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Ilina couldn't understand Rosa's intentions at the time. Just a few hours ago, Rosa had been extremely wary of losing her sanity.
Rosa had never changed her attitude since making a contract with her. Threats, persuasion, temptation. No matter how the prophet approached her, Rosa never abandoned her principle. The principle that she wouldn't 'completely' assimilate into the power of chaos.
But the current Rosa was displaying a completely different demeanor from her past actions.
Ilina expected, no, she was certain that if she accelerated the chaos further, Rosa's mind would collapse.
No, she is sure.
'If she fires Ram's main cannon, she will surely lose both her sanity and will...…!'
As Rosa said, Ilina always hoped that she would break, but if it happened now, with so much chaos consumed, if the medium of Rosa's will disappeared, it would take too much time to recover.
If at that time the enemies regrouped and attacked the Garden of Swords again, Ilina wasn't confident she could handle it.
Unlike the two major factions that lost their entire fleet, Jin only suffered personal injuries, and since they were not fatal, it wouldn't take too long to recover.
"Yes, that's right. I've longed for your will to crumble. But if it crumbles now, I won't be able to bear the consequences alone. I mean it. Wasn't this not part of your plan from the beginning?"
The main cannon was about to recharge.
"If you had made this decision before summoning the great knight and personally intervening, of course, I would have been pleased. But now... it's not right. It's an unreasonable decision!"
[You seem to be completely terrified.]
Rosa's eyes flashed black. In the end, Ilina knelt down to plead with Rosa, but as expected,
Rosa had no intention of stopping.
[Only I…. can beat the youngest. I can break that radiant child and sever the bonds that protect him.]
Kwaaang...!
Ram's cannon once again vomited black energy that divided the sky. It felt like a black tsunami unfolded behind Murakan.
Ram's main cannon came as a shock to Murakan, who had easily received Rosa's secret technique throughout.
[This is insane...…!]
There was no way to dodge it.
The cannon that destroyed the 2nd fleet in a single blow had more terrible power than before.
Heh, ha ha ha...…!
Amidst the tremendous roar of the cannon, Rosa's mad laughter could be heard. The sky and the ground, shrouded in chaos, were laughing with her.
"Up!"
Jin shouted. Murakan had originally planned to block the cannon and descend, but as always, he followed Jin's opinion.
Jin believed that Ram's cannon fire should be directed upward.
Although it would take them further from the escape point, Jin judged that if Ram's main cannon were to be aimed downward, the entire forest with the Red Owl would disappear.
Then the escape would be over. The moment Murakan was forcibly recalled, the rest of the party would become dead meat.
Murakan increased his speed upwards. The protective shields and curtains in the rear were torn apart.
Before they could shatter completely, the shock began to spread. Jin and Kaio managed to hold onto consciousness amidst the pain.
[Aaaa...…!]
Soon, Murakan swept away the clouds of chaos as he escaped the cannon fire.
The shadow force shield was in shambles, but there were no fatal injuries.
The shield was quickly restored. Even Jin was impressed by Murakan's strength, but the problem was that the cannon fire was not over yet.
[Tsk...! They won't be able to reload that quickly, right?]
"I don't think so."
Unlike Murakan who was flying forward without looking back, Jin turned around to check on Ram's condition.
"Just now..."
The Abyssal ship, Ram, was once again opening its dark maw, and a new cannon was already being reloaded.
[Damn it, it would have been almost impossible to escape in the first place if I hadn't been able to save my strength thanks to Orgal...….]
Rosa's mad laughter continued to weigh down on the group. It seemed like Ram was mocking them.
A shiver ran through their spines.
If Glyek awakened the primal fear of life, Rosa's madness was digging a dark hole in the human mind all by itself.
It wasn't chaos; it was piercing through the innermost depths of those who watched, like a sharp arrow.
[Oh, oh....]
Rosa exclaimed in admiration.
It was a strange feeling. Despite firing the cannon to kill, the fact that he always survived seemed insanely enjoyable.
It was the first time in her life that she felt such great happiness.
The gathered power in Ram's maw once again targeted Murakan.
Even though it looked like a dot from a distance, Rosa seemed to see her son vividly before her eyes.
"No, don't...!"
By that time, Ilina had judged that Rosa's mind had completely collapsed.
So before Rosa could fire the second shot, she had to control her somehow. Rosa seemed like she wouldn't stop shelling until Ram was completely destroyed.
Thunk!
A dagger stabbed into Rosa's back. It was the dagger Ilina took from her bosom.
The blade passed through Rosa's spine and pierced right through her heart, and Rosa twitched for a moment before stopping moving.
"Stop! You'll die too if you keep this up!"
Rosa did not look back at Ilina. She didn't even look at the blade sticking out of her chest.
She fired the main cannon instead. The eerie laughter still emanated from her dry lips.
This time, she even gathered the minimal chaos that was protecting Ram.
'If this continues, everything will end...!'
Ilina managed to pull out the dagger from Rosa's back with her legs, which had regained strength.
Then she attempted to stab her in the neck again.
But for some reason, she couldn't muster any strength.
More precisely, even though she tried with all her might, her body wouldn't move. Something invisible was holding Ilina back.
Boom-!
At the same time, Ram's massive hull tilted slightly to the right. With the hull's protective shield gone, both fleets were now seriously striking Ram.
Some of the cannons, numbering in the thousands, reached the forefront where they stood on Ram.
There were holes all over the hull, and sharp shards and debris pierced Rosa's body. Ilina was able to strike as many cannon fire as she could.
Ilina could easily fend off such attacks, but only if her body could move. It would be as easy as breathing if she could also wield the power of the chaos that was bound with her.
But Ilina couldn't do anything. All she could do was watch as the bombardment fell, just as she had been poised to stab Rosa.
'What in the world... is restraining me!?'
Ilina's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Rosa's back.
'There's no way Rosa could be doing this!'
Surely, a being who had already lost their sanity and become a monster of chaos couldn't restrain her.
But what was restraining her was undoubtedly Rosa's power.
"S-Surely... You... You're not... still in the process of, of assimilation...?" Ilina asked hesitantly.
[Quite....]
As Rosa began to speak, terror filled Ilina's eyes.
[Be quiet...… I don't want to be disturbed by anyone right now.]
Eventually, Rosa released Ilina. Ilina, who sank to her knees and began to gasp for breath, had no choice but to obey her words.
It was overwhelming.
To think that she had been overwhelmed by a human named Rosa Runcandel.
[Can you see it too, my youngest? Countless bombardment of enemies are rushing to kill this mother! But none of it can touch me directly. There's no need to block or avoid anything.]
Because it is fate. Nothing trivial can interfere with the fate that lies between you and me now.
Indeed, as Rosa said, despite so many attacks striking the forefront, there was not a single shot that directly hit her. They all just missed, bouncing off with only debris flying.
With all her heart, Rosa was looking only at her youngest son, thinking only about shooting him dead.
A smile spread across Rosa's lips.
At the same time, the second shot imbued with the power of the chaos began to extend towards Murakan. The darkness of the abyss was once again engulfing the group.
The time allotted to Murakan had come to an end, precisely at that moment.
"Down!"
This time, they were descending.
There was no point in trying to stop the second barrage. Murakan was going to disappear now, and the group had no power to defend against it.
Before the barrage could hit them, Murakan's time would come to an end.
[Kid!]
"I won't die...!"
Jin held on to Talaris and Mort as hard as he could. Then he bit Bradamante into his mouth and pointed the blade downward.
Kaio accurately understood what Jin was thinking.
"What's the Aim point!"
"Center of the forest!"
Because of this, Kaio also hurriedly stuck his feet into the wounds on Murakan's back. Pulling the arrow of the god killer and aimed at Bradamante's blade.
By that time, Murakan's body had become semi-transparent and Ram's barrage seemed to be about to touch Murakan's tail.
Shoot!
As soon as their eyes met, Kaio let go of the bowstring.
Snap!
The arrow of the god killer struck Bradamante's blade. Although he felt a terrible recoil from the arrow throughout his body, Jin endured it with all his might.
He was holding Talaris and Mort tightly with both arms. Jin started to fall into the forest where the red owl was. Kaio's last will to save his brethren was imbued in the arrow, which was firmly attached to Bradamante's blade like a magnet.
The moment Ram's main cannon hit them. Murakan disappeared with his eyes fixed on Jin, and Kaio raised his thumb high in the sky.
His arrow demonstrated a tremendous force, instantly slamming Jin, Talaris, and Mort into the center of the forest.
"Ugh...!"
Spitting out blood, Jin immediately got up and checked on Talaris and Mort, both of them were in bad shape.
Talaris was nearly unconscious from the internal injuries and the impact of the arrow, and Mort remained motionless, as if dead.
Looking around, there was no sign of the red owl.
Although they fell in the center of the forest, he was about 500 steps away from the red owl.
'Which way...!'
At such a moment, the forest was like a maze.
The next attack would land in the forest for sure.
[Bong... Oog....]
In a moment of uncertainty, Mort opened the dimensional portal to the snow garden. Dark spots of chaos were visible all over the pure white snowfield.
If they fell more than a hundred steps away, Mort would not have been able to open the portal. As if fated, Mort only had the strength to open a portal only 500 steps away.
Once they entered the portal, Jin, holding Talaris, made his way towards the location of the Red Owl using the snow garden as a shortcut.
When he pressed the button in the center of the cabin, the red owl vibrated with mana and started to accelerate.
The acceleration required to jump the space is about 10 seconds.
'All that remains is to hope that the next bombardment will not be prepared...!'
One.
Two.
Three...
...
Nine.
The spatial-jump has begun.
As Jin was engulfed in the dazed sensation unique to spatial-jump, he looked up at Ram.
It felt like he had made eye contact with Rosa.
[You will come back to this mother again soon. I'll be waiting...….]
Rosa was gazing at the forest where Jin had disappeared, calming down the overwhelming excitement that seemed to make her heart burst.
647
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The Red Owl couldn't teleport directly to Tikan, the designated return coordinates.
Originally, Red Owl and Mort were not affected by chaos particles, but the chaos of Rosa that covered Kalon was so thick that it exceeded those standards.
It had crash-landed multiple times in unnamed forests, seas, and islands.
The Red Owl's hull was corroded with chaos, and every time it attempted a spatial-jump, the power source emitted an uneasy noise.
'According to the manual, there's a high probability that we'll eventually reach the designated coordinates as long as the power core and the cockpit aren't completely destroyed... but...'
The problem was Talaris.
Heat like a fireball was surging from her unconscious body.
Her pulse was unstable, and the backflow reaction was so severe that it sometimes discharged her aura randomly.
She needed treatment as soon as possible.
Jin wanted to send Talaris first to the healers on Shuri. However, even Shuri had to wander for a long time to find her way from current location.
Jin had no choice but to continue attempting spatial jumps, hoping to land near the Holy land or make it to Tikan.
The ship made five spatial jumps but all were failures. The red owl kept falling on the wrong ground.
However, it was clear that they were moving away from Huphester, and the chaos sticking to the hull was falling off with each jump, and the power source was becoming more stable. It felt like they would arrive at Tikan soon if they kept going like this.
Just as he was about to press the button in the center of the cockpit again, Jin heard a familiar voice out of nowhere.
(Eh, Jin!?)
It was Lingling's voice. It was very faint, but it was definitely Lingling.
"... Lingling!?"
Jin looked around as if possessed by a ghost at the moment. Naturally, he couldn't see Lingling anywhere.
But it wasn't just Lingling's voice that he could hear.
(What, why are you suddenly in my head!? No, more than that, can you hear my voice?)
"I can hear you. Can you hear me too?"
(Uh, I feel sick!)
(What, Brother Jin!?)
(Brother Jin!? Didn't Brother Kaio just get summoned?)
(Where is brother Jin!? Lingling, are you really talking to Jin right now?)
(How am I supposed to explain this? Suddenly, I saw that idiot's face in my mind and heard his voice. He was babbling while pressing some button. There's a white-haired human collapsed next to him.)
(Button? Babbling? Collapsed human? Is brother Jin in danger?)
"Brethren! Can't you hear my voice?"
(Can't you hear that voice?)
(Are you playing a prank, Lingling?)
(Ah, this is frustrating! I'm telling the truth! Jin is really hearing your voices.)
For a few seconds, there was confusion and mixed messages between Jin, Lingling, and the Plutonians.
Jin could hear everyone's voices, but it seems Laprarosa wasn't able to hear him.
(Brethren, Lingling is not joking. It seems like he's really hearing brother Jin's voice.)
(Ohh. What is going on, Sister battle god!)
As Vahn was connected to Lingling internally, she immediately recognized the situation.
(It seems like there's some kind of resonance between Jin and Lingling for some reason. Lingling, please relay brother Jin's message to us. Brother Jin, what about outside? You summoned brother 10th battle king, was there anything you couldn't handle?)
Jin briefly explained what had happened in the Garden of Swords.
(The human world is turning into hell. It would be great if we could go outside right away to help our brother.)
"You've already helped enough, sister battle god."
(Still, seeing this sudden connection between Laprarosa and the human world, it seems like the day we go outside is not too far away.)
Wavelength-tracking synchronous spatial-jump.
Jin suspected that this sudden "connection" had something to do with it.
"Probably because of the flying ship that my companion built. It seems like the flying ship accidentally caught the wavelength of Laprarosa."
His speculation was correct. The reason the red owl caught Laprarosa's wavelength was a kind of error.
(First of all, I heard that your companion's condition is critical. If it is a white-haired person, it's probably Talaris Endorma, who has saved you many times, brother.)
"Yes, the internal injuries are serious."
(Close your eyes, try to concentrate. Maybe I can help her through Lingling and you, brother.)
Vahn's words were no different. She was trying battle god fusion. Jin immediately closed his eyes and focused on the resonance point with Lingling.
Then, just like it happened in Laprarosa, Jin felt his illuminating heart lighten up and he could feel Vahn's senses and energy gradually being transmitted.
'It's a little weaker than when I did it in Laprarosa ... but battle god fusion is clearly achieved...…!'
Perhaps because of the dimensional distance between the human world and Laprarosa, the sense of Vahn was not completely conveyed. But that alone was enough to examine Talaris' condition.
(Both the meridians and blood vessels are damaged. The divine power with the attribute of cold energy is preventing the worst-case scenario. But at this rate, she'll reach her limit within an hour or two.)
"If that happens...."
(She may not die, but she will no longer be able to manifest the same level of power as before.)
Until they entered battle god fusion, Jin could only assume that the situation was not that serious, but now Jin could accurately perceive what Vahn was feeling.
(Follow my senses and infuse energy into her body. Erase the cold energy that seems about to break off immediately and fill the void with lightning energy.)
Jin followed Vahn's words and placed his hand on Talaris' back. Through the tangled blood vessels, Jin's energy slowly dug into her injuries.
Even though it was just for a moment, Jin broke into a cold sweat. While unconscious, Talaris was spewing out black blood clots, and Jin felt like he was walking on a tightrope over her life.
But Jin believed in Vahn. Unlike his anxious self, he didn't feel the slightest worry inside Vahn.
"Huh...."
Eventually, the feverish heat that was melting her whole body subsided, and Talaris let out a warm breath.
Although Talaris had not regained consciousness, she now appeared to be sleeping peacefully.
(Well done. But, Brother Jin, this is just a temporary solution. You must start full-scale treatment within at least three days.)
"Okay, sister battle god!"
Jin wanted to spend more time with his brethren, but the situation didn't allow for it.
Jin had to try spatial jumps again. Fortunately, he passed the hurdle of Talaris, but it was never safe until he returned to Tikan.
Even after returning, there were still issues. The power that Rosa Runcandel possessed, which he had experienced firsthand, overwhelmed all other major factions.
Jin had to hurry up and inform his companions about this fact and prepare for the future.
Maybe he would need to make the decision to evacuate the entire Tikan.
If Rosa's Runcandel immediately started pursuing Tikan with all its might, Jin and his companions would have no way of stopping it.
This story applied not only to Tikan but to all other factions as well. No matter how formidable the hidden power they possessed, it seemed unlikely that they could surpass Rosa's Runcandel.
They had already brought a fleet close to their full strength, but suffered a defeat.
Jin didn't witness the battle to the end, but he couldn't imagine that Rosa had been defeated.
"Brethren, Lingling. I'll be going now. I will investigate this coincidence as soon as I return. As sister battle said, this coincidence seems to be a big clue for the brethren to come out."
The frequency of their fusion was decreasing. Vahn was withdrawing her strength before Jin could release it.
(Go, Brother Jin. We will wait for the day when we can get in touch again.)
(Hmph, go away quickly! Don't cause trouble somewhere else.)
After saying goodbye to his brethren, Jin pressed the button on the red owl again.
* * *
February 27, 1803.
It took Jin two days before he could arrive at Tikan.
He made ten or so Spatial jumps since he stabilized Talaris's internal wounds, but he never connected to Laprarosa again.
Talaris was evacuated to the Holy Land as soon as they arrived, and Jin received information collected by his other companions.
Fortunately. After that day, Runcandel hadn't sent any troops outside.
"We're not sure if they're not sending or if they can't."
"I believe it's the latter. Runcandel needs time to recover its strength, and more importantly, using that much power must have come with a terrible cost."
"I agree, Lord Jin. However, reports indicate that over 50% of the entire continent of the Huphester Alliance, including the Garden of Swords and the city of Kalon, has been consumed by chaos. It happened in just two days... between the time when you escaped and now."
It was no exaggeration to say that the entire continent of Huphester was being engulfed by chaos. And all this erosion happened in just two days.
The internal situation was entirely uncertain. It wasn't even possible to enter the lands where erosion hadn't yet occurred.
"Perhaps the Garden of Swords plans to consume the entire world in this manner. If the whole world falls into chaos, there would be no need for them to track us or any other forces..."
Zipfel and Kinzelo. They continued their all-out attack after Jin's escape, but eventually decided to retreat, having suffered significant losses.
"According to the report received at noon today, only three fleets' Zipfel appeared over the territorial waters of the Lutero Magic Federation."
"If that's true, then it means they lost half of their six fleets. Has there been any confirmation regarding Kinzelo?"
"Yes, but there have been no reports of a retreat from any expected route. It is assumed that they retreated through Orgal's ability. In that case, their situation might be better than Zipfel's."
Unlike Jin, his companions understood the situation solely through the reports of Seven-Colored peacock after the battle.
All of the reports were shocking. No one had expected Rosa's Runcandel to achieve victory against Jin and the other factions.
Furthermore, Rosa Runcandel was no longer acting matriarch.
She had announced to the world that she was now Runcandel's "patriarch" as soon as all her enemies retreated.
First of all, it was necessary to meet the leaders of Zipfel and Kinzelo.
"The two major factions will contact us soon. They probably have the same thoughts as I do. Please inform me immediately."
"I understand, Lord Jin."
"And what about the knights who escaped... Is there still no news?"
The knights who resisted Rosa until the end.
In the midst of their anxiety over whether knights were alive or dead, Jet burst into the meeting room.
"My lord! The survival of the rescued knights has been confirmed...! Miss Cuicantelle is personally bringing them back!"
Jin closed his eyes, sweeping his hand over his chest.
If they had all died, there would have been very few left in the world who could be called Runcandel.
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After Rosa was engulfed by chaos, there were about a thousand knights who rebelled against her Runcandel.
They had fought large and small battles in the Garden of Swords, led by Diphus, Mary, and Jorden.
However, before even a month had passed, more than sixty percent had been subdued, and the remaining had to make a choice.
Would they plan for the future, or would they fight to the end and perish?
Their choice was the former, but they couldn't execute it. Rosa easily found the hideouts of the rebels and hunted them down like mole hunting, calling them to the Garden of Swords.
The rebels struggled against the chaos knights of the clan, but in the end, they faced defeat from summoned flagbearers and black knights of the past.
At that time, there were around two hundred and fifty knights imprisoned in the dungeon.
But the knights brought by Cuicantelle now numbered less than a hundred. In the process of escaping from the Garden of Swords this time, more than half of the remaining knights lost their lives.
There were only 97 left.
Jin looked at them without speaking for a while. His heart felt heavy as if hot foam was surging up.
"Everyone... thank you for your hard work," Jin finally spoke, and the knights saluted.
No one shed tears. Jin, too, suppressed his boiling emotions and accepted the knights' salutations.
'Fortunately, none of the survivors are infected with chaos at a level that cannot be treated with a purifier.'
The chaos that tainted the knights was not too deep. However, many of them suffered severe physical injuries, so they will need the help of the healers of the Holy Kingdom.
"First, it would be best for everyone to receive treatment. There is a device that can purify the chaos."
Jin explained to the knights about the purification device. He also mentioned that the treatment period was long, the targets were limited, and it would be of no use in the corrupted Garden of Swords since the purification process required the blood of battle god.
"I am fine, 12th flagbearer," Jorden said.
"Elder chief?"
"What are you talking about? Elder chief, you should be the first to receive treatment more than anyone else..."
The Tona brothers stopped speaking halfway through their response to Jorden. They realized the meaning behind his words belatedly.
Jorden seemed uninjured on the surface, but he had suffered irreparable internal injuries. The price of the survival of the 97 knights was his life.
Jin had noticed Jorden's condition from the first moment he saw him.
"Why are you all making such foolish faces? Follow the 12th flagbearer's words and receive treatment and purification. I must do my last duty before I die."
Jorden met Jin's eyes.
"The 12th flagbearer."
"Yes."
"From now on, I will pass on all the sword techniques of the clan that I know. It would be wise to head to the training grounds immediately. I don't have much time left."
Jin decided to follow Jorden's words. Even if Lani came directly, there would be no chance of recovery, and Jorden deserved respect.
"All right."
"The training won't be that long, so don't worry about anything else. Along the way, I'll explain anything you might be curious about. You can also tell me about your experiences in the Garden of Swords."
On their way to the training grounds, Jorden occasionally stopped walking.
Jin recounted their last battle, marveling at Jorden's incredible determination to fulfill his final mission.
"So, you fought Rosa one-on-one... and yet you weren't affected by the chaos at all."
"I gained immunity."
"It's not the kind of immunity you can share with others, I suppose. I envy you. Looking back, I've always felt that way about you. The whole clan does."
Jin remained silent, waiting for Jorden to continue.
"The Sword Garden has been in this state since half a year ago."
"I had some expectations since they sealed off Kalon and controlled information about me from that time."
"Rosa Runcandel kept having seizures up until that point. And then she eventually broke her promise to you and joined forces with the Prophet. It was a crucial moment. While Zipfel and Kinzelo were building their fleets and employing all sorts of new technologies, we were falling behind. Of course, that wasn't right."
It was as if they had no other choice.
Jorden spoke bitterly.
"Even if you hadn't left, Rosa would have made the same decision. So your decision to enter closed door training was probably the right one. If you were still in the clan, the first thing Rosa would have done was to eliminate you. Without the patriarch...… no one could have stopped her."
"Is there still no news about my father?"
Even in this rapidly changing era,
The dignity of the knight named Chiron Runcandel has not lost its value at all.
If he and the knights, who left for expedition, were there, Runcandel would still be a land that other factions could not dare to cross, even without the prophet or fleets.
"... Rosa said the patriarch was dead."
Jin stopped in his tracks.
"Was there any evidence to support her claim?"
"No. I don't know if she found out about it through the prophet's ability, or if she said it just to establish her own authority. She just said he was dead. But I, too, don't expect the patriarch to be alive. Almost everyone who rebelled against Rosa thought so."
Whether Chiron survived or died in battle, it was difficult to hold much significance.
If the patriarch of the clan does not return from an external mission as the situation of the clan deteriorates, objectively speaking, he is already unfit. He was as good as dead.
"But some thought differently. Your uncle and siblings did. Zed Runcandel, he left for the Black Sea to find the patriarch as soon as Rosa's tyranny began."
Zed had not yet returned, so his life or death was also uncertain.
"The 4th and 7th flagbearer have been missing since the final battle. As I said then, I cannot tell whether they are alive or dead. But if they escaped alive, they probably headed to the Black Sea too. Those two also said that the only way to resolve the situation was to find the patriarch."
"So, no one witnessed the deaths of elder brother Diphus and elder sister Mary. Perhaps, they could be imprisoned in the Garden of Swords. It's unlikely that Rosa would have released all those imprisoned in the dungeons."
"That may be true. But if so, they're likely to emerge as your enemies. The reason why our 1,033 knights were able to resist Rosa was partly due to their willpower, but the fact that they weren't directly exposed to the chaos emitted by the Prophet played a significant role."
"Does that mean that most of the knights remaining in the Garden of the Sword did not rebel because they were consumed by chaos?"
"There are probably some who did so willingly. But as you said, most likely did not. What sane knight would want to fight under that monster? No matter how strong that monster may be. The knights of Runcandel have particularly high pride."
It was already known from several cases that it was almost impossible for humans to resist the madness of chaos.
It was something achievable only by exceptional individuals like Ron. Even Ron was completely consumed by it until he received Jin's help.
'Elder brother Diphus and elder sister Mary may appear as enemies....'
Just imagining that scenario felt like his head would explode.
Jin continued to match his pace with Jordan's without showing any emotion.
"Looks like we are here. It's quite a decent training ground. Did you mainly sharpen your sword skills here during your days as a reserve flagbearer?"
"That's right."
"Jin."
"Yes."
"Now, you are the only hope for our clan. Never forget that."
After saying that, Jorden held Jin's hand tightly.
The only knight who could fight against the immense chaos of Rosa Runeckandel without any constraints, the only flagbearer who could immediately cleanse the clan.
Jordan was in tears.
The image of the current Runcandel in decline, the regret of the past when he struggled to become a patriarch, the fallen companions, and the helplessness of having to entrust everything to the 12th flagbearer.
These emotions mixed together to make Jorden cry.
"... I understand, uncle."
For the next three days.
Jorden taught Jin six decisive killing moves, four secret techniques, and one ultimate technique.
Jin, who had already reached a high level, quickly grasped the intricacies of those swords in an instant, often demonstrating perfect execution with just Jordan's verbal explanations, without needing to witness Jordan himself perform them.
Occasionally, when Jordan needed to rest due to exhaustion, Jin would receive various reports on the current situation at the mansion.
As expected, the leaders of each faction were urgently requesting a meeting in Tikan.
Runcandel had yet to show any significant movements. There were no troop movements, but there were reports that the speed at which Huphester was encroaching had slowed down a bit.
Still there was no news about Valeria. Jin wanted to find out if she was alive or dead by any means at once, but he couldn't leave Tikan until the meeting with the major factions was over.
Because Jin has the responsibility of carrying the clan crest and the world.
"Now all the inheritance is complete"
Jorden said with a hoarse voice.
While passing down the sword moves, they conversed in a friendly atmosphere, not as enemies, but like uncle and nephew.
"Do you remember the day I cut your arms?"
"How could I forget, uncle?"
"In fact, that day I saw your father, patriarch, in you. The sight of you walking towards me, stepping forward with both arms severed, sometimes appeared as a nightmare."
"I was pretty scared that day too."
"Kuk, now you're buttering me when I'm dying."
"It's true. I was really afraid that my arms might not be fully attached. And to be honest, I was sure that your end wouldn't be pleasant, uncle."
"So, was that your plan?"
"At that time, you and I were no different from enemies."
"After that day, I thought you might be even more dangerous than Joshua, perhaps even more so than Rosa."
Sssshhh, siiitt....
A metallic sound came from Jordan's breath.
The moment of his death was approaching.
"Do you still have that thought?"
"Yes... you will defeat Rosa and become patriarch. But..."
Bang!
Suddenly, Jorden squeezed out the last of his strength and grabbed Jin by the shoulder.
"Never, ever think you're already the patriarch. Even if all the remaining rebels accept you as their lord. Whether your father is dead or alive. You must reclaim the Garden of Swords to have the qualification. You must reclaim the Garden of Swords... Understood...?"
Jin nodded with his teeth clenched, and Jorden took his last breath.
And a day after he died.
A flagbearer of Runcandel came to Tikan.
649
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A small sailboat was heading towards Tikan. Behind the boat, fifty or so ships emerged from underwater, with white foam bubbling behind them, rising to the surface.
It was a sight that Jin saw once before leaving for the Sota Desert in the past.
'Elder Sister Mary...!'
It could be Cosmos, who had become her subordinate, coming to deliver bad news.
Or perhaps they had already been engulfed in Rosa's chaos and came to attack Tikan.
But fortunately, as Mary approached Tikan, she appeared on the deck, and Jin was able to greet her, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"The youngest!"
"Elder Sister!"
Their voices echoed over the blue sea.
Even the knights of Runcandel, who were undergoing purification treatment, rushed outside to greet Mary.
As she entered the mansion, Mary was filled with a sense of defeat, powerlessness, and sadness.
Jin's heart ached as he watched her.
Mary also had chaos, but it was not at a serious level.
Jin realized that it was the result of Mary's resistance against the chaos.
"... As I suspected, it was you who attacked the Garden of Swords not long ago. Zipfel and Kinzelo followed your movements and took advantage of the opportunity."
As Jin recounted what had happened, Mary nodded as if she had expected as much.
She recognized Jin's growth at a glance.
"First of all, I must pay my respects to uncle Jorden."
"Okay."
Mary paid a moment of silence to Jorden's coffin.
Although she and Jordan were not originally on good terms, they had formed a bond of camaraderie and companionship while resisting against Rosa.
In particular, Mary admired him for sacrificing his life to save the remaining knights.
"If you look at this, you never know about people. Rosa Runcandel, who seemed unlikely to betray the clan no matter what, became a monster of chaos, while uncle, who seemed determined to swallow the clan by any means necessary, ultimately became its protector. The body of uncle must be enshrined in the mausoleum after we reclaim the clan."
"That goes without saying. By the way, how have you been all this time, Elder sister? And what about elder brother Diphus...…."
"Diphus Oraboni is imprisoned in the basement of the Garden of Swords. On the day you attacked the Garden of Swords, Rosa Runcandel must have released everyone except for Diphus Oraboni."
"Did you see it yourself? Elder Brother Diphus being imprisoned."
Mary's eyes narrowed.
"No, I didn't see it myself, but I heard about it."
"Please tell me in detail."
"That day, even after most of the rebels had been suppressed, Diphus Oraboni and I continued to fight. We were the only ones who had ventured so deep into the battle to the main house where Rosa was waiting."
Then the siblings engaged in combat with Rosa.
More precisely, it was only Diphus who directly parried Rosa's sword. Upon receiving the sword strike, he confirmed the chaos penetrating his body and then excluded Mary from the fight.
It was a decision made after determining that engaging Rosa directly with the sword would lead to certain defeat.
"Rosa had become almost as strong as our father. And not only that, she could infect others with chaos, leaving us no choice. We immediately planned to escape, but not long after, Oraboni lost consciousness. To Rosa's sword."
Mary's body was shaking when she remembered that moment.
Mary could escape Rosa's clutches thanks to Diphus's sacrifice.
The reason she left Diphus behind and escaped was solely to ensure his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.
"At that moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to die there as well. But if I did, I wouldn't be able to exact Oraboni's revenge... But it wasn't over after leaving the main house. I safely escaped the Garden of Swords, but the pursuers surrounded me before I left the Kalon."
The pursuers were about a hundred knights in total, and among them were members of the Black Sword association, who were stained with chaos.
At that time, Mary had no strength left to deal with them. She had already suffered severe injuries during her escape from the Garden of Swords.
"It was Lynn Milcano. It seems that Guardian of Law chief Lynn Milcano has replaced uncle as the new Black Sword Association chief. And Lynn Milcano, just let me go."
"If she just let you go..."
"Lynn Milcano was also resisting Rosa. I don't know if Rosa knows that, or if Lynn Milcano lied to me...… But at least it's clear that she allowed me to live."
-I'll give you some painkillers, 7th flagbearer. You should leave now. We'll report that you escaped.
-What kind of scheme is this?
-Don't think that you're the only ones who want to reclaim the Garden of Swords.
-You're also using the power of chaos even though you say that.
-I also made a separate contract with the Prophet like Rosa. There is only a difference in the method. We don't think Rosa's decision was right either.
-You made a contract? Damn, what the hell are you thinking?
-And what were you thinking when you attacked the Garden of Swords? Did you think you could win with just that level of firepower? You must have known about Rosa and the prophet's power to some extent. It was just a meaningless suicide mission!
-Hah. What about Diphus Oraboni and the knights now?
-Everyone will be imprisoned in the dungeon. 4th flagbearer...… Rosa had an eye on him from the beginning. He is likely to become one of Rosa's subordinates. Through chaos.
-Damn it, that filthy...….
- Hurry up. Either go find the patriarch or bring the 12th flagbearer. I don't know how long I can hold out.
Mary explained the conversation she had with Lynn that day.
Thanks to Lynn, she was able to barely escape from Kalon and take refuge with the Cosmos Pirates.
However, as time passed, her injuries and chaos only deepened, leaving her unable to do anything except focus on her recovery.
And as soon as she recovered, she sought out Tikan.
Jin couldn't even imagine how much she must have suffered during that time.
"If you hadn't been in Tikan, I would have left for the Black Sea immediately. Like Uncle Zed."
She no longer believed that Chiron was alive. It was just that there seemed to be no other option.
But now Jin had returned, and changes were already beginning.
After Jin entered the Garden of Swords, all factions joined forces to attack Runcandel.
Although Kinzelo and Zipfel were enemies, it was still better to form a temporary alliance than rely on Chiron, who's life or death is unknown.
Jin paused to gather his thoughts and made eye contact with Mary.
"First of all, there's a high possibility that Lynn Milcano betrayed Rosa. I haven't seen Lynn Milcano in this fight."
"If that's the case, she's probably already been purged. If she really rebelled like us, Rosa probably wouldn't have been unaware."
"I think so too. Also, even if she hasn't been purged, the Guardian of law chief has already made a contract with the Prophet. She is not going to be a perfect ally on her own. She will eventually succumb to Chaos."
Therefore, it was best to exclude their support in the future battle against Rosa.
"And as for elder brother Diphus...… I can only hope that he is in a state that can be healed with the chaos purification device I possess. As long as he doesn't undergo complete transformation or total assimilation, it's reversible."
"Oraboni is a strong person."
Mary gritted her teeth and continued her words.
"No matter what Rosa does, Oraboni will never be easily broken."
"Yes."
"What are you going to do now?"
"First, I will meet with the two major factions and exchange information with them. We've decided to meet in Tikan tomorrow afternoon to discuss the forces Rosa's Runcandel possesses, and why they're not moving. And we need to determine the timing for attacking the Garden of the Swords."
"Zipfel and Kinzelo must have suffered considerable damage this time, so we won't be able to launch a counterattack quickly."
"It all depends on how much leverage the major factions can bring to the table. Also, if the Garden of Swords is unable to move for some reason, it might be better to bide our time and prepare thoroughly."
When escaping the Garden of Swords, Jin accidentally connected with Laprarosa through Lingling, and Qwaul is currently conducting research on it.
'If brethren come outside before the final battle with Rosa.'
Even if it was difficult to achieve, at least if he could perform "battle god fusion" without relying on such coincidence, it would be of great help in the final battle with Rosa.
To destroy the Garden of Swords, Rosa must be killed, but anyone other than Jin who engages in combat with her will be consumed by chaos.
Therefore, Jin will almost certainly have to face Rosa alone in the fight, so battle god fusion is essential.
'In addition, there's also the matter of Murakan's return...'
Murakan. He hasn't shown himself since the last manifestation.
While Talaris was injured, Misha took full responsibility for Elona's seal, so the time period for doing work instead of Misha had to be extended.
The battle god fusion, the return of Murakan, and the Golden Armada.
As Jin told Mary about his best cards, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"As expected, you've grown up. The youngest. Having you here makes me feel more secure."
"I'll do my best to fight with all three prepared. We need to know why the Garden of Swords isn't moving so we can prepare properly. And having you here makes me feel secure too. So, please don't cry, elder sister."
Mary was leaning against Jin's chest, crying her heart out. She was releasing the guilt of leaving Diphus behind, the pain of not being able to protect the clan, all for the first time in six months. To her youngest brother who had grown into a strong man.
"Our Runcandel is not lost yet. We just need to reclaim it, elder sister. Our home."
"Today will be the last time you see my weakness."
"You don't look weak at all. But if it gets tough, you can lean on me like this anytime. We're family, aren't we?"
Suddenly, they sensed someone behind them. The Tona brothers were approaching, glancing around cautiously.
When the Tona brothers saw Mary crying, they were startled and tried to go back. But Jin silently gestured for them to come closer. Then the Tona brothers also hugged Mary and cried, and Jin comforted them by patting their backs.
[T/L: I'm not crying, you're crying.]
650
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* * *
March 4, 1803, Approximately ten days had passed since the conclusion of the Battle of the Garden of Swords, also known as the battle of major factions.
The whole world was trembling with a fear unlike anything seen before.
Just three years had passed since the official ceasefire agreement of five years, and without any warning, the major factions launched a surprise attack on Huphester overnight, a shocking event in itself.
The fact that the practical winner of that battle was Runcandel, and that Runcandel had gone as far as to corrupt the entirety of Huphester by consorting with chaos, plunged the world further into terror.
(Rosa Runcandel revealed that Chiron Runcandel, patriarch of Runcandel, has died in Black Sea. The being who killed the demigod was the King of the Black Sea, implying that there are still other beings like Glyek from the Sword Emperor Castle war...)
(Black Panther, as the new patriarch of Runcandel, announced her intention to continue the legacy of the former patriarch and subjugate the kings of the Black Sea. However, she emphasized that unifying the entire world was the top priority.)
(Jin Runcandel formed an alliance with Zipfel and Kinzelo and committed treason. Rosa Runcandel stripped him of his flagbearer status and defines him as an enemy of the clan...)
(The world is in turmoil. Is the thousand-year war coming to an end?)
Special reports were pouring in day after day.
Newsletters from Huphester were particularly active. They were all praising Rosa and pushing Jin as a traitor, but Jin rather felt relieved by such black propaganda and incitement.
"It seems Rosa doesn't have immediate plans to exterminate all humans in the world. The fact that she is resorting to propaganda implies she is conscious of public opinion."
Jin's companions nodded in agreement with his words.
"As you said, Rosa doesn't seem to have any intention of turning all humans into enemies. Well, what's the point of being the sole conqueror of the world if you have nothing to rule."
"She may be manipulating people not for the purpose of ruling, but to effectively obtain sacrifices, Miss Cuicantelle. On that day, perhaps the entire population of Kalon was used as a sacrifice to operate that mighty black battleship and the power of chaos. That woman is someone who thinks it doesn't matter if everyone except Runcandel dies."
"The ruler of a world in ruins... then, is she gathering human sacrifices to prepare for the next fight with us, Zipfel, and Kinzelo?"
"That could be a reason, but..."
Jin's gaze fell on the newspaper, on the content stating 'Rosa will continue the legacy of Chiron'.
"The remaining kings of the Black Sea. It's probably true that Rosa said she would subjugate them. They're probably the most threatening beings to Runcandel right now."
5 kings of the Black Sea.
Jin doesn't know the exact number, but he's been aware of the fact that they're seeking revenge since the battle against Glyek. Along with the expectation that Chiron's obsession with the Black Sea was because of them.
"Could the kings of the Black Sea be in league with the Prophet?"
"That's possible. We need to confirm whether the Prophet is really the witch, and what the relationship is between the first chaos of the witch and the kings of the Black Sea."
The moment Jin said that, Jet and Gilly entered the meeting room.
"My lord, Zipfel and Kinzelo's ships have entered our territory."
At three in the afternoon, the representatives of the two major factions arrived at Tikan for the meeting.
"We should hope they have some useful information. Did they keep their promise?"
"Yes, my lord. Both sides only brought one flagship each. They didn't make any unreasonable demands, and they're landing at sea and sending only a few individuals ashore. Four from Zipfel and three from Kinzelo. They seem quite nervous, coming with such a small number and without any escorts, straight to our headquarters."
Just three years ago, a handful of key figures from the two major factions wouldn't have felt threatened for their safety. But now, they had to stake a lot to confront Tikan. While Tikan's overall power had increased, the presence of Jin was the main reason.
"They must be in a hurry, but we are no different."
Jin and his entourage left the mansion and headed towards the first floor of Tikan, where they soon came face to face with the leadership of each faction.
Jin's expression soured as he looked at them, seemingly disappointed. "Why have you come? I clearly conveyed that the leaders should discuss this matter."
The four representatives from Zipfel removed their robes.
Octavia, Hedo, Sandra, and a person whom Jin saw for the first time in his life.
'Ronil Zipfel...….'
The eldest son of Kelliark.
In his past life, he was known as a talented individual in the second generation of Zipfel, following Veradin, and the powerful people used to classify him as a person who didn't shine brightly because he was overshadowed by Veradin and Luna.
'Does it mean that he was the hidden force of Zipfel like Octavia?'
Strictly speaking, Ronil was more like an 'unknown force' rather than a hidden force.
Jin did not know this in his past life, but even then, the leaders of each clan considered Ronil as a key figure.
While being deliberately sarcastic, Jin briefly noticed the strangely calm Sandra. Unlike usual, Sandra was looking at Jin with emotionless eyes.
'Did she learn to distinguish between work and personal relationships? Surely, this is not the result of any experiments conducted by Zipfel.'
Ronil slightly bowed his head.
"My father is seriously ill, so I came as a substitute for the 1st Magic Tower. Runcandel's 12th flagbearer, please understand."
Although he spoke first, Ronil didn't hold a higher rank than Octavia. Jin realized that he was handling an embarrassing situation in place of Octavia.
"Sir Jin, our leader has come in person! Haha. It would be nice if you complimented him!"
Margeilla spoke as she pushed her wheelchair. Just as she said, Orgal, Bishkel, and Margiella came from Kinzelo.
Jin didn't answer and met Orgal's eyes.
"You have quite a spirited expression, Leader. Like someone who owes me a debt."
[Did it seem that way? Helping you in the Garden of Swords that day was a choice made for everyone. I don't expect any special compensation.]
"Well, I'm relieved then."
[But, Jin Runcandel. You seem more perceptive than you appear. Did you address me as 'leader' just because Zipfel might not know my true identity?]
"No way. I don't think the people responsible for manipulating your history don't know the name Orgal."
-If it's that kind of being, maybe even Zipfel themselves doesn't know that they manipulated Orgal's history.
-If so, that's a relief. Even if Zipfel knew, there is a possibility that the information did not go down to Myuron.
A conversation Jin had with his companions right after he first learned about the leader's identity.
Jin had been curious ever since then. He wondered whether Zipfel was aware of the history manipulation done to Orgal, and if so, what the reason behind manipulating his history was.
From Jin's point of view, it was a strange situation. Those who manipulate history and whom history was manipulated were in one place.
"Besides, weren't Kinzelo and Zipfel quite close when I was a reserve flagbearer?"
[That was until you killed Andrei Zipfel and destroyed the initial Demon God's orb. But Jin, Zipfel only recently learned my name. It was slightly later than when you found out.]
"It means that world's No.1 Zipfel has been dealing with an unknown person for so long."
[If we can offer each other what we need, that's all there is to it. But are we going to veer off-topic as soon as we arrive for the meeting?]
The purpose of the meeting is, of course, a temporary alliance. To oppose Rosa's Runcandel.
"Well, is it really off-topic?"
Jin smiled.
"Orgal, perhaps you will gain more power when you are freed from the manipulation of history. In that case, isn't it time for Zipfel to undo your history manipulation to face the public enemy, Rosa."
Jin didn't genuinely believe that. It was just a statement thrown out there to see what would stick.
Octavia, who had been suppressing her emotions throughout, narrowed her eyes at those words.
"12th flagbearer, that's too much speculation. We didn't manipulate his history."
"Is that so?"
"After calling for a meeting, don't you think it's overly impolite to engage in such excessive speculation?"
"I suppose it's not what I want to hear from those who broke the ceasefire agreement as soon as I finished my training and returned to the clan. I understand the pain of losing a lot of power rather than achieving what you had expected this time, captain of spectres."
"Ha, how dare you…."
Octavia was already annoyed by Jin's unilateral notification from the beginning.
From her perspective, no matter how much Zipfel suffered a setback, the Zipfel wasn't a clan that the Tikan could order around.
Furthermore, to receive such disrespect was outrageous. Even Hedo, who usually looked down on Octavia and Kadun's temperaments (especially when dealing with Jin), understood her reaction this time.
However, regardless of understanding, he had to intervene.
So, just as Hedo and Ronil were about to step out, Orgal spoke first.
[It's quite an interesting idea to use me to deal with Rosah after I regain my strength... But Jin, aren't you underestimating me a bit too much?]
Orgal glanced at the Zipfel side. His face was blurry and not easily visible, but it seemed like he was smiling.
[The current Zipfel has not manipulated my history. That would be impossible. It was the past Zipfel who bound me, and they do not have the authority over the magic to release it. So it would be best to put that aside.]
"They don't have the authority?"
[Yes. Even the current Zipfel would probably prefer to release me. Unlike Rosa Runcandel, who is practically a king of the Black Sea, I am at least capable of having a conversation.]
It was new information. Octavia was gritting her teeth as if in disgrace. Jin made eye contact with Ronil.
"Is it true?"
It seemed likely.
But it couldn't be completely ruled out as a lie.
Whether Zipfel and Kinzelo had met first and agreed that the method was not feasible, or Zipfel had hidden the fact that it was possible.
"... yes, 12th flagbearer. So I hope you don't provoke the Spectre Captain any further. After all, isn't our meeting today to discuss countermeasures as the Spectre Captain suggested?"
Instead, Jin had a way to check whether what they said was true or not.
"Well, I did feel like I might have gone too far. My apologies for that. You've come a long way. Let's go inside and have a meal and discuss further."
"Thank you, 12th flagbearer."
"However, there is one thing I must inform you of in advance, for the sake of full disclosure. We have all gathered here with the hope of speaking openly and honestly..."
Jin slowly looked back at them.
"Today's meeting will be accompanied by Az Mil's contractor. The Contractor will personally censor all conversations, and everything will be recorded. If you do not agree, then there will be no meeting."