Whoosh! The body of Archangel Ramiel, having lost both head and heart, slowly tilted. Having lost all divine power and vitality, he could no longer float in the air and slowly fell. Boom! Ramiel's body crashed into the broken ground, engulfed in flames created by his own bright yellow lightning.
"Haah..."
Raon watched Ramiel's burning body as he thrust both his Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword into the ground and bent over.
'I'm on the verge of death too.'
After pushing the Ring of Fire to its limits while using Divine-Demonic Harmony and Heaven's Rift in succession, his head felt like it was about to shatter into pieces. His mental world, having been accessed repeatedly, was now unable to show him detailed images and remained in a foggy, blurred state.
With both his body and mind in such poor condition, he might be able to handle an amateur martial artist, but defeating a Transcendent would be nearly impossible.
'Still, I won, so that's what matters.'
No more powerful divine energy could be felt from Ramiel. It seemed that destroying his heart and head simultaneously had indeed been the only way to kill him.
-Hmph...
Wrath let out a sigh of disbelief.
-Did you really take down Ramiel?
He trembled his jaw, saying he couldn't have imagined this outcome.
-To think you'd cut through even the final lightning celestial form. This King has never seen a human defeat an Archangel so easily!
Wrath opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing with his own eyes.
'If I had faced him with pure martial prowess as you said, I would have definitely lost.'
Raon smiled, enjoying Wrath's flustered reaction.
'But Ramiel was too obsessed with lightning. His downfall was infusing the flow of lightning into all his martial arts.'
To ordinary martial artists, Lightning Aura is like an overwhelming force. With its destructive power, speed, and ability to paralyze muscles, it is extremely difficult to counter.
However, having learned the Supreme Martial Art of Celestial Thunder Arts from Glenn and even containing Lightning Aura within his own body, he could read not only the lightning strikes unleashed by Ramiel but also the flow of his martial arts.
'I was able to win because he overestimated his own power.'
If Ramiel had used different martial arts, it would have been much harder to deal with him. But because he trusted in his own power and continued to use only lightning-based martial arts, Raon was able to win.
'Wrath.'
Raon gestured to Wrath, who was still surprised.
'It's really over now, right?'
-Hmm...
Wrath stroked his chin while looking at Ramiel's body being scorched by lightning.
-It seems to be over, but...
'But?'
-Something feels off. I know how tenacious these Archangels can be.
He admitted that Ramiel's breathing had stopped, but still felt strangely uneasy as he smacked his lips.
'Is that so?'
Raon sighed and lifted his fingertip, causing the Wooden Ring Sword to float into the air. Whoosh! Though the Wooden Ring Sword wasn't as fast as before nor wrapped in forcefully gathered aura, it flew with intense killing intent and pierced through Ramiel's body once more. Thunk.
Raon cut away the remaining divine power in Ramiel's body more deeply before retrieving his Wooden Ring Sword.
'I really might die.'
He wanted to collapse right then and there from the exhaustion of having depleted all his strength, stamina, and mental energy. But there were still things he needed to check.
'Phew.'
Raon lifted his heavy legs and turned around.
"R-Raon..."
"What exactly have you been through all this time?"
"Is... is that really you, Lord Raon?"
Rector, Lawrence, and Mustan were staring at him without blinking. The three of them couldn't close their gaping mouths, as if they had witnessed something completely beyond their imagination.
"I was lucky."
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
"If it had been any other Archangel, I would have been the one defeated."
This wasn't false modesty. If it had been an Archangel like Uriel instead of Ramiel, not only himself but also Rector, Mustan, and Lawrence would already be dead. No, they might not have even survived until his arrival, leaving only their corpses behind.
"Besides, grandfather had already more than half-killed Ramiel."
Raon calmly lowered his chin, acknowledging it was also thanks to Rector.
"I couldn't do much and got beaten."
Rector weakly waved his left hand.
"It was all your doing."
He smiled as if telling Raon not to pass this achievement to him.
"Well, we can discuss that later. First, I need to treat your wounds..."
Raon tried to draw upon his Divinity Born from Darkness but his fingertips trembled.
'Nothing left.'
Having poured all his Divinity Born from Darkness into Rector, he couldn't immediately heal the three men.
"I'll at least get some medicine for you."
Raon pulled out his Subspace Pouch with trembling hands. He took out all the elixirs and healing medicines he carried for emergencies and placed them in front of Rector.
"Hmm..."
As he tried to apply Holy Water to Rector's wounds, his hand lacked strength, causing him to drop the elixir on the ground.
"Let me do it now. You sit there and rest... Huh?"
Rector told him to rest while trying to pick up the Holy Water himself, but he too seemed to lack strength and couldn't properly move his arm.
"Hmm..."
"I can't move either?"
Mustan and Lawrence, with relatively weaker martial prowess, were also severely injured and couldn't even move their fingers, apologizing only with their eyes.
"I'll manage somehow."
Just as Raon smiled weakly and tried to grab the Holy Water and medicine again.
"Raon!"
Blue light rippled in the air as Evelyn emerged. It seemed she had finally completed the magic circle and followed him.
"Hey! Take care of us too!"
"I'm... dying..."
Martha and Dorian fell to the ground after Evelyn. Their clothes and hair were in tatters, suggesting they had barely managed to keep up with Evelyn's rampaging magic circle.
"Are you okay? What's the situation?"
Unlike her usual self, Evelyn seemed to have rushed over without even thinking of spying on him, her reddened eyes flashing as she grabbed his shoulders firmly. Judging by her trembling fingers, she appeared genuinely worried.
"I'm fine."
Raon smiled faintly, feeling the trembling from Evelyn's grip.
"It's all over."
He pointed at the body of Archangel Ramiel, who had lost both head and heart.
"Is... is that really an Archangel?"
Dorian gulped dryly as he looked at Archangel Ramiel.
"The being supposedly above the Five Kings and Three Demons died like that?"
Martha let out a sigh as if feeling their journey here had been anticlimactic.
"I didn't defeat him alone."
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
"If grandfather hadn't reduced Ramiel's power by half, I could never have won."
He lowered his chin, saying it was thanks to Rector that he was able to defeat the Archangel.
"Evelyn. Please treat grandfather and the others."
Just as Raon was about to show Evelyn where Rector was.
"Grandfather!"
After confirming that Raon had no significant injuries, Evelyn immediately rushed to Rector.
"Are you okay? Oh my, your arm, grandfather!"
Seeing the severe injuries on Rector's arm and chest, she immediately sprinkled Holy Water and took out an elixir.
"W-wait... guhk!"
Ignoring Rector's waving hand, Evelyn shoved the elixir she was holding into his mouth.
"Don't worry too much. That eccentric master who's usually useless can at least make a good prosthetic arm."
She smiled as if thinking of Ensia and raised her hand.
"Still, we need to clean up the wound properly. There's a risk of infection if we leave it like this."
Evelyn gently placed her hand over Rector's wound.
"It will hurt a bit, but please bear with it."
"No, wai— AAARRGH!"
Once again, Rector couldn't finish his sentence before screaming. Thick bloodshot veins appeared across his eyes.
"Ouch..."
Raon trembled his jaw watching the scene.
"Hngh..."
Rector groaned and gave Raon a look pleading for help, but since there was nothing wrong with what Evelyn was saying or doing, Raon could only remain still.
"GAAAAHH!"
He rolled on the ground, screaming louder than when his arm was severed.
"Phew, that should do it."
Evelyn only released him after thoroughly removing the remaining divine power and malice from Rector's arm.
"Hngh..."
Rector collapsed on the ground with his eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth as if he had actually fainted.
"Now then, who's next?"
Evelyn approached Mustan and Lawrence with a sweet smile.
"Hngh!"
"I-I'm fine. Really! I'm all healed."
Mustan and Lawrence looked like they wanted to run away immediately, but they were too exhausted to move a finger and could only wave their hands in protest.
"Since you'll need to fight for our Raon in the future, I must treat you thoroughly."
Ignoring the protests from Mustan and Lawrence, Evelyn approached and began treating them.
"AAAAHHH!"
"GYAAAAHH!"
Mustan and Lawrence rolled on the ground, each screaming in agony. It wasn't exactly clear, but removing divine power seemed to be extremely painful.
"Haah..."
Raon let out a held breath and sat down on the ground. Now that Evelyn had arrived to provide treatment, he finally felt the tension release and his mind at ease.
"An Archangel..."
Martha sighed as she looked at Ramiel's corpse.
"I can't believe it even though I'm seeing it. We'll have to fight such beings from now on?"
She shook her head in disbelief, still unable to accept they would have to battle against Angels.
"When you think about it, isn't this an incredibly significant event?"
Dorian stomped his foot as if just realizing something.
"You've taken down one of the Archangels! One of the highest-ranking enemies has died, so hasn't the war turned in our favor?"
He raised both hands, suggesting that the Five Kings now had a significant advantage in the upcoming war.
"That's not necessarily true. Someone like Derus won't even start a war unless he has the advantage..."
Just as Raon was shaking his head and about to respond to Dorian.
"That's correct. The Five Kings have gained a significant advantage."
A voice filled with disdain accompanied the appearance of a white door in mid-air. With an ear-piercing screech, the white door opened, and a silver-haired man wearing a blue robe appeared, hands clasped behind his back.
Derus Robert. Once hailed as the future of the Six Kings, the eternal swordsman now wore a chilling smile unlike any he had shown before.
"Derus Robert..."
Raon gritted his teeth as he looked at Derus. The sight of that damned bastard filled him with rage, naturally restoring his depleted physical and mental strength.
"I thought Archangel Ramiel would be capable of killing the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance and capturing you who would follow behind, but I never expected this outcome."
Derus closed and opened his eyes, saying he hadn't anticipated Ramiel's death. Yet contrary to his words, he didn't seem the least bit flustered or surprised.
'Dangerous...'
Raon bit his lip hard as he observed Derus's calm eyes.
'I can't read his emotions.'
An Archangel had died, yet he showed no signs of anger or rage, and Raon couldn't sense any malice directed toward him. This Derus seemed like a completely different person from the one he had known before.
'What is he thinking?'
Raon had thought he knew Derus Robert better than anyone else in this world. He believed he could predict whatever actions the man might take, but seeing those unreadable eyes and behavior sent chills down his spine.
"You may not have defeated Ramiel alone, but you're growing faster than I expected. Congratulations, Raon."
As Derus Robert clapped his hands lightly, addressing him as "Raon" rather than "Raon Zieghart," a blue-tinged killing intent rose like wings behind him.
"Kugh..."
Raon drew in a deep breath at that powerful aura. The killing intent was so intense that his fingers wouldn't move properly, even if his body had been in normal condition.
"W-what is this...?"
"Raon! Are you okay?"
Dorian and Martha stared at him with blank eyes, seemingly unable to feel anything. Seeing how the killing intent in this vast space was concentrated only on him, Raon realized with certainty.
'That bastard...'
Raon bit his trembling lips as he looked up at Derus.
'He's mastered the Soul Sword.'
Derus Robert had clearly entered the realm of the Soul Sword by absorbing the aura of Darkan, the previous Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Damn it..."
Raon gritted his teeth and stood up. Even if he couldn't match Derus, he didn't want to remain sitting before him.
"It would be appropriate to exact some revenge for Ramiel who has returned to the heavens, wouldn't it?"
Just as Derus Robert extended his outstretched hand toward Raon.
"Not so fast!"
Rector stepped in front of Raon, holding a sword with his left arm. The eyes of the old swordsman, filled with conviction, flashed more brilliantly than the light Derus was emitting.
"No one passes behind me before cutting my throat first!"