What is the soul? Everyone has a soul, but most cannot utilize its power. Even Martial Artists who have achieved Transcendence or Magicians don't properly understand it, merely using it as Willpower. But now, he had begun to understand what the soul truly is—the power that allows him to be himself. (E/N: some will translate it as heart, some will translate it as soul. I think 'soul' makes more sense overall so I'm sticking with it mostly)
His soul, his heart, was what allowed him to live solely as Raon Zieghart without being swayed by others. But he didn't just have the life of Raon Zieghart. Raon the assassin. That hellish life, never once facing light since birth, was also melted into his heart and soul.
The Raon Zieghart who pursued life and was wrapped in bright light, and the Raon who followed death and was shrouded in dark shadows. Since both lives were his, he wanted his new sword to contain them all: the Soul Sword, Life Beyond Death. The blade formed from his soul that contained both of Raon's lives pierced into the Dragon Lord's soul.
Although no physical sound should be heard when the Soul Sword pierced the Dragon Lord's soul, everyone present could hear the chilling sound of the blade embedding itself into the soul.
[KROOOOOOO!]
The Dragon Lord let out a dimension-tearing scream, shedding golden scales from its entire body as if experiencing greater pain than when he had suffered the backlash from casting the absolute magic.
[T-this can't be... Grrrr!]
The Dragon Lord snarled with wild ferocity, not like a dragon but as if he were truly just a lizard.
"..."
Raon silently observed the Dragon Lord crawling on the ground, his cold eyes flashing.
'Finally, I've embodied it.'
Both his past life and his current life. He had always wanted to melt these two different-textured lives into one sword, and finally achieved it. A chill ran down his spine from the immense exhilaration he'd never felt before.
'Who would have thought the Dragon Lord would help me grow.'
In truth, he had adapted so deeply to his current life that he had largely forgotten his past life. Though he knew his past life could be helpful, he couldn't easily integrate it—until the Dragon Lord pronounced death upon him, changing everything.
When buried in the soul-consuming sand awaiting death, the final moments from his past—when he was helpless in Derus's hands—came to mind. As that hellish life where he was ultimately beheaded by his Master replayed in his mind, he could feel the essence of death in his soul.
In truth, Life Beyond Death still isn't a complete sword. If he sharpens this sword of the soul by accepting death and life more thoroughly, someday it would become an absolute Soul Sword capable of ripping apart even Derus Robert's soul.
With such expectations, Raon gripped the hilt of his Soul Sword tightly. Though there should be no sound, he could hear a clear Sword Mantra ringing in his ears.
-Hmph!
Wrath smacked his lips, furrowing his brow.
-Not bad, not bad at all. The blade from your soul has become a little sharper.
Though reluctant to admit it, he subtly averted his gaze while acknowledging it was a decent sword.
-However, you still have a long way to go. With a Soul Sword of that caliber, you cannot cut down demon kings or Archangels. Even that lizard—had it not been weakened—would not have been properly pierced!
Wrath snorted, insisting that Raon needed to grow much stronger.
'After urgently calling my name, here you go again.'
Raon smirked, remembering how Wrath had hurriedly called out his name with worried eyes.
-W-what are you talking about!
Wrath screeched like a baby bird.
-This king merely wanted to shout, that's all!
He shook his trembling chin, denying that he was worried about Raon.
'Actually, I wasn't teasing you.'
Raon waved his hand lightly.
'I wanted to say thank you.'
He felt Wrath's deep concern in his urgent cry. It seemed they had become an inseparable family now, he and the demon king of Wrath.
-Hmph...
Wrath let out a low groan, rolling his eyes like balls.
-Th-thank you for what! This king just felt a little sorry for you, like a pet!
He turned his head toward the Dragon Lord, his face flushed with embarrassment.
[Grrrr...]
The Dragon Lord was exhaling violent breaths with white foam in his mouth. Black blood, seemingly infused with death, gushed from the sword wounds carved across his entire body.
-But why isn't it dying?
Wrath narrowed his eyes, looking at the suffering Dragon Lord.
-It failed after pronouncing the absolute magic of death with that pathetic dragon language, and your improved Soul Sword pierced its soul, so it should have died long ago!
He tilted his head as if he couldn't understand.
-Even if your Soul Sword is still weak and that thing is a lizard that lived for ten thousand years, it should have died a while ago, right?
Wrath examined the Dragon Lord closely, finding it very strange.
-W-wait! Don't tell me...
'That's right.'
Raon nodded, looking at the panting Dragon Lord.
'I'm deliberately keeping it alive.'
As Wrath sensed, the Dragon Lord should have died long ago. It had failed with the absolute magic dealing with death and suffered great backlash, and its soul was pierced by the Soul Sword—that assumption was entirely correct.
-So that Soul Sword is no ordinary one after all!
'Yes. Life Beyond Death is a special Soul Sword.'
The Soul Sword Life Beyond Death literally governs life and death. It's harder to thrust this sword into an enemy's soul than with ordinary Soul Swords, but once it's in, the battle is over.
'Because I can control the enemy's life and death.'
He could end the Dragon Lord's life right now, or keep it alive for years, inflicting endless pain. At this moment, the Dragon Lord was no different from an insect in the palm of his hand.
-W-what kind of crazy sword is that!
Wrath shouted that it made no sense.
-Isn't that completely broken!
He deeply furrowed his brow, questioning why such an ability existed.
'That's why the difficulty of using this sword is extremely high.'
Raon shook his head, saying it was simply that the effect was as good as it was difficult to use.
-But isn't it too good? That... huh?
Wrath looked at the Dragon Lord again and slightly lowered his gaze.
-That Aura embedded in that lizard's chest seems familiar...?
He turned his chin side to side, finding something strange.
'That will be revealed soon too.'
Raon approached the Dragon Lord with heavy steps, as if he was also aware of it.
"Have you screamed enough?"
Raon twisted his lips while stomping on the sprawled Dragon Lord's head.
"Then let's begin."
***
[Lord!]
[My Lord!]
[You mustn't fall to mere humans!]
[Please rise!]
Dragons that had flown urgently to save the Dragon Lord charged forward with roars and monstrous cries.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Martha didn't miss the opportunity and sliced more than half through the thick neck of a Gold Dragon engaged in the chaotic battle.
"That must feel refreshing for your neck!"
She snickered mockingly at the dragon whose neck flesh had been cut away.
[KRAAAAK!]
The Gold Dragon with its neck flesh torn away screamed and retreated backward.
"Dragons aren't always rational either, I see."
Burren followed behind Martha and cut off the fleeing Gold Dragon's breath. With a devastating thrust, he pulled out the Dragon Heart with his sword to ensure it was truly finished.
[Krrrk!]
The Gold Dragon, which had recently entered the ranks of Ancient Dragons, tried to approach the Lord but couldn't even put up a proper resistance before rolling on the ground, lifeless.
"Ha! That guy succeeded after all."
Martha let out a hollow laugh, watching Raon stomp on the Dragon Lord's head.
"It was inevitable that Raon would catch the Lord, and thanks to that, we've also accumulated the merit of killing an Ancient Dragon."
Burren sighed in relief as he looked at the neck of the Ancient Dragon they had caught with Martha.
"Uggghh! Another magic attack coming! When will this end!"
Dorian was too busy dodging successive spells to think about charging at the dragons, but he stood guarding the dimensional gap like a guardian, blocking the path. Despite his fear and terror, he was determined to protect Raon until the end.
"You've held on well."
Evelyn didn't miss the opportunity when the dragons' attention was focused on Dorian, using her mana control magic to simultaneously grab two dragons weaker than herself.
[W-what!]
[M-my mana has escaped my control!]
The dragons revealed fear in their eyes, bewildered by the situation where their mana was being suppressed for the first time in their lives.
"Disappear."
As Evelyn clenched her hand, the necks of the dragons under her control burst, and their Dragon Hearts popped out.
"The roses have bloomed beautifully."
She drew a fresh smile as she brushed the back of her hand over the blood-soaked dragon scales that looked like roses.
[C-crazy humans...]
Red Dragon Valasiur slowly distanced himself from Evelyn as if he didn't want to fight her.
[And that guy is even crazier!]
He muttered that humans were frightening as he observed Raon who had subdued the Dragon Lord.
[It seems even battle-crazed dragons have found something to fear!]
Blue Dragon Sirtiren burst into laughter as she struck down a similarly sized White Dragon with her wing.
[We've certainly seen humans in a new light!]
She smacked her lips at length, saying things were about to get more interesting.
[Who would've thought the Lord would fall so easily!]
Black Dragon Dariauran let out a hollow laugh.
[Had I known this would happen, I would have volunteered to face him!]
He clicked his tongue as he subdued a weak mature dragon with his poisonous energy.
[Hmph! You would have been pierced through by the Sword of Light and died the moment you approached the Lord!]
White Dragon Bursiarabi sneered.
[This outcome is the result of Raon Zieghart's strength.]
He nodded solemnly, as if he had fully acknowledged Raon now.
"Raon Zieghart..."
Gold Dragon Bartius pressed his lips tightly as he looked at Raon's straight back, then placed his hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you."
'For preserving our dragon's beliefs.'
***
[W-what are you planning?]
The Dragon Lord opened his mouth with trembling eyes, as if terrified.
"What else? Interrogation."
Raon smirked and waved his hand.
"I have quite a few questions for you."
He rotated his wrist, saying it would be better to answer properly.
[You worm!]
The Dragon Lord raised his eyes with a finely trembling jaw. He sneered as if much of his pain had subsided.
[I am the King of dragons! Even if I die by your hand, I won't submit to such disgra— AAAAARGH!]
The Dragon Lord had been proudly declaring he would die with dignity when he suddenly screamed as if electrocuted by a sudden surge of pain.
"I determine both your life and death."
Raon pointed his Heavenly Drive at the Dragon Lord's neck where the Dragon Heart was embedded.
"Without my permission, you cannot die even if you wish to."
He lowered his hand, stopping the Soul Sword that had been tearing at the Dragon Lord's soul.
[Ah...]
The Dragon Lord let out a murky groan as he looked at Raon, seeming to grasp the situation immediately, true to his cunning nature.
[That sword you've thrust into my soul...]
"That's right. That sword controls your life. I can kill you right now, or I can keep you in agony until I die."
Raon curled his lips, saying the fight was over.
[T-that's impossible!]
The Dragon Lord struck the ground with his tail.
[Glenn Zieghart was the same, and now you too! Why does heaven grant such power to mere humans! Creatures that don't even live a hundred years!]
He looked up at the sky and let out a monstrous cry. His broken voice revealed deep, intense feelings of jealousy and resentment.
[UAAAAAAAH!]
"Shut up."
[Krrrgh...]
When Raon snapped at him to shut up, the Dragon Lord stopped mid-scream and pressed his lips tightly.
"From now on, I'll ask questions, and you just need to answer them."
He briefly smacked his lips while staring into the Dragon Lord's trembling eyes.
"Why are you trying to kill humans?"
Though he had many questions for the Dragon Lord, he first raised the point he was most curious about. Honestly, he still couldn't understand why the Dragon Lord hated humans and sided with the Archangels.
[Hmm...]
The Dragon Lord kept his mouth firmly shut as if he had no intention of speaking.
"You're only hurting yourself by doing that."
When Raon jerked his chin, the Soul Sword embedded in the Dragon Lord's soul began to rampage again.
[KROOOOOOO!]
The Dragon Lord clutched his head and burst into screams from the intensified pain.
[S-stop! Please stop!]
He cried for mercy, seemingly unable to endure the soul-tearing pain.
"Hmm."
Raon stopped the rampaging Soul Sword and looked into the Dragon Lord's eyes again.
"Speak. Why do you hate humans so much?"
[T-that's...]
Despite the terrible pain he had suffered, the Dragon Lord didn't speak immediately. It seemed like a truly difficult question to answer. But Raon had no reason to wait for him.
"If you don't want to talk, that's fine. Let's see who wins."
Just as Raon dusted off his hands and was about to move the Soul Sword again, a green Dimensional Gate opened above the Dragon Lord's eyes.
"Ah, I prepared for so long, who dared to interfere!"
From inside the Dimensional Gate emerged a green woman with a delicate impression, twisting her red lips.
"I barely managed to blind him using the Envy embedded in his heart over a long time... Huh? Oh!" (E/N: WHAT?! It was all her fault ?! This fcking....)
The moment she met Raon's eyes, she gaped as if she had come to the wrong place.
"Oho."
Raon revealed his white teeth as he looked at the seemingly flustered green-haired beauty. He waved his hand, showing great delight.
"Well, who do we have here?"