"Raon Zieghart..."
Green Serpent's eyes trembled as he looked at Raon, seemingly in great shock.
"You killed the Demon Slaying Spear?"
He bit his lip deeply while looking at Blood Horn, the Demon Slaying Spear's beloved steed.
"..."
Raon didn't answer Green Serpent's question, instead turning his gaze to Mark Goetun behind him.
"You've finally achieved it."
Mark Goetun had not betrayed his faith and had awakened to the realm of Grandmaster right here. Judging by how he had settled at an even higher level than when Burren, Martha, and Runaan awakened, it seemed like the reward for his years of not giving up on the sword, even when his skills didn't improve, had finally arrived.
"It's all thanks to you believing in me, Palace Master."
Mark Goetun bowed his head without even wiping the blood flowing from his wounds, attributing his success to Raon.
"If it weren't for you, Palace Master, I would still be..."
"I know you have a lot to say, but let's finish cleaning up here first."
Raon waved his hand with a faint smile.
"Please take care of this one."
After dismounting from Blood Horn, he handed Merlin over to Mark Goetun.
"Hmm..."
Mark Goetun let out a low groan as he observed Merlin's condition, covered in wounds from spear strikes.
"I'll protect her with my life."
"There's no need for that."
Raon calmly drew his Heavenly Drive sword.
"Nothing will get past me."
Saying that no one would be able to touch them, he approached Green Serpent.
"Green Serpent."
Raon tilted his chin as he looked at Green Serpent.
"I'm tired of seeing that snake helmet now."
From the Golden Mask Swordsman he first saw at Eden's branch to this Green Serpent who had been attacking Sepia. Having encountered four colors of snake helmets, he was now irritated just by looking at them.
"I let you go in Sepia, but you won't have such luck today."
He had let him go in Sepia to minimize damage, but today he had no intention of being so lenient. Gripping the Heavenly Drive sword tightly, he vowed to kill not only Green Serpent but the next snake helmet as well.
"Ugh..."
Green Serpent bit his lip and stepped back, seemingly frightened by the killing intent emanating from Raon. Thud. Raon narrowed his eyes as he walked forward as much as Green Serpent retreated.
'He hasn't gotten any stronger at all.'
Although quite some time had passed since he saw Green Serpent in Sepia, the enemy's martial prowess hadn't changed much. It seemed there was another secret to his strength, as if he kept reviving.
'Before I kill him...'
-What are you planning now?
Wrath tilted his head curiously.
'There are a few things I need to confirm.'
Raon took out the reddish bell he had put in his uniform pocket.
"Green Serpent. Do you know what this is?"
He held out the bell, hooking the ring attached to it on his fingertip.
"Why is that object in your hands..."
Green Serpent stopped retreating and widened his eyes inside his helmet. The other Ghosts of Eden also revealed beast-like gazes and drooled sticky saliva when they saw the bell.
"No..."
Green Serpent exhaled lowly, grabbing his head.
"Merlin is with you, and the Demon Slaying Spear is dead, so I suppose it's natural."
He nodded heavily as if understanding.
"Haa..."
Green Serpent's hand holding the sword trembled.
"As long as that object is with you, I can't just retreat."
He pressed his lips tightly, saying he had no choice but to fight.
"We agree on that. I had no intention of letting you go either."
Raon smirked as he twirled the bell on his finger.
"So, what is this bell that's causing such a reaction?"
He tilted his chin, demanding an answer from Green Serpent.
"Even if you knew, you wouldn't understand."
Green Serpent licked his lips while looking at the spear wound on Raon's chest, torn open by the Demon Slaying Spear.
"I'll stop you here, even if it means carrying on the Demon Slaying Spear's will."
He openly expressed his intention to target Raon's injury, licking his lips.
"Don't you dare speak the Demon Slaying Spear's name with your filthy mouths."
Raon frowned, turning his chin sideways.
"Hmph!"
As Green Serpent snorted and lowered his hand, the monsters and Ghosts of Eden standing behind him simultaneously charged at Raon.
"The all-encompassing net is gone now!"
Mark Goetun shouted that the formation's pressure had disappeared with the commander's death.
"I understand."
Raon calmly nodded as he looked at the wave of approaching monsters.
'Indeed, the net has been broken, but...'
The monsters' fighting spirit has become more intense. Although there wasn't the powerful pressure of the all-encompassing net like before, the aura emanating from the Ghosts of Eden was imbued with a determination to fight to the death, perhaps because of this bell.
"Wait there."
Green Serpent didn't rush at him immediately but retreated behind the monsters and Ghosts of Eden, concealing his presence. It seemed he wasn't running away, but rather circling around to look for an opportunity to attack.
-He's becoming more and more unsightly.
Wrath clicked his tongue as if disgusted.
-At least before, he had the decency to fight head-on!
He snorted, saying the guy became more pathetic with each change of his mask's color.
'I think the same.'
Raon nodded and moved forward. As the large monsters and Ghosts of Eden approached right in front of him, he activated Glacier and stepped forward. The ground beneath his feet violently overturned, sending all the charging monsters and Ghosts of Eden flying into the air.
"K-Keep attacking!"
"We must kill him here!"
"If your hands don't work, bite him with your teeth!"
The Ghosts of Eden and monsters threw themselves at him to attack even while suspended in the air. But his attack didn't end with just lifting them. Silver frost exploded from the elongated cracks in the ground, turning the airborne monsters and Ghosts of Eden into massive ice chunks.
It was a martial art that applied Wrath's ultimate technique, Silver Aurora. As the monsters and Ghosts of Eden froze, clearing his view, Raon turned his eyes to the right. His blazing red eyes caught the movement of Green Serpent behind him.
"Damn it!"
Green Serpent quickly retreated as soon as he made eye contact with Raon, seemingly flustered.
"So that's where you were."
Raon tossed the Heavenly Drive sword he was holding into the air. The sword, enveloped in green wind, rose on its own as if possessing life and fell towards Green Serpent.
"Sword Control!"
Green Serpent stopped retreating and gripped his sword with both hands. A transcendent aura emanated from his fingertips, and a brilliant green light rose above his sword.
"Haaaa!"
Just as Green Serpent was about to unleash his full-power sword strike to deflect Raon's offensive, the Heavenly Drive sword disappeared from his sight.
"What!"
As Green Serpent exclaimed in shock, his eyes trembling, the Heavenly Drive sword burst through space and curved towards his chest. Raon Zieghart Style Sword Technique.
8th Form: Whispering Wind.
His unique sword strike, which had further evolved Alice's Spatial Slash and Rimmer's Garunua, penetrated Green Serpent's sword strike and pierced his opening.
"Damn it!"
Green Serpent, befitting a Transcendent, realized the flow of Whispering Wind and retreated to the right while raising an aura wall. However, the Heavenly Drive sword followed Green Serpent's movements without losing track, adhering to Raon's will.
The Heavenly Drive sword, wrapped in a light green wind, pierced through the aura wall that Green Serpent had raised as a last resort and penetrated his chest.
"Kuhehek!"
Green Serpent stopped, coughing up black blood. Unable to withstand the overwhelming weight of the Heavenly Drive sword that could break even a Transcendent's will, he fell to his knees on the spot.
"Speak."
Raon approached Green Serpent and held up the reddish bell.
"What is this bell?"
"...I don't know. Even if I did, I couldn't tell you."
Green Serpent shook his head, spitting out blood. Despite the excruciating pain from the sword filled with cold energy and wind piercing his chest, he refused to open his mouth.
"Then what's your identity? Why do you keep coming back to life?"
Raon furrowed his brow and asked the second question.
"I think I've told you once before..."
Green Serpent shook his head weakly.
"You'll find out soon. This time, for real..."
He grinned as if this death wouldn't be his last.
"Alright. Then..."
Raon pulled the Heavenly Drive sword out of Green Serpent's chest.
"Die."
He swung his sword without hesitation, beheading Green Serpent.
"Ah, no..."
Green Serpent's eyes trembled as if he hadn't expected to be beheaded so quickly, and then he collapsed.
'There's no need to waste more time.'
Although torturing Green Serpent might yield information about the bell, leaving quickly was the priority since The Fallen or other Eden Transcendents could arrive at any moment.
"To defeat a Transcendent so easily..."
Mark Goetun let out a disbelieving laugh. He seemed even more shocked because he had clashed with Green Serpent before.
"Get on."
Raon mounted Blood Horn's saddle again and gestured to Mark Goetun.
"Ah, no. I'll use my own legs..."
"It'll be faster if you ride this one."
Blood Horn's speed was faster than Mark Goetun running at full power. Given his current injured state, it was undoubtedly better to ride the horse and gallop.
"A-Alright."
Mark Goetun rolled his eyes in disbelief before mounting Blood Horn.
"Let's go!"
Even before Raon could shake the reins, Blood Horn seemed to read his mind and kicked off the ground, dashing across the field. Blood Horn had already crossed the field and entered the mountain they had climbed before coming here. The steed was reading his intentions without needing to be told.
Normally, horses slow down significantly when climbing mountains, but Blood Horn ignored such concepts, climbing the mountain at the same speed as on flat ground.
"Huk!"
Mark Goetun couldn't close his wide-open mouth, seemingly shocked by Blood Horn's speed.
'It's certainly surprising.'
Raon nodded as he stroked Blood Horn's mane.
'Even a top-tier expert wouldn't be able to keep up.'
Blood Horn's basic movement speed, instantaneous acceleration, and direction changes were superior to even a Grandmaster's, and it wasn't affected by terrain like mountains. He never imagined such a war horse could exist.
-Th-This king wants to ride it too.
Wrath smacked his lips, expressing his desire to ride Blood Horn himself.
'It certainly feels refreshing and good.'
-That's not what I mean!
Wrath furrowed his brow, indicating that wasn't what he was after.
'Then?'
Raon rolled his eyes, looking at Wrath.
-The horse is big and magnificent! It's perfect for this king!
Wrath drooled, saying he was captivated by Blood Horn's elegant appearance.
-It doesn't suit you, so hand it over to this king! I'll make good use of it!
'Sigh...'
Raon shook his head, letting out a short sigh.
-Why aren't you answering! You don't really want to keep it either, do you?
Ignoring Wrath's shouts, Raon turned to look at Mark Goetun.
"Congratulations."
He nodded, congratulating him on reaching Grandmaster.
"It's truly all thanks to you, Palace Master."
Mark Goetun bowed his head, biting his lip.
"If you hadn't accepted me, I'd still be stuck in a tavern, selling my soul for pocket change."
He gave a bitter smile, saying he would have given up on the path of the sword and sold his soul for petty cash.
"No, this achievement isn’t mine; it’s yours."
Raon shook his head, looking into Mark Goetun's eyes.
"The courage to kneel before someone younger and beg to be accepted isn't something everyone has. The same goes for the will to keep the promise you made to yourself afterward."
Even now, his first meeting with Mark Goetun felt like yesterday. The fact that a person whose body and mind were both broken had transformed into such a martial artist wasn't due to his good teachings, but because he had made efforts to the point of near death. While it's true that he had helped, he didn't want to belittle the growth of a martial artist who had brought about change himself.
"...Thank you."
Mark Goetun seemed to understand his meaning, bowing his head and trembling his shoulders.
"Until I die. No, even after death, I will serve you, Palace Master."
He struck his own chest with his fist, as if swearing an oath once again.
"There will be more to do from now on."
Raon said to keep up the good work and then looked ahead again. Blood Horn had already climbed to the top of the mountain and was about to descend.
'It would be best to call Larian after crossing this mountain.'
Raon licked his lips as he looked down the mountain.
'Her condition won't be good either.'
Larian had sent him and Mark Goetun to this location using magic that even Chamber couldn't perform.
It took a Transcendent about 30 minutes to prepare the magic, so it must have been quite burdensome.
For her sake as well, it seemed best to leave this land full of curses and request help.
'But...'
Raon took out the reddish bell from his pocket as they descended the mountain.
'What exactly is this bell?'
The reason they even deployed such a formation to track Merlin, and the reason Green Serpent charged at him while fleeing, was all because of this bell. Although he didn't know its identity, it was certainly an important object.
'Is it really Eden's Sacred Artifact...?'
Just as Raon was narrowing his eyes, shaking the silent bell, it happened.
-Dodge!
Before Wrath's shout could be fully heard, a brilliant light flashed in the dark sky above. White light and black light. Dozens of light streams pierced through his senses and poured down from above his head.
To protect Merlin in his arms, Mark Goetun, and Blood Horn, Raon drew his Heavenly Drive sword and raised his Wooden Ring Sword with Sword Control, creating two layers of Fire Wall.
However, the flashes of light falling from the sky penetrated the Fire Wall and struck his chest and Blood Horn's legs. Raon was thrown off Blood Horn and tumbled down the mountain.
"Damn it..."
Without even thinking of stopping the blood pouring from the wound in his chest, he raised his head. Mark Goetun was trembling, coughing up blood on the ground where a black hole had been punched through, and Blood Horn was leaning against a tree, letting out painful cries as if its legs were broken.
'M-Merlin...'
As Raon turned his head with difficulty, he saw Merlin collapsed under a rock to the left. Bright red blood was welling up from her chest. It seemed the wound that had just barely healed had opened again.
"Merlin!"
Raon used the Heavenly Drive sword as a cane to stand up. Just as he was about to put strength into his legs to run to Merlin, the black sky opened and a brilliant radiance bloomed. A strange figure wearing a young man's mask descended from the sacred yet ominous light. The Fallen. The leader of Eden had come out personally to block his path.
"You've made quite a spectacle again."
The Fallen smiled warmly as he placed his hand on his gray clothing adorned with demon horns and angel wings.
"Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart."
Just as he was about to grab Raon's neck with his pale hand that seemed to have never seen sunlight, it happened. A pure white magic circle rose up, enveloping Raon, Merlin, and Mark Goetun, pushing away The Fallen's hand.
A woman with golden hair wearing a loose robe walked out of the magic circle and stood in front of Raon, as if to protect him from The Fallen.
Mage Tower Master Larian. Her blue eyes, which always seemed lazy and bored, were now flickering sharply like the blade of a noted sword.
"Sorry I'm late."
Larian turned her gaze to Raon and nodded slightly.
"I had to make some preparations. And..."
She pointed a blue-tinged dagger at The Fallen, who hadn't lost his smile.
"I had to choose the tools to dissect this guy."
Larian advanced towards The Fallen with confident steps, as if telling Raon to trust her from now on. The entire mountain shook beneath her calm steps, spread with strands of mana.