Chapter 1262
Piaaang!
Above the flickering embers of the campfire, which struggled to hold back the encroaching night, a razor-sharp Sword Wind whistled through the air, followed by the upward surge of crimson dragon flames.
Huuuuung!
The martial artists of the Light Wind Palace didn't squander a single moment even while establishing their camp, opting instead to focus entirely on their personal meditative cultivation.
"Their Sword Aura is truly vibrant!"
Martha gestured emphatically, her expression one of approval at the warriors' tenacity.
"This is exactly the temperament the Sword Fanatics from the fifth training ground ought to display!"
Upon Raon's return, she beamed, noting that the swordsmen finally seemed to have regained their former spirits.
"The atmosphere has certainly shifted..."
Burren exhaled a weary, uncharacteristic sigh.
"Looking at them now, I’m painfully aware of how inadequate my own command was."
He shook his head in a fit of self-reproach, acknowledging that the Light Wind Palace under his guidance was a shadow of the organization it had become under Raon's leadership.
"Hey! Don't beat yourself up! That man simply isn't cut from the same cloth as the rest of us!"
Krein let out a chuckle, offering a brand of consolation that felt more like a blunt reality check.
"Th-that's the truth! Lord Raon has been an anomaly since the very beginning! Even when he was burdened by that curse, he still outperformed every genius in the fifth training ground!"
Dorian chimed in with a similar sentiment, attempting to gauge the mood but failing to show any real sensitivity.
"Is that how it is..."
Burren’s posture slumped even further, as if the "comfort" had only drained what little confidence he had left.
"......"
Runaan remained silent, her eyes tracking the movements of the cultivating swordsmen before she stepped toward one of them.
"There... tuck your right elbow further inward..."
She reached out, physically adjusting the swordsman’s stance to correct his form.
"Th-thank you very much."
"......"
Runaan gave a slight nod in response to his gratitude and retreated to her original position to continue her silent observation of the group’s progress.
"It looks like that blockhead has finally regained her focus, doesn't it?"
Martha grinned, showing her teeth, clearly relieved to see Runaan acting like herself again.
"It's a welcome change."
Burren also allowed a small smile of relief to touch his lips, noting that Runaan seemed to have matured through their recent trials.
"Once this business is concluded, I’m going to demand a duel. We can’t have a Transcendent just sitting around doing nothing, can we?"
Martha licked her lips in anticipation, already planning to use Runaan as a whetstone to sharpen her own skills.
"For once, we are of the same mind."
Burren narrowed his eyes, admitting that he also intended to use Runaan's strength to push his own cultivation further.
"Hmph! Regardless of what you try, I will be the one to become the second Transcendent of the Light Wind Palace!"
Martha raised her chin defiantly, refusing to yield an inch to Burren.
"Since the Temporary head of house has already reached that level, you’d actually be the third. Besides, there’s no finish line in martial achievement. Though, I certainly don't intend to let you pass me."
Burren pressed his lips together, his competitive fire burning just as bright as Martha's.
"I will assist both of you..."
Runaan ghosted between Burren and Martha with a quiet nod. She had clearly overheard their ambitions from a distance.
"Wh-what the!"
"Gah!"
Startled by her sudden, silent arrival, both Martha and Burren lurched backward.
"Th-this isn't the time for you to jump in!"
"Exactly! We are currently stoking our competitive rivalry here!"
The two of them shook their heads at her, wondering why she had suddenly appeared.
"Hmm...?"
Runaan tilted her head, looking genuinely perplexed by their reaction.
Martha and Burren began bickering loudly, falling back into their old patterns, while Runaan stood between them, blinking with a blank expression.
"And so it begins again."
"Yeah. It feels like a lifetime since we last saw those three clashing like that."
"It seems everyone is back to normal. I can finally breathe easy."
"This is the true spirit of the fifth training ground! This is what the Light Wind Palace is supposed to look like!"
The surrounding swordsmen felt a wave of genuine relief watching the trio, and the camp was soon filled with the sound of hearty, genuine laughter.
"Hmm."
Raon allowed a thin smile to grace his face as he watched the scene unfold among his subordinates.
Not bad at all.
Through the ordeal involving Syria Sullion, Martha, Burren, and Runaan had gained significant psychological fortitude that surpassed their physical gains.
He recognized the shift because he had traversed that same difficult road. The spirits of those three, having ascended to a higher mental plane, would not be easily broken by anyone now.
Furthermore...
Burren and Martha were standing on the threshold.
The barrier of Transcendence that had been holding them back was now spider-webbed with cracks. It was only a matter of time before they followed Runaan's lead and shattered that ceiling.
"Uh..."
The Bear Fire Demon’s parched lips trembled as he watched the warriors of the Light Wind Palace interact with a bond deeper than blood. It wasn't malice or rage that flickered in his eyes, but a surprising sense of longing.
"Bear Fire Demon."
Raon shifted his focus to the captive and rotated his wrist.
"I am asking once more. What is the protocol for entering the primary stronghold of Eden?"
Since they were scheduled to reach the location mentioned by the Bear Fire Demon the following day, Raon wanted to verify the details one last time.
"Umm..."
Unable to meet Raon's gaze, the Bear Fire Demon swallowed hard while staring down at his own knees.
"A-as I explained, once you approach the perimeter of the main base and transmit the secret signal, a sentry will emerge. If your credentials hold up during his interrogation, the path to the stronghold is revealed."
He shook his head, emphasizing that because the entrance was magically concealed, entry was impossible without the cooperation of the gatekeeper.
"Is that the full story?"
Raon hooded his eyes, silently demanding the truths the demon was still clutching.
"I-it's the absolute truth! I have no motive left to lie to you!"
The Bear Fire Demon bit his lip, knowing full well he had burned every bridge with Eden the moment he aligned himself with Syria Sullion.
"That is a fair point."
Raon lowered his gaze slightly.
"Then let us discuss something else."
He fixed the Bear Fire Demon with a heavy, piercing stare.
"Why did you choose to follow Syria Sullion? Why did you facilitate that monster's ambitions, even resorting to such taxing ancient magic?"
Raon posed the fundamental question required to untangle the demon's motivations.
"That..."
The Bear Fire Demon hesitated, his teeth digging into his lip until they nearly drew blood.
"It was for the sake of another..."
He confessed that his loyalty to Syria Sullion was rooted in a desire to save someone, his fists clenching tight.
"To save someone?"
Raon scowled, his patience beginning to fray.
"I am aware... that destroying others to save one person is the height of hypocrisy. But..."
The Bear Fire Demon let out a ragged sigh that carried a metallic tang.
"I was backed into a corner. Syria Sullion was the one who actually extracted me from the soul of the Bearwolf Shaman..."
He lowered his head in shame, admitting that Syria Sullion had been his only source of salvation.
"I see."
Raon didn't push for more details, simply nodding. He sensed that further interrogation wouldn't reveal anything useful, and he felt no sympathy for the tragic backstories of villains.
"We have a grueling journey ahead of us tomorrow. Get some rest."
He made a dismissive gesture, signaling for the Bear Fire Demon to sleep.
"......"
The demon gave a curt nod and slumped onto the hard earth.
—Everyone has a cross to bear.
Wrath narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the resting Bear Fire Demon.
—It is simply that among those who are pushed to the brink, some grow straight and true while others warp and twist.
The entity looked back and forth between Raon and the demon, letting out a sharp snort.
—Therefore...
Wrath gripped Raon’s shoulder and nodded with sudden intensity.
—Join me in the Devildom! You possess the potential to overrule the stagnant laws of the demonic realm!
The entity’s small, round hands shook as if he were visualizing a new era in the Devildom brought about by Raon's hand.
—You finally possess the mental and physical attributes of a true sovereign! You are still unrefined, but the cornerstone has been laid! So...
Yeah. Not interested.
Raon swatted Wrath away and shook his head dismissively.
—Stop treating me like a target for a sales pitch!
"Unbelievable..."
Raon let out a short, dry laugh and turned his head.
"Is this the location?"
"Y-yes..."
The Bear Fire Demon confirmed with a heavy, solemn nod.
"I was briefed on it, but seeing it is another matter entirely."
Raon blinked as he surveyed the massive city gates, where a literal sea of humanity was flowing in and out.
"Who would have guessed that Eden's central hub was tucked away inside the mercantile city of Cameloon."
He was currently standing in Cameloon, the heartbeat of the continent and the most renowned center for international commerce.
The idea that Eden's main base could exist in such a populated, bustling territory was almost inconceivable, and witnessing the reality of it left him genuinely stunned.
"H-hold on! Is this truly Cameloon?"
Krein swallowed nervously and took a step forward.
"Is this creature trying to lead us into a trap?"
He seized the Bear Fire Demon by his collar, his disbelief manifesting as aggression.
"N-no..."
Dorian moved to intercept Krein, shaking his head.
"This man... he isn't being deceptive..."
He bit his lip, having utilized his Mind's Eye to verify the demon's mental state.
"So the heart of Eden is actually located here?"
Martha smashed her fist into her palm, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Perhaps not the base itself, but there likely exists a transit point to reach it."
Burren narrowed his eyes, theorizing that the city held a gateway rather than the actual headquarters.
"......"
Runaan closed her eyes, extending her Aura Perception to map the hidden currents within Cameloon.
"Eden hiding in Cameloon..."
"It wouldn't be shocking if those traders suddenly donned their steel helms."
"In truth, without their masks and helmets, Eden members look like any other citizen. They blend in perfectly."
"True. It's a clever place to vanish."
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace eventually accepted the tactical brilliance of the hiding spot and nodded.
"The path is never a straight line."
Raon allowed a cold smile to touch his lips. Eden was a congregation of the most unhinged lunatics among the Five Demons.
It was perfectly in character for them to submerge themselves in a city teeming with innocents. The prospect of unmasking those ghosts and exacting a debt of blood caused the power to surge through his fingers.
"Show us to the gatekeeper's location."
Raon gestured toward the city gates and shoved the Bear Fire Demon forward.
"N-not at this moment."
The Bear Fire Demon shook his head emphatically.
"The sentry only manifests during the pre-dawn hours, and there are specific rites required to call him forth."
He frowned, explaining that they couldn't simply summon the guardian on a whim.
"This is incredibly tedious! Why can't we just tear the place down?"
Martha stomped her foot in frustration.
"We're here to settle a blood debt, aren't we?"
She ground her teeth, suggesting they should simply storm in, root out Eden, and start taking heads.
"Martha..."
Burren rubbed his temples, looking like he was developing a headache just thinking about how to explain the situation to her.
"If we did that, we wouldn't be the Five Kings, we'd be the Five Demons. We’d end up with a reputation worse than the very cult we’re hunting!"
He sighed, noting that Eden likely chose this location specifically to force such a moral dilemma.
"Ahem, I see your point..."
Krein cleared his throat, looking slightly embarrassed that he had shared Martha's initial impulse.
"Patience is required..."
Runaan reached out and gently took hold of Martha's wrist, likely remembering the many times Martha had caused trouble by acting prematurely.
"I'm aware of that! I was just venting!"
Martha huffed at Runaan but didn't pull her hand away.
"Bear Fire Demon."
Raon looked down at the demon and beckoned with his finger.
"Prepare whatever is necessary to bring the gatekeeper out. And once he arrives..."
He rested his hand on the hilt of Heavenly Drive, his eyes flashing with a freezing intensity.
"We’ll get our answers after I’ve opened his throat."
