章節 580: CHAPTER 738

[T.L: punisher87]

[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]

Jin's face contorted as he swallowed a gasp.

Fragments of chains falling off Rosa's face passed by slowly, as if frozen.

'Why... Rosa!'

The one who should have been covered by chains was the former patriarch who deserved respect.

Jin had deliberately fought at a disadvantage, driven by the sole conviction that he had to save such an ancestor.

He had missed opportunities to cut off the opponent's head several times, and he had endured so many injuries for the moment when he could have dealt a fatal blow.

The reason he couldn't help his comrades who had been fighting behind, beside, and in front of him was all for the sake of rescuing the ancestor who should have remained intact within the chains.

But what he had struggled so hard to save turned out to be evil god, Rosa.

And not only that, she looked so unharmed...

Released from bondage, Rosa did not glow with a faint indigo color like the other beings from the mausoleum, nor did she grotesquely transform into a chaos monster.

She simply had the appearance of a human, or rather...

She had the appearance that could be called Runcandel itself.

Long, black hair that seemed to be sucked in, eyes with a gleam of determination, a gaze that calmly and heavily pressed down on anyone who met it, and hands that firmly held the sword without ever letting go.

The hostess of the Runcandel clan, who led the Garden of Swords in place of the Chiron for many long years, and a giant of the era.

Rosa Runcandel was making eye contact with Jin.

Damn it all!

Unintentionally, Jin muttered a curse.

His breathing became rapid as if a momentary suffocation struck.

He barely suppressed the rising urge to vomit, accompanied by a cold dizziness, and reflexively distanced himself.

If the battle continued from this point, he felt like he would make a mistake.

I am done for.

That thought crossed his mind first. If Rosa staged this performance to give him a psychological shock, it couldn't be more successful.

The allies were also taken aback. They, too, had momentarily shifted their gaze from their respective opponents to Rosa.

'I must stay calm. This is just a trick of the evil god. The Rosa who appears to be human... must be some kind of fragment created by the evil god's power."

Jin gripped his sword.

"It seems your sadistic tendencies have increased... evil god. I never expected you to go this far to confuse me."

However, Rosa responded with a completely unexpected answer to Jin's words.

"Aren't you trying to save me because you know who I am?"

"What...?"

"Why do you refer to me as the evil god?"

Once again, Jin could only feel his insides twisting.

The released Rosa did not even have the resonant voice characteristic of the resurrected.

She seemed truly alive.

She seemed like someone who was determined to protect Runcandel at all costs.

Jin's heart was pounding like crazy.

"I am Rosa Runcandel. Why do you mistakenly believe that the monster that has bound me all this time is the same as me?"

"What are you babbling about..."

"Jin!"

"12th flagbearer!"

Urgent voices from behind were heard, belonging to Hedo and Octavia.

Swoosh!

At the same time, a sharp energy pierced through Jin's back.

It was a sword energy shot by a former patriarch aiming for Jin.

Due to Jin's focus on Rosa, his reaction was slightly delayed compared to usual.

The sword energy grazed his lower back, causing droplets of blood to splatter.

The wound was not deep.

The one who shot the sword energy was the one-armed former patriarch.

'...No, could it really be the former patriarch?'

Cutting off the chains doesn't necessarily mean Rosa will appear again.

An indescribable discomfort continued to cloud Jin's mind.

Dodging the incoming sword energy once again, he turned around to see his exhausted allies.

Bianca's opponent was in a state of near-death. Alpen and Lyon were both beaten up, but the battle was not decided.

Hedo had finished off the 35th patriarch and was assisting Octavia.

While facing both of them simultaneously, the one-armed former patriarch was displaying even greater strength than when the battle first began.

Since Jin had just released another chain, it resulted in an increased influence of the evil that affected that former patriarch.

"Ugh!"

Octavia bent forward, vomiting blood, as she took a step forward.

Hedo, protecting her, took several sword energies directly, leaving numerous wounds all over his massive body.

"12th flagbearer? Are you referring to yourself as the 12th flagbearer of the clan? And your sword is Bradamante, isn't it? Your name is Jin... Jin Runcandel. Strange things are happening."

Rosa spoke as if she knew nothing.

"Shut up!"

Jin threw himself towards Hedo's direction. He felt the need to buy him some time to recover, even if only briefly.

Rosa didn't hinder Jin as he started running away.

On the contrary, Rosa intercepted the sword energies flying towards Jin and protected him.

Rosa's sword, intercepting the sword energies, was not as powerful as the current evil god, or as powerful as Jin remembered during Rosa's time as acting matriarch.

Jin decided not to think about the intention of the evil god any further.

Clang!

Jin's sword clashed with the one-armed former patriarch's sword.

With just one exchange of offense and defense, Jin understood why Hedo and Octavia were struggling so much.

The former patriarch's sword possessed the power to inject chaos into the opponent, much like the evil god.

Now, the Grand Heir was closer to assimilating with the omen itself rather than just being controlled by it.

Jin activated eternal flames in Bradamante once again.

He needed to finish off the former patriarch as quickly as possible and bring order to this chaotic situation.

'I cannot completely dismiss the possibility of the one-armed former patriarch being another Rosa, but I need to confirm it.'

He couldn't simply discard the possibility of being a genuine former patriarch like Alpen.

If he closed off that possibility due to the overwhelming circumstances or doubts, it would be giving up on the ancestors who fought for the clan, even after an unwanted resurrection.

Therefore, he must break the chains without killing.

While Jin pondered, Rosa continued to protect him and stared at his back.

Like someone who had something to say. However, she seemed unsure of where to start.

Without acknowledging Rosa's gaze, Jin reached out his sword towards the one-armed former patriarch.

'Even if it's a trap, omen. I will not abandon a single one of my ancestors who resisted evil god until the end.'

Even if it's not an ancestor but another sudden appearance of Rosa, he would simply have to cut them down along with the Rosa behind him.

Jin's sword charging towards the former patriarch no longer held hesitation. The inner turmoil he experienced when suddenly faced with Rosa had started to settle.

As Jin regained his composure and began to focus on the former patriarch, Hedo and Octavia also started to regain their composure.

Bianca finally annihilated the 29th patriarch, coinciding with the moment when Jin and the one-armed former patriarch finished their hundredth exchange.

Hedo and Octavia reengaged, and the intense battle between Alpen and Lyon also came to an end.

The bodies of Lyon, Tucker, and Neph were disintegrating into particles as their heads rolled on the ground, shattered by the shockwaves of the battle.

The battle that started as a one-one was now in a five-on-one confrontation.

No matter how much they assimilated, the former patriarch was ultimately not the evil god.

Until now, the one-armed former patriarch had wielded a flawless sword even with one arm missing, but that was the limit.

The one-armed former patriarch had managed to hold on against the five opponents so far because Jin had decided not to kill him.

If he had fought with the intention to kill, the battle would have been much shorter.

Evil god, stop this nonsense and come out in person.'

Clang, swish...!

Bradamante uncovered a strand of chain that covered the face of the former patriarch. The eternal flames spread through the cracks, melting the links of the chain.

Little by little, the face inside the chain revealed itself, and once again, Jin's judgment was correct.

'It's not Rosa...!'

Though the chain was not completely severed, at first glance, the face was clearly different from Rosa's.

At that moment, as Jin attempted to cut the chain once more, the former patriarch unexpectedly thrust himself toward Bradamante, as if intentionally exposing himself to be stabbed.

Jin immediately reacted and sidestepped.

Only a few more seconds were needed for the eternal flames to consume the chain entirely, and Jin had no intention of losing his ancestor. Once a few seconds had passed, the bindings restraining the former patriarch would naturally dissolve.

However, the former patriarch did not pursue Jin as he dodged to the side.

'He's just passing me by?'

The intention of the evil god controlling the former patriarch was not to have Jin be fatally stabbed by his blade.

The evil god accurately predicted that Jin would evade.

The true target of the evil god was none other than herself, who was constantly observing Jin from behind.

Rosa.

All of Jin's allies were positioned in front of him. The only person remaining behind him was Rosa.

Puh-!

"Huh?"

The former patriarch's blade pierced Rosa's chest.

Although Rosa had displayed nearly flawless swordsmanship while being controlled by the evil god, for some reason, she, who stood behind Jin, failed to dodge even a single strike.

It was supposed to be her own blade.

"Ugh...!"

Suppressing a groan, Rosa grabbed hold of the blade that had pierced her body.

As the former patriarch, who stabbed Rosa, collapsed and ceased to move, Rosa dropped to one knee, gasping for breath.

"Ugh..."

Jin couldn't understand her current state.

Why did the evil god stab herself, and why did Rosa appear to suffer like a human?

And why was such a foreboding sense of dread overwhelming him?

He couldn't comprehend any of it.

But Jin unconsciously rushed toward Rosa.

It was a fatal wound. If Rosa were truly human, she would be on the verge of death.

"Evil god... What is the meaning of this?"

"Do you still see me as... the evil god?"

"Why are you behaving like a human...!"

Jin stopped talking in astonishment.

Rosa's face was much younger than he remembered, far younger than he thought she would be.

Suddenly, Jin realized that Rosa had appeared with a youthful appearance ever since he severed the chains.

She looked like someone in her early twenties, someone of his own generation.

His heart sank. Jin's breathing became heavy.

"Now, I vaguely understand the situation... Jin. You must be Chiron and my child. Chiron and I decided to name our last child, Jin..."

[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]

[T/L: Join $29 membership on my "buymeacoffee" page and read 55 chapters ahead and daily 1 new chapter update. I have introduced new memberships, and you can read upto 75 or 85 chapters ahead.]

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章節 581: CHAPTER 739

[T.L: punisher87]

[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]

Unfathomable actions, incomprehensible words. And a weak look that was incomprehensible.

His legs felt weak, as if they were about to give out. Young Rosa had no trace of any chaos.

She truly was a human.

[What is happening?]

"Jin, this... human is... the evil god."

"12th flagbearer, we must kill her immediately!"

Even the late arriving allies stared at Jin and Rosa, with their eyes wide open.

Octavia, on the verge of fainting, aimed her staff at Rosa.

Hedo lowered the staff with his hand.

"Captain of the Spectres, I am not sure how the situation has unfolded, but Jin has the right to judge."

Cough...!

Jin remained focused on the empty space, saying nothing, but when Rosa coughed up blood, he flinched and locked eyes with her again.

Is this person truly not the evil god?

If this is the evil god's plan, what could she possibly hope to gain by going to such lengths?

'Just to confuse me, it is excessive. If all of this is the evil god's cruel joke, she should have caused chaos and directly struck me and my allies after confusing us.'

However, Rosa, who had broken free from the chains, never attacked Jin even once. The invincibility displayed by the young Rosa couldn't even pose a threat to the group.

On the contrary, Rosa had even protected them while the other members fought the former patriarch.

Moreover, just before breaking free from the evil god's control, the former patriarch had stabbed Rosa instead of Jin.

That meant the evil god had tried to kill itself. Or its own alter ego.

'...alter ego?'

Suddenly, a single assumption flashed through Jin's mind.

What if the dying Rosa right now is a fragment that broke away from the evil god?

As Jin guessed, the young Rosa, who didn't want to be corrupted until the end, was a manifestation of the deepest essence of the evil god, which had once shone the brightest.

Now, in front of Jin's eyes, the dying Rosa was the true identity of that manifestation.

Initially, Rosa had no knowledge that she had originated from the evil god. She perceived herself as a completely separate entity from the evil god.

However, Rosa was aware that she was a twisted existence. This world was not the one she remembered.

Why did she end up trapped in the evil god's chains? Where were Chiron and the other knights of the clan? What was she doing right before being trapped?

Rosa couldn't remember any of it.

No matter how much she appeared to be human, in the end, she was just an unconscious entity separated from the evil god. It was only natural that she had no memories of what happened right before being trapped.

Young Rosa's memories were frozen on a certain day when she was twenty-three.

The day the evil god had longed for the most.

'It seems I am an existence that shouldn't be here, twisted and distorted. Moreover, that knight named Jin, who is probably my son, and everyone else, they all refer to me as the evil god.'

So, does that mean the dark monster that had bound her was her own future?

For some reason, the thought that this could be nothing more than a terrible nightmare never crossed her mind.

With great certainty and swiftness, she understood the situation she was in.

"Hahaha."

Rosa let out a hollow laugh mixed with a metallic sound.

Conflicting emotions surged within her.

She had too many questions. Why did she become such a monster? How was Chiron doing? how many children did she have? How much had the clan been endangered because of her?

From the pierced chest, the chaos spread throughout her entire body like poison.

"Jin, a little closer... Can you show me your face?"

Jin didn't answer and silently stared at Rosa for a few seconds.

"As you can see, I have suffered a fatal wound. It was inflicted by the evil god-controlled knight. It is proof that I am not on her side. Moreover, I could not pose any threat to you and your companions even if I were unharmed. So, release your guard. I don't have much time left."

Rosa concentrated her last bit of strength and spoke with a steady voice.

In the end, Jin knelt down and bowed his head towards Rosa.

As he suppressed his despairing heart and looked up again, the appearance of the young Rosa was both unfamiliar and familiar.

"You're handsome... It feels like my and Chiron's faces are precisely mixed. If you're the 12th flagbearer, are you the youngest?"

"There is one more person."

"Then, combined, we make thirteen? It seems Chiron and I were better than I imagined. What happened to him? I hope I didn't harm Chiron as well."

"He is alive and well."

"In that case, Chiron must be fulfilling his mission elsewhere. You, taking over Chiron's role, have taken on the task of defeating the monster I have become and reclaiming the clan..."

Every time Jin heard the pronoun "you," his brow furrowed.

Rosa faintly smiled while observing that expression.

"Your expression alone shows how terrible of a mother I was. As the hostess of the clan, I must have been the worst in history. It's not like there haven't been villains who crossed the line and committed immorality in Runcandel's history, but among them, I am the only one who became the evil god... or so it seems."

Young Rosa belonged to a completely different person from the Rosa that Jin remembered.

The latter was a demon who would do anything to ensure the prosperity and survival of the clan.

On the other hand, the Rosa before him, who was smiling bitterly, had eyes that were clear and deep, so much so that she could be said to be more suited to Hairan than Runcandel.

"Rosa."

"Speak."

"Why did you do it?"

To Jin's question thrown with malice, Rosa pondered for a few seconds.

"I lacked the qualities and qualifications to become the hostess of the clan."

"No, you were the acting matriarch that everyone revered before becoming the evil god. No one considered you inadequate to lead the clan in my father's place, and the clan members made every effort to gain your approval."

Rosa shook her head. She was losing strength due to bleeding.

"You were the acting matriarch who even enemies and people who despised you couldn't help but acknowledge. I was the same. Until you made a pact with the prophet and became the evil god. Until you became a monster who said that even if the whole world was destroyed, as long as the flag of Runcandel remained, nothing else mattered," Jin said.

"I said those words... and the things I am doing now."

"Through the power of chaos."

Rosa placed her hand on her injured abdomen and spoke.

The spreading chaos, like a tumor, was permeating her entire body.

"Yes."

"So, the reason I became a monster is clear."

It was the result of giving up the struggle.

Rosa spoke with a composed voice.

"I stopped fighting because I was tired, because I couldn't see the path anymore, or because I felt that I had done enough. Becoming the evil god must have been the easiest and most tempting path. Perhaps... among all the paths I have walked before becoming the evil god, it was the most alluring and effortless one."

Transparent tears rolled down Rosa's cheeks.

Remorse for a future she couldn't remember, self-loathing, and despair that the gruesome future had already occurred were chilling her inner self.

Against the real Rosa who had become a monster, there was nothing she could do.

Jin closed his eyes tightly.

"I am going as the clan's 12th flagbearer to make her pay for that. If you have any last words for the evil god, let me know."

"Please... let death not be a comforting escape. Let my wretched soul and body remain trapped somewhere, suffering endlessly, even in death. Let me... be by its side... always, desperately. Above all else, I sincerely..."

The group held their breath for a moment. Rosa's curse, pouring all her heart toward herself, weighed down on the people.

"I will convey it."

Rosa's remaining breath reached its limit.

Jin decided to be by her side until her death.

While Rosa's consciousness repeatedly faded in and out, she spoke to Jin.

"Jin, do you... have a lover?"

"No."

"In the past..."

"I don't know."

"Anyone who loves you… or you love anyone?"

"Why are you asking these things in this situation?"

"Because... you're handsome... like Chiron. I... liked that handsome… Chiron."

Jin couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The children of Chiron and Rosa had never had the memory of engaging in such ordinary and pointless conversations with their parents.

"More than that... there is no one who is handsome or stronger than him... besides Chiron, I haven't had any relationship with anyone else."

"What about Father?"

"If he is still wandering in the Black Sea, then maybe... Chiron, unlike me, is still continuing the struggle."

Rosa exhaled a handful of hot breath.

"Jin... my son, I'm sorry."

Definitely, stop me.

With those words, Rosa took her last breath.

Everything she spoke until just before her death were words that the Rosa Jin remembered could never say.

'Okay, I'll do it.'

Jin silently replied in his mind as he gently closed Rosa's eyelids.

Just as the deceased Rosa regretted an unknown future, Jin was bidding farewell to a mother from a past he did not know.

Silence hung in the air for a while.

"...The deceased Rosa was likely a manifestation or soul that separated from the evil god," Jin said, and the group nodded in agreement. They had also speculated the same while listening to their conversation.

[Perhaps the evil god itself did not desire this or it was an unforeseen separation. I have no memory of experiencing anything related to the hostess when I was bound by the evil god. Furthermore, it was the hostess who was attacked at the last moment through this former patriarch.]

Alpen, who had been kneeling beside Rosa's lifeless body, lifted the unconscious former patriarch and spoke. Neither Jin nor Alpen knew his true identity.

Young Rosa's body was becoming tainted with darkness. The tumor of chaos that had originated in her chest was rapidly growing.

Jin conjured a small flame on his palm.

It seemed he needed to take care of the body before it deteriorated any further and leave.

However, as Jin was about to drop the flame, he suddenly raised his head in surprise.

Unexpectedly, the voice of the evil god reached his ears.

[I wonder how it feels to witness the extinction of my remaining trace of humanity, my youngest. I did hope to see you personally putting an end to it... but this isn't bad either.]

[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]

[T/L: Join $29 membership on my "buymeacoffee" page and read 55 chapters ahead and daily 1 new chapter update. I have introduced new memberships, and you can read upto 75 or 85 chapters ahead.]

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