C927
'This is...'
Raon frowned as he watched Zircon, the demon of the Birth Stone, kneel before him.
'What's going on here?'
He couldn't understand why Zircon, whom he had fought to the death while trying to destroy the Devildom Pathway, suddenly wanted to serve him and follow him as his master.
'Now that I think about it...'
Zircon had said he would confirm Raon's qualifications before fighting him, and after dying and coming back to life, he said they would meet again. Raon had kept his Aura Perception, thinking Zircon might launch a surprise attack, but it seems he intended to serve Raon as his master instead of attacking.
-Haa...
Wrath shook his head while holding his own.
-It seems it's this king's fault after all.
'What do you mean?'
Raon opened his eyes wide as he looked at Wrath.
-That demon named Zircon didn't choose you, but was moved by this king's wrath and selected you as his master.
Wrath stroked his chin as if he was sure.
-Even in the Devildom, many knelt and swore allegiance as soon as they felt this king's aura. It's been a while since I felt this!
He twisted the corners of his mouth as if he were proud.
'Is that so?'
-Of course! Why would anyone follow a weakling like you? If it's not for this king's wrath following you, I'll do anything!
Wrath was so sure that he even made a bet.
'I understand for now.'
Raon nodded and pushed Wrath away. There was too much to think about to argue with him at this moment.
"Kuuugh!"
The Black Tower Master glared at him with thick veins protruding on his forehead, as if he had never dreamed that Zircon would come to this side. The intense intent to kill he emitted made Raon's hair stand on end.
"Zircon. Why do you say you will follow me?"
Raon looked at Zircon, the demon of December, again.
"If it's because of the aura I possess..."
"That's not it."
Zircon shook his head firmly.
-Eh?
"Isn't that it?"
Wrath and Raon opened their eyes wide simultaneously.
"Of course, what initially drew my attention to you was that strange aura. But what I considered worthy was not that power, but yourself."
Zircon slowly raised his gaze while still kneeling.
"Myself?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zircon.
"That's right. You didn't give up even in a situation where despair was inevitable, and you conveyed that spirit and heart to other humans as well. I was captivated by your unwavering eyes even in the deepest darkness."
Zircon explained honestly why he had come to follow Raon.
"From now on, I will follow you, Raon Zieghart."
He lowered his head again with his hand on his chest, as if to show his sincerity.
'...'
Raon looked at Zircon, then averted his gaze to Wrath.
-Khuhuhem!
Wrath let out an awkward cough, as if remembering his previous claim that Zircon definitely followed him because of his wrath.
-As I said at the beginning, that guy is a high-level demon class, but he's very different from the demons this king has seen. He's unpredictable.
He kept glancing at Raon as he backed away. He seemed scared by his previous promise to do anything.
'I don't feel bad about this, but I need to make sure.'
It would be understandable if Zircon followed him because of Wrath's wrath, but to say that he followed him himself made him more suspicious.
"Lady Chamber."
Raon called out to Chamber, who seemed as bewildered as the Black Tower Master.
"What are the Birth Stones?"
"Literally, each month from January to December is associated with a gem. It's a marketing tactic that says if a child has their birthstone, luck will be with them. But..."
Chamber frowned as she looked at Zircon kneeling beside her.
"As the Black Tower Master said, beings from another world are said to reside in the Birth Stones of Origin, which were born along with the continent. I thought it was just one of the legends, but to think it's actually true."
She bit her lip as she looked at Peridot, who was entrusting her body to the Black Tower Master.
"Birth Stone of Origin..."
Raon looked at Zircon's calm black eyes. The unwavering gaze. He seemed to be showing his sincerity now.
"Yes. That's right."
The Black Tower Master gritted his teeth as he looked at Zircon.
"Transcendent-class artifact. Beings from another world reside in the Birth Stones of Origin. It is their mission to serve as their master to whoever first releases them from the gem! Why is Zircon with you!"
He still couldn't accept Zircon's decision and spat out his anger.
"I never asked you to save me."
Zircon shook his head, looking at the Black Tower Master with cold eyes.
"Zircon!"
The Black Tower Master looked at Raon, not at the changed Zircon, emitting a cold intent to kill.
"Hmm..."
Raon brushed aside the Black Tower Master's intent to kill as he observed Zircon's calmness.
'Supposedly, he was called a demon different from other demons, wasn't he?'
The Black Tower Master had called Zircon a demon different from other demons, and Peridot an angel different from other angels. Seeing them on opposite sides, that description seemed accurate.
"...Alright."
The Black Tower Master bit his dry, blackened lips and nodded.
"I will kill the master you serve with my own hands and take you back again."
He clenched both fists as he spoke of killing Raon with his power.
"No."
Raon shook his head, revealing a calm gaze.
"We will kill you."
His body possessed regenerative abilities that surpassed those of a Troll. Even in this brief moment of conversation with the Black Tower Master, his aura was slowly rising, and his physical wounds were healing.
'The problem is...'
Lady Chamber. Chamber's wounds were visibly serious, and she seemed to be even more mentally exhausted. He wanted to let her rest, but he couldn't kill the Black Tower Master alone. He needed her help.
"Well said."
Chamber smiled as she wiped the blood from her mouth, seeming to understand his thoughts.
"Let's leave that hateful-looking angel to your demon, and we'll take care of the Black Tower Master."
She clasped her hands together, asking for support from behind.
"Leave the angel to the demon?"
The Black Tower Master laughed as he approached Peridot, the angel of July.
"What nonsense are you saying? The entities of the Birth Stone shouldn't be used like that."
He grabbed the angel Peridot's neck with his blackened, hardened hand.
"Die for me."
"It's an honor."
Peridot smiled softly without the slightest resistance.
"Don't worry. Your brother will soon follow."
As the Black Tower Master exerted force with his fingers, Peridot's neck burst, and the blood that gushed from her enveloped the Black Tower Master's entire body.
* * *
'That's...'
Karoon let out a sigh as he watched Peridot die at the hands of the Black Tower Master.
'That's the angel I killed.'
Peridot, the angel who said she would revive immediately after dying at his hand and make him regret this choice, died again at the hands of the Black Tower Master, who seemed to be her master.
'What is this?'
He couldn't understand the current situation, where Peridot died from having her neck torn apart by the Black Tower Master, whom she had served like a lord.
'What's going on? Hm!'
It was when Karoon knocked down the Demonic Beasts lunging at his neck and raised his gaze again. A terrifying demonic energy exploded in front of the frozen Devildom Pathway, and upon it, a sacred radiance burst forth.
As bright as the sacred hymns of the Suphren Holy Kingdom, a man dressed in white robes emerged from the dazzling light.
The handsome man with dazzling golden hair and blue eyes, and skin so white that it seemed to have never seen the sunlight, discarded the golden crown he was wearing and stood before the Devildom Pathway. Although his appearance was as holy as that of an angel like Peridot, an immeasurable demonic energy writhed within his heart.
The Devildom Pathway closed, and streams of black energy began to rise in streaks across the sky where the demonic energy had diminished.
'The Black Tower Master?'
Although his appearance was very different from that of the Black Tower Master who seemed to be enveloped in shadows, that man exuded the same evil aura that had possessed the demon.
"¡Kraaaaaaa!"
As the Black Tower Master let out a fierce roar, priests and Holy Knights fell, coughing up blood. A power that shook space itself. He already seemed to have transcended humanity.
'Can we...'
Karoon bit his dry lips as he looked up at the Black Tower Master.
'Can we kill that?'
The Black Tower Master had not only healed his wounds, but he had also completely recovered his demonic energy. It might be different if Chamber and Raon were in top condition. But as things stood now, it seemed impossible to win.
'At this rate, we'll all die.'
I'll have to risk my life too. Protecting this place is important, but if we can't catch the Black Tower Master, we'll be annihilated. He steeled himself and prepared to ascend to the sky.
'Now... Hm?'
Just as Karoon was about to jump towards Chamber, Raon extended his hand towards the demon standing before him.
* * *
"Can you do something like that too?"
Raon extended his hand towards Zircon, who was kneeling.
"I..."
"Zircon can do it, but you can't."
The Black Tower Master waved his hand, answering instead of Zircon.
"If you try to accept Zircon's power at your level, both your body and soul will explode."
He tilted his chin as if challenging Raon to try it.
"..."
Zircon remained silent, as if thinking that the Black Tower Master's words were correct.
"Is that true?"
"It's true. You're strong, but still incomplete. If you try to accept all my power, cracks will form in your body and soul."
This time, he nodded, accepting that the Black Tower Master's words were correct.
"Zircon, you will regret this choice for the rest of your life."
The Black Tower Master gritted his teeth, his black eyes gleaming.
"Raon."
Chamber stepped in front of him, exhaling a breath imbued with the smell of blood.
"Step back."
She wiped the cold sweat dripping from her forehead as she stood in front of the Black Tower Master. Although she had said they would fight together, it seemed she was trying to buy time for them to escape, having judged that they couldn't stop the transformed Black Tower Master.
"Zircon."
Raon looked at Zircon again, lowering his eyebrows.
"So you can do it, right?"
"I'll tell you again, but your body and soul will struggle to bear it."
"It doesn't matter. I can bear it."
This wasn't just stubbornness. His body and mind had endured even Wrath's descent. No matter how exhausted he was, he could accept someone like Zircon.
"Yes. That's exactly the attitude that captivated me."
Zircon nodded slightly, as if he were pleased.
"Then, use that sword to behead me."
"You want me to kill you?"
"The ore only has meaning when it's broken. Kill me and take the power of the Birth Stone."
He lowered both arms, saying that there was no time.
"I'm sorry."
Raon exhaled briefly and swung the Heavenly Drive. The silver blade caressed Zircon's blackened neck and passed through it. ¡Paaaah! As Zircon's head fell, the splattered blood rose like a wave and enveloped Raon.
"Kuuuugh!"
Zircon's blood seeped into every pore of Raon's body, raising a wave of powerful demonic energy as if to devour his own existence. The energy was so powerful that he felt his body and energy center might burst. ¡Wooooong!
In a normal state, perhaps he could have somehow endured, but after a long battle and using the Sword Domain, his mental strength was at its limit, making it difficult to resist.
-So you give up?
'No way.'
Raon bit his lip and resonated the Ring of Fire. A clear sound like jade rings colliding resonated, erasing the fatigue and pain that had melted into his mind, and calming the wave of demonic energy raised by Zircon's power.
'I can endure as long as I need to.'
He slowly raised his gaze to look at the Black Tower Master. Despite showing anger, the man was just watching, seemingly having judged that Raon couldn't fully accept Zircon's power.
'I need to get it now.'
While the Black Tower Master was off guard, he had to fully accept Zircon's power to be on equal footing with him.
'It's difficult with aura alone.'
Even with the Ring of Fire adding power, it was impossible to control Zircon's demonic energy with the little aura left from the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier. He had to use a different power here.
'Wrath.'
Wrath was also very exhausted like other auras, but his own nature was different. As a concept superior to demonic energy, Wrath should be able to control Zircon's power sufficiently.
He stirred the Wrath that had settled at the bottom of his soul. With the Wrath accumulated from his past life, not reinforced by demonic energy, he suppressed Zircon's rampant demonic energy.
The demonic energy that entered through Zircon's blood had completely become his own power. Although it wasn't permanent growth, for this moment at least, it seemed he could reach the Black Tower Master who was frowning at him.
"Haa!"
Raon exhaled briefly as he looked at his hand.
'I did it.'
The demonic energy that entered through Zircon's blood had completely become his own power. Although it wasn't permanent growth, for this moment at least, it seemed he could reach the Black Tower Master who was frowning at him.
"You're a persistent worm!"
-
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