Chapter 445

Raon's right hand touching the ice started to tremble.

'I can hear it.'

The demonic energy from the frozen surface was opened up by the divinity and the sound inside the boundary could be heard.

It was the sound of clashing weapons, the terrified screams of people, and the sound of something collapsing on the ground.

'They were here all along.'

He could ascertain it. The Warring Steel division was fighting against the Black Tower's demonized humans inside the boundary connected to the ice he was standing on.

'How did they create another space through the small rift on the ice?'

They used the mirror.

Wrath clicked his tongue while staring at the ice.

'Mirror?'

Humans have always been afraid of mirrors in history. They are afraid that their other self living inside the mirror might end up coming out, and countless sorceries and curses have been created to take advantage of that fear.

Raon looked at the ice while listening to him. The color was slightly dark, but his face was perfectly reflected like a mirror, to the point that it felt mysterious.

'Does that mean that the Black Tower's villains created a boundary by using this ice like a mirror?'

Indeed. They cast a hex to drag people to the other side of the mirror with this ice. It's similar to how you create a field with your sword. The humans you are looking for should be in the world on the other side of the ice.

It was rare for Wrath to answer him so honestly. He must've understood how pressing the situation was.

'So it was the Frozen Scent's sorcery…'

The Black Tower's floor overseer, Frozen Scent had perfect control of coldness. She must've been the one who created the boundary with the frozen surface.

Raon bit his lip while listening to the continued sound of battle and screams.

'They lasted so long…'

He'd thought that it was already too late for the rescue when he couldn't find anything in the village, but the Warring Steel division was actually still putting up a fight.

"Raon?"

"What's the matter?"

"Did something happen?"

The Light Wind swordsmen looked at him worriedly upon noticing the drastic change in his expression.

"I found them."

Raon pointed under the frozen surface with his finger.

"The Warring Steel division is currently fighting inside that ice."

He briefly explained his findings to the Light Wind swordsmen.

"Th-they are under the ice?"

"Oh my god…"

"They've been fighting all along inside the enemy's boundary…"

"Yes. They are amazing, however…"

Raon narrowed his eyes while examining the demonic energy inside the ice.

'They most likely kept them alive on purpose.'

It would've been a different story if only one among the Demon Ring and the Frozen Scent were after them, but it was impossible for the Warring Steel division to survive that long when both of them were attacking them and even lured them into a boundary.

He could guess that the Black Tower must've had another objective inside the boundary.

'Are they trying to bait us? No, that shouldn't be the case.'

He thought for a moment that they might be trying to lure himself and the Light Wind division by using the Warring Steel division as bait, but the boundary should've been easier to find if that was the case.

Considering how complicated the boundary was, they must've had another goal in mind that required them to be hiding.

'Regardless of the case, I need to destroy that boundary as fast as possible… But how?'

He managed to discover the presence of the boundary, but he couldn't come up with any method to open it up.

'I guess I have no other choice.'

Wrath was blankly floating in the air, and Raon tapped on his shoulder.

What?

'How can we enter that boundary?'

How is the King of Essence supposed to know that?

'Weren't you well versed in dimensions created like this?'

He told you before, but the King of Essence doesn't know anything complicated.

Wrath shook his head, saying that he didn't know how to open or close a boundary.

Just break and destroy, and it will be distorted and open up on its own.

He sneered, saying that Raon should get stronger already since power was enough to open a mere boundary regardless of affinity or whatever.

'Power is enough, you say…'

It was impossible in his current state to force himself into the barrier.

However, he managed to get a hint from what Wrath had just said.

'I don't have enough power, but I have affinity.'

He wasn't strong enough to destroy a demonized human's barrier, but he had the divinity to create a distortion into the demonic space.

'This isn't time to be saving up for later.'

He could continuously hear the sound from inside the barrier, probably because he'd managed to hear it once. The sounds of screams and collapsing corpses could be heard nonstop.

He didn't have any time or divinity to waste. It was necessary to get it done right away.

Raon pointed at the frozen surface while looking back to the Light Wind swordsmen.

"Gather, everyone."

"Yes!"

Since the Light Wind swordsmen were fully aware of how serious the situation was, they lined up per team as soon as they were ordered.

"I'm going to distort the boundary now. Move right away, since I won't be able to do it for long."

"Mhm."

"I don't understand what you are saying, but sure."

"You must've finally found a way."

Burren, Martha, and Runaan simply nodded without even asking any questions. It was an expression of their trust in him. The other swordsmen also finished their preparations and were holding their swords.

'They are so reliable.'

While enjoying the Light Wind division's bond, which was completely different from the White Lotus division, he placed his hand on the ice and activated the Divinity Blooming from the Underworld.

Whir!

He ground the divinity into small pieces and shoved it into the ice.

He didn't miss the moment when the demonic energy was distorted from the pain and poured all his remaining divinity from his energy center.

Crack!

It felt like night had suddenly fallen in the frozen lake. The frozen surface turned dark and fissures appeared like a spider web.

Demonic energy violently gushed out from the crack on the ice, and the boundary dyed in black was forced open.

He'd unfortunately failed to destroy the boundary itself but had managed to pry it open.

"Ah…"

The Sickle of the Bloody Cloud faintly groaned while watching that scene.

"D-did he just pry open a boundary of demonic energy?"

His chin trembled as he watched the gap on the boundary. He must've already noticed that there was a boundary of demonic energy.

"How is this happening…?"

"I'll decide what to do with you after this is over."

He incapacitated the Sickle of the Bloody Cloud and the White Whale's warriors so they wouldn't be able to move around before he turned around.

The Light Wind swordsmen quietly nodded to show that they were ready.

"Let's go."

Raon unleashed the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to the highest output. He jumped into the boundary's gap alongside the crimson flame burning the darkness.

"It's our turn to repay the favor."

"Huff…"

The Warring Steel division leader, Trevin, exhaled roughly while grasping his chest. He wanted to bite his lip to endure the pain from his internal injury, but there was nowhere left to bite because his lips were already in tatters.

'I'm really going to die at this rate.'

He'd always thought, ever since his childhood, that he wanted his death to be on a battlefield—but he didn't want a battlefield like the one he was in.

It wasn't a battlefield of warriors who were fighting with their beliefs and power, it was a scene of carnage.

"Huff."

Trevin slowly raised his gaze. He could see the Black Tower's demonized humans and the kidnapped people above the red pool of blood.

Pssh!

The sound of wind could be heard, and the old man at the front dropped his head. A black current of air appeared from the corpse that was deprived of life and soared towards the ceiling of the boundary.

Whir!

The cluster of demonic energy wavering at the ceiling turned even darker.

"Next."

The young man who was behind the old man was dragged up.

"You should be fully aware by now since you kept hearing it."

An evil smile appeared on the demonized man's face as he looked into the young man's terrified eyes.

"You are dying here because of Raon Zieghart."

The man was still so young, but a dark hole was created on the left side of his chest.

"Aah…"

The young man's eyes widened, unable to believe that he was dying, and he collapsed on the ground. The current of resentment appeared from his protruding eyes and joined the demonic energy wavering at the ceiling.

"Kuh…"

Trevin violently clenched his back teeth.

'It's hell. This place is hell.'

The boundary created by Demon Ring and Frozen Scent was no different from the world of demons.

They were maintaining the boundary by using about a hundred people they'd previously kidnapped and were creating a curse of resentment directed at Raon. It was literally a scene of human sacrifice.

Everyone in that place was aware of the fact that the Black Tower's demonized humans were the ones they should be resenting instead of Raon.

However, the resentment towards Raon was bound to be born because of human psychology.

"Aack!"

Another middle-aged woman lost her head in the meantime.

They were killing people a lot faster than before, probably because they'd already gathered a large amount of the curse.

"Damn it…"

Trevin's hand holding his sword started to tremble. He wanted to run ahead and save everyone, but he was unable to do so.

He wasn't in a good state either, and he had hostages to protect behind him.

"You stopped shouting at us to stop every time one of the vermin died."

The skinny old man walked up to him with a sneer. He was holding two chakrams in his hands, and the transparent blades were entirely covered in sticky blood. He was the Black Tower's floor overseer, the Demon Ring.

"I guess you don't have any time to worry about others."

The Demon Ring snorted while kicking a Warring Steel swordsman's corpse under his feet.

"You bastard…"

Trevin clenched his fist to the point of bleeding. The anger he'd been suppressing was boiling up because of how he humiliated his companion's corpse.

"I understand you because humans are the type of animal that only cares about themselves."

The Demon Ring's lips rolled into a smile as he tossed the chakram into the air and caught it like a circus act.

"You should resent Raon Zieghart. You are only dying because he offended our tower."

"Kuh…"

"Damn it…"

"Shit!"

The Warring Steel swordsmen turned pale because they were powerless when their companion's corpse was being trampled and innocent people were dying. The fear of the Demon Ring was another reason for that.

Trevin exhaled roughly while examining his subordinates' faces.

'It can't be helped.'

He couldn't ask them to not hold any resentment towards Raon since he couldn't find any way to survive in that situation.

Even if they didn't want to, the thought was bound to surface in their minds.

'However…'

It was what their enemies wanted. They were definitely trying to complete a nasty curse, by using the Warring Steel division, who were acquainted with Raon—unlike the other hostages.

'I can't yield to their plan even if I die.'

It was a war between Zieghart and the Black Tower. He needed to avoid resenting Raon no matter what.

Wham!

Trevin violently stomped the ground and raised his sword. His powerful aura pushed the demonic energy back for an instant and created an auspicious light.

"I believe none of you are foolish enough to resent Raon right now. If you are foolish enough to be deceived by the Black Tower's filthy trick, you'd better throw your sword away right now!"

He even used his aura in his shout, and the entire boundary fell silent as if time had stopped.

"Of course!"

"There's no reason to resent that monster!"

"Sir Raon isn't our enemy, they are!"

The Warring Steel division rolled their lips into smiles and raised their swords as if they had never been influenced by the Demon Ring.

"There won't be any reinforcements. However!"

Trevin simply smiled as his astral energy burst from his silver blade.

"We are going to fight! Just like the Light Wind division fought for five days straight to protect House Arianne, we will demonstrate Zieghart's will in this hell!"

"Yes!"

The Warring Steel division's wills combined into one and a deadly pressure arose from them.

Even though the swordsmen had been barely holding on, a clear will was dwelling in their eyes, and a mysterious light was bursting from their blades.

"Hmm…"

The Demon Ring frowned upon noticing that the Warring Steel division's pressure was even harder than when they first entered the boundary.

"Hah, didn't I tell you to get rid of him already?"

An alluring voice could be heard from behind the Demon Ring. It was coming from a white-haired woman who was reclining on the floor. Her gray eyes weren't showing any sign of human nature.

She was the witch who was maintaining the boundary, the Frozen Scent.

"It has become troublesome now."

The Frozen Scent twisted her lips while trimming her nails.

"What are you going to do about this? We don't even have many sacrifices left anymore! You should be the one who goes to the tower's vice master if a problem occurs!"

She shook her hand while looking at the curse of resentment wriggling at the ceiling.

"Certainly."

The Demon Ring glared at Trevin while ignoring the irritated Frozen Scent.

"I should've started by getting rid of you."

Murderous intent violently gushed from him, as he glanced at the Warring Steel division's swordsmen, who were sending trusting gazes at Trevin's back.

"I didn't expect you to become a hindrance instead of a catalyst to accelerate the completion of the curse."

"Isn't it great that you finally realized it?"

"I'm going to get rid of you right now."

"And who allowed that?"

Trevin fixed the grip on his sword while curving his lips into a thin smile. His head was dizzy from exhaustion and pain, but he couldn't simply die without putting up a fight.

"I won't be defeated until I cut off your head."

"What a shame."

The Demon Ring licked his lips while pulling his chakrams behind his back.

"With that much determination, you could've become a floor overseer if you joined the Black Tower."

The two chakrams he was holding were fired at him.

Whoosh!

It wasn't that fast, but they couldn't be overlooked because the demonic energy inside the chakrams was way too intense.

"I'd bite my tongue and kill myself before becoming your family."

Trevin clenched his teeth and unleashed the Steel Penetration Sword's special technique. Even though the blade was already destroyed, his sword added sharpness to his skill as if it understood its master's determination.

Clang!

The Steel Penetration Sword's special technique violently pushed back a chakram, but there was still another one left to go.

"Aaaah!"

Trevin swung his sword down towards the second chakram's center while coughing up blood because of his internal injury.

Claaang!

Even though he was wrapped in astral energy, he felt nauseous and his fingers trembled from the impact of the chakram. However, he couldn't let himself be defeated.

Whaam!

It wasn't his aura or his swordsmanship that fended off the demonic chakrams. He defended himself with his unyielding spirit before he raised his head.

'Damn it… I really have no strength left in me anymore.'

He'd gone too far when he was trying to save the hostages in the beginning, and he'd spent an excessive amount of power because he got angry over his companions' deaths.

Most importantly, the boundary of demonic energy was preventing him from using his full power, and he didn't even have the strength left to raise his sword above his waist anymore.

"It's truly regrettable."

Despite what he said, the chakrams were brimming with a breathtaking amount of demonic energy after they returned to the Demon Ring's hands. The chakrams' blades, which used to be gray, were gradually turning black.

'Black chakrams…'

He'd heard that the chakrams turned black once the Demon Ring became serious. The real fight seemed to only be getting started.

"I'll finish you off with these demonic chakrams."

The two chakrams were thrown once again as he sneered. A chill ran down Trevin's spine once he saw the chakrams approaching him while tearing the space apart.

'It would've been difficult to defend even if I was in perfect condition. However… I'll keep fighting until the last moment.'

He couldn't allow himself to give up, since he was fully aware of how Raon Zieghart had fought at House Arianne. If he couldn't use his teeth, he just had to use his gums instead.

"Aaaaah!"

Trevin screamed and unleashed the Steel Penetration Sword's special technique, the Flooding Ocean Slash. Even though he could only use a small amount of aura, the sword's trajectory was sharper than ever.

Whaam!

The blade, surrounded by a thin layer of aura, managed to deflect the chakram brimming with demonic energy.

'Is this what they call enlightenment? But… It's already too late.'

He could feel the progress in the Steel Penetration Sword, but he didn't have any aura or stamina left in him. He could see the second chakram rushing towards him, but there was no way of stopping it.

Trevin lowered his sword and spread his arms. It was the expression of a division leader's last determination to protect the subordinates and the hostages behind him at the cost of his life.

'I won't close my eyes.'

He was looking at the approaching dark chakram while thinking that he wanted to die as a warrior.

Crack!

A sound of shattering eggs could be heard from the empty space. The strange sound repeated multiple times, and a huge fissure was created on the ceiling that had never faltered no matter what they'd tried.

Whaam!

The ceiling brimming with demonic energy was destroyed, and a crimson firestorm rained down from it.

However, the chakram was already right next to his throat.

The moment he bit his lip while thinking that he was going to die, eyes even redder than the fire sparked from the raging firestorm.

Raon. He turned into crimson lightning and descended even though Trevin had never expected him to show up.

Claang!

The chakram brimming with demonic energy was crushed and bounced back while the darkness of the curse dissipated.

Raon turned around from the center of the collapsing boundary. The Black Dragon Coat wavering from the violent action looked like it was roaring.

"Thank you for holding out so far."

Raon's face was smiling, but his red eyes sparked with a deadly light.

"Leave the rest to us."