Old Bonds, New Embers
The Demon King's castle was silent. Only lifeless souls lingered within its walls. The aura of death shrouded the surroundings, and Demon Humans, blinded by greed, blocked their path.
Lucrezia—the head of the Demon Cult, a succubus possessing power far exceeding that of a Prophet—approached Sira Yunseul with a coquettish sway. "Hehe, we meet again, don't we?"
"Cut the crap, you bitch."
Whoosh!
A fist cutting through the air manifested a swirling vortex of black-and-white Yin-Yang energy. The fist grazed past Lucrezia's hair with blinding speed.
"Too slow."
"I'll hit you next time."
So that's Lucrezia.Rowen thought as he stared at the succubus.
Sira Yunseul was strong. She was undoubtedly a powerhouse, having defeated Angelica, the one who had annihilated the exorcists. Hearing that Lucrezia had blocked Sira Yunseul's attack with a single hand naturally piqued his interest.
Arahan noticed. Her young master was showing interest in the succubus before them.
I must slaughter that foxy, filthy whore this instant...!
Perhaps that was why, though she had no intention of doing so, she ended up aiding Sira Yunseul.
Golden chains erupted from an unseen space, lunging to bind Lucrezia. The succubus casually blew a kiss of charm, slowing the chains' trajectory, and used them as stepping stones to leap into the air. Sira Yunseul, springing from Arahan's side, kicked off the chains as well.
The pitch-black holy sword, Rosbriel, unleashed a devastating wave of energy. The fire of a lion flared in Sira Yunseul's grasp. Gravity slammed down, crushing everything with sheer, unadulterated force. The atmospheric pressure compressed the castle's structure, tearing open a sub-space that instantly collapsed into an imaginary space. Portions of the corridor and walls vanished entirely, leaving nothing but empty voids.
Lucrezia clicked her tongue. Monsters, the both of them.
It was a genuine, unfiltered thought. Like mother, like daughter. Their sheer violence and relentless aggression were identical.
Uba stared in awe at the mother and daughter, who had grown even stronger. His estimation of Arahan, in particular, soared. Unconsciously, he rubbed his smooth, bald head. "...Tsk."
"By the way, Uba, I heard you got your head shaved?"
"Shut up, Lian!"
Even as he teased Uba, Rowen raised his Holy Sword. He would leave Lucrezia to Sira Yunseul and Arahan. As always, he would simply do what needed to be done.
"Uba."
"...Hehe. My mouth is watering."
Boom!
Uba initiated the charge. As he lunged forward with ferocious momentum, a massive sinkhole tore through the castle floor, sending the Demon Humans flying before they could even react. Even after all this time, Uba's brainless shoulder tackle was still a sight that made one shake their head in disbelief.
"Crazy bastard," Mio muttered, offering her honest opinion.
It had been a long time since she had seen the backs of these two men. Whenever Uba charged, Rowen fought right alongside him. Foolish, reckless, and stupid. Yet, that was exactly why she loved him.
"Bwahaha! Out of my way!"
"You idiot, watch where you're swinging. You're getting in my way."
"Lian, you are simply small because you are still a child!"
"I'm the exact same size as my past life, you bastard!"
"Weakling. Throwing a tantrum just because you took a few accidental hits to the face during the fray."
"You motherfucker. Do you want to die?"
Sigh... Why did I ever fall for a guy like him?
With a deep sigh, Mio raised her staff and cast buffs on them.
Crimson runes manifest and swirl around the targets, enhancing their physical capabilities without consuming core energy.
"Om Garajiya Sabaha."
Along with Uba's chant, Arahan and Sira Yunseul began their own incantations. "Om Garajiya Sabaha." "Om Garajiya Sabaha."
The ancient Eastern exorcism mantra, meant to banish all evil. Uba swung his axe infused with holy power, while Rowen brandished his Holy Sword brimming with divine energy. Blue flames incinerated the Demon Humans, and black sunspots expanded, triggering violent explosions.
Lucius could only sigh as he watched the absolute chaos unfold, devoid of any strategy whatsoever. "This doesn't seem like Rowen at all."
"Haha... He only became a bit more mature after reincarnating. He was always like that originally," Mio explained.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Uba and Lian are best friends. Meeting again after so long probably brought back his old self."
"So they threw strategy to the dogs."
Yet, they were dominating. Their mere presence empowered one another; they were partners who could trust each other with their lives. Lucius felt a twinge of envy toward Uba. But...
"Rosmerta."
He didn't need to stand on the sidelines. He could fight alongside them right here, right now.
"Om Garajiya Sabaha."
He intertwined the black-and-white energies of Yin and Yang. Infusing his golden holy power into the sacred weapon, Rosmerta, he let the dragon's blood flow.
Haste
Drawing a blinding trajectory in an instant, his five consecutive slashes carved a star into the air.
Screeech—
The high-frequency vibration of the blade rang painfully in everyone's ears. A crisp, clear sound. Rowen smiled as he watched Lucius instantly cut down an enemy leaping at his back.
"You've changed a lot compared to a month ago," Rowen remarked.
"It's all thanks to Uba."
"That idiot's training methods might be barbaric, but they certainly get results."
If not, there was no way Arahan could be such a monster. Just look at her. To call her a superhuman was an understatement; she looked more like a sword demon. The white ribbon that had kept her hair tied back was gone, snapped and lost in the chaos. Her long black hair whipped through the air, flowing wildly with her every movement. It was a beautiful, albeit terrifying, sight. Her blood-stained maid uniform should have looked grotesque, but she paid it no mind.
Wielding Rosbriel as her primary weapon, she manipulated gravity. She flung and whipped her chains to bind Lucrezia. Pulling a mace from an unseen space to swing, throwing axes, and raising her shield, she blocked Lucrezia's charms. In truth, even if those charms hit her, they would never break her resolve. Her mind was entirely consumed by Rowen; even under the influence of Lucrezia's seduction, she would only love him and move solely for his sake.
Even while fighting Lucrezia, her eyes constantly chased Rowen. How can his slashes and magic be so flawlessly clean? Unable to hide her ecstasy, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
"Where are you looking?"
"Tsk, annoying pest."
Lucrezia's tail whipped out like a lash, grazing Arahan's neck. Slash. Because she twisted her body to dodge at the last second, it only left a shallow scratch on her cheek. She was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected an attack of this speed. There was a reason Sira Yunseul had struggled to block it.
But Sira Yunseul was no longer the same as before. Though she had never used it yet, she possessed 'that'—something that would elevate her to a whole new level.
"...Is that?"
"I brought a few along just for an occasion like this."
Even if they cost a fortune.
"...What a waste," Sira Yunseul lamented, practically kicking herself in regret. Do you have any idea how precious this is? But what did money matter? As long as she survived, she could always make more.
Sira Yunseul popped a clear, blue gemstone into her mouth and crunched down on it. Yes, its true identity was a mana stone. Though typically used to forge magic swords, these mana stones, where the spirits of the Valenos family were born, possessed an incredibly high purity. In other words, it allowed her to wield a fraction of the frost's power.
A trace of Kadan. The man who had raised her in her youth—who could never be her father, but whom she believed to be her father in the depths of her heart. The power he had once wielded. The power used by Rowen, whom she considered her brother despite sharing no blood.
Hummmm!
Sira Yunseul's Mana Flower absorbed the frost. Crackle. Cold snowflakes drifted down with her every step. Arahan showed a brief flash of surprise, but soon offered a knowing smile in return.
"...Damn Valenos," Arahan muttered.
"Uh-uh, watch your mouth. He might hear you."
After all, Valenos lived inside Rowen. The Spirit King, the God of the North. So, she had better hold her tongue.
Arahan and Sira Yunseul advanced toward Lucrezia. They walked. Then, they quickened their pace. They ran. Soon, they leaped into the air.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion echoed. Yet, nothing had actually detonated. It was simply the sheer force of ice and gravity combining, multiplying their destructive power.
"...She dodged that?"
"Persistent bitch."
Facing the monstrous mother-daughter duo, Lucrezia grimaced, completely losing her composure. Their combined forces created an overwhelming synergy. Even Lucrezia realized she couldn't block that attack head-on.
"Pant... pant..."
That power was dangerous. It was potent enough to leave a scar on the Demon King's spiritual body. She had boasted that she could easily handle this alone, but was it truly impossible?
"...Stop just watching and get out here!" Lucrezia shrieked. Her eyes locked onto the bastards hiding in the shadows, practically eating popcorn as they enjoyed the show.
"Aw, but Sis, you said you could handle it all by yourself."
"You talked so big in front of Lord Cain, Lucrezia. What on earth are you doing?"
It was a blatant provocation. Lucrezia's cheeks burned with humiliation. She had never experienced such disgrace. Yet, their words weren't wrong. And there was someone else whose face had flushed red—not from shame or embarrassment, but from grief, anger, and a deep sense of betrayal.
"...I've finally found you."
Mio didn't hesitate. She hurled a black hole straight at her two disciples.
Demir Balmung. Cordelia Staris. These two disciples had been troublemakers since the very beginning. Unlike the quiet and well-behaved Yuria, these two were always in perfect sync. Perhaps that was why their magical compatibility was unmatched. When Demir unleashed fire, Cordelia amplified it. Damage and buffs. The two disciples had made this synergy their specialty, training tirelessly under Mio's tutelage. And yet, those very kids...
"It's been a while, Master."
"You still haven't aged a bit."
"I'm actually a little jealous."
They stood before her, completely corrupted, smiling in her face. The black hole she had summoned violently distorted the air, trying to drag Demir and Cordelia into its abyss, but—crackle! Something interfered with Mio's magic circle, shattering the spell. Cordelia had been Mio's prized disciple, and at the same time, she was her perfect counter.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The cores around Mio's heart spun frantically. Her usually refined mana spilled out, fueled by uncontrollable rage.
Teleport
"...!"
"As expected of Master. I couldn't even predict that."
Time Set
She froze their time. However, Cordelia slipped through the temporal gap, shattering the spell. Then, she seamlessly hijacked the broken remnants of the magic circle to cast her own spell. She was, in every sense of the word, a counter.
Spinning Hourglass
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Mio's movements slowed to a crawl.
"...Ugh!"
Her panic was palpable. It was undoubtedly born of hesitation. She had come to save them from corruption, but remembering Lea's tragic end, she knew there was no hope. Ending their lives with her own hands would be the most honorable and peaceful conclusion. Yet, doing so would leave an agonizing, permanent scar on Mio's heart. And so, she hesitated.
A sphere of roaring flames hurtled toward Mio.
"...Ah."
She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact, but nothing felt. Instead, when she opened her eyes, a familiar figure stood before her, overlapping with her memories of the past, blocking the sphere of fire. "Lian."
"For fuck's sake, Mio. How on earth did you raise your disciples?" Rowen grumbled.
"I agree!" Uba boomed.
"You bastards. Not a single one of you is going to ask if I'm okay?" Mio snapped.
"And you're not even going to thank me?" Rowen retorted.
"...Hmph."
"Pah! Screw you, kid," Uba spat.
Uba, Mio, and Rowen continued their banter even as they deflected the blazing flames. An ice shield melted and regenerated repeatedly, filling the air with thick steam. Uba recalled the promise he had made to Mio. —I will take responsibility and bring your disciples back to their senses! Though that promise had now shifted to executing them in her stead, it couldn't be helped. It was far better than leaving a gaping wound in her heart. Therefore...
"Leave this place to us," Uba said.
"Yeah, don't tell me you don't trust this idiot?" Rowen added.
Pfft.
Mio burst into laughter despite herself. Yes. She had missed this so much. It felt surreal, but she truly felt that Lian had returned. Seeing Mio smile, Uba and Rowen felt relieved. They turned their gazes back to the enemies.
"How dare you wet-behind-the-ears brats try to look down on your master!" Uba roared.
"Shut up, boomer," Demir scoffed.
Oh. Rowen was impressed. And then...
"You motherfucking bastards, did your parents fail to raise you right?" Rowen spat.
"...What?" Demir stammered.
"What do you mean, 'what'? I'm insulting your parents. And it's perfectly legal for me to do so. I actually don't have a mom or a dad, you bastards. Get ready. Class is in session."