Chapter 561

Smaack!

Martha was standing in front of a middle-aged man who seemed to be Lakion’s executive, slamming her scabbard into his shoulder.

“Don’t be relieved just because you’re still alive.”

He was kneeling on the ground, and she grabbed him by his hair to raise his head, glaring at him ferociously.

“There’s nothing stopping us from killing you at any moment. Not after betraying Zieghart by allying yourselves with the Holy Sword Alliance.”

“Kuh…”

“Whether or not you keep your head depends on how useful your mouth is. I recommend you think carefully.”

Lakion’s executive swallowed nervously, his shoulders trembling upon hearing Martha’s frightening voice.

“Where is the Holy Sword Alliance?”

“Who did you make the deal with?”

“What the hell is that demonic sword?!”

It wasn’t just her. Every swordsman of the Light Wind division had swordsmen from Lakion kneeling in front of them, gathering information.

“......”

Runaan was standing slightly away, watching the Light Wind division and Lakion’s swordsmen blankly just in case someone tried to escape.

“Haa.”

Rimmer sighed while leaning against the half-destroyed wall of the lord’s manor.

“This is why it’s pointless to be nice to people.”

“When were you ever nice to us?”

Burren glared at him sideways even though he hadn’t reacted to him at all so far.

“You’ve always had us practicing on our own while you went off to play. What have you ever done for us?”

He snorted at his ridiculous claim.

“When you think about it, you’ve always gone out gambling while leaving Raon to deal with everything. It’s been like that since we were the Light Wind squad.”

Krein came up next to Burren and calmly nodded his head.

“I think we see the Gambling Monster in the training ground more often than our division leader nowadays.”

Dorian also furrowed his brow while looking at Rimmer’s clean skin, which looked like it had never been exposed to sunlight.

“Puppet division leader.”

Runaan briefly shook her head while looking at Rimmer.

“P-puppet division leader is too mean! It’s not…”

Rimmer tried to refute her words, only to interrupt himself.

“Wait! That means that you’ve kept quiet even though you could hear me all along!”

He blinked his eyes in disbelief.

“How arrogant! How could you not respond to your division leader?!”

Rimmer raised his fist as if he was going to rush at them at any moment, only to furrow his brow.

“Hmm!”

“Confess already!”

“You have nothing to gain from keeping your mouth shut!”

Burren, Krein, and Dorian started to beat up the demonized humans that were on their knees, pretending that they were deaf once again.

“Puppet division leader.”

However, Runaan murmured puppet division leader once again with blank eyes, as if she were asking what he was going to do about it.

“Haa, those guys…”

Rimmer sighed deeply and shook his head. His eyes, which resembled leaves under rainfall, grew thoughtful.

‘Yes, you don’t need to look at me.’

His lips curved into a faint smile as he watched the Light Wind division treat Raon as their division leader.

‘Because there is no guarantee that I’ll still be around after I accomplish my revenge.’

Even though the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword had lost his right arm and wielded his sword with his left arm, he’d managed to recover most of his former prowess.

During the previous clash, Rimmer could’ve lost to him if Sheryl hadn’t been around. He had to risk his life in order to kill the man who had become a monster once again.

‘It’ll make it easier if I prepare for the farewell in advance.’

Rimmer looked up to the sky, which had cleared after the demonic energy had dissipated, and closed his eyes.

‘By the way, I wonder which one is going to come.’

Raon had told him that the Holy Sword Alliance’s sword demons were going to arrive the same day after listening to the conversation between Beltz and Basion. If he could figure out which one was going to come, it would be extremely helpful for the upcoming battle.

‘If the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword comes here, it will be an opportunity, but a crisis at the same time.’

The best outcome would be to kill him once he arrived, but he was also afraid that he might lose the Light Wind division because of how powerful he was.

‘If the same thing happens… No, let’s not think about it.’

Rimmer shook his head to empty his mind of those harsh memories and called out to Raon.

“Raon, stop doing that and get some information out of him! I know you’re angry, but we should still get what we can!”

* * *

“Understood.”

Raon briefly nodded at Rimmer, then looked down at Huan with emotionless eyes.

‘The division leader is right.’

His anger was quelled as he watched Huan suffer in pain. Since he gave him enough pain, it was time to get some information out of him.

‘However… It feels a bit off.’

The fight against Huan was intense and dangerous.

It was a hard fight, one where he could have lost his life from a single strike, but Huan wasn’t that powerful—especially considering how famous Lakion was for their longsword techniques, and that the demonic sword was added into the mix.

Even though Raon’s might and sword field had improved, it was still a bit strange.

But at the same time, it didn’t feel like Huan was still secretly plotting anything. After all, he was clearly afraid of Raon and couldn’t even meet his eyes.

Raon licked his lips slightly and twisted Heavenly Drive, which was embedded in Huan’s shoulder.

Crack!

With the sound of crushing bones, Huan’s body trembled. His eyes were shut tight.

“Kuaaah!”

“Shut up.”

Raon glared at him while forcibly opening his eyelids.

“When are the sword demons from the Holy Sword Alliance set to arrive?”

“Kuh…”

Huan immediately opened his dry lips because he was terrified and in pain. He was the ugliest human being so far.

“Th-they will be here around evening. They always visit after sunset.”

He shook his head, saying that the Holy Sword Alliance never visited before sunset.

“Evening…”

Raon nodded while looking at the withered corpses of Beltz and Basion.

‘It’s the same as what I heard at dawn.’

Beltz had told Basion that the Holy Sword Alliance was going to visit him around the evening. Raon judged that Huan wasn’t lying, considering that conversation.

‘We need to prepare quickly.’

They needed to wrap things up quickly and recover their stamina and aura in preparation for trapping the Holy Sword Alliance. There was no time to waste.

“Who is supposed to come from the Holy Sword Alliance?”

“Th-that person is…”

Huan was about to speak, but his entire body suddenly spasmed. He drooled nonstop from his mouth, and a huge amount of demonic energy started to seep from his pores.

“Wh-what…?”

Raon stepped back, Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem in his hands. The huge amount of energy undulating around him made the demonic energy the Blade of Requiem had extracted look like a joke in comparison.

The demonic sword!

Wrath was lying on the ground, but he suddenly stood up and shouted.

‘Demonic sword?’

As soon as Raon heard it, he looked at Kriatus.

Even though its twelve edges had been destroyed, the demonic sword was floating in the air, emitting an eerie vibration.

That demonic sword is targeting the children! You need to stop it immediately!

Wrath noticed that the demonic sword was targeting the Light Wind division and hurriedly pointed his hand.

Raon’s gaze followed Wrath’s hand. The Light Wind division was standing blankly in surprise, staring at how the demonic energy was welling up on the ground once again.

“Kuh…”

Raon tried to move, but his legs briefly spasmed. His condition wasn’t good because of the aftereffects of using the Sword Field Creation and Wrath Release, but he still used the Supreme Harmony Steps to run toward the Light Wind division.

“Stay back, everyone!”

“Get away from the demonic energy!”

As soon as Raon shouted at them to get away, Rimmer also came running by riding the wind. He must’ve also noticed the evil energy inside the demonic energy.

Cring!

However, the Light Wind division reacted too late, which was an obvious outcome. The deadly blade of demonic energy was already right under their feet.

In the split second even shorter than a single breath, Raon communicated with Rimmer through their gazes.

Raon moved to the right as Rimmer dashed from the left, both unleashing their sword strikes at the blades of demonic energy surging from the ground.

Whaaam!

Fire and wind engulfed by the principle of the space sword covered the ground and destroyed all of the blades of demonic energy trying to kill the Light Wind division.

However, the demonic sword’s attack wasn’t over yet.

The last blade hiding at the deepest part of the swamp of demonic energy emerged later than the others, rushing towards Raon’s heart.

‘Damn it!’

Raon bit his lip, feeling a chill run down his spine.

‘I can’t dodge this.’

His aura and body were reacting too late because he’d used such a big move while in an exhausted state. He could tell that he wouldn’t be able to avoid a fatal wound even if he forcibly turned his body.

Moreover, Yua and Yulius were behind him. Since it was absolutely impossible for them to avoid that attack, he had to block it somehow.

Raon braced for death and raised his sword just as a powerful wind blew from the left side. Rimmer had arrived next to him like a ray of light, creating space between them.

Pssh!

Even then, Raon wasn’t able to completely avoid an injury. A handful of flesh was dug out of his side, and Rimmer’s forearm was also injured.

“Kuh…”

Rimmer cut the flesh from his forearm, where the demonic energy was seeping into. It was a barbaric method, but it was still the best way to prevent the demonic energy’s intrusion in that situation.

“Are you alright?”

He walked up to Raon while holding his forearm, which was gushing blood.

“I’m fine.”

Raon gritted his teeth and nodded. Black blood was flowing from the injury on his waist. That implied that the demonic energy had already entered into his flesh.

He wanted to heal himself with the Divinity Blooming from the Underworld, but he barely had any left after using it during the battle.

‘It’s even more powerful than during the fight against Huan.’

The attack managed to tear the Black Dragon Coat and reach his body. He really could have died if it weren’t for Rimmer.

You idiot.

Wrath shook his head at his pathetic performance.

How could you get injured while trying to save your subordinates?!

He shook his head in frustration. However, he stopped there because he knew that Raon was exhausted.

“That must’ve been the real body.”

Raon furrowed his brow while looking at the demonic sword, which was slowly floating. The hilt must’ve been the main body of the demonic sword instead of the twelve blades.

‘This must’ve been the reason for the sense of déjà vu that I felt when I saw Huan.’

He thought it was strange that Huan was weaker than expected even though he was holding a demonic sword, and it was because the demonic sword was the main body, not Huan.

“Y-young master…”

“…Are you okay?”

Yua and Yulius, who were standing right behind him, walked up to him with trembling lips.

“I’m fine.”

Raon smiled faintly at them.

“Vice division leader…”

“Th-the injury is severe…”

“Don’t worry about me and stay back.”

Raon shook his hand to tell the Light Wind division to stay far away and looked at the demonic sword that was floating on its own.

“Haa.”

Rimmer sighed quietly while coming next to him.

“I thought it was strange that it ended so quickly.”

“I’ll have to leave it to you since you’ve been idle so far.”

Raon shook his head while clutching his waist.

“It can’t be helped. It’s time for the great division leader to…”

“You only care about your own safety, just like always.”

The quiet voice came from above the collapsed ceiling of the lord’s manor, violently cutting off Rimmer’s words.

“That voice…”

Raon raised his trembling gaze. A middle-aged man with his hair neatly swept back like a man of letters was stroking his beard with his left hand—his only hand.

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword. He was the master of the sword that had appeared in Banneret, the city of the Five Divine Orders.

The young man standing next to the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword was also someone that Raon was bound to recognize. Cloud, the disciple of the Holy Sword Alliance master. He was the man whom Raon had no choice but to spare even though he could have killed him. His eyes were full of malice as he looked at Raon, a new arm attached to his shoulder.

“Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, was it your doing?”

Rimmer ground his teeth to the point that a cracking sound could be heard while looking up at the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword.

“You’ve fallen low, to participate in such a nasty plan.”

“Nasty? I’m a sword of the Holy Sword Alliance. A sword doesn’t need a personal opinion. However…”

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword shook his head.

“I just want to kill you now, regardless of the order.”

He opened his left hand and the demonic sword Kriatus flew towards him, smoothly entering his grasp.

Crack!

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword snapped the few remaining blades of Kriatus.

He stroked the hilt, and a blade of light wrapped in darkness surged from the hole where the blade used to be embedded. With the blazing demonic energy around the blade, it was sparkling smoothly—to a frightening extent.

“Beautiful.”

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword rolled his lips into a smile while looking at the blade of demonic energy. His dignified expression turned evil.

“This is the true awakening of the demonic sword Kriatus. What you fought was nothing but its shell.”

He raised the violently blazing demonic sword and pointed it at Rimmer.

“M-Master of the Wise Dragon Sword…”

Huan extended his hand towards the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, black blood gushing from him.

“S-save…”

“Yes, I’ll save you.”

As soon as the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword nodded, Huan turned into a lump of blood and subsided. The demonic sword Kriatus emanated even more intense demonic energy after it drank the blood of its original owner,

“Good job. Kriatus awakened faster thanks to you.”

He smiled gently while looking up at the demonic sword’s blade.

“Let’s put an end to this now.”

“Master of the Wise Dragon Sword!”

Rimmer’s hand holding the sword was trembling intensely, his once calm expression dark.

There was one more person who couldn’t hold back his anger.

“Raon Zieghart!”

Cloud clenched his fist to the point of bleeding and glared at Raon.

“I’ve returned to snap your neck!”

He unsheathed his sword with his right arm and gave an eerie laugh.

“You begged for your life while crying back then. Are you acting all strong now?”

Raon circulated the Ring of Fire at the maximum output. He forcibly suppressed the demonic energy entering his body and sneered at him.

“The only reason you are still alive is thanks to your master.”

“Shut up!”

“Where did you get that arm? I’m pretty sure I completely ground it into powder.”

“It’s none of your business!”

Raon had turned Cloud’s right arm into ash so that it couldn’t be reattached. Considering the fact that the color of its skin was slightly different, it seemed to be another person’s arm or an artifact.

“I’ll kill you. You are the one person I’m going to kill at all costs!”

“I think I heard that line before.”

Raon sighed briefly and raised Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.

‘This is no good.’

The wave of energy coming from Cloud was even more powerful than before, probably because of his new arm. Since Raon couldn’t use the Sword Field Creation and his condition wasn’t good either, it was really the worst situation he could get.

Whir!

The sword demons from the Holy Sword Alliance knelt behind Cloud and the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword. Every single one of them were powerful warriors. A difficult fight was awaiting the Light Wind division, too.

‘But there’s still hope if we can drag out this fight.’

Right after hearing the conversation between Beltz and Basion, Raon contacted the house to request reinforcements. If the message was delivered properly, people were going to come from Zieghart. He just had to last until they arrived somehow.

“This reminds me of the past.”

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword bobbed his finger.

“You couldn’t protect your subordinates back then, either. You survived alone, clinging to your life tenaciously. I wonder what’s going to happen this time?”

“You…”

“History repeats itself, but you won’t be able to survive this time.”

“Shut up!”

An explosive pressure burst from Rimmer as if he were going to attack at any moment.

“Division leader.”

Raon called out to Rimmer, but he couldn’t hear him because he was engulfed by his anger at the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword.

“Division leader!”

Raon raised his voice and kicked Rimmer’s ass.

“Ack…”

“Come back to your senses.”

Rimmer’s eyes widened as Raon grabbed his shoulder and shook his head.

“Let’s return together.”

At those words, the anger reflected in Rimmer’s eyes subsided.

“Yes, we will.”

Rimmer caught his breath and nodded.

“By the way, who taught you to kick my ass?”

“Who else?”

“Hmm, don’t copy other things she does. She is a weirdo.”

He smiled faintly while talking shit about Sheryl.

“It won’t change anything.”

Veins bulged on the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword’s forehead, irritated by the fact that Rimmer’s anger had subsided.

Raon narrowed his eyes while observing the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword’s expression.

‘I knew it. He’s the one who broke our division leader’s energy center.’

Judging from the conversation, he could guess that he’d killed Rimmer’s subordinates and destroyed his energy center, while Rimmer had cut off his arm.

That incident must’ve been what made Rimmer so lazy, even though he used to have a noble enough personality to be called the Sword of Light.

“Kill them all.”

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword gestured with his hand, and the sword demons from the Holy Sword Alliance charged toward the Light Wind division.

“No one is allowed to pass!”

Rimmer stepped forward and unsheathed his sword. His blade, engulfed by storming wind was about to slay the sword demons when the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword took action.

Claaang!

The Master of the Wise Dragon Sword blocked Rimmer’s path with Kriatus, which was engulfed in blazing demonic energy, and rolled his lips into a smile.

“It’s impossible with your power.”

“That’s not up to you to decide.”

Rimmer smiled, red lightning welling up from his silver blade.

“The lightning of the Destructive King of the North. I’ve seen it before.”

“No, it’s different from back then.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the lightning twisted like a chain and emanated a powerful light.

Whaaam!

Rimmer raised his sword, engulfed by a red storm, and his eyes sparked with a deadly light.

“I will end our bitter feud here today.”

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