The Soul-Severing Sword's Vigil
After becoming a trainee, not long after, Dorian had once grumbled about rumors and incidents wandering the continent.
Since the guy was talkative, he listened to various chatter and let some of it pass through one ear and out the other, but he did pull out an interesting story.
The newly appeared monster of Eden. A grotesque man wearing a Death Knight helmet with eyes burning in golden flames had single-handedly wiped out an entire knight order of the Owen Kingdom.
Since it was the ghost of Eden, it was plausible enough, and when he nodded, the guy added another surprising piece of news. The name of that knight order was the Blue Horse Knight Order.
The Blue Horse Knight Order was one of the traditional knight orders of the Owen Kingdom, and its captain was Baron Faron, who had risen above the Grandmaster rank.
The king of the Owen Kingdom had personally drawn his sword to search for the ghost wearing the Death Knight helmet, but the thing disappeared without a trace and didn't show itself again.
People attached the name Soul-Severing Sword to the grotesque man who had beheaded Baron Faron and annihilated the Blue Horse Knight Order, filled with fear and dread.
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the inspection of the Soul-Severing Sword, which was being blocked by the sheath.
'Is this the guy who is the Soul-Severing Sword?'
Inside the helmet, the eyes burned with clear golden flames, the armor was pure white bones, the body was slender, and he was tall. It perfectly matched the description Dorian had heard.
'There...'
At first, he didn't even know it existed, but once it appeared, it exuded an aura and fighting spirit that was chillingly terrifying. This man was also a top expert who had reached the Grandmaster rank.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Raon put more strength into the sheath blocking the Soul-Severing Sword and examined its eyes.
Even though he was pointing the sword at him, there was no emotion in his eyes. No anger, no doubt, no embarrassment, no joy — nothing. It was completely empty, like firewood burned to ashes.
"When did you get here?"
"......"
No answer even when questioned. He just looked this way with a blank expression.
"Are you the Soul-Severing Sword?"
"......"
No answer again. Since he couldn't break the Soul-Severing Sword, he bit it.
Swish.
The Soul-Severing Sword sheathed its sword in the sheath as if waiting.
'When did this guy start showing up?'
'Before you woke up, I was already here.'
'So, he's a watcher.'
Raon exhaled a small breath. Why didn't he bring weapons and artifacts? It seemed Merlin had attached the Soul-Severing Sword as a watcher.
"Well, good."
Raon smirked and put on the uniform. After all, Eden's purpose was to put on the helmet. Until then, he wouldn't kill, so he decided to go boldly.
Even while putting on the clothes and equipping the sword, the Soul-Severing Sword didn't move, just staring fixedly at his face.
-Is that guy the same as that woman?
'That woman?'
-There's a fool with a face, right?
'Ah...'
Raon thought the guy who was staring blankly at Encia, who was shouting "Jonjal" (insanely handsome), was the same as the woman.
'That's just watching.'
-Hmm, something feels off though...
Raon thought it was weird and clicked his tongue.
'There's no way.'
When Raon had the Soul-Severing Sword at his waist, the door opened and Merlin entered.
"You're awake now... Why are you here?"
Merlin's affectionate voice suddenly turned cold the moment she saw the Soul-Severing Sword.
"......"
The Soul-Severing Sword didn't answer Merlin's words, just looked at Raon.
"I see."
Merlin let out a snort and patted the Soul-Severing Sword's shoulder.
"Get out. This isn't a place for you."
"......"
The Soul-Severing Sword slowly nodded and left outside.
"You brought new clothes, but you're wearing those dirty ones again?"
Merlin held out the clothes she was holding. Her voice was warm, like she was treating a friend or a child differently from when dealing with the Soul-Severing Sword.
"Is that man the Soul-Severing Sword?"
"Yes. You know it well."
"You attached him as a watcher, so why are you angry?"
Raon looked at Merlin's atmosphere that had changed drastically, with goosebumps, and slightly lowered his eyebrows.
"I didn't attach him as a watcher."
Merlin firmly shook her head.
"That guy wanders around here and there on his own. Don't worry about it."
She laughed from inside the mask, saying she was a meaningless existence.
"You didn't attach a watcher? What were you trying to do if I ran away there?"
Raon pointed to the square window attached to the wall. The window letting in sunlight was quite large, so he could easily escape.
"Run away..."
Merlin nodded smoothly.
"Do whatever you want."
She pointed to the window as if telling him to do as he pleased.
'Something's there.'
There was no way he could be this relaxed unless there was something.
"What happened to the Light Wind Squad?"
"I didn't touch them as promised."
Merlin smiled disinterestedly and placed the black clothes she brought beside the bed.
'Hmm...'
Although the words didn't sound like lies, she couldn't help but worry about the 10th Apostle. She didn't know what a furious guy would do.
Raon clenched his fist, hoping they were safe.
"Let's change clothes first. Those clothes are stained with blood."
"No need."
"Really? Then."
Merlin snapped her fingers, and the bloodstains on the uniform disappeared instantly. The torn parts were neatly mended as if stitched.
"Come with me. I'll tell you why I don't need to watch you."
Merlin opened the door and left, speaking as if addressing an old friend or a child.
'I have to follow.'
Being captured was inevitable. So, now he had to check what kind of place this was and how it was set up.
Raon exhaled deeply and followed behind Merlin. The moment he crossed the door, the scenery changed.
The log cabin that had given a warm feeling disappeared, and a cold black corridor appeared.
"This place..."
"It's the newly opened branch of Eden a while ago. It's a branch, but its scale isn't as large as the main branch. Since you might get lost, shall we hold hands?"
Merlin smiled brightly and extended her hand.
"......"
Raon ignored her hand and stood a little behind.
"Well, if you're obedient, there's no charm."
Merlin flicked her fingers and advanced forward.
Uwoong!
From the solid-looking walls, various doors appeared and disappeared, and Eden's ghosts wearing various helmets and masks passed by.
They bowed their heads not only to Merlin but also to Raon.
"Why are they greeting me?"
"There's a hierarchy here too. You're my direct subordinate. Starting from the 7th star."
Merlin waved her hand as she headed to the end of the corridor, her voice excited. When she went out with her, darkness appeared.
'Moon?'
Unlike when seen from the log cabin, the sky was cloudy, and a yellowish moon was rising.
'Is it a barrier?'
It felt like a space where time was twisted. He looked down at the other buildings.
They were similar to northern buildings designed to withstand cold, but more elegant in style. The thin walls and ceiling suggested it was more southern than Zieghart.
Behind the buildings was a desolate land. Far away, there seemed to be a city, but it was too far to confirm exactly.
"Where is this?"
"Turn around."
Raon followed Merlin's gesture and turned. Behind the temple-like building that had come out earlier, a huge city came into view.
It was quite far away, but it was a city he couldn't mistake. It was Camelun, the trading city he had visited before going to Habun Castle.
"No way, this place..."
"Yes. It's right below Camelun."
Merlin nodded and gave the answer she had thought.
"Crazy..."
Camelun was a neutral city belonging to the territories of Zieghart, Owen, and Valkar. It was unbelievable that they had set up a branch so close, ignoring two of the Six Kings.
"It's because all three of them are here. Since they keep each other in check, it's actually easier to move."
Merlin muttered that it was easy because they competed with the Six Kings.
"If it's here, it would be easier for me to run away?"
Zieghart or not, this place wasn't far from Owen. If given the chance, he could easily escape.
"It won't be that easy."
Merlin flicked her fingers. Mana rose from her white fingers and spread a grand light.
Goooo!
Silver lines spread across the night sky, revealing a huge magic circle surrounding this space. Geometric patterns of sun, moon, and stars spread throughout the branch.
"This is..."
Raon swallowed dryly. Even though he was using the Fire Ring at full power from the beginning, the barrier's structure wasn't properly visible.
Magic, black magic, martial arts, shamanism, and an aura that couldn't be accurately interpreted. The flows that were almost impossible to interpret were writhing throughout the barrier.
'It's not just that the power is diverse.'
The powers in the barrier changed their flows irregularly and chaotically. In just five minutes, the scene of the sun turning into a moon from the log cabin felt naturally chaotic.
Raon understood why Merlin said she didn't need a watcher.
"How about it? Can I break this barrier and escape?"
Merlin smiled with a faint smile, facing his eyes. It was a smile with confidence that he couldn't leave at all.
"......"
Raon didn't answer. Honestly, interpreting that formation right now was impossible.
"There..."
Merlin gestured to the right. The Soul-Severing Sword, which had been facing the sword in the room earlier, was watching this side.
Next to it was a warrior wearing a horned snake helmet, but he wasn't a Grandmaster, but had at least the aura of Mid-rank Master.
"If you try to run away, they won't stay still."
Not just them.
Just these two monsters, three more Master-level experts' auras were felt. It was impossible to escape by force.
"I can't escape right now."
"You give up faster than I thought. Well, that's also a kind of..."
"You're mistaken."
Raon smiled coldly while looking at Merlin's eyes filled with excitement.
"I never thought about running away."
He was going to eat all of Eden's power here.
This was also a chance. After absorbing everything of Eden here, he would escape.
"Aah..."
Merlin exhaled excitedly again, as if mistaken. She extended her white hand and stroked her chin.
"You want to be with me? Yes. I will always be with you. Forever."
"Stop the nonsense."
Raon frowned and slapped Merlin's hand away.
"Let's get to the main point. What kind of mask are you putting on me?"
"Wait a moment."
Merlin slightly lifted the mask. She pointed to the Soul-Severing Sword and the man with the snake helmet and curled her red lips.
"I've prepared a treasure that is on a different dimension from those."
***
On the round table, legendary cold pills lined up, whose names alone would be known.
In the center was a square box, in an old-fashioned shape with angel wings and demon horns engraved.
Merlin hummed a tune and placed the pills that emitted brilliant vitality one by one into the box. After putting in the last pill, she picked up the glass bottle placed at the end of the table.
Chiiik.
She opened the lid of the glass bottle and poured the dark liquid sloshing inside onto the pills.
The moment the liquid touched the pills, a sinister aura that smelled foul enough to be noticeable emerged.
Merlin enjoyed the thick smell that even killed the vitality of the pills and closed the box.
Uwoooooong!
A sound like a small storm raging inside the square box as the pills and liquid mixed.
"Hehe."
Merlin looked at the box where the pills were mixing and gave a deep smile.
'Raon Zieghart.'
He's still a lovely kid.
Raon, who was trapped in an inescapable swamp, didn't panic and didn't try to escape hastily. He was preparing for the future, thinking about what he should get from here.
He knew he was more mentally strong than physically, but he didn't expect to show such composure even after being kidnapped.
'It was worth using the Soul-Sealing Jade.'
There was some resistance to why use the Soul-Sealing Jade on a mere Master, but the moment he saw Raon's composure right after being kidnapped, he had no regret for that choice. It was the best decision as expected.
Merlin looked at the box that was slowly stopping rotation and flicked her fingers.
'Of course, that's not always good.'
Raon was Low-rank Master while being Mid-rank Master or higher. No, his mental strength was solid, above the top.
Even if it was a soul inside the completed helmet, it could wake up such mental strength, but to be safe, he prepared this pill.
'One Jade.'
Basically, the excellent cold pills would greatly raise the body and aura level of the consumer, but the real thing was the Soul-Confusing Water that seeped in at the end.
Soul-Confusing Water was the essence of sorcery that broke the soul's control power. The sinister aura would suck in the power of the One Jade and exert even more vicious power, so no matter how solid Raon's mental strength was, it would break.
Tiik!
The storm sound that was ringing inside the box stopped, and the lid opened by itself. A round pill neatly polished under gray smoke was placed.
"Raon."
Merlin smiled satisfiedly, feeling the sinister aura of the Soul-Confusing Water that had seeped deep into the pill.
"It will become a more lovable kid."
***
Raon toured the entire branch and returned to the room.
'Is it night again here?'
Interestingly, this room flowed in the opposite direction of external time. If it was night outside, it was day here, and if it was day outside, it was night here.
'A place where no laughter comes out.'
Because Merlin had firmly stated it, none of the Eden members blocked his footsteps. The Soul-Severing Sword or the warrior with the snake head just watched without paying much attention.
It seemed like he could do anything as long as he didn't escape.
-This King finds this place somewhat pleasing.
Raon looked at the cookies placed in the center of the table and clicked his tongue.
-The food and snacks are delicious. Almost the same level as the annex.
'......'
This Demon King guy would wag his tail anywhere if given lots of food. The image that had been improving somewhat fell to the bottom.
'Who exactly is the one who is angry...'
When he was about to ask about what he had been curious about, the door opened and Merlin entered. She naturally sat on the bed and puffed her shoulders.
"How is it? Is it comfortable?"
"As long as it's not boring."
Raon looked at Merlin with calm eyes. He wasn't trying to hide his weakness, but revealing his honest feelings.
"Don't worry. You'll be able to leave soon."
"After wearing the helmet you mentioned?"
"Of course."
Merlin slowly nodded and got closer. She held out a small box with a sweet flesh smell.
"This is..."
"It's a pill."
She opened the small box. It contained blue light pills that emitted neat energy.
"Hmm..."
Raon frowned, looking not at the outside of the pill but inside.
'She mixed something.'
It looked like a cold pill on the outside, but inside it, something sinister that couldn't be identified had seeped in.
'It will affect the mind.'
The 10th Apostle had said that the soul inside the helmet suppressed the human soul and took control of the body. Thinking like that, this pill would clearly have a bad effect on his mind.
"If I refuse?"
"I like feeding you. Shall I feed you with my mouth?"
Merlin slightly lifted the mask and stroked her lips with her finger.
"No need."
It meant she would force-feed if he didn't eat it himself. Refusing in a place full of two Grandmasters and many Masters was impossible from the start.
"Hah."
Raon exhaled shortly and poured the pill into his mouth.
'I have no choice but to believe the Fire Ring.'
He chewed the seven rings that had cleanly erased the curse of the cursed that even the saint couldn't treat.
Merlin's pill stuck to it and instantly became liquid and went into his throat.
Uwoooooong!
The Fire Ring rotated violently and controlled the flow of the pill.
High-grade pills like Yeonghancho, Derum's Inner Dan, Hyeokbaekhwa, Ojihyupmok gathered in the pure cold air, and one sinister aura arose.
Chiiing!
The sinister aura, which would be hard to feel if not using the Fire Ring, headed towards the head unlike the cold air. Not the brain. The upper dantian. It dug into the space where the soul was.
'As expected, it's aiming for the mind.'
As expected. It was obvious that before putting on the helmet, they were trying to break the mental strength first. The sinister aura sharpened itself and knocked on the barrier of the upper dantian protecting the soul.
Chzeung!
Raon felt the knock and frowned slightly on his forehead.
'What...'
'Why is it so weak?'