"Huff...."
Raon exhaled roughly as he looked at Glenn's broad and straight back.
He didn't know why Glenn, who should have been waiting at the exit, had come here. But as soon as he saw him running over, his wildly beating heart calmed down.
Even though he could see the Leader of the White Blood Religion chasing right behind and numerous Blood Demons swarming in, he wasn't anxious. It felt like his real grandfather had come to protect him, making his nose tingle with emotion. (E/N: ...)
"Glenn Zieghart!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion shook off her fingers that had touched the Lightning Aura and curled up her red lips into a long smile.
"Coming here to be killed of your own accord, you're still as impatient as ever."
Her black pupils twisted violently. She seemed both frightened and exhilarated.
"You did it."
Glenn didn't answer the Leader of the White Blood Religion's words, but turned to look at Raon.
"I believed in you."
He nodded gently as he looked at Ogram on Raon's back.
"Head of House..."
Raon's lips trembled as he heard Glenn's low voice.
He hadn't expected to hear words of trust in such a dire situation, so his heart resonated more deeply than when he had been praised in the Lord's Manor.
"Hah...."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion frowned, revealing her white teeth.
"How dare you, do you know where this is!"
She trembled her hands, seemingly upset at being ignored by Glenn.
[There's no time, so prepare to move immediately. The Blood Spirit Pathway is closing rapidly due to the formation.]
Glenn sent a voice resonating in Raon's mind, ignoring the Leader of the White Blood Religion once again. It was an even higher-level technique than Aura messaging.
"Glenn Zieghart!"
Unable to tolerate being ignored twice, the Leader of the White Blood Religion raised her bloody energy. Massive waves of bloody energy surged through her fluttering white dress.
"No matter who you are, in this place I am god!"
"You drank Ogram's blood."
Glenn nodded calmly, feeling the Leader of the White Blood Religion's enormous aura.
"Yes. It was very sweet. Didn't taste like an old man's blood."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion moistened her red lips with her tongue and drew a cold smile.
"So I'm curious about your blood too. What it might taste like."
"The likes of you?"
Glenn let out an icy laugh.
"Well, stupid mosquitoes tend to suck blood until their stomachs burst."
He sneered, realizing that the Leader of the White Blood Religion hadn't been able to fully absorb Ogram's energy.
"You're quite boastful."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion frowned like an evil spirit, then snorted.
"Your condition isn't normal either. Must be hard to endure with that aged body?"
She twisted her lips upward, noticing that Glenn's condition wasn't normal.
Kuguuuuuu!
Behind the Leader of the White Blood Religion, a pure white goddess rises. The Godly Blood Summoning Ritual. It was wrapped in even more massive bloody energy than before, with over 10 more arms than previously seen.
It seemed that as she grew stronger, the Godly Blood Summoning Ritual also became more powerful.
Whaaaaaaa!
The Godly Blood Summoning Ritual changed the white weapons in its hands into bloody energy and brought its hands together.
The massive bloody energy compressed and bloomed into a sun-like sphere. An enormous wave of bloody energy covered the heavens and earth.
The Leader of the White Blood Religion seemed intent on settling things in one go.
"Kugh...."
Raon's lips trembled. His knees buckled involuntarily under the pressure of the massive bloody energy.
"So you thought of creating a new Sword Domain."
Glenn calmly looked back, even as the sphere of bloody energy that was crushing the atmosphere approached.
"Yes...?"
Raon let out a breath as he looked at Glenn's calm eyes.
"Not setting limits on your sword. It's a good idea."
Glenn nodded slightly and turned his gaze forward again. Somehow, it felt like he was smiling.
"Watch until the end. It might help your swordsmanship."
He calmly raised the Heavenly Tremor. The sky, dyed white with bloody energy, began to spew red light centered on his sword. (E/N: kinda weird...white with blood, then red light bloom)
"Unblemished Perfection, Heavenly Sword."
The heavens and earth are split by a single sword. The pure white world spreads with red light as if red paint had been dropped on a canvas.
The sphere of bloody energy, the Godly Blood Summoning Ritual, and even the White Blood Religion leader knelt under the dominion set by the heavenly sword.
Kwararrrung!
Following the noble red light was a majestic thunderclap.
Raon swallowed dryly as he watched the white world dyed in twilight.
'It's different.'
Because I've grown, I can understand. As Wrath said, Glenn's sword had reached an even higher level.
"Let's go."
Glenn lowered the Heavenly Tremor and turned his back.
"The Leader of the White Blood Religion...."
Raon let out a breath as he looked at the scene before him where everything had disappeared.
"She ate too much. She's still alive even though her stomach burst."
He shook his head with a furrowed brow.
"I see."
It was the first time he heard a joke from Glenn, so he couldn't help but laugh even in this situation.
Teoeoeng!
Glenn signaled with his eyes to return, then stepped on the Supreme Harmony Steps first.
"If you had mastered the Supreme Harmony Steps, you could have escaped from the Leader of the White Blood Religion."
"...I'm sorry."
"I didn't say that to hear an apology."
He stepped forward with the same precise yet mysterious flow as when he first taught the Supreme Harmony Steps. It seemed like he was still teaching me even now.
As Raon ran while imprinting Glenn's steps in his mind, he saw Rimmer, Sheryl, and Roenn standing in front of the narrowing Blood Spirit Pathway.
Sheryl and Roenn were blocking the endlessly surging Blood Demons, while Rimmer was holding open the shrinking Blood Spirit Pathway with Garunua's wind and Lightning Aura.
"Why are you so late! I thought we were going to die!"
Rimmer shouted while gripping the Blood Spirit Pathway.
"All these damn apostles are here!"
"Watch your mouth!"
Sheryl kicked Rimmer after blocking an attack from someone who looked like an apostle.
"Hehehe."
Roenn let out a gentle laugh while unleashing sword strikes filled with more killing intent than anyone else. The Blood Demons touched by his blade split like old firewood.
Pajijijik!
When Glenn placed his hand on the Blood Spirit Pathway, Lightning Aura flashed and the pathway tore open wide. However, the white waves shook violently as if its lifespan had reached its limit.
Kuwaaaang!
The Leader of the White Blood Religion, who had fled after being struck by the Heavenly Sword, could be felt rushing in with a massive roar.
"Go ahead first."
"Yes."
Raon was about to exit through the Blood Spirit Pathway but turned to look back.
"Where do you think you're escaping to!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion came running, covered in white blood. As Glenn had said, she wasn't dead, but she seemed to have lost a significant portion of the bloody energy she had gained from drinking Ogram's blood.
A flesh-trembling rage could be felt from her.
'Is that the First Apostle over there?'
A pale-faced man could be seen moving to the right of the Leader of the White Blood Religion. He also seemed injured, but a powerful aura comparable to Alice's could be felt.
'Then that... hm?'
Raon's eyes widened as he finally examined the bronze-skinned woman attached to the left side of the Leader of the White Blood Religion.
'What is that....'
The woman's aura fluctuated wildly between Master and Transcendent Warrior levels. He couldn't understand what kind of martial prowess this was.
"Raon! What are you doing, not going!"
Rimmer kicked Raon's behind, telling him to hurry up.
"Ah, yes."
Raon carved sword marks on the white wall with the Blade of Requiem before entering the Blood Spirit Pathway.
Pajijik!
After a few flashes of small lightning, the Chiran Tribe Village he had seen before entering the Blood Spirit Pathway came into view.
Rimmer, Sheryl, and Roenn also stepped out of the Blood Spirit Pathway in turn and set foot on the ground.
"What about the Head of..."
Just as Raon was about to ask, the Blood Spirit Pathway rippled greatly and Glenn walked out. The pathway shrank and disappeared as soon as he emerged.
"Hmm...."
Glenn shook off his slightly trembling hand and sheathed the Heavenly Tremor. It looked as if he was shaking off sand after playing at the beach rather than having just escaped from the White Blood Religion's headquarters, causing Raon to let out a breath.
"Head of House. Are you alri-"
It was when Raon was about to approach Glenn.
Kuuuung!
A half-burned wall crumbled, and warriors and shamans of the Beast Union charged in. Blue flames of shamanic possession burned in the eyes of the warriors who had lost their Union Leader.
"You did well to keep watch. Criminals always return to the scene... Huh?"
The young man in scholar's attire standing behind the warriors widened his eyes upon seeing Glenn.
"St-stop! Stop right now!"
At his command, the Beast Union warriors who were charging at Glenn froze in their tracks.
"Greetings, Lightning God!"
The young man in scholar's attire ran as if folding the ground and bowed his head before Glenn.
"It's been a while, Vice Union Leader."
Glenn nodded as he looked at the young man in scholar's attire.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the young man in scholar's attire.
'Is this person the Vice Union Leader of the Beast Union?'
He had heard that the Vice Union Leader of the Beast Union was the one who handled all the union's affairs in place of the Union Leader who liked to go out and play.
As he had heard, unlike the other people of the union, he was a man with a sharp appearance.
However, despite his calm and cool-looking face, he too exuded the strong fighting spirit characteristic of the Beast Union.
"Why is the Zieghart Head of House here…?"
"I heard the beast got taken down by a mosquito, so I came to see."
Glenn said this while pointing at Ogram on Raon's back.
"U-Union Leader!"
"Union Leader!"
The Vice Union Leader urgently approached Raon and took Ogram. The warriors and shamans also rushed to Ogram, letting out cries that sounded like screams.
"Take the Union Leader to headquarters! Right now!"
"Yes!"
The warriors carefully carried Ogram as if he were a sacred object and ran towards the headquarters.
"I-I don't know how you managed to rescue the Union Leader, but I'll start by expressing our gratitude!"
The Vice Union Leader knelt before Glenn, his lips trembling.
"Such thanks should not be directed at me..."
Glenn lightly raised his finger to point at Raon.
"Give them to him over there."
"What?"
"If it weren't for that child, we wouldn't have been able to find that boar-like fellow."
"Ah!"
The Vice Union Leader's eyes sparkled like starlight as he looked at Raon.
(E/N: *As Derus Robert was enjoying his morning coffee, he opened the newspaper gave by his trusted maid. And then, he froze.
"Dragon Slayer, the White Sword Dragon, protector of the World Tree, savior of the Holy Kingdom, etc etc, now becomes the benefactor of the Beast Union by saving their leader? Kuraba! Come here right now!"
Unfortunately, Kuraba already went on holiday. She still had some basic survival instinct.
* * *
Beast Union Headquarters.
"We are in the presence of our benefactor!"
The Vice Union Leader and the warriors and shamans at the headquarters knelt before Raon, beating their chests with their fists.
"We will never forget this grace of saving our Union Leader, even in death!"
After hearing how Raon had rescued Ogram, they were even more moved and knelt down completely.
"I also owe a debt of gratitude to the Union Leader."
Raon waved his hand with a reddened face.
"I've only repaid that debt, so you don't need to do this."
He shook his head firmly, not out of modesty, but because it was his true feeling.
"After hearing Garona's words, I thought you were a true warrior, but you're even more than that. This Bellerdon is deeply moved!"
The Vice Union Leader bowed so low that his head touched the ground, as if a warrior's greeting wasn't enough.
"Ehei, it's not that big a deal."
Rimmer grinned as he grabbed Raon's shoulder.
"Still, if they're showing sincerity, I'm a bit inclined to accept. First, some gold-"
"Shut up."
As he was about to make a circular shape with his fingers, Sheryl twisted his hand.
"Aaaagh!"
Rimmer screamed while clutching his twisted arm.
"You're ruining the Zieghart name. Don't even breathe until the conversation is over."
"But then I'll d-die?"
"That's the point."
Sheryl said this while striking Rimmer's Adam's apple.
"Hehehe."
"Kehek! Don't just laugh, stop her!"
"Hehehe!"
Rimmer reached out his hand as if asking for help, but Roenn just laughed.
"As I said before, this wasn't something I did alone."
Raon shook his head and looked at the Vice Union Leader.
"It was possible because of the Head of House, the Heavenly Blade Division Leader, and Roenn."
"Hey. Why am I left out!"
Rimmer raised his finger, pointing at himself.
"Moreover, I too owe a great debt to the Union Leader. He saved me from a crisis and passed on martial arts to me. There's no need for all this."
"To be honest, we had judged that we couldn't rescue the Union Leader. It was literally a lost cause."
The Vice Union Leader let out a low sigh and clenched his fist until it bled.
"But you, Raon, never gave up and even went to the White Blood Religion's headquarters to find traces of the Alliance Leader. All we can do is express our gratitude."
He bowed his head again in respect. Unlike his appearance, he seemed to have a personality befitting the Beast Union, just like the Union Leader.
"Ahem!"
Glenn watched this scene from behind and his lips quivered slightly. It seemed like he had something to say, but his mouth didn't open.
"Of course, we don't intend to end this with mere words. Our union would like to offer whatever Raon desires-"
"Br-brother!"
As the Vice Union Leader tried to continue his interrupted speech, the door burst open as if it would break, and Garona entered.
He was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages all over his body, indicating severe injuries.
"You! I heard you rescued Master! Thank you! Brother!"
He approached with reddened eyes and hugged Raon tightly.
"...You've been through a lot too."
Raon patted Garona's trembling shoulders. Just seeing his still swollen wounds, he could feel how difficult a time Garona had endured.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and shook the wrist covering his mouth. His pupils trembled slightly, but the reason was unknown.
Raon had thought he'd gotten a bit closer to Glenn after today's events, but now it felt like he'd drifted far away again.
'What is it really....'
* * *
Raon looked up at the gradually brightening dawn sky and smirked.
'It's even hard to hear words of gratitude.'
He had been overwhelmed by all the warriors and shamans of the Beast Union coming to thank him.
Especially their voices were so loud that it felt like his eardrums might burst.
'However....'
It feels good.
More than the words of gratitude or praise, what made him happiest was the fact that he had saved and brought back Ogram, who could be called his benefactor.
As Raon was feeling the fullness rising in his chest, he heard Glenn's footsteps from behind.
"Head of House."
As he turned around to bow his head, Glenn waved his hand dismissively.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I've sustained some internal injuries, but they're not severe."
In truth, the internal injuries weren't light, but he shook his head, not wanting Glenn to worry.
"I see."
Glenn, as if reading his thoughts, didn't ask any further and approached to stand beside him, raising his gaze.
"Although we've rescued Ogram, the balance that has already collapsed cannot be restored."
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the dawn sky tinged with a faint purple hue.
"The Leader of the White Blood Religion doesn't simply absorb Aura, but the very life force and martial prowess of warriors. Even if Ogram wakes up, he won't be able to return to his original level of skill."
Glenn let out a sigh as if regretful.
"I see..."
As he had somewhat expected this, Raon nodded calmly.
"That's why I have something I must ask you."
"Please go ahead."
"The life-and-death duel."
Glenn's red pupils settled quietly.
"The life-and-death duel with the Axe King has now become no different from a fire bomb about to explode. Even if you win, your life could be in danger, and there's a possibility that other Five Demons might interfere."
His voice carried a sense of urgency, as if he was more concerned about Raon's life-and-death duel than anything else.
"Yes. I understand."
As this was something he had been thinking about on his way here, Raon nodded calmly.
"So, what do you want to do?"
Glenn turned his gaze as if he wanted to know Raon's intentions before giving any orders himself.
Raon didn't answer immediately. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and moved his lips.
"I..."