"The tank..."
Rensia's lips trembled as she repeated the words about destroying the tank.
'Did he remember what I said?'
When she first explained the situation to Kayden, she had said that Montiro was a filthy tank, and she was one of those purifying it. He seemed to have remembered that, as he declared he would destroy the tank.
'My heart aches...'
Her heart throbbed with pain, overwhelmed with gratitude for Kayden and his companions who had come back to save her and Montiro. She was so thankful that she wanted to express her gratitude with her very soul. However, she couldn't accept his kindness in order to save Kayden.
"Hah..."
Rensia looked at Raon, enduring the crushing pain in her chest.
"There's something I haven't told you."
She decided to reveal the word she had deliberately withheld for fear of causing problems.
"The force controlling this Montiro is..."
Rensia clenched her fist and parted her dry lips.
"The Black Tower of the Five Kings and Five Demons. It's one of the ten monsters ruling this continent. Unless you're of the same level, you can't possibly win."
She nodded, lowering her wistful gaze as if she had given up on life.
"It's fine for now. Please pretend to enjoy your tour and leave this place as quickly as possible. Never come back."
Rensia smiled her usual doll-like smile, insisting she would be fine.
"The Black Tower of the Five Kings and Five Demons."
Raon recited the name of the Black Tower in a calm tone.
"I knew from the beginning that there was the Black Tower here."
He smiled faintly, having now fully grasped the mana flow of this place, able to set up an aura barrier without being detected by anyone.
"What?"
Rensia's eyes widened as if to ask what he meant.
"How did you..."
"Only the Five Demons could do something this vile."
Raon nodded, picking up a black piece of trash from the clean sand.
"Lord Kayden is..."
Rensia stared at Raon with blank eyes, unable to comprehend.
"I haven't told you everything either."
Raon pointed to the spot next to him, telling her to sit down again.
"Um..."
Rensia slowly sat down beside him, her trembling hand on her waist.
"My name is Raon Zieghart. I'm the Light Wind Palace Master of Zieghart."
Raon smiled faintly, looking into Rensia's trembling eyes.
"We're stronger than the Black Tower."
* * *
Raon took the stunned Rensia to the lodging he had reserved in advance.
"Light Wind Palace Master..."
Rensia kept muttering the title Light Wind Palace Master as if she still couldn't believe it.
"Have you heard of it?"
Raon asked, pointing to a chair for Rensia.
"Of... of course I've heard of it..."
Rensia nodded, clutching her trembling wrist.
"Even my siblings know about it."
The unparalleled genius of all time who had slain two ancient dragons, defeated a transcendant demon, and recently cut down the Demonblade of the Five Divine Orders. Everyone knew about the absolute swordsman who had reached transcendence in his twenties.
"So you're that Rensia."
Martha approached Rensia and stroked her head.
"You've endured well. It must have been so difficult..."
She bit her lip hard, seemingly recalling her own past through Rensia.
"Yes. You're a good girl..."
Runaan carefully approached Rensia's side.
"And you're strong..."
She gently embraced Rensia, perhaps remembering her own childhood when her soul was captive to Syria.
"You recognized our Palace Master, but what about me?"
Dorian grinned and nodded.
"Lord Kevin? Have you gained so much weight in the meantime?"
Rensia blinked at Dorian, who had become plump in just a month.
"Don't mind this guy, he's always been like a rubber band."
Burren shook his head and knelt on one knee in front of Rensia.
"I'm impressed. To think of others first and take care of your siblings in such a desperate situation, you're far more admirable than us."
He bowed his head, seemingly genuinely moved by Rensia.
"I feel the same way."
Mark Goetun gently raised the corners of his mouth.
"I would have given up long ago, but you have the talent to become a martial artist."
"These people are..."
"They're my companions."
Raon smiled faintly, saying companions rather than subordinates.
"Of course, this isn't all of them. There are many more outside."
He nodded, saying they were slowly preparing to erase the Black Tower.
"Really..."
Transparent dew formed on Rensia's dry eyes. Thin tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, which hadn't cried even when she left.
"Can you really erase the Black Tower? Can everyone live freely?"
Rensia clasped her hands, saying that was all she wished for.
"Yes. I can promise you that."
Raon nodded, telling her not to worry.
"But there's something you need to do."
"Something I need to do?"
Rensia widened her tear-filled eyes, asking what it was.
"The black heart implanted in you acts as a dimensional gate, sending the demonic energy and death energy from Montiro to the Black Tower. We wanted to open a passage to the Black Tower by tracing the flow of the black heart in reverse."
He explained the situation to her so far, taking a short breath.
"Thanks to the efforts of many people, we've completed the magic, but a problem has arisen."
"A problem..."
"We need the core of the barrier connected to the Black Tower. Only with that can we find the coordinates of the Black Tower and open the dimension."
After days and nights of research, Chamber and Balkar magicians had created a magic that could open the dimension where the Black Tower was hiding. However, to activate this magic, they needed a substance currently connected to the Black Tower. At present, only the black heart in Rensia's body could do this.
"...So the core is the black heart in my body."
Rensia immediately understood his words and nodded.
"Can you do it?"
"I..."
She forcibly strengthened her trembling hands and raised her gaze.
"What do I need to do?"
"One hour."
Raon raised one finger.
"You need to stay at the center of the barrier for one hour while the magic is activated. However..."
He sighed deeply and turned his gaze away.
"During that time, the black heart will have to be exposed continuously, which will be very painful. The flow of mana forming the magic circle will probably make it even more painful."
It was something that would harm Rensia, but currently, this was the only way to draw out the Black Tower.
"..."
Rensia didn't answer immediately, lowering her head.
'Can I do it?'
Exposing the black heart is unimaginably painful. Having to endure even worse pain for an hour made cold sweat run down her back.
'But...'
This might be the last chance. She had lived shackled to the Black Tower since birth. She had already experienced so much pain and despair that she wouldn't mind dying now, but she wanted her younger siblings to live truly happy lives, not just on the surface.
'Yes. I endured that surgery too.'
Felix had cut open her chest without anesthesia when reimplanting the black heart. Thinking of that pain, she could surely endure an hour.
"I can do it."
Rensia made up her mind and slowly raised her head.
"I endured when they tore my chest with a blade infused with demonic energy, so I can somehow bear it for an hour."
She clenched her small fist, saying she would somehow endure it.
"I should be impressed, but the more I hear this child speak, the angrier I get."
Martha bit her lip until it bled.
"Yes. I'm burning up..."
Runaan slightly furrowed her brow with an ice shard on her forehead.
"I feel the same. But let's listen for now."
Burren placed a finger on his lips, saying to be quiet.
"The barrier that constitutes this Montiro is made up of a Five-Star formation."
Raon spread out a map of Montiro and drew the lines of the barrier currently hiding the Black Tower.
"We're going to draw a reverse Five-Star formation symmetrically to open a dimensional gate leading to the Black Tower."
"Huh?"
Rensia blinked.
"Wait a moment. When that magic is activated, won't the demonized humans from the Black Tower come out and interfere? How can we hold out for an hour?"
"As I said, because we're drawing a Five-Star formation on top of another Five-Star formation, the Black Tower won't be able to open a dimensional gate, and no information from here will be transmitted there. We're creating a completely isolated space."
The aspect Chamber focused on most was the confidentiality of the magic. The Black Tower would only become aware of the magic's activation after the dimension was opened.
"However, unlike the Black Tower, the demonized humans in this Montiro will be able to sense the activation of the magic circle."
"Then we'll need to guard all the vertices forming the Five-Star magic circle."
"That's right."
Raon nodded, saying she was correct.
-That little one shows her true colors when she reveals herself. She's quite something.
Wrath licked his lips, saying she seemed worth teaching.
'Yes. Though I don't think martial arts suits her.'
In his view, Rensia seemed more suited to magic than martial arts.
"Not only the people here, but Zieghart swordsmen spread throughout Montiro will protect the five corners of the magic circle and you."
Raon smiled gently, saying there was no need to worry.
"I'll do it. No, I'll succeed."
Rensia mustered her tiny courage, not for herself, but for her siblings and the people of Montiro.
"In return, please make sure to bring down the Black Tower."
"No."
Raon shook his head, taking Rensia's hand.
"We will bring it down together."
* * *
"Today's the day."
Raon clasped his hands, looking at the people who would be at the center of today's operation.
"Today, the name of the Black Tower will disappear from this world."
For a week, they had been moving around Montiro, planting the barrier artifacts created by Chamber on the land forming the Five-Star formation. They had received confirmation from headquarters that everything was properly installed, and people's attention was focused on the arena that opened once a week, making today the best opportunity to execute the operation.
"Whew..."
Dorian lowered his head, his legs trembling.
"Are you that scared?"
Krein clicked his tongue as if in disdain.
"No, for today, more than fear, I'm angry..."
Dorian bit his lip, saying it wasn't his usual trembling, but anger at wanting to destroy the Black Tower. For that coward to say such things, he must have been really frustrated.
"For the first time, I like you."
Martha put her arm around Dorian's shoulders and smirked.
"That's the spirit. Sweep away all the demonized humans you see."
She raised her chin, saying not to leave any alive.
"Yes. Freeze them all..."
Runaan nodded, surrounded by frost so cold it reminded one of Wrath.
"I'm sorry, but for now, this is a defensive battle. Calm down."
Raon lowered his hands, drawing the swordsmen's attention.
"Let me explain one last time. During the magic activation, Rensia and I won't be able to move. The same goes for Chamber, who will be operating the magic from a distance, and the Central Martial Palace Master will have to stay at headquarters to protect her."
He raised his chin, placing a hand on Rensia's shoulder.
"In other words, for the hour the magic circle is active. No, for the 30 minutes until the demonized humans notice and rush in, you'll have to hold out with just the power of the Light Wind Palace and Central Martial Palace, without support. Can you do it?"
Raon looked at the Light Wind Palace swordsmen with challenging eyes.
"As long as the Palace Master gives the order, we can do anything."
Burren bowed, saying they could hold out indefinitely.
"We're not just defending, we're going to tear them apart!"
Martha snorted, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Yes. We'll do it..."
Runaan blinked her blank eyes as if to say not to worry.
"Be it thirty minutes or twenty years - it's all but a moment in the end."
Mark Goetun smiled, touching the sword at his waist.
"Should I just protect the Palace Master?"
Warring Steel Leader Trevin licked his lips.
"No. Leader, please go to the southern sea. It's the farthest from the center, so it will be the most dangerous."
"I'm both pleased and disappointed that you're sending me to the dangerous place."
He chuckled, saying the trust might be too strong.
"Burren will take the left, Mark Goetun the right, Dorian and Krein the upper left, and Morel Kazan of Balkar will take the upper right."
Raon nodded, assigning each person's position.
"Light Wind Palace and Central Martial Palace swordsmen who have finished infiltrating will provide support, and there are a few others, so don't worry about the rear and hold out."
Over the week, all the Light Wind Palace and Central Martial Palace swordsmen had entered Montiro. When the battle begins, they too will reveal their true selves and draw their swords.
'Though there is a slightly disappointing part.'
The group he had requested support from hadn't arrived yet, but unfortunately, they couldn't delay any longer.
"Huh? What about me?"
"Me too..."
Martha and Runaan frowned, saying they hadn't been called.
"You two need to protect us."
Raon smiled, placing his hand on Rensia's shoulder.
"Just the two of us?"
"I think you'll get along best with Rensia."
* * *
Raon sat in front of the fountain erected in the center of Montiro, under the blazing sunlight.
"Hah..."
Rensia exhaled softly and stood beside him.
"Are you ready?"
Raon lowered his chin slightly, looking at Rensia.
"I've said goodbye to my siblings. I think I won't have any regrets now, no matter what happens."
"Your siblings were your driving force."
"Yes."
Rensia nodded calmly.
"I wanted to give back to the other children as much as I received from my older sister. So I hope those children don't have to live as painfully as I did."
She smiled faintly, saying she participated in this not for herself, but for her siblings and others.
"I see. It will definitely be that way. Including you."
Raon smiled faintly, patting Rensia's head.
-She's beyond admirable.
'Yes. She's already become an adult at an age when she should be throwing tantrums.'
-Sigh...
Wrath exhaled a long sigh, seemingly saddened by Rensia who had already matured.
'It's okay.'
He shook his head with a faint smile.
'We'll erase the Black Tower and make her able to throw tantrums.'
Raon put the necklace with a transparent jewel he had been holding around Rensia's neck.
"I'm starting."
"Yes!"
Rensia responded with the brightest voice she had used so far. It seemed to energize him as well.
"Thank you."
Raon hugged Rensia once and then infused mana into her necklace. The transparent jewel on the necklace filled with small flames rising from the bottom. When those flames completely fill the jewel, a dimension leading to the Black Tower will open here.
"One hour."
Raon held Rensia's trembling hand and smiled gently.
"Let's endure it together."