711
***
At that moment when Jin and Diphus teleported out of the battlefield, the remaining comrades in the center of Rikalton were rescuing the prisoners.
"Ahh!"
"Thank you, thank you!"
Screams and cries echoed along with words of gratitude.
For every fruit that was plucked, approximately 50 people were saved. Although a majority of the fallen fruits on the ground contained only about 30% surviving prisoners, there were still a considerable number of trapped fruits that showed no response even when peeled.
"I am Alisa Badger, the commander of the Tikan defense forces. Come out and head towards the direction where you see the light!"
"I am Gilly McRolan, a member of the Vamel alliance. Go towards the direction where you see the light. Those who are unable to move will need your direct assistance. It will be difficult, but please move calmly."
"Hey there! It's Nodaav Sargent. Any members of our fan club here? Oh, now is not the time for that. Go there, over there. We came to rescue you!"
"I am the leader of Ghost mercenaries, do you see the blue light over there? Find a way to get there. Our mages and knights will protect you once you reach that place..."
Hell was right here.
With such thoughts in mind, Jin's comrades were running tirelessly.
There were already hundreds of fallen fruits on the ground, and the trees near the castle were still shedding more.
The blue light gathering the prisoners was the colossal record window opened by Valeria.
She, along with Qwaul, Enya, and Hedo, were tasked with protecting the gathering prisoners and collecting information instead of directly participating in the rescue.
"Valeria, as soon as the signal flare went off, Jin's energy suddenly disappeared. Is there anything appearing on the record window?"
"She's currently focused, so she can't answer! Wait a moment, let me read the record window and find out."
As Hedo relayed the message, Qwaul examined the record window. Just as he said, Valeria was in a state where she couldn't hear anyone else's voice as she extracted the records of the entire battlefield.
"I found it. Through the power of Diphus Runkandel and the Authority of evil god, Jin has moved to... Hmm, the name of the area he moved to hasn't appeared yet. The letters are faintly trying to form and will likely show up on the window as time passes."
Hedo felt a little uneasy about Jin leaving the battlefield, but he didn't worry too much.
Unless Evil god itself moved, there should be no entity in Huphester capable of killing him.
'The fleets of Zipfel and Kinzelo are being delayed. That means they are also facing the forces of Evil god, including superhuman-class powerhouses... It's unlikely that Jin can handle all of them. Is the Fourth flagbearer luring him into one-on-one combat?'
Already, more than a hundred prisoners had reached the record window, and many more were crossing the distant field.
[It seems like things are going too smoothly, Hedo. The Chaos Army doesn't appear as formidable as expected,] Cuicantelle said as he carefully placed a fruit on the ground.
"Just saying that might cause problems, Ms. Cuicantelle. Just like now..."
Hedo drew his sword as he spoke.
What he was looking at was the main gate of Rikalton Castle. A woman dressed in black robes was walking out from there.
The Prophet, Ilina Runcandel.
Hedo immediately spread his sword energy in her direction, but Ilina dissipated like mist and reformed, shaking off her clothes.
Hedo shrugged as if he had expected that and lit a cigarette.
[Damn, so it is her. Judging from the situation, she seems to be the Prophet.]
The problem wasn't their combat power, but rather the disadvantageous situation they were in.
They had to protect the prisoners while fighting, and there were still many unknowns about llina's abilities.
[Heroes of the human world who came to rescue Rikalton. Are you enjoying the rescue mission?]
Illina's amplified voice lightly echoed through the battlefield.
Hedo fixed his gaze on her as his comrades struggled with the frightened prisoners, causing the rescue progress to slow down.
[It seems you don't have a good answer. Well then, I have prepared a gift for all of you!]
Clap, clap!
As Illina clapped her hands, a circle appeared in the midst of the trees that had bound the prisoners.
It was 'eyes.' Then, the trunks of the trees opened sideways, revealing grotesque figures with arms and legs.
[Insane... So those trees were not just trees, but some kind of monsters?]
As the bodies of the creatures, which had appeared to be trees, straightened up, it became evident that each of them had a more gigantic figure than the Rikalton Castle itself. The parts where the fruits were attached resembled heads with hair-like strands, and when the legs, which had been rooted in the ground like roots, stretched out, the monsters had bodies even larger than those of the cemetery giants.
[They are beings created with the help of the matriarch. You've encountered the cemetery giants, haven't you? They are similar to them, except they have humans hanging from their fruit heads. You could call them a kind of talisman.]
In other words, there were limitations to attacking the giant creatures. If they made a wrong move, their attacks could also destroy the fruits of the giant creatures.
[My head hurts. By the way, Hedo. That Prophet… does not seem to have the power to kill us.]
"I also had the same thought."
While most of their comrades were engulfed in a sense of growing urgency, Hedo and Cuicantelle calmly assessed the situation.
"It seems like she is trying to buy time with her maneuvers, making it difficult to rescue the prisoners. That's probably why the Chaos Army is relatively small. If they engage us with overwhelming numbers and chaos, the rate at which the prisoners are consumed would be too fast, and they know that we would have no reason to fight cautiously."
[It's not about buying time for the recovery of Diphus, who is already engaging in battle with Jin. But it seems their purpose is to disrupt the prophet's execution. She must feel a sense of crisis, given the obvious show she is putting on.]
"Tactically, it would be better to immediately abandon all prisoners and advance to disrupt the her intentions. But that wouldn't be Jin's style, right?"
[You're already speaking like a true member of the Vamel Alliance. You adapt quickly.]
"Because I'm concerned that if Jin suffers, Lady Sandra might go berserk. It's also a risky move to charge forward and potentially fall into a trap. It would be best to respond calmly until the temporary allies arrive. The numbers have come to mind roughly."
Gooong!
The giant beings began to move forward. Each time they moved, a dark low-pitched moan and an unpleasant sound of the trees twisting filled the air.
One of them raised its fist towards the ground, targeting Lata. However, Lata easily dodged the attack and showed the scene of rescuing several prisoners who were bounced off by the shockwave.
But not everyone could do what Lata did. Those who lacked relative agility, like the youngest division, had to prepare for fatal injuries every time they dodged the gaint beings' attacks.
[Well, it seems that the encounter with the giant beings will provide you all with more thrilling enjoyment. I will take my leave now.]
With those words, the Prophet returned to Rikalton Castle.
"Ms. Cuicantelle, please bring Yulian and the leader of Black King mercenaries."
Cuicantelle swiftly found them, as they were already on the battlefield.
[Yulian, you will be excluded from the ground prisoner rescue from now on. Instead, move with the leader of Black King mercenaries and harvest the fruits attached to the giant beings."
Yulian dropped the fruits attached to the giant beings using his bow, and Valkas moved them near the record window.
Hedo planned to rescue the prisoners attached to the giant beings in that manner, utilizing Yulian's marksmanship and Valkas' strength.
"Leader of Black King mercenaries, you don't need to bring the fruits all the way here perfectly. If you throw them from a considerable distance, I will catch them all. Also, there's no need for them to be too accurate. Even if you throw them slightly away from me, I can use the Sword Wind to catch them."
"Understood."
Valkas momentarily doubted if it was possible, but considering Hedo's incredible power, he nodded.
[Valkas will have a particularly tough time. While securing the fruits from the giant beings, he also need to pay attention to protecting our allies.]
Except for Hedo, who was an extraordinary being, Valkas was the only 10-star among the group, so he had to take on a significant role in protecting their allies as well.
"Of course, but it won't be too difficult for the leader of Black King mercenaries. Because..."
Fwoosh!
Suddenly, Hedo took a step forward and swung his sword through the air. The shining sword struck the wrist of the giant being that was originally targeting Mesa Milcano, causing it to miss its punch and stagger backward.
"This is why I will cover the entire battlefield while protecting our allies, right here."
Hedo couldn't leave this place. Once he moved, the lives of the prisoners gathered here would be forfeit.
Furthermore, if the rescued individuals lost their gathering point, it would create disruption in Valeria and Qwaul's analysis.
[It's true that you're a monster, Hedo. I suspected something when you immediately came up with a response, but you're just unstoppable.]
While their comrades marveled, Hedo felt a sense of regret. He thought that if he had faced Diphus and Jin had been here, the Prophet wouldn't have been able to pull off such a scheme.
'They must have calculated such factors from the beginning and diverted Jin.'
There were a total of eight giant beings. Hedo didn't miss a single move they made.
"Being unstoppable has its limits since it's just pure power. There will come a moment when I reach my limit. Until then, we should hold out as much as possible while rescuing as many prisoners as we can until our allies arrive. We also need one person to infiltrate Rikalton Castle. I believe Mary Runcandel, the 7th flagbearer, is suitable for that."
[I will pass on the message.]
"Ms. Enya, from now on, focus only on the rear. I feel like I won't be able to pay any attention to the rear at all."
"Don't worry. Sir Hedo!"
As Hedo provided long-range support several more times, the comrades could once again focus on rescuing the prisoners.
Hedo's sword aura continued to spread like a shining thread between Rikalton Castle and the gathering point.
712
[T.L: punisher87]
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Flash!
Whenever Harmila, Yulian's thunderbow, shot an arrow, the giant tree's fruit would inevitably fall. Valkas caught the fruit in mid-air and safely sent it to the rendezvous point.
The fruits they obtained contained mostly living prisoners, unlike those that had already fallen to the ground.
The pace of the rescue was increasing. The prisoners who arrived with each fruit were released by Enya, and those who walked to Hedo's back collapsed on the ground.
The prisoners felt relief, knowing that most of them had survived, but it was only temporary.
"Ah... My arm, my arm!"
"Mage, my daughter is still inside the castle. Please... please save her. Please!"
It was difficult to control people overwhelmed by fear.
Starting from those whose families were trapped among the fruits, to those who couldn't suppress their screams due to pain, to those whose minds crumbled and tried to escape the ranks for no reason, to those who grabbed Enya and begged for help, and even those who carelessly leaned against Qwaul's machine...
Sobs, moans, screams.
With each increasing number of rescued individuals, the area where Hedo guarded the gathering point for prisoners turned into a chaotic battleground.
There were so many people who had lost their families, became disfigured, or were overwhelmed by despair.
Among them, there were a few who managed to maintain their sanity, but if things continued like this, it seemed that Valeria and Qwaul would also have trouble analyzing the situation.
Enya was an exceptional mage. The reason her comrades left her at the prisoner gathering point was because her magic was particularly specialized in defense.
However, Enya was also a very kind person. She lacked the cold-heartedness to control people even if it meant resorting to cruel methods in this situation.
Originally, Hedo, Valeria, or Qwaul should have taken on that role, but all three of them were completely focused on the prisoners and couldn't pay any attention to it.
"Stay still! Everyone, maintain the ranks! It will be difficult for me to help you if you don't follow the instructions!"
There weren't many prisoners who listened even when Enya shouted.
Some prisoners even retorted to Enya, asking what good it would do.
'I can't afford to act frustrated. Even if the prisoners are in a pitiful state, if I lose control now, our allies will be in danger. If Sir Hedo takes my place and provides a distraction, the comrades who haven't received the protection of Sir Hedo and the other prisoners being rescued may die!'
Soon, Enya clenched her staff and unleashed her mana on the prisoners who tried to break free from her control. Cruel as it may be, she had to overpower them with force.
Enya's staff was trembling slightly. It was unexpected for her to be pointing her staff at the prisoners instead of the Chaos Army.
"If you continue to cause trouble, I won't have a choice. Return to the ranks immediately. This is your last warning."
"Yeah, go ahead and kill us. I've already lost my entire family. I have no reason to live... I might as well..."
Suddenly, a prisoner fell, and Enya's pupils widened.
She had intended to subdue them, but it wasn't her who had brought down the prisoner.
Someone had used magic before Enya.
"These crazy bastards, they don't even realize how grateful they should be."
He was one of the prisoners who had just arrived at the gathering point, someone with a history with Enya—Pascal Chip.
"I am Pascal Chip, a magicl officer of the Imperial Defense Corps. From now on, those who do not follow the control will be subject to military law. Do those who risked their lives to come to this hell to rescue the prisoners trapped in the enemy's hands seem funny to you? Are those people aiming their staffs not at the enemy, but at you?"
"Pascal...!?"
Pascal Chip, the leader of a group of thugs who tormented Enya in the past at the Vermont Academy.
He had completely transformed into a different person after the operation to eliminate the Dark Magic Society during Jin's time as a reserve flagbearer. He had become a respectable officer in the Imperial Defense Corps. During the invasion of Diphus, he was protecting the civilians as a member of the defense force and ended up becoming a prisoner. Even after being rescued, he was still fulfilling his duty.
-Ugh... I will definitely repay this favor someday...
Those were the words Pascal said after the operation to eliminate the Dark Magic Society.
"After that day, I vowed to repay the favor someday. I never expected that I would be able to help in a moment like this. Since there are members of the Imperial Defense Corps among the rescued prisoners, I will assist in controlling them. Please focus on what the Tikan Mage Commander is doing."
When Pascal subdued a few more unruly prisoners, the chaos subsided quickly. It would have likely resulted in the same outcome if Enya had done it, but it was clear that it had left a mental impact on her.
Enya nodded.
"I understand, Sir Pascal. I will entrust it to you."
The confusion at the prisoner gathering point was finally brought under control.
Enya redirected her focus to rear defense, and Hedo swung his sword without needing to look back, momentarily forgetting the commotion behind.
Though the sun was not rising due to the haze, it was already past 6 o'clock in the morning.
Three hours had passed since the rescue operation began, and nearly three thousand prisoners had gathered at the rendezvous point.
Compared to the estimated hundred thousand people, it was still far from sufficient, but each and every life was invaluable.
Now, the prisoners were taking care of each other's injuries, tending to the fallen and deceased.
Fortunately, there hadn't been any serious casualties among the members of the Vamel alliance so far.
Most of them were still running across the wasteland, extracting the fruits from the giant tree and eluding the Giant Beasts.
However, their physical condition wasn't without its problems. After running through this hellish terrain for several hours, exhaustion was inevitable.
Hedo and Mary, in particular, were experiencing the most strain. The area where Hedo stood was covered in puddles of sweat, and Mary repeatedly gasped for breath, barely managing to stay close to the Rikalton Castle but being pushed back repeatedly by the Giant Beasts.
"Ugh, huff...!"
As Mary had yet to infiltrate the castle, it was due to the relentless interference from the Chaos Beasts whenever she approached a certain distance.
Thanks to that, the Giant Beasts were unable to advance as they pleased, relieving some of Hedo's burden and ensuring some progress.
"Elder sister!"
Daytina's voice resounded as he leaped in front of Mary, swinging his greatsword.
The giant's fist aimed at Mary was deflected, and in that opening, Haytona struck a rock that was flung behind Mary.
"What are these damn bastards doing here? Instead of bothering me, go and rescue the prisoners! Did you really think I couldn't handle something like this?"
"Elder sister, you seem exhausted."
"If you continue trying to break through on your own like this and deplete your stamina further, you'll be overwhelmed when a situation arises inside the Rikalton Castle. Anyway, this area is our responsibility. As you can see... there are no surviving prisoners here anymore."
Mary didn't even realize that she had been pushed back to the area belonging to the Tona brothers.
"Heh, damn it."
"I won't mention joining you in infiltrating Rikalton Castle. Although it may seem like I'm resolute, I understand that it's not our role. So please allow us."
Mary locked eyes with her siblings.
Looking into their resolute and firm eyes, she couldn't help but wonder if these really were the Tona brothers.
"...I thought you were nothing more than muscle heads, but now you're finally playing the role of human beings."
"It's all thanks to you and the youngest, elder sister."
"We're making an effort to follow the words you said last time."
Though their words were rough, Mary remembered that the Tona brothers were there when she resisted Rosa alongside Diphus before Jin returned.
It occurred to Mary that perhaps the Tona brothers had already become reliable siblings since that time. No, it was certain.
"Alright, I will rely on you a bit. Can you make sure there are no corpses in my way?"
"Of course, elder sister."
"Go!"
As they started breaking through again, Mary felt that the path was much easier compared to before.
"Get lost, you monster bastards! The madwoman of the Southern Continent and the sons of Hell are coming out!"
"Kahaha! Get lost, get lost!"
"Crazy bastards..."
The giants who had become accustomed to concentrating their pressure on Mary alone were losing their momentum.
After about twenty minutes, the siblings finally reached near the outer wall. Mary had managed to conserve some energy, and the Tona brothers still had enough strength to go back the way they came.
"That should be enough. Although your lines were cheesy and cringe-worthy due to being backed by shouting, you have become considerably stronger, haven't you?"
"Wow, thank you!"
"Now go back. Don't move alone from here. I should be able to enter without any trouble. Most of the giants have been pushed back."
"Hoo, elder sister!"
"What?"
"We wish you good luck..."
As the Tona brothers tried to hold Mary's hand and bow their heads, Mary suddenly pulled out her sword and scanned her surroundings.
She felt a presence. It was a distinct aura of hatred, different from the giants.
When they checked the source of the aura, the Tona brothers couldn't help but make distorted faces.
"T-those... things that we killed to dust during the attack on the Garden of Swords... they're resurrected!?"
Myu and Ann.
They were looking down at the three siblings from the outer wall.
[Oh, my. It's truly a scene that can't be watched without shedding tears. Wishing you good luck? Since when were you all so close?]
[Hey, 7th flagbearer. You used to act so high and mighty, but now you've fallen to the point of needing help from those wretches? It's almost pitiful enough to kill you, isn't it?]
The siblings stared back at Myu and Ann without answering.
"If you died, you should have at least been buried with some dignity. What kind of cockroach are you? I don't understand why there are so many bugs resurrecting these days. But come to think of it, it's right that we put an end to you with our own hands. Come down and let's fight. You won't survive this time."
"The day has come to settle our long-standing grudge. The persecutions, humiliations, and shames we've endured. We'll pay it all back today, you damn bastards!"
While Myu and Ann mocked the Tona brothers, Haytona quietly whispered to Mary.
'Elder sister, we will deal with them. Take this chance to go.'
'They are beyond what you can handle right now. Your stamina is barely enough to retreat.'
'No, elder sister. There's no point in trying to escape. Besides, we have a plan. We don't intend to die in your place, so please go now. Even if we get overwhelmed in the fight, me and Haytona will hold on until our temporary allies arrive. So, good luck!'
Although they hadn't discussed in advance how to handle such a situation, the Tona brothers were already leaping towards Myu and Ann, leaving Mary no time to think.
713
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Anne swung her dual swords lightly and shot a sword strike. She swiftly defeated the Tona brothers who charged at her and immediately focused on targeting Mary.
However, the Tona brothers evaded Anne's sword strike and showed the power to instantly collapse one side of the outer wall where Myu and Anne were standing.
Due to the crumbling wall, Myu and Anne had to find a landing point and confirm Mary's location again.
Mary was already charging towards the inner castle, but she was momentarily obscured by dust and debris.
[These pests...!]
"Hahaha, did you miss us?"
"Did you think we would just let you go with one attack?"
[Anne, take care of those bugs. I'll handle Mary.]
While saying that, Myu looked ahead with surprise.
Daytona was suddenly pointing his greatsword towards her.
"You're facing us, Myu. Aren't you underestimating us too much? Well, we've made countless efforts to capture you all... so it's possible."
"Huh, you still haven't grasped the situation and are sitting here worrying about elder sister Mary. Hey, Anne, wake up. You almost lost your throat just now. Huh? Well, even if it's cut off, can't you just attach it back?"
Chaos flowed from Anne's neck like a stream of blood.
Haytona habitually tried to lick the chaos stuck to his chain sword, but when he confirmed that it wasn't blood, he spat it out.
Myu raised the wind of her sword and cleared away the dirt and dust.
Mary's figure couldn't be seen.
She felt a surge of anger, but soon the sisters faced the Tona brothers, giving up on Mary.
There was no need to chase Mary vigorously anyway, as Ilina was present.
However, the fact that this situation had been created by the Tona brothers, whom she always looked down on like bugs, made her unable to bear their anger.
[Mary would have been better off dying in our hands... You still have no sense. I've changed my mind. I'll deal with you. And I'll spare your lives. You will, as all rebels struggle against our mother.]
"You annoying little pests, eat this! The eleventh decisive killing move of our clan!"
[Eleventh?]
There were a total of ten decisive killing moves in Runcandel. So both sisters momentarily thought that there might be a decisive killing move they didn't know about and stopped speaking.
In other words, they were caught off guard. Meanwhile, the Tona brothers were already displaying their own "combined technique."
-I've experienced countless swords so far, but I've never seen such a chaotic, disorderly, and lowly combination. Even the world's greatest swordsman, Runcandel, never showed me something like this as a new decisive killing move....
-Ah...are you going that far? Sir Hedo.
-This is truly trash. I've never imagined such a shoddy sword.
-Is there no room for improvement?
-None... However, it's not a sword to be discarded either. Its chaotic nature might even be effective at times. Unless you're an exceptional sword master, encountering something like this would initially confuse you. It seems like it would be very effective against those who lack depth. Well, have you given it a name?
-It's called "Tona wild dance."
-Tona Dump or Tona-style eating, a name that reflects the messiness, might be more fitting... But Tona wild dance, alright. Since you mentioned it as a move, the name should be somewhat decent. It should be used to confuse the opponent and then decide the outcome.
The reason why Tona brothers called their combined move "Tona wild dance" and claimed it to be the eleventh decisive killing move of their clan was because after completing the move, they received such advice from Hedo.
'What... The eleventh decisive killing move of the clan?'
That couldn't be true.
As soon as the chaos began, the faces of Myu and Anne distorted.
The Tona brothers were already wreaking havoc in all directions, with the great sword slashing the ground and the chain sword tearing through the chaos. The brothers' rampage never ceased.
The problem was that none of their countless attacks reached Myu and Anne.
Myu and Anne occasionally brushed away flying debris and laughed hollowly.
"The next is the Third Decisive Killing move: Meteor Shower!"
"The Fifth Secret Technique: Light Speed Thrust!"
Meanwhile, as the Tona brothers continued their chaos, they added nonsense to their attacks, making the Myu and Anne flinch a few times. Eventually, Myu and Anne gathered their strength and prepared to strike with force. There was nothing better than avoiding such a baseless sword.
However, as if the Tona brothers had predicted all of this, in the moment when Myu and Anne gathered their strength, they unleashed their true decisive killing moves.
4th decisive killing move, falling petals and 6th decisive killing move, lightning. Daytona jumped out of a wild dance with falling petals and Haytona spreading lightning.
Clang! Crash!
The brothers' and sisters' swords clashed, and shockwaves spread.
Although the Tona brothers were pushed back more, they soon resumed their wild dance and turned the tables on both sisters.
"Kekekek."
"You fell for it again!"
Myu and Anne met all the conditions mentioned by Hedo.
They were experiencing this absurd decisive killing move for the first time, and although they had become stronger due to the chaos, they lacked depth as individuals.
[Wow, it's truly a bug-like move.]
Anne chuckled, but it was clear that the sisters were not effectively dealing with the Tona wild dance.
The "one blow" that the Tona brothers mentioned to Mary was effectively pressuring the sisters.
However, the wild dance had a fatal flaw.
It consumed a tremendous amount of stamina.
The Tona brothers could only sustain the wild dance for about 10 minutes at their current state.
Within that time, they had to either decide the outcome or receive support from an ally.
After that time passed, they wouldn't have enough stamina left to escape.
As the battle between the Tona brothers and Myu sisters continued, new enemies appeared on the battlefield in the plains of the Rikalton Castle behind them.
"Zhushen, are you okay?"
Luton shouted. As the former enforcement knight of Runcandel, he was currently leading the youngest squad to rescue prisoners.
Debris from the ground flew relentlessly towards Luton and the youngest squad as the fists of the giant tree struck the ground.
Thanks to Hedo, they were rarely directly attacked, but dangerous moments occasionally arose.
"I'm fine!"
"Stick close to Scott and take a moment to rest. You can't continue the mission if you're exhausted. Misa, you will temporarily take responsibility for Zhushen's area."
"Yes, Sir Luton!"
The battlefield was filled with massive rifts created by the giant trees.
Luton grabbed a falling fruit from one rift and discovered that it led to an underground tunnel.
'This is what Sir Jin mentioned...!"'
Crack!
As Luton realized it, a blade emerged from the underground, barely grazing his cheek as it passed by.
Luton stepped back and swung his sword, drawing the attention of the youngest squad.
Knights wearing black robes emerged from the tunnel.
Luton recognized their attire as the old Black Sword Association robes he wore when he was an enforcement knight.
[Luton… you are really alive.]
"Vex, it's you. And beside you, Lain, Rihanna, and Sinatra."
[We're honored that you remember our names, former enforcement knight Luton Ferman.]
-Black Sword Association, subdue Joshua Runcandel.
-Yes, madame!
-Lain, Vex, Rihanna... and Sinatra too. So all of you... were members of the Black Sword Association!
Vex, Lain, Rihanna, and Sinatra were the knights who suppressed Joshua when he fell, belonging to the Black Sword Association.
Before joining the Black Sword Association, they had performed missions together as enforcement knights like Luton.
"I've heard from Sir Jin that you were still serving as Rosa's lap dogs. But I never thought you would still be there when the clan reached this point. If you had any pride left, you would have chosen to fight alongside the resistance and die when Rosa corrupted by chaos. Yet you show up like this."
[The hunting dog that was abandoned and luckily picked up by the 12th flagbearer is barking uncontrollably. How about it? Will you pledge loyalty to madame Rosa again? If you do, you could become Runcandel's enforcement knights once more.]
"Put this nonsense aside and come at me! Your dead comrades are waiting for you in the afterlife... Youngest division! Retreat immediately and relocate if possible, preferably to where Sir Hedo is!"
Standing in front of Luton were four Chaos Knights.
Although their numbers were fewer than Luton's side, they were already beyond what the youngest division could handle.
Luton was trying to create enough time for the youngest division to escape, but three figures in black robes were already emerging from a rift on the youngest division's side.
[It's been a while, puppies of Jin Runcandel.]
[You haven't forgotten our voices, have we?]
"Kajin Romello, the Hass brothers...!?"
Kajin Romello, Mayl Hass and Rima Hass, members of the Intermediate Class who belonged to the Myu and Anne factions. They had joined Jin on missions during the Intermediate Class but were abandoned by Myu and Anne and expelled from the clan.
When the three of them were expelled, no one in the Intermediate Class felt sorry for them. It was because of the atrocities they committed while carrying Myu and Anne on their backs during their time in the Intermediate Class.
-I may seem ridiculous now. But soon, you will be in the same position as me. Purebloods and us are different. No matter how hard you try, you're just raised dogs, and this is where you'll end up... Kukuku, farewell.
Those were Kajin Romello's words as he left the Intermediate Class.
"Wow, I didn't expect to come across those bastards here."
"So, after being abandoned by Myu and Anne factions, you reluctantly crawled back to the corrupted Garden of Swords? Well, the Garden of Swords is the perfect stage for trash like you."
The youngest division glared at the group led by Kajin as they adjusted their formation.
However, Misa concluded that following Luton's orders was the priority.
"Bellop, Scott and I will stay here and deal with them. The rest of you retreat and inform the rear of the situation. Otherwise, we won't be able to save Sir Luton."
The fight between those tarnishing Runcandel and those trying to reclaim it continued.
The former had an overwhelmingly advantageous position.
The youngest division retreated under Misa's command, and the remaining members engaged in combat, preventing the enemies from pursuing them.
In this way, new battles unfolded throughout the battlefield.
Most of them were fights between Runcandel and corrupted Runcandel, like Jin and Diphus, Mary and the Prophet, the Tona brothers and the Myu sisters, and the youngest division and the Chaos Knights.
However, on the opposite side of the youngest division, the former Imperial Special Forces clashed with the current Special Forces.
"Kah!"
Alisa cried out as she was struck by something and was thrown back.
"Alisa Badger, former member of Imperial Special Forces 2nd division and a traitor to the imperial family. I shall execute you in the name of the great Vermont Imperial Family."
Codename Wratch, leader of the former Vermont Special Forces 3rd division.
Suddenly, he aimed his sword at the fallen Alisa.
714
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Although his face was covered by a mask, Alisa recognized Wratch upon seeing his curved sword.
"Codename Wratch, leader of the Vermont Special Forces 3rd Division. I heard you were crippled in the Gaifa islands. There's no way the imperial family would have used the blood of Numerus for the sake of the Special Forces... You seem to have become a majin."
Alisa's words were correct. After Wratch's tendons were cut off in Gaifa Archipelago, he underwent majin surgery under the orders of Amir Vermont.
And after Amir Vermont fell, all the technology and resources he possessed at the time were handed over to the current imperial family, led by Airan Vermont.
In other words, it wasn't just Wratch who blocked Alisa at the moment.
Chris, leader of the Special Forces 4th Division, and Beui, leader of the Special Forces Magic 1st Division, were also surrounding Alisa with the majin unit composed of the Special Forces.
"You're the undefeated Alisa, right? I heard you were treated like a legend until you abandoned the Empire with Kashmir."
"Be grateful to the imperial family. I was given orders to dispose of you as painlessly as possible, considering your past contributions."
Although Alisa possessed power of at least an 8-star level, she was greatly outnumbered to face them all.
However, Alisa remained composed and assumed her stance with a calm gaze.
"If they really wanted to kill me without causing any suffering... it's not because of my merits but because they fear retaliation from young master Jin in future. And is their goal here to eliminate me instead of rescuing the Imperial citizens who were brought here? They should be ashamed of themselves."
"How can you call commoners who do not show loyalty to the imperial family Imperial citizens, Alisa Badger? In any case, I have heard your last words; I will remember them well."
Alisa rushed forward and threw a punch.
The clash between her gauntlet and Wratch's curved sword created a shockwave, but the exchange with Wratch did not last long.
Chris, Beui, and the pressure from the majin unit continued to mount. As soon as they joined the battle, Alisa found herself overwhelmed.
She probably couldn't hold on for even five minutes. Truly, for the first time in a while, she felt the threat of death.
'I was once an Imperial Special Forces member to the bone, after all.'
In the midst of the possibility of being killed, the first thing that came to her mind was not her family or her comrades.
It was the Imperial citizens awaiting rescue in Rikalton. The fact that her death would reduce the number of surviving citizens troubled Alisa's heart.
Although she had left the Empire long ago with Kashmir and had even established the Kingdom of Tikan, her feelings for the land and its people called the "Empire" still shone like gleaming steel. Her loyalty had always been directed not solely to the imperial family but to the Empire itself.
"Commander of the Defense Corps!"
Just as Alisa fell to the ground once again, someone broke through the majin unit and stood before her.
It was Kuzan.
Fortunately, he immediately came to support her. Seeing the majins falter in the face of Kuzan's poison mist, she knew that Kuzan's poison was crucial in combating the majins.
"Kuzan!"
"I spread the poison mist so that Ms. Cuicantelle or Sir Hedo will recognize it and come to support us."
Thud!
Kuzan took out a highly toxic pellet from his pocket and bit into it. He believed that without enhancing himself through poison, he couldn't stand against the majins.
"Kuzan! That's too reckless..."
"Quiet down. If the roles were reversed, wouldn't you have done the same? The other comrades would have done it too. So, pull yourself together and fight."
The majins removed the poison mist and started entering one by one.
However, unlike before, they couldn't easily threaten the two of them.
Kuzan was now completely covered in highly toxic poison.
Even though they were majins, if they were affected by Kuzan's poison, it would take a considerable amount of time for them to regenerate.
"And if an opportunity arises, abandon me and escape without hesitation. Fighting alone in this state is much easier and more effective. Besides, I can easily escape using the poison. Those bastards won't be able to chase after us beyond a certain range."
Alisa nodded heavily.
That's how they all engaged in a life-or-death struggle.
It was so easy for them to kidnap tens of thousands of innocent people, but sending them back home required a sense of duty and determination.
'Since Lady Mary left for the inner castle, a great battle has started. Given how aura is spreading, it's highly likely that the remaining flagbearer of evil god have appeared. Moreover, there seems to be a battle taking place near the Sir Luton and youngest division, as well as in the area Lady Alisa is responsible for...;'
Gilly.
While crossing the advancing troops, she was observing the battlefield, trying to deduce the overall situation.
Since it was an area close to the Tona brothers, there were no more surviving prisoners in the area Gilly was responsible for.
Now she had to retreat to the rear and continue the rescue operation.
On the way back, she needed to assess the areas where the battles were taking place and provide support if necessary.
'Sir Luton is too far. Moreover, Kuzan's poison mist has spread in Lady Alisa's area, so it must be a more urgent situation. I should quickly go there and provide support…'
Just as she was thinking that and about to move, a man suddenly appeared in front of Gilly.
He was wearing black armor, symbolizing a Black Knight, but he wasn't wearing a helmet.
And he was someone Gilly knew very well.
"Dox...Oraboni?"
Dox McRolan.
The eldest son of the McRolan clan, he was the Black Knight of the Runcandel clan and had not been in contact since he left Tikan on a mission to investigate Rikalton. Gilly had expected that Dox had gone to Rikalton and probably met his death there.
Alternatively, if he didn't go to Rikalton and simply returned to the Garden of Swords, Gilly believed that Dox would have been executed by Rosa.
Especially Gilly wanted to believe in that.
Dox's appearance, consumed by chaos like other traitors, aiming his black claw at herself and Jin, was something Gilly never wanted to witness.
But in the end, it had come to this.
[Don't call me that, you wretched monster.]
Thump, thump.
Gilly's heart was pounding painfully.
Dox had already drawn his black claw and was aiming it at Gilly.
She needed to regain her composure.
Though he was tainted by chaos, her opponent was a Black Knight.
Unlike Gilly, who had lived her life as Jin's nanny, Dox had trained in combat for his entire life, surpassing ranks and boundaries.
While Dox's claw remained firmly in place, Gilly's claw was trembling.
"Stop it, Oraboni."
[You keep calling me that. Do you think I need to tear your mouth apart to make you listen?]
Sssht!
With a sound like tearing the wind, three slashes appeared on Gilly's left cheek.
If she had reacted even slightly slower, her left cheek would have been completely torn off.
[Oh, so Gilly is still Gilly. It's been a long time since you stopped training, yet you managed to avoid this.]
"Why did you succumb to chaos? No, it couldn't have been your will. You were undoubtedly forced into this by the prophet or the evil god... It's not too late, Oraboni."
[Oh, really? Not too late?]
"As long as there is no physical transformation, you can return with the Purification device. It means there is still a chance for you, Oraboni. Please, stop and regain your senses."
[Haha… you are the same as when you were young. You are still under the illusion that you are in a position to show mercy to me, just like back then.]
"I have never been in a position to show mercy to you, Oraboni. Not when I was young, not now."
[Is that so? Then what were all those pitying gazes that looked down on me back then? Sometimes it felt like you were intentionally losing to me, almost as if mocking me.]
Dox, consumed by chaos, was poisoned by the inferiority complex and hatred he harbored towards the young Gilly.
The commoner his father had brought home had surpassed him in less than a year of training. After that, Dox couldn't defeat Gilly until she left the clan to become Jin's nanny.
It was an unexpected turn of events, even for the McRolan's matriarch, who had brought Gilly in, believing her to be a talented but expendable shadow.
From then on, the McRolans had an uncomfortable time. While Dox was supposed to be the one to bloom, it was Gilly who blossomed instead.
Gilly's rapid growth became widely known, making it impossible for McRolan to deal with her.
Naturally, Gilly became isolated within the clan. Dox grew increasingly mad and lashed out at Gilly, and she did not resist.
Yet Gilly was grateful to have escaped poverty and survived thanks to being adopted by the McRolans.
She was grateful for the clan who had treated her well in the first year. She still hoped that one day she could become a member of the clan and live in harmony with everyone.
Above all, Gilly didn't hate Dox who was treating her harshly.
Gilly is a person who could never be cruel to someone she had once shown kindness to.
Runcandel recognized this aspect of Gilly's character and made her Jin's nanny.
"Compassion, you say? I just wanted to become close to you, Oraboni. Because I was young and naive, I didn't know what I should do. It wasn't until later that I realized my actions must have hurt you. If given the chance, I wanted to apologize someday..."
[Apology? No need for that. You were simply stronger than me. But I, unlike you, am a wretched human, so I have no intention of showing you mercy now. You will die here today, along with the people you love.]
As Dox's attack resumed, Gilly's trembling pupils gradually hardened.
Despair.
If she were to die here, Jin would undoubtedly be consumed by despair.
So she had to somehow defeat Dox. Even if it meant plunging herself into despair, she had to prevent Jin from suffering.
After all, she was Jin's nanny.
"...There's no other choice. I will show you why Oraboni could never defeat me in those days."
715
[T.L: punisher87]
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If Gilly had not become Runcandel's nanny and had continued to train as a knight under McRolan, she would have surely been able to keep her word now.
But Dox is a Black knight.
Although he had much less potential than Gilly and is now in a corrupted state due to chaos, the weight of the black helmet he wore had not lightened.
Moreover, the Prophet had put a lot of effort into Dox's corruption. She had tainted him just enough to be consumed by hatred and madness, without losing the strength he had built up as a martial artist.
In other words, the current Dox could fully unleash his true power.
[Dare to speak so arrogantly... How amusing, Gilly. You should have uttered such arrogant words back then. After you left the clan, I went through countless trials and became stronger. It was the same even after I put on the black helmet.]
Clang!
"Ugh!"
Dox's claw struck Gilly. She managed to block it, but she didn't have the courage to engage in a physical fight.
She felt a pain as if her wrist was being completely twisted. Every bone in her body trembled with each block against Dox's attacks.
However, Gilly only grimaced in pain, maintaining her stance and keeping her gaze fixed on Dox. The broken bones in her hand were bound together, forming a tight knot.
[I've had a relatively comfortable time, considering how rotten it was.]
Relentlessly, Dox continued his one-sided attacks. Gilly had to exert all her strength in every moment, but Dox seemed relaxed as if he were dealing with a child.
Strength, speed, experience.
There was not a single area where Gilly could defeat Dox at this moment. Her confident words were only meant to provoke Dox even a little, and she knew they lacked realism.
[That's it. What exactly are you trying to tell me?]
Thud!
Right after Dox finished speaking, Gilly could only hear the sound of her left wrist twisting. In the midst of their tangled claws, Dox unexpectedly shattered Gilly's center and struck her wrist with his elbow.
"Ugh...!"
Gilly grimaced in pain and quickly stepped to the left. But Dox did not give her any chance to escape and attacked the same spot again. The shattered bone pierced sharply into the flesh.
[It's your first time hearing your scream.]
"Well, are you satisfied?"
[No, I'm disappointed. I thought even if I were corroded, the monstrous Gilly you used to be might still have some remarkable qualities... That's what I thought.]
"I'm not a monster, just an ordinary person. The monster is you, Oraboni... No, the ones who made Oraboni like this."
[But you break so easily. So disappointingly…]
Dox stopped his attack.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Gilly distanced herself and hastily wrapped her broken wrist with a bandage. She hadn't taken the time to heal herself because she was focused on Dox. Cold sweat dripped from her body, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.
Sigh...
Dox let out a long sigh. There was no trace of the Gilly he remembered in her weak appearance.
Then, Dox took something out from his bosom and threw it in front of Gilly. Startled, she was about to counterattack, but she realized that what had fallen to the ground was a black vial.
"What is this?"
[It's called chaos vial. It's a potion made by the Prophet.]
"Eating this will turn me into like you, oraboni?"
[It temporarily restores your body and gives you explosive energy. Of course, even if you swallow chaos vials, the chances of you defeating me are slim, but isn't it better than dying like this? Moreover, I want to see you once more. Your old self.]
Gilly had no reason to hesitate. She stepped on chaos vial as if crushing it, rendering it useless.
"I don't need it."
[That's strange. When you were praised as McRolan's greatest genius, you didn't seem to have any self-esteem. But now, even in the face of death, you cling stubbornly.]
Gilly steadied her breathing and aimed her claw at Dox again.
"When I was despised and rejected by my clan, I remained silent because I had gained the name McRolan. It wasn't because I lacked self-esteem."
[You have never been McRolan.]
"No matter how my clan and Dox Oraboni viewed me, I never forgot that I was McRolan. Every sword technique I possess is learned from McRolan, and all the happiness I have experienced in my life has been harvested from McRolan."
That's why Gilly had never spoken of her past as McRolan to Jin and the others.
-I'm sorry, young master.
-Why are you apologizing?
-My clan is causing trouble for you. It's probably because of me.
-It's okay, Gilly. Don't worry, I won't hold any grudges against McRolan because of this incident.
Even when Jin became a flagbearer and McRolan did not send messengers, she apologize on behalf of McRolan, and when Dox was captured by Jin, she worried about what might happen if the young master harmed him.
Of course, Gilly had endured numerous wounds during her time with McRolan. But she believed that all that pain was incomparable to what she gained by leaving the slums.
Jin and Murakan, as well as her comrades whom they had adventures with since their days as reserve flagbearer. In a sense, they were her family. If it weren't for McRolan, she would never have had them.
The aura emanating from Gilly's claw grew stronger.
[Are you suggesting settling this with one decisive blow? Very well, I will wait.]
"Do you remember? This is the decisive killing move that you desperately wanted to learn, oraboni."
[The McRolan 66th move... it's a pretty nice move.]
"Oraboni, you still believe that the sword was made by the matriarch."
Dox's pupils narrowed.
[...Are you saying that it was you, not father?]
"Yes, it was known as a sword devised by the matriarch, but it was actually a technique I first conceived at the age of seventeen. That's why only I know the secrets of the 66th move, and in the end, the matriarch was unable to fully master it."
[Heh, so my father felt inferior to you just like me. But it's a pity you didn't swallow the chaos vial. With your broken arm, you won't be able to withstand the 66th move. Anyway, show it to me. Come at me head-on.]
Dox lifted his claw and prepared to parry. Gilly lowered her stance. It was a stance that Dox had practiced hundreds of thousands of times until his youth.
'A charge, acceleration, followed by consecutive strikes. The structure is simple but the weight distribution is extremely difficult for the wielder. To think that she created such a technique at the age of seventeen…'
Then Gilly unleashed her aura and charged at Dox.
If the fight ended before the technique could even start, Dox might not have known, but once the 66th move began, he had no choice but to yield control to Gilly for a moment.
However, Dox perfectly parried Gilly's claw. Even if he had no knowledge of the 66th move, a few superficial wounds would have been the extent of it, but with such a familiar sword, it was a given.
'A three-hit combo, followed by a low strike, and when you blocks or dodges, a rotation and position change.'
Now the 66th move had become a technique fully mastered by Dox as well. As a result, Gilly was the one taking more damage as she relentlessly attacked. Due to her injuries, she was having aura backflow.
The 66th move's backflow is already severe with an intact arm. It's impressive that she handled it this far with a shattered arm. This might be the end.
If Gilly had truly created the 66th move, the only difference would be the final move.
Dox knew that the finishing move of the 66th move was evasion. After all the consecutive strikes of the 66th move were finished, if the opponent was still alive, one had to retreat.
Therefore, the 66th move was a precarious technique. While enduring the backflow, one had to unleash their aura, overwhelm the opponent, and if unable to break them, one had to escape in that state.
Dox, while mastering the 66th move, always intentionally used only about 70% of its potential. The 66th move was undoubtedly an exceptional technique, but it had its limits, as one had to accept the risks of backflow.
That's why Dox believed that the "mastery" of the 66th move lay in complete control of the backflow, where there was no risk of backflow regardless of when or how far one unleashed it. That, in his opinion, was the ultimate stage of the 66th move.
However, Dox never knew that Gilly had achieved that ultimate control. Even if she fully unleashed the 66th move, there was no danger of backflow. He was about to witness the true end of the 66th move.
'Should I lower my stance one more time?'
As Dox anticipated the final strike, Gilly lowered her stance once again, returning to the initial posture of the 66th move. Then, she raised her upper body like a roaring beast, driving both claws into the ground.
In that very moment, Dox realized what the true finale of the 66th move was.
'It was a suicide attack. That's why the 66th move is so extreme.'
All the surging aura within Gilly's body converged into the blades of her claws, piercing the ground in an instant, like the eruption of Runcandel's volcano.
McRolan's 66th Decisive killing move.
Gilly McRolan.
When she first conceived the 66th move at the age of seventeen, she named the sword after herself. And she had planned to reveal it someday when the time came for her to be accepted by her clan, and when she could get closer to Dox.
She created the 66th move to become Dox's shadow. It was a technique she developed in preparation for the moment when she would have to die to save him.
Therefore, Dox had completely misunderstood the completion of the 66th move. To truly finish "Gilly McRolan," it was not about having the control to avoid the backflow of aura but rather acquiring a way to "utilize" it. The true end of the 66th move was to lead the backflow to its limit and detonate it in one fell swoop.
However...
Now, Gilly had no intention of dying for Dox anymore.
Despite still harboring affection for McRolan and Dox, even after receiving so much resentment, the only people she could give her life for now were the young master and Murakan, her comrades.
[You may have quite a fierce spirit, but there is no need for you to evade. Because you're the only one who will die when it explodes.]
"...This time, Dox oraboni has won. No, to be precise... it seems like you've won again."
[If you had swallowed the chaos vail I gave you, it would have been a somewhat burdensome power…]
Sssk!
Suddenly, Dox's side was sliced, and a surge of chaos burst forth like a blood vessel. Someone had attacked Dox with a perfect surprise assault on the battlefield.
In this world, there were not many individuals capable of executing such a flawless ambush against a Black Knight.
"This black meat tried to kill our Strawberry Pie?"
Yona Runcandel.
From the moment Gilly first unleashed the 66th move, she had always kept nameless support in mind. By now, assuming that the nameless had infiltrated separately from Kinzelo, they should have arrived on the surface.
In an instant, Yona swiftly took down Dox, driving her sword into his chest. With Yona and Owal ambushing Dox together, he had no chance to react.
[Grr...!]
In Dox's distorted vision, he saw Gilly kneeling on the ground with her claws embedded in the earth. Her eyes still showed no trace of resentment.
Likewise, there was no sense of triumph, only a dazed and melancholic gaze. It was a familiar expression to Dox as well.
Finally, Dox understood why Gilly always wore that expression.
It meant she never wanted to hurt him.