TRAIGS - Chapter 756

‘That’s….’

Raon swallowed dryly as he watched the humanoid form rising from the Mara Lord’s corpse.

‘The Black Tower Lord?’

The eerie black mist surrounding the figure exuded a pressure on an entirely different level than the Mara Lord. It felt as though his very soul was being crushed beneath the weight of darkness.

‘This necklace….’

Raon glanced at the black-and-white bead necklace on the table, biting his lip.

‘Is it that important?’

He hadn’t expected someone as significant as the Black Tower Lord to concern himself with such a minor transaction. It seemed the necklace the White Demon Swordmaster had brought was far more valuable than he’d thought.

‘Then this could be a lifeline.’

If the Black Tower Lord had come specifically for this bead necklace, Raon could use it as leverage for a life-or-death negotiation.

He left the ‘Holy Martial Sword Manual’ and the ‘Spear-Severing Sword’ where they were, focusing on the bead necklace swirling with black and white mist.

“Raon.”

Rimmer stepped in front of him, his fingertips trembling.

“Don’t come forward, no matter what!”

He spoke through gritted teeth, vowing to protect Raon at any cost.

“Vice Division Leader….”

-Hmm….

As Raon looked at Rimmer’s back, prepared to face death, Wrath clicked his tongue softly.

-That flashy elf might be putting on a good show, but that isn’t the real thing.

‘What do you mean it’s not real?’

-It’s merely a projection, manifested using the dark energy of that idiot you ambushed.

Wrath snorted dismissively, calling it nothing more than a shadow.

-However, that dark energy…

Wrath frowned deeply as if he sensed something unpleasant.

‘A projection?’

Raon repeated Wrath’s words, his gaze fixed on the black mist forming into a human shape.

‘He’s right….’

The energy’s scale was too small.

The presence of the Black Tower Lord should have been enough to crush the entire space, yet the actual aura felt diminished.

It seemed there was a limit to how much power the projection could use while relying on the Mara Lord’s dark energy.

‘Then if it burns through that dark energy, this projection will disappear?’

Since the Black Tower Lord had appeared using the Mara Lord’s remaining energy, it stood to reason that once that energy was depleted, the projection would vanish.

-Exactly.

Wrath nodded coolly.

-Even parasites drop off once they’ve sucked their host dry.

‘Then this is doable.’

Considering the current situation with the ‘Five Kings and Five Demons’, and what he had learned about the Black Tower Lord from Derus and the Holy Sword Alliance Leader, Raon deduced a single path to survival.

‘Stay calm.’

As the saying went: even if a tiger had you in its jaws, you could survive as long as you kept your wits about you. If he used his brain and words carefully, he could escape this crisis.

As Raon steadied his breathing, a sinister light flashed within the black mist. Meeting those eyes sent chills crawling over his entire body.

“Raon Zieghart.”

The Black Tower Lord, surrounded by black mist, ignored Rimmer and fixed his gaze on Raon, his voice eerily clear in Raon’s mind, not his ears.

“It’s you again.”

The voice was unnerving, as though it bypassed Raon’s ears and struck directly into his mind.

“If you don’t want to suffer even in death, hand over the ‘Black-and-White Pillar’.”

The Black Tower Lord moved his fingers, demanding the bead necklace Raon held.

“H-Hell no!”

Rimmer’s voice trembled as he shook his head.

“That thing’s our lifeline! Don’t you dare give it to him, Raon!”

It seemed Rimmer understood the necklace’s significance, his brows furrowed in desperation.

“Then I’ll kill you both and take it myself.”

The Black Tower Lord’s hand ignited with searing black flames, so intense they seemed capable of melting everything in their path.

Raon gripped the hilt of ‘Heavenly Drive’ tightly as he faced the Lord’s murderous intent.

‘This is just for show.’

If this were the real Black Tower Lord, he wouldn’t need to lift a finger—his gaze alone could have killed both Raon and Rimmer.

But this was merely a projection made of dark energy.

He couldn’t win, but neither would he lose.

Step.

Raon, having completed his calculations, stepped forward without hesitation.

“Raon!”

Rimmer grabbed his shoulder in alarm, blocking his path.

“What are you doing?!”

“It’s fine.”

Raon smiled serenely, his calm gaze settling Rimmer’s nerves.

“….”

Rimmer hesitated, stunned by Raon’s composed expression, and finally stepped aside.

“Black Tower Lord.”

Raon stopped ten steps away from the Black Tower Lord’s shadowy form.

“How long do you plan to bluff like you’re something terrifying?”

He flicked the bead necklace in his hand, taunting the shadow wreathed in mist.

Whoosh!

The Black Tower Lord gestured slightly, sending black flames surging toward the necklace.

“I knew it.”

Raon bit his lip and countered with ‘Glacier’, the tip of his sword releasing freezing energy that split the flames apart.

Crackle!

The flames scattered, unable to reach the necklace.

‘Damn….’

Raon clenched his aching wrist, barely suppressing a grimace.

‘Even with that small amount of dark energy, it’s this strong….’

The Black Tower Lord was truly one of the ‘Five Demons’. Even as a projection, he could unleash power that overwhelmed Raon’s limits.

‘But I can hold on.’

The projection couldn’t expend all its energy freely.

The Black Tower Lord wasn’t here to avenge the Mara Lord—his goal was the ‘Black-and-White Pillar’.

To deliver the necklace to his true self, he had to conserve power. Raon planned to exploit that.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the Black Tower Lord vanished and reappeared from Raon’s own shadow. It wasn’t magic or martial arts—it was something far beyond either.

Clang!

Raon tilted ‘Heavenly Drive’ and ‘Soul Requiem Sword’ to deflect the attack, but the force was so great it sent him crashing through the balcony wall and out into the open air.

“This is your last chance.”

The Black Tower Lord stopped and beckoned with his misty hand.

“Hand over the ‘Black-and-White Pillar’.”

“Not happening.”

Raon wiped the blood from his mouth and smirked.

“You’re not even real.”

He tilted his chin and flicked the necklace again.

“What do you mean ‘not real’?”

Rimmer squinted in confusion at Raon’s words.

“If that were the real Black Tower Lord, we’d already be dead.”

“This isn’t the real Black Tower Lord standing before us,” Raon declared, smirking as he revealed the truth.

“This is just a projection made from the Mara Lord’s dark energy.”

Raon’s words hung heavy in the air as his lips curled upward.

“Of course, a monster like him can display overwhelming power even through this projection, but if you observe closely, his energy is depleting rapidly.”

“…Ah.”

Rimmer widened his eyes, sensing the diminishing dark energy from the Black Tower Lord.

“You’re quick-witted.”

The Black Tower Lord let out a low breath, not the slightest bit flustered.

“True, this body isn’t mine. However….”

His cracked voice deepened, carrying an edge of irritation.

“Do you realize that I can summon my true self here, even at a cost?”

The chilling gleam in the Lord’s eyes made it seem as though he could bring his true body down at any moment.

“…….”

Raon forced himself to keep a calm expression, suppressing his thundering heartbeat with the ‘Ring of Fire’. He turned inward and called Wrath.

‘Is that true?’

-It’s not a lie.

Wrath squinted at the Black Tower Lord with narrowed eyes.

-Demons can switch places with their projections or summon their true bodies. If that idiot is willing to let the dark energy disperse, it’s entirely possible.

Wrath nodded knowingly, as if treating the Lord like any other demon.

‘You should’ve said that earlier!’

-Hah! Why should I help you?

Wrath wagged his tail gleefully, a sly grin on his face.

-Just hurry up and summon me instead! I’ll freeze that fake in an instant.

He swung his little hands excitedly, saying it had been too long since he had devoured a shadowy snack.

‘Damn it….’

If Raon invoked ‘Demon King’s Descent’, it would set his transcendence back a long way. This was something he needed to resolve himself.

‘First, I need to stop him from summoning his true body….’

If the real Black Tower Lord descended, not only Raon but the entire Light Wind Division—and everyone in Holam—would be annihilated. That had to be prevented at all costs.

‘But how?’

As Raon’s mind raced, both Wrath’s and the Lord’s earlier words came back to him.

‘A cost?’

Both had mentioned that summoning the true body would require a sacrifice.

‘Would he really accept such a loss?’

The leader of the Holy Sword Alliance had told Raon that the Black Tower Lord was hoarding artifacts to grow stronger.

If the ‘Black-and-White Pillar’ provided enough of a benefit, he might endure the loss and descend.

‘However….’

If the loss outweighed the gain, he wouldn’t come.

Currently, the Five Demons were hiding from the Five Kings after suffering heavy losses to Glenn. Raon knew he had to exploit that fact.

‘Wrath.’

-What now?

‘The projection can’t use the Lord’s full power right now, can it? His perception is diminished too, right?’

-I already told you. He can only use the dark energy he has.

Wrath snorted impatiently, as though explaining it again was a bother.

‘Then there’s a way.’

Raon resonated the ‘Ring of Fire’ to its maximum, calming his mind like he had during training at the sparring grounds. He smirked faintly.

“Go ahead.”

He wagged his finger at the Black Tower Lord, daring him.

“You think I can’t do it?”

The Lord’s eyes glowed with anger as his aura swelled, shaking the entire arena.

“You can try. But will you?”

Raon maintained his relaxed facade, tilting his chin upward.

“Do you know who’s standing behind me?”

“I don’t care who it is.”

The Black Tower Lord scoffed, his voice dripping with contempt.

“I can kill you and leave anytime I please.”

“What if your soul gets cut?”

Raon’s mocking tone made the Lord’s brow twitch.

“What?”

“This mission is my first as a direct line of Zieghart. It’s a test of my skills, strategy, and power as a direct descendant.”

Raon bit his tongue to endure the Lord’s suffocating aura, nodding subtly.

-And what nonsense are you about to—

Wrath blinked rapidly, already uneasy about what Raon was going to say.

“A test always has an examiner.”

Raon’s calm gaze locked onto the Lord’s flickering eyes as he smirked.

“So who do you think is behind me?”

He pointed upward toward the sky.

“Surely not….”

The Black Tower Lord’s lips trembled, and his oppressive energy wavered.

“Glenn Zieghart?!”

“…….”

Raon didn’t respond, only curling his lips into a faint smile.

“If I give a single signal, his Soul Sword will descend and cut your soul in half.”

Anyone familiar with the war against the North-South Union or Uriel would know that Glenn couldn’t freely unleash his ‘Soul Sword’. But the Black Tower Lord hadn’t been there, making him more susceptible to Raon’s bluff.

-No, no!

Wrath flailed his round hands wildly.

-This lying angel brat is bluffing again! There’s nothing above, nothing behind you!

Wrath shouted in exasperation, but of course, the Lord couldn’t hear him.

“N-No… wait.”

The Lord quickly scanned his surroundings, his gaze locking onto Rimmer’s stiff face.

“It’s a lie! That elf doesn’t know anything!”

The Black Tower Lord hissed, his dark aura swirling angrily.

-Finally!

Wrath snickered, clapping his hands.

-A fool who’s immune to your lies! That elf finally did something useful!

‘Don’t say anything more.’

The more words Raon added, the more gaps he’d reveal. Now was the time to push harder.

“If you don’t believe me, summon your real body.”

Raon tilted his head, smirking provocatively.

“Let’s see if you descend faster or if my family head’s sword reaches you first.”

Despite the creeping unease gnawing at him, Raon wore a calm mask and nodded.

“Hmm….”

The Black Tower Lord’s lips curled in frustration as he hesitated.

‘What is this boy?’

Raon Zieghart’s expression was so calm it cast no shadow, and his heartbeat hadn’t quickened. It didn’t feel like bravado—it felt real.

Unlike Rimmer, who was clearly terrified, Raon’s composure lent credence to his claim.

And as the continent’s most celebrated talent, Raon seemed too honest to lie so convincingly.

“If your soul is struck down even in this form, how much worse will it be for your true self?”

Raon clapped his hands together lightly, challenging him to take the gamble.

“Hmm….”

The Black Tower Lord stepped back slowly.

‘I can’t take the risk now.’

If Glenn’s Soul Sword struck him, everything he had built—his soul’s strength and amassed dark energy—would be reduced to nothing.

‘Until ‘that’ is complete, I must be careful.’

“Raon Zieghart. I will kill you someday.”

The Black Tower Lord’s cold eyes burned into Raon’s memory before he began dissolving into mist.

-You idiot!

Wrath grabbed his own head and shook it violently.

-You were so close! Why leave now? I could’ve frozen him!

“Where are you going?”

“What?”

The Black Tower Lord, fading into mist, narrowed his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you think I mentioned the family head?”

Raon spun ‘Heavenly Drive’ lightly.

“I gave you an escape route. Do you think I’d just let you leave for free?”

“…….”

“If I let you go, I expect a little something in return.”

Raon wiggled his fingers.

-Wait…

Wrath blinked, speechless.

-Are you… extorting him now?

His round face twitched with disbelief.

“Give me something. Otherwise….”

Raon pointed his sword toward the sky.

“The family head will come down.”

“Grr….”

The Lord’s eyes darted back and forth between the sky and ground.

“You insolent….”

“Should I call him?”

“Urgh… Fine!”

Cursing under his breath, the Black Tower Lord threw a black book out of the mist. It was a sword manual called ‘Black Thunder Sword’.

-That fool!

Wrath gawked at the departing Lord, dumbfounded.

“Remember this.”

The Black Tower Lord’s pale face reemerged briefly from the mist, his eyes icy with hatred.

“I will kill you and Glenn Zieghart myself!”

With those parting words, he vanished completely, leaving the Mara Lord’s corpse to crumble like a broken doll.

“Whew….”

Raon wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled heavily.

“…Raon.”

Rimmer stared at him in disbelief.

“Did the family head really come here?”

“Of course not.”

Raon smirked and shook his head.

“Then it was all a bluff?”

“Exactly.”

“…You’re insane.”

Rimmer collapsed onto the ground, shaking his head and laughing hollowly.

-That fool!

Wrath clenched his tiny fists.

-You’re a worse con artist than I am! (T/N: Typical Raon, the number 1 scammer of the continent. )

Before Wrath could finish, a notification flashed before Raon’s eyes.

[You have achieved a monumental feat.]
[All stats….]
[Traits….]

-Urgh!

Raon glanced at Wrath, who was now foaming at the mouth.

‘Sorry, but you’re the biggest fool here.’