The twin steels slid from their sheaths without a whisper. Raon took his position between the gathered legions of the Suphren Holy Kingdom and the Monarch of Lust, his posture radiating a quiet, absolute authority. He tilted his face upward with a proud air, silently claiming dominance over the battlefield.
"Uwaaaaah!"
"It is Lord Raon!"
"The Sword Emperor has arrived to defend Suphren!"
"Strike down the depraved sorceress who clouds the minds of men!"
A wave of ecstatic cheering erupted from the Holy Knights and clerics the moment they recognized him. Their desperate pleas for him to execute the witch filled the air. The complexions of the soldiers, which had turned a sickly, fearful yellow under the crushing weight of Lust’s presence, suddenly flushed with renewed hope.
"Lord Raon! You actually made it!"
Holy King Hoppen was unable to suppress his relief, a radiant grin breaking across his face at the sight of the reinforcement.
"I am unsure of how you managed to get here, but exercise extreme caution. Regardless of your skill, that woman’s influence is treacherous."
Saintess Olga showed no shock at his arrival, her gaze sharp and freezing.
"Her combat capabilities are at least on par with the Great Five Kings. Most importantly, do not allow that pink haze of energy to enter your lungs."
She gestured with a scowl toward her own sacred vestments and protective gloves, which had been corroded away by the toxic vapor.
"Wrath!"
The Monarch of Lust instantly quelled her murderous fury, her expression shifting as if her previous rage had never existed. She called out the name of the demon king with a haunting tenderness.
"You really did come back for me! Just as I suspected, we are the only ones who truly matter to each other. You are for me, and I am for you!"
She pressed her blood-stained fingers against her cheeks, whispering that this reunion was the very design of Fate.
—Eeeeek!
Wrath let out a shrill cry of terror and recoiled at the sight.
—How ghastly! That isn't the blood of a victim; she’s using her own!
He gripped Raon’s shoulders, shaking him with frantic energy, pleading for them to turn and run immediately.
We’ve only just begun. There is nowhere to run.
Raon brushed off the trembling Wrath and stood his ground before the Monarch.
[I have practiced a sword dance specifically for this occasion. Would you honor me as my partner?]
He transmitted the message through a private aura link, ensuring no one else could intercept the words.
"A dance? You mean you learned a sword dance just for my sake?"
Lust’s eyes widened, shimmering with a mix of confusion and burgeoning delight.
[I was told that those who care for one another dance together. Since we both live by the blade, a duel of swords seems appropriate...]
"I will do it! Let us begin this instant!"
Without waiting for him to finish, she screamed her consent. The pink atmospheric currents she commanded surged violently toward the heavens.
"Haaa..."
Lust unsheathed her weapon—an act she hadn't deemed necessary even when facing the Holy Kingdom's elite—and released a breath so hot it shimmered white. Her eyes were glazed with pure, manic anticipation.
—L-lovers?
Wrath’s jaw hung loose as he snatched at Raon’s collar.
—You absolute lunatic! How far are you planning to push this charade? I’m telling you, this will be the death of me! If you keep feeding her delusions, she’ll never let me go!
He flailed his arms in a panic, begging Raon to cease the provocation.
"Let the performance begin."
Raon raised his voice, ensuring his words reached Hoppen, Olga, and every knight present, as he ignited his internal energy to its absolute peak. The searing heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the piercing cold of Glacier erupted simultaneously like a twin-natured volcano. This explosion of power acted as a barrier, halting the advance of the pink mist that had been threatening to drown the Suphren Kingdom. The earth groaned under the weight of the conflicting forces.
As Raon’s aura collided with Lust’s Authority, the resulting shockwaves sent massive tremors through the surrounding terrain. The sheer magnitude of the clashing powers made the very foundation of the Suphren Holy Kingdom vibrate.
"Redirect the sanctified energy!"
Olga ground her teeth together and extended her palms.
"Do not waste strength attacking the witch! Construct a perimeter of holy power to contain their overflowing auras and prevent them from ravaging the city!"
Issuing the command, she lunged forward to manifest a shimmering barrier of divine light.
"Obey the Saintess!"
Hoppen moved to her side, channeling his own divine essence into the same structure. The remaining knights and priests followed suit, weaving their powers together to form a massive containment wall.
"If you intend to engage her, do it properly!"
Olga gestured with her chin, giving Raon the signal to proceed.
"I intend to."
Raon plunged the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword into the ground, which was now saturated with holy energy. Sword Domain - Divine-Demonic Harmony. He leveled his gaze at Lust’s eyes, holding the two blades that seemed forged from the very essence of the sun and moon.
"Hehehe."
Lust showed no fear. Instead, she breathed out a ragged sigh of excitement, her face flushed as if she were deeply moved by his display of strength.
—I-it’s horrifying! This is too much!
Wrath shrieked, seemingly seeing a dark omen of what was to come in the Monarch’s obsessed gaze.
First move.
Raon lunged, the ground shattering beneath his boots as he closed the distance.
A duel with Lust.
Despite his poetic talk of dancing, he swung the Divine Sword with lethal intent toward her throat. With a deafening clang, Lust parried the blow with a blade reinforced by her Authority, her mouth curving into a wide, joyful grin.
"Exactly! A true dance requires every ounce of our strength! I shall follow your rhythm!"
She laughed with pure glee as she retaliated, thrusting her blade toward Raon’s heart. With a sharp metallic ring, Raon used the Demonic Sword to raise a Wall of Fire, parrying her strike while his eyes narrowed in concentration.
This is within my capability.
He was holding his own, even though Lust was fighting with genuine intensity. He could feel the weight of his own progress; in the past, a single serious strike from her would have sent him flying.
"Wonderful! I can feel the very rhythm of your breath!"
Lust urged him on, spinning her body on a single heel with fluid grace and bringing her sword down in a crushing overhead arc. Raon met the strike by invoking the Fangs of Insanity and the Blizzard Sword Art in tandem. The feral, chaotic energy of the two styles successfully checked her sudden onslaught and even forced her to take a step back.
Seizing the opening, Raon pursued her, unleashing a fused strike of Frost and Flame. His technique, which balanced perfect defense with overwhelming offense, washed over her like a dual-colored tidal wave.
"This is how it should be—truly grand!"
Lust swung her sword with a delighted expression, her pink energy tendrils snapping like living whips to intercept the cascading waves of Raon's combined elements. The collision resulted in a thunderous roar.
The crimson and sapphire energy Raon had manifested began to flicker and fade, as if the very techniques were being seduced by Lust’s power. Her Authority wasn't merely a mental weapon; it seemed capable of charming the very martial arts used against her.
"My turn to lead!"
Lust closed the gap until he could feel the warmth of her breath, sliding her blade downward in a graceful, sweeping motion. It looked like a choreographed step, yet it carried the undeniable weight of an executioner's strike.
"Excellent."
Raon’s pulse quickened as he activated Frost Snap and Silver Sword Dream simultaneously. The lightning-fast strike of Frost Snap met her blade head-on, while the slower, ghostly arc of Silver Sword Dream curved toward her neck like a shimmering mist. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air.
Lust flicked her wrist, rotating her hilt just enough to intercept the ethereal blade of Silver Sword Dream before it could draw blood.
"I adore this! I can feel exactly how you feel about me!"
She panted heavily, claiming her heart had never raced with such intensity.
"Increase the pace! Faster!"
Lust threw herself back into the fray, demanding more speed and more violence.
"Let us dance until our blades find their mark!"
As her passion spiraled out of control, her sword began to glow with an excess of raw power and Authority. Raon absorbed a massive vertical slash with a steady nod.
"I will continue this dance for as long as it takes."
—I told you I want no part of this!
The King of Essence howled in psychological torment, caught between the two combatants.
—Somebody, anybody, end my suffering! Please!
"Haaa..."
Holy King Hoppen let out a shaky breath once the divine containment field was stabilized.
"The speed is beyond my comprehension. I can barely track their shadows."
He shook his head, frustrated that even with his enhanced senses, the flow of the duel remained a blur.
"We... we cannot see it either."
"The movement is too rapid for the eye to follow."
"Is this the true nature of a clash between Transcendents..."
The Holy Knights looked on with strained expressions, their eyes unable to find a focal point in the chaos.
"Saintess, can you perceive the battle?"
"To an extent."
Saintess Olga bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the blurring forms of Raon and Lust.
"W-what is the status?"
Hoppen leaned in, desperate for a report.
"Raon... he has ascended to a realm I didn't think possible in such a short time. He stands now among the pinnacle of Transcendents."
Olga nodded slowly, noting that Raon's presence was beginning to rival that of the legendary leaders of the Five Kings.
"Then he can do it! He can kill the witch!"
"He is the Sword Emperor! There is no doubt!"
"Finally, this nightmare will reach its conclusion."
The gathered Priests spoke with a desperate certainty.
"No."
Olga’s voice was firm, cutting through their optimism.
"Raon has achieved an incredible level of power, but that woman is still a tier above. This will not be a swift or easy victory. Do not relax; keep your focus entirely on the barrier."
She cast a freezing glare at the knights and clerics, warning them to stay focused on their duty rather than speculating.
"Understood..."
"To think the witch possessed such terrifying strength..."
"We are lucky to still be breathing."
Realizing the danger was far from over, the defenders redoubled their efforts to maintain the holy wall.
"..."
Olga returned her gaze to the center of the storm.
The witch’s raw energy is superior, but Raon’s technical mastery of the sword is higher. The outcome is impossible to predict.
Her teeth sank into her lip as she watched Raon narrowly parry an aggressive flurry from Lust.
To charge so recklessly into a strike that could end him in a heartbeat...
He remained unchanged. Once again, Raon had appeared in their darkest hour to hold the line against an impossible foe. She realized that no amount of gold or verbal gratitude could ever repay the debt the Suphren Kingdom owed him.
A warrior who values the lives of others over his own safety, constantly pushing his limits through the fire of battle...
A faint, soft smile touched Olga’s lips as she watched him fight.
For a man like you, I would gladly offer my life. I would offer all of Suphren. So...
She squeezed her small hands into tight fists, her eyes never leaving his silhouette.
You must win.
—That deluded Saintess might see it that way! But...
Wrath gnashed his teeth, staring at the back of Raon’s head.
—This madman is putting on a performance! It’s a complete theater production!
He screamed his desire to reveal the ridiculous truth to the entire audience.
Be quiet. I need to concentrate.
Raon ignored the grumbling Wrath and delivered a heavy Crimson Slash toward Lust.
As if I have the luxury to think of anything else.
Raon’s jaw set as Lust effortlessly neutralized his Crimson Slash and launched a counter-thrust aimed directly at his windpipe.
This is what I needed.
He had been concerned that his mention of a "dance" might cause Lust to hold back, but she was fighting with the intent to carve him into pieces. While the constant proximity to death sent a chill through his soul, the challenge brought him a deep sense of fulfillment.
But there’s more to it than just the fight.
The sensation blooming in his chest as their swords crossed wasn't just the thrill of combat or the pride of growth. A strange, electric tingle ran up his spine. With a whistling sound, Lust’s blade whipped toward his midsection. It was a perfectly honest strike, devoid of feints, which made its raw power nearly impossible to deflect. The collision rang out like a bell.
Raon gritted his teeth, bringing both the Divine and Demonic swords together to meet her blade with a direct block.
I can sense it.
It wasn't just the physical force behind her weapon; he was beginning to perceive Lust’s internal state. He could feel the core of her motivations.
Her absolute, unswerving devotion to Wrath.
Lust’s swordsmanship was as transparent and direct as her obsession. There was no deception in her style, only a singular, driving purpose.
She is like me.
In her blade, he recognized the same iron-clad resolve he had carried since his youth—the stubborn refusal to break, no matter the hardship, in his pursuit of vengeance against Derus.
—N-no! Absolutely not!
Wrath shook his head so hard his vision blurred.
—Do not draw parallels between us! It makes my skin crawl!
He thrashed against Raon’s back, begging him to stop the internal monologue. But Raon’s focus had reached a point of near-total immersion. He was becoming one with the flow of Lust’s combat style. As he synchronized with her emotions and her rhythm, his own sword began to mirror her essence.
With a low, resonating vibration, a new depth of emotion—one he had never felt before—began to bleed into the myriad styles of his Ten Thousand Swords. It was a single-minded, unbreakable intent. Mirroring her feelings for Wrath, his own blade became honest, striking out with a newfound clarity. The ring of their clashing weapons changed.
His defense no longer buckled under the weight of her heaviest blows.
Raon took her full strength without flinching and began to press forward. He felt a surge of adrenaline at the sheer elegance of his movements—his sword felt weighted with emotion, yet it moved with the lightness of a feather.
"To think such joy was possible!"
Lust cried out, declaring her supreme happiness as she unleashed an even more savage sequence of attacks.
"Is that so?"
Raon returned her smile with one of his own, his strikes gaining a potency equal to hers. His power no longer came solely from his aura or his muscles, but from his conviction. He unleashed the Azure Sky Sword, infused with the resolve to never be broken. The impact echoed across the plains.
He felt his lips curl upward, realizing his sword was evolving in real-time to match her escalating intensity.
To think a heart could be this dedicated.
In the past, he had shared Wrath’s view that her feelings were a burden. But now, sensing her heart—a heart that asked for nothing and found joy simply in the existence of the one she loved—he found himself in awe.
—If you think it’s so impressive, you take her! She’s yours! I’m gifting her to you!
Wrath screamed his absolute rejection of the idea.
—You already have your own terrifying woman, I thought you would understand!
Understanding...
Raon’s vision began to haze at the edges as he fully harmonized with her swordsmanship.
—Hey! You idiot! Don't you dare enter a State of Enlightenment right now! It’s terrifying—don’t leave me alone in this!
Wrath shook Raon’s shoulders frantically, but Raon’s spirit was already deep within the void of martial discovery.
"Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wrath! Wraaath!"
Lust screamed the demon king's name over and over, as if she too were reaching a new peak of existence.
—W-what is happening...
Wrath’s jaw trembled as he looked at Raon, lost in a trance of enlightenment, and Lust, who was howling his name in a manic crescendo.
—This is hell. This is literal hell! Someone, please, get me out of here!
