Chapter 1303
'Just as I thought...'
Raon gave a composed nod of his chin as he observed the head of Archangel Sariel being severed.
'Everything went according to plan.'
Knowing that Archangel Sariel possessed immense arrogance, Raon had calculated that the humiliation of seeing the Winten King—whom the angel had dispatched—thwarted by mere mortals would provoke Sariel into a direct confrontation.
However, because the archangel was also as wary and skittish as a vermin, it was certain he would have fled immediately if Raon had displayed overwhelming combat power or the Authority of Wrath from the beginning.
'That is why...'
He had utilized the Soul Sword to manifest a different version of himself.
The Soul Sword operates on a plane distinct from standard martial techniques. It is more than a blade meant to sever an adversary's spirit; it is capable of weaving protective barriers and armor to safeguard one's own essence.
'Naturally, this instance didn't call for a shield, but a change of guise.'
He had feigned a soul trembling with terror to entice Archangel Sariel into revealing his true, sinister nature. Reaching such a state is typically considered impossible, yet by mastering the fine control of the Soul Sword, Raon had gained the ability to simulate spiritual emotions that are supposed to be impossible to fake.
—Th-this cannot be...
Wrath’s eyes stretched wide in sheer disbelief.
—A blade that can trick the soul itself? This is going too far!
His jaw quivered as he muttered that he had never even considered the Soul Sword being applied in such a deceptive manner.
'I was surprised by it as well.'
Raon gave a small nod, lowering Heavenly Drive. The blade remained pristine, without a solitary speck of blood.
'It appears the Soul Sword matured while I was tending to the anxieties of others.'
He had simply sat and listened to the tribulations of those seeking the sage's counsel to ease their mental burdens, yet that act had somehow bolstered his Soul Sword's progress and expanded his spiritual horizon. The growth was so substantial it honestly left him feeling slightly stunned.
'Furthermore, I’ve gained techniques that differ from my initial expectations.'
—Different techniques?
Wrath scowled, clearly confused by the statement.
'The Soul Sword has birthed fresh capabilities.'
He had assumed that the evolution of the Soul Sword would simply grant him world-shaking power similar to that of Glenn.
Instead of just raw destructive force, he had acquired the subtle ability to perceive the inner thoughts of others through delicate control of the Soul Sword, as well as the power to mask his own true feelings.
'That was the key to drawing Sariel into range.'
To ensure Sariel didn't retreat, Raon put on an act of being cowed by the presence of the royals and aristocrats the angel had brought along. He even purposely ignored the plight of the commoners despite knowing they were falling under a spell.
He remained motionless, allowing the haughty Sariel to sneer and look down upon him, biding his time until the angel’s vigilance completely evaporated.
In that moment, he knit together the spirits of those who stood by him in that space, forming a blade array constructed from human souls.
Once the Soul Sword formation—which amplified the spiritual realm—was triggered, the citizens who had been under Sariel's thrall regained their clarity. In doing so, they projected an immense spiritual weight back onto the royalty and nobles.
Raon did not waste the heartbeat where Sariel stood frozen in shock. He struck with a speed that outpaced the angel’s reaction, slicing through both the physical neck and the metaphysical soul simultaneously.
"Ugh..."
"Why... why am I standing here?"
"What just occurred..."
"Why is there such a massive crowd!"
The high-ranking nobles and royalty, previously puppets of Archangel Sariel, gripped their temples and groaned in pain, their memories of the possession seemingly wiped clean.
'The people have regained their senses.'
With the fall of Archangel Sariel, the souls he had ensnared were finally liberated. However, the transition wasn't perfect, and it was clear they would require medical attention and rest to fully recover.
'Still, compared to what I anticipated...'
Raon glanced down at Sariel’s divided remains before looking away.
'It was a rather simple conclusion.'
Since one does not achieve the status of an archangel through mental manipulation alone, Raon had expected Sariel to possess some terrifying hidden trump card. Yet there he lay, slumped against the earth, dead before he could even voice a final cry.
—A simple conclusion?
Wrath gave a mocking snort and shook his head.
—Have you already let my warnings about Sariel slip your mind?
He tapped his own head, gesturing for Raon to search his memory.
'Regarding Sariel?'
Raon's brow furrowed slightly as he considered Wrath's prompt.
'What am I missing?'
He reviewed the encounter, but couldn't find a flaw. He had exploited Sariel’s pride and countered his caution by playing weak. He felt he had accounted for everything, leaving him perplexed by Wrath's skepticism.
—Not those things.
Wrath huffed, as if Raon was missing the forest for the trees.
—Have you forgotten the specific title I used for Sariel?
'The title...'
Raon felt a dry lump in his throat as his gaze returned to the corpse of the angel.
'The Archangel of Death and Dominion...?'
The moment those specific words—death and dominion—surfaced in his mind.
Kuwaaaaang!
An explosion of blinding golden radiance erupted from Sariel’s lifeless body, which had undoubtedly ceased breathing. The light was so fierce it threatened to sear the eyes.
Chiiiiik!
Amidst a plume of ethereal white mist, the bisected Sariel hauled his frame back upright. His eyes burned with a malevolent scarlet light, and he unfurled eight magnificent wings that had been hidden until now.
"So, it truly is you."
Archangel Sariel nodded slowly, as if a puzzle piece had finally clicked into place.
"Raon Zieghart. A mere newborn gnat, yet you’ve managed to reach the peak of the threat list."
He flashed a row of white teeth, clearly having learned of Raon's identity through Derus Robert.
"How are you standing?"
Raon narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the figure of Archangel Sariel.
'He was dead. I’m certain of it.'
He had felt his enhanced Soul Sword cleave through both the flesh and the spirit of the angel. It was a strike of absolute lethality, yet somehow, the being had returned.
"I wonder."
Archangel Sariel’s mouth curled into a mocking grin.
"Why don't you struggle to find out?"
He tilted his head back in a gesture of dismissal and slammed his heel into the ground.
Kuuuuung!
As Archangel Sariel unleashed his true martial pressure, a violent shockwave tore through the area, sending people tumbling like falling tiles.
"Ugh..."
"Aaaah!"
Conversely, the nobles, royals, and warriors who had been under his thrall began to shamble forward behind Sariel. Their eyes were vacant and glassy like corpses, suggesting his mental dominion had only grown more potent.
—That wretch is a creature that refuses to stay dead.
Wrath stared at Archangel Sariel and let out a chilling laugh.
—Surrender your body to me this instant! I will bury that coward within the eternal frost so he can never crawl back to life!
He raised a clenched fist, intent on finishing Sariel personally. It was evident that his old grudges still burned brightly.
'No, I've got this.'
Raon gave a steady shake of his head and gripped Heavenly Drive once more.
"If killing him once isn't enough, I'll just keep doing it until it sticks."
With a firm vow to see the fight through, he unleashed Frost Snap at the archangel.
Paaaang!
Blades of concentrated ice and lethal cold streaked out from every angle, converging on Sariel’s form.
Kyaaaang!
Proving his status, Sariel instantly deciphered the trajectory of Frost Snap and blanketed himself in holy energy to parry the freezing strikes.
"What a persistent, insect-like style!"
He scoffed at the technique as if it were beneath him, then lashed out with a golden whip that crackled with celestial power.
Kuwaaaaang!
The impact of Sariel’s whip tore a massive, bottomless chasm into the earth.
"You'll make a fine addition to my thralls! I’ll ensure you retain just enough mind to feel your own shame!"
He unleashed a barrage of whips that split into dozens of flickering lashes, aiming to ensnare Raon’s very soul.
"Eek!"
"Nooo!"
"Someone, please help!"
The onlookers, seeing the massive whips descending like golden lightning strikes from the heavens, collapsed in despair, unable to even attempt an escape.
Whooooosh!
Just as the lashes were set to crush the skulls of the helpless crowd, a wall of golden fire surged upward.
Claaaang!
Raon had swung Heavenly Drive, now wreathed in the intense heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, intercepting and neutralizing every single branch of Sariel’s whip.
"I’ll have to pass on that offer."
Following the strike with Heavenly Drive, Raon unsheathed the Wooden Ring Sword. He plunged both weapons into the cracked earth, projecting an even more profound manifestation of his spiritual realm.
Sword Domain - Divine-Demonic Harmony.
Behind Raon’s silhouette, a celestial sun and moon materialized, shining with a brilliance that eclipsed even the archangel’s light.
Chiaaaaang!
Raon took hold of the Divine Sword and the Demonic Sword—now radiating more intensely than the angel—and lunged forward.
"I’m the type of person who finds your 'spectating' quite dull."
Returning the insult, he declared that watching the angel wouldn't be entertaining either, as he crossed both blades.
Swaaaash!
The two swords, one bearing the essence of fire and the other of ice, sliced through the very fabric of space, shearing through Archangel Sariel’s wings.
"Guhk!"
Archangel Sariel failed to even register Raon’s Spatial Slash before he was sent crashing into the dirt, coughing up blood.
"You... you wretched brat... Wait!"
As he struggled to regain his footing and stay aloft through sheer willpower.
Swoooosh!
Raon, who had been on the ground a moment ago, was suddenly inches from Sariel’s face.
"Don't worry too much."
Raon hoisted the Divine Sword high above his head and gestured with his chin.
"I have no interest in watching you either."
His voice was like ice as he brought the blade down with merciless precision.
Beoooook!
The Divine Sword, wreathed in roaring flames, split Archangel Sariel’s form cleanly in two.
"Kaaaaaaah!"
Amidst the scorching heat, both the body and the soul of Archangel Sariel began to incinerate.
"You lack any real grace."
Raon let out a dismissive snort and readied the Demonic Sword.
"Just like a bug."
He threw back the very insult Sariel had used against humanity as he brought the Demonic Sword down in a sweeping arc.
Kyaaaang!
Archangel Sariel was flash-frozen alongside the golden fire, his form then shattering into dozens of icy fragments.
—Ha! Even if Sariel's combat skills were always his weakest point, I didn't expect this level of dominance.
Wrath let out a short whistle of admiration, genuinely taken aback by how easily Raon was dismantling an archangel.
—You truly have grown formidable!
He blinked, acknowledging that while he knew Raon had improved, he hadn't realized the boy could handle a high-ranking celestial so effortlessly.
'It's thanks to your help.'
Raon offered a faint smile and a nod.
—Hmph! You’d better mean that.
Wrath snorted, though he clearly appreciated the sentiment.
—Don’t lower your guard. That nuisance might just pop back up again.
He shook his head, warning that the struggle was likely far from over.
'I’m aware.'
Just as Raon was acknowledging the warning.
Paaaang!
A colossal beam of light shot into the sky, and the shattered pieces of Sariel knit themselves back into a whole entity.
"Ugh!"
Though he had resurrected, Sariel seemed to still be reeling from the phantom pain of the killing blow. He stomped his foot in a blind rage while glaring at Raon.
Kuuuuung!
The force of his tantrum rippled outward, knocking down the few survivors who had tried to flee.
"Go on, try it again!"
Sariel’s eyes glowed with madness as his lips curled into a bloody sneer.
"Unlike a pathetic insect like you, I am truly immortal!"
He hissed with a frigid malice, promising that Raon would expire long before he did.
"I see it now."
Raon gave a slow, knowing nod as he stared at the flickering red eyes of Archangel Sariel.
"I understand the trick behind your resurrection."
"Wh-what...?"
Sariel’s jaw tightened, caught off guard by Raon’s unwavering composure.
"Stop your bluffing!"
He ground his teeth together, refusing to entertain the possibility.
"You can decide for yourself if it's a bluff. Although..."
Raon raised the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, both now shimmering with red and blue heat hazes. A crimson glint sparked in his own eyes.
"That's assuming you're still in one piece by then."
