Chapter 184

The moment a man with tremendous energy surged up from the blood on the floor, Raon understood.

That man was an apostle, a direct disciple of the White Blood cult leader, as the only people that didn't wear hoods among the White Blood fanatics were the cult leader and his disciples.

The moment he raised his hand, Raon stretched his left foot forward and used Supreme Harmony Steps. Although his reaction was fast, his senses were ringing in his head, telling him that he was too late.

Whir!

As expected of a monster that had reached Master level a long time ago, the apostle understood the situation in an instant and spread around a tremendous amount of bloody energy.

He could see the bloody energy concentrated in his hand, shooting out like a cannonball. The tremendous power in the energy wave was at a level the Light Wind members couldn't endure.

'Damn it!'

Raon ground his teeth, stretching his feet and hands, but he couldn't reach them in time.

'One second, no, just 0.5 second…'

While he was running while suppressing his nausea, Martha stepped forward and thrust her sword.

Slaam!

The wrist holding her sword snapped in less than a second, but it was enough.

Raon stepped right next to Martha, drawing Heavenly Drive. He shot the flaming storm on the white blade right away.

Whaaap!

The wall of flames surged up like a tidal wave, melting the bloody energy of the apostle completely.

He could see a middle-aged man with ten spheres drawn on his coat over the subsiding flame and bloody energy. The tenth apostle.

He had an indifferent expression on his face, as if his attack getting blocked wasn't a big deal.

"Huff…"

Martha's teeth chattered and she knelt. However, she didn't stop glaring at the tenth apostle.

"You son of a bitch! What did you do to my mother? What did you do to everyone in Aleng village?"

With her eyes filled with wrath, a weeping voice burst from her. The sorrowful voice tightened his heart.

"Aleng village? Was there a village like that?"

Hearing the tenth apostle's emotionless response, the flame in Martha's eyes flared up once again.

"You!"

"I don't know where that village was, but people brought to the main branch mostly end up dying. Your mother should've become someone's food as well. It is an honorable matter."

"You son of a bitch!"

Martha shivered as she stood up. Raon forced her to stop when she tried to attack him right away.

"Raon!"

"He is not something you can face."

"Fuck off! I'm going to kill him. Even if it's you…"

"I'm not facing him either."

"What?"

"He's right. He's mine."

A cheerful voice could be heard from the floor.

Baam!

The green wind exploded the lobby, and Rimmer burst in.

"Zieghart's Sword of Light."

The tenth apostle frowned, looking at Rimmer's relaxed smile.

"It's been a long time, tenth apostle."

"I wanted to kill them before you arrived."

"What a shame. I already killed your underling before getting here."

Rimmer smiled cheerfully, pointing at the murky blood flowing from his blade.

"How did you find out that this was our branch?"

"Did you think I would tell you that?"

"What arrogance. Do you believe you can fight like before, with that broken body?"

"We won't know until we try."

"Then conversation is unnecessary."

"Indeed, we don't need to talk."

Rimmer shook the blood from his sword, and the tenth apostle created a white spear in the air.

Tap!

The moment a rock falling from the ceiling reached the floor, the two disappeared.

Slaaam!

Rimmer and the tenth apostle—hiding their presences—clashed their sword and spear between them, a thrilling amount of energy waves spreading around them.

Rumble!

The ground started shaking, and the mansion shattered into pieces and started to collapse at that single clash.

"Seventh apostle. How long are you planning on staying hidden there?"

Once the tenth apostle called the seventh apostle's name while facing Rimmer, another man surged from the center of the lobby. It was a pretty looking man in his twenties, with purple hair and narrow eyes.

Raon swallowed nervously.

'That's…'

He could feel the powerful energy of someone that surpassed the wall at an early age—at the latest, in their mid-twenties. Master. Befitting his title of seventh apostle, he was a powerful person at Master level.

"Senior, do you even need my help?"

"It was originally your job to come here."

"Ah…"

The seventh apostle licked his lips. The powerful energy coming from his peaceful expression and relaxed posture gave off an alienated impression.

"While I'm killing this guy, you shall erase all Ziegharts from this place."

"It's annoying."

"Seventh. White. Spirit."

"I guess it can't be helped."

The seventh apostle wrinkled his nose, then stepped forward.

"Raon, I leave him to you."

Rimmer smiled awkwardly, creating a storm. A green wind burst up like a whirlwind to completely destroy the mansion, and the two people at the center of the lobby disappeared.

"Well, since it came down to this, let's finish it quickly."

"Ah…"

"Kuh…"

The seventh apostle smiled faintly, his hands clasped. Even though he was weaker than the tenth apostle, the Light Wind members were drenched in a cold sweat as his overwhelming pressure dominated the space.

"I am your opponent."

Raon aimed Heavenly Drive at him, blocking his pressure.

"Oh, you are so cool."

The seventh apostle giggled, clapping his hands.

"By the way, do you know? Everyone that has aimed their sword at me has ended up dead."

"What a coincidence. Everyone that has aimed their sword at me has also died."

Without lowering his sword, Raon smiled coldly.

"Interesting."

The seventh apostle raised the corners of his lips, his hands open.

"Let's see if you have the skills to back up your mouth."

The moment he said that, he disappeared from the spot. The speed, difficult to follow with the naked eye, was the result of a footwork with extreme quickness.

'I shouldn't use my eyes to see him.'

Raon opened his perception with Glacier. The seventh apostle was approaching from the right and below. He pulled back his right hand, swinging Heavenly Drive.

Claang!

The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's aura inside Heavenly Drive burned fiercely, fending off the seventh apostle's hand as it was thrust at him.

"Huh? Did you block it?"

He frowned—Raon blocking his attack wasn't something he expected.

"It's my turn now, right?"

Raon stomped the ground, hacking with the Fangs of Insanity. The snow white blade, containing a fierce principle, targeted the seventh apostle's neck.

Whir!

The seventh apostle changed the direction of his ankle to deflect Heavenly Drive, then mildly slashed with his hand. Although his speed and power were at a different dimension, it was the same as Seline's Bloody Hand Technique.

'The trajectory is the same.'

Despite being much more powerful, the trajectory was the exact same as Seline's.

Cring!

Raon deflected the seventh apostle's Bloody Hand Technique counterattack with a paper-thin difference, then thrust Heavenly Drive towards his heart.

Clang!

The seventh apostle didn't panic, taking a step ahead to fend off Heavenly Drive before it gained enough momentum.

"Hmhmm, it looks like you are skilled enough to talk."

The seventh apostle thrust with the Bloody Hand Technique again, a smile on his face. He became even faster, as if he were trying to see how Raon would react. Raon couldn't even see the trajectory anymore.

'It's a relief that I watched it beforehand.'

Raon breathed heavily and used the Ring of Fire. The resonating rings drew the trajectory of the Bloody Hand Technique that Seline had shown him before. Raon slammed the sword's hilt into the seventh apostle's hand, which was following the same flow.

"Hmm?"

Wasting time was unnecessary. Raon slashed towards the seventh apostle's neck as he frowned at the sudden pain.

Clang!

The seventh apostle repelled Heavenly Drive with his left hand instead of his right, which bounced back, before stepping back.

"Considering the fact that you are reading the trajectory so easily, you already knew about the Bloody Hand Technique."

The two clashes were enough for him to figure out that Raon already knew about the Bloody Hand Technique.

"I guess. It's obvious that you would learn about the White Blood Religion's martial art in order to attack them."

The seventh apostle stretched his hand into the air. The strange, shining light looked like a gathering of water drops, creating a huge sword in his hand. It wasn't an ordinary sword—it was a saw sword, one with saw blades attached to it.

"In appreciation for that preparation, I'll use my weapon as well. And…"

Twirling the saw sword like a toy, he spread around a frightening murderous intent.

"Let's finish this quickly, since it's getting boring."

He disappeared once again before the voice faded away.

'Left side this time.'

Raon focused Glacier's perception, and he was able to feel the seventh apostle moving at a tremendous speed. He thrust the Fangs of Insanity towards his approach.

Claaang!

The clash between the saw sword and Heavenly Drive created an enormous shockwave. The remains of the mansion collapsed completely.

Rumble!

Raon and the seventh apostle pushed their sword and saw sword against each other, meeting in the middle of the mansion, which was filled with gray dust.

"What are you? How did you block that last blow?"

"It's a trade secret."

"Are you telling me you are still a Zieghart despite your young age? I shall be more serious as well."

The seventh apostle's narrow eyes sparked slightly. The saw sword's trajectory rapidly changed, and dozens of aura blades streamed at Raon.

Whaam!

Probably because they were on a different level, every single one of the aura blades were extremely powerful. Although he was deflecting them with Heavenly Drive, he was feeling nauseous.

'I can't continue like this.'

Raon resonated the rings of fire, examining the swordsmanship the seventh apostle was using. His twisted trajectory was eccentric. He aimed for the wrist for an instant but changed to the neck at the next moment. And while he targeted the ankle, he slashed the heart. It was a technique full of varieties.

Probably because it had the same root, the flow itself was similar to the Bloody Hand Technique. That meant that there was a simple way to defend against it. He just needed to shove in his strike inside that flow.

Raon analyzed the swordsmanship with the Ring of Fire, scanning the gap in the flow with Glacier, aiming to block the seventh apostle's swordsmanship with Heavenly Drive by using the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

The three energies systematically engaged with each other, allowing him to block the seventh apostle's swordsmanship without much difficulty despite his higher level.

Clang! Clang! Claang!

Each time Heavenly Drive clashed with the saw sword, the seventh apostle's expression stiffened. His lips trembled in disbelief.

"How do you know about the Shifty Blood Sword?"

The name of the strange swordsmanship he used was apparently Shifty Blood Sword.

"I told you, it's a trade secret."

Raon grazed the floor with Heavenly Drive, only to strike upward. The flaming strike raged in a curve like a fishing hook, slashing through the Shifty Blood Sword and engulfing the seventh apostle.

Whaaam!

The seventh apostle frowned, gathering the White Spirit Aura. A white current surrounded his body, crushing the flame.

"You are rather good for your age. I admit that my judgment was incorrect this time. You deserve to witness this."

He chuckled, raising the saw sword. Bumpy aura blades tangled and entwined with each other on the saw blades before radiating a magnificent light, turning into perfectly materialized energy.

"Astral energy…"

Raon chewed his lips. It was astral energy, which was a Master's symbol, and the proof of surpassing the wall. The seventh apostle apparently decided to use astral energy in the fight.

"Since it would be annoying to take it back right away, don't die in a single strike."

He grinned, kicking off the ground. Instead of coming from the left or right, he charged from the front, slamming down the saw sword that was imbued with astral energy.

'Let's do it.'

Raon didn't withdraw. He drew out the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to the max, swinging Heavenly Drive up towards the astral energy-covered saw sword.

Slaaaam!

The contest between the two swords created crimson sparks, and the ground burst with a scream.

"Huh!"

The seventh apostle's narrow eyes opened up in bewilderment. His half-revealed eyes clearly reflected his shock.

"Are you stopping the astral energy with an aura thread? What have you even done?"

"It just happened."

Raon smiled faintly, catching his breath. Rimmer was right. Unlike when he was at Habun Castle, his aura thread was currently capable of blocking an astral blade.

'However…'

He could feel a numbing pain from his energy center. He'd almost been injured internally by blocking a single blow. The power of astral energy with the intent to kill was definitely on another level.

"It's annoying, but somewhat interesting. Fine. Let's see how far you can go."

The seventh apostle nodded, then barraged him with astral energy. The Shifty Blood Sword's trajectory became even more eccentric, and the power it contained was fierce. That power was capable of tearing apart bone and flesh upon contact.

Whir!

Each time deadly astral energy emerged from the saw sword, chills ran down his spine and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. It wasn't because he was afraid, but an exhilaration that surpassed his fear sent a thrill through his body.

He wanted to sever that astral energy and make the seventh apostle kneel.

"To be enjoying this fight, you aren't normal either. I didn't expect there to be someone like you around my age."

Contrary to his compliment, he swung his saw sword as if he wanted to slash through his bones right away.

"Who are you calling your peer? You are way older than me."

"Yes. That's why I need to make sure to kill you, so that you can't reach any higher."

"That's cheap."

Raon caught his breath as he listened to him say that he wanted to kill him. The seventh apostle must have thought that Raon was an ordinary highest-rank Expert, based on how he'd been so far. He needed to kill him by using the opening that misconception provided.

"Try blocking this."

The seventh apostle thrust his sword even more fiercely than with the Shifty Blood Sword, and Raon was pushed back alongside Heavenly Drive, unable to withstand the power.

"Huff…"

Red blood flew from his mouth. It looked like he had sustained a significant amount of damage from the previous attack. It was definitely a crazy idea to face astral energy that was trying to kill him. However, he had no other choice but to keep up that madness.

"It's getting more interesting."

The seventh apostle smiled joyfully, spreading out a wave of astral energy.

"Same goes for me."

Raon caressed the Blade of Requiem, which was silently crying from behind his back, and smiled.

'Just wait for a moment.'

'I'll let you drink the blood of that crazy bastard soon enough.'

The sound of explosions turned the ground upside down, and shockwaves kept resounding from the hill in front of White Blood Religion's Porvan branch. It was as if it were being bombarded with magic.

The colossal clashes between sword and spear continued, and once the mountain started to collapse, Rimmer and the tenth apostle came up to the trembling hill.

"How unexpected."

The first one to speak was the tenth apostle. He glared at Rimmer's eyes, tilting his head.

"It looked like those younglings were your subordinates. Are you not worried about them?"

"Worry? You are the one that should be worried."

"What?"

"The youngest apostle you finally got might end up dying. Aren't you afraid?"

"Even though he's young, the fact that he's an apostle means that he's at Master level and gained the cult leader's recognition. The one that blocked my sword wasn't that bad, but they can't compare to the seventh apostle."

The tenth apostle nonchalantly shook his head.

"Maybe you can save one of them if you return right now."

"What bullshit are you saying? The entirety of Porvan will turn into a sea of blood on top of the people in that place the moment I let you escape."

"You are better than before. It looks like you are thinking at least."

"I've always been great. And we will see whose blood is going to fill the city."

Rimmer casually shrugged.

"You idiot."

"We'll see about that."

"An Expert can never win against a Master. The moment the seventh apostle uses astral energy, there will be no way for your subordinates to win."

"Well, that'd normally be true."

Rimmer slowly nodded. He was right, since an aura blade or an aura thread couldn't stop astral energy.

"However, my student isn't normal. He's capable of shredding your student's astral energy by using aura thread."

He declared that with certainty and started shooting blades of wind towards the tenth apostle.

"That's why you should mind your own fight!"

* * *

Crack!

Raon's molars ground slowly.

'The nausea is getting more serious.'

It was so damn difficult to fight against a Master that was using astral energy. He would've collapsed already if it weren't for the stats strengthening his body and Heavenly Drive's aura amplification ability.

"Are you resting already?"

The seventh apostle slashed diagonally with his saw sword, which was burning with astral energy. The tremendous power blasted the air into shreds.

Cring!

Raon imbued Heavenly Drive with Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's energy and thrust it, following the Fangs of Insanity's principles.

Whaaam!

An enormous shock engulfed his body. It felt like someone was pounding his internal organs with a hammer.

'Not yet.'

Raon caught his breath. He needed to wait until the seventh apostle got more excited to use a more powerful attack. That was the only way he would win.

"This is getting irritating."

The seventh apostle frowned, slamming the ground with the saw sword. It easily crumbled the ground, and a crater that looked like a grave was created.

"Since it's getting annoying, do it in moderation and die already."

He opened his mouth, pretending to yawn.

"I'm so sleepy, so why are you not dying yet? You already have enough internal injuries!"

"Because it's worth trying."

"Under no circumstances can an Expert win against a Master. Just die already instead of being annoying!"

He frowned, swinging his saw sword horizontally. Raon bent his body backward, dodging the astral energy spreading towards him at a frightening speed. His golden hair fluttered into the air.

Whir!

The seventh apostle had already pulled his saw sword backward, then thrust it forward. Heaven and earth were filled with the white astral energy radiating from the saw sword.

Whaap!

Raon controlled the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's energy to the extreme, creating dozens of flowers on his blade. The flaming flower buds fluttered in the wind, clashing with the seventh apostle's astral energy.

Baaaam!

The astral energy and flame tangled with each other, creating a huge firestorm.

Raon took a step forward into that hellish scene, where everything in the surrounding area was melted down by the astral energy and flame.

Thud!

The moment he tried moving to launch a surprise attack on the seventh apostle, who was lowering his saw sword, Martha—who was next to them—made her move.

That idiot!

It was a sudden movement that even made Wrath panic.

"There was a crazy bitch as well."

The seventh apostle snorted, swinging his saw sword at Martha.

"Damn it…"

Raon's lips trembled. They were too far away. His current self wasn't able to block that attack.

However, Martha's eyes were clearer than ever. She definitely didn't look like someone that was throwing her life away.

'Then…'

Raon trusted Martha's calm eyes, changing direction to charge at the seventh apostle.

"Die."

"I'm not going to just die, you son of a bitch!"

The moment the saw sword was about to slash Martha's neck, she swung Azure Cloud diagonally. The Titan's aura imbued in the blade flew softly, like a waterway, and tilted the saw sword's direction for an instant.

Whaam!

The moment the seventh apostle's saw sword slammed the ground, Martha was sent flying, unable to withstand the shock. She started coughing up blood, but she successfully attracted the seventh apostle's attention for an instant. 

That was enough.

Thud!

Raon extended his left foot. Using the Supreme Harmony Steps, which could reach anywhere, he thrust the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's Falling Sun towards the seventh apostle—who had lost his balance slightly.

Whaaap!

The flame burning on the sword's point spread like a kaleidoscope, overtaking the seventh apostle.

"Kuh!"

The seventh apostle hurriedly spread around his energy, but the blade of crimson flame passed through him, creating a large cut in his thigh.

Pssh!

Gray blood started spreading on his white pants.

"…A wound? From mere insects like you?"

The smile disappeared from the seventh apostle's face. He opened his narrow eyes, looking towards the gray blood soaking his pants. His black eyes became distorted in his anger.

"I'll turn you all into powder."

A huge amount of wrath could be heard in his silent voice. As if he had been just playing around up to that point, the manifestation of his energy alone was enough to turn everything around him into powder.

It was so powerful that it was difficult to breathe. It felt like the word death hanging right behind his back. However, that crisis was also an opportunity. That moment was the veil between life and death.

"Come."

Raon took out all the remaining energy of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. He was using all the aura he could, as if he didn't mind fainting after the clash.

Whaaap!

The flame burning on Heavenly Drive was more intense than ever. It almost felt like the sun was stretched out across it.

"Pointless."

The seventh apostle frowned, brandishing his saw sword. An even more intense and brutal astral energy appeared on the distorted saw blade. The intense heat haze shimmering from it felt like it could even melt the air.

"Such a weak flame can't stop my sword any longer!"

Approaching with heavy steps, he amplified the astral energy on his saw blade even further. Brandishing the saw blade, which grew as huge as a club, his mouth curved into a deadly smile.

"I'll send you off all at once so that you won't feel lonely."

The seventh apostle approached him while dominating the space, slamming down the saw sword. It was a simple attack, but it was pretty much a heavy sword that could crush the body. Once the ferocious astral energy started falling down, fissures appeared in the distorted space.

"Ah…"

"I-Is it over…?"

The moment everyone in the area fell into despair, crimson lightning appeared from Raon's eyes.

'It's the same.'

The seventh apostle's attack had the exact same flow as the swordsmanship he'd been using. Even though it contained tremendous power, it was possible to pierce through it. It had the same flow.

Whir!

Raon thrust his right arm, which was pulled back, forward. Heavenly Drive was engulfed in crimson flame, forming the shape of a dragon's head with its mouth wide open.

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Tenth Flame.

Flame Dragon Art.

The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's technique with the highest firepower was shot towards the opening created by the seventh apostle.

"I knew you would do that."

The moment the Flame Dragon Art deflected the astral energy, about to pierce through the seventh apostle's heart, a terribly calm voice could be heard from him.

"I knew that you would aim for the moment I became excited."

He spoke as the saw sword twisted in a direction that should've been impossible, aiming to sever the neck of the flame dragon created by Heavenly Drive.

"You fought well, but this is as far as you go."

As soon as the dragon's head was torn off by the saw blade of astral energy, the seventh apostle smiled coldly, thrusting his left hand.

"Die."

Raon's eyes retained their light, despite facing the extremely deadly hand.

That moment was the true opportunity.

He thrust Heavenly Drive and drew the Blade of Requiem with his left hand, which he had pulled back.

Whir!

As if it was complaining that he had held it back for so long, the Blade of Requiem created a clear resonance, emanating a terrible amount of ghastly energy.

"Ack!"

The seventh apostle noticed it, creating a huge barrier with bloody energy—but it was already too late.

The Blade of Requiem's trajectory was the fastest path he had created himself.

Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship.

First Form, Frost Pond.

The magnificent halo appearing on the Blade of Requiem mercilessly ripped the seventh apostle's bloody energy to shreds.