The red and blue sword energy clashed with the golden flash, sending crimson waves throughout the universe. A massive storm of light raged, painting the world with twilight hues. A deafening blast shook the very fabric of space!
Raon's sword and the Dragon Lord's light, clashing with full power, failed to overcome each other and were both pushed to the edges of the universe by the collision of immense forces.
A sharp hissing sound filled the air as Raon narrowed his eyes at the white energy streams rising from his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword.
'So I'm being pushed back after all.'
Just now, his full strength had collided with the Dragon Lord's, and on the surface, they might have seemed equal. But upon careful assessment, Raon had suffered greater damage while the Dragon Lord remained completely unharmed. It meant that even if slight, there was a clear difference in their power.
'It's still fine.'
Because battles aren't determined by class alone. From the moment he saw the Dragon Lord in this black dimension, he had sensed that the creature was a class above him. What mattered now wasn't the fact that he was being pushed back, but how to close that gap.
-That's a good mindset!
Wrath let out a low exclamation.
-I tell you, that willpower of yours surpasses even other demon kings.
He nodded as if to say that with composure like this, Raon could certainly fight against the Dragon Lord.
'I know.'
Raon nodded and gazed at the Dragon Lord gleaming alone at the edge of the universe. Suddenly, the Dragon Lord's massive body vanished, reappearing instantaneously above Raon's head. As the creature spread its claws, golden meteors emerged from the empty universe, falling like a meteor shower.
'Damn, that's huge!'
The Dragon Lord created meteors as enormous as its body. Though Raon had mentally prepared for battle against it, he couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at the sheer size and pressure that exceeded his expectations.
'Even so...'
He can cut it. Raon drew two arcing lines with his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword. Two sword paths that defied the flow of the universe spread out like a magnificent net. An application of Sky-Piercing Thunder. The heavenly net extends so vast that it appears sparse, yet nothing escapes its grasp.
True to its meaning, the auras extended from his swords shot out like flashes of light, intercepting the countless meteors falling from the Dragon Lord.
The sword energy and meteors collided repeatedly, sending shockwaves in all directions that threatened to shatter the black dimension. Above, white cracks spread across space, while below, grotesque arms and legs that seemed to rise from hell emerged from the ground.
Since this dimension was temporarily created by the Dragon Lord, it seemed that entities from other worlds were attempting to invade through the gaps that had formed.
But these interdimensional invaders couldn't withstand the shock of Raon and the Dragon Lord's colliding powers, melting away into dust. Even Transcendents were less than powder before the martial prowess of these two absolute beings. After blocking all the meteors the Dragon Lord had hurled down, Raon exhaled quickly.
'Feels like my hands are going to be torn off.'
The meteors summoned by the Dragon Lord were unlike ordinary meteor magic. Each one contained rotating mana beyond Transcendence level, making Raon's bones vibrate just from blocking them. This was the first such impact he'd felt since achieving true Transcendence through emotions. (E/N: I just realized...Is Raon now stronger than Glenn at the beginning of the novel, hmm...)
'But I can't just endure the pain.'
Because defense alone would never defeat the Dragon Lord. Raon stepped forward with the Supreme Harmony Steps toward the Dragon Lord. The moment his foot moved forward—no, the moment he formed the mental image of advancing—his body had already reached the Dragon Lord.
[Raon Zieghart!]
The moment the Dragon Lord frowned at him, Raon drew Frost Snap. The two swift sword strikes that had originally aimed for a time gap now became five, targeting the Dragon Lord's entire body. (E/N: random upgrade works)
The Dragon Lord spread an absolute barrier that prevented the blade from piercing its flesh, but its massive body shook as if about to fall, seemingly having received a great impact.
[Be crushed!]
The Dragon Lord's words, imbued with Willpower, tried to crush and push away Raon's body.
'Ugh!'
A pressure that seemed to crush his soul penetrated his entire body. A power capable of destroying a body that had surpassed Transcendence. The Dragon Lord's words were not mere magic; they were nothing short of Authority.
'I can't be pushed back here.'
Raon endured the Dragon Lord's pressure, which felt like it was crushing his bones and flesh, through sheer willpower as he gripped his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword more tightly.
'Because he's not at full strength either.'
The hole in the Dragon Lord's neck still hadn't closed, and its mana continued to fluctuate. It seemed best to end this quickly before the wound fully healed.
'Soul Sword won't work.'
Though his Soul Sword had grown rapidly, it still couldn't cut through a massive soul like the Dragon Lord's. Killing its physical body would be much more efficient now. A deep rumble resonated through space!
Amid the Dragon Lord's terrifying words of pressure, Raon raised both hands. Instead of swinging his swords, he simply released them.
Raon Zieghart Style.
Seventh Form: Void Slash. Eighth Form: Whispering Wind.
The peerless martial arts he had personally created rose along the blades of the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, advancing toward the Dragon Lord's head and heart.
'No matter how powerful the Dragon Lord is...'
Raon bit his lip as he watched the red and blue blades shooting toward the Dragon Lord.
'If it's the first time seeing them, you can't help but be caught off guard.'
Void Slash and Whispering Wind had different forms, but both were swordsmanship techniques that transcended space to cut down enemies. If the Dragon Lord were a swordsman, it might be different, but as a magician, even being stronger than Raon, it wouldn't be able to block both swords simultaneously.
[Hmph!]
Just as the Dragon Lord snorted derisively and tried to strike away the fiercely flying Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, a deep rumbling filled the air. The flames of the Divine Sword executing Void Slash vanished only to surge forth before the Dragon Lord's neck, while the Demonic Sword became Whispering Wind itself, falling toward the creature's heart.
[Swords that transcend space, is it.]
As the Dragon Lord narrowed its eyes and muttered calmly as if already familiar with Void Slash and Whispering Wind, golden blades rose from its scales. With a piercing sound, the flames of Void Slash and the Demonic Sword wrapped in Whispering Wind easily broke through the golden blades, but the Dragon Lord's Light Swords sprouted countless more like spring shoots.
With a crackling sound, the Void Slash and Whispering Wind executed by the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword failed to penetrate the Dragon Lord's mana and returned to Raon. But they weren't the only things returning. The swords of light that the Dragon Lord had summoned for defense followed them like magnets.
Raon was pushed back to the edge of the universe by the counterattack of the Dragon Lord's Light Swords.
'Each one is a sword strike of a Transcendent.'
Perhaps because the Dragon Lord's Willpower was imbued in the light magic, even blocking a single sword was difficult. Just defending made his spine feel drenched in sweat, and his insides burned uncomfortably.
[Raon Zieghart.]
The Dragon Lord arrogantly raised its chin.
[I was the one who raised you to the highest danger level. Did you think I wouldn't know your sword techniques?]
It bared its massive teeth as if to say not to underestimate it.
"...I apologize."
Raon exhaled heavily as he looked at the Dragon Lord.
"It seems I've underestimated you too much."
Despite knowing the Dragon Lord was cunning, he had only been trying to end this fight quickly. With deep regret in his heart, he gripped his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword so tightly they might break.
"Instead, from now on, I'll bet my life."
He exhaled a white mist as he drew out the alien power submerged in his soul—the Demon King's Authority. With a long breath, Raon opened up Wrath, raising blue frost light over his red eyes.
"Human and Demon King. Let me show you what results can be achieved by the beings you so despise."
***
Raon bit his lip hard as he felt the cold
'It's been a while.'
He had restrained from drawing out the emotions and authority of demon kings as much as possible until he gained human emotions, since they were too extreme. But now he understood more deeply the difference between human emotions and demon king's authority.
Unlike before, there was no feeling of his mind going numb from being consumed by Wrath's authority. Now, he felt he could properly draw out the power contained within the demon kings' authority.
[As I suspected...]
The Dragon Lord revealed deep malice in its golden eyes.
[You were connected to a demon king all along!]
It nodded as if confirming its own judgment.
"So what?"
Raon curled his lips upward, feeling a cold sensation as if wrath flowed through his veins instead of blood.
"A parasite demon king is a hundred times better than a scheming swindler like you!"
-A hundred? Even ten thousand times would be an understatement!
Wrath raised his hand high, praising Raon's words.
-Now you've finally learned to use Wrath properly! Show me what you can do!
He smacked his lips with genuine anticipation.
"Haa."
Taking a deep breath, he put strength into his toes. With a whoosh, space disappeared and time slowed. The moment he realized he was moving, his body was already in front of the Dragon Lord. His speed was the same as before, but something was clearly different.
[What!]
The Dragon Lord had failed to perceive his movement. With a sharp hiss, Raon swung down his Divine Sword before the Dragon Lord could prepare its defense. With a piercing sound, the burning blade penetrated the Dragon Lord's scales, charring its flesh black.
[KROOOOOO!]
The Dragon Lord retreated while letting out a terrifying scream, seemingly in greater pain than when its neck was pierced.
[Begone! Halt! Be torn apart!]
Its eyes rolled back as it spat out dragon words that consumed much of its mental energy in rapid succession. The dragon words poured out with full power pressed against Raon's body and soul. Yet perhaps because he had fully drawn out his Wrath, Raon didn't feel the same immense pressure as before.
'I can overcome this sufficiently.'
Raon broke through the invisible chains of dragon words with brute force and once again executed the Supreme Harmony Steps. With a resounding blast, his speed seemed to pierce through dimensions. He nearly overshot past the Dragon Lord. With a sharp hiss, Raon rapidly spun his body and aimed his Demonic Sword at the mountain-like spine of the Dragon Lord.
[Kuuugh!]
The Lord, proving it hadn't become the leader of dragons for nothing, detected Raon's speed and summoned light blades in succession along its back. It seemed to be trying to erect a wall of mana to deflect the sword strikes, just as it had done against the Whispering Wind.
'This could be dangerous.'
Raon pressed his lips down as he observed the countless swords of light. Unlike before, his body was in close proximity, meaning a failed attack could result in fatal injury.
'But I must continue this way.'
Trusting in his body, willpower, and the wrath boiling in his veins, he swung down his Demonic Sword to the fullest. The frost rising from the Demonic Sword spread like the northern lights, beginning to freeze everything that touched its blue blade. A shrieking sound filled the air!
The thousands—no, tens of thousands—of Light Swords summoned by the Dragon Lord froze solid and shattered like glass.
The Demonic Sword, wrapped in Wrath, spewed terrifying cold energy as if it had finally found its true master, and tore apart the Dragon Lord's back. With a deafening crash, the Dragon Lord's back, larger than a mountain, split open and froze. The demon king's cold energy seeped into the wound, causing the ice to turn red.
[KRAAAAAAACK!]
The Dragon Lord trembled violently as if experiencing such pain for the first time since birth, letting out a scream that shook the dimension. With a thunderous boom, Raon raised his foot and stomped down on the howling Dragon Lord's body. A massive crash reverberated!
The Dragon Lord was flung to the edge of the black dimension, spewing not light but crimson blood from its massive maw.
"It's problematic if you're already in pain."
Raon twisted his lips upward as he observed the even more intensely burning flames of his Divine Sword and the frost of his Demonic Sword.
"I haven't even started yet."