章節 337: Chapter 496
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***
"Runcandel and Kinzelo invaded the 2nd Magic tower. Is that all?"
The white-haired old man answered in a calm voice to the reporters who hurriedly crossed the transfer gate.
He was Kelliark Zipfel, the strongest archmage of this era and the leader of the world's greatest clan.
At the time when the shipyard was under attack, he was spending time on an uninhabited island in the western sea where Veradin's villa was located.
During the 'Battle of the Western Sea' fought by Talaris, Misha, Octavia and the Spectre Corps, the uninhabited island was completely destroyed and disappeared. But now, the island, the villa, and all the items used by Veradin had been perfectly restored.
"Moreover, Young lady Sandra has sent out all the forces of the 2nd Magic tower. If you give the order, I will immediately send Drakka's mages to the 2nd Magic Tower."
Scratch, scratch...
For a while, Kelliark flipped through the pages without saying a word. Then, as if finding an interesting passage, he raised mana in his fingers, underlining it, and smiled.
"Don't be too surprised, it's inevitable."
Before Kelliark opened his mouth, the reporters felt as if their insides were being torn apart. Time was of the essence.
However, Kelliark had anticipated from the beginning that external forces could attack not only the shipyard but also the 2nd Magic tower.
He wondered if there was a need for separate preparation.
'Hedo.'
Because that man was in the Tower of White Night.
'This incident might be an opportunity to test him again.'
Since Hedo became a member of Zipfel, Kelliark had always wanted to test him.
Even he couldn't easily guess whether Hedo was truly someone who would wholeheartedly dedicate himself to Zipfel.
"Send the reinforcements only to the shipyard. Also, since the capabilities of external forces have already been confirmed, further resource loss is meaningless. Preserve as many resources as possible."
"As you command!"
The reporters bowed in unison and retreated into the darkness.
Kelliark quietly cast his gaze across the sea, recalling the moment he first met Hedo a long time ago.
***
Ugh...!
Suddenly, Murakan covered his head with both hands. His back buckled as if he was being overcome by an unbearable headache.
Jin and Runcandels quickly surrounded Murakan, casting a protective shield. Although they had predicted it from the moment Hedo appeared, the tension after actually receiving the sword was nothing compared to before the battle began.
Needless to say, showing such a weakness in front of a transcendent being like Hedo was undeniably fatal.
Fortunately, he didn't exploit Murakan's weakness.
Not that he couldn't. Hedo didn't show it, but he felt a bit intrigued by Murakan's recent words.
'This is my first time seeing someone who speaks as if they know Bale. Even the patriarch and Sir Chiron seemed to have no idea about the identity of this sword.'
Bale.
Such characters were engraved in small letters on the blade of a longsword that Hedo obtained by chance long ago.
He didn't know exactly whether it was the name of the sword, the name of the blacksmith who made the sword, or the name of the person who used the sword.
In his youthful days, when he was actively seeking the extremes of martial arts, he was curious about the true nature of the longsword.
But shortly after, Hedo concluded that even if he knew the identity, it wouldn't be of much significance. So, he decided that Bale was probably the name of the sword.
Hedo didn't exploit the opening when Murakan's posture crumbled because he was simply waiting for him to talk about Bale.
It was also a matter of confidence.
Even with this level of leisure, the outcome would not change. The reason Zipfel didn't send reinforcements to the 2nd Magic tower was also in the same context. Kelliark knew Hedo was present here, so it was undoubtedly the case.
"Murakan."
Jin called in a low voice and checked Murakan's condition. He looked very distressed and confused.
'It's similar to the day when we first met the leader of Kinzelo in the old Oterium. I don't know why, but is Hedo's sword stimulating Murakan's confused memories...!'
Unlike Jin, the other Runcandels didn't know that Murakan's memories were incomplete and that such problems could occur in case of any conflict.
The fact that the clan's guardian deity suddenly fell into panic in a desperate situation was only bewildering.
"Krruh!"
Murakan groaned again.
1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds...
Runcandels felt a sense of crisis multiplying with each passing second.
If Murakan couldn't fight properly, there was a high probability that Runcandels would either be captured or be killed.
Jin made a decision.
'It has to work like it did back then. Like the day we first met the leader of Kinzelo, when he was spouting nonsense!'
Swoosh, bang-!
Suddenly, a fierce hitting sound that shook the eardrums erupted in the quiet hall.
Jin literally swung his fist with all his strength, delivering a swift blow to the back of Murakan's head.
Jin's actions were based on experience, but since the others did not know the circumstances, they could not help but think that Jin had gone mad.
After receiving such a strong blow to the back of his head, Murakan stood upright like a stiff pole for a while. He seemed to have turned into a stone statue.
Only his head was slightly bent in the direction where Jin's fist had struck.
"Jin, what's this?"
Diphus spoke with a trembling voice, trying to calm himself.
He thought for a moment that Murakan might have died.
Of course, that wouldn't make sense, but Murakan was so motionless that it wouldn't be strange even if he died standing up.
The direction of the neck seemed somewhat ambiguous, and taking a full-force blow from Jin in a defenseless state was as risky as it could get.
"Grr... Damn. It hurts like hell."
Fortunately, after what felt like an eternity to the Runcandels, Murakan finally spoke in an irritated voice.
"Are you awake?"
"I guess I had a, uh... Chronic illness? Yeah, it seems like I had a chronic illness. Kid, even if I was like that, why did you hit me that hard?"
Thud! Thud! Murakan turned his head, loosening the neck joints while continuing his rant.
"Can't you see how many eyes are looking at us, huh? My image is going to get ruined. My image! Huh? Huh..."
Murakan, who was talking excitedly, stumbled and lost his balance.
Although his consciousness had returned, there was a fact that Jin had overlooked. When he used the same shock therapy in the old Oterium, Jin was exhausted, and now he had full stamina. And he has also become much stronger than he was then.
'Geez, crazy. You should've controlled your strength a bit, you little brat! My bones are ringing, and the world is spinning. But what on earth is that damn sword? It seems to have a close connection with me. My head feels like it's going to explode when I try to remember.'
He was curious to the point that it's driving him crazy.
But for now, he had to focus on the fight. After all, he had to save his contractor.
'This physical beauty doesn't seem like a guy who would tell lies or use shallow tricks. He clearly said that reinforcements wouldn't come.'
It was time to unleash his full power.
"Kid."
"Yeah?"
"I'll transform into my true form. If, for some reason, that physical beauty turns out to be a petty liar and reinforcements come, leave me and escape. Got it?"
Jin nodded heavily.
He had no intention of actually abandoning Murakan, but for now, it was better to agree. Regardless of whether reinforcements came or not, if Murakan didn't go all out, there was no solution.
"...There are some parts that I don't quite understand, but let me make it clear that you needed time for the operation. Do I have to wait any longer?"
Hedo, who had been waiting for Murakan to talk about his sword, came to the conclusion that there was no need for further patience.
"Hmph, you're undoubtedly the best in this era among those I've seen with my own eyes. However, I am Murakan. Although my majesty and the long rivalry with your master's clan has faded over a thousand years, I am still Murakan."
Hooooong...!
As Murakan finished speaking, his shadow was growing larger.
Soon, he dispersed into black smoke with a gust of wind, he transformed into the true form of a black dragon, flapping a pair of dark wings.
Kaaaah!
Following the sharp and ominous roar, Hedo casually adjusted his glasses with a polite gesture.
"I'll look forward to it."
A black curtain spread out of nowhere, staining the ceiling black. The vortexes of shadow force spinning wildly within it looked just like the eyes of giants, and every single one of them was pointed at Hedo.
Blue flames formed on the Bradamante wrapped in shadow force, and dazzling aura soared from the swords of Joshua, Diphus, and Jane.
The members of the Spectre corps also gathered their mana, and Hedo took a deep breath.
The sky seemed to be torn apart by the amplified energy of the superhumans, and the entire tower vibrated uneasily and unpleasantly.
Expansion just before the collision.
It was Hedo who first broke that precarious situation.
"Hmm!"
The restrained spirit of the Hedo's longsword, Bale, rushed into the chaotic scene where shadow force, aura and mana were mixed.
It was a simple thrust.
Moreover, it was a perfect one. The trajectory of his sword cut through the center of the entangled energies in a diagonal line.
The target was Murakan.
It was a speed and distance that could never be avoided with the dragon's uniquely gigantic body. Offsetting it with similar or stronger force or counter attacking while avoiding fatal wounds were usually the dragon's only options.
However, at that moment, Murakan once again turned into black smoke, dispersing his body to avoid Hedo's sword.
At the same time, he counterattacked with dozens of shadow force vortexes.
'Ugh!'
He didn't escape unscathed. The level Hedo had achieved, the sword wave was striking by sweeping away the particles of Murakan scattered in smoke.
Hedo, too, instead of simply receiving the attack with his body this time, he used footwork to evade it. It was not only Murakan's awl that fell, but also the venomous strikes from the Runcandels follow.
As a result of Murakan avoiding Hedo's thrust, the extraordinary sword energy left no chance for the Spectre corps standing behind the Runcandels.
Therefore, the Spectres felt so betrayed and unjust that they almost went mad.
章節 338: Chapter 497
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A storm-like sword energy scratched the Spectres' protective shield.
The Spectres never expected Hedo to fight them with such intensity.
'I'm not hoping for Hedo to cooperate or join forces with us, but isn't this attitude towards the enemies not much different!'
Hedo, swung the Bale once again, showed no intention of ensuring the safety of the Spectres.
A flash of lightning spread beneath the black curtain that Murakan had spread. It was the light coming from Joshua's black sword, Kainer.
Runcandel's 6th decisive killing move, lightning flash.
It had already been proven that ordinary attacks couldn't inflict damage on that tremendous physique.
Unless it was a special attack like a decisive killing move, secret technique, or a crimson sword aura gained through some enlightenment, it might even become a vulnerability.
The aura condensed in Kainer exploded, scattering sharp fragments like shattered obsidian.
Thousands of fragments made an intense noise as if brain energy were erupting, and the dazzling light contained in each fragment repeatedly turned off and on surprisingly quickly.
Eventually, Kainer, leaving a varied trajectory, surged towards Hedo. The irregularly dispersed sword energies covered Hedo's figure momentarily as they reflected the light.
'He knows the form of the decisive killing move, lightning flash. Just like Barton Vicenna.'
Jin thought while tracking Hedo's movements with his eyes. He had already experienced Runcandel's decisive killing move several times. Thus, he adeptly predicted the path of lightning flash and used his footwork.
The ground trembled with each step Hedo took, and the air became stifling. Not only was he evading, but he was also deploying his energy to restrain the Runcandels.
Crack!
The lightning flash dissipated, and Hedo's figure was once again revealed.
Hedo mostly dodged or deflected it, and the group was no longer surprised to see him withstand the decisive killing move of the 2nd flagbearer of the clan without a single scratch.
They had all regained their composure. They were Runcandel's flagbearers and Black Knight. No matter how desperate the situation, those at the forefront of the Sword Clan always found a breakthrough.
Next was Diphus's sword.
The blade of the greatsword, Volgar, was descending as if it could touch the ceiling. The third decisive killing move, Meteor Shower. As the name suggested, countless sword energies were pouring like a meteor shower, eroding Hedo's area.
Hedo's figure blurred.
It wasn't obscured by the meteor shower as the lightning flash did. He simply escaped the point where the meteor shower was pouring down at an unbelievably fast speed.
Beyond the speed of sound.
A shock wave spread from where Hedo was standing and a sharp explosion sounded. The next moment, Hedo was standing under Murakan's wings. It was right in front of Jin.
Jin felt as if a wall had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Diphus just executed the meteor shower, so he couldn't casually retrieve the aura. He adjusted his posture a beat late, and Jane couldn't keep up with Hedo's speed.
[Kid!]
Murakan descended like a hawk to protect Jin, but Hedo had already swung the longsword, now sprawled on the ground, towards Jin.
It was too late to dodge.
"That seems like a slightly dangerous sword, 12th flagbearer."
"Gah!"
Jin managed to parry the attack, but he couldn't exert his full strength because he was concentrating on gathering aura and mana for the magic sword. There was a risk of a backflow, just like Diphus had not recalled the aura used on the meteor shower recklessly.
Even though he activated the shadow force armor to mitigate the impact, Jin felt excruciating pain in every bone of his body when his and Hedo's swords clashed.
The subsequent slash was also an upward strike. Jin twisted his body to the side to avoid the sword, and in the meantime, Murakan, who had charged, breathed on Hedo's torso.
However, Hedo easily evaded the black breath. Thanks to this, the breath flew towards the Spectres who were behind Hedo once again.
One of them eventually let out a scream of death, but it was drowned out by the deafening noise of explosions and destruction throughout the hall.
Swish...
Jin's mask was split in half and fell to the ground.
Hedo's second upward strike wasn't intended to kill Jin from the start; its purpose was to remove the mask.
He glanced at Jin's face for a moment and said, "You are quite handsome. I'm not sure if it's worth celebrating to the extent that the young lady gave up her right arm."
The words from "the young lady gave up her right arm" were muttered so low that they were barely audible.
"Stop babbling nonsense and fight!"
Joshua shouted with bloodshot eyes. An afterimage remained in the trajectory of his rush towards Hedo, and the Black Sword Kainer was ready to execute the Fourth decisive killing move, the Falling Petals, with the prepared aura.
It wasn't that he was angry about being ignored and recklessly charged.
'I need to buy time...!'
Time for Jin to execute the Magic Sword's Secret Technique.
That seems like a slightly dangerous sword. Joshua was paying attention to what Hedo had just said.
If Jin could create a gap with his flame of hell just once, Joshua and other Runcandels, as well as Murakan, could deal damage to Hedo.
Even if they couldn't finish him off, they could inflict injuries and secure an escape route.
'If that's not enough, I also need to consider using that power…'
With such thoughts, Joshua threw himself into the fight.
Diphus and Jane also charged toward Hedo with similar determination.
'When Jin executes the flame of hell, I'll pour everything I have…'
However, the Spectres were not idle. Although they hadn't experienced the power of the flame of hell, they could clearly see how the Runcandels were moving and what plans they had.
Kwaaaah!
Murakan fired his breath and a barrage of shadow force awls towards Hedo and the Spectres. The awls now erupted not only from the ceiling but also from the floor. The aura scattered in the air continued to be converted into decision killing moves, pressuring Hedo.
It was not easy to even determine each other's location in the dazzling lights of the decisive killing moves. Jin prepared to attack again under Murakan's protection.
'But something feels off.'
Jin suddenly had a strange thought while gathering mana and aura.
'If I were Hedo, I wouldn't fight in this way.'
Frustratingly.
Hedo had two clear opportunities that could have been fatal for Jin. Perhaps, he could have killed Jin.
'It feels strangely passive. Why?'
Even now, Hedo could easily break through the defensive line. If he wanted to enjoy the fight or revel in the combat itself, he would have fought more aggressively. If he belonged to the category that worships the tension of life-and-death battles, the group was an inadequate opponent.
Actions follow the reasoning behind achieving goals.
And if you know the other person's purpose and can use it. The fight was bound to get easier.
'Does he want to capture me alive instead of killing me and use me as material for the Demon God's Orb? That doesn't make sense either. Is it just the whim of the powerful?'
There's no time for deep contemplation. The brothers who had thrown themselves at Hedo were continuously repelled and getting up repeatedly.
The flame of hell was complete.
The azure color within the blade deepened, and as the shadow force armor was released, brightly glowing rune characters created flames.
In an instant, Jin became a fire.
From him, the spreading flames began to surge like a tidal wave in all directions. The blue flames completely consumed the interior, yet it did not engulf the allies.
'Is this the achievement of the 12th flagbearer? Is this the power that single-handedly demolished the garden of swords...!'
The Spectres immediately ceased their attacks and focused all their mana on defense. Even in their best condition, the four Spectres couldn't completely block Jin's flame of hell.
They had to avoid the damage. However, it seemed impossible to evade with no place to retreat and with obstacles from all sides, including the Runcandels and Murakan launching an offensive.
'If Hedo doesn't help, we will suffer fatal injuries that will make us at least unable to fight. Or death!'
They were already worn out from the battle with Joshua and Jane before Hedo arrived, the Spectres were carrying significant fatigue.
Moreover, they were simultaneously enduring attacks from Runcandels and Hedo, so it seems difficult to survive in this situation.
'Remarkable.'
Hedo was impressed for the first time as he cleared away the blue flames that were flooding in.
The swords of the other flagbearers and the Black Knight were shabby compared to the Runcandels he knew, and Murakan's battle prowess, of which there were only rumors, was still below expectations.
On the other hand, Jin's Magic Sword Secret technique had something dazzling even in Hedo's eyes.
However, Hedo could intuitively sense that Jin's Magic Sword was not yet complete.
'Well, if he continues to grow like this... he might be able to handle my troublesome young lady. Of course, assuming the young lady is not a Zipfel and the 12th flagbearer is not a Runcandel.'
Hedo suddenly felt bitter.
Sandra's love had never borne fruit. Eventually, Jin and his clan were no different from patients diagnosed with a terminal illness, so maybe.
He wondered if it might be better to cut Jin's throat now rather than letting him become an ingredient for the Demon God's orb. Perhaps, it could be more honorable to let him die in such a battle.
What should I do?
In the moment of confusion, the shouts of the Spectres scratched Hedo's nerves.
"Hedo! Are you just going to stand there and watch?"
Hedo had no plans to help them from the beginning. Allowing them all to die would serve as a proper warning to Octavia Zipfel.
"Why are you calling me? You should be begging for your life from the enemies... hmm!"
Wooosh!
Suddenly, Jin, who had rushed forward, thrust his sword towards Hedo's face.
"Keeper of the White Tower, you are definitely a martial artist who deserves respect even if you are an enemy. But you are too relaxed."
Even though Hedo managed to block Jin, it felt like something oily fell on him. The flames were flowing over Hedo's body through the sword, Bale.
In an instant, his upper body was completely immersed in blue flames, yet Hedo looked down at Jin without any sign of pain.
At first glance, it seemed like the flames were burning him, yet there was no visible impact. Nevertheless, Jin did not falter.
The power of flame of hell and Runcandel's strength were not his only abilities.
"Twelfth flagbearer, I have a suggestion."
"A suggestion?"
"If you happen to have picked up something here, give it to me now. Then I'll consider sparing your life for now."
Something picked up here.
There was no need to think about what that meant; it was clear.
It was the blueprints of the battleship.
'What is he talking about all of a sudden? The blueprints have already been stolen?'
The moment Jin tried to suppress his absurd feelings and choose an answer.
Within the flames of hell surrounding Jin, something fell with a thud.
It was the key Joshua had given him.
Hedo was speechless for a moment and could only widen his eyes and fixate on the fallen key.
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