Episode 253: Destination (3)
Demian stared at the door, utterly bewildered.
He had anticipated some fallout from slaying a monster as formidable as Sla, but he hadn’t expected it to be this overwhelming.
“Everyone from the main branch is converging here,” Guangming informed him.
The murmuring outside grew louder by the second, confirming that more people were indeed gathering, just as Guangming had said.
“Demian Haxen! Just show us your face once!”
“Sla is dead! Sla is dead! Demian Haxen killed her!”
“Haha! That wretched woman is finally gone!”
The voices outside became clearer, but despite their cheers, Demian felt only exhaustion.
‘I avoided the palace to escape this kind of hassle…’
He wondered if he had ended up somewhere even more troublesome than the palace.
“Oh dear, it seems it’s too late to run now. People have gathered faster than expected,” Guangming remarked, glancing at Nokpoong.
“Nokpoong, could you do us a favor? Please take Demian Haxen and me to the Holy Palace.”
“Sister…”
“Didn’t you say it was the Holy One’s command earlier?”
Guangming’s voice turned icy, and Nokpoong swallowed hard.
“Everyone, gather around me.”
Demian and Guangming moved closer to Nokpoong. Agnes looked at Guangming but remained silent, her expression regretful.
“Demian, please return safely.”
It was a gathering of the Five Great Saints, a place too high for Agnes to accompany them.
“Let’s get going then.”
Nokpoong summoned his divine power. Just then, Malta rushed over.
“Take me too! I need to go!”
“Why, Malta?”
“I have a request for the Holy One.”
Nokpoong looked puzzled but didn’t press further.
“Alright, we’re really leaving now.”
A whirlwind began to swirl around the four of them, obscuring their vision.
Moments later, when the wind subsided, they found themselves not in the workshop but in a different place.
The Holy Palace.
They had arrived at the heart of the main branch.
‘It’s always fascinating to see.’
Nokpoong belonged to the sect known as “Bound Wind,” a group of holy knights who could transform divine power into wind.
The Bound Wind knights were famous for their unique ability to turn their bodies into wind for travel. However, only Nokpoong could transport others with him.
“Shall we go in?” Guangming led the way, and the three followed her into the Holy Palace.
Inside, they saw a throne atop a series of steps.
An elderly woman with a face full of wrinkles sat on the throne.
“Demian Haxen, welcome.”
The Holy One greeted Demian Haxen.
The Holy One looked much frailer than the last time Demian had seen her.
She must have worn herself out with a week of silent prayer.
‘There’s someone else here.’
The Holy Palace wasn’t empty. A middle-aged man stood nearby, dark circles under his eyes, looking utterly exhausted.
‘Black Snow.’
He was the master of the swirling snowstorm and one of the Five Great Saints, known as the second-in-command after Blue Flame.
‘It seems Silent Night isn’t here.’
Thinking of another of the Five Great Saints, Demian bowed to the Holy One.
“It’s been a while, Your Holiness.”
“It hasn’t been that long, has it? Less than a year, I believe?”
The Holy One smiled as she continued.
“I’ve heard so many rumors about you, Demian. That you went to the Mercenary King, won the Helian Tournament in the Empire… and even killed Sla.”
“I’ve been keeping busy,” Demian quipped, prompting a laugh from the Holy One.
“To reach Master Class and defeat Sla in less than a year… I must admit, I thought the Empire was spreading false rumors. But seeing you now…”
A look of astonishment spread across the Holy One’s face. She spoke in a tone of disbelief.
“You’ve truly become incredibly strong.”
The Holy One wasn’t a knight. She had never wielded a weapon in her life.
But Demian knew she possessed an uncanny insight, much like the Empire’s greatest swordsman.
“Black Snow, how strong is Demian now?” the Holy One asked.
Black Snow bowed his head as he replied.
“He’s on par with us, the Five Great Saints.”
The Holy One’s surprise deepened.
“To be so powerful at such a young age… even seeing it, I can hardly believe it.”
“I share Your Holiness’s sentiment. Until just now, I thought it was an impossible tale.”
Black Snow turned his gaze to Demian, his dark eyes locking onto him.
“But the world is vast, and there are many blessed by the gods. The Empire’s greatest swordsman has left behind many unbelievable stories, though perhaps not as many as Demian Haxen.”
The Holy One nodded at Black Snow’s words.
“It’s a shame Blue Flame isn’t here. He would have been thrilled to see how splendidly you’ve grown, Demian.”
The Holy One spoke with a hint of regret, but Demian felt relieved.
If that old man had seen him, he would have insisted on testing his skills with a sparring match.
“Sla was one of the pillars of Pandemonium. She cost not only the Empire but also our main branch many lives.”
The Holy One’s expression darkened slightly.
“One of the previous Five Great Saints lost their life to Sla. She committed unspeakable desecrations upon their remains.”
Sla wasn’t just any villain.
She had lived for over a century, killing countless people, including many renowned warriors.
“Our order pursued Sla relentlessly but to no avail. I never imagined I would see her downfall in my lifetime.”
The Holy One rose from her throne and slowly descended the steps.
“Your Holiness!” Nokpoong exclaimed, trying to stop her, but the Holy One gently refused his hand.
“Demian Haxen.”
The Holy One stood before Demian, taking his hand in her wrinkled one.
“Sla was an affront to the gods and a stain on our order. But thanks to you, we were able to rid ourselves of that dreadful heretic.”
The Holy One bowed her head slowly, startling all the Five Great Saints present.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
She repeated her gratitude several times before raising her head.
“How can we possibly repay you for this?”
“I didn’t do it expecting a reward.”
The Holy One shook her head.
“Demian, you acted as an agent of the gods in vanquishing Sla. It is only right that we, who follow the gods’ will, offer you a fitting reward. Besides, you are an honorary knight of our order.”
Demian felt a surge of satisfaction at her words.
‘She certainly thinks big.’
His earlier words had been mere formalities.
He had no intention of refusing whatever the order offered.
“Then…”
Just as Demian was about to speak, Malta stepped forward, shouting.
“Your Holiness! I have something to say!”
“Malta, could it wait? We’re discussing Demian’s achievements right now.”
“It’s related to that!” Malta knelt as he spoke.
“Demian Haxen came to the main branch to repair his holy sword! The spirit-grade sword he received was damaged in the battle with Sla!”
“Is that true?”
The Holy One looked at Demian in surprise. He nodded with a wry smile.
“Repairing it isn’t difficult, but there’s another issue! As Your Holiness knows, spirit-grade swords need to be reforged as they grow. But Demian’s sword has grown too much!”
“You can breathe while you speak.”
At the Holy One’s words, Malta took a deep breath.
“To reforge it, we need rare metals, but our stock is nearly depleted! Since Your Holiness is discussing Demian’s achievements, I request your support!”
“Support… would that be enough of a reward?”
“Your Holiness! Our order’s metallurgy is the best on the continent! Even the Empire can’t match us! We should reward him in the field we’re most confident in!”
“What do you think, Demian?”
The Holy One asked Demian.
Demian glanced at Malta, who was looking at him with hopeful eyes.
‘I was considering asking for elixirs…’
Demian pondered.
Elixirs were always valuable, but the situation was different this time.
Currently, Demian possessed a Dragon Heart fragment and an Elixir.
Few elixirs on the continent could compare to these two.
‘Absorbing these two will be challenging enough for now…’
Receiving new elixirs wouldn’t be immediately beneficial. Opting for a different reward seemed wise.
Moreover, Demian understood the immense value of a superior weapon.
“I agree.”
“Since Demian agrees, Malta, you may take the rare metals you need from the warehouse.”
The Holy One readily granted permission, but Malta shook his head.
“I’m not asking for rare metals, Your Holiness!”
“Then what is it you need?”
“I request the divine iron!”
The moment Malta mentioned that name, the Holy Emperor’s expression hardened.
It wasn’t just the Holy Emperor; the other five great saints reacted the same way.
“Malta! That’s absurd! How can you ask for something like the divine iron when you know what it is?”
“I know. It’s the item bestowed by the gods to the first Holy Emperor.”
The first Holy Emperor, Bartoleo.
A legendary figure who first awakened divine power, known for shattering a dragon’s skull with a single mace.
The mace he used was said to be directly bestowed by the gods, known as the sacred artifact ‘Morfe.’
Unusually, after the first Holy Emperor’s death, Morfe melted away like water.
That melted Morfe was the true identity of the ‘divine iron’ Malta spoke of.
“Your Holiness, the sacred sword ‘Dawn’ I crafted for Damian Haxen is my life’s masterpiece! I forged it using meteoric iron that fell from the sky! It’s grown through countless battles!”
Malta’s voice was filled with excitement.
“Dawn has faced many foes, including the Slah! It didn’t break, even against that monster! I’ve never seen a sacred sword grow as much as Dawn has!”
Malta pleaded, bowing his head to the ground.
“Your Holiness! I’m not asking for all the divine iron! Just a small amount… enough to fill a cup!”
The Holy Emperor fell into deep thought at Malta’s plea.
“Your Holiness, this cannot be allowed.”
Nokpoong objected again.
“Damian Haxen isn’t officially affiliated with our order. Even granting him a sacred sword was a generous favor. Providing divine iron is out of the question.”
“Nokpoong has a point.”
The Holy Emperor nodded, and Malta’s face twisted in frustration.
“But… Damian Haxen did slay the Slah. For such an achievement, granting a bit of divine iron seems reasonable.”
“That… that is…”
Nokpoong was at a loss for words, unable to counter the Holy Emperor’s half-given consent.
“Sister! I mean, Your Radiance, what do you think?”
Nokpoong urgently looked to Gwangmyeong, seeking the authority of another great saint.
“Well… I think it’s a bit much. It’s divine iron, after all.”
“Right?”
“But he did defeat the Slah. Maybe it’s okay?”
Nokpoong’s eyes wavered.
“Black Snow, what do you think?”
Nokpoong didn’t give up and turned to Black Snow, who yawned and replied.
“Divine iron is too much.”
“Right?”
“But since he took down the Slah… I don’t mind.”
Despair settled on Nokpoong’s face.
“Since the other saints agree…”
The Holy Emperor cleared his throat.
“I will provide divine iron for the reforging of Damian Haxen’s sacred sword.”
After the Holy Emperor’s decree, the five great saints left the palace.
Nokpoong, visibly shaken, slumped as he exited.
“Please don’t hold it against him.”
The Holy Emperor suddenly spoke to Damian.
“He seems inflexible, but it’s because he loves our order dearly.”
Damian recalled the moment he killed Nokpoong.
Even as his heart was pierced and he lay dying, Nokpoong cried out the Holy Emperor’s name.
“How could I hold a grudge against one of the great saints? That would be asking for trouble.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
The Holy Emperor smiled at Damian’s jest.
“Why did you ask me to stay?”
Unlike the other saints, Damian remained because of the Holy Emperor’s request.
“I have one more question for you.”
Damian looked puzzled.
The Holy Emperor paused before asking, “Does this make you feel any better?”
Damian fell silent, contemplating before he spoke.
“Not at all.”
Killing the Slah had brought a fleeting sense of relief. But it was short-lived.
In the end, slaying the Slah couldn’t save his sister from his past life. What Damian did was merely self-satisfaction.
“Killing something like the Slah changes nothing.”
Moreover, there were still too many he needed to kill. Too many who had tormented his family were still breathing.
The Weapon Master was one of them.
He had taken his father’s soul and placed it in a dog’s corpse.
His father, in agony, screamed as his flesh rotted and maggots devoured him.
Why?
Because he wasn’t chosen by Erebus. Because Damian had taken Erebus from him.
Out of petty jealousy, he desecrated his father, plunging him into a pit of suffering.
“Your Holiness, it’s far from over. There are still many vermin left. Until I kill them all…”
Damian’s eyes glinted with a deadly resolve.
“I will never stop.”
”…”
The Holy Emperor silently regarded Damian.
He possessed the power to see into a person’s essence.
When he first saw Damian Haxen, he envisioned a blood-soaked land and a black knight.
The black knight wept tears of blood, mutilating his own body.
And now, the Damian Haxen before him…
“Nothing has changed at all.”
The Holy Emperor murmured, and Damian asked, “What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
In truth, the Holy Emperor had been hesitant about granting Damian the divine iron.
But their conversation had dispelled his doubts.
If this wounded soul could find salvation, what was a little divine iron?
“Is there anything else you need? Feel free to ask.”
Perhaps it was his softened heart, but the Holy Emperor couldn’t help but offer.
“Ah, may I make one more request?”
“Of course.”
Damian told the Holy Emperor what he needed. The Holy Emperor blinked in surprise.
“Is that really all you want?”
“Yes, it is.”
“That’s such a simple request…”
“But it’s essential for me.”
The Holy Emperor couldn’t help but feel a bit deflated.
He had been prepared to grant any request, but he hadn’t expected something so trivial.
“Follow me. I’ll show you right away.”