Raon looked down at the Blade of Requiem's crimson blade, which almost looked like it came straight out of a furnace. The endless sword resonance coming from it sounded like a shout of its desire to get stronger.
'You're telling me that you can take over the power of this longsword, right?'
The Blade of Requiem vibrated violently in confirmation.
Bullshit.
Wrath snorted while looking down on the Blade of Requiem from Raon's shoulder.
There's no way an insignificant creature like this has such an ability.
'Is that such a rare ability to have?'
Since your insignificant dagger was created for the sake of killing those mongrels, it's only natural for it to be capable of erasing their energy. However…
Wrath examined the longsword lying on the ground with an expression of displeasure on his face.
Absorbing the ability of that longsword is a different story. The King of Essence can do it, but there's no way an insignificant creature like that is capable of such a feat.
He shook his hand, brushing it off as nonsense.
Stop wasting your time and go ahead to solve Four Eyes's problem already.
"Hmm…"
Raon looked around. He still had lots of time, since Dorian, the warriors, and the magicians were still writing their names.
'I guess I don't lose anything from trying.'
He didn't know exactly what that longsword was, as he didn't even know its name, but he knew what kind of ability it had at least.
Magic forcefield.
Most magicians used the mana circle created around their heart to cast magic. The longsword was capable of creating a small disturbance in the circle's flow of mana through a strange vibration of the blade.
If the Blade of Requiem could really obtain that ability, it could be extremely advantageous for him during fights against magicians.
Whaap!
Raon picked up the black longsword. Although he was simply holding it, the longsword's bloody energy pierced into his body. It couldn't do anything to him though, since it was crushed by the Ring of Fire and chased out.
'What should I do with this?'
The Blade of Requiem's vibrations intensified. It looked like it was getting excited.
"Are you telling me to shatter it? Using only ghastly energy?"
He unconsciously said that out aloud in his surprise. The Blade of Requiem was telling him to shatter the longsword's blade by using its own blade.
Whir!
The Blade of Requiem resonated once again to confirm.
Do you really believe you can take over the sword's ability by just shattering it?
Wrath called him foolish and turned his head away.
It's pointless.
'Be quiet please.'
Raon ignored Wrath and raised the Blade of Requiem.
'It's not a difficult task.'
Shattering the longsword when the fourth apostle was wielding it would've been a different story, but shattering the longsword when it was just lying around was a piece of cake.
Whir!
He used the Adaptation to Ghastly Energy to increase the ghastly energy's output to the maximum and struck it down.
Claang!
The Blade of Requiem's powerful ghastly energy shattered the long, dark blade like glass.
Whaap!
The bloody energy was creeping out from the shattered longsword. The dark energy was absorbed into the Blade of Requiem's crimson blade before it could put up any kind of resistance.
Whir!
The Blade of Requiem's vibration intensified as it devoured all the gas flowing from the longsword until none of it remained.
Once it absorbed all of the longsword's energy, the color had become even deeper than before.
[The Blade of Requiem is absorbing the Blood Sword's energy.]
[A new skill will be created in the Blade of Requiem once the absorption ends.]
The system also worked for the Blade of Requiem, probably because it belonged to Raon.
Ugh!
Wrath's eyes widened as he looked at the Blade of Requiem.
H-How is this even possible? But it's just an insignificant creature!
'It might have been insignificant in the beginning, but it kept growing with me.'
Wrath would've been right if the Blade of Requiem had remained in the same state as when Raon first got it. It must've obtained that ability through absorbing the bloody energy of countless White Blood Fanatics and drinking the blood of the apostle and archbishop after the previous encounter.
Kuh, growth…
Wrath frowned heavily. He seemed very slightly irritated that the Blade of Requiem was rather competent despite the fact that he considered it insignificant.
'I think his expression means that it's an amazing ability.'
Considering Wrath's reaction, Raon figured that he could look forward to the Blade of Requiem's new ability.
"Huff, huff! I've finished."
Dorian came up to Raon after getting all of the signatures. He was still carrying the desk on his head.
"When are you going to stop bringing that around with you?"
"When Mister Ghost leaves."
He turned his head left and right, as he couldn't see Lohengreen, who was right above him.
"By the way, you look rather happy."
"Do I?"
"Yes. You look super excited, just like when your training goes well."
"I guess I do."
Raon grinned while looking at the Blade of Requiem's slightly vibrating edge.
'Because I hit a jackpot.'
* * *
Raon followed Lohengreen's lead until he reached the last floor of the dungeon, where his laboratory was located. However, there was no room to be found and large walls were all that existed in that place.
"There's nothing here, though."
Dorian tried tapping and kicking the wall, but it was completely meaningless.
Raon nodded. He tried spreading Glacier's aura perception and using the Evil Eye of Wrath, but boulders were all that he could find behind the wall.
"Try calling Mister Ghost already."
Dorian placed the white wood desk on top of his head after he spoke.
[Huhu.]
Lohengreen laughed gently while watching them.
[I can finally stop feeling ashamed of myself, since you can't find it.]
"So it was here after all."
Lohengreen was a powerful magician who was praised as a hero. It wasn't that strange that Raon couldn't find his secret.
"How can I enter?"
[It's simple. Place your hand at the center of the wall and use Glacier.]
"I can't feel any of Glacier's energy from it, though…"
[That's because it's hidden. Just try it.]
Raon nodded and placed his hand on the wall. Then he used Glacier.
Rumble!
The blue coldness permeated into the cracks between the boulders, and the wall split in two to reveal a white room behind it.
"Huh, it worked…"
He didn't expect the wall to open because he couldn't feel Glacier's energy from it at all.
[I've used the coldness like the earth attribute.]
Lohengreen smiled while pointing at the wall.
"Earth attribute?"
[Yes. You must've seen how the God of Wrath turns the coldness into a flame. I've turned the coldness into a boulder in a similar way.]
He must've changed the flow itself instead of simply changing the shape of the coldness. It must've been possible because he was a magician.
[Please enter.]
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at Lohengreen's laboratory.
'This is a bit different from what I expected.'
Unexpectedly, his laboratory wasn't that large. It was also completely clean, without a speck of dust to be seen. He figured that cleaning magic must've been applied to the room.
It was a relief, since it meant that the elixirs and artifacts should've been properly preserved instead of decaying.
Books filled the wall on the left side, and plenty of unknown artifacts and materials were displayed on the right side. And at the center…
"Hieee!"
Dorian screamed upon seeing the skeleton collapsed on the desk. It was wearing a blue robe that was embroidered with ice flower patterns. Round glasses fell down from its face.
[Huhu, how embarrassing…]
Lohengreen smiled awkwardly and stroked his beard, since it was his skeleton.
[I ended up showing a shameful side of me.]
"It's okay."
Raon shook his head, since he was expecting that to happen.
"M-Mister Ghost, nice to meet… No, wait. He must be here with us. I-I hope we get along. Thank you for guiding us along the way! Eeh, and I'm sorry for the arrogance of our vice squad leader!"
Dorian kept bowing at Lohengreen's skeleton while carrying the desk on his shoulders.
[He's a nice person.]
"But he's an idiot."
Raon smiled faintly, then turned his head.
"Can you tell me about it now? What kind of lingering attachment do you have?"
Even though he looked around the laboratory, he still couldn't figure out what kind of lingering attachment he had. He needed Lohengreen to tell him about it personally.
[Since it will be a long story, let's achieve your objective first, esteemed priest.]
He asked him to take out a golden bead and a wooden box from the middle of the display.
[That bead is an artificial energy center.]
"An artificial energy center?"
[Yes. It's an artifact created for those whose energy centers are broken, or those who don't have any energy centers. Once it is connected to the mana circuits, it can be used like a real energy center.]
"Ah…"
Raon licked his lips.
'This will be useful.'
Since Rimmer's energy center was already broken to the extreme, he figured creating a new energy center with that artifact would work.
[The drawback is that they have to start all over. Since the energy center is going to be entirely switched, they will need to accumulate the aura inside the energy center all over again. It wouldn't be a big deal for novices, but experts are going to have a hard time, even though it won't take that long.]
'Indeed…'
Filling the energy center with aura wasn't an easy task. Since Rimmer's level was extremely high, he should've been able to gather the aura a lot faster than others, but he would also have an extremely hard time in the meantime.
"Then what is this one?"
Raon pointed at the wooden box.
[That contains the Elixir of Eternal Flow, which can recover damaged mana circuits.]
"Mana circuit…"
[Yes. A torn or distorted mana circuit can be recovered with this.]
"I see."
Raon finally felt relieved, since those two items were capable of recovering Rimmer's condition. However, he wanted a bit more than that.
"Do you know how to create those two items by any chance?"
He asked desperately, since he also wanted to recover Sylvia's in addition to Rimmer's.
[Hmm, I do know how to make the Elixir of Eternal Flow, but I don't know about the artificial energy center, since I'm not the one who made it. I just happened to obtain it. I'm sorry.]
"No, that's enough."
Raon shook his head. That much was enough. Since he learned that such an artifact existed in the world, he figured he could recover Sylvia's condition one day.
"Now, please tell me. What lingering attachments do you have, Sir Lohengreen?"
[Hmm…]
Lohengreen scratched his forehead and hesitated.
[I'll have to tell you about my past before talking about it.]
He smiled faintly while looking at his skeleton.
[I…]
Merlin the Witch and the monsters she controlled completely destroyed the city called Remia over a single night.
My mother who always patted my head with a smile, my kindhearted father who only looked scary on the outside, and my friends who used to play with me in the mountains and fields every day had all been fed to the monsters right in front of my eyes.
The knights who protected the city were turned to ash by Merlin's fire, and the kingdom's magicians who hurriedly came to their rescue were also annihilated by the witch's spells that fell down on them like starfall.
Are you curious how I managed to survive?
There was no special reason. Merlin just wanted to brag about it.
"Ahh, I got too excited. There wouldn't be anyone to tell my story if I killed everyone."
That crazy bitch told me to let the continent know that she had destroyed Remia City before she left.
I was enraged.
I cursed the witch, enraged by the fact that I was left alone, that I couldn't die with everyone else.
I desperately screamed that I was fine with selling my soul to a devil if it allowed me to take my revenge against that crazy bitch.
And that was when that person appeared.
I couldn't even tell whether they were a man or a woman. No, I should've been more worried about whether he was a devil or a god, as his huge presence descended upon me.
He asked me what was wrong, and my mouth opened by itself regardless of my will.
Even though I told him the entire story, he looked rather disinterested.
He looked like he was about to leave as he turned around, but he still bestowed power upon me while telling me that he liked the last thing I said. It was the power of frost that would allow me to take my revenge against the witch.
You won't be able to achieve anything with this much power. If your wrath comes from the bottom of your heart, you will have to work hard to prove it. Kill that merman or whatever with your own hand.
"She is Merlin the Witch."
Anyway, if you allow the wrath inside you to burst out, your ability shall become stronger at the same time.
I asked him what he wanted from me. I told him I would even offer my soul, but he refused me.
Soul? What's wrong with you? I don't need it.
I held on to him and asked him to tell me anything else he wanted from him.
Then try researching the power the King of Essence has bestowed upon you! Stop bugging me!
That was the last thing he said before he disappeared, and I also left the city that was turned to ash.
His ability was mysterious. Even though I'd just gotten it, I realized how to use it just like I knew how to breathe.
I traveled throughout the continent to fight during the day and research the magic and coldness at night. Countless days and nights passed, and I started to gain some fame… But I had to despair.
There was an extreme difference between Merlin the Witch and me. The height that she had reached as one of the strongest existences of the continent and the worst Witch in the world was making me despair.
And that was when he appeared once again.
What kind of bullshit are you spouting? You just need to get stronger if you are too weak. Even if it takes you all of your life, you just need to get stronger and kill her.
It was such simple advice, but it was pretty much a divine revelation for me back then.
You are so annoying when you are just dealing with some weakling called merman or whatever.
"She's Merlin the Witch."
Anyway, stop agonizing over some weakling that the King of Essence could kill by snorting. You just need to get stronger.
He clicked his tongue at my pathetic behavior and disappeared.
I got stronger. I trained and researched to fight over and over again. I grew strong enough to match Merlin's power, but there was a problem.
Countless monsters and powerful people were following her. It was impossible to win the war by myself.
I gathered people to attack the witch's castle. A few people answered my call, as they also craved revenge, but most people brushed it off as impossible.
Everyone said that it was impossible, that I should just give up.
Because even my friends were saying that to me, I lost my will to continue. I started to doubt whether revenge was really possible, and I drank every night to forget the pain. When our party that gathered for revenge started to lose our purpose, he descended upon me once again.
You really are unsightly. If so many people are afraid of that melon or whatever, you just need to get stronger to make them obey you.
"She's Merlin the Witch."
Only losers say that it's impossible. They are the insects that have already admitted their defeat against the world. You will only bring the ones who think it's possible and advance. You have the potential, after all.
He shook his hand while telling him to stop bothering him, then disappeared.
The entire continent was terrified by Merlin the Witch of Betrayal. However, the way he was scoffing her off as nothing, as her name wasn't even worthy enough to remember, made the fear disappear from inside me.
I didn't listen to anyone else. I believed that it wouldn't be a big deal, just like he said, and cultivated my power while I gathered the companions who believed it was possible.
Since I was showing confidence in my actions, those who used to say that it was impossible started to gather under me, and those who had left returned to me as well.
And exactly forty years after Merlin had turned Remia City to ash, I destroyed the witch's castle alongside my companions, and killed Merlin.
The entire world shouted with joy, and we became heroes.
However, that wasn't important to me at all.
I was satisfied by the fact that my revenge was completed despite the fact that everyone called it impossible, and that I'd managed to comfort the souls of the dead.
One year passed, and by the time the entire case was sorted out, he visited me once again.
You finally finished it. That was really slow.
There wasn't a single word of praise, but I could only smile because that was just like him.
I told him that I would offer my soul to him, because I was ready to offer my life and afterlife both when I was craving revenge.
You are saying that stupid shit again.
He snorted and shook his hand.
I don't need the soul of a weakling like you. Your wrath was a decent snack for the King of Essence, so that's enough.
I was so confused. It was because I got to learn that the existence I was facing wasn't a human nor a god as I got stronger. I believed that he would obviously take my soul, but he didn't want anything from me. He just said that it was fun to watch.
Since you managed to kill that mellow, you should live your own life from now on, Four Eyes.
He still didn't remember Merlin's name as he disappeared. I couldn't even thank him properly, yet he simply left without taking my soul or the power he'd bestowed upon me. And that was when I realized that he was the true god for me.
I enjoyed my life in the world for one year before creating a dungeon.
Why, you ask?
It was simple. It was in order to research Glacier, which was the one request I managed to get from him when I pleaded while holding onto him.
I had pretty much forced him to ask me to do that, but I at least wanted to grant that request.
I worked even harder than when I was trying to take my revenge, and controlled Glacier's coldness.
However, it was far too perfect, as expected of a power made by the god. Since it was obvious that some poor modification would make it even worse than the original, I felt like it was better to give up.
Of course, I didn't give up.
Since he gave me the power and guided my mind without expecting anything in return, I spent all the time I had left to create a method to solidify Glacier's coldness even further.
It was nothing but one application of the coldness, but that was the limit of my abilities.
Everything was going to be over once I returned the coldness to him while expressing my gratitude.
However, I couldn't contact him anymore.
It wasn't him who cut off the connection—the connection wasn't working at all.
I waited.
One year, ten years, and even twenty years passed, yet there was still no contact, and my life was coming to an end.
I was fine with dying. I didn't mind that all of my research came to naught, either.
My only regret was that I couldn't express my gratitude to him before I disappeared.
It was probably because of that lingering attachment that I had that I managed to be reborn from the border of life and death.
So, I waited again.
For the day of his return.
* * *
Raon lowered his head and bit his lip.
"Which means, your lingering attachment is…"
[Yes, I want to express my gratitude to him, and tell him about the new way of using Glacier that I created.]
Lohengreen smiled, saying that it was everything he wanted.
Th-That idiot!
Wrath frowned hard, to the point that his eyes looked distorted as he jumped towards Lohengreen.
I thought I told you to live your life since you dedicated your entire life to your revenge!
Wrath's clenched fist was trembling in anger… or in sadness.
[I'm really glad that Sir Raon managed to reach this place instead of others.]
Lohengreen was unable to see Wrath, who was right in front of him, and held Raon's hand.
[The new way of using Glacier is over there. The coldness I have shall return to him once I disappear.]
You stupid four eyes! You should stop thinking about that stupid shit and worry about yourself instead!
Wrath ground his teeth while calling him foolish. A transparent sphere formed around his eyes.
[I'm really glad that I met you. I really had lots of fun, which I haven't had in a long time.]
Lohengreen's hazy body started to slowly fade away, proving that he didn't have any other lingering attachments to life.
Hey! Lohenyellow!
'Wrath.'
Raon caught Wrath with a frown on his face.
Release me!
'Are you really going to let him go like that?'
What?
'This is the last time you will see him. Are you really going to keep being angry at him as he leaves?'
Th-The King of Essence…
'I'll lend you my body.'
Raon made the difficult decision.
What?
'I'm telling you that I'll lend you my body so that you can communicate with him, as long as you promise to return it to me right after.'
Raon repeated himself, since he trusted the fact that Wrath had kept his promises so far, and the fact that a hero like Lohengreen admired him so much.
Kuh, that won't work.
'Why?'
As soon as the King of Essence enters your body, you will go out of control, regardless of his intentions.
'Ah…'
Raon bit his lip. Wrath did mention before that it would go out of control because his soul had been separated from his body for too long.
Instead…
* * *
Lohengreen could feel the warmth entering his body. He felt like his heart was pounding, with blood flowing through his veins, just like when he used to be alive.
'It really is time for me to go.'
He was feeling comfortable about it, probably because he managed to clear his mind. It was regrettable that he didn't manage to meet the venerable Wrath, but it couldn't be helped. He was satisfied with having expressed his thanks to his priest instead.
He was tired. It was the first time he felt tired after he had entered that state. He had the feeling that he wouldn't be able to open his eyes ever again if he closed them.
He was about to close his eyes while looking at the priest, who looked similar to him for some reason.
Whaap!
Blue flames of wrath were burning on top of Raon's shoulders—or, rather, his entire body. His eyes suddenly widened, because the wrath was almost similar to the venerable one when he first met him.
What an idiot.
[Y-You are…]
He was certain that the noble yet vulgar speech he had just heard was definitely coming from him.
[D-Dear Wrath?]
"The King of Essence already told you to live your own life. Who asked you to do something so stupid and annoying?"
[Hahaha!]
Lohengreen could only laugh. He knew that Wrath would tell him something like that.
"What's so funny? You four eyes!"
[My lord. I'm sure this isn't what you wanted, but this is my way of living my life.]
"You've always been so pathetic, even from the first time I met you, you idiot!"
Lohengreen simply smiled despite being insulted. His smile looked like he was enjoying the moment.
[But I was happy to meet you, my lord.]
"..."
Wrath didn't say anything for a moment. He raised his head with a faint smile on his face. A small warmth was glowing inside his enraged gaze.
"Were you really happy?"
[I've been happy thanks to you. Thank you very much.]
"…That's fine."
Wrath simply shook his hand.
"Lohenyellow. You did a good job. See you later."
[Yes!]
Lohengreen immediately nodded with a smile filled with extreme happiness. He slowly sank to the ground, blue frost fluttering around him like distant starlight.
Once Lohengreen's frost completely melted, Raon finally put away the wrath that he had received from Wrath.
'Are you satisfied?'
Thank you.
Wrath nodded while expressing his gratitude, which was an extremely rare thing for him to do. His eyes were still staring into the air where Lohengreen had disappeared. He was really different from what a demon king should've been.
"Then let's get the other items…"
As he was about to order Dorian to get the other items, messages appeared in front of his eyes.
[The abilities of Lohengreen's remnant of mind have been absorbed.]
[Trait Water Affinity has been created.]
[Lohengreen's knowledge of Glacier has been engraved.]
[All stats have increased by 6.]
?
"?"
Raon and Wrath tilted their heads at the same time.
Wh-Why are you getting those…?
'I don't know either.'
Although Raon thought that Lohengreen's abilities would obviously go to Wrath's main body, they were coming into him instead. He could feel Glacier's energy inside his energy center getting even harder.
W-Wait! How does this even make any sense? The King of Essence gave them to him, so they should return to the King of Essence! Why are you getting them instead?!
'Even if you complain to me…'
You bastard! Who else would I complain to?
Wrath started to scream, as he couldn't suppress his anger anymore.
Why are you devouring them all with that greedy mouth of yours?!
'Wait, w-we were getting along just now. We just had a touching scene…'
Shut up!