"Hmm..."
Raon tilted his head as he gazed at the vast Lable River. Following Flumen's guidance, they had arrived at the supposed battlefield where Zieghart and the South-North Union were fighting, but all he could see was the gently flowing river.
"Why, why isn't there anything?"
Flumen blinked, looking around the river in confusion.
"They were definitely fighting here! I swear!"
He waved his hands, insisting he had seen it with his own eyes.
"I know. They did fight here."
Raon shook his head, looking at the wooden planks floating on the river. Those planks were clearly pieces of warship decks, evidence that a major battle had indeed taken place here.
"I'll go ask around!"
Flumen dove into the river, saying he'd get information from the fish living there. Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Flumen submerge deep into the river.
'It's certain that Zieghart pushed forward.'
Zieghart's military strength ranked among the top of the Six Kings and the Five Demons. Even with the South-North Union leveraging the river's geographical advantage, they weren't opponents that could be defeated head-on. However, Raon couldn't relax. Derus Robert would likely be thinking of ways to turn this unfavorable situation to his advantage.
'Where did they go?'
He tried to extend his Aura Perception, but couldn't feel even the slightest ripple of mana, suggesting they had moved quite far away.
'Wrath.'
Raon beckoned to Wrath, who was surveying the river.
'Can you tell where the battle is taking place?'
-It's very faint, but I can sense it at the far end.
Wrath raised his round hand, pointing towards the upstream of the Lable River. Seeming to understand the gravity of the situation, he indicated the location immediately, unlike his usual behavior.
'That's quite far...'
If Wrath described it as very faint, the war must be continuing at a distant location. Judging by the position, it seemed to be at the South-North Union's headquarters.
'We should prepare to leave immediately.'
As Raon waited for Flumen to surface, calming his senses, he felt a faint presence from the right bank. Turning his gaze, he saw a long-haired middle-aged man in Water Demon attire rolling over on the gravel beach. Raon gently pushed the river water aside to approach the Water Demon.
"Black Wolf Branch Leader?"
The middle-aged man collapsed on the gravel was the Black Wolf Branch Leader he had seen during the life-and-death battle with Axe King Roman. He had a severe wound on his chest and was on the brink of death.
"Ra-Raon Zieghart?"
The Black Wolf Branch Leader exhaled a bloody breath as he lifted his eyes.
"You're alive. Thank goodness. I'm... truly relieved..."
He smiled, his voice breaking with each word.
"You're relieved that I'm alive?"
Raon's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, not expecting such words from the Black Wolf Branch Leader.
"The Axe King wished for your safe return. I felt empty when I heard you were dead, but now that emptiness has been filled."
He smiled, seemingly oblivious to the wound on his own chest.
"What happened after I fell?"
"Ti-time is short, so I'll be brief. After you were reported dead, Zieghart declared war on the South-North Union. After that..."
Without hesitation, he quickly explained everything that had happened since then.
"...Since Riquias' cloth is connected to our headquarters, the war should be continuing at the South-North Union's headquarters by now."
"Where's the one wearing the blue dragon helmet?"
"He disappeared after your supposed death. All contact was cut off, enraging the Union Leader."
Unlike The Fallen, the Black Wolf Branch Leader shook his head, saying they couldn't contact the swordsman wearing the blue Dragon Helmet.
"I see."
Raon nodded gravely.
'Now I understand the entire situation.'
Raon had regretted killing the Specter without getting information for fear it might escape, but thanks to the Black Wolf Branch Leader, he now had a clear understanding of the situation. The only forces involved in the war were Zieghart and the South-North Union, with Zieghart currently overwhelming their opponents.
-Eheheheheh!
Wrath nodded quickly, as if to say he knew it.
-With my subjects present, victory is only natural!
It wore a haughty smile, contrasting with its sigh of relief.
'I wasn't worried about the war from the start. The real problem is...'
Derus Robert. Thanks to the Black Wolf Branch Leader's testimony about losing contact with the blue Dragon Helmet swordsman, Raon had a clearer understanding of what Derus might be thinking.
'He'll definitely target the Head of House.'
Derus would certainly stab Glenn in the back while the war was in full swing, deceiving even the South-North Union Leader.
'That's how he'll create the situation he wants.'
The only person who could be considered definitively stronger than Derus was Glenn Zieghart. If the Head of House were to disappear, it would be as good as Derus's world. His scheme was clear.
'It seems...'
Raon licked his lips as he gazed at the calmly flowing river.
'I'll have to change my plan.'
-What plan are you changing?
'At first, I planned to quickly join the battlefield and end this war, but now I think I need to look further ahead.'
If I appear on the battlefield, Derus Robert will abandon his plan to target Glenn and return to House Robert, staying inactive for a while. That's absolutely not what I want.
'I need to use his plan against him and unmask him.'
Since Derus will try to target Glenn directly, this war is the best opportunity to reveal his true identity.
"Raon Zieghart."
The Black Wolf Branch Leader raised his hand weakly, his lips trembling.
"Survive...And never stop rising. You're proof that the Axe King lived in this world..."
He dropped his hand after telling Raon to become the strongest martial artist on the continent. His eyes were open, but he no longer breathed.
"..."
Raon carefully closed the Black Wolf Branch Leader's eyes and stood up.
"Raon! I found out where they went!"
Flumen waved his hand as he emerged from the riverbank.
"Flumen."
Raon approached Flumen and extended his hand.
"I have a request that might be really dangerous. Can you do it for me?"
"Yes!"
Flumen grabbed Raon's hand without a moment's hesitation.
"Because we're friends!"
* * *
The Zieghart warships advanced through the water, heading towards the gap in the barrier cut by Glenn. The South-North Union wasn't idle either. They fired magic cannons from atop their water walls to block Zieghart's approach. As dozens of magic shells were about to rain down on the warships, Zieghart's executives sprang into action.
Alice, Karoon, Sheryl, and Rimmer's slashes cut through the incoming shells. Powerful explosions erupted in midair, causing massive waves, but Zieghart's warships didn't stop. As arrows rained down following the magic cannons, the Light Wind division's ships moved forward.
The swordsmen in formation unleashed their Gale Wind Style, creating a wind barrier that deflected the arrows. The arrows, losing their force against the wind, fell harmlessly into the river. More magic cannons and arrows continued to rain down, but they all dissipated before Sheryl and Rimmer's sword strikes.
"Keep going."
"Don't stop no matter what!"
Following Rimmer and Sheryl's orders, the Light Wind division's ships were the first to cross the South-North Union's walls, as if they were fearless.
"Yes, sir!"
Dorian also gripped the helm tightly, overcoming his fear of war. The Light Wind division's ship ultimately broke through the port, penetrating the South-North Union's main compound before anyone else. Sheryl, Trevin, and Rimmer stepped onto the port, raising their blades.
The South-North Union martial artists who were preparing to defend the port were torn apart like paper by the fierce slashes of the three.
"Heavenly Blade Division!"
"Warring Steel Division! Enter immediately!"
"Sweep them all away!"
At the commands of Sheryl, Trevin, and Rimmer, all the swordsmen aboard the ships disembarked onto the port.
"Advance!"
As Burren rushed towards the South-North Union headquarters, the Light Wind division followed, deploying their Light Wind Formation. The cool wind of the Gale Wind Style pushed them forward.
"Block them!"
"Don't let them take one step past this point!"
The South-North Union martial artists also desperately blocked the path, drawing out their auras to their fullest.
"You bastards!"
Martha screamed as she charged forward, bringing her sword down. The Titan's Aura, swollen to more than twice its size due to her berserk mode, crashed down towards the port's axis. The outskirts of the port crumbled, and the South-North Union martial artists standing there were sent flying in all directions, spitting blood.
"Break through!"
Burren, wrapped in even greater rage than Martha, unleashed a biting wind. The freezing gale he conjured mercilessly tore apart the martial artists coming from inside to provide support.
"..."
A chilling killing intent rose in Runaan's purple eyes. As she swept her Snow Flower technique downward, silver frost petals scattered. The necks of the Water Demons touched by the icy flowers were marked with red lines before their heads fell off.
However, no blood spurted out. The wounds themselves were frozen solid with blue frost.
Mark Goetun's sword struck with a thunderous roar, collapsing buildings, while the bandits, shocked by Yua's voice, dropped their weapons and screamed, clutching their heads.
"Out of the way."
"Pathetic fools!"
The branch leaders, who seemed to be the strongest among the South-North Union's mountain fortresses, stepped forward with their subordinates.
"You brats, do you know where you are?"
"Wipe them all out!"
But the Light Wind division swordsmen didn't back down in the face of strong opponents. They swung their swords endlessly, paying no heed to the enemy's superior numbers or the branch leaders' greater martial prowess. The Light Wind division converted their emotions of anger, sorrow, and despair into strength, overwhelming the South-North Union's Water Demons.
They were even breaking through ahead of the Heavenly Blade Division, said to be Zieghart's strongest.
"Go all the way!"
Rimmer, with a demonic expression, slashed the throats of the Water Demons. He roared as he swept back his red hair, now darker with blood.
"Here we avenge Raon!"
At the word "avenge", a cold killing intent rose in the eyes of the Light Wind division swordsmen. As they unleashed even sharper sword strikes and attempted to penetrate deeper into the South-North Union, Dranos, the South-North Union Leader, stood up. He aimed his sea dragon spear at the Light Wind division and thrust it down.
Just as the water dragon surging from the spear tip was about to swallow the Light Wind division, a red lightning bolt poured down, breaking the dragon's neck.
"Dranos. Look at me."
Glenn looked down at Dranos as he swung his Heavenly Tremor diagonally. The remaining water barrier was torn in half, revealing the South-North Union's main building. Zieghart's swordsmen spread out widely, beginning to surround the main building.
Due to the difference in martial prowess, the South-North Union's martial artists began to be pushed back instantly.
However, seasoned martial artists emerged from the right-side building of the South-North Union and began blocking the way. It was the Council of Elders. Though few in number, they were all formidable, causing Zieghart's swordsmen to slowly come to a halt.
"Damn it!"
Dranos stood atop the severed fortress wall, biting his lip.
"Eden and Shadow were involved too, so why are we the only ones getting hell?"
He expressed genuine frustration as he watched even the Council of Elders, their last line of defense, failing to stop the swordsmen.
"Don't worry."
Glenn shook his head as he approached Dranos.
"I'll erase Eden, Shadow, and the White Blood Religion in turn."
He raised his Heavenly Tremor, declaring he wouldn't miss a single one. Red lightning crackled all over Glenn's body. The lightning bolts that covered the sky, earth, and even the river seeped back into his body, emitting a majestic aura that seemed capable of shaking the entire continent.
"You're simply the first."
* * *
White Whale Headquarters. The Thespian Emperor's office. Erio, the Division Leader of the White Cat Division, knelt before the Thespian Emperor. (E/N: Erio might have been translated differently previously. Added him properly to the glossary this time.)
"The battlefield has moved to the South-North Union headquarters. Glenn Zieghart and Dranos have clashed head-on, so it should end soon."
He bowed his head as he reported the current state of the war between Zieghart and the South-North Union.
"What about the other factions?"
The Thespian Emperor Ariel spread her fingers and tilted her chin.
"There's still no reaction. The Black Tower and Holy Sword Alliance aren't paying any attention, and the White Blood Religion and Eden show no signs of movement. Shadow seems to have vanished entirely. It's already a finished fight."
Erio licked his lips, saying the war would likely end with the South-North Union's defeat.
"Good work. Let me know immediately if anything else happens."
"Yes!"
As she waved her hand, Erio bowed and left the office.
"So it ends with the South-North Union's defeat..."
Ariel touched her fingertips, then lifted her leg. She pulled out the prophecy book, the Celestial Scriptures, tucked in her thigh, and placed it on the desk.
'I need to make sure.'
While it was likely to end in Zieghart's victory as Erio said, the words of the man who had visited before bothered her. Ariel slowly opened the book. Her hand, turning pages filled with lyric-like phrases, stopped at a page torn and stained with blood.
'Raon Zieghart.'
This red page was the demonic record that had appeared when reading Raon's heaven's flow. It still gave her chills.
'They say this guy died?'
Honestly, she couldn't believe it, but the fact that he hadn't shown up until now meant it must be true.
'What a waste.'
Although she had suffered a lot because of Raon, she felt a bit regretful as there were many ways she could have used him.
"Huh."
Ariel exhaled softly and opened a blank page. She bit her finger and let blood drop onto the Celestial Scriptures. A subtle energy flow, as pale as Ariel's skin, rose from the white paper. Sticky drops of blood slowly began to stain the blank page red.
She erased countless thoughts and focused solely on Glenn Zieghart, Dranos, and the battlefield of the two forces.
As Ariel's soul knocked on heaven's door and resonated with the reddening Celestial Scriptures, the crimson blood began to write words on its own. Ariel calmed the image of war she had drawn in her mental world and slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils sank deeply as she checked the book.
[The god of lightning sleeps in the river, and the burning sword shatters into dozens of pieces. The northern wind remains cold, but none can endure its chill.]
Ariel murmured the blood-inscribed lyrics as she leaned back deeply into her chair.
"The Destructive King of the North dies, and Zieghart crumbles."
She closed her eyes as she looked up at the sky filling with dark clouds.