"Black Tower..."
Raon lowered his right hand holding the Heavenly Drive and narrowed his eyes.
'Is he serious?'
There were many speculations about the White Blood Religion being underground or Eden's headquarters being in the sky, but no one knew the exact location of the Five Demons. Among them, the Black Tower was especially shrouded in mystery, with not even its general direction known.
It was hard to believe that the Demonblade knew about a place that even Archmage Chamber of Eternal Flame had given up on finding.
"I-I'm telling the truth!"
The Demonblade painfully raised his upper body and bit his lip.
"The ones who helped me complete this magic were from the Black Tower!"
He shook his head, insisting he wasn't lying.
"Wasn't it Derus Robert?"
"Derus Robert? No. The one who came to me and said he'd fill me with Death Energy stronger than my prime was a Floor Master of the Black Tower."
The Demonblade raised his trembling hand, saying that a Floor Master of the Black Tower had come to him directly with a proposal.
"They said they'd prepare all the magic, and asked for just one favor in return someday."
He lowered his eyes as he spoke about the deal with the Black Tower.
"Black Tower..."
Raon nodded as he looked down at the shivering Demonblade.
'If it's not Derus, then it must be the Black Tower.'
While the master of the Black Tower was a demonized human, there were many shamans and necromancers who used Death Energy, so it was entirely possible.
"Then how did you find out the location of the Black Tower?"
"I followed the Floor Master, thinking they might try to use me."
The Demonblade swallowed dryly and raised his gaze.
"I was trying to find a weakness, but luckily, I discovered an area that leads to the Black Tower's headquarters."
He nodded heavily, saying he had found a passage to the Black Tower.
"I-if you let me live and go, I'll tell you where to enter the Black Tower."
The Demonblade's blackened lips trembled as if asking what Raon would do.
"Alright, I'll let you live. Now talk."
Raon nodded and instead approached the Demonblade.
-Hey, that's the face of someone who absolutely won't keep their promise!
Wrath let out an exasperated sigh.
-And why is there a killing intent attached to sparing someone's life!
He shook his head, asking why Raon wasn't acting as usual.
'Words won't work anyway.'
Someone like the Demonblade would only open his mouth if there were conditions he could be certain of. Words alone would be useless.
"You dare say such things with those murderous eyes."
The Demonblade shook his head, letting out a low groan.
"Swear on the soul of Transcendent Raon Zieghart. Swear that you won't kill me."
He demanded a Soul Oath, his purple eyes bulging.
"Torturing me is useless! I've cast a spell that will erase my memories if the pain becomes unbearable! Even if I want to talk then, I won't be able to!"
The Demonblade shook his head, saying the only way to learn the Black Tower's location was to let him live.
"A Soul Oath..."
Raon frowned, lowering his hand.
-For a fool, he's thought this through well.
Wrath snorted, crossing his arms.
-Even for someone like you who breaks promises like breathing, a Soul Oath shouldn't be taken lightly. It will have a significant impact on you.
'In what way?'
-If it's an oath sworn on the soul of a Transcendent, as he says, it will interfere with your martial prowess. You might not be able to grow stronger anymore. That's why even this king doesn't lie.
He shook his head, saying the higher one's realm of the soul, the greater the impact would be.
"...Fine."
Raon nodded, looking down at the Demonblade.
"If you tell me the location of the Black Tower, I won't kill you with my sword."
-My sword, huh...
Wrath smirked, licking his lips.
"Properly!"
The Demonblade shook his head firmly, still unable to believe it.
"Swear properly on your name."
"I swear on the name of Transcendent Raon Zieghart. If you tell me the location of the Black Tower, I won't kill you with my sword and will let you go."
Raon placed his right hand on his chest and made the Soul Oath. Though he only spoke the words, he felt a cold sensation as if chains were wrapping around his soul.
"Then first, remove this sword."
The Demonblade pointed to the Blade of Requiem piercing his chest, as if reminding him not to forget.
"Before that."
Raon tilted his chin, looking at the Demonblade.
"You swear too. That the Black Tower's location is real."
"Of course."
The Demonblade nodded as if he had nothing to hide.
"I swear on the name of Transcendent Dreg Royten that I will tell you the location of the Black Tower. If my words are false, I will live with these wounds for the rest of my life."
His entire body flashed with a faint purple light. It seemed he had truly made a Soul Oath.
"Good."
Raon nodded and pulled out the Blade of Requiem from the Demonblade's chest. The Blade of Requiem let out a deep resonance as if asking why, but a green wind rose and calmed its vibration.
"Then as promised, I'll tell you the location of the Black Tower."
The Demonblade parted his blackened lips, looking at him.
"The Black Tower is in Montiro."
"Montiro...?"
Raon frowned, repeating the name Montiro.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Montiro was one of the cities in the south. It was hard to believe that the Black Tower was in a city that, while tucked away, was often used as a tourist destination due to its proximity to the sea.
"It's true..."
The Demonblade shook his head as if it wasn't a lie.
"I don't know the exact path, but I'm certain the Black Tower exists in Montiro."
"Tell me what happened."
He wanted to hear what had happened, as words alone weren't enough to believe.
"I've mastered a minor skill called the Ashen Concealment. It's not Death Energy or aura, but a technique that's hard for anyone to detect."
The Demonblade licked his lips, wrapping his hand in a gray energy.
"Using this concealment, I personally followed the Floor Master of the Black Tower. He changed his appearance and demeanor several times in other cities and villages, but he couldn't escape the eyes of someone like me who uses the same Death Energy."
He nodded and explained the situation of tracking the Floor Master.
"After countless detours, the place where he finally stopped was Montiro. At first, I thought he would change his appearance again like in other villages, but this time he completely disappeared. As if he had never even been to Montiro, his very existence was erased."
The Demonblade clenched his trembling fingers into a fist.
"I waited for days, but nothing strange was felt in the village. Just when I thought I had lost him and was about to leave, the Floor Master appeared again. This time with another demonized human whose aura I recognized."
He nodded, looking up at Raon.
"I was convinced that the Black Tower was hidden in Montiro and began a very slow search, eventually finding a small passage. It was only possible because I deal with Death Energy. But I couldn't use that passage."
"What do you mean you couldn't use it?"
"That passage had a spell that wouldn't accept outsiders. If I had forced my way in, it was obvious my identity would be revealed, so I gave up."
The Demonblade let out a short sigh, saying he had only confirmed the location of the Black Tower before returning.
"Who was the Floor Master you tracked?"
"It's Bathortan, one of the higher Floor Masters. He's the one wrapped in thorn-like demonic energy all over his body. I haven't seen him since the second time he appeared."
"Where did you find the passage?"
"It's in Soben Street, where they sell street food. I found it in an alley, but since it only opens when they come out, it'll be hard for you to find without Death Energy."
"..."
Raon narrowed his eyes, looking at the Demonblade who had finished speaking.
'It doesn't seem like a lie.'
It didn't seem like the Demonblade, who valued himself above all else, would lie after making a Soul Oath. While Montiro was an unexpected location, he had a feeling the Black Tower could be there precisely because of that.
"It seems you've realized my words are true."
The Demonblade let out a low breath, as if relieved.
"Then let me go."
He struggled to his feet, telling Raon to keep his promise.
"Sure."
Raon nodded and stepped back.
"..."
The Demonblade briefly licked his lips, seeing this.
'You think I don't know what you're thinking?'
It was clear that Raon Zieghart wouldn't let him go, but would call his subordinates waiting behind to attack together.
'Even if I'm severely injured and have lost my Death Energy...'
He still had one last move. If he drew out the Death Energy hidden in his heart, he could create a spell to kill Raon's subordinates and escape while Raon was off guard.
"Well then..."
As the Demonblade was about to turn his back, contemplating how to survive, Raon approached.
"W-what are you trying to do! You clearly said you wouldn't kill me!"
"Of course, I'll keep my promise."
Raon nodded, putting down the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem on the ground.
"Don't tell me you're thinking of hitting me with your hands because you promised with your sword? Such a childish thought?"
The Demonblade twisted his lips into a sneer.
"Do you think there's such a loophole in a Soul Oath! The very intention to attack me with the will to kill is breaking the oath!"
He shouted that Raon was stupid, his eyes widening.
"Don't worry. It's not like that."
Raon shook his head with a thin smile.
'Wrath.'
He gestured to Wrath, who was frowning.
'It might be a burden, but could I ask for just one finger?'
-I don't mind the burden! I've been wanting to kill this trash who sacrifices his subordinates with my own hands!
Wrath nodded fiercely, as if he had been waiting for this.
'You understand well. If you finish this nicely, I'll let you eat whatever you want for another ten days.'
Saying he'd buy everything Wrath wanted to eat, Raon relaxed his right hand. Wrath's anger, which had always only transmitted its power, now seeped between his fingers with a deep and intense will. The index finger of his right hand. The existence of the Demon King of Wrath dwelled in that one finger.
"T-think carefully! If you touch me, an unremovable curse will pour down on you for the rest of your life!"
"I don't think so."
As Raon calmly shook his head, the finger inhabited by Wrath rose on its own to point at the Demonblade.
"I said I wouldn't kill you with my sword. The one killing you isn't me, but a completely different entity."
The moment he said those words, the tip of his index finger flashed and shot a silver light towards the Demonblade.
"Eek!"
The Demonblade tried to block the frosty light with Death Energy that appeared from nowhere. But the silver frost shattered the Demonblade's Death Energy and hand into ice shards before starting to freeze his body.
"Aaaaargh!"
The Demonblade let out a piercing scream as he watched his body slowly freeze. He seemed to be in even greater pain than when his arms were cut off or his flesh and bones were torn apart.
'What did you just do?'
-It's a torture method called the Clothes of the Snow Ghost.
Wrath licked his lips at length.
-Even if he gets frostbite, he won't lose sensation and will feel endless pain as if his flesh is being torn off.
He frowned, saying that a leader who doesn't value his subordinates deserves the pain of hell.
"T-this intense cold! Don't tell me you and that blue Demon King...!"
The Demonblade twisted his eyes as if he had just realized Wrath's existence.
"Urgh, if you had the Demon King's power, you could have erased my magic and opened my mouth through torture, so why did you make an oath!"
He trembled his jaw as if asking why Raon hadn't tried to open his mouth through torture.
"This is faster."
Raon calmly shook his chin.
"What?"
"Torture is troublesome and takes a long time, but this way I can draw out your answer immediately."
Although the Demonblade looked ugly now, he was one of the few Transcendents in the world. If he had erased the magic and tried to open his mouth through torture, it would have taken at least half a day, so he chose the quicker path.
"Ah..."
The Demonblade trembled all over, as if he feared Raon more than the Demon King Wrath.
"I-I can't die here. Absolutely not..."
He started to use magic with his remaining Death Energy, as if trying to escape somehow. His will to live was terribly strong.
-You vermin.
Wrath sneered and flicked his finger. The speed of the silver frost suddenly increased, freezing the Demonblade's mouth, eyes, and even the flickering Death Energy. Everything about him was trapped in the silver frost.
-This vermin doesn't even deserve to breathe anymore.
As Wrath lowered his finger, the Demonblade shattered like sand grains and sank into the broken ground. The powder that was once the Demonblade trembled as if feeling extreme pain and terror until the very end.
-It's over.
Wrath snorted and removed the soul dwelling in the finger.
-Ugh, to think there'd be such a backlash from just this much...
He massaged his body while letting out a big groan. Seeing him even break out in a cold sweat, it seemed the strain was really significant. As Wrath left, sensation returned to the finger. Strangely, it felt warm rather than cold.
'You did well.'
Raon patted Wrath's head as he broke out in a cold sweat.
-I-it's not because of your request, but because I was angry that he sacrificed his subordinates!
Wrath shook his head, panting and saying he had just vented his anger.
-And...
'And?'
-You'll keep your promise, right?
'Of course.'
Raon nodded with a smile.
''Tell me what you want to eat for a week....''
-It's ten days! You fraud!
Wrath shook his head vigorously, remembering the promise even in his exhausted state.
'Right, right.'
As Raon smiled and lowered his hand, he heard rough footsteps from behind.
"Division Leader!"
"Raon!"
"Are you okay...?"
Burren, Martha, and Runaan, who had been told to stand back, quickly ran over, having realized the situation was over. Their eyes were filled with great concern.
"I'm fine. It's all over."
Raon shook off the blood on the Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem and went up.
"Did, did you really defeat the Demonblade?"
"To think you caught one of the Five Divine Orders, it's hard to believe even seeing it..."
Martha and Burren let out hollow laughs, still in disbelief.
"I believed in you..."
Runaan gave a thumbs up, as if she had truly trusted him.
"I knew it would happen someday, but to achieve it so quickly..."
Trevin bit his lip as he looked at the ice shards that were once the Demonblade.
"The times are really changing."
He let out a deep exclamation as he turned his gaze to Raon.
"That's too grand... Ugh!"
Raon smiled and waved his hand, then clutched his abdomen.
'The Death Energy is stirring again.'
As the battle ended, Askara's Fighting Spirit disappeared, and the remaining Death Energy in his body began to riot. Just as he was about to forcibly endure it, a soft light and wind rose from the Blade of Requiem and began to suck in the Death Energy remaining in his body.
The Blade of Requiem, after completely devouring the Death Energy that had been tormenting him, let out a large resonance as if satisfied.
'T-thank you.'
Raon nodded slightly, looking at the Blade of Requiem. The Blade of Requiem emitted a faint resonance as if it was nothing.
'After Master's soul entered, it seems...'
Its own will seems to have become stronger. Originally, the Blade of Requiem had its own will, but after Rimmer's soul entered, that will seemed to have become even stronger.
'I really don't know what you're thinking.'
-Urgh.
As Raon shook his head, thinking of Rimmer, Wrath began to tremble all over, just like Raon had earlier.
'What's wrong? Are you having after-effects too...?'
No matter how much of a Demon King Wrath was, using just his soul form to affect the outside world must consume a lot of power and soul. It seemed the after-effects were greater than he had thought.
-It's coming.
Wrath said something was coming as his lips trembled.
'The pain?'
-No! Him! The worst existence in this world is coming!
The moment he spread his hands, grinding his teeth, blue messages appeared before Raon's eyes.
[You have achieved a great feat.]
[You have brought an end to an era.]
[All abilities...]
[Characteristics...]
What popped up was not the worst existence in the world, but the rewards gained from defeating the Demonblade.
-Now I can tell even by intuition! This damn system!
Wrath shook his head, screaming in anger.
'....'
Raon looked at Wrath with cold eyes.
-Don't look at this king with such eyes! If you were stripped of even your fur, you'd be just like this king! Aaaaargh! Why are there so many today! Isn't this too much!
'....'
Raon's eyes grew colder as he looked down.
-I said don't look at me like that!