章節 325: Chapter 484
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"Hmm! So, did you think Lord Jin would win from the beginning and yet told me to bet on Dame Mary, Sir Valkas? You even lied, saying that if I had seen Dame Mary's sword in person, I would have thought the same…"
Tak! Kashmir set down his glass and said. Murakan and Valkas were patting his back with a chuckle.
"I recently joined Tikan, so shouldn't I make a good impression on Lord Murakan? Huhuhu, please understand."
"Anyway, you are quietly foolish, aren't you? Hey, and even if we think the kid will lose, we must bet on the kid no matter what. Can you just bet two thousand gold recklessly if it seems like the other side will win or not?"
Kashmir's forehead wrinkled when he saw the two people laughing.
"No, didn't you instruct me and Sir Valkas to bet on Dame Mary, Lord Murakan!?"
"Oh, now you are yelling at me. Are you out of your mind? Huh? Are you acting like this because you lost the bet and don't want to give up the money? You, the second richest man in Tikan?"
"When did I yell, again! And it's not about the money!"
"You yell again just now. No, I can't stand it, you little creature. Oh, did you avoid it? Here, come here! Hey!"
As if playing a game of catch, Murakan and Kashmir started running comically, and laughter erupted from all around.
"It's a peaceful sight."
Mary said while watching all of this.
After the duel and the award ceremony in the style of Cosmos, Jin and his companions, as well as Mary and the pirates, were having a light post-celebration. They were congratulating Jin's victory.
Jin was sitting next to her, fiddling with the book that Chiron had written himself. He still looked as dazed as when he first received it.
'It seems my father is really interested in elder sister Mary.'
He couldn't imagine the sight of his ruthless father writing a training manual for someone. Even if he forcibly tried to imagine it, he could only vaguely see the back of the man.
"Is Tikan always like this?"
"Most of the time."
"It is really different from the gloomy atmosphere of the Garden of Swords. By the way, you can't take your eyes off it. Do you really like it that much?"
When Jin turned his head and smiled, Mary burst into laughter as if she couldn't stand it.
"Even my cold-blooded younger brother can make such a foolish expression. I thought the only thing you were interested in was fighting like a maniac, but this is also quite nice."
Jin adjusted his expression and gently put the book in his pocket.
"If you wish, I can make you laugh more. What kind of expression should I make?"
"Suddenly, speaking so dryly makes it boring. You have to be a little embarrassed to make it fun."
Clang! The two of them clinked their glasses.
"The youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"All the major factions that haven't gone to the Gaifa Archipelago are gathered in the desert named Sota. Have you heard of it?"
Mary was talking about the information she promised to tell Jin.
[Miya!]
Before Jin could respond, Shuri, who had been lying between Mary and Jin (she had been summoned because Mary missed her), let out a cry.
Shuri raised her body and used her front paw claws to draw the location of the Sota Desert on the floor, indicating that she knew where it was, and Mary let out an exclamation.
"Wow, I always feel this whenever I see you, but you're really a clever one. Yes, Shuri. It's there. The desert is located near the center of the Lutero Magic Federation."
In the center of the Lutero Magic Federation, there is not only the Sota Desert but also the capital and the headquarters of the Zipfel, "Drakka."
The first divisions of the three major factions are gathered near that area.
"What is happening in that desert?"
"They are producing new Kozecs."
From the moment Mary first mentioned the word 'Zipfel,' Jin had a certain expectation.
'This is the battleship that Midor summoned with Myuron from that cube.'
The point to note here is not the new 'Kozec,' but the use of the term 'Kozecs' in plural.
"...So they are building and mass-producing giant battleships like Kozecs in the facility located in the Sota Desert."
"Yeah, who would have thought they could mass-produce that?"
"So we need to go and destroy that production facility."
"That's right."
It was a top-secret mission, unlike any other.
In enemy territory. Near the headquarters. It was an attack on a secret facility, and only a very small number of people could be sent back. Jin immediately began to calculate various strategies for the mission.
The solutions were so bad that he had no choice but to grit his teeth.
"When did the clan find out that Zipfel was operating a flying battleship shipyard?"
"The clan seems to have known about the shipyard operation for a while. They only found out the exact location shortly after you destroyed the Black King Mountain Hideout."
"Elder sister, you just now said that not only our clan but also Kinzelo and the Imperial family are on standby in the Sota Desert. So, is it possible that our clan obtained information after them?"
"That's not true. They also got similar information around the same time and rushed to send their top executives to the Sota Desert instead of the Gaifa Archipelago. I am sure about Kinzelo, but the Imperial family may not have sent people to Sota."
"Runcandel and Kinzelo, and the Imperial family got similar information at the same time. This is... clearly a trap."
Jin was convinced.
Zipfels deliberately leaked the information about the shipyard in the Sota Desert. If not, it would be impossible for Runcandel, Kinzelo, and the Imperial family to send people at the same time.
"Diphus Orabeoni said the same thing.
"He probably also said that it was a trap we couldn't avoid."
Mary nodded her head.
It was indeed a trap that they couldn't avoid.
'Attacking the shipyard in the desert right next to Drakka is, in fact, a crazy idea. Even if we succeed and return by pouring in our best manpower, the benefits that the clan and other factions gain are minimal, mainly just consuming Zipfel's resources and slightly delaying Kozec's mass production.'
Of course, since it is a project to build a battleship, so an astronomical amount of resources and manpower may be invested, but it was not worth the effort that the top personnel of each faction, excluding Zipfel, would risk their lives.
As long as the technology was preserved, they could rebuild the shipyard if it was destroyed.
But they couldn't afford to let the Kozecs continue to be manufactured. In this operation, Zipfel was effectively starting from scratch, trying to defeat other factions from the beginning.
If they had already lost.
Jin needed to find a way to win as best as possible, and only then could he avoid being defeated next time.
Or even if the clan lost, Jin had to create a situation where he could gain as much benefit as possible. So he could use those benefits when the clan eventually became his.
'What does Zipfel want? Why did they suddenly leak information about the shipyard at this time? To lure the top personnel from each faction to the center of the Lutero Magic Federation and eliminate them one by one? No, that violates the main premise that there would be no full-scale war as long as my father is around.'
If the top flagbearers died in the shipyard, it could lead to a full-scale war.
'If they intended to fight properly, they would have built all the battleships first and launched a preemptive attack at an unexpected time instead of revealing the location of the shipyard.'
In that case, what was their intention...?
A word suddenly flashed through Jin's mind.
Check.
'Are Zipfels trying to check the strength of the representatives from each faction who attacked the shipyard or whether they possess any special abilities?'
The Sota Desert was near the capital city, Drakka, and Drakka was located at the center of the Federation.
Drakka hadn't been exposed to any attacks from outside forces in the past thousand years. Even Runcandel would find it nearly impossible to create an infiltration team that could infiltrate all the border networks up to Drakka.
'Attacking the secret shipyard next door wouldn't be much different. If Runcandel, Kinzelo, or the Imperial family succeed in infiltrating the shipyard, it's as if Zipfel is checking the abilities of outside forces.'
Kinzelo had the leader, Plutonian-type golems and Bubare, the Imperial family had Majins, and Runcandel had Jin, Murakan, and Joshua, the Prophet.
Of these, the only one that Zipfel might not know exists is the Prophet.
A sharp intuition struck his mind.
'Zipfel found out that Joshua has a special ability and wants to know about his power...!'
That's why they laid down the sweet poison, the trap that they couldn't help but step into.
Of course, it could have been an overkill.
But if that wasn't the case, he couldn't think of any other reason why Zipfel would reveal the location of the secret shipyard.
'Also, there's a high probability that Zipfels didn't include me in their calculations. I chose to go for the Gaifa Archipelago instead of infiltrating the secret shipyard in the Sota Desert. Furthermore, they would have concluded that Joshua and I could not carry out a mission together considering our hostile relationship.'
A faint smile finally appeared on Jin's lips, which had been dark all along.
Once again, he had the role of a variable.
"But, elder sister."
"Yes?"
"Why are you entrusting this mission to me instead of going to the Sota Desert yourself? Is it because of the training you mentioned earlier?"
"That's one reason, but if I had won the duel earlier, I had intended to go myself. Sending the stronger one increases the chances that Diphus Orabeoni won't get hurt."
Joshua and Diphus were the two flagbearers currently stationed in the Sota Desert, waiting for infiltration.
Mary stood up, emptied her glass, and said, "It's time for the losers to leave. This is a letter from Diphus Orabeoni. The infiltration route is marked on it, so just follow it. In case something happens to him, I'm counting on you to make sure he doesn't die."
"Elder sister, hold on."
"Hmm? What is it? Are you trying to thank me for the training manual? Heh, try it five times."
"No, it's not that. Well, of course, I'm incredibly grateful. Please take a look at this."
What caught the eye of Mary as she tilted her head was a knitted green rose.
"Actually, elder sister Yona was here before you came. She even confirmed that the boat was yours, but she was too busy to meet you in person, so she asked me to pass this on to you."
Mary's eyes sparkled as she heard a story that contained somewhat well-intentioned lies.
"Oh, really? Yona, that girl?"
"Yes."
"Haha! Yona had such a cute and adorable side! Isn't she just embarrassed rather than busy? Alright, I like it. To show appreciation for her kindness, my next challenge will be in Samil!"
"Elder sister Mary?"
"Cosmos!"
Mary rushed to the railing and shouted the pirate's name.
"Yes, Captain!"
"Raise the anchor. We've just decided our next destination!"
Immediately, the pirates, scattered across the deck, raised the anchor and prepared for the voyage.
Mary once again covered her eyes with the black eyepatch and before she ran off, she turned around and shouted.
"Come back with Diphus Orabeoni without getting hurt. Got it!?"
Jin smiled and nodded.
章節 326: Chapter 485
[Support me here:- https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]
***
On February 27, 1800, a raging sandstorm obscured everything in sight outside the field camp.
The relentless sandstorm that blew all day with the power to bury everything was so tedious that even just watching it could make you nauseous, but the fact remained that this very sandstorm had concealed the members of Runcandel for the past few weeks.
It had also shielded the fact that there was a massive battleship construction yard here until Zipfel intentionally leaked the information.
"Ugh..."
Diphus groaned softly, pressing his forehead.
He felt a pounding headache after reading the newsletter brought by the enforcement knights who had gone to the nearby village in the morning.
(The Windfury and Black Crown Prince fought a battle on deck in the sea near Tikan..... The sea split and the sky opened up whenever the two knights swung their swords.)
(The war of ranks had started out of nowhere due to Mary Runcandel's provocation! The winner was the 12th flagbearer…)
(Mr. Cosmos, the confidant of the 7th flagbearer, revealed, 'the Captain wanted to continue to fight the 12th flagbearer as soon as she heard that he single-handedly defeated the Black King Mountain Hideout.' Were the rumors about the Black Kings incident true?)
(The rumors circulated that the 12th flagbearer had been involved in the recent unknown battle near the Gaifa Archipelago... Did Jin Runcandel kill (or make disappear) Amela?)
(Mr. Zemo, a confidant of the 12th flagbearer, confirmed, 'Amela was indeed sent to the other world by our lord in a single slash.')
(Jin Runcandel climbed to the fifth rank in just one year after becoming a flagbearer. Has the Runcandel succession structure truly changed?)
(Overwhelming victory against the 7th flagbearer! The 12th flagbearer continued to soar, and how long would their legend last?)
'Mary, I expected you to cause a big incident, but I never expected you would have a duel with the youngest in front of the public.'
They hadn't been able to visit the village every day, so it had already been over a week since the news had come out.
While the infiltration team was hiding in the Sota Desert, the world was in chaos due to the battle between Jin and Mary.
-Do whatever you want for the time being. Cause as many incidents as you like, train as you please. I'll take care of the aftermath."
Diphus recalled the words he had said to Mary some time ago. He truly intended to help Mary live her life to her fullest.
However, he desperately needs Mary's help due to the unexpected leak of information about the battleship construction yard by Zipfel.
Luna and Luntia were on different missions and unavailable, and the lower-ranked flagbearers were likely to be more of a burden if he called them.
So, with the intention of getting help just one last time before Mary left, he hurriedly sent a letter indicating the infiltration tunnel.
Diphus never thought he would hear the news that she had a fight with the youngest.
'Could it be that she didn't receive the letter? No, that can't be. Knowing Mary's style... She probably challenged the youngest to a duel with the intention of the winner to come here to support me.'
Phew.
Diphus let out a sigh.
Asking Jin for support wasn't something he hadn't considered at all.
He had just officially become the 5th flagbearer in ranking, but Jin's strength and abilities are comparable to the top flagbearers, as proven during the patriarchy declaration.
However, the reason he preferred Mary's support over Jin's was clear.
Coordination and teamwork.
Needless to say, the brother Diphus trusted most was Mary. If he had to entrust his back in such a dangerous mission, it had to be Mary.
Moreover, in terms of teamwork, Mary was a much better fit than Jin. Just knowing about Joshua and Jin's relationship would make anyone think so.
'Of course, Jin and Joshua would probably divide the work, but... I don't have a good feeling about this.'
Swoosh!
As he had that thought, suddenly both the front and back doors of the barrack opened at the same time.
Joshua and the Black Knight, who were out scouting, entered through the front door, and Jin, who had just arrived, entered through the back door.
"...The youngest? Why are you here?"
When Joshua raised an eyebrow, Diphus shrugged, and Jin casually asked a question.
"There are quite a few strange tunnels along the infiltration tunnel. Were they made by you, 2nd flagbearer?"
Strange tunnels.
That was a question that had intrigued Diphus as well. Joshua had created the entire infiltration tunnel into the Sota Desert. Diphus had attempted to create a different tunnel from another direction but had failed and eventually joined Joshua's tunnel.
During this process, Diphus had also confirmed that Joshua's infiltration tunnel was in a shape that no ordinary person or average magic could create.
Joshua's infiltration tunnel clearly dug deep enough to cause the ground to collapse, but for some reason, it maintained its shape without collapsing.
"Yeah, I made it."
"It seemed like an infiltration tunnel that couldn't have been made by humans."
"Do you think your limited standards apply to everyone? I've clearly overestimated your intelligence."
"Are you not hiding the fact that there's a helper, the so-called prophet or something?"
Since he had met Joshua in the mausoleum immediately after the patriarchy declaration, Jin had judged that Joshua would soon reveal the existence of the prophet to everyone.
Even back then, Jin had openly discussed the prophet in front of other flagbearers and elders, but Joshua had shown no sign of being particularly disturbed.
"You seem to be having some misconceptions."
Joshua shook his head and continued speaking.
"I've never hidden the existence of the prophet. The fact that you and the other flagbearers didn't know about it was simply because you lacked the necessary access to information."
Jin chuckled.
"Well, I didn't bring up the subject to get a strong reaction from you. I feel reassured to think that someone who has been a top secret for a long time is helping me with my work. There are two Black Knights now as well."
The Black Knights didn't react to Jin's provocative behavior. Joshua's gaze landed on Jin's shoulder, where Murakan in the form of a cat was snoring.
"I'm relieved to think that the clan's guardian deity is watching over this mission. Our goals are infiltration and assassination, so you're more suitable for the job than Mary."
While the two were conversing, Diphus continued to ponder the word "prophet."
'How much information did the youngest find out about Joshua?'
And how did they find out?
Diphus felt a mixture of bitterness and curiosity.
He had been aware for a while that Joshua had some special power or helper behind him, but that was all he knew.
He had been investigating for a long time but had found no clues about what Joshua possessed. He had assumed that Rosa had hidden information about Joshua from him, making it impossible to find out.
On the other hand, Jin seemed to know everything about the prophet since the patriarchy declaration. Diphus couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.
'A defeat is a defeat, and I need to figure out a way for the youngest to share his information with me. I have to gather as much information as possible and move faster than Joshua, even if it's slower than the youngest.'
Diphus came to that conclusion, while Joshua and Jin continued to look at each other.
'I mentioned the Black Knights on purpose, but there was no reaction. Has Dox not gone to Rikalton yet?'
Jin thought to himself.
He hadn't received any contact from Dox yet, so he didn't know how his orders were being carried out.
Also, regardless of whether Dox went to Rikalton or not, it wasn't that difficult for someone like Joshua to hide his true feelings.
Joshua smiled and took out a bundle of documents from his pouch.
"Here is the information about the secret shipyard that we've been monitoring and the details of the operation until your arrival."
The document provided detailed information about the internal structure of the secret shipyard, surveillance personnel, risks, and special considerations.
'All facilities of this scale are built underground?'
Jin examined the internal structure, and he was taken aback by the sheer scale of the secret shipyard. It was much larger than he had anticipated.
Joshua smiled, as if he had expected Jin's reaction.
"There are a total of 24 sections, each equivalent in size to a decent-sized castle. Over half of the desert's underground is the secret shipyard. It makes me wonder how they built a facility this size and kept it secret all this time."
A few sections marked in red stood out.
"These marked sections are believed to be the most critical areas for the battleship's design or essential resources for battleship construction. The 4th, 11th, 17th, and 19th sections have the strictest security, and we haven't been able to access them yet."
Up to now, the infiltration team had been scouting the internal structure with the Prophet's power. The fact that they could not infiltrate these areas even with that special power and the abilities of the two top flagbearers and the two black knights meant that the only way was to enter by force.
And the moment they entered those four areas by force, the real time limit for this mission would begin.
"We need to choose our initial entry points wisely because we may only have one opportunity."
"Yes. The real operation will begin at 2 AM tomorrow. From then on, we obtain information directly from the inside, select one of the four sections, and begin the mission of destroying and taking over. The top priority is securing the battleship blueprint and destroying the most important resources. I guess this is enough explanation, right?
Jin nodded.
"Okay, then I guess I'll just have to rest for a bit."
Joshua turned around, taking up the newsletters on the table.
"And congratulations on reaching 5th rank. I'll give you a bottle of good wine as a gift when we return."
"Thank you, I'll gladly accept it. Oh, and thank you for your help during the Black Kings incident."
The conversation turned back to Dox once again.
When Joshua saw that Dox did not return during the Black Kings incident, he instructed his newsletters to write articles favorable to Jin and Murakan, ultimately increasing the clan's prestige.
"As I was looking at those articles, it occurred to me that there were times when the second flagbearer and I got along well."
"I hope the same thing happens during this mission, Black Crown Prince of Huphester. Hahaha…"
The moment he heard the title of Black Crown Prince, Jin felt an intense desire to kill Cosmos all over again.
As Joshua and the Black Knights left the tent, the eyes of Jin and Diphus naturally met.
"Second eldest brother."
"Yes?"
Jin spoke after a brief pause.
"...Let's kill that person during this mission."
Diphus was taken aback by the sudden declaration.
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