Chapter 1129
Whoosh! The frame of Archangel Ramiel, now missing both its skull and its core, began a slow, mechanical tilt. Stripped of every ounce of celestial energy and life force, he lost his grip on the firmament and plummeted. Boom! The remains of Ramiel slammed into the shattered earth, consumed by the lingering flickers of his own pale yellow bolts.
"Haah..."
Raon tracked the descent of the incinerating corpse while planting both Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword into the dirt to support his weight.
'I am hanging by a thread myself.'
The strain of pushing the Ring of Fire to its absolute breaking point to sustain Divine-Demonic Harmony and Heaven's Rift in tandem had left his skull feeling as though it might crack. His consciousness, strained by constant access to his mental landscape, could no longer form sharp thoughts, leaving his mind adrift in a thick, gray haze.
In this state of total physical and mental collapse, he might manage to fend off a novice, but standing against a Transcendent was a border-line impossibility.
'Regardless, I stood my ground. That is what counts.'
The oppressive divinity of Ramiel had vanished. It appeared that the simultaneous annihilation of his brain and heart was indeed the sole method to extinguish him.
-Hmph...
Wrath exhaled a breath of pure shock.
-Did you truly strike down Ramiel?
The King of Essence’s jaw trembled, his voice betraying a total lack of anticipation for this conclusion.
-To think you severed even that ultimate lightning celestial manifestation. This King has never witnessed a mortal dismantle an Archangel with such precision!
Wrath's mouth worked soundlessly, his disbelief manifest as he stared at the battlefield.
'Had I relied solely on the raw martial logic you suggested, I would be a corpse right now.'
Raon allowed a thin smile to surface, savoring the demon’s agitation.
'But Ramiel was a prisoner of his own element. His mistake was tethering the entirety of his combat style to the flow of lightning.'
To a typical warrior, Lightning Aura is a force beyond comprehension—a mixture of terrifying speed, raw lethality, and paralytic effect. It is a nightmare to parry.
However, Raon had mastered the Supreme Martial Art of Celestial Thunder Arts under Glenn’s tutelage and housed Lightning Aura within his own marrow. He didn't just see Ramiel's bolts; he understood the very pulse of his techniques.
'I triumphed because he was blinded by his own legend.'
Had Ramiel diversified his repertoire, the struggle would have been far more desperate. But his absolute faith in his lightning proved to be his shroud, allowing Raon to anticipate every move.
'Wrath.'
Raon signaled the still-stunned demon.
'It is finished, isn't it?'
-Hmm...
Wrath stroked his chin, watching the lightning char the Archangel’s remains.
-It appears so, yet...
'Yet?'
-A shadow of doubt remains. I am well-acquainted with the stubbornness of these Archangels.
He conceded that the breathing had ceased, yet he continued to mill his teeth with a lingering sense of dread.
'Is that so?'
Raon exhaled and flicked a finger, summoning the Wooden Ring Sword into the air. Whoosh! While the blade lacked its former velocity and was devoid of heavy aura, it moved with a cold, focused lethality, burying itself once more into Ramiel’s chest. Thunk.
Raon carved away whatever embers of divinity remained in the corpse before calling the blade back.
'I feel like I could drop dead.'
He wanted nothing more than to surrender to the gravity of his exhaustion, his reserves of mana and willpower completely drained. Yet, duties remained.
'Phew.'
Dragging his leaden limbs, Raon turned toward his companions.
"R-Raon..."
"Just what have you endured to reach this height?"
"Is... is that truly you, Lord Raon?"
Rector, Lawrence, and Mustan stared as if they were looking at a ghost. Their faces were frozen in masks of utter shock, having witnessed a feat that defied their understanding of reality.
"I had fortune on my side."
Raon offered a tired smile and a small shake of his head.
"Against any other Archangel, the outcome likely would have been my defeat."
This wasn't false humility. Had he faced a being like Uriel, none of them—not himself, Rector, Mustan, or Lawrence—would be breathing. They would have been nothing more than cold bodies long before he could have intervened.
"Furthermore, grandfather had already drained half of Ramiel's lifeblood."
Raon dipped his head respectfully, giving credit where it was due.
"I did little more than take a beating."
Rector signaled his disagreement with a weak wave of his left hand.
"This victory belongs to you."
He smiled, refusing to let Raon deflect the glory of the moment.
"We can settle the details later. Right now, your injuries need attention..."
Raon attempted to summon the Divinity Born from Darkness, but his hands were seized by tremors.
'Empty.'
He had spent every drop of that power to sustain Rector; there was nothing left for immediate healing.
"I will get the medicine, at least."
Raon fumbled with his Subspace Pouch. With shaking fingers, he pulled out his entire stash of high-grade elixirs and restorative salves, laying them out before Rector.
"Hmm..."
As he reached to apply Holy Water to Rector’s gashes, his strength failed him, and the vial slipped from his grasp.
"Rest now. I will handle this... Huh?"
Rector urged him to sit, reaching for the bottle himself, but his own arm refused to obey, stalling mid-air.
"Hmm..."
"I can't budge either."
Mustan and Lawrence, whose injuries were even more debilitating given their lower rank, could do nothing but offer apologetic glances.
"I’ll get it."
Just as Raon tried once more to reach for the supplies.
"Raon!"
The air shimmered with azure light as Evelyn materialized. She had clearly finalized the teleportation array and raced to catch up.
"Hey! Don't forget about us!"
"I'm... at my limit..."
Martha and Dorian tumbled out behind her. Their hair was wild and their clothes shredded, a testament to the chaotic speed of Evelyn’s makeshift travel.
"Are you hurt? What happened?"
Breaking her usual composure, Evelyn didn't even stop to observe the surroundings. She lunged forward and gripped Raon’s shoulders, her eyes rimmed with red and flashing with anxiety. He could feel her fingers trembling against his skin.
"I'm alright."
Raon smiled, reassured by her genuine concern.
"The threat is neutralized."
He gestured toward the mangled remains of Archangel Ramiel.
"Is... is that supposed to be an Archangel?"
Dorian swallowed hard, staring at the fallen celestial.
"A being that outranks the Five Kings and Three Demons ended up like that?"
Martha breathed out, a mix of relief and anti-climax in her voice.
"It wasn't a solo effort."
Raon shook his head softly.
"Without grandfather weakening him first, I never would have stood a chance."
He reiterated that Rector’s sacrifice was the foundation of the win.
"Evelyn. Please, look to grandfather and the others."
Before Raon could point the way, Evelyn had already shifted her focus.
"Grandfather!"
Once she was certain Raon was stable, she sprinted to Rector's side.
"Are you alright? Heavens, your arm, grandfather!"
Seeing the horrific damage to his torso and limb, she wasted no time in pouring Holy Water and readying an elixir.
"W-wait... guhk!"
Ignoring his protests, Evelyn forced the restorative down his throat.
"Don't worry. That strange master I study under is mostly useless, but she can craft a decent prosthetic."
She offered a small smile, thinking of Ensia, and raised her palm.
"But first, we have to purge the site. Infection is a certainty if we leave this foul energy behind."
Evelyn pressed her palm against the open wound.
"This will be unpleasant. Please endure."
"No, wai— AAARRGH!"
Rector’s plea was cut short by a guttural scream. The vessels in his eyes bulged with the sudden agony.
"Ouch..."
Raon winced at the sound.
"Hngh..."
Rector cast a pleading look toward Raon, begging for intervention, but since Evelyn’s methods were medically sound, Raon simply looked away.
"GAAAAHH!"
The old man thrashed on the ground, his cries more piercing than when he had actually lost the limb.
"There. That should hold."
Evelyn only withdrew her hand once the last traces of celestial corruption and spite were cleansed from the flesh.
"Hngh..."
Rector lay prone, eyes rolled back and foaming slightly at the mouth, having succumbed to the sheer pain.
"Next?"
Evelyn turned her "sweet" gaze toward Mustan and Lawrence.
"Hngh!"
"I-I'm fine! Truly! Fully recovered!"
The two men looked ready to bolt, but their broken bodies kept them anchored, leaving them to wave their hands in frantic refusal.
"You'll need to be in top shape to fight alongside our Raon. I must be thorough."
Paying no mind to their terror, Evelyn began her "treatment."
"AAAAHHH!"
"GYAAAAHH!"
The screams echoed as the two rolled in the dirt. It was clear now: the removal of divine essence was an ordeal of excruciating proportions.
"Haah..."
Raon finally let out a long-held breath and slumped to the earth. With Evelyn managing the wounded, the coil of tension in his chest finally unraveled.
"An Archangel..."
Martha stared at the corpse of Ramiel, shaking her head.
"I see it, but I don't believe it. Are these the monsters we are destined to face?"
The reality of their future enemies was finally sinking in.
"Think about the weight of this!"
Dorian paced excitedly, the realization hitting him.
"You killed an Archangel! One of their greatest leaders is gone. Surely the tide of this war has shifted in our favor?"
He gestured wildly, imagining the strategic advantage the Five Kings now held.
"It isn't that simple. A man like Derus wouldn't commit to a war unless the board was already tilted in his direction..."
Before Raon could finish his thought.
"A perceptive assessment. The Five Kings have indeed secured a momentary lead."
A voice dripping with cold arrogance sliced through the air as a white portal manifested in the sky. With a piercing whine, the doors swung wide, revealing a silver-haired figure in azure robes, his hands tucked behind his back.
Derus Robert. The man once billed as the pinnacle of the Six Kings, the undying blade, looked down with a smile that was chillingly different from his usual mask.
"Derus Robert..."
Raon’s teeth ground together. The mere sight of the man ignited a furnace of rage within him, a surge of adrenaline that artificially mended his broken stamina.
"I presumed Archangel Ramiel was capable of disposing of the Holy Sword Alliance’s head and seizing you when you inevitably followed. I did not foresee this conclusion."
Derus blinked slowly, admitting the Archangel's death was a variable he hadn't planned for. Yet, his demeanor remained entirely undisturbed.
'This is bad...'
Raon bit his lip until it bled, watching Derus’s vacant, calm expression.
'I can't sense a thing.'
One of his primary allies was dead, yet Derus showed no fury, no frustration—not even a hint of malice directed at Raon. This version of Derus felt fundamentally altered.
'What is his play?'
Raon had believed he understood Derus Robert better than anyone alive. He thought he could map the man's every move, but those inscrutable eyes sent a shiver down his spine.
"You didn't do it alone, but your rate of evolution is impressive. My praise, Raon."
As Derus Robert began a slow, rhythmic clap—pointedly omitting the name "Zieghart"—a sapphire-colored intent to kill flared like wings from his back.
"Kugh..."
Raon struggled to draw air. The pressure of that killing intent was so suffocating that his muscles locked up; he couldn't have moved even if he were at full strength.
"W-what is happening...?"
"Raon! What's wrong?"
Dorian and Martha looked on in confusion, unaffected. Realizing the entire weight of that crushing aura was being funneled exclusively into him, Raon knew the truth.
'That monster...'
Raon looked up at Derus, his jaw set.
'He has achieved the Soul Sword.'
By devouring the essence of Darkan, the former leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, Derus Robert had ascended to the final realm of swordsmanship.
"Damn it..."
Raon forced himself to his feet. He might be outmatched, but he refused to cower in the dirt before this man.
"It seems only right that I collect a blood debt for Ramiel’s return to the stars, doesn't it?"
Derus Robert began to lower his hand toward Raon.
"Step back!"
Rector threw himself in front of Raon, his left hand gripping his sword. The eyes of the veteran warrior burned with a conviction that outshone even the oppressive light emanating from Derus.
"No one touches the boy behind me until they have taken my head first!"
