"Sigh..."
Raon exhaled a heavy, ground-shaking breath and dropped his head.
"I’ve fallen once more."
His chest, which he had always considered as resilient as tempered steel, had been sliced open and turned to ice. It was the grim consequence of failing to match Wrath’s supreme technique with his own blade. While he could technically continue the struggle even in this broken state, against an opponent of this caliber, he was effectively a corpse the moment such a strike connected.
"Every time I perish..."
Raon shifted his gaze upward, surveying the landscape of his inner consciousness.
"The fabric of this world seems to shift."
Although he would return to life with his wounds mended and his body restored, the mental realm itself was failing to recover from the fractures and the freezing chill. Even now, the blades that used to drift through the atmosphere were locked in ice, and the dark fissures carving through the ground had grown more jagged and deep. His inner world appeared to be on the verge of collapse, yet oddly, he felt no other adverse effects beyond the visual decay.
"This is getting complicated."
Raon looked back down and let out another weary sigh. Since stepping into this mental plane, he had engaged in a ceaseless cycle of duels with Wrath, and the conclusion was always his own demise. Despite knowing Wrath was employing his absolute best techniques, Raon hadn't anticipated being overwhelmed so thoroughly, and the realization was a heavy burden.
"Complicated?"
Wrath approached, letting out a dry, hollow laugh.
"You really are a madman."
The King of Essence scowled while consuming mint chocolate bead ice cream, looking entirely exasperated.
"If you managed to topple this King while I'm actually trying, that would be the real absurdity!"
Wrath leaned in close, telling him to show at least a shred of humility.
"And besides that..."
He took a sharp breath, as if venting a long-held frustration, and finally spoke.
"When you charge at me with those frantic, obsessed eyes, even this King feels a momentary jolt of genuine pressure!"
Wrath exhaled slowly, admitting that every time Raon lunged forward, his own pulse quickened and his senses sharpened.
"You've truly become a presence that can't be ignored."
He wrinkled his nose, acknowledging that Raon’s combat prowess was no longer something he could simply brush aside.
"I don't feel that way at all."
Raon shook his head slowly, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth.
"In the end, I haven't even managed to graze you."
No matter how intensely Wrath fought, Raon had yet to leave so much as a scratch on him. To Raon, the claim that he was growing stronger felt hollow as long as he kept dying without landing a hit.
"Your mind has completely snapped."
Wrath finished his ice cream in a single gulp and snorted dismissively.
"You're becoming intoxicated by the pursuit of raw power!"
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of genuine concern visible in his expression.
"Is that such a terrible thing?"
Raon let out a ragged breath, clutching at his chest, which throbbed with a pain so intense it was nearly unbearable.
"It’s a double-edged sword. Use it correctly, and your growth will be explosive. But if that obsession swallows you whole..."
Wrath conjured a fresh bowl of bead ice cream, his brow furrowed.
"You’ll turn into a monster that lives only for strength, just like your grandfather used to be."
He gestured with his chin, referencing Glenn Zieghart's past.
"Even if your goal is noble, there’s no promise that such dark ambition won't rot your spirit from the inside."
Wrath stared down at him with an icy gaze, warning that rushing toward power might actually lead to his downfall.
"Hmm..."
Raon groaned softly, rubbing his temples to soothe his aching head.
"That certainly wouldn't be ideal."
Suffering a cultivation deviation now would be catastrophic; there wouldn't be enough time to recover before the impending conflict. Regardless of his genius, he was fighting against the clock. He couldn't afford to let malice take root.
"But I’m out of time."
He had already spent a significant duration within this mental space. Unlike the Room of Self, he couldn't spar here forever, so he had to push his limits, regardless of the danger.
"......"
Wrath offered no counterargument, seemingly in silent agreement, though his scowl remained.
"Even so..."
Raon gripped the shattered, frozen hilt of Heavenly Drive in a reverse hold, a grim smile touching his lips.
"I’ll push forward while keeping myself in check."
With that final thought, he drove Heavenly Drive through his own heart.
"...I'll return shortly."
The agony was excruciating, but Raon managed those final words before his vision went dark.
"What a terrifying human."
Wrath watched the suicide without flinching, his expression sour.
"To discard his own life so casually just because he knows he can return... he's a freakish monster."
Even as a spectator, Wrath felt a slight tremor in his fingers—a subtle hint of fear toward the sheer willpower Raon possessed.
"But if he persists with this approach..."
Wrath shook his head solemnly as he watched Raon’s body begin to knit itself back together.
"He won't find what he's looking for."
Chiaaaaang!
Raon brought down the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword simultaneously, both wreathed in brilliant golden radiance. He merged the Sky-Piercing Thunder with the Flame Dragon Strike of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, utilizing the complexities of dual-wielding to manifest a colossal dragon of fire that lunged at Wrath.
Kuguugugugugugu!
The mental realm buckled and warped, the sheer heat of the lightning-maned dragon threatening to melt the very air. It was a devastating assault that few could ever hope to withstand.
"The little worm is putting on quite a show."
Wrath observed the fire dragon as it threatened to consume the horizon. He gave a small, amused smirk and raised a hand.
Monarch of Wrath ultimate technique
Silver Moon Demonic Seal.
A soft, ethereal light—reminiscent of a pale moon in a pitch-black sky—began to glow from Wrath’s palm. The light moved with a deceptive, graceful slowness as it reached out to meet the roaring fire dragon.
Jeoeoeoeoeoek!
There was no thunderous explosion, no blinding flash. There was only the sight of the roaring fire dragon being instantly silenced and encased in pure white frost.
Paddddddeuk!
Trapped within the silver glow of Wrath's technique, the fire dragon shattered into a myriad of icy shards that rained down upon the earth.
"Hah... hah..."
Raon gasped for air, dropping to one knee.
"The Silver Moon Demonic Seal."
Only that specific technique of Wrath's could project such a gentle aura while possessing such absolute destructive power. Wrath had dismantled his strongest attack with effortless precision.
"Flashy displays aren't synonymous with true power."
Wrath gave a small wave of his hand, as if delivering a lecture to a student.
"True strength should be both beautiful and solid."
He balanced a spark of frost on his fingertip, suggesting Raon should strive for the elegance he himself displayed.
"I don't have the luxury of worrying about aesthetics."
Raon bit his lip, glancing at his limbs. His shoulders, waist, and legs were partially frozen solid by the lingering effects of the Silver Moon Demonic Seal.
"I'll be back."
To ensure he returned at full strength, he once again plunged Heavenly Drive into his own chest. The pain was nearly impossible to bear, and his eyes slipped shut as he faded away.
When he woke, he felt the familiar rush of restored energy and a mended body.
"Let’s go again."
Raon stood up, readying Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword.
"..."
Wrath’s mouth twitched as if he wanted to speak, but he eventually just raised his hand in silence.
"You are an exhausting person."
He gestured for Raon to make the first move.
"This time, I won't fail."
Raon combined Whispering Wind and Void Slash in a coordinated strike, charging at the Monarch.
Despite his confidence, the result remained unchanged. He was thrown to the ground, coughing up blood from a fresh set of wounds.
"What exactly was different about that?"
Wrath asked, sounding genuinely confused.
"Again!"
Raon didn't answer; he simply drove his blade into his own neck.
Huuuuk!
The cycle repeated. Raon would heal, rise, and charge. Each time, the outcome was identical.
"Again."
He tried every possible variation of his swordsmanship.
"Again."
He pushed his aura until his very bones shook from the pressure.
"Again."
He tapped into the authorities of the demon kings.
"Again."
Even when he expanded his Sword Domain, he couldn't bridge the gap. He couldn't even leave a mark on Wrath. Meanwhile, his allotted time in the mental world was bleeding away.
"Ugh!"
Raon forced himself upright, his jaw trembling with effort.
"Wha... what is happening?"
He gripped his sword with shaking hands, his eyes wide.
"Why... why do I feel like I'm losing ground?"
He had faced death countless times in this sparring match, yet Wrath felt more untouchable now than when they started. It felt as though Raon was sliding backward while Wrath ascended.
"It's not that this King is growing stronger. However..."
Wrath brushed a nonexistent speck of dust from his sleeve and spoke firmly.
"You are indeed becoming weaker. It's quite obvious to me."
He gave a mocking smile, confirming Raon’s worst fears.
"How can that be...?"
Raon swallowed hard, his brow furrowed in frustration.
"I've given everything to this training. I've endured the agony of death over and over. How can I be getting weaker?"
He looked to Wrath for an answer he couldn't find himself.
"The fact that you don't know the answer is exactly why you're failing."
Wrath shook his head in disappointment.
"Your inner world is warping..."
He looked around at the decaying landscape.
"The next life you take will likely be your final chance."
Wrath looked at him with a heavy expression, signaling that Raon had only one "reset" left.
"Go on, return once more. Look at the wound on your hand."
Wrath glanced at his own hand and gave a small laugh.
"Let’s have one final, proper bout. Once we return to the outside world, this kind of training won't be possible."
He beckoned Raon to commit the act one last time.
"What are you implying?"
Raon's eyes narrowed. Wrath's words were cryptic and layered.
"I'll return to being a spirit, so we won't be able to clash like this. More importantly, your mind won't hold out."
Wrath scanned the horizon of Raon's consciousness.
"Does this look like a healthy mind to you? A shattered sky, frozen memories, and black sludge rising from the earth. This imagery means your spirit is already fracturing."
He warned that the moment Raon left this place, he would likely succumb to cultivation deviation.
"Cultivation deviation..."
Raon looked around, finally seeing the world as Wrath did.
"What have I done?"
He had assumed the damage was temporary, but looking closely, his mental image was so devastated it seemed beyond repair. He couldn't fathom how a simple sparring match had led to such ruin.
"If you hesitate any longer, you won't even have that last life."
Wrath opened his hand, done with explanations.
"If you won't do it yourself, I'll do it for you."
He launched a barrage of ice shards, intending to end the current cycle.
Huuuuk!
Raon jerked his head back, feeling the bite of the ice as it missed his throat by a hair's breadth.
"Why avoid it?"
Wrath frowned.
"I thought you were in a hurry."
"The next life is my last. I can't afford to waste this current moment!"
Raon bared his teeth, his resolve hardening.
"Hmph. Finally realized it, have you?"
Wrath muttered under his breath, almost too quiet to hear.
"Fine. Struggle all you like."
He extended his silver-glowing hand, ready to finish the fight.
Kugugugugugugu!
A massive tide of frost erupted from Wrath's palm, a wave designed to swallow everything in its path. It was the Silver Aurora.
'If only I were at 100%...'
Raon gripped Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword tight.
'With a perfect body and a stable Sword Domain, I could survive this with minor scrapes. But like this? I’m dead.'
The small injuries on his hands and shoulders felt like massive anchors. In a fight against an absolute power like Wrath, those tiny flaws were magnified into fatal openings.
'But I have to do it.'
He had two chances left—this life and the next. He had to find a way through.
"Huu."
Raon tracked the path of the Silver Aurora, a technique he had seen a thousand times by now, and instead of retreating, he lunged forward.
'I have to break through before the freeze takes hold.'
The Silver Aurora was an area-of-effect strike that locked down space itself. Retreating was impossible. The only path to survival was to pierce the heart of the storm before it reached its peak.
'One desperate charge!'
He unleashed the Flame Dragon Strike with Heavenly Drive and fired the Heavy Sky Cannon with the Wooden Ring Sword. He poured everything into a direct, high-powered assault against the burgeoning Ice Barrier.
Kwadddddddeuk!
His instincts were spot on. The cold energy, not yet fully solidified, was shattered by the combined force of the flames and the gravitational pressure. A small opening appeared.
Paaaaang!
Raon dove through the gap, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the Silver Aurora. For the first time, he had bypassed the technique without taking damage. He had failed countless times while healthy and using his Domain, yet he had succeeded now, while exhausted and broken.
However, the effort had drained him. His limbs felt as heavy as lead.
"Huu..."
As Raon struggled to raise his sword with shaking hands.
Kwadddddeuk!
The essence of the Flame Dragon Strike and the Heavy Sky Cannon—previously frozen within the mental world's ice—suddenly shattered their crystalline prisons and surged back into him. As the two techniques settled into his very soul, the fog in his mind lifted instantly. He felt the lingering trauma of a thousand deaths simply evaporate.
"Could it be..."
Raon looked at Wrath, who was wearing a knowing smile.
"Was this the goal all along?"
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