The Doppelganger's Mask
With a sound like tens of sheets of paper tearing, the Doppelganger's body began to twist.
"Kiii..."
The body melted like an iron ingot entering the furnace, and the figure of the manager appeared inside. The appearance covered in sticky slime looked like a freshly peeled egg.
"Successful?"
Raon lowered the Requiem Sword. The Doppelganger no longer moved. It only flowed down like water with small moans.
-It went in properly. You broke the core accurately.
'Good thing.'
-I told you, but I didn't think you'd actually do it.
Wrath narrowed his eyes, looking up at Raon. The forced resonance seemed surprising even to him.
"Since the manager is alive too, it's over..."
Raon, who was trying to take out the manager from the Doppelganger's corpse, widened his eyes. The fading demonic magic aura suddenly began to amplify.
"Shit!"
Raon forcibly peeled off the slime wrapping the manager and pushed him back.
Uuuuung!
As he raised the Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames' aura to the extreme, the mana of the black magic condensing in the melted body of the Doppelganger turned into black flames and shot up.
Kwaaaaang!
With a deafening sound that shook the heavens and earth, the compressed black aura exploded. The aura was terrifying enough to twist the body, but in Raon's eyes resonating with the Fire Ring, the flow was already visible.
He swung the drawn sword down as is. The racing red line split the dark aura in half.
Kwaaaa!
The split dark mana exploded on the snowy plain, bypassing Raon and the manager. It was powerful enough to cause serious injury if hit head-on, but the instantaneous reaction and precise sword strike created perfect defense.
"Damn bastards."
Raon frowned, glaring at the blackened ground. To blow up the Doppelganger without even allowing investigation, Eden was indeed far from ordinary.
-Those Eden guys seem completely crazy.
'On the continent, the second most pitiful madmen if not the first.'
Although he had only met them three times, Wrath seemed to have realized that Eden is a group of madmen.
Raon turned back to check on the manager's condition. His skin was melted in places, and a lot of life force was consumed, but luckily, it wasn't to the point of death.
'Have to heal him first... wait?'
When trying to raise the manager's body status with aura.
Uuuung!
Black bubbles began to rise from the torn Doppelganger's corpse. The corpse that looked like rotten leaves gathered into a round bead shape and drew a human face shape.
A big hat with a brim, long nose, face full of wrinkles. The appearance of an old woman looking shabby.
"You saw it well. You saw it very well!"
The old woman's mouth opened. Unlike her appearance, the voice was that of a young woman. It was lewd, leisurely, and felt intense madness.
"You."
"What?"
"Killing the Ice Ghost and destroying the plan of the Blue Wine Ghost was all you."
The old woman smiled wickedly and turned her chin.
"The old and sick Milland couldn't stop the plan of the Blue Wine Ghost. Today and then, it was all your doing."
The eyes of the old woman gleaming darkly swept over the entire body.
"You..."
Raon narrowed his eyes. Not a monster, but a person. And it was the witch's mask. If it's a witch in Eden, there's only one.
Abandoning the title of the kingdom's great magician 500 years ago, an existence who took the path of monsters. The betrayal witch Merlin who appears in the fairy tales Sylvia read.
"Wearing the mask of Merlin?"
"You know me? You know me? Really?"
The old woman's voice rose like a cocktail, sweet.
"Ah, good. Good. The senses are good, the intuition is fast, everything is to my liking."
"What?"
"The one who needs to be taken from there is not the Vessel of Siren, but you. It was the real you!"
Desire overflowing with the voice that curved like waves.
"Will you not come with me?"
"What..."
"Cold eyes, cold voice, that face, all the best. Come with me. I'll make you the best man."
The face of Merlin made of the Doppelganger's corpse approached slowly.
"I'll let you live forever by my side."
The mouth of Merlin, just a mask, split wide. Seeing the mouth corners raised to the ears, a creepy chill rose from the spine.
"Get lost."
Raon frowned and swung the sword down, but like smoke, the face of Merlin returned to its original appearance in an instant.
"That determination is cool too."
Merlin let out a rough breath and approached closer. Now not just the face, but the body was forming.
-A brat who doesn't know her place dares to aim for the king's flesh and blood!
Wrath gnashed his teeth and stood up. The rising cold and anger exploded like a volcano, wrapping the space.
-What are you doing! Cut it like before! When that brat is being careless, become one with the sword and tear apart that magic!
'Become one with the sword...'
It meant to swing the resonance sword like when saving the manager.
Raon put the Requiem Sword into the sheath and picked up the sword.
-What are you doing! Use that trash and cut it!
'I think it can.'
The feel of piercing the Doppelganger's core a moment ago still remained. Now, it seemed possible to achieve resonance alone.
"What are you trying to do? Showing me more?"
The Doppelganger's eyes burned with yellow madness.
"Show me more. With these eyes, I'll see everything."
Raon didn't answer and closed his eyes. What needed to be cut was not the form in front of him, but the flow of magic controlling that form.
The sensation of the sword becoming one with his arm when cutting the Doppelganger with the Requiem Sword a moment ago. He needed to find that feeling.
Goooooo!
Resonating the Fire Ring, he raised the Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames' aura. The aura burning with heat gently wrapped the body and sword.
But it's not perfect. A little slower and more naturally.
He smoothed the twisting aura from the sword like water.
The sword and I are one.
The realm where one can embody one's will in the sword. And to reach that realm, above all, one must have a natural flow.
With aura wrapping the body and sword without any deviation, it didn't feel like a sword, but like the arm slightly extended.
Raon maintained that sensation and swung the sword raised to the sky.
Not fast, not slow, not strong. An ordinary sword strike.
But inside it, Raon's will to cut the enemy was hidden.
Kwaaaa!
The red slash with will perfectly tore apart Merlin's form.
"Aaaah!"
The first scream came from Merlin's mouth. Blood dripped from under her mask. It seemed that the resonance affected not only the magic but also her true body.
"You achieved resonance without using the skill? You grew during this time?"
The scream was short. Followed by voices of praise and joy.
"Ah, we'll meet again soon. You are mine. No one can give you to..."
Merlin couldn't continue the last words and disappeared as smoke.
"Insane woman."
Raon lowered the sword and sighed. It was more pleasant that he didn't have to hear that woman's voice than achieving resonance.
-A brat who aims for the king's flesh and blood, that woman is especially crazy among the Edens. If the king could move, he would have frozen her to the bone.
Wrath waved his hand as if it was impossible.
"You are not my flesh and blood. My body is mine."
Raon sighed looking at Wrath with arms crossed.
'But...'
He looked around. This place was outside Habun Castle. The bet condition of not leaving the castle was not just a simple castle, but mentioning this area, the guy could make excuses to bet as much as he wanted.
But Wrath didn't move. Just glaring at the melted form of Merlin with a grumpy face, saying not to aim for his body.
'Hmph, don't think you'll win the bet with something like this. What do you think of the king.'
'Also told you about the manager in the Doppelganger, gave hints about resonance, why are you doing this today? If you don't do it, you'll die, right?'
-Really, a crazy guy.
Wrath shook his head left and right.
-I should have said it before. The king doesn't abandon subordinates and servants. That old man wasn't the grandfather of the third maid. If you can save it, you should save it.
'Ha...'
Raon let out a dry laugh at the unexpected words.
Speaking of which.
Wrath was also the one who told him about Siria harassing Runaan.
Was it really?
It seemed that calling Yua a maid to Runaan and Marta was not a joke. The crazy one was not her, but that self-proclaimed Demon King guy.
-And...
Wrath looked at the top of Sterin Mountain and smiled coolly.
-Even if I don't include this matter in the bet. No, I think I'll eat your body.
The grotesque space where the flesh of humans and monsters was hung like decorations. A lively voice that didn't match the room came from the central white bone table.
"Huuu..."
It was a woman wearing the mask of the betrayal witch Merlin. Blood dripped from the tip of her chin and fell. At the same time, a moan rose, but in that moan, joy was contained rather than pain.
"Ah..."
The woman slightly lifted the mask. She caught the falling blood with her finger and placed it directly on her tongue. Licking her red lips, she smacked her lips.
"I'll definitely bring you. No matter what means. That face, those eyes, not to other girls..."
Her gathered hands trembled. It seemed she couldn't control her body with excitement.
Uuuung.
When the woman wearing Merlin's mask was biting the flesh of her arm with long nails, the space flickered and a skull mask with eyes burning like blue flames appeared.
-What happened? Why did the life reaction of the Doppelganger cut off?
"Dead."
-What? How!
"Milland became stronger than before. He read the scent of the Doppelganger and saved the Vessel of Siren."
A red lip twisted up over the slightly lifted mask of Merlin. She was selling the name of Milland, unrelated to this matter. It seemed she had no intention of bringing out Raon's name at all.
"And what kind of modification did you do? Not only did you get caught because you were stupid, but you were also muttering about aiming for the Vessel of Siren with your own mouth."
-With your sorcery, you could have stopped it before.
"I said I was just going to watch."
-Damn woman...
"Your and my goals are not the same. And I didn't particularly want the Vessel of Siren either."
-What happened to the Vessel of Siren?
"Alive."
-Hoo.
Thinking that if alive, it was fine, the skull mask let out a sigh of relief.
-Crazy woman. I didn't intend to leave this matter to you.
He spat out light like a flare from his eyes and glared at Merlin's mask, then disappeared as smoke.
"Huuu..."
The woman pressed the slightly lifted mask of Merlin tightly to her face and let out a moan-like laugh.
"That kid is mine. I can't give him to anyone."
***
Raon erased the black magic aura in Milland's body with the sincere aura of Cultivation of Ten Thousand Flames and added vitality. The pale face gradually regained color.
'Good that I caught him quickly.'
If it was a little later, it would have been irreversible. He was lucky in many ways.
"Sigh..."
"Raon-nim!"
"Sword Master!"
After sighing in relief and carrying the manager, voices of Dorian and Yua came from behind.
Turning around, Milland with a shocked face, soldiers, and Dorian running with Yua on his back.
"Grandpa!"
Yua jumped off Dorian's back and hugged the manager's arm.
"Grandpa! Wake up! I won't say anything if you don't work from now on! Please!"
"Yua."
Yua's hands trembled as she looked at Raon.
"It's okay, no need to worry."
Raon smiled and nodded, and Yua let out a moan and sat down.
"Uaaaaang!"
Hearing that the manager was safe, Yua burst into tears that she had been holding back even in front of the Doppelganger.
"Y, Yua."
The manager, thinking that the cry had awakened him, slowly opened his eyes for a while.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!"
Yua raised her head. With eyes red like a rabbit, she met the manager's eyes and ran to hug him.
"I was scared! Grandpa!"
"Yeah. Sorry. Yua."
When Raon lowered the manager, Yua, still clinging to him, burst into bigger sobs. The manager stroked Yua's head with his powerless hand.
Watching the two people hugging and confirming each other, the heart fluttered. It was greater satisfaction than when catching the Ice Troll Lord and hearing the hero's voice.
"What on earth happened?"
Milland narrowed his eyes looking at Yua, the manager, the Doppelganger exploded, and the blackened ground.
"First, let me explain..."
Raon told the whole story of the battles with the Doppelganger from the Frost Branch to this place.
"Hmm, it's embarrassing, I have nothing to say."
Milland bit his lip.
"I couldn't even detect something like that. I really can't raise my face."
"It's unavoidable. I accidentally found out too."
"That's not an excuse. I'm sorry to you, to those two."
The Doppelganger. Even if it was modified with black magic so no one could notice, Milland felt it was his fault. He went to the two, apologized directly, and immediately ordered the defense reinforcement.
It felt like seeing the true leader's sense of responsibility, and strength entered his fist.
***
Two days passed after the Doppelganger's attack.
Raon stood alone in the training ground holding the sword. The vertical slash from above contained the will of extreme pleasure. It was an invisible pleasure as if he had been swinging the sword from the beginning.
But Raon sighed as if it wasn't to his liking.
"This isn't it."
The realm of resonance he realized when cutting the mask of Merlin didn't open the door again. It seemed it could only be achieved at that moment.
-Since I tried it once, I will be able to do it again soon. No need to be impatient.
Wrath gave advice that didn't match.
'Why are you doing this lately.'
-The king is originally lenient. Soon your body will be in the king's hands, even more so.
After catching the Doppelganger, it continued like this. It seemed he was completely crazy.
"I don't know."
Raon shook his head left and right. When about to swing the sword again, the door opened and Yua peeked out with her face.
"Sword Master."
Yua sniffled.
"Grandpa woke up."
"Yeah?"
After greeting the manager and Yua for a moment, he fell asleep again. Worried that he hadn't woken up for a while, now it seemed he had awakened.
"Grandpa said he wanted to see the sword master, can you come with me?"
Since he had something to say to him too, he nodded and followed Yua to the infirmary. Entering the old but well-managed room, the manager was leaning against the wall, and in front of him was Milland.
"Commander?"
Raon widened his eyes because he didn't know Milland would be here.
"What are you surprised about. I just came to visit."
Milland smiled faintly and stood up. Coming directly, the words of apology didn't seem just lip service.
"Sword Master. Thanks to you, I survived. If I had been wrong, I would have left these young ones alone and left. Thank you very much."
The manager forced his body up and bowed his head.
"Thanks for saving the castle residents. I couldn't stop this situation, really nothing to say."
Milland bit his lip and lowered his head the same way.
"Please don't."
Raon tried to stop the greetings between Milland and the manager, but both were immovable.
"This is not a greeting as a commander, but a thank you from person to person."
"Thank you greetings won't be received, then there's nothing to convey."
"Sigh, okay."
After accepting the greetings, the two raised their heads.
"Raon Sword Master. Sorry for the situation, but can I ask one thing?"
"Speak."
"E, Eden's ghosts were said to be aiming for my granddaughter, can you tell me the reason?"
The manager was still worried about his granddaughter even after dying and coming back to life.
"I have something to say because of that."
Raon nodded.
'Since the commander is here too, I can say it now.'
When about to say to go to Zieghart together since Eden was aiming for Yua.
With a rough stomp sound, the door of the room burst open. It was Radin, the captain of the 3rd Scout Squad.
"C, Commander! Big trouble!"
He grabbed his trembling hand and continued.
"M, monsters are rushing towards the wall."
"What?"
"Monsters?"
"The scale is enough to match the Wave!"
With the words matching the Wave, Milland and Raon's eyes widened like fire pots.
"Hmm, don't worry about the outside, recover well."
Milland gently patted the manager's shoulder and followed Radin outside.
"I'll talk about Yua later."
"Ah, okay."
"Yua. Take care of grandpa well."
"Yeah!"
Raon stroked the head of Yua, who answered vigorously with forced strength, and followed Milland up to the wall.
And saw.
From far away, the wave of monsters rushing while creating a white storm
'Seeing so many monsters moving, is it again Eden? Really, tenacious...'
Raon, who was biting his lip while looking at the monsters, widened his eyes.
'What?'
The momentum of the monsters rushing into the castle was clearly different from before. If before it was dyed with appetite and madness, now it was...
Fear and dread.
The monsters were running towards the stone wall with terrified expressions as if being chased by something. As if the wall was an obstacle even while running away.
'What.'
Raon swallowed dry saliva.
What on earth is happening.