Raon gathered Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation while pointing his sword at the Blood Raving Demon.
'I need to finish this fight while avoiding as many injuries as possible.'
According to Rosy, there were four Masters total. Since the Blood Raving Demon was right in front of him, there must've been three Masters in the forest. It was necessary to save as much power as possible in order to rescue the Saint from them.
Do you really believe that's possible?
Wrath snorted, telling him it was pointless.
Give your body to the King of Essence. The King of Essence will freeze the woman who desires his body and the insects rampaging in that forest for you.
He extended his round hand.
That's the only way to save your benefactor.
'Didn't you mention before that you’d fall into a frenzy upon entering my body?'
Th-That's true, but the King of Essence can return quickly! I just need to retain my sanity…
'Stop saying stupid things. Just stay away.'
During the encounter with Sloth, Wrath mentioned that he would enter a frenzy upon entering his body because his soul had been away from his body for too long.
Giving his body to Wrath would definitely kill Federick and the boy inside the forest, though Sheryl might be okay.
“Haa…”
White steam came from the Blood Raving Demon's mouth, as if he were smoking.
“You are way too overconfident. It must be because you are brimming with talent after being born to a prestigious house.”
His eyes were glowing red with jealousy and murderous intent.
“Are you still holding on to that inferiority complex despite having reached Master level? How pitiful.”
Raon raised his chin and laughed at him.
“Shut up!”
The Blood Raving Demon thrust his fist while screaming like a monster. The raging astral energy made of combative energy blasted the air in its path.
Whir!
Raon watched the Blood Raving Demon's fist covering his entire vision before pulling his left foot back at the last moment. Although the fist didn't even touch him, the wind coming from it was powerful enough to tear his skin.
'The power itself doesn't lose to the Blood Raving Demon from before, and the trajectory is also similar.'
His punch wasn't really different from the previous Blood Raving Demon, who he'd fought in Cebu Village.
'How about the next one?'
Raon lightly stepped back while lowering Heavenly Drive, and the Blood Raving Demon caught up to him like a leech and swung his entire arm at him. There was very little room to dodge because his entire arm was burning with combative energy.
'I knew it.'
The second attack also used the same method as the previous Blood Raving Demon. Raon leaned his body backward to dodge the straightforward attack perfectly.
Claang!
Raon straightened his back and incorporated Heavenly Drive with the principles of the quick sword. The blade turned red from the heat, then became a ray of light to brush past the Blood Raving Demon's forearm.
Crack.
Blood was dripping from the crack in his armor. The Blood Raving Demon lowered his head and spaced out while looking at his own blood.
“Haa…”
Raon caught his breath and turned his wrist.
'Eden isn't even aware of the fact that I fought the Blood Raving Demon before.'
He figured he could use that lack of information to turn the fight in his favor.
“Haa, you actually dodged that and counterattacked.”
Merlin seriously admired him.
“I knew I wasn't mistaken about you. Raon, you have to come with me.”
Even though her voice was polite, it was overflowing with uncontrollable desire.
“It must be nice to be blessed with talent.”
The Blood Raving Demon slowly raised his head. His red eyes were distorted with madness and anger.
“Not only did you become famous thanks to that talent, but you've also earned her favor. It must be nice!”
His pressure intensified. The combative energy burning from fist spread to his entire body.
“Your sword is unable to reach me now!”
The Blood Raving Demon charged at him while roaring like an ogre. He didn't feel human anymore at that point—it felt like a mountain was charging at him.
'This is also the same.'
Since he had broken his left arm completely when trying to block that charge before, there was no way he could forget about it.
Thud!
Raon used the Supreme Harmony's third step. His footsteps of softness dodged the Blood Raving Demon's charge like raindrops seeping into a boulder.
“You bastard!”
The Blood Raving Demon instantly changed directions to catch up to him. He extended both his arms, trying to grab him and smash him.
Cring!
Raon used River Footwork consecutively to escape from the Blood Raving Demon's grasp, igniting Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation at full power.
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Ten Flames
Flame Spirit.
The flower petals of flame created from the silver land engulfed the Blood Raving Demon, but they dissipated like a fog, unable to penetrate through his combative energy.
“I already told you!”
The Blood Raving Demon charged at him again, laughing like a madman.
“Your sword doesn't work against me!”
He kept thrusting his boulder-like fists one after another. The enormous energy wave kept blasting the air and the land.
“Huff!”
Raon kept stepping back while barely deflecting or blocking the Blood Raving Demon's punches. He looked like he was in a desperate crisis, but his eyes weren't wavering in the slightest.
'It's going as planned.'
He was pretending to barely manage to dodge the punches, even though he was capable of perfectly dodging them. After all, he had already analyzed all the trajectories of the previous Blood Raving Demon's punches. The reason he was doing that was simple: it was in order to kill the Blood Raving Demon in a single strike.
'He's still inexperienced.'
Judging from Dempt's testimony, Stain must've gained the Blood Raving Demon's power recently.
The astral fist made from the combative energy was even more powerful than the seventh apostle, but he was clearly not completed yet. That weakness could definitely be used.
“Kuh!”
Raon used Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's techniques one after the other to make the Blood Raving Demon believe that his attacks didn't work against him.
“I'm different from the seventh apostle you fought against! Your flame doesn't work against me!”
He was saying the exact same thing as the previous Blood Raving Demon, and it confirmed once again they weren't aware of the fact that Raon had fought against the previous Blood Raving Demon.
“This is the end!”
The Blood Raving Demon pulled back his right fist and thrust it. The combative energy from his fist surged like a tornado to create a huge wave.
“Finally.”
Raon smiled while looking at the spreading combative energy, powerful enough to stop his eyes from opening.
'It's here!'
The wave of combative energy created by the Blood Raving Demon was the punch that Rimmer had severed with his blade of wind. Since he'd witnessed the way to shatter that move right personally, he could pinpoint its weakness right away.
Cring!
He thrust Heavenly Drive at the small weakness. The blue light on Heavenly Drive's blade dashed through the air like a line traced by a brush containing blue paint.
Splash!
The Blood Raving Demon's armor was torn apart, and blood gushed from his chest.
“You bastaard!”
The Blood Raving Demon's eyes almost popped out. In his agitated state, he was still raising his right arm. He seemed to have instinctively sensed Frost Pond's second strike.
'And I expected that, too.'
Raon stomped the ground with full strength. He changed Heavenly Drive's grip to reverse once it reached his opponent's right side, slashing to the left.
Swaa!
Frost Pond's icy stream and the silver blade surging from the other side crossed each other.
Creak!
The two strikes, unleashed at the same time, pierced through the Blood Raving Demon's combative energy and severed his heart.
“Kuh, you, you…”
The Blood Raving Demon grasped his chest, where blood was gushing out like a fountain, and knelt.
“Haa, I told you.”
Raon looked down at the Blood Raving Demon while catching his breath roughly.
“Power obtained by evil sorcery is pointless.”
“I-I… I wanted the talent…”
The Blood Raving Demon extended his arm until the very end, but it fell to the ground, unable to reach Raon.
Thud!
It was a strange turn of fate that the man who betrayed his family, companions, and even his lifelong rival in order to become a Master was defeated by a swordsman who hadn't yet become a Master.
“Blood Raving Demon…?”
It looked like even Merlin hadn't predicted that outcome, since the strange expression on her mask stiffened for the first time.
“Raon! You seriously did it!”
Sheryl’s eyes also widened in surprise, to the point that her narrow eyes looked round.
“Heavenly Blade leader, shall I move according to the mission you gave me earlier?”
Raon looked at Sheryl's back while grasping Heavenly Drive.
“Yes! Go!”
She nodded, telling him to go immediately.
“Go? Where would you go? You aren't allowed!”
Merlin returned to her senses and gathered her hands. A huge magic array that looked like a sun and a moon appeared behind her, and countless magics burst from that magic array.
“Catch him!”
“Stop him from entering the forest at all costs!”
“Kuaaa!”
And there was more. The green and red demons and monsters who'd been watching from afar started swarming at him like a tidal wave.
“Raon, why are you still there when I told you to go?”
Sheryl turned her head around.
“But…”
“Do you still not realize who I am?”
She smiled faintly, drawing the sword on her back.
“I'm his first sword, and the last shield.”
Two swords surged from one scabbard—one black and the other white. Swords of entirely opposite colors were twisting the darkness.
“The Black and White Twin Swords! Why do you have those?!”
Merlin screamed.
“Nothing shall pass through me!”
The white sword pointed to the ground, while the black sword pointed to the sky.
Whaam!
The gray glow on the two swords spread out to the sky and land, and Merlin's magic instantly turned into dust, while the demons charging at Raon were wiped out like sand carried away by a wave.
“I order you again.”
Sheryl pointed behind her after deleting all the magic and monsters that used to fill their vision.
“Raon Zieghart, save the Saint.”
* * *
* * *
Whaam!
The entire forest convulsed from the huge shockwave.
“Kuh…”
The Ragged Saint Federick faltered like a drunkard as he was pushed back. The rags he always wore had crumbled like dry leaves into an unrecognizable shape.
'Damn it…'
Federick looked at his shivering hand. The pain in his arms told him they were both broken, and strength was leaving his legs. He felt like he could sink to the ground at any moment.
“You are so damn tenacious, despite being old.”
Eden's demon that inherited the gargoyle lord's power, Black Winged Demon, grinned while floating in the air.
“Don't let your guard down. The Saint is always recovering his body.”
The Red Wolf Demon's cold voice could be heard. Clad in the lycanthrope's armor, the black claws he had raised were overflowing with combative energy.
“Haap!”
Federick forced aura into his wavering hands to use a palm technique. A yellow astral palm incorporating the rotation of Coiling Power gushed towards the two demons' openings.
Whaam!
The combative energy in the Red Wolf Demon's claws created a powerful wind pressure, bursting the astral palm. The straightforward combative energy was used at the perfect time. He must've properly learned martial arts, rather than gaining it through some dirty means.
“Is that all?”
The Black Winged Demon brushed the atmosphere with the winds on his armor and evaded the astral palm. His movement showed the prowess of the gargoyle lord that dominated the sky.
“Haa…”
Federick frowned and caught his breath. He was recovering his internal and external injuries through Syltia's energy, but the speed was slow because a clash between astral energies had created those wounds. It was rapidly getting more disadvantageous for him as he fought.
“Grr!”
The Red Wolf Demon pounced at him while leaning forward like a wolf. His fearsome speed gave the impression that he had burst from the ground as he spread his combative energy.
“Ehehehe!”
Contrary to the Red Wolf Demon, the Black Winged Demon flew around him towards his back.
Whaam!
Fedrick opened both of his hands and created the Heaven Shattering Final Palm. The collision between the concentrated energy in his hand and the combative energy created a terrifying explosion.
“Kuh!”
Federick withdrew while protecting Yulius from the explosion. He was more than capable of defeating them in a one-on-one situation, but taking on both of them at once was too difficult for him.
The Black Winged Demon was especially annoying because he kept targeting his weakness from mid-air while the Red Wolf Demon attacked him from the front.
'Moreover…'
There was one more enemy for him. The Evil Goat Demon, who was just leaning his back against a tree. He was just spectating, as if it wasn't his business, but he was going to act as soon as the two others were defeated or were in danger. Federick needed to remember that he was fighting a three-on-one battle.
“Where are you looking?”
The Black Winged Demon was falling straight at him while thrusting his dagger. With his wrist turning like rubber, he was targeting the Saint's neck in a strange trajectory.
“Grrr!”
The Red Wolf Demon wasn't staying still either. The combative energy coming from his claw as he thrust it, all while dashing at him from the left, was so powerful that it was difficult to block it.
Whir!
Federick gathered Syltia's energy and put his hands together as if he were praying. The aura wave, starting from his hands, spread out in all directions to push back the Black Winged Demon and the Red Wolf Demon's combative energies. It was the Great Cloud Palm’s special technique, Palm Barrier.
“Kuh!”
“Hmm…”
The Black Winged Demon and the Red Wolf Demon were bounced back like rubber balls, unable to overcome the sudden repulsion.
Federick's old eyes sparkled for an instant. Without missing the Black Winged Demon's opening, he kicked the ground and thrust his palm.
Whaam!
With the astral palm brushing past his waist, the Black Winged Demon was slammed into the ground before he could spread his wings.
'I need to finish him off!'
He finally got an opportunity. It was necessary to push ahead to reduce their numbers, even if that meant he needed to overexert himself. Just as he was about to strike with his palm filled with astral energy, a fearsome amount of combative energy could be felt. It was coming from the Red Wolf Demon, who'd already caught up to him.
'Damn it!'
He would've been able to kill the Black Winged Demon if he kept advancing, but he would end up dying or severely wounded at the very least. He hesitated for a moment between withdrawing and advancing, and that was his worst mistake.
Because that short moment felt like an eternity to experts.
The Red Wolf Demon noticed Federick's slow reaction and pounced on that weakness.
Slash!
Before Federick could turn back to harden his defense, the Red Wolf Demon's claw slashed past the right side of his chest.
“Kuh!”
Federick didn't even have time to feel the pain, since the Black Winged Demon was flying at him while fiercely spreading his combative energy.
Thud!
He managed to avoid losing his head by suddenly using a palm technique, but his body was already in serious condition. The combative energies were attacking him one after another, not giving him time to stop the bleeding.
Slam! Slaam!
Each time he clashed against the combative energy, he experienced the pain of his chest melting down. His internal injury was severe. Federick swallowed the blood that was rising up his throat.
“Kuh…”
Although he shouldn't have been impatient, he couldn't remain calm because of the situation. He regretted it, but he'd already crossed a point of no return.
'Still!'
He couldn't give up. He had to protect Yulius, who was covering his mouth behind him without even screaming.
Slam! Slaam!
However, the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Winged Demon kept forcing clashes to make his injuries worse, tightening their grips around his throat. They knew perfectly well how to pressure a cornered rat.
'I really am going to die at this rate.'
His internal and external injuries became so bad that he couldn't recover any further during combat. He needed to finish the fight before he collapsed.
Federick used his footwork to avoid clashes as much as possible, but the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Wolf Demon were tenaciously targeting his wounds.
'Yes, come at me.'
That was exactly what he wanted, since he was laying a trap to defeat them at once by using the ultimate technique of Great Cloud Palm once they carelessly approached him.
Slash!
The Black Winged Demon charged at him while hiding behind the Red Wolf Demon to tear at his side.
“Ugh!”
Federick groaned, stopping his faltering feet. The Red Wolf Demon kicked the ground to thrust his combative energy, and the Black Winged Demon was charging at him with his crimson burning dagger, laughing through his teeth.
'Now is the time!'
He opened his energy center to explode all the energy he had concentrated in his mana circuits. It was the Great Cloud Palm's ultimate technique, Fist of Extinguishment, which was capable of wiping out everything in the surrounding area.
Baam!
The entire forest trembled from the tremendous explosion.
Rumble!
Everything he could see was completely destroyed, but Federick didn’t rejoice.
“Kuh…”
He gritted his teeth and looked up into the air. The Black Winged Demon was smiling in a grotesque manner while carrying the Red Wolf Demon. Their conditions were too good, disregarding the few scars they had.
“Old man, you are too obvious.”
“I guess even the Saint is helpless in this situation.”
The Black Winged Demon laughed at him, and the Red Wolf Demon was coldly looking at his regrettable performance.
“Damn it…”
Federick bit his lips so hard they could bleed. There was no way experts like them wouldn't recognize his impatience. His trap had caught him instead of the demons.
'I'm completely empty.'
There was nothing left in his energy center and mana circuit.
“Hah.”
He could only laugh, utterly discouraged by the death shadow that was already right under his nose.
'Is it over?'
He could feel Yulius's gaze from behind him.
'He must be still holding back his tears while biting his lip.'
He was so proud of him for holding back from crying and screaming until the end in order to avoid disturbing his battle.
'I'm sorry.'
He couldn't keep his promise to see Raon with him, nor the promise of escaping together. He wanted to fight until the end, but he had nothing left. He just felt so sorry for Yulius.
“Let's end this. You fought better than I expected.”
“I'll grant you a painless death, befitting your title of saint.”
“I don't want that! I'm going to devour him alive!”
“Did your brain also turn into a beast just because you are wearing a monster's skin?”
The Black Winged Demon and the Red Wolf Demon were slowly approaching him. They were also tired from using a lot of power, but they couldn't be compared to Federick, who had completely exhausted his strength.
Whir!
Even in that situation, they didn't lower their guards and were spreading as much combative energy as they could. Federick's entire vision was filled with astral energy.
'Oh god, I don't mind dying myself.'
He bit his tongue, screaming on the inside instead of praying.
'But please, save the boy behind me! He is too pure to go with those evil demons! I don't care what you do with this old body of mine! Please, save the boy!'
He'd been called the Saint, but he didn't believe in God. He only considered it a healing tool, but he was actually praying for the first time.
However, nothing had changed. It was apparently too late.
Whaam!
Looking at the combative energy filling his vision, Federick turned around.
“Yulius, I won't be able to keep the promise.”
“S-Saint…”
“Stay strong and live.”
He smiled gently at Yulius, whose chin was trembling. He turned around and waited for his death.
However, even though God had abandoned them, the thread of fate was still connected.
Along with a thunderous sound destroying the earth, a refreshing wind blew towards them.
Red and blue lights crossed each other diagonally, shredding the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Winged Demon's combative energies into pieces.
One man was standing in the glimmering light of fire. His tall stature and blond hair fluttered in the air, reminding Federick of his dear friend.
“Y-You are…”
He looked around. His upright red eyes that seemed familiar for some reason seemed extremely glad to see him.
“It's been a while.”
His heart throbbed intensely from hearing that man's low voice.
“I came to pay my debt.”
