Chapter 1179
What defines the soul? Every living being possesses one, yet the vast majority are incapable of tapping into its true potential. Even those who have stepped into the realm of Transcendence, whether through the path of the sword or the study of magic, rarely grasp its essence, often mistaking it for mere mental fortitude. However, a profound realization had finally dawned upon him—the soul was the fundamental force that anchored his identity.
It was this core, his very heart, that empowered him to exist as Raon Zieghart without being consumed by the influence of others. Yet, his existence wasn't defined solely by the name he currently bore. The ghost of Raon the assassin—that agonizing life of shadow where he never once glimpsed the sun—was also etched into the fabric of his spirit.
He was the Raon Zieghart who walked toward the light, and simultaneously the Raon who had been a servant of death in the darkness. Since both of these disparate paths belonged to him, he sought to forge a technique that embraced the totality of his being. Thus, he manifested the Soul Sword, Life Beyond Death. This blade, born from the depths of his dual history, plunged directly into the spiritual essence of the Dragon Lord.
Though a strike against the soul shouldn't produce a physical vibration, every witness felt a phantom shiver as they heard the sickening sound of the weapon anchoring itself into the beast’s very core.
[KROOOOOOO!]
The Dragon Lord shrieked with such intensity that it seemed the fabric of reality might tear. Golden scales sloughed off his frame as if he were being flayed alive, the agony far surpassing the recoil he had suffered from his failed absolute magic.
[T-this is impossible... Grrrr!]
The Dragon Lord’s pride vanished, replaced by the primal snarling of a cornered beast, looking less like a sovereign of the skies and more like a common reptile.
"..."
Raon remained silent, his gaze freezing as he watched the mighty creature groveling in the dirt.
‘I have finally given it form.’
He had bridged the gap between his previous life and his current one. He had long yearned to meld these two conflicting textures into a single strike, and the moment of success brought a wave of euphoria that made his skin prickle.
'To think I owe my growth to the Dragon Lord.'
In truth, he had become so accustomed to his new life that the memories of his past were beginning to fade into the background. While he knew that experience was a source of strength, integrating it had proven difficult—until the Dragon Lord’s death sentence forced his hand.
While trapped in the soul-devouring sands, facing his end, the memory of his final moments under Derus’s thumb resurfaced. As he relived the horror of his execution at the hands of his former Master, he finally grasped the cold essence of death within his soul.
Admittedly, Life Beyond Death was not yet a finished masterpiece. If he continued to refine this spiritual blade by fully embracing the cycle of life and passing, it would eventually evolve into an ultimate Soul Sword capable of annihilating even the soul of Derus Robert.
Filled with this grim anticipation, Raon tightened his hold on the hilt of his Soul Sword. Though the world was silent, a resonant Sword Mantra echoed clearly in his mind.
-Hmph!
Wrath clicked his tongue, though his expression was strained.
-It is acceptable. Only barely. The edge of your spirit has gained a bit more bite.
Though the demon king hated to give credit, he looked away while begrudgingly admitting the quality of the technique.
-Don't let it go to your head. A Soul Sword of this level is still insufficient to challenge the lords of the demon realm or the Archangels. Even this lizard would have brushed it off had he been at full strength!
Wrath huffed, maintaining that Raon still had a mountain to climb.
'You were just screaming my name in a panic, and now you're back to this?'
Raon felt a smirk tugging at his lips, recalling how desperately and fearfully Wrath had called out to him moments before.
-W-what are you implying!
Wrath's voice rose to a shrill pitch.
-This king simply felt like shouting!
The demon king’s chin trembled as he flatly denied his obvious concern.
'I’m not actually mocking you.'
Raon gave a mental wave of dismissal.
'I wanted to express my gratitude.'
He had felt the genuine worry in Wrath’s voice. It seemed that the two of them—the human and the King of Wrath—had truly become an inseparable pair.
-Hmph...
Wrath let out a soft sound, his eyes darting around nervously.
-Wh-what gratitude! This king merely felt a shred of pity for you, like one feels for a clumsy pet!
He quickly turned his attention back to the Dragon Lord to hide his red face.
[Grrrr...]
The Dragon Lord was heaving, foam gathering at his jaws. Dark blood, tainted with the aura of the grave, leaked from the spiritual gashes covering his body.
-Why hasn't he expired yet?
Wrath squinted at the dying sovereign.
-He suffered the backlash of that pathetic death magic and took a direct hit to the soul from your improved blade. By all rights, he should be a corpse.
The demon king tilted his head, genuinely perplexed.
-Even with his ten-thousand-year lifespan, he should have reached his limit by now, shouldn't he?
Wrath scrutinized the dragon, sensing something amiss.
-Wait! You don't mean...
'Precisely.'
Raon nodded, never taking his eyes off the gasping beast.
'I am keeping him on the brink on purpose.'
Wrath’s instincts were correct. The combination of the magic’s recoil and the Soul Sword should have been fatal.
-So that blade is more sinister than it looks!
'Indeed. Life Beyond Death is unique.'
As the name implied, the sword commanded the boundary between living and dying. While it was more difficult to land a hit compared to standard spiritual attacks, a single successful strike meant the end of the struggle.
'It grants me authority over the target's life force.'
He held the power to snuff out the Dragon Lord’s spark instantly or prolong his suffering for decades. Currently, the king of dragons was nothing more than a captive insect.
-That is an absurdly broken ability!
Wrath yelled in disbelief.
-How can such a thing be balanced!
He scowled, offended by the sheer unfairness of the power.
'The difficulty of execution matches the reward.'
Raon explained that such a potent effect required an equally immense level of skill to manifest.
-But still... wait.
Wrath looked closer at the Dragon Lord’s chest and lowered his voice.
-That energy signature in the lizard's chest... it feels familiar.
He tilted his head, trying to place the sensation.
'We're about to find out.'
Raon walked toward the fallen lord, his steps heavy and deliberate.
"Are you finished with your tantrum?"
Raon’s lip curled as he planted his boot firmly on the Dragon Lord’s head.
"Let’s get to work."
[Lord!]
[Great Sovereign!]
[Fall not to these insects!]
[Rise and fight!]
The dragons that had rushed to their leader’s aid roared in fury, charging toward the human line.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
Martha seized the moment, her blade carving a deep, jagged path through the throat of a Gold Dragon caught in the melee.
"I bet that opens up your airway nicely!"
She laughed mockingly at the dragon as it clutched its ruined neck.
[KRAAAAK!]
The beast shrieked, stumbling back in a daze of pain.
"I see even dragons lose their cool when they're bleeding."
Burren moved in behind Martha, delivering the finishing blow. With a precise, devastating strike, he ripped the Dragon Heart from its chest to ensure it wouldn't rise again.
[Krrrk!]
The Gold Dragon, a creature that had only recently ascended to the rank of Ancient, couldn't even mount a defense before it collapsed into the dirt, lifeless.
"Ha! The brat actually pulled it off."
Martha let out a breathless laugh as she watched Raon standing triumphantly over the Dragon Lord.
"It was only a matter of time for him. At least we got the credit for taking down an Ancient Dragon while he was busy."
Burren exhaled slowly, looking at the prize they had claimed together.
"Gaaaah! More magic! Does it ever stop!"
Dorian was frantic, diving through a barrage of spells. He wasn't in a position to attack, but he stood like a stubborn wall at the dimensional rift, refusing to let anything pass. Despite his trembling knees, his loyalty to Raon kept him anchored.
"You've done your part."
Evelyn utilized the distraction Dorian provided. She reached out with her mana-stripping magic, seizing control of two dragons that were lower in the hierarchy.
[W-what is this!]
[My mana... it won't obey!]
The dragons’ eyes filled with a terror they had never known—the loss of their innate power.
"Cease to exist."
With a sharp clench of her fist, Evelyn caused their internal pressures to spike. Their necks burst outward, and their Dragon Hearts were expelled like ripening fruit.
"The crimson flowers are in full bloom."
She smiled softly, tracing a finger along the blood-splattered scales that reminded her of a garden.
[These humans are insane...]
Valasiur, the Red Dragon, began to back away from Evelyn, wanting no part of her madness.
[And that one is the worst of them!]
He grumbled about the terrifying nature of humanity while watching Raon dominate their Lord.
[It seems even the most battle-hungry among us have found something to fear!]
Sirtiren, the Blue Dragon, let out a booming laugh as she batted a White Dragon aside with a massive wing.
[My opinion of humans has certainly shifted!]
She mused that the world was becoming far more entertaining than she had anticipated.
[To think the Lord could be brought low so easily!]
Dariauran, the Black Dragon, gave a cynical chuckle.
[If I had known he was this fragile, I would have challenged him myself!]
He sneered, using his toxic aura to suppress a younger dragon.
[Hmph! You would have been vaporized by the Sword of Light before you got within ten paces!]
Bursiarabi, the White Dragon, scoffed at the remark.
[This result is solely due to the prowess of Raon Zieghart.]
He gave a respectful nod, finally viewing Raon as a true peer.
"Raon Zieghart..."
Bartius, the Gold Dragon, bit his lip as he watched Raon’s unwavering stance. He placed a clawed hand over his chest and bowed his head in a gesture of profound respect.
"My thanks to you."
'For protecting the integrity of our race.'
[W-what is your intent?]
The Dragon Lord asked, his voice shaking with visible dread.
"Simple. I’m going to ask questions, and you’re going to answer them."
Raon gave a cold smile, loosening his shoulders.
"I have a long list of things I need to know."
He rolled his wrist, signaling that cooperation was the best path forward.
[You insignificant maggot!]
The Dragon Lord’s jaw quivered with rage. As the immediate shock faded, his arrogance tried to resurface.
[I am the Sovereign of Dragons! I would rather die by your blade than submit to such humilia— AAAAARGH!]
The prideful declaration was cut short by a scream that tore through the air, his body convulsing as if struck by lightning.
"I am the one who decides when you live and when you die."
Raon rested the tip of Heavenly Drive near the Dragon Lord’s heart.
"You don't have the luxury of dying without my consent."
He eased the pressure of the Soul Sword that was currently gnawing at the dragon’s spirit.
[Ah...]
The Dragon Lord let out a ragged breath. Despite his ego, he was sharp enough to realize the cage he was in.
[That weapon... it is still inside me...]
"Correct. That blade holds your life in its grip. I can end you this second, or I can make you wish for death until my own life runs out."
Raon’s eyes narrowed, signaling the end of the debate.
[T-this cannot be!]
The Dragon Lord lashed his tail against the ground in frustration.
[First Glenn Zieghart, and now you! Why does the world bestow such gifts upon fleeting creatures like humans! You who barely live a century!]
He roared at the heavens, his voice cracking with a mixture of pure envy and bitter resentment.
[UAAAAAAAH!]
"Quiet."
[Krrrgh...]
At Raon’s sharp command, the Dragon Lord’s roar died in his throat, and he fell into a tense silence.
"We’re doing this my way. I ask, you answer."
Raon studied the fear reflected in the dragon’s pupils.
"Why are you hunting humans?"
Of all the mysteries, this was the one he needed to solve. He couldn't grasp why the Dragon Lord would harbor such vitriol for humanity or why he would align himself with the Archangels.
[Hmm...]
The Dragon Lord clamped his jaw shut, refusing to respond.
"You're only making this harder for yourself."
With a flick of his chin, Raon triggered the Soul Sword, causing it to thrash within the Dragon Lord’s spirit.
[KROOOOOOO!]
The beast clawed at the earth, his screams echoing the unbearable torment of a soul being shredded.
[S-stop! I beg of you, stop!]
He pleaded for a reprieve, his will breaking under the spiritual agony.
"Now then."
Raon calmed the blade and met the dragon’s eyes once more.
“Talk. What is the source of your hatred?”
[T-that...]
Even after the torture, the Dragon Lord hesitated. It was clear the truth was something he struggled to voice. Raon, however, was out of patience.
"If silence is your choice, I’m happy to continue the lesson."
Just as Raon prepared to unleash the sword’s power again, a shimmering green Dimensional Gate flickered into existence above the dragon.
"Oh, after all my meticulous planning, who had the nerve to mess it up!"
A woman with green hair and a delicate but sharp face stepped out of the portal, her red lips pulled back in a scowl.
"I spent so much time blinding him with the Envy I planted in his heart... Wait. Oh no."
As her eyes locked onto Raon’s, her jaw dropped in shock, realizing she had walked into a disaster.
"Well, well."
Raon bared his teeth in a predatory grin as he looked at the stunned beauty. He gave her a mocking wave.
"Look who decided to join the party."
