Chapter 1005
Chapter 1005
“O-Our Master, The Fallen….”
“Could he genuinely be gone? The Herald of Resurrection…?”
“For the Fallen Lord to be brought low by mere fledglings! It defies all reason!”
The commanding officers of Eden gazed down at the earth where The Fallen had dissolved into ashes, gulping in pure shock. Every single one of them wore a stunned expression, utterly unable to fathom The Fallen’s demise.
“Phew.”
Raon gently lowered Evelyn to the ground and rose to his feet, inspecting the exact patch of earth where The Fallen had met his end.
‘Is he truly gone for good this time?’
Straining his turbulent inner reserves, he projected his Aura Perception outward, yet nowhere could he detect the slightest trace of The Fallen’s presence.
‘Wrath.’
Raon signaled toward Wrath, who was thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
—Hmm…
Wrath stared down into the seemingly bottomless chasm with knit brows.
—This monarch fails to perceive that masked dog’s essence as well. By all appearances, he has been utterly erased.
He gave a solemn nod, affirming that their adversary appeared genuinely deceased on this occasion.
‘What about when he caught fire earlier?’
—During that instance, the masked cur’s mana was faintly drifting through the atmosphere.
Wrath shifted his gaze to the side.
—I believed he ought to have perished, yet there remained a chance of survival.
His brow drooped slightly as he explained that he had held his tongue back then simply because the truth had been too uncertain to call.
‘And now…?’
—The likelihood of his absolute demise is exceptionally strong.
Wrath nodded once more, remarking that not only had The Fallen’s esoteric arts vanished, but every lingering vestige of his mana had also dissipated completely.
‘He won’t manage another revival, will he?’
—Not unless an outside hand intervenes. By his own strength, it is quite out of the question.
Wrath shook his head in a composed manner.
—The resurrection he enacted moments ago was hardly something achieved through conventional arts.
He lowered his hand, clarifying that such a forbidden technique could not possibly be repeated in rapid succession.
‘Then that is a relief.’
Raon offered a long, heavy exhale and gave an understanding nod.
“It seems our struggle is truly finished on this front.”
Larian nodded in agreement, as though she had deciphered his unspoken thoughts.
“Let the tension leave your brow.”
She made a dismissive motion with her fingers, urging him to take a breath and rest.
“Is it…”
Evelyn dragged her exhausted, unsteady limbs across the dirt toward him.
“Is it truly over?”
She stared at the barren ground where The Fallen had disintegrated, her gaze so solemn that all traces of her usual mischief seemed to have evaporated.
“Yes. It looks to be done.”
Raon watched her closely as he gave his affirmation.
“Truly?”
Evelyn pressed him once more regarding The Fallen’s end, her voice trembling as if her mind could not fully grasp reality. Crimson rivulets continued to spill from her nostrils and the corner of her lips.
“Yes. The matter is settled.”
Raon serenely shut his eyes and then reopened them. He spoke with absolute conviction, knowing that both Wrath and Larian had affirmed the same truth.
“Th-Thank you…”
Bringing her shuddering palms together, Evelyn voiced her heartfelt appreciation.
“Mother would be so deeply thankful as well.”
A crimson flush touched the corners of her eyes, stirred by the memory of Cela.
“You have no cause to thank me. It was by your very own hands that The Fallen was brought down.”
Had he faced that fiend in isolation, he would have been the one reduced to flying dust by the sphere of pure void hurled in the final clash. Their victory over The Fallen had not been secured by his own sheer might, but rather through Evelyn’s brilliant gift for deciphering arcane formulas.
“Haa…”
Releasing an exhausted breath tainted with the metallic tang of blood, Evelyn collapsed back onto the earth.
“I hardly know what to think. Part of me still fears he will spring back to life, glaring at me with malice.”
She buried her face within her palms, her defenses seemingly melted away by the restoration of her long-lost memories.
“You need not worry.”
Raon extended his arm and placed a firm, steadying hand upon her shoulder.
“Should he crawl back into existence, I will simply strike him down once more on your behalf.”
He offered these calming words, reassuring her that he would gladly sever The Fallen’s neck a second time if fate demanded it.
“Hearing you say that brings such relief.”
A gentle, tired smile graced Evelyn’s lips as she nodded.
“Though… I feel terribly chilled.”
A shiver racked her frame as she murmured about the bitter cold seeping into her limbs.
“It is surely due to your severe blood loss…”
Evelyn had bled to an extent that could easily have proven fatal on the spot; despite her recent awakening, her physical state remained exceedingly frail.
“Hold on a moment.”
Taking Evelyn’s chilled hand into his own, Raon channeled the soothing warmth of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation into her flesh.
“An embrace would have been quite pleasant as well, but…”
Her lips curved into a faint, playful grin as she tightened her fingers around his.
“Just clasping hands like this carries a romantic charm, does it not?”
Her face brightened with a radiant smile, content with whatever comfort he offered.
“Back to teasing already?”
Raon knitted his brows and offered a helpless shake of his head. Even so, having witnessed the hardships in her memories that had shaped her brazen demeanor, he could not bring himself to pull away.
“Listen here, youngsters. Take your courting elsewhere!”
Larian pinched her brows together in clear irritation.
“It is nothing of the sort.”
Releasing Evelyn’s hand, Raon shook his head and stood tall.
“Remain still and recover your strength.”
Larian waved them off, indicating that she would handle the cleanup by herself.
“No. I will take part in the fight as well.”
Raon firmly declined her offer and brought up Heavenly Drive.
‘I must see this battle through to its conclusion.’
Larian had crossed immense distances through transcendent sorcery and had stood alone against The Fallen and his cohort. Although she maintained a pristine exterior, she was bound to be spiritually drained, making it only proper that he shoulder his share of the burden.
“I shall… join too…”
Evelyn made an agonizing effort to push herself up, eager to return to the fray.
“There is no need. Lie back down.”
Placing a restraining palm against her shoulder, Raon guided her back onto the soil.
“You must rest.”
Shaking his head, he retrieved a cloth and gently wiped away the scarlet trails running down her mouth and nose.
“Being cared for like this is rather nice.”
Evelyn offered a soft smile, murmuring that it brought back cherished memories of their past.
“Those earlier days may have been filled with joy, but the days ahead will be far brighter.”
Raon agreed, offering his assurance that their future would hold far greater happiness.
“Goodness, is that a marriage proposal?”
Evelyn drew in a theatrical breath, widening her eyes as if startled.
“My, I haven’t even prepared myself! Ought we to reserve a grand hall right away?”
“Stop speaking nonsense…”
Raon sighed, turning away as he rose to his feet.
—Unless there are recollections we were not permitted to see, it makes little sense for a creature to lose her senses in such a manner…
Wrath narrowed his gaze suspiciously, convinced there must be missing chapters within the tapestry of her past.
‘I cannot say.’
And frankly, he had no desire to ponder it. Expelling a sharp breath, he strode directly toward the sector where the Ghosts of Eden lingered.
“I shall accompany you!”
Mark Goetun fell in behind him, eager to lend his blade to the cause.
“Very well, I welcome the assistance.”
Raon offered a faint, approving nod. It seemed that participating in this final rout would serve Mark Goetun’s growth as well, so he did not object.
“Let us conclude this affair with utmost haste.”
Drawing upon the frigid reserves of Glacier, he coated the edge of Heavenly Drive in piercing Cold Energy and hurled himself straight toward the ranks of Eden’s spirits. With an unrelenting sweep of his blade, his strike—charged with unbending determination—cleaved through the Ghosts of Eden and shattered their grotesque visages.
“Before this day ends, right here on this soil…”
Raon advanced with relentless, thunderous steps past the broken husks of Eden’s fallen phantoms.
“I shall completely wipe away the very memory of Eden!”
“Ha…”
Larian let slip a dry, incredulous chuckle as she observed Raon systematically tearing through the Ghosts of Eden.
‘Is that monster genuinely made of flesh and blood?’
The young man had already carved a bloody path through legions of Eden’s shades, shattered the formidable Demon Slaying Spear to pieces, and then advanced straight into this domain to topple The Fallen himself. To witness him still wielding such staggering vitality against the remaining garrison after such grueling ordeals left her utterly dumbfounded.
‘If I simply leave matters in his hands, he will wipe the field clean on his own.’
Battered and bleeding though he might be, the boy stood within the realm of the Transcendent; wiping out the low-ranking thralls below would hardly pose an insurmountable challenge for him.
‘I would truly love to lay him upon a dissection slab.’
Larian ran her tongue over her lips thoughtfully.
‘Just what manner of framework supports his Mental Image?’
For any practitioner of the arcane, the resilience of the psyche is of paramount significance. She yearned to unravel the secret behind the indomitable spirit anchoring Raon’s being.
‘Perhaps I should study Merlin right alongside him?’
Considering that Raon now owed her a debt of assistance, arranging such an inquiry seemed entirely within the realm of possibility.
‘First, as for the preliminary trials…’
Just as a dark amusement curled across Larian’s features while plotting her arcane tests, a sudden disturbance shattered the air. A massive scythe cloaked in billowing, pitch-black miasma plunged downward, aimed squarely at her throat. With a sharp metallic ring, Larian parried the encroaching crescent blade using her dagger, her brow furrowing in displeasure.
“I was already planning on taking your life shortly. What reason do you have to rush toward your grave?”
She clicked her tongue disdainfully at the Wraith wielding the horrifying reaper’s blade.
“He cannot truly perish! He will rise once more and tear your wretched soul into ragged ribbons!”
The Wraith ground his teeth in furious denial, utterly refusing to accept that The Fallen had fallen.
“I shall slaughter every last one of you and await his glorious resurgence!”
As he hoisted the dark implement high into the air, the very sky fractured beneath churning currents of abyssal energy. Amplified by the dread prowess of the King of Wraiths to harvest souls, the firmament above was instantly swallowed by deep night.
“Such a dream will never come to pass.”
Larian summoned five daggers to hover between the fingers of her right hand.
“Because your existence ends this very moment.”
“Foolish words! Your paltry sorcery will no longer pierce my flesh!”
The Wraith summoned swirling vortexes of shadow until his entire silhouette was encased in darkness, leaving not a single gap or weak point for spells to penetrate. A terrifying torrent of Death Energy surged outward as the corrupted being ravenously siphoned not only his own internal mana, but the ambient essence of the surrounding world straight into the ebony crescent of his weapon.
“Perish!”
With a guttural scream, the Wraith unleashed a sweeping horizontal stroke. The devastating arc tore through the fabric of the air, yet its true terror lay within the creeping black tide crafted to cleanly sever a victim’s spiritual core.
“Those words are universally uttered by men on the verge of the grave.”
Larian raised a solitary fingertip. In an instant, the five hovering daggers vanished, replaced by a radiant blade carved from pure, unadulterated white brilliance. With a blinding flash, the luminous dagger pulverized the pitch-black slash to nothingness and punched a gaping void through the Wraith’s ribs. A fountain of gore erupted outward.
This was no meager puncture like their earlier exchange; a gruesome cavity the size of a man’s skull had been torn through his torso, spilling an appalling torrent of vital fluid onto the earth.
“Kuhk…”
The Ghoul’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. Rather than clutching at the hollow ruin in his chest, he could only gawk at Larian in horrified disbelief at the overwhelming disparity in power.
“I already warned you. We do not stand on equal ground.”
With a casual flick of Larian’s wrist, the Ghoul’s severed head went sailing into the distance alongside his mask. With a dull thud, the decapitated corpse—stripped of both mind and heart—tumbled limply to the dirt like a withered leaf shed in late autumn. As Larian lightly brushed the glowing weapon with her knuckle, the five slender daggers manifested once more around her person.
“Hmm…”
Larian pursed her lips, casting her gaze back down toward the chaotic ground below. Within that brief window of time, Raon had already dismantled the remnants of Eden’s common footmen and was steadily closing in on the high-ranking officers who had fallen back to form a rearguard.
“Could it be… that everything is concluded…?”
No sooner had she voiced the possibility of an end than her eyes widened with sudden panic, and she swiftly pulled her voluminous hood down over her countenance.
“I-I simply wish to return home…”
Her spine slumped pathetically as her voice dissolved into the same timid stutter she had displayed during the Five Kings Conference.
“I-I shall merely secure this polearm and depart.”
Casting fearful, skittish glances in every direction, Larian drifted down toward the soil to lay claim to the abandoned black scythe.
“Hah…”
Raon released a weary sigh as he observed Larian shrinking into her cloak, clutching the enormous black scythe like a frightened child.
‘Could she truly be harboring dual identities within her mind?’
Watching someone who had fearlessly suppressed The Fallen and casually annihilated the Wraith suddenly revert to a terrified weakling made it hard not to suspect a split psyche.
‘I must seek Chamber’s counsel regarding this matter later.’
Glenn would likely be oblivious to such quirks, so Chamber seemed the only reliable source to unravel the enigma behind Larian’s contradictory nature.
—Cease this dallying and conclude the slaughter!
Wrath twisted his features into a scowl, insisting that wiping out the remaining host of Eden took precedence over pondering the eccentricities of others.
—This monarch is utterly famished! That dive into her memories took an eternity!
He vented a stormy breath, complaining that the hours swallowed within Evelyn’s inner recollections had left him feeling starved for upwards of a month.
‘Do not attempt to hasten my blade.’
Shoving the complaining entity aside, Raon braced his spine and stood firm.
‘From this breath forward, I cannot afford the slightest lapse in focus.’
Arrayed before him stood the remaining elite commanders of Eden. With several Grandmasters holding the line among their ranks, even a fighter of his caliber had to stake his very life upon the edge of his blade while in this depleted condition.
“You absolute abomination…”
The commander bearing an imposing bovine helm trembled at the jaw, his fingers white-knuckled around a colossal warhammer. By all estimations, he was the deadliest threat among the surviving garrison.
“Any objective eye would name your kind the true abominations.”
Exhaling a measured breath, Raon hoisted Heavenly Drive into a striking stance. Yet, just as he gathered Glacier’s frigid authority to unleash Frost Snap and cut down the horned warrior without delay, a peculiar vibration drifted down from the sky above. Tilting his head upward, he discovered a solitary crimson bell hanging in midair, rocking softly against the currents of the breeze.
‘How can this be…?’
It defied all logic that a trinket formerly kept on The Fallen’s person remained completely unblemished, even while its master’s hardened flesh had been reduced to scattered dust.
‘And for what purpose is it suddenly tolling?’
The deep crimson bell emitted an unsettling chime as it swayed gently back and forth. While the melodic resonance held a haunting beauty capable of eliciting a dazed smile, it simultaneously dragged a freezing terror down the length of his spine. A wave of dread washed over him. With every crystalline note that rang across the expanse, a nauseating foreboding seized his core, as though his heart were plummeting into a bottomless trench.
‘This is beyond perilous…’
Though its true title and esoteric function remained a mystery, his instincts roared that this instrument could not be permitted to toll another chime. His very soul screamed that the relic had to be shattered instantly. Pivoting upon his heel without a heartbeat’s hesitation, Raon channeled every ounce of his remaining reserves into the steel of Heavenly Drive and launched a soaring Flame Dragon Strike straight at the crimson bell.
A searing blaze potent enough to char the heavens erupted outward, completely swallowing the suspended crimson artifact. As towering columns of dense ash billowed into the air, the eerie ringing abruptly died away.
‘Did I succeed in silencing it?’
No further chimes echoed across the clearing. It appeared he had averted disaster by the narrowest of margins.
—Raon…
Just as Raon began to draw a breath of relief, Wrath’s voice dropped into a heavy, suffocating register. The dark veil of smoke generated by the Flame Dragon Strike began to part, gradually unveiling the dark silhouette of an entity standing motionless within the haze.
The moment Raon’s eyes fell upon the figure, the breath locked tight within his lungs. It was an involuntary paralysis; every sinew and cell within his flesh rebelled against his will, rendering his limbs utterly unresponsive.
‘What manner of human could possess such an aura…?’
This presence could not possibly belong to mortal kind. His inner core shuddered uncontrollably before an abyssal, extinguishing pressure that seemed to encompass the entire firmament—a boundless nocturnal expanse drenched in absolute ruin. Yet, fleeing or averting his gaze was an impossibility; his feet felt pinned to the earth as though heavy iron spikes had been driven through his bones.
As the dark fumes cleared entirely, the entity radiating this suffocating aura was revealed to the world.
Draped across his shoulders was a deep crimson mantle, its fabric shimmering faintly with an ancient, scaled texture. Rather than appearing as gaudy decoration, it exuded a profound, timeless dignity. Guarding his countenance was a helm sculpted in the likeness of a red dragon, adorned with ten distinct horns of varying sizes crowning its crest.
From within the shadows of the dragon helm, blazing crimson eyes ignited, casting an insurmountable dominion across heaven and earth that no living soul could hope to challenge. Even as Raon frantically circulated the Ring of Fire alongside his martial energy, his posture was crushed downward under the sheer weight, his chest seizing in agony. His very consciousness felt as though it were being mangled by this incomprehensible majesty.
A surge of hot blood erupted past his lips as his throat constricted violently. The mere weight of the being’s aura had inflicted severe internal trauma upon his organs. Held within the figure’s grasp, the dark crimson bell began to toll with a clarity far more profound than before.
As those burning eyes turned to settle their gaze upon Raon, an unspeakable revulsion crept over his flesh, as though his deepest spirit were being thoroughly dissected by flames that rivaled the eternal infernos of the underworld.
‘This entity before me is…’
Raon bit down upon his lower lip until scarlet dripped down his chin, his gaze locked upon the horned visage of the crimson dragon helm.
‘The Heavenly Demon.’
The bedrock beneath groaned in profound submission, and the heavens above shivered in naked dread. The sovereign monarch of the demonic path, an entity born from the abyss who had scaled the very vault of heaven—the Heavenly Demon, so christened by the world itself—stood in the flesh before him.
‘One of the pillars upholding Eden? Preposterous. This man is…’
Raon swallowed hard against a parched throat as he confronted the primordial titan of the void, whose very aura extinguished the significance of all creation between sky and soil.
‘He is Eden itself.’
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