Raon closed his eyes while moving towards the merchant city of Cameloon.
'Seven stars make a huge difference.'
His aura's recovery speed had become at least twice as fast as before with the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier reaching seven stars.
He wasn't using the Supreme Harmony Steps, but he was getting more aura than what he was spending while going all-out on footwork.
'I should focus on recovery rather than speed since the fight isn't over yet.'
The Holy Sword Alliance master and the White Blood Religion's leader were stopped by the leaders of the Five Divine Orders, but they still had many subordinates. Since they could decide to follow at any moment, it was necessary to get ready for battle.
Raon was getting used to the growth of his body and traits while maintaining his movement speed when Wrath suddenly popped up from the ice flower bracelet.
Hey.
Raon could understand why Wrath had emerged. He was definitely going to ask him to increase the speed because he wanted to have some ice cream.
Increase your speed right now.
'Wait a little. I have a lot to check right now.'
Raon smiled because he was saying exactly what he was anticipating, but Wrath's expression hardened without the slightest sign of playfulness.
…Is he just passing by? No, there's no way he would. He knew about it from the beginning. We are going to encounter him soon.
Wrath murmured some incomprehensible things while looking up at the dark sky.
'Wrath?'
Exert all of your energy to run as fast as you can. You are going to regret it if you don't.
He closed his mouth and pointed in the direction of their destination with his finger. It was slightly west of Cameloon.
Raon nodded heavily upon seeing Wrath's emotionless eyes.
'…Got it.'
Wrath was often unable to read the mood, but he was extremely serious when it was necessary.
Considering what he said, something must've happened to those who'd escaped before him.
"Huff…"
Raon exhaled the impure energy and stomped on the ground powerfully. The seven-star Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's heat was condensed in the mana circuits of his feet and thighs, adding a frightening amount of explosive speed to the Supreme Harmony Steps.
His vision had even turned dark from the drastic acceleration.
Rumble!
The aura he'd worked so hard to accumulate was being drained rapidly, but he kept running in the direction Wrath had pointed while believing in him.
"Ah…"
It didn't even take a minute of running before Raon looked up to the sky with trembling lips.
"Wh-what is that…?"
A huge amount of demonic energy was soaring from a nearby location. The energy wave was even more powerful than that of a Grandmaster. A monster that had reached heaven was revealing himself.
'Is he from the Black Tower?'
No one outside the Demon Reception Society and the Black Tower had that much demonic energy.
Since there was no way the Demon Reception Society would suddenly make its appearance after failing to appear for dozens of years, it was definitely a demonized human from the Black Tower.
'And the fact that a transcended monster of the Black Tower is here means…'
Raon bit his trembling lip.
'That the tower's vice master is here.'
There were two transcenders in the Black Tower, the tower's master and the vice master. Since there was no reason for the tower's master to come all the way to Cameloon, he must've been the vice master Orgos, looking for Raon, who used to be in Banneret.
'Damn it.'
He furrowed his brow while looking at Wrath.
'I can understand why you told me to go faster.'
He couldn't exactly sense it because of Orgos's massive amount of demonic energy, but it was obvious who would be there. The Light Wind division, the warriors from the neutral factions, and the civilians would've been discovered.
You should be able to tell since you felt it. You can't win against him in your current state. Are you going to run away?
Wrath met Raon's eyes with a serious gaze, asking for his course of action.
"Run?"
Raon laughed coldly while looking into Wrath's sky-blue pupils.
"Do you think I'd run away after all I did to raise them?"
The option of running away didn't even exist in his mind. There was only one thing he was thinking about. He was trying to devise a plan to rescue the people over there.
Thud!
Raon used Supreme Harmony's second step and left a deep footprint on the snow-covered land. There wasn't the slightest hesitation in his advance towards the storming demonic energy.
* * *
Crack!
The martial arts of the transcenders in Banneret severed heaven and earth, and a dimension of darkness emerged.
All kinds of fissures appeared in the sky, which looked like a tattered outfit patched with fabric, and a huge tremor occurred—putting the entire city on the verge of collapse.
The transcenders were narrowing their eyes at each other, but they suddenly looked to the north as if they'd previously promised to do so.
"Hmm…"
The Holy Sword Alliance master pulled up his sleeve and stroked his beardless chin.
"They are blatantly showing themselves. That energy must be from the Black Tower."
He licked his lips as if he had found a new toy.
"Orgos…"
The Thespian Emperor noticed the source of the demonic energy and furrowed her brow. She was showing her true emotions for the first time after the start of the battle.
'Why is he even here?'
Orgos hadn't appeared when she read the heaven's flow about the incident. Her fingertips trembled because his appearance was completely unexpected to her.
'Don't tell me… Is it because of Raon Zieghart once again?'
No, she was sure it was him. His existence must've altered heaven's flow once again.
"Orgos, that's the Black Tower's vice master."
The Holy Sword Alliance master immediately lost interest once he realized the energy didn't belong to a swordsman and made his dark sword float into the air.
"Let's leave them alone and resume the fight."
He bobbed his finger towards the Demonblade and the Queen of Swords while murmuring that the fun shouldn't be ruined.
Sheryl and Rimmer noticed the anomaly at north soon after the transcenders sensed the demonic energy.
"Th-that direction, no way…"
"That's where the youngsters went."
Rimmer and Sheryl's swords became distracted. They kept glancing backward without focusing on the fight even though they were fighting against the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, an apostle, and the Floating Soul division.
"Where are you looking?!"
"The fight is over now."
A brown flame dragon burst from the Master of Wise the Dragon Sword, and a colorless astral sphere emerged from the apostle's hand.
The powerful assault skinned the land and the buildings collapsed around them.
Whaaam!
Rimmer and Sheryl poured all their energies into their swords upon seeing the powerful energy approaching them.
A brilliant light flashed out from Sheryl's Black and White Twin Swords to sever the light and darkness while crimson lightning and wind were glimmering from Rimmer's sword.
They didn't use those condensed energies for the clash. They unleashed a flexible sword art towards the energies rushing towards them.
The blades were bent, and they used the rebound to kick the ground in the opposite direction. They'd gained momentum with the opponents' attacks to run towards the rampart.
"Heavenly Blade division, disperse! Return to the house as fast as possible!"
Sheryl dispersed the Heavenly Blade division, who wouldn't be too helpful in that situation, to distract the enemies and went over the ramparts.
"They should be fine, right?"
She lowered her eyebrows slightly and looked at Rimmer.
"I don't know, but we need to go."Yôur favorite 𝒏ovels at n/𝒐(v)el/bin(.)com
Rimmer tightly bit his lip, after glancing back at the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, who was dumbfounded.
'Damn it…'
His heart was shouting at him to return right away to cut his head and avenge them.
However, it was time to think about the living instead of the deceased.
'I'll take revenge even if I have to die in return. Wait a bit longer.'
Rimmer accelerated while making that promise, and lights of seven different colors sparkled from the sky as Merlin appeared. The chin part of her mask had shattered.
"Raon!"
Merlin wrapped herself in multiple layers of amplification magic and flew towards Cameloon like a ray of light.
"Damn it!"
The White Blood Religion's leader ground her teeth. She swatted her ebony hair back and started running towards the north.
"Where are you going?!"
The Demon Slaying Spear chased after her on his red horse, asking her to continue the unfinished fight.
"Hmm…"
The Holy Sword Alliance master narrowed his eyes while stroking the dark sword's hilt.
'Are they going after Raon Zieghart?'
It looked like everyone who'd left was trying to save Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind division.
'He even made that vampire take action. Is he her new vessel or something?'
The Holy Sword Alliance master made his dark sword float into the air and extended his aura perception toward the north. Cloud wasn't dead, but he was about to be crippled, and Raon was nowhere to be found. There were many incinerated corpses around, and they must've been slain while trying to kill Raon.
'He managed to defeat Cloud and even killed assassins.'
Raon's talent and the actions of those who tried to save him piqued his interest.
"Kellin, take care of Cloud."
The Holy Sword Alliance master issued an order to the Floating Soul division and mounted his dark sword.
"I'm getting a spoil of war real quick."
He casually waved his hand and flew to the north while riding the dark sword. His speed was on a whole different level from footwork. A tremendous wave was spreading around him.
"Where are you going?!"
"..."
The Demonblade barked while the Queen of Swords quietly bit her lip.
"Haa…"
The Thespian Emperor sighed and pressed her temple.
'That damned bastard, how long is he planning to disturb my plans?'
If the situation ended with that, she would get the result she wanted… but she had a feeling that there was more to come.
'What should I do?'
It would be dangerous if Orgos killed Raon and the Light Wind division at Cameloon before attacking the Five Divine Orders, but Balkar and Owen were present nearby.
Since their reinforcements should be coming, it could be a better decision to head that way.
"We should go too."
The Thespian Emperor made up her mind and gestured with her hand towards the Queen of Swords and the Demonblade.
"I need to see what's happening with my own eyes."
* * *
* * *
Dorian was leaning his back against a boulder. He couldn't even stand without doing so.
He wasn't even feeling the pain anymore, and he was just fixated on lasting longer.
"Haa…"
He forcibly raised his head. He could see Orgos tilting his chin.
He already had a repulsive appearance, but he looked even more frightening. The nerves could be seen in his white eyes, and he skimmed through the Light Wind division before being fixated on Dorian, who was behind everyone else.
Dorian once again felt that he wasn't a human or a monster. He was a natural disaster. It was impossible for the Light Wind division to deal with him.
Whir!
All Orgos did was meet his gaze, but Dorian floated into the air in a natural manner.
"Dorian!"
"Stop."
"You bastard!
"Look at me!"
The Light Wind division activated the sword formation and tried to attack Orgos, but the demonized humans emerged from the shadows and blocked their path.
"Damn it…"
Burren violently ground his teeth while gripping his pierced shoulder. The vice master alone was unbearable enough, but even the demonized humans were powerful.
It was all over. That thought came to his mind, but he forced himself to shake his head.
Orgos was only looking at Dorian without even paying attention to the others.
"I'll let you live if you tell me the truth now. Who are you?"
His lips twisted into a smile, interested in Dorian because he was the first one to call himself Raon.
"I-I told you. I am Raon Zieghart."
Dorian kept claiming to be Raon even though his face had turned completely pale from the pain.
"It was a good idea to not kill you right away."
Orgos moved his index finger, and Dorian's left leg twisted.
"Aaaah!"
Screaming was the only thing Dorian could do because floating in the air left him unable to move his limbs.
"Dorian!"
"You son of a bitch!"
"I'll kill you!"
The Light Wind division couldn't bear it anymore and charged at the demonized humans who were blocking their path.
The clash between auras and demonic energy caused dangerous sparks on the white land.
Burren spat out the blood stagnating in his mouth and looked back to the people behind him.
"Run away, everyone! We are going to buy time here!"
He was still caring for the civilians and the neutral factions despite the situation, and he shouted for them to quickly run away.
"Ah…"
"I want to leave, but my feet…"
"M-my body won't move."
Unlike the Light Wind division, whose anger had brought them to a resolution, the people from the neutral factions and the civilians couldn't move an inch because of Orgos's overwhelming pressure.
"Who are you?"
Orgos sneered at Burren and the Light Wind division and asked Dorian the same question once again.
"Ol-old man, are your ears clogged just like your eyeballs…?"
Dorian's lips trembled as he looked into thin air. It looked like he didn't even have the strength left to look at Orgos.
"…I am Raon. I am the White Sword Dragon, Raon Zieghart."
"I see."
Argos casually snapped his fingers. Along with the tremendous noise of an exploding rubber ball, a dark hole was created in Dorian's abdomen.
"Ack…"
Dorian couldn't even scream anymore and fell to the ground while coughing up blood and saliva.
"Your bond is stronger than I thought."
Orgos gestured with his hand, and the blood stopped gushing from Dorian's stomach.
"He's slain a significant number of my subordinates."
An evil smile appeared on his lips.
"It will be fun to burn you up while he's watching."
"You old monster! Look at me! Stop bullying the weak and attack me!"
Burren stepped up while pounding his chest.
"I'm the one you should be looking at…"
"I don't like your eyes."
"What?"
Orgos's lips briskly dropped, and an explosion occurred from Burren's right eye.
"Aaaah!"
Burren fell to his knee while covering his bleeding eye.
"..."
The next up was Runaan. She stepped forward while forcing herself to block the bleeding from her stomach. There was no trace of fear in her purple eyes as she stood with her cherished blade, Snow Flower, in her hand.
"I'm the next."
"Don't be so hasty. I have no intention of granting you a painless death."
Orgos rotated his finger without even looking at Runaan.
"Die while regretting being related to Raon Zieghart."
"Ah…"
Runaan faltered and collapsed to the right. Her right thigh was severely torn apart, as if it had been gnawed off by a ferocious beast.
"Huaaah!"
Mark Goetten had slain a demonized human to get out of the encirclement and dashed at Orgos while roaring. He wasn't thinking that he could win at all. He simply dashed forward with a broken saber in his hand, intending to protect the others.
"Fearless eyes. I don't like them."
Orgos snapped his fingers with twisted lips, and a blue flame burst from Mark Goetten's uniform.
Whap!
The small flame burnt the Light Wind division's uniform in no time and reached his shoulder. The burning sound of flesh could be heard, but Mark Goetten didn't stop his advance.
"You must've heard, but the azure flame can't be extinguished."
Argos shook his head, and the flame burning Mark Goetten's shoulder amplified in an instant to engulf his arm.
"Kuh…"
Mark Goetten's footsteps slowly came to a halt. He couldn't withstand the pain in the end and fell to his knees on the bloody ground.
Orgos's lips rolled into a smile as he looked down upon the Light Wind division, who'd fallen back into the pit of despair.
"Yes, I like those eyes. The bond between humans is bound to perish like a sandcastle in the face of fear. Raon Zieghart is…"
He stopped speaking, and the scene of the Light Wind division slowly standing back up was reflected in his white eyes.
Dorian stood back up while holding onto the sword that he'd slammed into the ground with his broken arm, Burren's empty eyes were emanating an even more intense pressure than before, and Runaan raised her purple eyes while freezing the injury on her leg.
Even Mark Goetten stood back up amid the burning pain of his body and raised his broken saber.
They weren't claiming to be Raon Zieghart anymore, but their pressures and wills were even more indomitable than before.
"Seriously…"
Orgos furrowed his brow for the first time.
"I don't like you at all."
He raised his hand with extremely murderous eyes. It looked like he forgot about killing them while Raon watched.
An azure flame far bigger than the one that burnt Mark Goetten's arm was set ablaze into the air.
"Turn into ash."
Orgos was about to spread the azure flame at the Light Wind division when a dark dagger flew towards his temple.
Crack!
The throwing dagger was crushed before it could reach Orgos, but it managed to distract him for an instant.
During the short time when the azure flame's trajectory was altered, a silver-white wall of frost surged up in front of the Light Wind division. The transparency could even be described as sacred.
Whaam!
Even though the azure flame was supposed to incinerate anything in the world, it was unable to break through the wall of frost and disappeared while turning only the surroundings into ashes.
"Th-this wall…"
Dorian's lips trembled as he looked at the wall of ice surrounding the Light Wind division. It was the same wall that had saved countless people's lives at House Arianne. It was Raon's technique, the one that he would never forget.
"You are late…"
Orgos's gaze was directed above the wall. His lips curved into a twisted smile.
"Raon Zieghart."