章節 258: Chapter 417
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The debris of Grenil couldn't even fall to the ground.
It was because of the sword energy that filled the black sky. The debris was turned to dust by sword energy and scattered like smoke, and the leader's form dissipated like scattering smoke."
'It's over.'
Now that the Dragon Knights have arrived, there is no way the situation would turn around again.
That's how Jin assessed the situation.
There was no way to turn around the situation unless Zipfel suddenly sent reinforcements to Kinzelo, or the Vermont Imperial Family betrayed Hairan.
The alliance between Zipfel and Kinzelo had long been broken, so the former was impossible, and the latter was the same. Originally, the Dragon Knights belonged to Hairan, but the command was held by the Emperor.
It was the result of the imperial family's constant pressure on Hairan for generations. The Dragon Knights had come to defend their home under the Emperor's orders.
'Before they flee, we must inflict as much damage as possible.'
Even if the Dragon Knights joined the battle, it was impossible to completely annihilate Kinzelo here today. There is no way they would have attacked Hairan without preparing a means of escape.
Kudak...!
The raging flames of the Flame Orb that had been spinning fiercely suddenly stopped moving. A massive crescent-shaped mark appeared at the forefront of Grenil as if a giant had taken a bite.
Eventually, Jin wiped the blood from his mouth as the flames completely disappeared.
There was no need to worry about the backflow anymore. From now on, Jin's only task was to watch the battle.
On the ground, Linpa and the Dragon Knights continued to press Berakt. His heavily injured body, which had been completely healed, was covered in wounds once again.
However, Berakt couldn't be easily defeated as he was also among the world's top martial artists.
The Dragon Knights were digging in at the broken forefront battleship Grenil. It seemed that they couldn't easily infiltrate due to the resistance from members of Kinzelo inside and the structure of the battleship, but it was only a matter of time.
A moment later, Jin could see the leader suddenly reappearing at the broken forefront of Grenil.
The scattered and hazy energy formed the body of the leader in front of the ship. It was clearly an action to prevent the Dragon Knights from entering.
Furthermore, the process seemed to have taken quite a while, as the newly formed body of the leader was trembling like an aspen tree.
'I think he is overdoing it? To protect Grenil.'
Jin felt this way, and everyone else who witnessed the scene thought that as well.
'More precisely, he is not doing this to protect Grenil but to protect the passengers.'
The people aboard Grenil were all key members of Kinzelo.
Bubare, the Sculptor of Chaos, vice-leader Bishkel, Cold Joe for living golem development, and Margiella.
Although it was unclear exactly what abilities Margiella possessed, judging by how she was treated, she was more than just Bishkel's sister. She also had a connection to chaos.
"All the Dragon Knights in the sky attack the battleship!"
When Ron gave the order, the Dragon Knights densely formed their ranks. The sharp sound of blast was created as the charging Bird Dragons rushed in.
Jin had already casted a powerful spell, and it seemed like the Dragon Knights could easily annihilate Grenil in an instant.
But at that moment...
Everyone on the battlefield had to realize that Kinzelo's leader had not yet revealed all of his power.
The leader's previously vague figure grew darker.
The blood-red pupils revealed a distinct glow. It wasn't just a special bloodlust or energy, but an inexplicably ominous feeling.
The leader's steel sword caused a shockwave in the empty space, and Jin couldn't help but gasp as he saw the sword emitting a streak of energy.
'Elder sister Luna's... Mind's Blade!?'
Crimson sword aura.
It was the same sword technique that Jin had only seen once before when Luna used it to cut down Andrei Zipfel using the Demon God's Stone.
Although it did not have the exact same form as the "Mind's Blade: Blood Moon" that Luna used back then, the crimson sword aura displayed by the leader unmistakably resembled Luna's sword. It was similar enough that one could believe it was the same person who had unleashed it.
"Be careful!"
"Block it!"
Ron and the commander of Dragon Knights shouted simultaneously.
The charging Bird Dragons suddenly twisted their bodies, and the Dragon Knights deployed their sword shields instead of attacking with sword aura.
The leader's sword was displaying a terrifying force that tore through the sword shields of Hairan's best knights like a piece of paper. It wasn't just a mere visual resemblance to Luna's sword.
Fortunately, no Dragon Knight lost their life or suffered fatal injuries due to the crimson sword aura. Only after it passed through the Dragon Knights did it finally stop upon colliding with Rashid's radiance.
'Elder sister Luna mentioned that she had defeated a demon when she retrieved Orgal's Pendant. Could it be that Kinzelo's leader was related to that demon?'
Jin couldn't confirm it immediately.
Even the Dragon Knights who had almost penetrated deep into the battleship were now being pushed back. The bird dragons who had come too close had their wings torn by the consecutive strikes of the crimson sword aura.
Kiaaah!
Other Dragon Knights descended to rescue the falling bird dragons.
At that moment, Jin unknowingly clenched his fist. This was because a person with the level of skill as the leader could not miss such an opening.
'It looks like the Dragon Knights' formation is about to break.'
Losing formation in such a chaotic battle would be more than just a setback—it could have devastating consequences. Especially if they lost the Bird Dragons, they would lose their aerial combat capabilities.
However, the leader couldn't exploit that opening and attack the knights.
Stumbling...
Instead, the leader showed the sign of exerting too much force. It was a vulnerability that should never have been shown to the enemy.
The leader was far from being in perfect condition as Jin had foreseen from the beginning.
But whether that would be good news for Jin, his comrades, or anyone who had to fight against Kinzelo was another question.
'It's scary to think that he can display such power even in his current state, where he's barely forming his entire body with his unique authority. If he fully recovers in the future...'
Jin couldn't even begin to imagine how strong he might become.
'Maybe he'll be on par with my father, if not stronger.'
Except for Battle God Vahn and Temar, nobody had ever given Jin such an impression. The power leader had displayed was that shocking.
Huuung!
Murakan carried Ron on his back and charged towards the leader. The leader was swaying in the air and missed the opening among the Dragon Knights.
Of course, it was an extremely short opening.
But the story could change when the one seizing that opening was Murakan, the Black Dragon, and Ron, the Sword Emperor.
[Destroy him, Ron Hairan!]
Murakan used his shadow force to form a shield around himself.
It was a shield to protect himself from Ron's attacks, but it also acted as a curtain and partially obscured the leader's view.
Ron's entire body glowed with radiance.
Soon after, he leaped forward from Murakan's back, and a dazzling light illuminated the area.
Overlord sword, Secret Technique
Sun.
It was the technique that Dante had used against the attackers, but Ron's Sun and Dante's Sun were only similar in name. But, of course they were on a different level.
Huaaaa!
The aura radiating from Ron formed a literal sun-like sphere. The leader and battleship Grenil were both engulfed by this sphere.
The Dragon Knights, including the ones who had been rescuing their falling comrades, joined forces again. Their role was to prevent the energy of the Sun from spreading to the allies on the ground.
Despite their efforts, deep and massive craters had formed across the ground. The shockwaves alone caused the entire terrain to vibrate, and the collapsing Sword Emperor's Castle wavered perilously as if it might collapse entirely.
The ear-splitting noise made one's ears ring, and the flashes of light pierced through the eyes like finely honed blades.
It seemed impossible for any living being to emerge from within Ron's Sun. Countless blades were being shot out inside that sphere, and slashing through battleship Grenil and the leader.
"Leader!"
Berakt looked at the sky with a worried expression. But before he could fully examine Ron's Sun, a massive greatsword from Linpa came crashing down.
Berakt's chest was sliced open by the greatsword, and he lost his ear in the ensuing attack. The two of his toes were severed just before the distance between them widened again.
In contrast, Linpa remained completely unharmed.
"Now... die."
Just as Linpa was about to cut off Berakt's life.
Ahhhh….!
A person's roar and a sharp noise of the Sun being "ripped apart," echoed through the sky.
It was Kinzelo's leader who had let out that roar.
A crimson light was spreading through the cracks that had spread throughout the Sun. It was the crimson sword aura.
The Sun had been destroyed.
Ron's secret technique, which he had unleashed with all his might, was now being shattered by someone else's sword beneath the sky of Sword Emperor Castle.
The light of the Sun and the crimson sword aura, which had filled the entire sky, faded away like receding waves. Even Murakan's shadow force that dyed the entire sky black, couldn't overcome the shock.
The sky quickly regained its original color.
And in the midst of it all, the half-destroyed Grenil was obscuring the morning moon and the leader standing at its forefront.
He no longer had a vague form like before. It was a demon very close to human form.
[Gehh...!]
His entire body was torn apart and bursting, and it was far from being in a recognizable state. His body was torn to shreds to the point where you could say it was halfway gone, and he was spewing blood.
Even his head that was only half left and oozing blood, took on a ghastly form that sent chills down the spine.
In front of the leader, Murakan was floating with his wings curled.
Flap!
Ron Hairan came out as Murakan spread his wings. He was injured, but unlike the leader, who was almost torn in half, he didn't seem to have suffered additional injuries.
However, Jin and the Dragon Knights, as well as Murakan, knew the truth.
Ron had suffered internal injuries to a degree that could be dangerous if he continued to fight.
On the other hand, the leader seemed to have an inexplicable composure despite his body being torn apart and vomiting blood. The battleship Grenil that he was protecting remained in the same state as before the great spell had hit it.
The leader remained intact while Ron seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
Huff, huff...
The leader gasped for breath and raised his remaining arm to swing the steel sword.
Then, a massive steel door, even larger than the battleship Grenil, opened in the sky, and the Dragon Knights attempted to fly towards it to prevent Grenil from reaching the door.
However, Ron stopped them with a glance. They didn't know what might happen if the battle continued further.
The leader nodded as if Ron's judgment was correct and he looked at Jin as Grenil passed through the steel door.
Then, a smile appeared on the leader's remaining half face and he leisurely passed though the steel gate.
章節 259: Chapter 418
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What the hell just happened…..
Everyone couldn't help but think that.
No one could have predicted that the home of Vermont's best knight clan, which seemed unbreakable as long as there was no world war, would be so ruthlessly and unexpectedly destroyed.
And on top of that the attackers who had destroyed the Sword Emperor Castle had already left using an unknown power.
Even the Dragon Knights had joined in at the end of the battle, but it wasn't as if the terrorists had suffered significant casualties and retreated.
It was a complete defeat.
Only black smoke rose throughout the Sword Emperor Castle that had almost become a ruin.
"...Kid."
"Brother Jin."
Murakan and Linpa approached Jin. Murakan looked exhausted because of the battle, and Linpa appeared as calm as when she was first summoned.
Murakan had desperately defended against the attacks of the cannons and the leader alongside Ron, while Linpa had not had the opportunity to use her full power.
Linpa supported Jin when he staggered forward.
Jin felt sorry for Linpa just as it had been when he summoned Garmund in the past. He felt a sense of guilt that stemmed from the fact that she would return to Laprarosa without remembering anything.
Linpa nodded as if she understood without Jin having to say anything.
"The outside world... has changed a lot. It is the first…. I saw a toy causing so much trouble."
"I think brethren are the only ones who can describe Berakt Sidriker as a toy in the world."
"I... will go back. You have a lot to do."
"Thank you, sister Linpa."
Linpa ruffled Jin's hair with a smirk.
Then, she spoke with a heavy expression,
"That demon... looks familiar."
"Are you talking about the leader of Kinzelo?"
Linpa nodded his head.
"Clearly... I've encountered him before….. with our... brethren."
Upon hearing those words, Jin exchanged a puzzled glance with Linpa.
"What does that mean? He has fought against the brethren of the Plutonian tribe before?"
"I'm not sure…. To that extent. But... I'm certain. We've crossed paths..."
Linpa tried to recall more about the leader, but she could only be sure that they had indeed met; everything else remained elusive.
-You mean I had met the leader of the Kinzelo even a thousand years ago...? I thought he was just some random demon I came across somewhere. It seems that demon has some connection with me.
Suddenly, Jin was reminded of the moment he had discussed with Murakan about the leader after entering the second tomb of Tema.
It was right after the record he saw that protected by the guardian Sarah.
'I simply thought Murakan had memory issues at that time and couldn't remember anything about the leader... but maybe…'
Perhaps the records about the leader had been manipulated.
That thought crossed his mind.
Murakan had seemed to know the leader a thousand years ago according to the records, and as soon as Linpa saw him, she was sure that she saw him before but can't remember.
'If the history and records about the commander were manipulated, it's only natural that Zipfel is involved. But why?'
The exact reason remains unknown for now. However, it was a problem that could not be simply dismissed.
'Because he poses a threat.'
The authority and strength displayed by the leader were undoubtedly threatening even to Zipfel from a thousand years ago.
Everyone clearly saw how the leader single-handedly put pressure on the entire Sword Emperor Castle, blocked Ron and Murakan, and continued to restore the strength of his allies in real time even though he wasn't in perfect condition.
Everyone had a hunch that If Kingelo's leader had been in 'perfect' condition, the battle would not have ended at this point.
"Be careful... brother Jin. He's dangerous... guy."
"Alright."
"See you later."
Phssss...
Linpa's body slowly faded into particles of shadow force. Jin watched the fading image of Linpa with a bittersweet sigh.
He surveyed the situation.
The Dragon Knights and other swords of Hairan were attending to the wounded and assessing the damage. The allied forces that had fought together were regrouping their troops.
Veradin was still being supported by Enya, and Shuri came to him and reported about Dante's safety.
'The fact that they are unharmed means that we have at least avoided the worst-case scenario.'
Jin was the first to move to rescue those two amidst the chaos of battle. Now, what remained was cleanup and counterattack, which was not Jin's responsibility.
"Lord!"
The Dragon Knight Commander descended beside Ron.
Blood trickled through Ron's lips, but he surveyed the surroundings while breathing heavily. Again, Jin thought even that was unrealistic.
Hoo, hoo...
Jin could feel Ron's rough breaths even though there was quite a distance between them. Ron still exuded a majestic aura despite his disheveled hair and numerous wounds all over his body.
Ron approached Jin with firm steps.
All the martial artists who had been watching this scene blinked in surprise.
It was because Ron was approaching the flagbearer of Runcandel instead of members of the Hairan clan right after the battle.
All eyes followed the two of them. Ron wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and suddenly grasped Jin's right arm.
Thump!
Then, Ron raised Jin's right arm high into the air, as if paying tribute to a victor in a competition.
It was just as shocking as the recent terror attack to the martial artists. Some unconsciously covered their mouths with their hands and swallowed hard.
It was an unrealistic sight for everyone as the Sword Emperor, the patriarch of Hairan, is praising the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel immediately after the terror attack.
Jin was inwardly surprised as well... no, in reality, he was as stunned as the martial artists who were holding their breath. However, he maintained a composed expression.
Of course, besides the surprise, Jin quickly understood why Ron had placed him at the forefront.
'It's to stop Runcandel.'
After the terror attack and the severe injuries suffered by the Sword Emperor, Hairan was in a dire situation.
The optimal time for one predator to attack another is when the prey is injured. In other words, external forces seeking to restrain Hairan would have the best opportunity after today.
Among them, Runcandel was undoubtedly the most troublesome force. If Runcandel became aware of the situation and decided to make a move, Hairan wouldn't have the means to stop them.
Their only support was the Imperial family and Zipfel, but the former had always been cautious about Hairan, even going so far as to confine the Dragon Knights. Zipfel, on the other hand, was more dangerous than the Imperial family if they reached out carelessly.
In such a situation, what if he attend Jin, who actually attended the banquet as the 'representative' of Runcandel, first?
No matter how powerful and dominating Runcandel is, it would be difficult to attack Hairan immediately after the heartwarming atmosphere (witnessed by all the attending factions) of the banquet.
'Well, it's unlikely that Runcandel would attack Hairan even if Sir Ron did not do this, but there was no safer and more efficient option available to Hairan.'
In a way, it gives Jin goosebumps. The fact that Ron made such a sharp judgment immediately after the chaotic incident had ended. That's what makes it even more remarkable—the world's best knight, who has an arrogant attitude to begin with.
"Jin Runcandel, I, the lord of Sword Emperor Castle, will never forget your dedication and courage in this incident."
However, there was one thing that Jin hadn't considered.
That statement wasn't like a politician's empty words, but it was filled with genuine gratitude. Ron genuinely held Jin in the highest regard for his role in this incident.
Instead of replying, Jin simply nodded silently.
"Also, I am deeply grateful to those who fought alongside the Hairan clan in the face of the terror attack. Too many have sacrificed their lives….. I express my condolences. I promise to take responsibility in any form."
As Ron lowered his head, the other martial artists who had been observing the situation had no choice but to follow suit.
When they raised their heads again, their gaze naturally turned toward Jin.
It was a burden to keep looking at Ron, and it was natural to feel strange about the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel, who had recently shaken up the Garden of Swords and stood out in the Sword Emperor Castle.
Jin turned away from the particularly bright eyes of Lata Proch and looked at Zephyrin, who was receiving a scolding in the corner.
'The Demon Dragon.'
Of course, there was still no confirmation that Zephyrin was the Demon Dragon, but he felt it was time to meet with the leader of Black King Mercenaries once the situation settled down.
For the time being, everyone here would be staying in Hairan for the investigation anyway.
***
November 10, 1799, approximately two weeks had passed since the "Terror Attack on the Sword Emperor Castle" incident had occurred.
Not only Hairan, but the entire Vermont empire had not yet recovered from the shock of that day. Even people in distant lands who only received the news through word of mouth were in a similar state.
The Sword Emperor Castle remained in ruins.
The restoration hasn't started yet. Most of the officials had set up tents near the castle, and it created the impression that only the Sword Emperor Castle was engaged in a war within Vermont's territory.
In reality, the Sword Emperor Castle was indeed fighting a war.
Against those they believed were their allies. The Imperial family of Vermont hadn't assisted Hairan at all.
Not assisting would be one thing, but they had gone as far as to defend Kinzelo. Despite clear evidence pointing to Kinzelo and the tremendous damage they had inflicted on Hairan, the Imperial family refrained from labeling Kinzelo as terrorists.
They used vague expressions like "an unfortunate accident." Furthermore, the Imperial family had stated that they couldn't be sure if the giant monsters and living golems used in the attack were indeed Kinzelo's.
Not many people expected that the Imperial family would handle the situation so lukewarmly.
However, those who observed the current attitude could all deduce the same conclusion: After the incident, there must have been some kind of deal or understanding between the Imperial family, Kinzelo and Zipfel.
Not only Kinzelo but also Zipfel denied any involvement in the terrorism after taking Veradin away, and the Imperial family was turning a blind eye to these actions.
Originally, since there was evidence that Kinzelo had targeted Veradin, Zipfel should have had to pay some kind of price to Hairan.
But the imperial family intended to tame or hunt down Hairan.
In a way, Hairan had been betrayed by the Imperial family.
"Huuh..."
Dante let out a tired sigh in the basement of the Sword Emperor Castle, and his face showed signs of fatigue. The basement of the Sword Emperor Castle was in relatively good condition compared to the surface.
Jin placed his hand on Dante's shoulder.
"Dante, are you nervous about meeting him?"
"If I weren't, I'd be lying."
"Let's hope his diary is still intact."
Tuk, tuk, tuk.
Footsteps were heard from the darkness. Soon, a figure in robes and the knights who brought him appeared. It was Veradin.
The knights stepped back when Dante signaled, and Veradin lowered his hood and revealed his face. In the dim basement, the three figures cast deep shadows.
Dante did not greet the newcomer with the usual warm and polite demeanor, and Veradin remained silent with a firm expression.
There was a heavy silence for a while, but it was Veradin who spoke first.
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