Raon lunged towards the man with the cold expression, extending his Heavenly Drive. He concentrated the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation into his sword strike, incorporating the subtleties of the Heavy Sword. This was Raon Zieghart's sword style.
Second Form: Heavy Sky Cannon.
Using the gravitational force emanating from his sword strike, he pulled his opponent closer before unleashing an extremely powerful attack. An enormous shockwave erupted, sending a storm of Astral Energy in all directions. Considering the opponent as a wall blocking his path, he drew out his full power from the start, causing even the barrier to ripple as if it might shatter.
"Prepare to retreat immedi—"
As he was about to shout at the Light Wind division to prepare to escape this barrier, a shower of pure white light burst forth from the flames created by the Heavy Sky Cannon.
"Hmm!"
Raon took a step back and swung the Blade of Requiem diagonally. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Heavenly Drive, Crimson Slash, Thirty-Six Directions. The flames that spread out in thirty-six directions collided with the falling shower of light like a meteor shower. The red flames and white lightning clashed incessantly, causing powerful explosions.
If his body hadn't been so sturdy, he felt his limbs would have been torn off by that shockwave alone.
'He's strong.'
He had thought the man was a shaman because he had instantly pulled him and the Light Wind division into this barrier, but his martial prowess was also considerable.
While it wasn't quite the aura of a Transcendent Warrior, strangely, it felt stronger than the First Apostle.
The flames created by the Heavy Sky Cannon dissipated, and the man with the cold expression reappeared.
Judging by the fact that his outer garment wasn't even singed, he seemed to be stronger than the First Apostle, as Raon had sensed.
'If that's the case...'
He didn't have much time. Rather than facing this unknown figure, escaping this space was the priority. Raon quickly pivoted on his ankle. He swung down the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem towards the white wall on his right. It was a dual-sword technique transitioning from Crimson Slash to Revolving Sky.
The fierce flames that poured out sliced through the white wall.
However, the barrier didn't split completely, and like water cut by a blade, it slowly returned to its original form.
"What is this..."
The strength he initially felt from the barrier wasn't that strong. He thought the Crimson Slash and Revolving Sky would be enough to cut through it, but it didn't work at all.
"As long as I'm here, you can't leave."
The man with the cold expression shook his head, saying it was impossible.
"Hmm..."
Raon bit his lip as he raised his gaze.
'Did he strengthen the barrier?'
Judging by his words "as long as I'm here," it seemed that this damned fellow had increased the barrier's durability.
'Well, I suppose that's to be expected.'
Since he created this barrier himself, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to enhance its durability.
-That guy...
Wrath lowered his eyebrows as he looked at the man with the cold expression.
-He's an Angel.
'What...?'
Raon turned to Wrath with wide eyes.
'An, Angel, you say? That human?'
-Indeed. He's a rather high-ranking Angel at that.
Wrath deeply furrowed his brow towards the man with the cold expression, as if disgusted.
'A high-ranking Angel...'
Raon swallowed hard.
'Why would an Angel be helping Sif?'
He couldn't understand how Sif and the Angels could be connected.
'Wait a minute...'
Raon bit his lip as he looked up at the Angel, who was said to be high-ranking.
'Could it be him?'
Currently, there was only one person on the continent connected to the Angels. Derus Robert. That bastard's filthy face began to overlap with this Angel's.
'No, it must be him.'
Sif had said he met his god, and he had shown behavior that somehow reminded him of Derus Robert. There was a stench. Behind these guys, that evil spirit must surely be standing.
"Angel."
Raon jerked his chin towards the high-ranking Angel.
"What's your relationship with Derus Robert?"
"Hmm..."
The high-ranking Angel lowered his slightly trembling eyes.
"To have figured it out this far, you truly are a human possessed by a Demon, as He said."
He covered his nose and mouth with his hand, as if disgusted.
"Damn it."
Raon gritted his teeth as he looked at the high-ranking Angel.
'It was him again!'
Derus Robert was involved in all the despicable events happening on this continent. He wanted to open that guy's skull to see what he was thinking.
"Originally, I should have bought time for Beorn to absorb your power, but you're making it impossible to leave you alone. In the name of the Angel Bardiel, I shall purify you."
The high-ranking Angel, who called himself Bardiel, revealed a cold gaze.
'Bardiel? He's suddenly revealing his real name?'
Raon let out a dry laugh as he looked at Bardiel.
-Why do you think he's doing that? They have the delusion that only they are pure and that what they do is right.
Wrath wrinkled his nose, saying they were an utterly despicable race.
"An, Angel? Like that monster from back then?"
Burren's lips trembled as if in shock.
"Angel or whatever! Get lost!"
Martha let out a roar as she struck the wall of light with her Astral Energy.
"Open the door..."
Runaan also emitted blue frost from her entire body, as if unwilling to hold back.
"I'll have to drain some of your strength too."
As Bardiel snapped his fingers, the white ground rippled like paint, and beings of light wielding swords and spears rose up.
"Deal with them."
At his command, the beings of light charged towards the Light Wind division without even making a battle cry.
"What are these things now!"
Martha swung down her sword imbued with Titan's Aura, gritting her teeth. Her heavy sword strike caused the charging beings of light to crumble like sandcastles struck by a fist.
However, the beings of light regenerated their bodies as if nothing had happened and charged at Martha again. It seemed to be Bardiel's ability using this barrier.
"These guys won't stop regenerating!"
Burren shook his head, saying their regeneration speed was too fast.
"I'll handle it."
Runaan stepped to the front of the Light Wind Formation and brought down her Snow Flower. The frosty energy blooming on the blade spread in concentric circles, freezing all the beings of light charging at the Light Wind division.
"Hey! Well done!"
Martha exclaimed, giving Runaan a thumbs up.
"Now let's break the barrier—"
As she was about to suggest breaking the barrier in this moment, the ice shattered into pieces and the beings of light began to move again.
"You idiot! I even praised you, so freeze them properly!"
"This is my best..."
Runaan pouted and sprayed cold energy again, but it only momentarily stopped the beings of light's advance.
-Unless you deal with that Angel, both this barrier and those beings of light will continue to persist.
Wrath shook his head, saying they needed to deal with Bardiel first.
'I guess so.'
Raon nodded and looked at Bardiel.
-You've probably noticed, but that Angel isn't using his full power.
Wrath snorted as he looked up at Bardiel.
-To break this barrier, we need to make him serious in battle and draw out his wings first.
He nodded, saying that when Angels use their full power, white wings sprout out.
'I see.'
He understood why he initially thought Bardiel was stronger than the First Apostle.
That guy was hiding an Angel's wings and power within a human shell.
'Then Sif hasn't fully absorbed Aunt's power.'
Considering Bardiel's words and actions, he seemed to have created this barrier to buy time for Sif to fully absorb Alice's power. He didn't know what secret in the Zieghart blood made such an absurd thing possible, but what he needed to do was clear.
"It's complicated, but simple."
Raon raised his chin towards Bardiel.
"We just need to catch that guy, right?"
"Indeed, humans are on the wrong path."
Bardiel shook his head heavily as he looked down at Raon.
"The chicken is talking nonsense."
Raon snorted as he looked at Bardiel.
"Demon or Angel, I don't understand why they keep babbling useless words."
-Hey!
Wrath shook his head, asking why he suddenly brought up Demons.
'I need to focus.'
He was worried not only about Alice but also about the people outside this barrier, making his head spin and difficult to make proper judgments. Imagining the worst-case scenario, he felt he couldn't control his emotions even with his Forever Unrippled Mind.
But there was always only one thing he could do. Defeating the enemy in front of him. Thinking only of that, he readjusted his grip on the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.
"You've been deeply tainted by the Demons."
Bardiel lowered one eyebrow and stretched out his hand. White light erupted from his palm, surging towards Raon as if to erase his entire body. Unlike the light forming this space, it clearly showed aggressive intent.
Raon didn't retreat, but instead advanced using the Supreme Harmony Steps. As he threw himself towards the wave of light that seemed about to melt his entire body, he layered Glacier's cold energy onto the Heavenly Drive.
The demon king's frost, riding on the wind of the Gale Wind Style, froze all the light created by the Angel.
"Hmm!"
Bardiel's eyes widened as he stepped back, seemingly not expecting his attack to be frozen.
"Don't run away, Angel."
Moving forward at a speed that nearly blacked out his vision, Raon swung down the Heavenly Drive. Wrath's cold energy, which could freeze light, accompanied it. The Heavenly Drive shattered the wall of light created by Bardiel, and Raon thrust the Blade of Requiem towards his heart. White frost bloomed over the red blade of resentment.
"Ugh!"
Bardiel swallowed hard and clasped his hands together. A sphere of light, blazing like the sun, rose in front of his chest, roughly pushing away the two swords.
"Haa..."
Raon took a step back and exhaled softly.
'He's strong, but I can catch him.'
Although the light Bardiel created was strong and fast, it didn't seem to have deep martial arts principles embedded in it. He could definitely win.
"I'll pierce holes all over your body."
As Bardiel twisted his lips, white flashes shot out from the sphere of light he was holding. There were too many to cut with a sword. Raon raised the Heavenly Drive in front of him. Frost flowers bloomed over the blue-frozen blade.
The Fire Spirit unleashed with Glacier clashed with the flashes pouring out of the light sphere.
Bardiel's eyes gleamed fiercely in the battle where countless sword strikes and light collided.
'This guy is indeed dangerous.'
Judging by how he was erasing his divine power, he had clearly already embraced demonic power. If left alone, it seemed this barrier might be in danger.
'It might be better to eliminate him.'
Recalling the incident where Raon had revealed Derus's identity, it seemed better to kill him here, even if his power and talent were regrettable. Bardiel crossed his hands, compressing the sphere of light to the size of a bead. He shot the vibrating light sphere, which seemed about to burst, towards Raon.
The light sphere that had been compressed small expanded like a cloud right in front of Raon's eyes, causing a massive explosion.
'It's over.'
Even with demonic power, it's impossible for a human body that hasn't ascended to Transcendence to withstand that impact. As he was about to lower his hand, thinking it was all over, red eyes flashed within the white shockwave.
Raon destroyed the ground with his toes as he advanced. The Void Slash, imbued with the Authority of Wrath, pierced through the wall of light and penetrated Bardiel's chest.
Not only Bardiel but even the space behind him was split, and the white barrier began to open.
"Now!"
As Raon gestured towards the Light Wind division, the opening barrier closed again, and a pure white radiance rose from the floor. Bardiel's shell peeled off, and snow-white wings burst from his back.
"How dare a mere human!"
He twisted his black eyes as if he had descended as a Demon rather than an Angel. Raon gripped the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem in reverse, plunging them into the ground. Golden suns and silver moons rose over the barrier filled with white light, forging the divine and demonic swords.
"How dare an Angel..."
Raon tilted his chin as he grasped the falling divine and demonic swords.
"...stand in the way of humans."
* * *
"Dorian."
Sif approached Dorian, giggling.
"Ugh..."
Dorian stepped back, but his back soon hit the wall.
"I pretended not to know, but I knew about you too. You're Raon's closest aide and the quartermaster of the Light Wind division, right?"
Sif spun his Cursed Blacksword, smiling.
"I wonder what would happen if I showed Raon Zieghart your corpse with limbs torn off? It might make him easier to deal with."
He swung down his Cursed Blacksword, saying he looked forward to Raon's expression.
"Aaargh!"
Dorian threw himself to the right just before Sif completed his swing. Thanks to that split-second judgment, he escaped with just a small wound instead of having his thigh cut off.
"I was aiming to cut off your leg?"
Sif narrowed his eyes as he looked at Dorian.
"Seems you've learned something."
He shook his head, snorting.
"Fine. Then I'll do it properly."
"Ah..."
Dorian's jaw trembled as he looked at Sif's gleaming red eyes.
'This is not good.'
He was able to dodge the first strike thanks to his Mind's Eye and Sif underestimating him, but this was too much. No matter when or how he moved, it felt like he couldn't escape that Cursed Blacksword.
"This time, it's your arm."
Sif declared he would cut off his arm and swung down his Cursed Blacksword lightly.
"Aaaaargh! Division Leader!"
Dorian closed his eyes, crying out to Raon for help. Instead of the pain of his arm being torn off, he felt the scent of clear wind.
"Huh..."
As Dorian slowly opened his eyes, red hair was swaying in front of him.
"That's harsh. You call for Raon instead of me?"
Rimmer turned to look at Dorian with a smirk.
"Vice Leader!"
"Take this useless human."
He handed Alice, who had been tucked at his left waist, to Dorian.
"Hmm?"
Sif narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rimmer.
"Where were you hiding to come out now?"
"Well, I left first, so I was outside this cave."
Rimmer nodded slightly with his Leaf Sword resting on his shoulder.
"I was planning to go around the back and ambush you after leaving the front to Raon, but things turned out like this."
He smiled, saying it was fortunate nonetheless.
"No matter how well you hid your presence, Bardiel's barrier should have... Ah!"
Sif chuckled as he looked at Rimmer's ears.
"So that's how it was? Well, it makes sense since it was a hastily created barrier."
He nodded, saying he understood now.
"This worked out better."
Sif curled up the corners of his mouth as he looked at Rimmer.
"You might be fun to play with?"
"Fun?"
Rimmer shook his head, snorting.
"I don't know what methods you used to steal this maniac's power..."
Blue wind that erased malice rose behind his back.
"But I'll show you that a hastily built bridge is bound to collapse."