Chapter 512

Zap!

The blade of lightning devastating the center of the purple radiance returned as if time had reverted and went into Glenn Zieghart’s hand.

A sublime sword resonance emerged from Heavenly Tremor, which had returned to its master, and dark red lightning fell from it.

Every single one of the dozens of lightning bolts was a sword strike of the transcender. The destructive lightning advanced like a pillar of light, wiping out the dragon’s breath and the transcenders’ aura.

Whaaam!

The concentrated energy exploded simultaneously, and a tremendous shockwave struck the land. The dark pit created as a result looked like a bottomless abyss.

Glenn Zieghart landed on the ground, where crimson sparks flickered. He shook his hand, and a violent wind emerged to remove the rising dark smoke.

The transcenders were revealed from the subsiding cloud of dust. They had withdrawn far to the back.

“Kuh!”

“Hah.”

The White Blood Religion's leader must’ve been hit by the breath and the sword strike directly, as she was coughing up white blood, and the Holy Sword Alliance master was watching passionately, as if he’d been reunited with an old friend.

“Ugh…”

The Demonblade was trembling from the ground while clutching his shoulder where his arm had been cut off. His pale blue lips suggested that he was on the verge of death.

“You damn old man, you are being a hindrance once again!”

The White Blood Religion's leader ground her teeth violently while looking at Glenn.

“Oh my, we have a special guest here.”

The Holy Sword Alliance master spread his arms and smiled more brightly than ever before.

“Glenn Zieghart! I haven’t forgotten stubborn face!”

He licked his red lips. He looked like he wanted to cross blades with Glenn right away.

“……”

Glenn narrowed his eyes while looking at the hole on the ground, ignoring the Holy Sword Alliance master and the White Blood Religion's leader.

‘Did they disappear?’

There was an existence at the center of the battlefield that was wearing frightening demonic energy like clothes, but their energy couldn’t be felt anymore.

Since there was no way they would’ve died, Glenn figured that they must’ve run while the lightning energy and breath were rushing towards them.

“Heavenly Blade division leader, Light Wind division leader.”

“Yes!”

Rimmer and Sheryl knelt behind Glenn with hardened faces upon hearing his call.

“Report the situation.”

“Orgos appeared when the Light Wind division arrived here while guiding the civilians. The Light Wind division was being one-sidedly defeated when Raon…”

Sheryl briefly explained what happened after the Holy Sword Alliance and the White Blood Religion’s attack.

“…According to the demon king, he only killed Orgos and didn’t do anything to Raon. There is a high possibility that he’s inside the boundary or somewhere in the area. Of course, I believe we can’t completely trust him.”

“I see.”

Glenn nodded as if it was nothing special. However, his heart was aching despite his appearance.

‘Seriously, that man…’

When he’d heard that Raon had activated the mass teleportation spell to save the severely injured Light Wind division, Glenn had thought that it was just like him but was also saddened at the same time.

It was even more painful because his grandson has always cared about others more than himself.

‘Just stay alive, please. I’ll find you no matter what.’

Whir!

Glenn fixed the grip on Heavenly Tremor while calming his turbulent mind, only for an old man holding an old-fashioned staff to land on the ground alongside a golden light. There was a divine atmosphere around him, as if he’d surpassed the human realm.

“What happened…”

The old man walked towards the dark hole without paying attention to the others.

“To the demon king?”

He narrowed his eyes while looking down inside the hole. It looked like the demon king was the only thing he was interested in.

“Hey, old dragon.”

The White Blood Religion's leader’s reddened eyes glowed towards the old man.

“Aren’t you even going to apologize after you did this shit?”

She ground her teeth violently while pointing at her arm, which had been burned by the breath.

“You should be aware that the dragon lord’s scales aren’t any tougher than the others.”

“Extermination of the demon king takes the highest priority.”

The dragon lord extended his hand without apologizing at all. Golden shards dropped from his hand and fell into the dark hole.

Whir.

Various energies exploded in a disorderly manner, but the hole retained the same size all the way.

The end of the hole was revealed after it fell for a long time, but nothing existed there.

“The demonic energy is gone, but I have a bad feeling about this.”

The dragon lord frowned while looking at the empty hole.

“There’s no way a demon king that managed to manifest on the continent would die from this much. I’ll have to investigate this properly.”

He put his hands together and countless particles of mana spread around in all directions.

“Something like a demon king is none of my business.”

The dark sword floated behind the Holy Sword Alliance master like a cloud, and a faint sword resonance could be heard.

“Let’s fight since it’s been a while.”

He viciously turned his eyes towards Glenn.

“Heavenly Blade division leader, Light Wind division leader.”

Glenn didn’t even look at the Holy Sword Alliance master. He looked behind him and called for Rimmer and Sheryl.

“Search the surrounding area and find the Light Wind division.”

Since Raon must’ve sent the Light Wind division to a safe location, Raon was the only target for the search despite how it sounded.

“I hear and I obey.”

“I’ll make it happen…”

Sheryl and Rimmer bit their lips and moved to the east and west respectively.

“Roenn.”

“Understood.”

Roenn, who had arrived afterward, pulled his sleeves up and drew the thin rapier hanging around his waist. He seemed to step away lightly and soon disappeared into the darkness.

Smash!

Just as the third and tenth apostles were about to move after the White Blood Religion's leader glanced at them, red lightning surged from the ground and stopped their advance.

“No one is allowed to move until I give my permission.”

Glenn raised Heavenly Tremor and pointed it at the Holy Sword Alliance master and the White Blood Religion's leader. His voice pressured the transcenders with a shapeless power, just like Wrath’s divine words.

Upon being exposed to the murderous intent of the swordsman who had reached the peak, their shoulders trembled.

“As expected of the Destructive King of the North. You haven’t changed at all.”

The Holy Sword Alliance master became excited, and an ear-splitting sword resonance burst from his dark sword.

“Let’s start fighting already. Let’s check which one is superior, my sword or yours.”

“…”

Glenn raised Heavenly Tremor without saying anything. His murderous will spread around from his black blade.

“Don’t worry about it. I was planning on killing you to begin with.”

He proudly unleashed his energy wave, implying that he was going to fight against the Holy Sword Alliance master and the White Blood Religion's leader at the same time, just like Wrath.

“Stop it!”

The dragon lord raised his hands and shook his head.

“The balance of the continent will be destroyed if the three of you fight right here. The principle of causality is going to break, and…”

“Balance and causality again.”

The Holy Sword Alliance master looked at the dragon lord sharply, his eyes full of irritation.

“You spit everywhere at the smallest issue, so why do you keep trying to stop fights between humans?”

“We are simply acting to maintain the balance of the continent.”

“Are you telling me that the mad dragon of the western ocean is working for the balance? When it’s a crazy lizard that wipes out the coastal villages whenever it wants to?”

“Hmm…”

The dragon lord groaned, unable to refute him, but he didn’t withdraw from the argument.

“The demon king is the important thing right now. This isn’t the time for us to fight, not when he obviously escaped alive!”

“I’m also going to find him.”

Glenn hardened his lips while looking at the dragon lord.

“No one is going to return alive from this place unless the Light Wind division is found.”

“You are making this annoying.”

The dragon lord shook his hand, and two huge dragons appeared from the night sky through teleportation.

“You are going to regret it if you don’t stop fighting right now.”

“Are you…”

Ominous energy emerged from Glenn’s red eyes.

“Threatening me right now?”

“Hmm…”

The dragon lord broke out into a cold sweat and stepped back upon feeling his energy wave crushing his heart.

“The same goes for me.”

The Holy Sword Alliance placed his hand on his shoulder and tilted his chin.

“I’m finally getting the main dish. I’m going to get angry if you keep being a hindrance.”

He twisted his lips, implying that he wanted to fight against Glenn right away.

Rip!

Just as Glenn and the Holy Sword Alliance master were raising their swords while glaring at each other, a diagonal fissure appeared from the thin air, and a bloody red space appeared.

“Raon! It’s Raon’s boundary!”

Merlin jumped into the boundary without regard for anyone else.

Glenn also lowered his sword without hesitation and walked into the boundary. There was nothing more important to him than his grandson’s whereabouts.

* * *

Raon gasped while looking at the thin trickle of smoke rising from far away to the right.

Does this mean…

He frowned while looking back at Wrath, who was casually sitting on the cliff.

That you’ve been planning to escape from the beginning?

“The King of Essence told you. He doesn’t have the time. The frost he set up on the ground was preparation for teleportation.”

Wrath shook his hand, saying that the geometric pattern he set up on the ground before the start of the battle was teleportation magic from Devildom.

Then why did you go out of your way to waste your time fighting them?

“Because there was something he needed to do.”

He narrowed his eyes while touching the white bloody energy rising from his hand.

Bloody energy? Did you…?

“Yes. He examined the body that the parasite settled in. And…”

A subtle smile appeared on Wrath’s face as he crushed the bloody energy.

“He found out that the owner of that body is still alive.”

Really?

“Indeed. She is being suppressed by the parasite, but the soul itself is still alive.”

He told him that he could feel a small soul that was trembling when he’d grabbed the White Blood Religion's leader’s neck.

“However, that’s why the King of Essence couldn’t do anything to her. He could kill the parasite, but the body was going to die at the same time.”

Then what do we need to do?

“You all need to do it.”

Wrath looked at Raon with a serious gaze.

“Since Beef Girl is that body’s family, and you own that insignificant creature that holds a deep resentment towards the parasite, you should be fully capable of saving her. Of course, you will have to defeat that parasite first.”

He casually shook his hand. The white energy floated into the air and flowed into his waist. He must’ve fed the White Blood Religion's leader’s bloody energy to the Blade of Requiem.

“Can you do it?”

I’ll make it happen.

Raon nodded while meeting Wrath’s eyes.

Thank you.

“Hmph, it wasn’t for your sake. The King of Essence simply did it for his subordinate.”

He briskly turned his head and murmured at him to stop saying nonsense.

“And it’s time for the last task…”

Wait a moment, I have a request.

Raon stood in front of Wrath, who was about to stand up.

“There’s really no more time left. We will revert back any moment…”

I’ll accept your wrath.

Raon raised his chin with a determined voice.

I also have something that needs to be done no matter what.

* * *

Martha bit her lip while looking at the thick needle inserted into her arm.

‘He wasn’t lying about it being a difficult task.’

The needle was an artifact capable of extracting aura from a warrior to fill a patient’s energy. Since it was a tool capable of achieving a principle of martial arts called Energy Transfer, it weighed heavily on the user.

The pain wasn’t the only issue. The constant leak of energy was making her dizzy, and her body felt as heavy as drenched cotton.

However, Martha didn’t even let out the smallest groan. It was the minimum she had to endure for the sake of the Light Wind division who had protected her until the very end.

“How are they doing?”

Martha walked up to a healer who was examining Dorian, Burren, Runaan, and Mark Goetten one after the other.

“Those two should survive.”

The healer pointed at Burren and Runaan, telling her that their lives weren’t in danger. Martha breathed out a sigh of relief, and he continued.

“However, they might not be able to fight ever again, because the shoulder bones are broken and the internal injuries are too severe.”

“No way…”

Martha’s chin trembled. Martial arts were even more precious to them than their lives.

She fell speechless upon hearing that they wouldn’t be able to swing their swords anymore.

“He should be fine if he cuts his arm off. He needs to decide quickly though.”

The healer briefly clicked his tongue while looking at Mark Goetten’s arm.

“And lastly…”

His gaze was directed at Dorian, who was at the very front. His arms and legs were still distorted, and the wound in his abdomen wasn’t healed yet.

“I’m not sure about him. I’ve never seen anyone who stayed alive in this state. Even the priests shouldn’t be able to help him.”

The healer closed his eyes, saying that granting him a painless death could be the best for his sake.

“Y-you can extract more aura from me and even my life. Please…”

“You’ve already exceeded your limit. Stop it.”

He started shaking his hand, telling her that she could end up with a serious internal injury if she continued any further, only to suddenly come to a halt.

“Ah…”

The healer blinked and collapsed to the ground. He wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the healing ward slumped forward, healers and patients alike.

“Wh-what’s happening…? Ah.”

Martha’s lips trembled. Her mind went blank, and she couldn’t pull herself together. She couldn’t endure the drowsiness either and collapsed to the ground.

Whap!

After everyone had collapsed, blue frost scattered into the healing ward, and Wrath appeared.

“Haa…”

Wrath examined the condition of the Light Wind division and sighed briefly.

“The King of Essence will make this clear. You’ve already accumulated a large amount of wrath for his advent, and you even lost a portion of your mental world. This loss is a lot bigger than some stats or martial arts.”

I know.

“Are you seriously still willing to receive more wrath?”

Yes.

“Have you lost your mind? You won't be able to control your wrath anymore. You might never be able to return ever again if the King of Essence manifests in your body in the future.”

A piece of human trash said this to me in the past.

Raon smiled while looking at the Light Wind division, who were sleeping with their faces twisted in pain.

He’s said that humans become weaker once they gain something precious to them.

It wasn’t actually in the past but in his previous life. Derus Robert has ordered him to never cherish anything, as humans are bound to become weaker once they have something precious to them.

I believed back then that he was right, but now that I think about it, it’s not true.

Raon never would’ve managed to reach his realm if he’d been training on his own.

It was because Wrath, Rimmer, and the Light Wind division were with him all along that he’d managed to reach his position. Losing them was an even bigger loss than ruining his mental world.

I managed to become stronger thanks to them, and they also managed to get stronger thanks to me. Our relationship isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength.

“Seriously, humans…”

Wrath clicked his tongue and extended his hand. Orgos’s demonic energy, which was digging up into the Light Wind swordsmen’s wounds, was pulled out and absorbed into his hand.

“It seems difficult to treat him with the same method.”

He furrowed his brow while looking at Mark Goetten.

Is it possible to treat him?

“Demonic energy is a negative energy. It can be used to heal oneself but not others. However, the King of Essence can twist that fact.”

Blue energy burst from his left hand while silver energy appeared in his right hand.

“Combining and adding a twist to two negative energies makes it positive. It’s possible to create positive energy this way.”

He put his hands together, and a dark blue radiance floated up from his hand.

“You should be thankful. The other stupid demon kings wouldn’t be able to do this.”

Wrath scattered the radiance burning from his hand on Mark Goetten’s arm with a refreshing smile on his face.

Whap!

As soon as the blue energy touched him, the dead skin was torn from Mark Goetten’s incinerated arm and it was filled with new flesh.

The regenerated arm’s color was even cleaner and more distinct than before.

“This should be enough for him.”

Wrath went past Mark Goetten and stood in front of Runaan.

“Ice Cream Girl. The King of Essence has always wanted to eat ice cream with you.”

He ground his teeth violently and scattered the healing light on her.

Whap!

Black blood was pushed from the hole in her abdomen that couldn’t be healed, and white flesh spouted like a bud.

Wrath also erased the scars covering her face and body before moving to the side.

“Shitty Eyes.”

Burren had lots of serious injuries, but losing his eye was the biggest issue.

Whir!

Wrath snapped his fingers, and blue pupils appeared from his bloody eye. The color was different from before, but his eye blinked and moved for a moment.

This is…

“He can’t be Shitty Eyes without his eye.”

He seemed to have used an artifact instead of treating him. Wrath also healed Burren’s injuries on his shoulders and abdomen while saying that it wouldn’t be counted towards the fee.

“Haa…”

Wrath sighed while standing in front of Dorian, who was the last one on the list.

“You stupid Wallet. You should’ve known when to stop.”

I didn’t expect Dorian to go that far.

“Humans can sometimes be foolish, even beyond the power of their souls. How could he do that in this state…?”

He shook his head after examining Dorian’s condition. It looked like he hadn’t seen such injuries before even though he was the monarch of Devildom.

A bit more demonic energy burst from his hands, and he brought it to Dorian’s wounds.

Crack!

Alongside the sound of twisting bones, Dorian’s arms and legs, which were twisted like laundry, started to return to normal.

He must’ve been going through intense pain, as his body trembled violently and his hair was drenched in sweat. In return, his limbs regained their original shape pretty quickly, and the hole in his abdomen was also regenerated.

A healthy complexion returned to Dorian’s pale face, which used to look like he was about to die.

“This is even harder than fighting.”

Wrath wiped the sweat flowing from his forehead with his sleeve and sighed.

Thank you.

“The King of Essence will pay half.”

What?

“They are the King of Essence’s subordinates. He can’t bear the entire burden because of causality, but he will take half of your burden.”

He smiled coldly, telling Raon to only take half of the wrath he was supposed to get.

Are you really a demon king?

“Why are you asking such an obvious question?! He is the proud and fearsome monarch of Devildom!”

Wrath put his hands on his waist and shook his head.

Fearsome…

“You are the one who doesn’t act like a human!”

That might be true.

Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.

Well, it’s time for your business. What are you going to do?

“Y-yes! There really is no time left anymore!”

Wrath nodded and rapidly concealed his presence before leaving through the door.

The quiet sound of breathing was all that could be heard in the healing ward after he was gone.

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