C1009
Whoosh! As if the curtain of a stage was being drawn, the crimson energy that had risen to the sky, breaking the heavens, slowly dissipated, signaling the end of the duel between the Heavenly Demon and Glenn.
‘Grandpa!’
Raon swallowed hard as he saw Glenn standing under the dark rift.
‘Is he... alright?’
Glenn was exactly where he had been, holding the Heavenly Tremor vertically. Although he seemed unscathed, his body was enveloped in a soft and mysterious light as if he was wrapped in celestial silk, making him appear to exist on the border between reality and illusion.
‘What about the Heavenly Demon...?’
After confirming Glenn's safety, Raon directed his gaze towards the Heavenly Demon.
‘Blood?’
The Heavenly Demon was hunched over, coughing up clots of red blood behind his crimson dragon mask.
"This is...."
He seemed to have taken a severe hit, struggling to lift his head while holding onto his knee with one hand.
"Is it the Soul Weapon? Indeed, a blade that cuts the soul lives up to its name in sharpness."
The Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue in satisfaction.
"Being cut by such a sword, even The Fallen must accept that the pact is broken."
He smiled faintly, stating that it was a blade that could even break the curse that The Fallen would leave behind.
"Huh?"
Raon gasped as he watched the Heavenly Demon straighten up.
‘He didn’t die or flee?’
Unlike the other leaders of the Four Demons, the Heavenly Demon hadn’t run away, but had endured the Soul Weapon right there. Even though Glenn hadn’t used all his power, it was impressive.
"An impressive sword. If you had been serious, I might have been in danger."
The Heavenly Demon nodded, saying he felt a chill.
"But it seems this isn't an unbreakable martial art."
He raised his fist, blood accumulating in it.
"It's just a matter of forging a soul thicker than your sword."
The Heavenly Demon let out a bold laugh, saying he was glad to have experienced it now.
‘So that’s why...’
Raon bit his lip as he watched the Heavenly Demon standing proudly.
‘Did he obtain the Authority of Pride?’
To say that he could still win despite having his soul twisted by a direct hit from the Soul Weapon—now Raon understood why Pride had given his Authority to this man.
"I’ll return those words."
Glenn gracefully lowered the Heavenly Tremor, without a single drop of blood on it.
"I just need to sharpen my sword until I can cut your soul."
He shook his head, saying that he could win as long as they fought.
"But by then, won’t you have disappeared from here?"
The Heavenly Demon shrugged as if doubting that Glenn could really do it.
"..."
Glenn said nothing, just staring intently at the Heavenly Demon.
"Of course, I don’t desire such a futile thing."
The Heavenly Demon raised his chin, increasing his imposing presence.
"I want a decisive battle before you leave. With our lives on the line."
He spat out the blood that had accumulated in his mouth, creating a deep dent in the corner of his lips.
‘Before he leaves...’
Raon looked at Glenn upon hearing the Heavenly Demon’s words.
‘Grandpa.’
The light that had made Glenn appear blurry had disappeared, but he still looked as if he was standing in a fog.
"I'm not your true target, am I?"
Glenn frowned as he looked at the Heavenly Demon.
"Of course, I have a separate ambition. But..."
The Heavenly Demon met Glenn's cold gaze.
"I can’t move forward with someone like you at my back."
He shook his head, implying that defeating Glenn was his first priority.
"Soon, a place will be created for you and me to fight. We’ll meet again then."
The Heavenly Demon lowered his hand, saying they would see each other on another battlefield.
"Soon?"
Glenn narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Heavenly Demon.
"When the time comes, you’ll naturally know. If you don’t want to be dragged along, prepare thoroughly. Especially..."
The Heavenly Demon directed his gaze backward, looking at Glenn.
"It would be good to raise that boy well. He’s a martial artist with a more promising future than the present."
He nodded, showing interest not in Larian, but in Raon.
"He is undoubtedly worthy of being your grandson. His appearance and that sword were exactly the same."
The Heavenly Demon smiled, saying that Raon and Glenn resembled each other more than they realized.
"Hmm..."
Glenn’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly as he listened to the Heavenly Demon’s words.
"Well then."
As the Heavenly Demon raised his hand in a final salute, he and the Eden Phantoms that followed him disappeared as if they had never existed. If it weren’t for the cracked sky and the deeply fissured ground, it might have seemed like an illusion.
Glenn shook the Heavenly Tremor before sheathing it. Perhaps because the Heavenly Demon had vanished, the phenomenon that had made him seem blurry was no longer visible.
"Haa..."
Raon lowered his head, exhaling a breath mixed with blood.
‘I feel dizzy.’
Feeling that the fight was over, the tension drained from him, and his vision began to turn white.
‘There’s so much I need to ask...’
- Just go to sleep.
Wrath snorted and placed a cool hand on Raon’s forehead.
- You really worked hard this time.
Hearing Wrath’s voice that seemed to approve, Raon could no longer resist his heavy eyelids. He sank into a deep sleep under Wrath's warm gaze.
***
"R-Raon!"
Evelyn reached out toward Raon as he collapsed, but he was too far away to reach.
"Raon!"
Glenn also stopped in the middle of sheathing the Heavenly Tremor and ran toward Raon, using his displacement.
"It’s alright."
Larian shook her head as she infused Raon’s body with high-purity mana.
"He just fainted from exhausting all his strength."
She shook her head, saying that although his injuries were severe, he was not in a dangerous state.
"Haa..."
Evelyn let out a sigh of relief and pressed her head against the ground as she lay there.
"Did the Heavenly Demon definitely leave?"
Larian raised her eyes toward Glenn.
"Yes. His aura has disappeared."
Glenn nodded, saying that it seemed he had left the area.
"And what about The Fallen?"
Larian narrowed her eyes as if that were more important.
"..."
Glenn directed his gaze toward the fragments of The Fallen’s mask that had been completely pulverized.
"He should be dead. No, he is dead. The sword technique Raon used in the end was..."
He smiled faintly as he looked at Raon, who was unconscious.
"The Soul Weapon, after all."
Glenn stroked Raon’s hair, looking proud.
"It seemed so. However..."
Larian tilted her chin slightly as she looked at Raon.
"It wasn’t just a simple Soul Weapon; it resembled your sword."
She clicked her tongue, saying that Raon’s sword resembled Glenn’s.
"I felt it too."
Glenn smiled warmly as he wiped the blood from Raon’s head.
"This boy must have copied my Soul Weapon after seeing it."
Even though it was so weak that it could barely cut an ordinary person and depended on the power of spirits, Raon’s Soul Weapon had the same rhythm as his.
"To say I’m proud isn’t enough."
Seeing his grandson imitate the Soul Weapon, which was as good as his masterpiece, moved Glenn’s heart to the point of trembling.
"The Heavenly Demon must have felt the same."
Larian nodded, saying she understood the Heavenly Demon’s words.
"It’s more than amazing. I’ve never seen anyone like him before."
She wiped Raon’s forehead, which was sweating red, with a proud smile.
"He broke the net of heaven and earth created by the Eden Phantoms, killed the Demon Slaying Spear, and then trapped The Fallen here. Even though I’m much stronger than Raon, I may not have been able to do it."
Larian let out a hollow laugh, saying that perhaps she wouldn’t have been able to do it even if asked.
"Ahem..."
Glenn’s lips trembled slightly as if he was pleased to hear Raon being praised even in this situation.
"Well, that’s true. It’s not something just anyone can do."
He nodded in satisfaction, openly acknowledging it without showing false modesty.
"As the Heavenly Demon said, Raon’s growth could determine the course of the war."
Larian lightly touched Raon’s nose, seeming to genuinely believe this.
"Ahem!"
When Larian, a leader of the Five Kings, sincerely praised Raon, Glenn’s face turned bright red as he let out a series of fake coughs.
"But..."
Larian lifted her head upon hearing Glenn's fake cough.
"Are you alright?"
She bit her lip slightly, as if Glenn, who had no injuries, was the most concerning.
"I’m fine. Both he and I held back."
Glenn gave a light tap on the sheath of the Heavenly Tremor, as if he could still fight even now.
"I’m sorry. It’s all my fault..."
Evelyn got up, using trembling hands to support herself on the ground.
"If only I hadn’t been captured, neither Raon nor Lord Glenn would have ended up like this..."
She pressed her head against the ground, saying that she truly felt sorry.
"..."
Glenn silently approached Evelyn and met her gaze.
"Thank you for always defending Raon."
He squeezed Evelyn’s shoulder, saying he was grateful.
"And congratulations on your enlightenment."
Glenn sincerely congratulated Evelyn for achieving Transcendence.
"Ah..."
Evelyn’s violet eyes widened, as if she had never imagined receiving thanks and congratulations from Glenn.
"You have also crossed the barrier. Congratulations."
Glenn nodded as he held Mark Goetun’s hand, who was protectively hovering over Evelyn.
"It’s all thanks to the Master of the Tower of Mages. I just followed the path he created for me."
Mark Goetun shook his head, saying he could awaken thanks to Raon.
"Is that so? It seems Raon is blessed with good people as well."
Glenn turned back to look at Evelyn with a gentle smile.
"Um..."
Evelyn couldn’t look Glenn in the eye and slightly averted her gaze.
"Let’s go home together."
Glenn grabbed Evelyn’s shoulder, saying they should return together.
"Me too?"
"Yes. This war was a battle to bring you back from the beginning."
He helped Evelyn up, saying that she had done well.
"Grandpa!"
Evelyn lifted her head, shouting the title she had been holding back.
"Now that I’ve found my name, I’ll definitely call you grandpa."
"Ah, no, that’s not necessary..."
Glenn shook his head with surprised eyes. Although he had wanted to be called grandpa, hearing it face to face was overwhelming.
"Grandpa! Why are you like this?"
Evelyn continued to call "grandpa" as if she had finally gained recognition.
"Master of the Tower of Mages! Please send us back to Zieghart!"
Glenn called Larian with urgent eyes, trying to stop Evelyn’s outburst.
"The mana..."
Larian seemed to have returned to her original personality, lowering her gaze with her hooded robe over her head.
"The mana from the spatial transfer device has run out, so we’ll have to wait a bit."
She lowered her head, making her voice a whisper as if she had never been sure.
"Uh..."
Glenn diverted his trembling gaze, looking perplexed.
"Grandpa. Should I tell you everything that happened while the mana recharges?"
Evelyn pressed her face close to Glenn with a fierce smile, as if she had never been hurt.
"First, my name isn’t Merlin; it’s Evelyn. And with Raon..."
She quickly moved her tongue as if she truly intended to tell everything, even while coughing blood.
"I want to see him. I want to see inside..."
Larian, with her hood on, turned her finger while murmuring in a grim voice about wanting to see inside Raon.
"Um..."
Glenn looked at Mark Goetun as if asking for help, but he only looked at Raon with a weak smile, showing little interest in anything else.
"Ah, should I start from when I met Raon? First..."
‘This is...’
Glenn shut his eyes tightly as he listened to Evelyn's words pounding in his eardrums.
‘Loneliness?’
----------------------------------
"Mmm..."
When Raon opened his eyes, he saw a very familiar ceiling.
‘It’s my room.’
The ceiling of the annex building. It seemed they had moved him here while he was unconscious.
‘That’s a relief. It wasn’t a dream… Ugh!’
Raon froze as he tried to sit up.
‘It hurts like hell.’
Thanks to the Authorities and traits of the demon kings, his recovery rate increased considerably while he slept, but even now he felt intense pain in his head and body.
"Phew."
Since it was difficult for him to even move his body, he relaxed his arms and lay back down on the bed.
‘I guess that means it was such a fierce battle. Well, yes, we did kill The Fallen.’
He had been confident that he could win against the Demon Slaying Spear, but honestly, he never imagined trapping The Fallen.
‘Of course, it wasn’t me, but Evelyn who did most of it.’
If Evelyn hadn’t blocked The Fallen’s magic, he would have been the one to turn to dust on the spot. Evelyn was the true heroine of this victory.
‘Still, erasing a Transcendent is a big deal.’
As Raon smiled in satisfaction, a blue cotton candy appeared before his eyes.
-Crazy bastard!
Wrath looked at Raon, wrinkling his nose.
-You’re truly insane!
‘Why are you like this again suddenly?’
Raon tilted his head as he looked at Wrath.
-I’ll admit it this time. You were amazing!
Wrath nodded, saying he was praising Raon for avenging Evelyn.
‘Praised by you? That’s unusual.’
Raon smiled as he watched Wrath tilt his chin arrogantly.
-Don’t laugh! Almost no one in the Demon Realm receives this king’s recognition!
Wrath snorted, saying that Raon should consider it an honor.
‘Yes, yes. Thank you.’
As Raon tilted his chin mischievously toward Wrath, suddenly:
[You have defeated an extremely high-ranking opponent.]
[You have received recognition from <Wrath>.]
[You have witnessed a battle between absolute beings.]
[You have accomplished a great feat!]
[All skills...]
[New trait...]
[Trait rank...]
The messages appeared simultaneously, as if responding to Wrath’s words.
-W-what…?
Wrath’s jaw trembled as he saw the messages popping up, blocking his view.
-Why are there so many!
‘Because you recognized me?’
Raon pointed to the message that said he had received recognition from <Wrath>.
-Ah…
Wrath clenched his fist so hard that it made a cracking sound as he saw that message.
-Why did you only listen to that nonsense and ignore everything else this king said!
He yelled that he really wanted to smash it.
-Idiot system!
‘There it is.’
Raon nodded calmly as he listened to Wrath’s distressed yell.
‘Now I feel like I’m truly home.’
-
More Ch4pters on KoreanPlayer
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
Thanks for the support
