The Leader of the White Blood Religion escaped into the air, enduring Raon's flames, Lecross's sword strikes, and Larian's lightning with her body. Despite protecting herself with bloody energy, the impact seemed severe as her complexion turned pale.
"W-What have you done...?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion clenched her chest wound with her hand, spitting white blood.
"I couldn't sense your presence at all!"
She gritted her teeth, covered in white blood, while still maintaining her aura perception even in her agitated state.
"We summoned a dimension."
As Larian raised the clover card on her finger, a bright yellow lightning bolt struck the Leader of the White Blood Religion, who was trying to heal her wounds with bloody energy.
"W-What do you mean by summoning a dimension...?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion retreated, questioning the concept of dimension summoning as she abandoned her attempt to recover.
"Chamber created a dimension that could conceal a person's presence, and Lecross waited inside it. When you were raging because of Raon, we summoned the dimension where Lecross was hiding behind you."
Chamber nodded, waving a diamond card up and down.
"Don't lie! If a dimensional gate had opened, I would have known!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion shook her head vigorously as she resumed healing her wounds.
"The one who opened the dimensional gate wasn't Chamber."
King Lecross leaped to the left side of the Leader of the White Blood Religion and brought down a heavy sword strike aimed at her head.
"You bastard!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion raised a transparent wall above her head using bloody energy, but Lecross's dark sword strike shattered the bloody energy wall and sent her crashing to the ground. She coughed up white blood as she was embedded in a building. Due to the severe injuries she had sustained initially, she seemed unable to focus on either recovery or fighting.
Lecross, determined not to miss this opportunity, followed the Leader of the White Blood Religion closely and thrust his sword towards her neck.
"Ugh..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion pushed back Lecross's sword strike by concentrating bloody energy in her hand, but she coughed up blood once again.
"The moment you started casting spells, saying you'd kill the Light Wind Palace Master, Lecross pierced your chest along with the dimensional gate."
Larian explained that the Leader of the White Blood Religion couldn't sense Lecross's presence because the dimension hadn't opened, as she struck down ten streams of lightning.
"We've been training for over a month to slice your heart along with the dimensional gate, but I didn't expect it to work this well. We got lucky."
King Lecross, saying the training had paid off, fired a series of powerful sword strikes at the fleeing Leader of the White Blood Religion. Larian and Lecross fiercely pursued the Leader of the White Blood Religion, giving her no time to recover from her wounds or gather her full strength.
"Damn it!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion gave up on healing her wounds and focused solely on escaping Larian's magic and Lecross's sword. It seemed she was trying to catch her breath before gathering her bloody energy. Raon moved behind the Leader of the White Blood Religion as Lecross and Larian attacked her from the front, slashing her waist and thighs with his divine and demonic swords.
"Ugh..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion bit her lip as she looked at the wounds on her waist and thighs, which were spurting white blood. Although she sent out killing intent as if she would kill him, she could only retreat due to Lecross and Larian, unable to even charge forward.
-Well done! Your power has diminished, so if you had gone in deeper, you would have been caught.
Wrath nodded, telling Raon to continue using Lecross and Larian's movements like this.
-Winter mosquitoes are vicious, but that one isn't normal either. Even with fatal wounds before the fight began, she's slowly recovering while buying time.
He frowned, saying that if the Leader of the White Blood Religion had succeeded in awakening, there wouldn't be a single human left alive in this land.
'That's why we need to end this now.'
Raon slashed the Leader of the White Blood Religion's back with his divine sword's flames as she focused on Lecross, then fled to the left.
"No, it wasn't that I was lucky, I should say it was thanks to the Light Wind Palace Master's efforts."
King Lecross nodded, acknowledging that it was because he had provoked the Leader of the White Blood Religion.
"When did you start preparing for this nonsense...?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion glared at Raon, biting her blood-stained lips.
"We've been researching how to break through this wall and kill you for two months since Raon discovered the White Blood Religion Headquarters. No, it's been over three months since it started when Raon set out to sea."
Larian mused that it had been both a long and short time.
"Raon and the Light Wind Palace found the White Blood Religion Headquarters, I, Chamber, and Evelyn researched day and night on how to break through the wall and reach you, and Lecross and Owen underwent hellish training to exterminate you and the blood demons. The paths of the Five Kings were all connected."
She smiled meaningfully, saying that the movements of the Five Kings were connected like dozens of streams coming together to form the sea.
"So it was you who started it all."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion shot a deadly killing intent at Raon, as if she had expected as much.
"You've ruined everything again!"
"It wasn't me, but your stupidity that ruined everything."
Raon sneered as he slashed at the enraged Leader of the White Blood Religion's shoulder with Revolving Sky and Crimson Slash. The Leader of the White Blood Religion erased Crimson Slash and Revolving Sky with her bloody energy-infused hands, but she was hit by Larian's magic and Lecross's sword strikes coming from her left and right, rolling on the ground.
"Ugh!"
She fled into the air again, putting strength into her leg that seemed to have its flesh torn off, revealing the bone.
"To think she's still like this after being struck by divine lightning..."
Larian let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief.
"She's recovering and escaping simultaneously. We need to keep following her and drain her stamina."
Lecross struck down with a sword imbued with transcendent willpower as he followed closely behind the Leader of the White Blood Religion, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. The massive wind summoned by his sword stopped the Leader of the White Blood Religion's movement and drove her into the ground.
'To think she can move like that even after being hit by lightning magic repeatedly...'
The Leader of the White Blood Religion moved faster than him despite being cut by Lecross's sword and enveloped in Larian's lightning. It was an unbelievable level of stamina.
'She truly is a monster.'
Lightning possesses a divine power that burns evil energy. It was astonishing to see the Leader of the White Blood Religion's martial prowess not inferior to Lecross's despite being repeatedly struck by lightning, which is effective against bloody energy.
'I want to kill that monster right now, but...'
Now, they needed to drain her power as much as possible. If they beheaded the Leader of the White Blood Religion, Martha's mother, the owner of that body, would die too. They had to make that monster abandon Martha's mother's body on her own.
"Hng..."
Martha trembled, gripping her sword with a killing intent so vicious it seemed evil, as if she wanted to behead the Leader of the White Blood Religion herself. Transparent droplets appeared over her black eyes.
"Martha. We need to stay calm, especially at times like this."
Denier grabbed Martha's shoulder, who was excited with revenge in sight, and helped her control her emotions.
"Hmm..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, sensing a thick and deep killing intent, stepped back to the right and lowered her gaze toward Martha. She merely observed, neither attacking nor approaching, just staring at Martha.
'Is it really not the case?'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Denier standing protectively in front of Martha.
'There won't be a better chance than now, will there?'
He had been wary, thinking that if Denier was a spy, this would be the best time to launch a surprise attack, but he only comforted Martha and didn't move. He seemed like nothing more than a father who cared for his daughter and a swordsman who valued the honor of the Zieghart family.
"Martha."
Raon nodded at Martha.
"It's your turn now. Call out to your mother who might still be in that body."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion still possessed a massive soul despite sustaining major injuries and being mentally shaken. It was too thick for his soul sword to cut, so Martha needed to shake her soul.
"M-Mom!"
Martha pulled out a worn water droplet necklace from under her uniform and called out the word she had been holding back.
"Please wake up! You promised to wake me up every morning until I got married!"
She shouted, looking at the identical water droplet necklace swinging from the Leader of the White Blood Religion's neck.
"Your mother died just now. She screamed for help, but I tore her soul apart with these hands."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion sneered at Martha as if it was all over.
"L-Liar! Stop lying, you mosquito bitch!"
Martha screamed, telling her to stop talking nonsense.
"You should be able to sense it, right? That the only soul left in this body is mine."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion fired a bloody energy slash at Martha, saying she would send mother and daughter together. Denier raised a sword barrier to block the bloody energy aimed at Martha.
"Ah..."
Martha's jaw trembled as she watched the Leader of the White Blood Religion's cold gesture trying to kill her with her mother's face. Her eyes sank into a dull color.
"Is, is my mother's soul really..."
"No!"
Raon pressured the Leader of the White Blood Religion with a storm of flames raised by red petals, then turned his gaze to Martha.
"Your mother's soul is still alive."
"Stop talking nonsense. The owner of this body is already dead."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion shook her head firmly, as if it was far too late.
"Then why are you still wearing that necklace?"
Raon twisted his lips, pointing at the water droplet necklace hanging from the Leader of the White Blood Religion's neck.
"Hmm..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion couldn't tear off the necklace swinging from her neck even after hearing those words.
"A cold-blooded monster like you wouldn't leave the soul of the body you've taken alone. It's not that you're leaving it alone, but that you can't help but leave it alone. That necklace must be a condition for possessing the body."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion was wearing that necklace when he saw her before. It was clear that there were essential restrictions she had to endure to obtain someone else's body.
"You insufferable bastard..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion clenched her fist around the necklace as if struck at a vital point. But in the end, she couldn't break or remove the necklace, and lowered her trembling hand.
"T-Then..."
Martha looked at him with a faint light in her black eyes.
"Yes. Your mother is definitely alive."
Raon nodded with a tone of certainty.
"I'll subdue that monster and bring her back, so wait here."
Raon stepped on the Supreme Harmony Steps, crushing the ground stained with white blood. He charged at the Leader of the White Blood Religion, raising the flames of his divine sword and the frost of his demonic sword to their extremes.
"Well said. Let's end this for sure."
Larian scattered cards imbued with lightning-attribute magic into the air as if to support him.
"I'll set aside my knightly honor for now and focus solely on victory."
Lecross threw himself with his sword, saying it wouldn't be shameful to fight together.
Lecross's sharp and heavy sword strike pressed down on the Leader of the White Blood Religion's waist, dozens of lightning bolts summoned by Larian constricted her arms and legs, and Raon's flames and cold energy that rose from the ground further deepened her wounds.
"Argh!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion fled between buildings with a beastly scream. She sprayed a mist created by magic to obscure their vision.
"That won't work anymore."
Raon split the white fog with the Azure Sky Sword Great Bind of the Heavy Sky, then chased after the Leader of the White Blood Religion escaping through the alleyways. Lecross and Larian also rose to the sky, intercepting the Leader of the White Blood Religion with sword strikes and magic, determined not to let her escape.
Raon steadied his rough breathing as he saw blood bursting from the Leader of the White Blood Religion's back.
'We absolutely can't give her time.'
The Leader of the White Blood Religion was currently critically wounded to the point where she would die immediately if she didn't recover, so she couldn't unleash her full power and was fleeing while regenerating her body's wounds. If she were given time to erase her wounds, the situation could be reversed immediately, so they had to keep pressing her.
"D-Damn it!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion seemed unable to move her left shoulder, and as she blocked Lecross and Raon's sword strikes and Larian's magic with only her right hand, her wounds kept increasing. The shadow of defeat began to loom over her complexion.
"We must keep pressing the Leader of the White Blood Religion so she can't focus on recovery!"
Raon raised two pairs of Flame Dragon Strikes with his divine and demonic swords. The fire dragon and water dragon intertwined and swept across the Leader of the White Blood Religion's entire body.
"Ugh!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion's lips trembled as she suffered burns and frostbite, unable to fully block his sword strikes despite raising a wall of bloody energy.
'Keep going!'
Raon thrust powerful yet swift sword strikes from blind spots when the Leader of the White Blood Religion was blocking Lecross's sword and Larian's magic.
'If we continue like this, we can win.'
Although the Leader of the White Blood Religion was showing tenacity beyond that of a cockroach, her stamina and bloody energy were noticeably diminishing. They had to keep pursuing and continuing their attacks until the end.
'However...'
This is quite challenging. Although not much time had passed since the battle began, the sense of crisis that he could die from just one counterattack was causing his stamina and mental strength to be consumed much faster than usual. His back was drenched in sweat, and his head was spinning.
'Still, I have to keep going.'
To keep his promise to Martha. And to take revenge on Derus, he had to finish hunting this annoying mosquito today. Raon moved behind the Leader of the White Blood Religion and employed the Heavy Sky Cannon. After pulling the Leader of the White Blood Religion in with a powerful gravitational force, he exploded the massive aura gathered in his sword technique.
The Leader of the White Blood Religion's arm, covered in bloody energy, trembled as if she couldn't fully dissipate the impact of the Heavy Sky Cannon due to the gravitational pull.
"Your escape skills are impressive. You must be the best among the Five Demons."
Larian let out a hollow laugh, as if she hadn't expected the Leader of the White Blood Religion to endure this much.
"But now it's time to end this."
She opened all the magic stored in her 52 trump cards, summoning a massive lightning bolt that filled the sky above the White Blood Religion Headquarters.
"I'll put everything into this sword as well."
King Lecross took a charging stance like a knight holding a lance, gripping his sword with both hands. His body flashed with a dark light as if it had become one with the sword, emitting an aura that seemed capable of tearing apart heaven and earth.
"I'll follow your lead."
Raon imbued his divine and demonic swords with different auras and raised the Wooden Ring Sword. He prepared his strongest strategy, firing a whispering wind along with the Invincible Azure-Red Sword.
"If this hits me, I'll really die."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, realizing she couldn't avoid this, drew even the bloody energy she was using to heal her chest wound to raise a wall of bloody energy and employed an absolute defense spell.
"Come at me!"
She roared, stomping her feet as if she would endure with her body, unlike when she was fleeing.
"Ten Thousand Lightning Bolts!"
Thousands of lightning bolts fell on the Leader of the White Blood Religion's head along with Larian's hand. Raon pierced through the lightning that didn't harm him at all and exploded the heat and cold energy imbued in his divine and demonic swords towards the Leader of the White Blood Religion's chest.
He pierced through the wall of magic with the two blades of the Invincible Azure-Red Sword, which unleashed a terrifying power, and employed the Whispering Wind with the Wooden Ring Sword hidden behind his back.
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, focused on blocking Larian's lightning and the Invincible Azure-Red Sword, didn't sense the presence of the Wooden Ring Sword that had pierced through her bloody energy, and her neck was pierced.
"Ugh!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, despite having a sword pierced through her neck, didn't retreat and endured with her bloody energy-covered hands until the Invincible Azure-Red Sword's flames extinguished.
"You're not getting away!"
Larian, despite her heavy breathing, didn't rest and moved to the Leader of the White Blood Religion's right side, plunging a magic-imbued dagger into her wound. The flames that rose from the red dagger tore the Leader of the White Blood Religion's wound even deeper.
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, despite having a sword pierced through her neck and her body burning, didn't fall and stood in her original position, pushing back both him and Larian.
'How is this...'
Raon trembled his jaw as he looked into the Leader of the White Blood Religion's eyes. Her black eyes were burning with ecstasy, not the despair he had seen before.
'Wait... Now that I think about it!'
Raon turned around, remembering one person who had started with them but hadn't arrived. Lecross Albern de Owen, known as the Silent Sword Master, was gasping for breath as he looked at the blade protruding from his chest. It was the exact same appearance as when he had stabbed the Leader of the White Blood Religion from behind.
"Ah..."
Behind Lecross, who was coughing up bright red blood, a man with cold features and snow-white long hair reaching his waist walked out. Although his hair color was different and his eyes had changed, he was an unmistakable man.
"Denier Zieghart..."