Chapter 217
In front of Astria's confession.
"You..."
At the moment Kraush was about to open his mouth.
KWAANG!
A thunderous explosion resounded fiercely.
The source of the explosion came from none other than the direction of the Holy Royal Palace.
Kraush thought it might be an attack from the Opposition Faction.
However, at that moment, Kraush felt a chilling sensation that made his skin crawl.
Kraush's head snapped toward that direction.
Flames were rising from the Royal Palace made of white and gold, visible in the distance.
'This is...'
The aura imbued with the Four Seasons within Kraush's body resonated.
Kraush was well aware of this unsettling and ominous sensation.
[ Someone from Ixion has made a move. ]
At that moment, Crimson Garden's voice echoed from above the sky.
"Ebelasque."
When Kraush hurriedly called Ebelasque, her Corpse Rat climbed onto his shoulder.
"There hasn't been any news from the Mad Blade Emperor."
"Tsk."
As expected, it seemed they were conducting meetings separately, excluding the Mad Blade Emperor.
It seemed they were wary of the Mad Blade Emperor, as anticipated.
"Tell the Mad Blade Emperor to go to the meeting later and cause a ruckus."
Kraush put that matter aside for later and turned toward Astria.
"Astria, it seems a World Erosion Being has appeared at the Holy Royal Palace."
"What? A World Erosion Being?"
Astria's eyes widened in surprise.
Of course, it was only natural since a World Erosion Being had suddenly appeared without any prior warning.
Moreover, this was the Holy Kingdom.
Even for a World Erosion Being, intruding here meant it wasn't an ordinary individual.
"Yes, we need to figure out their purpose from now on, but in any case, they must be after something."
"So, are you saying you're going there?"
Worry filled Astria's eyes.
She desperately wanted to stop him.
However, her hands did not reach out to hold Kraush back.
"If you get hurt, I'll make sure to heal you somehow. Just don't die."
Instead, she did everything she could.
After all, her healing abilities were unparalleled in this world.
She wanted to do her utmost for the person she cared about.
Watching Astria like that, Kraush placed his hand gently on her head.
"Alright, no matter what happens, I'll come back alive to your side."
Words he hadn't been able to say before, he now conveyed to her.
Kraush spoke those words to Astria.
"Aslan."
Just then, Aslan appeared from the opening, bringing Diona along.
Although Diona looked quite disheveled, she smiled brightly when she saw Astria.
Fortunately, it seemed Benox, the Inquisitor Commander, had handled things well.
"Astria, I'm counting on you."
Leaving those words behind, Kraush turned his body.
"Keep your promise!"
Hearing Astria's final shout, Kraush began running, stepping on the building roofs and cutting through the crowd.
By then, Excel had already enveloped his body, increasing his speed even further.
"Crimson Garden, have you identified who among Ixion it is?"
Kraush didn't know why they had appeared at the Holy Royal Palace at this timing.
Like the matters of the Imperial Palace, Kraush's confrontation with Ixion was something that would happen much later.
'Moreover, the world has changed far too much because of me and those three.'
Ever since Ixion's goal involved Kraush, who possessed Ignis, their situation had also changed drastically.
Therefore, in this case, Kraush couldn't easily guess Ixion's purpose.
[ Wait and see. I'm observing from the sky. ]
As she said, a Crow was scouting as quickly as possible above the Holy Royal Palace.
It was then.
KWAANG!
Another explosion rang out, and the ceiling of the Holy Royal Palace was completely destroyed.
When Kraush quickly looked in that direction, a man with black hair had landed on another ceiling.
'Blavi.'
His name was the Heavenly Dog Star, Blavi.
Formerly the master of the Heavenly Slaughter Star and one of the living monsters who had even experienced rejuvenation.
Kraush, who even referred to him as an Old Gentleman, watched as Blavi wiped soot-like dirt from his face with his fingers.
Only then did Kraush realize.
'The Black Star that Serang said loomed over the Holy Royal Palace was referring to Ixion.'
At that moment, smoke-like substance rose through the broken ceiling.
As Kraush's eyes widened at the sight, Crimson Garden's voice rang out simultaneously.
[ It's the Smoke Demon. ]
Through the smoke, an Old Gentleman wearing a gray fedora appeared.
He stood tall, gripping a staff atop a massive hand made of smoke.
He, one of Ixion's members and one of the dangerous World Erosion Beings Kraush considered, was here.
Kraush tried to gather as much information as possible by focusing his gaze, but nothing significant seemed to come up.
Kraush had no choice but to increase his speed further.
* * *
"Oh dear, I wish you wouldn't interfere."
Meanwhile, the Smoke Demon, facing off against Blavi, stroked his beard with his fingers as he spoke.
However, Blavi, with emotionless pupils, looked at him and tapped the other earring with his hand.
Then, in addition to the sword already in his right hand, a new sword appeared in his left hand.
One was the pitch-black Black Sword.
The other was the pure-white White Sword.
It was the Yin-Yang Blade, one of the Ten Great Heavenly Swords.
The Dark Red Aura emanating from the Yin-Yang Blade swayed in a highly controlled manner.
Although Kraush had stolen the Heavenly Slaughter Star, Blavi's lifetime of wielding it had imbued it with a dark red hue.
The Smoke Demon clicked his tongue as if regretful upon seeing it.
It seemed the other side was fully prepared to fight.
'I wanted to leave quickly since my objective here is accomplished.'
The Holy Royal Family and the Opposition Faction were currently too preoccupied with their own power struggles to pay attention to this side.
However, given enough time, they too would turn their attention to this commotion.
Even for the Smoke Demon, it was burdensome to face both Blavi and the Heavenly King Tersada, one of the Ten Strongest Under the Heavens.
'It can't be helped.'
It seemed he would have to escape by forcefully exerting some power here.
While he could ask the Black Witch for help, she already had a history with the Mad Blade Emperor.
It was better to resolve this matter himself.
Just as the Smoke Demon made up his mind and struck his staff against his smoky hand.
He felt an intensely ominous and rough energy.
As his frown deepened, the Smoke Demon raised his head.
A pure white flame reflected in his eyes.
At the moment he questioned the utterly ominous flame at a glance.
He saw his smoke, touched by White Flame, being erased.
'Huh?'
It was a special smoke created through a secret technique based on his World Erosion.
And yet, it was being erased by White Flame?
Feeling a mix of disbelief and shock at the sight, he raised his staff and immediately struck down.
Boom!
At that moment, the aftermath of the World Erosion pouring from the staff clashed with White Flame.
Like hitting a transparent wall, White Flame scattered in all directions.
However, some of the scattered White Flame touched the smoke and began burning it away.
'What is this.'
With a furrowed brow, Smoke Demon fixed his gaze on the direction from which White Flame had flown.
There, a figure with dark blue hair fluttering stood.
Seeing him, Smoke Demon's eyes narrowed.
Because the boy reflected in his eyes looked too young.
A boy who appeared to be at most about 15 years old.
Moreover, that hair color was familiar to his eyes.
'That hair color, could it be Balheim?'
He quickly recalled the members of Balheim.
Originally five, but now reduced to four after one had died, the Balheim Direct Line.
Among them, only two were male.
One was Rai Balheim.
'He's not that young.'
The one who clashed directly with the Mad Blade Emperor couldn't possibly be that young.
Then the only one left was.
'Kraush Balheim.'
The very individual the Black Witch had warned about, and the youngest of Balheim who possessed Ignis.
There was no other possibility.
Smoke Demon's narrowed eyes slightly widened.
He had heard that Kraush had played a significant role in the battle against the Mad Blade Emperor.
Additionally, he had heard he was a student at Rahelrn Academy, but he never imagined he was this young.
'And that white flame just now.'
Smoke Demon had lived in this world for quite a long time.
Perhaps because of that, he belatedly realized the source of the power Kraush had used.
'Could it be the Fighting Emperor's secret technique?'
Fighting Emperor Durandal.
The man who had likely dealt with the most World Erosion Beings and their servants.
In the past, Smoke Demon had encountered the Fighting Emperor during his prime.
As he recalled that day, a faint pain tingled in one side of his ribs.
It was because long ago, he had been struck by him, leaving his insides in tatters and on the verge of death.
'I did hear rumors that he became the Fighting Emperor's successor.'
But to think he would combine the Fighting Emperor's aura with Ignis.
'Does the Black Witch know about this?'
He had heard not long ago that her servant had been subdued by Kraush.
If so, the Black Witch couldn't have been completely unaware of this news.
Yet, she hadn't informed Ixion of this information.
'Nawon, what on earth are you thinking?'
Smoke Demon couldn't fathom her thoughts.
After all, the Black Witch, even as a fellow World Erosion Being, was always shrouded in mystery.
'She is the one who gathered Ixion, yet she herself reveals the least.'
Smoke Demon set aside his thoughts about the Black Witch and focused on Kraush.
And he soon gave an honest assessment.
'He's dangerous.'
The power emanating from Kraush was clearly dangerous.
Especially considering he was barely of age.
The time he had left to grow was boundless.
Rapid growth at a young age was a universal trait across all worlds.
'At his age, at that level.'
Surely, by the time he reached the end, he would have grown into an incomprehensible monster.
'Moreover, he's grown far more than when the Black Witch mentioned him.'
The incident with the Mad Blade Emperor was only a few months ago.
At that time, he hadn't been at a level to confront World Erosion Beings.
It was merely that, because of Crimson Garden and Ebelasque by his side, they couldn't recklessly touch him.
If one was prepared for war with the two, it wasn't impossible to kill him.
'But now it's different.'
Smoke Demon's wrinkled face slightly contorted.
Killing Kraush now seemed like it would require an exceedingly challenging process.
'This isn't good.'
The flow was unfavorable.
The next time they met, he would undoubtedly be even stronger.
At the same time, a single crow flying in the sky came into view.
The power of World Erosion emanating from the crow.
Surely, Crimson Garden was also observing this situation.
'Can I kidnap him without harm?'
The Black Witch had desired his Ignis.
If possible, capturing him would be the greatest achievement.
'But in the current situation, it's impossible.'
Smoke Demon had achieved the purpose of his visit here.
The only reason he had come here.
To retrieve the blueprint of the Holy Grail while the Opposition Faction and Holy Royal Family were clashing.
Smoke Demon had succeeded in retrieving the blueprint.
He had directly copied the blueprint onto his smoke.
Originally, he would have liked to withdraw in that state.
But the person he encountered was none other than Blavi.
Blavi, informed through Serang's astrology, had appeared to stop him.
And now, he faced a new task here.
'If I can't kidnap him.'
But meeting Kraush changed his mind.
Ignis was no longer the issue.
He was now a being that could no longer be left alone.
A chilling aura swirled in his eyes.
'I must kill him.'
By chance, the opportunity had presented itself as he appeared before him.
Boom!
At that moment, the smoke barrier he had set up shook violently.
"Tsk."
Smoke Demon clicked his tongue as his fedora nearly flew off, turning to the side.
There stood Blavi, wielding two swords.
His slashes, sensing Smoke Demon's intent, had immediately launched an attack.
He wasn't called an old monster who had lived for a long time for no reason; his instincts were sharp.
Moreover, it seemed that the Holy Royal Family and the Opposition Faction had also wrapped up the situation.
A chilling aura of Divine Power was closing in on this side.
Smoke Demon gripped his staff tightly.
His eyes once again landed on Kraush.
He wanted to kill him immediately, but there were far too many obstacles here.
'If that's the case, at the very least...'
Smoke Demon struck the ground with his staff.
At the same time, he turned to Kraush and twisted his lips into a smile.
"There are too many obstructors. I'll see you next time."
Crackle!
With a black spark erupting beneath his feet, a massive amount of smoke surged upward, engulfing everything around and beginning to ascend into the sky.
The smoke was so threatening that even Blavi had to retreat momentarily.
'At the very least, let's leave it damaged beyond repair.'
In an instant, the smoke rose to the sky above the Holy Royal Palace, filling the heavens completely.