Chapter 960
The moment Raon awakened from death, he clenched both fists.
‘I finally blocked it.’
It wasn’t perfect—he’d died right after deflecting Wrath’s attack, so “blocked” was debatable.
Still, the fact that he hadn’t died instantly from Wrath’s full-powered strike filled him with satisfaction.
‘Of course, there’s plenty to reflect on…’
If his power had been a little higher, [Heavenly Drive] might have broken, but his chest wouldn’t have been split open. It was frustrating that his strength had faltered in the end, forcing him to take the blow head-on.
‘No, even more than strength—if my sword realm were just a little deeper, I might have taken it.’
Knowing his own martial power wasn’t enough to parry Wrath’s blow, he’d tried to overcome force with softness.
But the gap between their mastery and power was far too great—his technique had shattered.
If his understanding of the flowing sword and the severing sword had been higher, he might have deflected Wrath’s strike with [Myriad Incense of Heaven]. The thought of failing stung.
‘But that guy…’
Raon clicked his tongue, recalling the blue frost Wrath had unleashed.
‘Why did he ‘adapt’ swordsmanship?’
That attack hadn’t been pure frost magic. Wrath had merged his own immense strength with the swordsmanship insights he’d observed beside Raon, forging a new technique altogether.
‘He must’ve recovered his strength in the Chamber of Self…’
At his full might, Wrath could’ve easily crushed him. There was no reason to use sword arts.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Was ‘I’ the one who influenced him?
Wrath had always been beside him whenever he trained. Whether he wanted it or not, the principles of his sword must have seeped into Wrath’s mind.
‘Just as I was influenced by Wrath, he was influenced by me.’
The realization made him laugh quietly. Somehow, he felt closer to that cotton-candy fool.
“Let’s keep going.”
Feeling as if he and Wrath had become true friends, he couldn’t just stay idle. He wanted to continue challenging him—until he could block that attack completely.
Paaah!
Raon stepped across the sea using [Supreme Harmony Steps] toward Wrath once more.
‘With my current level, perfectly blocking Wrath’s attack is impossible.’
They might both be Transcendents, but the gap between them was too vast. Pure defense wouldn’t hold—[Heavenly Drive] would break, and his head would still roll.
‘Even redirecting is hard.’
Wrath’s swordsmanship wasn’t refined, but his raw power was monstrous. Just mixing in a hint of technique produced devastating might.
Trying to deflect it by force would only mean dying again—perhaps sliced in half this time.
‘And attacking would be suicide.’
Wrath’s strikes were several times faster and stronger than his own.
He’d lose his head before his [Sword Field] even activated.
Attacking head-on would be no different from self-destruction.
“Hah…”
Raon rubbed his temple with a bitter laugh.
‘Thinking about it now—it’s absurd.’
He couldn’t defend. He couldn’t redirect. He couldn’t attack.
‘Then how am I supposed to block him?’
With no option working, it felt like his chest was clogged—his mind pounding in frustration.
‘Wait. None of the three work… then what if I do all three at once?’
He’d tried three swords before, even opened [Divine-Demonic Harmony] to dual-wield, but lacked the proficiency to handle it against someone of Wrath’s level. So he’d returned to a single sword.
‘But the answer isn’t in just [Heavenly Drive].’
To even have a chance, he needed to wield [Heavenly Drive], [Soul-Requiem], and [Wooden Ring] together—mastering all three simultaneously.
‘Yeah. Let’s try everything.’
Fear of death was long gone. Only the desire to grow remained.
Even if it took a hundred deaths, he would block Wrath’s strike.
Paaaaaah!
With determination blazing, Raon dashed across the sea.
‘Hm? I can already see the island?’
He hadn’t run far, yet the gray island was visible ahead.
‘Did [Supreme Harmony Steps] evolve?’
After crossing this sea dozens of times, his mastery had clearly deepened.
‘No—it’s not just that.’
[Glacier], which had been absorbing the sea’s chill, was now stirring as if about to hatch from its shell.
He was still short, but with one breakthrough, he could break the wall to Ten Stars.
‘Wrath really is a blessing in disguise.’
This time Wrath hadn’t ‘given’ him any treasure, but fighting him at full strength was reward enough.
‘He seemed to enjoy it too.’
He’d once hesitated to kill Raon, but now he wore an oddly refreshed expression whenever they fought.
‘Though that last one wasn’t pleasant for him.’
Wrath had clearly been shaken when Raon had partially blocked his previous strike.
Smiling at the memory of his surprised face, Raon stepped into the black mirror again.
“Fuu…”
As soon as he set foot on the snowfield, Wrath rose with an irritated expression.
“Not even a five-year-old brat would be this tireless.”
He wrinkled his nose in disbelief. His outward beauty was divine, yet his behavior was no different from the cotton-candy fool of before.
“I’m not done yet.”
Raon planted [Heavenly Drive] and [Soul-Requiem] in the ground and opened [Divine-Demonic Harmony]. He raised the two swords—holy and demonic—in each hand, while the [Necklace Wheel] floated above his head.
“Didn’t you say you’d stick to one sword for focus?”
Wrath frowned.
“Yeah, it was confusing before—but I think it’s time to push through that.”
Crossing the flaming holy sword with the frost-wreathed demonic one, Raon bit his lip.
“You only grow by overcoming difficulty.”
If he only flaunted his power before those weaker, he’d stagnate.
He wanted to prove that he could wield three swords before a true master.
“Hmph. Do as you wish.”
Wrath narrowed his eyes and raised his hand. The last fight had made him more serious.
Wuuuuuuung!
Without a word, frost gathered at his fingertip.
‘It’s coming!’
Caught off guard, Raon nonetheless braced himself. A true warrior didn’t wait for warnings.
‘As planned.’
He recalled the three forms he’d envisioned—attack, defense, and redirection—and infused each sword with a different flow.
Wuuuuuuuuuuung!
With the holy sword’s flames he built a [Flame Wall]. With the demonic sword’s frost, he drew [Myriad Incense of Heaven]. And within the hovering [Wooden Ring], he condensed [Void Slash].
But before the three flows could unite, Wrath’s slash arrived first.
Kyaaaaaaang!
The [Flame Wall] shattered, [Myriad Incense of Heaven] split, and [Wooden Ring] was flung away.
Slaaash!
Just like the beginning—his neck flew.
“Too sloppy.”
Wrath shook his head firmly.
“If the three flows don’t connect, you’re better off wielding one sword.”
He clicked his tongue like a teacher scolding a student.
“Don’t worry…”
Raon smiled faintly.
“I’ll be right back.”
Those were his last words before he crumbled to dust.
“He’s always had a thirst for strength…”
Wrath frowned.
“But this is excessive. I’m surprised he hasn’t demanded my power by now.”
He knew Raon was obsessed with swordsmanship, but here, that obsession burned too intensely.
‘Excessive desire? Could it be… Greed?’
Wrath narrowed his eyes at the spot where Raon had died.
‘Greed… was this your plan?’
He’d wondered why that weasel had granted Raon such overwhelming [Greed]. It seemed he wanted to mold Raon to his liking.
‘Foolish bastard.’
Wrath smirked.
‘Even without your meddling, this brat would’ve become the King of Greed himself.’
As he thought how Greed would surely regret it someday, a dimensional gate opened—Raon returned.
After crossing that endless sea countless times, his footwork had reached an entirely new level.
“Let’s begin again.”
Raon nodded with a calm smile.
“…No.”
Wrath shook his head, watching that peaceful grin.
‘Maybe the one who’ll regret this first… will be me.’
He should’ve just run away from the start!
—
Slaaash.
Raon moved across the sea, clicking his tongue.
‘Not easy.’
He thought he’d grown accustomed to using three swords, yet facing Wrath revealed how full of openings he still was.
Heat rose in embarrassment.
‘But that’s what makes it fun.’
Having many flaws meant more room to grow—and that exhilarated him.
‘Bit by bit, I’m seeing the path forward.’
After adopting three swords, he’d died over forty more times.
Each death and rebirth had refined him—his swordsmanship now felt leagues beyond before.
‘In the last fight, I flowed well—but my defense collapsed, so I couldn’t counterattack.’
Each sword carried a different attribute, and controlling those forces in harmony was no small feat—especially since [Glacier] lagged behind [Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation], making balance difficult.
‘Still, if I keep clashing, I’ll get there eventually.’
Even if he had to die a thousand times, he swore to block Wrath’s strike as he entered the blue cave again.
But something was different this time.
Wuuuuuuuung!
The cave’s ceiling and walls rippled like mud, while shards of frost glowed and swelled as if about to burst.
‘What the…’
It didn’t feel right.
He steadied his stance and sprinted through the passage.
At the tunnel’s end stood the mirror again—now webbed with golden cracks.
‘Is it over…?’
Frowning, he reached out. His body was pulled inward—and fortunately, the path to the snowfield still remained.
But even the snowfield was collapsing. The sky was falling, the earth cracking open into voids.
“Ninety-nine times.”
Wrath shook his head at the disintegrating ground.
“Ninety-nine? What do you mean?”
Raon narrowed his eyes.
“You’ve died exactly ninety-nine times.”
“Ah…”
“It seems this realm only allows a hundred deaths.”
Wrath clicked his tongue. Even here, death had limits.
“So if I die next time, will I die for real?”
“Perhaps. Or more likely, you’ll just be expelled from this space.”
He gestured lazily.
“That’s a relief, then.”
Raon sighed in relief.
“Relief?”
Wrath chuckled incredulously.
“Yeah. It means I get to fight you one more time.”
Smiling, Raon drew [Heavenly Drive] and [Soul-Requiem].
“Did you not hear me? I said you ‘could’ die for real!”
“You said it’s ‘more likely’ I won’t. I’ll trust you.”
He truly meant it. He didn’t want to waste this final chance.
“You’re crazier than Greed ever was… and yet—”
Wrath’s frown softened into a thin smile.
‘You’re almost admirable.’
Even if [Greed] drove him, his desire to grow was pure—and it wasn’t for himself, but for others. That made Wrath feel a strange fondness.
“Fine. I’ll face you one last time.”
Wrath stepped forward.
“Don’t hold back this time, alright?”
“Of course not. I’ll kill you with everything I have.”
His gaze was razor-cold—utterly sincere.
“Haa…”
Feeling the collapsing ground quake beneath him, Raon closed his eyes.
‘So this is the end.’
Despite the pain of death, he’d grown stronger each time.
It had been a joyous journey—but it was reaching its close.
‘Then I’ll give it my all.’
A once-in-a-lifetime chance—a fleeting miracle.
He honed his focus to the limit and opened his eyes.
“Come.”
Raising both swords and floating the [Wooden Ring] above, Raon nodded.
“As you wish.”
Wrath smirked and extended his hand.
“I’ll kill you more gloriously than anyone before!”
The moment blue light shimmered from his fingertips, Raon stepped back on [Supreme Harmony Steps].
Tuuuuuung!
Empowered by a hundred crossings of the sea, his footwork transcended space itself, bending distance.
He bought an instant, enough to raise a [Flame Wall] with his holy sword’s blaze.
Fwoooosh!
The once-square shield curved into a magnificent wall, standing before him like a fiery fortress.
Fwoooosh!
Simultaneously, he swung his demonic sword, drawing [White Shadow Wave].
The blade’s light painted the sky black and sent up a white tide.
As red wall and white canvas blossomed, Wrath’s slash struck.
Kuwaaaaaaang!
The flaming wall barely held, but the wavering canvas trembled on the verge of tearing.
‘Hold!’
He knew his Nine-Star [Glacier] was too weak.
Pain lanced through his left hand as the frost strained, but he endured.
‘You’ve swallowed enough—now spit it out!’
He unleashed all the frost he’d gathered across those hundred crossings and battles.
Wuuuuuuuuung!
A half-silver moon rose, bathing him in pale light as pure cold burst forth.
Wuuuuuuuuuuung!
[Glacier]’s frost raced along the rings of flame, coiling into a vast current no longer outmatched by [Ten Thousand Flames].
Tuuuuung!
A shock surged from deep within, as if a blade of frost pierced through all three of his energy centers.
His cores throbbed wildly—mana circuits roaring alive as overwhelming chill flooded his body.
Ten Stars.
[Glacier] had reached Ten Stars, its frost shining brighter than moonlight along the demonic blade.
Wuuuuuuuuuuung!
The trembling canvas solidified into a silver frost wall—unyielding, like woven silk.
‘Now!’
While holding back Wrath’s storm with fire and frost, Raon unleashed [Gentle Wind], the harmony of wind and lightning.
Kuwaaaaaaaang!
Three lights and Wrath’s slash collided, releasing a shockwave that threatened to erase the entire snowfield.
The already-crumbling realm disintegrated faster as faint snowflakes rose into the collapsing sky.
“Kh-ugh…”
Under that azure snow, Raon coughed blood and dropped to one knee.
[Soul-Requiem] and [Wooden Ring] were broken, a deep gash carved across his abdomen.
But he wasn’t dead—and the wound wasn’t fatal.
Crack.
Leaning on the only unbroken sword, [Heavenly Drive], he stood.
“I’ve died a hundred times…”
Straightening his back, emotion welled inside him as he met Wrath’s eyes.
“But in the end… I blocked you.”
He wiped the blood from his lips and struck his chest with his fist.
“Hah…”
Wrath exhaled a laugh of disbelief and nodded slowly.
“I acknowledge it. You’re the most insane being this King has ever seen!”
With that final praise, the world went dark.
This was the end.
In the darkness, Raon glimpsed a golden-haired man smiling in satisfaction—he didn’t know if it was his reflection or the First Head of Zieghart himself.
Fuuuuh…
Falling into the void, Raon gently closed his eyes.
—
“Mmm…”
A low groan escaped him as he stirred.
‘This place…’
For the first time in ages, the ceiling wasn’t white but dim and cracked, lit by a dying lamp.
He’d returned—to the entrance chamber of the Chamber of Self.
‘It’s over?’
The sensations there had felt so real that he couldn’t believe he was back.
He glanced toward the mirror—now it only reflected his face, nothing more.
–Haaaaa…
From within the ice-flower bracelet, Wrath emerged.
–My head aches. I’m exhausted to death.
He rubbed his eyes like he hadn’t slept in days.
“You remember everything?” Raon tilted his chin toward him.
–Of course I do, you leech!
Wrath scowled. “I’ll never forget it even in death!”
It seemed everything that had happened in the Chamber had been real after all.
“How strange.”
Raon smiled faintly, sensing the Ten-Star resonance of both [Ten Thousand Flames] and [Glacier] within his core.
“I really did reach Ten Stars in both.”
He’d feared the growth might vanish outside—but every gain carried over perfectly.
“What about you? Did you keep what you gained?”
–The same for this King.
Wrath nodded.
–I’ve recovered quite a bit of strength. But…
“But?”
–N-nothing!
Wrath turned away sharply, stealing a glance at Raon.
‘Why’s that maniac so quiet?’
He’d expected yelling and Nadine bread threats, but instead Wrath was oddly calm—almost uneasy.
The Raon before him felt like a different person from the one in the Chamber.
“Well, whatever the case, it’s amazing. Even physical and aura growth carried over. What kind of place ‘is’ that?”
As Raon muttered, wanting to test his new strength, a message window appeared before his eyes.
[You have cleared the Trial of Invitation.]
[You have experienced 101 deaths.]
[All stats have…]
[A new trait has been…]
Apparently, the system was granting additional rewards on top of what he’d earned inside.
–So that’s why you were quiet! I knew it, damn you—!
Wrath shrieked, but Raon calmly dismissed the window.
–Huh…?
Wrath froze mid-anger.
“Let’s go eat.”
Raon shrugged.
–E-eat? Not Nadine bread?
“Why, did you want that?”
–N-no! You said you’d always feed me that, remember?!
“You’ve worked hard too.”
Raon smiled gently and shook his head.
“Come on.”
He stood up leisurely and gestured for Wrath to follow.
‘No need to rush anymore.’
He’d achieved impossible growth in such a short time. There was no reason to torment Wrath now.
Besides, pushing further might only cause backlash. It was time to rest.
“Well, fine. If you insist…”
–I’ll come, but you’re acting strange!
Perching on Raon’s shoulder, Wrath gulped.
–Dying a hundred times must’ve broken your brain!
‘Maybe so.’
Raon chuckled and opened the door.
–If you’re in danger, knock your sword three times! This King will save you!
‘That won’t be necessary!’
Unable to take it anymore, Raon flicked his finger and smacked Wrath on the head.
–Then why are you acting so different?! You were a mad dog back there!
‘I had something I had to achieve. Now that it’s done, I can go back to being normal.’
–What nonsense! You’ve ‘always’ been insane! You just got ‘worse!’
‘Think whatever you want.’
Bickering as they left, silence filled the Chamber behind them.
But somewhere within, a faint breeze stirred—rekindling one of the extinguished lamps in a soft golden flame.
As if waiting for the two to return someday.