TRAIGS - Chapter 771

‘Thud!’

Raon planted his right foot heavily on the ground. Raising the Heavenly Drive, he prepared to finish off the staggering first Dual-Headed Ogre. But suddenly, his body felt unnaturally heavy.

‘Is this the recoil?’

Though his mind remained sharp, his arms and legs moved sluggishly. The strain of using the unfamiliar swordsmanship had likely overloaded both his energy center and body.

‘Even so, I must keep going.’

Clenching his teeth, Raon forced his sword forward. Just as the blade of the Heavenly Drive was about to pierce the first Dual-Headed Ogre’s neck, a greatsword came flying from the right.

‘Clang!’

It was the second Dual-Headed Ogre. The force of his strike sent Raon skidding five steps to the side.

“Grrr…”

The first Dual-Headed Ogre used the opportunity to steady himself, clutching the deep wound in his chest. His eyes, now brimming with killing intent, glared at Raon.

‘Hoo…’

Raon didn’t rush to attack but instead focused on regaining his composure. A hasty strike would be meaningless against two foes of this caliber.

– “A wise decision.”

Wrath nodded approvingly.

– “Your body and mind are far from normal right now.”

‘I’ll recover soon enough.’

Raon lightly clicked his tongue, confident that a brief moment of rest would suffice to regain his strength.

– “Discovering enlightenment and acting on it during such a dangerous moment… You’re truly an absurd human.”

Wrath furrowed his brow, sounding both impressed and exasperated.

‘Thanks for the compliment.’

– “It’s not a compliment! I said you’re absurd!”

‘Got it.’

Raon waved Wrath off and turned his attention to the second Dual-Headed Ogre, who stood with a greatsword resting on his shoulder.

‘An old man?’

Unlike the childlike first Dual-Headed Ogre, the second had wrinkled skin and age spots, resembling a weathered elder.

‘But strong nonetheless.’

The second Dual-Headed Ogre was just as formidable as the first, both of them peak-level Grandmasters. Facing them simultaneously was daunting, yet it stirred a thrill in Raon.

“There were two of them?”

Even Rimmer, who had witnessed countless battles, widened his eyes in disbelief.

“Raon! That was a new swordsmanship technique, wasn’t it? As expected, you’re amazing!”

Merlin, unconcerned by the presence of two Dual-Headed Ogres, waved enthusiastically at Raon.

“Raon, are you okay?”

Sylvia, who had retreated from the Soul-Severing Sword, looked at him with concern.

“I’m fine.”

Raon smiled reassuringly at Sylvia before redirecting his focus to the two Dual-Headed Ogres.

“You said you could handle him! But look at this!”

The elderly Dual-Headed Ogre frowned at the childlike one.

“How was I supposed to know he’d use swordsmanship technique like that?”

The younger one shrugged, clearly as caught off guard as the rest.

“He’s far more dangerous than I expected.”

Grinning, he pressed a hand against his bleeding chest.

“If we can’t take him alive, we’ll have to kill him here.”

“Take him alive? Kill him? You wish!”

Merlin’s voice boomed as flames and lightning rained down upon the two Dual-Headed Ogres.

“You brats! Do anything more, no—just breathe, and I’ll kill you myself!”

Though Merlin was sweating from the effort of restraining the Green King, her killing intent toward the Dual-Headed Ogres remained potent.

“Ugh!”

The Green King swung her sword repeatedly, oblivious to Merlin’s struggles.

“Miss, can you calm down? Wait, what should I call my ‘husband’s’ sister?”

Merlin muttered while deflecting the Green King’s strikes, unfazed by the chaos.

“Sorry, but…”

Raon, his breathing now steady, activated the Ten Thousand Flames – Glacier technique simultaneously.

“I’m tired of kidnappings. Let’s end this here.”

Extending his arm, the Soul Requiem Sword, still floating in midair, flew into his grasp.

“Arrogant brat!”

The elderly Dual-Headed Ogre scowled as he raised his greatsword high.

“This is regrettable.”

The younger one sighed, hefting his broken club, which, despite its damaged state, was still five times the size of the Heavenly Drive.

“Raon, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

Rimmer gritted his teeth as he swung his lightning-charged blade, struggling to hold off the Soul-Severing Sword even with Sylvia’s assistance.

‘That’s to be expected.’

The Soul-Severing Sword’s strength exceeded even that of the younger Dual-Headed Ogre, and with Edgar’s identity confirmed, Rimmer could do no more than keep him occupied.

“Don’t worry. I’ll finish this.”

Raon nodded calmly. Despite his injuries and his precarious state after using the Divine-Demonic Harmony – Twin Petals, his newfound enlightenment had elevated him to the pinnacle of Grandmaster status. It was enough to face them.

‘Boom!’

As Raon raised the Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword, the two Dual-Headed Ogres surged forward, shaking the ground with their charge.

The elder attacked from the right, swinging his greatsword, while the younger came from the left, bringing down his colossal club. Despite their earlier bickering, they moved in perfect harmony, as if they shared a single body.

‘Kwakaaang!’

Raon countered with the Soul Requiem Sword, creating a blazing Wall of Flame to block their strikes.

The impact reverberated through his bones, exacerbating his internal injuries. But hiding his pain, Raon responded with the Heavenly Drive, unleashing the Mystic Soul Sword: Shadowed Labyrinth.

‘Shhhing!’

Blue energy surged forth, splitting the crimson energy of the two Dual-Headed Ogres and carving deep gashes into their shoulders and chests.

“Urgh!”

“How…?”

The elder glared at his wound in disbelief, while the younger swallowed nervously as he stared at Raon.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Raon tilted his chin upward, his crimson eyes bearing down on them with disdain.

“Having two heads makes no difference.”

Mocking them, he gestured with a flick of his fingers.

“You brat!”

“I’ll rip your mouth off!”

Both Dual-Headed Ogres charged again, their eyes alight with murderous intent.

A terrifying storm of aura seemed to sweep through Raon’s entire body.

“You bastards…”

Recalling Sylvia’s despair-filled gaze, Raon let his fury surge once more. Cloaked in an aura as deadly as the two Dual-Headed Ogres’, he unleashed the full power of the Blazing Dragon Strike.

“I won’t let you die easily.”

—

‘Clang!’

Rimmer deflected the strikes of the Soul-Severing Sword, his eyes narrowing.

‘What’s with this guy?’

The ominous killing intent that had been pressing down on him had strangely quieted.

‘Since Raon used that swordsmanship technique? No… since Sylvia intervened.’

The hesitation in the Soul-Severing Sword’s movements had grown more pronounced after Raon’s display of swordsmanship. Even before that, the Soul-Severing Sword had been reluctant to attack Sylvia.

‘Could it be…?’

Did the Soul-Severing Sword retain fragments of Edgar’s soul and memories? If that were true, it would explain everything happening now.

“Sylvia, I think Raon might be right.”

Rimmer moved closer to Sylvia and whispered quietly.

“Is there a specific swordsmanship or phrase Edgar would recognize?”

“A swordsmanship he’d recognize…”

Sylvia bit her lip and gazed at the Soul-Severing Sword. Her eyes widened as she observed the faint shadow of Raon’s blade slicing through the air.

‘Mystic Soul Sword!’

Now she remembered.

When Edgar had first seen Raon use the Mystic Soul Sword, he had frozen like a statue. His movements had grown stiffer afterward.

‘It must be true.’

She had felt her heart sink when she saw Raon practicing the Mystic Soul Sword by the lake before this mission. There was both joy and sorrow in knowing that both father and son had mastered the same swordsmanship. It seemed their fates were intertwined.

“Edgar! You forced me to learn the Mystic Soul Sword, didn’t you?”

Sylvia broke free of Rimmer’s support and charged at the Soul-Severing Sword.

“Why don’t you criticize my poor posture again?!”

Drawing upon her memories from over 20 years ago, she executed a crude form of the Mystic Soul Sword.

—

Edgar slowly opened his eyes.

‘Dark.’

It felt as though he were drowning in a sea of darkness. Everything was pitch black.

It hadn’t been like this at the beginning.

Even after wearing the Death Knight’s helmet, he had retained some degree of control. But as The Fallen One’s experiments progressed, his sense of self had begun to fade.

The Fallen One hadn’t completely erased him, however, leaving fragments of his soul buried in the depths of his body.

By the time he could barely remember who he was, Raon had been abducted and brought to Eden’s branch. Upon hearing that the boy was Sylvia’s son, Edgar realized he was his own child.

He wanted to act, to save Raon immediately, but all he could do was watch. His existence was confined to observing the world through a veil of darkness.

Thanks to Zieghart’s assault, Raon had managed to escape Eden. Edgar felt some relief, especially upon learning through rumors that Glenn was protecting Raon.

He had thought he could die without regrets—until he met the Green King.

The moment he saw her, he knew she was Sia, the daughter he had failed to protect.

For the first time, Edgar overpowered the Death Knight’s soul and regained control of his body. He tried to escape Eden with Sia, but The Fallen One appeared as though expecting him.

[Now it’s complete.]

The Fallen One had smiled in satisfaction as he subdued Edgar, pushing his soul even deeper into the abyss.

The sensation of his soul being manipulated was a torment beyond pain itself. Edgar had screamed thousands of times a day, wishing for death.

Eventually, even the faint light in his vision was swallowed by darkness. The only thing keeping his soul intact was his despair over himself, his guilt toward his children, and his longing for Sylvia.

‘Paaaah!’

Just as Edgar clung to the will to protect at least his daughter, a small flash of light pierced through the darkness.

The light moved along the flow of the Mystic Soul Sword, tearing through the shadows in front of him.

As the sword’s techniques repeated, the darkness surrounding his vision faded, and the world came into view once more.

“Edgar!”

Sylvia, her face unchanged from the past, called his name as she executed the Mystic Soul Sword.

‘It’s crude.’

Her technique was sloppy and unrefined, as though she hadn’t practiced since he’d taught her. Yet, no swordsmanship in the world felt warmer or more heartfelt than hers.

“Get up, you chatterbox!”

Sylvia’s tearful voice and the battlefield’s chaos made everything painfully clear to Edgar.

‘Sylvia…’

Looking at her filled him with indescribable emotions. Yet, his body, which didn’t recognize her, responded with an icy strike.

‘No! Not now! Ahhhh!’

Edgar screamed as he fought to control his body, halting its strike toward Sylvia. Pain shot through him, as though his soul were being shredded.

Despite the agony, his body moved again, ready to strike at Sylvia.

‘I said no! Argh!’

Once more, Edgar’s soul reasserted itself, stopping his body’s movements. This time, the pain felt like his flesh was being torn apart by a beast’s fangs. He had suffered many injuries as a swordsman, but nothing compared to this.

‘I can’t… keep this up.’

No matter how strong his will, enduring such pain indefinitely was impossible. He had to stop the fight altogether somehow.

As Edgar gasped for air, fighting against the torment, a thin voice echoed in his mind.

[Stall long enough and aim for Raon Zieghart.]

It was the younger Dual-Headed Ogre’s voice, controlling his body.

‘Raon…’

Edgar turned his gaze toward the battlefield. Raon was fighting the two Dual-Headed Ogres without yielding an inch.

It was clear they intended to use Edgar as a tool to kill his son.

‘If I can turn this against them…’

The moment Edgar thought of defying the command of the Dual-Headed Ogre, the most excruciating pain he had ever felt ripped through his soul. It was as if he would disappear entirely.

‘No. I can’t let that happen…’

This was his only chance to fulfill his role as a father. Despite the intensifying agony, Edgar pushed the remnants of his soul deeper into the Soul-Severing Sword, into his own body.

‘Boom!’

The sensation was like having his soul shredded by thousands of blades. Even moving a single finger seemed impossible.

‘Hah…’

The pain was overwhelming, yet, in a way, it wasn’t. Compared to the helplessness he had felt while trapped in darkness, this was a pain he could endure.

If enduring it meant he could save everyone, Edgar was willing to die here.

‘Raon…’

Even as his body moved against his will, attacking his wife, his gaze lingered on his son’s back.

‘Hold on, just a little longer.’

—

‘Boom!’

Raon gritted his teeth, blocking the combined attacks of the two Dual-Headed Ogres.

‘Damn it…’

They were incredibly strong. Initially, he thought victory was possible, but their flawless synergy made it clear how challenging the battle was.

It didn’t feel like he was fighting two Grandmasters; it felt like he was up against a transcendent warrior.

“Are you regretting it now?”

The younger Dual-Headed Ogre sneered, pressing his broken club against Raon’s shoulder.

“Don’t think about capturing him alive. Kill him.”

The elder Dual-Headed Ogre scowled as he swung his greatsword upward, combining their attacks with thunderous precision. The overwhelming energy sent chills down Raon’s spine.

‘I have to block and counterattack.’

If he remained defensive, the battle would only worsen. He needed to strike back, somehow.

‘Chiing!’

Raon activated the Mystic Soul Sword with the Soul Requiem Sword while unleashing Eternal Sky Flame – Endless Blossoms with the Heavenly Drive.

‘Slash!’

Frost-laden strikes froze the energy surrounding the Dual-Headed Ogres, while flames from the Heavenly Drive rode the wind, carving deep gashes into their abdomens.

“Ugh…”

“Hmm…”

Though visibly shocked by the blow, the Dual-Headed Ogres didn’t let their wounds regenerate. Instead, they charged forward, realizing that Raon, fatigued and injured, had to be finished off quickly.

‘Clang!’

Raon focused on defense, alternating between the Wild Fang Blade and the Snow Wind Swordsmanship. Even so, the relentless assault of the Dual-Headed Ogres forced him backward, step by step.

‘My internal injuries are worsening…’

His body’s response lagged behind his calculations, worn down by injuries and depleted mental strength.

‘If it comes to this, I have no choice.’

There was no time to wait for the perfect opportunity. The Soul-Severing Sword, following the Dual-Headed Ogre’s command, was closing in from behind.

‘Even if I can’t finish them in one strike, I’ll have to use the Sword Field Creation.’

Draining the last of his strength to use the Sword Field Creation – Genesis Blade would likely leave him completely powerless. Yet, there was no other option.

‘Hoo…’

Just as Raon steadied his breathing, readying for a final offensive, a voice resonated in his mind.

[…Raon, is that you?]

The voice was deep but tinged with a lightness he had never heard before.

‘Who…?’

[My name is Edgar. I’m… your father.]

When Edgar uttered the word “father,” his voice trembled uncontrollably.

‘Have you regained your senses?’

Raon resisted the urge to look back, instead shifting his eyes subtly. He saw the Soul-Severing Sword, still locked in combat with Sylvia and Rimmer.

[Yes, it’s me. I’m the monster they call the Soul-Severing Sword, the one wearing the Death Knight’s helmet. Thanks to you, I’ve regained a sliver of control over my body. In the darkness, I saw a blade shining brightly—it was the Mystic Soul Sword. How did you learn it? Was it Sylvia—no, your mother who taught you? Unlike her, you wield it properly. I’m truly moved…]

‘…’

He talks a lot. For someone who hadn’t spoken to his son in over 20 years, Edgar’s words flowed like they were having a casual chat. It was a bit overwhelming.

[I may not have been able to do anything for you, but I’ve always been proud of you, Raon.]

The quivering and tension in Edgar’s voice struck a chord deep in Raon’s heart.

[I have so much to say, but I’m not fully myself yet. It’s thanks to you and Sylvia that I’ve woken up, even if only briefly.]

‘So it’s not permanent…’

[You may find it hard to trust a fool of a father who hasn’t been there for over 20 years, but please, trust me just this once. Even if my body is destroyed, I’ll create an opening for you. It’s what I should have done all along. I’m sorry it took me this long, but I’m asking you to trust me. What a pathetic father I am… I said I’d never be like my own father, but I’ve been worse…]

Edgar’s words were endless. It was absurd, yet the stark contrast between his current self and the silent Soul-Severing Sword was oddly convincing.

[Trust me, Raon. Go forward.]

Edgar’s final words were brief but resolute.

– “Are you really going to trust him?”

Wrath furrowed his brow, his voice filled with doubt.

‘I trust him.’

Sylvia had told Raon that Edgar was a talkative man. He wasn’t trusting Edgar the Soul-Severing Sword—he was trusting the man Sylvia had spoken of.

‘Whoooosh!’

Raon unleashed the full force of Blizzard Sword Art and Ring of Fire with the Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword. For the first time, he abandoned defense entirely and poured everything into an all-out attack.

‘Clang!’

As he pushed back the two Dual-Headed Ogres with raw power, a massive surge of malevolent energy erupted from behind him.

It was the Soul-Severing Sword, charging forward through Rimmer and Sylvia’s attacks, heading straight for Raon.

“This is the end.”

“Don’t call it cowardly.”

The two Dual-Headed Ogres smirked, their eyes gleaming with the expectation of victory. They fully anticipated the Soul-Severing Sword would strike Raon down.

Raon bit his lip as he stared at their mocking faces.

‘Can I really trust him?’

Could this all be an elaborate ploy? The creeping sense of dread made his spine tingle. He wanted to retreat immediately.

At the last moment, as Raon deliberated over what to do, he caught a glimpse inside the Soul-Severing Sword’s helmet.

The eyes that had always been shrouded in darkness now shone with a clear, unwavering light—a light that resembled Sylvia’s eyes all too well.

‘Clench!’

Raon ground his molars tightly.

‘I’ll trust him.’

He turned his gaze back to the front. The two Dual-Headed Ogres, unwilling to let him escape, poured more strength into their weapons—the massive wooden club and the greatsword.

‘Shhhk!’

As Raon steadied himself and raised his aura to its peak, the Soul-Severing Sword’s blade brushed past his hair, shooting forward toward the two Dual-Headed Ogres’ necks.

“You damned traitor!”

“Soul-Severing Sword! How dare you?!”

Caught off guard, the two Dual-Headed Ogres widened their eyes in shock. Though they blocked the strike, their unprepared stance left them shaken.

“Go!”

Hearing Edgar’s voice, Raon opened the gates to his Mental World once again.

Reaching the pinnacle of Grandmaster, his mastery of swords had deepened. A golden spark bloomed atop the silver blade of the Heavenly Drive.

Sword Field Creation – Genesis Blade.

Raon’s will, infused with a brilliance far more vivid than before, erased the crimson energy of the Dual-Headed Ogres, carving a singular line across the horizon.

‘Kwaaaaaaaaa!’