'The demonic energy is intense.'
Raon observed the demonic energy inside the dimension, narrowing his eyes. The demonic energy was more concentrated than mana, making it difficult for swordsmen and magicians to display their true abilities.
-It will be even more challenging than that.
Wrath frowned as he looked at the Black Tower.
'Why?'
-As I mentioned before, the demonic energy flowing in that dimension is true demonic energy drawn from the Devildom.
He shook his head, indicating that this war wouldn't end easily.
-As long as they're human, their usable power will be greatly suppressed within that dimension.
Wrath shook his head, warning that they should be cautious not only of the demonized humans and demonic beasts but also of the demonic energy itself.
'It doesn't seem that bad for me though?'
Raon tilted his head as he looked at the Black Tower swirling with demonic energy. While it was true that the intense demonic energy made him frown, as Wrath had said, it wasn't to the point where he felt burdened.
-That's because you absorbed my authority, you fool!
Wrath shouted, hitting Raon's shoulder.
-With my authority and that of other suckers, you should die if you lose to such demonic energy! You might even gain strength from it!
He raised his fist, saying that losing to such demonic energy would be a disqualification of one's worth.
'Ah, I see.'
Raon chuckled and nodded.
-However, even if they're corrupted, it's rare for someone to bring such a level of demonic energy...
Wrath scratched his head, saying it wasn't something a human could do.
'Do you know something about this?'
It was when Raon was about to turn his gaze to Wrath.
"There's too much demonic energy, and it's intense."
Chamber stood in front of the dimension, floating the candy she had been holding in her mouth.
"Shall I reduce it a little?"
As she drew a triangle with her finger, the black sky split in half and began to suck in the demonic energy surrounding the Black Tower.
"There's too much to erase it all. Then..."
Chamber frowned and licked her lips.
"I guess it's better to crush it."
As she clasped her hands as if in prayer, countless flames and frost began to pour down from the split sky, riding the wind. Although they looked like tiny fireballs and frost blades, their power was no less than the ultimate techniques of high-ranking magicians.
The demonic beasts touched by the flames turned to ashes, and the demonized humans pierced by the frost shattered into ice fragments without a chance to breathe.
"Shall we make a declaration of war now?"
As Chamber stretched her hand into the air, a rainbow-colored staff rose up. When she grasped the staff and lowered her hand, the Black Tower and the space around it split vertically.
Even the Black Tower, protected by the flames of demonic energy, couldn't withstand Chamber's magic. The walls of the lower floors were completely shattered, and the demonized humans preparing for battle inside were torn in half, spraying black blood.
Although the Black Tower itself didn't collapse, all the demonized humans staying in the lower floors were killed without exception. It was a chilling magic that could be said to have single-handedly destroyed the lower floors. However, despite being directly hit by Chamber's magic, the middle floors of the Black Tower only suffered small cracks, and the upper floors were unaffected.
It seemed that the higher up the tower, the stronger its structure became.
"Huh? The middle floors still aren't completely broken?"
Chamber let out a mirthless laugh, as if in disbelief.
"It doesn't seem like that's a fortress made by humans, does it?"
She frowned, saying it didn't make sense for it to withstand spatial cutting.
"Still, I've reduced the demonic energy, so let's start in earnest now."
As Chamber raised her staff, the allied forces of Zieghart, Owen, and Balkar entered the black dimension and charged towards the Black Tower. Although the allied forces' aura and physical abilities were significantly reduced due to the dense demonic energy, their momentum was even more heightened.
As the allied forces were about to reach the entrance of the Black Tower, trampling the corpses of the demonized humans killed by Chamber, the doors of the middle floors opened, and demonic beasts larger than a kingdom's castle gates leaped out.
Giant cavalry. They were artificial creatures created by the Black Tower's demonized humans using the giant race. Although the demonic energy they possessed wasn't particularly strong, their physical abilities were so overwhelming that even elite swordsmen found it difficult to face them.
The giant cavalry weren't the only ones blocking the way. From the darkness behind the Black Tower, an endless number of demonic beasts sprang forth.
Most were low-level demonic beasts, but among them were many high-level ones that even Masters couldn't afford to be careless against.
"Block the path! Don't let them reach the tower at any cost!"
A red-haired giant who came out with the giant cavalry was issuing orders to the demonic beasts while raising his shield. It was Beast Master Jepple, known as the trainer of demonic beasts. Giant cavalry as large as buildings, thousands of demonic beasts standing behind them, and the Black Tower's demonized humans interspersed between. It truly looked like a scene from hell or the Devildom.
"There's nothing to fear."
As Karoon snorted and swung down his sword, the giant cavalry's mountain-like body was split in half.
"I'm at the front."
At his shout, the Five Kings' allied forces charged towards the Black Tower's defense line with wave-like momentum. While the martial prowess of the Five Kings' allied forces was overwhelming, the giant cavalry and demonic beasts enhanced their bodies with the demonic energy flowing in this dimension, engaging in an equal fight.
"The demonized humans from the upper floors aren't coming out."
Raon frowned as he looked at the motionless upper floors of the Black Tower.
"It means they want to fight in their own territory."
Chamber snorted as if disgusted.
"The reason the demonic energy in that dimension is so dense is because they've been accumulating the demonic energy and death energy flowing out of Montiro for years, no, decades. If it's this bad just in this space, the demonic energy inside the tower will be even more oppressive."
She shook her head, saying that the battle inside the tower wouldn't be easy.
"Then is the Black Tower Master also staying put because they want to fight inside the tower?"
Raon lowered his gaze to look at the top floor of the Black Tower. Although he couldn't see clearly due to the black mist, just having his eyes on it sent chills down his spine.
"Yes. They're born cowardly."
Chamber nodded, saying she knew it would be like this from the start.
"Unless there's an object or magic they desire, they'll never come out of that tower."
"Ah..."
"That's why I can't use ultimate-level magic either. It would be extremely dangerous if the Black Tower Master were to launch a surprise attack while I'm chanting a spell."
She clicked her tongue as if regretful.
"I'll go in first and try to reduce the Black Tower's demonic energy a bit, so you all catch your breath before coming in."
Chamber said she would try to reduce the demonic energy further for the fight inside the tower and entered the black dimension.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed to Chamber's back and turned around.
"Are you ready?"
He turned back and gestured to the martial artists of the Light Wind Palace.
"Now, just a moment! Everyone, quickly put these on and eat!"
Dorian took out new uniforms and internal injury medicine to be eaten during battle from his pouch and threw them to the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace.
"Let's hurry in too, I'm itching to go."
Martha licked her lips as she draped the new uniform over her shoulder.
"Yes. Let's be fully prepared..."
Runaan nodded after chewing and swallowing the internal injury medicine.
"It's the first time I've wanted to fight like this. I don't want to lose this feeling."
Burren clenched his hand on the sword hilt as if wanting to achieve more.
'They've definitely grown.'
Raon smiled faintly as he watched Burren, Martha, and Runaan turn their tension into fighting spirit.
'Their belief in themselves has grown stronger than their fear.'
-That's right. It's not their martial prowess that has grown stronger, but their belief in themselves.
Wrath curled his lips, saying it was a welcome thing for martial artists.
'Actually...'
Raon let out a faint sigh as he looked at Mark Goetun standing to his right.
'I had hoped that Sir Mark Goetun would become a Grandmaster first.'
Given the time Mark Goetun had accumulated, Raon had hoped he would be the first to reach Grandmaster, but unfortunately, he couldn't awaken on his own.
-Hmm, that fellow seems like he'll turn out a bit differently.
Wrath narrowed his eyes as he looked at Mark Goetun.
'A bit differently?'
-That's right. The things that were bound will burst out a bit more strongly.
He smirked, saying it would surely be a good thing.
'I don't know what it is, but if it's a good thing, that's fortunate.'
Raon gave Mark Goetun a thumbs up and then approached Rensia.
"Rensia."
He grabbed the shoulder of the dazed Rensia and gave her a gentle smile.
"You've done everything you needed to do, so now trust us and wait with your younger siblings."
Raon nodded, pointing to the Black Tower behind them.
"We'll destroy that tower and come back."
"Yes. I'll wait here."
Rensia smiled brightly like a girl her age, as if she had finally broken free from the shackles of despair.
"I'll leave it to you."
As Raon bowed his head, Roenn appeared out of thin air and stood behind Rensia.
"Of course. I'll take good care of her."
Just as Roenn nodded and was about to take Lesia's hand...People fleeing from the demonic beasts and enemies they couldn't fully capture burst out as buildings on the right collapsed. Kiaaaa! The demonic beasts let out bizarre roars and spewed flames of demonic energy towards the fleeing people.
"How dare you!"
As Burren stepped forward and swung his sword down, a blue wind blew, slicing the bodies of the demonic beasts into dozens of pieces.
"Heouk..."
"Th-thank you."
"Thanks to you, we survived."
The residents of Montiro who were fleeing from the demonic beasts bowed to Burren with trembling legs.
"No. I'm glad you're safe."
Burren shook his head as if it was nothing.
"Huh? Big sis Rensia?"
Among the people who had fled from the demons, a boy who looked about twelve years old waved at Rencia. He was the guide boy who had brought alcohol and food when Roenn first arrived in Montiro.
"Perin?"
Rensia's eyes widened in recognition of the boy.
"Sister! You're safe!"
Perin exclaimed in relief as he approached Rensia.
"I'm glad you're safe too! This way... Huh?"
As Rensia was about to approach Perin, Raon raised his hand to block her path.
"Lord Raon?"
"You can't go."
Raon sent Rensia back so she couldn't even see Perin.
"P-Perin is fine. We grew up together since childhood, and he's helped me a lot."
Rensia shook her head, saying there was no one as kind as Perin.
"Montiro's barrier has disappeared, and now the demonized humans can no longer hide their demonic energy."
Raon twisted his lips as he saw the pitch-black aura emanating from Perin's eyes.
"That guy is a demonized human. And a rather strong one at that."
Although he was hiding demonic energy in his young body, he couldn't escape Raon's eyes. That Perin was a powerful demonized human.
"N-no, that's not true! Sister, you know me well! Please explain to them!"
Perin knelt on the ground, insisting it wasn't true.
"Lord Roenn."
Raon looked at Roenn, asking him to deal with Perin.
"So you were a demonized human too..."
Roenn sighed, as if disappointed that the enthusiastic boy who had guided him was a demonized human. Swooosh! But his hand moved swiftly, almost mercilessly.
"S-sister! Save me!"
Perin didn't even think of resisting like a normal person would, instead shedding tears and hunching his body.
"W-wait a moment! Perin couldn't be like that! If you just give him a chance..."
Just as Rensia, her heart aching at Perin's tears, stepped forward and was about to grab her sleeve...An explosion of demonic energy occurred near her chest, causing a savage amount of blood to burst out.
"Ah..."
Rensia fell backward, spewing blackened blood not only from her chest but also from her mouth.
"Rensia!"
Raon caught the falling Lesia and examined her condition. The area where the Black Heart had been implanted was torn away, severely affecting her real heart.
"Damn it!"
Gritting his teeth, he pushed the Divinity Born from Darkness into Rensia.
'What the hell happened...'
Raon had remained alert to prevent any move from Perin, but he couldn't understand what had happened. Meanwhile, Roenn had driven his sword into Perin's chest, subduing him.
"What did you do?"
He glared at Perin, grinding his teeth as if truly enraged.
"That bitch. No, the Black Hearts of all humans in this Montiro are my creation. If I'm going to die, it's better to kill that useless woman too."
Perin let out a grotesque laugh, saying he had remotely detonated the Black Heart he had created. It seemed that since he had made it from the beginning, it was undetectable even when he triggered it.
-Damn these bastards till the end!
Wrath also seemed truly angered, starting to emit blue frost from his entire body.
"Damn it!"
Raon gritted his teeth and poured all his holy power into her, but Rensia's condition had been poor to begin with, and because it was an internal explosion caused by demonic energy, the wound wouldn't heal properly.
"P-pour some holy water too!"
Dorian poured high-grade holy water on the wound, but Rensia's face only grew paler.
"Haa..."
Raon stood up after using all of his Divinity Born from Darkness. The bleeding had barely stopped, but Rensia's condition was still critical.
"Lord Raon."
Rensia raised her trembling hand to grasp his.
"I-I'm sorry. He was one of the few kids I was grateful to..."
She gasped, apologizing for trusting Perin.
"It's okay! It's okay. Don't speak, just breathe slowly."
Raon shook his head as he poured holy water and medicine on Rensia's wound.
"I'll be fine, just my younger siblings..."
Rensia barely managed to mention her siblings before her head dropped. She wasn't dead, but she was in such a critical condition that it wouldn't be strange if she died at any moment.
"I'll take care of Lady Rensia."
Roenn bowed his head, apologizing for not eliminating Perin quickly enough.
"I'll leave her in your care."
Raon gave Rensia's hand one last tight squeeze before handing her over to Roenn.
"There should be healers inside as well, I'll do whatever it takes to save her."
Roenn carefully lifted Rensia and disappeared from the spot.
'Damn it...'
It was heartbreaking to see Rensia thinking of her siblings first instead of getting angry, even in a situation where she might die.
"Haaa..."
Raon let out a deep sigh and approached Perin, who was impaled on the sword.
"Hehehe..."
Perin twisted his lips, raising only his chin.
"Did you think you'd be safe while attacking us? Even if I die, the other demonized humans will keep coming after you till the end."
He chuckled as he spat out words like a curse.
"No, you won't die."
Raon lowered his finger and pushed Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Glacier, and Garunua into Perin's mana circuit.
"W-whatever you do, it's useless... Kuaaaaaah!"
A scream that seemed to tear his throat erupted from Perin's mouth, who had already prepared for death. Heat, cold, and wind tore through Perin's mana circuit, inflicting pain so severe he wished for death.
"S-stop..."
In less than a minute, Perin was looking at him with bloodshot eyes, begging to be killed.
"I've made it so it will never be undone."
Raon ignored Perin's gaze and stood up.
"Stay there and watch the Black Tower crumble."
Revealing his boiling anger, he stood in front of the Black Tower's dimension.
"I won't come out until that tower is destroyed, so brace yourselves."
He lowered his hand, ordering the destruction of the Black Tower to all members of the Light Wind Palace.
"We understand..."
Burren nodded, pressing his lips tightly.
"Don't worry. We'll smash it all to pieces, not leaving a single pillar standing."
Martha gritted her teeth as she drew her sword.
"Rensia..."
Runaan murmured Rensia's name with her head bowed, as if unable to believe the current situation.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
"Uaaaaaaah!"
Dorian stomped his feet, blaming his own incompetence, while Krein screamed while roughly rubbing his head.
"Light Wind Palace, enter."
Raon drew his Heavenly Drive sword and entered the Black Tower's dimension. The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace followed him into the world flowing with darkness. Woooong! The demonic energy dominating this space pressed down on their entire bodies. However, their boiling anger instead accepted the demonic energy, giving them an even stronger aura than before.
The
"Raon Zieghart!"
A demonized human with pitch-black skin came charging on a giant cavalry. The giant cavalry swung down a fist larger than a mansion towards him.
"Get lost."
As Raon swung down his Heavenly Drive sword filled with wrath, the giant cavalry and the demonized human riding it were torn in half. Not satisfied with just killing the giant cavalry, Raon walked towards the Black Tower, cutting down all the demonized humans and demonic beasts blocking his path.
With each swing of his sword, demonic beasts exploded and demonized humans' necks snapped. Behind his rough steps, only black blood and scattered demonic energy remained.
Even Owen's knights and Balkar's magicians were frozen by Raon's overwhelming martial prowess and chilling wrath.
"You're dangerous."
A red-haired middle-aged man with a black shield on his right arm stood blocking the way.
"Beast Master Jepple."
He was the Floor Master in charge of commanding the Black Tower's forces now. It seemed he had come here to buy time.
"This is as far as you go."
Beast Master Jepple threw the shield he had been carrying on his shoulder to the ground, as if saying he wouldn't let them pass any further. Kuuuung! The shield devoured the demonic energy flowing on the ground and erected a massive wall blocking the entire allied forces. It looked thick and solid, not easily penetrable.
"Then try to stop me."
Raon drew a Revolving Sky towards the wall of demonic energy raised by Beast Master Jepple. The rotating flames cut through the wall burning with demonic energy and sliced through Beast Master Jepple's body behind it.
"T-this is an artifact given by the Tower Master..."
Beast Master Jepple fell with his eyes rolled back in shock, seemingly unable to believe that the shield would break in one hit.
"..."
Raon stepped over Beast Master Jepple's corpse and stood in front of the Black Tower. He looked up at the enormous tower of unknown height, then unleashed the Azure Sky Drive of his Azure Sky Sword. Chiaaaaaaa! The vast sky filled with wrath cut through the demonic energy and struck the center of the tower.
The demonic energy enveloping the tower seemed to cower and recede, the cracked walls of the middle floors shattered, and the demonized humans inside fell, burning in flames.
"Even if I die here..."
Raon flashed his fierce eyes as he looked down at the screaming, dying demonized humans.
"I won't let a single one of you escape."