C909
The Tank...
Rensia's lips trembled as she repeated the words about destroying the tank.
"Do you remember what I said?"
When she first explained the situation to Kayden, she had told him that Montiro was a dirty tank, and she was one of the ones purifying it. She seemed to have remembered, as she declared that she would destroy the tank.
"My heart hurts..."
Her heart throbbed with pain, overwhelmed by gratitude towards Kayden and his companions who had returned to save her and Montiro. She was so thankful that she wanted to express her gratitude with her very soul. However, she could not accept their kindness to save Kayden.
"Hah..."
Rensia looked at Raon, enduring the crushing pain in her chest.
"There’s something I haven’t told you."
She decided to reveal the word she had deliberately hidden out of fear of causing trouble.
"The force that controls this Montiro is..."
Rensia clenched her fist and parted her dry lips.
"The Black Tower of the Five Kings and Five Demons. It is one of the ten monsters that rule this continent. Unless you are of the same level, you cannot win."
She nodded, lowering her melancholic gaze as if she had given up on life.
"It's fine for now. Please pretend to enjoy your tour and leave this place as quickly as possible. Never come back."
Rensia smiled her usual doll-like smile, insisting that she would be fine.
"The Black Tower of the Five Kings and Five Demons."
Raon recited the name of the Black Tower in a calm tone.
"I knew from the beginning that the Black Tower was here."
He smiled slightly, having now fully understood the flow of mana in this place, capable of establishing an aura barrier without being detected by anyone.
"What?"
Rensia's eyes widened as if to ask what he meant.
"How...?"
"Only the Five Demons could do something so vile."
Raon nodded, picking up a piece of black trash from the clean sand.
"Lord Kayden is..."
Rensia looked at Raon with vacant eyes, unable to comprehend.
"I haven't told you everything either."
Raon pointed to the spot beside him, telling her to sit down again.
"Um..."
Rensia slowly sat beside him, her trembling hand resting on her waist.
"My name is Raon Zieghart. I am the Master of the Light Wind Palace of Zieghart."
Raon smiled slightly, looking into Rensia's trembling eyes.
"We are stronger than the Black Tower."
* * *
Raon brought the dazed Rensia to the lodging he had reserved in advance.
"Master of the Light Wind Palace..."
Rensia kept murmuring the title Master of the Light Wind Palace as if she still couldn’t believe it.
"Have you heard of him?"
Raon asked, pointing to a chair for Rensia.
"Y-yes, I have heard of him..."
Rensia nodded, clutching her trembling wrist.
"Even my siblings know about him."
The unparalleled genius of all time who had killed two ancient dragons, defeated a transcendent demon, and recently cut down the Demonblade of the Five Divine Orders. Everyone knew of the absolute swordsman who had reached transcendence at the age of twenty.
"So you are that Rensia."
Martha approached Rensia and patted her head.
"You've held on well. It must have been so difficult..."
She bit her lip hard, seemingly recalling her own past through Rensia.
"Yes. You are a good girl..."
Runaan cautiously approached Rensia's side.
"And you are strong..."
She gently embraced Rensia, perhaps recalling her own childhood when her soul was captive in Syria.
"You recognized our Master of the Palace, but what about me?"
Dorian smiled and nodded his head.
"Lord Kevin? Have you gained so much weight in this time?"
Rensia blinked at Dorian, who had become chubby in just one month.
"Don't mind this guy; he has always been like a rubber band."
Burren shook his head and knelt before Rensia.
"I'm impressed. Thinking of others first and taking care of your siblings in such a desperate situation, you are much more admirable than us."
He bowed his head, seemingly genuinely moved by Rensia.
"I feel the same."
Mark Goetun slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.
"I would have given up a long time ago, but you have the talent to become a martial artist."
"These people are..."
"They are my companions."
Raon smiled slightly, referring to them as companions instead of subordinates.
"Of course, they are not all. There are many more outside."
He nodded, saying they were slowly preparing to erase the Black Tower.
"Really..."
Transparent dew formed in Rensia's dry eyes. Thin tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, which had not cried even when she left.
"Can you really erase the Black Tower? Can everyone live freely?"
Rensia joined her hands, saying that was all she wished for.
"Yes. I can promise you that."
Raon nodded his head, telling her not to worry.
"But there is something you need to do."
"Something I need to do?"
Rensia opened her tear-filled eyes, asking what it was.
"The black heart implanted in you acts as a dimensional door, sending the demonic energy and death energy from Montiro to the Black Tower. We wanted to open a passage to the Black Tower by tracking the flow of the black heart in reverse."
He explained the situation up to that point, taking a deep breath.
"Thanks to the efforts of many people, we have completed the magic, but a problem has arisen."
"A problem..."
"We need the core of the barrier connected to the Black Tower. Only with that can we find the coordinates of the Black Tower and open the dimension."
After days and nights of research, the mages of Chamber and Balkar had created a magic that could open the dimension where the Black Tower hid. However, to activate this magic, they needed a substance currently connected to the Black Tower. At this moment, only the black heart in Rensia's body could do this.
"...So the core is the black heart in my body."
Rensia immediately understood his words and nodded her head.
"Can you do it?"
"I..."
She forced her trembling hands and lifted her gaze.
"What do I need to do?"
"For one hour."
Raon raised one finger.
"You need to remain in the center of the barrier for one hour while the magic is activated. However..."
He took a deep breath and looked away.
"During that time, the black heart will have to be continuously exposed, which will be very painful. The flow of mana forming the magic circle will likely make it even more painful."
It was something that would hurt Rensia, but currently, this was the only way to bring down the Black Tower.
"..."
Rensia did not respond immediately, lowering her head.
"Can I do it?"
Exposing the black heart was unimaginably painful. Having to endure an even worse pain for an hour sent a cold sweat down her back.
"But..."
This could be the last opportunity. She had lived chained to the Black Tower since her birth. She had already experienced so much pain and despair that she wouldn’t mind dying now, but she wanted her younger siblings to live truly happy lives, not just on the surface.
"Yes. I also endured that surgery."
Felix had opened her chest without anesthesia when he reimplanted the black heart. Thinking about that pain, she could surely endure an hour.
"I can do it."
Rensia made up her mind and slowly lifted her head.
"I endured when they tore my chest open with a knife infused with demonic energy, so somehow I can endure it for an hour."
She clenched her small fist, saying that she would somehow bear it.
"I should be impressed, but the more I hear this girl talk, the angrier I get."
Martha bit her lip until it bled.
"Yes. I'm burning up..."
Runaan slightly frowned with an icy fragment on her forehead.
"I feel the same. But let’s listen for now."
Burren put a finger to his lips, telling them to quiet down.
"The barrier that constitutes this Montiro is formed by a five-star formation."
Raon spread out a map of Montiro and drew the lines of the barrier that currently hid the Black Tower.
"We’re going to draw an inverted five-star formation symmetrically to open a dimensional door leading to the Black Tower."
"Eh?"
Rensia blinked.
"Wait a moment. When that magic activates, won’t the demonized humans from the Black Tower come out and interfere? How can we resist for an hour?"
"As I said, because we are drawing a five-star formation over another five-star formation, the Black Tower won’t be able to open a dimensional door, and no information will be transmitted from here to there. We are creating a completely isolated space."
The aspect that Chamber focused on the most was the confidentiality of the magic. The Black Tower would only realize the activation of the magic after the dimension was opened.
"However, unlike the Black Tower, the demonized humans in this Montiro will be able to sense the activation of the magic circle."
"So we’ll have to protect all the vertices that form the five-star magic circle."
"That’s right."
Raon nodded his head, saying he was right.
-That little girl shows her true colors when revealed. It’s something special.
Wrath licked his lips, saying it seemed worth teaching her.
"Yes. Although I don’t think martial arts suit her."
In his opinion, Rensia seemed more suited for magic than for martial arts.
"Not only the people here, but the swordsmen of Zieghart who have spread throughout Montiro will protect the five corners of the magic circle and you."
Raon smiled softly, telling her not to worry.
"I will do it. No, I will succeed."
Rensia gathered her small courage, not for herself, but for her siblings and the people of Montiro.
"Alright."
Raon rubbed his chin and stood up.
"I promised and I must fulfill it. We will leave this place as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow."
"What? No, Head of the Association!"
Kerin's lips trembled, as if he hadn’t expected Raon to say they would leave.
"The young master!"
Dorian also shouted his former title, wide-eyed.
"Shut your mouths."
Raon ignored Kerin and Dorian's protests and pulled a gold coin from his shirt pocket.
"You did well."
He nodded slightly and tossed the gold coin to Rensia.
"...."
Rensia stored the gold coin she received from Raon in her pocket and bowed her head.
"Thank you. Please make sure to leave tomorrow."
She exited Raon’s room with those words.
"Uf...."
Rensia leaned against the wall and pulled out the gold coin she had received from Raon. She examined the coin closely before storing it in her inner pocket and then shouldered the backpack she had left behind.
'This is right.'
This is the way to save everyone. Rensia put on a fabricated smile as if she had never been sad and walked down the well-lit hallway, humming a melody.
* * *
As he had promised Rensia, Raon left Montiro and then took a detour to return to the headquarters created by the Chamber. The swordsmen who had infiltrated Montiro at the same time as him had returned and were resting.
"You’re here."
Chamber requested a chair so he could sit with a bitter smile.
"...Good job."
Karoon also nodded slowly, saying he had done well.
"You both saw it, didn’t you?"
Raon clenched his fist, pointing to the necklace that Chamber had made for him.
-Yes, thanks to you, we learned everything.
A cold aura rose over Karoon’s red eyes.
"I realized once again that it's not worth keeping the demonized humans of the Black Tower alive."
He moved his long fingers as if he wanted to go out right now and annihilate the Black Tower.
"I knew the demonized humans were filthy bastards, but I didn't expect them to exceed even my expectations."
Chamber bit and crushed the lollipop she had in her mouth.
"Damn it! I want to go out right now and kill them all!"
Martha ruffled her hair and kicked the ground.
"We should freeze them so they can never get out..."
Even Runaan furrowed her brows, saying harsh words she normally wouldn’t say.
-I agree! Our ice girl knows what she’s talking about!
Wrath raised his hand and said that the ice girl was indeed the best.
"My role is to contain you, but I don’t want to do that this time."
Even Burren let out a sneer of disdain, unable to contain his emotions.
"Raon. Did you check the movement of that black heart?"
"Yes. It’s hard to explain in words, so I’ll show you using the aura."
Raon took Chamber's hand and transmitted everything he had felt when he touched the black heart.
"As expected."
Chamber nodded, pulling out the stick that remained from her lollipop.
"That black heart is a very small dimensional door that absorbs negative energy like demonic energy and death energy and sends it to the Black Tower."
She smiled deeply at Raon.
"So can we open that dimension?"
"Normally it would be impossible, but thanks to you telling us the movement and flow of the black heart, we should be able to track it and reach the Black Tower."
Chamber said it should now be possible and drew a large circle with her finger. With a clap, the mages of Balkar, including Jayna, gathered with dazzling eyes.
"Are you ready?"
Chamber looked at the mages with a deep smile.
"Now it’s our turn to move."
In exchange, please make sure you take down the Black Tower.”
“No.”
Raon shook his head, taking Rensia’s hand.
“We will take it down together.”
* * *
“Today is the day.”
Raon clasped his hands, looking at the people who would be at the center of today’s operation.
“Today, the name of the Black Tower will disappear from this world.”
For a week, they had been moving around Montiro, planting the barrier artifacts created by Chamber in the land forming the five-star formation. They had received confirmation from headquarters that everything was correctly installed, and people’s attention was focused on the arena that opened once a week, making today the best opportunity to execute the operation.
“Uf...”
Dorian lowered his head, his legs trembling.
“Are you that scared?”
Krein clicked his tongue in disdain.
“No, for today, more than fear, I’m angry...”
Dorian bit his lip, saying it wasn’t his usual trembling, but the anger of wanting to destroy the Black Tower. For that coward to say those things, he must have been truly frustrated.
“For the first time, I like you.”
Martha put her arm around Dorian’s shoulders and smiled.
“That’s the spirit. Wipe out every demonized human you see.”
She raised her chin, saying not to leave any alive.
“Yes. Freeze them all...”
Runaan nodded, surrounded by frost so cold it was reminiscent of Wrath.
“I’m sorry, but for now, this is a defensive battle. Calm down.”
Raon lowered his hands, drawing the attention of the swordsmen.
“Let me explain one last time. During the activation of the magic, Rensia and I won’t be able to move. The same goes for Chamber, who will be operating the magic from a distance, and the Master of the Central Martial Palace will have to remain at headquarters to protect her.”
He raised his chin, placing one hand on Rensia’s shoulder.
“In other words, during the hour that the magic circle is active. No, during the 30 minutes until the demonized humans realize and pounce, you will have to resist with only the power of the Light Wind Palace and the Central Martial Palace, without support. Can you do it?”
Raon looked at the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace with defiant eyes.
“As long as the Master of the Palace gives the order, we can do anything.”
Burren bowed, saying they could resist indefinitely.
“We’re not just defending; we’re going to smash them!”
Martha snorted, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Yes. We will...”
Runaan blinked her vacant eyes as if to say not to worry.
“Whether it’s thirty minutes or twenty years, in the end, it’s all a moment.”
Mark Goetun smiled, touching the sword at his waist.
“Should I just protect the Master of the Palace?”
The Leader of the Warring Steel, Trevin, licked his lips.
“No. Leader, please go to the southern sea. It’s the farthest from the center, so it will be the most dangerous.”
“I’m both pleased and disappointed that you’re sending me to the dangerous place.”
He chuckled, saying the trust might be too strong.
“Burren will take the left, Mark Goetun the right, Dorian and Krein the upper left, and Morel Kazan of Balkar will take the upper right.”
Raon nodded, assigning each person’s position.
“The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace and the Central Martial Palace who have finished infiltrating will provide support, and there are some others, so don’t worry about the rear and just resist.”
During the week, all the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace and the Central Martial Palace had entered Montiro. When the battle begins, they too will reveal their true selves and unsheathe their swords.
“Although there’s a slightly disappointing part.”
The group he had requested support from hadn’t arrived yet, but unfortunately, they could no longer delay it any longer.
“Eh? What about me?”
“Me too...”
Martha and Runaan frowned, saying they hadn’t been called.
“You two need to protect us.”
Raon smiled, placing his hand on Rensia’s shoulder.
“Just the two of us?”
“I think you’ll get along better with Rensia.”
* * *
Raon sat in front of the fountain erected in the center of Montiro, under the scorching sunlight.
“Hah...”
Rensia exhaled softly and stood beside him.
“Are you ready?”
Raon slightly lowered his chin, looking at Rensia.
“I’ve said goodbye to my siblings. I think I won’t have any regrets now, no matter what happens.”
“Your siblings were your driving force.”
“Yes.”
Rensia nodded calmly.
“I wanted to give back to the other children as much as I received from my older sister. So I hope those children don’t have to live as painfully as I did.”
She smiled slightly, saying she was participating in this not for herself, but for her siblings and others.
“I see. It will definitely be like that. Including you.”
Raon smiled slightly, stroking Rensia’s head.
-She’s more than admirable.
“Yes. She’s already become an adult at an age when she should be throwing tantrums.”
-Sigh...
Wrath let out a long sigh, seemingly saddened by Rensia, who had already matured.
“It’s alright.”
He shook his head with a slight smile.
“We’ll wipe out the Black Tower and make her able to throw tantrums.”
Raon put the necklace with a transparent jewel he had been holding around Rensia’s neck.
“I’m going to start.”
“Yes!”
Rensia replied with the brightest voice she had used so far. It seemed to energize him as well.
“Thank you.”
Raon hugged Rensia once and then infused mana into her necklace. The transparent jewel of the necklace filled with small flames rising from the bottom. When those flames completely fill the jewel, a dimension leading to the Black Tower will open here.
“One hour.”
Raon took Rensia’s trembling hand and smiled softly.
“Let’s endure it together.”
-
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