"Sword Saint...?"
Raon swallowed hard as he watched the old man treading through pools of blood.
'That's supposed to be the Sword Saint?'
As the Sword Saint was a figure from hundreds of years ago, information about his appearance couldn't be obtained even in the black market.
The only information available was that he was a transcendent martial artist who used a blue sword and a red blade, and that old man perfectly matched those attributes.
The aura of the old man walking towards them, wielding a sword that gleamed blue like the galaxy and a blade that burned endlessly like lava, was overwhelming everyone present.
Except for his dark eye sockets and white pupils, he looked exactly like the Sword Saint described in the records.
'No matter how transcendent the Sword Saint was, it's impossible for a human to still be alive after all this time. Which means, that's...'
It must mean they've resurrected the dead.
Snap.
Though the Sword Saint's aura was too overwhelming to fully grasp, he lacked the vitality that a living person should possess.
It was clear that someone was controlling a dead body.
"T-The Sword Saint?"
"The owner of this tomb...?"
"H-How is that possible? The Sword Saint lived hundreds of years ago!"
The other martial artists also widened their eyes in disbelief as they looked at the Sword Saint.
"I-It must be a fake, right?"
"Look at that sword and blade! They're exactly as described in the records of the Sword Saint!"
"The Demon Soldier Blade, the True Demon Sword.... The Sword Saint's weapons and martial arts have the same names, and that's exactly what they look like..."
People stepped back as they saw the eerie aura emanating from the Sword Saint and his ominously gleaming weapons.
"There's no need for doubt. That is indeed the Sword Saint."
Delphros shook his head as he brushed his short hair upwards. His eyes regained their composure.
"This cavern you're standing in was the Sword Saint's real tomb."
"Then his legacy..."
Raon frowned as he looked at Delphros.
"Yes. I took care of it."
Delphros nodded calmly.
"It seems the Sword Saint regretted not leaving behind any descendants, so he enshrined his weapons, martial arts, and his own corpse here. Thanks to that..."
He curled his lips as he looked at the Sword Saint standing before the platform.
"I was able to gain the opportunity to control the Sword Saint himself like this."
Delphros waved his hand as if conducting.
"As expected of a transcendent being. Even in death, his corpse remained intact. He did leave behind some incomprehensible last words, but I suppose there's no need to worry about those."
He chuckled, saying it was fortunate that the Sword Saint was foolish.
"..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked into the Sword Saint's empty eyes.
'My guess was right.'
The first patriarch of Zieghart created this training ground for his descendants, and the Sword Saint, out of respect for him, came here to leave his martial arts and weapons to Zieghart.
However, it seemed that afterwards, this land fell out of Zieghart's territory and was forgotten by everyone.
The Sword Saint clearly left his legacy here with good intentions, but because of a notorious villain named Derus Robert, this land became hell, and the martial artist who once stood for justice and harmony as a neutral force became an evil spirit slaughtering people in death.
-What trash!
Wrath also seemed to have grasped the situation, biting his lip.
-Humans curse the demonized every day, but looking at this, you're even worse!
'Indeed.'
Though he had a mouth, he had no words to refute. Both Delphros and Derus were no different from evil spirits wearing human disguises.
"Sword Saint."
As Delphros wiggled his finger, the Sword Saint bowed his head to him. It was an extremely respectful greeting, as if a servant attending to a king.
"Kill them all. But don't tear them apart. We have use for the corpses."
"..."
The Sword Saint nodded and turned his back. A deep bloodlust rose in his pale eyes.
Raon gripped his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword tightly, biting his lip.
'He says he has use for the corpses?'
Judging by the order not to tear them apart, it seemed he still intended to start a war by inflicting false wounds on the corpses.
'That can't happen.'
Whatever else happens, the war must be prevented.
"Uh..."
"W-Wait a moment!"
The martial artists near Delphros's platform were so terrified by the killing intent emanating from the Sword Saint that they couldn't move a finger.
Swish!
The Sword Saint's left hand turned into light. A blue radiance flashed and dropped towards the martial artists' necks. It was a light sword strike with tremendous speed.
Zing!
Raon stepped with the Supreme Harmony Steps. As he advanced towards the Sword Saint, he imbued the flames of his Divine Sword with weight.
He intercepted the Sword Saint's falling sword strike, which had become a blue wind, with spiraling flames.
Clang!
The sword of flames collided with the blue sword, erupting into a powerful shockwave. The aftermath of astral energy spread in all directions, crushing the ground.
"Ugh."
Raon trembled the hand holding the Divine Sword and bit his lip.
'It feels like my grip has been severed.'
The pain far exceeded his expectations. It felt as if his sword domain had stopped.
Crackle!
There was neither curiosity nor malice in the Sword Saint's eyes as their swords clashed. He merely rolled his pale eyes as if determined to carry out Delphros's orders.
"L-Lord Raon?"
"Why did you..."
"...save us?"
The martial artists who barely survived opened their eyes wide, as if asking why he had saved them after they had attacked the Light Wind division.
"I know you didn't attack on purpose. Fall back!"
Raon shook his head quickly.
"Th-Thank you!"
"We'll definitely repay this debt!"
The martial artists hastily bowed their heads and ran back.
-To think you'd save such vermin, what a strange turn of events.
Wrath tilted his head in surprise.
-It's meaningless to do good deeds at this point!
'That's not the reason.'
It wasn't to appear kind, nor because he liked them.
He saved them only because he needed to keep as many people alive as possible to foil Derus's war plans.
Rumble!
The Sword Saint's sword was getting heavier and heavier. While uncertain if he retained all the martial prowess from when he was a transcendent being, he was definitely stronger than Raon's current self.
Huff.
Raon took a deep breath and then stabbed at the Sword Saint's shoulder with the Demonic Sword in his left hand.
As if he had been waiting for this, the Sword Saint raised his red blade to block the Demonic Sword.
Clang!
Sword against sword. Sword against blade. As they clashed, dark-tinged sparks spread in all directions.
Thud!
Raon stepped with the Supreme Harmony's Third Step. He retreated as if sliding on ice. He activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation in his right forefoot. Infusing his lower body with the power of fire, he advanced and unleashed the Thirty-Six Crimson Slashes toward the Sword Saint's chest.
"..."
The Sword Saint was a martial artist capable of exerting full power even when slightly off-balance. A red energy current rose from his Demon Soldier Blade like a divine dragon.
Kwaaang!
As the Divine Sword and the Sword Saint's Demon Soldier Blade collided, fierce flames surged up, lashing at the cavern's ceiling.
Step.
Raon stepped further into the Sword Saint's space. Instead of retreating, he tightened his grip on the demonic sword.
The blue light on the demonic sword split into two, simultaneously aiming for the Sword Saint's neck and heart.
Zing!
The Sword Saint's left hand stirred up a current like a moon halo. The True Demon Sword let out an eerie dragon's roar as it formed a thick wall blocking the Demonic Sword's blade.
Kwang!
Both the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword failed to penetrate the Sword Saint's defense and sank down uselessly.
A massive shockwave spread, causing vibrations that shook the entire cavern, but it was all meaningless.
"Ugh..."
Raon unconsciously parted his tightly closed lips.
'So this is the power of a transcendent being, even in death...'
While Raon excelled in strength and agility, the Sword Saint far surpassed him in the amount of aura and the realm of martial arts. Just not being completely overwhelmed was praiseworthy.
Woong!
The Sword Saint used footwork for the first time. It was a heavy step that seemed to crush the ground. However, its speed was not inferior to the Supreme Harmony Steps.
The rapidly approaching Sword Saint swung down both his sword and blade simultaneously.
"Ugh!"
Raon tried to withdraw his body, but the pressure exerted by the Sword Saint didn't allow it.
He raised the Fire Wall with his Divine Sword and the Dance of the Golden Flame with his Demonic Sword.
The Dance of the Golden Flame, which envelops and erases the enemy's aura, and the Fire Wall, which blocks all attacks, clashed head-on with the Sword Saint's martial arts.
Screech!
Raon frowned as he was pushed back. Even though he had erased most of the Sword Saint's aura with the Dance of the Golden Flame, he felt an impact strong enough to shatter the Fire Wall.
'This isn't an opponent I can defeat alone.'
Perhaps because he was dead, the Sword Saint wasn't conserving his aura. If they continued fighting like this, Raon's body might be torn apart. He was a monster that the current Raon found difficult to face.
Whoosh!
After firing an Astral Ring to deter the Sword Saint, Raon turned his gaze behind him.
"I'll be there soon! Just hold on a little longer!"
"Damn it. If only I wasn't injured..."
Rimmer and Serena were busy dealing with the Sixth Apostle and the Demon Sword Master.
It was natural, as Rimmer was still not accustomed to his prosthetic hand, and Serena had suffered a severe injury.
Zing!
Like a dead person, the Sword Saint swung his True Demon Sword and Demon Soldier Blade with eyes that showed no sign of fatigue. Blue and red light rays extended out, becoming a storm of blades.
'I have no choice but to do this alone.'
Just as he was gritting his teeth, thinking there was no other way...
Rumble!
From the left, a massive lightning bolt shot out and struck down the Sword Saint's blade, while from the right, a heavy sword strike extended to press down his sword.
Boom!
Taking advantage of the Sword Saint's first retreat, two people jumped forward. It was Kuzan, the Koman Knight Commander, and Barfil, the Lightning Decay.
The expressions of the two people who turned to look back were filled with a resolve to die.
"It would be too much for you alone."
"We'll help you."
"It's dangerous."
Raon shook his head as he looked at the Koman Knight Commander and Lightning Decay. Both of them were not in their best condition, and if they made a mistake, they could lose their lives to a single strike from the Sword Saint.
"Didn't I say I'd repay my debt? I'm glad the opportunity came so quickly."
"My thoughts are the same."
The two shook their heads as if they didn't care if they died, and came to stand beside him.
"Hehe."
Delphros sneered with his arms crossed.
"Do as you please. But will three be enough?"
"..."
Raon gritted his teeth without answering. As frustrating as it was, Delphros was right - the Sword Saint's martial prowess was still overwhelming. Even with the three of them attacking together, there was no guarantee of victory.
"It's getting boring waiting, so let's get things moving on our side too."
As Delphros snapped his fingers, figures in black uniforms emerged from the darkness.
'The Shadow Ghost Unit, huh.'
These were martial artists from the Shadow Ghost Unit, the military organization Delphros belonged to. Unlike the Shadows who specialized in assassination techniques, these guys had properly trained in martial arts.
"Kill them."
At his command, the Shadow Ghost Unit members charged at the martial artists who hadn't yet regained their senses.
Slash!
Not only was there a difference in martial prowess, but the situation itself unfolded so rapidly that the neutral faction's martial artists couldn't hold out and quickly fell.
"Hmm..."
Raon's fingertips trembled as he looked back.
'They can't die.'
To prevent the war, he needed to save as many people as possible.
But the Light Wind division and the Void Sword division were blocked by the White Blood Religion and the Black Tower, unable to help.
"We need to save those people."
Kuzan, the Koman Knight Commander, turned back and shouted to his subordinates.
"Koman Knights, stop those killing demons!"
"You too! Help the knights protect the people!"
Barfil the Lightning Decay also nodded, telling people to protect others.
It seemed that the two men's words about helping in any way they could were sincere.
"Let's start on this side too. I'll take the lead!"
The Koman Knight Commander let out a fierce roar and leapt towards the Sword Saint's front.
Clang!
Even his thick sword was easily deflected by the Sword Saint's Demon Soldier Blade, as if it were a mere twig.
"Where do you think you're going!"
But he neither retreated nor backed down. Stepping firmly, he swung his sword again, stubbornly engaging the Sword Saint.
Crackle!
Taking advantage of the moment when the Sword Saint's attention was on the Koman Knight Commander, Lightning Decay dropped a massive lightning bolt shaped like tree roots.
Rumble!
While blocking the Koman Knight Commander, the Sword Saint raised his True Demon Sword to deflect Lightning Decay's lightning. It was a flexible yet thick sword barrier.
Thud!
Raon stomped the ground, raising red light rays. He thrust his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, each gleaming with different lights, towards the Sword Saint's slightly lowered sword barrier.
Crack!
The sword barrier broke, and the blades of the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword stopped right in front of the Sword Saint's face. His eyes remained calm.
Raon twisted his wrists holding the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword. He took a heavy step, drawing out all the aura from his energy center.
Rumble!
A fire dragon rose from the Divine Sword's blade, and a water dragon from the Demonic Sword's edge, both exhaling fierce breaths. It was the Flame Dragon Strike unleashed in the Sword Domain state.
Roar!
Flames and frost exploded in an instant, completely shattering the Sword Saint's sword barrier.
"Haaaa!"
"Thunder Strike!"
The Koman Knight Commander brought down an Astral Ring on the broken sword barrier, and Lightning Decay burst a massive orb of lightning energy.
Boom!
A second massive explosion occurred, leaving a deep crater where the Sword Saint had been standing.
"Is it over?"
As Lightning Decay let out a sigh, a black light gleamed from within the dark smoke.
"Huh!"
"Ah..."
Having exhausted all their strength, the Koman Knight Commander and Lightning Decay could only stare blankly at the light, unable to even think of dodging.
Zing!
Raon bit his lip and rushed forward. He swung his Divine Sword, raising a shield of flames from below.
Woong!
The Fire Wall shattered instantly under the intense blade strike. Immediately, he laid his Demonic Sword flat, raising a shield of frost.
Kwang!
He barely managed to block it, but it felt like every bone in his body was resonating. The difference in the quality of aura and martial prowess was too great.
Whoosh!
As the smoke cleared, the Sword Saint's figure was revealed. His clothes were torn, but not a single drop of blood flowed from his pale skin.
'He really is a corpse... Huh?'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Sword Saint's inner clothing. The pattern on the clothes he wore under his martial arts uniform resembled that of Zieghart.
'That's right. They said the Sword Saint respected Zieghart's first patriarch.'
If that's true, he might recognize the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
He operated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to its extreme, drawing a Fire Spirit.
Whoosh!
Flame petals born from the nourishment of sparks spread in all directions, enveloping the Sword Saint.
The Fire Spirit, the very essence of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, might be able to bring back his consciousness.
Slash!
But the Sword Saint swung his blade roughly as if felling trees, completely dispelling the red petals that had dyed the darkness.
'I guess it doesn't work after all...'
It seems that awakening someone who has been resurrected and brainwashed with martial arts is something only possible in stories.
'Well. This might be better.'
Raon readjusted his grip on both swords. He twisted his lips as he looked into the Sword Saint's sunken eyes.
'No need to get the martial arts manual. I'll just strip him of everything here.'
* * *
Rumble!
A massive shockwave exploded, sending the Koman Knight Commander flying into the wall, while Lightning Decay rolled on the ground, coughing up blood.
"Kuhuk!"
"Kuugh..."
The Koman Knight Commander managed to stand up, but his legs were shaking, while Lightning Decay remained on his knees, unable to rise.
"Huff..."
Raon wiped the blood trickling from his mouth and shook his head.
'As expected, someone who was once a transcendent being is different.'
Even while whirling the Ring of Fire at its extreme, it wasn't easy to grasp the Sword Saint's martial arts.
Even if he could understand the martial arts, the Sword Saint's aura and willpower were too overwhelming to create an opening.
"Strange..."
The Koman Knight Commander slowly caught his breath, his sword-holding hand trembling.
"Why isn't his aura diminishing?"
"Hmm, even a transcendent being should have limits..."
Lightning Decay nodded briefly in agreement.
'Now that you mention it...'
Raon stroked his chin as he looked at the Sword Saint.
'The amount of aura is the same as at the beginning.'
Since he died and was resurrected, it's understandable that his physical strength doesn't decrease.
But the Sword Saint was using his aura as if it were infinite.
Despite putting full power into every strike, his aura wasn't diminishing at all.
"Is it like a lich?"
"A lich?"
The Koman Knight Commander turned his head as if asking what Raon meant.
"A lich can be resurrected even after death and use mana endlessly as long as its soul-containing core is intact. It seems similar to that."
"T-Then, does that mean we can't kill it?"
"That's not necessarily true."
Lightning Decay shook his head.
"Even if a soul prison was created, there must be limits. Using such power surely comes with corresponding drawbacks."
He gritted his teeth, saying it didn't make sense to use such power without any conditions.
"You're right. There must be a weakness."
Raon calmed his breathing and raised his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword.
"Let's keep going."
"Hah, I can't back out after saying I'd help!"
The Koman Knight Commander let out a pointless complaint and charged towards the Sword Saint's front.
"Lightning Dragon!"
Unable to stand properly, Lightning Decay unleashed lightning from his staff. Bright yellow lightning energy took the form of a dragon, stretching towards the Sword Saint's left side.
"Huup!"
Raon took a firm step. Rotating to the right, he drew the Crimson Slash with his Divine Sword and the Silver Sword Dream with his Demonic Sword.
Slash!
As the all-out attacks of the three Grandmasters converged into a joint technique, the Sword Saint's sword and blade flashed.
Boom!
Just like at the start of the battle, he unleashed tremendous power, pushing all three of them back simultaneously.
'We need to stop the Sword Saint first if we're going to find anything...'
We were gradually wearing down, but the Sword Saint's stamina and aura seemed endless.
If the battle continued like this, even if they could decipher his martial arts, winning would be impossible.
"Huff..."
As Raon was enduring the Sword Saint's sword strike with bitten lips, a very stealthy presence that had approached from behind suddenly leapt over his head.
"I'll take the Sword Saint's martial arts!"
It was someone who had been quietly hiding until now. An old man with long, ebony-like hair. It was the Ghostly Treasure Seeker who had first discovered the map to the Sword Saint's tomb and opened this place.
He took advantage of the moment when everyone's attention was diverted to reach for the Sword Saint's martial arts manual.
Screech!
The moment the Ghostly Treasure Seeker's hand touched the martial arts manual, the Sword Saint violently swung up his True Demon Sword that had been blocking the Lightning Dragon.
Slash!
The blue blade of the True Demon Sword split the Ghostly Treasure Seeker's body like a sheet of paper.
"Foolish one. Did you think a martial artist would let his martial arts manual be stolen?"
Delphros sneered as he looked at the Ghostly Treasure Seeker's split body.
"Your role ended with opening this tomb. A fitting death for a worm."
"Ugh..."
The Ghostly Treasure Seeker gazed at the martial arts manual he couldn't obtain before breathing his last.
"..."
Raon wasn't looking at Delphros or the Ghostly Treasure Seeker. He swallowed hard as he stared at the Sword Saint.
'Could it be...'
Was that it?
For just a moment, when the Ghostly Treasure Seeker touched the Sword Saint's martial arts manual, a subtle energy connected the Sword Saint and the manual.
Others might not have noticed, but with his Ring of Fire, he couldn't have mistaken what he saw.
Raon slowly raised his gaze. His eyes, fixed on the floating martial arts manual, gleamed with a light more intense than blood.
'I've found it.'
That's the Sword Saint's core.