章節 221: Chapter 380
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No matter who started first, the sword of Jin and the executioners began to clash. Sparks flew relentlessly as the swords collided, and the entire room vibrated from the aura they emitted.
Clang, Boom, Bang!
Thick wooden chairs, interior decorations, and pillars all exploded like fragile glass under the shockwaves.
The executioners of the Ghost mercenaries were no longer complacent. The killing intent infused in their swords had become more refined, and their movements had sharpened.
Especially the strike of the commander-level assassin at the center of the formation was dealing threatening blows with each passing moment.
In terms of status, Faye Proch held the highest position, but that was only because she was the sibling of the Ghost mercenary Corps leader, Lata Proch. In pure combat ability, the commander-level assassin was far superior.
Faye's dual swords were formidable, and she undoubtedly possessed the potential to be called a genius wherever she went.
Yet, she was still just a twenty-five-year-old. No matter how talented she was, by Jin's standards, she was nothing extraordinary.
'I have to finish off the commander-level assassin quickly to end this battle.'
Having already lost five subordinates, he was already full of rage. He moved through the battlefield like a venomous serpent, smoothly countering and launching his most challenging and powerful attacks, making it quite a vexing situation.
Jin had started this battle while already fatigued. Up until now, he had managed to lull the Ghost mercenaries into complacency with his hidden cards, but the Ghost mercenaries was not just any mercenary group. They had their strengths.
"His swords seem to be infused with some kind of magic, creating attraction. Adjust your movements accordingly!"
The commander-level assassin immediately recognized the power of Jin's Plutonian swordsmanship. Hearing this, Faye and the executioners repositioned themselves.
"It seems there's someone here who's worthy of killing. What's your name?"
The commander-level assassin did not answer the question.
"If you won't speak, then there's nothing I can do."
Huuung-!
The shadow force swirled through the Bradamante, and along with its flow, a black aura extended in all directions. Jin once again used it as a shield to disrupt the Ghost mercenaries' vision.
He was out of breath from continuously unleashing his techniques. As he pushed his concentration to its limit, he could even feel Yona's killing intent clearly in this state.
As his perception sharpened, the killing intents of his enemies became easier to read. Jin skillfully weaved through the seven swords, and it only appeared to be precarious on the surface.
To Jin, the blades passing by felt distant and safe, as if they were merely brushing past his shadow force armor.
'I heard that there is a level at which you can completely control the battle by just reading the killing intent. Is this what it feels like?'
At the peak of his Mind's eye, Jin was experiencing a state similar to that.
Despite the dangerous situation, the corners of his mouth went up without even realizing it.
Jin always preferred fights like these. Dangerous, but he never felt like he would lose.
While his face was concealed by Multa's rune, it wasn't visible to the Ghost mercenaries, but the commander-level assassin was unmistakably aware of it.
'He's enjoying this, even when we're right in front of him...!'
The commander-level assassin couldn't help but feel that Jin was toying with them.
Though the Ghost mercenaries had objectively superior power, or at the very least, the battle was intensely competitive, Jin should have shown some sense of urgency.
Yet, it seemed as if he was a predator with delicious prey in front of him.
It was incredibly arrogant.
However, as someone who had used a sword throughout his life, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of reverence.
'Are you saying we are different, Jin Runcandel?'
Kwaaaah!
The commander-level assassin unleashed a powerful strike, and Jin was forced to step back. His posture faltered, and the Ghost mercenaries did not miss the opportunity.
Faye's dual swords and the four other swords converged on Jin.
However, they couldn't sense any familiar sensation of blades penetrating flesh and bone. Once again, the only thing transmitted through the swords was the empty sound of hitting metal.
Jin wasn't completely unscathed.
'I'm using too much shadow force.'
Even with his nearly 8-stars shadow force release, it wasn't enough. Releasing enough shadow force to overwhelm the executioners and even form an armor was exhausting.
The strength of the shadow force armor had weakened. Normally, Jin would have easily blocked the six blades that pierced his body without any harm, but cracks had formed in his bones and muscles.
Crunch, Jin grasped for breath at the sensation of his ribs and thigh bone tearing.
In life, losing something often led to gaining something else. While using the shadow force armor to defend, Jin executed a precision strike with his Shadow Sword 2nd technique, Scissors, severing the wrist of the lead assassin.
Jin cut the sword hand of the assassin. It fell mercilessly to the ground before any sound could be made. Jin, who had rushed forward, plunged the Bradamante into his chest.
'Now, five remaining.'
Only Faye and four other executioners were left.
Jin and the Ghost mercenaries were both breathing heavily. Despite the relatively short battle, they had all exerted their full strength.
Screech!
A sharp ringing echoed in their ears.
The one who lost concentration first would lose. Jin clenched his sword even tighter, ignoring the ringing in his ears.
In a brief moment, the gazes of Jin and the commander-level assassin met.
In his mind, Jin once again pictured the upcoming sword strikes, and the commander-level assassin made his choice.
He regretted it. He shouldn't have missed the three chances that Jin mentioned a while ago.
From the perspective of the commander-level assassin, this situation was undeniably a blow to his pride, but he had a different position compared to Jin.
He had a duty to protect his master's only sibling, Faye Proch.
"Lady, I will buy you some time. Please escape."
Zzzz...
The commander-level assassin's sword, shrouded in aura, emitted a gloomy vibration.
It wasn't the decisive killing move of Runcandel, nor was it the secret technique of Hairan, nor any other martial arts of the prestigious clan. It was simply the culmination of one individual's constant training, the fruit of a martial artist's sword.
Jin had a premonition that this would be his final strike.
"We received an order to kill Jin Runcandel. And I told you to kill him."
"I will do so. But I cannot put your life in danger, Lady Faye."
"Miss."
"If you're risking your life, I will do the same."
"If you risk your life, then I will risk mine as well."
"Lady."
"That is the way of the Ghost mercenaries and the Proch's honor. If we lose, my brother will seek vengeance."
The commander-level assassin could no longer stop Faye.
Jin started gathering his aura once again, he was trying to muster every bit of his remaining strength to block the final blow of the commander-level assassin.
'If I can't stop that, there's no next time for me.'
The outcome would be decided by a single strike.
If he could unleash the Plutonian Reign Sword, the Magic Sword Secret Technique, or Riol Zipfel's legacy, it would be perfect. However, he didn't possess that kind of strength.
What Jin could unleash was a strike that contain the essence of the shadow sword, more than anything else.
'Here we go…'
And the will of the martial artist.
As if casting a spell, Jin put his will into the sword. For a moment, the surroundings fell silent, and everything ahead turned pitch black.
Even though Jin's view had become hazy, the forms of the assassins were barely visible, but it was easier to gauge distances than when everything was clear.
Naturally, the Multa's and the shadow force armor dissipated. Even the minimal shadow force for his protection had transformed into a 'will to be cut' and melted into Bradamante.
In this manner, for about ten seconds, while Jin and the commander-level assassin faced each other, Faye and the other assassins couldn't attack Jin, who stood still.
Because there was a moment when a barrier, invisible to others but visible to those at the same level, was forming between Jin and the commander-level assassin.
Faye and the executioners believed that the commander-level assassin would finally finish off Jin this time.
Even if he couldn't able to kill Jin, they expected him to inflict enough fatal wounds to ensure their victory.
'It's coming.'
Almost simultaneously, the swords of Jin and the commander-level assassin moved.
A flash of light and dark energy crossed between the two, and their blades, which were moving as fast as light, pierced each other's bodies.
Such brilliant swords were not limited to those with extraordinary talents.
Anyone who devoted their life to the sword could achieve it through unwavering determination.
For the commander-level assassin, this was the moment. A moment when the flickering ember blazed fiercely before dying out.
It was dangerous.
'He must have sustained a fatal wound.'
If he had known in advance about Jin's last hidden move, he surely would have inflicted a fatal wound.
The commander-level assassin's sword brushed past Jin's waist.
On Jin's back, where the sword had passed, a searing ember had formed. It was the blue flame, contained within Bradamante.
'If it weren't for the heavy pressure...'
In the last moment when the swords clashed, the heavy pressure of the blue flame suppressed the commander-level assassin.
Amidst the fierce battle with the ghost mercenaries, Jin deliberately didn't use it and finally decided the outcome.
The Ghost mercenaries knew that Jin was a magic swordsman and the contractor of the Phoenix Tess.
But since Jin hadn't summoned Tess throughout the battle, they had excluded the blue flame from their calculations.
They never thought that the phoenix would infuse its power into the contractor's sword.
Cough...
The commander-level assassin, with his chest slashed, breathed his last breath.
At the same time, Faye and the executioners rushed at Jin, but they had lost their center and were no longer capable of opposing him.
The broken room was now covered in blood and flesh. It didn't take even three minutes for the remaining four executioners to meet their deaths.
The poison was spreading, and despite having taken an antidote in advance, their bodies were not as immune to poisons as Jin's.
Eventually, only Faye Proch remained, shedding tears of blood as she glared at Jin.
During the battle, she had also suffered injuries, and the poison had already started paralyzing her body.
"Without a doubt, my brother Lata Proch will kill you. On behalf of me, Grimol, and the deceased ghosts."
"Was his name Grimol?"
Jin said as he turned to look at the lifeless body of the commander-level assassin, Grimol.
At that moment, Faye, with all her strength, lunged at him, but Jin easily evaded her sword.
Faye lost her consciousness and collapsed.
"I will remember your name."
章節 222: Chapter 381
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Due to the complete collapse of the central transfer gate of Baria, Jin could only arrive in Kalon at night with great difficulty.
"Y-Young master Jin...!"
Hurriedly, the first to rush forward was Butler Petro.
After Mary had publicly discussed the contents regarding Temar's tomb at the meeting, Petro had been waiting every day for Jin's return at the central transfer gate of Huphester.
It had already been ten days since the meeting. During those ten days, Petro's worry for Jin nearly gave him a heart attack.
"As expected, I knew you would be the first to come and find me."
While Petro was sweating buckets, Jin smiled with a calm expression.
However, due to the fact that he had been through a fierce battle with the ghost mercenaries, his appearance seemed very exhausted to Petro.
"Where are you hurt!? Hey! Call the medical team immediately, and bring a warm towel!"
"I don't need the medical team."
"Young master, what about that large sack?"
"Oh, this."
Swoosh!
Jin placed the robe he had been carrying on his shoulder like a sack on the ground.
Petro's face immediately changed as he reflexively checked what was inside the sack.
"This... Is this Faye Proch from the Ghost mercenaries?"
Inside the sack was Faye, who was still unconscious, with her limbs tied up.
"She's a hostage for negotiation."
The reason Jin kept Faye alive was that her value as a hostage was extremely high. Killing her would only deepen the Ghost mercenaries' resentment, but keeping her alive could be useful.
"The Ghost mercenaries attacked you, Young master?"
Petro clenched his fists and glared at Faye.
"Yeah. Lata Proch sent her sister and ten mercenaries after me. And as you can see, I captured Faye in the process."
"...It's the Elder council's doing."
Petro immediately deduced the client. At this time, there were no others besides the Elder council who would have commissioned the Ghost mercenaries.
Jin nodded.
"Even before Lady Mary revealed the information that she received from the young master, I had a feeling that the Elder council would make a move after that. I didn't expect things to escalate so quickly, and I couldn't prepare for it. I apologize."
"Do you mean you weren't able to prepare? Is Gilly okay?"
Petro's expression darkened rapidly when Gilly's name was mentioned.
"She is currently detained."
There was a killing intent in Jin's eyes for a moment.
But he quickly regained his composure.
"Where? It can't be in an underground prison, right? If it were, Murakan wouldn't have stayed quiet."
[T/L: 지하 감옥 - underground prison/dungeon.]
"When the order of detention came, Lord Murakan destroyed a part of the Garden of Swords. The Guardian Knights worked hard to restrain him."
"Has any action been taken against Murakan separately?"
"No, Lord Murakan hasn't been punished."
Despite damaging part of the Garden of Swords and having more information about Jin than anyone else, Murakan hadn't faced any consequences.
"It might have been an irreversible situation if Gilly hadn't stopped Lord Murakan."
Being considered the 'long-time guardian of the clan,' the clan had its limits when it came to courtesy. If he had crossed that line, even someone like Murakan might not have escaped unscathed.
"Fortune in misfortune."
"And I heard that Gilly is detained in one of the Elder council's secret hideouts. Chief of guardians of civilians has promised humane treatment, so you don't have to worry too much."
Gilly was detained due to her involvement with Jin in the search for Temar's tomb. Furthermore, as Jin's nanny, she knew more about him than anyone else, so it was only natural for the Elder council to interrogate her.
Information about the 'Tomb of Temar' was sensitive enough to cause a significant reaction in Runcandel.
'It's a relief that Murakan wasn't in the Wantaramo Forest. It was a wise decision to leave him behind in the clan. With him around, no one could have treated Gilly lightly. It would have been dangerous if he had crossed the line.'
Moreover, Tellot, Chief of Guardians of Civilians, had taken good care of Gilly. Although preventing her detention was a stretch, he had tried to be as considerate as possible towards Jin.
"I have a lot of work to do as soon as I return."
Jin wiped away the bloodstains on his face with the towel brought by a servant.
It was time to get new blood stains.
"Let's go."
He traveled to the Garden of Swords in the steel carriage.
The other Guardian Knights at the transfer gate quickly proceeded to the Garden of Swords, informing about Jin's return.
Clang...!
The sound of the gate chain being lifted at the entrance of the Garden of Swords was particularly heavy.
As expected, the Garden of Swords had an unusual atmosphere from the entrance. Hundreds of Guardian Knights were lined up menacingly, with the members of Elder council and flagbearers standing tall in front of them.
Eventually, Jin descended from the carriage.
The blades of four swords surrounded Jin's neck. They were the swords of the enforcement knights.
"12th flagbearer, disarm yourself."
Jin chuckled softly in response to the enforcement knight' low voice.
"Feels like I've become a traitor."
"Disarm yourself."
"And if I don't?"
"You have no choice but to follow the law."
President of the Elder council!
Suddenly, Jin shouted. His resonant, booming voice tore through the silence of the garden.
It was unthinkable.
The youngest of the family, the 12th flagbearer, addressing the President of the Elder council in such a disrespectful manner.
Immediately, a thick vein bulged on Jorden's forehead, and the eyes of Elder council members almost popped out in shock.
'Wow, this crazy guy. Even though he is my youngest brother, he's a really cool crazy guy.'
Among the flagbearers, only Mary felt a sense of satisfaction as she clenched her fists.
The other flagbearers just stared at Jin in disbelief. Even Luntia, who usually found everything bothersome, blinked in disbelief.
"You...!"
"This is outrageous! How dare the 12th flagbearer address the president of the Elder council with such disrespect!"
The Elder council members, who had come to their senses belatedly, looked at Jorden's mood.
Jorden seemed quite shaken, still looking at Jin with a somewhat vacant expression.
The enforcement knights, with their emotionless faces, still held their blades to Jin's neck.
"...Sir!"
"Ahem, h-hmm."
Eventually, Mary couldn't hold back her laughter and let out a suppressed cough.
In reality, she had been quite angry with Jin for not appearing at the meeting, but her youngest brother always provided so much amusement that she couldn't bring herself to hate him.
"Since you probably won't kill me right here, how about treating me a little more lightly?"
"What...?"
"The clan must have a lot to hear from me. How will you find the Tomb of our ancestor without me, and how will you recreate the former glory of the clan?"
Jorden's forehead narrowed.
He was barely holding on to his sanity and glared at Jin as if he wanted to kill him.
"Do you believe in that and act so recklessly, 12th flagbearer."
Despite the killing intent in his eyes, Jorden's tone was quite composed.
"Yes."
"You don't seem to value your life. Whether the information you gave to the 7th flagbearer holds any value remains to be seen."
"It seems the president of the Elder council is the one who doesn't value his honor."
Each word Jin uttered scratched at Jorden's nerves. The bulging vein on his forehead seemed like it would burst at any moment.
"Do you think you can talk to me about honor?"
"What can't I talk about? I actually mentioned honor because I wanted to help the president of the Elder council. You even brought the Black Sword Association's enforcement knights to put a blade to my neck..."
Tock, tock.
Jin continued speaking while tapping the blades of the enforcement knights.
"This. If you don't cut me down here, what kind of humiliation would you face? It's not like there are just one or two people watching. It means you won't be able to contain the rumors."
Standing beside Jin, Petro felt like his lifespan was decreasing with every word he spoke. Beads of cold sweat streamed down Petro's pale face.
But Jin was certain.
'The president of the Elder council won't kill me.'
It wasn't that he couldn't.
It was entirely possible that Jorden, unable to contain his anger, would order the enforcement knights to kill Jin.
But it was only a possibility, and it wouldn't benefit Jorden in any way.
On the contrary, he would incur significant losses. Not only would he lose the means to keep Joshua in check, but if other factions benefited from the Tomb of Temar in the future, the consequences would be dire.
Even if Jorden were determined to kill Jin, it wasn't a certainty that he could do so.
'Even if the president of the Elder council orders the enforcement knights to kill me, there's a high chance that Mother will stop them.'
Unless Rosa had more information about the Tomb of Temar than Jin did. From her perspective, Jin shouldn't die just yet.
There wasn't a 100% chance that Rosa would stop Jorden if he loses his composure, but Jin was confident.
Jin glanced up briefly and looked at the main house within the Garden of swords. He even smiled as he focused on Rosa's office.
The silence passed.
This unprecedented situation was beyond words to describe.
"...your arrogance and recklessness have no bounds. To think that someone like you could raise the flag of Runcandel, it seems times have indeed changed."
When Jorden had made the decision to pressure Jin with the enforcement knights, he hadn't expected this outcome.
What he had hoped for was that Jin would realize the gravity of the situation and request assistance from others to rectify it.
If Jin had proposed a deal, asking other flagbearers or Tellot for help to alleviate the Elder council's pressure, Jorden intended to use it as a pretext to find out exactly who Jin's potential allies were.
He never expected Jin to come out this boldly. Just like everyone who had dealt with Jin before.
So, Jorden had no choice.
If he simply allowed this to pass, as Jin suggested, it would undoubtedly lead to a severe loss of honor, just as Jin said.
"Adapting to change is not an easy task, president of the Elder council."
"True, you're right. But you, you still haven't disarmed yourself."
Jorden lifted his chin slightly and spoke softly.
"Cut off both of his arms."
Squick-!
The enforcement knights, without hesitation, severed Jin's two arms upon Jorden's command.
Thump, thump.
The severed limbs fell to the ground with a dull sound.
And Jin didn't even spare a glance at his fallen arms.
One step at a time, Jin approached Jorden.
"Is that all you have to say?"
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