Whoooooosh!
The demonic energy covering the sky and ground gathered around King Bauren, forming a dark red armor.
An intense killing intent flowed from the gleaming gauntlets and boots. It had an overwhelming presence that forcibly drew one's gaze.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at King Bauren, who had condensed the terrifying demonic energy.
'The scale of his aura is different.'
-He's absorbed all the holy power that was spread throughout this country.
Wrath nodded as if it was to be expected.
-The amount of demonic energy is like an ocean, and his body has transcended the human species. However...
He clicked his tongue as he watched Bauren smoothing down his gauntlets.
-That's all there is to it. You should know what I mean, right?
'Yes.'
Raon nodded calmly. As Wrath said, King Bauren's martial prowess had grown rapidly, but it wasn't particularly worrying. There was a way to defeat such a monster.
"I'll break that mouth of yours first."
King Bauren kicked the sky violently. Before one could even blink, his fist attack came rushing from the left. An incredible speed. It seemed like the sound arrived later.
Swish!
Raon slightly twisted his left wrist holding the demonic sword. The frost-covered blade bent diagonally and fell.
Whoosh!
Bauren's tyrannical fist attack rode along the whip-like curved blade of the demonic sword and struck the air. The sound of air shattering echoed in all directions.
Shing!
Without taking a single step back, Raon raised his right hand and wrist in a straight line. The blade of the divine sword in his grip extended towards Bauren's heart.
Crack!
A scar like a writhing snake was etched onto Bauren's breastplate, which was hardened by demonic energy.
"Urgh!"
Bauren hastily retreated to prevent his heart from being pierced. He spun his body in the air like a leaf riding the wind, then stomped down with his right foot.
The demonic energy concentrated in his heel was so strong that black sparks flew up.
This wasn't improvisation. It was a systematic kicking technique. Bauren had been learning proper martial arts.
Boom!
An even more powerful demonic energy than the initial fist attack surged from Bauren's leg. It felt like a boulder was pressing down on one's shoulders.
Crack!
Raon unleashed the Blizzard Sword Art as he carved upwards with his demonic sword through the steel frame.
The frost-laden sword strike imbued with the blue wind of the Gale Wind Style smoothly deflected Bauren's kicking technique.
Crash!
The demonic energy Bauren struck down hit the tower's pillar instead of Raon, causing the entire tower to start collapsing. Steel frames, rocks, and wooden debris chaotically flew about.
"You can't fly, can you!"
Bauren spread his two pairs of wings as he curled up the corners of his mouth.
"So what?"
"It means you can no longer escape!"
He poured out fist attacks towards the falling Raon as if it was a good opportunity. The massive demonic energy burning from his dark red gauntlets rushed towards all the vital points of Raon's body.
"I have no intention of running away though?"
Raon smiled coldly as he slashed downwards in a cross shape with his divine sword and demonic sword. The flames and frost that rose up splitting the space tore the heavy demonic energy into four pieces.
Whoosh!
As if the fist attacks were just a decoy, Bauren sprang out from the lower right and threw a punch rippling with demonic energy. The demonic energy burning between his fingers spewed out a dark net of light.
Bang!
Raon stepped on the falling steel frame behind him. Using the wind of the Gale Wind Style at his toes, he retreated behind Bauren.
"Hmph!"
Bauren briefly spread his two pairs of wings. He caught up at a terrifying speed and kicked upwards. His boots, stained pitch black, pushed in while crushing the air.
Thud!
Raon kicked off a piece of brick and moved to the opposite side again.
He stepped on falling steel frames, rocks, and wooden debris as if they were the ground, completely evading Bauren's attacks.
It looked like a leaf floating on top of a storm.
"You rat bastard!"
When Bauren approached too closely in his excitement, Raon's eyes flashed.
'Finally, it's here.'
Since the tower collapsed, Bauren had been continuously attacking without even thinking about a counterattack. It was a chance to strike at his blind spot.
Swish!
Raon didn't retreat. Instead, he advanced forward and thrust his divine sword.
"Where are you looking... Huh?"
As Bauren sneered at the divine sword that had thrust into empty space, a bright red sphere surged from the tip of the blade.
Whoosh!
The flaming sphere, undulating like a small sun, began to suck in Bauren who was extending his fist. It was Raon Zieghart Style Sword Technique Form 2: Heavy Sky Cannon.
"Urgh..."
"It's already too late."
Bauren tried to hastily retreat, but the gravitational pull of the Heavy Sky Cannon gripped his wrist and wouldn't let go.
Boom!
The condensed fire cannon from the tip of the divine sword exploded, blasting away Bauren's right arm without a trace. The remnants of the tower scattered as black ashes.
"Those wings are useless. Why don't you just get rid of them?"
After landing on the ground, Raon nodded towards Bauren who was clutching his right shoulder.
"Grr, shut that mouth of yours."
As Bauren gritted his teeth, a new arm began to sprout from his shoulder where there had been no trace before. Regeneration even greater than a troll's. It seemed to have completely transcended human limits.
"Th-that's King Bauren?"
"Neither his personality nor his appearance is human anymore. What a piece of trash."
"A real demon."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan frowned as they watched Bauren regenerate his arm.
"Ugh! Smells like sewage!"
"Damn it..."
Rimmer held his nose at the stench of demonic energy, while Saintess Olga gritted her teeth, seemingly frustrated at her inability to move.
"Father..."
Hoppen closed his eyes with his hands clasped, lost in thought.
"All of you, stay back."
After ordering everyone behind him to retreat, Raon gripped his divine sword and demonic sword firmly.
"Because it's just beginning."
* * *
"Grr..."
Bauren bit his lip as he looked at his newly grown arm. Thanks to the demonic energy, he could regenerate even an arm that had been completely obliterated, but that wasn't what was important right now.
'Raon Zieghart.'
What on earth is that guy?
The demonic energy I possess is far greater, and my physical strength is not inferior either.
I'm wielding demonic energy that could easily crush Raon's Astral Ring, yet he wasn't pushed back at all. It felt like looking at an unbreakable wall.
'No. That can't be!'
Raon is not a god, but a human. And a young human who hasn't even reached transcendence yet.
The Sword Domain has a time limit, and his aura also has an end.
If I push him with the sheer quantity of demonic energy, he'll have no choice but to kneel.
"I'll dry up your blood completely."
Bauren advanced, crushing the earth, and extended his lightly clenched fist. Holy Fist. The extremely fast fist technique that praised the god with speed shot towards Raon's heart, tainted with demonic energy.
Raon raised his red sword without losing his relaxed smile. The undulating flames, like a river, elegantly deflected the trajectory of the Holy Fist.
Boom!
The fist attack, far from breaking Raon's sword, was deflected downwards and only struck the ground. A dark crater was formed in the floor, but Raon didn't move a single step from where he stood.
'Keep going! Keep at it!'
Bauren unleashed Holy Fist and Flaming Kick in succession, using the demonic energy he had raised to its extreme. A storm of fist attacks and kicking techniques whirled around, completely crushing the surrounding buildings.
But that fierce onslaught subsided like a gentle breeze before Raon's two swords. His breathing was calm, and not a single drop of sweat fell from his forehead.
Rather than fighting a battle, his expression was as relaxed as if he were reading a book while drinking tea.
"Huff..."
Bauren exhaled roughly, his jaw trembling.
"What! What the hell is going on!"
According to the plan, Raon should have been exhausted by now, unable to even grip his sword, but the one who was drained wasn't him, it was me.
He was dumbfounded because he believed his aura and his body trained in martial arts were superior.
"I obtained the power to become a god! Why can't I catch just one of you!"
Bauren raised the ultimate technique of Holy Fist while letting out a monstrous cry. A flash of demonic energy so massive it obscured vision burst out from his dark red gauntlets.
Boom!
Raon stepped forward with his left foot. The divine sword in his right hand turned red. The Crimson Slash, faster than sound, split the center of the demonic energy.
He wasn't satisfied with just cutting the demonic energy. He pushed the demonic energy away with his skin as he rushed in, drawing a dreamlike sword line.
Slash!
Bauren tried to defend by raising a wall of demonic energy, but the blurry trajectory of the Silver Sword Dream pierced through the demonic energy and carved a deep wound on his chest.
"Gah!"
Bauren stepped back, clutching his chest. Dark blood oozed and poured from his mouth and chest.
'Th-this...'
He definitely blocked it. He used even more demonic energy than Raon, so he couldn't understand why it was pierced. It felt like he was having a nightmare.
"I told you."
Raon looked down at Bauren, twisting his lips into a smile.
"That I'd show you how pathetic the power you gained is."
* * *
"Why..."
Bauren gritted his teeth as he clutched the blood-soaked earth in his fist.
"Why am I losing! This doesn't make any sense!"
"It's simple."
Raon nodded slightly as he looked at Bauren.
"Because all you've gained is vigor and spirit."
"What?"
"What's important for a martial artist is the harmony of vigor, energy, and spirit. Your body could be called that of a Transcendent Warrior, and your demonic energy is about twice my aura. However..."
He raised his index finger and shook it lightly.
"Energy. The realm known as the soul's level or mental world remains the same. No, it has shrunk because you excessively borrowed someone else's power. Simply put, you are nothing more than a child in the body of a sage."
Bauren's martial prowess had certainly grown stronger. His physical strength was comparable to mine, and his demonic energy was far ahead.
However, the mind operating that body and demonic energy had degraded to the level of an ordinary Grandmaster. No, to the pinnacle of Master level. Right now, he was nothing more than a fool who couldn't properly control his own body.
"Th-that..."
"Let me ask you something too."
Raon approached Bauren, whose lips were trembling, and narrowed his eyes.
"Why did you do this? Did you think you could destroy the White Blood Religion and the Black Tower by gaining that power?"
"Because I didn't want to forgive."
Bauren raised his head, gritting his teeth. The light in his eyes hadn't died yet. If anything, it burned even more fiercely.
"What?"
"Do you know? There's a verse in the scriptures that says forgiving your enemy is true revenge."
'Yeah...'
I nodded, having heard those words before.
"At first, I thought that was right. I thought erasing revenge from my heart would be good for everyone. But the more I tried, the more revenge consumed my heart. And then I realized."
Bauren drew a grotesque smile. His pupils twisted into darkness.
"That 'forgiveness is true revenge' is just an excuse made by the weak. Forgiveness is nothing but pathetic mumbling spouted because you can't take revenge on the strong!"
Bauren regenerated the wound on his chest and then threw both hands behind his shoulders.
"With this power, I will have my revenge. I will protect this kingdom!"
The black flames burning in his hands coalesced into hundreds of Astral Rings of condensed demonic energy that swept forward.
Crackle!
Perhaps due to the gathering of such powerful energy, black sparks flashed everywhere, and the ground was overturned completely.
"Let's end this here."
Raon didn't back down even as he watched the storm of Astral Rings made of demonic energy. He stepped forward with his right foot, holding his divine sword high and his demonic sword low.
Flames and frost extended grandly from the tips of the divine and demonic swords. It was as majestic as two brushes dipped in red and blue paint drawing a picture in the air.
What burned from the quietly settled brush tips were waves. Golden waves carrying flames and silver waves imbued with frost poured out from all directions.
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Heavenly Drive.
Flame and Ice Unification. (E/N: this is the first time this one appear, but it has some intersection with the invincible azure red sword...so maybe the author is using yet another new way of saying the same thing...I hate how he does that, so many same term have different characters, even character names sometimes)
The massive storm made of demonic energy was caught between the waves crashing from all directions and crumpled.
Slash!
Bauren too was caught by the edge of the Flame and Ice Unification, his arms and legs torn off as he was slammed into the ground.
"Aaaaargh!"
His arms and legs began to regenerate again, but his eyes trembled incessantly as if his mind had already collapsed.
Thud!
Raon thrust the Heavenly Drive and Blade of Requiem, now devoid of their Sword Domain, into Bauren's shoulders. The Blade of Requiem, absorbing the demonic energy, glowed faintly yellow.
"Guherk..."
Bauren struggled while coughing up black blood, but couldn't get up due to the demonic energy contained in the Blade of Requiem.
"I-I haven't lost yet! Still..."
"Father!"
Hoppen approached Bauren and knelt before him.
"Please stop this!"
"Hoppen! Pull out these swords! I have things I must do! Revenge..."
"My brother didn't want revenge!"
He shook his head firmly.
"What do you know!"
"I do know! Because my brother died right before my eyes!"
"You..."
"Even as the leader of the White Blood Religion drained his blood, my brother pushed us away. He smiled, considering it fortunate that he died in place of others! He asked us to take care of you, father, smiling even in that agony!"
Hoppen's eyes reddened as he recalled Byten's death that he witnessed in Barene.
"Do you think such a brother would have wanted you to seek revenge? Especially while reducing the kingdom to this state? Absolutely not!"
He yelled as if releasing pent-up emotions.
"Please come to your senses!"
Hoppen gritted his teeth and threw a punch at Bauren's face.
Thud!
There wouldn't have been much impact since he didn't infuse it with aura.
But Bauren's eyes trembled as if that punch hurt more than the Flame and Ice Unification.
"Ah..."
Bauren slowly turned his gaze. Collapsed buildings, citizens who died without even leaving proper corpses, and the demonic energy rising over the walls of holy power.
Finally, he looked at his own body regenerating even after having limbs torn off, and his jaw trembled.
"I... I..."
He spoke using "I" instead of the royal "we," exhaling heavily.
"Even if you've realized it, it's already too late, Father."
Hoppen gritted his teeth.
"Your sins can't be repaid even if a lifetime passes. No one will forgive you. Even so, you must stand up again."
"Bauren."
The pale-faced Priest Piron crawled towards King Bauren.
"Looks like it's all over."
He shook his head, speaking like a friend without using honorifics anymore.
"It's my sin."
Royal Guard Captain Danieff walked over, clutching the wound on his chest, and bowed his head.
"I should have stopped you, but I couldn't."
"Danieff..."
"But don't worry. I'll become a slave to this kingdom along with you and atone for a lifetime."
He grabbed Bauren's shoulder, saying they should do it together.
"Now, stop this."
"I, I..."
Bauren bit his lip. He closed his eyes deeply as if making a decision, then opened them.
Whoosh!
The demonic energy enveloping his entire body began to slowly subside like a fire seed drenched in rain. It seemed like he was discarding the demonic energy.
"You've thought well! Now..."
It was just as Hoppen nodded with a small smile.
Splat!
A snow-white hand shot out from Bauren's mouth. Teeth and flesh spurted out along with blood.
"Uh, uuuuugh!"
"The contract is terminated."
An unknown man's voice flowed from his mouth, from which teeth had been pulled and the tongue cut off.
"W-wait..."
As Bauren tried to shout "wait," his mouth tore wide open and a man roughly burst out from inside.
He was a handsome man with pale skin, wearing a black suit and a fedora. However, his aura was different from anyone else present. A strange presence that was neither human nor monster pressed down on the surroundings.
"S-Silcret..."
Bauren turned his head towards the handsome man. His eyes were growing cold. An irreversible death had come.
"I clearly told you. The moment you give up the demonic energy, that body and soul become mine. Ah, additionally..."
The man called Silcret snapped his fingers while looking at Piron and Danieff beside Bauren.
"These two as well."
Piron and Danieff, who were dazed by their friend's sudden death, crumbled like dry leaves.
Gray fragments that surged from the two corpses were sucked into Silcret's body.
"Aah..."
Silcret spread his arms and curled up the corners of his mouth.
"This is nice. I don't know how long it's been since I've had an outing like this."
"You, what are you! What are you!"
Hoppen glared at Silcret and screamed.
"As you're thinking, I am the demon Silcret who made a contract with your father. And…"
Silcret took off his fedora and bowed his head.
"I'm also the new master of this kingdom."
Black demonic energy began to burn from beneath his feet.
Whoosh!
The wall of demonic energy that had been slowly rising suddenly surged up, covering the entire kingdom. A suffocating pressure descended as if this entire space was in his grasp.
"Guhek..."
"Wh-what is this..."
"I can't breathe..."
It wasn't just Hoppen. All members of the Light Wind division were on their knees, clutching their throats.
"That damn bastard..."
"Th-that guy is the real deal. Fall back!"
Even Saintess Olga and Rimmer couldn't withstand Silcret's demonic energy, their legs and arms trembling.
"Urgh..."
"S-save me..."
The priests and holy knights collapsed, foaming at the mouth, unable to even draw out their holy power.
"Yes. That appearance suits humans best."
Silcret nodded as he looked at the people kneeling and collapsing.
"But why are you able to stand like that?"
He tilted his head as he looked at Raon, who was the only one standing.
"My demonic energy isn't at a level that lowly humans can withstand, you know?"
"..."
Raon silently pulled out the Heavenly Drive and Blade of Requiem from Bauren's corpse.
-Seeing a weakling putting on airs makes me sick to my stomach.
Wrath frowned as he looked at Silcret.
-But it will be difficult for you to defeat him in your current state. This place is no different from the demonic realm, and he has gained too much demonic energy.
'It's okay. I'm not going to fight.'
-What? You're not going to fight?
'Yes.'
Raon tilted his chin and curled up the corners of his mouth.
'I'm just going to beat him up.'
* * *
Silcret licked his lips as he looked at the young human who was the only one standing.
'He's quite impressive.'
The quantity and purity of his aura was exceptional even among the humans here.
If I could devour his mana as well, I might be able to reach an even higher level.
'However...'
Why is he able to stand?
No matter how much aura he has, that guy hasn't reached transcendence.
I couldn't understand how he could stand calmly in this land dominated by demonic energy.
'Well, it doesn't matter.'
I'll just kill him and be done with it.
Normally, I might have been a bit suspicious, but right now this land is no different from the Devildom, and the amount of demonic energy I possess surpasses even my original form. I'm confident I can handle anyone who comes.
"I don't particularly enjoy torture, so I'll end this quickly."
Just as he was about to raise his finger to sever the young human's neck.
A silver current of air ignited above his shoulders. Strangely, it contained vivid demonic energy.
The darkness that seemed to have been transplanted directly from the Devildom was pushed back to the corners, trembling as if frightened by the silver haze.
"Wh-what is that? That aura..."
Silcret swallowed dryly as he stepped back. The more the blue aura burned, the more nauseous he felt, and his chest tightened. It felt as if his entire body was wrapped in sharp wire.
"Ugh..."
It wasn't reason, but instinct that was moving him. His shoulders, arms, his entire body twisted.
This wasn't simply demonic energy. It was different in quality. No, it was the breath of a great being so different in rank that he couldn't even look up at it.
"Ahhh!"
Silcret screamed as he clawed at his own face with his nails.
The majesty of a demon king filled Raon's eyes. An absolute being that couldn't be faced directly lowered its gaze.
"Kneel."