N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 714
“Hmm….”
Raon tilted his head while looking at the vast Rable River.
Following Flumen’s guidance, they had arrived at the battlefield where Zieghart and the South-North Union were supposedly fighting, but all he could see was the calm, flowing river.
“Why, why is there nothing?”
Flumen also looked flustered, scanning the river and blinking his eyes.
“They were definitely fighting here! I swear!”
He waved his hand insistently, saying he had seen it himself.
“I know. They fought here.”
Raon shook his head as he looked at the wooden planks floating on the river.
Those planks were pieces of the warship’s deck, proving that a significant battle had indeed occurred here.
“I’ll go ask around!”
Flumen said he would gather information from the fish living there and dove into the river.
Raon squinted as he watched Flumen diving deep into the water.
‘It’s certain that Zieghart pushed them back.’
Zieghart’s forces were among the strongest within the Six Kings and Five Demon factions. Even though the South-North Union had the advantage of the river’s terrain, they couldn’t win against Zieghart head-on.
However, he couldn't let his guard down.
Derus Robert would surely try to turn this disadvantageous situation to his benefit. ‘Where did they go?’
He spread out his senses, but he couldn’t feel even a small ripple of mana, indicating they were quite far away.
‘Wrath.’
Raon crooked his finger towards Wrath, who was observing the river.
‘Can you tell where the battle is happening?’
It's very faint, but he can feel it from the end over there.
Wrath raised his round hand and pointed upstream of the Rable River.
He seemed to understand the gravity of the situation as he quickly pinpointed the location, unlike usual.
‘It’s quite far….’
If Wrath described it as very faint, the battle was definitely taking place at a far-off location.
Judging by the direction, it seemed to be the South-North Union’s headquarters.
‘I need to get ready to move.’
As he calmed his senses while waiting for Flumen, he detected a small presence on the right bank of the river.
Turning his gaze, he saw a middle-aged man with long hair, dressed in water bandit attire, lying on the pebble beach.
Whooosh.
Raon gently pushed the water away and approached the water bandit.
“Black Wolf Unit leader?”
The middle-aged man lying on the pebble beach was the Black Wolf Unit leader, whom he had seen before the duel to death against the Axe Kings.
He had a severe wound on his chest and was on the brink of death.
“Ra, Raon Zieghart?!”
The Black Wolf Unit leader lifted his eyes, exhaling a fishy breath.
“Y-You’re alive. Thank goodness. Re…Really, thank goodness….”
He smiled as he let out broken words.
“You’re glad that I’m alive?”
Raon’s eyebrows furrowed at the unexpected comment from the Black Wolf unit Leader.
“The Axe King hoped you would return alive. Knowing you were dead left an emptiness in me, but now that emptiness feels filled.”
He laughed, ignoring his own chest wound.
"What happened after I was unconscious?"
“I…I do.. don’t have much time left, so I’ll keep it brief. After news of your death spread, Zieghart declared war on the South-North Union. After that….”
Without any hesitation, he quickly explained the events that had transpired.
“…The place connected by Rikuas’s cloth is our headquarters, so the battle should be continuing at the South-North Union headquarters by now.”
“Where is the man wearing the blue dragon helmet?”
"He disappeared after you died. We lost contact completely, and the union leader was furious."
The Black Wolf Unit leader shook his head, saying that unlike the Fallen, they had lost contact with the swordsman wearing the blue dragon helmet.
“I see.”
Raon nodded heavily.
‘Now I understand everything.’
It was a bit regrettable that he couldn’t get information before killing the Specter to prevent his escape, but thanks to the Black Wolf Unit leader, he now had a clear picture of the situation.
The forces involved in the war were only Zieghart and the South-North Union, and Zieghart was currently overwhelming them.
Hehehehehe!
Wrath nodded quickly, saying he knew it would be like this.
Of course, with the King of Essence’s subordinates, it’s only natural they overwhelm them!
Contrary to Wrath’s relieved sigh, he wore an arrogant smile.
‘I wasn’t worried about the war from the beginning. The real problem is….’
It was Derus Robert.
Thanks to the Black Wolf Unit leader’s information that there had been no contact with the swordsman in the blue dragon helmet, Raon understood more clearly what Derus was planning.
‘He will undoubtedly target the head of house.’
Derus would surely plan to stab Glenn in the back while the war raged, deceiving even the South-North Union leader.
‘Because that’s the situation he wants.’
The only person undeniably stronger than Derus was Glenn Zieghart. If the head of house disappeared, the continent would essentially become Derus' world, so it was clear what kind of scheme he had set up.
‘I need to….’
Raon clicked his tongue as he looked at the gently flowing river.
‘Change the plan.’
What plan are you changing?
‘Initially, I was going to join the battlefield quickly to end this war, but now I need to look further ahead.'
If Raon appeared on the battlefield, Derus Robert would abandon his plan to target Glenn, return to house Robert, and remain inactive for a while.
That was definitely not what he wanted.
‘I need to turn his plan against him and unmask him.’
Derus would personally aim for Glenn, so this war was the best chance to reveal his true identity.
“Raon Zieghart.”
The Black Wolf Unit leader trembled as he weakly raised his hand.
“Survive. You are the proof that the Axe King lived in this world….”
With those words, he told Raon to become the strongest martial artist on the continent before dropping his hand.
His eyes remained open, but no breath followed.
“……”
Raon carefully closed the Black Wolf Unit leader’s eyes and stood up.
“Raon! I found out where they went!”
Flumen emerged from the riverbank, waving his hand.
“Flumen.”
Raon approached Flumen and extended his hand.
"I have a favor to ask. It might be very dangerous, but can you do it?"
“Sure!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Flumen grabbed Raon’s hand.
“Because we’re friends!”
* * *
Rumble!
Zieghart’s warship cut through the water, heading towards the gap in the barrier that Glenn had slashed open.
Of course, the South-North Union didn’t just stand by. They fired magic cannons from atop the wall to block Zieghart’s approach.
Swoosh!
As dozens of magic cannonballs rained down on the warship, Zieghart’s executives moved.
Slash!
Aris, Karoon, Sheryl, and Rimmer’s slashes cut through the incoming cannonballs.
Boom!
A powerful explosion erupted in the air, causing huge waves, but Zieghart’s warship didn’t stop.
The Light Wind division’s ship stepped forward, blocking the rain of arrows that followed the magic cannons.
Whaaaa!
The swordsmen, in formation, unleashed the Light Wind Style, creating a wind barrier that pushed back the arrows.
The arrows lost their force before the wind and fell helplessly into the river.
Despite the continuous rain of magic cannonballs and arrows, all were extinguished before the slashes of Sheryl and Rimmer. "Keep going."
"Never stop!"
Following Rimmer and Sheryl's orders, the Light Wind division's ship was the first to cross the water barrier of the South-North Union.
"Yes!"
Dorian also gripped the controls tightly, overcoming the fear of war.
Rumble!
The Light Wind division's ship finally broke through the harbor and delved deeper into the South-North Union headquarters before anyone else.
Shing!
Sheryl, Trevin, and Rimmer landed on the harbor, raising their swords.
Slash!
The ferocious sword strikes from the three of them shredded the South-North Union warriors who had taken defensive positions at the harbor like pieces of paper.
"Heavenly Blade division!"
"Warring Steel division! Advance immediately!"
"Wipe them all out!"
Following the orders of Sheryl, Trevin, and Rimmer, the swordsmen on the ship all leaped onto the harbor.
"Formation!"
As Burren charged towards the South-North Union headquarters, the Light Wind division followed behind, forming the Great Wind Formation.
The cool wind of the Light Wind Style pushed them forward.
"Block them!"
"Don't let them take a single step forward!"
The South-North Union warriors, drawing on their full aura, desperately blocked the path.
"You sons of bitches!"
Martha charged forward, swinging her sword down with a shout.
With her Titan's aura swelling to over twice its size due to her berserk state, she aimed her strike at the harbor's axis.
Boom!
The outskirts of the harbor collapsed, and the South-North Union warriors standing there were sent flying, vomiting blood.
"Clear the path!"
Burren, filled with wrath even greater than Martha's, unleashed a chilling wind. The icy wind he unleashed mercilessly tore apart the warriors coming out to provide support from within.
"……."
Runaan’s purple eyes gleamed with a chilling intent. As she drew her blade in a sweeping motion, silvery frost petals scattered.
Slash!
The necks of the South-North Union warriors grazed by the frost flower bore red lines and then dropped cleanly.
However, there was no spray of blood. The wounds themselves were frozen solid with icy frost.
Crash!
Mark Goetten’s sword, crackling with lightning, demolished buildings, and the bandits, shocked by Yua’s voice, dropped their weapons and clutched their heads, screaming.
"Get out of the way."
"Pathetic fools!"
The seemingly stronger unit leaders among the South-North Union bandits stepped forward with their subordinates.
“Where do these kids think they are?”
"Annihilate them all!"
However, the Light Wind swordsmen did not retreat in the face of strong opponents. They continued to wield their swords tirelessly, indifferent to their opponents’ greater numbers and superior strength.
The Light Wind swordsmen channeled their emotions of rage, sorrow, and despair into their might, overwhelming the South-North Union warriors.
They cleared a path even more effectively than the Heavenly Blade division, known as the strongest in Zieghart.
"Go to the end!"
With a demonic expression, Rimmer slashed the throats of the warriors. His red hair, drenched in blood, shone even more brightly as he roared.
"Here, we will avenge Raon!"
Upon hearing the word "revenge," a dry intent to kill flickered in the eyes of the Light Wind division's swordsmen.
Gooooo!
As the Light Wind division's swordsmen unleashed even sharper sword strikes and tried to penetrate further into the South-North Union, Dranos, the leader of the South-North Union, rose. He aimed the Sea Dragon Spear at the Light Wind division and thrust it down.
Roar!
As a water dragon rose from the spear to swallow the Light Wind division, a red lightning bolt struck, breaking the dragon's neck.
"Dranos. Look at me."
Glenn slashed Heavenly Tremor diagonally while looking down at Dranos.
The remaining water barrier was torn apart, revealing the main building of the South-North Union.
Rumble!
Zieghart's swordsmen spread out, beginning to encircle the main building of the South-North Union.
The South-North Union warriors were quickly pushed back due to the difference in power.
However, elderly warriors from the right-side building of the South-North Union began to block the path. It was the South-North Union's senators.
Though few in number, each one was a formidable warrior, slowing Zieghart's swordsmen's advance.
"Damn it!"
Dranos bit his lip, standing on a collapsed wall.
"Eden and the Shadows were involved too, so why are you only targeting us?"
He showed genuine frustration, seeing that even the senators couldn't stop the swordsmen.
"Don't worry."
Glenn shook his head as he approached Dranos.
"Eden, the Shadows, and the White Blood Religion, I'll erase them all in turn."
He raised Heavenly Tremor, declaring that he would not miss a single one.
Rumble!
Red lightning flowed through Glenn's entire body. The lightning bolts covering the sky, the ground, and the river returned to his body, releasing a majestic energy that seemed to shake the entire continent.
"You're the first."
* * *
White Whale headquarters.
In the office of the Thespian Emperor.
Erio, the leader of the White Cat division, knelt before the Thespian Emperor.
"The battlefield has moved to the South-North Union headquarters. Glenn Zieghart and Dranos have clashed head-on, so it seems it will soon be over."
He bowed his head as she reported the current situation between Zieghart and the South-North Union.
"What about the other factions?"
The Thespian Emperor Ariel tilted her chin, spreading her fingers.
"No response yet. The Black Tower and the Holy Sword Alliance don't seem to care at all, and neither the White Blood Religion nor Eden shows any signs of movement. The Shadow have completely disappeared. The battle is already over."
Erio clicked his tongue, suggesting that the war would end with the South-North Union's defeat.
"Good work. Let me know immediately if anything else happens."
"Yes!"
As she waved her hand, Erio bowed and left the office.
"So it ends with the defeat of the South-North Union…."
Ariel fiddled with her fingers, then lifted her leg.
She took out the sacred booklet, the Sacred Tome of Sun and Moon, from her thigh and placed it on the desk.
'I need to confirm it for sure.'
As Erio said, the chances of Zieghart winning were high, but the words of the man who had visited before bothered her.
Swoosh.
Ariel slowly opened the booklet. She stopped at a blood-stained page filled with text that looked like a song.
'Raon Zieghart.'
This red page was the record of the grotesque figure that emerged when she read Raon's heaven’s flow. It still sent chills down her spine.
'Is he really dead?'
Honestly, she couldn't believe it, but the fact that he hadn't shown up so far meant it was true.
'What a waste.'
Although she had suffered much because of Raon, she regretted losing someone who had so much potential for her use.
"Sigh."
Ariel exhaled softly, turning to an empty page.
She bit her finger and let the blood drip onto the Sacred Tome of Sun and Moon.
Drip.
A gentle energy emanated from the white paper, as white as Ariel's skin. The sticky drop of blood slowly began to stain the white sheet red.
Woooooo.
She cleared her mind of countless thoughts, focusing solely on Glenn Zieghart, Dranos, and the battlefield of the two factions.
As Ariel's soul knocked on the gates of the heaven, the blood-soaked Sacred Tome of Sun and Moon resonated, and the bright red blood began to write words on its own.
Ariel calmed the images of war she had drawn in her mental world and slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze deepened as she checked the booklet.
[The Lightning God sinks into the river, and the blazing sword shatters into dozens of pieces. The north wind remains cold, but there is none who can withstand its chill.]
Ariel murmured the song engraved in blood and leaned back deeply into the chair.
"The Destructive King of the North is dead, and house Zieghart falls."
She looked up at the sky, filled with dark clouds, and lowered her gaze.
