Chapter 1312
"Phew..."
Raon adjusted his grip on the Divine Sword and the Demonic Sword, centering his breath.
'I’m going to have to give this everything right from the jump.'
According to Azazel, Uriel wasn't currently operating at his peak. To be honest, if this wasn't his maximum output, Raon shuddered to think what his true limit looked like, but dwelling on that was useless.
'I just have to hold out.'
Even a diminished Uriel was lethal; one slip-up and his head would be separated from his shoulders. The plan was simple but grueling: survive his onslaught, force him to burn through his energy, grab what was needed, and vanish.
[Raon!]
Evelyn’s voice rang out with such intensity that the vessel housing her spirit seemed ready to crack.
[Get out of there now! I can handle this!]
She gestured with the doll’s wooden hands, insisting she could carve out a path for them to escape Uriel’s reach immediately.
—She’s right!
Wrath slammed his palms together.
—You dragged that lunatics along specifically for a disaster like this!
He wagged his tail frantically, urging a swift retreat.
'Not a chance.'
Raon spared a glance for Azazel and shook his head with resolve.
'I didn’t come this far just to leave empty-handed.'
If he fled now, he would miss the chance to sap Uriel’s strength or identify his vulnerabilities. Furthermore, he would be abandoning Azazel, a potential partner he couldn't afford to lose.
[Fine! But you tell me the second you need help!]
Evelyn pumped her fist, choosing to place her confidence in Raon’s judgment.
—You absolute moron...
Wrath’s jaw hung open in disbelief.
—Your bravery has officially crossed over into suicidal insanity!
He gnashed his teeth, unable to comprehend the logic.
Whoooooosh!
Uriel leveled his blade, which was wreathed in a violent Crimson Flame, directly at Raon’s heart as if his patience had expired.
"Perish."
A geyser of Crimson Flame erupted from the heavenly steel, cascading toward Raon like a falling tide of fire.
Whooooooosh!
Suddenly, Darkan blurred into motion, positioning himself in front of Raon with his torso low. His left thumb popped the sword from its scabbard while his right hand locked onto the hilt.
"Kahahahaha!"
Darkan executed a lightning-fast draw the moment the scarlet fire reached them. It was a masterpiece of quick-draw technique—the ultimate gambit of ancient masters—performed by a blind man who had touched the pinnacle of existence.
Shaaaaaash!
Darkan’s obsidian blade unleashed dark currents that sliced right through Uriel’s Crimson Flame.
"Now that is a magnificent Sword Aura!"
His lips curled into a wide, jagged grin, clearly invigorated by Uriel’s power.
"I can actually smell the sharpeness of the edge!"
Darkan savored the moment, claiming he could detect a refined "scent" of battle emanating from the opponent.
"You're clearly more than a simple soldier, and I find that delightful!"
Resting his blade on his shoulder—still smoking from the remnants of the fire—he tilted his head up toward Uriel for the first time.
"Do it again."
Though his eyes saw nothing, Darkan’s smirk suggested he perceived Uriel perfectly. He made a dismissive "come here" gesture with his finger, treating the Archangel like a common brawler.
"The buzzing of a pathetic bug."
Uriel’s expression remained stony and detached, his lack of irritation only emphasizing his status as a higher being.
Swoooooosh!
He lowered his sword with a weightless grace, and in that instant, the very fabric of reality seemed to rupture.
Craaaaaack!
The landscape of Mount Melvin was stripped away. In its place, a realm defined by Crimson Flame surged forward, turning the entire horizon into a brilliant, burning red. It was a literal manifestation of a hellish inferno.
"Kehehehe!"
Darkan simply laughed, unfazed by a divine power that made traditional martial logic irrelevant. Gripping his dark blade with both hands, he draped it in absolute shadow and thrust it into the heart of Uriel’s flaming domain.
Craaaaaack!
It appeared Darkan hadn't just regained the Mental Image that Derus Robert had once stolen; he had ascended further. His thrust carved a hole through the celestial firestorm.
"Ha..."
Raon could only manage a stunned, dry laugh at the spectacle.
'This is insane.'
He knew Uriel would be formidable, but he hadn't expected Darkan to go toe-to-toe with him while cackling like a madman. The man was a constant source of shock.
—He's an idiot, plain and simple.
Wrath wrinkled his nose in annoyance.
—He’s treats this like a festival! He’s so worked up because Uriel uses a sword that he’s losing his head!
He grumbled about Darkan’s inability to pace himself.
'It certainly looks that way.'
Raon noted how Darkan was tearing through the Crimson Flame with reckless abandon.
'And it looks like his Soul Sword hasn't fully returned yet.'
That weapon had been shattered during the encounter with Derus Robert. While Darkan’s physical techniques were sharper than ever, that spiritual component was still missing.
'I have to step in. We have to do this together.'
Raon synchronized his internal energy, pulling the Divine Sword back over his left shoulder and tucking the Demonic Sword near his right hip.
Kugugugugu!
Capitalizing on the moment Darkan parted the flames, Raon engaged the Supreme Harmony Step at its highest gear.
Paaaaaaang!
The world seemed to compress as he flickered through the air, reappearing directly in Uriel’s personal space.
"You..."
Before Uriel could even shift his gaze, Raon unleashed both blades in a devastating cross-slash.
Shaaaaaaang!
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation: Crimson Slash combined with Revolving Sky. He poured out golden fire that rivaled the density of the Archangel’s own, targeting Uriel’s throat and torso simultaneously.
Yet, the edges of his blades never touched skin.
Sizzzzzzle!
A halo of fire resting on Uriel’s shoulders flared up instinctively, acting as an autonomous shield that parried both the Divine and Demonic swords.
"Grrr..."
Raon ground his teeth, putting every ounce of muscle and will into the press, but the protective ring wouldn't give a single inch.
'You’ve got to be kidding me.'
The realization that a full-strength strike couldn't even leave a scratch brought a bitter taste to his mouth.
—That is the Flame of Judgment.
Wrath stared warily at the fire blocking Raon’s path.
—It guards its creator automatically, even against strikes Uriel doesn't see coming. Not that there’s much he misses.
He clicked his tongue, noting that Uriel hadn't even bothered to manually block the attack, despite being aware of it.
"Pathetic."
Uriel manifested a spike of Crimson Flame, his eyes looking down on Raon as if he were a nuisance on the pavement.
"The one who's going to end you..."
Raon let out a sharp scoff and leaped backward.
"Is not someone you need to worry about yet!"
He let his body drop toward the earth to dodge the fire-spike, then kicked off the air using the Supreme Harmony Steps once more, launching back at the Archangel.
"Hmm."
Uriel’s brow furrowed slightly at the persistence. He brought his own flaming blade down in a heavy arc.
Chiaaaaaaang!
Raon executed the Third Step of Supreme Harmony mid-flight. Moving with the fluidity of a stream, he drifted past the strike and lunged forward with both swords.
Kyaaaaaaang!
Again, the Flame of Judgment intervened, swirling around Uriel to intercept the dual blades.
"Let’s see how many times that thing can save you."
Raon’s expression turned fierce. He began to swing the Divine and Demonic swords with independent rhythms. Fangs of Insanity merged with the Blizzard Sword Art. These weren't static forms; it was a storm of predatory intuition, biting at the enemy from every conceivable angle.
Kyakyakyakyakyakyang!
The air filled with the screech of metal on divine energy. Raon’s blades hammered against the Flame of Judgment in a relentless rhythm. Despite the chaotic, unpredictable nature of his assault, the barrier held firm.
"So tedious."
Uriel thrust his Crimson Flame blade again, his patience clearly wearing thin. But before the blast could consume Raon, a booming voice rose from the ground.
"You’re ignoring me!"
Darkan laughed like a demon as he shot into the sky, bringing his pitch-black sword down like a falling curtain of night.
Kuwaaaaaaang!
The fire intended for Raon was intercepted by Darkan’s shadow-drenched steel and scattered into sparks.
Chiaaaaaaang!
Raon seized the opening, redoubling his focus on the Fangs of Insanity and Blizzard Sword Art. The two styles, stripped of fluff and focused purely on the kill, grew faster and more lethal with every passing second, like a predator finding its stride.
Sizzzzle!
The Flame of Judgment, which had been blocking with ease, began to stutter against the shifting tempo.
'There!'
As the barrier overcommitted to his Demonic Sword, Raon pivoted on his heel and drove the Divine Sword forward. The red blade, pulsing with a wild energy, breached the flame shield and clipped Uriel’s shoulder.
Paaaaaaaa!
Even while occupied with Darkan, Uriel was no amateur. He twisted his flaming blade in a tight circle, catching Raon’s sneak attack just in time.
"I..."
Uriel held both men at bay with a single sword, his chin tilted in a display of supreme arrogance.
"Did you truly think I was a mere man who relied solely on a physical blade?"
His eyes grew frigid and sharp.
"The techniques of mortals can never touch the heavens."
With a casual flick, he threw both Raon and Darkan back, preparing to unveil the true swordsmanship of the upper realms.
Chiiiiiiiik!
Uriel held his weapon before his face in a ritualistic stance. The raging Crimson Flame died down, replaced by a concentrated, pulsating red light along the edge. The fire was gone, but the sense of impending doom was ten times stronger.
"Fantastic!"
Darkan licked his lips, his excitement reaching a fever pitch.
"Now you're a target worth dying for!"
He stomped the air, eager to shatter the Archangel’s pride.
—Watch yourself.
Wrath’s voice was uncharacteristically heavy.
—That weapon is called Apocalypse. It is far more lethal when the flames are hidden than when they are raging. And... actually, never mind.
He cut himself off, deciding silence was better for now.
'I can feel it.'
Raon gave a small, grim nod.
'This isn't going to be a walk in the park.'
He flexed his cramped fingers, acknowledging the sheer scale of Uriel’s power.
'God-tier martial arts combined with celestial tricks. This is what fighting a legend feels like.'
He’d faced high-ranking entities before, but this was a different level of dread. Uriel was a monster in every sense of the word.
—Then run.
Wrath’s expression was dark.
I've finally figured out how to crack this.'
Would you like me to continue paraphrasing the next chapter, or should I focus on a specific scene from this one?—You aren't ready for this. You should just let this King take over...
'No.'
Raon stood his ground and moved forward.
'He might have the edge in raw power, but I have tools that can bridge that gap.'
He looked at the cold fury in Uriel’s eyes and smiled.
'I think
