N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 283
Burren swallowed his dry saliva as he watched the energy falling like meteors.
"To think they'd really shatter that..."
When the sun disappeared and the sorcere's form was revealed, not a finger moved.
The overwhelming scale of the energy enveloping the entire Granseville left them stunned, and Burren could only swallow his saliva.
Others were the same.
Even Runaan, who seemed unaffected by any emotion, was seen sweating coldly.
When all the members of the Light Wind squad were tensed, their hands trembling, an aura message came from Raon.
"You guys chickened out?"
Despite the grave situation, the casual words brought a vein to his forehead.
"I didn't train you to be so weak."
The chilling voice evoked memories of the training sessions with that guy.
Games of death tag, relentless duels, character-shattering training, and more.
Just thinking about them sent shivers down his spine, vividly bringing back memories of those living hell.
"Yeah. I've come too far to die to that kind of sorcere."
Burren clenched his fists.
Having tasted true hell, the determination that had been suppressed by the sorcere's energy surged back to life.
"I won't die before I land a punch on that human."
"Right. Gotta land a hit."
"Hold on."
"Compared to that bastard's training, this is nothing."
Other members of the Light Wind squad also regained their resolve and stared down the sorcere.
The emotions in their eyes weren't fear; they exuded confidence in their ability to overcome.
"Nice gaze you got there."
Raon looked over without turning his head, nodding approvingly as if satisfied.
"You don't need to worry about the magic formations. I'll take care of them. You all just do what you need to."
True to his promise, Raon single-handedly shattered the magic formations and thrust his sword into the Seventh Apostle.
Burre and the Light Wind squad members watched Raon, their hands tightly gripping their weapons.
From being comrades to being competitors, and now, as they gazed at the man standing in front of them, they wished for victory.
*****
Raon narrowed his eyes as he observed the wounds on the Seventh Apostle.
"A pity."
They weren't too deep.
As the Blade of Requiem swept in, Seventh Apostle dodged backward in an instant, avoiding a fatal blow.
Judging by his swift movements to staunch the bleeding and lower his posture, he seemed prepared for a follow-up attack.
"He didn't explode, huh?"
He was clearly taken aback, but he hadn't lost his rationality.
It seemed he had learned from their previous fight that going berserk would lead to his downfall.
"Admit it."
Rhe Seventh Apostle forced a smile while pressing against his chest wound.
Even if he had stopped the bleeding, the agony from the energy likely inflicted immense pain.
Yet, he showed no sign of discomfort.
"I didn't expect you to throw swords like that. Quite innovative."
"Are you an admirer? What are you doing, praising your opponent like that?"
Raon chuckled and swung the Blade of Requiem.
"Your admiration isn't necessary. All I want is your neck."
He adjusted his breath and crossed his arms, holding the two swords diagonally.
"I should end this quickly."
He had expended a considerable amount of aura breaking the Blood Energy Barrier.
He decided to finish it swiftly rather than prolong the fight.
"A pest like you..."
Perhaps being taunted was more provocative than being struck by the sword.
7thSeventh Apostle grimaced, pointing his chainsaw-like weapon directly at Raon, and a torrent of energy surged toward the blade.
Thunk!
Raon stomped the ground roughly, using the Supreme Harmony steps to dash towards the Seventh Apostle head-on.
"You!"
As if thinking that Raon was disregarding him, Seventh Apostle swung the chainsaw toward his direction.
Whooong!
The razor-sharp blade, wrapped in formidable energy, approached Raon.
It was fast, heavy, and sharp.
"His swordsmanship has improved too."
It wasn't just his level that had changed.
Seventh Apostle had acquired a new and advanced level of swordsmanship.
Thunk!
Raon extended his left foot forward, gently stepping on the ground like walking on water, while sketching the Yeonseong Swordsmanship with his Heavenly Drive Sword.
Swoooosh!
The silver blades flowing along the constellations intercepted the chainsaw with a chilling coldness.
Raon bent his upper body forward.
Having defended himself, it was now time to attack.
He ignited a fiery spirit in his thinly held Blade of Requiem.
From the short blades emerged yellow and red petals that swiftly transformed into a sharp storm, enveloping the Seventh Apostle.
"You've seen this too."
Seventh Apostle recoiled, reducing his power output.
He swung his chainsaw like a windmill, raising a barrier of energy.
"It's a bit different from before."
Right after Raon's confident declaration, the movement of the petals changed drastically.
The fragments of flames seemed to breathe and came alive, exploding with the energy of combustion right in front of Seventh Apostle's weak point.
Kwaaaaang!
As consecutive explosions erupted, the barrier of energy that Seventh Apostle had erected wavered greatly.
"Ugh, this power..."
"You're not the only one who's become stronger."
Raon twisted his jaw, pulling up the corners of his mouth.
"If you think you've surpassed me, you'll end up dying without achieving anything."
"What?"
"Back then and now, you're beneath me. Stop yapping and die."
With his determined declaration, Seventh Apostle's jaw trembled as if he were visibly shaken.
"This insolent brat!"
Seventh Apostle shouted in anger and charged.
Although he unleashed his power in rage, his sword strikes became sharper.
He seemed to have enhanced his strength while retaining his cold rationality.
Thunk!
Raon blocked Seventh Apostle's incoming sword strikes with his Sword, pushing back the attacking chain saw with his reverse grip on the Sword.
The impact traveled through his shoulders, arms, and even to his abdomen, sending shockwaves throughout his body.
"You insect! I'll stomp you so you can't even lift your sword!"
As if anticipating that his attack would be blocked, Seventh Apostle rotated his wrist, immediately launching a second strike.
Shrrrrk!
The energy imbued in the topknot tripled in an instant as it pressed down, threatening to crush Raon.
It seemed like he had reduced its sharpness, increased its weight, and maximized its force.
"He's indeed stronger."
Seventh Apostle's strikes were backed by a power equivalent to that of a Master-level.
However, his realm wasn't higher than the upper level.
At best, he had reached an advanced mid-level.
"At that level..."
I have the upper hand.
The realm wasn't something Raon could immediately catch up to, but strength, speed, and aura were things he could easily pursue.
"Hoooo."
Raon drew out the Ring of fire as he took a deep breath.
He resonated with the Ring of fires, and the descending chainsaw sword slowed down, the flow of its power becoming visible.
*****
'His proficiency isn't that high.'
Focusing intensely, Raon found the openings in Seventh Apostle's sword strikes.
Amidst the fiery flames of surging energy, he sensed a slight vulnerability in the blade's extremities.
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
Red Sun.
The line of fiery light that ignited like a spark over the Heavenly Drive Sword clashed against the tip of the chainsaw sword.
"Swoooong!"
The chainsaw sword, infused with crude strength, was forcibly deflected.
"What's this?"
As the Seventh Apostle tried to retract his body like a mirage, he stepped on the Taehwa Wave.
Folding space, he followed and aimed the Blade of Requiem towards Seventh Apostle's shoulder.
"Thud!"
Seventh Apostle's collarbone was torn apart, and dark blood spurted like a fountain.
"Kuaaak!"
Clutching his shoulder, he staggered back, letting out a pained scream.
"How... How did you break the Blood Manifestation Seal…"
"...."
Raon didn't answer, stepping on the Taehwa Wave again.
Advancing as if walking on water, he veered to the left.
"Get lost!"
In an almost inhuman way, Seventh Apostle regained his composure in an instant and swung his chainsaw sword.
The strike was as powerful as the previous one.
'I expected this level of resistance.'
Raon didn't retreat.
He activates Ten thousand flames cultivation with the Heavenly Drive Sword held in reverse grip.
"Chiriring!"
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Yeomju Barrier.
The rising aura of flames acted as a shield, repelling Seventh Apostle's chainsaw sword.
Then, he swung down the Heavenly Drive sword imbued with Glacier coldness.
"Swoooong!"
The chainsaw sword clashed against the two swords, shaking as if it might shatter.
"Thump!"
From the wounds on Seventh Apostle's chest and shoulder, which he had just managed to stem, blood burst forth once again.
"Ik!"
Raon, pulling from all sources of strength, pushed Seventh Apostle back with the flame of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Glacier, and his physical force combined.
"Kugugugugu!"
The overwhelming force caused the ground to crack, and Seventh Apostle tumbled downward.
-Aren't you doing what you usually do?
Wrath glared at the crumpled ground.
'What I usually do?'
-Playing around with your opponents, extracting their techniques. It's a cheap trick.
'I don't need that guy's techniques.'
Raon shook his head and jumped down to the hole where Seventh Apostle had fallen.
The space below was a vast cavern, littered with countless bodies on the outskirts, and the floor was stained with dried blood.
'There's nothing to learn from that guy.'
It was clear that this cavern was where Seventh Apostle and Tusa had killed people to gather energy.
There was no need for someone like that.
After overwhelming them with fear and dread, he would end it.
"This vermin!"
Seventh Apostle gritted his teeth, grabbing his chainsaw sword with both hands to the point of breaking.
The aura from the sword became incredibly sharp, seemingly endless.
Raon, although smaller, ignited a fiercer flame.
With blood-stained ground beneath his feet, he swung his sword down.
"Kuuuuuung!"
*****
Seventh Apostle barely blocked Raon's sword strike and bit his lip.
'What's the reason? Why in the world!'
Why can't I block a lower-level sword strike!
Even though he was at a higher level and his energy overwhelmed Raon's aura, every time he blocked the sword strikes, a shocking impact reverberated through him.
The bleeding he had barely managed to stop was now bursting out again, and his energy was rapidly depleting.
'Does this make any sense?'
In a direct confrontation, the most important factors were the levels and the amount of aura.
Even if someone had learned superior swordsmanship, it was rare for someone of lower level to defeat someone of higher level.
Yet, Raon Zieghart, both in the past and now, had thrust his blade against him, someone higher in level.
Not only that, but his blade was even sharper and more powerful.
He couldn't fathom how that was possible.
"Uyaaaah!"
Seventh Apostle screamed, releasing all the remaining energy he had.
He focused his overwhelming power into the Hyeolcheon Mugyeol's ultimate technique, Chamhyeolhon.
"Quaaaah!"
As he swung down with all his might, two lights gleamed amidst the descending blade.
Azure and crimson radiance.
It was Raon's sword strike, containing both cold and heat.
"Shwoooong!"
Chamhyeolhon was gradually worn away by the twin sword strikes' impact, and Seventh Apostle was pushed back, crashing into a wall.
"Kruugh..."
Seventh Apostle looked at the pile of rubble, blood-stained, falling from above him.
'Even Chamhyeolhon... couldn't match...'
Chamhyeolhon was a sword strike known for its overwhelming firepower in Hyeolcheon Mugyeol.
If it had been shattered, it was unlikely he could defeat Raon using sheer force.
Thud.
The sound of footsteps pressing against the sticky ground made him look up.
Raon Zieghart was advancing with a chilling gaze.
"Ugh..."
The guy he had thought he could easily twist the neck of now seemed massive.
Now, the worm he considered to be nothing more than an annoyance appeared much larger than him.
He shouldn't be afraid.
As an Apostle and a disciple of the White Blood religion's leader, he couldn't be afraid of a lowly creature like that.
'A way! Find a way!'
As 7th Apostle's eyes rolled around, he noticed pools of blood pooling on the floor and seeping through the gaps in the walls.
'Ah!'
Seventh Apostle nodded his head slightly.
'There's a way. A way to kill him!'
This place was where the Blood Energy Manipulation was initiated, where energy was gathered.
Since the aura had dispersed, it was naturally being drawn back here.
If he absorbed that energy, he could easily defeat someone like him.
"Hooook!"
Seventh Apostle activated his incantation and moved to the side, sucking in the aura that was congregating around the cavern's walls.
Simultaneously, he summoned the Backflow blood aura, drawing in the energy flowing towards the cavern.
"Good. This should work."
Even though he hadn't been doing this for long, a considerable amount of energy was gathering.
With a little more time, he could heal his injuries and gather enough energy to kill Raon.
'I need to focus on the incantation as much as possible.'
When he turned his gaze to run away from Raon, the guy didn't come any closer.
Instead, he stabbed the dagger into the ground.
"What are you doing... Huh?"
Seventh Apostle opened his mouth wide.
The gathered energy was splitting into two, with half of it flowing towards Raon's dagger. (Surprise Madafaka)
Goooooo!
The dagger absorbed the energy, growing in size, sucking in the gathered energy.
"Kuh! That's mine! Why are you taking the aura!"
"It's not the aura. It's the resentment of the people you killed."
With a cold glint in his eyes, Raon pulled the dagger from the ground.
"These people."
As if blood was piercing the air, clusters of energy surged through the air.
In the midst of the mist of energy, he raised the twin swords.
"They want to show you hell and beg for your death."
*****
Feeling the powerful energy emanating from the Blade of Requiem, Raon tightened his grip on the hilt.
Wooooong!
The Blade of Requiem emitted a sharp resonance.
The owners of the auras – the souls of the people Seventh Apostle had killed – sought revenge.
As if the words were true, the energies that had flowed into this cavern were congregating more towards the Blade of Requiem than towards Seventh Apostle, providing him with a tremendous power boost.
'Well then, I should oblige.'
Lowering his stance, Raon charged towards Seventh Apostle.
Kwaahhh!
The Blade of Requiem, adorned with glowing sword characters, clashed against Seventh Apostle's greatsword.
The power of resentment and agony imbued on the small blade pushed the greatsword aside.
The formidable ghastly energy suppressed the energy.
"Kruuh, with an insignificant power like that!"
"The insignificant one is you."
Raon held his breath and pulled back the the Heavenly Drive sword.
The dragon engraved on the silver blade spread its jaws wide open, releasing a roar of flames.
Kwaahhh!
The ferocious heat from the Flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation made veins bulge on the Seventh Apostle's face.
Kugugugugu!
Although he raised his energy recklessly to fend off both the Blade of Requiem and the Heavenly Drive sword simultaneously, the hand holding the greatsword trembled, as if he was reaching his limit.
Jjiiiiing!
Raon leaned forward, putting more force into both swords.
The blue and red energies transformed into a mountain, pushing Seventh Apostle back.
Kwoong!
Seventh Apostle's legs sank into the bloody ground, and his body swayed like a paper doll.
"Kkuuuh..."
"The people you killed couldn't even resist."
Raon gazed down at Seventh Apostle with eyes blazing like fire.
"Crush that worm crying out like that underfoot."
Raon continued advancing.
Advancing with his foot on the Jin-Gak, he directed the ring of fire, Ten thousand flames cultivation, and Glacier through the Blade of Requiem, amplifying them with ghastly energy flowing through.
"Uuaaaah!"
Seventh Apostle screamed in his final struggle, but Raon ignored his writhing and gathered all his strength to strike down Seventh Apostle.
Jjijijik!
With even greater pressure, gold began to appear on the edges of the greatsword.
Kyaaahhh!
The gold, which was previously just a thin line, grew exponentially and shattered into pieces.
Amid the shards of the scattering greatsword, Seventh Apostle's eyes filled with astonishment.
"It's over."
"Geheeeekk!"
As Raon was about to split the throat of Seventh Apostle with the Blade of Requiem and the Heavenly Drive sword, a sinister energy descended like a lightning bolt from behind.
Someone's hand reached out with a speed exceeding Master's limits.
Twisting his waist, he deflected the Sword.
Raon Zigheart Style Swordsmanship.
Second Form, Jungcheonpo Yeok (易).
Maximizing the repulsive force over the attractive force, the Jungcheonpo struck from behind, knocking the approaching assailant away.
"Kreuk!"
Seventh Apostle took advantage of this momentary opening and attempted to flee.
'Can't let that happen.'
Raon gritted his teeth.
Suppressing the pain as if his mana channels were burning up, he swung down the Blade of Requiem Sword in his left hand.
"Stay down!"
Seventh Apostle swung the shattered greatsword.
It was an action to buy time for the guy behind him to approach.
Chiiiiing!
As the greatsword swung up from below, a blue light flashed in Raon's eyes.
Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship.
Third Form, Eungeommong.
A dreamlike blue aurora brushed by as the Blade of Requiem pierced Seventh Apostle's throat.
Puoooook!
Raon turned to look at the newly arrived man, twisting his lips.
"I won't fall for this twice."
