C836
"Raon, how did you...?"
Alice looked at Raon with trembling eyes, unable to comprehend the situation.
"He... is he burning the magic itself?"
Wrath was also dumbfounded, his mouth forming a perfect circle.
"I deciphered the magic."
Raon said with a slight smile as he sheathed the Blade of Requiem.
"You deciphered? You deciphered the magic?"
"Yes. The magic I saw in this dungeon varied, but the principles were the same."
He squeezed his finger to let another drop of blood fall, intensifying the flames that burned the magic while looking at Alice.
"Blood and iron. They used the concepts of death and weapons that create death to amplify the power of their magic."
While blood and iron have positive connotations, the shamans of the Iron Chain only used negative energies to strengthen their magic. It was no different from a curse imbued with malice.
"Knowing the principle and deciphering the magic are two different things."
Alice shook her head, acknowledging she knew that part, but insisted that deciphering the magic was impossible.
"Yes. That's why..."
Raon calmly shook his head.
"I dismantled and analyzed all the magic we encountered in the dungeon."
Thanks to carefully examining all the magic he had seen so far, he was able to familiarize himself with the flow of the magic of the Iron Chain. While casting the magic himself was beyond his abilities, dismantling it was completely possible.
"Eh..."
Alice blinked, not understanding, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing despite hearing it directly.
"So that's what you were thinking while looking at the ground all this time."
Rimmer chuckled as if he finally understood.
"I knew you would surprise us, but I didn't expect this much."
He patted Raon on the shoulder and told him he was impressive.
"It's not that impressive. Thanks to my aunt quickly getting through the traps in the dungeon, I had plenty of time to examine the magic."
Raon nodded, giving credit to Alice.
"...It's impressive. I couldn't decipher the magic even if I had time."
Alice exhaled sharply as she looked at Raon.
"This boy is a real prodigy."
She knew Raon had an innate talent for swordsmanship. She couldn't ignore it, as she herself had tried to awaken that genius. But deciphering and erasing magic that he had never seen before was on another level compared to martial skill. She was so astonished by Raon's monstrous ability that she could barely speak.
"Aunt seems really surprised. It's always like this."
Martha shrugged as if it were something common.
"You'll get used to it soon."
Burren also nodded calmly.
"No matter how I think about it, it doesn't make sense! Even my father wouldn't be able to decipher the magic after seeing it for the first time here!"
Alice shook her head vigorously, still unable to believe it.
"Aunt."
Runaan approached Alice and wiped the blood from her hands.
"Handsome Raon can do it."
She nodded, telling Alice to simply accept it.
"You said you knew your nephew well, but it seems you don't at all."
Rimmer mockingly pointed his finger at Alice.
"Your nephew always keeps his word."
"His word?"
"He said he would finish faster than breaking through with the Sword Domain, remember?"
He pointed to the ground where all the magic had burned away. The thick layers of magical energy had completely disappeared, making it seem like the ground would collapse with a single punch.
"Ah..."
"We'll talk about this later. First, let's prepare to go down."
Raon withdrew his clenched fist behind his shoulder.
"We need to catch them before they escape."
He lowered his fist, concentrated his aura while gritting his teeth. The ground collapsed, opening a black hole leading downward. This was possible because he had burned all the magic blocking the way.
"Here! Those bastard shamans went through this hole!"
Paras pointed at the flickering black passage, waving both fists.
"It's a bit smaller now, but it definitely leads down!"
He kicked the ground and said they had to get in before it closed.
"Alright. Then..."
"I'll take the lead now."
When Alice was about to enter the black path, Raon blocked her way.
"Ra-Raon?"
"You said you trusted me."
Raon gave Alice a small smile before descending into the black path.
"Leave it to me."
Rimmer smiled as he stood next to Alice.
"That boy is grateful to you, so he wants to help."
He brushed the dust off his hands and told her to leave it to her talented nephew.
"Aunt, let's clean it all up. Take your time coming down!"
"We'll clean it properly."
"Alright. Take care."
Martha, Burren, Runaan, and the swordsmen of the Light Wind division also followed Raon, telling Alice to trust them.
"Haha..."
Alice let out a hollow laugh as she looked at the bandage on her fist that Runaan had wrapped.
"Was I too excited? Enough for the kids to notice?"
"You were like a boar."
Rimmer nodded as he looked at Alice.
"You even had tears in your eyes like a girl. It's the first time I've seen you cry like that."
He chuckled as he wiped away the tears that had formed in the corners of Alice's eyes.
"Miss..."
Alice let out a long sigh as she looked at Rimmer.
"I haven't heard that from you in a long time. No, I haven't heard that title at all lately."
She looked down, saying she missed it.
"I just realized that raising a child is difficult in many ways. My father must have had a lot on his mind."
Alice clicked her tongue, saying she finally understood a bit.
"As long as you understand."
Rimmer nudged Alice's arm.
"I should go see dad with that damn son of mine. We should eat together after such a long time."
Alice straightened her back and said she would visit Glenn with Sif.
"But first, let's see how much our nephews and nieces have grown."
She descended into the black passage with a renewed look of composure in her eyes.
"We can't call him the little king anymore."
Rimmer smiled contentedly as he recalled Raon's robust back before finally descending into the black path.
* * *
Thanks to Alice crushing the ground, they didn't have to dig too deep before seeing the iron floor.
"Paras was right."
Just as Raon stepped onto the iron path, thinking about how strange it was...
"They're here!"
"Fire!"
With a deafening roar, brown flames and blue lightning flew toward them. The sound and impact were so great that it seemed the shamans of the Iron Chain had been waiting for them. Raon stepped forward with his left foot and unleashed Heavenly Drive. He raised his sword firmly, creating an unbreakable shield.
Raon Zieghart style sword technique.
Fifth Form: White Shadow Slash.
With the pale, undulating sword, he erased all the magic heading towards him. Huuuuuh! Behind the magical flow that looked like melted fog, armed warriors and shamans in iron armor appeared. They all seemed to be remnants of the Iron Chain.
"It's a strange space, just as I heard."
The ceiling, walls, and floor were made of iron, and a strong smell of magic floated in the air. The disorder of broken furniture and documents showed they were preparing to leave. However, unlike Paras's testimony, there were no signs of captives nearby.
It seemed they had either killed them or moved them elsewhere.
"Block them even if it costs you your life!"
At the shout of a middle-aged man who seemed to be a high-ranking shaman, the martial artists of the Iron Chain simultaneously stomped the ground. It seemed they were trying to block the way and buy time, even if it meant wasting their lives.
"A fight right when we arrive?"
"The perfect moment."
"We'll take care of this..."
Just as Raon was about to unleash Heavenly Drive, Martha, Burren, and Runaan leaped forward and drew their swords. Upon unsheathing them, they extended their sharp sword energy. Each of their Astral Energies, imbued with wind, earth, and frost, pierced through all the Iron Chain martial artists charging at them.
"Gaaa!"
"Argh!"
The Iron Chain martial artists collapsed on the spot, clutching their throats as blood gushed out.
"Oh..."
"Damn it!"
The shamans recoiled with terror-stricken expressions. It was completely different from what happened to the martial artists, who did not hesitate even when they were dying.
"Let's go!"
At Martha's shout, even the swordsmen of the Light Wind division who were descending joined in, pushing back the shamans and martial artists.
"Everyone seems exhausted."
The shamans, having used all their strength to control the traps of the dungeon and block the way, could not use all their power and were dying. It was as if they were knocking down scarecrows.
"Block them! Hold on until the end!"
The high-ranking shaman, apparently thinking the outcome was already decided, threw his subordinates aside and began to flee.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Raon blocked the high-ranking shaman's path and shook his head.
"Puaj..."
The high-ranking shaman fell to the ground, his lips trembling with fear.
"You're really different."
Raon squinted as he looked at the pale shaman. Unlike the firm martial artists, the minds of the shamans were as soft as pudding.
"Are you the leader?"
"Oh..."
"If you don't want to talk, that's fine. We have plenty of mouths."
Raon pointed Heavenly Drive at the shaman's Adam's apple and said he would kill him if he kept his mouth shut next time.
"N-no, I'm not."
The high-ranking shaman shook his head, saying he wasn't the leader of this place.
"Where did you take the people you had here?"
"...They took them there."
He pointed to a large iron door connected to the inner hallway.
"Fortunately, it seems they haven't killed them."
Generally, when publicly branded organizations flee, they kill their hostages, but fortunately, it seemed they hadn't processed all of them yet.
"Among the hostages, there is..."
Just as Raon was about to ask the high-ranking shaman about Sif, the innermost iron door opened and shamans and martial artists emerged.
"To think you would come this far!"
"Block them even if you die! We must not let them pass!"
"Operate the spiritual armor!"
Upon receiving the order to operate the Spiritual Armor, the martial artists in silver armor stepped forward, and the shamans stood behind them, chanting strange incantations. Curiously, it was not the energy of the shamans that became stronger, but that of the martial artists, as an aura almost on par with the Masters began to emanate from them.
"Light Wind division."
Raon decapitated the high-ranking shaman and shook his chin.
"Clean them up."
"Yes!"
The Light Wind division responded resolutely and advanced towards the martial artists. They pushed back the negative aura created by the shamans with the Gale Wind style, elevating their blue astral energy. The Iron Chain martial artists also advanced, emitting an even stronger magical energy, as if they were unwilling to retreat.
The outcome of the battle between the Light Wind division and the Iron Chain martial artists was decided in the first confrontation.
"Puaj..."
"Argh!"
The Iron Chain martial artists, whose bodies and auras had been enhanced by magic, collapsed, spitting blood, unable to overcome the unity of the Light Wind division despite being more than double their numbers.
"Is that all you have? Come at us with more strength! This is too easy!"
Martha mercilessly attacked the martial artists, telling them to use every last ounce of strength they had left.
"They seem to have weakened from using their strength to block the path. Now is our chance."
Burren calmly cut the throats of the shamans, saying this was their opportunity.
"You can't escape."
Runaan froze the ankles of the fleeing shamans and shook her head.
"Haha..."
Alice let out a hollow laugh as she watched the Light Wind division overwhelmingly crush the Iron Chain.
"I told you. Trust them."
Rimmer shrugged and said, "See?"
"Mmm..."
Paras looked around and let out a sigh.
"I definitely heard people breathing around here, but there's no one."
He shook his head, saying it seemed all the hostages had disappeared.
"They are in there."
Raon pointed to the innermost door where the martial artists and shamans had come out.
"Aunt! Go!"
"We'll take care of this here."
Martha and Burren gestured for Alice to enter, telling her to trust them.
"That's right."
Raon took Alice's hand with a slight smile and walked along the iron path to open the innermost door. A cavity filled with black fog was revealed, accompanied by a chilling sound like a child screaming.
It was a place with a ceiling so high that even if he ran at full speed, he would have trouble reaching it, and all the walls were painted a bright red.
'This can't be...'
-It is.
Wrath nodded heavily as he examined the entire cavity.
-It's all human blood. It seems all that dirty and terrible magical power came from here.
He bit his lip and said that this space seemed to have been both a place for executing people and an experimental laboratory for the shamans.
"Those damn bastards!"
Alice also gritted her teeth, seemingly sensing the malice that permeated that space. Just as Raon, Alice, and Rimmer were about to delve further into the place, a human figure emerged from the darkness.
"So you've finally come."
An elderly man dressed in a purple robe sighed as he looked at them.
"Are you the boss?"
Alice moved her fingers holding the sword, looking ready to jump at any moment.
"Boss? You use such childish expressions despite your great martial skill."
The old man shook his head calmly.
"Just answer!"
"Yes, I am the leader of this branch."
He revealed his position, showing a cold gaze.
"Your face says it all. Dirty, filthy bastard."
Alice lifted her sword above her head, saying she would kill him right now.
"You are quite impatient."
When the old man snapped his fingers, the black fog dissipated, revealing people in tattered clothes and shamans.
"If you move a finger, all these people will die."
He pointed with his chin, saying they could do whatever they wanted if they wanted to see the hostages dead.
"Ha! Do you think we came here just to save hostages?"
Alice didn’t even look at the hostages. It was impressive that she acted like this when Sif could be among them.
"I don't think so."
The old man shook his head calmly.
-Didn't you say you were looking for the man with the red eyes?
He mentioned the story of the man with the red eyes, as if he knew everything that had happened on the first floor.
"You..."
"The one you're looking for is here. However, if you make any reckless moves, you will only see his head."
"Isn't he here?"
Raon shook his head as he looked at the hostages.
"We hid him elsewhere, not knowing what he could do."
"And what if that’s a lie?"
—Sif... He was stronger than expected, causing us trouble in subduing him. It would have been difficult if he hadn't been alone.
He casually mentioned Sif's name.
"Of course, he was mentally and physically intact, so he was very helpful in our magical experiments."
The old man twisted his lips into a smile as if trying to provoke Alice.
"Damned bastard!"
"Don't move."
The old man shook his head at Alice.
"I know you use the Space Sword. Drop your sword right now."
He licked his lips and said he would order Sif's death if she moved even a finger.
-The same goes for you. Drop your sword.
The old man pointed his finger at Raon.
"Alright."
Raon pretended to drop Heavenly Drive, but instead pulled out the Blade of Requiem with his left hand and threw it at the old man. However, a wall of magic sprouted next to the old man's face, deflecting the Blade of Requiem. The sword, having lost its momentum, embedded itself into the wall of the cavity.
"I knew you would do that. Your eyes showed that you would cause trouble."
The old man mocked Raon.
"This is your last chance. If you attack me in any way, not only will I kill Sif, whom you're looking for, but also all the humans here."
To prove his words, the shamans began to release magical energy while gripping the necks of the hostages.
"Raon..."
"Yes."
Raon made eye contact with Alice before both lowered their swords simultaneously. When the two swords fell, overlapped one over the other with a metallic sound, Raon activated Sword Control. He pulled the Blade of Requiem free from the wall of the cavity and utilized the technique of Rotating Heaven.
The blade of the Blade of Requiem, bent at an odd angle, cut through the wall of magic and lightly grazed the old man's crown, stopping there.
"W-what..."
The old man trembled his chin and lifted his eyeballs.
"Puaj!"
"Branch manager B!"
"Don't move. If you move a finger, your branch manager will die."
Raon shook his head at the bewildered shamans. He stood in front of the pale old man, once again holding Heavenly Drive.
-Now who is the captive?
"Control of the sword? How at that age..."
The old man shook his head in disbelief.
"Where is Sif?"
Raon pressed deeper into the old man's crown with the Blade of Requiem, tilting his head.
"If you kill me, Sif won't survive either..."
The old man forced a smile as if threatening. However, that was just a ruse. Unlike the martial artists who seemed to have suffered a brainwashing, the will of the shamans was not that strong.
"Oh, really?"
Raon smiled and brought Heavenly Drive down vertically. The old man's arm fell to the ground with a horrible sound of torn space.
"Aaaaargh!"
The old man screamed, clutching his severed shoulder.
"There won't be a next time."
Raon looked at the old man with cold eyes.
"Where is Sif?"
"!! Over there!"
The old man pointed to the wall on the right with the remaining arm. With his gesture, the darkness opened, revealing a new door.
"Aunt."
"Y-yes!"
Alice opened the door, biting her lip until it bled.
"Branch manager. It's all resolved... Huh!"
The shamans inside froze like statues, apparently not expecting their branch manager to be taken hostage.
"Everyone stop. If you move, the branch manager dies."
As Raon shook his head, threatening the shamans, Alice ran to the center, screaming the name she had been longing for.
"Sif!"
-
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