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The single black panther, who was engulfed in eternal flame, spread the flames to dozens of black panthers.
'The eternal flame doesn't move as I wish...!'
-[You reached the realm that Sarah desired, and you claim you can't control your flame? That can't be true, so hurry and attack me. Just a little scratch!]
The words Jin heard from Bale after discovering the eternal flame.
Naturally, the eternal flame is the fire that follows Jin's will.
If Jin desires to burn, even if he dies, it will continue to burn without extinguishing, and if he desires to fade away, it will immediately fade away.
However, the eternal flame was already deviating from that rule, starting from the first black panther.
It had formed a much larger fire than Jin had wished for.
The eternal flame was not completely disregarding Jin's will.
It just wasn't under perfect control as usual.
There were far more flames spreading haphazardly by attaching themselves to Jin's will than flames that extinguished by Jin's command.
'Did the evil god prepare this after elder brother Diphus suffered from eternal flame...?'
It was accurate.
The evil god was using the eternal flame "never extinguishing characteristic" in reverse.
The evil god did not know exactly how much Jin could perfectly control the eternal flame, but it was certain that it was not infinite.
Therefore, intentionally using chaos and the grudge Jin harbored as a catalyst to multiply flames and it seemed to be a way to pressure Jin, and that plan was perfectly hitting its mark.
The grudge Jin held against the evil god was so deep and immense that even Jin himself couldn't fathom it.
That grudge was making the eternal flame burn more fiercely.
Even now, the grudge continued to grow, making it impossible to stop the spread of the countless eternal flames.
Moreover, just now, the horrific annihilation of the young Rosa had further enraged Jin.
[Krgh!]
[Kihiing...!]
Every time the screams of the black panthers could be heard, chunks of the ground melted away.
As soon as the party reached the underground third floor, they found themselves isolated with the surroundings already melted away. They could also see a few panthers falling to the next floor one by one.
The panthers were burning by the eternal flame, melting the lower floors.
'If we keep falling like this, is the evil god at the very bottom?'
There was no choice.
Jin couldn't stop the rapidly increasing number of the fire, and they couldn't go back up. The party had no other option but to continue throwing themselves downward as they just did.
Jin briefly explained to his companions about the fact that the eternal flame was not under control and the reasons behind it.
"...I wasn't using the eternal flame. For now, it seems we can only hold onto each other and descend. I've been thoroughly defeated."
"Don't blame yourself. It was unavoidable. And in my opinion, even if you hadn't used the eternal flame, those panthers would have endlessly pressured us in some way. Perhaps the evil god prepared them to continue regenerating until you used the eternal flame." Hedo spoke.
[Truly, I have witnessed an extraordinary sword. If you were in my era, the protection of the holy kingdom would have been much easier. But, 12th flagbearer, something feels strange about the plot of the evil god.]
"What do you mean?"
[The evil god's chaos is not infinite. I know for sure since I was trapped within her. How much chaos do you think it would take to create just one black leopard? I don't know for certain, but it must require a considerable amount. And she's burning hundreds, thousands of them.]
Jin's control over the Eternal Flame was limited, just as the evil god's chaos was limited.
[That's why I suspect the evil god is using the Eternal Flame to not only trap us but also to test herself... to see if she can handle the ever-growing power of the Eternal Flame.]
"Why would the evil god go to such lengths...?"
At Octavia's question, Hedo shook his head.
"Considering the evil god's obsession with Jin, it seems likely, Spectre Captain. Perhaps it's not even a test for himself but simply a desire to observe Jin's sword."
"I... think the same way."
"Everyone, hold on tight. The ground is completely collapsing."
By that time, the entire underground third floor had completely melted away.
The black panthers were no longer visible, having already fallen to the lower floors.
Jin began to feel fear, slowly but intensely.
Of course, he was not afraid of fighting the evil god.
'What if this Eternal Flame continues to spread... and causes harm to our allies?'
The people currently with him were not a problem.
They were a small group, and each one was an exceptional martial artist.
But if the Eternal Flame continued to spread and started attacking friendly forces somewhere else, it would be an entirely different story.
'Bale said that not even Orgal could control the Eternal Flame as he wished. If the Eternal Flame starts striking our allies at this rate, the catastrophic damage would be unavoidable.'
That thought troubled Jin throughout the descent.
Even though he had expected such a possibility, it felt like a thorn was lodged in his throat.
It wasn't easy to shake off the feeling that the evil god was playing with them in the palm of its hand.
Certainly.
This battle was different from any other. After regression, Jin had defeated countless enemies and none had shaken him to this extent.
The descent didn't end quickly as it had just begun.
It seemed that the black panthers were melting the ground faster than the party was descending.
It was clear that they were continually moving downward.
As the descent lengthened, the sensation of the aura and mana interference became stronger for the party.
Since most of them had suffered injuries, the perception was even more heightened.
Eventually, Octavia lost consciousness first. Hedo and Alpen were noticeably short of breath, and even Bianca, who had suffered the least damage, occasionally took long sighs to catch her breath.
Meanwhile, the superhumans never let go of each other's hands.
Jin kept thinking.
How could he protect his companions?
Among the allies were most of the people he cherished more than anything else.
Perhaps the labyrinth of the evil god castle had already relocated the eternal flame to where his companions were.
Every time he imagined them being consumed by the eternal flame, a shiver ran down his spine.
As if someone was directly depicting that scene in his mind and injecting it into his thoughts, he couldn't stop envisioning it.
'Can I protect them all? Can we all return without casualties? We're already so helplessly trapped in the trap before even engaging in direct combat with the evil god.'
Bad thoughts tend to intensify over time.
The more difficult the situation, the more fearsome it becomes.
[12th Flagbearer... What are you doing?]
Suddenly, Alpen spoke up. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness.
"Sir Alpen, are you alright?"
[Hold my hand tighter. I don't have enough strength.]
Alpen's words provided Jin with an answer.
'I am not the only one who can protect them.'
We protect each other.
Jin had already realized this during the battle in his inner world. He had momentarily forgotten due to the urgency of the situation.
"I'm grateful that someone like you, Ancestor, is still here."
Once again, his mind cleared instantly.
With each moment his disoriented mind settled, Jin felt like he was taking a step away from the evil god's intentions.
'The allied forces have Valeria.'
She might use her record magic to detect the threat of eternal flame before anyone else.
Similarly, Veradin, who recently learned similar record magic, could do the same, and beings like Orgal and Bale could minimize the damage to the allies.
Dante could unleash his invisible sword style to restrain the approaching eternal flame, Cuiczntelle could exert its authority to buy some time, and Syris' Myriad Ice could seal the eternal flame.
Even if nothing could stop the eternal flame altogether.
In any case, the allies, and companions, would do their best to escape from the eternal flame.
Not just to survive, but to avoid hurting Jin. To prevent him from falling into the sorrow of killing them.
They would flee with that determination. It was a fight they could not win without trusting each other, without believing in themselves.
Even if it meant that from tomorrow onwards, they would be in an adversarial relationship where one side had to be destroyed, today he had to fight sincerely alongside them.
That was the part Jin lacked the most.
Until the decisive battle, Jin had clashed with them over the future war with the evil god.
Starting tomorrow, even if it became an enmity where one side had to perish, today they had to fight wholeheartedly together.
Gradually, Jin's expression, distorted by an inner pain he didn't even realize, returned to normal.
The descent had come to an end.
As Jin landed on the ground, creating a gust with his sword, the first thing that came into his sight was the hazy, engulfed land.
Black panthers were burning everywhere. They were far fewer in number than what Jin had seen on the underground 3rd floor.
It was unclear whether the rest had turned into ashes due to the eternal flame or if they had fallen into another space in the labyrinth.
The ground no longer melted away. It meant that the group had finally reached the central part of the Evil God's Castle, the lowest floor.
'...Is this the center of the lowest floor? The flames grow larger as we go in that direction.'
Jin looked towards where the eternal flame was expanding.
Hedo carried Octavia and the former patriarch, while Bianca carried Alpen.
As Jin started walking, the eternal flame split in two and formed a path.
The fires seemed to speak to him, indicating the direction.
Jin walked through his own flames.
No matter how far he walked, the flames grew fiercer, indicating the vast extent of the eternal flame.
Faint aura, mana, and the golden power could be sensed from afar.
His companions had fallen to the lowest floor a little earlier than Jin.
However, Jin didn't become impatient. It didn't seem like his companions had been killed by the eternal flame.
Nevertheless, he quickened his pace. The flames flickered wildly, clearing a path like a gust of wind, and soon Jin came face to face with the allied fleet surrounded by the eternal flame.
A colossal eternal flame was sweeping the allies like a tidal wave.
Amidst the flames, there was a palpable chaos, but as Jin approached, the chaos receded towards the opposite side of the blue wall of flames.
Jin instinctively knew that the evil god was there, behind the retreating chaos, within the barrier of flames.
Finally, when Jin unleashed his own flames, pushing back the eternal flame, his struggling companions came into view.
They had been fiercely resisting the eternal flame from within.
Seeing the flames open, some of them immediately assumed an attacking stance, thinking it was an intrusion of chaos, but upon confirming it was Jin, they let out a sigh of relief.
There were also those who collapsed, as if all their strength had drained out.
[Jin Runcandel, is it you?]
It was Orgal's voice.
He was barely maintaining a shattered shield, completely exhausted. He had no spare energy to look at Jin.
If Jin had been a little slower, if he had regained his composure a little later...
The vortex of eternal flame that had trapped his companions would have killed them all like ants in a fist.
"Yes, it's the 12th flagbearer, Jin Runcandel. I will join you again from now on."
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As Jin stepped into the barrier of flames, the eternal flame that had been closing in on his allies came to a halt.
The colossal storm that had engulfed the entire fleet seemed frozen in time, motionless.
The allies looked at the solid wall of flames and then at Jin with wide eyes.
In this era, the blue flames symbolized Jin Runcandel.
Therefore, the allies had been thinking that Jin must have encountered some problem since the eternal flame had been attacking them all this time.
They could only assume that Jin had already been captured or absorbed by the evil god, or that he had become a puppet of the evil god and was now attacking them.
It was natural for the storm of eternal flame to be directed at the evil god and not the allies, considering the circumstances.
But thoughts and feelings were different.
The temporary alliance believed and trusted without considering the situation.
Even if Jin had encountered a problem, they believed that he would ultimately resolve this situation.
That belief was now becoming a reality.
"The 12th flagbearer...!"
"The 12th flagbearer has arrived!"
Even the exhausted and fallen people mustered their remaining strength and shouted in joy.
Hedo and Bianca carried the injured companions from Jin's side.
Among them, Octavia showed signs of regeneration, receiving the energy of the Demon's God's Orb before the healers could even reach her.
[...Father!?]
And Tasha, who had been pushing back the eternal flame on the surface, unknowingly cried out and ran towards Alpen.
[Tasha... You also didn't yield to the evil god. Recover a bit and hold your position. I'll go back to fight soon.]
[Yes, Father!]
The medical team of the Holy Kingdom took care of Alpen.
Jin changed his sword and moved forward. The pale blade of Sigmund shimmered with a blue light in the darkness.
While the eternal flame had completely halted its progress, the chaos mixed within it were converging like a swarm of insects in one place.
On the opposite side of Jin was where the evil god was. The obscured evil god, hidden behind the eternal flame and chaos, seemed to reveal its dark and colossal form.
"Jin."
Valeria approached Jin's side. From her bosom, she took out a small red sphere shaped like a ruby and handed it to Jin.
"I finished the checkups when we were separated. I was concerned that the Evil god's Castle might disrupt its functionality, being a kind of subspace, but luckily it can still operate normally here."
Jin nodded as he received the sphere and Valeria said, "However, I couldn't confirm the stability issue. I can only hope that the spatial characteristics of this place won't cause any unexpected side effects. So if you feel that there might be a problem during its usage, come find me immediately."
Jin nodded.
"You've worked hard, Valeria. It was probably thanks to your efforts that our allies weren't affected by the eternal flame."
Just like Jin's side, the allies who were separated from him would have suffered immeasurable damage if it weren't for Valeria's record magic. They also experienced sudden falls and spatial teleportations multiple times, but fortunately, they avoided permanent damage.
Valeria's face looked pale. She had unleashed her record magic, even at the risk of her mana organs being destroyed, in order to save the temporary alliance. Luckily, she managed to avoid any permanent damage.
If it were the Valeria from before, or rather, the Valeria before she met Jin, she would never have risked her own life to save the temporary alliance. Especially if Zipfel were included in that alliance, it would have been even more unlikely.
But now, she had companions.
There were people she wanted to protect, even at the cost of her own life. People who gradually changed her life, who had been focused solely on duty as a Hister, and revenge.
"Thank you," Jin said, reading her inner thoughts. Valeria didn't mind that he could see into her heart.
"Don't get hurt," Valeria added.
"You too."
The allies were organizing their formation. The fleet had only about 60% of its original strength remaining, but the battleships, including Kozec and Grenil, were all unharmed.
"I will clear the path. Prepare for battle!"
Jin's thunderous voice echoed, and the once-stagnant eternal flame began to surge again.
But this time, instead of closing in on the allies, it moved towards the direction of the evil god hidden behind the chaos.
The fact that such a colossal flame moved solely based on one person's will was something none of them had ever witnessed before, not even those who had directly experienced Kelliark's power.
'Could it be true that he can control all these flames?'
'Perhaps even the evil god, despite its nature, cannot withstand all this fire. Considering the nature of the eternal flame power possessed by the 12th flagbearer... that would be impossible...!'
The onlookers were in awe.
Originally, Jin couldn't fully control an eternal flame of this size. It was impossible even to form an eternal flame on the scale that could envelop the fleet.
It had grown abnormally colossal due to the grudge and evil god's chaos.
But just as the evil god had forcibly multiplied eternal flames using Jin's grudge, now Jin's will to protect his companions, his determination to fight alongside them until the end, was moving the eternal flame.
Within the black curtains, the chaos burst out like a volcanic eruption, but the flames of eternal flame burned even fiercer.
The chaos and eternal flame collided, causing continuous explosions without respite.
Eventually, the sight of the chaos being pushed back began to unfold.
A hole was pierced. As the eternal flame fiercely plunged into that gap, the curtain was torn apart at a rapid speed.
Aaaa..!
The sound of the evil god's scream echoed along with a shockwave.
The shockwave was powerful enough to push even the eternal flame surrounding the curtains.
Jin flinched momentarily and stopped in his tracks.
Behind him, the protective shields of his allies shattered, and fragments scattered.
Over 80% of the shield that covered the entire fleet had been shattered by a single scream of agony from the evil god.
The allies felt a chill down their spines as they realized the severity of the situation and quickly deployed new shields.
With every scream from the evil god, the shields shattered.
In an instant, most of the power sources of the battleships became scorching hot, as if they were about to explode, and the mages attached to the power sources worked tirelessly.
They continued to replace the fallen companions without even having a moment to tend to them. The moment the power sources lost their mana, the entire battleship would suffer fatal damage.
The dragons and knights on ground faced a similar situation. It meant that the evil god had the power to kill them all with just its screams.
On the other hand, it also meant that the eternal flame was definitely dealing significant blows to the evil god.
That's why the allies were desperately hoping for the eternal flame to finish off the evil god, for this relentless battle to come to an end, and for them to see beyond the torn curtains the sight of the evil god disintegrating without a trace, consumed by agony.
However, the evil god wouldn't end like that.
Jin endured the shockwaves and continued to move forward.
He was convinced that to end the fight, he had to stab his sword into the evil god's neck.
Paaaah...!
After about ten seconds, the barrier of chaos finally tore apart completely. Like a door opening, the barrier split into two, and within it, the eternal flame surged like a tidal wave.
Finally, Jin could face the hidden entity known as the Evil god.
'This... is the evil god?'
The evil god had a completely different appearance from Jin's memories.
It wasn't the form it had as a human, nor the demonic form it took on after being tainted by chaos. It resembled a massive ghost, hovering in the air.
The lower half of its body was composed of black smoke made of chaos, instead of legs, while its upper body had a human-like shape.
It wielded hundreds of arms, each holding a different kind of sword found in this world, and its eye sockets, where eyes should have been, were hollow and empty.
"That... is it the King of Black Sea, Glyek!?"
"That appearance resembles the King of Black Sea...!"
The allies were terrified.
Their faces turned pale as they recalled the nightmare of that day.
It felt as if the monster that could have brought about the destruction of the entire world had reappeared under the name of the evil god.
The evil god resisted the eternal flame that enveloped its colossal body. Even though its entire body was engulfed in flames, the evil god no longer screamed.
[I'm curious.]
The evil god's hollow gaze fell upon Jin.
[Is the fire you possess truly unquenchable? Is it something that can't be stopped by anything?]
Jin's pupils dilated.
The eternal flame surrounding the evil god was gradually diminishing.
[Unfortunately, that is not the case. It is a wonderful sword but it is not enough to kill your mother.]
Jin stared at the evil god.
[However, you should be praised. You killed the ghosts of the mausoleum, witnessed the complete loss of my last trace of humanity, and burned everything that bore my name as a knight... In the end, you have come to confront me.]
"It wasn't just ghosts that were present. You failed to subdue three of our ancestors who were there. Moreover, such ancestors probably still remain. Don't you understand yet? Evil god, your power is not absolute.]
Fwizzz...!
Jin's illuminating heart filled with lightning energy.
As Rosa felt that power, her lips curled into a sinister smile.
With a grotesque shape, it was a smile unrecognizable to anyone.
[Youngest one, now it's time for you to die here... It's your turn to become the myth of this black land that I will govern in the future.]
"I won't be the one to die, it'll be you. And you will be remembered as a nightmare in the world."
I will send you to where young Rosa Runcandel is waiting.
With those words, Jin crushed the red sphere he had clenched in his fist.
Suddenly, the energy gathering in his illuminating heart surged and began to tremble as if on the verge of explosion.
From the moment the sphere shattered, Jin could sense the presence of a being who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts.
He could become that existence.
Plutonian tribe's battle god, Vahn. The Battle god fusion was unfolding, connecting Jin and her inner self.
(... Brother Jin? What's happening? Suddenly, your thoughts are reaching me. Is this another coincidence like before?)
'It's not a coincidence, sister battle god. I'm sorry for borrowing your power without warning. But I thought the connection would be with Lingling first, luckily it was you who connected first.'
Vahn instantly understood the situation as she read Jin's inner thoughts, and responded.
(Hahaha, I've been anticipating this day. Brother Jin, let us fight together.)
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***
"It looks like Jin shattered the sphere!"
"Check the footage from Laprarosa! The location is estimated to be the main hall of the battle god temple. Is that person a Battle god!?"
"Yes, it's the Battle god. A woman, noticeably smaller than other Plutonian tribe members. It matches exactly what Jin drew. Judging by the expression on her face and the illuminating heart, it seems that the Battle god fusion ritual was successful!"
Huphester, a remote island.
This is the uninhabited island where Jin first experienced a "connection" with Lingling by chance after escaping from the first battle in Garden of Swords.
Since Jin shattered the sphere at the castle of the evil god, the Golden Snow tribe members who were waiting here were excited and shouting.
"I understand that you're excited about the success, but please lower your voices. It's interfering with the concentration of the felinoids tribesmen."
Peng raised his index finger to his lips and spoke. The reason the Golden Snow tribe members could see the footage from Laprarosa was due to the unique dimensional abilities of the felinoids tribe and the machine developed by Qwaul and Valeria. Next to the footage, felinoids tribesmen were reciting spells with their eyes rolled back.
"Peng is right. Everyone, focus on the footage and if there are any issues, notify me immediately. I have to adjust this device from now on."
Qwaul sat in front of the machine that looked like a large organ and spoke. The footage of Jin and Laprarosa was being projected from the opposite side of the machine.
As Qwaul pressed buttons resembling piano keys, the projected image became clearer. Conversely, if Qwaul didn't press the buttons or pressed them incorrectly, the image became blurry.
The clearer the image became, the higher the synchronization between Jin and Laprarosa, and if it became blurry, the synchronization decreased.
'Wavelength Tracking Synchronization Device.'
That was the official name of the red sphere shattered by Jin and the organ-like machine. As the name suggests, the Wavelength Tracking Synchronization Device was created based on the technology used in the dimensional device and the Red Owl.
Furthermore, the information analyzed from the "large-scale instant teleportation through chaos" obtained during the previous Rikaltan invasion played the biggest role.
The ultimate goal that Tikan was trying to achieve using this device was, of course, to free the Plutonian tribe members from the dead world, Laprarosa.
Currently, synchronizing Jin and Laprarosa had its limitations, and even that required installing the device on this uninhabited island. However, it was a valuable asset for the upcoming battle.
Sweat trickled down Qwaul's forehead as he touched the buttons. Besides the difficulty of adjustment, he was perplexed by unexpected variables.
'The synchronization rate... It's excessively higher than the experimental values! Why? Could there be some variables in the castle of the evil god?'
A higher synchronization rate meant that Jin and Lingling's fusion was more successful, but it also increased the probability of side effects. The device was in an unstable state, just as Valeria had feared.
The machine was heating up as if it were on fire.
'For now, I'll adjust it as best as I can... and hope that the machine holds up until Jin finishes the fight!'
Gritting his teeth, Qwaul rapidly pressed the buttons. The footage was becoming clearer and clearer.
***
Jin's entire body was engulfed in a blue aura.
Even though he was just standing there, the energy emanating from his body distorted the surroundings. It wasn't the calm and composed feeling that Jin usually exuded, but rather a destructive atmosphere that seemed mercilessly intent on annihilating his enemies.
'That... Is that the state of Battle god fusion?"
'Similar to how the Young Patriarch transforms completely using the Demon's God's Orb, Jin seems to have transformed into an entirely different person..."
The allies observed Jin's back and contemplated. Prior to the start of the decisive battle, the Vamel Alliance had shared information about Battle god fusion with the temporary allies.
Feeling a drastic change in Jin's aura, the evil god pressed its lips together.
Every time unexpected events occurred while facing Jin, she couldn't help but feel a certain kind of pleasure. In the dull and desolate world of the evil god, the remaining enjoyment came solely from her confrontation with Jin.
Clang!
With a sharp sound of cleaving, Jin's figure vanished from everyone's sight.
Even the evil god lost track of Jin's position due to his incredible speed. In an instant, Jin leaped above the evil god' head and struck down Sigmund.
Interference with the aura generation and confusing his mind with mental attacks with the help of chaos.
However, such tactics couldn't affect a Battle god. Jin was currently performing Battle god fusion with a higher synchronization rate than ever before.
A single blade descending like thunder.
At the same time, hundreds of arms attached to the evil god' torso swung their weapons. Giant swords, larger than castle pillars, moved swiftly as if disregarding their mass.
However, upon contact with Sigmund, those swords shattered like glass. Even if there were hundreds of blades capable of instantly destroying a mountain, they couldn't stop the Battle god's sword.
Boom!
A huge gash opened up in the evil god' chest. Pitch-black chaos poured out like blood, and before Jin even landed on the wet ground, he twisted his body in mid-air and horizontally swung his sword.
The evil god, who was splitted in half, retreated while unleashing chaos's breath. Because of this chaos penetrated Jin's body every time he took a breath, but battle god blood and illuminating heart did not allow the chaos to accumulate in his body.
[How delightful...!]
The evil god expelled the blood-like chaos and laughed with madness. The broken blades regained their original form, and the split body was restored.
Jin didn't pursue the retreating evil god.
Instead, he unleashed the common technique of Plutonian swordsmanship, the Suppression.
As the concentrated lightning energy in Sigmund began to exert gravitational force, the entire space on the evil god' side trembled as if it would collapse. Then, the giant body of the evil god seemed to be drawn towards Jin.
It was a strange sight.
All of the evil god' swords converged above Jin's still figure. The piled-up swords intertwined and broke randomly, and the radiance of Sigmund grew increasingly intense.
The lightning energy flowing through the shattered fragments distorted the evil god' body. It was as if a massive hand was tearing and bursting the flesh of the evil god.
The evil god, who endured even the tremendous Eternal Flame, was being cut and exploded every moment.
[Is that so? Let's see if you can still say you're happy when your dishonorable life comes to a complete end.]
The Genesis knight was likely the most exceptional existence in the entire history.
Jin, who had become one with Vahn through battle god fusion, was overwhelming the evil god in an instant.
(Brother Jin, how long can we maintain our connection?)
'I heard from the developer of the connection device that it would be approximately an hour, but it's probably shorter. The synchronization between the sister battle god and me is much higher than what he mentioned. Therefore, the device can't withstand it for a long time.'
(Moreover, the synchronization is increasing in real-time even now. The battle god fusion is even more vivid than when you used it in Laprarosa.)
The evil god hadn't fully revealed all of its power yet. It was difficult to quickly estimate the total amount of power the evil god possessed even with Vahn's senses.
But there was no time to measure her strength. They had to inflict as much damage as possible to the evil god while the fusion was maintained.
(First, let's keep smashing until she can no longer regenerate.)
The gravitational force of suppression began to rapidly soar.
Now, it seemed that the evil god's entire body was being absorbed into the thunder sword Sigmund.
Literally, the suppression Vahn had used was on a completely different level than what Jin had used so far. The purpose of suppression was originally to restrict the opponent's movements, but Vahn's suppression itself contained an overwhelming power that could bend and twist the opponent.
[This sword technique is also quite shocking, but isn't it insufficient to kill this mother? It has been a long time since the physical blows have lost their meaning to me.]
The evil god's distorted face released a torrent of swirling chaos energy from its dark eye sockets.
The gushing chaos flowed like a torrent, heading towards the allies behind Jin. Without any need for confirmation, at this concentration, anyone without resistance like Jin would immediately experience severe exposure just from being brushed by it.
Fortunately, most of it evaporated into nothingness through Jin's lightning energy. The evil god's overflowing chaos couldn't penetrate the secret techniques of the superhumans and the fleet's bombardment.
However, the evil god was getting bigger with each emission of chaos energy.
'It was an imposing presence before it grew larger, but it wasn't a suitable form for battle. Even if it becomes larger, it won't be of any use against me and sister battle god. In that case…'
A few seconds later, Jin speculated on what the evil god's thoughts were.
'Sister Vahn, it's self-destruction.'
(She intends to self-destruct.)
Both Jin and Vahn said simultaneously.
As the evil god's body grew larger, the battlefield became narrower. The chaos energy, which formed this castle, was being completely returning to the evil god.
Of course, it wasn't true self-destruction.
The evil god planned to explode it's endlessly expanding body, infecting everyone present with chaos.
The only one who could survive in that explosion was Jin, who had immunity.
[...Puhuhu, it seems it's time for the intruders to disappear. So that there are no disruptions in our fight. But also, this time, I have high expectations.]
The evil god's voice was filled with exhilaration.
[I plan to infect and kill all those who followed you with chaos. How many of them do you think you can save?]
Immediately after those words were spoken.
Suddenly, the ceiling disappeared. The abruptly opened sky was entirely black, and Jin and his allies soon understood the reason.
It wasn't the sky; it was the bottom side of the battleship Ram. The protruding main cannon of the Ram was opening its maw towards the ground.
"That, that's..."
"Hurry, activate the shields...!"
In the narrowed battlefield, there was no space to evade the Ram's main cannon.
And those who had experienced the initial bombardment knew all too well that the fleet's shields meant nothing against the Ram's main cannon.
Not only that, but the explosion of the evil god's energy would also be added to the equation.
Even Orgal seemed bewildered. In this state, being directly hit by the main cannon was hopeless even for Orgal. The best judgment he could make was to seek refuge behind the steel doors along with the most important individuals.
However, Jin looked down at a torso of the evil god's body attached to Sigmund and replied like this.
[All of them.]
As soon as he spoke, the suppression formed by Sigmund, which was forming a terrifying pressure, transformed.
Plutonian Reign Sword.
The awakening of Battle god's ultimate technique had begun.
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Plutonian Battle God 10th Sword Technique
Plutonian Reign Sword - Open
As the ultimate technique unfolded, the chaos dissipated.
People turned their heads, shielding their eyes with their hands, and the black mass of the evil god was barely discernible, engulfed in a blue light.
That colossal entity lost its form, submerged in light. Even the bottom side of the Ram, which covered the sky, appeared stark white.
The light prevented onlookers from opening their eyes carelessly, and the heat, capable of melting chaos itself, suppressed their movements, rendering them powerless.
With each passing moment, all these phenomena intensified. The evil god's body, engulfed in black smoke, vanished completely under the light, leaving no trace.
If there were a god of light, it seemed as if it had descended to this very place.
If Jin hadn't unleashed the technique of the 4th battle god, the brethren guardian.
From the moment the Plutonian Battle God 10th Sword Technique was initiated, over half of Jin's allies would have died or fallen into a lifeless state. The realization of this fact left Jin's allies in awe.
[The sword of that day when you made the patriarch declaration...!]
Rosa had a gut feeling that her youngest son would fulfill his promise of saving everyone.
The evil god, immersed in madness, felt as if the heart of her long-lost human self was rejoicing.
[Did you say that the attack on your physical body truly lost its meaning?]
Jin conveyed the words Vahn to the evil god.
[Even the true gods who transcended their physical forms were torn apart by my sword. This body has already killed gods... Do not dare to taint the world of my brother, the world we must return to.]
As Vahn followed up with her remark, the evil god's body exploded, causing a storm of chaos within the realm of the Plutonian Reign Sword. The chaos energy covered Jin's body, which shone blue.
Furthermore, the entire castle of the evil god was dispersing into chaos.
Not only the bloated mass of the evil god, but even the castle itself was disintegrating into chaos, engulfing everything in all directions.
Even those who were protected by the Plutonian Reign Sword and the brethren guardian were completely consumed by chaos.
However, the chaos couldn't penetrate deeper. It was due to a lack of power. Despite accumulating so much despair and becoming a god, the evil god couldn't pierce through Vahn's sword.
Perhaps, the total quantity of power was greater than that of Vahn.
What was lacking was depth and determination.
And the reason to fight and to win.
Kwaaaah...!
Immediately after the evil god self-destructed, the center of the overwhelming light filling the sky split apart.
Through that rift, a black energy seemed to descend, causing the sky to appear as if it was sinking down. It was the discharge of chaos from the Ram's cannon.
During the first attack, people experienced the awe-inspiring power of the Ram's cannon, which couldn't be avoided or stopped. It was a tremendous force capable of reducing an entire city to ashes in a matter of seconds, moving as fast as light.
However, now, the Ram's cannon had lost its speed.
The Plutonian Reign Sword's lightning energy forcefully slowed down the cannon. The cannon was descending slowly, like an object sinking into water.
(Does that battleship also belong to the Witch?)
'Yes, sister battle god.'
Huu...!
Jin opened his eyes wide and tightened his grip on Sigmund.
Or perhaps it was Vahn who did it. As their synchronization rate continued to rise, Jin and Vahn were not simply "unified with battle god fusion," but they were truly becoming one.
This is because the synchronization rate kept increasing.
[It's unpleasant even if it's not directly operated by the Witch.]
Until now, Jin had only conveyed Vahn's words to the evil god, but now it was different. As their synchronization became deeper, Jin thought like Vahn and spoke like Vahn.
Vahn was cautious, aware of this change. If things continued like this, Jin's ego could crumble. The worry that she might unintentionally seize control of Jin's body and consume him briefly disturbed her mind.
(Sister battle god.)
But as soon as she entertained such thoughts, Jin's voice resonated from within.
The control of the physical body had completely shifted to Vahn. Now, Jin's ego was situated even deeper within him.
'Brother Jin, are you feeling any kind of pain? I didn't know that the subject of the fusion could change.'
(Yes, please don't worry and continue to fight. I can hear Lingling's voice, and I do not feel any pain. My ego won't collapse."
Naturally, Jin thoroughly understood Vahn's thoughts. Even if it wasn't the battle god fusion, such a situation could have occurred.
Vahn smiled.
'I understand.'
It's unpleasant.
The reason Vahn thought so while watching the Ram's cannon move slowly was simple.
The Ram was incomplete, the evil god didn't possess the power of a witch, and Vahn herself manifested in the human world.
It was unthinkable that an incomplete relic left by the witch could threaten her by aiming its cannons.
[Arrogant…]
Plutonian Battle God 10th Sword Technique
Plutonian Reign Sword - War
The roaring of War began, as the second form of ultimate technique unfolded.
The marching song of the true battle god was resonating. A solemn determination to annihilate the enemy without leaving any trace emanated strongly from Sigmund.
Then, the slowly descending Ram's cannon came to a halt. The chaos that was descending froze and contracted tightly.
'The Ram's cannon... completely stopped its progress? Even if Lynn Milcano lost her authority!'
The evil god had already realized Lynn's betrayal since the construction of the castle. Lynn's authority over the Ram had been completely withdrawn before the castle was completed.
The reason the cannon didn't function properly when the temporary alliance forces arrived was merely for entertainment. The evil god was intended to deliberately lure the youngest and the alliance forces into the castle to undergo trials.
But now, it is different.
Even the evil god couldn't help but be astonished at the sight of the Ram's cannon stopping.
The evil god firmly believed that in this world, there was absolutely no destructive means more powerful than the Ram's cannon.
Even Murakan, who temporarily appeared during the first battle, showed signs of struggle to defend against the Ram's cannon head-on.
Even if it was Chiron, it seemed impossible to completely sever the Ram's cannon. It was because battleships of temporary alliance disappeared one by one with every shot of Ram's cannon
Kurr... Gwooooh...!
The evil god's gaze momentarily reached the sky.
The allies within the realm of the Plutonian Reign Sword and the brethren guardian also looked up at the sky. What they saw was the motionless curtain-like spread of the Ram's bombardment.
However, everyone on the battlefield heard the sound of something.
A colossal battleship floating in the sky. And from even higher above the sky... a deep and massive roar of lightning energy. The precursor to when thunder and lightning would strike the earth.
[Crumble to dust.]
Vahn casually swung Sigmund.
Once again, a scream erupted from the evil god. Since the evil god's physical body had already exploded and dispersed into a storm of chaos, the screams of the evil god reverberated in all directions like a mournful wail.
The scattered chaos formed the evil god's entire body. The chaos that formed the Ram was mostly derived from her. In other words, the Ram was also part of the evil god's body.
That was why the evil god screamed in agony.
Thousands.
Tens of thousands.
Hundreds of thousands of lightning energy.
They were striking the Ram, the colossal battleship. The battleship that had plunged humanity into despair, with its massive body approaching 5km, was being battered and shattered by the lightning energy brought forth by battle god.
There was no room for even a single bug to move on the battleship. The lightning energy completely enveloped the vast area and tore through the nearby airspace.
[Aaaah!]
Like a human writhing in pain, the storm of chaos continued to twist and distort. Each time the lightning energy fell with a thud, the Ram shook and crumbled, back and forth, left and right.
Finally, the evil god was engulfed in a sense of crisis.
An emotion she had never felt since becoming a god.
An intuition that she could be defeated, a sense of impending doom that everything would soon come to an end, and a fear of annihilation.
'I, feeling fear...!?'
It was an impossible occurrence.
But it was happening.
'And the sword isn't even fully unleashed yet!'
The Plutonian Reign Sword is composed of a total of three forms.
Rosa may not know this fact, but she instinctively sensed it. It was because of God's insight. There was still the possibility, the unbelievable possibility, that the scope of this technique could expand further.
[The evil god, there is nothing that dares to float above me.]
Vahn said, extending left hand upward.
And as she clenched the fist, the motionless Ram's cannon crushed like paint can. The exposed bottom side of the Ram, amidst the scattered bombardment, appeared contorted as if it was firmly grasping something. In reality, it was the manifestation of Vahn's power gripping the Ram's bottom side.
Gradually, Vahn began to lower the outstretched hand.
She was pulling.
The Ram was being dragged as if it were just a slightly heavy object. It was being pulled down like a king being disdainfully pulled out of his throne, ungracefully.
Even the allies were shocked by the scene. No, ever since Vahn appeared, a strange sense of unease had already taken hold within them.
'If the 12th flagbearer can wield such power at will…'
'If he has even the slightest change of heart, this world will end. A power that overwhelms even the evil god!'
[T/L: Come on guys, a person named Chiron exists in your world even before you come to know about evil god and Vahn.]
Those who had just been worried that the world would be destroyed by the evil god's might were now fearing the power of the battle god. They were envisioning a day when that power would turn into another evil god.
However, not just allies, but Jin's companions were simply moved and thrilled. They envisioned Jin becoming the guardian of this world with his transcendent power.
Already, Ram was now closer to the ground by more than double compared to before. Vahn's pulling force on the Ram grew broader as time passed, and the lightning bolts striking its upper parts showed no signs of weakening.
The evil god was barely pushing away the fear.
If things continued like this, the annihilation of both herself and the Ram was only a matter of time. Such a long awaited battle couldn't end so futilely.
'I must find it. I must find a way!'
I must find something that could break through this crisis without fail!
The evil god regained her determination and focused on Vahn. There seemed to be no visible solution, but she had to find a way somehow.
In the midst of this desperate crisis, just like her youngest always did.
It was now her turn to accomplish what her youngest always achieved.
745
[T.L: punisher87]
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Grooook, Krguggugggrook...!
Ram's lower body began to trample over the castle of evil god.
Vahn's left hand, which was holding Ram, trembled with immense power.
[Kaaaah!]
In an instant, Vahn swung the left hand with full force, ultimately crushing the castle of evil god beneath Ram, sprawling across the ground.
Its massive volume and weight pressed the castle of evil god down, holding it in place. The evil god watched silently, trapped within the lightning energy of the Plutonian Reign Sword.
A sequence of shock and astonishment continued.
The evil god alternatively looked at the fallen Ram and Vahn as if it couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Ram was in a state of disarray, shattered in a haphazard manner. The main cannon at its core was completely deformed, losing its form, and the upper part, although not visible, was undoubtedly split apart like parched land.
All of this happened just a few minutes after the battle god fusion.
Vahn surpassed the common knowledge of those who had experienced the Genesis Knight.'
'How did the ancient gods manage to defeat such a monster?'
Rosa acknowledged that it couldn't match the supreme gods. It was because she deliberately didn't acquire a perfect divine form.
If she were to become a true god, she had to become not just the matriarch of Runcandel but a single order that encompassed the world, destruction itself.
However, even if she was incomplete, once she obtained divine status, she was confident that nothing among mortals could pose a threat. That was until she met Vahn.
'Moreover, at that time, all of her kind must have been together. Perhaps not obtaining a true divine form was my mistake.'
Rosa became impatient.
She felt as if she were trapped with walls closing in from all sides, just like when she decided to join hands with the Prophet.
The lightning energy of the Plutonian Reign Sword were devouring Ram and the evil god. The evil god closely observed that the lightning energy wasn't becoming any larger.
'...If it becomes more intense, it could sweep away allies as well.'
The reason the lightning energy didn't intensify beyond a certain point was clear. If it became more intense, it could sweep away even the temporary alliance.
If that were the case, she should use it to her advantage, perhaps even staging a hostage drama, but that seemed impossible as well.
The monster in front of her wouldn't play around with such tricks.
'That method won't work. I need to find something else.'
There was still some power left. Even if she used all of it, she couldn't envision a scenario where she would defeat Vahn.
Should she acquire complete divine status right now?
But losing the abilities given by Diphus was painful.
If she had retained those abilities in the first place, she wouldn't have been pushed this far even now.
[Even though you are both his mother and enemy, brother Jin said that you are someone who can temporarily take charge of the clan. But is this how you betray the faith of brother Jin just to obtain such futile power?]
[Futile? It seems like you're spouting arrogant nonsense by barely surviving as a parasite on the youngest after the destruction 5000 years ago. Do you think it's already over?]
The body of the evil god, bound by the lightning energy, began to disperse like smoke.
[I admit that I cannot defeat you. However, if my predictions are correct, the youngest summoned you in the form of some kind of spirit. It seems like it won't last long…]
The duration, that was indeed the only weakness of the battle god fusion.
[I must endure until that time ends. To do that, I have no choice but to raise my divine status, even if it's against all odds.]
To elevate the divine status, to become closer to the gods.
Although it was impossible to transcend as a complete god since she lost some of her abilities when Diphus died, the evil god could enhance its divine status by using Ram.
It was a gamble even for the evil god. She could easily become a deformed being devoid of any ego, left only with a thirst for destruction.
In such a state, even if she were to win this battle, there would be nothing left. The clan to be protected, the land to be ruled, and the value of the power obtained at such a great cost would all lose their meaning.
But there was no other choice.
Throughout, the evil god had limited the choices of Jin and the temporary alliance, but now it found herself in a forced situation.
Of course, Vahn saw through the thoughts of the evil god.
[Enlightenment, such actions are more suited for mortals.]
The lightning energy of the Plutonian Reign Sword became even fiercer.
The body of the evil god, dispersing as smoke, was evaporating at a rapid speed.
But the smoke kept disappearing, relentlessly heading towards Ram.
On the entire surface of Ram, dyed in shades of blue, black spots began to emerge, one by one.
Every time, Vahn struck lightning upon the spots, but they formed at a faster rate.
The spots indicated the fusion of the evil god and Ram.
Just as Jin had unfolded the battle god fusion, the evil god was also becoming one with Ram.
[Becoming one with something to amplify your power is not a blessing reserved only for you, the youngest.]
Although it couldn't surpass Vahn, the evil god was the evil god.
It had its own power. While merging with Ram, she continuously targeted the allied fleet with her remaining chaos.
Even with the Plutonian Reign Sword, the Guardian of the Brothers, and the protective barrier, it couldn't completely block the mental contamination that spread through the chaos.
Those infected by the chaos were gradually emerging one by one.
Even Orgal's body was gradually turning black as he protected too many people.
"Don't worry about this side and just fight!"
The allies couldn't bring themselves to shout like that.
If even the lightning energy were strengthened amidst the overwhelming chaos, the entire formation of the allies could collapse.
That was also a basis for why the evil god hastily decided to merge.
[The fact that you decided to merge with the Witch's battleship simply means that the two things that I have to destroy become one.]
However, Vahn amplified her energy without any hesitation.
Although Vahn herself knew better than anyone that the allies could be overwhelmed, she raised her power for one reason.
Because she believed.
She had the confidence that even if the next form of the Plutonian Reign Sword unfolded, she would never let the allies die, and she was certain that she could make it so.
Plutonian Battle god 10th Sword Technique
Plutonian Reign Sword - Conclusion
The blue sea.
As soon as the final form of the Plutonian Reign Sword began, unexpectedly, a blue sea unfolded on the ground.
It was not just a metaphor; the lightning energy simply swayed like gentle waves.
The protective barriers surrounding the area, the chaos piercing through them, and the people standing beneath them remained completely unaffected. The pulsating lightning energy, like water, didn't exude the destructive power characteristic of the Plutonian Reign Sword.
But everyone could tell.
What kind of power the seemingly harmless lightning energy harbored, a power that could evaporate even the endlessly vast real ocean...
Such an immense power without any explanation.
Vahn stood motionless in the midst of the waves of lightning energy.
The chaos that constantly clung to Ram's body was being gently sucked into the midst of the waves.
No matter how much chaos was absorbed, the sea of the lightning energy remained clear. It even shone brighter and clearer.
It was to the point where if you lowered your head, your face would reflect in it. Unbeknownst to themselves, people were captivated by that light and involuntarily fixed their gaze on the sea of lightning energy.
The contrast between the ground and the empty sky was stark.
Ram, lying low in the empty sky, was dark as if it would swallow all the existing light in the world, while the sea of lightning energy covering the ground emitted a dazzling brilliance that momentarily made one forget that this place was a battlefield for humanity's extinction.
The fusion of Ram and evil god, and the "Conclusion" of the Plutonian Reign Sword were almost completed simultaneously.
The evil god was reaching the final hurdle of the fusion.
While trying to become a perfect god as a Runcandel, her ego was being shaken and on the verge of annihilation.
On the other hand, Vahn was confident of victory.
Since the unfolding of the "Conclusion", she had realized that Jin's voice, which had been echoing inside her, had disappeared.
'Brother Jin.'
There was no response. No matter how many times she called, Jin didn't react at all.
'Vahn! Jin is disappearing...!'
Instead, she heard Lingling's voice.
Even that voice sounded infinitely distant and faint.
Vahn could instinctively sense that something was wrong.
Lingling's voice was faint because he was desperately holding onto Jin's ego, which had drifted deep within Vahn's inner world.
Lingling was exerting all his strength to prevent Jin's ego from completely disappearing.
The battle god fusion was originally a martial art technique that borrowed the power of the battle god.
However, at this moment, Jin had gone beyond that and essentially summoned the battle god through his own body.
Synchronization rate.
From the moment the fusion began until now, the synchronization rate had been continuously increasing for no apparent reason.
The cause was that the synchronization reached its extreme and, unintentionally, Vahn took control of Jin's body, and not only that, she was also eroding his ego.
In an instant, it disturbed Vahn's heart.
If she continued with the 'Conclusion', the evil god would undoubtedly be annihilated, but Jin would also disappear along with it.
'You can't use more power, Vahn! This idiot won't be able to endure it! No, he's already unable to endure it, and I'm just holding on!'
Vahn closed her eyes.
Is it right to stop here?
Would brother Jin truly want that?
Like a storm, the unstable flow of Vahn's inner world was reflected in the tumultuousness of the sea of lightning energy.
Soon, Vahn made a decision.
[Lingling, concentrate for now and try to read brother Jin's thoughts.]
'What are you talking about!?'
[It means to confirm what brother Jin wants. What is he saying?]
'How can I read that while he's being sucked into your subconscious...!'
[You can do it. Because you are holding onto brother Jin. Hurry!]
While still holding onto Jin, Lingling followed Vahn's words. After some time Lingling was able to read Jin's thoughts.
A very faint sensation of Jin's thoughts began to transmit into his own being. Even with over 90% of his ego buried, Jin was conveying a clear determination.
'Continue... continue? Hey, you'll just disappear without a trace! You'll vanish completely!'
Upon hearing those words, Vahn tightened grip on the sword.
Then, she stared at Ram, who had merged with the evil god, and said.
[If brother Jin said so, it means that he can endure it. No matter how painful it may be, he won't allow me to take a path that would kill my brother. I will follow brother Jin's will.]