that he'd searched for a way to grow stronger faster—stronger than he'd ever been. Raon Zieghart. It was you.

Raon's aura was as pure as if it held nature's own flame, or ice itself. It was so refined that even a small amount could exert tremendous force.

It was a cultivation method only possible from a blank slate, with not a single handful of aura to start from. Using the elves' unique art—one that produced only pure energy—Rimer had settled nothing but the essence of those two elixirs into his dantian.

Thanks to that, the aura in his dantian now was no bigger than a speck. But its purity was powerful enough to rival Raon's own.

"Look."

Rimer let out a short breath and lifted a finger.

"This is..."

Raon drew up the Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames and raised it over his own finger. Crimson fire met the wind and swelled like a blossoming flower. It's similar. The purity was high enough to be called the attribute itself, just like the energy of the Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames. It was tiny—but the power it carried surpassed its size. If this is completed... Once that aura settled into a perfected dantian and restored mana circuits, Rimer would be able to reach a dimension higher than before.

"Is that an elven cultivation method?"

"Yeah. Everyone abandoned it because it produces aura too slowly. But in my current state I can speed that up, so I learned it."

Rimer gave a dry little laugh, as if to say the young him hadn't had the patience for it.

"So you believe me now?"

"Yes. I apologize."

Raon nodded. Contrary to his nature, Rimer had taken both elixirs and filled his dantian with nothing but pure mana. It had been the right choice.

"So where are the kids? Isn't it training time?"

"It is. They're training right now."

Raon looked toward Bukmang Mountain and smiled faintly.

"Young Master."

Judiel, who had been standing behind him, bowed her head.

"I'll be taking my leave."

"Ah, right. Thank you."

Raon smiled, pointing at the sandwich still in his hand. Judiel put on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a false smile and left the training ground.

"Squad Leader."

"Hm?"

"When a squad member fails to follow orders, when can Compulsory Execution be carried out?"

Even if Burren had been kidnapped, it wasn't confirmed yet, which meant he needed a justification to enter the Heavy Martial Palace. He intended to fill that gap with Compulsory Execution.

"You think I'd know that?"

Rimer folded his arms as if it were something to be proud of and snorted.

"Haa..."

"Four days."

The answer came from Dokoe just as Raon sighed.

"In wartime it can be invoked immediately, but at a time like this, it's four days..."

"Then we can move on the fifth day."

Brainwashing was said to take a week to ten days. Going in on the fifth should be fine.

"But why?"

"Why'd you suddenly ask that?"

The two of them stepped forward at the same time.

"I think I need to go rescue an idiot."

Raon glanced toward the Heavy Martial Palace and bit his lip slightly.

"Grr..."

"Rrrgh!"

Raon lowered his eyes as he took in the burning gazes of the Light Wind Squad's swordsmen. Whether they were angry at being left there or not, every last one of them had bared their teeth and was snarling like they'd actually become dogs. Hmm... He'd been trying to raise warriors whose minds and bodies were both solid. He wasn't sure why they were turning into beasts instead. Times like this are exactly when you have to steel your heart. He felt bad for putting them through it, but if he went soft now, it would interfere with the training to come. He could apologize later. Right now, he had to be hard.

"Good work."

Raon nodded with a calm look.

"Good work? Goooood work? That's fucking bullshit, you bastard!"

Marta surged to her feet, black fire burning in her eyes.

"Handsome Raon. That was too much..."

Even Runaan, who always took his side, clutched her head and rolled her vacant eyes up at him.

"Leaving us overnight wasn't enough, so you left us through the morning too, and you say good work?"

"This time you went too far! I really thought my head was going to split open!"

"It was seriously too hard. Ugh, I still feel like throwing up..."

"Burren should have to go through this too..."

They'd held tension and focus from night through morning, and even after about an hour of rest, the swordsmen couldn't hide how exhausted they were. All that remained was anger. Even so. This moment mattered.

When the mind and body were both worn down was the best time to hammer posture and martial arts into the flesh. He had to use this to the fullest.

"Left you, was it..."

Raon snorted and looked down over the Light Wind Squad.

"This training was designed for that from the start."

"What?"

"Your concentration is short, and it's shallow."

He crushed the startled squad under a massive wave of presence.

"From here on, we're going to fight stronger and stronger enemies. When you fight someone equal to you—or stronger—what's important? The first is obviously martial power. The next is concentration."

Raon's gaze sank, dark and cold. The Light Wind Squad members who met that chill swallowed dryly.

"To analyze an opponent's martial arts and steer the fight in a way that favors you, you need the ability to hold peak focus not for a few minutes, but for hours."

"Ah..."

"Then it wasn't abandonment, it was..."

"That's right. I left you there on purpose so you could build that concentration. First time, wasn't it? Being tense and focused for that long?"

At Raon's words, every member of the Light Wind Squad slowly nodded.

"A situation where your brain won't turn over and your body feels as heavy as if it's waterlogged. If that's the first time you ever experience it, nine times out of ten you die to the enemy. I gave you a chance here to avoid that first death."

"Nngh..."

Even Marta had nothing to say. She hung her head.

"This training will continue. It'll be hard enough to kill you, but think of it as earning one extra life every time we do it. If anyone has a complaint, raise your hand. I'll let you out."

Naturally, not a single person raised a hand.

"Then put on the Black Rings. Training starts again."

"Huuuh..."

"No choice, I guess..."

"Ugh, I envy Burren..."

The Light Wind Squad spat curses and ground their teeth, but they put the Black Rings on at once. The desire to grow stronger was the same in all of them.

"As always, we start with running. Entire Light Wind Squad—sprint at full power!"

"Aaaaaaah!"

"Yaaaaaah!"

"Damn it!"

The Light Wind Squad screamed as they started running around the training ground. Whether they were running on spite or not, they were faster than yesterday even without sleep and with the Black Rings on.

"Puhahaha!"

Rimer cackled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as he watched them.

"Running and training without even sleeping—how pitiful. I'm so glad I'm not in there."

"What are you doing?"

Raon tilted his head at the grinning Rimer.

"Ah, it's just funny. I'll watch a little longer and then—"

"No. I asked why you aren't running."

"Huh? M-me too?"

Rimer pointed at himself, his mouth falling open.

"I clearly said for the entire Light Wind Squad to run at full power."

"No, I'm the squad lead—"

"As I told you before, I currently hold the Light Wind Squad's training authority and command authority. That includes your rehabilitation training, Squad Leader."

"I-I'm a bit too strong for running..."

"If you want to argue that, go take it up with the Patriarch."

Raon smiled as he threw Rimer's own words from their trainee days straight back at him.

"I'll say it again. Run."

"You demon spawwwwn!"

Rimer screamed as he started running around the training ground.

"Puhahaha!"

"Aigoo, that's satisfying!"

"I knew he'd end up like that!"

The Light Wind Squad cackled right back as they watched Rimer run.

After finishing the basic stamina drills, Raon called everyone to the center of the training ground.

"Your bodies should be warmed up, so from here on it's sparring. This isn't just fighting. I'm going to drive you to the brink of death and train you to pull your concentration to its absolute limit, so steel yourselves."

"Augh..."

"All night, then running and rolling, and now sparring..."

"We're going to die to the acting leader before we die to the enemy!"

The Light Wind Squad hung their heads, panting. Even so, not one of them said ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they didn't want to do it.

"Who's the opponent?"

Marta narrowed her eyes and asked the important question.

"Obviously..."

Raon lifted a training sword with a cold smile.

"Me."

"Uh...?"

"This lunatic!"

"W-why are you coming out here?!"

Marta, Runaan, and the entire Light Wind Squad recoiled in horror.

"I told you. What we need to worry about isn't the weak—it's the strong. Someone at my level makes a perfect subject."

Raon rested the training sword on his shoulder and tilted his chin.

"Not just strong—you're too strong!"

"Right. This is just you saying you're going to beat us down!"

"You didn't even put on the Black Rings!"

"H-he's lost his mind..."

"This devil..."

The Light Wind Squad ground their teeth, furious at Raon's arrogant expression.

"Haa, you really don't get it."

Rimer wiped the sweat running down his forehead and let out a long sigh.

"Having a martial artist of Raon's level take you on as a proper opponent is a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of fortune. You should be thinking about how to make the most of this chance. Get that angry and you'll go down in a single hit."

He clicked his tongue, muttering that they needed to seize the opportunity.

"As expected of the Squad Leader. That was an excellent thing to say just now."

Raon smiled at Rimer.

"Right? I've always been good with—"

"So we'll start the sparring with you, Squad Leader."

"Uh...?"

Rimer's mouth opened wider than Raon had ever seen it.

"In matters like this, the senior should set an example."

Raon spun the training sword around and leveled it at Rimer.

"You'll make a perfect demonstration."

"Hey! I was just taking your side!"

"Draw your sword, if you would."

Ignoring Rimer's waving hands, Raon drew up his aura. Whether the man blocked or not, he was going to attack.

"Tch!"

Rimer scowled and drew his training sword.

"Fine! No matter how much weaker I've gotten—"

"Eh?"

His pupils went slack as he saw the Ganggi of flame burning along Raon's blade.

"G-Ganggi?"

"If we're going to do this, we should do it properly."

"No, I'm a patient—"

"Not anymore, are you?"

"You lunatic! You saw I only have a speck of aura!"

"There's a thing called class. Let's begin."

Raon smiled faintly and set his sword in a middle stance.

"This kid's actually insane! He's clearly lost his mind!"

Rimer screamed the same things the Light Wind Squad swordsmen he'd been teasing had screamed.

"Here I come."

Raon stepped through the Garam Footwork, appeared in front of Rimer, and brought his sword down.

Rimer poured out every scrap of aura he had and barely managed to twist the Ganggi aside. His sleeve melted in the heat of the Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames and scattered into the air.

"Th-this is actually real!"

His eyes trembled as he stumbled backward.

"This lunatic is going to kill his master! He's going to kill me!"

Ah... even a demon has a master, and yet...

Wrath swallowed dryly as he listened to Rimer's screams.

Just what in the world are you...

Tias entered his quarters in the Heavy Martial Palace and let out a deep sigh.

"Huu..."

I'm going to die.

He hadn't slept in days. His mind was fogged and his stomach churned. If he lay down he felt he would sink into sleep at once, but the anxiety wouldn't let him close his eyes. Is this right? Wasn't there another way? Gelmier had threatened him with Burren's life, so he hadn't been able to ask Raon for help, and he'd had no choice but to lie that Burren was doing well. He'd wanted to make contact later, but a watcher had been attached to him, and even moving had become impossible.

"Damn it..."

Tias clenched his teeth and struck the bed. If he could, he would have given this old body to save Burren—but there was no way. He was disgusted with himself for being able to do nothing.

"What am I supposed to do now..."

"It's been a while."

"Hhk!"

The voice that came out of the darkness of the room made his heart feel like it had dropped out of his chest.

"Y-you..."

A tall man stepped into the moonlight by the window. Brilliant blond hair. Vivid red eyes. It was Raon Zieghart.

"Lord Raon, how are you here...?"

"I had a few things to ask."

Raon smiled faintly and leaned his back against the wall.

"Y-you can't be here. There's someone watching—"

Tias swallowed dryly. He'd been under constant surveillance since Burren's kidnapping. Being seen meeting Raon was absolutely out of the question.

"You don't need to worry. The person watching you has already left."

Raon waved a hand, smiling as if he already knew everything.

"Where is Burren?"

"Pardon?"

"I summoned him for training and received no response for four days. It seems I'll have to carry out Compulsory Execution for disciplinary purposes."

He said he'd kept calling and gotten no answer, and that he intended to issue discipline.

"W-what do you mean by that... I clearly went to see you, did I not?"

"When?"

"Four days ago, I definitely—"

"Ah!"

Tias met Raon's eyes and swallowed hard. Those vivid red irises, as if they were burning the darkness of the room, didn't waver in the slightest. He... he already knows everything! Raon knew Burren had been kidnapped, and he'd chosen Compulsory Execution as the means to save him.

In other words, he was demanding two answers from Tias right now. That Tias had not spoken of Burren's whereabouts—and Burren's location. If it's this man... He was certain. If it was this man, he could save Burren.

"I-I don't really know either."

Tias bit his lip and shook his head.

"He may be in Hyeonjin Pavilion, inside the Heavy Martial Palace."

He gave the name of the building where Burren was being held, then let out a hot breath.

"I'm told Compulsory Execution can be carried out from the fifth day after the order is given. Tomorrow is exactly the fifth day, so leave this place at night and come to the Fifth Training Ground."

Raon smiled and opened the window.

"Wait! Th-thank—"

As Tias tried to say thank you, Raon pressed a finger to his own lips.

"Thank me for what? I'm just going to grab my subordinate who had the nerve to skip training."

He gave a short laugh and melted into the air like mist catching the light.

"Hhk... thank you."

Tias bowed his head toward the window where Raon had vanished and murmured softly.

"Thank you so much..."

The following evening.

"Grrrr."

"Rrrgh..."

"Kh..."

Raon narrowed his eyes at the bloodshot glares of the Light Wind Squad's swordsmen and the snarls that sounded like the throats of wild beasts. They're really turning into mad dogs... He might have pushed the training a little too far. It hadn't even been a week, and the swordsmen's presence had gone past sharp and become ferocious. Minimizing sleep and putting them through the assassin training from his previous life seemed to have been slightly excessive. Still, their skill has definitely grown. Their raw martial power itself hadn't risen dramatically, but the time they could maintain concentration had more than doubled, and their stamina and fighting spirit had surged. That change would make a huge difference in real combat. This is just right. With the Light Wind Squad as they were now, they could put up a proper fight against the Battle Demon Squad, who were estimated to be a full rank above them. It was the right situation both to save Burren and to give the Light Wind Squad real combat training.

"Burren."

"Grr?"

"That traitor!"

"I'll kill him!"

"Aaaaaah!"

The moment he said Burren's name, the entire Light Wind Squad ground their teeth at once. It was a violent reaction, as if they couldn't forgive Burren for sucking honey all by himself. Even Crain, who had followed Burren the most faithfully, was saying he'd kill him.

"There's something you don't know. Burren is—"

"Kill him!"

"That slippery traitor!"

"I'll cave his skull in!"

"Mm..."

The moment Burren's name came out, so did the curses. He couldn't get a word in.

"Calm down and listen. Burren is—"

Raon gave the Light Wind Squad a brief account of Burren's situation.

"So today, we hit the Battle Demon Squad that's holding him. We'll break them and bring Burren back."

"In other words, there are bastards stopping Burren from training?"

"Those sons of bitches! They're letting only Burren skip?!"

"We'll wreck all of them and make sure only Burren gets to train!"

"Grrrr!"

The Light Wind Squad had already gone blind at the name Burren and hadn't properly heard the story. In their heads, whether it was the Battle Demon Squad or the Five Demons, the only thought was to drag Burren back and put him through this hell training.

"Mm..."

Raon shrugged as he felt the Light Wind Squad's presence, fierce enough to sting the skin.

"Well. Close enough."

The reaction wasn't what he'd expected, but their combat power itself had gone up, so it didn't seem to matter.

What do you mean, close enough! The meaning is completely different!

Wrath's jaw trembled as he looked at the Light Wind Squad.

Those things can't even understand human speech—they're just rabid dogs! Not Light Wind—Mad Dogs!

This is exactly when we need mad dogs.

Raon raised a hand and gestured toward the Heavy Martial Palace.

"Let's grab Burren and make him do twice the training we've done so far!"

"Waaaaaaaah!"

"All responsibility falls on the Squad Leader! Smash everything!"

"Yaaaaaaaah!"

"Let's go!"

A roar loud enough to shake the ground burst from the Fifth Training Ground.

"Huh? Me?"

Rimer, who had been standing quietly beside the platform because he'd known in advance, dropped his mouth open.

"If I cause another incident, the Patriarch will actually kill me!"

The main gate of the Heavy Martial Palace, which flaunted its own distinctive splendor even within the Sieghart Main Estate.

Two swordsmen were chatting in front of it.

"The second I said I was a martial artist of the Heavy Martial Palace, that idiot suddenly started groveling and watching my face."

"Of course he did. One wrong word and his neck would fly."

"Ever since I joined the Heavy Martial Palace, everything's really—"

"Hm?"

The snickering swordsmen narrowed their eyes at the group of about thirty people approaching out of the dark.

"Who's that at this hour?"

"Dunno. The one in the middle looks familiar... hhk! Raon Zieghart!"

"R-Raon?"

The two of them swallowed dryly at the sight of Raon walking at the center. A gaze that murderous, coming at them in the middle of the night, was enough to make anyone tense.

"S-stop! This is the domain of the Heavy Martial Palace. You cannot enter without a prior appointment!"

"I don't have an appointment. I do have a purpose."

Raon answered the Heavy Martial Palace ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swordsman as he climbed the stairs.

"A p-purpose?"

"That's right. Burren Zieghart. I've come to seize the insolent bastard who ignored my summons."

A chill smile on his face, he brushed past the martial artists.

"W-wai—"

"Compulsory Execution!"

Raon grinned and kicked the main gates of the Heavy Martial Palace.

"Wh-what?!"

"What's that noise all of a sudden?!"

"Is it the enemy?!"

True to the Heavy Martial Palace, they felt the massive aura before the doors had even finished shattering, and martial artists gathered from every direction. Just right. Looking at the energy and presence they carried, they were swordsmen more than adequate as opponents for the Light Wind Squad.

"I am Raon Zieghart, acting leader of the Light Wind Squad."

Raon looked down over the Battle Demon Squad swordsmen pouring in and tilted his head.

"I've come to seize the criminal Burren Zieghart. Get in my way, and I'll turn you into that door."

"Th-that lunatic!"

"Do you know where you are?!"

"Stop him! Don't let him in!"

The Battle Demon Squad twisted their faces like ogres and drew their swords.

"So you're going to obstruct official business?"

Raon nodded and looked back.

"Kids."

"Grrrr!"

"Rrrgh!"

He pointed at the Battle Demon Squad martial artists, smiling at the Light Wind Squad as they ground their teeth.