Chapter 920

Raon ascended the stairs to the next floor, gazing down at the hand gripping Heavenly Drive.

‘As expected, he’s strong.’

Karoon had grown even more since the last time Raon had seen him—he now possessed power exceeding Raon’s own. Judging from how he had begun to dismantle Raon’s swordsmanship mid-fight, he clearly hadn’t even gone all out.

‘Though I held back as well.’

Unlike Karoon, whose strength was suppressed by the Demonic Energy of the Black Tower, Raon was instead empowered by it.

Outside, the fight would’ve been tough. But inside the tower, had they clashed with full power, Raon was sure of victory.

‘No… not just Karoon. I doubt anyone could beat me right now.’

The higher he climbed the tower, the stronger the [Authority of Wrath] became. The power surged within him uncontrollably—he felt like he could crush anyone.

– “You fool!”

Wrath suddenly smacked the back of his head.

– “Do not be consumed by power! You must be even more cautious in moments like this!”

Wrath scowled, telling him to stay alert.

‘Sorry…’

Raon rubbed the back of his head, lowering it in apology.

‘I was drunk on strength.’

Wrath was right—arrogance had no place, even with enhanced strength.

This power wasn’t his by nature. That made it all the more reason to fight carefully.

‘The [Authority of Wrath] truly is dangerous.’

The [Authority] granted tremendous strength, but also messed with his mind. He hadn’t expected it to breed arrogance—confidence that he could win no matter the enemy.

‘You’re right for once.’

– “For once?! This king is always right!”

Wrath raised his hand, proud.

‘I don’t think so.’

Raon chuckled and stepped onto the final stair. As he entered through the curtain-like entrance, a mixed scent of old books and blood flooded his senses.

‘A library? No, that’s not all.’

To the left stood a well-organized library lined with countless books and shelves. To the right, in darkness as deep as night, countless weapons lay scattered.

‘The atmosphere is completely different on each side.’

The library was blindingly bright, like direct sunlight shone upon it. In contrast, the armory-like space was pitch-black, like a sealed room without even a sliver of light.

The two opposing scenes merged into one floor, creating a deep sense of foreboding.

‘Who’s the floor master here…?’

As Raon spread his aura to search, an immense, unimaginable mass of Demonic Energy was felt above him.

Just sensing it sent chills cascading down his spine.

‘Above.’

He swallowed dryly and looked up with trembling eyes.

‘It’s right above us.’

The floor above was the topmost floor—home to the Black Tower Lord.

Though whatever he was preparing wasn’t complete, he lay in wait like a coiled serpent, drawing in colossal amounts of Demonic Energy.

– “Ha…”

Wrath furrowed his brows in disbelief.

– “Even for corrupted Demonic Energy, this is too much. That bastard is clearly insane.”

‘Even you’re shocked?’

– “Indeed. If that much erupts, Montiro itself will vanish from the map. Though the bastard himself would likely perish, too.”

Wrath scoffed—this was clearly beyond any normal situation.

‘I doubt he’ll self-destruct.’

The mole too afraid to emerge because of Chamber wouldn’t blow himself up. He was surely preparing some kind of powerful spell or ritual.

‘It’s infuriating.’

Raon clenched his teeth as he stared up at the ceiling.

‘To think one of the continent’s strongest is that coward.’

After playing with so many lives, the man himself still refused to show his face and continued to stall for time. Rage boiled deep within Raon’s chest.

This wasn’t arrogance anymore—it was pure, righteous fury.

“…He really is a monster.”

Karoon exhaled heavily, looking up at the ceiling.

“If we don’t arrive soon, everything might really be over.”

He too seemed to sense the Black Tower Lord’s gathering force.

“Yes. We must end it quickly.”

Just as Raon turned toward Karoon, a man emerged from behind a bookshelf.

An elderly gentleman with white hair and a monocle. If not for the rapier at his hip, he would’ve looked like a kindly librarian.

“…Told you we should’ve gone down and killed them.”

A robed demon rose from the darkness on the opposite side.

No—he wasn’t just robed. It was as if he was clothed in the darkness itself, with black droplets dripping from his body.

‘Strong…’

Overshadowed by the Black Tower Lord’s overwhelming presence, Raon hadn’t fully noticed. But both of these individuals radiated an aura on a completely different level than any demon he’d met before.

This was the elevated presence only Transcendents possessed.

“That one cloaked in darkness is Sigel, one of the Black Tower’s Sub-Lords. Despite his sluggish look, he’s a master of all weapon and curse arts. He’s not called the Black King for nothing.”

Karoon narrowed his eyes, pointing at the demon who had merged with the shadows.

‘The Black King… Sigel.’

Raon exhaled slowly as he looked at Sigel.

‘So I finally meet the monster of legend.’

Sigel rarely left the tower. But when he did, he always left devastation in his wake.

During the Six Kings Era, three elite martial troops were wiped out by him alone. Even an Owen Transcendent who arrived later was slain.

He left no blood or bone behind—only a scorched black crater, hence the title “Black King.”

“A monocle and a rapier…”

Jaina’s lips trembled as she looked at the elderly man.

“That’s Garet. The Black Tower Lord’s butler—and his only family. I heard he still handles all the tower’s internal affairs, and now he’s here…”

She swallowed dryly, saying Garet’s influence rivaled even Sigel’s.

“I’ve heard that name.”

Raon nodded, eyes locking onto Garet.

‘They said he oversees all of the tower’s management.’

Unlike the mighty Sigel, Garet was the Tower’s Grand Chamberlain—handling all personnel and resources, and also a Transcendent. As the one who raised the Black Tower Lord, his authority supposedly surpassed even the Sub-Lords.

‘They’re all here.’

The two most dangerous people to face when confronting the Black Tower Lord had gathered in one place. In a way, it was ideal.

If they took out Garet and the Black King, no one could stop them from reaching the top.

“This is your final chance, trash.”

Garet slightly lifted his monocle and shook his head.

“If you take another step forward, I’ll put a hole in your skull.”

He stepped in front of the bookshelf and raised his chin arrogantly—an attitude befitting the one who raised the Black Tower Lord.

“…Annoying, but it can’t be helped.”

Sigel clicked his tongue and dragged his sagging body forward to block the path.

“As long as you don’t cross this line, I’ll spare your filthy lives.”

With a flick of his finger, a thin, deep groove carved itself into the floor.

“A butler who raised the Black Tower Lord…”

Raon clicked his tongue and looked at Garet.

“Will that rat show his face if you die?”

Wearing a smirk, he stepped over the line Garet had drawn.

FWOOM!

The moment his foot touched the ground, the rapier at Garet’s waist burst toward Raon’s forehead like a flash of lightning.

True to the name Garet, it was a terrifyingly fast thrust.

But not faster than Raon could react. Just before it reached him, he leaned back and deflected the strike.

BOOOOM!

The wall behind him shattered like it had been struck with a hammer. The attack wasn’t just fast—it packed devastating force.

“Even dodging will only add to your suffering.”

Garet scowled and reached forward again—this time, his rapier was even faster, aiming for Raon’s throat.

Though it moved too fast to see, Raon read the angle and deflected it diagonally.

CLAAAAANG!

The impact between Heavenly Drive and the rapier collapsed a bookshelf and sent books tumbling down.

Garet’s strikes weren’t just fast—they carried tremendous power. The force rattled Raon’s entire arm.

“You’re… strange.”

Garet frowned and unleashed another flurry of lightning-quick thrusts.

The speed and power were enough to make Raon’s whole body feel like it was being pricked by thorns—even without a direct hit.

KYYAAANG!

Raon stepped around the strikes with [Supreme Harmony Steps], brushing away Garet’s blows. Normally it would’ve been hard, but his enhanced power and senses made it possible.

“Did you really raise the Black Tower Lord? You’re pretty weak. Maybe you just reviewed his paperwork?” (T/N: OOOOOOHHHH The trashtalk lol)

He pressed forward with a taunt, spinning Heavenly Drive faster than Garet’s rapier and exerting heavy pressure.

“W-What is this…?”

Garet widened his eyes, shocked to be overwhelmed by speed alone.

“Arrogant brat…”

As Raon circled to Garet’s right to slice his waist, Sigel unleashed a torrent of black energy.

The Demonic Energy, twitching like an octopus’s limbs, curled toward Raon’s ankles.

“Hmph…”

Raon narrowed his eyes and drew Soul Requiem Sword. But before he could guard, a blue blade sliced through the darkness—Karoon had split Sigel’s spell.

“I’ll take this one.”

Karoon stepped into the dark zone and aimed his sword at Sigel’s throat.

CLAAANG!

Sigel blocked with a wave of Demonic Energy, frowning with displeasure.

“Reliable.”

Knowing how strong Karoon was after their fight, Raon didn’t even look back. He refocused on Garet.

“Looks like you’ve got no backup left.”

Raon twisted his jaw and curled his lip into a smirk.

“Ah, wait—there is one. Maybe beg that rat you raised to save you? Not that he’d show up—he’s too scared.”

He taunted again, waving his hand mockingly.

“Silence!”

Garet stamped the ground, enraged at the insult to the Black Tower Lord.

A black horn sprouted from his white forehead, and storm-like Demonic Energy cloaked his body. He was drawing in the tower’s energy to go all out.

“They say you have to strike the ground to flush out a mole…”

Raon sneered as he stabbed both Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword into the ground.

RUMBLE!

A blue moon rose above the wrecked library, and a red sun flared in the pitch-black zone.

“If you die, maybe the Black Tower Lord will show himself.”

Raon drew both sword and demonic sword from the corrupted earth, beckoning.

“You’ll be the one to die!”

Garet charged, cloaked in thunderous black energy, becoming a streak of darkness. In an instant, his blade was at Raon’s left chest.

‘Visible.’

But Raon had already seen his style. Rather than following speed, he read the technique’s path.

CLAAAANG!

He brought the demonic sword down onto the rapier aiming for his heart.

BOOOOM!

The rapier struck the ground, blowing apart the library floor. Torn books filled the air, obscuring vision.

“They say moles have bad eyesight but good hearing… but maybe yours is deaf too? Still not showing?”

Raon laughed, brushing the books aside.

‘The provocation’s working.’

Garet took pride in raising the Black Tower Lord. He’d clearly never been mocked before—Raon’s taunts were getting to him.

“Don’t tell me that rat already ran away and left you behind…”

“Silence!”

Garet thrust his rapier, a bolt of dark lightning flaring. Countless strikes rained down—too many to count.

FWOOSH!

He poured his breath into the barrage, each strike fast and deadly. Blood burst from Raon’s waist and thigh.

A slower reaction and the blow would’ve pierced his heart. He couldn’t let his guard down even for a second.

“Someone like you has no right to insult him!”

Garet bared his teeth, eyes bloodshot, continuing his furious assault.

The sky seemed filled with endless lightning bolts.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

Raon blocked with [Flame Wall], narrowing his eyes.

‘I can read it now.’

Garet had grown faster and stronger—but his core hadn’t changed.

He opened his [Mental World], etched with thousands of swords, and stepped into the storm.

RUMBLE!

The divine sword, wreathed in red flames, slipped into the crimson lightning. It wasn’t fast or strong—but it was Garet’s natural counter.

ZZZZZZZT!

The frost-covered demonic sword followed, slicing deeply through Garet’s chest.

SPLAAASH!

Black blood sprayed from the long gash down his chest.

“How… how is this…”

Garet trembled, lips quivering in disbelief.

“Your sword no longer works on me.”

“Shut up!”

His horn thickened, and he plunged completely into Demonic Energy, stabbing again with his rapier.

RUMBLE!

A massive blast burst from his blade. It looked like a beam that could bring the whole tower down.

BOOOOM!

Raon dove straight into the heart of the blast. He crossed his flaming divine sword and icy demonic sword, raising a tide of blue and red.

Even massive explosions are weaker underwater. Garet’s full-power strike was swallowed by the twin-colored aura.

“Impossible…”

Raon appeared before the shocked Garet and thrust his divine sword forward. Just as the flaming blade was about to cut his neck—

CRAAAASH!

The ceiling collapsed with a rush of black wind.

A crimson eye rose above a tidal wave of darkness—beyond human, beyond demon. A being beyond comprehension.

“Ah…”

Karoon held his breath at the sight of the entity cloaked in pure darkness.

‘Black Tower Lord.’

Just one floor above—and even moving his fingers was difficult under the crushing pressure. It was as if time had stopped.

GRRRROOOAAARR!

In a rage over Garet’s impending death, the Black Tower Lord raised a shadowy hand to rip off Raon’s head.

Compared to this god of darkness, Raon was a firefly before the sun. Death seemed inevitable.

FWWOOOOM!

As despair-filled darkness reached for him, Raon reacted.

BOOOOM!

The demonic sword, wrapped in wrath, smashed the shadowy hand aside. The divine sword, glowing like the sun, sliced past Garet’s neck.

SPLAAAASH!

Garet’s head fell. Black blood rained across the darkness like a storm.

“You only show yourself once the blood falls, huh…”

Raon stepped on Garet’s corpse and glared at the dark king.

Lightning flashed in his eyes—crimson thunder like Glenn’s.

“Turns out you weren’t a mole… You were a worm.”