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It was scorching.

The combination of the Thunder Breathing Technique and the Meridian Enhancing Technique was far more effective than Theo had anticipated.

The magical resonance that connected from the Dragon’s Heart to his danjeon was igniting, and the heat was rising, fanning the flames even further.

On top of that, the improved purity of his magic power, thanks to the Purity Pill and the Enlightenment Pill played a significant role.

If he didn’t expel it from his body somehow, it felt like he would burn up.

‘It’s unbearably hot.’

So Theo channeled the heat through the ripples of energy leaking outward.

As a result, a terrifying spectacle formed—a swirling mix of hot wind, steam, and lightning.

‘But it’s not enough. I need to release more…!’

He was in a situation where he had to worry about his martial arts advancing too rapidly.

However, the speed at which his magic was boiling up far outpaced the rate at which it was being released, so he had to come up with a solution.

There was only one method that came to mind.

—Push through the enemies in front of him as quickly as possible.

‘There must be documents related to Troyban or Ed in the vault nearby. I’ll clear a path to it.’

Fortunately, the rising heat was bound to be accompanied by destructive power.

Theo moved based on his past life’s memories.

Back then, he was nothing more than a low-ranking soldier who merely followed orders, but now, he was moving according to his own will.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Dragon’s Heart thudded violently.

As the tremendous reverberations spread out, heat mixed in, and the underground space was instantly engulfed in extreme heat.

Bang!

Shwaaak—

“Block it!”

Where Theo’s feet had forcefully struck the ground, black scorch marks were left, and in an instant, white steam trailed behind like a long tail in the air.

A single beam of light streaked upward as it grazed the ground and soared into the air.

The Drake’s blade began to rampage ferociously.

‘Five trajectories in one breath.’

Theo decided to use everything he had learned from Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace in recent times.

Straight lines and curves.

Speed and illusion.

Strength and softness.

Destruction and harmony.

The difference between the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon and the 24 Plum Blossom Sword was so vast, like water and oil, that they seemed impossible to mix.

But there was one single point where the two intersected.

—A beam of light.

The One Sword that Kyle had imparted to each of the Nine Dragons in different ways.

Theo wanted to interpret the Heart Sword that Kyle had demonstrated during the Third Blossoming Ceremony in the style of One Plum Branch.

Rumble—

The flurry of sword strikes that poured down like a storm wasn’t just fast.

The scorching hot wind carried immense destructive power, backed by Theo’s strength.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Everything in Theo’s path was shattered and scattered.

Cracks formed on the walls, and dust fell from the ceiling.

The assassins were flung aside, their bodies broken.

Despite this, Theo’s sword strikes didn’t slow down. Instead, they gained more speed and momentum.

Thanks to that, two more claws could be added to his sword technique.

Seven destructive sword strikes unleashed in a single breath—it was nothing short of a calamity.

“Who on earth is this man…?!”

The assassins’ faces turned pale in an instant.

‘There it is.’

At last, Theo reached his target.

“We, we must block him here!”

“Damn it! Don’t let him through! Hold the line, no matter what!”

The assassins guarding the vault moved desperately.

To sweep them away, Theo unleashed another wave of sword strikes.

Flash—

Boom!

But this time, for the first time, Theo’s attack was blocked.

A middle-aged man, draped in a deep red himation (a type of cloak) over his torso, was standing there.

He laughed wickedly as he grabbed Drake’s blade with his bare hand, now blackened by some dark power.

“Master!”

“Master, you’ve come…!”

The assassins brightened at the sight of the middle-aged man.

However, the man’s entire focus was fixed on Theo.

An aura unique to monks radiated from him.

“Oh, how tragic. To gain enlightenment amidst slaughter… it must be the seed of a demon. I suppose I have no choice but to break my vow and open the Kill Precepts today.”

Theo’s eyes grew dark and cold.

“Blood Priest.”

“The young layman seems to know who I am.”

“Doesn’t it feel strange to say such things while wearing the robes of the Sacred Demon Church?”

“Oh, you’re right. Haha, how sharp you are, young layman.”

Sacred Demon Church.

A heretical group that preached the end of the world was near, and that a savior would descend from the heavens to establish a millennial kingdom.

Their power was said to rival the great noble families of the Empire.

In the future, they would become the primary force behind the Empire’s collapse during the Great War.

While their sudden appearance could have been unexpected, Theo had anticipated their arrival.

‘I’ve heard they were active across the land long before the Great War. And they’ve had a close relationship with Troyban for quite some time.’

Though the connection between Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church was only uncovered long after the Empire’s fall, it would be different this time.

Theo had already altered the course of history significantly.

He was determined to reveal everything about Troyban’s ties with the Sacred Demon Church and Ed’s schemes to the House of Ragnar.

Ding!

[A quest has arrived.]

—

[Scenario Quest #2]

You have encountered the nemesis from your past life. Stop their schemes and claim victory.

– Difficulty: A+
– Reward: 10 Coins
– Failure Penalty: Death

—

‘A nemesis from my past life…’

Theo narrowed his eyes.

‘Was there something between Troyban and me that I didn’t know about?’

His mother, Cecilia’s false accusation.

His own death after leaving the family.

Perhaps now, he was getting closer to uncovering the truth that had eluded him all this time.

Theo tightened his grip on Drake’s blade.

As his boiling magic exploded, it fused with the blade.

Zzzing!

A clear sound of Sword Resonance rang out as steam began to rise from the sword.

At the same time,

[‘Skill: Lesser Drake Fear’ has been activated, sharpening your killing intent.]

Hoooom—

The killing aura became even sharper, enveloping the Blood Priest.

The Blood Priest narrowed his eyes.

“But you are a foolish layman as well. Even after recognizing who I am, you still intend to fight. That youthful arrogance will be your undoing. It is the will of the gods…!”

In that instant, a crimson glow flickered in the Blood Priest’s eyes.

“Become an offering to the gods!”

The Blood Priest twisted his upper body swiftly.

His red himation fluttered in the wind, and his pitch-black hand tore through the Drake’s killing aura, aiming directly for Theo’s neck.

The Blood Priest held a high rank in the Sacred Demon Church, one granted permission to preach.

Being a natural-born martial artist, he was often far stronger than most practical swordsmen of the House of Ragnar.

He was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

Boom!

Crrrrack—

As Drake’s blade and the Blood Priest’s black hand collided, sparks flew.

“What an impressive sword. There aren’t many weapons that can withstand my Black Iron Hand.”

The Black Iron Hand was a special technique unique to the Sacred Demon Church, created by training on iron sand mixed with rare herbs.

It gave the practitioner skin harder than most weapons, making direct exposure to it extremely dangerous.

“It seems far too dangerous for a young layman like you to carry around, so I will take it for safekeeping.”

Theo ignored the man’s words and focused solely on attacking.

‘Six Arts of the Demon Dragon.’

He recalled Julius’s swordsmanship.

What he needed now was the destructive power of the Demon Dragon, a force capable of bringing about the end.

In an instant, the killing intent surrounding Theo became as vicious as that of a Demon Dragon.

“Hmm…?”

Before the Blood Priest could fully register what he had sensed, another barrage of sword strikes rained down.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

As Theo deflected the Black Iron Hand to the side, a whirlwind of scorching wind erupted.

A vortex stretched from the ground to the ceiling.

Amidst the storm, lightning shot upward, unleashing bolts from the sky.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

“Guh!”

The Blood Priest’s hands and feet flailed as he deflected the attacks. His clothes tore apart, revealing a muscular body now riddled with wounds.

And then, four thunderous Death Beats struck from the blind spots.

Boom!

Rumble—

With a massive explosion, the Blood Priest was forcefully thrown back.

His bloodied form was so battered that one could hardly believe he was the same fearsome Blood Priest of the Sacred Demon Church, renowned for spreading terror throughout the world.

“You’re not just a child after all. A Ragnar is truly a Ragnar, huh? Hmph…! If I let you live, you’ll only keep hindering the god’s great work!”

Yet, rather than despair, the Blood Priest seemed to revel in the situation, grinning wickedly.

Seeing this, Theo felt the urge to press the attack further.

But this time, the Blood Priest moved first.

He wanted to prove that he hadn’t gained his position on a whim—his leaking magic power became even more distinct.

The blood-red glow that had been flickering in his eyes now enveloped his entire body, shining brilliantly like a halo.

His straight punch, aimed directly at Theo, resembled a battering ram meant to pierce through castle gates.

Boom!

As Drake’s blade collided with the punch, the ground beneath Theo and the Blood Priest caved in, leaving a deep depression.

Almost as if they had agreed in advance, the two immediately turned in opposite directions, preparing for new attacks.

Theo’s sword cut from left to right, while the Blood Priest’s fist slammed downward from above.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As Theo clashed with the Blood Priest several more times, he gradually sensed a shift in the energy surrounding his opponent.

‘Bloodlight Convergence, huh? Meeting him in person makes it all the more irritating.’

What made the Blood Priest so terrifying wasn’t just his fanaticism—willing to throw away his life—but also his martial skills, which continued to grow during battle.

They possessed a secret technique known as Spirit Possession, which they claimed allowed the god’s spiritual and physical presence to descend into their bodies. As the fight dragged on, instead of tiring, their strength and magic power only increased.

The mechanics behind it didn’t matter to Theo.

He suspected that it was simply the price they paid for offering their souls to their god as sacrifices after death, in exchange for the power they wielded now.

However, in theory, as long as their mental strength held up, they could exert nearly unlimited stamina and magic power. This was why most forces were reluctant to engage with them directly.

Theo activated his Spiritual Essence vision, allowing him to observe the flow of magic surrounding the Blood Priest.

He saw the magic leaking from the Aura Hall, climbing up the spine and rushing toward the head.

‘Is he knocking on the Brain Gate? Is he trying to strengthen his willpower? But normally, that would drive someone insane.’

Theo couldn’t easily grasp the principle behind Bloodlight Convergence.

When the quest appeared, he thought he might gain some insight into the sublimation of body, mind, and spirit, but what he saw was baffling.

The Brain Gate was still largely a mystery. There was so much yet to be discovered about this mystical area.

Theo himself only utilized the Brain Gate thanks to the Ammon’s Magic Tome, but understanding it was a different matter.

Battering it recklessly with magic? It was practically suicide.

Yet, the Blood Priest was managing his magic this way, and the result was amplified stamina and magic power.

There was some hidden secret there.

‘Using the Brain Gate to control rampaging magic… It seems like something that could help me too. Could I learn anything from this?’

For a moment, Theo thought about mimicking what the Blood Priest was doing, but quickly shook his head, realizing the danger.

Perhaps the price for recklessly meddling with the Brain Gate was the fanaticism that consumed these cultists.

‘Still, there might be a hint here.’

The amplification of magic could potentially help him devise a way to manage the overwhelming heat that was plaguing him.

While lost in thought, a different idea struck Theo.

‘Wait. If he’s amplifying his will, doesn’t that mean I could peer into it from my side?’

If he utilized Hatchling Synchronization, perhaps he could learn something about Bloodlight Convergence.

Maybe he could even catch a glimpse of their true intentions.

‘Let’s give it a shot.’

With that thought, Theo pushed his body even harder.

Shush shush shush!

In an instant, he switched from the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon to the 24 Plum Blossom Sword, changing his energy flow.

The sky was immediately filled with a wave of plum blossoms.

Even the speed of his Dragon Claws increased.

“You fool of a layman. Do you think pulling off such tricks will change anything…?”

The Blood Priest sneered, assuming that Theo was making a desperate last-ditch effort in a losing battle. But just as he was about to scoff, Theo’s figure suddenly vanished, leaving him stunned.

The whirlwind of scorching winds and lightning had blurred the Blood Priest’s vision, causing him to lose track of Theo’s movements.

[You have invested 10 additional stat points into Agility.]

[Agility: 79 → 89]

[Your movements become smoother.]

[Your attack speed increases.]

Theo had invested all the additional stat points he gained from leveling up after completing the first scenario quest into Agility, achieving explosive speed.

And then,

A fierce wind wrapped around Theo.

By the time the Blood Priest belatedly turned his body in the opposite direction to locate Theo, Theo was already closing in.

Smack!

Like a lightning strike, Theo’s hand shot forward, grabbing the Blood Priest by the head.

His eyes screamed through the gaps between Theo’s fingers, as if to ask, What are you trying to do?!

“What do you think?”

But before the question could even be fully formed, Theo smirked coldly.

“I’m going to open up your head.”

[Skill: Hatchling Synchronization reads the latent thoughts.]

Theo locked eyes with the Blood Priest.

In that instant,

Whoosh!

Theo felt as if he was sinking deep into the Blood Priest’s consciousness, descending into the depths of his mental world.

And then, from the deepest recesses of the Blood Priest’s unconscious,

A massive presence began to rise from the abyss.

Thump…!

Theo’s heart sank.

The sheer enormity of the presence was overwhelming.

It felt as though he was staring at something on the same level as Kyle or Hilda.

『Who are you? What are you, to disturb my slumber?』