Chapter 1309
A youth with crimson hair was mirrored in Raon’s own ruby gaze. The newcomer was clad in a tattered, ancient robe that appeared to be a patchwork of coarse burlap. He leaned on his blade as if it were a walking stick, pinning it into the earth for support. Beside him, a figure with a black band covering both eyes drew near, a smirk playing across his mouth.
"Darkan...?"
The Dark Night Sword God, Darkan. He was the former master of the Holy Sword Alliance and the demented duelist who had plucked out his own sight just to close the gap between himself and the Northern Destructive King, Glenn Zieghart. Now, he was standing atop the peaks of Mount Melvin.
"What brings you to this place?"
Raon stared at Darkan, his pupils vibrating with shock. Darkan had previously claimed he was departing to process the revelations he found at Zieghart; Raon had envisioned him sequestered in some remote cavern. He never dreamed their paths would cross on Mount Melvin, a place saturated with celestial energy.
—Wait? Is that that lunatic again?
Wrath also seemed to recognize the man, his mouth hanging open in a perfect circle.
—I’m right, aren't I? The maniac who gouged his own eyes out and started living like a vagrant!
The entity let out a weary breath, his memory of Darkan’s bizarre history remains perfectly intact.
'Precisely.'
Raon exhaled a brief, sharp sigh and gave a single nod.
'Of all the locations, why here?'
Darkan was a human whose behavior defied logic, exactly as Wrath described. Truthfully, this was a nightmare scenario. Darkan was so erratic and impossible to manage that Raon would have preferred facing almost any other foe over this unpredictable swordsman.
'He’s evolved. No... has he really gotten stronger?'
Raon narrowed his eyelids until they were mere slits, scrutinizing the man.
'I can’t pinpoint his essence.'
Though Darkan was standing right there, his spiritual signature was elusive. It felt like trying to focus on a shimmering heat haze or a desert illusion—blurry and disorienting. It was impossible to gauge whether Darkan had truly ascended to a new level of power.
—This King senses the same thing.
Wrath squinted at Darkan, his expression sour.
—That Sword Maniac’s presence is impossible to lock onto.
He moved his jaw, noting that his own senses were being tricked, leading to a delayed reaction.
"So, it really is you."
Darkan flashed a bright, refreshed grin, as if he had been expecting this encounter.
"Raon Zieghart."
Despite his lack of vision, he identified Raon instantly and dipped his head.
"You have developed quite impressively. At this moment..."
Darkan caused the hilt of the sword he used as a cane to vibrate and tilted his face upward.
"I find myself wanting to shatter your blade."
He licked his lips slowly, clearly sensing the massive growth Raon had undergone.
"I'll have to pass for now,"
Raon countered, waving a hand dismissively.
"I have no desire to duel in this place."
Darkan possessed a volatile temperament. If Raon tried to explain things in depth, the man might become overstimulated and level everything in sight, including the holy sanctuary. It was safer to keep him at arm's length.
"This area..."
Darkan pivoted his head toward the space behind Raon and clicked his tongue.
"It appears the filth from the base of the mountain is leaking out from right here."
He twitched his fingers while facing the dimensional rift opened by the sword, acting as if he could perceive it perfectly.
"You climbed up here knowing that?"
Raon let out a dry, disbelieving chuckle. He couldn't fathom how Darkan had detected the divine aura that even he and Wrath had struggled to notice.
"Didn't I mention it before?"
Darkan’s smile widened as he tapped his black eyepatch.
"Once my sight vanished, I gained the ability to perceive the world with far more precision. I am also aware that the strike which tore the fabric of reality behind you was made by a sword devoid of aura. Though it appears you utilized some peculiar trait."
He nodded to himself, asserting that he could feel every detail without the need for eyes.
"That’s absurd."
Raon felt a slight tension at the bridge of his nose as he watched the relaxed Darkan.
'Is such a thing even possible?'
It was one thing to realize Raon had sliced through space, but to identify that a trait was used instead of aura was another matter entirely. This wasn't the same as Dorian’s Mind’s Eye. It was a unique, heightened sixth sense that Darkan had forged himself through sheer willpower.
"Raon Zieghart. Your blade and your energy are undeniably untainted. They are so pure that even Glenn Zieghart would find it hard to match. Conversely, the power behind you feels clammy and dark. It wears a mask of nobility and grace, but it reeks of the sewers."
Darkan scowled, describing the divine energy—which most would consider holy—as a foul stench. He waved his hands through the air as if trying to brush away a physical odor.
"Haaa."
Raon let out a heavy breath and rested a hand on his hip.
'I can't hide anything from him if he can sense that much.'
Darkan might be fixated on the sword, but he was no simpleton. He was the commander who had once ruled the massive Holy Sword Alliance; he likely already understood the gravity of the situation.
—That lunatic is actually intelligent?
Wrath tilted his head, looking skeptical.
—From where this King stands, there isn't a bigger idiot alive!
He scoffed, insisting that Darkan was the most foolish individual among the world's elite.
'You're dead wrong about that.'
Raon disagreed, knowing that underestimating Darkan was a recipe for disaster.
'Pay close attention.'
After telling Wrath to observe and form a better opinion, Raon turned back to the blind swordsman.
"Darkan. Stay exactly where you are."
Raon steadied his breathing and signaled with his hand.
"If you use your aura to step into this dimension..."
"Then a trail will be left behind,"
Darkan finished calmly, having already reached that conclusion.
"If that weren't the risk, your own aura would be lingering in that sword gash."
He let out a soft laugh, finding the logic behind the situation obvious.
"Very well. You wouldn't care about Archangels anyway."
Raon ran a hand through his hair and nodded.
"This domain is a sanctuary constructed by the Archangels to anchor their influence on this world. I came to survey the area before the final Archangel arrives."
He spoke the truth regarding his presence on Mount Melvin and lowered his weapon.
"So..."
Darkan’s hands twitched with anticipation, his lips curling into a sharp line.
"Hmm..."
Raon felt his throat go dry as he watched Darkan’s breathing accelerate. Uncertain of what the man would do next, he tightened his grip on Heavenly Drive, his body taut with readiness.
However, the question Darkan posed was entirely unexpected.
"Has Glenn Zieghart grown significantly more powerful?"
Darkan bypassed the topic of Archangels entirely, focused solely on Glenn.
"Ha..."
Raon’s tension evaporated, replaced by a hollow laugh. The moment he heard the question, his defensive posture softened.
"Why are you mocking me? Don't tell me Glenn has met some misfortune?"
Darkan leaned his torso forward, his obsession with Glenn as intense as ever.
"No. He is in excellent health."
Raon offered a small smile and waved a hand.
"He remains in deep meditation. When you see him next, he won't let you down."
He assured the man that Glenn would be far more formidable than anything Darkan could imagine.
"Kahahahahaha!"
Darkan pressed a hand to his forehead and roared with laughter. Even without a drop of aura, the sound seemed to vibrate through the entirety of Mount Melvin.
"Of course! That man is incapable of being a disappointment!"
He smiled, savoring the thought of the day he would finally duel Glenn once more.
"However, before that day comes..."
Darkan licked his lips and took a deliberate step toward Raon.
"I want to experience the progress of your sword, now that you have touched the absolute."
He shifted his cane-sword to his hip, signaling his intent to challenge Raon immediately.
"Alright."
Raon gave a steady nod.
'I knew it would come to this.'
Darkan was a man possessed by the way of the sword. It was inevitable that a Sword Fanatic like him wouldn't stay passive after witnessing Raon's advancement.
"But not right now."
Raon raised a hand to halt Darkan, who was preparing to draw.
"If you strike at me this instant, I will refuse to draw my steel, no matter what."
He frowned, making it clear he would simply vanish from the spot.
"Hmm..."
Darkan gestured with his chin for Raon to continue.
"As I stated, I am here to inspect the sanctuary of the Archangels. Once I have completed my investigation and descended, I will grant you the duel you desire."
Raon lowered his hand, asking for patience.
"Grrrr."
Darkan let out a frustrated growl and gripped his head, clearly loathing the wait.
"Fine! But do not expect me to wait for long."
He returned his sword to its cane-like position, agreeing only because he felt he owed Raon a favor.
—He really is a sword-addicted freak.
Wrath shivered, noting that just looking at Darkan gave him the creeps.
'That's for sure.'
Raon sighed and turned around.
'I just hope he doesn't get in the way, even if he doesn't help.'
He scanned the sanctuary, praying Darkan would remain still. Fortunately, the space felt uninhabited. There was no sign of life.
'I need to inspect the interior.'
Raon stood before a massive ivory gate to enter the sanctuary. The doors were intricately carved with various celestial beings; he even recognized Raphael and Sariel, whom he had already defeated, among the reliefs.
"This is the sanctuary of the Archangels?"
Darkan, who had been standing outside the dimensional boundary, had somehow appeared right behind him.
"Darkan!"
"Relax. I haven't used any presence or energy."
Darkan waved it off, insisting he hadn't compromised the stealth of the mission. Indeed, Raon could see he was using no aura and leaving no spiritual footprint.
"Actually, you were the one about to make a mistake."
He pointed a finger toward the gateway.
"It’s unwise to touch those doors. If you lay a hand on them, your signature will be permanently recorded."
Darkan’s smirk widened as he stared at the carvings of the angels.
"How could you possibly know that?"
Raon's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Didn't I say it? Once the eyes are gone, you see so much more."
Darkan chuckled, claiming that someone with sight could never perceive such nuances in a hundred lifetimes.
"Hmm..."
Raon looked back at the gateway, still skeptical.
"Fine. Let's finish this quickly. I’ll assist you."
Darkan held his hands out toward the doors, urging Raon to trust him. With a subtle twist of his grip, the massive gates began to groan and slide open as if pushed by an invisible, overwhelming force.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The towering twin doors, which seemed to pierce the sky, swung wide. A soft, golden luminescence began to spill out from the darkness within.
'Now I’ll see it.'
Raon stared into the heart of the sanctuary, his eyes wide despite the blinding gold light.
'How these Archangels siphon the power to defy the Law of Causality.'
He rested his palm on the hilt of Heavenly Drive, determined to dismantle their methods so Uriel could never exert his full strength.
"What...?"
However, his resolve hit a wall of confusion as the light faded to reveal... nothing. The interior was utterly vacant, resembling a hollowed-out, derelict building. The divine resonance within was faint and dying.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Raon swallowed hard.
'Could they have concealed something deeper inside?'
Just as the temple itself was hidden within a dimension, it seemed he was in for a frustrating search for hidden compartments.
'They really enjoy making things difficult...'
As Raon stood there sighing and scowling.
"What do we have here?"
Darkan reached behind a massive stone pillar and hauled something into the light.
"What a peculiar little creature."
What he held between his fingers was a puff of red cotton candy, looking remarkably similar to Wrath.
[Release me!]
The red puff gnashed its teeth at Raon and Darkan.
[How dare a filthy mortal lay hands on me! I am...]
The cotton candy shrieked with an arrogance that felt strangely familiar.
[The Archangel Azazel!]
