Book 26 Chapter 2

Peace, what is it for?

-Ravio, King of the West Sea

Peace. It has a nice ring to it somehow.

It's so calming and heartwarming to listen to. Most people would rather have peace than war. However, not everyone wants peace. Some people make more money in times of war, while others can't find the value of their existence in times of peace. Rakbio, the King of the West Sea, who is currently at odds with Bi Ryuyeon, was one of them.

A warrior to the core, peace was a hindrance that robbed him of the opportunity to be active. He wanted to show off his power to the world more, and he wanted to see how well it would work in the world. Not knowing if he was getting weaker or stronger was the last thing he wanted. It makes him feel insecure.

So this unexpected assignment from above was a good thing for him. It was a long-overdue crack in the armor of this vast organization that rarely sees hostile forces or intruders.

The mere fact that he was going against this solid, massive organization was enough to make him acknowledge the existence of this intruder. Anyone without a certain amount of guts and skill would have shuddered in terror at the mere thought of it.

Turning this pagoda against the enemy was tantamount to turning the whole of the Black Sea against them. The symbolism of this place was too great. Moreover, the combat techniques that had been accumulated here had reached a level that could only be called the strongest.

For a hundred years, they've been studying how to fight, how to fight well, how to become stronger. To enter such a place, you must be prepared to turn the world against you.

"I'm not afraid to be a martial artist.

Well, in this case, you'll be targeted for extermination by the black side, but it's not much different. Once you're publicly branded, the white side won't be able to touch you either.

"I hope they live up to the hype.

Seriously, Rakvio thought to himself, if the invader was too weak, his performance or capabilities would not stand out. That was not the case. If the enemy was stronger than a certain level, his performance would stand out as well. Only then would his strength be more recognizable to each and every one of them.

After graduating from the academy, he would be able to join the Black Heaven Clan's specialized combat unit, the Xiantian, at the rank of captain. A frontline combat unit filled with bloodthirsty warriors, always at the forefront of the fight, charging at the enemy. It was the most appropriate place for his power to be utilized. A place of learning like the Temple of Heaven did not suit him. He preferred the battlefield, where he could wield his power more practically.

Thunderous (轟天).

A combat organization to coordinate the entirety of the Black Isles, it was a working force for rapid response to external enemies and deterrence of internal enemies. Although it was a combat unit, it was the most direct wielder of force and therefore had the most say in the matter, and to be a part of it was to be both respected and feared. Of course, his targets weren't just commoners.

His goal was to become a captain of one of the many divisions in the Xiao Chen. However, most of the current captains were super-experts who had made a name for themselves over a decade ago, so even if there was a vacancy, he didn't know if it would be his turn.

Even if he had the power of a thousand and thirty-third captain, from the outside, he saw the four students as a wartime administration just to look good.

In other words, they are less skilled than non-instructors, but they are seen as a way to increase student autonomy. As a result, student captains are quickly replaced. This is different from the position of a non-instructor who has been in the position for a long time.

Of course, Rakvio himself was confident in his own abilities, in his own Gold Bantan Shinkong. He had never doubted that, if he fought properly, he could hold his own against a thousand and thirty-third captain from another martial arts school. He'd always wanted to prove it to himself, but he hadn't been able to do so until now because private combat was strictly forbidden by the Kakugen. But that won't change the world's perception. It was obvious that he was thinking of himself as a step or two below the other Thousand and Thirty-three Captains. He needed to do something to stand out.

Strength is definition.

The only way to dispel those suspicions was to prove himself under his own power, and the opportunity finally presented itself.

Now all that was left was for him to use his power to seize victory.