Ogram twisted his shoulders in a spiral, further reinforcing the aura contained in his fist.
Kuguuuuu!
The fist strike extended with a majestic light, repelling the bloody energy and suppressing the Death Aura.
However, as if this was just the beginning, the bloody energy and Death Aura pushed back against the fist strike with even greater pressure.
'This is where the real fight begins.'
The auras of the Leader of the White Blood Religion and the Dragon Helmet Demon were each stronger than his current self.
To defeat those two simultaneously, he needed to imbue the Fierce Wave Arts into his fist strike.
Wooong!
Ogram drew out the Fierce Wave Arts to its extreme. A colorless aura blossomed from the tip of his fist, forming a grand concentric circle to block the increasingly violent bloody energy and Death Aura.
"Kugh..."
An enormous wave of energy poured out from the bloody energy and Death Aura, creating pressure that threatened to crush his entire fist.
Although the pain felt like his limbs might explode, he couldn't back down.
Trusting in the body he had cultivated through countless training sessions, he pushed his fist forward to the very end.
Woooong!
The energy of the Fierce Wave Arts cut through the bloody energy and Death Aura like salmon swimming upstream, burrowing into the bodies of the Leader of the White Blood Religion and the Dragon Helmet Demon.
'It worked!'
Now that the waves of the Fierce Wave Arts had reached the enemies' bodies, he could inflict a powerful shock to their souls.
'Like this... Hm?'
As he focused his senses to end it in one go, the presence of the Dragon Helmet Demon, who should have been on his right, completely vanished. He could only sense the soul of the Leader of the White Blood Religion.
'Where did he go?'
While striking the soul of the Leader of the White Blood Religion with the Fierce Wave Arts, he spread out his aura perception, but couldn't sense the presence of the man in the dragon helmet anywhere.
'This is dangerous...'
As he felt a chill run down his spine and tried to retreat, he felt an ice-cold blade pierce through his chest.
"Kuheck!"
When he turned around, he saw the man in the dragon helmet stabbing his chest with a black sword, his left upper body bearing a large wound.
It seemed the man had broken through the aura with his bare body to erase his own presence. He was truly insane.
"Kuuu..."
The Death Aura wrapped around the blade dug into his body and soul, causing pain so severe it was difficult to even breathe.
"You filthy bastard!"
Ogram tried to pull out the blade stuck in his chest, but it wouldn't budge. It meant the other's strength was greater.
"Wh-What is this..."
His lips trembled, as he never thought he'd be overpowered in terms of physical strength.
"Is this the extent of the strongest body among the Six Kings and the Five Demons?"
The man in the dragon helmet shook his head with a seemingly hollow laugh.
"Y-You weren't an ally of the Leader of the White Blood Religion...?"
Ogram bit his lip deeply. Right now, the Leader of the White Blood Religion was alone, having suffered a great shock from the Fierce Wave Arts.
He couldn't believe that a supposed Transcendent Warrior would abandon his ally and launch a surprise attack like an assassin, even while sustaining injuries that tore off chunks of flesh.
"Not allies, just a mutual interest. And..."
The man in the dragon helmet nodded towards the Leader of the White Blood Religion.
"If she dies from something like this, that's all she amounts to."
He laughed casually, as if he didn't care whether the Leader of the White Blood Religion lived or died.
"Ugh..."
Ogram bit his lip as he met the gleaming, hollow eyes inside the helmet.
'This guy is dangerous.'
There was no one like him among the Six Kings and the Five Demons. It wasn't just his strength that was the problem; his very way of thinking was dangerous.
Rather than an absolute Martial Artist who had reached transcendence, he felt like a back-alley thug who would do anything to win.
"What's your goal...?"
"You wouldn't understand."
The Dragon Helmet Demon let out a faint sneer. This time, however, it didn't seem like mockery directed at Ogram.
"Leader!"
"Where are you!"
It was when Ogram was forcibly gathering his energy to escape this situation.
From behind the Black Curtain that the Dragon Helmet Demon had spread when he appeared, the voices of the Siran Tribe Chief and Garona could be heard.
"Leave this place immediately!"
Ogram shouted while gripping the blade piercing his chest to prevent the man in the dragon helmet from moving.
"Return to the union and request help from Zieghart and Balkar!"
"I wonder if they can really escape?"
The eyes of the Dragon Helmet Demon narrowed into crescent moons.
"Don't underestimate my children."
Ogram raised his leg and stamped down on the waist of the man in the dragon helmet.
Beoeoeoek!
The man in the dragon helmet snorted and struck Ogram's abdomen.
"Kheuk..."
Ogram bent over, coughing up blood. His body, infused with the Death Aura, could no longer maintain its iron-like hardness.
His vision gradually blurred due to the excruciating pain and endless bleeding.
Even so, Ogram didn't let go of the blade stuck in his chest. If this monster moved, only death would await Garona.
Beoeoeoek!
The man in the dragon helmet threw consecutive punches with his left hand. The pain felt like all his bones and muscles were being crushed, forcing Ogram's knees to buckle, but he still exerted his last bit of strength on the hand gripping the sword.
"Kuu..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion rose with a groan. Though severely shocked, it didn't seem life-threatening.
'Haa...'
Ogram scanned behind the Black Curtain with his dwindling aura perception.
Garona seemed to have made up his mind and started to flee.
Though he acted simple, he had excellent mental acuity. He should be able to escape on his own.
'For some reason...'
That guy comes to mind.
Looking at the backs of the surviving Leader of the White Blood Religion and Garona, I'm reminded of Raon, whom I trained together with that guy.
I've passed on the Fierce Wave Arts to several executives of the union, but somehow I feel that Raon and Garona will be the ones to reach its pinnacle.
'I'm counting on you, Garona...'
* * *
"Leave? What is this..."
The Siran Tribe Chief's lips trembled as he examined the Black Curtain, whose interior was invisible.
"Leader!"
He approached the curtain as if he hadn't heard Ogram's words.
"We can't..."
Garona raised his arm to block the Siran Tribe Chief's path. He shook his head, biting his lip until it bled.
"The leader wouldn't say something pointless."
"Hmm..."
The Siran Tribe Chief swallowed dryly and stepped back.
Seeing Garona, who seemed more likely to go berserk with excitement than himself, forcibly maintain his composure, his own excitement subsided.
"The leader is strong. If he says something like that, it means we're in the way. We have to retreat."
Garona, his fingertips trembling, ordered the warriors and shamans behind him to retreat.
'If we stay like this, both sides will be in danger.'
For Ogram to tell us to leave means he's in crisis too.
'There must be someone else besides the Leader of the White Blood Religion.'
The martial arts of the White Blood Religion become whiter as they grow stronger. That curtain whose interior can't be seen is clearly the technique of a force like the Black Tower.
It was right to flee now, as Ogram could retreat with peace of mind only if we escaped from here.
"We're retreating!"
The Siran Tribe Chief nodded as if understanding the intent.
The warriors and shamans looked at the two men's eyes, turned their backs, and ran back the way they came.
However, as if unwilling to let them go just like that, Blood Demons of the White Blood Religion sprang out from within the Black Curtain.
Kwaaaang!
Garona's fist strike and the Siran Tribe Chief's magic extended simultaneously, blasting apart the charging Blood Demons.
"We'll take care of this!"
"Move as fast as you can!"
After taking down all the Blood Demons that emerged from the curtain, Garona and the Siran Tribe Chief followed behind the warriors and shamans.
"Are you really alright?"
The Siran Tribe Chief furrowed his brow as he looked at Garona. He was trembling himself, so there was no way his disciple wouldn't be worried about Ogram.
"I'm fine."
Garona nodded with a refreshing smile.
"As long as we escape safely, Master will return unharmed."
He waved his hand, referring to Ogram as 'Master' rather than as the leader of the Beast Union.
"Right. I can't imagine him being defeated either."
It was just as the two showed their trust in Ogram with a smile.
Chwaaaak!
With a chilling sound of ripping air, the neck of the shaman running at the front was torn off.
Above the corpse of the shaman, from which blood was gushing, a strange figure covered in a bright red robe from head to toe sprang up.
Though not an apostle, it exuded martial prowess beyond that of an apostle.
"..."
The Blood Demon stood blocking the path and tilted its head. It seemed to be challenging them.
"I'm in a bit of a hurry right now..."
Garona raised his head, clenching his fist. Above his fist, the energy of the Fierce Wave Arts, which hadn't been maintained until now, blazed fiercely.
"Get out of the way if you don't want to die!"
* * *
Kuung!
The Leader of the White Blood Religion frowned as she looked at the fallen Ogram with closed eyes.
'That one's a real monster.'
Even with bloody energy and Death Aura penetrating all his mana circuits and blood vessels, Ogram didn't fall until the very end.
It was an absurdly strong willpower.
It made her think that his specialty might not be the strongest body, but the strongest mental fortitude.
'However...'
The Leader of the White Blood Religion glanced at the man in the dragon helmet with narrowed eyes.
'That one is beyond even that.'
Apart from his martial prowess, his way of thinking was on a completely different level from others.
Even though he could have won easily in a normal fight, he made sure to trap Ogram so he couldn't escape.
The attitude of not caring about his own injuries as long as he won - this wasn't a battle of Transcendent Warriors.
If she had just been watching, she would have been impressed, but having been used as bait, her insides were boiling with anger.
"So you were alive after all."
The man in the dragon helmet waved his hand lightly.
"I would have been disappointed if you had died."
"I almost did die."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion frowned as she swallowed the blood rising in her throat.
"Thanks to you."
Thanks to the man in the dragon helmet fleeing, she had to endure the Fierce Wave Arts alone, suffering a great shock to her soul.
Though her body and mind ached to the point where it wouldn't be strange if she collapsed right away, she waved her hand as if she were fine.
If she fell here, who knows what that guy would do to her.
"You have to deceive your allies to deceive your enemies."
The man in the dragon helmet shrugged.
"You call that an explanation!"
"Thanks to that, we caught our prey."
He smiled, pointing at Ogram who was breathing shallowly.
"As you wanted, he's alive, and with his soul and body separated, he won't be able to wake up on his own."
The man in the dragon helmet kicked Ogram lightly, saying it was a gift.
"Hmm..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion calmed the energy she had been gathering in her hand. She licked her lips as she looked at the blood flowing from Ogram's chest.
'With that...'
Blood techniques grow stronger the more powerful martial artists' blood is consumed.
She couldn't imagine how strong she would become if she continuously absorbed the blood of the Beast King Ogram.
"With this, our deal is complete, right?"
The man in the dragon helmet tilted his chin.
"Yes. I'll recommend you for a position among the Five Demons." (E/N: Lol, finally. I originally thought the fifth demon would be him but it turned out to be holy sword alliance. Finally balance is restored.)
The Leader of the White Blood Religion nodded, taking her eyes off Ogram.
"There's one more thing."
"...I know. One favor."
The man in the dragon helmet had proposed the condition that he would capture Ogram alive in exchange for a recommendation to the Five Demons and one favor.
Honestly, she didn't trust him and had prepared escape routes here and there, but she never expected him to actually capture Ogram like this.
"But..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion twisted her lips as she looked at the eyes inside the helmet.
"What should I call you and your organization?"
He still hadn't told her his name or the name of his organization. He was a man with far too many secrets.
"My name is still Nameless. And as for the organization's name... call it Shadow."
"Shadow? Don't tell me, that assassination group..."
"Another star will fall soon, so I'll tell you for certain then."
"A star will fall...?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion lowered her eyebrows. He had also said a star would set when capturing Ogram.
It meant that one of the other Six Kings and Five Demons would fall.
"Say that you were the one who captured Ogram today. It doesn't matter to me."
The man in the dragon helmet waved his hand dismissively, as if he didn't care much about Ogram.
"Then we don't need to catch those who escaped?"
"It doesn't matter. They probably didn't see anything. No, it might be better to let them live."
He stroked his fingertips, saying it might be interesting.
"What's your goal?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion frowned as she looked the man in the dragon helmet up and down.
'I can't figure out what he's thinking at all.'
She thought he wanted fame since he said he wanted to join the Five Demons, but now he was giving up all the fame for capturing Ogram. His thoughts were becoming even more incomprehensible.
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."
The man in the dragon helmet repeated what he had said to Ogram, tilting his chin.
"...Right. I suppose I don't need to know."
As the Leader of the White Blood Religion twitched her finger, the 10th Apostle walked out from the darkness and hoisted Ogram onto his shoulder.
"Another interesting event will happen soon. Do you want to participate?"
"No."
She shook her head. It would take considerable time to recover from the soul shock and make Ogram's energy her own, so she couldn't move for a while.
"Looks like your injuries are severe."
A sound of lip-smacking came from inside the dragon helmet. His gleaming eyes seemed to be contemplating whether to target her or not.
"Try it if you dare."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion smiled coldly and turned her head.
"Are you relying on the blood spirit stones you prepared in advance?"
"You..."
"With twelve passages, you should be able to escape no matter what happens."
The man in the dragon helmet nodded lightly, as if he knew everything.
"Just what are you..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion swallowed hard. In reality, she had prepared a total of 15 bloody energy passages to escape no matter what happened here.
It was unbelievable that he had figured out 12 of them.
"I'm joking."
The man in the dragon helmet smiled faintly, saying it was just a joke.
"...Someday, I'd like to drink your blood too."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion disappeared into the white blood with her brow still furrowed.
The 10th Apostle glared intently at the dragon helmet before submerging into the blood after the leader.
"There are actually 15, I bet."
As the man in the dragon helmet chuckled and dusted off his hands, the wounds where flesh had been torn off slowly began to heal.
All traces of injury disappeared as if he had never been hurt in the first place. His regenerative ability was even greater than a troll's.
A moment later, a woman wearing a black mask prostrated herself beside him and bowed her head.
"All traces have been erased. Shall we return now?"
She said everything was finished and held out a black glove.
"There's still work to be done."
The man in the dragon helmet shook his head as he took the glove.
His demeanor changed abruptly. Though his voice remained the same, the frivolous attitude he had maintained like a jester was replaced with the dignity of a conqueror.
Piiik.
As the man in the dragon helmet took off the glove he had been wearing, sticky blood flowed out from inside.
He burned the blood-soaked glove, then put on a new one and dusted off his hands.
"If you say there's work to be done..."
"They've arrived now."
He curled up the corners of his mouth as he looked at the bright golden radiance flashing in the sky.
"Those slow lizards."
* * *
"Phew..."
Raon took a deep breath and raised his gaze.
Next to the eight rotating rings of fire that seemed to protect the mental world, the swords of the Transcendent Warriors extended freely.
It looked exactly the same as when he first entered, but there was one small difference.
'They've lowered.'
The swords of the Transcendent Warriors were still too high to grasp, but as he trained with their swords, their height began to decrease little by little.
It seemed that as he grew stronger and became more familiar with the swordsmanship of the Transcendent Warriors, those swords were descending towards the ground.
'Thanks to that, I got a hint too.'
As he trained with all his might using the swords of the Transcendent Warriors, he came to understand how to unleash all of his martial prowess at once.
While exploding his emotions as Wrath advised was another matter, he had definitely grasped the clue to unfold a new sword domain.
'Should I go back now?'
A lot of time had passed since he entered this world.
If he stayed here too long, there might be problems with his physical body in reality, so he needed to prepare to return soon.
It was when Raon was about to raise the Heavenly Drive for a final check.
Woooong!
A yellow aura rippled at the center of the mental world, and a giant figure wrapped in a black robe sprang up.
'That's...'
Raon's eyes widened as he looked at the black robe.
'The Black Dragon Coat?'
The clothes the giant wore looked like the Black Dragon Coat. No, it was definitely the Black Dragon Coat. However, it had more scales than when Raon wore it.
Hwooong!
The giant in the Black Dragon Coat fiercely threw a punch as if facing an enemy.
The formless aura contained in his fist surged following the flow of the Fierce Wave Arts.
'No way...'
Raon swallowed hard as he looked at the back of the giant unleashing his fist strike.
'Ogram?'