Chapter 542

Runaan raised her gaze and swallowed nervously.

“Where am I…?”

She was inside a room that was as dark as a moonless night.

No, it wasn’t a room. It was so wide that she couldn’t grasp the distance at a glance, and everything was engulfed in darkness.

In the midst of the darkness that rippled like water, a frighteningly intense smell of blood permeated the air. Her fingers trembled from the incomprehensible fear.

“Uhh…”

Runaan bit her lip and turned around. Unlike the darkness lurking in front of her, there was a clear blue space there.

There was a small house that seemed to be made of ice, and dolls that seemed to be made of ice cream were lined up inside.

She could tell at a glance that the dolls were the personification of her father, mother, Raon, and the Light Wind division, and they were showing their characteristics as they stood.

Lastly, her sword, Snow Flower, was floating in the air. Unlike the darkness, her heart was filled with warmth just from looking at it.

“Come over here.”

Runaan extended her arm, and Snow Flower slowly descended to enter her grip.

‘What is this place?’

Why was she there? Why was that place? She couldn’t understand anything.

She could just instinctively understand that she shouldn’t approach the darkness.

“I was eating with Mom and Dad… Ack!”

Runaan quietly groaned while stroking Snow Flower. With a headache that felt like someone was crushing her head, her memories returned to her.

“The helmet!”

‘Yes, Baphomet's helmet.’

She remembered that Syria had forced her to wear Baphomet’s helmet. In that case, the answer was simple. The dark space ahead of her was the domain of the Baphomet dwelling inside the helmet.

Wham!

Runaan clenched Snow Flower’s hilt with her trembling hands, and a violent sound echoed from the darkness.

Rumble!

The dark land fissured and something surged from the intense darkness.

Kieeeh!

It was standing on a goat’s hooves, its waist was as thin and straight as a human’s, and its goat head had long spiral horns where it emerged as it made a sound similar to a baby’s cry.

Whap!

Baphomet raised its gaze. A dark flame was burning in its vertical elliptic pupils.

“Ugh…”

Runaan’s chin trembled as she pressed on her chest with her left hand. All she did was to meet Baphomet's eyes, but she was feeling nausea similar to an internal injury. Baphomet’s pressure was tremendous.

Whir!

Baphomet walked towards her, crushing the darkness on the way. She could guess from its large strides that it was going to reach her soon.

“Aah…”

Runaan stepped back with trembling lips. The Baphomet looked bigger and bigger. She felt like she wouldn’t be able to win against it no matter what she tried.

She was aware that it was a powerful monster, but she’d never expected that there would be such a huge difference between them.

‘What am I supposed to do…?’

Whir!

Runaan’s lips were turning pale as a clear resonance resounded from Snow Flower. The serene resonance was removing her fear and waking her mind.

Bzzz!

Snow Flower’s vibrating blade seemed to be telling her to go inside the ice house behind her.

“Do you want me to go into that house?”

Whir!

The resonance intensified as if it were saying yes.

“Alright.”

Runaan nodded and smacked her thigh with her fist. Her body was stiff because of Baphomet’s pressure, but she forced it to move and enter the ice house.

Even though the house was made of ice, the inside was as warm and comfortable as if there was a bonfire.

However, there was no time to enjoy that comfort.

Whaam!

Baphomet was approaching the ice house while spreading its eerie wave of energy.

Its hooves stepped onto the blue land and darkness started to permeate into her space, just like a blue ink dripping onto a white piece of paper.

“It’s meaningless to hide.”

Baphomet was speaking the human language. Its voice was trembling faintly, as if a goat were speaking.

“Resistance is only going to make it more painful.”

Its body became as large as the darkness, and it became big enough to reach the sky in the end.

“Alright. I’ll trample upon you like the worm you are.”

Baphomet raised its leg. It violently stepped upon the ice house with its foot, which was as big as a house.

“No, never!”

Runaan gripped Snow Flower and shouted that it couldn’t be destroyed.

Whaam!

The moment Baphomet's leg struck the ice house, she felt a shock similar to a hammer hitting inside her head.

“Ack…”

She fell on her knees before she knew it because the pain felt like her brain was falling apart.

“I’ll grant you a painless death if you come out now.”

Baphomet nodded while holding a dark red whip in its hand.

“N-no.”

Runaan shook her head. Baphomet was going to take over her body the moment she left the house. She had to resist until the very end.

“What foolishness.”

Baphomet furrowed its brow and struck down with the whip that was behind its shoulder.

Whaam!

The whip landed on the ice house, and a groundbreaking impact engulfed the area.

“Aaah!”

Runaan collapsed along with a piercing scream.

The tremendous pain dominating her brain made it feel like she was hit by the whip instead of the ice house. She even wanted to tear her flesh off because of how painful it was.

‘I-I understand it now… This house is my mind, and the dolls inside are the people precious to me.’

She was currently having a war against Baphomet with her body, and her most valuable things were at stake.

“Come out.”

“Uhh…”

Runaan stood up while supporting herself on Snow Flower.

‘I’ll never allow that to happen. I have something I need to do.’

She was going to kill Syria, save her mom and dad, and repay the favor to Raon because she could never do anything for him.

Lastly, she wanted to spend more time with the Light Wind division, and that was why she wasn’t about to be defeated at such a place.

She forced her aching body to stand with the determination to endure no matter what.

Baphomet sneered at her and attacked with the whip over and over. The whip fell like a rainstorm and mercilessly pounded the ice house.

Whaaam!

Every time the whip hit the ice house, she felt like her bones and flesh were tearing apart.

“Ack!”

Her hands and feet were spasming from the extreme pain, and she couldn’t think straight. She even wanted to go outside the house and die.

“It’s too late to regret it now. I’m only just starting to have fun.”

The combative energy surrounding the whip intensified further, and even magic was added to it. Baphomet seemed to be enjoying Runaan’s screams.

Rumble!

The whip felt like a heated blade cutting through her flesh, and the magic felt like a cold awl was stabbing her vitals.

As the pain accumulated, her soul—manifested in the shape of a body—was cut apart and blood started to flow from it.

“Ah…”

Runaan looked up to the ceiling of the ice house with a pale face. Fissures of different sizes were spreading across the house that used to be solid.

‘It’s because of me.’

The fissures must’ve been appearing because her mind was collapsing from the pain.

‘I need to endure…’

She was well aware that she had to endure, but she had no idea how long she had to do that, or how to win against the monster in front of her.

Runaan closed her lips tightly and raised her head. The entire space was covered by Baphomet’s darkness, and even the ice house was on the verge of destruction. She started to think that everything was over.

‘But I’ll still en—Ah!’

Just as she resolved herself to endure once again, Baphomet’s ferocious whip struck the center of the ice house.

Whaaam!

The fissured ice shattered, and the ceiling collapsed.

“I can finally see you.”

Baphomet smiled frighteningly while shoving its eye at the hole in the ceiling. Its finger entered the ice house.

“It’s over now.”

“Ah…”

Runaan fell to her knees while looking at Baphomet’s finger as it approached her.

She wanted to endure until the very end, but it was impossible to do so since the ice house was destroyed. Her mind collapsed, and the ice forming the house melted.

Rumble!

Baphomet’s huge finger completely destroyed the ceiling and approached her.

“I’m sorry.”

Runaan turned around. She hugged the cute little dolls and closed her eyes.

“You don’t need to apologize.”

Just as she thought she was going to die and bit her lip, Raon’s doll flew into the sky.

“You’ve done great holding out so far, Runaan.”

“Huh?”

She opened her eyes, and the Raon doll that she was hugging jumped into the sky.

Slash!

The Raon doll unsheathed its toy sword and cut off Baphomet’s finger, which was trying to intrude into her ice house.

“Kuaaah!”

Its finger was even thicker than a castle pillar, but it was completely cut off and Baphomet stepped backward.

“Let’s fight.”

The Raon doll landed on the ground and turned around. He nodded with his eyes brimming with confidence, just like the real Raon would.

“We can win.”

* * *

Raon looked away from Runaan who was confused, and looked at his own hand instead.

He only had two fingers, as if he was wearing a mitten, and his limbs were short. His body was literally a doll made from ice cream.

‘It must be because I’m inside Runaan’s mental world.’

Since he was inside Runaan’s mental world, he must’ve transformed into the shape she had created.

Uhehehe!

Wrath pointed his round finger at Raon while looking at him.

What a perfect appearance for a nasty guy like you! It would’ve been great if you looked like that in real life!

He looked really happy as he laughed despite the serious situation.

‘You should take a look at yourself before you laugh at me.’

Raon shook his head. Since Wrath didn’t even exist in Runaan’s mental world, he was taking the form of an extremely small cotton candy.

To be honest, he could easily be mistaken for dust.

Huh?

Wrath blinked while looking at himself.

Wh-what’s going on?! Why is the King of Essence so small?!

He jumped, telling him to stop looking down on the Monarch of Wrath, but he was even worse than a flea.

No, that’s not the important part right now! Ice Cream Girl!

Wrath flew towards Runaan and wagged his tail.

Don’t worry! The King of Essence is going to help you now!

“A-are you really Raon?”

Runaan ignored Wrath and walked up to Raon.

“Yes,” Raon calmly responded and nodded his head.

Runaan bit her lip, and her clenched fist trembled. The moisture welling up in her blurry eyes was as transparent as the morning dew.

“You did really great holding out so far.”

Raon smiled while tapping on her shoe. He was serious about it.

It was amazing that Runaan could last for so long since she hadn’t created a proper mental world yet. She had really amazed him.

That’s the King of Essence’s subordinate for you! He’s so proud of you!

Wrath patted Runaan’s shoulder to compliment her.

“By the way, who is this?”

Runaan raised her finger and pointed at Wrath. She tilted her head, implying that she couldn’t hear him.

“……”

Raon blankly stared at Wrath and shook his head.

“I don’t know either. I think some dust entered along with me.”

Heeey! Explain to her properly!

Wrath shouted while flailing his arms around.

“Anyway, the dust isn’t the important part right now.”

Raon pushed Wrath away as he kept screaming and looked at Runaan instead. He had to look far above himself because there was a huge height difference.

“We can’t leave this place unless we defeat Baphomet.”

“Mhm, then let’s do it togeth—”

“No, you have to kill it.”

Raon shook his head.

“M-me?”

“We are inside your mental world. You are the owner, and I’m a guest. You are the only one who can finish off that monster once and for all.”

“Ah…”

Runaan’s lips trembled as she watched Baphomet slowly stand up. It was an expression of terror. She must’ve been going through lots of pain until he arrived.

“I-I don’t know how I can win against that…”

“It’s okay.”

Raon kicked the ground and jumped onto Runaan’s shoulder. He smiled while infusing the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s energy into her.

“Like I said, we are currently inside your world. Your willpower is more important than your aura, body, or your martial arts realm.”

“Mhm…”

“You are fully capable of defeating it since you managed to overcome Syria’s brainwashing by yourself.”

He wasn’t lying. The Baphomet she was facing was definitely a powerful one, but Runaan’s willpower didn’t lose to it.

She was fully capable of winning against it with a bit of encouragement and help.

“Really?”

Indeed! That thing is big, but it’s empty inside! It’s pretty much mint chocolate ice cream with no mint included.

“It’s big, but it’s empty inside. It’s practically mint chocolate ice cream without any mint.”

Raon repeated after Wrath to encourage Runaan.

“Huu.”

Runaan’s lips curved upwards. She clenched Snow Flower while smiling faintly.

“Okay, I believe you.”

“Let’s go.”

“Mhm.”

Runaan nodded and opened the door of the destroyed ice house to go outside.

Heeey!

Wrath went to Raon and shouted at him.

That was the King of Essence’s line! Where is the copyright?!

‘It doesn’t matter whose line it was. The important part is that Runaan gained courage from it.’

Ugh…

He was frustrated, but simply bit his lip because he couldn’t argue against that.

“How dare you!”

Baphomet regenerated its arm and became even bigger. It looked like the entire world was devoured by it.

“Uhh…”

Runaan quietly groaned. She seemed to be crushed by the Baphomet’s pressure dominating the darkness.

It’s usually the ones that aren’t a big deal that try to look bigger like that. Think of it as cookies and cream without any cookies.

“Runaan, the ones that aren’t a big deal usually try to look bigger. It’s just cookies and cream without any cookies.”

Stop repeating after him!

Wrath barked and grabbed him by his collar with a deadly glare.

“Alright.”

Runaan nodded, her eyes turning blank once again. She seemed to have overcome her fear.

“I’ll crush you!”

Baphomet raised its huge foot and tried to stomp Runaan.

“Runaan!”

“Mhm.”

Runaan kicked the darkened ground. Her lively yet profound footwork drove away the creeping darkness and gave her wings on her back.

Whaam!

Baphomet’s huge foot didn’t achieve anything, it only destroyed the empty ground.

Thud!

Runaan stepped upon the land that was falling apart and moved to Baphomet’s left side.

“Think about the strongest warrior you’ve seen so far. You can also think about your stronger future self.”

Raon advised her what he’d learned about his mental world and calmed her down.

“That’s already decided.”

Runaan responded decisively and stepped forward with her left foot. She closed the distance to Baphomet in an instant, as if she were folding the ground, and ferociously swung her sword.

Slash!

The energy of frost burst endlessly from Snow Flower to cut through Baphomet’s ankle.

“Kuaaah!”

Darkness flowed down from the cut on Baphomet’s ankle instead of blood.

‘That movement just now…’

The footwork looked like the Supreme Harmony Steps, while the sword technique was similar to the Crimson Slash from the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

‘Was that me?’

The image of the powerful warrior in Runaan’s mind seemed to be none other than himself.

‘But why…?’

He couldn’t understand why she was thinking about him because there were countless warriors who were more powerful than him.

He wanted to ask why, but he simply cheered for her because he didn’t want to distract her.

“You are doing great! Make it a bit faster, and a bit stronger!”

“Mhm.”

Runaan dodged Baphomet’s whip and slashed its shin with blank eyes. It looked like she had returned to her usual self.

Whaam!

Baphomet was unable to withstand the impact and collapsed on its back.

“Do it now!”

Runaan nodded and attacked Baphomet’s heart with her frost. The blade of frost rose like a spire and descended in a sweeping arc.

“Disappear!”

Baphomet made its combative energy explode, and Runaan was pushed back by its powerful wave.

Whir!

Baphomet’s size decreased rapidly. It returned to its original shape, wrinkles all over its face. It looked extremely angry.

“I’ll kill you!”

Baphomet ground its teeth and swung the whip. It was less powerful than before, but the speed was incomparably faster and a ferocious principle of martial arts was dwelling in it.

“It includes the principles of swiftness, variation, and illusion. You should be able to dodge it by focusing on the tip of the whip.”

“Alright.”

Runaan nodded and pierced into the whip covered in combative energy. She avoided the whip’s strikes raining down upon her and closed the distance towards Baphomet.

“That won’t work against me anymore!”

Baphomet stepped back, judging that Runaan’s sword was dangerous. It unleashed the whip attacks and magic one after the other to make it impossible to approach it.

Rumble!

Raon narrowed his eyes while watching the magic and combative energy rampaging around.

‘It will be disadvantageous for Runaan at this rate.’

She had already spent most of her willpower when she was trying to protect the ice house. Her focus was going to run out first if the fight dragged on.

‘In that case, I’ll help her in a different way.’

Raon put his hands around his mouth and strained his abdomen.

“You seem to be putting up a desperate struggle, but there’s no point in going out right now! Your mate is already dead!”

Raon raised his voice, saying that Syria in the outside world was already dead.

Judging from the draconian that he’d encountered last time, the monster inside the helmet and demons from Eden on the outside were capable of communicating with each other to a certain extent. That was why he was certain it was going to be effective.

“Stop lying!”

Baphomet’s attacks intensified, telling him to cut his crap. Its combative energy curved like a snake and ruthlessly destroyed the ground.

“Uhh…”

Runaan was using her footwork to the best of her ability, but she was getting less and less space to work with.

“Think about it. How would an outsider like me even be here if your mate was still outside?”

Raon sneered while stating the truth.

“I’m not lying. I killed your mate.”

“Sh-shut up!”

Baphomet’s motions became bigger, and the magic’s scale was enlarged. The attacks were extremely powerful, but an opening that didn’t exist before was created in return.

Thud!

Runaan didn’t miss that opportunity and kicked the ground. She cut through the darkness with Snow Flower clenched in her hands, stabbing Baphomet’s neck.

“Cough…”

Baphomet tried to pull out the sword and gain distance, but Runaan even bit its arm with her teeth, not letting it go.

Whaam!

The coldness emerging from Snow Flower spread under Baphomet’s neck, and its whole body started to freeze.

“H-how could I be defeated by mere humans…?”

Baphomet’s widened eyes trembled as it watched its freezing body.

‘It worked perfectly.’

Baphomet still had more willpower left than Runaan, but it couldn’t take advantage of that fact because it was shocked by Syria’s death.

Raon was glad that the mind game worked.

Slash!

Runaan bit her lip tightly and completely cut off Baphomet’s head. The monster turned into dust and disappeared as if it had never existed to begin with.

Whir!

Baphomet’s darkness that had been covering the entire world also turned into particles of darkness and faded away.

“Good job.”

Raon jumped down from Runaan’s shoulder and patted her ankle.

“……”

Runaan didn’t respond. The energy left behind after Baphomet’s death was landing on her to grant her a new power.

Raon remembered how he was enlightened after defeating Loctar, the draconian.

“That’s great.”

Raon smiled at Runaan, who was in a trance. He wanted to give her a gift for overcoming the pain, and he was glad that it went according to his plan.

Sh-she is so praiseworthy.

Wrath sniffled while watching Runaan.

Seeing that child all grown up now and overcoming her hardship fills the King of Essence with joy… Hmm?

“Hmm?”

Raon blinked while watching his hands. The energy left behind by Baphomet was landing on Raon to give him power instead of just Runaan.

Why are you even getting that?!

‘It looks like Runaan couldn’t take all of it and the leftovers are coming to me.’

He could guess that the energy that Runaan couldn’t take in was entering him. He could feel that his mental world was getting bigger and sturdier.

“This is why humans have to do good deeds—”

What about the King of Essence?!

Wrath barked at him.

The King of Essence also did a good deed! All you said to comfort Ice Cream Girl were his lines! Why are you the only one getting rewarded?!

‘Because you aren’t a human.’

You are discriminating right now!

‘You are finally getting it right. It’s not racist, because that word is usually used between human races. Discrimination is the correct word—’

Shut 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]