C921
Raon gritted his teeth as he looked at the Master of the Black Tower, who seemed to have become darkness itself.
'That was close.'
Just moments before, when the Master of the Black Tower broke through the ceiling and descended, an immense demonic energy pressed against his entire body. Normally, he wouldn't have been able to move a finger, but Wrath's fury cleared his mind and gave him the strength to move his body.
'Thanks to that, I was able to kill Karet.'
The Master of the Black Tower relied on his demonic energy, so he didn't use all his power when attacking. Like an elephant carelessly stepping on an ant, he simply moved his hand wrapped in demonic energy.
Karet also fully trusted the Master of the Black Tower, so he did not actively defend himself and only retreated.
'That was his downfall.'
He seized that opportunity, deflected the Master of the Black Tower's hand, and cut Karet's throat. If those two hadn't relaxed, the owner of the fallen head would have been different.
"Ah..."
The Master of the Black Tower trembled, looking not at Raon but at the lifeless Karet. The sorrow emanating from him seemed to darken the entire tower. He must have had a deep affection for the steward who raised him.
'Well, because of that...'
Raon looked at the Master of the Black Tower, tightening his grip on the Divine Sword.
'He descended here even though he hadn't completed his magic.'
From what he could sense, the Master of the Black Tower had not finished the magic he was preparing. He had forcibly broken through the ceiling to prevent Karet's death, but he failed, so the psychological shock must be significant.
'Then, it would be good to provoke him a little more.'
Even if Transcendents have strong minds, they cannot withstand the death of someone close. He didn't expect the worst demon, the Master of the Black Tower, to be so saddened by the death of his steward, but now it seemed like an opportunity to exploit that weakness.
- It would be wise to be careful.
Wrath narrowed his eyes while watching the Master of the Black Tower.
- He is twisted in many ways, but his power is real.
He shook his head, saying that avoiding the first attack was just luck.
'I know. But I can't miss an opportunity like this.'
Raon bit his tongue as he stood in front of the Master of the Black Tower.
"Do you, a demon, also have emotions?"
He curled his lips while observing the trembling Master of the Black Tower.
"After trampling on the destinies of countless people, do you mourn the death of trash? It isn't even worth laughing at."
Raon gritted his teeth, remembering Rensia, who even while dying, asked him to take care of her siblings.
"A worm like you has no right to cry. Just die, showing only your wickedness."
There was no reason to sympathize with the Master of the Black Tower just because he knew sorrow. No matter what emotions he harbored, he remained evil.
"I will not kill you..."
The Master of the Black Tower slowly lifted his gaze. Over his red eyes, flames of hatred were burning.
"I will imprison everyone you know in the flames of hell and make them suffer a pain darker than death."
He uttered these words as a curse and extended his hand. His black, undulating grip fell toward Raon's head.
"Your head will fall first."
Raon bit his lip as he watched the Master of the Black Tower's hand descending slowly.
'I can't dodge it.'
It wasn't that his body wouldn't move. He wasn't sure he could avoid that hand no matter where he moved. He felt a flow of demonic energy different from the first attack.
"Raon!"
Karoon, as if regaining his senses, forcibly moved his trembling hand and plunged his sword downward. His desperate sword strike breached the defense of the Black King Sigel and struck the darkness of the Master of the Black Tower. Although it didn't shake the darkness surrounding the Master of the Black Tower, it was enough to bring him back to reality.
Raon held his breath and bent his knees. He pushed the flames of the Divine Sword and the frost of the Demon Sword against the approaching grip of the Master of the Black Tower.
'If I try to escape clumsily, I'll be caught. Here, I need to use all my power!'
If he couldn't escape perfectly, counterattacking was the best defense. Now was not the time to retreat but to break through with all his strength. He unleashed the Azure Sky Sword with the Divine Sword and the Celestial Thunder Arts with the Demon Sword. The lightning of the heavens enveloped both swords, allowing him to slightly deflect the darkness of the Master of the Black Tower.
Raon didn't miss that slight opening and used the Supreme Harmony Steps to move beside Karoon.
"...Thank you."
Raon thanked Karoon without looking at him.
"It wasn't me. Just focus on what's in front of you."
Karoon moved his hand, saying that unnecessary thanks were unwarranted.
"No. If you hadn't helped me, I would have been caught immediately."
He didn't try to be humble. If Karoon hadn't momentarily diverted the Master of the Black Tower's attention, he would have been trapped in that darkness and lost his life.
"Well, the little rats have gathered well."
As the Master of the Black Tower moved his fingers, black flames rose and trapped Raon and Karoon. It was a cage made of Black Flame. Raon struck the black flames with his Divine Sword, but the cage only trembled slightly without breaking.
"Hmm..."
Even Karoon's transcendent sword strike couldn't cut through the black flames.
- You can't cut it like that.
Wrath raised an eyebrow slightly while watching the black flames.
- It's not just a manifestation of demonic energy; it's magic.
He shook his head, saying he needed to look correctly and erase it.
"I will not kill you."
As the Master of the Black Tower raised his fingers, the cage made of black flames began to shrink rapidly. The Black Dragon Coat burned, and the searing heat seeped even into his uniform. It truly felt as if he had brought the flames of hell.
"I will make you watch as your families die in that place."
The Master of the Black Tower revealed massive malice as if he would really take all of Raon's acquaintances and kill them.
'Watch closely and erase that.'
Wrath was not one to talk nonsense. If he said to watch closely and erase that, it meant there was a way to overcome this situation. Raon activated his Evil Eye of Wrath.
'I can see it.'
He could read the flow of demonic energy that formed the black flames. He could see exactly where and how to cut.
'But I can't cut it like this.'
He focused on the frost emanating from the Demon Sword. <Wrath> was a power that overwhelmed demonic energy. No matter how strong the gathered demonic energy was, it could not surpass wrath. He imbued the frost of the Demon Sword with the anger he had accumulated until now and unleashed the Crimson Slash.
The blade that shone silver cut through the black flames, splitting the cage that had trapped him and Karoon in two.
"What..."
The Master of the Black Tower's eyes widened, as if he couldn't imagine that the cage made of Black Flame was being cut.
"Now!"
Raon gestured to Karoon and propelled himself off the ground.
"Mm!"
Karoon had realized even before the signal and escaped from the Black Flame cage that was trying to close again.
"Haa..."
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the Demon Sword that burned white.
'It's fortunate that this is the Black Tower.'
The demonic energy of the Black Tower gave strength not only to the demonized humans but also to himself. If he had been trapped in that cage elsewhere, he wouldn't have been able to escape.
"What did you just do?"
Karoon squinted, as if he couldn't understand.
"I was lucky. More importantly, now we should..."
When Raon was about to say they should focus on evading, a small spark clinging to the Black Dragon Coat suddenly ignited and enveloped his entire body.
"Ugh!"
Karoon was also surrounded by flames that arose from the remaining spark at the end of his uniform.
"Do you think you have escaped?"
The Master of the Black Tower scoffed and shook his head. As his eyes narrowed, the Black Flame wrapping around Raon and Karoon began to burn more intensely.
"Hmm..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the Black Flames that obscured his vision. It wasn't normal magic to create a prison that could trap Transcendents from a spark the size of a fingernail.
'This is dangerous.'
Unlike the previous cage, there wasn't even space to swing a sword. The heat had also intensified more than double, making it hard to breathe.
"You won't escape from that place even in death."
As the Master of the Black Tower said he would make them feel the hell of the mortal world and closed his fist, at the moment when the prison of Black Flame, thickened like chains, was about to fall upon Raon and Karoon's skin, a blue light burst from the inner pocket. The candy stored in the pocket broke apart, and the space where the Black Flame fell opened.
From the torn space, a girl with a large witch's hat emerged. It was Chamber of Eternal Flame, the archmage who had been waiting outside the tower.
"It’s not good for an old man to play with children."
Chamber smiled and snapped her fingers, causing the black flames that had been trapping Raon and Karoon to fall like black paper. It was a skill that seemed more like illusion magic than actual magic.
"Your opponent is here."
She said they should fight properly and motioned with her chin. As Chamber grasped her staff, an elegant cyan light enveloped her. That majestic radiance pierced through the darkness of the tower and raised a blue sun in a world filled with demonic energy.
"Damn bitch..."
The Master of the Black Tower gritted his teeth, looking not at Chamber but at Raon behind her.
"Bring that bastard before me before I tear your tiny body to pieces!"
He extended his hand made of demonic energy, demanding Raon be delivered. Despite the Master of the Black Tower's demonic energy being much stronger than before, it dissipated without penetrating Chamber's light.
"You have failed. This will be the end of our damned relationship."
Chamber said she would erase the Master of the Black Tower today, curving her lips.
"Yes, it will be the end."
The Master of the Black Tower nodded with a chilling smile.
"It will be the end of you!"
As he overlapped and rotated his hands, the demonic energy permeating this tower, no, this world, began to distort.
"This amount of demonic energy is enough to kill them all!"
The darkness swirling at the tips of the Master of the Black Tower's fingers opened a black sky.
"Silent Spirit World."
* * *
"Phew..."
Burren sighed as he wiped away the blood flowing from his forehead.
"We really almost died."
He shook his head while looking at the demonized human who had died with his heart exploded. Thanks to the combined efforts of all the members of the Light Wind Palace, they were able to kill the Master of the upper floor, but the consumption of aura and stamina was significant. It truly was a hard fight, worthy of a Master of tower magic.
"Indeed."
Martha nodded as she leaned against the wall.
"That little bastard was disgustingly strong."
She lowered her eyebrows while looking at the hand that held her sword.
"I'm exhausted..."
Runaan caught his breath while leaning forward.
"But we have to go up..."
He pressed his lips tightly while looking at the ceiling.
"That's right."
Mark Goetun nodded as he shook the blood from his sword.
"It’s correct for subordinates to take care of their own."
In battles between masters, even the smallest difference determines victory or defeat. They needed to go up and help Raon so he wouldn't have to use his strength elsewhere.
"W-We should go..."
Despite his body trembling from the powerful demonic energy emanating from above, Dorian said they had to go up.
"You look scared; are you okay?"
Krein let out a hollow laugh while looking at Dorian.
"I'm not okay. But we have to go."
Dorian swallowed hard, saying it was scary, but it was right to go.
"Then let's go. I'll take the lead; follow me while stabilizing your breathing."
Trevin nodded and turned towards the door leading to the next floor.
"Wait a moment!"
Yua blocked Trevin and shook her head.
"I-I sense something wrong."
"What do you mean, wrong?"
"The tower is groaning."
She trembled her lips, saying that the entire tower was groaning in fear.
"What are you talking about?"
Martha approached Yua and grabbed her shoulders.
"The walls, the ground, everything trembles in fear..."
As Yua shed bright tears, the ground shook, and the ceiling began to collapse. The outer walls of the tower, which had remained intact even under Raon's sword, cracked like paper, revealing a vast space where enormous demonic energy swirled.
The giant monsters that had been floating above the Black Tower also began to flee, as if they feared the current situation.
"We need to get out of here! The tower is going to collapse!"
Yua shouted that they needed to leave quickly, seeming to sense the tower's changes through her hearing rather than her power.
"..."
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace looked at each other and nodded. Years of accumulated experience made them all trust the girl’s words.
"Everyone out of the tower!"
Following Burren's shout, the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace rushed through the broken wall. In the open air swept by fierce winds, they looked up and felt as if an immense darkness was devouring this world. The demonic energy was so vast that it appeared small despite its enormity.
"What the hell is that..."
Martha's jaw trembled as she looked at the demonic energy that turned everything black.
"Was this what the Master of the Black Tower was preparing?"
She gasped in astonishment at the magic of a different scale. The swirling demonic energy completely obliterated the tower they had just been in, generating even stronger waves.
"We would have really been in big trouble if we had stayed there."
Krein swallowed hard. If they had ignored Yua's words and remained there, they would have died without a trace.
"B-But what do we do now? If we fall like this, we will die or get seriously hurt..."
Dorian swallowed dryly while looking at the ground covered in the corpses of Demon Beasts.
"I will take care of that."
With a clear voice that did not match the situation, they turned to see Chamber with a candy in her mouth.
"C-Chamber!"
As Chamber nodded with a smile, the bodies of the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace falling at high speed descended very slowly to the ground.
"Haaa..."
Burren let out a long sigh and fell to his knees on the ground.
"Has it... finished?"
He looked at Chamber as if asking if everything was over.
"No."
Raon replied instead of Chamber.
"It's only just beginning."
"What do you mean it's only just beginning...?"
Krein blinked as if asking what that meant.
"It can only be the beginning."
Raon gathered his blood-soaked hair as he looked at the black sky that had swallowed the Black Tower.
"Because the door to the Devildom has opened."
-
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