Raon turned his eyes back to where he heard a faint sound of breaking air.
'You're keeping up better than I expected.'
Despite not yet reaching Grandmaster, Mark Goetun was following closely behind without falling too far behind. It seemed he was truly pursuing with his life on the line.
'I'm sorry, but I don't have the capacity to pay attention to you today.'
Even though he was using his footwork at full power, he couldn't sense Merlin or anyone else. With only unpleasant thoughts flooding his mind, he couldn't afford to consider Mark Goetun.
"If you lose me, return to the family."
Raon left those words for Mark Goetun, telling him he could go back, and imbued his steps with the wind of Garunua and the subtleties of extreme speed. His footwork accelerated further, narrowing his vision and dyeing his surroundings black. He dodged obstacles approaching his line of sight using his aura perception and ran only in the direction where he heard the sound.
-I found them!
Wrath opened his blue eyes and raised his round hand.
-If you keep going in this direction, you'll find a whole bunch of those filthy bastards!
He nodded vigorously, indicating that the direction Raon was running was correct.
'I see....'
Since he still couldn't sense the presence of others, Raon trusted Wrath's words and moved following his finger. As he leaped over a hill as large as a mountain, he began to sense the presence of people within his aura perception.
'There's so many....'
He sensed the movement of numerous people at a far distance that his aura perception could barely reach.
'Fighting spirit!'
So she was indeed being chased by the Ghosts of Eden. Various types of fighting spirit were transmitted from afar. As he initially suspected, it was the Ghosts of Eden chasing Merlin.
'Are there more?'
Is this right? As the distance grew closer, the number of people sensed by his aura perception increased rapidly. There were countless Ghosts of Eden moving, too many to count.
'Let's go see for now.'
Raon increased his footwork speed even further as he climbed the mountain blocking his view. The speed was so fast that it felt like all his concentration would be blown away just by avoiding obstacles like trees and rocks, but he endured by biting his lips.
After reaching the summit with steps rough enough to destroy the mountain itself, he tried to exhale the breath he had been holding. No, he was about to exhale, but his mind froze due to the shocking sight.
Beneath the setting sun, he saw countless humans and monsters moving like a swarm of black ants. The sheer number sent a chill down his spine.
'What is this....'
Raon let out a gasp as he saw the Ghosts of Eden and the monsters they controlled moving not just from the west, but from all directions.
'Are they trying to destroy a kingdom rather than just capture Merlin?'
The number of Ghosts of Eden and monsters was truly uncountable. It wasn't just a matter of chasing Merlin; they were setting up a formation to make escape impossible.
'...A net of heaven and earth.'
A net of heaven and earth is a tactic and formation that creates an inescapable prison, meaning no one can escape. Currently, Eden was not just moving from the west but surrounding this entire area from all directions. They were clearly trying to prevent both Merlin's escape and any external rescue attempts.
-Even this king hasn't seen such a spectacle in a long time.
Wrath also let out a gasp, saying that a siege of this scale was rare.
-It seems that mad woman has done something crazy again?
He shook his head, suggesting that Merlin might have stolen Eden's helmet and escaped.
'Yes. This is no ordinary pursuit.'
Currently, the Ghosts of Eden were not just conducting a simple chase but were operating formations and magic on a massive scale. It was clear that Merlin had not only discovered Eden's location but had also caused another major incident before being pursued.
'I was planning to suppress my presence from here, but that seems impossible.'
With magic covering this entire area, it seemed difficult to hide his presence and enter that siege network stealthily.
'Merlin....'
Raon exhaled briefly as he looked down at the vast field spread out below the mountain.
'Is she in that forest?'
The Ghosts of Eden were moving as if to surround the forest in the center of the field. It seemed Merlin was likely in that forest.
'A Transcendent's aura...'
As he focused his aura perception on the forest, he felt a sharp Transcendent's aura that seemed to scratch his skin. The monster inside was undoubtedly the one who had driven Merlin into danger.
'It's not The Fallen. Have I met this one before? It feels somewhat familiar.'
The distance was too far to identify precisely, but it seemed to be one of the Transcendents he knew.
'The problem isn't just that Transcendent, though.'
Among the Eden executives maintaining this net of heaven and earth, there were a very small number of Grandmasters and a few Masters. While these individuals weren't a significant threat to him individually, they could pose a challenge to him while maintaining such a massive formation.
'However....'
Raon bit his lip deeply as he surveyed the forest.
'Why can't I sense Merlin's presence?'
He could sense the presence of Eden's ghosts and monsters forming the siege on the opposite side of the forest, but Merlin's energy was nowhere to be found.
'Could it be that already....'
-No, it is not so.
Just as a vision of red blood staining his mind was about to form, Wrath jumped in front of him.
-She is still alive, for now.
Wrath shook his head, emphasizing "for now."
-However, if you don't hurry, your imagination might become reality.
He frowned, saying that if Raon wanted to save Merlin, he needed to move right now. Raon drew out the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem and plunged them into the ground. Above the darkening sky, as if to replace the fading sun, a golden sun and a silver moon rose.
'There's no time.'
Normally, he would have killed the commanders maintaining this siege first, but now there was no time to find them. He had to break through with force and terror. Raon gripped the divine sword tempered with flame and the demonic sword forged with frost and leaped down towards the field.
The overwhelming aura emitted by the Sword Domain made the Ghosts of Eden and monsters surrounding the forest turn around simultaneously.
"A flame sword and an ice sword?
"It's, it's the Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart!"
"S-stop him!"
"Capture him at all costs!"
The Eden executives recognized the divine and demonic swords and shouted to stop him.
"Move aside."
Raon swung down his divine sword, burning with golden light, towards the Ghosts of Eden and monsters approaching to block his path. A towering flame rose above the blade and fell as if to devour the yellow earth.
The flame imbued in the divine sword exploded, spreading a terrifying heat forward. The Ghosts of Eden and monsters trying to block his path all melted away.
'This should be enough....'
He unleashed a powerful sword strike from the start to demonstrate overwhelming strength. He needed to enter the forest while the Ghosts of Eden were in shock.
"Hah."
Raon exhaled a turbid breath and kicked the blackened earth. As he was advancing along the path he had cleared with his divine sword, a massive shadow fell over his head. Looking up, he saw giant monsters like ogres and trolls rushing in as if to block his path.
'They regained their senses this quickly?'
It seemed the commander operating this net of heaven and earth was more capable than he had thought.
"There's no point in trying to buy time."
Raon raised his killing intent and drew a full moon with the blue light of his demonic sword. The beautifully chilling frost blooming from the blade of the demonic sword tore the giant monsters trying to surround him into tiny ice shards. Raon exhaled a white breath and ran towards the forest again.
'My body feels heavy.'
It wasn't because he was tired from running here. It felt as if gravity had intensified several times, with massive pressure falling from the sky.
'Have they shifted the formation onto me?'
It seemed they were focusing the pressure of the net of heaven and earth on him instead of the exhausted Merlin.
'Cunning bastards....'
If he had time, he could focus on defense and interpret the flow of the net of heaven and earth, but he didn't have that luxury now. Raon bit his lip and unleashed the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier. He unleashed the Fangs of Insanity and Blizzard Sword Art towards the monsters and Ghosts of Eden approaching to block his path.
The flame imbued in the divine sword and the frost enveloping the demonic sword exploded in succession, turning the Ghosts of Eden trying to block his path into gray ash and ice powder.
"W-what is this...?"
"This is impossible strength."
"To think the Sword Emperor's reputation was true..."
Even the Eden executives seemed shocked by his strength, their eyes trembling as they stood motionless. However, the commander of the net of heaven and earth didn't seem fazed by his strength and continued to move monsters and Ghosts of Eden to block his path.
'Whether they block or not, I have to break through and advance.'
Raon gritted his teeth and ran towards the increasingly close forest. His body felt heavier and heavier, but he used the power of his divine and demonic swords to split apart the wall of monsters and humans.
'Not much left now... Hm?'
When he had crossed more than half of the vast field, he felt a chilling sensation behind him. Someone had fired an Astral Ring aimed at the back of his neck. Raon tilted his divine sword to deflect the incoming Astral Ring, but Eden's offensive was just beginning.
Not content with overturning the ground beneath his feet, they rained down fire and ice blades from the sky, and launched spears and arrows from all directions.
Most could be blocked with just a wall of aura without needing to swing his sword, but powerful magic, curses, and the Astral Rings unleashed by the Grandmasters had to be deflected with his divine and demonic swords.
'Have they changed the form of the net of heaven and earth?'
Raon bit his lip as he cut through a wind spell that rushed at him from behind.
'I didn't break through the siege; they've trapped me inside it.'
To think they'd send Ghosts of Eden through the path he had cleared to attack from behind – the commander of this net of heaven and earth was exceptionally clever.
'It's not threatening. But this means...'
Merlin's condition must not be good. Considering that the net of heaven and earth, originally meant to surround Merlin, was now moving to pressure him, the outcome might already be decided.
'Should I find the one controlling the formation first?'
In this state, it might be difficult to escape even if he rescued Merlin. He tried to slow his steps to look for the commander of the net of heaven and earth, but only pawns came out to block his way while the commander didn't show themselves.
'More fanatical than a religion!'
To think they would charge in without fear even after seeing his strength capable of erasing dozens with a single strike – they were even more insane than the White Blood Religion. Since they seemed to lack the emotion of fear, he had no choice but to cut them all down as he advanced.
'I'm certainly not slow, but...'
He felt uneasy.
He was clearly moving at a fast pace, but the distance to the forest remained great, and the constant interference was delaying his movement by a second each time, which was frustrating.
'Still, the only option is to keep going.'
With a Transcendent inside the forest and the possibility of The Fallen appearing at any moment, he couldn't use his full power. For now, the best he could do was to move as quickly as possible while conserving some strength. Raon advanced towards the forest where Merlin might be, clearing the way ahead with his divine sword and defending with his demonic sword.
'The pressure is getting stronger.'
Since the net of heaven and earth was a formation made up of the fighting spirit of numerous ghosts, even he, as a Transcendent, couldn't completely ignore its pressure. He could feel in real-time his body becoming heavier and his senses dulling. His speed towards the forest was gradually slowing as well.
"Just disappear already!"
Raon roared as he swung his divine sword, incinerating all the monsters charging at him.
'To think there are still more after cutting down hundreds...'
Even after clearing a path, more monsters and ghosts filled the space. Having to defend against attacks from behind as well, his steps were getting slower and slower.
"Damn these bastards!"
Raon couldn't hold back and cursed. Just as he was about to draw out the power he had been saving to fight the Transcendent, lightning struck from the mountaintop, splitting the Ghosts of Eden and shamans who were attacking him from behind.
"Huff! Huff!"
It was Mark Goetun. He nodded, wiping away sweat mixed with blood.
"Go on! I'll protect your rear, Palace Master!"
Mark Goetun rushed towards him, saying he would block the rear even at the cost of his life.
"Get out of here! You'll die if you stay!"
Raon shouted for him to retreat immediately, spreading his hand.
"There are those stronger than you here!"
The commander of the net of heaven and earth and the bull-helmeted figure standing on the east side of the forest were clearly Grandmasters. If Raon left this place, Mark Goetun would surely die.
"A guardian protects their lord! If I don't stand here, I have no right to be called by that name!"
Mark Goetun ran towards him with eyes showing not a trace of fear.
"From the moment you grabbed my hand at the edge of the cliff, my life has been yours."
He nodded, telling Raon to leave the rear to him and focus only on what's ahead.
"..."
Raon looked at Mark Goetun's unwavering eyes, chewing his lips, then turned his head.
"You must survive. No matter what."
After shouting at him to survive somehow, he turned his body. Now he had no choice but to trust his guardian.
"I won't hold back anymore."
Raon raised his divine sword. The flame imbued in the sword's edge reached the sky and fell, drawing the shape of a massive sword. The Azure Sky Sword's strike spread out, completely erasing the Ghosts of Eden and monsters trying to block the forest entrance and its surroundings.
Raon dashed towards the path where flames were blazing. Trusting Mark Goetun behind him, he advanced solely forward and entered the forest.
'Merlin is... Hm?'
The sound of horses? As he was trying to find Merlin, he heard the sound of horse hooves and metal.
'Could it be....'
Raon bit his lip and increased his speed even more. As he entered deeper into the forest, he saw horses in armor and spearmen riding them.
'The Martial Society!'
Those in the forest were not Eden, but warriors of the Martial Society. It seemed the Transcendent who had driven Merlin here was likely the Demon Slaying Spear.
"Raon Zieghart?"
"How did you get here!"
The Martial Society's spearmen widened their eyes in shock upon seeing him. Raon didn't open his mouth and swung his demonic sword. The moment the wind mixed with frost passed, the bodies of the Martial Society warriors shattered into ice fragments.
"M-monster!"
"Retreat!"
Unlike the Ghosts of Eden or brainwashed monsters, the Martial Society knew fear. He quickly pushed them aside and ran towards the deepest part of the forest. As he entered even deeper into the forest, he sensed Merlin's presence and her scent, just as Wrath had said.
'She's still alive!'
As Raon cut through the blood-soaked undergrowth and reached the edge of the forest, he saw the spear formation that the Martial Society warriors had formed in a circle. He broke through the Martial Society's wall with the flame of his divine sword and entered the formation.
"Sto-"
Just as Raon was about to say "stop," Merlin, covered in blood, was pierced by a black spear.