C913
The combined aura of Runaan and Martha shattered the Astral Ring of demonic energy and even pierced through the bodies of Felix and Calob.
"Argh!"
"This is..."
Calob screamed as if his throat were breaking from the pain of having both arms torn off, while Felix could not move, with the shaft of his spear broken and his legs frozen in place.
"This is our only chance!"
"Yes."
Martha and Runaan felt this was their only opportunity to kill Calob and Felix, and even while coughing up blood, they executed their footwork.
"Urgh!"
"W-Wait! Just wait a moment!"
Calob retreated while regenerating his arms with demonic energy, and Felix swung the broken shaft of his spear while shouting for them to wait.
"Did you not listen to Rensia? Then why should I listen to you?"
Martha twisted her lips as she plunged her sword into Felix's chest. As if to make him feel Rensia's pain, she crushed his bones and flesh with her blade.
"Aaaarghhhh..."
Felix let out a scream as if he were being suffocated, then his eyes rolled back, and his head tilted.
"A pain that won't be erased..."
As if fulfilling her promise to Rensia, Runaan dodged Calob's kick and drove her Snow Flower into his abdomen. Chiiiiik! The cold energy emanating from the blade of Snow Flower began to freeze Calob's entire body.
"Hnngh!"
Calob tried to block the cold energy with demonic energy, but he could not withstand the freezing of the awakened Runaan. Before he could even fully exhale, his entire body was encased in silver ice.
"Damn it..."
Calob's eyes trembled in fear as he felt his body losing sensation, and then he stopped breathing.
"Haaa!"
"Ugh..."
Martha and Runaan, as if finally relaxing, deeply bowed and took a breath.
"Thank you, sisters."
Rensia smiled weakly and bowed her head towards Runaan and Martha.
"Ugh..."
But even that seemed painful for her, as she immediately bent over, groaning.
"Hey! Stay still!"
"Don't move..."
Despite their own severe external and internal injuries, Martha and Runaan immediately went to Rensia and supported her.
"They're good sisters. Quite strange, but good."
Raon smiled faintly as he watched Runaan and Martha tending to Rensia.
"You could have left out the 'strange' part!"
Martha frowned, warning him to be careful with his words.
"Raon..."
Runaan looked at Raon, lowering her chin slightly.
"Did you know we would break through our limits?"
She blinked, as if she were very curious about this.
"That's right. How did you know?"
Martha also tilted her head, seemingly amazed.
"I never imagined I would awaken either."
She squinted, asking for an explanation.
"Actually, I didn't know."
Raon tilted his chin slightly.
"What? You clearly said you believed in us..."
"I didn't know you would awaken. I just thought you would win."
Not only Martha and Runaan but all the members of the Wind Light Palace had undergone numerous real battles and various combat training. They had repeated training where they could feel the moment of death, so he thought they could win with that experience, but he didn't know they would awaken.
'Did you know?'
Raon nodded slightly at Wrath.
- Didn't you say so yourself? They've gone through various experiences that ordinary humans could not. Even if they were just supporting from behind, the difference between direct experience and simply hearing about it is vast.
Wrath shook his head as if it were obvious.
- Especially that training you did on the mountain, beating them nearly to death. It's raw, but a very effective cultivation method. Humans who experience death elevate their soul realm.
He waved his hand, saying that the reason the members of the Wind Light Palace were becoming abnormally strong was due to that focus-enhancing training.
- Given that you, who are right in front of them, taught them directly and they have gone through so many experiences, it could even be said that their awakening was late.
Wrath snorted, saying that if they were lucky, they could have awakened even earlier.
'Well, they've held up well.'
Raon looked at Martha and Runaan with proud eyes.
"They should have won without awakening, but they barely won even after awakening. I guess we'll have to increase the intensity of the training when we return."
Since even Wrath recognized them, it seemed right to make the focus-enhancing training even harder from now on.
"Should we kill him now?"
Martha took her sword again, as if she were seriously considering it.
"I thought he looked handsome today, but he's actually ugly..."
Runaan also tilted her head deeply, as if she were disappointed.
"It's a joke... Hm?"
Just as Raon was about to try to soothe the melancholic Martha and Runaan... A middle-aged man with black hair covered in black spikes like a hedgehog rose from the ground that had collapsed due to the demonic energy.
"So you were defeated after all."
The eyes of the middle-aged man, flickering with demonic energy, moved between the lifeless Calob and the frozen Felix. His low voice exuded intense killing intent and demonic energy. He was a demonized human much stronger than Calob or Felix.
"It seems you have awakened, but your strength is depleted."
The middle-aged man sharpened the spikes that covered his entire body as if to finish this now. The spikes began to twist as if they were alive.
"Damn it..."
Martha bit her lip as she raised her sword with weakened hands.
"Ugh..."
Runaan took a deep breath to hide her exhaustion as she positioned herself protectively in front of Rensia.
"Bathortan."
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at the middle-aged man.
"Thanks to you, we were able to find this place. I should express my gratitude."
Bathortan, a high-ranking Floor Master of the Black Tower, was the one who had led them here by revealing the sacrificial magic to the Demonblade. Raon mockingly thanked him, as if to provoke him.
"What nonsense! I never revealed this place to the Demonblade!"
Bathortan shouted, seemingly bewildered by the looks of the demonized humans around him.
"You underestimated the Transcendent too much."
Raon shook his head without saying anything more.
"It seems I can't just kill you. I'll have to extract your brain and examine your memories."
Bathortan murmured these chilling words as he raised his arm covered in spikes.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
"Absolutely not."
Martha and Runaan unleashed their sword strikes, but their exhausted strength and stamina could not penetrate Bathortan's spikes.
"Hmph. I'm not interested in youngsters."
Bathortan ignored Martha and Runaan's attacks and charged at Raon.
"If you come any closer, you'll die."
Raon tilted his chin slightly as he watched Bathortan approach rapidly.
"You’re just bluffing."
Bathortan mocked as he looked down at Raon.
"I already know you can't move."
He shook his head, saying he had understood the whole situation here through Calob and Felix.
"I'm not afraid of a Transcendent who can't move."
Bathortan crossed the line Raon had warned him about, taunting him.
"It's over."
Raon closed his eyes.
"It’s not over yet!"
"Right. We must protect until the end..."
Martha and Runaan positioned themselves in the way, as if they were going to fight until the end even at the cost of their lives.
"Fools! Those like you..."
Just as Bathortan was about to extend his hand covered in spikes, curling his lips. Swoosh. A red line appeared on his neck, and his head fell.
"That's why I told you not to come."
Raon opened his eyes, saying he knew this was going to happen.
"W-What..."
Bathortan died without even being able to scream, as if he still didn't know what had hit him. Thud! Behind the falling corpse of Bathortan appeared Roenn, dressed in a pitch-black uniform.
"Both of you did excellently."
Roenn lowered his sword, without a single drop of blood on it, with his usual kind smile.
"The others have also worked hard."
He looked at all the swordsmen of the Wind Light Palace, not just Martha and Runaan, with an appreciative gaze.
"Sir Roenn?"
Runaan blinked as she looked at Roenn.
"W-Were you here all along?"
Martha's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Then why didn't you come out..."
"My first task was to create an escape route for the residents and tourists to evacuate."
Roenn chuckled, saying he had returned after saving the people.
"Of course, I arrived when you two were fighting the heroes of Montiro, but since the Wind Light Palace Master said he believed in you, I believed too."
He smiled, saying that the reward for that trust was truly sweet.
"I see..."
"Haa..."
Martha and Runaan, upon seeing Roenn, seemed to relax completely and collapsed to the ground.
"Oh, and..."
Roenn smiled as he positioned himself between Runaan and Martha. He lifted his slender sword and plunged it into the right chest of the dead Felix.
"Kuhek!"
Bright red blood poured from Felix's mouth, whom they had believed to be already dead.
"Very rarely, there are demonized humans who are still alive even though their aura and vitality have disappeared. It's better to deal with them thoroughly."
Roenn chuckled as he wiped the blood from the blade of his sword. Seeing him laugh as he killed someone was a bit frightening.
"Sir Roenn. Then I'll leave the rest in your hands."
Raon bowed to Roenn, seemingly unperturbed by Felix, as if he knew everything.
"Of course."
Roenn looked at Raon and Rensia for a moment before disappearing like the wind.
"I heard that Lord Roenn was strong, but..."
Martha let out a sigh as she looked at the high-ranking Floor Master Bathortan, who had died from a single surprise attack.
"I didn't know he was this strong."
"In reality, that probably wasn't even his full strength."
Raon shook his head with a smile.
"The title of Assassin King is more significant than you think."
* * *
After reuniting with Raon, Roenn immediately headed to the southern coast. The battle had already begun, with the Warring Steel Division facing numerous demonized humans.
'The opponent of the Warring Steel Leader is a Grand Master, it seems.'
Trevin, the Warring Steel Leader, was locked in an intense battle with a high-ranking Floor Master wielding a halberd. The fierce contest continued, making it impossible to predict who would win.
'Instead of intervening directly...'
It would be better to help just a little. Having witnessed the growth of Martha and Runaan before, it seemed better to create opportunities for them to enhance their skills rather than kill everyone.
Roenn, from an invisible position, only saved the swordsmen of the Warring Steel Division in dangerous situations and took care of the relatively strong demonized humans before returning to his original position.
The Warring Steel Leader Trevin was already pressuring his opponent, even though the situation had only become slightly more favorable. It seemed he could win this battle soon.
'Then, to the next one.'
After greeting Trevin, Roenn moved to the right. Whoosh. In a forest where a cold wind blew, Mark Goetun and a black-haired swordsman faced off.
'Is that the hero Barins?'
The swordsman facing Mark Goetun was Barins, the Thunder Sword, the last of the five heroes. The two martial artists stared at each other, hands on the grips of their swords, as if preparing to fight using quick-draw techniques.
'It seems this has been going on for quite some time.'
They must have been facing each other for a long time, as both were sweating from their foreheads and their fingers trembled slightly. The mental exhaustion seemed severe.
'I'm not sure how it got to this, but...'
This would be difficult to help. He could kill the opponent, but unlike the others, it would be hard to help achieve victory.
'I suppose there's nothing to do but trust.'
Mark Goetun was a man who had climbed out of the pit of deep despair with his own hands. Trusting in his mental strength, Roenn concealed himself. Whoosh. Even as the wind shook the entire forest, with demonic energy and aura clashing violently, Mark Goetun's eyes remained unyielding.
However, Barins, as if his patience had run out, drew his sword first with trembling hands.
The moment Barins's sword cut through the air, Mark Goetun's hand shot out like lightning. Zzzeeeerk! A late preventive strike. The blade wrapped in wind from Mark Goetun became a true lightning bolt, slicing through Barins's neck.
"Haa..."
Mark Goetun exhaled deeply as he removed his sweat-soaked clothing.
"In a quick-draw duel, it's not the fastest who wins, but the one with the strongest patience."
He nodded, seemingly satisfied with this duel.
'Congratulations.'
Roenn applauded Mark Goetun for his victory and new experience, then moved to the right again. Morel Kazan was burning all the demonized humans and demon beasts approaching along with his magic battalion. As expected of a high-ranking mage from Balkar. There was no need for him to help.
'Keep up the good work.'
Roenn nodded to Morel Kazan, who was looking at him, and moved toward where Dorian and Krein were.
"Hey! They're coming!"
"Block them!"
"Damn it! Why are there so many!"
"I'm going to die..."
Dorian, Krein, and the swordsmen of the Wind Light Palace were shouting as they faced the charge of demon beasts.
However, despite their anguished laments, they supported each other like comrades who had worked together for over a decade, not giving the slightest opening.
'It seems they can defend this place with their own strength too.'
Roenn looked affectionately at the swordsmen of the Wind Light Palace before heading to the final location. Burren, despite being gravely injured and exhausted, was cutting down the approaching demonized humans without moving from his spot.
'Has Lord Burren also reached Grand Master?'
Roenn let out a chuckle. Perhaps because he had kept fighting alone even after becoming a Grand Master, Burren seemed more skilled in using his aura than Martha or Runaan.
'You finally did it.'
Burren had swung his sword day and night to catch up to Runaan and Martha, and even here, he had sought teachings from Karoon and Raon. It seemed those efforts had borne fruit, allowing him to catch up to the two in front of him.
'Head of House.'
Roenn smiled with satisfaction as he felt the sharp wind emanating from Burren's sword.
'It seems the Zieghart family will become even stronger in the future.'
* * *
Raon looked at the jewel of the necklace that Rensia wore. The flames that had been flickering at the bottom were now filling the entire gem. Raon cut the aura that maintained the magic circle and grasped Rensia's necklace.
'It’s complete.'
It felt like the heat would pierce his skin, as if holding the source of the flames in his hand. A lamp to awaken the darkness. Raon chanted the spell that Chamber had taught him and finally emitted the aura of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
The jewel of the necklace pulsed as if it were about to break, and five jets of bright red flames shot toward the artifacts forming the Five-Pointed Star Formation.
"Ah..."
Rensia slowly opened her eyes, as if the pain had disappeared. She let out a soft gasp upon seeing the five jets of flames emanating from the necklace.
"You've worked hard."
"Did you do it?"
Rensia swallowed hard as she asked if the magic circle was complete.
"It's not that I did it; you did. Now..."
Raon stroked Rensia's hair while looking at the barrier of the Five-Pointed Star Formation connected by flames.
"It's my turn to repay you."
-
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