Chapter 1220
"I see."
Derus Robert settled into a vintage leather seat, a dark tome clutched in his grip.
"So Raon Zieghart developed a martial art capable of ending Raphael in such a fashion? Truly fascinating."
Ignoring the chaotic commotion echoing from beyond the walls of his sanctuary, he stroked his jawline, deep in thought regarding the mechanics of Raon’s technique.
"By utilizing that logic—or perhaps by simply reversing the flow—I might finally be able to fix that useless puppet."
A look of genuine delight spread across Derus Robert’s features, resembling a traveler stumbling upon a spring in the middle of a barren wasteland.
"That wretch, who has been nothing but a burden since his resurrection, will finally prove his worth."
He took the dark ichor seeping from the injury on his hand and smeared it across his parched lips.
"It seems my decision to let you live was the right one. Raon Zieghart. No... Raon."
His blood-stained mouth curved into a smirk as he whispered the name.
"With this, I no longer have any requirement for a project like Heaven."
He squeezed his hand into a tight ball, feeling ready to discard both Heaven and the Land of Clouds without a second thought.
"Heh."
Composing himself, Derus Robert flipped open the dark volume. A thin smile played on his face as he began to mark the empty sheets. Sizzle! Without even a quill, his mere finger movements etched precise characters into the parchment.
However, these were no ordinary letters; they appeared as cryptic, ancient icons.
A soft thudding sounded at the entrance while Derus Robert remained absorbed in his writing.
"Enter."
He gestured with his chin, his gaze never wavering from the book. The door creaked open to reveal Kubara. Adjusting the skirt of her servant’s attire, she offered a respectful nod to Derus Robert.
"According to your commands, I have triggered the self-immolation arrays within the primary stronghold. In sixty minutes, every trace of this location will be erased."
Kubara looked down and then met his gaze again, confirming the execution of his orders.
"The Spatial Rift is set to manifest in half an hour, allowing for your immediate departure."
She bowed slightly, noting the dark mist beginning to swirl up from the floorboards.
"Excellently done."
Derus Robert offered a casual wave, clearly in high spirits.
"The moment we transit, sever all remaining ties with Heaven and the Land of Clouds as well."
"Pardon?"
Kubara’s usually heavy-lidded eyes snapped wide in confusion.
"I have harvested a sufficient amount of longing. It is more than enough to fuel the coming conflict; anything more would simply be a drain on our resources and time."
Derus Robert shook his head, explaining that the necessary essence had been secured before Raon’s interference.
"I have laid enough traps. Now, I must focus entirely on my own personal progression."
He tightened his grip, tension visible in his knuckles.
"I am finished with retreating from that old man."
A scowl crossed his face at the thought of Glenn Zieghart, his eternal rival.
"Does that mean..."
Kubara’s expression shifted as she grasped his underlying meaning.
"Correct. I have finally found the path to transcend both Glenn Zieghart and the Heavenly Demon. Toppling them is now merely a matter of patience."
Derus Robert’s lips curled, certain that with enough time, he would stand above the Continent’s greatest blade.
"Though, I do not intend to deal with them personally."
He brushed back his hair, wearing a treacherous grin that hinted at a different scheme.
"...Understood."
Kubara lowered her head, signaling her absolute compliance.
"I shall go and finalize the preparations."
She turned to leave, but suddenly—BOOM! A deafening blast and a violent tremor rocked the entire base from the western side.
"What... what is this..."
Kubara’s jaw dropped, her composure breaking for the first time in the face of the unthinkable.
"Ha..."
Derus Robert breathed out a dry, mirthless laugh as debris and grit fell from the ceiling, staining the pages of his black book. He slammed it shut, gripping it with white knuckles.
"They actually tracked me here?"
He bit his lip hard, struggling to process a reality that defied even his most pessimistic projections.
"But how?"
The distance between Heaven and this central hub was immense. Even with soul-tracking, they would have to travel the physical distance, and without specific spatial coordinates, a jump should have been impossible. To arrive this fast was inconceivable.
"Was this calculated from the start? Hah! One could say the apprentice has truly outdone the master in the art of deception."
Derus Robert gave a short, admiring chuckle at how Raon had taken the very infiltration skills he had taught him and used them to launch a perfect ambush.
"Raon Zieghart..."
The smile vanished from his face as the walls and ceiling continued to groan under the assault.
"Just how far ahead were you looking, you brat?"
His teeth ground together with an audible rasp, every ounce of his previous calm replaced by cold fury.
"What are your orders?"
Kubara looked to him, recognizing that immediate action was required.
"There is only one path. Deploy the Shadows to the front, and move the core forces to the inner sanctum."
Derus Robert’s face twisted as he watched the dark energy rise to his waist.
"I will have to draw strength from the harvest of souls."
Whoosh! Raon exhaled sharply, staring at the massive stone entrance that lay in ruins.
'I’ve reached it at last.'
Without Evelyn’s assistance, this location would have remained a secret. She had kept a constant vigil over the woods where Derus was lurking, and by trailing his spirit, she discovered the obscured path hidden within the greenery. While the stone gate was visible now, it had looked like nothing more than a wall of thorns moments ago.
Had it not been for her sorcery, Raon would have wandered the perimeter until Derus vanished completely.
"It smells of rot."
Glenn grimaced, eyeing the dark vapor seeping from the shattered entrance.
"A fitting reflection of its owner."
Rector unsheathed his blade, echoing Glenn’s sentiment.
"If we end Derus Robert now, we can avoid the war next year, can't we?"
Martha ran her tongue over her lips, her eyes hungry for the fight.
"I’ll do whatever it takes to minimize the cost of lives."
Burren gave a resolute nod, showing the temperament of a true commander.
"......"
Runaan remained silent, but her hand was white-knuckled on her hilt, radiating a killing intent that surpassed everyone present.
"Sigh..."
Raon took a steadying breath, drawing both Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword.
"Ugh!"
Evelyn slumped against a tree trunk, her face pale with fatigue.
"The rest is up to you."
She gestured weakly, drained from the immense effort of the long-distance track.
"Wh-who are these people!"
"Wait! It’s Zieghart!"
"How did they find us?"
"This is madness! Alert the commanders! We’re under siege!"
"Intrusion! Zieghart has breached the perimeter!"
The cultists serving Derus Robert began to panic, visibly shaken by the sudden appearance of Zieghart’s finest warriors.
"Intercept them!"
"Do not let them reach the inner chambers!"
"Stand your ground! Form a wall!"
Despite their initial shock, Derus Robert’s trained soldiers quickly regrouped, throwing themselves forward to block the hallway and raising the alarm.
"Understood."
Raon gave Evelyn a quick nod before plunging his twin blades into the floor where the dark currents pooled. Boom! The impact purified the tainted earth, casting a blinding radiance. Like a miracle, a golden sun and a silver moon appeared above the shadowy, mist-choked woods. Sword Domain - Divine-Demonic Harmony.
Raon charged toward the incoming Shadows, wielding blades forged from solar heat and lunar chill.
As he swept the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword through the air, fueled by his indignation, the fabric of space seemed to tear into four sections. The enemies caught in the crossfire were obliterated, leaving only a crimson spray behind. Splash. Raon stepped through the gore and shadows, advancing into the heart of the unnamed fortress.
"Anyone who wishes to live, step aside! My business is with Derus Robert alone!"
He shouted with a voice that rattled the foundation, making his intentions clear.
"Then we definitely cannot let you pass!"
"Seal the way."
"Die before you let them through!"
"Give your lives for the Master!"
However, the zealots serving Derus Robert charged with a suicidal fervor, as if their very souls were bound to his will.
"Tch..."
Raon’s brow furrowed as he prepared to strike with his dual swords once more, but—
"Why are you the one dealing with them?"
"We've got this part!"
"Keep your strength for the target..."
Martha, Burren, and Runaan leaped past him, leveling their weapons at the crowd. The trio slammed their feet down, declaring they would clear the path.
Martha’s massive blade crushed skulls with every swing; Burren’s precise strikes carved through the left flank; and Runaan unleashed a wave of frost that turned the enemies on the right into frozen statues.
"Move!"
"Palace Master! Make sure he doesn't escape!"
"Leave this to us..."
The three pushed back the endless tide of Shadows, signaling for Raon to keep running.
"Raon. Go, don't look back."
Rector took his place between Burren and Martha, a calm smile on his face. As he brought down the blade held in his mechanical limb, blue fractures raced through the architecture Derus had spent years building, and every Shadow in his path was cleaved in two.
"I will watch over your comrades."
Rector urged him to hunt Derus Robert, promising to hold the rear against any surprises.
"I'm counting on you."
Raon gave Rector a heavy nod. With Rector at the gate, even the arrival of powerful Angels wouldn't break their line. He could move forward with total confidence.
"Let’s move."
Raon reached out toward Glenn.
"I can sense Derus Robert’s signature further in."
At the end of the corridor cleared by his friends, the unmistakable presence of Derus Robert beckoned. The villain was still here.
"Let today be the conclusion."
Glenn gave a solemn nod, his hand resting on the hilt of Heavenly Tremor.
"It will be!"
Raon set his jaw and sprinted down the path his allies had forged.
"Where do you think you're going!"
"Halt!"
"You'll never reach the Master!"
More of Derus’s lackeys emerged from the shadows to launch desperate ambushes.
"We are your opponents!"
"Let the masters settle their debt."
"Everything will freeze..."
But they were intercepted by Martha, Burren, and Runaan, who followed closely behind. Raon threw a thankful look over his shoulder and pressed on. The headquarters was sprawling, yet surprisingly empty outside of the main entry zones.
-Is this really the nest of that snake?
Wrath grumbled, watching the defenders fall so easily.
-That guy is nothing but a hollow shell!
He snorted, unimpressed by the lack of high-level resistance.
'No, it’s more likely he already moved his best people out.'
Knowing Derus Robert, he would have sensed the danger early and evacuated his elite units. In fact, Raon was sure of it. That was why he had ignored everything else to hunt him down immediately.
As they ran, a gargantuan door wreathed in dark flames appeared at the end of the hall. The oppressive aura of Derus Robert saturated the air behind it.
"He’s right there."
Glenn narrowed his eyes, clearly sensing the same thing.
"Stay alert; there’s no telling what he has planned."
He unsheathed Heavenly Tremor and took the lead.
"Right!"
Raon followed on Glenn’s left, centering his focus and shaking off the nervous energy in his limbs.
"Hmph!"
With a dismissive snort, Glenn brought Heavenly Tremor down. The moment the blade struck the air, the space shattered, and the flame-shrouded door disintegrated as if it were made of paper.
Soft light from within spilled out into the hallway, revealing a massive chamber.
Derus Robert was standing before a throne on a dark dais, his hands clasped behind his back. A dark sun hovered ominously behind him.
"Raon..."
Derus Robert’s brow throbbed with tension, his lips pulled thin as if he couldn't believe Raon had breached his inner sanctum so swiftly.
"I believe I mentioned it. Today is the day the war begins."
Raon leveled the Divine Sword, its light pushing back the darkness, and pointed it straight at Derus Robert’s chest.
"You’ve lost. Now, hand over your head. Where did you think you could hide?"
