Chapter 632

Delpros was watching the crystal ball showing Raon and started to furrow his brow.

“Is he even taking the phoenix with him now?”

“I-it looks like it.”

The Shadowed Serpent Division leader also rubbed his temples, showing his surprise at the fact that Raon was forcing the phoenix to come with him.

“Haa, he is seriously too much for me to handle.”

Delpros let out a deep sigh. Forcing the gatekeeper to come with him was so ridiculous that even that person hadn’t considered it.

“…You’re done with the preparations, right?”

He shifted his gaze towards the Shadowed Serpent Division leader, irritation resting on his brows.

“Of course.” The Shadowed Serpent Division leader nodded confidently. “Regardless of where they decide to advance, they are going to encounter a wave of formations, traps, and monsters.”

“Alright, they shouldn't be able to get out of there this time easily.” Delpros nodded while looking at the crystal ball again.

He wasn’t planning on getting Raon killed in the labyrinth. Since the other floors were just an appetizer for the last floor, eating away his stamina and aura was enough for the moment.

“What an idiot,” Delpros snorted while watching Raon, who was trying to jump over the labyrinth wall.

It was a wall of will that even Transcenders might not be able to destroy. Watching his useless struggle eased his irritation slightly. “They’re finally getting started. I wonder what kind of expression he is going to make… Hmm?”

Delpros’s lips started to tremble as he watched Raon inside the crystal ball.

“Wh-what the hell is that now…?”

Raon Zieghart suddenly placed his hand on the wall instead of trying to advance into the labyrinth.

Delpros quietly watched him because he was curious about what he was planning. A mysterious emblem suddenly appeared on the wall, and a flaming door opened up. However, there wasn’t only one door. A passage with a similar appearance opened up on the wall at the end of the third floor’s labyrinth.

That implied that the flaming passage Raon had opened up was connected to the end of the labyrinth.

“What the hell is that?!”

“I-I’m not too sure either.”

The Shadowed Serpent Division leader’s teeth chattered, answering that he had never seen a passage like that.

“Don’t tell me…” Delpros clenched his fist while looking at Caiyan the phoenix, who was captured by Raon. “Did that stupid phoenix teach him the hidden passage?”

When they’d defeated the phoenix and manipulated its mind, the phoenix had told them about the existence of a dimensional door that allowed them to pass through the labyrinth.

Raon must’ve opened the dimensional door in question.

“Even that person couldn’t do it, though…”

Derus Robert had opened a similar door before, but he couldn’t reach the end of the labyrinth at once. He could reach the end by repeating it three times, but Raon’s passage reached all the way to the end with only one usage. It was an unbelievable sight, one that couldn’t be happening.

“Stop them.”

“What?”

“Stop them!”

Delpros lifted his fist and slammed the table with a teacup on top of it. Once his fist struck the white table, it crumbled into pieces as if it had never existed.

‘We can never let him go.’

If Raon managed to escape, all of the traps and monsters they’d prepared would be rendered useless. It was a huge loss that he didn’t even want to imagine.

“I-it’s not working.”

The Shadowed Serpent Division leader manipulated mana with his fingers and shook his head.

“I’ve been trying to stop him ever since that passage first appeared, but my manipulation ability isn’t working against it. It’s probably…”

He lowered his gaze while biting his lip.

“The unique ability of the creator of this place.”

“How can he use that…?”

Delpros clenched his fist hard enough to make a cracking sound. Raon wasn’t even aware of the grave’s existence before the incident. He couldn’t understand how Raon managed to open that passage.

“Are there any of the Five Demons currently in the labyrinth?”

“The Snow Wraith Duchess is nearby. She seemed to be exploring the labyrinth on her own accord because she didn’t go down even though she had the chance.”

“Send her that way.”

“What?”

The Shadowed Serpent Division leader widened his eyes in surprise.

“But Raon Zieghart is going to die if he encounters the Snow Wraith Duchess.”

Unlike Raon, the Snow Wraith Duchess had been famous as an extremely famous warrior for a long time. Even though Raon Zieghart had become a Grandmaster, it was impossible for him to win against the Snow Wraith Duchess in his state.

“It would be even more problematic if he goes out of our control even further.” Delpros shook his head with a frown on his face. “We can just tamper with the corpse. It’s fully possible if it’s just him.”

“…U-understood.”

“And…” He caught his breath and raised his finger. “Prepare the fourth floor in advance.”

Delpros bit his lip, his face twisted like an evil fiend.

“Make sure he won’t be able to survive!”

* * *

Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the demonized humans standing behind the Snow Wraith Duchess.

‘They’ve gotten stronger.’

The wave of energy emanating from them was fiercer than when they were outside. He could guess that the demonized humans had also gotten stronger as they passed through the first and second floors.

“What? They are the Black Tower’s bastards.”

Martha emerged from the flaming passage and snorted at the Black Tower’s demonized humans.

“The trash came to us on their own.” She turned her wrist, releasing her fiery pressure.

“We’re lucky.” Burren was also glad at the encounter and curled his lips into a smile.

“Test subject.” Runaan nodded with blank eyes, showing that she wanted to test out her improvement after passing through the first and second floors.

“That’s nothing compared to the phoenix.”

“I still can’t forget about the incident with Orgos.”

“Their existence itself is a pest to the world, so no one would blame us for getting rid of them.”

The Light Wind Division was also fully confident as they glared at the Black Tower’s demonized humans. Many swordsmen craved revenge, thinking about the incident with the Demonic Monarch of the Azure Flame.

“You arrogant bastards!”

“How dare you, little brats?”

“Please give us the order! We will pull their heads off right away!”

The Black Tower’s demonized humans were enraged by the Light Wind Division’s confidence, lowering their heads at the Snow Wraith Duchess, asking for her order.

“Hah! Do they take after their master? What an arrogant pack of dogs.” The Snow Wraith Duchess snorted at their ridiculous behavior.

“They wouldn’t be mad dogs if they remained still in the face of their food.” Raon raised his finger, madness brushing past his eyes.

“Mad Dog Division.”

He twisted his lips while pointing at the demonized humans standing behind the Snow Wraith Duchess.

“Bite.”

“At your command!”

The Light Wind Division unsheathed their swords and charged toward the demonized humans. Madness similar to Raon’s was emerging from their eyes.

“Wait! We aren’t mad dogs… Sir!”

“Please stop calling us dogs!”

“I like puppies.”

Martha, Burren, and Runaan commented as they executed their footwork.

Wham!

Martha’s powerful sword strike destroyed the wall of demonic energy created by the demonized humans.

Burren’s precise and sharp blade didn’t miss the opportunity and beheaded the demonized humans.

Runaan walked between Martha and Burren and thrust Snow Flower. The frost dwelling at the tip of her blade fluttered around like cherry blossoms, cutting through the demonized humans’ vitals.

“Let’s go!”

The Light Wind division advanced through the path that the three team leaders had created and clashed their swords against the demonized humans from the front.

Whaam!

Dozens of people’s auras and demonic energies exploded at once, causing the sand on the labyrinth’s floor to burst out like a storm.

“Kuh…”

“Wh-what’s wrong with them?!”

“I heard they’ve barely reached adulthood, so how…?”

As the sandstorm subsided, it was revealed that the demonized humans were being pushed back.

The Light Wind Division was concentrating their auras as if they were a single swordsman to crush the demonic energy of the demonized humans. Their pressure was already on a whole different level.

“All of you are lacking in cuteness.”

Even though the demonized humans were dying, the Snow Wraith Duchess didn’t mind them at all and simply nodded her head.

“I’ll show you the difference in power. Come at me, both of you.”

She bobbed her finger at Raon and Rimmer.

“Can you deal with us?”

Rimmer chuckled while glancing at Raon.

“Sure, since it’s just a one-armed elf and a brat.” The Snow Wraith Duchess confidently nodded her head.

“You shouldn’t underestimate him just because he looks young.” Rimmer smiled faintly with his arms crossed. “That old monster reached the Grandmaster’s realm before you were even born, so she is indeed entitled to say that. If you looked at her true face, you’d find a grandmother covered with wrinkles…”

“Shut up!”

The Snow Wraith Duchess raised her finger while glaring at Rimmer. It looked like she was getting angry at being called a grandmother more than anything else.

“I have some bad memories with the Black Tower.” Raon lowered Heavenly Drive and looked down upon the Snow Wraith Duchess. “You should consider yourself unlucky.”

“I told you to shut up!” the Snow Wraith Duchess yelled furiously and stomped the ground.

Wham!

Raon immediately executed the Supreme Harmony Steps without any preparation, taking advantage of the Snow Wraith Duchess’s irritation. He made his aura explode from the toes on his left foot as he took the second step.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he was moving at an extreme speed. He felt like the edges of his vision were turning dark.

“What an idiot.”

He was about to execute the Crimson Slash after approaching her, but her lips curled into a deep smile.

The Snow Wraith Duchess extended her left hand. Her anger had subsided as if she had never been irritated. The dark frost concentrating around her hand was fired like a dagger throw. Her counterattack was almost perfect.

Raon bit his lip weakly while watching the Snow Wraith Duchess’s demonic energy rushing towards his heart.

‘I was wondering, but it was indeed the case.’

Since the opponent was a Grandmaster, and had been famous as an extremely powerful warrior for a long time on top, he’d thought that her irritation was a trap by itself and he’d guessed it right.

Tap!

The moment before the Snow Wraith Duchess’s frost pierced into his heart, Raon switched the Supreme Harmony’s Second Step to the third step.

The speed changed to softness. His body slipped as if the strength had drained out of it and dodged the Snow Wraith Duchess’s attack with a paper-thin difference.

“What?!”

The Snow Wraith Duchess’s eyes widened, surprised at how fast he’d switched his footwork.

‘This one is genuine.’

Unlike her angry appearance, her surprise was her genuine emotion.

Raon closed the distance from the left side to take advantage of that small opening caused by her surprise. He’d pulled Heavenly Drive back to the right in advance, and he thrust it like an awl.

Slash!

The edge emanating a red radiance brushed past the Snow Wraith Duchess’s shoulder.

“Tsk.”

Raon clicked his tongue while stepping back. He was going for her neck, but she’d managed to turn around in that split second and dodged the trajectory, as expected of a Grandmaster.

“You bastard…”

The Snow Wraith Duchess furrowed her brow while looking at the wound on her shoulder. She unleashed her demonic energy, and the blood stopped gushing from her shoulder. The wound disappeared as if the time had been reversed. Her regeneration had surpassed the human realm.

“You are worse than the rumors. Your will is weak, and your aura is ordinary.”

“Say that again after removing that frown from your face.” Raon smiled faintly while looking at the Snow Wraith Duchess’s face, which was distorted like a grotesque monster. “Your wrinkles are showing.”

“Shut up!”

The Snow Wraith Duchess shouted and extended her hand. The black coldness spread from hand in all directions, as if she’d summoned the night.

Crack!

The Snow Wraith Duchess’s demonic energy started to dominate the space in the blink of an eye.

Raon spread the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s fire, but the coldness wasn’t easily melted. It was a tremendous amount and density of demonic energy.

“Wa-wait!”

“Sa-save us!”

The demonized humans’ legs started to freeze into black ice upon being exposed to the Snow Wraith Duchess’s frost. They shouted at her to save them, but she didn’t even take a glance at them as she unleashed a frost even more powerful and darker than before.

Raon withdrew to a corner while attracting her attention to prevent it from affecting the Light Wind Division. He spread the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to block the advance of the Snow Wraith Duchess’s frost, which was freezing the floor and the walls.

“It’s pointless. Forget flames, not even ice can stop my frost.”

As she said, even the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s flame was unable to melt her demonic energy.

‘Now that I think about it…’

He remembered the scene he’d witnessed in the desert and forest before entering the grave. Her dark frost remained even when it was surrounded by powerful flame and lightning energy.

“I knew you were going to head to a corner.”

“What?”

“You won’t be able to dodge anymore. All you can do is kneel in front of me!”

The Snow Wraith Duchess opened her hand the moment she saw that Raon was cornered.

The frost engulfing the surrounding area was activated at once, forming a huge tidal wave. She seemed to be planning to finish the fight with a single move by unleashing all of the frost she’d been focusing at once.

Raon’s eyes became serious as he looked at the wave of demonic energy rushing towards him.

‘Now is the time.’

He was already aware that she was going to attack like that the moment she spread her frost to the surrounding area. The certain-kill technique must’ve never failed her, but her faith was going to be the reason for her demise.

Raon didn’t withdraw. He advanced toward the wave of frost instead while pulling Heavenly Drive behind his shoulder.

“What are you doing? You won’t reach me from there!”

Raon unleashed Glacier’s frost, engulfed by his will, while listening to the Snow Wraith Duchess’s mockery.

‘The blade under the dusky twilight shall not waver, even in the face of the surging waves.’

Murmuring a line of precept to himself, Raon thrust Heavenly Drive.

Heavenly Drive’s blade flickered in a blue light, pierced through the wave of frost unleashed by the Snow Wraith Duchess, and severed the silver space.

Craack!

Not even the smallest hole was made on the wave of frost that was about to reach the labyrinth wall.

However, a dark hole was made in the left side of the Snow Wraith Duchess’s chest where she was standing behind it.

“Cough…”

The Snow Wraith Duchess sank to the ground while coughing up blood. She tried to cover the hole in her chest with her demonic energy, but the black hole couldn’t be covered up, as if it were ignoring her demonic energy.

“Wh-why…?”

“You told me. Your frost is different from mine.”

Raon shook his head while looking at the Snow Wraith Duchess.

“Rather than a difference in power, it’s more like the phenomenon where water doesn’t mix with oil. Since my frost is engraved in your chest, isn’t it obvious that your demonic energy can’t stop it?”

The Snow Wraith Duchess had declared that frost and flame couldn’t stop her demonic energy.

If his frost didn’t work against hers, that implied that her frost wouldn’t work against his either. It could be said that they were countering each other.

“Ah…”

The Snow Wraith Duchess finally realized what was happening with trembling lips.

“The disaster was brought by your own mouth.”

Raon walked up to the Snow Wraith Duchess while twirling Heavenly Drive.

“W-wait! I wasn’t even going all out! It’s not over yet!”

As she said, her previous attack wasn’t her full power. Raon would’ve needed to use the Sword Field Creation to win in an all-out battle.

He would've achieved more growth if she’d gone all out, but it was more important to save as much power as possible for the time being since he didn’t know what Derus was planning yet.

“Only idiots give their opponents time.”

Raon sneered just like the Snow Wraith Duchess had done in the beginning and immediately swung Heavenly Drive.

Whaaam!

The golden holy light devoured the black demonic energy and incinerated the Snow Wraith Duchess’s body.

“K-kill! I’ll kill you! I’m never going to forgive you!”

“Sure, do it if you can.”

Raon snorted and beheaded the Snow Wraith Duchess.

Crack!

She couldn’t even close her eyes as the light disappeared from them, unable to believe that she was dying.

Raon raised his gaze after he finished the Snow Wraith Duchess off.

“H-how come he’s killing a Grandmaster so quickly…?”

“Is this even possible?”

“It wasn’t an ordinary demonized human. It was the Snow Wraith Duchess…”

The Light Wind Division and the demonized humans had stopped fighting at some point and were all staring at him.

The demonized humans had dropped their jaws in astonishment, unable to say anything.

“We’re going to train here before we continue if you don’t finish them off in five minutes.”

Raon bobbed his finger. Madness reappeared from the Light Wind division’s calm gazes.

“K-kill them!”

“Trample them all!”

“Fuck them up!”

Raon closed his eyes while listening to the refreshing sound of the Light Wind Division’s strikes.

‘I’ve gotten a bit closer.’

Creating a line of precept had allowed him to take another step towards the strike that allowed him to break through the space while ignoring defense.

‘It wasn’t intentional, but I ended up getting some help.’

Raon chuckled while looking at the labyrinth ceiling.

‘You must be there.’

It couldn’t be a coincidence that the Snow Wraith Duchess appeared as soon as he reached the end of the labyrinth. It was definitely set up by Derus’s subordinates.

‘Wait right there. I’ll ruin it all, regardless of what you’re trying.’

***

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]