C843
*Bang!*
Raon lunged without a moment's hesitation and caught Rimmer as he collapsed.
"Vice Leader!"
He grabbed Rimmer by the shoulders and shook him, but there was no response. The breath, once refreshing, had fallen silent, and the scent of wind had vanished.
"Please!"
Raon placed his hand on Rimmer's blackened left chest and poured forth the divinity born of darkness. However, as he had given too much to Alice before, the wound wouldn't heal.
"Martha!"
Raon shouted Martha's name in a voice tinged with desperation.
"Damn it! Rimmer!"
Martha cursed as she ran and grabbed Rimmer's wrist. She pushed her aura into him to heal the wound, but Rimmer remained motionless.
"V-Vice Leader!"
"Aaaargh!"
Burren and Runaan also rushed over, shouting Rimmer's name.
"Division Vice Leader!"
"Instructor!"
"P-Please wake up!"
Dorian, covered in blood, and all the members of the Light Wind Division ran to hold Rimmer, but his eyelids remained closed.
"Now I understand why they called him the Sword of Light."
Sif licked his lips as he shook the blood from his cursed black sword.
"To waste the chance to ascend to transcendence in order to save that vermin, he really was as crazy as his name suggests."
He mocked Rimmer with disbelief.
"Do whatever it takes to save him."
Raon held Rimmer's cold hand before standing up. He glared at Sif, who was mocking Rimmer, and gripped his divine sword and demonic sword so tightly that blood flowed from his palms.
'Everything...'
It's all my fault. If I had discovered the strange aspects of this dungeon earlier. If I hadn't trusted Sif. If I hadn't let myself be absorbed by Bardiel's barrier. If I had broken through the light barrier with all my might and had come here as quickly as possible. Even if we died together, Rimmer wouldn't have felt so alone.
All of this was completely my fault.
"That guy. He calls himself human. Isn't it ridiculous that he tries to be human while having a fake energy center, using a fake sword domain, and even wearing a fake arm?"
Sif continued rambling his nonsense.
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. From my perspective, I'll soon become an angel; humans and elves are just insects."
Raon wanted to smash his mouth.
'Strength...'
I need power. With his current strength, he couldn't even kill Sif alone. To brutally kill Bardiel and Sif, he needed immense power. He brought forth all the emotions of the demon king sleeping within his soul.
Even if I disappear, I want the power of revenge. The power to brutally kill that trash.
-You mustn't!
Wrath leaped forward, blocking his view.
-This king cannot stop or control him now! It's not his rampage, but yours! Regain your composure!
He shook his head vigorously, warning that everything built up until now could turn to nothing.
"Aaaargh! Vice Leader!"
-I'm sorry, Wrath...
But seeing Dorian's cry and Sif's laughter, what remained of his reason shattered. *Crack!* As if something had broken in his mind, the feeling of rage surged from the depths of his soul and spread throughout his body. *Crack!*
As snow-white frost seeped into his heart, the eight fire rings creaked like rusted metal before stopping completely.
The flames of the divine sword calmed, and the frost of the demonic sword surged as if about to explode. As if returning to his childhood, cold energy filled his mana circuits, turning his vision white. The balance between the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the Glacier that always worked in harmony broke, and his three energy centers filled with a chilling cold.
Raon discarded the extinguished divine sword and raised only the demonic sword. Behind him, with blue horns sprouting from his forehead, an ice storm rose as if to devour the world.
"Have you accepted demonic power for the sake of revenge?"
Sif licked his red lips as if he found it amusing.
"I will kill you..."
Raon exhaled a white mist as if it were the dead of winter. As if the power of frost had gone wild, he wielded his sword in a bestial and cruel stance instead of a swordsman's. *Clang!* With a single sword strike, half the cavern froze, and Sif was thrown against the wall as if overwhelmed by the force. It was a terrifying display of power.
"Are you trying to die alongside him? You truly are worthy of being the disciple of the Sword of Light!"
Sif raised his cursed black sword with black veins in his eyes. A spatial cut rose in front of Raon's chest. Raon didn't dodge it. As if wanting to destroy each other, he endured the spatial cut with his ice armor and delivered an even fiercer sword strike towards Sif.
When the icy cut and the spatial sword clashed, a frozen white crack appeared, then exploded.
Explosions erupted from all directions, shaking the cavern as if it were about to collapse.
"Your strength is beyond transcendence."
Sif chuckled as he looked at his right arm, now covered in frost. As Sif took a step back to retreat, Raon changed his grip on the demonic sword and plunged it into the ground.
As the demonic sword's blade shone as if about to burst, the space Sif had opened to escape froze, and a storm of cold energy rose around him. It was a prison made of frost.
Raon attacked Sif with a blue light in his eyes. Just as he was about to bring his sword down on Sif's neck, a white ray shot from the right and pierced through his waist and thigh.
"Argh!"
Even while injured, Raon didn't stop and swung his demonic sword towards Sif. However, having lost power and speed midway, Sif easily blocked the attack and slipped to the left.
"What's wrong with that guy? How is this possible?"
Sif frowned as he looked at his cursed black sword, covered in frost.
"It's possible."
Bardiel exhaled a murky sigh as he looked at Raon.
"The demon who lent power to that human is the Monarch of Wrath."
He frowned deeply, as if displeased.
"Monarch of Wrath?"
Sif narrowed his eyes at Bardiel.
"He's one of the most formidable monsters among the rulers of Devildom. Now I understand why even the light freezes."
Bardiel nodded heavily, as if finally understanding.
"We have to attack together. He may not be a great transcendent, but we must be even more cautious."
"Mmm..."
Sif narrowed his eyes as he watched Raon emanating increasingly stronger cold energy.
"Shall we try an experiment?"
"Experiment?"
"Just wait and see."
He avoided the cold energy Raon had unleashed and fired a spatial cut towards the Light Wind division gathered around Rimmer. Just as the cut that had pierced space was about to sever the necks of the Light Wind swordsmen, Raon, who had been rushing towards Sif, hastily retreated and erected an ice wall.
Fortunately, he managed to protect the Light Wind division from Sif's surprise attack, but perhaps because he had abruptly twisted the direction of the cold energy, blood dripped from Raon's lips.
"Jajajajaja!"
Sif burst into laughter as he brushed his disheveled hair back.
"Even in a state of madness, you still prioritize your comrades? To think you would imitate his stupidity!"
He clutched his stomach and laughed, finding it absurd.
"Mmm..."
Bardiel also frowned, seemingly surprised by Raon's actions.
"That's why humans are vermin. Great things cannot be accomplished if you're swayed by emotions."
Sif muttered, curving his lips with disdain.
-You know what we have to do, right?
He raised his cursed black sword above his head and looked at Bardiel.
"Yes. Let's attack together."
Bardiel nodded and clasped his hands. In his palms, a pure white glow of concentrated divine power ignited. Sif's downward strike twisted and split the mana in the cavern. A transcendent spatial sword. Along with rifts that seemed to tear the air, cuts poured forth from all directions.
'Is it me...?'
Raon closed his eyes as he saw the cuts and waves of light falling upon him and the Light Wind division.
Unable to even make a decision?
He had decided to avenge his master by surrendering to the demon king's authority, but he couldn't bear to let his comrades die. Cursing his indecisiveness, his inability to let go of anything, he exploded the accumulated cold energy.
—I'm sorry, Vice Leader. I'm sorry, Wrath.
Raon raised his sword to protect the Light Wind division instead of himself. Sword Domain: Heaven Rift. A purple glow like the twilight sky surged from the demonic sword's blade. The sword strike, aimed not at killing the enemy but at protecting his comrades, spread in a circle and collided with the angels' light and the space-tearing cuts.
A massive explosion occurred, causing the cavern floor to sink and the ceiling and walls to begin to collapse. The impact, exceeding normal limits, was causing the entire dungeon to crumble.
"Cough!"
Raon coughed up black blood while buried in the collapsed ground. However, the Light Wind division inside the ice wall he had created didn't suffer a single scratch.
-Raon!
"Get up!"
The Light Wind division shouted Raon's name, but he didn't open his eyes, as if dead.
"Is he dead? No, we should check..."
"We have to go!"
As Sif was about to confirm Raon's condition, Bardiel grabbed his shoulder.
-What nonsense! We should at least take the body!
"The time axis of this dungeon is different from the outside! If we don't leave before the dungeon collapses, years could have passed when we get out!"
Bardiel shouted that they had to leave, saying these people would die buried in this dungeon anyway.
"Tch."
Sif clicked his tongue as if he had no choice, hoisted Alice, whom he had taken out earlier, onto his shoulder and gestured towards the Light Wind division trapped in the ice.
"I guess they're lucky, aren't they? No, they'll die anyway."
With those words, he left the collapsing cavern along with Bardiel.
"Tantrum..."
Raon lifted his head with difficulty. With the little cold energy he had left, he thickened the ice wall to protect the Light Wind division from harm before collapsing back onto the ground.
'Vice Leader.'
He saw Rimmer's face among the Light Wind members. Seeing him still smiling even as he fell made Raon's heart ache unbearably.
'I'm sorry...'
Raon looked at Rimmer before closing his trembling eyelids. As he exhaled a faint sigh as if dead, the Requiem Sword, which had returned to its original form, shone with a clear green light.
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, I was in the mental world. Though a familiar space I've often visited, today was different from usual. The land normally divided between heat and cold was white and frozen, and swords lay scattered with frost encrusted on them.
The eight fire rings floating in the sky had also stopped spinning and were tilted downwards as if broken.
Just like my heart, the mental world had also frozen.
"Truly like a worm."
I laughed bitterly while sitting in the frozen mental world. I had decided to avenge my master and surrendered my body to the demon king's authority, but I lacked the courage to sacrifice my comrades. I felt like a worm, simply wriggling, unable to do this or that. *Crack.* Raon pulled out a sword stuck in the frozen ground.
"I'm sorry for being such an incompetent master."
He shook his head as he looked at the sword that seemed to embody the First Patriarch's swordsmanship.
'What would he have done?'
No, and Grandfather? I wondered how the most resolute and strong swordsmen I knew would have acted in a situation like mine.
-No, it doesn't matter anymore.
I'm already broken. Even if I survive, it will take a long time to get revenge.
"I've lost too much."
Rimmer was dead, Alice's fate was unknown, and Sif, on the contrary, had gained power and information. With no gains and only losses, I felt a tightness in my chest.
"It's all my fault..."
"Are you blaming yourself again?"
I turned at the sound of a familiar voice accompanied by a refreshing breeze.
"Huh?"
Raon's jaw trembled as he saw the red-haired elf standing with one leg crossed.
"In-Instructor?"
Rimmer. The one I believed to be dead was now in my mental world. I was so surprised that I used the old title instead of calling him Vice Leader.
"H-how is this possible? Why are you here...?"
"I don't know."
Rimmer shrugged and said he didn't know either.
"No, but..."
"That's not important now. As I always say, one thinks too much. Sometimes..."
He laughed as he patted his chest.
"Think with this heart."
"Ah..."
Raon swallowed hard as he looked at Rimmer. Hearing him speak like this, he knew it wasn't an imposter. It was the real Rimmer.
"Vice Leader. I..."
"I saw."
Rhyming term.
"You were being yourself. As always, the greedy Raon Zieghart trying to hold onto everything."
He laughed and said he knew it would be like this.
"But this time, I understand."
Rimmer chuckled and pointed at himself.
"I was similar."
He laughed and said he had also been beaten trying to save Dorian and Alice.
"Vice Leader..."
"That title is enough already. Call me Master. I'm tired of having a disciple as a superior."
"Ah, yes..."
Raon nodded.
"Is this your mental world? It's as boring as I expected."
Rimmer shook his head, wondering how there could only be swords in a mental world at Raon's age.
"At your age, you should be falling in love, drinking all night with friends, and traveling."
He clicked his tongue and said it was a shame.
"I'm sorry..."
"But now I understand the reason a little."
Rimmer smiled as he looked at the fire rings in the sky.
"Reason?"
"Your swordsmanship and aura are already at the transcendent level, but your realm has remained at Grand Master. If your aura were transcendent and your swordsmanship deficient, it would make sense, but it's strange that you couldn't break through the transcendent wall even though that's not the case."
He narrowed his eyes playfully as he looked at Raon.
"Now I think I know why."
"Mmm..."
Raon, still not understanding Rimmer's words, only let out a low groan without answering.
"When I first saw you, you were like a blank slate. Not in terms of skill, but in terms of humanity. Interestingly, your anger was deep, but you lacked almost all the affection, sadness, and joy that other children had."
He gestured with his hand and said that while Raon had talent, his emotions seemed damaged.
"Fortunately, thanks to the good people around you, you came to know joy, pleasure, and happiness, but there was one thing you lacked."
"What are you doing...?"
"Sadness."
Rimmer raised his index finger towards Raon.
"You didn't know sadness among joy, anger, grief, and pleasure. You were cold as a youth, but gradually became more emotional. I think human emotions had a great impact on your growth."
"Ah..."
It was as he said. Not only human emotions but also the emotions of the demon kings had influenced his growth.
—But you still didn't know sadness. No, you accepted sadness as anger.
Rimmer put his hand on his head as he said this.
"In meeting there is parting, and those who leave will surely return. Accept sadness as sadness. There's no need to forcibly endure it by transforming it into another emotion."
He smiled brightly while patting his head.
"Raon. You are Raon Zieghart, no one else. Return to the essence a person should have as a human being."
As Rimmer said this and stepped back, his body began to fade.
"Master!"
"It seems my time is up."
He clicked his tongue as he looked at his hand that was starting to disappear like mist.
"I don't know if we'll meet again, but I'm glad I could have this last conversation with you."
Rimmer nodded and asked to send his regards to the Light Wind division.
—Oh, and make sure you kill that bastard! Understood? I was trying not to say this before I left! But seeing him torment you too! I can't stand it...
He disappeared while shouting that they would definitely kill Sif. He was true to himself until the end.
"Haha..."
Raon laughed. As he accepted the emotion he had tried so hard not to feel, tears didn't well up, but rather laughter. He realized that it wasn't time to cry, but to accept sadness.
However, the heart-wrenching pain remained the same. No, it became even worse. The pain that followed sadness hurt unbearably.
As he accepted the emotion conveyed to him now, the mental world trembled, and a golden flame ignited at the edge of the cold energy that had frozen everything. The flame, rising silently like an ember, spread in all directions propelled by a green wind.
The frozen land melted, and the frost-enveloped swords rose again towards the sky.
The golden flame that finally reached the sky melted the eight fire rings filled with cold energy and joined a ninth ring tempered with the mental image of sadness. The fire rings, spinning endlessly like wheels that never stop even on the battlefield, resonated and emitted a roar that awakened Raon's soul.
-
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