Raon grit his teeth so hard they felt like they’d break.
‘So much power.’
The Evil Goat Demon’s strike was so powerful that it felt like the sky itself was collapsing on him. Even though he was using the Hundred Flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation at full power and had mustered as much physical strength as he could, his feet were getting rammed into the ground.
“Kuh!”
He felt like his skin was getting torn apart and his bones were shattering from the black greatsword’s pressure. The heat from his abdomen’s internal injury had also gotten more intense. He couldn’t even tell where exactly it hurt anymore, not with how intense the pain was.
Rumble!
The Evil Goat Demon’s strike was getting more and more powerful. Both his wrists and shoulders were trembling as if they were about to be shattered into pieces.
‘Damn it…’
If only he were in his normal condition without any injuries, or if he could perfectly use the Hundred Flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation—he wouldn’t have been pushed back so much. That thought made him boil with anger.
‘No, I shouldn’t think like that.’
Raon shook his head.
‘I should just stay in the house forever if I always expect to fight in my best condition.’
He couldn’t possibly be in normal condition every single time. He needed to be glad that he’d managed to survive after defeating the two Masters, and muster as much power as he could in the given situation.
You are doing great! Crush him now! Destroy him!
Wrath popped out from his wrist, starting to shake his hand violently to cheer him up.
Because that will make this bastard give his body to the King of Essence! I’ll let you live, goat head, if you do that!
Raon ignored the demon king of gluttony that was standing on the wrong side, instead focusing his mind again.
Creak!
Even his shin was getting rammed in the ground from the intense pressure. At the rate things were going, he would be crushed to death just as Wrath said.
‘Focus, I need to focus.’
The only way to survive was to analyze his opponent’s sword. He started resonating Ring of Fire once again—something he had stopped doing because of the pain in his heart.
Whir!
He forced his eyes open to examine the energy and properties incorporated in the black sword.
‘Heavy sword and powerful sword.’
The principles dwelling in the Evil Goat Demon’s greatsword were heaviness and power. It was an oppressive strike using nothing but sheer strength.
‘That’s why it’s even more difficult.’
If it were variety, illusion, or softness, he could’ve shattered it by using other principles. However, it was difficult to escape when sheer power was pressing upon him.
“Uhh…”
His lower and middle energy centers were hurting as if they were about to break. The intense pain could also be felt in his mana circuits, which felt like they were about to explode.
‘I can’t die like this.’
He still had many things to do. He couldn’t be defeated—he needed to at least settle the messes that he’d created.
‘I need to focus even more.’
He rotated the Ring of Fire around his heart to the extreme. Probably because he’d become a Master, he felt like the entire world had stopped. He glared at the black greatsword in that advanced world.
‘How can I push back the heavy sword…?’
It was impossible to achieve it with power. He was lacking in both the quality and quantity of his aura. He needed to find another method.
His head was working harder than ever. He recalled every single sword from the techniques he’d learned in the past, up to the Heavenly Heavy Cannon, to look for a way to survive.
‘Wait! Heavenly Heavy Cannon?’
Raon swallowed nervously and looked at the shaking Heavenly Drive.
‘If I can use the Heavenly Heavy Cannon’s gravity the other way around…’
The Heavenly Heavy Cannon had a slow activation to compensate for its enormous power.
The gravity was there to make up for that drawback, and he figured he might be able to escape from that powerful strike if he could reverse that ability to push it back instead.
‘It’s not impossible.’
Though, it would hurt so much.
Since he needed to change the normal flow of his mana circuit, it was going to be extremely difficult, and he would feel a deadly pain… but he was certain it was possible.
‘I need to complete it in one fell swoop.’
A poor activation would destroy his body and he wouldn’t be able to maintain his current balance. He needed to activate it in one go the moment the Evil Goat Demon released his power.
Whir!
He mustered his aura, which was scraping at the bottom, as he looked into the Evil Goat Demon’s eyes. A strange passion was glowing in his eyes, which were a burning red.
“You are weaker than I thought.”
Raon forcibly opened his mouth and smiled.
“I thought you would be able to slay me in a single strike because I’m so exhausted.”
“What a sloppy provocation.”
The Evil Goat Demon snickered while raising his chin.
“Kuh…”
He knew it was sloppy, but he was running out of time. He was going to exhaust all of his strength at the rate he was going, just from holding out against him.
“However, I’ll play along with your provocation, since I’m curious about what you’ve been preparing.”
A powerful light glimmered from Baphomet’s eyes under his helmet, and the energy covering the greatsword exploded outward.
‘He looks confident that he can kill anything in his path. However, this one’s going to be different.’
Because he was going to push it back instead of blocking.
Red lightning brushed past Raon’s red eyes. The moment the Evil Goat Demon’s strike reached its peak performance, Raon controlled his concentrated aura in an opposite way than he did with the Heavenly Heavy Cannon.
Crack!
His mana circuit expanded to a point where it could burst, resulting in intense pain. Raon endured the pain that was incomparable to the internal injury or a bone fracture, activating all of his remaining energy.
Raon Zieghart Style Technique.
Second Form, Reversed Heavenly Heavy Cannon.
The sphere of astral energy gathered at Heavenly Drive’s extremity spread out in all directions instead of condensing to create a huge impact.
Baam!
With the thunderous sound of an explosion—as if the entire world were collapsing—the auras pushed each other, and the Evil Goat Demon took two steps backward with his black greatsword.
Bam!
The extreme power coming from his feet made the ground tremble so hard that it felt like it was about to split apart.
Rumble!
Raon bounced back like a ball and rolled on the ground. He was unable to do anything and was pushed back dozens of meters by the stupidly fierce clash of power, before getting slammed into a large tree.
“Kuh!”
Raon coughed out blood while grasping his chest.
“Kuh…”
Because of the severity of his internal injury, even his blood was black. As he was about to lose his balance and collapse on the ground, he drove his sword into the ground to keep standing.
“Raon!”
“Aah…”
He extended his trembling hand towards Federick and the boy, who were about to run towards him.
“D-Don’t come.”
He shook his head, forcefully parting his dry lips. The fight was not over yet, and he needed to stand on his own.
“Huff.”
His head felt dizzy from the pain even though breathing was all he’d done. He would’ve already fallen and howled from the anguish if he hadn’t experienced the tortures of his previous life.
‘He’s still fine.’
The Evil Goat Demon was perfectly fine, without the slightest injury. However, his purple eyes were expressing his astonishment, since he probably didn’t expect Raon to use such a method to escape.
Crack.
He grit his molars so hard that they felt like they’d break, then pulled Heavenly Drive from the ground. He forced his wavering legs to stand and slowly raised Heavenly Drive.
“Single strike match. I’m still standing.”
Raon spat the blood filling his mouth, pointing the silver blade—still shining—towards the Evil Goat Demon.
“Do you accept it?”
“Huh…”
The Evil Goat Demon didn’t respond. He looked even more surprised since he just kept staring at him with his mouth wide open. The emotions reflected in his eyes were inner conflict, contemplation, and something similar to a desire.
“Kuk, kuh!”
After a long time had passed that almost felt boring, the Evil Goat Demon grasped Baphomet's helmet with a trembling chin.
“Kuhahahaha!”
He started laughing so hard that even the trees trembled.
“Did you push it back because you wouldn’t be able to win in raw power? That was smart. I can understand how you are still standing there.”
The Evil Goat Demon threw the greatsword in his hand into the air, and the greatsword looked like it melted down as it disappeared into darkness.
“I accept it.”
He nodded, crossing his arms just like in the beginning.
“Today’s match is a draw.”
“Haa…”
Raon exhaled heavily. Although he was trying to catch his breath, he was still running out of breath. He forcibly stopped his body from relaxing.
“I think I made the right choice in letting you live.”
“What?”
“Huhu.”
The Evil Goat Demon closed his eyes without answering.
“Let’s settle today’s draw the next time we meet.”
He waved his hand and slowly walked away, following the path he had been blocking.
Hey, hey! Goat head! Where are you going right now?
Wrath swung his fist filled with coldness.
Where are you going instead of finishing him off? You damned idiot! Lifting your finger is enough to kill him, why are you calling this a draw?
He screeched, unable to understand the situation.
Why does this shit keep happening to the King of Essence?!
“Huff!”
Raon sank to the ground while listening to Wrath’s scream of despair. He really didn’t have any strength left anymore.
‘I-I really might die at this rate…’
He could feel an unbearable pain throughout his body. He couldn’t even breathe properly, probably because his lungs were crushed. He endured the pain and rotated the Ring of Fire in order to survive.
“Raon!”
Federick almost fell as he hurriedly ran towards Raon and knelt in front of him.
“A-Are you okay?”
“How about you, Sir Saint…?”
Federick’s hands were trembling as Raon worried about him instead.
“You, seriously…”
Federick tightly bit his lip. He felt like he would start shedding tears if he didn’t do that, even though it wasn’t the time for that.
“You haven’t changed at all since the last time I saw you.”
“Stop talking and lie down!”
He grabbed Raon’s wrist and inserted his energy, which he had barely managed to recover.
“Gasp!”
Federick covered his mouth to stop himself from screaming.
‘D-Did he really fight until the end in this condition?’
Raon could die at any moment in his current condition. Multiple bones were fractured, his muscles and mana circuits were ruptured, and barely any organs were maintaining their condition.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that his entire body was destroyed.
‘How could he…?’
If he were in Raon’s stead, he would’ve fallen already and started screaming without being able to lift a single finger.
“Kuh…”
Since he was nonchalantly enduring the pain, the tears he’d been holding back started to unconsciously flow down.
“I-I’ll get you treated right away. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you before! I’m really…”
“It’s okay, and now isn’t the time for treatment.”
Raon smiled helplessly and shook his head. He wiped the blood from around his mouth while looking out of the forest.
“It’s not over yet.”
* * *
* * *
“Tsk.”
Sheryl snorted, severing the ice and fire pillars raining at her from both sides.
Swaaa!
After that, she used the White Sword to sever the light brown wave pouring from the sky.
Rip!
Merlin’s completely irritated face could be seen through the fissured mana wave.
“You damn bitch! Why are you getting in my way every single time?!”
“You are the one getting in my way of my mission.”
“You don’t know what's happening in there either! Step aside!”
“I’m the type of person who keeps her promise.”
Sheryl laughed coldly and swung the White Sword. She was pointing the Black Sword in her left hand towards the monsters, prepared to act at any moment.
Although she was maintaining a calm and challenging appearance, her stomach was turning upside down.
‘Raon, are you still alive?’
Because of the barrier around the forest and Merlin’s mana that kept flowing and exploding, she couldn’t find out what was happening inside the forest.
Even though she could tell that there were countless intense clashes, she couldn’t determine who the victor and loser was at all.
‘Damn it.’
She did send Raon there because she acknowledged his abilities, but she kept regretting her decision over and over again after that. She kept wondering if that was the correct choice, and if there was anything else she could’ve done. However, no matter how hard she racked her brain, trusting Raon was the only method.
‘There’s nothing I can do about it anymore.’
Only thing she could do was to pray and wait for Raon to come out of the forest while stopping Merlin and the monsters.
“Step aside, you damned bitch!”
“Yes, that’s how you should act—after all, you are the witch of betrayal, Merlin.”
Sheryl stopped Merlin and Eden’s attacks on her own, as if she were a divine general of heaven. Not a single insect was able to pass by her.
“Argh! I’m going to crush you!”
Merlin gathered her hands as if she were praying, then she started to chant for the first time.
Whir!
Nature’s mana condensed in an instant, causing blue and red spheres to rain down from the sky and land. The tremendous energy made her feel like she had lost all sensation for a moment.
“Haap.”
Sheryl gathered her aura and lowered the White Sword while raising the Black Sword. As she was about to cut through the mana, the forest’s entrance started to shake.
“Ah?”
“Hmm?”
Merlin, who was about to attack with her magic, and Sheryl, who was about to slash, both looked at the forest’s entrance at once.
Rustle.
Along with the rustling sound of dried-up leaves, Raon walked out. Even though he looked exhausted, his eyes were extremely clear. The Ragged Saint Federick and the boy were behind him as well.
“Raon? Raon!”
Sheryl was almost screaming as she called Raon’s name.
‘He’s not just alive, but he also managed to save both of them!’
Just managing to survive or saving the boy would’ve been nothing short of a miracle, yet Raon had returned with both of them, with all four limbs still attached to his body. Her heart started pounding with her turbulent emotion. Even though she’d spent dozens of years on battlefields, it was her first time being overwhelmed by emotions to such an extent.
‘He even managed to reach Master level, and he’s at the novice level already! Seriously, this guy…!’
She was curious how he’d managed to survive in the forest, and it was because Raon had managed to overcome the Master wall that he’d destroyed before and walked even further. Just like Glenn had said, the stagnant period upon reaching Master didn’t exist for Raon.
“Raon…”
Merlin’s eyes lost focus.
“You were alive! You came out alive!”
Her eyes were even more passionate as she looked at Raon.
She apparently didn’t even care about her shattered plan anymore.
“I knew you had to come with me. You should stay right next to me, instead of with Zieghart!”
Merlin’s smile deepened, to the point where her true expression could show through her mask.
“What can you do for me if I go there? Do you really have a helmet for me?”
Raon looked up to Merlin, as if he were interested in her offer.
“What? What did you just say…?”
“You apparently really get stronger upon wearing a helmet. Can I wear one as well?”
“Of course! Of course, you can!”
Merlin hurriedly nodded.
“If you wear the helmet I’ve prepared for you, you should be able to reach Grandmaster’s level in a few years. Even that bitch won’t be able to face you!”
She smiled a toothy smile while pointing at Sheryl.
“A few years…”
“Raon! Wh-Why would you?!”
Sheryl’s eyes widened as she looked at Raon.
“I couldn’t defeat one of them. He was really, extremely powerful. I’ll do anything if I can defeat him.”
Raon flicked the hand holding the hilt, as if he were contemplating it. The pinky finger on his right hand was pointing upward.
‘That’s…’
Sheryl narrowed his eyes.
‘Is that a sign?’
Raon must’ve been trying to give her an opening to take care of Merlin.
“Then let’s go right now, since I’m about to faint from exhaustion.”
“Alright! Sure!”
Merlin extended her left hand with a grotesque smile on her face. A blue magic array was created on the ground, and her mana spheres wavered at the same time.
‘Now is the time!’
Sheryl stomped on the ground. She slashed at Merlin’s opening by using her aura, which had gathered to the extreme. The gray halo dappling around the two blades of different colors severed the sky and the land.
Whaam!
The tremendous power in the gray trajectory cut through her magic, trying to slash Merlin as well.
“Kuuh! Raon! Raon!”
Although a fatal amount of blood was gushing from Merlin, she maintained the magic array on the ground. It was a display of her crazy obsession, as she tried to take Raon with her at all costs.
Raon walked up to that magic array and raised his foot.
“Raon?”
When Sheryl’s lips parted in panic, Raon stomped the ground in front of the magic array instead of setting foot inside.
Slam!
The ground exploded, shattering the magic array that Merlin was barely able to maintain.
“I’d rather die than wear a helmet like that.”
“Raaaon!”
With the last of her magic crushed, Merlin melted down into a gray light while leaving a frightening scream behind.
“Huff.”
Raon sank to the ground right afterwards, coughing up blood.
“Raon!”
“Raon!”
Sheryl and Federick ran up to him in a fright, aiming to catch him.
“Seriously, you have no sense. You should’ve finished her off faster.”
Raon shook his head while leering at Sheryl.
“No, I…”
Sheryl’s eyes rounded. No one would’ve expected him to create an opening for Merlin in that situation.
“I need to rest now. I’m really going to die at this rate.”
Raon smiled faintly and tilted his head back. Let alone standing, he didn’t even have energy to stay conscious.
[…Master level.]
[…Curse of Frost…]
[…unprecedented in the continent.]
[Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation…]
The messages about the achievements he’d gotten so far appeared at once.
Wh-Why are there so many of them?!
Raon closed his eyes as Wrath popped up.
He had a feeling he would get a nice and comfortable sleep, all while using Wrath’s angry voice as his lullaby.
