"What the hell is going on here? What's all this nonsense
about?"
Krein clutched his head, unable to comprehend the chaotic
situation.
"It's hard to believe, but it seems the Severing Sword and
the Green King are the Division Leader's father and older
sister..."
Dorian's hands trembled as he watched the Severing Sword
and the Green King emitting fierce Fighting Spirit.
"Raon..."
Burren bit his lip as he watched Raon drive back the TwinHeaded Demon.
'You don't stop even in a situation like this, do you?'
If he were in that situation, he would have been mentally
broken like Sylvia, unable to do anything. But Raon didn't
fall into anger or despair. Instead, he quickly assessed the
situation and thought of ways to save his father and sister. It
was a level of calmness and determination that inspired
respect.
'I want to help, but my role is already set.'
The Light Wind division's role was to firmly defend this wall
so that Raon could focus solely on his fight with the TwinHeaded Demon.
"Light Wind division! Our battle isn't over yet! Focus on
defending the castle!"
Burren issued orders to the dazed Light Wind division while
cutting down the Orcs climbing over the collapsed wall.
"I know!"
Martha nodded as she cut down five Red Demons at once.
She bit her lip while glancing at Raon's back.
'That monster of a kid...'
Raon had advised her that if she wanted to save her mother
from the Leader of the White Blood Religion, she should
never lose her composure in any situation. Outwardly, she
had agreed, but inwardly, she had comforted herself by
thinking that anyone would be excited in such a situation.
But even upon seeing his father and sister, who were
thought to be dead, now as minions of Eden, Raon didn't
lose his reason. He focused on what he could do in the
current situation.
A bitter laugh escaped her, dumbfounded by the situation.
'So he practices what he preaches.'
Once again, she gained a mental enlightenment through
Raon. She even began to hope that if that guy could save
his father and sister, maybe she could save her mother too.
"Get lost, all of you!"
Martha focused on the battle at the wall while keeping her
eyes fixed on Raon's back, as if she would never forget it,
even in death.
"Family..."
Runaan bit her lip while tightly gripping her Snow Flower.
'It must hurt.'
Raon cherishes his family more than anyone. Though he
appears calm on the outside, his insides must be filled with
frustration and anxiety right now.
"Huh."
Runaan exhaled briefly, then nodded to Martha.
"I'll be right back."
"What? Where are you going?"
"Down there."
Without waiting for Martha's response, she fearlessly
jumped down from the wall and approached Sylvia.
"It must be hard, but you have to fight."
Runaan knelt in front of Sylvia and held her hand.
"...Runaan?"
"Raon told me. That we must protect our family with our
own hands."
These were the words Raon had said to her when she was
paralyzed with fear of Syria, unable to do anything. She
looked into Sylvia's eyes as she gave her the same advice
that had lifted her up.
"If not now, you might regret it later."
Runaan bowed her head, remembering her regret for not
saving her older brother in time, and the wounds etched
into her parents' bodies and hearts.
"That idiot is right."
Martha, who had followed Runaan without her noticing,
lowered her gaze.
"You can't do anything if you just sit there. If you want to
save your family, you have to stand up yourself."
Martha also repeated Raon's advice while rubbing her chin.
"Hmm..."
Sylvia bit her lip as she looked at Runaan and Martha, who
showed much stronger resolve in their eyes than her.
'I'm ashamed...'
Runaan and Martha weren't just spouting textbook advice;
they were giving sincere counsel based on the pain they had
actually felt. If she couldn't understand the hearts of those
children, she had no right to be a mother.
"Thank you."
Sylvia bowed her head to Runaan and Martha. She stood up,
gripping her sword with trembling arms.
"As you said, I must protect my family myself."
With a faint smile, she charged towards the Severing Sword
who was fighting Rimmer.
"Edgar!"
Sylvia unleashed an Astral Ring towards the Severing Sword
while letting out a roar that sounded like a rebuke.
"You chatterbox! Wake up!"
* * *
"Damn it."
Raon frowned as he looked at the Heavenly Drive and Blade
of Requiem, their flames and frost subsiding. He had wanted
to behead the Twin-Headed Demon before the DivineDemonic Harmony expired, but in the end, the Divine Sword
and Demonic Sword disappeared before he could break the
demon's club. The ground rumbled.
The Twin-Headed Demon didn't miss the opportunity as the
pressure weakened, swinging its club to push Raon back.
"Haa..."
He exhaled roughly, wiping away the cold sweat running
down his neck
"That was a bit dangerous this time, wasn't it?"
The Twin-Headed Demon awkwardly smiled, as if Raon had
exceeded its expectations.
"Not just this time. You're going to die today."
Raon sheathed the Blade of Requiem and held the Heavenly
Drive at mid-level. He cooled his head while leaving his
heart boiling with anger.
'I can't lose my composure.'
There were still a few things that felt off. The Twin-Headed
Demon seemed flustered, its fingertips trembling, but it was
surely hiding secrets. Even though he was furious enough to
feel sick, Raon had to maintain his composure.
'However...'
It seemed like he couldn't lose no matter what now. He felt
as if the Ring of Fire and the emotion of Wrath, usually
opposing forces, were slightly harmonizing. He felt like he
could win against anyone. A thunderous sound echoed.
Raon rushed to the Twin-Headed Demon's left side and
swung the Heavenly Drive upwards. Ten Thousand Flames
Cultivation - Crimson Slash. Flames erupted from the sword,
cleaving through space.
"Don't underestimate me!"
The Twin-Headed Demon gritted its teeth and swung its
wooden club. Despite the multiple cracks, it still contained
fierce Fighting Spirit. The Heavenly Drive erupted with
flames surpassing those of a Divine Sword, forcefully
pushing back the Twin-Headed Demon's wooden club.
"What kind of human has this strength..."
The Twin-Headed Demon's eyes widened in disbelief at the
increasingly intense flames.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
Raon leaned forward, channeling the power given by Wrath
into the Heavenly Drive. The force of the Heavy Sky Cannon,
incorporating the essence of both light and heavy swords,
doubled in power as it surged forth.
"Ugh..."
The Twin-Headed Demon imbued its wooden club with fierce
Fighting Spirit, but unable to withstand the Heavy Sky
Cannon, it was forced back ten steps, leaving deep
footprints in the plain. Its eyes contorted in apparent pain.
"Argh!"
The Twin-Headed Demon let out a bestial roar as it swung its
wooden club. With each rotation, crimson Fighting Spirit
swelled, forming a massive sphere like the sun.
"Die!"
The Twin-Headed Demon, its eyes bloodshot, plunged the
sphere of Fighting Spirit downward. It contained enough
energy to destroy the entire plain. Raon, instead of dodging,
walked forward and raised the Heavenly Drive. Wrath's
Demon King Decisive Technique. Silver Moon Demonic
Sword.
Silver moonlight bloomed over the white blade, tracing an
elegant arc.
Though the sword technique appeared gentle, the blue flash
that erupted from the blade shattered the sun-like Fighting
Spirit and froze half of the wooden club. It was a peerless
technique with power beyond its beauty.
"Gah!"
The Twin-Headed Demon staggered, its arms and legs
flailing as if it might collapse. It seemed to have received a
great shock. Raon broke through the thickly frozen plain
with his body and charged straight at the Twin-Headed
Demon.
"Don't you even need to breathe?!"
The Twin-Headed Demon gritted its teeth and fired
successive bursts of fierce Fighting Spirit at Raon's head.
With a piercing sound, Raon unleashed the Mystic Soul
Sword technique with the Heavenly Drive, still cold from the
Silver Moon Demonic Sword. The righteous blade, imbued
with eerie cold energy, pierced through the Fighting Spirit
and slashed the Twin-Headed Demon's collarbone. Blood
sprayed.
Blood gushed like a fountain from the Twin-Headed Demon's
shoulder, which had already been cut once before.
"Huff."
Raon spat out the blood that had formed at his mouth and
slowly caught his breath. Strangely, his body felt light even
though his internal injuries hadn't healed. Perhaps because
his Wrath and the Ring of Fire weren't interfering with each
other, he felt he could even perform sword techniques he
hadn't mastered yet.
"Damn it..."
The Twin-Headed Demon's jaw trembled, seemingly shocked
that its attacks were completely ineffective.
"Why so surprised?"
Raon straightened his back. He looked down at the TwinHeaded Demon with reddened eyes, his lips curling into a
smirk.
"This is just the beginning."
* * *
With a thunderous sound, the Twin-Headed Demon blocked
Raon's sword strike, which was as heavy as a mountain, and
curled its lips.
'This guy is really something, isn't he?'
Monstrous physical abilities, unshakeable mental strength,
judgment that remained calm in any situation, and even the
talent to grow stronger while fighting. He seemed like a
vessel created by the heavens to become the ultimate
Martial Artist.
'Of course, that unbreakable soul is unnecessary.'
When one wears Eden's helmet, the original soul perishes,
leaving only the monster's mind. Of course, if The Fallen
conducts another bizarre experiment, who knows, but even
he wouldn't preserve Raon Zieghart's soul.
"Ugh..."
The Twin-Headed Demon frowned at Raon's sword strike
that easily pierced through its Fighting Spirit and slashed at
its waist, but inwardly, it was still smiling.
'Not yet. Come closer.'
It could kill Raon right now if it wanted to, but to obtain that
body, the body of a martial god, it needed patience. The
opportunity would come when that guy, in his excitement,
crossed the line while showing off his power.
'What kind of monster will be born?'
It couldn't wait to see what expression Glenn would make
when Raon, wearing 'that helmet' which was recently
created, attacked Zieghart.
Sweat began to pour down its entire body from anticipation
and excitement.
'This is going to be interesting.'
The Twin-Headed Demon licked its lips as it withstood
Raon's increasingly fierce sword strikes. Its eyes were
becoming wet with red desire.
* * *
The Heavenly Drive, slicing through the air fiercely, clashed
head-on with the Twin-Headed Demon's wooden club. With a
thunderous crash, the competing Aura and Fighting Spirit
created dark red waves in the sky and on the ground. The
earth's surface was overturned, and the monsters standing
on it were pulverized and scattered. A deafening sound rang
out.
Raon ignored the shockwave and executed the Supreme
Harmony Steps.
Before the sound could be heard, the Heavenly Drive had
already slashed the Twin-Headed Demon's thigh, which
hadn't yet regained its stance.
"Argh!"
The Twin-Headed Demon swung its wooden club violently. Its
expression, which had always been full of composure and
mockery, began to contort. With a piercing sound, Raon
deflected the wooden club with the Blizzard Sword Art, then
aimed for the Twin-Headed Demon's neck with the Fangs of
Insanity. The two sword techniques, which had been as
incompatible as water and oil, were now seamlessly
connected.
With a sharp whistle, the Twin-Headed Demon, true to its
status as a Grandmaster, slightly tilted its helmet to avoid
having its neck cut.
'As expected, it's not easy. However...'
A sense of elation was rising. The emotion of Wrath, which
had felt like ill-fitting clothes, now seemed to be becoming
his own.
-Why do you think Wrath is yours! I merely lent it to you. No,
it's a loan!
Wrath's eyes trembled as if facing an incomprehensible
situation. Judging by its reaction, it was clear that Raon was
using Wrath properly.
"Get lost!"
The Twin-Headed Demon roared as it brought down its
wooden club. It seemed to have raised its power too, with
the quality and quantity of its Fighting Spirit more than
doubled. With a sharp sound, Raon wielded the Heavenly
Drive like silk, simultaneously using the Ring of Fire and
Wrath. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation - Heavenly Drive.
Dance of the Golden Flame.
The flames that erupted from the blade took the form of iron
chains, enveloping the Twin-Headed Demon's Fighting Spirit.
With a roar, the prison of flames incinerated the TwinHeaded Demon's energy as if it had never existed, then
subsided.
"Stop using these damn techniques!"
The Twin-Headed Demon quickly retreated, seemingly
flustered that its prepared martial arts were erased without
accomplishing anything. Even while fleeing, it used
monsters to block the way. With a sharp sound, Raon bent at
the waist and executed the Supreme Harmony Steps. He
pursued the Twin-Headed Demon, scattering Fire Spirit to
incinerate the surrounding monsters.
"You leech!"
The Twin-Headed Demon cursed as it fled, bringing down
the Fighting Spirit it had gathered. The wave of Fighting
Spirit from its club was so powerful that the earth crumbled
and space itself twisted. With a piercing sound, though it
would have been right to dodge or retreat, Raon instead
advanced even faster, thrusting forward with the Heavenly
Drive. Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship.
Seventh Form: Void Slash.
A slash that cut through the moment of an instant cleaved
the red-soaked wave of Fighting Spirit and bared its sharp
teeth towards the Twin-Headed Demon's wooden club. With
a loud crack, the Twin-Headed Demon's wooden club finally
split in half.
This legendary weapon, imbued with the Willpower to be
unbreakable by any blade, had knelt before the edge of the
Heavenly Drive.
Between the falling halves of the broken club, the TwinHeaded Demon's wide-eyed, shocked expression was
visible.
'Now!'
Raon used the Supreme Harmony Steps at its peak. As his
vision narrowed and he felt the earth being pushed back, he
executed the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation - Revolving
Sky. At that moment, the corners of the Twin-Headed
Demon's mouth curled up into a long smile.
"You've come well."
With an eerie voice, something long rose from behind the
Twin-Headed Demon. With a rumbling sound, it was a robust
man wearing the second Etin helmet. He swung down the
greatsword in his hand towards the back of Raon's head. It
was a natural sword strike, as if he had predicted this
moment from the beginning. A sigh escaped.
Raon inhaled as he felt the greatsword falling towards his
head.
A sense of discomfort. Unlike Etin, who used two heads and
two weapons, the Twin-Headed Demon had wielded only one
weapon with one body. Its very existence had been a source
of unease. From the moment the identities of the Green King
and the Severing Sword were revealed, he hadn't let go of
that discomfort and doubt.
Thinking that the Twin-Headed Demon must have had other
intentions, he had continuously kept his head cool.
With a resonating sound, that composure now gave Raon a
moment's time. With a roar, the Ring of Fire resonated as if
it might break, and the blue emotion of Wrath raced through
his entire mana circuit. With a thunderous beat, his heart
pounded like a drum in the high mountains, opening a door
to the world of mental images. He exhaled deeply.
Memories like searing burns rose in his mind.
As if in a flashback, past memories swept by like a
panorama, searching for a way to overcome this crisis. Raon
scanned through countless sword techniques and
swordsmen before his gaze stopped.
'Found it.'
He saw the only way to escape the immediate situation
where his head might be crushed. It was something that
would have been absolutely impossible before, but now it
seemed achievable. With a resonating sound, eight Rings of
Fire rotated at their peak, naturally blending the mantras of
Snow Flower Absorption and Snow Flower Absorption Spear.
The moment the flow of this new martial art was engraved
in the mental world, the Blade of Requiem, which had been
sheathed at his waist, drew itself out.
With a piercing sound, the red blade burning with Demonic
Energy traced the trajectory of the Mystic Soul Sword's
Demon-Charging Heart technique, perfectly deflecting the
greatsword of the second Twin-Headed Demon. The Sword
Control technique of the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance,
which remained in his mental image, had manifested
through Raon's Willpower. A thunderous sound rang out.
The eyes of both Twin-Headed Demons widened as if they
might split open at the sight of the greatsword being forced
to the ground by the Blade of Requiem.
With a sharp sound, Raon endured a splitting headache and
scattered rotating flames from the edge of the Heavenly
Drive. With a thunderous crash, the flame-wreathed blade
deeply slashed the Twin-Headed Demon's chest, spraying
crimson blood. The war on the plain and the castle walls
momentarily halted at the impossible mystery Raon had
unfolded. And then.
A very faint light emerged from the dark eyes of the
Severing Sword.