Chapter 1268
"……."
Raon narrowed his gaze until his eyes were as thin as thread, observing the woman in the helmet who had addressed him as the Sword Emperor.
'She possesses immense power.'
The primary sensation that struck him upon seeing the figure wearing the Beautiful Woman's Helmet was singular: she was formidable. This woman was a terrifying combatant, someone who could be ranked among the most elite martial artists he had ever encountered.
Her Fighting Spirit was far more concentrated than what he had anticipated based on her status as the Heavenly Demon's student. The potent Aura he had detected on the mountainside was enough to send a chill down his spine.
'I had naturally assumed it would be a man.'
It was unexpected to find a woman in this role.
The pupil of the Heavenly Demon wasn't merely utilizing a Beautiful Woman's Helmet as a disguise; she was actually a woman of slender build.
When he had first heard of a disciple of the Heavenly Demon from the Silent Serpent Swordsman and sensed that intense Fighting Spirit, he had taken it for granted that the warrior was male. Finding a lithe woman instead was somewhat disorienting.
"Are you the one who studies under the Heavenly Demon?"
Raon gave a composed nod, masking his inner surprise.
"The Heavenly Demon is a being who stands entirely alone in this realm."
The woman behind the Beautiful Woman's Helmet slowly lowered her lids before opening them again.
"There are merely mortals who follow him of their own volition, but such a concept as his disciple does not exist in this world."
She gave a cold shake of her head, denying any official tie to the Heavenly Demon.
"Hmm...?"
Raon turned his gaze toward the Silent Serpent Swordsman, a frown deepening on his face.
"She only speaks that way. In truth, she has been molded by the Heavenly Demon's own instructions!"
The Silent Serpent Swordsman gestured frantically with both hands, insisting that the woman in the helmet was being deceptive.
"Every one of us recognizes her as the Heavenly Demon's disciple, yet she is the only one who denies it?"
He thrust a fist into the air, implying that the truth would be revealed through combat.
"Silent Serpent Swordsman. Was it you who guided them to this place?"
The Heavenly Demon's disciple fixed a piercing stare on the Silent Serpent Swordsman, her voice dripping with frost.
"Not at all! I am only here as a prisoner because I value my life!"
The Silent Serpent Swordsman shook his head violently, explaining that Raon had captured him.
"And you truly are his disciple! Just stop the denial already!"
He let out a derisive snort at her.
"The Heavenly Demon's disciple... now that I think about it, there might have been such a person."
The woman in the Beautiful Woman's Helmet took a step forward.
"Raon Zieghart. A woman you are quite familiar with."
She looked up at Raon, her breath visible in the chilly air.
"Are you referring to Sia Zieghart?"
Raon felt a slight tension in his lips as he spoke Sia's name.
'Even though my sister has no memory of it, Father mentioned she was once with the Heavenly Demon.'
Sia had been stripped of her memories from her time as the Green King, but his father had confirmed she had spent a period with the Heavenly Demon. Based on the words of this helmeted woman, it appeared Sia had indeed refined her martial arts under the Heavenly Demon's tutelage.
"Precisely."
The woman in the helmet gave a steady nod.
"If a true disciple of the Heavenly Demon exists, it would be her alone. She possesses a level of genius that even the Heavenly Demon would have to acknowledge."
She spoke the names of the Heavenly Demon and Sia with total detachment, as if she were merely reporting dry facts.
-No, from this king's perspective, that woman is undoubtedly the disciple of the Heavenly Demon after all.
Wrath scowled, appearing certain now.
'How can you be so sure?'
-Because I can detect the essence of that conceited bastard within her.
'Conceited?'
Raon tilted his head, failing to grasp Wrath's meaning.
'Wait, you don't mean...'
-Pride! I sense the aura of that wretch who believes he is the center of the universe!
Wrath ground his teeth, claiming that just like the Heavenly Demon, he could feel the presence of the Monarch of Pride emanating from this woman as well.
'It is certainly there...'
Raon lowered his brow, re-evaluating the woman before him.
'I can feel a presence that is distinct from that of a normal human.'
The gap between Raon and the Heavenly Demon was too vast for him to properly identify the traces of pride, but from this woman, an aura that no ordinary mortal could generate was flowing forth.
It was a power separate from the Fighting Spirit derived from the traits of monsters. He could sense a sinister weight that could only be forged by someone who had mastered the darkest of human emotions.
'This is fundamentally different from the authorities I hold.'
Pride, staying true to its essence, exerted a heavy pressure, as if it intended to flatten everything in its path.
Raon felt that if he did not possess the strength of other demon kings, he might have instinctively bowed before her.
-However...
The creature clicked his tongue, seemingly annoyed by a nagging thought.
-I feel as though I recognize the face carved into that helmet from somewhere?
Wrath rubbed his head, mentioning that the beauty depicted on the woman's mask felt strangely familiar.
'As usual, you aren't helping much.'
Knowing the origin of the helmet would have been a significant advantage, but it was typical for the demon king to provide no practical assistance in the end.
"Disciple of the Heavenly Demon, by what name are you known?"
Raon stepped forward to match her presence, lifting his chin high. He radiated a spirit even more intense than one who held the Authority of Pride.
"Death Sword Spirit."
The woman placed her hand upon the hilt of the blade at her hip and parted her crimson lips.
"Address me as Death Sword Spirit."
She gave a nod, insisting he use that title rather than calling her the Heavenly Demon's disciple.
"Death Sword Spirit..."
Raon repeated the name under his breath, his brow furrowing.
'That name carries a darker weight than it first suggests.'
The title implied a soul of the sword that beckons death. While spirits are usually regarded as pure entities, the addition of death created a localized sense of dread that washed over his skin.
"For what reason has the Sword Emperor of Zieghart traveled to Paradise? Furthermore..."
Death Sword Spirit tightened her slender fingers around her weapon, her eyes growing cold.
"To trespass by destroying the rear gate and slaughtering the hounds that protect Paradise."
Her tone dropped to a menacing register, and a terrifying Fighting Spirit erupted from her.
"Hmm..."
"To think a Fighting Spirit of this magnitude existed..."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace began to turn deathly pale under the weight of Death Sword Spirit's overwhelming aura.
"Huu..."
"I didn't know there was another woman of such caliber."
Burren activated the Sharp Wind Technique to withstand the pressure, while Martha, though breaking into a cold sweat, clicked her tongue as if she had identified a fresh challenge.
"..."
Runaan stood her ground against the crushing Fighting Spirit of this absolute power, refusing to yield an inch as she gripped her sword. Her stance made it clear she would defend the Light Wind Palace against any assault, regardless of the cost.
"I am here to see the Heavenly Demon."
Raon was well aware that his subordinates were struggling against her aura, yet he remained calm and did not take immediate action to shield them.
"You are the current commander of Eden, are you not? Whether you claim to be his disciple or not is irrelevant. Simply inform me of the Heavenly Demon's whereabouts."
He gave a casual flick of his finger, suggesting he would depart from this "Paradise" the moment she provided the location.
"To see the Heavenly Demon..."
Death Sword Spirit let out a hollow, mocking laugh and nodded.
"Is that why you demolished the gates of this holy ground and killed the guardians? If that is the case, I have even less reason to let you leave."
She unsheathed her sword, declaring that the Light Wind Palace, having violated the one-year truce, would not be permitted to walk away.
The blade was a pitch-black steel that seemed to swallow all light, radiating a freezing killing intent.
It was a weapon that perfectly complemented the name Death Sword Spirit.
"State your purpose. Why do you search for the Heavenly Demon?"
She unleashed an aura even more horrific than before, signaling that she would strike him down instantly if he failed to provide a reason. Under the weight of her presence, the sky of Eden, which had been a serene blue, began to crack with black fissures, and the ground began to vibrate violently.
Kuguuuguuguugu!
Faced with the Fighting Spirit of a master who had moved past Transcendence into the realm of the absolute, every member of the Light Wind Palace began to shudder.
Despite this, none of them collapsed. They demonstrated a grim determination not to surrender to Eden, even if the pressure threatened to suffocate them.
Huuuuk!
The moment Raon raised a hand, the crushing weight of Death Sword Spirit's aura evaporated as if it had been washed away by a tide.
"I certainly have my reasons. But..."
Raon's lips curled into a smirk as he met her flashing, frigid eyes.
"You lack the status to hear them. Just reveal the location of the Heavenly Demon."
He kept his chin raised, refusing to offer her any explanation.
"Ha..."
Death Sword Spirit bit her lip, her composure finally breaking, and she began to twirl her dark blade.
"I did not realize today would be the day the Sword Emperor of Zieghart meets his end."
She projected a murderous intent that suggested she was entirely certain of her victory over Raon.
"In that case, let us place a wager."
Raon removed his hand from Heavenly Drive and held up a finger.
"If I best you, you will provide the location of the Heavenly Demon. On the other hand, if you defeat me, I shall disclose my reasons for seeking him."
He proposed they gamble for the information each of them desired.
"..."
Death Sword Spirit narrowed her eyes, seemingly trying to decipher Raon's hidden intentions.
"Very well."
Coming to a decision, she nodded with confidence.
"However, if you are killed, who will be left to provide the answer?"
"My Vice Palace Master will inform you."
Raon gave a small laugh and gestured toward Burren.
"Or you could simply ask this fellow here."
He nudged the trembling Bear Fire Demon forward with a shrug.
"Though, of course, that scenario will not come to pass."
Raon gave a dismissive flick of his finger, inviting her to attack with everything she had.
"If I fall, the master of that spire will descend to reveal the Heavenly Demon's path to you."
Death Sword Spirit refused to be swayed by his taunts and increased the speed of her sword's rotation, silently accepting the challenge.
"Then we begin."
The moment the words left her lips, she lunged forward, her body bent low as she launched her sword like a projectile fired from a heavy bow.
Kuuuung!
Even before the shockwave of the earth's tremor could be felt, her blade was already inches from Raon's eyes.
'Impressive speed.'
Raon breathed a word of silent praise as he drew Heavenly Drive to meet her.
Huuuuk!
In that instant, her dark sword moved with an unnatural fluidity, like a serpent coiling up a trunk, slipping past the defenses of Heavenly Drive.
Piaaaang!
Death Sword Spirit aimed a lethal thrust directly at his throat, clearly intending to finish the duel with a single strike.
Seuuuuu!
Raon remained unruffled by her rapid, savage, and unpredictable bladework. He raised his sword with perfect poise.
Kyaaaaang!
The fires that erupted from the edge of Heavenly Drive formed a solid barrier of flame, intercepting the dark sword. It was the Fire Wall of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, designed to shatter and repel incoming steel.
However, the result was not what Raon had foreseen.
Tsijjijjik!
The dark blade sliced through the intense heat of the Fire Wall and made direct contact with Heavenly Drive.
While he remained unhurt, it was clear the dark sword possessed a sharpness and power that exceeded his estimates.
"Despite your arrogance, your swordplay is lacking."
Death Sword Spirit let out a mocking laugh and lunged forward once more. Her steps were ethereal, as if she were drifting on the breeze, and her technique was precise enough to cut through the very flames.
Her martial skill was worthy of the title of an absolute master, and when bolstered by the power of the surrounding formation, her sword strength seemed unstoppable.
Raon blocked the torrential downpour of her slashes, his eyes remaining cool and focused.
"You are indeed a cut above the rest."
He nodded, parrying her fierce assault by the narrowest of margins.
"This is truly martial prowess befitting a disciple of the Heavenly Demon."
"I have already told you I am no such thing!"
Infuriated by the title, she increased the ferocity and speed of her thrusts. The black blade moved at a speed invisible to the eye, creating a kaleidoscope of shifting strikes.
"It makes no difference what you choose to call yourself."
Raon spoke softly and pulled Heavenly Drive back toward his hip.
Chiaaaang!
Radiant golden flames ignited on the silver blade, moving faster than the speed of light and incinerating all the flickering shadows of the dark sword that crowded his vision.
Chwaaaak!
The lethality of Heavenly Drive did not stop at clearing the air; it bit deep into Death Sword Spirit's shoulder.
"You..."
She recoiled instantly, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at her wounded shoulder.
"The conclusion of this encounter is already set..."
Raon tilted his head back with an air of superiority, the blood on Heavenly Drive evaporating in the heat of his blade.
"It will conclude with your death and the revelation of the Heavenly Demon's location."
