Chapter 735

Raon emerged from the dimensional gate, taking in the view of the azure southern sea.

‘We really arrived in an instant.’

The dimensional gate, as Chamber and Larian had assured him, opened without any delay, arriving directly at House Robert. They really weren't monsters who had transcended through magic for nothing.

“Hah…”

Raon exhaled slowly and turned his gaze to the right. A mansion so grand it could be mistaken for a royal palace stood with its back to the sea.

‘It's been a while since I saw this damn house head-on.’

It had been a long time since he had faced House Robert—not since he came to steal the treasures of the underwater dungeon. But nothing seemed to have changed. The most powerful force in the south stood proudly as if nothing had happened. Raon extended a thin layer of his senses toward House Robert.

‘As expected, he's not here...’

He scanned the direction of House Robert’s main building but couldn’t sense Derus’s presence. Since Glenn was also quiet, it seemed that the bastard wasn’t here.

‘Well, if he's not a fool, he wouldn't have run here.’

Both Derus and Uriel were injured by Wrath’s anger, so they must be hiding somewhere no one could find them.

‘However...’

No matter how well he prepared, he couldn’t have evacuated all his subordinates from here.

Right now, House Robert is full of assassins who know Derus's true identity. We have to deal with them quickly so they can't escape and become Derus's force.

As Raon flexed his hands, recalling the layout of House Robert, Glenn approached the walls of Robert’s fortress. The sky split with a thunderous roar as Glenn raised the Heavenly Tremor.

The lightning bolt imbued with the power of the Azure Sky Sword mercilessly tore through House Robert’s protective barrier, which was said to repel even transcendent attacks.

Glenn’s lightning bolt had enough power remaining after piercing the barrier to destroy half the gate and walls of House Robert. It was absolute power that could demolish a fortress in one blow. Glenn’s sword had already transcended human limits.

“It might not be enough, but…”

As King Lecross’s silent sword tilted diagonally, the remaining half of the walls crumbled like a sandcastle. The faces of House Robert’s swordsmen turned pale as they lost their walls in an instant.

“Now it’s our turn!”

As Chamber chewed the candy in her mouth and began a high-speed incantation, a massive magic circle appeared over House Robert and the sea behind it. It was the magic circle that blocked spatial movement, which she had displayed at the Beast Union.

“Hmm…”

Larian nodded and twirled her fingers as if she were playing with string. Shadow attribute threads fell like rain, completely enveloping House Robert’s main building. It looked like a spider wrapping its prey in a web.

“Aaah…”

Dorian sat in place, his jaw trembling.

“So this is the power of transcendents. And the superior transcendents at that…”

Burren swallowed, his face filled with awe.

“…I want to catch up.”

Runaan bit his lip, showing a rare display of sincerity. He didn’t even blink, as if he were trying to engrave Glenn and Lecross’s swordsmanship in his memory.

“It’s not about wanting to catch up, we have to catch up!”

Martha frowned, clenching her fists tightly. She also fixed her gaze, her bloodshot eyes straining to remember the martial prowess of transcendents.

“W-What does this mean!”

A middle-aged man with a gray beard emerged from behind the collapsed walls, his legs trembling. It was Malein, Robert’s external commander.

“S-Suddenly, destroying our walls—even if you are the Six Kings of the sky—this is going too far!”

Even though his voice cracked with fear, he delivered his speech to the end.

“If you have something to say, walk through this gate yourself!”

“Open it!”

Malein pointed toward where the gate used to be and slammed his fist on the ground. He was the picture of a true martial artist, showing dignity and courage even in front of the Six Kings’ leaders. Raon chuckled as he watched Malein stand proudly before them.

‘He’s a top-notch actor.’

Derus had dragged most of House Robert’s executives into the blood-soaked darkness. Malein, the external commander who oversaw all external affairs, was naturally part of the shadow.

“Where is the Head of House who attended the Six Kings Conference, and why are you attacking us? Speak!”

Malein continued speaking to the end, even as his shoulders trembled from Glenn’s aura. The martial artists of the fortress also seemed inspired by Malein, gripping their swords tightly.

“Correct. You deserve to know the reason.”

Chamber nodded and raised her hand, causing a huge blue spear to appear in the sky. The blue spear vibrated slightly and then began to replay the scene where Derus’s identity was revealed in the arena.

Chamber expanded the magic to project it into the sky so that even those inside the inner fortress could see it. She seemed to have prepared this recording magic from the beginning.

“Ah…”

“H-Head of House…”

A moment later, when Derus’s identity was revealed and Lephon was shown to be not a real human but an Archangel, the expressions of the martial artists of the outer fortress turned as pale as if their souls had left their bodies.

“…Is that really true?”

“To think that the Head of House was the swordsman wearing the blue dragon helmet…”

“I don’t believe it! There’s no way the Head of House would do that!”

“That’s right. It must be a lie. Magic can be manipulated, right?”

“Where is the Head of House! Bring him here right now!”

The swordsmen of the outer fortress showed fierce gazes, saying they absolutely couldn’t believe it. Malein bit his lip and turned his gaze back.

“Lord Rebel.”

With his call, a young mage in a black robe stepped forward.

“Yes, Sir Malein.”

“Was there any manipulation in that video?”

“Transcendent mages can control mana at will. It’s beyond my ability to discern.”

The mage named Rebel bowed his head, subtly implying that it could be manipulated.

“I…”

Malein gritted his teeth and looked up.

“I believe in the Head of House I have seen!”

He raised his sword, indicating that he would fight to the end.

“Block the enemies even in death!”

With Malein’s shout, the outer fortress martial artists formed a solid sword formation with their auras, blocking the Six Kings’ path.

“They’re still stubborn even after we showed them.”

Chamber shook her head as if she were exasperated.

“Attack. You can kill those who resist.”

As Glenn pointed his Heavenly Tremor at House Robert, the Heavenly Sword Division and the Light Wind Division advanced, raising a sandstorm. Owen’s knights charged on horseback, as if to completely repel the swordsmen of Robert’s sword formation.

Balkar and the Magic Tower mages deployed several magic circles, simultaneously using attack and support magic.

As the martial artists of the Six Kings and the swordsmen of House Robert clashed, shockwaves emerged from all directions, shaking the earth. Although the swordsmen defending House Robert were certainly strong, they were outnumbered and their morale was low, so their sword formation was shattered and repelled in a short time.

Raon twisted his lips into a grimace as he watched the fallen swordsmen of House Robert.

‘They’re fast, aren’t they?’

Malein and Rebel, who had incited the outer fortress martial artists, were no longer there. They were nowhere to be seen. It seemed that they had really gone out to buy time.

–Abandoning their subordinates and fleeing!

Wrath’s face turned red with anger.

–They must not be left alive!

He waved his fists wildly, urging to immediately pursue them.

‘Don’t worry. I know where they went.’

Raon gave Glenn a glance, indicating that he would take care of it personally, and then headed toward the outskirts of House Robert.

“Damn it! It’s impossible to buy time with just those guys!”

Malein shook his head, gritting his teeth. Even if the outer fortress martial artists were strong, they were facing all the Six Kings. It was impossible to buy time in this situation.

“If we stay here, we’ll die too. We should move somewhere, anywhere.”

Rebel exhaled softly, looking back.

“That thing is blocking teleportation magic!”

Malein frowned, looking at Chamber’s magic circle drawn in the sky.

“We should go to the sea. If we move underwater, we won’t be detected.”

Rebel suggested escaping using breathing magic as he nervously scanned the surroundings.

“Where are Lord Beorn and Lord Bardiel?”

Malein narrowed his eyes, looking at the buildings near the main building.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen them since they gave the order to buy time…”

Rebel lowered his eyes, saying he only saw them when he received the mission.

“Surely they haven’t escaped without us…”

Just as Malein was turning to the side with a frown, he and Rebel rolled on the ground as if they had tripped over a stone.

“W-What…”

“Why suddenly… eh?”

The two men’s jaws trembled as they tried to get up, cursing. Four legs had fallen where they had just tripped.

“L-Legs…?”

“Aaaaargh!”

Malein and Rebel let out terrified screams as they saw that their own lower bodies were severed without feeling. With a thin slicing sound, Raon descended in front of Malein and Rebel, holding the Heavenly Drive without a drop of blood on it.

“Y-You…”

“Raon Zieghart…?”

Malein and Rebel’s eyes trembled as they realized who had cut off their legs.

“You’ve become much weaker, Malein.”

Raon dropped the Heavenly Drive and struck Malein and Rebel’s chests with the palms of his hands, stunning the Worms of Wrath that would be embedded in their hearts.

“Kuhak!”

“Kheuk…”

Malein and Rebel coughed up blood and slammed their heads against the ground.

“R-Raon Zieghart. Why are you here…”

“So Beorn, who stabbed me, was also Derus’s subordinate. There’s nowhere I haven’t reached.”

Raon scoffed as he plunged the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem into Malein and Rebel’s collarbones.

“Kyaaaaargh!”

“Kuheeeok!”

Malein and Rebel screamed as if their throats were being torn apart, unable to bear the pain as heat and cold were injected into them.

“Where is Derus?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Malein shook his head, saying he hadn’t seen Derus since he left for the conference.

“Then who gave you the order to buy time?”

“B-Beorn and Bardiel…”

Rebel exhaled as if he were about to die, mentioning the names of Beorn and Bardiel.

“Beorn and Bardiel.”

These were names I hadn’t encountered in my past life. It seemed that these two were Derus’s trusted subordinates who had stayed here.

“What do they look like?”

“That…”

“Speak.”

Raon crushed Malein’s collarbone while simultaneously injecting the heat of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold of the Glacier.

“Kyaaaaargh! I-I’ll talk! Beorn has red hair…”

Malein, as if he had been waiting for this, began to describe the appearance of Beorn and Bardiel. After hearing the descriptions of Beorn and Bardiel, Raon beheaded Malein and Rebel.

“Uheok…”

“Kkeuk!”

Those who had abandoned their subordinates and fled sank into the ground after experiencing only intense pain.

–Aren’t you going to extract more information?

‘These guys don’t know anything anyway.’

Since they had received orders to buy time from Derus’s trusted subordinates rather than Derus himself, these men were expendable. Keeping them around any longer would be a waste of time. Raon bit his lip as he surveyed all of House Robert, now enveloped in black smoke.

‘I need to move faster.’

He didn’t want to leave even a shred of strength here for Derus. He needed to move as quickly as possible to deal with the remaining shadow assassins in his memory.

‘Derus Robert.’

Raon began walking toward the main building, unleashing the murderous intent he had been hiding.

‘I will destroy everything you have built.’

His steps began to devour everything like flames. After assassinating the remaining shadow executives in the main building, Raon headed toward Mount Lushain, built on the western side of House Robert. He moved aside a rock that one would naturally overlook, captivated by the magnificent scenery, and examined it underneath.

‘They’ve blocked it.’

The underground cavern used to cultivate shadows had been blocked. However, it seemed that they hadn’t demolished it but had blocked it with soil.

‘This means there could be something inside.’

Raon carefully dug up the soil and entered. Fortunately, they hadn’t filled the entire interior with soil, so he was able to step on the stairs after not too long. After descending the number of steps he remembered, he felt the dull ground beneath his feet.

‘It feels strange without them here.’

The underground cavern, which should have been full of shadow assassins, was empty, and the lighting that used to cause insomnia by being on 24/7 was nowhere to be seen. It felt as if the memories of his past life were being distorted.

‘No, that can’t be.’

Raon smiled slightly in the perfect darkness, recalling old memories. Although the cavern’s appearance had changed, the soul that had wept here was still suffering.

–What is this place?

Wrath frowned, saying that there was tremendous anger permeating this place.

‘Hell.’

Raon twisted his lips into a smile as he stepped on the sticky ground covered in dried blood.

‘The hell of the human world.’

As the smell of blood clinging to the space itself tickled his nose, the memories of his past life emerged one by one. The moment he vomited blood while being brainwashed and tortured after being kidnapped, the moment he fled from the beasts while eating herbs, and the moment he killed the only friend he had shared his heart with with his own hands—all came back vividly.

–What the hell did you go through…?

Wrath exhaled vacantly, wondering how a human could harbor so much anger.

–Control this. Right now, inside here…

‘Yes. There’s an enemy.’

Raon nodded, saying that he already knew.

‘I felt it as soon as I entered.’

In the deep darkness where even a step forward wasn’t visible, a shadow-shrouded assassin was hiding. He was such a skilled master that even the keenest senses couldn’t detect him.

‘This one isn’t expendable.’

Not even Derus would abandon someone of this caliber. Since they were in the sealed cavern, they must know something.

–Do you also know his identity?

‘Probably.’

He nodded calmly. It must be the Phantom King, the worst assassin who was said to rival the King Slayer—the master of Martio and Lisboa who created this space and kidnapped me.

‘Now…’

Raon placed his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Drive as he looked at the rippling darkness.

‘I think I can cut down even the Phantom King.’

***

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

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – MurimTang]

[Proofreader – Mayank]