The Fallen raised his left hand. The night sky was dragged into his hand, then turned into an enormous darkness.
Screech!
The grotesque darkness stretched out dozens of long and elastic legs to surround Glenn from every direction he could potentially move.
Whoosh!
An inhuman language was coming from the White Blood Religion’s leader at an extreme speed. The strands of bloody energy flowing around her tangled with each other over and over until a white spear was created.
Whir!
The condensed white blood energy on the spearhead was huge, sharp enough to even slay a god.
“Dark Enigma.”
The Fallen clenched his left hand into a fist. The darkness surrounding Glenn gathered on him to become a prison meant to confine him.
Zap!
Once Dark Enigma started to constrict Glenn, the bloody spear created by the White Blood Religion's leader dashed at him like a ray of light.
Smack!
The bloody spear smashed into the direct center of the Dark Enigma.
Rumble!
A powerful shockwave spread inside the Dark Enigma. The darkness split apart, and the bloody spear was pushed out alongside red sparks.
Rumble!
Glenn was pushing the wall of darkness and the bloody spear back at the same time with a single thin sword. It was truly a shocking sight to behold.
Crack!
The huge bloody spear split in half and fell to the ground, and the prison of darkness was also split in half and scattered into the air.
“That damn lightning…”
“This isn’t going to be easy.”
The White Blood Religion's leader clicked her tongue, and the Fallen twisted his lips. Their expressions revealed their dissatisfaction with the situation.
“It looks like you’ve both gotten worse than before.”
Glenn tilted his head while looking down on the White Blood Religion's leader and the Fallen.
“There’s no need to drag this out.”
He used the Supreme Harmony Steps. He advanced by folding the space to reach the area in front of the Fallen.
Whoosh!
The Fallen’s eyes widened and Glenn’s Heavenly Tremor slashed at him. The Fallen’s body split into half in an instant, as if he were struck by lightning.
“You are faster than I thought.”
Even though the Fallen’s body was divided in two, he was still alive. He fluttered like a ripped piece of paper before merging with the darkness and returning to his original shape.
“Is that magic?”
“There’s a little bit of that. Of course, it wasn’t just me, and…”
The moment the Fallen’s eyes rolled to the left, a bloody fog emerged behind Glenn.
Whoosh!
Blood gushed from Glenn’s back. He immediately parried it with Heavenly Tremor, but the bloody fog didn’t disappear and remained floating in place.
“I’ll slowly kill you after toying with you.”
The White Blood Religion's leader’s voice could be heard from the fog. It was similar to a vampire’s ability to turn into mist, but the sorcery she was using was far more advanced than that, considering the fact that even his sword was unable to cut it despite his will dwelling inside of it.
“So that the grandson you came to save would be able to admire your corpse.”
“Death, you say.”
Glenn laughed coldly as he raised Heavenly Tremor over his head.
“That doesn’t sound too bad if you can do it.”
The lightning from Heavenly Tremor spread around in a cone shape to create majestic lightning all over the sky.
Zap!
The lightning strikes covering the sky interlocked with each other like a web to fall to the ground.
Just like the saying that the dense and vast web on the sky wouldn’t miss a single bit of prey, Glenn’s lightning web didn’t miss the White Blood Religion's leader, who had turned into fog, nor the Fallen, who was hiding inside the darkness.
“A celestial web?”
The White Blood Religion's leader put her hands together with a frown on her face. An advanced sorcery was completed in the blink of an eye and a wall burst out from the ground, made from her bloody energy.
“Oh no!”
The Fallen clicked his tongue and turned his right hand clockwise. The white light emerging from his hand turned into a huge sphere similar to the sun and surrounded his body.
Claang!
A tremendous explosion occurred as the lightning strike—which had turned into a web—destroyed the bloody wall and the white light.
“Argh!”
“Hmm…”
The White Blood Religion's leader and the Fallen weren’t looking optimistic anymore, even though the lightning didn’t directly touch them. Their intense frowns showed that they’d received a significant amount of damage.
“It looks like it’s unnecessary to save our power.”
Light and darkness floated at once from the Fallen’s hands. The huge power rampaging in the air looked like it were the manifestation of the day and night.
“Indeed, there’s no point in dragging this on.”
The White Blood Religion's leader gave him a small nod before gathering her hands in front of her. The white bloody energy bursting from her shoulders became fainter, and eventually turned as transparent as water.
Whir!
The supreme energy wave created by the White Blood Religion's leader and the Fallen started to distort the space as a warped fissure appeared in the air.
Rumble!
Glenn raised Heavenly Tremor and stomped the ground. Red lightning burst from the trampled land to engulf the surrounding area in all directions.
Rumble!
A tremendous mana storm was created from the clash of their power. The moment the storm soaring from the land reached the sky, the three people’s shapes moved at once.
Slam!
* * *
Raon clenched his teeth. He looked forward after raising his right arm all the way over his head despite how it was screaming to let it down already.
“Those fiends don’t deserve to live! Kill them all!”
“White Lotus division, charge!”
“Tomorrow’s training will be twice as hard if you lose to the White Lotus division! Void Sword division, attack!”
Zieghart’s swordsmen were charging at Eden's demons and the White Blood fanatics with intense flames bursting from their eyes.
“Damn it!”
The tenth apostle fended off Roenn’s blow before stretching out his hand. He pointed at the Zieghart swordsmen with completely irritated eyes.
“Kill them all!”
The White Blood fanatics withdrew and lined up for battle upon hearing his order. They drew their weapons as dreary bloody energy emerged from them.
Clang!
Soul Severing Sword and Sheryl were fighting head-to-head at the center of the battlefield. The entire land trembled from the violent clash between the combative energy and aura of death against the white and black twin swords.
“Ack…”
Unfaceable Snake stood up while covering his stomach, which Raon had injured. Since Soul Severing Sword was being stopped by the Heavenly Blade division leader, he was the next in command.
“You will die the moment you try to run away! Fight to the bitter end!”
Eden’s demons spread their combative energies around upon hearing his shout. The crimson combative energy soared into the sky to create the shape of a devil.
Whaam!
The warriors of Zieghart, Eden, and the White Blood Religion clashed at the center. The competing aura, bloody energy, and combative energy created endless sparks and shockwaves.
“Argh!”
“Wh-what’s wrong with those bastards?!”
“Hold your ground! Withdrawing would be even more dangerous!”
“Are they wild boars or something?”
Even though their powers were pretty much equal, the White Blood fanatics and the bloody demons lost their heads every time the blades flashed on the battlefield.
* * *
* * *
“Hmm?”
Raon narrowed his eyes while watching the battlefield.
‘What’s going on? Why are they also looking so motivated?’
It wasn’t just the armed organization that he was already acquainted with. Even the direct-line swordsmen who despised him so much looked extremely angry as they swung their swords at the enemies.
Raon couldn’t understand why they were doing that, as they ignored him whenever he saw them in the house.
“Are you wondering why they are fighting so hard? The reason is simple.”
Rimmer smiled while glancing at the back.
“It’s because we belong to the same house.”
“The same house?”
That reason confused him even more. The direct-line swordsmen had always pretended that he never existed, after all.
“Even though we are wary of each other and fight amongst ourselves, we wield our swords as one upon facing an external enemy. That’s what it means to be a house, and that’s how Zieghart is.”
Rimmer narrowed his eyes while watching the Void Sword division push the White Blood fanatics into a corner.
“Moreover, the White Blood Religion and Eden were looking down on Zieghart. Honor is even more important than life for swordsmen. Since the honor of the house was trampled upon, it’s only natural for everyone to be enraged.”
He clenched his teeth, showing that he was also angry himself.
“House…”
Raon bit his lip and watched the battlefield. The word was full of vanity in his previous life, yet the same word was warming his heart.
“Hey…”
Burren slowly turned his head around. His eyes were trembling as his lips parted.
“A-are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay.”
Raon nodded.
“Y-you are okay? There’s no way that would be true!”
He widened his mouth, saying that it was impossible.
“Say that again after checking what you look like! You are bleeding everywhere from head to toe! You idiot!”
Martha frowned after examining Raon’s body.
“Hmm?”
Raon checked his own body. His entire body was covered in blood because his blood vessels and skin had ruptured from utilizing Wrath’s energy.
“Raon…”
Runaan bit her lip tightly and walked up to him. Her blank stare wasn’t there anymore, and her purple eyes were wavering with sadness and anger.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
She kept apologizing to him while wiping off his blood with her handkerchief.
“I’m sorry for being so late.”
“It’s oka—”
“Sniff!”
As he was trying to tell her it was okay, Dorian crawled up to him with teary eyes.
“I seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY thought I was going to die!”
He slammed the fissured ground with his fist and violently shook his head.
“Why were you so late? I even left the Continent Chaser Fragrance behind!”
“It took some time to find this place because it was completely shrouded from the detection.”
Rimmer shook his head, ashamed to admit their incapability.
“But it was all thanks to you that both Raon and you managed to survive.”
He smiled while caressing Dorian’s head.
“You did a great job.”
“Waah!”
Dorian buried his face on the ground and started wailing.
Raon smiled while watching the crying Dorian.
‘This is how he should be.’
Watching Dorian’s cowardly and crying facade was finally making him feel comfortable.
Yes, that’s how he should be.
Wrath also chuckled, saying that he knew he was going to do that.
“Vice squad leader!”
“I’m relieved that we get to see each other again!”
“I’ve really wanted to see you!”
“Welcome back!”
The Light Wind members also turned around while maintaining formation with relieved smiles on their faces.
“Same.”
His heart pounded upon hearing the Light Wind squad’s voices. The pleasant throbbing felt like he was riding a cloud.
“The same goes for me.”
He nodded while meeting everyone’s gazes.
‘I never thought I would say something like this.’
He never thought he would tell anyone that he wanted to meet them. Raon felt like a drastic change in his life was occurring.
“Hey, hey. The battle isn’t over yet.”
Rimmer lightly clapped his hands.
“Ready to defend. We are going to defend Raon, Dorian, and the hostages until the end!”
“Yes!”
Once the swordsmen focused on the Light Wind formation once again, a powerful energy wave appeared from three different directions.
Thud!
A black orc helmet from the right side, the sedan chair’s old man from the center, and a bison helmet from the left side were coming towards them.
‘They are coming to capture me.’
Raon frowned. They were trying to get him as a hostage, even if they had to sacrifice their subordinates.
“Protective Formation!”
“Protective Formation!”
The Light Wind swordsmen gathered to the center upon hearing Burren’s shout and an unshakable aura blade burst from them.
“You are being annoying.”
Rimmer lightly kicked the ground to advance and deflected the bloody energy and combative energy coming from the sedan chair’s old man and the bison helmet warrior.
Clang!
The Light Wind squad focused on defending the center of the formation and fending off the black orc helmet’s blade.
Rumble!
The swordsmen were faltering from the powerful impact, but not a single one of them collapsed.
“Hmm…”
Raon narrowed his eyes.
‘They are different from before.’
Even though the strike was powerful enough to destroy the formation, the swordsmen managed to endure the strike with sheer determination. Their prowess had also become stronger, but their willpower felt as sturdy as a boulder.
Whoosh!
In the middle of Raon’s admiration, a wretched pressure emerged from behind him. He hurriedly turned around, and a child with gray eyes jumped out of his shadow. He was the bloody demon with a child's appearance who used to carry the religious leader’s sedan chair.
Pssh.
He must’ve been hiding in his shadow to wait for an opportunity, even though the White Blood fanatics and Eden's demons were dying all over the place.
‘He’s dangerous.’
The bloody energy bursting from his hand was extremely powerful. His might was at the highest level of Master, and it would’ve been difficult to defend against his attacks even without the injuries.
“Hmm!”
“Oh no!”
“Argh!”
Rimmer, Sheryl, and Roenn widened their eyes at once while looking back at the kid.
‘I need to do it somehow.’
As Raon tried to wield his sword while enduring the pain of his skin being split apart, a blue wall emerged in front of him.
Clang!
The wall managed to stop the kid’s hand and he bounced back.
“Wh-what do you think you are doing?!”
He ground his teeth while looking to his right.
“Merlin!”
“……”
Merlin had been sitting on the ground like a dead person, but she slowly stood up. The madness in her eyes was glowing even more intensely than before.
“You are Raon, not Loctar.”
Her eyes widened to the brim as she looked at him.
“You are Loctar, not Raon.”
“Hmm…?”
“It doesn’t matter either way. You are now Loctar, since he’s dwelling in you.”
Murmuring that it had to be the case, Merlin released her mana. Powerful spells rained down like a shower from the dozens of magic circles floating in the air.
“That crazy bitch!”
The bloody demon used both his hands to create an astral barrier, but he couldn’t avoid being pushed back by Merlin’s endless barrage of magic.
“Err…”
“Y-young master Raon?”
“Wh-what’s happening right now? Why is that crazy bitch…?”
Rimmer, Roenn, and Sheryl’s jaws dropped while watching Merlin and Raon.
“I don’t know either…”
Raon shook his head.
She’s really crazy.
‘……’
Wrath was right. Merlin’s insanity was truly extraordinary, as she was protecting him when she should’ve been trying to take revenge on him.
“Merlin! You shouldn’t be doing that right now! We need to change the situation somehow…”
As Unfaceable Snake was trying to give an order to Merlin since he was the one commanding Eden’s demons, a bolt of majestic lightning fell from the turbulent sky.
Whaam!
The lightning strike pierced through the sky and the land, and Glenn, the White Blood Religion's leader, and the Fallen landed on the ground at the same time.
Rumble!
Transcendental pressures were emerging from them as they stood in front of the armies of Zieghart, the White Blood Religion, and Eden respectively.
Raon’s chin trembled as he watched Glenn.
‘This is not good.’
Glenn’s uniform was tattered, and black blood was flowing down from the wounds on his shoulder, waist, and back.
Apparently, even the Destructive King of the North couldn’t deal with the White Blood Religion's leader and the Fallen at the same time.
“Huh…?”
Martha suddenly dropped the sword from her hand and sank to the ground.
“Martha?”
“It’s about time we finish off this fight.”
When Raon was trying to go to Martha, the White Blood Religion's leader gathered her hands in front of her. The sorcery spread out from her red lips to create a magnificent white light.
Whir!
A goddess’s figure appeared =behind her. The goddess with forty-four arms, three eyes, and white skin slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were different colors, and red blood was flowing down from them.
The Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish. It was the manifestation of the enigma that was also called the Blood God.
Wham!
The Fallen blasted the white bead and the black bead from his grasp at the same time, and eight wings grew from his back. The wings on the right side had white feathers like an angel, and the sharp black wings on the left side looked like a demon’s wings.
Whir!
A majestic halo appeared from behind the wings. The sun and moon shining upon him were showing that Yin and Yang were on his side.
Rumble!
The pressure spreading from the two supreme beings was making people cough blood and collapse. Even the Masters were unable to stand straight upon facing the fearsome energy wave.
“Gaah!”
Raon’s chin was trembling as he dropped to his knees. He couldn’t raise his eyes or breathe. He felt like a huge hammer was crushing his body.
“Kuah!”
“Ahh…”
“D-damn it!”
The others were also unable to stand on their own two feet. They were panting for breath as they knelt and slammed their heads on the ground.
‘Th-that’s impossible to stop…’
Because the two supreme beings’ attacks seemed capable of destroying heaven, it seemed completely impossible to stop them. Raon had the feeling that even Glenn wouldn’t be able to win against their combined attack.
“Raise your heads.”
Glenn took a step forward. The warm energy emerging from his feet drove away the White Blood Religion's leader and the Fallen’s energy waves that were crushing their souls.
“A swordsman should look at the sky instead of the ground.”
Zieghart’s swordsmen clenched their teeth and raised themselves up upon hearing his voice. Their eyes were brimming with pride as they looked at Glenn. His broad and trustworthy back seemed to be telling them to follow him.
“That’s how it should be.”
Glenn smiled faintly and raised Heavenly Tremor. The lightning aura bursting from his blade spread throughout the world to create a red aurora.
“Sword Field Creation.”
His quiet voice became a line to connect the sky to the ground.
“Seamless Perfection.”
