Raon frowned as he examined the dark red bell.
'It's not making any sound.'
Even when shaken vigorously, the bell produced no noise.
'Strange. There's clearly a bead inside.'
Typically, bells used by shamans as ritual tools are made with hollow metal or wood exteriors containing small beads to produce a clear ringing sound. However, the dark red bell he was holding now made no sound at all, despite clearly having a bead inside. He shook it again.
The only sound produced was the faint rustling of the decorative silk ribbons brushing against each other.
'Besides the lack of sound, this bell...'
It's extremely ominous. While the dark red bell itself didn't possess any energy, there was a strange, unsettling pull to keep looking at it, along with a sense of foreboding. The sensation was so unpleasant that he wanted to smash the bell right then and there.
'Merlin...'
He glanced at Merlin just in case, but she was still unconscious, taking shallow breaths.
'I'd like to leave it here, but it's probably best to take it with me.'
The Martial Society and Eden had tracked Merlin all the way here to retrieve this bell. To hinder them, it was right to take the bell along, despite its ominous nature.
-Hmm....
Wrath furrowed his brow as he examined the bead from different angles.
'What's wrong? Do you recognize this bead?'
Raon held out the dark red bead to Wrath, who seemed to be in deep thought.
-No, I don't know it at all.
Wrath shook his head firmly, stating it was an object he had never seen before.
'Then why are you making that pained sound?'
-Strangely enough....
He licked his lips while looking at the bead.
-It smells similar to someone this king utterly despises.
Wrath wrinkled his forehead, saying the bead's ominousness was mixed with a foul stench.
'Someone you utterly despise? Surely not Lust?'
-Well, I dislike that one too, but there's someone who irritates me even more instinctively.
He shook his head, saying it was different from Lust.
'Then who is it?'
-I'm not entirely sure...
As Wrath was lowering his eyebrows, unsure if it was similar or the real thing, a thunderous boom echoed from the direction of the field where Mark Goetun was.
'We need to move quickly.'
Mark Goetun's condition must have worsened significantly from that lightning strike. This was no time to be chatting with Wrath.
'Mark Goetun's condition is bad, but...'
The Fallen must have been alerted to the Demon Slaying Spear's death by now. Someone of The Fallen's caliber would surely have sensed the death of the Demon Slaying Spear, whom he had brainwashed. They needed to flee as far as possible before he came looking for them.
"Blood Horn."
After putting the bead in his uniform pocket, Raon called out to Blood Horn, who was sticking close to the Demon Slaying Spear's side.
"Your master asked me to take you with me, but I'll respect your choice."
Raon continued speaking, assuming Blood Horn could understand human language.
"If you wish to stay by your master's side, I'll leave now. What will you do?"
He looked at Blood Horn without much expectation, since he had killed its master. Blood Horn trembled slightly. It seemed to understand his words as it looked at him for a moment before slowly lowering its body to touch foreheads with the dead Demon Slaying Spear.
Blood Horn closed its eyes slowly, as if that was its final farewell to its former master, then opened them and approached Raon.
Though Raon was tall for a martial artist, he had to look up at Blood Horn due to its immense size. Blood Horn stood before him and lowered its head, presenting its forehead.
'Does it want me to touch it?'
Raon narrowed his eyes and stroked Blood Horn's forehead with the back of his hand. In that moment, a sun-like red circle was engraved on the back of his hand, and he felt a strange elation as if Blood Horn's soul was connecting with his own.
Blood Horn slowly bowed its head. Contrary to Raon's expectations, it seemed grateful that he had given the Demon Slaying Spear an honorable death as a martial artist.
"Does this mean you'll follow me?"
Raon nodded at Blood Horn. Blood Horn closed its large eyes and opened them again, as if to say yes.
"Then I look forward to working with you."
Raon nodded and mounted Blood Horn's saddle along with Merlin.
"Let's go. At full speed."
As Raon gripped the reins, Blood Horn charged forward as if it had never been tired, its flame-like mane rising as it tore through the ground and forest. Despite the mournful neigh of the warhorse carrying its new master, a faint smile played on the lips of the warrior who had departed after a satisfying battle.
* * *
Mark Goetun's sword fell like a blue flash, instantly shattering the wall of monsters blocking his path. But the ghosts of Eden and monsters surged forth anew, as if resurrecting to swarm towards him again. Facing the endless onslaught of monsters felt like trying to empty the ocean with a bucket.
Mark Goetun retreated while cutting down the wave of monsters and evil spirits of Eden rushing at him like a tide.
'Damn it! There's no end to them!'
The monsters and ghosts of Eden kept charging towards him to enter the forest, no matter how many he killed. Even with corpses piled up like mountains, they showed no fear. It felt like fighting moving dolls.
'It's getting hard to hold out...'
Perhaps because he had suddenly surpassed the threshold of Grandmaster, his internal and external injuries weren't healing. For now, he was enduring with his awakened willpower, but he would soon reach his limit.
'Before that...'
Mark Goetun bit his lip as he looked around.
'I need to find the commander.'
Before his flame was extinguished, he needed to kill the commander who had formed the all-encompassing net to open an escape route for Raon.
'Where on earth is he?'
Judging by the rapid changes in formation and the lightning magic being cast, the commander was certainly inside the net, but no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't pinpoint the enemy's location.
'Damn it...'
Just as Mark Goetun was biting his lip while cutting down a monster charging at him like a bull, a tremendous vibration and explosion that seemed to shake the earth erupted from within the forest, followed by a pillar of flame that looked like it would pierce the sky.
'The battle is intensifying.'
Seeing Raon's aura reaching this far, it seemed the forest battle was also reaching its climax.
'Even Lord Raon can't easily take down a Transcendent.'
Knowing Raon might emerge with serious injuries, he had to break through this encirclement by any means necessary. He spread his aura perception again while cutting down the ghosts of Eden, but there was no human with a special aura anywhere to be found.
'Did they use invisibility magic? Or perhaps disguised as a monster?'
Mark Goetun stopped abruptly, mocking himself for such an absurd thought.
'Disguise? Could it be...'
As he considered the possibility of a disguise, he recalled the commander's awkward speech when ordering the White Wolf Ghost, and a chill ran down his spine.
'That must be it.'
That's why he couldn't find them! Mark Goetun licked his lips and quickly scanned his surroundings. But this time, instead of looking for officials wearing masks or helmets, he focused solely on the monsters.
He deflected the attacks of the drooling ghosts of Eden rushing at him while rapidly spreading his aura perception. Having suddenly surpassed the threshold of Grandmaster, his senses already covered the entire field.
'I've found a clue, but I still can't tell.'
Though he now knew how they were hiding, the enemy was so cunning that even his aura perception couldn't locate them.
'In that case...'
I'll have to show an opening. He slowly exhaled, drawing what little aura he had left into his sword.
"Annoying bastards! Get lost, all of you!"
Mark Goetun roared as he swung his sword at the wave of monsters surging towards him. The energy imbued in the blade was released like a divine dragon, spreading in all directions.
The Blue Thunder Sword's ultimate technique, Lightning Strike, extended outward, obliterating not only the monsters charging at him but also the ghosts of Eden behind them.
"Huff..."
However, having used the sword technique with all his might, his body stiffened and he couldn't move. At that moment, as if they had been waiting for this chance, red lightning fell from the sky and blue spears shot up from the ground.
Mark Goetun couldn't raise his sword and barely managed to block the red lightning and ice spears with a wall of aura.
Unable to fully absorb the impact, he coughed up dark red blood. Blood also burst from his barely closed wounds, soaking his uniform.
'The damage is severe.'
Having swung his sword with all his might, his aura consumption was extreme, and his wounds had reopened, causing pain that made his head throb.
'But...'
Mark Goetun bit his blood-soaked lips and straightened his bent knees.
'I've found them!'
Taking a deep breath as if this fight would be his last, he charged towards the group of monsters on the opposite side of the forest. After passing through numerous monsters, he brought down his Dragon Wall Sword on a kobold shaman who was blankly staring into space.
[H-How...]
The kobold shaman widened its eyes in disbelief, as if it couldn't believe its identity had been discovered.
"There were many hints."
Mark Goetun twisted his lips as he pressed down on the kobold shaman with his Dragon Wall Sword.
"I found it strange that the voice giving orders to the White Wolf Ghost sounded unnaturally awkward, unlike a human's."
The commander of the all-encompassing net had spoken more awkwardly than a child when ordering the White Wolf Ghost to enter the forest. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now he realized it was because the speaker wasn't human.
"Moreover, none of the officials seemed to be in command."
He had examined all of Eden's officials on this battlefield, but none had the skill to command or were actually giving orders. That's why he thought the commander must be hiding among the monsters, not humans.
[T-Then...]
The kobold shaman's green lips trembled, seeming to realize it had been caught.
"That's right. I deliberately showed an opening."
Mark Goetun nodded, saying he was able to find the location thanks to the lightning strike.
[D-Damn it!]
The kobold shaman gnashed its sharp teeth, as if berating itself for its fatal mistake.
[Even if you've noticed me, it's too late! You'll die here!]
It called for the monsters and Eden's officials behind it to attack from the rear while blocking Mark Goetun.
"As expected of Eden. To give a monster such abilities. However..."
Mark Goetun shook his head as he looked down at the kobold shaman.
"This is the end for you too."
He unleashed the Manifestation Ghost Sword technique at point-blank range against the kobold shaman, who was reinforcing its mana barrier. His sword, glowing with blue light, shattered the kobold shaman's shield and cleaved its body in half.
[I-I can't believe I'm being defeated by a mere human...]
The kobold shaman's eyes trembled in disbelief at its own death before it coughed up blood and sank into the cracked ground.
As the kobold shaman commanding the all-encompassing net died, the monsters scattered in all directions like lost children or began fighting among themselves.
The ghosts of Eden that had been charging at him were forced to retreat, unable to approach due to the rampaging monsters. It seemed he no longer needed to worry about them.
"Haa..."
Mark Goetun wiped away the dark blood trickling from his mouth and managed a small smile.
'It's over.'
Fortunately, he had managed to dismantle the all-encompassing net before Raon emerged. He felt a small sense of relief at having kept his oath to Raon.
'Now...'
I should go to the Palace Master. Mark Goetun lifted his legs, which felt heavy as if soaked in water, and walked towards the forest.
'Even in my current state, I should be able to help.'
Considering his physical condition, retreating would be the right choice, but if he could launch a surprise attack with his remaining strength, he might be able to create an opportunity for Raon. Going was undoubtedly the right thing to do.
Just as Mark Goetun was about to enter the forest, a cool breeze blew over his head.
Slowly raising his head, he saw a man wearing a green snake helmet floating in the air as if standing on solid ground.
'The Green Serpent!'
It was one of Eden's officials, said to revive endlessly no matter how many times he was killed.
"What a mess this is."
The Green Serpent snorted, emitting an ominous aura.
"Ugh..."
Mark Goetun's hand holding his sword trembled. This man was beyond his ability to handle even if he had been in peak condition.
"I'll have to kill you before he comes out."
The Green Serpent slowly extended his hand. His fingertip shot towards Mark Goetun's neck like a sword.
'Ah...'
Even though he could see the Green Serpent's attack coming, he couldn't block it. As the word "death" was etched into his mind, he felt a sensation like being pricked by a needle in his back, and memories of past training flashed before him.
Raon had unleashed an unavoidable sword strike during concentration enhancement training. In the end, unable to dodge, he had offered up his neck during that training session. That moment overlapped with the current reality.
'It's certainly strong and fast. But...'
Not as much as the Palace Master's sword! Mark Goetun twisted his sword and threw his body to the right. In that split second between life and death, the judgment honed through experience allowed him to dodge the Transcendent's sword.
"Huh? You dodged that?"
The Green Serpent exhaled in disbelief.
"As expected of his subordinate. I'll give you proper treatment."
He clicked his tongue in displeasure and drew his sword. The blade came at him with a chilling gleam, and this time there was nowhere to escape. Certain death was rushing towards his chest.
'This is the end, I suppose.'
Mark Goetun didn't lower his gaze even as he watched the Green Serpent's sword approaching to pierce his chest.
'But I have no regrets.'
He had blocked the path as he had sworn to Raon, and even broke the all-encompassing net, so he had no further wishes. He simply watched the approaching blade that seemed to pronounce his death sentence, hoping that Raon would return safely.
Just as the blue blade was about to pierce his chest and stab into his heart, he heard the sound of intense hoofbeats behind him.
Before that sound could even reach his ears, a red light flashed before his eyes. A golden flame-like slash forcefully pushed back the Green Serpent's sword that was about to pierce his chest.
"You've done well."
Even before he could turn around, he saw a massive horse and the golden-haired swordsman riding it appear before him. Raon nodded at him, as if to say he had worked hard.
"I'll handle it from here, as quickly as possible."
Raon briefly licked his lips as he looked at the Green Serpent clutching his wrist and the monsters beginning to pile up behind him.