Raon gripped the Heavenly Drive tighter as he gazed at the
cloudless night sky.
'Did I do it?'
Even though Wrath had offered to help, he hadn't expected
to catch The Fallen. Even now, it felt like a dream he
couldn't believe.
"Hah..."
He let out a long sigh and looked back. Listening to the
breathing of Rector, Sylvia, Edgar, Sia, Merlin, and Rimmer,
he pressed his lips tightly.
'I'm glad I protected them.'
Even while fighting The Fallen, he had worried more about
their safety than his own life. It seemed these people had
become more important to him than he had realized.
'Thank you. Today, I was able to survive because of you.'
Raon slightly bowed his head to Wrath, who remained silent.
'Now I just need to get far away before all the feathers of
the Ring of Fire disappear, right?'
He was worried about Rector and Sylvia's rapidly declining
vitality, but his presence here was even more dangerous. He
needed to get as far away as possible before the rampage
began.
-Not yet.
Wrath frowned, looking at the frozen white ground.
'What?'
-Just before our attack hit, that masked one's energy
suddenly amplified.
He shouted to focus, saying the guy would surely survive. A
massive light erupted from the cracks in the earth, turning
into golden lightning that poured down towards House
Arianne.
'He's not aiming for me, but for them!'
Raon bit his lip and swung the Revolving Sky repeatedly.
Eight fiercely rotating blades shot up like meteors, erasing
all the light raining down.
"Ugh..."
Raon let out a thin groan as his fingertips trembled. Wrath's
energy still remained, but his mind was crumbling under the
increasingly powerful emotions of anger. He couldn't fight
for long in this situation.
'And it's too dangerous over there.'
Up close, Sylvia and Rector's conditions were more serious
than he had expected. If he didn't take action immediately,
their lives would be in danger.
'Damn it...'
Raon bit his tongue and approached Sylvia and Rector. As
he tried to push back the demonic energy consuming their
bodies with the Divinity Born from Darkness, light and
darkness intertwined in a spiral fell from the sky.
-Block it even if it kills you!
'I know!'
Raon extended the Heavenly Drive forward and unleashed
the Heavy Sky Cannon. He drew the light and darkness
trying to spread in all directions into the sword's energy and
burst it. He then froze even the aftermath of the explosion
to prevent others from getting hurt before lowering the
Heavenly Drive.
"The Fallen..."
As he looked up, he saw The Fallen floating in the sky with
wings of light and darkness spread out. The mouth part of
the mask was soaked in black blood, countless scars
bloomed on his chest as if barbed wire had been embedded,
and his right arm was torn off at the shoulder, pouring out
blood like a waterfall.
'Is this just the beginning...?'
Raon bit his lip. When The Fallen revealed his full power,
those white and black wings spread out. Although his
injuries looked severe, his aura seemed stronger, as if
declaring that the real fight was about to begin.
-No, our attack definitely worked.
Wrath shook his head as he looked up at The Fallen.
-That guy is also on the verge of death. Moreover, he still
hasn't erased the soul wound inflicted by old man Nadine.
'That's still there?'
-It's the soul, not the body. Even Transcendent Warriors can't
easily recover from soul wounds.
He said there was enough chance of winning and raised his
fist.
'Alright. You said "our," so I have to trust you.'
-What are you talking about?
'You just said our attack worked. I quite like that "our" word.'
Raon smiled faintly and nudged Wrath with his elbow.
-Huh, nonsense! This king did not say such a thing!
Wrath shook his head with a reddened face.
-If you're going to talk nonsense, focus on the fight!
'Okay. Let's talk after it's over.'
Raon exhaled deeply and raised his head.
"Kuk!"
The Fallen slowly raised his hand to grab his own mask.
"Kuhahahahaha!"
He burst into maniacal laughter towards the sky, without
showing anger or a bewildered look.
"Yes. Now I understand."
The Fallen twisted his lips as he lowered his golden eyes.
"Raon Zieghart. You were the final piece."
He let out a deep, rich exclamation as if he had discovered a
hidden gem, with a bright smile on his face.
"The final piece?"
Raon frowned as he met The Fallen's golden eyes.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"You know. No, you don't know yet? Well, it hasn't
manifested yet."
The Fallen giggled, muttering incomprehensible words as if
he had already lost his mind. It was disconcerting, as he
hadn't lost his elegant demeanor even when his life was
threatened by Glenn.
"It's not time yet, but I can't help but be greedy."
The Fallen licked his lips and stretched out his left hand.
Darkness condensed in his palm began to suck Raon in like
a black hole. Raon stepped into a heavy stance. While
resisting the gravitational pull of darkness with his body, he
looked at Wrath.
'Did he perhaps realize your existence?'
-I don't know. And even if he does, that's not important.
Wrath clenched his small fist, saying to fight to the end to
protect his mother.
"Let's enjoy it a bit more."
The moment The Fallen smiled grotesquely, a golden
radiance rose in the black sky. As he snapped his fingers,
thin trajectories of light surrounding the radiance spread
across the heavens and earth. He was targeting not just
himself, but all humans present.
Raon took a step back and summoned the Fire Spirit.
Thousands of ice flowers blooming around the blade
became frost fragments and enveloped The Fallen's light.
Light and frost competed, scattering snowflakes in the air.
Raon broke through the shockwave created by the collision
of light and frost and unleashed the Thirty-Six Crimson
Slashes.
The timeless sword technique that simultaneously struck
thirty-six directions swept across The Fallen's entire body.
"I didn't invite you, but you're welcome."
Along with The Fallen's smile, a ring of darkness appeared
and rapidly rotated, pushing back the thirty-six slashes in an
instant. It was a nullification created by the gravitational
pull of darkness. However, his sword had not yet been
broken.
Raon leaned his upper body forward and thrust the Mystic
Soul Sword towards the ring of darkness where the impact
of the Thirty-Six Crimson Slashes remained.
The thrust of the Mystic Soul Sword, establishing its own
justice within the darkness, pierced through the
gravitational pull of darkness and struck The Fallen.
"Kheuk!"
The Fallen coughed up black blood and staggered backward.
A black hole opened in his abdomen, which he had barely
managed to staunch, and blood poured out.
-What are you doing! Not only are you exhausted, but that
guy is also on the brink of death!
Wrath gritted his teeth, pointing at The Fallen whose
breathing had become rough.
-The wounds from your and this king's combined attack still
remain!
'I know!'
Raon inwardly shouted as he pursued The Fallen.
"Kuhehe!"
The Fallen curled up his lips as if enjoying the pain and
unleashed light and darkness in succession. Raon employed
the Cloudless Sky of the Azure Sky Sword to both pressure
The Fallen and protect the people behind him. The sword
technique imbued with the elegant sky cut through light and
darkness, carving a diagonal sword wound across The Fallen's chest.
The Fallen turned into light this time to prevent further
damage. Raon, without looking at The Fallen, followed his
aura and drew the Frost Snap. Two streams of sword energy
shot along the horizon, grazing The Fallen's shoulder and
thigh as he appeared on the right.
The Fallen finally coughed up blood and fell to his knees.
"Good..."
But he nodded with a bright smile as if he couldn't feel the
pain.
'Has he really gone mad?'
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at The Fallen smiling.
'No, that's not it.'
The Fallen's eyes were clearly tinged with madness, but in
the deepest part, the light of desire was gleaming. If he
were truly mad, he wouldn't have such a look in his eyes.
'Then it means he's aiming for something.'
The Fallen's words were still incomprehensible, but he was
clearly targeting Raon.
'Now it's a battle of minds.'
-Whatever it is, end it quickly! There's no time left!
Wrath trembled, sweating coldly. As he said, the limit was
approaching. Whether The Fallen died or he died, it had to
end here. Raon kicked the ground with his legs that had
become as heavy as stone. As he stepped into the Supreme
Harmony's Third Step, he unleashed the Flame and Ice
Unification.
Like a brush dipped in blue paint drawing blue waves on a
canvas, the Heavenly Drive, imbued with Wrath's energy,
brought forth a frost tsunami to the mortal world.
The massive wave of cold energy enveloped The Fallen's
entire body. As The Fallen's wings spread simultaneously,
spheres of light and darkness rose and began to suppress
the cold energy of the Flame and Ice Unification by force.
'Now.'
Seizing the moment while The Fallen and Flame and Ice
Unification were locked in a struggle, Raon stepped into
Supreme Harmony Step. As he unfolded the swift footwork
technique, the world narrowed, and only The Fallen came
into view. Chi-iiiiing! Raon struck down with Crimson Slash
towards The Fallen, who was spreading his left hand. Puereong!
However, the sword energy of the Heavenly Drive failed to
penetrate The Fallen's heart. His right arm, which had
suddenly regrown, was pushing back the Crimson Slash with
darkness.
"Welcome."
The Fallen nodded slightly with a deep smile. The Heavenly
Drive, finally pushed back by the darkness, left Raon's hand
and flew into the air.
"Our final piece."
He reached out his hand towards Raon's neck, as if trying to
subdue rather than kill him.
-Step back!
'No.'
Raon didn't reject The Fallen's touch and stood still as if he
had lost his strength.
-What are you doing!
'You said it yourself. To end it quickly.'
Raon caught the falling Heavenly Drive in its scabbard. The
moment the silver blade was sheathed, a coldness that
could freeze the world emanated from the dragon's eyes
engraved on the scabbard. It meant the charging of the
drawing technique was complete.
Raon stepped into a stance as The Fallen's hand grasped his
neck. He gripped the sword hilt, channeling the icy energy
rising from his toes through his waist and shoulders.
Raon Zieghart Style Sword Technique.
Eighth Form: Extreme Slash.
The Heavenly Drive erupted as if exploding, raising flames
of frost. The blade, burning blue at the pinnacle of drawing
techniques, pierced through the light and darkness raised
by The Fallen and sliced his neck.
"Ah..."
The Fallen's head fell off as if he didn't realize he had been
cut, still maintaining his smile.
"Kheuk!"
Raon coughed up black blood while planting the Heavenly
Drive in the ground. This was truly his limit. He didn't have
the strength to walk, let alone fight.
"As expected..."
The Fallen looked up at Raon, his eyes trembling.
"We... we will meet again that day..."
Even as his last breath was leaving him, he revealed eyes
gleaming with desire before sinking into the darkness rising
from the earth.
"I... I protected them."
Raon turned his gaze, clutching his violently throbbing head.
He was more relieved that his family and comrades had
survived than the fact that he was still alive.
-Well done!
Wrath looked down at Raon, exhaling empty air.
-To think you'd use that scabbard at the end, you really... Ah!
He seemed to realize it wasn't the time as he shook his
head mid-admiration.
-Time! We don't have time! Move quickly!
'I'm sorry...'
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the fallen people.
'I really have no strength left.'
His head was dizzy, and his body was stiffening like a
statue. He needed to provide emergency treatment to Sylvia
and Rector, whose vitality was bottoming out, and then
leave far away, but he couldn't do either.
-Ugh...
Wrath also seemed at a loss, his lips trembling as he looked
back and forth.
-For now, get as far away from here as possible! That's the
top priority!
'Alright.'
As Raon crawled towards the forest on his knees, he felt an
enormous mana wave in the sky above. Looking up, he saw
three massive dragons spreading their wings as sharp as
blades.
'Dragon Lord...'
The dragon rising in the center was the Dragon Lord, who
only appeared to wreak havoc when unnecessary, and the
Red and Blue Dragons beside him were also high-ranking
dragons.
'Why now of all times...'
It was truly the worst situation, for them to arrive just as
Wrath's energy was growing stronger.
[Is this the demon king's incarnation!]
The Dragon Lord frowned as he looked down at Raon.
[I'll annihilate you without a trace!]
The Dragon Lord and the two high dragons opened their
massive jaws towards Raon. Light, flames, and frost surged
from their pitch-black throats, pouring down with intense
killing intent. Raon's jaw trembled as he looked at the
dragons' breaths filling the sky. He was caught between a
rock and a hard place.
If he gave in to the anger now, everyone here would die,
and if he took those breaths, he would die.
He had no choice but to make an extreme decision.
-...
Wrath seemed to have calmed down. It felt like he was
leaving the choice to Raon.
'The decision was made long ago.'
Raon pushed back the anger gnawing at his mind,
resonating the Ring of Fire until the very end.
'It's better if I die.'
The values he had gained in his second life were more
precious than his desire for revenge against Derus Robert.
Even if he died, he didn't want to lose them.
'But...'
I'll go down fighting. Raon raised his head, gritting his teeth.
As he was about to swing down the Heavenly Drive in a lastditch effort against the three streams of breath raining down like the sky was collapsing, the breath—no, the sky itself—
split apart.
The Azure Sky Sword, embodying darkness and cold. There
was only one person in this world who could wield that
sword technique.
The sky that had held the dawn twisted, and the solitary
moon rose distorted. Beneath the warped moonlight stood
Glenn, wrapped in a black robe. Even the presence of the
Dragon Lord, who ruled all dragons, crumbled like dry
kindling before him.
[Glenn Zieghart...]
The Dragon Lord screamed, glaring at Glenn.
[You dare interfere again!]
He gnashed his teeth, spewing out anger and bewilderment.
"You've done well."
Glenn looked not at the Dragon Lord, but at Raon. He smiled
gently at his grandson, who was coughing up black blood
with black horns sprouting from his forehead.
"Head... Head of House."
Raon's lips trembled as he collapsed on the spot. Seeing
Glenn, all the tension in his body released, and he couldn't
stand anymore.
[What are you doing! He possesses the demon king's
power!]
"That..."
Glenn shook his chin without even looking at the Dragon
Lord.
"So what?"
[If you don't kill him now, you know the demon king will
descend!]
"Shut your mouth. I'll handle this myself."
He waved his hand as if telling them to leave immediately.
[Kuuk! Attack! We must kill him now!]
At the Dragon Lord's cry, the high dragons once again
raised their breaths and magic.
"I told you to shut up, didn't I?"
The moment Glenn raised the Heavenly Tremor, the sky
split, severing the necks of the high dragons spewing
breath, and the Dragon Lord fell, coughing blood.
"Don't block the sky of my children, you frauds."