Chapter 937
Paaaang!
The first to force a choice was the angel’s light. It didn’t fire like a flash—it exploded in front of the fallen King Lecross’s chest.
Chaaang!
Glenn stepped forward without hesitation. In that fleeting moment, he moved beside King Lecross and cut the explosion cleanly in half.
“I knew it.”
Derus Robert’s hand—blurring into mist—tilted downward as though he had expected Glenn’s choice.
“As I thought, the current Glenn Zieghart is no longer the cold-blooded man once called the Northern Executioner.”
He twisted his lips in mockery.
“The voices telling you that Raon and Karoon are dead must still echo in your mind, don’t they? Their deaths are only the first signal—the prelude to the Great War.”
Derus lifted his chin, his eyes gleaming darkly.
“Now that the two have descended, it’s only a matter of time.”
He glanced at the angel standing to his right with closed eyes and slowly wet his lips.
“The next time we meet, it’ll be your head—”
“That won’t happen.”
Glenn raised his sword toward Derus Robert, whose form was fading as if to disappear.
“You’ll strike? Do you really think you can stab me while letting the Black Sword Lord go free?”
Derus tilted his chin, relaxed, as if reading the situation completely.
“You underestimate the King of Owen.”
The moment Glenn’s words ended, King Lecross—known as the Black Sword Lord—rose to one knee. Despite the gaping wound in his chest, he drew his sword and struck down with a weight heavy enough to make the earth groan.
Kugugugugu!
A transcendent strike that suppressed all movement. It seemed he had been preparing it even while the angel restrained him. With a mere motion of his hand, he unleashed a crushing pressure capable of shattering flesh and bone.
Kuuuuung!
Derus and the angel—whose bodies had been fading from this world—suddenly regained form and fell back to the ground. King Lecross’s sword had generated such immense gravity that it disrupted their teleportation.
“Khuhk…”
Lecross spat blood and fell backward, his duty fulfilled.
Suuu!
Glenn aimed the Heavenly Drive at Derus Robert and the angel who had fallen back to the earth. The crimson lightning coating the blade subsided, and the sword of the old master exuded a noble fragrance—like a white blossom spreading its scent.
“Mmh…”
Derus Robert swallowed hard as he faced the sacred stillness rising from Glenn’s blade.
‘This is dangerous.’
Glenn had forged a sword that could cut through an enemy’s soul—an absolute blade.
A realm that even Glenn himself had yet to reach. The sacred killing intent of the heart-sword pressed upon Derus’s chest like a vice.
‘Is he really going to use it?’
If Glenn unleashed the completed heart-sword, he would transcend this world. Derus thought he would never use it before confirming Raon’s safety.
Yet now, Glenn looked ready to truly sever his own soul.
“Raguel!”
Derus grabbed the angel beside him by the shoulder and shouted that they had to leave immediately.
“It breaks the laws, but…”
The angel, called Raguel, opened his closed eyes. When his ocean-blue gaze flickered, both his and Derus’s bodies began to fade in a white glow.
“I won’t let you leave.”
Glenn closed his eyes and swung the Heavenly Drive downward. The slow stroke—so quiet it didn’t even cut the air—passed through the white light enveloping Derus and Raguel.
Though they were far out of reach, Glenn’s sword didn’t cut flesh or blood.
It cut into the depths of their beings—the soul, the mind, the very essence that made them who they were.
“Khuk!”
Derus bent forward the instant Glenn’s sword fell, vomiting black, dead blood.
“This…!”
His bloodshot eyes trembled.
“How could a human sword—!”
Raguel, too, dropped to one knee, white feathers falling from his wings. Shock filled his blue eyes as he stared at the old swordsman.
Suuu!
Glenn raised the Heavenly Drive again, thrusting toward their necks.
“Scales of Law!”
Raguel bit his lip and raised his hand. A magnificent scale formed of angelic feathers descended from the sky.
The scales shook as if struck by a wave, and Derus and Raguel vanished from the world.
“Mmh…”
Glenn could not deliver the final strike and slowly lowered his hand.
Even after a single swing, sweat poured from his body—he was utterly drained.
“H-how did it go?”
King Lecross, unable to hold himself upright, lifted his head weakly to ask.
“It’s dangerous—don’t speak.”
Glenn moved close and pressed against the king’s chest and shoulder wounds to stem the bleeding.
“Are they… dead?”
“No. I couldn’t cut them completely.”
He sheathed the Heavenly Drive and shook his head.
‘I’m sorry, but I can’t leave this place yet.’
Having completed the heart-sword, Glenn could now slay any foe—but once used fully, his soul would leave this continent for a higher plane.
He had long wished for ascension, but with Raon and the others’ fates unknown, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
Besides, there was still so much left to teach Raon and Karoon. He wanted to remain in this world a bit longer.
So he had deliberately used an incomplete heart-sword, cutting only half of Derus’s soul.
Even that had shaken his own spirit to the brink of scattering, but he had managed to steal Derus’s time—a worthwhile result.
“I understand…”
King Lecross nodded, as if grasping the meaning behind his words.
“Your Majesty!”
“Are you all right?”
As Raguel’s barrier faded, the knights of Owen rushed to the king.
“Your Majesty?”
“H-his wound is too severe…”
“Quickly, move His Majesty! Hurry!”
Seeing the gaping wound in his chest, the knights groaned in anguish and carefully lifted him.
“W-wait…”
King Lecross halted them and gestured weakly toward Glenn.
“Go. Leave me and see to the others.”
He smiled faintly, urging Glenn to go elsewhere.
“Thank you.”
Glenn nodded, and the king, looking relieved, closed his eyes as he was carried away.
“Tower Lord.”
At Glenn’s call, the air rippled like a spring, revealing the face of the Tower Lord without her robe.
[Yes.]
Her usually languid voice was sharp and clear now, as though she were an entirely different person.
“What about the other regions?”
[Contrary to our expectations, neither we nor the Balkan nor the Beast Alliance have been attacked.]
She narrowed her eyes, saying only Owen had been targeted.
“Mmh…”
Glenn exhaled heavily. He had thought all fronts would be attacked at once, yet only Owen had been struck—it was strange.
‘I can’t read his intentions at all.’
Not knowing Derus’s aim weighed on his heart.
But there was something more urgent.
He let out a short sigh and lifted his head.
“Have you made contact with Montiro?”
[No. All communication is severed. Even the black market reports no contact, and the dimensional gates are closed.]
She frowned, saying the entire Five Demons network seemed to have been cut off.
“Then teleport me to the nearest point to Montiro.”
Suppressing the tremor in his chest, Glenn nodded firmly.
“I won’t stop shaking until I see it myself.”
—
Hwaaaak!
A holy light flared in a dim study lit by a single lamp.
“Khuhk…”
Derus Robert burst from a sphere of white light and collapsed onto an ornate carpet, coughing up black blood.
“Mmh…”
Raguel fell backward, toppling a bookshelf. His hand trembled as he gripped the feathered scales.
“Derus, sir?”
Kubara, who had been waiting in the study, widened her eyes and rushed to him.
“What happened—”
Even in her panic, she produced a black pill and slipped it into Derus’s mouth.
“Khuk…”
After swallowing it, Derus’s pain eased enough for him to lift his upper body slightly and exhale a breath tainted with blood.
“What happened? Don’t tell me Glenn Zieghart—”
“Yes. The heart-sword.”
Derus pressed a hand to his chest and nodded weakly.
“My soul was nearly severed.”
He bit his lip, admitting this time had been truly dangerous.
“That sword… is that really something a human can wield?”
Raguel wiped the blood from his mouth and exhaled.
“It’s far too dangerous to be permitted to humans. It violates both Law and Justice.”
The angel who had remained calm even on the battlefield now trembled with rage, a chilling killing intent flickering in his blue eyes.
“If that sword had been complete, both of us would have died. It must be eradicated.”
Raguel tightened his grip on the scales.
“No…”
Derus slowly shook his head.
“It’s not incomplete—it was restrained deliberately.”
He frowned as though realizing Glenn’s intent.
“You’re right—it defies causality. If he were to use the perfected heart-sword, transcending that limit, he could no longer remain in this world. So he imposed his own restraint.”
Derus let out a faint laugh.
“Even so, the power is absurd…”
Wounds to the soul could not be healed by others; only through one’s own will. The strike had reached deeper than before—it would take considerable time to recover.
“He’s a man who defies the laws themselves. We can’t leave him be.”
Raguel’s calm had vanished—his anger now felt like his true nature.
“No, it’s fine.”
Derus shook his head calmly.
“He may be powerful enough to transcend humanity, but thanks to him, I’ve found a clear weakness.”
“Weakness?”
Kubara narrowed her eyes.
“That old man’s affection for his family has grown stronger than ever. That’ll make a perfect blade to drive into his heart.”
Derus chuckled, licking the blood from the back of his hand as his lips twisted into a long, split grin.
“Raon Zieghart… No—Raon. It won’t be long now.”
—
“Please calm down and explain again.”
Raon raised a hand, soothing the flustered Jayna.
“When you say something’s wrong with the Five Kings, what do you mean? Did the Five Demons attack?”
“Haa…”
Jayna exhaled, organizing her thoughts.
“It might not be a total disaster, but there are two possibilities. Either the demonic energy leaking from the Black Tower’s dimension is disrupting communication, or the Five Demons attacked the Five Kings and cut off contact. Or both.”
She frowned. “Either way, the Five Demons are involved.”
“The Five Demons…”
Raon narrowed his eyes toward the sky, where demonic energy still flowed.
‘I can’t do much right now.’
He had already pushed his body and soul to their limits in the battle. He was barely staying conscious to send word to the other Demon Kings.
‘Not just me—everyone.’
The Light Wind Palace, True Martial Palace, Owen, Balkan, and the Supere Holy Kingdom coalition—all had exhausted their strength and could no longer fight.
“If communication is down, can’t we use the dimensional gates?”
“No. Travel in or out is impossible right now. Only teleportation magic would work—but unless you’re Archmage Chamber, long-range travel is nearly impossible.”
“I see.”
Raon lowered his gaze and furrowed his brow.
‘What should I do?’
Knowing Derus Robert, he would likely go after the Five Kings rather than send aid here.
He had prepared countermeasures, but after such a brutal battle, he couldn’t help worrying about the other fronts.
-What are you hesitating for?
Wrath frowned, pointing toward Lust and Gluttony inside the parlor.
-You’ve got two gullible fools right there! Use them when you can!
‘I guess I’ll have to ask again.’
There was only one option left.
“Haa.”
Raon sighed briefly and entered the ice cream shop.
“First, thanks for coming this far.”
He gave a small nod to Lust, whose eyes were half-unfocused, and Gluttony, who was chewing on an iron canister.
“Thanks? You can ask me anything!”
“It’s for the money…”
Lust and Gluttony both shook their heads like it was nothing.
“It’s awkward to ask right now, but can I request one more favor?”
Raon tilted his head toward them.
“Sure! Anything!”
“As long as it’s paid or sweet…”
They both nodded eagerly.
“Thank you. We’ll need to move to another location…”
Raon quickly explained the situation to the two Demon Kings.
“I’ll come back once we’re ready. Wait here for now.”
He left the ice cream shop to gather those still able to move.
Kuwaaang!
Just as he was about to head to the temporary treatment center, a tremendous explosion rang out from the central fountain.
“What?”
Raon widened his eyes and dashed toward the source of the blast.
Kooooo.
Dust billowed violently from the cracked ground—and at its center stood a familiar figure.
“Head of House…?”
Glenn Zieghart, who should have stayed in Zieghart to guard against other assaults, stood atop the shattered fountain, looking straight at him.
“Raon…”
Glenn let out a deep, stifled sigh. His weary eyes softened as he approached.
“I knew you would succeed. And…”
With trembling arms, he pulled Raon into a firm embrace, his voice thick with emotion. (T/N: HOOOLLLYYYYYYYYY SHEEESSSHHH. Our tsundere grampa hugged Raonnnn!!! Finally!! Rimmer would have been grinning ear to ear here if he saw this. )
“…I’m so glad you’re safe.”