Dark clouds part, revealing a moon glowing red, shining like a mythical wolf overseeing the world. Under the moonlight, Derus Robert turned his back.
His dry eyes reflected Kubara, who appeared and disappeared again.
"Master."
Kubara knelt on one knee, placing her hand on the ground.
"Siris is dead."
She announced Siris's death in a calm voice, as if she were discussing an everyday matter.
"I know."
Derus tapped his forehead, where the Rage Worm resided.
"I no longer sense the Rage Worm I planted in his heart. And..."
He nodded with a calm gaze, as if he had anticipated this outcome.
"Raon Zieghart has escaped danger more than once, so I thought this might happen."
"..."
Kubara raised her eyes quietly without saying anything.
"How did the battle proceed?"
"Since Siris was confident he could finish it, he didn't deploy any Shadows, so we don't know the exact situation."
"Tsk."
Derus Robert clicked his tongue roughly. He seemed more irritated by the lack of information than by Siris's death.
"The agent who arrived late reported that Raon Zieghart survived in an exhausted state and that the Water Demon Guest was burning."
Kubara recited the report she had heard earlier with an emotionless gaze.
"What about Siris?"
"The body was burnt before the agent arrived, so the cause of death couldn't be confirmed. The battlefield was devastated as if it had been bombed, and twelve of the burning Water Demon Guests were intact."
"Twelve were intact..."
Derus massaged his clean-shaven chin and closed his eyes.
'Then it means Raon Zieghart cut Siris's breath before the twelve could move.'
The Water Demon Guests only obey the commands of their master, whose aura is registered in their shattered hearts.
Since Siris, the master, was dead, the remaining twelve Water Demon Guests must have done nothing and collapsed.
'There should be no information leak.'
The Rage Worm embedded in Siris's body didn't convey any fear or anxiety.
This meant Raon killed Siris instantly, stopping the Water Demon Guests. The possibility of information leaking was very low.
'Still, I can't be completely assured...'
There was no need to worry about Derus or Robert's name being revealed due to the brainwashing that caused death if attempted. However, the information about the Water Demon Guests could have been revealed. It seemed better to be cautious.
Derus calmly opened his eyes and clicked his tongue.
'As expected, it's unstable.'
The Water Demon Guests had successfully executed many assassinations, but they still seemed lacking against the top experts.
'They should be programmed to target their objective even if the master dies. Faking death and then exploding wouldn't be bad either.'
Even without seeing them, Derus had figured out how to improve the Water Demon Guests.
Derus took out a small piece of paper from his pocket. He wrote down the methods he had just thought of and handed it to Kubara.
"Send this to the factory."
"Yes."
The paper in Kubara's hand dissolved like bubbles in her grip.
"Enhance the factory's security. Report to me directly if anything happens."
"Understood."
After giving additional instructions, Derus turned his back. He frowned at the moon, which seemed to bleed.
'But that guy...'
Did he defeat the Grandmaster using the sword domain and then handle twelve Water Demon Guests?
If twelve were intact, it meant he dealt with or exploded the remaining twelve. To achieve such a result in an exhausted state was unbelievable.
'He's becoming more of a monster.'
Derus was amazed when he first met him, but now he seemed to have grown even more. He was like a demon that knew no limits.
Derus sighed shortly and turned around. Kubara was still there.
"Do you have more to say?"
"Yes."
Kubara nodded.
"The ones you've been waiting for have arrived in Cameloon."
She relayed the news in a calm voice again.
"Who has come?"
Derus Robert's eyes glowed red like the moon above his head.
"Both of them have arrived. Thanks to that, Cameloon has become a battlefield."
"I see. They couldn't resist knowing 'that' was in Cameloon."
Excitement and murderous intent began to bloom on his lips.
"Orgos moved towards the city of Barene, the Five Divine Orders' city, as predicted. It seems he's looking for Raon Zieghart."
Kubara conveyed all the information and then stood up silently, as if returning to her duties as a maid.
Derus Robert touched the lively blue petals with a chilling smile.
'Now his life is over.'
Sending Siris was just an experiment. From the beginning, he intended to kill Raon Zieghart by borrowing the knife of another.
With the notorious narrow-minded Orgos personally arriving, it was safe to say Raon's life was already forfeit.
'If this goes well, I can also kill Glenn Zieghart.'
Glenn cherished Raon greatly, even though he didn't show it outwardly. If Raon died, the old man would have no choice but to move.
While Derus was plotting his next move, he heard small footsteps behind the garden.
"Father?"
Turning around to the tired voice, he saw his youngest son, Lephon, in dusty training clothes, tilting his head.
"What were you doing here?"
He approached Derus, carrying a worn-out training sword on his shoulder.
"I was taking a night walk."
Derus changed his murderous smile to a gentle one as he looked at Lephon.
"You were training until now."
"Yes!"
Lephon nodded confidently.
"You're diligent. Is it because of your idol?"
"Of course. Since Raon continues to grow, I can't just sit idly by."
He pointed to the training sword signed by Raon and smiled brightly.
"You want to follow him?"
"Even if my talent falls short, I want to follow him closely!"
"I see."
Derus Robert smiled kindly and hugged Lephon.
"You can achieve it."
He patted his son's back gently, revealing the suppressed murderous intent.
"You will definitely achieve it."
Raon slowed down to check the message that appeared in front of him.
[You have achieved an impossible feat.]
[You have surpassed the limits of your realm.]
[You have surpassed the limits of your stamina.]
[All your stats increase by 25 points.]
Because he had defeated the Grandmaster Cloud at the Master level and then survived the assassination attempt by Siris and the Water Demon Guests, his stats had increased by 25 points at once.
Crackling.
His limbs trembled. Like a sword being tempered by a hammer, a fierce vibration from within his body solidified the torn muscles and cracked bones.
The flame guarding the pillar of his soul also burned hotter, crushing the emotions of the demon kings.
There was no pain. A warm, light green ecstasy softly brushed down his spine.
A massive reward of 25 points at once. But this was just the beginning.
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
As the grades of the two cultivation techniques increased to seven stars, the lower energy center resonated with the Ring of Fire.
The profound waves spread throughout his body, expanding his energy center to accept more aura, and cleansing the impurities in his mana circuits down to the capillaries.
It felt like a cool water stream was soothing the heat that had spread through his body.
'Finally, seven stars.'
Was it the effect of using the sword domain with both fire and ice, or the effect of defeating a Grandmaster?
The grades of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, which had been stagnant for a while, increased, bringing a deeper joy than the stat gain.
The thought of using new techniques from Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Wrath's skills naturally made him smile.
'The resistances have also increased.'
The resistances linked with Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier had also risen. While fire resistance was still lacking, his ice resistance could now withstand the attacks of a Grandmaster-level magician for a while.
-What, what is this! Why does it keep increasing! There's more... gasp!
A new message appeared over Wrath's head, who blinked like a toad.
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
[The grade of the trait
Seeing that assassination-related traits had risen, they seemed to be rewards for dealing with Siris and the Water Demon Guests.
-It's endless! This doesn't make any sense!
Wrath shook his head, grabbing his head in disbelief.
'This much is deserved.'
Raon smiled as he watched Wrath struggle.
'You defeated a Grandmaster.'
A Master had defeated a Grandmaster, and then he had dealt with the assassins who came afterward. It wasn't unreasonable to receive such rewards.
-What is a Grandmaster anyway! This king could crush them with a finger!
Wrath grumbled, saying they were overrating the rewards.
'Yeah, yeah.'
Raon ignored Wrath and checked the messages again.
'With my body and mind grown, even my martial arts deepened.'
His stats had increased by 25 points at once, and his traits had risen in various ways.
Especially since Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier's grades had increased, it seemed it would take quite some time to adapt to his current power.
-Damn it!
Wrath looked up at the sky and cursed.
-The more I think about it, the less sense it makes!
'What now?'
Raon turned off the messages and looked at Wrath.
-In the human world, they say good deeds bring rewards!
'They do.'
-But why doesn't this king get any rewards! I just gave my energy to the struggling lions, so why do you get all the rewards!
'You're not human...'
-This king is more human than you!
'Hmm...'
That was hard to refute. It wasn't that I was inhuman; Wrath was just too human-like.
-The world hates only this king! This is real misfortune!
Wrath rubbed his eyes with his plump arms.
'Then...'
Raon smacked his lips and stopped walking.
'I'll make it up to you on behalf of the heavens.'
He patted Wrath's trembling shoulder.
-What nonsense! How dare a lowly human!
'I'll buy you ice cream. That should count as good fortune, right?'
At those words, Wrath's mouth, which had been spouting curses, closed.
'I'll buy you the ice cream and food you want. We'll be heading to Cameloon anyway.'
Wrath turned his gaze very slowly. His eyes glowed red.
Not working?
Well, it might be too much to placate someone so angry with food.
'Sorry. I underestimated you...'
-How many?
'...Three?'
-Heaven is stingy! Be more generous!
'...'
Zieghart House's Lord's Manor, Audience Chamber.
Glenn sat on the throne, reading a golden book.
His hand turning the pages was as gentle and careful as a mother playing with her child.
"Hoo."
After focusing on the book for a long time, Glenn raised his eyes. He exhaled a sigh of admiration with his eyes closed.
"Indeed, there seems to be no line as notable as 'Don't hide my sky.'"
He tenderly caressed Raon's gospel, saying it was pure inspiration.
"Hehehe."
Roenn chuckled kindly as he opened the second volume of Raon's gospel.
"I particularly like the part where the Sephia Company's leader praised Young Master Raon. Hearing others praise one's child is the greatest joy for parents."
"That was indeed a fresh perspective."
Glenn nodded in agreement.
"There will be many new parts to add to Raon's gospel once Young Master Raon returns. 'You cannot reach my sky' must be included."
"Yes. We should also detail how he single-handedly repelled three of them."
As the two of them discussed new parts to add to Raon's gospel, hurried footsteps echoed from outside.
Boom!
The doors of the audience chamber burst open without even a knock, and the Shadow Agents' Leader, Chad, entered. His face was beyond serious, almost pale.
"What is it?"
Glenn read the urgency in the Shadow Agents' Leader's furrowed brow and asked first.
"A great calamity has occurred!"
The Shadow Agents' Leader ran across the central carpet and knelt. Without even a greeting, he went straight to the point.
"The city of Barene, of the Five Divine Orders, has been attacked by the Holy Sword Alliance and the White Blood Religion!"
"Holy Sword Alliance..."
Glenn's red eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
"So they've finally come out. And the White Blood Religion is moving too..."
Roenn's wrinkled eyes tensed up.
"Tell me the details. Who has come?"
"The leaders of the Holy Sword Alliance and the White Blood Religion have come, leading the Sword Lords and apostles!"
"Those bastards came themselves?"
The news that the leaders of the Holy Sword Alliance and the White Blood Religion had come personally made Glenn rise from his throne.
"Yes. The four leaders of the Five Divine Orders are holding them back. And inside..."
Chad detailed the events that had occurred in the city.
"So Raon and the Light Wind division are protecting the civilians and evacuating the city?"
"Yes. The Heavenly Blade Division Leader and the Light Wind Division Leader are blocking the Sword Lords and apostles at the front."
"Hoo..."
Glenn exhaled a low sigh.
'That's somewhat reassuring.'
He had been worried because Raon often overexerted himself, but knowing he was evacuating the city with the Light Wind division eased his mind a little.
'If it's those two, they can escape safely.'
Sheryl and Rimmer had survived countless battlefields. If Raon and the Light Wind division were getting out of the battlefield, they would find a way to retreat.
'Still...'
It might be better to go.
The leaders of the Five Divine Orders and the Five Demons were transcendent beings who could achieve anything they set their minds to.
Given the potential for unexpected events, it seemed prudent to go and sort things out personally.
As soon as Glenn decided to go to Barene, the Heavenly Tremor sword, which was set beside the throne, rose on its own and settled into his hand.
Perhaps because it sensed his anger, the sword's chill was eerie as it sang in its scabbard.
"Since the dimensional gate in Barene has likely collapsed, the closest place is Cameloon. Prepare immediately."
"Yes, but Cameloon is also inaccessible."
As Glenn donned his long robe and descended the dais, Chad lowered his trembling head.
"...What do you mean?"
"When we contacted Cameloon to prepare the dimensional gate, we found that it had also been attacked by the Black Tower..."
"The Black Tower?"
"The tower master and vice tower master both came."
Chad's voice trembled as much as his head.
"The Black Tower suddenly attacked Cameloon?"
"The tower master clashed with the Archmage Chamber of Eternal Flame while searching for something in Cameloon, and the vice tower master destroyed the facilities before moving south."
"Chamber..."
Glenn bit his lip thinly. Chamber and the tower master didn't get along well. Though Chamber wouldn't lose, winning was also difficult.
"Why did the Black Tower master suddenly... wait, south?"
He stopped as he organized his thoughts.
"Did you say Raon was evacuating people?"
"Yes."
Chad nodded and spread out a map he had brought.
He pointed from the city of Barene, where the Five Divine Orders were, to Cameloon, not far away.
"The closest and most reliable place to Barene is Cameloon..."
His lips trembled as he continued.
"At this rate, the Light Wind division will clash with the Black Tower's vice tower master!"