731
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Jin Runcandel is descending.
All allies on the battlefield were looking at the red glowing letters. Even the Chaos Dragon and the Black ships paused for a moment.
In this battlefield, the name "Jin Runcandel" carried a heavy significance. Both to the allies and to the enemies.
The army of chaos are the creatures of evil god, and to them, Rosa is like a "mother."
But the mother's attention and affection are directed only at one person, Jin Runcandel.
The creatures of the evil god were aware that they were not even comparable to Jin.
It was because they could read Rosa's inner thoughts.
They knew where her intentions, heart, and will were directed, what she desired, and what lay at the end of her love and hatred without any price.
The creatures of the evil god harbored twisted feelings of inferiority towards Jin.
As Rosa became more complete, the creatures could read her inner thoughts more clearly, and now was the moment when their tremendous animosity toward Jin erupted.
[Jin...… Run...… can… del!]
A Chaos Dragon descended upon Jin with a sinister and eerie voice. The horde following it also attacked Jin as he descended.
"You can even speak human language."
Jin spoke in a dry tone. In an instant, his figure disappeared from the chaos dragons, obscured by them.
Sak-!
Bradamante drew a semicircle. The chaos dragons that had attacked Jin disintegrated or shattered into pieces in the air before the afterimage of the semicircle disappeared.
In a momentary instant, around twenty chaos dragons were killed.
Jin was unaffected by the barrier's influence.
It wasn't because Jin was a being born from Rosa like the creatures of chaos.
The shadow force curtain that surrounded Jin like a cloak was offsetting the force of the barrier.
"Incompatible."
Jin, without stopping his descent, spread frost elemental mana in the air, creating a path.
Underneath Jin's descending feet, sparkling ice crystals scattered like a galaxy.
Shadow Sword 1st technique, Soul Slash.
A human swung his sword toward the massive barrier. No matter how sharp his sword was, it could only create a small crack considering the scale of the barrier.
However, Jin's descending sword showed no signs of stopping. At the speed that gravity pulled him, the barrier was splitting in half.
"Protect Jin!"
"Protect the 12th flagbearer!"
Protection was unnecessary. Despite being attacked by the breath of chaos dragons and the cannons of Black ships like a swarm, they couldn't penetrate the widespread curtain of shadow force.
Jin seemed completely focused on slicing through the barriers, paying no attention to those attackers.
As soon as Jin landed on the ground, those who witnessed him and the split barrier could only think of one thing.
Cut in two with a single stroke of the sword.
A massive sword split the center of the barrier in a straight line, leaving even the giants speechless.
The barrier that had bewildered countless fleets and dragons just moments ago, the best elites of each faction, and the heroes of humanity, was now torn in half by a single sword.
Of course, the barrier has not yet disappeared. The relentless gravitational force had weakened somewhat due to the split, but the crack was still narrow for the fleets and dragons to enter.
Therefore, there was still work to be done for Jin's comrades and allies.
"Sir Hedo, Bale!"
In response to Jin's booming call that echoed across the entire battlefield, the two individuals immediately landed on the ground and took their positions beside Jin.
"You two please open the rift. In the meantime, I will be in charge of the sky for a while."
If it were anyone else, they wouldn't have understood Jin's words.
Jin was telling them to open the rift like a door in the barrier.
But Hedo and Bale immediately stood on either side of the rift and held it with both hands.
It was a task that without their immense strength, no one else would dare attempt.
"Huh...!"
[Kuaaaaa!]
Crackle! Sizzle...
As Hedo and Bale pulled the rift with all their might, the gap in the barrier began to widen gradually.
Jin changed his sword. As the Lightning Sword Sigmund emerged from its sheath, a brilliant, blue light shone in the heart.
At the same time, hundreds of lightning bolts rained down over the battlefield.
Simultaneously, hundreds of lightning bolts rained down upon the battlefield.
These thunderbolts struck not the chaos army but the allied fleet and dragons, providing protection rather than annihilation.
It was because the sword technique was created for defense, not destruction.
Guardian Brethren, Mystic Sword Technique of Plutonian's 4th battle king
However, it was impossible for Jin to properly protect such a large army. It was inevitable because he spread thunderbolts too widely.
'If I can perfect the battle god fusion, it might be possible... But for now, this should be sufficient.'
The guardian brethren's lightning shield is just a device to make it easier to identify friends. The real protection is still Orgal's role.
Gaaaa...…!
Another god in the form of a blazing bird was roaring and revealing its blue mystical body.
Tess, Jin's newly summoned phoenix, gazed upon the enemies with blazing eyes. Though the chaos dragons rushed to tear its body, Tess did not allow their fangs to touch it.
The Chaos Dragons were consumed by flames like moths drawn to fire, devoid of life.
Only a few of the relatively stronger individuals among them managed to rise near Tess.
The weaker ones couldn't even attempt to attack Tess. Before they could approach, the membrane of their wings melted away, causing them to plummet to the ground.
The allies now had some breathing room. The propulsion previously used to escape the barrier was redirected to the cannons, and the giants resumed their offensive stance.
It was only a few minutes ago that the seal of fire appeared in the sky.
Meanwhile, Jin was completely overturning the tide of battle.
The power of a single individual was pushing aside the anxiety that had taken root within the hearts of the allies.
The numbers of the rushing chaos dragons and black ships had significantly dwindled.
The fleet was now advancing, utilizing the barrier's gravity-like force to make gradual progress.
"Kwaaaaa!"
[Ugh, geuk!]
The combined power of Hedo and Bale was becoming increasingly evident.
The linear crack that Jin had initially created had now expanded into an elliptical shape.
The barrier was no longer flat. It contorted grotesquely around the elliptical crack, pulsating with shadow force at various points.
"Thank you for your hard work. Sir Hedo, please step aside."
Jin spoke as he switched his sword once again.
As he swung his blade diagonally twice towards the center of the crack, it exploded with shadow force, causing a section of the barrier to shatter like glass.
Unbeknownst to themselves, the allies cheered.
Even if it's a 'temporary' alliance. At least today, everyone sincerely relied on Jin and believed in him.
[We've endured all the hardship, and you're the one who looks cool!]
"If you find it unfair, make a contract with Solderet, Bale. Return that sword to me."
[Just lay a finger on my Shakan, I dare you.]
Only three sides remained, but Veradin had already consolidated his fleet in the center the moment Jin descended.
"Advance!"
The fleet began its march towards the other side of the barrier. No more Chaos Dragons or Black Ships appeared from beneath the battleship, Ram.
As the fortress of the evil god drew closer, its dreadful aura became more palpable. Due to the low altitude, even the allies in the fleet couldn't properly see the sky behind the fortress.
The war had just passed its starting point.
The role of Chaos Dragon and Black Ship in the army of the evil god was not significant. They were sufficient for mass slaughter of individuals below the 7-star level, but they had clear limitations when facing an army with individuals like Jin or superhumans.
In the first place, if it had not been for the massive fortress of the evil god, the battle would not have properly taken place.
The real ones are the swordmasters stained with chaos.
The ancient heroes of the mausoleum who commanded them, the countless variables within the fortress, and the evil god itself.
The presence of Ram was also an ongoing concern.
For now, it seemed like Lynn had successfully stopped Ram, but it could be activated again at any moment.
'Rosa can't possibly be unaware of Dame Lynn's betrayal. We need to infiltrate as many forces into the fortress before Ram returns to normal. We can't let Dame Lynn's sacrifice be in vain.'
The moment Jin thought that far.
The battlefield began to tremor, as if a gigantic monster was awakening from the depths of the earth, shaking the surface.
The gates of the fortress of the evil god began to open.
The immense doors harbored a darkness as deep as the abyss itself.
"Full fleet, load maximum firepower, fire immediately!"
Veradin immediately ordered the bombardment to prevent allies from being overwhelmed by the visible darkness between the open gates.
Jin thought that Veradin had made a very appropriate decision.
The darkness of the fortress gates had a terrifying power that alone could frighten people.
There was also no reason to wait for the enemy to appear.
Kwaaaah-!
Hundreds of shots were fired towards the profound darkness. If it were a human fortress, the entire structure would have been annihilated, leaving no trace behind.
However, the shots were no different from pebbles falling into a well.
The bombardment continued, yet not even a distant explosion could be heard from within the fortress. It simply vanished hopelessly.
"Cease fire!"
There was no reason to waste mana on futile attacks.
Veradin immediately ordered to stop the bombardment, but it couldn't be denied that it had backfired.
It was because the full-scale bombardment of the entire fleet was no different from pebbles falling into a well.
As in any war, the morale of the troops played a crucial role in this battle as well.
Merely standing on the battlefield itself was enough to oppress everyone's inner self due to the power of the evil god, let alone the other factors.
Veradin had no choice but to contemplate his command, and a few seconds passed in silence.
Then, Jin took a deep breath and let out a shout while releasing his energy, shooting his sword indiscriminately towards the fortress walls.
Unlike the bombardment that simply disappeared into the open gates, the walls showed visible signs of being struck by the physical impact.
The stone cracked, and metallic sounds of rupture echoed throughout the air.
"There's no such thing as an impregnable fortress. Today, that fortress will vanish without a trace. So, allies, calmly strike the walls and prepare for battle. The enemy will soon pour out from within."
Jin said so, gripping his sword tightly. He felt the writhing presence within the open gates, as if it would burst into an explosion at any moment.
"And they, too, will all perish in our hands today."
732
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
In response to Jin's determination, the fleet fired cannons and the dragons unleashed their breath. The remains of Chaos Dragons and Black Ships were oxidizing in the shockwave.
Jin continued to gaze intently at the inside of the gate amidst the chaotic saturation.
He sensed the gloomy energy emanating from within rapidly intensifying.
'A knight, perhaps. It carries a certain weight.'
Sharp hostility emanated from inside the fortress, piercing through his skin.
He didn't expect to engage in a fight with Rosa immediately upon entering the fortress. After all, he hadn't come alone either.
"Bale."
[What?]
"That guy coming out from inside seems quite arrogant. Go and see what he's up to."
"That's a good idea."
Upon Jin's words, Hedo chimed in, and Bale frowned.
[You want me to go inside the gate alone?]
"Yeah. There's no one more suitable than you to scout those dark areas. It might take too long to send a Nameless person. Besides, if a situation arises where a special power like a barrier is needed from the inside, you should be able to escape more easily, right?"
[Ha.]
Bale sighed and spread his two wings.
His annoyance towards Jin and Hedo ignited as a blazing power from the edge of Shakan's blade.
[Damn it, how did I end up in this situation!]
Pang-!
Bale stormed towards the gate, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The allies watched with tension as his figure disappeared into the gate.
Even after Bale entered, there was no significant change inside the fortress.
However, after about thirty seconds, most of the allies couldn't help but gasp and sigh.
It was because a formidable knight emerged from the fortress, gripping Bale's head in his left hand and dragging him across the ground.
In his right hand he held a longsword well over twice as long. It was a similar form to when Shakan was a longsword Bale.
[I wanted to see how impressive this guy is, since the matriarch cares so much.]
Clang! Swish!
The knight tossed Bale in front of him and spat on the ground.
Similar to Lionel and other knights of Chaos, there was a faint indigo glow running through his entire body. Only the knights who had escaped from the mausoleum had such a form.
[Hmph, what a disappointment. I expected someone who could single-handedly sweep this place. But instead, you send this kind of doll first... Disappointed, disappointed, utterly disappointing.]
As he spoke, Jin shook his head.
"He let his guard down."
"He let his guard down."
Jin and Hedo spoke simultaneously.
The fact that all the allies witnessed Bale's pathetic state sent a shiver down their spines.
"In any case, this is a problem with super regeneration, Sir Hedo."
"Yeah, as long as there's a belief that one can't die easily, it leads to such situations. That worthless guy is now trying to undermine the morale of the allies you worked so hard to uplift."
"I am to blame for trusting Bale, there is nothing to say."
[Hey, when someone is talking, you should listen, you know?]
"That guy is also being careless. There must have been numerous unfavorable reports about Bale to the evil god side. I don't understand where such arrogance comes from."
"Perhaps it is a skill... Hmm!"
Ching!
Suddenly, a sharp flash emanated from the knight's long sword.
Runcandel's 5th secret technique, the light speed thrust, had passed between Jin and Hedo.
[You have no guts, and even less pride. Although you are currently committing treason, I heard that until recently, you were Runcandel's most highly regarded flagbearer. Even if we are fighting, isn't it right to show respect to me first? Surely, you understand the significance of me being buried in the mausoleum.]
Jin couldn't help but chuckle, feeling incredulous.
"A person who dedicated themselves to Runcandel, alive or dead. One who sacrificed both body and soul for the preservation and prosperity of the clan. No matter what calamity befalls, they would steadfastly protect the clan until the very end."
[You know that well. Then?]
"Why is such a person standing there?"
[What?]
"You probably fulfilled almost all the conditions I just mentioned during your lifetime. That's why you could be buried in the mausoleum. But now, where is your soul directed? When the evil god is pushing the clan into the brink of destruction, what are you standing there to support?"
The knight glared at Jin without responding.
[A person who has never become the patriarch dares to teach me...?]
"It doesn't matter whether you were a patriarch or an ordinary knight. What's important is whether you are fulfilling the duty after awakening from the mausoleum. Only that matters. I am giving you the opportunity to fulfill that duty for the first and last time. Join me immediately and prove that Runcandel's struggle will not falter against the power of the evil god."
[It's getting more and more absurd!]
"Will you respond to my words?"
Swish! The man spat once again.
[Did you get an answer? I am Senga Runcandel! The 11th patriarch of the sword clan and the one who has returned from death once again for the sake of Runcandel.]
"Senga, I will take away your qualification to be enshrined in the mausoleum and the home of Runcandel."
As Senga was about to respond, Jin took a deep breath and continued to gaze at Bale lying motionless in front of the gate.
"Bale! Stop playing dead and get up to finish him off."
[Tsk...]
Bale slowly got up.
As Jin and Hedo said, the reason Bale was dragged out, humiliated with his hair being grabbed, was that he had let his guard down.
As soon as he entered the castle, Senga's sword pierced his chest, and then an explosion of aura erupted from his body, almost tearing him apart.
It didn't really hurt Bale that much. Because in order to annihilate the 'trace of life' called the Bale, it must be the power of Genesis knight or a power equivalent to it.
Nevertheless, Bale decided to lie down for a while to suppress his embarrassment.
'Ah, it's embarrassing. I hope that Bastard Padler wasn't watching this...…?'
Fortunately, there seemed to be no sign of the Padler around, at least from what Bale could sense.
While others may not know, Bale didn't want to show such a pathetic state in front of Padler.
A smirk appeared on Senga's lips as he watched Bale.
[I was curious when you would get up and fight back, doll.]
[After lecturing Jin about his ancestors earlier, why do you dare to try and compete with me? Did you think that stabbing me once in my carelessness made you someone? Huh? Because I was feeling irritated, did it feel good to stab me once? Huh? Am I like a piece of crucian carp when I'm quietly standing here?]
Perhaps due to spending time with Sandra every day and being in an uncomfortable situation, Veil was using slightly provocative language. It could also be influenced by the mimicry of Murakan that Enya occasionally demonstrated.
[Indeed, as Sir Padler said, you are a lowly doll. However, I'm not interested in your life anymore since I've already taken it once. I'll assign my friends to deal with you and the other guys. Stay put and wait until the battle between me, the traitor Jin Runcandel, ends.]
As Senga raised his arm, knights and monsters drenched in chaos began pouring out from the open gate.
A massive army that couldn't be counted.
They had been waiting at the boundary of the castle gate since the moment Senga stepped out of the castle.
Before the army could even establish their positions, Bale enveloped the entire battlefield with a golden aura.
As the shining ring above Bale's head expanded and resonated with the overwhelming power, the forces of evil god that stood on the land all collapsed simultaneously.
[You just said you would. Even if all your subordinates attacked him at once, it would only make him break a sweat. Did you think the evil god would have expected you to face Jin in the first place.]
Senga remained calm even in the face of the futile deaths of his forces. However, as the golden aura covering Shakan grew even more intense, he couldn't help but feel a chilling sensation down his spine.
Bale became a ten great knight with only his overwhelming power during the prime of Runcandel.
On the other hand, Senga was the patriarch of the clan during Runcandel's most critical decline.
The weight Jin mentioned, the recognition of Hedo that Senga was a formidable fighter—they were merely evaluations that implied he could serve as the 'the gatekeeper of the evil god'.
Finally, they had reached this place.
They had faced countless arduous battles. Now, someone like Senga was no longer even a minor threat to Jin and his comrades.
As Bale said, As Shakan fell with a thud on Senga's head, the duel between the two began.
Senga was a man who became the patriarch without ever living in an era as desperate as it is now.
Tsuaak-!
As Shakan fell with a thud on Senga's head, the duel between the two began.
Even after the duel started, Bale continued to effortlessly incinerate the forces pouring out from the gate.
Senga thought to himself.
No matter how immense Bale's power was, he wouldn't be able to handle all the forces. Naturally, fleet bombardment would follow, but once the melee began, they would have to fight again while catching their breath.
Bale, who didn't let his guard down, was clearly several steps ahead of Senga.
As time passed, Senga had to reduce his calculations regarding the overall situation and focus solely on Bale.
On the other hand, Bale emphasized more on single-handedly annihilating the forces of chaos.
The end of the battle between the two came when Senga's longsword shattered into pieces, followed by his arms, which were holding it, disappearing.
[Hoo, hoo...!]
Senga, kneeling on one knee, looked around with a vacant expression.
Throughout the fight, the battleships never bombarded the battlefield, and not a single surviving force of chaos was in sight.
Jin walked through the sea of black corpses, approaching.
"Knight Senga, from now on you are no longer Runcandel. And even after the war ends, no one in this world will give your remains any respect."
[Kuhk... Are you saying that you can really decide that, even though the matriarch is still breathing in there? Your treason cannot succeed.]
Jin slowly turned Senga's head, so that Senga's gaze reached beyond the darkness within the castle where he had just emerged from.
"Those who entered the darkness and aimed their swords at Rosa today will forever have shining names. But those who never managed to escape the embrace of darkness despite their struggles will have their names buried in scorn and forgotten."
Senga's face contorted.
Jin casually looked down at Senga's eyes, where he was trying to suppress his trembling.
He could sense death approaching.
Originally, the knights of the mausoleum could be resurrected through the power of the evil god, Rosa had never planned to revive Senga in the first place.
Jin thought it was only natural. Even when Rosa was human, she had never shown any favor to individuals like Senga.
Thud!
Senga fell to the ground.
Jin walked past him, gradually moving into the darkness within the castle.
Hedo, Bale, and the comrades who had descended and awaited Jin were now following closely behind him.
733
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Valeria unfolded the record window, but no information appeared on the screen.
In a typical war, they would have already received intelligence from an nameless reconnaissance unit or assessed the approximate enemy forces from the air through fleets and dragons.
However, in this war, none of these actions held any meaning. They had to push forward, regardless of the lurking danger beyond the darkness.
The fleet resumed its bombardment, targeting the walls that stretched on either side of the open gate.
They knew that physical strikes were effective against the walls, so the fleet needed to break through and secure a passage into the castle.
It was impossible to scale the heights.
However, as Jin approached the gate, he felt a growing unease.
'The gate... keeps opening.'
It seemed to be welcoming Jin.
With each step closer, the darkness within the gate grew. It was as if it were allowing the entrance not of an enemy, but of an ally.
"Sir Jin," Ronil spoke. Octavia and some members of the specter squad had also descended to the ground.
"Speak."
"Would it be better to enter after partially destroying the walls? The gate keeps opening as if taunting us."
Before Jin could respond, a disquieting and heavy rumble echoed through everyone's ears on the battlefield.
Grooaaan....
Like the mournful cry of a monster within a cave, it was a low and eerie sound.
Jin and the others involuntarily looked up at the sky.
'Ram's main cannon? Did Dame Lynn fail?'
It was moving. The hideous barrel was already adorned with a massive chaos.
The fleet immediately switched from bombardment to deploying protective shields. Signals flared up in various locations, alerting to sudden situations, and blue shields formed.
The ground forces also adopted defensive postures centered around Jin, and Ram's cannon unleashed its massive chaos.
Phaaaa...!
Ram's bombardment struck directly down on Jin and the fleet.
Five battleships that were there moments ago disappeared without a trace, but the ominous pillar that eradicated them remained.
"The 4th flagship, Pistro, annihilated!"
"We need confirmation on the change of the 4th fleet's flagship, over 10 battleships destroyed...!"
"Enemy cannon reloading, projected impact point, Kinzelo 1st fleet!"
"The fleet cannot keep up with Ram's reload speed!"
The fleet's mages were shouting frantically.
The fleet's protective shields were nothing more than sheets of paper in front of Ram's main cannon.
The terrifying bombardment they experienced during the first assault was happening again. The mages were consumed by fear, recalling the nightmare of that day.
Ram fired its second shot.
Even Grenil, the flagship of Kinzelo, could not withstand Ram's main cannon with its own capabilities alone.
[Tsk!]
Fortunately, before the bombardment hit, Zephyrin positioned itself above Grenil, exhaling a breath.
Unlike during the first assault, Zephyrin did not get pierced even when directly hit by the cannon.
There were reasons why Zephyrin became stronger, but it also meant that Ram's main cannon had weakened compared to the initial strike.
However, the weakened main cannon did not imply a decrease in overall power.
"Main cannon switched to radial mode! Damage radius, the entire fleet...!"
Black meteor showers spread like spider webs, relentlessly striking the entire aerial forces. With each passing moment, battleships were destroyed, and dragons let out cries of agony.
Bale soared into the sky, unleashing its golden powers, while Orgal deployed a shield encompassing the entire aerial space.
As Orgal's shield formed perfectly, the damage significantly decreased, but Ram seemed unwilling to allow it. The reload speed was increasing.
The aerial forces were already at a disadvantage due to the low altitude of the entire aerial space from the beginning, and they had no room to spare.
If things continued like this, the aerial forces would soon face annihilation or near-extinction.
Swift judgment was required. Veradin gritted his teeth and alternated his gaze between Ram's barrel protruding from the clouds and the battlefield below.
'It's difficult to retreat... The barrier that Jin broke through earlier has been restored. If we try to break through the barrier and retreat recklessly, the likelihood of complete annihilation is high.'
Veradin's gaze fell on the gate. It was still open, spreading darkness.
Unbeknownst to them, the gate now had enough width for the fleet to enter.
And although the impact from Ram's cannon had slightly altered the shape of the walls, they were still resilient enough to withstand the fleet, incomparable to their previous state.
"...Advance the fleet. We will enter the castle. Inform the ground forces as well!"
Veradin's command momentarily startled the commanders, but they quickly prepared for acceleration.
Jin and the heroes on the ground intercepted Ram's continuous cannon fire, reading the signals from the fleet.
At the forefront, Kozec reached the darkness of the gate. The battleships followed, disappearing into the darkness.
Indeed, Veradin's judgment had an effect. The ominous castle acted as an umbrella, protecting the entering battleships.
When the fleet, dragons, and ground forces had all completed their entry into the castle,
Only about 70% of the remaining fleet and dragons remained.
It hadn't even taken 10 minutes for 30% of the entire aerial forces to disappear.
Allies stared at the gate from outside, their eyes momentarily dazed.
Inside, there was only the same darkness as when they entered. It gave them a feeling of crossing some kind of boundary. A boundary that connected the mortal world to the world of the evil god.
However, the merciless noise and vibrations caused by Ram's cannon were still being transmitted from within.
In other words, the temporary alliance had escaped to the castle of the evil god from that bombardment.
The allies couldn't help but feel a great sense of humiliation as they sought mercy from the enemy, just as much as they did in asking for mercy.
Inside the castle, it was possible to visually confirm the structure, unlike when observing from beyond the castle gates.
It was a vast space where one could truly feel the size of the castle, an immense cavity.
Even though the entire fleet had entered the interior, there was no feeling of claustrophobia at all.
It felt like being in the middle of a plain rather than inside a castle.
"It feels much larger than it looked from the outside."
"Why would they create such a spacious area?"
"They were already bombarding us from the outside. If we stayed out there, we would be killed by their artillery. To avoid that, we had no choice but to enter the enemy's castle."
As the allies looked around and made their remarks, suddenly, the roaring and vibrations coming from outside, made by Ram, ceased.
The castle gates had closed.
"Ah!"
"Ugh!"
And as soon as the doors closed, the knights with the lowest resistance and the mages among the allied forces began screaming.
A psychic attack.
The mental attack of the evil god that had been pressuring the entire forces had infiltrated the minds of the allies.
Many collapsed within the fleet, even the dragons twisted their bodies and fell to the ground.
The absurdity of facing a god continued to unfold.
The only fortunate thing was that those who had a certain level of willpower were unaffected, as evidenced by the fact that Rosa had been struck during the previous internal battle.
At that time, regardless of willpower or resistance, Rosa indiscriminately unleashed psychic attacks.
[If we had come here without winning in the previous battles, we would have already been wiped out.]
Orgal said to Jin. In his eyes, he could faintly see the light that enveloped Jin's body in this darkness.
For lesser beings, it was an unseen light.
[It's more like a kidnapping, but since there was an invitation and a welcoming ceremony, we must oblige. We need to quickly attend to the incapacitated personnel and move forward. I'm sure everyone feels it, but if this fight drags on, we have no chance of winning.]
His words were accurate.
Just staying still caused people to suffer mental blows, and it was a waste even to pause for a moment.
But where should they go?
It was not easy to find a clue. The interior was so vast that it was empty, truly like a plain with openings in all directions.
They could be attacked from any side.
In the worst case, enemies could converge from all sides at once.
Everyone's gaze fell on Jin. As if they naturally looked at the light in the darkness.
With his eyes closed, Jin was reading the chaos. Although all directions were filled with intense chaos, an even denser energy was rising from the center.
Without delay, Jin began to move, and the allied forces followed behind him.
With every hundred steps, more personnel collapsed from the mental attacks. Just by continuing to move forward, people engaged in their individual struggles.
They advanced for about thirty minutes. By then, the chaos army hadn't attacked the allied forces.
Instead, Jin and the allied forces stopped moving and suddenly found themselves staring at a cliff that appeared in front of them.
They couldn't fly over it, just like when they attacked the fortress wall.
When Bale and Zephyrin attempted to fly, the moment they tried to pass over the cliff, something seemed to drag them down, and their altitude rapidly decreased.
They almost fell below the cliff without warning.
There was nothing beyond the cliff.
They had to descend below the cliff for a new path to be formed.
The interior of the Evil God Castle was a structure that strictly connected only to the underground.
Jin looked down below the cliff.
You are trying to draw us deeper and deeper...'
It was like a swamp.
In Jin's thoughts, Rosa was pulling the allied forces to the lowest point in the world. It was as if they had to reach there in order to confront her head-on.
"I'll go down first to check."
Jin said as he drew his sword.
"I don't know if it will be possible to send a signal from below, so if there's no contact after 10 minutes, the remaining high-ranking forces will enter one by one."
Normally, if it weren't Jin. The allies would have suggested being more cautious about the danger.
But in this war, Jin's judgment was absolute, and no one could open a path that he couldn't.
As Jin began to descend below the cliff, his comrades watched his back.
For some reason, the sight of Jin being trapped in a trap didn't come to mind. Whatever awaited him below, it didn't matter.
734
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
It is deep.
Even the underground tunnels in the castle seemed shallow compared to this cliff.
As Jin descended for several minutes, he felt two sensations simultaneously as the ground drew closer.
The first was the chaos that pierced his body like a knife, and the second was the sense of obstruction in his aura generation organs, as if he was exposed to Qwaul and Valeria's "Aura Jammers."
Just before landing, Jin countered the impact with his sword energy and gently touched the ground.
He had a strong intuition. This place was only the "Underground 1st Floor."
'Even if I don't know how many floors there are, Rosa must be at the lowest level.'
As he looked around, he could see faint lights in the distance.
Jin quickly recognized that those lights were the glow of their eyes.
The fierce aura emanating from their pupils was visible and tangible.
"This time, please."
Jin's low voice spread through the air like the wind. This time, the energy that the knights who had returned from the mausoleum had was completely different from the previous ones.
"I hope you are someone worthy of being called an ancestor."
The glowing eyes drew closer. Jin took steps forward towards them.
"About eleven knights."
The fact that all twenty-two eyes were glowing meant that they were all knights who had returned from the mausoleum.
As the distance closed, the outlines of the knights became clearer.
Examining their attire, Jin recognized that they were one former patriarch and ten black knights.
However, unlike the black knights, the former patriarch showed a slightly different appearance from the former patriarchs he had encountered.
'Is his face covered with chains?'
Black chains were wrapped around his face. The sword he held was also an ordinary longsword that former patriarchs had used extensively, making it impossible to determine his identity based on his weapon.
"I am the 12th flagbearer, Jin Runcandel. Knights, reveal your names."
Instead of the former patriarch, one of the black knights spoke up.
[You came down alone.]
"So you're the leader of the black knights. Can't the former patriarch speak?"
The chains covering the former patriarch's face seemed to twitch slightly.
"In that case, let's postpone taking the former patriarch's life for now. Everyone, come in."
Jin aimed his sword at the knights while holding it diagonally.
The feeling of his aura generation organs and blood flow being obstructed grew more intense.
On the other hand, the knights from the mausoleum were unaffected.
The knights were well aware of that fact.
However, they still formed their formation cautiously.
They understood that even if his aura generation organs were hindered, Jin was by no means an opponent to be taken lightly.
"If it's too burdensome, let me go first."
Pah-!
The ground beneath Jin exploded, and a sharp sound of splitting air echoed.
His sword was first aimed at the former patriarch's face, trying to remove the chains covering it.
However, the former patriarch parried the attack with his raised sword, and swords from the black knights surrounding Jin flew towards him.
Spinning and pushing aside two of them, Jin took advantage of the opening and thrust his sword towards the former patriarch's face once again.
Tick!
A chain snagged on the tip of the sword, and fragments flew off.
Then, as the former patriarch stepped back behind the black knights, a blinding thrust struck Jin's ear. A hot trickle of blood flowed from his ear, but Jin was not filled with a sense of danger. Instead, he was filled with doubt.
'I can't sense the sharpness or killing intent in the attacks of the former patriarch.'
The killing intent that pricked his skin was all from the black knights. In other words, the former patriarch did not harbor the intention to kill Jin.
'But each attack is clearly lethal…'
The former patriarch is being controlled.
Jin considered that case. Someone must be manipulating the former patriarch's body like a doll, and it could only be Rosa.
This time, the black knight's sword grazed Jin's shoulder. He had a few minor wounds, but Jin remained composed.
Disrupting the aura creation was undoubtedly happening through Rosa's chaos.
Although Jin couldn't immediately find the device or link that was causing it, it didn't bother him.
'It was a wise decision to come down alone. Rosa is using the disruption of aura creation to make it easier to kill others, not me.'
Unless the aura organs were completely destroyed, such disruptions would only temporarily inconvenience Jin.
Ka-aaah!
As Jin unleashed his aura, a shockwave spread with a flash of light.
Three approaching black knights were thrown back, and the central figure, the former patriarch, stumbled backwards.
His previously blocked blood flow and aura organs was now open.
The reason Jin didn't initially undo the aura disruption was due to his curiosity about the actions of the former patriarch and Rosa.
"Building a castle, digging underground, sealing the mouth of the former patriarch, and using disruptions of aura creation... You are doing things that don't quite fit with the evil god."
Blade of Bradamante pointed upwards, engulfed in white light.
Runcandel 3rd Decisive Killing Move: Meteor Shower.
The formed aura in the air poured down into the underground like a tsunami.
The black knights lowered their stances and spread their aura to intercept the meteor shower. In that moment, Jin once again penetrated their formation.
Skkk!
One black knight's right arm fell off, and a full-fledged melee began. One sword and eleven swords intertwined, leaving countless complex afterimages in the darkness.
Amidst the chaos, the meteor shower continued relentlessly bombarding the battlefield.
With each falling blade, the terrain changed, and the black knights were always a step behind Jin in following the proper techniques.
Only the former patriarch could read the constantly evolving battlefield at a speed almost identical to Jin's.
Still, Jin could not read any killing intent in his shining eyes.
Instead, they seemed to hold some desperate cry.
Clearly, he did not desire this fight.
"This swordsmanship isn't yours."
Runcandel's swordsmanship did not possess any distinctive form other than the secret techniques and decisive killing moves.
However, Jin could discern a familiar flow in the swordsmanship used by the former patriarch.
He could feel the flow of the person who wielded the sword fiercely, even without possessing Runcandel's physical form.
"Are you reminiscing about your human days? Evil god."
The former patriarch's swordsmanship perfectly matched Rosa's swordsmanship.
Rosa was controlling him.
There was only one reason why Rosa would "control" him.
'The former patriarch is standing against the evil god.'
Jin could see a bitter-sweetness and a glimmer of hope for the Runcandel clan in his appearance.
'Not all knights who come out of the mausoleum completely submit to Rosa. There are those, like the former patriarch, who are against the evil god.'
The former patriarch had not uttered a single word, nor had he ever swung his sword to kill Jin, not even once.
Jin could discern one aspect of Runcandel's mindset that he had never given up.
A struggle that never bends even against the will of the Gods.
In the long and extensive history of Runcandel spanning a thousand years.
There couldn't be just one person left who could match such a figure.
If there were those who groveled like Lionel or Senga, there had to be someone who would never crumble. Now, just like the former patriarch, who burned with more determination than when he was alive.
Jin finally understood Rosa's intention.
'She must want to show that even the ancestors who fought until the end are ultimately helpless and that she wants to kill all such individuals.'
Not only Rosa but also the former patriarch entwined with Jin, he desired his own death.
To escape from becoming such a disgraceful puppet, there was only one exit: death.
Even if he died and his soul was not liberated, he would still be better off than fighting as puppets for evil god.
Even if his mind shattered and he completely vanished from this world, it was still better than fighting for those who defiled the clan.
Jin had no intention of joining Rosa's vile intention.
"I will release you soon, Ancestor."
Jin's attitude toward the former patriarch had changed.
Although the sword pointed at him became even more menacing, it was only to break the chains that bound him as quickly as possible.
However, the Black Knights persistently attacked Jin.
He couldn't preserve the former patriarch's body while unleashing the power of Plutonian Swordsmanship or similar techniques.
Of course, even if he freed the former patriarch from his shackles, there was no guarantee that Rosa wouldn't take away his soul or life.
But Jin wanted to break the chains and have a moment to converse with him, even if it was brief.
He wanted to tell the ancestor that he fought honorably until the end.
And if possible, he wanted to keep him alive and overcome this hell together.
Clank!
A chain that wrapped around the former patriarch's face was severed.
His pupils became slightly clearer.
At the same time, blood spurted from Jin's shoulder.
It was the blade of the Black Knight Commander.
Although it didn't penetrate deep, if the bleeding continued like this, Jin's movements would inevitably become sluggish.
However, there were comrades leaping from the upper levels to the lower levels.
"Jin!"
Hedo's voice reached him.
Bianca and Octavia were also descending toward the battlefield.
Ten minutes had passed.
Even when they were absent, the situation was flowing in Jin's favor, so the knights of the mausoleum would inevitably be in a more difficult situation.
Hedo's sword techniques and Octavia's light magic attacked the Black Knights.
It had not been long since they were on the same side, and now they showed perfect coordination.
While the Black Knights were momentarily startled, Bianca positioned herself behind Jin. As a result, the Black Knight Commander had to block Bianca's greatsword instead of thrusting his sword at Jin.
For a moment, Jin had a chance to concentrate solely on the former patriarch.
The moment Jin struck his sword towards the chains, the former patriarch momentarily released Rosa's control.
The sword that was moving to repel Bradamante paused for a moment.
'It's because I've severed some chains!'
That was the best and greatest result the former patriarch could achieve by refusing to be controlled by the evil god.
Jin didn't miss the opportunity.
Crack, clank!
Finally, with a single blow, Jin was able to break the chains that covered the former patriarch's face.
The face revealed belonged to a person Jin had heard about many times in his past life while studying Runcandel's history.
Alpen Runcandel.
He was the 20th patriarch of Runcandel and a figure known as the "Knight of Light" in the past.
735
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Hood-deuk-!
The pieces of chain were falling to the ground.
Alpen, with his face revealed, blinked his eyes in surprise.
He had a much younger face than Jin had anticipated.
Jin instinctively recognized that the energy of Rosa, who had been controlling Alpen, had been released.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ancestor. I am Jin Runcandel, the twelfth flagbearer of the Chiron Runcandel, the 59th patriarch of Runcandel."
Jin kneeled down and formally saluted.
Alpen glanced at the chaotic battle situation behind Jin and then nodded approvingly, seeming satisfied.
[In this current generation, there are those who shine brightly. For now, the situation is urgent, so let's first slaughter the traitors!]
"Understood."
Alpen's sword, which had been engulfed in chaos just moments ago, was now gleaming white.
True to his title of the Knight of Light, his aura clearly possessed a stronger and brighter light than that of an ordinary martial artist.
[Traitors, you are not worthy to wear the helmet of the Black Knights....]
Alpen charged toward the center of the battlefield, brandishing his sword.
The Black Knight Commander, who was engaged in combat with Bianca, was momentarily distracted by the sword, and Jin took the opportunity to strike his head with his own sword.
The helmet shattered, revealing the face of a monster stained black with chaos.
Even the Black Knights present here were in the same state.
Once, they had been individuals who dedicated themselves to the clan and enjoyed the honor of being enshrined in the mausoleum, but now they appeared as grotesque creatures, so corrupted and exposed.
The faces of Alpen and the Black Knight Commander were in stark contrast.
In a desperate attempt to escape the crisis, the Black Knight Commander leaped forward, but once again, Jin and Bianca's swords bound his movements.
Then Alpen's thrust pierced through the face of the Black Knight Commander.
Crack!
With a heavy cracking sound as if a spring had been released, the Black Knight Commander's head disappeared.
[Now, it's time to lay down your burdens.]
With the death of the Black Knight Commander, the remaining Black Knights lost their focal point.
From the beginning, they had never gained the upper hand, and now that Jin and Alpen had joined the battle, they had no means to fight back, not even against their allies.
Escape was impossible. In this desolate space, there was no path for them to flee.
While they were steeped in chaos, they managed to hold their own for a while, but that was all. They were sorely lacking in facing martial artists who ranked in the top tier among all of humanity's history.
Crack!
The long-lasting battle finally ended when Jin overpowered the last remaining Black Knight's torso.
"Now, it would be nice if you explained what happened, 12th flagbearer. Why did the Chaos Knight suddenly become our ally?"
"Why, do you think I have colluded with the evil god?"
"That's not the case, but it's a situation that can easily be misunderstood."
"I... didn't... misunderstand. If... allies... increasing... good. The evil god... is too... strong."
"As you can see, my ancestor has just been released from the control of the evil god. Octavia Zipfel, just as Bianca said, it's a good thing that our allies are increasing. There will be more ancestors like you, right? Ancestor."
[Being referred to as an ancestor feels strange to me, considering my young age. Just call me Sir Alpen, the 12th flagbearer.]
"Understood."
"Alpen Runcandel, is it? The battle for protection of the Holy Kingdom?"
Octavia said, surprised.
[Yes, that's correct. You, who is called Octavia... you must be the descendant of Hanel Zipfel, who fought alongside me in the holy kingdom's protection. Hanel, although he was an eccentric Zipfel, had quite a dignified presence. That's why even when he spared the demons he defected to, I didn't suspect him, like you're doing now.]
"Sir Alpen, I didn't suspect you, I just..."
[When I was bound by the control of the evil god, I roughly understood the situation through her inner self. 12th flagbearer, only you can defeat her and stop this situation. I, Alpen Runcandel, will devote myself to reclaiming the clan name, following you from now on.]
Alpen interrupted Octavia's words.
Jin felt his heart warming once again.
Clearly, there was hope remaining within the Runcandel. He wasn't the only one clinging to hope, struggling.
"Thank you, Sir Alpen."
Now they had to call the allies above and inform them of the situation before moving again.
But Alpen brought up a completely unexpected topic.
[This evil god castle is structured in a way that once you descend, you can't go back up, 12th flagbearer.]
"You mean once you descend, you can't go back up?"
[Yes. Each floor of the castle is formed as a completely separate subspace. To be precise, it's not a subspace, but the inner world of the evil god itself.]
The inner world.
Not long ago, Jin had fought Rosa in his own inner world.
And conversely, the castle of the evil god was the inner world of Rosa manifested in reality.
That was why the lower forces suddenly became exposed to mental attacks on the upper floors. The weaker they were, the more difficult it became to progress through this inner world.
[Therefore, it's also impossible to send a signal to the allies remaining on the upper floors.]
If it were a normal subspace, Jin could have solved it by slashing with his Shadow Sword, but that didn't apply to the inner world of the evil god.
"Then we have no choice but to wait for our allies to come here."
[That might not go as planned either. The Zipfel clan's mage... that slow talking demon must be princess of the Kaligo family. Anyway, it was lucky that the mage, the princess, and the knight joined us. The structure of the inner world is constantly changing.]
Above all, the inner world was more like a maze than expected.
If you tried to return the same way you came, you wouldn't end up in the same space.
As Alpen said, the reason Hado, Octavia, and Bianca were able to join them until now was because the structure of the inner world hadn't changed.
"...If Sir Alpen's story is true, we're in trouble."
Hedo said.
"If there's no contact from our allies even after ten minutes, we'll move to the next floor."
Jin concluded.
There was no reason to wait for too long. If no more allies joined them, the paths had already diverged.
While waiting, Alpen provided the group with information about the forces of the evil god.
[According to my knowledge, currently, thirteen former patriarchs have been resurrected.]
It included Alpen and Lionel. The fact that the resurrected patriarchs were of the same number as the pure-blooded second generation was oddly unsettling to the group.
[Each floor is guarded by the resurrected patriarchs. However, I don't know how many of them have resisted the will of the evil god like me. As for the forces other than the patriarchs, I don't have exact information, but the recently deceased Black Knights are only a small part of them.]
So, the rough outline of the battle would involve the heroes of the temporary allied forces, the resurrected patriarchs, the forces below the fleet, and the knights of chaos.
[Elements that disrupt mental attacks and aura generation will become more severe as we go down. It won't be a big problem for the people here, but it could be fatal for those who are less skilled.]
"We brought the entire fleet with us, anticipating an aerial battle with the battleship, Ram... It may have been a wrong choice."
Just when Jin was caught up in that question, Alpen raised his head for a moment.
[When we fought the Holy Kingdom protection war, I was also caught in the same dilemma as you. Unlike the figures representing the era, the elites below them died like flies. However, if it weren't for them, we would have ultimately been defeated. The evil god will undoubtedly make use of everything it has, and before that, it would want to minimize the forces of the temporary allied forces in this place.]
Ten minutes had passed.
No allies had descended from above. During that time, the group had made several attempts to confirm if returning to the upper floors was truly impossible, but they found no success.
In the end, the destination where Jin and the temporary allies had to reach was the abyss of this inner world where the evil god resided.
Hoping that the allies would join them and unite there, they had no choice but to keep moving forward.
They resumed their journey.
After a while, the group encountered a deep and massive cliff, just like they had seen on the upper floors.
"Let's go down."
Jin, Alpen, Hedo, Bianca, and Octavia. The five of them began descending below the cliff at the same time.
***
Meanwhile, the allied forces that remained on the upper floors were descending the cliff, boarding the entire fleet, following Jin's path.
However, what they encountered upon reaching the ground was not Jin and his group, but three resurrected patriarchs from the mausoleum and countless forces of chaos.
At the center stood the Lion King, Lionel, said with a dry voice.
[Attack.]
As Lionel spoke, the army of chaos surged forward like a tidal wave.
In the sky were chaos dragons and black ships, and on the ground were monstrous beings and knights with an unknown resemblance to the Giants.
'There is no trace of the battle between them and Jin. I don't know the reason, but it seems we have diverged from Jin... Could it be due to the unstable structure of the castle?'
Veradin quickly made a judgment without being flustered.
"Initiate the battle. Fire dragon Kadun, Sword Emperor Dante, and Knight Bale will take care of the enemy commanders. Orgal and Zephyrin, focus on protecting the fleet."
Veradin immediately gave orders and started the engagement.
The problem was that the firepower of the fleet's main cannons, including Kozec, had significantly decreased.
It was because the influence of the evil god was preventing the generation of aura and the creation of mana.
Furthermore, as the inner world grew deeper, the intensity of mental attacks had also increased. The lower and mid-ranking forces within the fleet were screaming and falling.
A battleship was not controlled by a single person.
As the number of unconscious mages increased, the operation of the fleet inevitably became sluggish.
"Ronil, take command. I will also descend."
"Yes, young patriarch."
"Except for Kadun, Tuyan, Pinia, all dragons return to the fleet and inform them that the Demon's God's Orb has been activated."
Kozec was spreading an ominous resonance from the power system.
As the Demon's God's Orb began to activate, Veradin's body, descending rapidly, aged quickly.
In no time, he transformed into a white-haired old man, extending the patriarch's staff, "Hroti," before him.
[You are not the only ones who can wield absurd power like monsters.]
From Hroti, a modified decimating annihilation flame orb by Kelliark, unleashed.