"..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Karoon enter through the doorway.
'The Central Martial Palace swordsmen are gone.'
It seemed Karoon had experienced something similar, as the Central Martial Palace swordsmen were nowhere to be seen. He appeared to have been climbing the tower alone as well.
"It looks like the Light Wind Palace Master also left the others behind."
Karoon nodded briefly as he looked at Jayna and the magicians behind him.
"What happened?"
He tilted his chin as if asking to explain what had transpired so far. Not seeing Burren, he seemed curious about the situation.
"There was a floor that perfectly recreated the situation in Montiro. There..."
Raon briefly explained to Karoon what had happened.
"Entrusted..."
Karoon looked into his eyes and moved his lips slightly.
"Similar. We also had a floor where we had to enter each room and eliminate demonic beasts. I left that to my subordinates and came up alone."
He lowered his chin heavily, saying he too had left his subordinates behind and come up.
"What happened to Lord Morel?"
Jayna clasped her hands together as she mentioned Morel Kazan's name.
"He took charge of the next floor. He proved to be an even more reliable man than he appeared."
Karoon placed his hand on his sword, saying he was able to save time thanks to Morel.
"You needn't worry about someone to lead everyone up here."
He nodded to Jayna, seeming to trust Morel Kazan.
"Ah, I see."
Jayna let out a sigh of relief, appearing reassured by Karoon's confidence.
"But here..."
Karoon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two entrances, the arena in the center, and the exit attached to the opposite wall.
"Hmm, I understand now why they said floor masters have a nasty personality."
He too seemed to have realized the purpose of this floor, lowering his eyebrows.
"Yes. It seems only one of the people who came out of the two entrances can go up."
Raon clicked his tongue, calling it a despicable place.
"Indeed."
As Karoon was looking at the arena with an irritated gaze, a strange voice that sounded like metal being scraped was heard.
[Only one entrance is connected to the exit.]
It seemed to be a message sent by the Floor Master governing this floor. As expected, it had no intention of letting everyone go up.
"Have you tried breaking the walls and doors?"
Karoon seemed uninterested in the Floor Master's message and immediately asked Raon a question.
"Yes. I struck with full force, but they didn't break."
Raon shook his head with a short sigh.
"It seems they're using condensed demonic energy and artifacts, like the outer walls of the Black Tower."
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his current martial prowess was at its peak so far. Considering that he couldn't even leave a trace despite the condensed demonic energy, it was certain that special artifacts were being used.
"I see."
Karoon slowly raised his sword and struck the exit leading to the next floor. A tremendous shockwave exploded as if he had drawn upon the realm of transcendence, but not even the slightest scratch appeared on the door or walls.
"Just as you said."
Karoon lowered his hand calmly, as if he had expected this.
"Was the Floor Master not here from the beginning?"
He now looked around as if trying to find the Floor Master.
"Yes. It seems to be hiding."
Raon shook his head, saying he couldn't sense its presence at all.
-The demonic energy is swirling chaotically, making it difficult even for this king to find it.
Wrath frowned, saying it was an unpleasant space.
-However, it's certain that it's watching you.
He moved his eyes, saying he could feel someone's gaze.
'I'm sure.'
Even though the demonized humans he had met so far had the purpose of buying time, they had constantly sent intense gazes to seize the opportunity to kill him.
"The Floor Masters were trying to block our path even at the cost of destroying their own unique domains. It seems the Black Tower Master is preparing a weapon of reversal."
Karoon looked up at the ceiling, saying it would be best to go up as quickly as possible.
"..."
Raon licked his lips as he looked over Karoon, who was surrounded by a calm aura.
'Is this person really Karoon Zieghart?'
This was a question he had had since Karoon first set foot on this floor. That person could be the real Karoon, but there was also the possibility that a demonized human had changed its appearance.
"Central Martial Palace Master."
Raon looked at Karoon as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"May I ask you one thing?"
"...Are you doubting me?"
Karoon turned his gaze without changing his expression, even though he had read his thoughts.
"It's not a bad judgment. Very well."
Rather than getting angry, he nodded, saying it was good.
'It should be a question that would be embarrassing. And difficult to answer, but one that I know the answer to.'
Raon thought of a question that would fluster Karoon, then slowly parted his lips.
"Do you love Burren, Karoon?"
To give a stronger stimulus, he called him Karoon instead of Central Martial Palace Master and asked about his affection for Burren. It was a question he would never have asked before, but he gained confidence through Karoon's behavior he had seen today.
"Hmm..."
Karoon widened his eyes as if he hadn't expected a question about Burren.
"Please answer."
Raon drew his Heavenly Drive as if he would cut him down immediately if he didn't answer.
"That question would have different answers depending on the time. However, if you're asking now..."
Karoon looked at him again with sharpened eyes, as if he had made up his mind.
"I love him. To the extent of loving the Zieghart family."
He nodded, saying he loved Burren similarly to Zieghart, whom he cherished most.
-Huh!
Wrath opened its mouth wide as it looked at Karoon.
-Th-that guy is a fake! There's no way his father would look like that!
'No, he's real.'
Raon briefly licked his lips.
'As he said himself, that person has changed a lot.'
Karoon sincerely repented his past blinded by jealousy and greed, which allowed him to reach transcendence. Now he stays up all night to accompany Burren's training, and just earlier, he congratulated him on reaching Grandmaster in front of everyone. It wasn't strange for the current Karoon to give such an affectionate answer.
"May I ask a question as well?"
Karoon tilted his chin with a cold gaze.
"Please do."
He nodded without hesitation. It was natural to be questioned, as Karoon would also be doubting him.
"What do you plan to do if you become the head of house of Zieghart?"
"The head of Zieghart..."
Raon deeply furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected a question about becoming the head of the house, so his mind went blank. However, he recalled what he desired through previous conversations with Glenn and Rimmer.
"Rather than elevating Zieghart to the highest position, I want to make it a place where the people belonging to the family can be happy."
He raised his gaze, saying he wanted to make the family members live comfortably and happily rather than becoming the strongest among the Five Kings and Five Demons.
"That's an answer befitting you."
Karoon nodded calmly. Seeing him erase his cold gaze and form a small smile, it seemed the answer wasn't bad.
"Shall we begin then?"
He pointed his sword at Raon, saying they should start even if he wanted to talk more, as there was no time.
"Yes. I'll go all out."
Raon emphasized the words "all out" and raised his Heavenly Drive towards Karoon's neck.
"Are you really going to fight..."
Jayna shook her head as if she couldn't believe it.
"Because there's no other way."
"Please stay back."
Raon and Karoon told Jayna to retreat while pointing their swords at each other.
"Ah..."
The moment Jayna, intimidated by the fierce auras of the transcendents, stepped down from the arena, Karoon and Raon simultaneously kicked off the ground. Their swords clashed as they aimed for each other's necks, emitting red and blue auras that contrasted with their identical red eyes.
The collision of the transcendents' sword strikes, unleashed with full power, shaved away the arena and created vibrations that seemed to shake the entire Black Tower.
Raon twisted his lips as he saw Karoon pushing forward, cutting through the aura of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
'You're serious.'
Karoon was truly unleashing sword strikes filled with killing intent, as if he really intended to kill him. If he had been careless for even a moment, his neck would have been torn off at the first strike.
'Right. That's the best option now.'
Raon nodded and intensified the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. He burned away Karoon's aura with the intensely blazing flames.
"Hmph!"
Karoon, as if he had expected this much, condensed his blue aura to create a blade that could cut even through the flames. Seeing the aura of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation being sliced away, a chill ran down Raon's spine.
'Heart.'
Raon bit his lip as he deflected Karoon's sword aimed at his heart.
'Precise and powerful strikes. But even more dangerous is that elegant swordsmanship.'
Karoon had refined the Precision Sword, Quick Sword, and Destruction Sword to the extreme, then placed them on a platter of elegance. Originally, elegance was a value recognized in sword dances rather than in actual combat, but as it reached transcendence, a new power unlike any other swordsmanship was created.
Karoon was overcoming Raon's superior physique and aura with his elegant sword strikes. It was truly mysterious how a seemingly unnecessary value he had held since childhood had given its master special power upon reaching transcendence.
'But I can't fall behind here.'
Raon unleashed the Thirty-Six Crimson Flash Techniques against Karoon, who was blocking all sword strikes like an iron wall.
"That swordsmanship."
As if he had already known, Karoon drew a semicircle with his sword glowing blue to create a path to block the sword strikes that simultaneously thrust at thirty-six points. Countless sparks exploded above the arena as the red and blue sword lights collided countless times.
Raon unleashed a grand sword strike as if to end it this time, with a red sky seeming to descend, while Karoon imbued his sword blade with the aura of a tyrant, attempting to erase everything before him.
The collision of power and power. At the tremendous wave of aura, Jayna and Balkar's magicians fell to their knees, unable to even open their eyes properly. Raon and Karoon entered the space where sparks were continuously bursting and swung their swords at each other.
Karoon's shoulder was split by Raon's sword strike, and red blood spurted out.
This time, Karoon's sword sliced Raon's waist, tearing away flesh and blood. The two continued to emit increasingly dense killing intent, as if facing mortal enemies rather than comrades, and thrust their swords towards each other's hearts.
* * *
While Raon and Karoon were engaged in a fierce battle, cutting each other's breath, a transparent eye appeared above their heads. It was the detection magic of Treive, the Floor Master governing one of the higher floors.
'They're fighting more seriously than I thought.'
Treive curled his lips as he watched Raon and Karoon aiming only for each other's vital points.
'The power they're expending is significant, and their injuries are becoming severe.'
Originally, transcendents could draw mana from the atmosphere and fight all day, but this was the upper floor of the Black Tower where demonic energy was denser than mana, so the power they had expended couldn't be recovered in a short time.
Moreover, due to the blood loss from numerous wounds, Raon and Karoon's complexions were becoming increasingly pale. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that their current martial prowess had been reduced by half compared to when they first arrived here.
'This is an opportunity.'
Originally, this floor was his unique domain, but it had changed to its current state due to the power of the artifact bestowed by the Black Tower Master. In reality, even if one of them survived, it would be useless; they needed either his permission or his death for the path upwards to open.
At first, he had planned to ambush the survivor after letting them go up, but now it seemed he could kill both of them here.
'If I kill two transcendents here...'
I might surpass the vice masters. The current state of the Black Tower is special. If he could kill two transcendents simultaneously in this space where demonic energy endlessly swirls, he would definitely ascend to transcendence. And at a higher position than the current vice masters.
'No, no!'
Treive slowly shook his head.
'It would be dangerous if I let them through here.'
Above this floor was the space where the vice masters were, and right above that was the top floor where the Black Tower Master resided. If this place was breached due to his greed, he would suffer even after death, so he had to restrain himself.
'But such an opportunity might not come again...'
The dense demonic energy kept gnawing at his mind with greed.
'Then when a good opportunity comes...'
He raised the demonic energy slightly, vowing to strike only when those two were truly trying to kill each other, not just acting. At that moment, blood burst from near Raon's collarbone, and black blood flowed from Karoon's mouth.
"Sword Domain."
"Sword Domain!"
Raon and Karoon raised their swords, reciting Sword Domain as if truly intending to end it. The two's caliber began to rise rapidly, enough to push back the demonic energy.
'Now!'
Treive revealed his form hidden in darkness, igniting the condensed demonic energy. The opportunity was too good; the Black Tower Master's orders had already vanished from his mind.
'It's now or never!'
At the moment they use Sword Domain while looking at each other, they would be vulnerable to attacks from behind. Moreover, if he killed them now when their caliber was heightened, the benefits he would gain would be that much greater.
Treive exploded the condensed demonic energy behind Raon and Karoon just as their swords began to shine. It should be impossible even for transcendents to withstand this moment.
As he was about to split his mouth in a grin, thinking he had ascended to transcendence, suddenly the eyes of the two turned towards him. Their gazes were far too calm, contrary to his expectations.
'Huh...?'
The moment he saw Raon and Karoon's eyes, his body wouldn't move. The demonic energy that was about to explode was scattering in pieces, and the world he had been seeing was also torn in half.
"Wh-what..."
Treive felt strength leaving his hands and his thoughts disappearing as he fell backwards.
"Aaaaargh!"
Then came the terrible pain. Looking down, he saw that all his arms and legs had been cut off.
"H-how..."
"Your greed was too much."
Raon shook his head as he wiped the blood flowing from his mouth.
"Of course, there wouldn't be a fool anywhere who would miss the chance to catch two transcendents."
He sneered with an intelligent look in his eyes, as if he had read everything.
"Y-you knew I would come out?"
Treive shook his chin and shook his head.
"We've seen it before. You all tried to buy time by hiding, but couldn't abandon your desire to become stronger as demonized humans."
Raon shook his head with a smirk.
"That greed was your downfall."
Karoon nodded calmly.
"Damn it all!"
As Treive was about to sink to the floor while cursing, blood gushed from his neck and his head fell off.
"Ah..."
As the demonized human who had dreamed of becoming a transcendent breathed his last, buried in his greed, the door leading to the next floor opened.
"Are you alright?"
Raon approached Karoon and handed him healing medicine and holy water. There were deep wounds, but none seemed to be fatal, so they should recover quickly.
"We were on the same wavelength."
Karoon narrowed his eyes, saying they had the same thought.
"We had the hint of 'all out'."
Raon nodded with a gentle smile.
"But you came at me a bit too hard."
He licked his lips, pointing to the wound on his chest.
"...I thought you could handle it."
Karoon lowered his hand, as if he had trusted him.
"...I see."
Raon let out a faint laugh and gestured towards the next floor.
"Not much left now. The floor after the next should be the top floor."
He said they should fight together now as he stepped onto the stairs.
"Right. Let's go up."
Karoon looked at Raon's back climbing the stairs after applying holy water to the wounds on his abdomen and waist. His gaze curved gently.
'Someday we might have to fight seriously. But...'
Karoon frowned as he looked at his own hand.
'Why did I go too far?'