Chapter 839

Fwoooosh!

Raon thrust out the Heavenly Drive as he stepped toward the cold-eyed man. He focused the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation into his sword strike, infusing it with the subtleties of the heavy sword.

Raon Zieghart Swordsmanship – Form Two: Midair Cannon.

The gravitational pull emanating from the sword strike drew the enemy in, followed by an explosive blow of overwhelming force.

Kwaaaaaaang!

A tremendous shockwave erupted, unleashing a storm of aura in all directions.

Since he had assumed the opponent was a wall blocking his path and used full strength from the start, even the barrier trembled as if about to shatter.

“Prepare to return immediately—”

Just as he was about to shout at the Light Wind Division to prepare to escape the barrier—

Wooooong!

From within the flames created by Midair Cannon, a burst of pure white light surged out.

“Hmph!”

Raon took a step back and slashed diagonally with the Soul Requiem Sword. The Thirty-Six Forms of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation erupted, and the thirty-six streams of flame collided with the showering streaks of light like a meteor storm.

Kugugugugugugu!

The red flames and white flashes clashed incessantly, triggering massive explosions.

Had his body not been reinforced, that shockwave alone could have torn his limbs off.

‘Strong.’

He initially thought the man was a sorcerer since he had dragged him and the Light Wind Division into this barrier in an instant, but his martial power was impressive as well.

It wasn’t quite at the level of a transcendent, but strangely, he felt stronger than the First Apostle.

Fwoooosh!

The flames left behind by Midair Cannon faded, and the cold-eyed man reappeared.

His outer garments weren’t even singed, confirming Raon’s feeling that he was stronger than the First Apostle.

‘If that’s the case…’

He didn’t have much time. Rather than confronting this unknown enemy, escaping this space took priority.

Crackle!

Raon quickly turned his ankle and struck the white wall to his right with both the Heavenly Drive and the Soul Requiem Sword. It was a dual blade technique linking Red Line and Spiral Slash.

Fwoooosh!

Fierce flames slashed across the white wall.

But the barrier didn’t fully split—instead, it slowly returned to its original form like water parting around a blade.

“What the…?”

The power he initially felt from the barrier wasn’t that strong. He thought Red Line and Spiral Slash would be enough to cut through it, but it had no effect at all.

“You won’t leave as long as I’m here.”

The cold-eyed man shook his head, declaring escape impossible.

“Hmph…”

Raon looked up and bit his lip.

‘Did that bastard strengthen the barrier?’

From the way he said “as long as I’m here,” it seemed likely that the bastard had reinforced the barrier’s durability.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

Since he created the barrier, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to reinforce it.

-That bastard…

Wrath frowned as he looked at the cold-eyed man.

-He’s an Angel.

‘What…?’

Raon turned to Wrath, his eyes wide.

‘A-An Angel? That guy?’

-Indeed. And not just any Angel—a high-ranking one.

Wrath wrinkled his brow deeply at the cold-eyed man, his expression filled with disgust.

‘A high-ranking Angel…’

Raon swallowed dryly.

‘Why would an Angel be helping Sif?’

He couldn’t understand how Sif and the Angels could be connected.

‘Wait a second…’

Raon looked up at the so-called high-ranking Angel and bit his lip.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Currently, there was only one person on the continent connected to the Angels—Derus Robert. That vile face began to overlap with the cold-eyed Angel before him.

‘No, it is him.’

Sif had said he met his god, and his behavior faintly reminded Raon of Derus Robert. Something smelled rotten. That monster was surely behind all this.

“Angel.”

Raon jerked his chin at the high-ranking Angel.

“What’s your relationship with Derus Robert?”

“Hm…”

The high-ranking Angel lowered his eyes, which trembled slightly.

“To think you’d piece that together… You truly are a human tainted by the Demon race, just as he said.”

He covered his mouth and nose in disgust.

“Damn it.”

Raon ground his teeth as he glared at the Angel.

‘It’s that bastard again!’

Every loathsome incident on this continent had Derus Robert’s hand in it.

He was now tempted to crack open that monster’s skull to see what was going on inside.

“Originally, I was meant to buy time so Beorn could absorb her strength. But I can’t leave you be. In the name of the Angel Bardiel, I shall purify you.”

The high-ranking Angel who called himself Bardiel revealed his cold gaze.

‘Bardiel? Revealing his name all of a sudden?’

Raon chuckled at Bardiel.

-Why do you think that is? They delude themselves into thinking they’re pure and righteous.

Wrath wrinkled his nose, calling them a thoroughly disgusting race.

“A-An Angel? Like that monster from before?”

Burren trembled, his lips quivering in shock.

“Angel, my ass! Get lost!”

Martha screamed and slammed her aura-charged sword into the wall of light.

“Open up…!”

Runaan, unwilling to sit still either, released a burst of blue frost from her entire body.

“Looks like I’ll need to weaken you as well.”

As Bardiel snapped his fingers, the white ground rippled like thick paint. Then, warriors of light wielding swords and spears rose up.

“Eliminate them.”

At his command, the warriors of light charged toward the Light Wind Division without uttering a single cry.

“What the hell are these things now!”

Martha gritted her teeth and swung her Titan-infused sword downward.

Baaam!

The warriors of light shattered like sandcastles under her heavy strike.

Woooooong!

But they regenerated as if nothing had happened and lunged at her again. It seemed to be one of Bardiel’s powers using the barrier.

“They won’t stop regenerating!”

Burren shook his head, saying their regeneration was too fast.

“I’ll do it.”

Runaan stepped to the front of the Light Wind Formation and slammed down her sword.

Frost spread outward from her blade in concentric circles, freezing all the warriors of light charging toward them.

“Hey! Nice job!”

Martha let out a cheer and gave Runaan a thumbs-up.

“Now break the barrier…”

Just as she suggested breaking the barrier during this opening, the ice shattered into pieces and the light beings began to move again.

“You idiot! I even praised you, now freeze them properly!”

“This is the best I can do…”

Runaan pouted as she unleashed cold air again, but it only managed to slow the advance of the light beings momentarily.

-If that Angel bastard isn’t dealt with, this barrier and those light beings will persist.

Wrath shook his head, saying that Bardiel must be eliminated first.

‘That makes sense.’

Raon nodded and turned to look at Bardiel.

-You’ve probably noticed already, but that Angel bastard isn’t using his full strength.

Wrath snorted as he looked up at Bardiel.

-To break this barrier, we need to force him into a real fight—draw out his wings first.

He explained that Angels revealed their white wings when going all out, nodding firmly.

‘So that’s it.’

Now he understood why he initially felt Bardiel was stronger than the First Apostle.

That bastard was hiding an Angel’s wings and power beneath human skin.

‘Then Sif must not have absorbed all of her power yet.’

Based on Bardiel’s actions and words, he had created this barrier to buy time for Sif to fully absorb Aris’ power.

Raon didn’t know what secret was hidden in Zieghart’s bloodline that allowed such an outrageous feat, but his role was now clear.

“It’s complicated, but simple.”

Raon lifted his chin at Bardiel.

“All I need to do is take that bastard down.”

“As expected, humans walk a misguided path.”

Bardiel looked down at Raon and shook his head heavily.

“A damn chicken squawking nonsense.”

Raon scoffed at Bardiel.

“Whether it’s Demons or Angels, why do you all talk so much useless crap?”

-Hey!

Wrath shook his head, asking why Raon suddenly brought up Demons.

‘Focus.’

He wasn’t just worried about Aris anymore—he was anxious about those outside this barrier as well, clouding his thoughts and judgment.

Even with a Tranquil Mind, imagining the worst made it hard to maintain emotional control.

But there was always just one thing he could do: defeat the enemy in front of him. He gripped the Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword with that single thought.

“You’ve been deeply corrupted by Demon energy.”

Bardiel narrowed one brow and extended his hand. From his palm, beams of white light surged forth, threatening to erase Raon’s entire being.

Unlike the light forming this space, this one was clearly aggressive.

Boom!

Rather than backing off, Raon stepped forward using the Supreme Harmony Steps. He hurled himself into the wave of searing light, layering Glacier’s frost atop the Heavenly Drive.

Kuaaaaaaaa!

The Demon King’s frost, riding the storm of the Light Wind style, froze all the light summoned by the Angel.

“Hmph!”

Bardiel widened his eyes and retreated, surprised his assault had frozen over.

“Don’t run, Angel.”

Raon closed in so quickly the world turned black, swinging down with the Heavenly Drive. Wrath’s frost imbued the blade that froze the light.

Kuaaaaaaaa!

He shattered the wall of light Bardiel had formed with the Heavenly Drive and pierced the bastard’s chest with the Soul Requiem Sword. Crimson resentment flared with white frost blooming atop its blade.

“Ugh!”

Bardiel swallowed dryly and brought his hands together, summoning a searing orb of light like a miniature sun in front of his chest that forcefully pushed the two blades away.

“Haah…”

Raon took a step back and let out a shallow breath.

‘He’s strong, but I can beat him.’

The light Bardiel produced was fast and powerful, but it lacked deep martial subtlety. He could win this.

“I’ll turn your body into a sieve.”

Bardiel twisted his lips as a barrage of white flashes fired from the orb of light in his hand.

There were too many to cut down with a sword.

Fwooooosh!

Raon raised the Heavenly Drive before him. On the frozen blue blade, frost flowers bloomed.

The ice flame formed with Glacier clashed with the downpour of light from the orb.

Kugugugugu!

As the sword and beams of light collided endlessly, Bardiel’s eyes gleamed with intensity.

‘This one is truly dangerous.’

Seeing his divine power being erased, it was clear this human had accepted the Demon’s power into his body. If left unchecked, this barrier itself could be endangered.

‘It might be better to eliminate him.’

Recalling the incident where he exposed Derus’ identity, Raon realized that no matter how powerful or talented this human was, it was best to kill him here.

Wooooong!

Bardiel crossed both hands and compressed the orb of light to the size of a bead. The vibrating sphere fired toward Raon.

Kuwaaaaaa!

The compact orb exploded in front of Raon, expanding like a cloud and unleashing a colossal blast.

‘It’s over.’

His ultimate technique, Radiant Lightburst. No matter how much Demon power the human had absorbed, surviving this in an untranscended body was impossible.

As he began to lower his hand, convinced it was over, a pair of red eyes flashed within the surge of white light.

Kuuuuung!

Raon burst forth, cracking the ground beneath his feet. The Void Slash, infused with the Authority of Wrath, pierced through the light wall and drove into Bardiel’s chest.

Splat!

Not only Bardiel but the space behind him split apart, and the white barrier began to open.

“Now!”

As Raon gestured to the Light Wind Division, the opening barrier resealed, and a white glow rose from the ground.

Kuuuuuuung!

Bardiel’s skin peeled away, and a pair of white wings erupted from his back.

“How dare a mere human!”

His eyes twisted black—not an Angel, but as if he had descended as a Demon.

Boom!

Raon gripped the Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword in reverse and drove them into the ground.

Wooooooong!

Above the white-lit barrier, a golden sun and a silver moon rose, forging the divine and demonic swords anew.

“How dare an Angel like you…”

Raon grasped the silently descending divine sword and demonic sword, twisting his jaw.

“Do not block the path of man.”

* * *

“Dorian.”

Sif chuckled as he approached Dorian.

“Ugh…”

Dorian backed away, but soon his back hit the wall.

“You pretended not to know me, but I knew about you too. Raon’s closest subordinate and the quartermaster of the Light Wind Division, right?”

Sif spun his black sword with a grin.

“What do you think Raon Zieghart will do when I show him your corpse, limbs torn apart? Wouldn’t that make him easier to deal with?”

He raised the black sword with anticipation of Raon’s reaction. The spatial blade curled thinly as it aimed for Dorian’s leg.

“Aaaaaagh!”

Dorian threw himself to the right just before Sif completed his swing. Thanks to that split-second decision, he escaped with only a minor wound instead of losing his thigh.

“I was aiming for your leg, you know?”

Sif narrowed his eyes at Dorian.

“Looks like you’ve learned a thing or two.”

He scoffed and shook his head.

“Fine. Then I’ll get a little serious.”

“Ah…”

Dorian trembled at Sif’s gleaming red eyes.

‘This is bad.’

He was able to dodge the first strike thanks to his Mind’s Eye, but this time was different.

No matter how or when he moved, he didn’t think he could escape that black sword.

“Next is your arm.”

Sif declared he would sever Dorian’s arm and lightly swung his black sword.

“Aaaaagh! Division leader!”

Dorian screamed for Raon’s help and closed his eyes.

Fwoooosh!

He was bracing for the pain of losing his arm, but what reached him instead was the fresh scent of wind.

“Huh…?”

Dorian slowly opened his eyes to see red hair swaying in front of him.

“That’s harsh. Calling for Raon instead of me?”

Rimmer turned to look at Dorian with a smirk.

“V-Vice division leader!”

“Here, take this useless woman off my hands.”

He handed over Aris, which was hanging from his left hip, to Dorian.

“Hmm?”

Sif narrowed his eyes at Rimmer.

“Where were you hiding all this time?”

“I left right at the beginning, so I’ve been outside the cavern.”

Rimmer rested his leaf-shaped sword on his shoulder and tilted his head.

“I planned to circle around for a surprise attack while leaving the front to Raon, but I guess plans change.”

He let out a laugh, saying it turned out better this way.

“Even if you erased your presence completely, in Bardiel’s barrier—ah!”

Sif giggled as he looked at Rimmer’s ears.

“So that’s what it was? I suppose a hastily made barrier would have some limitations.”

He finally understood and nodded.

“That works out better.”

Sif’s lips curved into a long grin as he looked at Rimmer.

“You, at least, look like you’ll be fun to play with.”

“Fun?”

Rimmer scoffed and shook his head.

“I don’t know how you managed to steal this lunatic’s strength…”

A blue wind rose behind his back, brushing away all malice.

“But I’ll show you that a hastily built bridge is bound to collapse.”