Raon activated the mechanism installed in the rock. The large rock, shaped like a turtle's head, slid silently away, revealing a path that led underground.
Taking a deep breath of the cold dawn air, he fearlessly stepped into the dark hole that resembled an abyss.
Following the same steps Bells had taken, he descended the stairs, and yellow lights, identical to those at dawn, illuminated the cold floor.
However, there was one difference from before. The swordsmen of the Lakion family were now blocking the path, their eyes revealing red, corrupted demonic energy.
'It's a meaningless act.'
Wrapping the darkness of the cave around him like a robe, Raon passed by the swordsmen and stood in front of the central door where Basion resided.
"Hmm…"
"What, what is it?"
"The door is open, but no one is coming down."
The swordsmen of the Lakion family spread their senses, searching the surroundings, but none of them could detect Raon's presence.
"Hmm…"
A middle-aged man, who appeared to be the highest-ranking swordsman, frowned and knocked on Basion's door.
Knock, knock.
The door opened quickly after the second knock, and Basion, the second son of Juan Lakion, emerged.
"What's going on!"
Basion wiped the blood off his cheek and frowned. Using the gap as he emerged, Raon looked inside the room.
Siuelen lay limp with bruises on her arms and thighs, while her nanny's shoulder had been mauled as if bitten by a beast.
Both of them seemed unconscious, barely breathing.
-Is that bastard hitting even children?
Wrath frowned in disbelief.
'He only hit places that could be covered by clothing to avoid detection.'
-A wretch! He's so despicable he hits children when he has nothing else to do!
'For once, we're on the same page.'
Raon suppressed his rising emotions and clenched his fingers.
"Who knocked on the door?"
Basion, knowing the rock had opened, shouted as he looked toward the stairs.
"Th-the door opened, but no one came down."
"What nonsense is that."
Twisting his lips, Basion took a step out of the room.
Whoosh!
The moment Basion took his second step, Raon punched his face with a clenched fist.
Boom!
A sound like shattering rock echoed as Basion's face crumpled and he crashed into the wall.
"Ugh…"
Raon grabbed the groaning Basion by the collar and drew his Requiem Sword with his left hand, slicing off Basion's arm.
"Aaaargh!"
Basion instinctively tried to retaliate, but his right arm fell to the cold floor, and he screamed in agony.
"Who, who are you!"
"You think you can get away with this in Lakion?"
"Release him immediately!"
The swordsmen of the Lakion family raised their demonic energy and glared.
"Shut up."
Raon lowered his voice, holding the Requiem Sword to Basion's throat.
"If you so much as move a finger or open your mouth, your master will die."
Saying this, he lightly sliced Basion's throat. Red blood stained the blade of the Requiem Sword.
The message was clear to the demonic warriors that it was Raon, not Basion, who now controlled this place.
"Grr…"
Basion touched his severed shoulder with his left hand, grinding his teeth.
"You think I'll yield to such petty threats!"
Despite being possessed by demonic energy, new flesh was growing from his shoulder.
"Attack! This guy can't kill me anyway! Cut his throat now!"
Basion shouted, ordering the swordsmen to attack.
Swish!
The Lakion swordsmen, awaiting orders, rushed in with their blades enveloped in dark demonic energy.
Raon struck Basion's spine with the reverse grip of his Requiem Sword.
Crack!
The sound of bones shattering echoed as Basion's body crumpled to the ground.
Just as the swordsmen's blades neared Raon's throat, he grabbed his Heavenly Drive sword hilt with his right hand.
A crimson sword light erupted from his fingertips, ruthlessly tearing through the blades burning with demonic energy.
Boom!
An enormous explosion filled the space, turning the demonic blades and Lakion swordsmen into ash.
Rumble!
The force embedded in the sword strikes caused the ceiling of the cave to collapse, and warm sunlight poured into the previously yellow-lit underground space.
"W-who are you…"
Paralyzed from the shock to his spine, Basion could not even move a finger, only his lips trembled.
"You think I won't kill you?"
Raon locked eyes with Basion and removed his mask.
"G-golden hair and red eyes. Raon Zieghart? Why are you here…"
"I didn't ask for my name. Why did you think I wouldn't kill you? Hostage?"
"That's…"
"Correct. I need the demonic energy coursing through your body."
Seeing Basion's regenerating shoulder, Raon smirked.
"Once your usefulness is over, your head will roll as well."
"Ugh…"
"If you want to live a little longer, keep your mouth shut."
Raon stepped on Basion's head and entered the room. He first healed the nanny, who was in critical condition, with the Divinity Born from Darkness, and then approached Siuelen.
"W-was the swordsman really Raon Zieghart?"
Siuelen, who had woken up from the explosion, trembled as she opened her eyes.
"Yes."
Raon lightly broke the chains binding Siuelen's arms and legs, then nodded.
"Can you stand?"
"Yes…"
Siuelen nodded and grabbed the wall to stand up. She immediately collapsed but got up again.
"From now on, I will fight your family. To prevent this battle from spreading, the Lakion family's crimes must be fully revealed."
Raon looked down at Siuelen's clear eyes.
"Can you do that for me? I know it's a difficult task, so I won't force you. But if you speak out, it will reduce the damage."
Keeping Basion alive would help create evidence, but if Siuelen spoke out, it would awaken the warriors not yet tainted by demonic energy.
However, she had witnessed the massacre at the Sinigen Branch and had been tortured, so it was understandable if she refused.
"I'll do it. Please let me."
Siuelen nodded, looking at her unconscious nanny and the fallen Basion.
"Can you save our family?"
"Sigh…"
Raon sighed at Siuelen's trembling voice.
'This must be what family is.'
Despite fearing her father and brothers, she still wanted to save them.
She had tried to inform the Sinigen Branch about her family's actions to preserve the family's integrity.
"I'll do my best."
Raon nodded without giving a definitive answer.
"Is it all over?"
Dorian, who had been waiting at the foot of the mountain, appeared on the collapsed ceiling, trembling.
"I thought there was a landslide…"
"Come down."
"Yes, sir!"
Dorian descended into the cave, pinching his nose in disgust.
"Ugh, this place reeks."
"It's the stench of demonic energy."
Raon opened the door to the room next to where Siuelen had been. People dressed in the Lakion family's robes lay dead, piled in the corners.
'Vile scum…'
The corpses were completely dried up, as if all life had been sucked out of them.
Raon walked to the center of the cave, where several rooms connected. The stench of the thickest, darkest demonic energy emanated from below.
Boom!
As he stomped his foot, the ground shattered, revealing a tree root-like structure emitting a foul demonic stench.
'This is…'
-Hmm?
Unable to identify it, Raon rubbed his fingers together, but Wrath's eyes widened at the sight of the tree root.
-Why is the root of a Devildom Tree here?
'Devildom Tree?'
-I don't know why it's just the root, but it's a tree from the demonic realm. It quietly burrows into the ground, sucking up all the nutrients around it. It's so gluttonous that no monsters live near it.
Wrath snorted, saying he didn't like it because it reminded him of gluttony.
'Did they sacrifice people to this root to gather demonic energy?'
The root itself didn't emit much demonic energy, just a foul stench.
"Dorian, take this."
Although the demonic energy wasn't strong, the lingering scent could serve as important evidence, so Raon threw the root of the Devildom Tree to Dorian.
"Yikes!"
Dorian, clearly frightened, caught the root with his fingernails, showing a strange skill.
"Are you ready?"
Raon grabbed Basion's hair and lifted his head.
"What… ready for what…"
"You know what."
Raon twisted his lips as he looked into Basion's trembling eyes.
"Ready to lose everything you had."
Boom!
Juan Lakion kicked off the platform and ran out of the Lord's Manor. Bells and other executives followed him outside.
"What…"
"What the hell is that…"
"Why is there smoke coming from Baekin Mountain?"
The swordsmen of the Lakion family trembled at the sight of gray smoke rising from the eastern slope of Baekin Mountain.
"What have you done!"
Juan glared at Rimmer, who was slowly walking out. A chilling murderous intent flowed from his black eyes.
"Are you finally showing your true colors? Demonic energy is flowing from your eyes."
"W-what nonsense!"
Juan trembled more than when the mountain had exploded, his lips quivering. Not only him, but the executives protecting him also had a strange light in their eyes.
"Oh, I must have been mistaken," Rimmer shrugged as if dismissing his previous statement.
"Why are you so flustered? If it's not demonic energy, just say it isn't."
He raised his chin with a mocking smile.
"One day, that mouth of yours will get you killed."
"That might be true. But it's likely you'll go first."
"Bells!"
Juan, not wanting to deal with Rimmer any longer, turned and called out to Bells.
"Yes."
Bells bowed deeply at Juan's rough voice and stepped forward.
"Go. Find out what happened."
"Understood."
"No need to go."
Rimmer waved his hand cheerfully.
"Our Mad Dog should be bringing a bone this way soon."
"…Raon Zieghart, you mean."
Juan clenched his lips, understanding who Rimmer was referring to.
"Oh, speak of the devil."
Rimmer smiled as he raised a finger, and they could see Raon running towards the Lord's Manor, stepping on the rooftops.
"He's carrying someone?"
"Wait, that person is…!"
"It's Basion! It's Young Master Basion!"
The swordsmen of the Lakion family widened their eyes as they recognized Basion in Raon's grip.
Thud!
As everyone stared in shock, Raon lightly kicked off the wall and landed in front of Juan.
"Hey, you're late. Your guests were waiting."
Rimmer frowned with his hands on his hips.
"I had a lot to search for."
Raon answered, patting Basion's head.
"Basion…"
Juan bit his lip at the sight of his second son, who had his arm torn off and couldn't even stand properly.
"What the hell have you done!"
"Even if you're Zieghart, how dare you behave like this!"
"This is unforgivable!"
The swordsmen of the Lakion family drew their swords and unleashed their murderous intent as if ready to attack at any moment.
"A fight, huh?"
Rimmer gently grasped his sword hilt, and the Light Wind division adjusted their positions, ready to form a formation at any time.
"I couldn't find your second son, so I searched everywhere. Found him hiding underground like a mole."
Raon lifted Basion so Juan could meet his eyes.
"F-Father…"
"You scoundrel!"
Juan's black eyes flared with rage.
"What do you think will happen because of this!"
"You'll die."
Raon cut off Juan's words as if thrusting a sword.
"How long are you going to keep pretending? Your second son is in my hands."
Raon smirked coldly, twisting Basion's left arm. With a sickening crack, Basion's arm hung limply.
"Graaah!"
Basion screamed, his shoulder trembling. It seemed his spine, previously damaged, had partially healed with demonic energy, restoring some sensation.
"Hmph…"
Juan couldn't respond, only chewing on his lip. The same went for Bells and the other swordsmen.
The fact that they didn't react meant that most of them were in league with Juan, unlike the clueless Siria.
"What does that mean!"
"Don't insult the head of our house!"
"What did the second young master do!"
However, the younger or older warriors who hadn't been chosen by Juan spoke up boldly, raising their voices in protest.
"There are those who don't know, so I'll explain."
Raon smiled at the warriors who were glaring at him with furious eyes.
"This man. No, not just him. Your head of house, Juan Lakion, and the executives made a pact with the Holy Sword Alliance, sacrificing Lakion family warriors to the demonic sword."
"Lies! That's nonsense!"
"Right! Why would our family side with the Holy Sword Alliance!"
"Show us the evidence!"
The unbelievable accusations made the Lakion warriors' voices sink into the ground like mud.
"Look at this."
Raon turned Basion's body to reveal his torn shoulder, where demonic energy was forcing the arm to regenerate.
"Regeneration ability? No, that's demonic energy…"
"Then everything he said is…"
"Yes, it's true."
Raon nodded in agreement.
"The attack on the Sinigen Branch, the pretense of bandits, the murder of key family members—all were orchestrated by your head and executives."
Raon pointed at Juan Lakion with his finger.
"Your head of house and executives did it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Lakion swordsmen looked at Juan. The disbelief in their eyes wavered like waves hit by a storm.
"I can't believe it!"
"Right! You could have implanted demonic energy in him!"
"Head of house! Please, tell us it's a lie!"
"Say something!"
"Do you doubt your head?"
Bells stepped forward, his eyes firm.
"Believe. If we don't believe in our head, who will?"
He declared that Raon was trying to divide Lakion and urged them to trust their head of house.
"It's not even worth refuting."
Juan also lied without blinking an eye.
"That guy did this and is trying to frame us."
"Of course!"
"He must be possessed by demonic energy to try to deceive us!"
"He's an enemy! We must kill him immediately!"
The swordsmen, unable to accept the truth with their hearts, even if their minds did, shouted ferociously.
"Yes, I knew it would come to this."
Raon chuckled softly, nodding. For them, Juan was a revered head, so it was naturally hard to accept.
"Come out."
With a flick of his wrist, Dorian appeared, leading Siuelen forward.
"Young miss?"
"She was captured too…"
"No."
Siuelen shook her head vigorously and stepped forward.
"I wasn't captured by Raon Swordsman. I was imprisoned by my second brother. Over the time…"
She revealed everything that had happened in front of all the assembled Lakion family members.
Ironically, Siuelen's miserable condition made her testimony more credible.
"Head of house…"
"What is this!"
"Please, say something!"
"..."
Juan didn't respond, only hanging his head low.
"Ha…"
He exhaled heavily and raised his head. His eyes glinted with a dark, ominous light.
"Head of house?"
"I'm sorry."
As Juan extended his hand, the chests of the protesting swordsmen exploded, and a black sphere was sucked into his hand. It was a heavily corrupted demonic energy.
"Ah…"
"Head of house…"
"Ugh!"
The swordsmen, unable to believe their own deaths, fell without even closing their eyes.
"Your deaths will serve as a great foundation for Lakion's rise."
Juan nodded deeply as if truly believing his words.
"Raon Zieghart's most terrifying aspect isn't his sword, but his schemes. They were right."
He squinted at Raon.
"But you don't know me. You don't know how I've lived or what thoughts have sustained me!"
Juan shouted to the heavens, as if addressing the world rather than Raon.
"I am not wrong."
"What?"
Raon stared at Juan in disbelief.
"Do you know the life of a vassal family?"
Juan raked his hair back with a bitter laugh.
"A vassal family. It sounds good, but it's essentially slavery. We're just dogs that must run when Zieghart calls."
He continued, scratching the back of his hand with his nails.
"When I became the successor, Zieghart devoured Lakion. Do you know what that means? This family was never entirely mine. Though I was the head, Glenn Zieghart was above me!"
Juan clenched his fist, his laughter abruptly stopping.
"You don't understand the humiliation, the indignity of having to bow from the start!"
"I understand."
Raon nodded calmly.
"Even if you accomplish something, you're disregarded. Even if you do nothing, you're mocked and scorned. I know that life."
Born into the main family, living as a branch member, Raon had endured countless humiliations. Even now, as a vice division leader, direct family members still cast disdainful looks and hateful expressions his way.
So he understood what Juan meant.
"But so what."
"What?"
Juan's eyes widened, not expecting that response.
"To overcome that humiliating gaze, to rise above that scorn, you should have relied on your own power. Accepting help from the Holy Sword Alliance? Receiving a demonic sword?"
Raon smirked, his laugh cold.
"You didn't break free from Zieghart. You just switched who you wagged your tail for, from Zieghart to the Holy Sword Alliance."
"Ugh…"
Juan couldn't answer, his throat trembling. Clearly, he had thought the same himself.
"Why not wag your tail for me too? Who knows, I might give you a sword technique."
"Shut up!"
Juan leaned forward, screaming.
"Father."
Siuelen clasped her hands together, looking at Juan.
"Please stop. Stop now!"
The child, recognizing this as the last chance, rushed forward to stop her misguided father.
"Siuelen."
Juan briefly shook his head.
"You. You ruined everything. It's all because of you."
"Father?"
"You should never have been born!"
Grinding his teeth, he reached out. A black sphere, a mix of demonic energy and aura, shot towards Siuelen's chest.
"Ah…"
Siuelen, unable to even think of dodging, froze in place, feeling death approach and closing her eyes.
But she felt no pain. Instead, a comforting warmth spread over her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she saw Raon's back, his black cloak fluttering.
"Raon…"
"Sorry."
Raon turned around with a bitter smile.
"I can't grant your request."
Saying this, he lightly tapped Siuelen's neck.
"Ah…"
She let out a soft moan and fainted. Raon handed her over to Dorian.
"Take care of her."
"I'll protect her no matter what."
Dorian, eyes determined, nodded.
Raon clenched his trembling fists, biting his lip.
'It wasn't a threat.'
Just now, Juan had truly intended to kill Siuelen.
If he had been careless, that child would have vanished without a trace. The fury he had forcibly suppressed began to burn uncontrollably.
"Father."
Basion reached out his left arm, now regaining sensation, towards Juan.
"Please save me. Please…"
"Don't worry. You have inherited my power, so you won't die. I will surely save…"
Raon raised his right hand and snapped Basion's neck.
Crack!
With a sound of bones breaking, the light faded from Basion's eyes.
Cutting off the demonic energy with the Divinity Born from Darkness, he couldn't regenerate and died instantly.
"Basion!"
Juan's jaw trembled as he saw Basion's lifeless body.
"I've taken care of your unnecessary son for you."
Raon brushed his hands, smirking coldly.
"No need to thank me."
"You dare!"
As Juan reached towards the ground, the earth cracked like a spider web, and a twisted sword with numerous blades emerged, resembling a tree root.
The sword was pitch black and appeared to be made of wood.
'Is that the demonic sword?'
He had hidden the demonic sword deep underground to conceal its foul stench.
'But it looks like it's made of wood.'
-Not like wood, but it is wood.
'What?'
-It's made from the root of the Devildom Tree we saw earlier. After draining the life force of humans, it releases demonic energy through that root. Quite an interesting method.
Wrath marveled at the unique usage of the Devildom Tree.
Rumble!
As Juan pointed the demonic sword to the sky, black liquid gushed out, sinking the ground and darkening the sky.
A phenomenon befitting the name of the demonic sword.
"The power I've gained with the demonic sword Criatus is not just for me. No one here will leave alive!"
As he declared, intense energy flared behind the swordsmen standing with him. Demonic energy infused their aura, emitting an overwhelming force.
"Ugh…"
"What kind of insane demonic sword is that…"
"Hmm."
Not only the regular swordsmen but also squad leaders like Burren, Martha, and Runaan bit their lips, overwhelmed by the demonic energy.
Boom!
Raon stomped, burning the darkened ground with crimson flames.
"Light Wind division, listen up."
The noble energy emanating from him dispelled the foul demonic energy, creating a clear light.
"On charges of colluding with external forces, murder within the family, and human sacrifices, we will execute the head of the Lakion family and all its executives."
"We will obey your command!"
The Light Wind division, previously daunted by the demonic energy, reversed their swords and saluted, roaring to dispel the darkness.
Raon nodded in approval and moved forward. The flames beneath his feet melted the darkness, causing it to retreat in fear.
"Abandoning your family, throwing away your pride, and destroying your house—let me show you how worthless the power you've gained is."
Raon plunged the Heavenly Drive and Requiem Sword into the ground.
"Sword Domain."
His low voice tore through the demonic energy, summoning the crimson and blue swords.
"Divine-Demonic Harmony."
A golden veil, like the moment when the sun and moon crossed at dawn, enveloped Raon, pushing back the grotesque darkness.
"From now on."
Raon raised the divine sword. With eyes burning redder than flames, he pointed it at Juan.
"I will execute you."