536
The sphere of reverse sky was swallowing the sky.
At the same time, the sky, the plain, and the entire battlefield began to vibrate as if it would be broken at any moment by the power of the reserve sky.
Broken rocks, heaps of stones, and corpses floated randomly and were drawn by the gravitational pull, and the air around the sphere was grotesquely distorted.
Ahhhhh-!
Jin shouted while controlling the mana pouring madly from the mirror.
It is a range of magic that is not permitted to humans. From the start, Jin had been using more than several times the mana Enya had drawn from the mirror.
It was a shout that he unknowingly gave out because he felt like his entire head would be blown away, but it was a desperate voice that was more like a scream.
But to those who heard it, it was just a frightening and horrific sound that gave them goosebumps. It felt as if some transcendent being was threatening them by announcing punishment.
Everyone on the battlefield was looking at Jin, who was standing blurred in the distorted space.
'This... Is it really the magic of a single human being?'
Neither the enemy nor the ally.
Even after seeing it with their own eyes, they couldn't help but be shocked by the fact that it was Runcandel's 12th flagbearer who casted the reverse sky.
Even the blank eyes in the hoods of the Spectres were convulsing at the light spread by the orb of reverse sky.
Most of the battlefield is unaware of the mirror's existence. However, they were able to know that the magic that Jin emitted was far beyond human limits.
They were also convinced that no one would be able to do this with the help of any artifact.
An Archmage.
No, A magic swordsman.
The reverse sky that Jin had just casted was like a signal that the history of the Runcandel magic swordsman would be revived.
[Infinite mana...… It is an artifact of Colon.]
[Retreat flight, hurry to reload the cannon...!]
To escape the influence of reverse sky, the mass production battleships began to withdraw.
However, a huge invisible force was already holding the entire fleet.
Some parts of the ship were crushed and protective shields torn to pieces every time they tried to escape forcefully.
Fragments of the wrecked ship fell to the ground, and crushed the enemy's ground forces.
Occasionally, fragments caught in the whirlpool also fell on the allied camp, but the dragon knights and swordmaster seemed to knock them off.
Murakan and Cuicantelle also protected their allies by spreading the shadow force and the divine power of time. If it wasn't for them, the allies would have suffered considerable damage, but in the first place, Jin chose to use the mirror for reverse sky because he believed in them.
More than 40% of the blades and chains of the Red Abyss had already been absorbed into the reverse sky.
If the Spectres had exactly the same power as the Spectres Jin experienced, they would have blocked even the reverse sky of the mirror. It was possible if there were as many as 60 superhuman-level mages.
However, just as the mass production ships could not be compared to Kozec, the resurrected Spectres were no different. They were essentially nothing more than imperfectly resurrected dead.
Even so, they have tremendous power, but they do not have the unique transcendence or suitable quality of the real superhuman.
[Kaaaaaaa!]
[We can't retreat, give up battleships that have already been caught too much!]
The bands of red mana absorbed by the reverse sky looked just like blood vessels.
Those veins constantly cut and burst, and plunged the Spectres into mana backflow.
There were Spectres who vomited blood. Some of them lost consciousness and fell outside the wrecked battleship, but they were caught up in the whirlpool of the reverse sky and disappeared. Not even a drop of blood was left, let alone a corpse.
It would be nice if they could finish off the cannons before they could be reloaded, but those other than Jin couldn't afford to protect their allies.
The battlefield has become a hell that is difficult for ordinary people to stand still.
At least, Murakan summoned shadow force awls outside the shield protecting his allies and attacked the enemies, but even that was not aimed because of the attraction force of the reverse sky. He also can't help it if he does not focus entirely on the attack.
That's why Murakan was worried about Jin.
'It's on a different level from what the big fan used, kid...! You can't keep this much mana intact.'
If left unchecked, it may not just end in mana backflow, but may lead to death.
'I can't check it because the visibility is too bad, and I hope he's not gone already, right?'
In fact, Murakan had to save Jin even if everyone here died. Of course, Jin wouldn't want that, but his duty as a guardian dragon came first.
In addition, if he falls into backflow while the reverse sky has already progressed this far.
Not just Jin's life, but everyone could be in danger.
'The infinite mana that has already escaped the mirror does not stop until the magic casting is over. The kid is in control now, but when it's gone...….'
Murakan didn't know what was going to happen.
Because there is no such case.
However, there is no way that this enormous spell that has already been released on the battlefield will disappear like a lie the moment Jin loses consciousness.
The reverse sky grew bigger and bigger without control, and could have swallowed up allies within a short period of time. When all of that is over, there may be no one alive on the battlefield, let alone Jin.
As soon as he thought about it, Murakan's scales soared from this tension and his hairline seemed to become soft.
Even if he gives up protecting his allies for a moment, should he approach Jin and check his condition?
If he does, his allies will die in seconds. He couldn't let the hard-won victory be stained by the death of an ally.
Cuicantelle recognized Murakan's intentions.
[Murakan, it's already too late to look into it. We have to focus on our part.]
We have no choice but to believe.
As Cuicantelle said, if he had already passed the limit, he would not be able to save Jin himself.
Even while he was agonizing, the power of the reverse sky continued to grow. More than 30% of the fleet had already been completely destroyed, and the Spectres were unable to counterattack at all.
[Damn it! I know, I know.]
If Murakan was in his prime, he wouldn't have to worry about this.
What bothered Murakan is his own incompetence. Cuicantelle is also a guardian dragon, and she knew that fact better than anyone else.
[Our contractors have always been stronger than us. Jin has always been special among them. So wait, he will be fine as always.]
Murakan let out a roar and spread the curtains even wider. And whenever the opportunity arises, he checks where Jin is standing and waits for the vision hidden by his mana to clear up.
Perhaps his intentions had reached Jin, and soon the mana that was covering Jin was lifted.
[Kid!]
Murakan was worried, but Jin, who suddenly appeared, seemed to have regained some stability, unlike the first time when he was screaming.
He was calmly adjusting the magic circles of reverse sky that stretched everywhere. Along with mana, a familiar black aura was wrapped around Jin.
Shadow force, the power of Solderet.
Jin, engulfed in it, seemed to be receiving the protection of Solderet.
And that shadow force was not directly operated by Jin, but originated from the masterpiece of the Solderet engraved on the mirror, the seal.
-[The seal is a masterpiece created by pouring all the power of the Solderet when he possesses stronger power than ever. It's not just a high-density shadow force, it's also part of the Solderet.]
The words of Kallum, the god of mana, when he saved Colon in the past.
A part of the Solderet.
The will remaining in it was telling Jin the way. How to use this infinite mana that could destroy the world if not used to become the power to save the world.
Jin really felt like he was communicating with him after a long time. He couldn't hear his voice, but he felt a clearer will guiding and protecting him.
'As a contractor, this is the feeling that God is with me….'
The sea of infinite mana was moving according to his own will. Forgetting the horrors, deaths, and madness of war for a while.
Jin was momentarily in a state of ecstasy and playing with his magic. With the will of the two gods who tried to save the world.
All of the mana of the reverse sky that was directed at the allies was returning to the enemy.
It was the result of Jin starting to completely control the mana of the mirror.
The confusion in the friendly camp quickly subsided, and the enemies simply screamed.
However, that sound was blocked by the cheers of the allies and the roar of the reverse sky, and did not reach anywhere.
Surprisingly, not a single ally died in Jin's revered sky.
Both the Vamel Alliance and Hairan were tenaciously defending it.
Although he was said to have risen to the ranks of superhumans, Jin was still only twenty years old. If they let Jin carry the burden of the death of an ally like that, they wouldn't be able to see his face after the fight.
[Look, I said he would be fine. Now wake up and strengthen your shield. The reverse sky is waning, but your contractor doesn't seem to have any intention of ending it here.]
Mana and shadow force.
A red flame was burning in it.
[Fleet main cannon reload complete!]
[Loaded!]
At that moment, the remaining battleships finished loading their cannons.
The Spectres have not yet confirmed the flames that have begun to spread from Jin.
That's why they thought that if they could just fire it somehow, they would be able to hit Jin.
Even if they couldn't put an end to it, they were sure they could thwart the legacy of the goddamn Kidard Hall and kill at least a thousand enemies.
17 cannons opened.
It is a reload that has been done diligently while flying retreating.
Also, the Spectres, though inferior to the real ones, were wearing gray robes.
They were prepared not only for their main cannons, but also their final linking magic.
[Take Zipfel's enemies to Hell together!]
[Colon's artifacts and white stone. Everything will be in the glory of the Zipfel...!]
The commanders of the Spectres couldn't finish their last words.
It was because they were mistaken as if they had fallen into pitch-black darkness for a moment.
The darkness was so deep that even the person next to them could not see them.
'No way!'
'This…!'
That darkness was the shadow force. It was a deeper darkness than when Murakan had colored the sky with a curtain of shadow force.
Annihilating Dark Sky Flame Orb, demon empress final version.
As soon as Jin finished the chant, the cannons were fired.
However, everyone on the battlefield did not even recognize the moment when the main cannons of the fleet opened fire.
It was because as soon as it was shot, it was scattered into the sun-like mana created by the flame orb.
Legacy of Riol Zipfel.
The great magic among the great magic, which can only be fully casted with the power of Solderet, was swallowing up the Zipfel.
537
It seemed as if the sun had just penetrated the sky.
The eyes of the people looking at the flame orb formed by Jin were stained red.
It is the flames of hope and victory for allies, but the flames of fear and defeat for enemies.
The runes left behind by Riol Zipfel spread light through Jin's body.
Runes scattered like snowflakes had already been seen by those who suffered the Sword Emperor castle terror attack.
Even then, Jin used this magic to destroy Kinzelo's flying ship, Grenil.
And now, Annihilating Dark Sky Flame Orb, demon empress final version, was a gigantic orb that was incomparable to what the people witnessed in Sword emperor castle that day.
Although they have not yet recovered from the shock they received from Reverse Sky, the legacy of Riol Zipfel far surpasses even that.
It's beyond human limits. Now even those words couldn't explain Jin's spell.
Divine magic spell.
Since the will of the two gods were together, people felt them from Jin even if they did not know their names. Solderet and Kallum.
Some involuntarily put their hands together on their chests, some knelt down, and some closed their eyes.
Almost everyone on the battlefield unconsciously worshiped Jin.
Even as the war continued, the act was close to force.
Those with the highest rank among beings are called gods.
And even in the world of the gods, the two beings sitting on the highest throne were revealing their majesty through Jin.
Even if it wasn't a perfect manifestation, even the small creatures and nature that felt the majesty of the two gods were showing respect.
The insects in the ground shuddered, the birds flying far away gave a voice, and the wind stopped moving for a moment.
The darkness of the night receded from Solderet's shadow.
So humans at war have no choice but to worship.
In particular, Murakan was a dragon born from Solderet, and was more impressed by Solderet's subtle appearance than anyone else.
'Solderet...!'
He never expressed himself, but ever since he woke up after being stabbed by a friend's sword and falling into a thousand-year long sleep. No, since Solderet's voice started to fade before that.
Murakan missed his own god. The loss of a god by a being who's born from a god was a pain incomparable to that of a human being losing their parents.
[Huh, Murakan. Are you crying?]
[What nonsense? Look straight into my eyes, are there any tears here?]
[He cried seeing how sensitive you were reacting.]
[Heng! You think I'm you? The king of the sky doesn't shed tears.]
Murakan's curtains also had a new power.
It was a temporary strengthening that happened thanks to Solderet's will in the mirror, but it was a more satisfying moment for Murankan than the moments when he regained his old power little by little after waking up.
The darkness was getting deeper. All the lights placed under the influence of flame orb quickly lost their power.
The torches went out and the cannonballs that had been fired everywhere disappeared into the darkness.
The protective shields that shone like bubbles all over the battlefield lost their color, and even the divine power of time that Cuicantelle had spread faded.
It didn't really all disappear, but it seemed that way.
Jin's magic was only one light source in the darkened landscape.
Jin's body was floating in the air led by flame orb.
The remaining 17 battleships were superior in terms of simple size, but they looked like bugs in front of the sun.
No matter how mass-produced it is, it is the fleet of Zipfel. A fleet that is not even a ship.
Not long ago, there was only one Kozec flying ship in the world.
Starting with the appearance of Grenil, even mass-produced ships are pouring in, but the majesty of the flying ship itself has not disappeared. Still in war, a flying fleet means slaughter and terror.
Such a flying fleet was blocked by a single person and was unable to do anything.
[The legacy of the best mage in the clan, Runcandel dares to...…!]
[You are blaspheming us!]
The bombardment opportunity, which was gained by giving up half of the fleet, disappeared leaving only futile results.
Now, all that was left for the Spectre was the last prepared linking magic.
[The blasphemy is being done by you, the god of infinity mana is revealing his will in front of your eyes, but you can't even recognize it....]
Can you still call yourself a mage?
Jin continues the conversation in a cold voice.
[You guys are just pieces of meat with strong mana, and you are nothing more than dead men who fearlessly defied the providence. Rather, if your leaders were here, they would have paid their respects as humans first.]
Jin's finger pointed at the fleet.
Then the runes coiling around him moved towards the fleet. Looking up from the ground, it seemed like the Milky Way was flowing.
Riol's runes left a mark on the fleet and spectres.
At the same time, the wands of the wraiths also spread their magic.
No matter how great the mana of the spectres, there is no match for it.
That's why their last chain magic, the self-destructing move dedicated to the Spectres, 'Flaming Star' disappeared without even revealing its sharp brilliance.
It was the result of not having any elements that would infringe upon the majesty of the gods.
The explosion couldn't generate even a small light like a candle.
Aaaaaa...…! They just screamed like a monster, the summoned spectres were oxidizing without destroying anything in the sword emperor castle.
However, 17 flying battleships were exploding together in their self-destruction.
The hideous machines built to kill humans exploded and poured down black debris.
[Murakan, we must stop it!]
[Oh, that's a lot of debris! It's too wide, I can't block it all with curtains...!]
Murakan stopped and widened his eyes. There will be countless deaths on their side with every falling fragment.
But the runes of Riol Zipfel were being engraved. Following Jin's will to ensure that no one of his allies is killed or injured.
[... You and I were worried for nothing, Solderet's will was manifested.]
Whoops, Pzzz... … !
The runes were completely dissolving the fragments falling on the heads of their allies in the air, to the extent that the determination of Murakan and Cuicantelle, who had been strengthening their powers and shields from earlier, was colorless.
And the flame orb hanging from the sky began to move forward.
Thousands of flames streams poured from the flame orb, tying the wrecked ships together.
The crashing ships halted their progress, but those not caught by the fire continued to fall to the ground towards the Imperial Army and the Zipfel Army.
"Even, run away...!"
"Avoid, avoid!"
It seemed like the rain was pouring down.
They couldn't even think of stopping it. There is no way to block it with a normal protective shield, and only superhumans who have reached the level will be able to bear its weight.
That's why the enemies are all shouting to run away and avoid it, but it was just a random word because there was no other way.
Where do you mean to run away?
All sides are blocked by the darkness of shadow force.
In the dark, where even the person next to you can be seen, the enemies had no choice but to wait for death.
Even more horrifying is the fact that what they couldn't stop are the fragments of the fleet.
Since the reversed sky had already unfolded, not only the wraiths but also the ground forces had collapsed. Command lost its value and orders were not passed on.
It's not that the emperor's army doesn't have a lot of powerhouses either. Although following the orders of the emperor, the commanders wanted to end this war with minimal damage from the beginning.
Who likes war except a madman? Needless to say, it was a war in which the pillars of the empire were destroyed by themselves.
They don't know about Zipfel, but the Imperial army was now certain about their defeat. Because of this, the commanders of the Imperial army wanted to save as many of their subordinates as possible even if they were to die.
It was not a desire to repent for this unfair war, but more of a belief that a commander should do so.
But if that sun falls to the ground....
'At this rate, it is annihilation, no one can survive….'
Ordinary knights and mages, and maybe even the emperor at the very end. If the flames spread to the rear and sides, everyone, even those who remained there would die
Tens of thousands die.
The unrealistic number of deaths was a predetermined reality.
The fact that so many humans could disappear from the face of the earth in just a few minutes was a problem that no one in the Imperial army had ever considered.
"How... how should... You mean we can avoid that?"
"Jin Runcandel! We lost, please stop, please!"
Eventually, declarations of surrender erupted from all over the imperial army. The commanders were shouting surrender without an order from the emperor.
Even though the heavens and the earth were shaking with all kinds of explosions and roars, Jin was listening to all those desperate and small voices.
And he answered right away.
[No matter what the background and circumstances are, the fact that you guys tried to trample on and kill my friend will never change.]
With the heart of a condemned man on his gallows, the emperor knelt down and banged his head on the ground, screaming.
Please spare me, please spare me
"Please...."
[That's why I think it would be good to burn all of you, but my god seems to has a different heart from me.]
As Jin slowly clenched his fists, the sun in the dark sky began to slowly fade.
At that point, the emperor's soldiers, who had been prostrate for a moment, screamed that they could live inside. There were not a few people who howled like animals and shouted thanks.
However, the mercy of Jin and the gods was not always merciful.
[I will take away the magic.]
The dark sun that colored the whole sky disappeared in an instant like a lie.
By then, not a single piece of debris had fallen on the allies, and the camp was in perfect order.
On the other hand, even though the dark sun disappeared, fragments of the fleet continued to pour over the heads of the enemies, and as a result, explosions were constantly occurring in various places.
The will of Jin and the two gods could sufficiently block it all, but they did not.
That was the price the imperial army had to pay.
[So those who can survive, survive and run away. My promise not to catch and kill those who retreat is still valid.]
Jin finished his speech.
And the rest of the emperor's army seemed to be running away at random, like worms under an exposed rock.
538
* * *
As for the Runcandel camp, which was watching all of this from outside the sword emperor castle.
It was truly a series of shocks.
If it was just to annihilate the enemies, it would have been possible with only the flagbearers and some of the Black Knights, or even the first division of Black Sword Association, without Rosa coming forward.
However, making sure that none of the allies die in the process was a completely different problem.
Silence hung over the barracks.
Everyone seemed to have forgotten what to say because they were thinking about Jin's divine battle prowess.
The elders cleared their throats and looked at Rosa's countenance.
"The 12th flagbearer is only shows shocking things every day. Are you saying that it's a piece of cake?"
"It was nothing what he showed when he announced the reinstatement of the magic swordsman. Now you can't disparage the 12th Flagbearer's magic sword with the value of legitimacy...…."
Ran and Vigo, Myu and Anne were also in the barracks.
The brothers shook and nodded their heads from time to time, unable to recover from shock, while the sisters had expressionless faces.
Rosa looked at Myu and Anne.
'Since I stripped Joshua from his position, these two children definitely changed.'
Rosa had never been interested in Myu and Anne.
As she always did with the other children who didn't stand out.
Among them, Myu and Anne were especially unsightly children.
To the extent that even stepping on or scolding them to stimulate them is a waste of time.
However, after that day even if the feeling has changed, it has changed too much.
If it were their original self, even if they wouldn't know the subject, they would go wild and talk nonsense, but their calm appearance was strange.
Because of this, Rosa has been watching over them these days.
'They weren't martial artists that could gain heaviness through enlightenment.'
What made her daughters change?
'They kept their composure even after seeing the youngest's overwhelming appearance...… However, they do not seem to have given up everything while waiting for the day to die.'
Rosa soon came to a conclusion.
'Looks like they met the Prophet. That's why they may have a belief that a greater power is with them than the one youngest showed.'
Rosa closed her eyes and opened her mouth.
"There must be restrictions."
The buzzing people stopped talking.
"If the youngest can continue to use the powers without any restrictions, the clan's battle of hegemony is over."
"That… That's right."
"You are right, acting matriarch. Since the 12th flagbearer is the Shadow Contractor, he must have borrowed the power of the Solderet through some condition."
"Wasn't there a report that he used an artifact? It could be God's thing."
"Also, being the youngest, he wouldn't have known that he could wield that much power. Had he known, he would have revealed his power as soon as the war began. Unlike before the reinstatement of the magic swordsman declaration, he is now in a position where the youngest does not have to hide his power."
Those gathered in the barracks nodded.
It was a power that could be understood if there was a contractor and God's help.
Runcandel is a clan far from god's contractors, and everyone was so shocked that they couldn't think of it.
"The first battle ended with a perfect victory for the sword emperor castle. But I don't think Zipfel will give up on that white stone."
The barracks door opened and two Black Knights entered.
"Acting matriarch, Zipfel's troop movement has been confirmed."
"What's the size?"
"More than fifty flying battleships, including Kozec, we don't know the exact number, but it is estimated that at least three hundred elite mages, including the Spectres, are on board. Octavia Zipfel took over the overall command, but we cannot rule out the possibility of Kelliark Zipfel."
"Kelliark Zipfel…?"
"Huh."
It wasn't certain yet, it was just a report that it could be.
However, the size of the 2nd reinforcements would not be strange at all even if Kelliark will present.
Kelliark Zipfel.
The leader of the world's number one clan and the pinnacle of magic.
His direct movement in Zipfel is the same as Chiron stepping out of Runcandel.
Rosa's eyes narrowed.
"What is the basis for Kelliark's possible participation in the war?"
"The Fire Dragon, Kadun, was spotted leaving the 1st Magic Tower. We also confirmed that the composition of the 1st Magic Tower mages rapidly changed to 2nd division."
"Then it's almost certain that Kelliark will step in."
"That's what I think, Acting Matriarch."
"How long do you think it will take to reach sword emperor castle?"
"Two days. The teleportation ability shown in the Gaifa Islands in the past and the first battle of this war is unusable."
"It's a technology that we don't know about. It also seems to have some limitations."
There was another heavy silence.
Runcandel and Zipfel have been fighting big and small wars from time to time.
The battle that lasted a thousand years was no longer a war, but more like a daily routine.
It was when Chiron and Kelliark were young that the quarrel reached its peak.
When they hadn't yet ascended to the throne, the two clans fought more fiercely than ever before.
And after they became patriarch of their clans, they entered a period of stability.
It was because, from then on, the moment the patriarchs confronted each other directly, one side will surely come to an end, and the other side will also be on the brink of destruction.
Therefore, Chiron and Kelliark rarely led their henchmen to the battlefield.
No matter how they went out, the moment they appeared, the war ended instantly on any battlefield.
The two are literally the absolutes of the world.
Such Kelliark was stepping out directly.
He was heading towards sword emperor castle, not Huphester, but to stand in front of him meant an all-out war.
Everyone was concerned about an all-out war as soon as his name came out, but Rosa had a different idea from them.
"Kelliark is the one who prioritizes negotiations, unlike the patriarch. Although the patriarch is said to be in the Black Sea, he is still alive, so they wouldn't think of an all-out war with us. Did everyone forget? He is afraid of the patriarch."
Rosa judged that Kelliark was coming in person to negotiate with her.
"However, we cannot avoid an all-out war. The Black Knights, immediately go to the Black Sea and report the situation to the patriarch."
Chiron would have already entered more than the depths of the Black Sea, even the Black Knight could not make a quick report.
Maybe they couldn't meet at all.
However, Rosa deliberately gave the order as if the report would reach him so that the clan members would not be concerned about such a thing, and the Black Knights immediately understood her meaning.
"Honorable name!"
"Also, summon all the Black Knights, enforcement Knights, the Black Sword Association's first division, Guardian Knights, and all flagbearers, except for the scribes, and have allies stand by. When my order is given, they can immediately move to match the war scenario."
"Alright, acting matriarch!"
Some of the elders and secretaries of the Black Sword Association hurriedly left the barracks to carry out Rosa's orders.
"An all-out war is something that cannot be ruled out, but the important thing is not that, but the white stone. It has already been proven that the fleet was summoned in the first battle, and the large-scale reinforcements are coming again now. The white stone is an indispensable thing for them. But we don't even know what it is yet."
"Shall we send someone to the sword emperor castle?"
At the words of the scribe, Rosa shook her head.
"No. If the youngest knew exactly what the white stone was and was sure that the clan needed it, he would have asked the clan for help first. The youngest is probably still judging. Above all, the master of the hidden palace is with him. It could provoke her for no reason. For now, we have two days, so we'll watch a little more."
"Hmm, I don't know why the 12th flagbearer isn't leaving the sword emperor castle. If the purpose of participating in the war was to rescue Dante Hairan, he would have to leave now when the opportunity arises, but there is no sign of that at all."
Even Rosa found that part strange.
'Under common sense, the youngest should lead Dante and the knights of Hairan to retreat even now. There's no way they don't know that bigger reinforcements are coming. At this point, it is the youngest way to absorb Hairan and start a public opinion war to sway the empire and urge the clan to step up, but why doesn't he leave the sword emperor castle?'
Is it because he can't leave?
If only Dante was stubborn, the youngest would have forced him to leave the sword emperor castle even by beating him halfway to death.
It was the same in the case of saving not only Dante but also the other knights of Hairan.
If the youngest is the person Rosa knew, he could have taken Dante as a hostage, or even threatened the whole of Hairan to leave the sword emperor castle.
"It is also suspicious that Kinzelo is not moving. As reported so far, there has been no troop movement in the Land of the beastmen."
"As in the case of the sword emperor's terror attack, they will be able to use the portal to suddenly go to the battlefield. Keep an eye on it."
Runcandel didn't know, but Kinzelo was currently in a state where they couldn't use the leader's power.
Therefore, in order for them to participate in the sword emperor castle War, the movement of troops should have already begun.
"The last magic used by the 12th flagbearer is the legacy of Riol Zipfel. Acting matriarch, maybe the reason Kelliark is moving isn't just because of the white stone. Retrieving Riol Zipfel's magic seems to have been included in the purpose as well. Also, the artifacts used by the 12th flagbearer could also be Zipfel's."
Rosa nodded when Tellot Runcandel spoke.
Rosa accurately read the hidden meaning in his words.
"That makes sense. You are worried about the youngest, Sir Tellot"
"… Joshua is finished, and he is now the best flagbearer in the clan, except for the first flagbearer. I have no choice but to worry."
"If Kelliark's purpose is to find not only the White Stone but also the magic and artifact, then he wants to negotiate with me. That part will not be included in the content of the negotiations. It is unacceptable to ask for the return of what was taken away."
It meant that even if there were negotiations rather than an all-out war, she would never make Jin lose anything.
"Sir Tellot, you think I'm an idiot for worrying like that."
It was a joke, but no one laughed.
Only Tellot smiled and lowered his head.
There were really only a few people in the clan who could take Rosa's jokes in this way.
"Okay, the meeting ends here. Let's head to our respective positions. And Myu and Anne, you two stay for a while."
539
* * *
There were about 20,000 casualties in the imperial army and 2,000 in the sword emperor castle.
The 20,000 casualties of the emperor's army consisted of all knights and mages, not just ordinary soldiers.
Many major figures, including Imperial sword Jonsina Perral, were also killed, and more than 90% of dragon lances and war equipment were captured or destroyed.
Most of the casualties in the sword emperor castle were Hairan and ordinary knights who gathered for Hairan.
People like Shuras were injured, but key figures in the Vamel Alliance and Hairan suffered little damage. It was difficult to find fatal injuries among those above the level of commander.
The total death toll ratio was about 30% and 10%, respectively, and the first battle was truly an overwhelming victory for the Sword Emperor.
However, both sides suffered devastating damage.
The emperor lost too many talents to purge without justification. The prestige of the empire would not be the same as before, and neither was the imperial family's authority.
It wouldn't be strange if a new rebellion started around the Hensirk clan or the Lillista clan.
Or they could have gathered around Hairan.
The cause and the popularity of the empire all pointed to Hairan. Unlike the emperor who forgot his honor, Hairan kept his promise against his rampage.
A promise not to kill those who flee. Jin and Dante and their people all followed those words.
Even those who had attacked Hairan until yesterday had a desire to stand on Hairan's side if they could.
However, Hensirk and Lillista also suffered significant damage, and the fact that there was Zipfel behind the emperor was known to all, so that did not happen. There was no way that Hairan would accept those who had pointed their swords until just before.
Above all.
The war is not over yet. The fact that Zipfel's new fleet is heading to sword emperor castle is now known to everyone in the world, not just the battlefield. The sight of the fleet is being captured everywhere.
Unlike Runcandel, the Vamel Alliance and Hairan did not know about the change in the 1st Magic Tower.
However, looking at the size of the confirmed fleet, it was not difficult to infer that at least Octavia Zipfel, and possibly Kelliark, could come.
As Rosa said, it was best to abandon the castle and retreat. But as she expected, Jin wasn't going to leave.
He couldn't.
"Dante…."
Dante Hairan.
He was currently trapped in a seal presumably due to the influence of the white stone, and was in a state where no communication was possible.
It is a black seal like the shadow force.
The black power forming the seal was the murky energy of chaos that Jin had experienced many times. The purity is higher than any murky energy that Jin has experienced so far.
Jin was looking at his friend in the seal spread out in a semicircle in the middle of the arena.
'Lady Amela's murky energy is incomparable, and it is darker than the chaos shown by elder sister Yona.'
Jin feels like it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that it's not murky energy, but shadow force.
Jin always easily cut through this kind of seal with the power of the shadow force and the blue flames, but this time, no matter what he did, it was of no use.
The healing saints of the Holy Kingdom stood next to Jin and showed an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Sir Jin. After the first round of healing, while I was away for a while taking care of other injured people...."
"Don't say that. If the saints weren't there, he might have died. And this seal has nothing to do with saints. It is the Vamel Alliance and the sword emperor castle that we should be sorry and thankful for."
"… From the beginning of healing, he showed strangely great resilience."
After saving Dante from Jonsina Perral, he told him to rest until he could fight again.
In fact, Jin did not think that Dante would be able to participate in this war again.
Dante's fragile body had already passed its limits several times.
It seemed that it would take more than three days to walk properly, and at least three months to recover enough to fight.
However, Dante recovered enough to leave the healers in just a few hours after the healing began.
It was the power of the white stone.
Then, like a possessed person, Dante searched for the deepest part of the castle. He followed the voice of the white stone to the place where his grandfather was lying unconscious.
And as soon as he took out the white stone that his grandfather had been holding and returned to the arena, he was sealed.
"… saints, please continue to take care of the injured. The Vamel alliance and sword Emperor castle will not forget the grace of the Holy Kingdom."
"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to fulfill our mission as saints after the holy kingdom Incident, sir. Please, I sincerely pray to Ayula that you will not get hurt."
As the saints retreated, Murakan and Cuicantelle entered the arena.
"How are the knights?"
"Well, everyone is in the mood that they will never leave Dante. Damn it, that white stone is holding our ankles all the way. Neither I nor Cuicantelle have ever seen such a seal."
Dante looked blurry hidden by the seal of the murky energy, but the white stone spread a gloomy light in its midst. It looked like Dante's heart.
"Few humans are disturbed by the fact that the White Stone actually exists."
"It's no use saying I can't use the same power again. It's not that I don't understand, but staying still like this is just suicidal...."
After Jin manifested the will of Solderet and Kallum, the mirror lost its power.
Every time Jin injected shadow force, the function was returning little by little, but it was too slow. It could not be used again in war.
Jin could understand the hearts of the knights.
Jin is not confident in leaving Dante like this right now.
Booong-!
They heard Mort's cry from behind.
Talaris only moved Jin and his party with the help of Mort, but she hadn't officially participated in the sword emperor castle battle yet.
In the first place, she came here to fulfill her mission as a master of the hidden palace, not as Jin's reinforcements, so she did not appear in front of anyone except Jin and his companions.
As soon as she appeared, Jin tightened his heart.
It was because there was no answer if Dante tried to use the white stone and if Talaris came forward to fulfill her mission as the master of the hidden palace.
It is because Dante now looks as if he was sealed for trying to use the white stone.
"Madame Talaris, Dante…."
"I know what you're worried about, son-in-law."
Talaris knew what the seal of white stones is made of. It remains in the records of the hidden palace.
"This is the barrier that comes from rejecting chaos. Your friend, Ron's grandson, is fighting chaos within himself right now. So there is no reason for me to fulfill my mission yet."
Jin felt relieved, but the word 'yet' bothered him.
'The barrier created by rejecting chaos... If Dante is defeated in the fight against Chaos and uses that power, Madame Talaris will not help the Sword Emperor Castle.'
Hidden palace presumes that the white stone is Helluram's object.
And Helluram was a disaster itself. In any era and in any space, the witch's power brought great disaster to mankind the moment it was manifested. Always, without a single miss.
"Son-in-law."
"Yes, Madame Talaris."
"In my opinion, this war may not be just a war between the Empire and the sword emperor castle, and between Zipfel and Runcandel."
It's a problem for all mankind.
Talaris was interpreting the white stone that way.
Whoo...!
Myriad ice formed in Talaris' hand. At the same time, she condensed tremendous energy into the blade of myriad ice and threw it at the seal.
However, even with her blow, not even a small crack appeared in the white stone seal.
Rather, Talaris backed away as if she was being bounced back, and picked her breath.
"... It is a seal that can withstand even the absolute power of myriad ice. Do you know what this means?"
It means that there is a chaos that even I cannot handle.
Talaris continued.
"Hey, master of the hidden palace. That much?"
"It's not an exaggeration, handsome gentleman. Right now, I can't figure out which of these and the other dangers our hidden Palace is holding back will be more of a problem for the world...."
Elona Zipfel.
Most of Talaris and Myriad ice's powers are always used to keep Elona Zipfel's seal.
She was contemplating whether to block the white stone even if Elona's seal was partially damaged.
"I guessed that it would be a considerable thing, seeing as Zipfel is fretful, but I didn't expect it to be this much."
"Dante… Can he come back?"
"If I told you he couldn't come back, would you leave him behind?"
Talaris saw similar cases in secret records. Even in that record, humans exposed to chaos became monsters.
Jin was also aware of the existence of a monster engulfed in chaos called Smarion Proch.
Dante may have already crossed the river of no return.
"It's not like that."
"I guess we can only hope that Dante as well as your father and youngest sister will endure the acquired chaos. In some ways... Maybe it's a good thing that Zipfel's main force is on its way, and Runcandel is waiting nearby. If the Chaos of the White Stone awakens, they have no choice but to fight it whether they like it or not. If it's not them and us, then no one can stop it anyway."
Great forces are fighting for supremacy in the world.
Therefore, as it was during the holy kingdom War, when an incident that could destroy the whole world occurred, it was only natural to solve it first.
"It will be the same for you and your comrades. At best, Chaos doesn't wake up until the very end. Then the situation will end with a war or negotiations between the giant forces."
That moment.
The white stone inside the seal began to emit a more gloomy light. The shape of the light looked like a human mouth laughing at someone.
"… To be honest, I don't think that's very likely. The situation is not good in many ways."
If war or negotiations continue without chaos waking up, Hairan will perish in one way or another.
Conversely, the same was true when chaos awoke. Even if everyone on the battlefield fought against the chaos, Hairan could not avoid destruction.
In that case, it would be Dante who awakened the chaos.
"Whoa, first I'll go check out Ron. If even that human wakes up, I'm sure there will be a bit of hope for the sword emperor castle."
Talaris, who opened the dimensional gate, looked at the castle from the inside, and Jin looked at Dante beyond the seal.
Thus, the two could only hope earnestly for their friends to wake up.
540
* * *
Kinzelo headquarters.
Khud, Zephyrin bit the cookie. It looked similar to Latrie Cookies, but the taste was...… so terrible that it was difficult to describe. Even torturing her tongue with soldering iron might have been better than this.
'How on earth you manage to make such a dreadful snack, the princesses of Kaligo.'
Next to her, the Kaligo sisters who made the cookies themselves, were waiting for her evaluation with bright eyes.
Zephyrin nodded awkwardly and gave a forced smile, and the sisters jumped with joy taking that as a sign of honor.
"As expected! Our cookies beat their cookies, sister!"
"Oh, thank you ... for eating...… deliciously... Grand Duke."
Beyond just running, they joined with Bubare and sang a strange song while running around the meeting room like a playground.
'Since the demons came, there hasn't been a single quiet day at the headquarters… I can't say anything because of the Grand Duke.'
'Berakt obviously doesn't want to see them. If I say something, he'll say, "shut up, otherwise I'll tear up your mouth." He doesn't even know I am taking his side!'
'Bubare and...… female Bubare...… both... are so disgusting. The female Bubare is still funny sometimes, but no. Shit! What am I thinking? Both are intolerable beings. How can Lady Bianca be associated with such things?'
Berakt, Joe, and Bishkel clicked their tongues inwardly, while Zephyrin stared blankly out the window.
"Lady Zephyrin."
Margiella pulled her wheelchair to Zephyrin's side.
"Miss Margiella."
"What are you thinking so much about? You look like you have a lovesick. It's as if there's a subtle sorrow in your gaze. Perhaps a lover hidden in the demon world...? Oh my, how romantic."
It was strange.
Zephyrin, when in a rational state, used honorific words for everyone and seems kind, but she is truly merciless towards those who cross the line even a little bit.
It was true for demons and dragons, especially to those who were not superior to her. To throw a joke at her, one had to at least be the leader or the next in line among the demon world dukes. Or unless you are an idiot like Ainas.
But for some reason, Zephyrin had never felt uncomfortable with Margiella's jokes.
'Well, considering the existence that dwells in you, it's not that surprising after all.'
Zephyrin raised Margiella and sat her next to herself.
"I am not lovesick, but there are similarities in some aspects, in the sense that I keep thinking about it. It's not love but rather resentment... Anyway, I was thinking about the sad thing that Miss Margiella said the other day."
- Shall I tell you a funny story for the depressed Lady Zephyrin?
- What is it?
-Maybe something sad will happen to Sir Jin soon, Lady Zephyrin.
- Something sad...… ?
"You were thinking about Sir Jin."
"I didn't know that the sad thing Miss Margiella was talking about was that stone."
"Ah, did you feel disappointed that I didn't mention it beforehand?"
"I'd be lying if it wasn't, but I suppose there was something on my mind about my master, who was lying there and gushing blood like a weakling."
"Um, but! It was Lady Zephyrin who made the leader vomit blood."
When Margiella brought it up, the other executives in the meeting room perked up and watched.
Recently, the leader's health has been the biggest problem in Kinzelo. It was because he kept having problems while he was getting better.
It was the leader's will to use his power during the Sword Emperor attack last year, but the problems after that, namely the Black King incident, the Sota Desert, and the accidents that occurred during the visit to Tikan this time, were all the responsibility of Zephyrin.
However, no one dared to question or scold Zephyrin. The only punishment she received was that Bishkel asked her to work as a spy in Zipfel once.
'Oh, as expected of the vice-leader's younger sister! She knows how to scratch the itch! Well, I hope Lady Zephyrin wouldn't intimidate Margiella, right?'
'Even if it's Margiella, if she speaks so bluntly... Is it okay? Even if I recall some of the stories I heard from Lady Bianca about the demon world, Lady Zephyrin is a bit more ghastly than Berakt.'
'Margiella! Good job! No, why are you saying that!'
Zephyrin nodded smoothly, dismissing the concerns of Berakt, Joe, and Bishkel.
"That's right, it was my fault. I tried to be as careful as possible, but as you know...… Jin Runcandel. That devil is just inscrutable, you know?"
"Of course, I know it well. It's really not ordinary, right? Thinking about how we've been beaten by Sir Jin all this time..."
"Killing him a hundred times wouldn't be satisfying."
"Of course, that's a reasonable statement! Actually, I still want Sir Jin to come on our side."
"I have seen that kind of person often in my long life. Humans like him will never associate with those who have different beliefs."
"You speak as if you acknowledge Sir Jin."
Zephyrin didn't answer and turned her head out of the window.
"Our Kinzelo is always open, so an opportunity might come someday. But before that, I think the patience of Lady Zephyrin and uncle Berakt might run out."
"You have a little strange side, Miss Margiella."
"Haha, I hear that occasionally."
"If you really wanted Jin Runcandel to be on our side, you should have first informed him of the true nature of the stone and persuaded him not to get involved in this matter as much as possible."
"I've considered that too. However, even if we revealed the true nature of the stone, we wouldn't be able to prevent the destined fate, right?"
The destined fate.
As Margiella put it, it meant the death of Dante Hairan.
"Your friend will surely die, and the white stone is a dangerous object, so you should never go there. Sir Jin is not the kind of person who would listen if we told him to stop. As Lady Zephyrin said, Sir Jin is that kind of person."
At Margiella's words, Zephyrin nodded her head.
"Hehehe, fools! They don't even know that the stone is a bomb... Woop, woop!"
When Bubare intervened, Bishkel quickly covered his mouth. He intended to prevent his disgusting voice, so it would not further offend Zephyrin.
In Bishkel's view, the white stone was something that the likes of Bubare shouldn't carelessly say with their mouths.
"... Anyway, I'll be more careful about using the master's power from now on. First of all, let's have a snack while watching the fire (while Kaligo sisters weren't looking, Zephyrin threw the cookies they made out the window.) I hope after the incident is over, Sir Jin will rationally choose the date for the meeting."
***
April 4, 1800.
Everyone in the sword emperor castle spent the night with wide-open eyes. A huge enemy was approaching the castle, and the white stone seal surrounding Dante was revealing a darker color of chaos than yesterday.
The knights gathered in the castle still showed no signs of leaving Dante behind.
It wasn't because they believed in the power of the Vamel alliance. It wasn't because they gained any hope from the overwhelming victory in the first battle. It wasn't because they believed that Jin could display another miraculous power.
The knights knew very well that when Zipfel's real main force came, the Vamel Alliance and themselves would not be able to handle it.
The reason why the Hairan knights didn't leave was a matter of loyalty, belief, and efficiency.
"If anyone has to leave, it should be Sir Jin, not us," Shuras Helter said.
He didn't look well due to the injuries suffered in the first battle. Jin met his eyes without answering .
"Sir Jin and the Vamel Alliance have fought enough for us. I can't express my gratitude in words.... But Sir Jin, you and your people will be swept away by Zipfel's fire at this rate."
"Sir Shuras, I am Runcandel. Runcandel and Zipfel are originally enemies that kill each other."
"That's not a reason for you to die in this land, Sir Jin. Don't you have the whole life in front of you, Sir Jin? Wouldn't it be right to plan for the future, rather than die fighting with us here? The enemies will arrive when midnight passes and it becomes dawn."
"I will not die in this land, Sir Shuras. And it is right to plan for the future...… The same goes for the knights of Hairan."
"No, it is different. We have no future. You may have plans to evacuate us and incorporate us into the Vamel alliance or Runcandel for our safety. But if you do, we will be burdened with the guilt of abandoning Hairan for the rest of our lives."
While Jin was choosing his words, Shuras turned his gaze to Dante's seal and continued.
"Sir Jin. To put it bluntly, we are worthless. Strength, wisdom, wealth, and influence within the empire. It's all insignificantly small. The role of most of the knights gathered for Hairan in this war is like cannon folders."
"Oh, come on. Why are you talking like that? Huh? Thanks to you, the refugees have saved their lives, and Dante too, right? He gained courage, and it doesn't look good when you lower yourself. You guys were cool, you know. Why belittle yourselves?"
"Since the Black Dragon said that, I don't know what to say. But even after all that, we are insignificant beings in this war."
"Oh, so you're saying it doesn't matter if you die, so you'll just sit still and die?"
"Rather, we can deal a blow to the enemies by dying in this land. Zipfel and the Empire trampling on the insignificant knights who fought until the end to keep their faith...… Our enemies will lose their honor by killing us. Sir Jin, haven't you often defamed them more than anyone else?"
"I've never sacrificed my life to tarnish the enemies' honor."
"While you may not have sacrificed it, you must have risked it every time. We also risk our lives for that. To tarnish their honor. This is the most meaningful counterattack ordinary knights like us can make against great forces."
From Shuras' perspective, his words were not wrong.
Jin also knew it well. The reason he wanted to save the knights gathered for Hairan was simply that he didn't want to witness their deaths.
"If you continue like this, I'll save you even if it's by force."
"Sir."
Shuras grabbed Jin's hand and lowered his head.
"Sir Jin... Please respect us. As a fellow martial artist, as a companion who fought together."
"Isn't it too much for me, Sir Shuras? It's just like you are asking me to watch you die."
"There's nowhere else to ask for respect other than from you. I'm sorry, it seems that only wretched beings who throw away their grace are left."
Shuras held Jin's hand for a while, then turned around and left with firm footsteps.
"Murakan."
"Yes."
"Before midnight today, stun all the knights except for the front line of Hairan with Sir Valkas, and Proch siblings, and send them to Tikan."
"All of them?"
Just as he was about to answer 'all of them.'
Cuicantelle sighed as she grabbed Jin's shoulder.
"Miss Cuicantelle."
"That man Shuras, even if he said that... He spent the night going around convincing all the clans gathered for Hairan. He said that it was too harsh for them to endure, and told them to leave and lighten the burden for the rest, leaving only himself and the old knights behind."
"Whoa."
"It looked like something he was doing not because he wanted to survive, but because he knew it was a judgment for you. And even I could feel his inside pain."
"Even so, too many lives are at stake. Do you mean to tell the Kid that just let them die? Are you joking?"
"… Also, the knights still haven't given up hope for Ron. Imagining themselves absent when Ron wakes up is even more horrifying than death to them."
It is obviously painful for Jin that the knights do not leave the castle and prepared for death.
But for the knights, the significance of their existence was at stake.
"That's why respecting them might be a good idea. Jin, it's painful for you too. But for them, it's a matter of their very existence."
For a long time, Jin couldn't take his eyes off the door through which Shuras had left.