C1086
It is exactly as you described.
Wrath gave a nod while scanning the foot of the mountain.
“‘The aura has been crafted with remarkable accuracy. They are far from ordinary humans,’” he remarked.
Squinting, he observed that they far exceeded the abilities of typical Transcendents.
“Hold on.”
Raon tightened his fist while he witnessed the flames and frost colliding fiercely, as though intent on annihilating one another.
“‘The earth’s aura bolstering those flames and frost...’”
Why did it seem so recognizable? The turbulent encounter of flames and frost—imbued with the earth’s aura—strangely echoed the martial arts legacy handed down by the Sword Saint.
“‘It can’t be...’”
“Is now truly the moment to drift into contemplation?”
Using his tail, Wrath tapped Raon’s shoulder, signaling him to descend and examine it closely.
“‘You’re absolutely correct,’” Raon agreed.
He nodded before sprinting down the mountain. A crackling noise accompanied as the fiery and icy energies entwined, each attempting to consume the other’s essence, burning as if facing mortal adversaries.
Yet, the flames and frost were in perfect equilibrium; having exhausted all their force without leaving a trace, they dissolved into grey vapor.
---
“Damn!”
Raon reached the midsection of Mount Sterling far too late—the conflagration of flames and frost had already disappeared, and the dimension that had drawn these forces had sealed shut.
“That’s precisely why I urged you to move quickly!”
Wrath shook his head in exasperation.
“‘Even had I acted instantly, I wouldn’t have been able to catch them given their speed,’” he thought.
Although he had momentarily contemplated the earth’s aura, his reflection was short-lived. Even if he had rushed down the moment he noticed it, he still would have been too tardy.
---
“A-are you okay?”
Dorian’s voice echoed from the summit of the mountain.
“I’m fine; stay put.”
He raised his hand in a gesture toward Dorian, who looked like a tiny speck from afar.
“I-I'm terrified! What if we rouse this demon king!”
Dorian anxiously stomped his feet, insisting that he desired to descend.
“He won’t awaken. Likely...”
---
Having yelled for Dorian to remain calm, Raon scrutinized the terrain where the flames and frost had clashed.
“‘A Transcendent—someone who is on par with or surpasses me,’” he mused.
Martial arts of such formidable strength aren’t easily forged even by Transcendents; hence, this likely is the handiwork of a potent individual who has imprinted their legacy on history.
“‘Yet, this sort of aura...’”
Raon squinted as he inspected the imprints on the ground.
“‘I’ve never encountered anything like this,’” he remarked.
These techniques and auras were entirely unfamiliar. Such masters were absent even among the Six Kings, the Five Demons, and the Five Divine Orders.
“‘Could these be the work of secluded masters?’”
Considering the continent’s expansive and ancient history, it wouldn’t be surprising if undiscovered reclusive masters existed.
---
“‘The issue is…’”
Raon clicked his tongue while glancing at Mount Sturin, where the tremors were fading.
“‘Why engage in combat, and moreover, in an alternate space?’”
He couldn’t fathom why they would channel their aura to the heart of Mount Sturin—risking Sloth’s awakening—rather than fighting in their own realm.
“‘Could it be a vendetta against Sloth?’”
Raon scrunched his nose as he observed the summit where Sloth lay in slumber.
“‘That fellow isn’t prone to making foes. His patience is such that the label of demon king hardly fits him,’” he noted.
Wrath shook his head in disagreement, insisting that could not be the situation.
“‘That only deepens the mystery,’” he commented.
---
While Raon frowned and exhaled a sigh, two fissures suddenly materialized before him, unleashing bursts of red and blue aura.
The flames and frost surged forward anew, releasing potent energy waves as they clashed to obliterate one another. A deafening roar resonated through the air.
When the blazing aura and icy energy collided directly, fearsome shockwaves radiated outward. Mount Sturin, only just calming its tremors, contorted as though on the brink of collapse.
“Ugh…”
Raon was forcefully tossed back, as light as a sheet of paper caught in a gust.
---
“‘Just as anticipated.’”
Exactly as he had suspected from a distance, the battling flames and frost were the manifestations of martial arts executed by Transcendents.
“‘Both the fire and ice are deployed via sword techniques,’” he noted.
The fire and ice embodied distinct forces: the fire signified meticulous swordsmanship targeting vital spots, whereas the ice conveyed a brutal technique designed to bisect foes.
Accompanied by a crackling sound, the two energies once again generated mighty waves as they attempted to consume one another, eventually dissipating once their strength was spent.
---
“Phew…”
Raon took a deep breath and gave a nod.
“‘I somewhat grasp it now,’” he admitted.
“Huh? What is it that you comprehend?”
Wrath arched his eyebrows, clearly puzzled.
“‘The only thing evident is that there are two lunatics out there,’” he remarked.
“‘It isn’t definite yet. I’ll explain later,’” Raon responded, lowering his hand to signal that he would provide further details once he was completely certain.
---
“So, can you sort this out?”
Wrath licked his lips, visibly keen to settle the matter swiftly so that he could head over to the Frost Branch for a meal.
“‘Well…’”
Raon blinked deliberately, his eyes narrowing in thought.
“‘I doubt it will succeed,’” he stated.
“What? Didn’t you mention you understood just now?”
---
“‘Even if I grasp the situation, I can’t resolve it—I can’t access that dimension,’” he explained.
Although he could hazard a guess as to who was responsible, he remained clueless about their whereabouts or their motives.
---
“‘But I can’t indefinitely fend off these assaults,’” he admitted.
With his abilities, he could either repel or obliterate the dual forces to stop Sloth from awakening; yet, that would merely be a short-term fix, inevitably leading to Sloth’s further frenzy.
“‘What course of action should I take now...’”
Raon exhaled deeply as he gazed upon the liquefied snow and ice.
---
“‘Would you like me to handle this for you?’”
A bright voice resounded when a squirrel doll emerged from his chest, suddenly morphing with a pop into Evelyn, who appeared gracefully attired in a purple robe.
“H-how did you…”
Raon stared in astonishment at the smiling Merlin.
“But I am quite certain I left the squirrel doll back in the annex building?”
Even though Evelyn had instructed him to always keep it on hand, he had abandoned the squirrel doll in the annex due to his fear. He couldn’t fathom why it had ended up in his pocket.
---
“‘I bestowed upon you and the squirrel doll a blessing of union, ensuring you remain inseparable,’” she declared.
Evelyn pressed her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, clarifying that the bond would remain even if he left it behind.
“‘B-blessing of union...’”
Raon’s fingers quivered at the mention of such magic, whose nature he could easily deduce from its title.
“‘Th-that's no blessing at all, but a curse! And a dreadful one at that!’”
Wrath shouted in astonishment.
---
“Anyway…”
Evelyn leaned forward, her smile deep, her complexion so pale it seemed almost white.
“‘This is neither the time nor the place we were meant to rendezvous, is it?’”
She glared at him fiercely as she questioned why he had departed prematurely.
“W-well…”
Raon swallowed hard and slowly retreated.
“But it’s alright. I witnessed everything,” she assured, lightly dismissing his concern with a gentle pat on his shoulder as she remarked that he had grown significantly stronger.
“Hnngh…”
Raon’s eyelids fluttered in response to Evelyn’s touch.
“N-now is definitely not the moment to fret over Sloth!”
Wrath shook his head emphatically, questioning what he was doing.
“You must flee from that lunatic woman immediately! Quick!”
Although he shouted, his legs refused to budge.
“‘It’s already far too late...’”
---
“‘So…’”
Evelyn licked her lips while gazing at the mountain, where the snow and ice had melted away.
“‘Are you suggesting that these remnants and the disruptive aura are the handiwork of martial artists?’”
“‘Precisely. Yet…’”
Raon rested against a broken rock fragment as he began to speak.
“‘These martial artists are Transcendents, and the issue is they are fiends who have attained the pinnacle of power,’” he stated, frowning as he noted they might be on par with or even surpass him in strength.
“‘So, we simply have to locate those miscreants?’”
Evelyn offered a subtle smile, as though the task wasn’t too daunting.
“‘Indeed, but tracking them down won’t be straightforward. Their manipulation of dimensions suggests they are distant from here,’” she explained.
Raon clicked his tongue while glancing at the lingering traces of aura.
“‘Don’t worry—dimensional and spatial magic are my forte,’” he asserted.
“Forté?”
“‘Indeed; I learned from some excellent seniors,’” he replied.
Evelyn clapped her fists together, remarking that despite her proficiency, she had honed advanced dimensional magic under the tutelage of Chamber and Larian.
---
“‘However, there is one issue.’”
She wiggled her finger while drawing near to Raon.
“‘I believe I must witness it firsthand to pinpoint their location,’” she declared.
Evelyn shook her head, remarking that the overwhelming aura had obliterated any undamaged mana traces.
“‘Don’t fret over that,’” Raon assured with a smile as he lowered his hand.
“‘If we simply wait a little, they will manifest immediately,’” he added.
Considering it had erupted twice as soon as Sloth slumbered, it was likely the aura would reappear with little delay.
“‘Really? Then let’s wait,’” Evelyn agreed.
As she clasped her hands and released mana, a blue veil unfurled around Mount Sturin, functioning as a barrier to trace whoever was triggering the dimensional openings. Yet, even after two hours of her sustained effort, no additional dimensions emerged.
---
“‘Are you certain that a short wait will suffice?’”
Evelyn fixed Raon with narrowed eyes.
“‘They materialized immediately when I was here earlier...’”
Raon sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
“‘You may dismantle the barrier if it’s too burdensome. Let’s take a short break and attempt it once more,’” he suggested. Knowing the barrier was maintained solely by Evelyn, he felt too remorseful to press further.
“‘That’s not an issue...’”
Evelyn stepped nearer, licking her lips; he could sense her warmth where their shoulders brushed.
“‘It’s rather chilly; how about we converse while staying in close proximity?’”
She edged even nearer until her breathing was audible, implying that they should talk.
“‘C-certainly, we can converse adequately from afar, can’t we?’”
Raon chuckled awkwardly as he distanced himself slightly.
“‘My hearing isn’t that sharp,’” he admitted.
Evelyn’s smile deepened as she advanced toward him once more.
“‘Then we must remedy that. I’ll summon the Saint upon our return,’” she declared.
Raon’s chin trembled as he further withdrew.
“‘It’s alright. I believe being near you will be beneficial,’” he said.
Evelyn mumbled “no” while pressing even closer.
“‘I-I'm feeling somewhat warm...’”
“‘It’s fine; my body remains cold,’” she retorted.
“‘But you’re not cold whatsoever...’”
“‘This qualifies as cold,’” she affirmed.
---
Raon and Evelyn circled ceaselessly around the leveled mountain, resembling a windmill in motion.
“‘I-is this compatibility? Who would have thought that the continent’s most notorious madman could not even withstand...’”
Wrath exhaled sharply, remarking that even Raon stood no chance against such a madwoman. While the two individuals and the demon king engaged in their unspoken conflict throughout the night, the sun emerged and simultaneously two dimensions flared open, unleashing explosive bursts of flaming aura and frost energy.
---
“Evelyn!”
Raon halted his sidling gait and shouted for Evelyn while placing his hands upon the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword.
“‘I must verify the dimensional coordinates! Halt the explosion of those forces!’”
Evelyn ground her teeth, explaining that the aura was too potent for her to accurately assess the dimensions.
“‘Understood,’” she replied.
Raon nodded before unsheathing the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword. He infused the two swords with Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier as he plunged amid the colliding flames and frost. Using Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, he deflected the flames, while Glacier enveloped the frost to curb the spreading impact. A resounding boom reverberated through the air.
Raon bit his lip, gripping the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword with such force they seemed on the verge of breaking.
“‘The aura is far weightier than I anticipated,’” he thought.
The energy was so immense that even employing Divine-Demonic Harmony barely allowed him to counter it; merely repelling it left his back drenched in sweat.
“‘Since I can’t resort to Divine-Demonic Harmony once more...’”
He resolved to unleash his Willpower; despite having expended a great deal of both Willpower and demon king Authority, he now had no alternative. Accompanied by a resonant boom, Raon surged forward assertively, driving Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier to their utmost limits. With a thunderous bellow, he channeled formidable Willpower and Authority into the writhing blades of flame and frost, shattering the dimensional aura.
---
At last, seizing the advantage, the flames and frost gradually diminished under the overwhelming force of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier. With a whoosh, Raon subdued the two dimensional auras solely with his might before collapsing right on the spot.
“Haah...”
The moment the dimension sealed, he exhaled deeply. Following his battle with Sloth and his recent effort to counter the energies of two Transcendents, his body was utterly spent and cramping.
---
“Evelyn, how did it turn out?”
Raon gazed at Evelyn’s back with eyes that trembled.
“‘Because of you, I located it,’” she replied.
Evelyn spun around, her smile radiant.
“‘It isn’t far from here,’” she said, nodding as she explained that although the journey on foot would be arduous, she could create a magical circle to transport them.
“Where is it?”
Raon mustered his strength into his shaking hands as he rose once more.
“‘Over there...’”
Evelyn gestured with a sharp motion of her chin toward the north, past Mount Sturin.
“‘It lies above the North Sea.’”
---
“C-can I come along as well?”
Dorian clasped his hands anxiously, his gaze fixed on Sloth, who had sunk into a deep slumber.
“‘I brought everything except what I truly lack!’”
He knelt, pleading for them to let him join.
“It might be perilous over there; this is the safest spot.”
Raon gently pushed down on Dorian’s shoulder, instructing him to remain with Sloth.
“B-but he’s a demon king!”
“He’s alright; simply regard him as Runaan,” he asserted, shaking his head as he remarked that Sloth and Runaan merely differed in their flavor.
“What...?”
Dorian blinked in confusion.
“‘How could that possibly work! You madman!’”
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
“‘In any case, it’s true that our destination is far more hazardous,’” he conceded.
Raon shook his head coolly.
“‘A battle might erupt at any moment,’” he warned.
Since combat could ignite the instant the dimensional gate is opened, bringing Dorian along would be far too dangerous.
---
“But why won’t it open again?”
Evelyn frowned as she examined the ground where the dimension had previously manifested.
“‘Because I interfered with their aura,’” he explained.
Raon clenched his outstretched fist.
“‘They must have detected the interference,’” he surmised.
Not a single dimension had materialized in the day following his blockage of the flames and frost; it appeared they had become aware of the disturbance and ceased their conflict.
“‘Should we simply proceed then?’”
Evelyn licked her lips, mentioning that she had already computed the necessary parameters for the transportation magic.
---
“No, let's delay a little longer. Observing them in the midst of action is optimal…”
Just as Raon shook his head in disapproval, a rumbling filled the air, and a massive aura erupted from a dimension on the opposite side of the mountain. It appeared they had detected our interference and shifted their location.
---
“Evelyn. Now!”
Raon shouted for Evelyn while placing his hands upon the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword.
“‘I’m on it already!’”
Evelyn swiftly clasped her hands together in a reassuring gesture; a chilling, dense mana shimmered above her palms, and a blue dimensional gate swung open.
“‘Just head straight in!’”
“Thanks,” he replied.
Before he could finish his gratitude, Raon stepped into the dimensional gate. Immediately, warm air enveloped him; despite knowing the location was above the North Sea, he couldn’t grasp why such heat prevailed. Using swift footwork, he emerged from the gate, and a deafening roar echoed around him.
---
As the blinding light subsided, he observed a stern-looking man brandishing a chilly weapon and a gentle-faced woman holding a sword encircled by flames.
Behind them, a Gold Dragon was immersed in the North Sea.
[Enough already!]
The Dragon bellowed at the man with the sword and the woman.
[How long will you continue this marital squabble!]
“Huh…?”
Raon’s eyes, previously fixed solely on the battle, went vacant.
“‘Marital spat?’”
“‘...Are these folks insane as well?’”
-
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