"Aunt..."
Raon's fingertips trembled. His mind went blank. He knew he had to rush to Alice immediately, but his body wouldn't move, as if his mind and body were disconnected.
"Huh...?"
Burren dropped his sword in disbelief.
"Damn it!"
Martha spat out a curse, her face contorted.
"...Sif?"
Runaan froze in place, as if turned to stone.
"Sif!"
Raon slapped his own cheek to force himself back to reality.
"You bastard!"
"That's far enough."
As Raon was about to use the Supreme Harmony Steps to save Alice, Sif calmly shook his head.
"It would be best if you didn't move from where you are."
Sif slightly twisted the Cursed Blacksword embedded in Alice's chest, as if threatening to kill her if anyone approached.
"Urgh!"
Alice let out a gasp as if her breath was about to be cut off, her entire body trembling.
"You..."
Raon gritted his teeth as he looked at Sif's calm gaze.
'Damn it!'
At first, Raon had held onto a thread of suspicion when Wrath said he had seen Sif somewhere. But Sif's body had been so stiff that he could barely hold a knife, let alone a sword, and his aura had been so dried up that Raon thought he couldn't harm anyone.
No, more than that, the affectionate scene between Alice and Sif had reminded him of himself and Sylvia, causing him to let his guard down.
He never imagined something like this would happen. Especially that Alice would be subjected to such treatment.
"S-Sif..."
Alice turned to look at Sif, coughing up black blood.
"I bear no ill will, Mother."
Sif smiled softly as he brushed Alice's red hair aside.
"I just need you, that's all."
He laughed with the same gentle voice as before, unchanged.
"W-Why? I would have done anything you wanted..."
Alice's darkening lips trembled, seeming more pained by Sif's transformation than by the sword piercing her chest.
"Was it because I pushed you too hard in training? Or because I came to save you too late...?"
Even in this situation, she was thinking of Sif first, asking for reasons.
"Training? It was certainly difficult. Others showered me with praise for my talent, but back then, I wasn't particularly interested in strength."
Sif shook his head with a calm gaze.
"But things changed after I left you, Mother."
He chuckled with a cracking voice.
"I realized how extraordinary I am. And how insignificant other humans are in comparison. Power, it's truly wonderful."
Sif caressed Alice's cheek, thanking her for making him realize this.
"I-I didn't train you for something like this!"
"Didn't you tell me not to lose to anyone, Mother? Tormenting and dominating the weak is truly enjoyable."
He curled his lips into a long smile, as if trampling on Alice's hopes.
"But I never heard anything about your actions..."
"I had to hide my identity to avoid being caught for doing foolish things. Crimson Blade Vass, Blood Wolf Danshu, Deadly Arrow Isran. I've used quite a few names."
Sif listed infamous aliases known for being murderers, revealing that he had killed over a thousand people.
"It's all thanks to you, Mother. I met my god and learned about the significance of this Zieghart blood."
"Blood?"
Raon furrowed his brow as he spoke with dry lips.
"What I said about our blood being special wasn't a lie. It truly is different."
Sif shook his head, insisting that at least this wasn't a lie.
"I-I don't know what you're thinking. But I know I have to stop you!"
Alice bit her lip and grabbed the Cursed Blacksword protruding from her chest. It seemed she intended to break it.
"Ah..."
But she couldn't break the blade of the Cursed Blacksword, and her hands trembled weakly.
"A-Aunt?"
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Alice.
'What's going on?'
Even if she was caught off guard while exhausted, Alice was a Transcendent Warrior who had overcome countless hardships. She should have been able to break Sif's seemingly powerless sword, but for some reason, she couldn't move.
"What have you done..."
Alice tried to muster her strength to pull out Sif's Cursed Blacksword, but his sword didn't budge, as if it were a rock.
"This sword is special. It's been honed with my blood and soul."
Sif shook his head, saying it was only natural that she couldn't pull it out.
"But if it's a request from my beloved mother, I can certainly pull it out for you. It's about time anyway."
He smiled and pulled the Cursed Blacksword out of Alice's chest. The moment the sword was removed, Alice collapsed, and a terrifying amount of blood gushed from the hole in her chest. As Alice's blood touched the ground, the dried blood clots on the ceiling, walls, and floor of the cavern emitted a red glow.
A deep rumbling sound echoed. The bright red light, as if melted from blood, poured down on Sif like stage lighting. As the blood-light seeped into Sif's body, his wounds began to disappear as if time were reversing, his flesh and muscles filling out, transforming him into a robust figure.
Without hesitation, Raon kicked off the ground.
'I have to go now.'
If left like this, Alice would certainly die. This moment was the only chance to save Alice from Sif, whose power was rapidly amplifying. Raon stepped forward with his left foot and executed the Frost Snap.
"You should have only cared for Mother."
Sif shook his head with a thin smile.
"You're too greedy, little brother."
With a flick of his finger, the air split and erased Raon's two slashes of the Frost Snap. As expected of Alice's son, his mastery of the Spatial Sword was remarkable. Raon clicked his tongue and approached Alice.
"Aunt!"
Alice's eyes were open, but she couldn't move a single finger, as if her entire body was paralyzed. The mental shock seemed even greater than the physical pain.
"Damn it!"
Raon gritted his teeth and placed his hand on Alice's chest. He poured all of his Divinity Born from Darkness into the wound that was still gushing blood. Thanks to exhausting all of his holy power, Alice's wound healed, but she still couldn't move.
"R-Raon..."
Red tears welled up in Alice's distorted eyes. She was apologizing with her gaze.
"S-Spatial Sword?"
Paras, who was approaching Alice, stopped and trembled as he looked at Sif.
"How could Sir Sif use the Spatial Sword...?"
"What do you mean?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he turned to Paras.
"Sir Sif never learned the Spatial Sword. He mastered a completely different swordsmanship, so why suddenly...?"
Paras clutched his head, seemingly unable to understand.
-That bastard...
Wrath bit his lip as he looked at Sif.
-He's extracting the troublemaker's power.
'Power? You mean he's extracting Aunt's aura?'
Indeed, Alice's energy was gradually diminishing, while Sif's aura was growing stronger.
-It's not just aura, but power! The very martial prowess that the troublemaker possesses is being extracted!
Wrath shook his head, saying that even he had never seen such a phenomenon before.
'Then...'
Raon understood why Paras was surprised to see Sif's Spatial Sword. It seemed impossible, but it looked like Sif had forcibly taken Alice's Spatial Sword.
-And now I remember who that bastard is.
Wrath glared at Sif and exhaled deeply.
-He's the one who tried to kill you in the river.
'He tried to kill me?'
-Remember when I woke up, you said you were on the brink of death? He's the one who chased you down and tried to kill you!
Wrath twisted his lips, saying he recognized him now that his aura was exposed.
'No way...?'
Raon had heard that there was someone who had been hiding in the shadow of the Evil Goat Demon and had jumped out at the last moment to stab him with a sword after he had collapsed in the life-or-death battle with the Axe King.
"Be...orn?"
Raon called out Beorn's name as if grinding bones, looking at Sif.
"Huh?"
Sif looked at Raon and let out a hollow laugh.
"You remember? But you were clearly unconscious."
He tilted his head curiously.
"Well, there's no need to hide it anymore."
Sif nodded calmly, looking at the fallen Alice.
"That's right. I am Beorn."
He wiped away his chilling smile and revealed a gaze as firm as a rock.
"...Is Sif dead then?"
Raon asked, grinding his teeth. It seemed that this Beorn had killed Sif and was acting in his skin.
"What are you talking about?"
Sif drew another eerie smile.
"I am both Beorn and Sif."
Beorn nodded, saying that he was Sif.
"What...?"
Raon's lips trembled.
"Did you think I died and Beorn was acting as me? That's too naive!"
Beorn sneered as he brushed back his red hair.
"Ah..."
Raon lowered his gaze at Alice's groan. She seemed to have heard Beorn's words too, as a drop of blood-tinged tear fell from her eye.
'It's like I'm seeing him.'
Raon bit his lip until it bled.
'Derus Robert.'
Pure malice with unfathomable intentions. It was a filthy feeling, just like when he faced Derus Robert, who used all humans like his chess pieces.
"I'll kill you myself..."
Raon stood in front of Alice, raising the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem as if making a vow to her.
-Deal with him as quickly as possible. That bastard is now...
As Wrath waved his hand saying there wasn't much time left, a massive wave of mana erupted from Beorn's entire body, as if a volcano had exploded, emitting a magnificent blue light.
A power that shook not just this dungeon, but the entire island. It was a domineering aura that only someone who had broken through the Grandmaster barrier and ascended to Transcendence could reveal.
"This is..."
Beorn looked at his own hands with satisfaction, smacking his lips.
"True Transcendence, indeed."
He smiled, saying he had finally reached it.
"This can't be..."
Raon shook his head, biting his dry lips.
"It's impossible to reach Transcendence this way!"
Raon knew better than anyone how high a realm Transcendence was. It should be impossible to reach Transcendence with power stolen from others. But Beorn was growing stronger even in this moment after reaching Transcendence. As if he would reach Alice's level.
"True. It's normally impossible. However..."
Beorn smiled as he looked around the ruby-like glittering cavern.
"It's possible with the despair and fear permeating this cavern, and the Zieghart blood flowing in our bodies."
He nodded, saying he had spilled the blood of over a thousand humans for this day.
"The Zieghart blood...?"
Raon looked at Beorn, exhaling sharply. That bastard had mentioned earlier that the Zieghart blood was special.
"Haven't you ever wondered why only the Direct Lineage of Zieghart can use the Sword Domain?"
Beorn twirled his Cursed Blacksword, pointing at himself.
"What?"
"There are many Grandmasters and Transcendent Warriors, but only the Ziegharts can use the Sword Domain. Do you know why?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"You don't know, do you? You probably just took it for granted."
"..."
"The reason we can use the Sword Domain is because of the blood passed down from above. Our ancestors weren't human, you see."
Beorn smacked his lips, saying their blood was mixed with that of another race.
"That's why only those with more concentrated blood in the bloodline can use the Sword Domain."
He nodded, asking if it wasn't interesting. Raon didn't miss the moment Beorn's gaze lowered and stepped into the Supreme Harmony Steps.
'This is dangerous.'
If that bastard got any stronger, Raon wouldn't be able to win even if he poured out all his strength. Although he was curious about the blood-related information, he had to end this now. As he was about to stomp his foot hard to unleash the Sword Domain Heaven's Rift in one go...
-Raon!
Just as Wrath shouted, the ground Beorn was standing on shone bright white, and a young man with a cold expression jumped out.
"Do not interfere."
As an almost holy white light erupted from the young man's hand, Raon and the Light Wind division swordsmen behind him vanished like smoke.
"Bardiel. What are you doing?"
Beorn frowned as he looked at the young man with the cold expression.
"Have you forgotten His words? Absorbing Alice Zieghart's power is the top priority."
Bardiel shook his head, reminding him not to forget the top priority.
"That guy isn't even worth a post-meal exercise."
Beorn stomped his foot, seemingly annoyed.
"I'll handle Raon Zieghart and the other humans. You focus on your task."
Bardiel ignored Beorn and sank into the white light himself.
"For someone who's not even human, you sure worry a lot."
As Beorn clicked his tongue and approached the fallen Alice...
"Huh...?"
Dorian, who had come out of a hidden room belatedly, trembled all over as he saw Beorn.
"Fortunately..."
Beorn licked his lips with his bright red tongue.
"At least one is left, huh?"
* * *
"What is this place..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked around the entirely white world. The moment the cold-faced young man emitted light, he was sucked into this space without a chance to resist. He had no idea what had happened.
'Still, it's not at a level I can't break.'
The durability of the space itself didn't seem too strong. If he could break out quickly, there shouldn't be a big problem. As Raon took a deep breath and swung down the Heavenly Drive, the space split and the cold-faced young man who had put him here jumped out.
The young man revealed a calm gaze as he blocked Raon's sword strike.
"Move aside."
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay here."
He raised a powerful shield of light, indicating they couldn't leave.
"So you have no intention of backing down? Then..."
Raon stepped forward, gripping the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem. His eyes flashed ominously, like darkness erasing light.
"I'll cut your throat and leave."