Chapter 364

The Sword's Silvery Dream was originally a deadly swordplay that consisted of hiding a real blade behind a fake to pierce vitals.

However, Raon had changed the flow because trash like Black Commander and Loktan didn't deserve an easy death.

He divided the killing blade into dozens of different pieces and created an endless blade storm.

It was a flurry, as the name indicated. The Sword's Silvery Dream Flurry was an evil technique that consisted of slashing every single vital point of an enemy.

Whaam!

The blade engulfed in a blue light tore apart the Black Commander and Loktan's openings. Blood gushed from their wounds and seeped into the land as two different energies assaulted him from left and right.

Slash!

Raon swung the Blade of Requiem at the two energies at the same time—which were targeting his heart and neck.

"Kuh!"

"Huff…"

During the short instant where his focus was directed at the Blade of Requiem, the Black Commander and Loktan stepped back with painful groans.

A poison user and a short magician ran next to them. They were the ones who had fired the magic and the poison aura.

"Sir Loktan!"

"Had you attacked any later, I would've died. That bastard is even more dangerous than what I heard."

Loktan spat out the blood welling up in his mouth and forced the bleeding to stop. He bit his lip hard and unleashed all of the poisonous aura from his energy center.

"Are you alright?"

"…I'm fine."

The Black Commander shook his hand at the magician and straightened his back. He ignored the bloody injuries all over his body and wrapped himself with the energy of darkness.

Whir!

The energies unleashed by Loktan and the Black Commander soared high enough to reach the night sky. The remaining poison crew and Black Spirits gathered behind them.

Raon examined the summit behind those powerful auras.

'He's doing well.'

Dorian was fighting the drake without taking a single step back.

This is also an opportunity for him.

Wrath furrowed his brow while looking up towards Dorian.

He's the type that always tries to run away from a fight. Since he can't run in this situation, it should allow him to develop his mind even further.

'Indeed.'

The drake wasn't using its ice breath because it was underestimating Dorian. It was the perfect opportunity for him to gain experience as long as he watched out for the breath.

'I should still take precautions, just in case.'

Raon focused the Perception of the Snow Flower on Dorian so that he would be able to act whenever it was necessary before he walked up to the Black Commander.

"How insolent."

Raon smiled coldly at the poison user and the magician from Black Tower, who had managed to save Loktan and the Black Commander.

"Has no one told you to not interfere in a fight between adults?"

You're one to talk…

Raon increased his pressure, and the poison user and the magician nervously stepped back.

"Take the explosive pill and unleash the Dreadful Blood Wind Formation!"

The poison users followed Loktan's order and took out black pills from their inner pockets before pouring them into their mouths.

Veins bulged from their foreheads, and their poisonous auras were multiplied more than twice.

It was the evil formation that had destroyed an entire village in the past, the Dreadful Blood Wind Formation.

"Izzel, open the demonic ocean."

"Yes!"

The magician called Izzel placed her hands on the ground and started to chant some strange lines.

Thud!

Raon snickered and kicked the ground.

"You are underestimating me too much."

He moved to the right in an instant and dashed towards the magician called Izzel.

"You punk!"

Eight black claws emerged from the Black Commander's back like a wing and fell upon Raon like a whip.

Thud!

Raon stepped on the collapsing land with the Supreme Harmony Steps and advanced. When the Black Commander was trying to connect the next attack, he unleashed the Flame Spirit from the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's Hundred Flames.

Whap!

The raging flower bloomed to push back the darkness and created a path for Raon to break through.

Pssh!

Raon ran in a straight line and severed Izzel's heart with Heavenly Drive. A dangerous amount of blood gushed from her chest.

"Kuh…"

"Waiting for the enemy only happens in a novel."

"I-it doesn't matter. The magic has already been activated."

The ground started to turn dark at the same time as she sneered.

The Demonic Ocean. The battlefield where the tower's masked men could use the best of their abilities was welling up into the world.

"Hmm…"

Raon swirled Heavenly Drive and licked his lips.

'I decided to take care of her first because I already know what the Dreadful Blood Wind Formation does. This is getting troublesome.'

You don't look troubled, though?

Wrath frowned while looking at his expression.

You look like you are feeling happiness right before tasting an ordered dish.

'How is that supposed to look?'

Your face is full of anticipation!

'You can finally read the mood.'

Hmph! The King of Essence has always been called a genius in that aspect even in Devildom.

'That doesn't sound right…'

Raon chuckled and fixed the grip on Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.

'Anyway, you are right about that. I wanted to have a proper fight.'

Raon had never used his full power after he'd absorbed the ocean soul's flower petal and the ghost jellyfish's energy core.

Since he didn't even use astral energy during the spar in the company, he wanted a proper fight against a powerful opponent where he could use his full power.

Whir!

Deadly poison burst from the Dreadful Blood Wind Formation created by Loktan and the poison crew. Even the floor turned black and melted down, the trees and grasses crumbling into dust from the powerful venom.

Whaam!

The energy unleashed by the Black Commander and the Black Spirits was even more intense. The repulsive darkness was soaring to the sky to cover the entire area.

"Die."

"Die already! You fucking monster!"

The Black Commander and Loktan unleashed the poison and darkness at the same time, as if they had agreed upon the timing.

The tremendous wave of power engulfed the land and the sky and stormed towards him. Raon's fingertips were trembling from the sheer pressure.

"Do you know what the biggest pain a human being can experience is?"

Raon rolled his lips into a smile even though he was facing the huge wave of energy.

"It's when you are given hope just for it to be taken away."

He crushed the land with his left foot and thrust the Blade of Requiem. White Shadow emerged from behind the crimson blade.

Raon Zieghart Style Swordplay.

Fifth Form, White Shadow Slash.

The white shadow surrounding the Blade of Requiem pierced into the energies of poison and darkness, which looked like they were about to devour the entire world.

Whir!

His sword wasn't fast, powerful, or sturdy. However, the majestic flow created as a result embraced the poisonous aura and the mana of darkness.

Cring!

The White Shadow Slash had abandoned the concept of counterattack and solely focused on defense, and the crimson blade soared in the meantime.

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Hundred Flames.

Flawless Sea of Fire.

A drop of flame condensed at Heavenly Drive's tip and spread around to create a huge flow.

A flaming tidal wave burst from the ground and sprawled in all directions.

"Gasp!"

"D-defend!"

"Aah…"

"Wh-what the hell is that fire…?"

The wave of fire destroyed everything in sight and assaulted the poison crew and the Black Tower's masked men in an instant.

Swaaa!

Once the torrent of fire subsided, the Black Commander and Loktan could be seen on their asses with burns all over their bodies. No one other than them had managed to maintain their shape.

"Hua…."

"Wh-what the hell…?"

The Black Commander and Loktan couldn't even move a single finger of their staggering bodies. Letting out those pained groans was the only thing they could do.

"Haa…"

A faint smile briefly appeared on Raon's face as he looked at the hands holding Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.

'I've gotten stronger.'

The heat was completely different from when he entered the submarine dungeon. He wasn't even going to lose even if his opponents hadn't exhausted their strength beforehand.

"Kuh…"

The Black Commander's chin trembled violently as he raised his eyes. His black eyes were brimming with anger and pain.

"Why are you doing this…?"

Loktan bit his lip. He looked like he couldn't understand the situation.

"You were the ones who tried to kill me first."

"H-how did you know—Kuah!"

Loktan perished before he got the answer and fell backward.

"There are no secrets in this world."

Raon raised Heavenly Drive to behead the Black Commander and he clenched his teeth.

"D-don't tell me you attacked us just because we used that trash as sacrifices."

"…Trash?"

"Their lives are meaningless anyway! Did you pick a fight against the Black Tower for the sake of some vermin that don't have any power or intelligence? A pitiful life awaits you!"

The Black Commander's white teeth could be seen as he sneered.

"You won't be allowed to have an easy death! The higher-ups from the Black Tower will…"

"You are the one who isn't allowed to have an easy death."

Raon smiled coldly and slammed the Blade of Requiem into the Black Commander's shoulder.

'I leave it to you.'

Whir!

The Blade of Requiem's sword resonance sounded like 'I got this', as it shoved a huge lump of ghastly energy into the Black Commander. Since his devilry was similar to the White Blood Religion, the Blade of Requiem also seemed angry at him.

Crush!

The ghastly energy inserted by the Blade of Requiem tore the Black Commander's mana circuits apart and started to rampage throughout his body.

"Kuaaah!"

The Black Commander screamed for the first time as he writhed in pain. The intense pain was bringing life back to his dying body and his eyes trembled like crazy.

"P-please, please kill me…"

"You love pain, don't you? This is my gift for your long journey, so make sure to take it with you."

"Uaaah! P-please…"

"Don't forget that pain even after your death."

Raon left the Black Commander alone to die slowly from the ghastly energy and looked up at the drake's nest.

'He's still looking fine.'

Of course! He's the King of Essence's subordinate!

Raon was planning to help him if it seemed impossible, but Dorian was still standing in front of the drake like an iron wall without taking a single step back.

Raon chuckled and twirled Heavenly Drive.

"Children grow up so quickly."

You are also a child…

Dorian's chin trembled as he looked at the huge creature flying in the air. He felt like the pressure from the flapping wings was peeling his skin off.

"Kieeeh!"

His heart tightened from the oppression of the majestic roar. The skill was called Fear, which was only used by superior monsters.

Whoosh!

The drake descended and smashed down with its huge claws. Dorian could feel the tremendous power of a master's slash and immediately used footwork to escape to the right.

Whaam!

The attacked location collapsed and the people faltered from the ground. They could've fallen under the cliff if the impact was stronger than what it was.

'I-I must not avoid it.'

The people behind him were going to die if he used footwork to dodge the attack like always. He had to confront it no matter what.

'F-for now… I need to save them.'

Dorian took out a thick plank from his belly pocket and planted it on the ground to prevent people from falling before he stood up.

"Kieee!"

The drake was striking with its right claws. It was even faster and more powerful than the previous attack.

"Whatever!"

Dorian bit his lip and unleashed the Ten Flowing Forms Swordsmanship.

Claang!

Even though he was going all out, his sword was bending so much that it looked like it was about to snap. He poured out as much aura as possible to somehow endure the attack.

"Grr…"

The drake looked even angrier than before, its eyes—already scary—glowing like a raging fire.

"L-let's talk this ou—"

"Kieeeeh!"

The drake's roar sounded like it was telling him to shut the hell up, and it aimlessly swung its claws from its hands and feet.

Wham! Wham!

Dorian maximized the Ten Flowing Forms to defend, but his creaking shoulders and knees felt like they were about to break. Even though he was confident in his strength and stamina, he quickly understood that he wouldn't be able to last for a long time.

'When is the vice squad leader… Ah!'

Something long was charging at him at a tremendous speed when he thought about Raon. Since he was watching the drake's hands and feet, it was obvious what it was.

'The tail!'

The long tail, falling like lightning, was as sharp as a blade.

"Kuaaah!"

Dorian stomped the ground and unleashed the Spinning Flow's Heavy Art of Ten Flowing Forms. A chunk of heavy cloud emerged from his sword to clash against the drake's tail.

Whaam!

He was stunned for a moment and couldn't even raise his hand from the impact, but he fortunately managed to stand his ground.

"Kueeeh!"

The drake looked extremely angry because he managed to defend the tail attack, and it spread its wings wide with a loud roar. It then flew upwards and started attacking with its claws.

"Why the hell does it have so many different attack patterns despite being a drake?!"

Dorian shouted and unleashed the Ten Flowing Forms' special technique, the Blue Flower Floating Cloud. Soft pieces of cloud gathered in one spot to turn into a robust flow.

Whaam!

As the drake's claws and the aura blade from Blue Flower Floating Cloud clashed against each other, a fissure appeared at the center of the summit and its border started to be destroyed. Dorian even felt like throwing up, which was a sign of internal injury.

Grr…

The drake looked even more infuriated because Dorian managed to endure and flew up into the air. It gained some distance before it opened its jaw. A huge amount of coldness was emerging from its dark throat.

"A-an ice breath?"

It reminded him of the information he'd heard from Denning Rose. The drake was supposed to have used an ice breath before around the nest.

"I-I'm screwed!"

Dorian's lips trembled as he witnessed the converging coldness.

"How am I supposed to defend against that?!"

Whether he could defend or not, a huge amount of coldness was already condensed.

'M-maybe I should be running away right now…?'

He'd equipped cold resistant equipment as soon as the drake had appeared, but he still couldn't imagine himself surviving against that breath. He wanted to just give up and run away.

However, the people behind him stopped him. He couldn't run away and leave them behind—they were innocent people.

Crack!

Dorian gritted his teeth to the point of breaking and pulled out all of his aura from his energy center. He couldn't run away at that point. It was necessary to try even if it killed him.

Swaaa!

The drake's jaw opened up even further and the blue energy filled his vision. It was an ice breath. A tremendous amount of coldness was pouring upon him, and it was powerful enough to freeze up the entire summit.

"Uaaaah! Raon Zieghart, you psychopath!"

Dorian loudly insulted Raon and exploded the aura he'd gathered. He unleashed the Ten Flowing Forms' last special technique, the Great Ten Flow Slash, and the aura cloud emerging from his sword filled the space above him.

Whir!

The cloud would normally spread in a cross shape, but Dorian created a semi-spherical wall instead to protect the people.

Whaam!

His body felt like he was getting crushed by the ice breath's torrent of power. He lost his senses, which suggested that the tips of his hands and feet were frozen, and his painful breath was evidence to his exhaustion. In fact, even his breath was frozen.

'I want to run away…'

But he couldn't do that. He realized once again how hopeless it was to be unable to retreat.

"Uaaah!"

Dorian mustered his aura until the last drop and maintained the wall. His aura gradually became thinner, and it was about to be destroyed when the drake closed its mouth and the ice breath finally came to a halt.

"Huff…"

Dorian went on his knees before he knew it as a result of exhausting his strength. He really couldn't even move a single finger.

Grr…

However, the drake opened its mouth once again, and even more energy gathered around it. The deadly blue glow of the second ice breath in its throat told him that it would be even more powerful than the first.

'I-I can't defend against this…'

He wanted to stand back up with his sword, but he really had no strength left in him.

"Argh! Raon, you freaking anemone, octopus, sea cucumber, weasel! You deserve divine punishmen—"

"I can understand a weasel, but why am I an anemone, octopus, and a sea cucumber?"

"All of them are slippery and sneaky… Huh?"

Dorian briskly turned around just as Raon jumped upwards. He looked like he was flying into the sky as he smashed the drake's head with his sword before it used its ice breath.

Smack!

The silver blade was hammered into the drake vertically after cutting through its skin and bone.

"Kieeeh!"

The drake still tried to resist, struggling despite the blade stabbed into it, but it was crushed by Raon's sheer strength and violently fell.

Whaam!

The tremendous impact occurring at the summit underneath them felt like an earthquake was happening. Dorian poked his head out to see what was happening. The drake was lying at the center of the summit with a sword stabbing into its head.

"Ah…"

Dorian's jaw dropped.

'Is a drake really supposed to die so easily?'

The drake was already dead even though it didn't even look like Raon had used astral energy.

Raon pulled the sword out of the drake's head and returned to the summit with a single jump.

"H-how long have you been here?"

"Around the point where the drake used the tail swipe."

"I was in danger! Why did you not do anything?!"

"You looked like you were having fun."

Raon grinned as if he were stating the obvious.

"Wh-what about the breath?"

"You looked like you were having even more fun."

"Huh…"

The focus disappeared from Dorian's eyes.

'Is he really even human?'

His pounding heart felt like it was going to burst because of how Raon was turning more and more into a demon.

"I-it was really dangerous when it used the breath! The others could've died, not just me!"

"But you did it."

Raon smiled while looking at the people who weren't affected by the coldness.

"You won't achieve any growth if you only take on easy tasks."

"Ah…"

Raon's casual words were pulling his heartstrings.

'Was he helping my growth…?'

When he thought about it, he was thrilled by the sense of achievement when he managed to defend against the breath even though it was difficult. It was a feeling that he would've never gotten if Raon had done it in his stead.

Moreover, Dorian could guess that Raon had blocked the coldness that had gone past him to protect the others. He was thoughtful despite his carefree appearance, and he was cool-headed and kind-hearted at the same time. It was seriously way too difficult to understand his mind.

But one thing he knew for sure was the fact that Raon was helping him.

"Thank you very mu—"

"Oh, yeah."

Dorian was bowing at him, but Raon snapped his fingers and turned around.

"You called me a psychopath, anemone, octopus, sea cucumber, and a weasel, right?"

"Oh, th-that's…"

"I'll show you what a genuine psychopath is as soon as we return."

Dorian's hands trembled upon witnessing the terrifying smile on his face. Raon was already evil as he was, so Dorian couldn't even begin to guess what he was planning to do.

"You can look forward to it."

"Kuh!"

Dorian sniffled while wiping away his tears with his frozen sleeve.

'He's a real demon. That's for sure!'

"You just called me a demon in your mind, didn't you?"

"Uehh!"