Chapter 959
“Mmm…”
Raon opened his eyes before the golden-shimmering exit of the Chamber of Self.
‘Third death, huh?’
Wrath had screamed in fear but still summoned frost and cleanly cut through his neck. For all his whining and theatrics, he was a decisive bastard when it came down to it.
‘Now it’s certain.’
Calming the heat of his [Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation] rising from his core, Raon nodded.
‘In this place, death has no consequence.’
After dying three times with neither his body nor spirit affected, it was clear—death simply didn’t exist here. It was still painful, still terrifying, but there were no losses.
‘The bigger problem is…’
That I still haven’t grasped Wrath’s attack.
He’d taken the hit three times, yet still couldn’t determine where or how that frost struck.
‘Let’s start over.’
Stepping forward over the blue sea, Raon licked his lips.
‘It’s definitely a slash aimed at my neck… but what’s its trajectory?’
Each time his head was severed, but the strike itself had been invisible.
‘This time, I’ll raise [Heavenly Drive] in front of my throat.’
If he held [Heavenly Drive] before his neck and set up twin [Flame Walls] on either side, perhaps he could block Wrath’s attack.
‘Let’s try it.’
As long as Wrath remained in this realm, he had infinite chances. He wanted to block that attack no matter how many attempts it took.
He began to circulate [Glacier], practice his footwork, and replay their previous battles in his mind.
As his focus deepened like entering an ascended state, he soon reached the ruined snowfield where Wrath waited.
“You—y-you came again?!”
Wrath shrieked like he’d seen a ghost the moment he saw Raon.
“What the hell are you thinking! Just killing you leaves me disgusted already!”
He gnashed his teeth, desperate for an explanation.
“All you need to do is kill me.”
Raon didn’t want to break his concentration, so he simply gestured for Wrath to fight.
“I won’t kill you unless you explain yourself first! No—this King will just die first and leave this place instead!”
Wrath gripped his own neck like he meant to strangle himself.
“Even if you threaten me with Nadine bread, it won’t work this time! You’re terrifying!”
He furrowed his brow, declaring he wouldn’t lift a finger without an explanation.
“Alright, calm down.”
With a sigh, Raon lowered the hand holding his sword.
“Hmm…”
Wrath still narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
“You asked what I’m doing? Obviously—training.”
Raon lightly tapped [Heavenly Drive]’s sheath.
“T-training?”
Wrath blinked wide.
“You’re training… by dying?”
“Yeah.”
Raon nodded serenely.
“You know it yourself—dying here has no penalty. My aura doesn’t drop, my sword realm doesn’t regress, and even my soul’s rank stays intact.”
He smiled faintly and thumped his chest.
“It’s the perfect place for combat training.”
“Hah…”
Wrath let out a hollow breath.
“So you’ve been asking me to kill you… for training? What kind of lunatic—”
He trembled in disbelief.
“What’s inside that thick skull of yours?!”
He pressed his lips tightly.
“No matter how fearless you are, a living being should still fear death. How can you—”
Death was something every creature feared instinctively, beyond training or will. Yet Raon charged toward it without hesitation. It was incomprehensible.
“And you still feel the pain, don’t you? It’s not like dying here is painless! How can you rush at it so easily?”
Even decapitation didn’t kill instantly. The agony and terror before darkness claimed one’s senses were extreme. Watching Raon face it so calmly was horrifying.
“Well, yeah—it hurts a lot.”
Raon massaged the spot where his neck had been severed three times. His expression was too calm for the words that left his mouth.
“You never think you might not revive?”
Wrath bared his white teeth as he exhaled.
“Even if you’ve revived so far, there’s no guarantee there’ll always be a next time! What if you truly die one of these times?”
Raon’s fearlessness frustrated him to no end.
“Of course, I’ve thought about it. Honestly, it’s scary.”
Raon nodded as he met Wrath’s flickering blue gaze.
“But I don’t have much time. Even a frayed rope—I have to climb it.”
“It’s odd for this King to say it, but your growth speed is unheard of even in the Demon Realm. What drives you like this?!”
Wrath frowned, unable to comprehend.
“You already know—I’m bound by many things.”
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
‘First, there’s Derus Robert.’
Derus had shown power overwhelming even the Black Sword Lord Lecross. If Glenn acknowledged it, then right now Raon couldn’t even scratch a strand of his hair. To narrow that gap, taking risks was only natural.
‘And there are promises I must keep.’
He had to destroy Eden, which had hurt his parents and sister Sia.
He had to subdue the White Blood Cult Master to save Martha’s mother.
He had to help Runaan defeat Syria on her own.
And beyond that—help Burren, Dorian, Krein, Mark Gorton, and all his subordinates fulfill their dreams.
Even as the youngest Transcendent, as the greatest genius in history, as the Sword Emperor—he had no time to bask in titles.
Whatever it took, however reckless the method, he had to grow stronger.
“Haaah…”
Wrath sighed, gazing into the void like exhaling smoke.
“Every time, I’m reminded—you’re the most insane creature I’ve ever met, demon or angel alike.”
“I’m neither, though.”
“This King no longer considers you human.”
He shook his head as if Raon had shattered his image of humanity itself.
“Anyway, you understand now?”
Raon smiled thinly and drew [Heavenly Drive].
“Then let’s begin.”
He bent his knees slightly, taking a defensive stance.
“Give me your all—kill me.”
He didn’t want to threaten Wrath with Nadine bread this time. Having spoken sincerely, he wanted Wrath to face him in kind.
“To think you’re doing all this for those promises…”
Wrath laughed incredulously.
“You fool of a man.”
“Even a Demon King keeps his word. How could I, a human, lie?”
Raon nodded, saying he’d learned that lesson from a certain foolish Monarch.
“Fine. Since you wish it…”
Wrath rose, his expression settling.
“I’ll kill you with everything I have.”
The moment he finished, blue light flashed before Raon’s eyes. Before he could even register it, his head was gone.
‘A spark from his fingertips…’
Raon recalled the light he’d seen at the final instant and licked his lips.
‘Then the frost’s trajectory starts left—’
Even as darkness closed in, his thoughts lingered on the next battle.
“Hah…”
Wrath shook his head at Raon’s fading body.
“He’s not normal—never was.”
Death was equal to all things. Even archangels and Demon Kings feared it. Yet Raon seemed devoid of that fear—almost as if he’d already died once before.
‘His reasons, though… I understand them.’
To save Martha’s mother. To destroy Eden. To help Runaan overcome her trauma. To let Burren earn Karoon’s recognition. To help Dorian become a merchant lord. To become Zieghart’s true Head himself.
Each goal was enormous—and none were for himself alone. He didn’t intend to abandon any of them. He would shoulder them all, even if it cost him his life.
‘To want to grow stronger…’
Honestly, Wrath understood him. He’d gone through something similar once. Though not to this suicidal extreme.
‘It’ll take… quite some time.’
Leaning against the World Tree’s trunk, Wrath gave a faint smile.
Recalling his own past as he met Raon’s determined eyes, strangely, he no longer felt hungry.
As he was lost in bittersweet nostalgia, a dimensional gate opened—and Raon stepped out again.
“Let’s start.”
Raon nodded, ready.
“Fine. I’ll kill you.”
Wrath rose, summoning the blade of frost he’d used countless times to decapitate Raon.
Uuuuuuuuung!
Raon, having gained a faint sense of it, altered his sword’s trajectory—but the graceful, moonlit slash still reached and sliced his neck.
“T-the direction…”
Even as he died, Raon’s eyes glimmered—promising he’d be back.
“But this…”
Wrath rubbed his hand, still tingling from the sensation of killing him, and smacked his lips.
“It’s actually… fun.”
Now that he knew Raon bore no ill will, killing him wasn’t frightening—it was exhilarating. It felt like shedding his bottled-up frustrations.
‘Well then…’
Wrath glanced at the dimensional gate where Raon would reappear, curling his lips.
‘Might as well enjoy this.’
—
The moment Raon revived, he stepped onto the sea again. Using [Supreme Harmony Steps] and circulating [Glacier], he recalled his last moments.
‘The blue light bloomed from his fingertips.’
It had come from Wrath’s left hand, not his right.
‘So the angle was twisted.’
He’d guarded the wrong side assuming Wrath was right-handed. No wonder he hadn’t been fast enough.
‘This time, I’ll form the [Flame Wall] on the other side.’
Fighting a left-hander was entirely different from facing a right-hander. He needed to reverse his parry trajectory to block at least once.
‘Or maybe… preempt him?’
Since reacting was too slow, maybe attacking first before Wrath could strike was better.
‘Thinking while moving like this isn’t bad.’
The journey back had once felt long and boring—but now it was useful. He could reflect on the previous fight as he traveled.
‘And I can train footwork and Glacier simultaneously.’
Crossing the sea, he improved both [Glacier] and [Supreme Harmony Steps] while analyzing his swordsmanship—a perfect combination of practice and reflection.
‘I was too fixated on opportunities before.’
His rapid growth came not only from lucky encounters but from endless effort to make those fortunes his own.
He had gained much from the Chamber of Self—but hadn’t yet mastered it all. This was the time to refine everything.
‘Step by step.’
As he pondered how to block Wrath’s attack, he reached the ruined snowfield once again.
“Don’t you ever get tired of coming back?”
Wrath laughed hollowly.
“Every time I die, I wake up good as new.”
Raon smiled softly.
“Then let’s begin right away.”
Wrath no longer hesitated—he even looked eager now.
“Fuu…”
Raon drew [Heavenly Drive] and positioned it mid-guard, slightly to the left.
“Hmph!”
As Wrath sneered, blue light rippled from his left hand.
‘Left hand—it’s real!’
At the instant the light flared, Raon formed a [Flame Wall] of flickering sparks and swung downward. Shield and blade combined in a single defense.
Chiiiiiing!
But Wrath predicted it all—his slash effortlessly tore through, decapitating him again.
‘It’s fine.’
Even as his body crumbled, Raon smiled.
‘I can just try again.’
—
Even with [Flawless Flow]—he died.
With [Sky Piercing Sword]—he died.
With [Sky Piercing Thunder]—he died.
With [Void Slash]—he died.
Even with [Sword Field Creation]—he died.
…
…
Even after chaining three sword arts together—he still died.
“Haa…”
Riding the waves naturally, Raon shook his head.
‘I’ve lost count.’
After failing with [Sky Piercing Sword], he stopped keeping track. Roughly estimating, he’d already died more than fifty times.
‘Still… I’m starting to feel it.’
At first he had no clue, but after fifty deaths, he was beginning to sense the flow of Wrath’s attacks.
‘Of course…’
Knowing didn’t mean blocking.
Wrath’s strikes were not only fast and intricate—they were powerful. Every time he blocked, [Heavenly Drive] shattered and his neck followed.
‘My swordsmanship alone isn’t enough.’
His strongest technique, [Sword Field Creation], took too long to activate. Wrath’s frost was faster—his neck always went first.
‘Then there’s only one way.’
Raon gazed toward the gray island ahead and licked his lips.
‘Use everything I have—swordsmanship, footwork, cultivation, body, battle instincts—all of it.’
He entered the blue-lit cave, determined to pour every bit of himself into the defense.
‘Fuu…’
Even as he walked through the tunnel, his thoughts spun solely around how to block Wrath’s frost.
Strangely, he wasn’t bored or frustrated—he felt joy. This was the path of growth itself.
Before long, the tunnel ended, and the dark mirror appeared.
In its reflection, he was smiling—genuinely happy.
Raon returned the smile and stepped through.
Tap.
The moment his feet touched the snowfield, Wrath rose from where he’d been sitting under the World Tree.
“Let’s begin.”
Wrath nodded calmly, now used to the routine. His faint grin showed he was enjoying it too.
“As much as you like.”
Raon steadied his breath and drew [Heavenly Drive].
“This time, try to block it well.”
Wrath smirked and thrust his left hand forward. As blue light flashed, Raon felt a sting at his throat.
He hadn’t actually been cut—but his honed senses reacted to the deadly precision of the strike.
Thuuung!
Raon stepped back with [Supreme Harmony Steps]. Using its swiftest form, he widened the distance—but Wrath’s frost chased him like a predator.
Even with his full speed, the icy blade caught up instantly.
‘Now!’
Feeling it graze his throat, Raon softened his steps into [Threefold Harmony Steps], flowing with the frost’s rhythm.
His blade’s flame unraveled like silk—[Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation – Myriad Incense of Heaven]. A defensive sword infused with the subtlety of soft deflection, continued by [Threefold Harmony Steps].
Jjjjjjjkkk!
Even deflecting, [Heavenly Drive] bent, and blood burst from his chest.
But this time, the world didn’t spin. The wound wasn’t on his neck—it was in his chest. For the first time, he hadn’t died instantly.
“…You twisted it?”
Wrath’s eyes widened in disbelief. His expression showed it hadn’t been mercy—he had aimed to kill.
“Haa…”
Raon looked at the crimson pooling atop his broken sword—and smiled faintly.
‘Lacking strength.’
He’d managed to redirect it, but the sheer power behind Wrath’s slash overwhelmed his defense.
‘Still, I didn’t die instantly.’
He was fatally wounded, yet alive for a moment longer—he’d blocked it, even once. His [Ten Thousand Swords] had advanced.
“Wrath…”
In his dimming vision, Raon crooked a finger.
“I’ll be back.”
Leaving those words, he crumbled into dust.
“Hmm…”
Wrath swallowed dryly, recalling the smile on Raon’s face.
Now that he’d learned the man’s sincerity, killing him had been fun—but for the first time, a chill ran down his spine.
“What a monster.”