Chapter 1278
"At last..."
Raon let out a heavy, labored breath and shifted his gaze upward.
"You have finally seen fit to grant me an audience."
He lifted his head, his fingers white-knuckled as they clung to Heavenly Drive, though his limbs felt entirely hollowed of strength.
"Indeed."
The Heavenly Demon gave a measured nod, finally relaxing the terrifying martial stance he had adopted to deliver his previous strike.
"On the surface, this realm might appear liberated and equitable, but it is fundamentally a wilderness where the mighty consume the helpless—a place where intent is meaningless without the steel to back it."
He spoke with a low, savage vibration in his throat, as if he had clawed his way through that very wilderness himself.
"When the powerful commit atrocities, those lacking strength possess no right to interrogate or demand justice. I hold the power, and you do not. Until this very heartbeat, your words were nothing more than the insignificant chatter of a weakling."
The Heavenly Demon lifted his right hand with deliberate slowness. He snuffed out the crimson aura of slaughter still clinging to his knuckles and tilted his head back with profound arrogance.
"So, I am the subordinate and you are the superior..."
A sharp, mocking smile tugged at the corner of Raon’s mouth.
"That is an accurate assessment. For the time being."
He inclined his head slightly, placing a heavy, pointed emphasis on that final qualifier.
It is undeniable that the Heavenly Demon outmatches me in this moment.
With a single blow, the Heavenly Demon had nearly pulverized the Sword Domain that represented the culmination of Raon's entire existence.
That strike had been far from a common martial technique; the memory of Heaven’s Rift, shimmering with its golden radiance, buckling and nearly shattering under the pressure, sent a visceral shiver down his spine.
I believed the distance between us had narrowed...
But there was still a vast horizon to cross.
Following his victory over Derus Robert and his period of focused meditation alongside Glenn, Raon had experienced a profound evolution in both his mental fortitude and his mastery of the blade.
He had clearly moved beyond the boundaries of transcendence to touch the realm of the absolute. He had assumed he was finally ready to match blades with the Heavenly Demon, yet an intimidating abyss still separated their levels of power.
—He is undeniably formidable.
Wrath signaled his agreement, seemingly mirroring Raon’s internal monologue.
—It is more than just raw physical skill; there is a fundamental disparity in the mastery of the Demon King’s Authority.
The entity let out a soft, begrudging sound, noting his shock that Pride had managed to foster such a specimen among humanity.
That was inevitable.
Raon dismissed the thought with a mental shrug.
The Heavenly Demon has devoted himself solely to the path of <Pride>, whereas I have divided my focus across six different authorities, yours included.
If the Heavenly Demon had spent his life refining only the specific gift he received from Pride while Raon balanced the weight of six separate demonic powers, it was only logical that a significant gap in raw output remained.
However, my internal capacity and my ultimate ceiling are far greater.
Conventional wisdom suggested that specializing in a single power was superior to dabbling in a variety of disparate forces.
But Raon was the exception to the rule. Supported by the Ring of Fire and a constitution capable of anchoring such volatile energies, he knew that with enough time, he could master all six—no, all seven of the Deadly Sins, including <Pride>, at their absolute zenith.
I must find a way to wake <Pride> soon.
He was certain that once the authority bestowed by Pride finally stirred, his entire being would undergo a radical metamorphosis.
That evolution would directly impact his martial progression, making it imperative to find a catalyst for its awakening as quickly as possible.
—This King shares that curiosity. No mortal or immortal has ever held the weight of all Seven Deadly Sins simultaneously.
Wrath nodded, his interest piqued.
—Though, there is a high probability your physical form will simply detonate, unable to contain the volatile friction of seven competing powers!
The spirit began to snicker, clearly amused by the mental image of Raon exploding.
A pity for you, but that won't happen. The system is designed to maintain the equilibrium.
Raon brushed off the comment effortlessly.
Besides, that would technically be your power failing. Thanks for the concern.
He offered a provocative, internal grin, turning the tables on Wrath.
—You insolent whelp!
Wrath ground his teeth, his temper flaring at being the target of the joke he had started.
—Just you wait, I shall apply this King’s frigid knuckles to that arrogant face of yours...
Just as the spirit was raising a translucent, pudgy fist in a mock threat:
"You are correct. You remain fragile."
The Heavenly Demon spoke, his tone heavy with acknowledgment.
"However, by enduring my strike, your standing has shifted. You are no longer merely the scion of Glenn Zieghart; you are Raon Zieghart, the Sword Emperor."
He dipped his helm, the dark red light within glowing steadily as he formally recognized Raon as a peer on the field of battle.
"Hah..."
Raon let out a dry, breathless laugh, clutching his side.
Arrogant bastard. And yet...
His words held a bitter truth.
Most individuals perceived the world as a place of beauty and opportunity, but they were merely looking at the surface of a deep, dark ocean.
Having lived the life of the assassin Raon before becoming Raon Zieghart, he understood the inherent cruelty and unfairness of existence.
As the Heavenly Demon posited, it was a world where those without the means to defend themselves were destined to be ground into the dirt.
"The art known as Heavenly Defeat is the heart of the Vanquishing Fist Style—the primary strike that serves as the gateway to the Supreme Beginning. Since you stood your ground and took my full strength without retreating, you have earned the right to speak with me."
The Heavenly Demon provided a brief insight into the technique he had utilized, a rare sign of respect for Raon's prowess.
"I shall watch your progress with interest. It appears you may one day eclipse the Northern Destructive King himself."
He held his chin high, seemingly genuinely intrigued by Raon's potential.
"There is no need for you to look toward my future."
Raon lowered his blade, his gaze hardening.
"Because you will not be around to witness it."
The Heavenly Demon was destined for a final confrontation with Glenn. Confident that his grandfather would emerge victorious, Raon met the Demon's gaze with unwavering certainty.
"Is your faith placed in Glenn Zieghart?"
The Heavenly Demon offered a ghostly, thin smile, as if humoring Raon's loyalty.
"He is a titan, certainly. The only blade-user currently capable of meeting my eyes. However, I have no intention of falling to him."
He spoke with an eerie, quiet confidence regarding their impending duel. There was no hint of bravado or doubt in his voice; it was the tone of a man stating a simple fact.
Something is wrong.
A chill of apprehension settled in Raon's chest. The Heavenly Demon's absolute certainty was disturbing.
"You won't lose? That isn't the same as saying you'll win. You sound hesitant."
Raon narrowed his eyes, deliberately probing for a crack in the Demon's composure.
"I speak only the truth. Even the legendary Soul Sword of Glenn Zieghart will find no purchase against me."
The Heavenly Demon simply closed his eyes for a moment and then reopened them, refusing to be baited by Raon’s taunts.
—That individual is not a simpleton like Pride was.
Noting the Demon’s restraint, Wrath admitted that this opponent possessed a different caliber of intellect.
No, I’ve heard enough.
The Heavenly Demon had twice insisted he would not be defeated and specifically claimed the Soul Sword would be ineffective.
Those statements implied he possessed a specific countermeasure or a defensive technique designed for that exact threat.
Knowing he had secured vital intelligence to relay to Glenn, Raon felt a surge of grim satisfaction.
"That is between you and him."
Raon dismissed the topic with a wave of his hand.
"I will repeat myself. I am here to settle the debt for Birdnew Village. You failed to restrain your subordinates, and Zieghart has suffered for it."
He declared his purpose, standing tall as the representative of the Light Wind Palace and the Zieghart name. He refused to show even a hint of physical weakness or deference.
"I accept the charge."
The Heavenly Demon nodded, surprisingly willing to take the blame.
"What is your price? Shall I slaughter the lesser shadows within Paradise? If it is a debt of blood you seek, surely you have already spilled enough of it during your ascent?"
His eyes sharpened, and a suffocating pressure began to radiate from him, suggesting he would react violently if Raon's demands were unreasonable.
"I cut down only those who stood in my way. I do not deal in the mindless butchery that you favor."
Raon raised Heavenly Drive, his resolve unyielding. Though his energy reserves were dangerously low, his moral conviction kept him upright.
"Syria Sullion's plots, the Bear Fire Demon's corruption, and the actions of the ghosts under them... all of it stems from your lack of oversight."
He leveled the point of his sword at the Heavenly Demon's throat.
"The responsibility lies with you. Pay it."
Raon's voice was cold, a frost forming on the edge of his blade to match his tone.
"Responsibility..."
The Heavenly Demon ignored the killing intent as if it were a minor breeze, tapping his gloved fingers against his chin.
"Your logic is sound."
He conceded the point, his demeanor almost cordial now that he viewed Raon as a true martial artist.
"Then I shall settle the account in this manner."
The Heavenly Demon drew a deep, resonant breath and struck the ground with his heel. The earth buckled and groaned as if in pain, and a torrent of dark red energy erupted like a volcanic surge.
Whatever the crimson aura touched was instantly reduced to cinders. The very atmosphere seemed to be purged by his sheer presence.
Kugugugugugugugu!
Within the center of the swirling, blood-red cyclone, the Heavenly Demon raised his hands. The sky seemed to fracture under the weight of his power, and the ground split wide, unable to support the gravity of his existence.
Kuung!
He began to walk toward Raon, his fists wreathed in energy so concentrated it warped the fabric of space. With every footfall, the world seemed to pulse, expanding and contracting as black fissures tore through the air.
It felt as though the laws of reality were being rewritten to suit the Heavenly Demon's will.
"Ugh..."
Raon swallowed hard, tightening his grip on Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword.
His mental and physical state was teetering on the edge of collapse after sustaining two Sword Domains, but he braced himself.
If he were struck by the Demon in this state, it wouldn't just be his life that ended—his very essence would be erased.
I can't stop this. Not even at my best.
As the Demon drew closer, every instinct in Raon's body screamed of imminent demise. The power radiating from the man was beyond anything he could hope to parry or evade.
There is only one card left...
A final Sword Domain. Demon King’s Descent—inviting the full presence of Wrath into his physical form. It was a desperate gamble that would likely ruin his martial foundations, but it was the only way to protect his comrades and himself.
Damn it all!
Raon bit his lip until it bled, preparing to shift his grip on his sword for the transformation.
Step.
The Heavenly Demon halted exactly five paces away. He raised both of his fists high.
"Observe."
Instead of lunging forward, he turned his power inward, striking his own body with the force he had intended for the sky.
"I shall provide the recompense you require."
The Heavenly Demon’s right fist exploded against his own left side, shattering his ribs and waist, while his left fist drove inward with a sickening crunch, collapsing his right chest.
"What...?"
Raon stared, his mouth hanging open in shock.
But the Heavenly Demon did not stop. His fists glowed with even more intense, murderous energy as he continued the self-destruction.
Even as he sprayed dark, thick blood and his white bones became visible through torn flesh, the relentless rhythm of the self-inflicted blows continued.
Kuwaaaaang!
