Chapter 397

The Ring of Fire rotated violently around his heart. The seven rings resonated in unison, and Raon could feel a hot fire flowing through his spine.

The tsunami of the swamp slowed down, and the screams and breathing of the people on the castle walls came to a halt.

The time seemed to have stopped during his extreme focus.

Raon entered that world and called Wrath.

You managed to call the King of Essence in that state. You’ve gotten better.

Wrath’s eyes turned round in surprise. As Raon expected, Wrath was inside that world with him since they were connected by their souls.

‘Help me use your technique.’

Technique? Don’t tell me—are you talking about the one I showed you inside the mental world?

‘Yes.’

Raon quickly lowered his eyebrows.

‘That’s the only chance we have.’

He realized it when he extended his hand earlier. Even if he unleashed all of Glacier’s frost that he had access to, he was incapable of freezing the tsunami. The incomplete freeze would result in falling ice shards and kill even more people.

‘Teach me the technique you used to freeze the space itself inside the mental world.’

He felt like time was flowing slowly because he was extremely focused, but it wasn’t actually slower. He had to act quickly—the tsunami was approaching as he spoke.

You shameless bastard.

Wrath snorted.

The King of Essence doesn’t even want to teach you, but you won’t be able to use it even if he does.

‘What?’

That technique requires you to be as talented as the King of Essence when it comes to controlling the frost. A weak human like you will only create an icicle by using it.

He shook his round hand, saying that it was a meaningless struggle.

The King of Essence recommends creating a barrier of astral energy after gathering those Mad Dog kids behind you. You shall be able to save them at lea—

‘I’ll buy everything you want to eat from today until the day we return.’

Huh…?

‘You won’t be able to eat the regional products made from grapes and blueberries if this place is ruined.’

Huuh…?

Wrath didn’t contemplate for long.

Repeat after the King of Essence’s flow and control Glacier right now!

His ice pierced into Raon’s mana circuits. He unleashed Glacier to the maximum output and followed that flow.

‘Kuh…’

The pain in his mana circuits made it feel like they were going to burst from utilizing too much frost at once, but he gritted his teeth and endured.

The next up is the wrath.

The wrath seeped into him from Wrath. Raon unleashed the wrath dwelling at the bottom of his soul and followed the huge flow Wrath was creating.

‘Ack…’

Raon clenched his back teeth. He felt like his body was creaking and was about to break. He endured the bone-shattering pain and his mana circuits getting ripped apart to extend his hand once again.

Unleash the gathered wrath and ice at once! The name of this technique is…

The moment the tsunami of the swamp created a huge shadow on the castle walls, Raon opened the embankment that was blocking the energy from his hand.

Pssh.

Along with the cold sensation of freezing blood inside his veins, silver-white frost emerged from his hand.

‘Lastly, the most important thing is…the image.’

Raon created the image that Wrath had been constantly talking about. He imagined the entire wave of swamp freezing and twisted his wrist. The Ring of Fire rotating around his heart resonated with the frost scattered all around the world.

He incorporated the entire flow of Glacier and unleashed all of it, not leaving a single speck behind.

Swaaa!

The brilliant, shining silver-white flash soared from the center of his right hand to cover the entire tsunami.

The ultimate technique of the Monarch of Wrath.

Silver-White Aurora.

The wave of swamp was tilted towards them, ready to engulf them at any moment, but it turned a silver-white color and its movement came to a halt. It wasn’t because of his extreme focus. The swamp itself froze, falling completely still.

Whir.

The huge tsunami was frozen, not leaking mud in the slightest, and that sight felt alien. It was as if it was a power beyond the balance of the world was present.

‘This is the Silver-White Aurora…’

An aurora was often called heaven’s curtain covering the sky. The prowess was befitting its name.

“Uuh…”

“Di-did he just freeze that? Is he even human?”

“Mud ice cream…”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan swallowed nervously while looking at the shadow made by the huge tsunami, which was covering the sunlight.

“Gasp!”

“Vi-vice squad leader!”

“He really is insane…”

“I knew he was a monster, but…”

The Light Wind squad on the castle wall had fallen on their asses and were staring at him, their eyes trembling like sailboats on a turbulent ocean.

Whir.

Raon kept rotating the Ring of Fire without sparing any time to listen to their surprise.

‘Damn it…It hurts so damn much.’

Even though he was rotating the Ring of Fire and had increased the level of his soul, the pain felt like his entire body was being torn apart. It was because he’d controlled too much energy at once with a method that he’d never used before.

“Huff…”

He raised his head while exhaling in pain. He still couldn’t believe that he’d created that silver-white frozen tsunami of mud with his own hands. However, there was a more important matter that needed his attention.

‘The one that created this tsunami…must be him.’

Such a huge tsunami couldn’t have occurred naturally from the swamp. It must’ve been the work of the magician who’d previously summoned the death knight. Since they could be watching him from somewhere, Raon maintained a peaceful expression—as if he were unaffected.

Grit!

Wrath violently ground his teeth while looking at Raon’s nonchalant expression.

You crazy bastard! How did you do that?!

‘Why are you asking when you are the one who taught me?’

About that…

Wrath did teach him the flow of the technique, but he didn’t think he would actually manage it. He thought the swamp would freeze to a certain extent before it collapsed, but the crazy bastard actually managed to freeze the entire swamp.

Because he wasn’t expecting you to succeed!

‘I imagined it.’

What?

‘You always say that image is the most important part about using mana. I remembered how you used that technique in the mental world and thought about freezing the entire swamp.’

Ugh, the King of Essence is never teaching anything to you ever again!

Wrath ground his teeth. He seemed so butthurt.

‘It’s fine.’

Raon slowly nodded.

‘I’ve already memorized it.’

He’d memorized the flow of ice because he was using the Silver-White Aurora while the Ring of Fire was resonating. It was still going to be difficult to use it on his own, though.

Seriously, you aren’t likable at all!

‘What a shame. I’m starting to like you now.’

Shut your trap!

Raon smiled faintly and clenched Heavenly Drive’s hilt. He circulated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to ease the ice all around his body and drew his sword.

Swoosh!

The astral energy was unleashed and created a red line, severing the frozen wave of the swamp. The wave scattered into pieces as big as the castle and rained down from the sky.

Whaam!

Because those ice shards were a tremendous size, they created craters on the ground as they fell.

“Haa…”

Raon slowly caught his breath and returned Heavenly Drive to his scabbard. Wendy Arianne climbed up to the castle wall alongside the Amber Blade division and the ranger team leaders.

“Sir Raon!”

Wendy’s lips were trembling, her face turned pale.

“Wh-what’s happening here? Why did the swamp turn into a tidal wave…?”

“The wave must’ve originated from the end of the Swamp of Death.”

“Ah…”

She exhaled roughly while looking at the muddy wave that was cut apart after being frozen white.

“Is it over now?”

Wendy gathered her hands as if she were praying for it to be over. The others were also licking their dry lips, hoping for the same answer.

“……”

Raon walked to the edge of the wall without responding.

Rumble!

The frozen mud was melting from the dark energy emerging on the ground. The lumps of mud that should’ve reached all the way to the top of the castle walls were crumbling into dust, and the dark ground was revealed after hundreds of years.

‘Energy of death.’

It’s a nasty stench like always.

The energy of death started to slowly rise from the land that used to be oppressed by the vast and deep swamp.

Raon raised his gaze to send it to the end of the Swamp of Death, which should be changed to ‘Ground of Death’. He could feel a huge presence from a faraway place that even his aura perception couldn’t reach. The enemy was revealing themselves on purpose.

“Haa…”

Raon turned around while exhaling in irritation. He shook his head while looking at the people who were staring at him with trembling eyes.

“It’s only getting started. Prepare for war.”

Considering the fact that the energy of death rising from the ground was getting stronger and stronger, the area was bound to be filled with undead before long. A siege to defend the castle was inevitable.

‘The only relief we have is…that they are slightly ready.’

The first thing Wendy Arianne did after she became the temporary head of house was to refill the supplies for war and train the people. That was why they were somewhat ready for battle.

“Wa-war?”

Wendy’s shoulders were trembling as she covered her mouth.

“He said war…”

“It’s going to start soon.”

“War…”

Her reddened cheeks and neck suggested that she had also noticed the energy of death rising from the ground.

“Wh-what shall I do first? I need to prepare—no, send a messenger…”

“Lady Wendy.”

Raon walked up to Wendy, who was panicking.

“We don’t have much time. You have to act to save House Arianne and these people. You know this place better than anyone else.”

“Ah…”

Raon pointed at the people from House Arianne who were looking up to the castle walls while saying that. As Wendy saw the trembling eyes of those who didn’t have anyone to rely on, her body stopped trembling.

“…Understood.”

Wendy clenched her fist tightly and nodded.

“We are entering the defensive conditions! Sword division and rangers shall prepare for the siege!”

“Understood!”

Probably because she was the one who’d disciplined them, even the rangers responded, not just her sword division. They quickly started to act.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The alarm bell resounded after hundreds of years, and everyone started to prepare for war.

Raon confirmed that everyone was busy before he turned around.

“Gather.”

The Light Wind squad must’ve realized that it wasn’t time to be playing around as they lined up on the castle walls and straightened their backs.

“Like I said just now, the war against the undead is about to start. Return to your lodgings and cultivate before you return.”

“W-we are supposed to cultivate right now?”

“Shouldn’t we be defending this place?”

“You are also exhausted, vice squad leader.”

“That’s right. You are the one who needs to cultivate, vice squad leader.”

Because they’d been together for such a long time, the Light Wind squad had noticed that Raon was exhausted.

“I can cultivate from here.”

Raon shook his head. He was controlling the Ring of Fire as he spoke, and he could easily recover from his internal injuries.

“You’ve been sparring all morning. Quickly go to your rooms and recover your bodies and minds to their best condition and return.”

Raon twisted his lips while looking around the land where the energy of death was rising.

“You won’t have any more time to cultivate if you miss this opportunity.”

“Ugh…”

“I’m so nervous…”

“Understood.”

The Light Wind squad didn’t refuse any further, running down the castle walls after nodding their heads.

“Dorian, wait a moment.”

“What?”

“By any chance…”

Raon called for Dorian, who was the last one to go down, and asked him if he had a certain item.

“Ah, of course. I have that. It’s a necessity. I’ll take it out right aw—huh?”

He was putting his hand in his belly pocket and suddenly stopped.

“But isn’t our mission going to fail if we use that one?”

“It’s okay.”

Raon shook his head with a faint smile on his face.

“Because that’s also my… No, the Light Wind squad’s power.” 

* * * 

After everyone left, Raon remained on the castle wall and watched over the land of death. His internal injuries were healed thanks to the Ring of Fire, and House Arianne’s people were preparing for war with courage, but he still felt anxious.

‘This is so intense now.’

The energy of death rising from the land below the swamp was getting stronger and stronger without any limit. An ordinary person without any mana would become unable to breathe and collapse the moment they left the castle.

That’s not the only problem.

‘Indeed.’

Raon nodded and stared at the end of the Swamp of Death. A countless number of undead were being summoned from far away.

It was so bad that he could feel the monster’s energies, enhanced even further by the powerful energy of death.

‘This is extremely danger—’

He’s not talking about that! The King of Essence is asking why we aren’t eating grape sandwiches and blueberry pies!

‘This isn’t time for that.’

The King of Essence doesn’t care! Keep your promise already!

‘The shop is already closed.’

Then make it open!

Raon was pushing Wrath back as he kept sticking to him like the swamp, and Wendy Arianne came running towards him.

“W-we have a problem.”

“What problem…?”

“The emergency network isn’t working!”

Wendy scratched her arm with her nail, saying that the emergency network hadn’t been working for hours.

“I expected it wouldn’t.”

Raon nodded casually. He never believed that a monster that could summon a growing death knight and create a wave of swamp was going to leave the emergency network alone when it could be used to call for reinforcements.

“Which means…”

“We have to fight on our own for now.”

Raon took out two rings from his clothes and put them on his fingers. One of them was the Blue and Red Ring that he’d obtained from House Yonaan, and the second one was the ring that the Archmage of the Eternal Flame, Chamber, had gifted to him.

“Haa…”

Wendy hit her forehead and clenched her fist.

“So we have to defend without any reinforcements.”

She hardened her resolve and clenched her sword.

“Indeed.”

Raon nodded, and the Light Wind squad came up to the castle walls. Their complexions were better than before because they finished their cultivation.

“We are ready.”

“We will protect this place, so you…”

Martha was about to tell him to go back and cultivate, but Raon felt the rumbling land from below.

Everyone, including Raon, went towards the edge and looked at the land of death.

Screech!

Along with a grotesque noise that sounded like a bone flower was blooming, gray skeletons and green zombies were rising from the ground. The undead were surfacing from everywhere except for the area surrounding Arianne Castle. It was like new leaves sprouting from seeds scattered all around the land of death.

“Ah…”

“Wh-what the hell…?”

“Are they all undead?”

“Is it even possible to defend?”

The rangers waiting on the castle walls trembled in fear as countless undead started to rise.

“Th-this is a lot.”

Burren chewed his lip while watching the skeletons rise endlessly.

“There are more undead heads than land at this point!”

Martha clenched her fist and watched the zombies with flashing eyes.

They swallowed nervously with frowns on their faces. That number must’ve been unexpected for both of them.

“They look like bead ice cream.”

Runaan licked her lips while looking at the skeleton heads. She was really special to have that impression in such a situation.

“Haa…”

“Th-the castle isn’t going to collapse, is it?”

“We are all going to die if that happens.”

“Shut up and get ready. They’ll be here soon.”

Everyone was nervous because of the overwhelming numbers. The undead lined up like an army and turned around.

Instead of looking at House Arianne’s castle, they knelt towards the three pillars in the Swamp of Death and let out a grotesque scream.

Urrrrr!

Grrrrr!

It was an anthem of darkness. The undead were bowing at the master who summoned them after hundreds of years and singing an anthem for him.

Just like the priests who gained holy power by worshiping their god, the energy of death dwelling in their bodies intensified from the action.

Uwaaaa!

Kieeeeh!

The song of death coming from the countless undead even made the sun hide behind the clouds in fear.

The sky turned gray, and the castle wall’s atmosphere that was ready for battle became as gloomy as a mourner’s house.

Even the sound of people breathing had disappeared—it was as if no one was there anymore.

“Wh-what’s happening?!”

“What are they doing?!”

“M-my limbs are trembling…”

“Are they gaining their power from a demon?”

The rangers and the Amber Blade division, even the Light Wind squad, turned pale upon hearing the song of the undead.

“Cut the crap.”

Raon sneered and unsheathed Heavenly Drive. He unleashed the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to the maximum output and pulled his right arm back. His pose looked like he was shooting a bow as he thrust the sword wrapped in concentrated flame forward.

Whaaam!

The firestorm rising from the entire blade engulfed the group of undead who were praising the darkness.

The hundreds of undead melted down without even leaving a single bone behind.

The endless anthem came to a halt, and the sunlight was revived, shining upon the castle walls.

“Mad Dog squad.”

Raon turned around. He smiled while noticing the fighting spirit in everyone’s eyes revive.

“Flesh next to the bone is usually the most delicious.”

He raised Heavenly Drive to point at the countless undead that remained after his attack.

“Chew them up.”

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Kyangi]

[Proofreader – Harley]