Chapter 690

“Huff..”

Raon breathed out roughly while looking at Glenn’s broad, straight back. He wasn’t sure why Glenn was there when he should’ve been waiting at the exit, but the violent pounding of his heart calmed down the moment he saw Glenn running towards him.

He wasn’t anxious at all even though the White Blood Religion’s leader was chasing him and he could see countless bloody demons gathering towards him. He’d felt a tingling sensation on his nose because it felt like his grandfather had come to his rescue.

“Glenn Zieghart!” The White Blood Religion’s leader curled her red lips into a deep smile while shaking her fingers that had reached the lightning energy. “Did you come here to ask to be killed? You are as impatient as always.”

Her black eyes became violently distorted. She looked afraid and exhilarated at the same time.

“You did it.” Glenn looked around at Raon instead of responding to the White Blood Religion’s leader. “I was counting on you.”

He calmly nodded while looking at Ogram, who was being carried on Raon’s back.

“My lord…” Raon’s lips trembled as he heard Glenn’s quiet voice.

Since he wasn’t expecting him to say that he’d been counting on him in the critical situation, it pulled on his heartstrings even more strongly than when he was complimented in the lord’s manor.

“Hah…” The White Blood Religion’s leader furrowed her brow, baring her white teeth. “How dare you? Where do you think you are?!”

Her hands trembled, frustrated by the fact that she was ignored by Glenn.

[Get ready to move out. We don’t have much time. The Blood Spirit Passage is rapidly closing because of the formation.]

Glenn ignored the White Blood Religion’s leader once again and sent his voice resounding in Raon’s head. It was a technique that was more sophisticated than an aura message.

“Glenn Zieghart!”

The White Blood Religion’s leader couldn’t suppress her anger anymore from being ignored twice, unleashing her bloody energy. A tremendous wave of bloody energy erupted from her white dress as it fluttered in the air.

“I’m a god in here at least, even against you!”

“You consumed Ogram’s blood.” Glenn calmly nodded even though he sensed the huge wave of energy coming from the White Blood Religion’s leader.

“Yes, it was super sweet. It didn’t taste like an old man’s blood at all.” The White Blood Religion’s leader licked her red lips with her tongue, curving them into an evil smile. “That’s why I became curious about your blood. What will it taste like?”

“Do you think you can?” Glenn laughed coldly. "Well, I suppose foolish mosquitoes keep sucking blood until they burst."

He sneered, realizing that the White Blood Religion’s leader hadn’t managed to completely absorb Ogram’s energy.

“You’re bluffing too much.” The White Blood Religion’s leader snorted, a fiendish frown on her face. “You aren’t in your usual condition right now. You should be having a hard time staying here with that senile body.”

Her lips twisted into a smile, noticing the fact that Glenn wasn’t in a good condition.

Rumble!

A pure white goddess arose from behind the White Blood Religion’s leader. It was the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish. She was engulfed in even more powerful bloody energy than during their previous encounter, and the number of her arms had increased by more than ten.

Raon assumed that the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish became more powerful according to her caster’s growth.

Whaap!

The Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish put her hands together, converting the white weapon in her hands into bloody energy. A huge amount of bloody energy was compressed, turning into a sphere of light as bright as the sun. A tremendous wave of bloody energy engulfed heaven and earth.

The White Blood Religion’s leader seemed to be trying to end the battle in a single strike.

“Kuh…”

Raon’s lips trembled. He reluctantly fell to his knees, crushed by the huge amount of bloody energy.

“I saw you came up with a new Sword Field.” Glenn calmly looked back even though the bloody sphere of light was approaching him, crushing the atmosphere in its path.

“What…?” Raon gasped upon seeing Glenn’s unwavering eyes.

“You didn’t set any limit to your sword. It was a good idea.” Glenn gave a small nod and shifted his gaze to the front. Raon felt like he was smiling for some reason.

“Watch until the end. It might be helpful for your sword.”

He calmly raised Heavenly Tremor. A crimson glow started to spread around his sword and into the pure white sky.

“Seamless Perfection, Heavenly Blade.”

Heaven and earth were split apart by a single sword. A red light spread into the white world like red ink dropping on a white canvas.

The radiant sphere of bloody energy, the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish, and even the White Blood Religion’s leader knelt under the laws of heaven’s blade.

Rumble!

The majestic sound of thunder followed the dignified red radiance.

Raon swallowed nervously, watching the twilight 

‘It’s different.’

Raon could tell thanks to the growth he’d achieved. As Wrath had told him before, Glenn’s sword had reached an even higher realm.

“Let’s go.” Glenn lowered Heavenly Tremor and turned around.

“What happened to the White Blood Religion’s leader…?” Raon gasped, seeing that everything in front of him was gone.

“She ate way too much. I made her stomach explode, but she is still alive.” He shook his head with a furrowed brow.

“I see.”

It brought a smile to Raon’s face despite the serious situation because it was his first time hearing Glenn make a joke.

Thud!

Glenn went ahead and executed the Supreme Harmony Steps after signaling with his eyes that they should return.

“You would’ve managed to escape from even the White Blood Religion’s leader if you’d mastered the Supreme Harmony Steps.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t say that to hear your apology.”

His steps followed a precise and profound flow, just like during his first lesson about the Supreme Harmony Steps. Raon felt like Glenn was teaching him once again.

As he kept running while engraving Glenn’s steps into his memory, he started to see Rimmer, Sheryl, and Roenn standing in front of the Blood Spirit Passage.

Sheryl and Roenn were fending off the endless wave of bloody demons, and Rimmer was stopping the Blood Spirit Passage from shrinking with Garunua’s wind and lightning energy.

“Why are you so late?! I thought I was going to die!” Rimmer barked while gripping the Blood Spirit Passage. “All of the damned apostles are here!”

“Who do you think you’re shouting at?!” Sheryl fended off the attack from someone who seemed to be an apostle, then she violently kicked Rimmer.

“Huhuhu.”

The sword strike unleashed by Roenn was filled with extreme bloodlust despite his gentle laughter. Once his blade reached the bloody demons, they split apart like old firewood.

Spark!

Glenn put his hand on the Blood Spirit Passage, tearing the passage wide open along with a flash of lightning. However, the white wave was trembling violently, implying that its lifespan had reached its limit.

Whaaam!

Raon could hear the White Blood Religion’s leader’s thunderous roar as she rushed toward them after she escaped from the Heavenly Blade’s assault.

“Go ahead.”

“Yes.” 

Raon was going to exit through the Blood Spirit Passage but looked back instead.

“Where do you think you are going?”

The White Blood Religion’s leader was running towards them, her body covered in white blood. She hadn’t died, just like Glenn had told him, but she seemed to have lost a significant portion of the bloody energy she’d gained from drinking Ogram’s blood.

A frightening amount of wrath could be felt from her.

‘Is that the first apostle?’

He could see a pale man moving on the right side of the White Blood Religion’s leader. He also seemed to be injured, but the energy wave emanating from him seemed as powerful as Aries’.

‘Then she is… Hmm?’

Lastly, Raon examined the bronze-skinned woman standing right next to the White Blood Religion’s leader, on the left. His eyes widened in shock.

‘What’s wrong with her…?’

Her wave of energy was fluctuating up and down between the Master and Transcender’s realm. He couldn’t understand what was happening with her power.

“Raon! What are you waiting for? Leave already!” Rimmer kicked Raon’s ass, urging him to leave.

“Ah, yes.” Raon entered the Blood Spirit Passage after leaving a trace on a white wall with the Blade of Requiem.

Spark!

After a few small lightning sparks, he could see the Chiran Tribe’s village that he’d seen before entering the Blood Spirit Passage.

Rimmer, Sheryl, and Roenn also emerged from the Blood Spirit Passage one after the other and set foot onto the ground.

“What about the head of house?”

Raon was about to ask, but the Blood Spirit Passage wavered violently, and Glenn walked out of it. The passage shrank and disappeared as soon as he emerged.

“Hmm…”

Glenn sheathed Heavenly Tremor after shaking off his slightly trembling hands. Raon couldn’t hold back his gasp because he looked like he was shaking the sand off his hands after playing at a beach instead of the White Blood Religion’s headquarters.

“My lord, are you—”

Raon was about to approach Glenn, when…

Whaam!

The half-burnt walls were destroyed, and the Beast Union’s warriors and sorcerers charged at them. The warriors who’d lost their leader had blue ghastly flames blazing in their eyes.

“It was the right decision to keep guarding this place. The criminal is bound to reappear at the scene of crime… Huh?”

The young man in a scholar’s outfit standing behind the warriors widened his eyes upon seeing Glenn.

“St-stop! Stop right now!”

The Beast Union’s warriors running towards them suddenly froze upon hearing his order.

“Greetings to the Lightning God!”

The man in a scholar outfit bowed at Glenn after running up to him as if he were folding the land in between them.

“It’s been a while, vice leader of the Beast Union.” Glenn nodded at the young man wearing a scholar’s outfit.

Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at him.

‘He’s the vice leader of the Beast Union?’

He’d heard that he was the man of wisdom who handled all of the Beast Union’s affairs instead of the Beast Union’s leader, who liked to wander around for fun.

Just like the rumors, he had a level-headed appearance, unlike the others from the Beast Union.

However, the powerful spirit of a warrior characteristic of the Beast Union could be felt from him despite his calm and level-headed appearance.

“Why are you here, Lord of Zieghart…?”

“I came to see this place because I heard that the animal was defeated by the mosquito.” Glenn pointed at Ogram, who Raon was carrying on his back, as he spoke.

“L-leader!”

“Leader!”

The Beast Union’s vice leader hurriedly ran towards Raon and caught Ogram. The warriors and sorcerers also ran up to Ogram, their shouts almost sounding like a scream.

“Bring the leader to the base! Hurry up!”

“Yes!”

The warriors ran towards the base, carefully carrying Ogram on their back as if he were a precious treasure.

“I-I’m not sure how you managed to escape with our leader, but I’d like to express my gratitude for now!” The vice leader of the union knelt in front of Glenn with trembling lips.

“That gratitude shouldn’t be directed at me. Instead…” Glenn casually raised his finger and pointed at Raon. “You should thank him.”

“What?”

“I wouldn’t even have found that boar if it weren’t for him.”

“Ah!”

The vice leader’s eyes sparkled like stars as he looked at Raon.

* * *

Beast Union

Main Base

“Greetings, our benefactor!”

The Beast Union’s vice leader and the warriors and sorcerers remaining in the main base knelt in front of Raon and pounded their chests with their fists.

“We’ll never forget this great favor, not even after our deaths!”

They were moved to tears after hearing the story of how Raon managed to rescue Ogram and even fell on their knees.

“I’m also indebted to the Beast Union’s leader.” Raon shook his hand, his face flushed red. “All I did was to repay that favor. You don’t need to do this.”

He shook his head firmly, serious about it instead of just saying it to be humble.

“I already thought you were a true warrior after hearing about you from Garona, but you are even better than I expected. I, Bellerton, am deeply impressed!”

The warrior’s salute was apparently not enough. Bellerton, the Beast Union’s vice leader, even slammed his head on the ground.

“Nah, it wasn’t a big deal.” Rimmer grinned while holding Raon’s shoulder. “But we’ll accept your gratitude if you want to express it. Let’s start with some gold—”

“Shut up.”

He was trying to draw a circle with his finger, but Sheryl slapped his hand.

“Aaack!” Rimmer screamed while clutching his arm.

“Zieghart’s name is being sullied because of you. Don’t even breathe until we finish the talk,” Sheryl snapped.

“I-I’m going to die though.”

“Just die.” Sheryl smacked Rimmer’s throat while telling him to die.

“Huhuhu.”

“Don’t just laugh! Stop her!” Rimmer rasped, coughing.

Roenn simply laughed even though Rimmer extended his hand, asking for his help.

“I’m saying this again, but I didn’t do it alone.” Raon shook his head and looked at Bellerton. “We only managed to rescue him thanks to our lord, the Heavenly Blade Division leader, and Sir Roenn.”

“Hey, what are you skipping me?!” Rimmer raised his finger, pointing at himself.

“Moreover, I’m also deeply indebted to the Beast Union’s leader. He saved me from a crisis and even taught me his martial arts. You don’t need to do this at all.”

“To be honest, we’d decided that it was impossible to save our leader anymore. We’d literally given up on it.” Bellerton sighed quietly and clenched his fist to the point of bleeding.

“However, Sir Raon didn’t give up until the end and managed to find his traces, then even went to the White Blood Religion’s headquarters. All we can do is to express our infinite gratitude.”

He lowered his head politely again. Unlike his appearance, he had a personality befitting the Beast Union, just like their leader.

“Ahem!”

Glenn’s lips trembled intensely as he watched the scene from behind. Raon waited for him to talk because he thought Glenn wanted to say something, but he never opened his mouth.

“Of course, we have no intention of concluding this with simple words. Our union will do everything…”

“Br-brother!”

As Bellerton was trying to continue after Glenn’s interruption, the door violently opened as if it were going to break, and Garona made his entrance.

His entire body was covered in bloody bandages, implying that he was seriously wounded.

“I heard that you… you saved my master! Thank you, Brother!” He walked up to him with red eyes and hugged Raon tightly.

“…You had a hard time, too.”

Raon patted Garona’s trembling shoulders. He could feel how much hardship Garona had to endure just from looking at his wounds, which were still swollen.

“Ahem!”

Glenn cleared his throat, the wrist covering his mouth trembling intensely. His eyes were trembling, but Raon couldn’t figure out the reason. He thought the day’s events had brought him a little closer to Glenn, but he suddenly felt like the distance between them was growing again.

‘Seriously, what’s going on…?’

* * *

Raon chuckled while looking up at the twilight sky, which was slowly getting brighter.

‘I didn’t know that being thanked could be so painful.’

It was a huge ruckus the whole time because all of the warriors and sorcerers from the Beast Union came to see him, expressing their gratitude. Their voices were way too loud, and he thought his eardrums were going to burst.

‘But… it feels nice, at least.’

Rather than their gratitude or compliments, he was the most glad about the fact that he’d managed to rescue Ogram, who was pretty much his benefactor.

As Raon was enjoying the sense of fulfillment welling up in his heart, Glenn’s footsteps could be heard from behind him.

“My lord.” Raon turned around and was going to lower his head, but Glenn casually shook his hand.

“Did you get any injuries?” Glenn asked.

“I have an internal injury, but it’s not anything serious.”

It was actually a rather serious injury, but he simply shook his head so that Glenn wouldn’t be worried about him.

“I see.” Glenn must’ve figured out his thoughts. Instead of prying any further, he came up next to him and raised his gaze. “We managed to rescue Ogram, but the broken balance can’t be restored.”

He narrowed his eyes while looking at the twilight sky, which was glowing a faint purple.

“The White Blood Religion’s leader absorbs the warrior’s lifeforce and might itself instead of simply consuming their aura. Even if Ogram manages to wake up, he won’t be able to regain his original abilities.” Glenn sighed in regret.

“I see…” Raon calmly nodded, somewhat expecting that to happen.

“That’s why I have a question for you,” Glenn stated.

“I’m listening.”

“The duel to the death.”

Glenn’s red eyes darkened with a quiet depth.

“Your duel to the death against the Axe King is pretty much a bomb now, one with an imminent explosion. Even if you manage to win, your life could be endangered, and the other Five Demons might interfere.”

The impatience in his voice implied that he thought about Raon’s duel to the death before anything else.

“Yes, I’m aware.” Raon calmly lowered his head because he’d already thought about it on the way to the Beast Union.

“So, what do you want to do?” Glenn shifted his gaze, asking for Raon’s intentions instead of giving him an order.

Raon didn’t respond right away. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. His lips finally twitched.

“I…”

***

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

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Harley]