The heavens were stripped of their clouds, and the echoes of the mountains were snuffed out. The mere arrival of Archangel Uriel imposed a heavy silence upon the world.
The radiance pulsing from Archangel Uriel was so intense it could have drowned out the noon sun, yet this was no comforting warmth; it was a frigid, piercing light that felt like a heartless blade. This icy glow, which seemed to loathe the very breath of mortals, was being radiated as pure, unadulterated fury.
While Uriel’s physical shape resembled that of a human, his aura was as vast as an entire range of peaks and as deep as the great ocean, far too immense to be captured by sight alone. With eight pairs of wings broad enough to shroud the earth and scarlet embers dancing upon his shoulders, he looked like the harbinger of humanity’s ultimate doom.
Uriel remained perfectly still, yet the crimson fire ignited of its own accord, causing the firmament and the soil to seethe. The atmosphere grew as dense as solid lead, and the entire perimeter encompassing Mount Melvin and the sanctuary began to liquefy. These were the fires of retribution, meant to scrub every trace of corruption from the earth.
'How is this possible...'
Raon felt his throat go dry as he gazed into Uriel’s majestic eyes.
'How can a single being possess such a weight?'
The sun, usually the highest and brightest point of the world, vanished from his perception. Nothing could penetrate his awareness except for the Archangel, wings unfurled and wreathed in blood-red heat.
[Aaaaaargh!]
Azazel let out a piercing shriek the moment she laid eyes on Uriel.
[U—Uriel is here! We are finished!]
She gripped her head in terror, lamenting the terrible timing of the Archangel’s descent.
"Hmm..."
Raon pressed his lips together. The arrival of Uriel was overwhelming enough, but Azazel’s hysterics were making his head spin.
—Snap out of it!
Wrath manifested instantly, delivering a sharp blow to the back of his head.
—Look at your own hands this instant!
He bellowed, demanding that Raon pay attention to his own limbs.
'Wait...?'
Raon’s eyes stretched wide as he noticed scarlet sparks dancing across his right hand.
'This fire?'
His personal flames were a blend of gold and red, so he couldn't comprehend why these deep crimson embers were suddenly erupting from his skin.
'My entire body is catching fire.'
It wasn't merely an external heat. Starting from his toes and fingertips, the red flames climbed up his legs, torso, and hair. This wasn't a standard elemental strike; it bypassed his natural heat immunity entirely and began to sear his flesh.
'This makes no sense.'
Uriel hadn't even gestured toward him, yet his body was spontaneously combusting.
—It is a technique of Uriel’s.
Wrath let out a low, menacing growl while keeping his eyes fixed on the Archangel.
—That wretch can incinerate anyone who feels inferior to him without moving a muscle. They call it the Flames of Judgment.
He gnashed his teeth, recalling the countless subordinates he had lost to that specific power.
—It is a distorted magic that deems anyone overwhelmed by Uriel’s presence as 'guilty.' You cannot allow yourself to be cowed by his majesty!
Wrath swung a phantom fist, explaining that the more one admired Uriel’s greatness, the more lethal those flames would become.
'I see.'
Raon centered his soul and began to circulate the Ring of Fire. As the ten rings spun with violent precision, creating a solar-like core of energy within him, the crushing weight of Uriel’s presence began to lift from his chest.
Whoooooosh!
As Raon’s internal strength rose to meet the pressure, the sunlight regained its clarity and the ambient noise of the world rushed back. The world hadn't actually gone silent; he had simply been blinded and deafened by the Archangel's aura.
Hisssss!
Because he was no longer succumbing to Uriel’s sheer existence, the scarlet fire devouring his skin flickered out and vanished.
"......"
Uriel narrowed his gaze slightly, appearing momentarily puzzled that the human hadn't been reduced to ash by the Crimson Flame.
"Huu..."
Raon steadied his pulse and tightened his grip on the Heavenly Drive.
'He is incredibly lethal.'
A power that could execute someone just for being intimidated was a terrifyingly unfair advantage. He struggled to fathom how such a law of nature could even exist. If Uriel had arrived with this power earlier, the majority of the warriors present would have been vaporized instantly.
—Lethal?
Wrath gave a dry, mocking chuckle.
—Don't be ridiculous. That trick is merely a fraction of what the Flames of Judgment can do.
He wrinkled his nose in disdain, noting that Raon hadn't even witnessed half of the power’s true potential.
'Even so, surviving that 'fraction' is a start. And I'm not fighting this alone... Wait! Darkan!'
Raon bit his lip and spun around. If Darkan had been caught in those flames, their chances of survival would plummet. He had to check on him.
"Wait...?"
Raon stared, blinking in confusion.
"Why are you untouched?"
Contrary to his fears, Darkan wasn't burning at all. He was standing there perfectly fine, still holding onto Azazel’s tail as if nothing had happened.
"Untouched? What are you talking about?"
Darkan tilted his head, genuinely confused by Raon’s concern.
"You realize the Archangel I warned you about is hovering right above us, don't you?"
Raon gestured toward the sky, searching Darkan's face.
"Of course I do. He's putting off enough pressure to flatten a house; I’d have to be a corpse not to notice."
Darkan gave a casual shrug, suggesting only a fool would be unaware of such a presence.
"Then how are you so unfazed?"
The killing intent and momentum Uriel was radiating surpassed even that of Glenn or the Heavenly Demon. Raon couldn't grasp how Darkan remained so nonchalant.
"Hmph!"
Darkan let out a snort and dismissed the question with a wave.
"I can't see the guy, so why should I be terrified before we even trade blows? The only man who truly matters to me is Glenn Zieghart!"
He lifted his chin stubbornly; since he lacked the literal sight of Archangel Uriel, he refused to be intimidated by a mere feeling in the air.
"Ha..."
Raon couldn't help but laugh at the sheer absurdity of Darkan’s logic.
"I can't decide if you're a complete moron or a genius."
'No need to be scared before fighting.' It was a fundamental truth for any Martial Artist. Raon knew this, yet he had allowed Uriel’s overwhelming divinity to make him forget his own principles.
"No, I was the fool."
Raon gave a firm nod, unsheathing both the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword in unison.
"You're right. There is no point in fear before the battle begins."
A small, determined smile played on his lips. He would no longer allow himself to be crushed by Uriel’s shadow.
[Wh—what? You brushed off the Flames of Judgment? How could you...]
Azazel’s eyes bulged in shock. She couldn't understand how Raon had so easily cast off the pressure, or how Darkan had simply ignored it from the start.
"Azazel."
Raon grabbed her by the arm, his expression stern.
"Give me Uriel's weak points. Anything that gives us an edge."
Wrath had his own perspective, but Azazel, being of the same celestial origin, might know secrets hidden from a demon.
[U—Uriel's weaknesses?]
Azazel groaned, looking distressed.
[I hate to say it, but he doesn't really have any. He’s essentially a living, divine furnace!]
She gritted her teeth, explaining that Uriel’s very movements caused the world to burn.
[Wait, there is one detail...]
Azazel clicked her tongue thoughtfully.
[Uriel has been manifesting on this plane for a long time without claiming my soul as an anchor. That means his reservoir of divine energy is limited; he can't use his full power!]
She rubbed her hands together, noting that the version of Uriel they were facing was significantly weakened.
"That makes sense."
Raon nodded slowly.
'Based on everything I've gathered, Uriel is definitely not at his peak right now.'
It was terrifying that he could exert such pressure while diminished, but Raon didn't have the luxury of standing in awe of a monster.
"We move now."
Raon exhaled a heavy breath, loosening his muscles for combat.
"In his current state, we might actually have a chance to take him down."
Normally, challenging a being of the same tier as Wrath or Pride would be suicide. But if Uriel was drained of his divine essence, there was a window of opportunity.
"Pass."
Darkan began to casually pick at his ear, looking bored.
"I don't have much interest in that fellow."
He snorted, treating the Archangel as if he were nothing more than a flashy pyrotechnician.
"N—not interested?"
Raon’s jaw nearly dropped.
"That guy isn't a master of the blade, is he?"
Darkan waved a dismissive hand.
"Doesn't matter how much power he has. If he doesn't carry a sword, it's a waste of my time!"
He looked away, reiterating that only fellow swordsmen earned his attention.
—Uh...
[Eh...]
Both Wrath and Azazel were stunned into silence, but Darkan spoke up before they could protest.
"W—wait a second!"
Raon shook his head, trying to process the madness.
"You don't get many chances to test yourself against a creature with that much raw power!"
"Maybe. But regardless of his weapon, I'm not into 2-on-1 fights."
Darkan clicked his tongue, expressing his distaste for teaming up against a single opponent.
"Unbelievable."
Raon massaged his temples.
'He's completely useless when I need him.'
If he had more time, he might have been able to bait Darkan into the fray, but Uriel wasn't going to grant him a reprieve. The Archangel was already staring him down with murderous intent.
"Haah..."
Raon took a moment to regulate his breathing, shifting the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword into a reverse grip.
'I have no choice. I'll take him on by myself.'
Uriel was vastly superior to him in raw strength. Even a weakened Archangel was a mountain Raon couldn't climb while holding back. He had to ignite everything he had from the very first strike.
Kuuuuung!
With eyes full of iron resolve, Raon slammed the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword into the earth.
Sword Domain - Divine Harmony.
A celestial light, more piercing than Uriel’s own, erupted into existence. A sun and moon rose within the domain, weaving together brilliant fire and biting frost fueled by Raon’s own courage and will.
Chiaaaaaang!
Raon pulled the blazing Divine Sword and the frost-laden Demonic Sword from the ground, meeting the cold gaze of the Archangel hovering in the sky.
"Raon Zieghart."
Uriel looked down at him with eyes like frozen voids.
"Sariel fell by your hand. You have tangled the threads of causality beyond measure."
Even while discussing the ruin of his grand designs, Uriel remained eerily composed. He seemed to have moved beyond the reach of human emotion.
"Derus Robert was executed by your blade, and the pathetic Raphael had her wings stripped away. Now, you even dare to associate with a fallen angel who deserves only torment."
Uriel’s brow twitched slightly as he spotted Azazel cowering behind a stone pillar.
"I shall collect the debt for all these transgressions from your soul."
He let out a low, predatory growl and reached his right hand into the empty air.
Whooooooosh!
The very fabric of space tore open, revealing a dimension filled with roaring crimson fire.
Sizzzzzzle!
Uriel reached into the rift and drew out a massive greatsword wreathed in blood-red flames. As he pointed the blade toward the heavens, the world’s light was sucked away once more, and the universe seemed to hold its breath in the sudden, suffocating quiet.
'And he calls this a weakened state?'
Raon let out a grim, breathless laugh as he tightened his hold on his twin blades.
'It’s insane, but there’s no turning back now.'
He prepared to launch himself at Uriel, reminding himself of Darkan’s words about not fearing the fight before it started. But then, something shifted.
"Wahahahaha!"
Darkan suddenly unsheathed the heavy sword he had been leaning on like a cane.
"Finally! A swordsman worth killing!"
Would you like me to continue with the next chapter or focus on a specific detail of this battle?
