'Finally....'
Raon tightened his grip on the Heavenly Drive as he watched the forces of the Suphren Holy Kingdom ignite light in the darkness.
'They've arrived.'
He had initially requested their support, believing the Suphren Holy Kingdom to be stronger than Owen or Balkar in battles against demonized humans and Demonic Beasts. However, after the death of the previous Holy King, Suphren had closed its doors, focusing on internal affairs and military strength, making communication difficult.
It seemed the message to come, even if late, had finally reached them. The Holy Knights and priests unleashed overwhelming holy power, pushing back the Demonic Beasts and demonized humans. What was once a tiny white dot now covered half of the black canvas.
"Huh...."
Raon let out a sigh as he watched the Suphren Holy Kingdom's forces effortlessly erase the Demonic Beasts.
'To think they'd be this strong.'
In truth, compared to the elite of the Five Kings and Five Demons, the Holy Knights of Suphren weren't particularly powerful warriors. However, their blades imbued with holy power cut through the aura-resistant hides of Demonic Beasts like tofu, and their armor resonating with sacred hymns remained unshaken by demonic magic.
In this land tainted by demonic energy, the Holy Knights of Suphren were unparalleled.
-Damn holy power....
Wrath clicked his tongue in displeasure.
-But I suppose we have no choice this time.
He closed his eyes tightly, resigned to endure it for today.
'God, huh....'
Wrath had said before that God wasn't the kind of being we imagined. While Raon didn't disbelieve him, the holy power bestowed by God seemed real enough. The Holy Knights and priests of Suphren pushed back the demons and Demonic Beasts, finally reaching the location where the allied forces had gathered.
"The wounded first!"
"Yes."
At Holy King Hoppen's command, high-ranking priests approached the injured and began offering healing prayers. The light of holy power scattered, and the wounds of those whose flesh had been rotting began to heal. Color returned to the faces that had been sickly pale, as if on the brink of death. It was true divine power that even the highest-grade Holy Water couldn't achieve.
"Hey!"
Saintess Olga pulled out a cigarette from inside her nun's habit and put it in her mouth.
"Instead of just standing there in awe, why don't you get to work?"
She lit her cigarette and jerked her chin. While their holy power and martial prowess had grown tremendously, it seemed her personality remained unchanged.
-I don't understand why these brats put things in their mouths.
Wrath wrinkled his nose, seemingly reminded of Chamber eating candy as he watched Olga with her cigarette.
"Benefactor! Please leave this place to us!"
The new Holy King Hoppen bowed his head, pounding his chest as if asking Raon to trust in Suphren. His eyes overflowed with pride, as if he had been training both as a king and a Holy Knight.
'He seems reliable. He's changed a lot.'
Unlike his past naivety, Hoppen now displayed a demeanor befitting the leader of the Holy Kingdom, both devoted and dignified. Recalling his former self, Raon felt an inexplicable joy welling up inside him.
-I acknowledge it.
Wrath nodded, sharing the same thought.
-However, it's not just his confident attitude that has changed. The holy power he possesses has grown several times stronger. To think his faith would deepen even after such experiences, it's truly remarkable.
He narrowed his eyes, musing that humans were still incomprehensible beings.
'We'll figure that out later....'
Raon licked his lips as he watched the demons and Demonic Beasts being pushed back by the holy power.
'Now we need to focus on closing the gate.'
Thanks to the powerful holy power, the resurrection speed of Demonic Beasts and demons had significantly slowed. With Karoon still holding strong, it seemed everyone would be able to endure until he closed the Devildom Pathway.
"Palace Master! Don't worry about this place, go!"
Burren waved his blood-soaked hand. Despite bleeding not just from the demonized humans' blood but also his own, he didn't lose his smile.
"Don't hesitate, just finish it quickly! We'll be fine here!"
Martha wiped the blood flowing from her neck and lifted her chin. It was a wound that would have been fatal if it had been just a bit deeper, but she remained defiant.
"I'll hold on...."
Runaan bowed her head with a faint smile on her lips. To smile at a time like this seemed to mean she truly believed in him.
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace raised their swords with hands drained of strength, pointing towards the Devildom Pathway. It felt as if everyone's eyes conveyed the same emotion.
"....."
Karoon nodded calmly, as if no further words were necessary.
"I'll leave it to you."
Raon met the eyes of those remaining on the ground one by one, then resolutely turned away.
-You were so restless until just now....
Wrath furrowed his brow as he looked at Raon.
-Now you've finally steeled your resolve. What a frustrating guy!
'Sorry.'
Raon lowered his eyes.
'I didn't want to see anyone die.'
Rimmer's death was still unforgotten, and he didn't want anyone he knew to die. But that indecisiveness had almost created even more deaths.
'From now on, I'll go all out.'
Raon slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Devildom Pathway. In the meantime, more Demonic Beasts and demons had emerged, obscuring the gate itself.
"Now I have nothing to fear."
He pointed the Heavenly Drive towards the Demonic Beasts and demons targeting him. The flames enveloping the silver blade spun fiercely, creating a gravitational force that sucked in everything around it.
Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship. Second Form: Heavy Sky Cannon.
The Demonic Beasts and demonized humans struggled to escape the range of the Heavy Sky Cannon, but the swordsmanship imbued with transcendent power ignored their will and pulled them inward. The black heat condensed in an instant, exploding towards the sword. The Demonic Beasts and demons pulled towards the sword were obliterated without leaving a single piece behind.
Raon rode the aftermath of the explosion, advancing again towards the Devildom Pathway. As he cut down demons and reached the front of the gate, a black shadow descended from above. The massive Demonic Beast that had pushed him back before the Suphren Holy Kingdom's forces arrived once again blocked his path.
A monstrous Demonic Beast with a dragon's body and an eagle's wings. It seemed impossible to cut through that body completely even with a full-power strike, but now he had nothing to fear.
Raon didn't retreat as before, but charged straight towards the massive Demonic Beast. Breaking through the black wind spewing from the beast's mouth with his body, he raised the Wooden Ring.
The subtle brilliance of the Wooden Ring was imbued with the essence of a finely honed blade and the determination to cut down the enemy. Binding these two similar yet different grains was the Wrath of the Demon King. A blue radiance as cold as frost blazed atop the silver blade.
The silver trajectory drawn by the Wooden Ring sliced through the sky. The massive Demonic Beast caught in between seemed to die before it could even feel pain, unable to control its body as it fell. Frost-covered blood scattered from its body, split in half.
Raon leaped towards the Devildom Pathway, swinging the Heavenly Drive. Fragments of flame blooming from the red-hot blade flew like cherry blossoms, incinerating all the fleeing Demonic Beasts.
"Now...."
Raon pointed the Heavenly Drive at the black-handed demon floating above the Devildom Pathway.
"It's your turn."
He jerked his chin, telling the demon to come at him.
"A human...."
The black-handed demon looked at the allied forces and the Suphren Holy Kingdom's army on the ground, then slowly raised his gaze. His black eyeballs rolled to meet Raon's eyes.
"Indeed, you are qualified."
The black-handed demon licked his lips, his black eyes glinting like an explorer who had discovered a treasure.
"My name is Zircon. I will confirm who is more worthy between you and him."
The demon who identified himself as Zircon stretched his hand into the air, and a sword resembling lightning appeared in his grasp.
"Qualified? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zircon. From their first encounter, he had felt that this demon's behavior was somehow different from others he had met before.
"You need only swing that sword at me."
Zircon revealed a chilling gaze as he pointed at the Heavenly Drive.
"With all your might, with the will to kill me."
He twitched the hand holding his sword, saying that was all there was to it.
"If you fail to kill me with one strike, you will die."
Zircon uttered these eerie words as if casting a curse, then pulled his sword back behind his waist. Black lightning blazed atop Zircon's sword. It seemed as if all the powerful demonic energy flowing from the Devildom Pathway was gathering into his sword.
Black currents blazed above Zircon's shoulders, making his sword appear massive enough to cover the sky. The sheer magnitude of the energy made Raon's senses feel distorted.
"Just one strike."
Zircon said there wouldn't be a second chance, then bent his knees and lowered his upper body.
"Huu...."
Raon closed his eyes as he watched Zircon's sword grow increasingly massive.
'This won't be easy.'
The demonic energy Zircon had concentrated was certainly powerful enough to tear apart this space, but Raon felt that Zircon's sword itself was even more dangerous. It exuded a level beyond mastery.
'I need to end this decisively here.'
He needed to cut down Zircon in one go to prevent any further interference, and then close that Devildom Pathway.
'Then there's only that swordsmanship.'
He couldn't afford to gamble here to conserve strength. His role was to close the Devildom Pathway. Regardless of what happened afterward, he had to give his all in this confrontation. Raon sheathed the Wooden Ring and gripped the Heavenly Drive with both hands. He fully resonated the Ring of Fire, drawing out all the aura he possessed.
"I shall begin if you're ready."
Zircon put strength into the hand holding his sword and stepped forward with his left foot. The area around him flickered pitch-black, unfolding a world of darkness. In the darkness where not even an inch ahead was visible, lightning darker than the darkness itself flashed. As if forgetting both sword and demon, Zircon came at Raon's life like true lightning.
The power of nature realized through demonic energy. Before Raon could react, Zircon's sword had reached just in front of his neck. Blood trickled down his neck from the sharpness, even though the blade hadn't touched him yet.
'I made the right decision.'
No matter what swordsmanship Raon employed now, he wouldn't be able to block Zircon's lightning. Except for one. Raon slowly lifted his eyelids and raised the Heavenly Drive. Slow yet fast, heavy yet light, spirited yet empty.
Sword Domain: Heaven's Rift. One sword, yet ten thousand swords. Imagining the strongest he could conceive, Raon brought down the Heavenly Drive. A golden radiance that pushed away the night and heralded the morning clashed with the black lightning.
The sword strike Zircon unleashed was so fierce it felt like fighting real lightning. The electricity sparking from the collision tore at flesh and burst blood vessels.
But while Raon's body might tremble, his sword did not waver. The ever-changing subtleties of ten thousand swords sustained the light of Heaven's Rift, splitting the black lightning that covered the sky.
Zircon's sword shattered, and his body was torn in half. His form crumbled into black ashes, scattering as if it had never existed.
"...So it's you."
Zircon smiled faintly, as if satisfied, even as he faced death.
"We shall meet again."
With those words, he melted into the darkness.
"I'd rather not see you again."
Raon shook his head, still bent at the waist. He wasn't confident he could cut down Zircon decisively if they met again. He had to close the Devildom Pathway before the demon could resurrect. Raon leapt into the air without pausing to catch his breath, standing before the black, rippling Devildom Pathway. Biting his bleeding lips, he raised the Heavenly Drive.
"This is the end."
* * *
"It's good I brought the new product."
Chamber pulled out a yellow, glowing lollipop from her bosom.
"Leaving your subordinates unprotected, separating me..."
The Black Tower Master's ruby-red eyes flashed.
"Were you that desperate for revenge?"
He twisted his lips, as if mocking Chamber.
"No."
Chamber shook her head as she put the yellow lollipop in her mouth.
"I trust them. It's probably impossible for you to understand."
She shrugged, saying she had faith in everyone.
"Those maggots who believe in an ugly god might hold out for a while, but if the Devildom Pathway isn't closed, everything will eventually be consumed by darkness."
The Black Tower Master lifted his chin, seemingly certain of victory in this war.
"And you too will be buried in this space."
"We have the king of variables on our side."
Chamber twirled her finger.
"The king of variables?"
"Raon Zieghart. You didn't expect Karet's death either, did you?"
She giggled, mocking the Black Tower Master for losing Karet.
"Whatever happens, your plans will fail."
The Black Tower Master extended his hand, which rippled with darkness, twisting his lips.
"You will never defeat me. I'll make you beg for your life again this time."
"There are no absolutes in this world."
Chamber shook her head, thinking of one person.
"This time will be very different."
She bit down on the candy in her mouth and brought two fingers forward.
"Let's end this long, bitter relationship here."