746
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Jin's appearance was changing.
His hair grew long enough to cover his shoulders, and his two pupils were filled with the depth of a Plutonian who had reigned as the absolute ruler for ages.
He was gradually becoming the embodiment of the battle god, Vahn.
It was the result of Jin's ego completely submerging into the subconscious of the Vahn.
Lingling couldn't take his eyes off the abyss where Jin had disappeared within the inner world of the Vahn.
'Vahn! No matter how you look at it, this is not right. If it continues like this, that idiot's ego will completely vanish. So we have to finish this as quickly as possible!'
The Vahn nodded heavily.
Although she made this decision by trusting Jin, continuing the final form of the Plutonian Reign Sword was undoubtedly a dangerous choice.
So, as Lingling said, she had to give her all and end this confrontation in one shot.
Open, a roar that announced the rise of a single person as the King of Lightning.
War, the determination to annihilate the enemy.
Conclusion, a sword that transcends the limits of mortals.
In other words, the ability to challenge a god.
The ultimate lightning bolt becomes a pure white light above all.
The lightning bolts that had dyed the earth started to fade away and swirl, turning white.
The swirling lightning bolt centered around the Vahn absorbed the "order" of the world.
Sound was the first to disappear into the sea of lightning bolts.
The wail of the evil god, the eerie friction of the black and massive flesh mixing with machines, the screams of agony spat out as the ego tore apart, all these deafening noise resulting from the fusion of the evil god and Ram, and the breaths, astonishment, and sighs of the onlookers witnessing it all, and the sharp sonic boom caused by the storm of chaos.
They all fell into the sea of lightning bolts surrounding the Vahn.
Both the Vahn and the evil god, hundreds of fleets, and countless people were moving, but only the Vahn could make sounds or hear them.
Next, their vision disappeared.
The lightning bolts shone so intensely that it felt like it would burn their retinas, closing the pupils of everyone within it.
Even with their eyes closed, all they could see or feel was suffocating whiteness.
Within that, there was a faint image of the Vahn lingering.
Regardless of their position or the direction of their gaze, everyone saw the same scene.
No one was left out, and they were all watching the blurred figure of the Vahn.
They saw something that gave them the belief that they would be protected from anything.
On the other hand, the evil god saw the face of the Vahn.
Just facing it alone felt like her whole body, and even the life she had lived up to now, would be torn apart. The terrifying face, the merciless eyes, they were tearing apart the soul of the evil god.
With the disappearance of sound, even screams couldn't be uttered.
The evil god just opened and closed her mouths like fish, but no sound came out.
Finally, time vanished.
Everything trapped within the lightning bolts came to a halt.
Even allies like Cuicantelle and Enya, who were under Olta's protection, couldn't escape this absolute interference.
'Olta is afraid...!'
Even the two of them could sense that Olta was engulfed in fear. The god of time had been unable to overcome the phenomenon born from a mortal's sword.
Vahn walked slowly through the frozen world.
Within the whiteness, only the pale blade of Sigmund shimmered like a ghost.
And whenever Sigmund moved, the sea of lightning bolts roared in response.
When the sword pointed upward, the sharp essence of the sea reached out, and when the sword pointed downward, the surging lightning bolts sank in unison.
It was as if a giant whale was leaping out of the water.
With each strike of the sword, pieces of the evil god were torn apart. Or they disappeared. The chaos that made up the evil god evaporated like water when touched by the lightning bolts.
The chaos was being annihilated without the possibility of returning to the evil god or the Ram.
A silent massacre.
Those who witnessed it had to come up with such strange expressions. The evil god that had stained the whole world with despair was disappearing within a desolate silence.
Vahn simply unfolded her swordsmanship with a calm expression.
Between the infinitely graceful trajectory left by Sigmund, the despair of the evil god was accumulating.
'So, I, Rosa Runcandel... am such a worthless existence…'
In the end, an indescribable sense of defeat welled up within the evil god.
There was nothing.
She could do nothing. Even while her flesh and soul were being severed by Sigmund, she had almost finished her fusion with Ram.
She had gained an even stronger divine power without losing her identity as Rosa Runcandel.
But what good did it do?
Even if she fused with Ram a thousand times, she could never defeat that monster.
Unless she became a perfect divine being, positioned at the highest point among them all, there was no hope of defeating Vahn.
It felt as if she was going mad.
She couldn't accept it.
The fact that she was wrong, the fact that even the power she had sacrificed so much to obtain couldn't change the situation, the fact that it had to end like this.
It wasn't something she couldn't acknowledge. From the beginning, she was aware that there could be a existence with a power greater than her own in the world.
What the evil god truly couldn't accept was the fact that this was not a fight between herself and her youngest son.
The one she had wanted to confront with her life at stake wasn't the long-lost leader of a great race from 5000 ago; it was her own youngest son.
The battle god was ruining that fight now.
Whether she won or lost, the final battle had to be between herself and her youngest son.
If it was just a matter of borrowing power, she could have understood. After all, she herself had accepted the power of chaos.
But fighting against a monstrous being with no trace left of her youngest son was a horrifying ordeal.
After all, she hadn't completely abandoned her identity as Rosa Runcandel.
By the time the evil god had reached that thought...
Vahn's sword was pointing downwards.
Ram looked like a group of islands formed as the continent split.
Its body, stretching over 5km, had been completely destroyed.
The flesh of Ram and the evil god was being thoroughly shattered and dispersed into particles.
In the midst of all this, the evil god could see a single strand of 'line,' like a beam of salvation.
'What is that line...?'
The evil god could see a red line behind Vahn.
It had never been visible until now, but the red line was naturally connected to Vahn's body as if it had always been there.
Soon, the evil god intuitively felt it.
'It's the same connection point as when the youngest dealt with Luntia!'
The line that fused Jin and Vahn.
The true identity of the red line could only be that.
'Why didn't I think of it? If I cut that line... the battle god won't be able to remain attached to my youngest son anymore! After all, the battle god was summoned precisely because of that line as a medium...!'
Rosa felt as if her heart was pounding within her disappearing chest, even without a physical form.
Hope had arisen.
The glimpses of hope that Jin always found in the moments of despair, and the throbbing sensation when he reached out his hands to grasp it.
Now, the evil god felt a surge of determination.
Amidst engulfing in despair, the evil god's soul seemed to awaken.
If she could only sever that line, if she could cut it, she would be able to fight her youngest son once again.
Her determination burned fiercely.
And then, the shattered fragments of Ram slowly began to move, defying the frozen time.
It was a minuscule movement, but the fragments were indeed shifting.
Vahn regarded this fact with indifference.
After all, given the power that the evil god possessed, such a level of resistance was to be expected. Besides, she already knew what her plan was.
[I suppose you're planning to eliminate whatever connects me and brother Jin...?]
As if there was no doubt, Vahn didn't even bother concealing the fact that she had discerned the evil god's plan.
The evil god couldn't hear Vahn's voice.
Even if the sound had vanished, Vahn's voice resonated clearly in the mind of everyone.
Yet, the reason the evil god couldn't hear Vahn's voice was solely due to her unyielding determination, which had consumed her entirely.
The single-minded determination to sever the red line took shape.
Suddenly, a sword materialized in the empty space just ten steps ahead of Vahn.
It was the frenzy, the beloved sword of Rosa Runcandel in her human days.
After the frenzy, hands formed to grasp the sword and a torso to swing the arms, and eyes with black pupils appeared along with the head and face adorned with chaos horns.
The evil god's body, once again resembling a human form, struggled to move through the air.
With the sword aimed at Vahn, the evil god took painstaking steps forward.
[Do you think it's possible?]
Vahn effortlessly erased the image of the sword with a single sword strike.
As Sigmund's energy surged, it swept past Rosa, leaving no trace in the empty space.
In this manner, the evil god continued to materialize her body, and Vahn put an end to it with each strike.
The evil god had already recreated the body dozens of times, yet the distance between her and Vahn did not diminish by a single step.
Instead, with each dissolution of her body, she only grew further apart.
Even if there was hope, not everyone could grasp it through their own efforts.
The disappearance of the evil god's body meant that Ram's fragments were being consumed.
If a little more time passed like this, the chaos essence of the evil god would completely vanish from this land.
Vahn intensified her focus. She had no intention of showing any leisure or relaxation in her final moments against the evil god.
However, at the moment when Sigmund had bent the evil god's body backward for the hundredth time or so,
A scream echoed from the deepest recesses of Vahn's inner world.
It was Jin's scream.
Qwaul's predicted "one hour" hadn't even reached its halfway mark.
'Kaaaack! Vahn, stop! It's really the limit! You have to stop the battle god fusion right now, if you want to save Jin!'
The abyss within Vahn's inner world was boiling.
Even Lingling was trapped and being eroded within it.
Lingling believed that stopping now would be the last moment to save Jin's ego.
Ultimately, Vahn halted the sword that had been striking the evil god.
The evil god, with a broken and battered body, leaped toward Vahn.
[Lucky for you, evil god,] Vahn remarked.
She didn't dodge the evil god's sword, which was inches away from her.
She simply let it pass, trusting that it would sever the red line.
[I'll leave the rest to brother Jin... and that friend.]
Vahn, through Jin's inner world, whom she had glimpsed since the moment of their fusion, realized that she was not the first and final reinforcement.
[I entrust my brother Jin to you, Black Dragon Murakan.]
Frenzy severed the red line.
747
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Hoooong...!
As if it were a lie, the sea of lightning bolts that covered the ground disappeared all at once. Only the protective shield-shaped lightning bolt that enveloped Jin, who had fallen on the ground, remained.
'...As expected, an excessively high synchronization rate was the problem.'
Jin stood up and assessed his body.
It felt heavy, as if a mountain was pressing on his shoulders.
In a short period of time, he had used a power several times stronger than what he possessed, so it was inevitable that there would be repercussions.
'I'm not incapable of fighting. Moreover, the damage on the evil god's side is much greater.'
When he lifted his head, he saw Ram in a devastating state, so broken that its form was barely recognizable.
In front of him was the decaying body of the evil god.
Twisted and shattered horns and a decaying flesh that seemed to be melting indicated a battle that went beyond just drawing blood.
Before Jin could take any further action, the evil god's body completely disappeared and scattered somewhere.
"What just happened?"
"Ha... is it over?"
"The mental attacks through chaos have ceased."
Trembling voices could be heard throughout the allied formation.
Everyone was desperately hoping that this terrible fight had finally come to an end.
However, Orgal narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
He and Jin were the first to notice that the chaos was condensing once again.
[It seems the evil god has undergone some kind of enlightenment.]
"Enlightenment?"
Orgal nodded at Veradin's question.
[Yes. Achieving growth by transcending the boundaries of life and death is not a blessing granted only to mortals. If my speculation is correct, the evil god has obtained an even higher divine power just now. As a reward for defying the Plutonian tribe's battle god... ]
"...So that means it has become even stronger than before?"
[In absolute terms, yes, you could say that. Given enough time to recover, the evil god will undoubtedly be stronger. The chaos that the battle god eliminated is too vast now. I can guess why the battle god suddenly stopped, but if she had just three more minutes, the evil god wouldn't have undergone this enlightenment.]
"Three minutes... It's a shame," Veradin said, engulfed in a tremendous sense of disappointment alongside regret.
Even though the combined might of humanity's strongest forces had staked their lives, they had failed to achieve what the battle god nearly accomplished in less than 30 minutes.
Veradin resumed commanding. While Vahn pressed the evil god, fortunately, the fleet had not suffered significant damage.
Jin's companions on the ground were running toward him.
"Jin!"
"Jin, are you okay?"
"The youngest!"
[12th Flagbearer!]
As Jin turned to face them, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation in his back and quickly raised his sword.
Swoosh!
A sharp blade narrowly grazed Jin's cheek.
Then, hundreds of sword strikes rained down upon Jin and his companions.
It was the evil god's sword attacks.
Jin's companions tried to step forward and unleash their sword techniques, but Jin first erected a protective shield to prevent them from doing so.
"The chaos has grown even denser. Please retreat as you will be exposed to chaos."
[The youngest, you've driven this evil god to the brink of extinction.]
Once again, the gloomy voice of the evil god echoed.
As if the melted body from before was a fake, the evil god now floated in the air in a renewed form.
[It was truly dangerous... However, fate once again did not allow anything to interfere between you and me. The battle god was undoubtedly stronger than me, but in the end, it couldn't deliver the finishing blow.]
Kwaaah!
The fleet unleashed a barrage of bombardment towards the evil god.
It appeared as though countless projectiles hit the evil god head-on, but the explosions merely momentarily obscured the evil god, which soon absorbed them into its unfurled black curtain and vanished.
The evil god looked down at Jin and smirked.
[Now, I think I understand your feelings a little more. The sense of fate aiding you seems to be something like this.]
"At this point, aren't you tired of spouting such nonsense?"
[Don't get your hopes up. However, since the situation has changed, the stage must also be rearranged.]
From the moment the evil god finished speaking.
Jin and his allies felt vibrations emanating from beneath their feet.
The ground trembled as if it were about to collapse.
Thud, rumble...!
The result of the vibrations was not the collapse of the ground.
Like the roots of a tree being uprooted, the entire ground began to surge upward.
The surging ground swiftly soared toward the fragments of Ram suspended in the air, like a pinpoint.
"Disperse the fleet and engage in evasive maneuvers! Avoid colliding with the fragments of Ram!"
The fleet adjusted its altitude to match the surging speed of the ground and scattered, while the ground forces frantically ran to avoid the fragments of Ram.
It took less than 10 seconds for the ground and the fragments of Ram to merge.
During the process, there were no casualties among the ground forces, but around twenty battleships and dozens of dragons were crushed by the fragments.
5 kilometers.
The emerged area of the ground precisely matched the battlefield of Ram.
The ground moved like flowing water, filling the ruptures of the shattered Ram.
Ram was reassembling. Allies, once again shocked, had to find gaps in the ruptures or widen them further to ascend to the upper part of Ram.
Jin tirelessly swung his Shadow sword. The illuminating couldn't generate the proper lightning energy under the strain of overload.
One by one, the allies took their positions on the upper part of Ram.
Whenever a part of Ram ruptured like a tumor, allied battleships, dragons, and ground forces emerged.
Metaphorically speaking, the allies ascended to the sky and the upper regions of Ram along with the ground.
The first things that entered their sight were the sky tinged with a sickly red and the clouds.
In the midst of it all, the evil god stood, waiting for Jin to arrive.
The form of Ram, now merged with the ground and repaired, was not as stable as before.
It was filled with patches and cracks, like a makeshift garment, and the main cannons seemed to be malfunctioning.
However, the terrifying battleship that stretched for approximately 5km was enough to unsettle the temporary alliance.
As Orgal had said, given enough time, Ram would regain its complete form, surpassing its previous state.
The opportunity still existed, and now was the final chance.
If they couldn't eliminate the evil god today, the temporary alliance and humanity would undoubtedly disappear next time.
[What will you do now, youngest? You may want to escape and call for the battle god again... but I won't allow that.]
The maelstrom of chaos was once again raging at the edges of Ram.
It was impossible for the fleet to break through it, and even Orgal's dimensional portals didn't function properly.
"I've never considered running away. I came here today to put an end to this..."
Shadow force release.
The Shadow force spread from Jin like spiderwebs.
In an instant, Shadow force cast a dense shadow over the entire area where Jin and the evil god stood.
At the same time, the fleet's observing mages confirmed that chaos forces were pouring out from the chaos curtains that formed like a wall around Ram in all directions.
"The northern wall, an army of approximately ten thousand confirmed! Composed of Chaos Dragons, Black Ships, and knights!"
"Lightning energy?!"
"The former ten great knight, Padler Runcandel! Behind him is a large army, including Black Knights!"
[So, that's why I couldn't see you. It's finally time for you to go to hell, Padler!]
"The knight who just attacked the 2nd fleet is undoubtedly a superhuman, and the remaining former patriarchs!"
From all directions, new chaos forces were converging at every wall.
There was Padler Runcandel, the Blue Thunder King, and the remaining four former patriarchs.
Jin couldn't hear the voices of his allies. Not only was the distance too great, but the mixture of Shadow force and chaos energy between Jin and the evil god blocked the sound.
However, Jin sensed the emergence of new forces through his senses.
"Did you have more hidden forces, evil god?"
[It's quite satisfying to know that I have to use all my cards against you. Furthermore, I had to go on an adventure to obtain a higher divine rank... Ugh!]
As the evil god was about to say more, she suddenly bent backward and covered her mouth. A black mass poured out between her fingers, and the evil god's eyes widened.
"Satisfying? It would be inconvenient if you were still so confident after receiving the wrath of the sister battle god. It seems you didn't know your own condition well, intoxicated by your rapid growth."
After the fusion of battle god, Jin received all the memories he had accumulated during his battles with the evil god.
'Conclusion,' the sword that tears through the opponent's soul.
Even if she achieved enlightenment, there were still deep wounds caused by the Conclusion in the evil god's body and soul. An unseen lightning energy was writhing within the evil god.
"And you are not the only one who has the remaining reinforcements."
Jin expanded his Shadow Force release even deeper.
-Just tell Jin to unleash his Shadow Force to the fullest. At the most critical moment. Then that guy will instantly manifest.
A message Misha had sent to Jin through Syris and Mort before the decisive battle began.
[Ahhh!]
The evil god roared and charged at Jin.
Without avoiding the frenzy that would pierce through his eyes, Jin calmly embraced the attack.
Before the frenzy could reach him.
Shadow force condensed in front of Jin, forming a single shadow.
Unruly long hair that reached the waist, fierce pupils shining with a thin glint, and a deeply resonating, low voice.
"Long time no see, kid."
It was the humanoid form of Murakan.
As soon as he manifested, he demonstrated an incredible strength by grabbing the evil god's blade barehanded and stopping it.
"In a situation like this, it feels like your catchphrase is always the same."
"It sounds good, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess."
[Murakan...!]
The evil god glared at Jin and Murakan with a face distorted by anger.
[Well, I expected you to show up. The guardian deity of old days. Last time, you managed to escape, but today, will you fight properly?]
In response to his words, Murakan wanted to respond with a cool and stylish answer but ended up making a rather awkward noise.
"Aww!"
It was because the chaos energy that spread from the blade of frenzy was infiltrating through his hand.
Murakan was startled like someone who had touched fire and took a step back. Even the evil god was momentarily taken aback by the scene. Jin instinctively touched his forehead.
"Well, I temporarily forgot that the evil god is the source of chaos energy. Kid, no one saw that just now, right?"
Jin shrugged his shoulders, but as soon as he saw Murakan acting like a fool, he felt a sense of relief deep inside.
It meant that if Murakan was not serious, then the opponent wasn't as threatening as to be unbearable.
748
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
Swoosh-!
Murakan extended his fist with all his strength towards the evil god.
The impact of the fist colliding with the sword created a massive shockwave that engulfed the three individuals in a swirling chaos.
Unlike Jin or the Plutonian Tribe, Murakan didn't possess complete immunity to chaos.
However, due to the overwhelming power of his own body, it was nearly impossible to infect him with a mere blow.
Although not fully recovered, he was closer to his prime compared to the first attack on garden of swords.
The evil god retreated first. Evil god formed clusters in both hands and fired them at Murakan while retreating.
"Hahaha, back then, time was against me! Are you afraid of me? Ah, well. You're quite sharp, I must admit!"
After saying that, Murakan quickly whispered to Jin again.
'Kid, the truth is I don't have much time this time either. You know that, right?'
'Miss Misha said that would be the case.'
Currently, Murakan's absence meant the same as Solderet's absence.
If he stayed absent from the "Realm of the Gods" for too long, the order of the world related to shadows would collapse in an instant.
'But if I can buy you some time to recover and then leave, I think you can handle it on your own. You've already been quite injured. You've done well to bring it to this point.'
Solderet's divine power was now embedded in Murakan.
As a result, there were things visible to him that mortal eyes couldn't perceive.
As long as Jin's body remained intact, the current state of the evil god was manageable by Jin alone.
'It was done by sister Vahn, not me. Just protect me for about a minute for now.'
'Understood.'
Whoa...!
Murakan transformed into his true form, spreading his wings.
The evil god, with heightened venom, swung its sword at Murakan.
A fierce battle was unfolding outside as well.
Padler showed no signs of falling behind against Bale this time, and the newly arrived Army of Chaos was too massive in scale.
Above all, the issue was the mental attacks through chaos and the number of Black Knights.
The allies began to suspect that the evil god had resurrected all the previous Black Knights of Runcandel.
The four former patriarchs were effectively commanding all those Black Knights.
However, Jin and Murakan couldn't afford to focus on the outside.
Jin took out a gem that looked like a round ruby from his pocket.
It resembled the Wavelength Tracking Synchronization Device, but it was a completely different object with a different purpose and name.
Numerus's blood.
It was a gift received in advance from Zipfel in preparation for the final battle.
Although Jin was neither critically injured nor on the brink of death, he didn't hesitate to put the blood in his mouth and chew on it.
He used it solely to recover his stamina and fight the evil god in his full state again.
It was a fight worth it, whether it was blood or even tears.
Woosh!
As the divine blood filled his mouth, Jin felt a sudden surge of vitality vanishing. Life returned to his eyes, and his heart pumped blood rapidly throughout his body.
His muscles tensed as if they would explode at any moment, and his senses became incredibly sharp.
The darkened illuminating heart gradually regained its original radiance.
Exactly one minute later, Jin was able to hold the sword again in a more perfect state than ever before.
Aura enveloped Jin's body, forming a dazzling protective shield. Then, mana surged and spread in all directions, and the shadow force wrapped around Bradamante.
Through the expanded mana like a curtain, a summoning circle was being opened.
[Gaaaah!]
The territory of the evil god, the dead world called the Castle of Evil god, had already been completely shattered and turned into parts of Ram's body, allowing Tess to be summoned once again.
"Oh, what a surprise! At least give a warning when you're bringing this gentleman along!"
As Tess breathed fire, the shadow force and aura were added accordingly.
Flame of hell.
And eternal flame.
The two fires symbolizing Runcandel's Magic Sword were pushing back the chaos, creating a surge of energy.
Murakan couldn't combine flame of hell with the shadowless spear like Misha, but he simply added immense shadow force to strengthen the flame of hell.
What was piercing through the evil god right now was not just a sword.
It was the will of fire that had continued for a thousand years in the history of Runcandel. Jin clenched the sword that pierced the chest of the evil god and twisted it.
[Guhhh!]
"My clan, my home, my deceased brothers, countless innocent lives! They perished and were destroyed by your hands!"
Unbeknownst to himself, Jin was screaming.
"The strongest Runcandel in history? The clan that is not threatened by anything? What you were trying to do is something even the demigods, Temar and my father, couldn't accomplish. Look at the result of your reckless actions! The Garden of Swords is destroyed, the knights, the clan...!"
[Shut up! If the clan was so precious to you, you should have never left this place even once. Chiron too! My decision was not wrong!]
"Die!"
What drove Jin insane was the realization that even if he killed the evil god, the things that were already broken could never return.
He couldn't fight with composure anymore.
It didn't matter. Now he was convinced that he could tear the evil god into a thousand pieces, ten thousand pieces.
But even if he did that, this fury wouldn't be relieved.
The pain of the people who died under the influence of the evil god, the suffering of those who were left behind, would never disappear.
Slash!
Jin pulled out the embedded sword horizontally.
The evil god immediately regenerated, showing its absorption of Eternal Flame as before.
With a malicious gaze, Jin drove the blade into the same spot once again, twisting and slashing.
When the evil god tried to dodge, Murakan forced her movement.
Both Jin and Murakan's bodies began to accumulate wounds one by one.
Blood, shadow force, and chaos intermingled, staining the air.
While flame of hell was being maintained without a break, the decisive killing moves and secret techniques of Runcandel clashed incessantly.
Meteor showers and black meteor showers fell simultaneously, while sword waves and black sword waves flew at neck-breaking speed, obscuring the sight.
Falling petals and Falling petals, Black Cross and Annular eclipse, Heaven shatter and Heaven Shatter...
The sword techniques that could shatter even the bodies of powerful warriors and the gods were assaulting those who were once formidable. They stabbed and slashed at each other.
Breathing became rapid, and throats kept convulsing, sending forth spurts of blood.
For over thirty minutes of intense battle, the evil god lost its physical form over twenty times.
Even if the neck was severed, the torso split in half, reduced to pieces, or even completely incinerated, it continuously regenerated.
Could the clan be so stubbornly rebuilt and resurrected?
Can this clan called Runcandel, with only a few people left, be revived after this fight is over...?
Sometimes, when such doubts arose, tears would gather in Jin's eyes.
He would definitely make it so, but now more than ever, he longed for the landscapes he could never see again.
The Garden of Blades, which was dark and cold, where he had no place to stand in his previous life.
The cold and indifferent people who confronted him in his previous life. The cruel family from which he had no choice but to leave.
Even those painful memories became so nostalgic that they felt like rotting his heart away.
If someone were to take away his privilege of regression and restore Runcandel to that time, even if it meant he would be exiled and silently meet his demise without ever encountering Valeria, if he had the choice, Jin would definitely nod his head.
"Such a thing won't happen, because I will never be given such an opportunity. I have to kill you and bear the heavy duty... the duty of Runcandel. The duty to restore Runcandel as a towering presence in this world."
Jin swung his sword, uttering incomprehensible soliloquies to the evil god and Murakan.
His body, restored by Numerus's blood, felt heavy as if it sank into water once again.
The evil god's regeneration was also delayed, and her body did not form as quickly.
No one in this world.
There would be no one who would want to kill their own mother.
No one would want to be a child of such a mother, and no one would want to be destined to save the world from such a mother.
Jin was no different. He had never desired such a future.
He fought against it, just because it was the inevitable point of convergence of an inescapable fate.
He surpassed it.
"Ahhhh!"
Jin swung Bradamante while letting out a scream.
Flame of hell disappeared, and Tess returned to the fire dimension.
Murakan was still present, using his entire body to block the chaos and prevent Jin from getting hurt.
Slash!
The black blade, wrapped in shadow force, slashed across the evil god's chest.
And for the first time, instead of chaos, the evil god spewed out watery blood. It was as if it spat out fresh blood like a human.
The Eternal Flame, which had been continuously absorbed, left a hazy blue ember on the evil god's chest for the first time.
The evil god clenched onto that flame.
[Sshh, gasp...!]
The evil god exhaled short, panting breaths mixed with the rustling sound.
Her trembling horns and wings gradually melted away.
The horns that wrapped around her body fell to the ground like tattered scales.
Finally, the Eternal Flame burning in her chest began to dispel the chaos.
As time passed, the evil god's appearance became increasingly reminiscent of her human form.
Jin did not suppress his complicated emotions as he aimed his sword without hesitation.
And he had a gut feeling.
This fight would ultimately end with Jin fighting the evil god alone, without Vahn, Murakan, or any other companions.
[Kid, are you okay?]
As Jin nodded, the turbulent storm of chaos surrounding the three of them continued to surge.
The storm instantly engulfed the three of them.
[A final struggle, huh? If you use chaos of this magnitude in your current state, there won't be anything left. I still have some time left, so I'll break through first and finish it once the chaos subsides…]
"No, Murakan. You go first."
[What? Why?]
"The outer battlefield is being pushed back. Go and help. Besides, this chaos can't harm me anyway."
Murakan was about to say something but then shrugged his wings when he saw Jin reach into the storm of chaos. Unlike before, the storm of chaos really didn't harm Jin at all.
"It's a final one-on-one. I'll win as always, so go and save at least one more person. You are the guardian deity of Runcandel, after all. You should fulfill that role."
Saying so, Jin gradually stepped toward the evil god.
749
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
'Ah, this little brat... Even though he insists on fighting alone, I can't feel uneasy for some reason.'
The strength recovered through Numerus' blood, must have hit rock bottom again, and evil god might still be a hidden ace up her sleeve for emergencies.
However, looking at Jin's back as he confidently strides towards evil god, there is no trace of anxiety whatsoever.
It was unimaginable that Jin would lose to the evil god.
The reason is unknown. It's just a difficult-to-explain certainty that comes through intuition alone. Jin's Runcandel shines brighter than evil god'.
'He has grown a lot since I last saw him.'
Murakan turned around, exhaling his breath into the storm of chaos.
The breath tore through the storm like a piece of paper, creating an exit for Murakan to leave.
[After we finish this fight, I probably won't be around. But we'll meet again soon, so wait for me while taking good care of the strawberry pie.]
"Go confess your feelings in person. Gilly is also in the midst of fighting."
[Confession is childish... No, this crazy kid! Did you bring the strawberry pie here? To this dangerous place?]
"She said she definitely wants to participate."
[Well, even so! Ah, I should go quickly!]
In truth, Gilly hadn't fully recovered from the injuries she sustained in the previous battle, so she couldn't participate.
Without seeing Jin's smile, Murakan hastily escaped the storm of chaos.
[Oh, strawberry pie!]
In response to Murakan's voice, which shook the entire battlefield, everyone on the outer battlefield looked up at the sky.
And there, with both wings spread wide, Murakan stared at the ground. Both enemies and allies had no choice but to be overwhelmed by him.
[Anyone who harms my strawberry pie shall never set foot on this land again! No one, Murakan will never let them live.]
"W-What are you saying!?"
"Who is a strawberry pie?"
"Why did he come out alone, where is the 12th flagbearer?"
The sudden confession amidst the life-and-death struggle would confuse anyone.
His companions who quickly grasped the situation awkwardly touched their foreheads, while allies were mentally stunned, trying to understand the meaning of the words.
However, Murakan's power was real.
With an overwhelming force, he pulled the allied forces that were on the verge of defeat from the brink of crisis and mercilessly overwhelmed the enemies.
When Murakan let out another roar filled with anger, the chaos knights fell to their knees, clutching their heads in agony.
Though their body no longer felt pain, they were still crushed under the wrath of Murakan, the black dragon.
Among the allies, those with insufficient mental strength were struck by Murakan's roar.
There were allies who fell, pouring blood from every pore of their faces.
However, it was by no means an act that put the allies in further danger.
Rather, it was closer to a kind of shock therapy. The fallen ones were all losing consciousness due to evil god' mental attacks until they heard Murakan's roar.
Painful as it may be, the roar was waking them up from the mental assault.
[So powerful... has he regained his prime strength?]
Zephyrin spoke with a trembling voice. She was thrilled by Murakan's energy.
[No, although he has come close, he still falls short of what he was a thousand years ago.]
Orgal's response left Zephyrin in awe.
[...Really, Master?]
[Yes. Do you now understand why I told you never to fight Murakan when I was in good shape?]
[I do.]
[Go and assist Murakan, Zephyrin. It doesn't mean to simply add strength, but rather, use your power to protect the allies so that he can fight more freely.]
Zephyrin's pupils widened.
With just that, Orgal was hinting that the war would end in victory.
[Understood.]
Zephyrin flew towards Murakan's vicinity, and on Zipfel's side, Veradin, who had reopened the Demon's God's Orb, stepped forward.
He, too, had the same thought as Orgal upon witnessing Murakan's power.
Through the insight derived from Solderet's divine power, Murakan immediately recognized that he was facing Veradin, not Kelliark.
Knowing how Jin regarded Veradin, Murakan gave him a brief, heavy word.
[You can return back to normal, Veradin Zipfel. So, before that, don't commit too many sins.]
Veradin didn't respond and spread a protective shield by spreading his magic widely.
'After this battle, I must quickly confirm the conditions for the Battle god and Murakan's manifestation and prepare for the war…'
It was disturbing. Even when the Battle god had already manifested, it was shocking enough. But if Murakan gained all his strength, there was no doubt that Zipfel's fate would be in jeopardy after today.
[More importantly, what about Strawberry Pie?]
[If you're referring to Jin's nanny, she wasn't supposed to participate in this battle from the beginning.]
[Damn it, that little brat deceived me and I lost my composure. Well, it doesn't matter. In fact, it's better. Now that I know Strawberry Pie is safe, I can calmly crush those things.]
Black chains made of shadow force extended from Murakan's two wings. Countless chains, easily numbering in the thousands, undulated in the sky like ominous tentacles.
Shadow force release - Black Chains
Like a downpour, the chains of shadow force were simultaneously driven into the upper bodies of the Chaos forces.
Despite the torrential descent of such enormous chains, there was no sound of impact.
Only the booming sound of the bodies of the Chaos forces being struck to upper body of Ram by chains and exploded.
The chaos troops collapsed in an instant as they tried to dodge the chains.
[Oh, those are the resurrected former patriarchs.]
Among the numerous chaos forces, only four managed to deflect or repel the black chains.
The remaining four former patriarchs had managed to fend off the chains with their swords.
However, the effect was minimal. They had only managed to deflect one chain each out of the countless chains that fell on their side.
[Kid... No, as there is no young patriarch and the 12th flagbearer is not here, allow me to speak in their place. I will strip you of the privilege bestowed upon you by Runcandel.]
As soon as Murakan finished speaking, the shadow force within the upper body of the Ram began to boil. Bubbles of energy rose from the embedded chains.
[Those who follow the 12th flagbearer, do not evade the shadow force.]
The allies, who had reflexively tried to avoid the bubbles, stopped in their tracks.
Even when the shadow force touched them, they suffered no harm.
On the other hand, the enemies trapped in the bubbles were melting away. It was as if sand sank into the sea and transformed into mud.
The release of shadow force marked the beginning and the end of manipulating shadows.
Murakan was now demonstrating a part of the end of manipulating shadow force.
It was the ability to make the opponent disappear into his own shadow without any form of fighting or battle. The extreme power of Black Chains possessed such ability.
Among the Chaos forces trapped in the bubbles, those who could be called elites resisted the shadow force and maintained their form.
But it's only a matter of time.
The forces of chaos will soon be buried in their own shadows and reduced to nothingness.
It seemed that the massive barrier was filtering out impurities like chaos.
[Listen, Runcandel's Flagbearers. It is your duty to take the lives of the former patriarchs. Move quickly.]
Mary and Tona brothers raised their swords towards the sky.
"We will obey!"
"Hehe, can I join, Mary unnie?"
"Then, Yona, kill that guy. Tona brothers, cover the left and right. I will take the center."
"Heehee."
The Flagbearers who reached the former patriarchs didn't need to engage in fierce combat.
The former patriarchs were already trapped in the shadow force and unable to even use their powers properly.
Murakan ordered the children of Runcandel to kill them as a symbolic act.
He wanted to show everyone that the current Runcandel could cut off its rotten roots and move forward again.
The shadow force showed no signs of stopping. Instead, it grew deeper and seemed endless.
Furthermore, Murakan had even unleashed another ultimate technique of theShadow force release.
Suddenly, the central core of Ram's upper section opened like an eye and revealed the seemingly destroyed main cannon.
Without any signs of reloading, the hidden main cannon in Ram unleashed a fierce blaze towards Murakan.
Its power was similar to what was shown before Ram was destroyed by Vahn.
But Murakan gathered all his strength and casually took the hit, exhaling his breath.
Murakan's breath split the shot in half, deflecting the massive black beam fired by Ram.
Ram's shot shattered like rotten wood, scattering fragments in all directions on the battlefield.
Zephirin, Veradin, and the heroes of the human world protected their allies with shields, shielding them from the fragments.
Murakan's breath not only tore apart the shot but also forcefully snapped the protruding cannon, creating a massive hole in Ram's upper section.
However, Murakan didn't seem satisfied and inwardly thought:
'I fired with all the power I have, and only that much broke? Damn, I'll look weaker than the Battle god. She even destroyed this battleship when it was intact.'
Of course, contrary to Murakan's thoughts, the allies were in awe, looking down at the hole like a chasm.
[Now, my time is almost up. Rise and fight again, all of you. Show that even without the Black Dragon Murakan, you can safely end this war.]
The motionless allies once again wielded their swords and staffs.
Spitting out the coagulated blood, aligning their broken bones, and hastily bandaging their torn wounds.
Even before Murakan gave the order, they were already moving.
All the allies had a mix of hope and determination on their faces.
Murakan finally looked towards the sky on the other side, where Bale and Padler were fighting.
The reason their battle was taking place far from the central battlefield was due to Padler's manipulation.
'Padler Runcandel, I wanted to save that guy if possible…'
It was visible in Murakan's eyes.
The chain of chaos bound to Padler's heart.
Padler was now aware of the existence of the chain bound to his own heart. He thought it was too late and chose not to reveal that fact.
'...Tell Sarah I said hello, Padler.'
Sadness was evident in Murakan's two pupils as he began to return to the realm of the gods.
750
[T.L: punisher87]
[Support me here:- buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]
While Murakan remained on the battlefield for a moment, the disappeared enemies accounted for nearly 50%.
Mary, Tona brothers, and Yona, also killed the former patriarchs.
Even though the Black chains had already vanished, they couldn't put up a decent resistance.
The enemy formation was collapsing. The allies desperately exploited weaknesses, swinging their swords and casting spells.
Another fierce battle ensued.
However, the temporary alliance was clearly gaining the upper hand.
Although casualties were mounting, their side was taking down a significantly larger number of enemies.
"Victory is within reach! Stay focused until the end!"
"Any news from the 12th Flagbearer?"
Whenever they had a moment, the allies glanced towards the chaos curtain that contained Jin and the evil god.
Compared to when Murakan first broke through, the curtain had significantly shrunk.
It seemed too narrow for two people to stand side by side.
'Is Jin entering a new subspace with the evil god?'
Valeria furrowed her brow as she examined the records.
The records stated that Jin and the evil god had left the battlefield.
She became worried.
Since they used the Wavelength Tracking Synchronization Device and even called Murakan, Jin had no more secret weapons left.
Enya, who understood her concerns, grabbed Valeria's hand.
"Young Master Jin will definitely return."
Valeria widened her eyes for a moment and then smiled at Enya.
"Wow, it's a rare sight to see Valeria smile. It makes you even more beautiful... Should I create another fan club? Anyway, don't worry about Young Master Jin, help me a bit. Please use this."
Enya pulled out a "mirror" from her bosom.
"The chaos storm surrounding Ram is steadily narrowing. If we reinforce the shield with this Mirror, we might be able to delay it a little longer."
As the chaos storm continued to tighten, Ram was gradually sinking.
It wasn't due to some control mechanism lowering the altitude.
It was because of Murakan's breath and the ongoing destruction of the battle. Its functionality was gradually being lost.
People and monsters on the giant battleship that was plummeting.
Enya opened the mirror, hoping that all the people among them would survive unharmed.
Valeria, on behalf of Enya, read the flow of infinite mana and provided assistance.
Gradually, the traces of the subspace that confined Jin and the evil god were fading away.
Even as the Ram sank, there was no movement in the traces of the subspace suspended in the sky.
Thinking of Jin fighting alone within it, his companions continued to faithfully fulfill their assigned tasks.
***
Jin was facing the evil god.
At first, it was a gigantic creature resembling Glyek, but after merging with Ram, it took on a demonic form with horns and wings, drenched in chaos.
However, the current evil had taken on the most familiar appearance to Jin.
Calmly sinking black hair, cold and firm gaze, a straight posture that seemed unyielding.
The appearance of a human who had led the clan as the acting matriarch of Runcandel for many years.
Unlike when Jin faced young Rosa in the castle, he was no longer taken aback by the evil god's transformations.
"I somehow expected you to appear like this if I followed you..."
There was no slightest tremor in Jin's sword as he faced the evil god.
The intense emotions that had surged just moments ago had turned into a determination to kill his opponent, like a sword being forged.
For a while, the evil god stared at Jin in silence.
Jin could feel that no aura was forming in this subspace.
The same went for mana and shadow force.
Within this subspace, they couldn't use any special powers.
However, Jin was not afraid.
Even if he had to fight unarmed and without a sword, he was confident that he would not die in this place.
"What a lonely landscape."
The evil god spoke, its voice hollow and desolate, like that of a death row inmate who had accepted their fate and ascended the scaffold.
Unlike their previous encounters, the space where the two stood was devoid of any activity. A vast, empty white desert.
This was the evil god's inner world, the end of its subconscious.
"I wonder what your realm looks like. I suddenly became curious. It surely isn't as empty and bleak as mine."
"Because I didn't live like you."
There was no anger mixed in Jin's voice as he replied.
"No. Our lives are still similar, my youngest son. Just not entirely the same."
"What do you think caused that slight difference?"
"Do you want to call it the fighting spirit?"
"Yes."
"How relentless. Even if I were to be reborn, I wouldn't have the courage to live a more fervent life than my current self.I don't have the confidence to make a choice that doesn't turn me into the evil god. I truly sacrificed everything for the clan... I've controlled all desires throughout my life, never prioritizing myself over the clan, and never once complained. In that lonely and cold time."
"You took the wrong path."
"What is the right path? And is it something even a culprit like me can do? Like you, who had the opportunity to regress and live a new life with memories?"
[T/L:- Ron came to know about Jin's regression when he became genesis knight and same case with Rosa although she is more of a god. So, what about Chiron, he is already a Genesis knight. What do you think?]
Jin was not surprised even at the part where the evil god mentioned his regression. He had a suspicion that the death revealed one secret to the disappearing god.
"I've always had one question for you. In my past life, why did you stop eating for two days when I was banished?"
The evil god burst into a sly laughter.
"Of course, you're asking the obvious. Don't I seem like a human? I also feel sadness, fall into depression, and struggle in agony. I want to be with my husband, embrace my children. But by doing so, the Runcandel clan wouldn't become stronger. That's not the way of the family of swordsmen called Runcandel; it's the way of an ordinary household."
Jin tightly closed his eyes for a moment.
"I am not a monster, my youngest. I was thrown into a position where I had to become a monster. Even before accepting the chaos, I was already a monster. I had no choice. The power to make decisions in my life was never in my hands."
That's the difference between you and me.
Transparent tears streamed down the evil god's eyes as it continued its words.
"I fought against life with all my might, but I lost. I couldn't surpass an unavoidable fate, a destiny. It was the difference caused by the capabilities and opportunities given at birth."
The evil god slowly withdrew its frenzy from the scabbard.
"It's not unjust. Not everyone can fulfill their dreams, not everyone can fulfill their given duties. There are things that are inevitable no matter how fierce you are. Naturally, I don't have the desire to make excuses. I just wanted to say it to someone, to you..."
"...I might have felt some empathy if you had failed as a human rather than becoming an evil god and stayed as a person, even if it eventually led the clan down the path of decline."
"That might have been the case."
"While I cannot forgive you, I would have made an effort to understand."
"But I no longer seek that. Now, I don't know what the human heart is, what choices a person should rightfully make. I don't want to deny my harsh past, and I certainly don't want to justify my sins."
Now, I just want to fight you until I break and collapse...
Clang!
The frenzy struck Jin's chest.
It was heavy.
Jin couldn't tell if the weight came from the frenzy or something else.
All he knew was that he had to push it away, strike, stab.
"Youngest. This battle is more like a blessing to me. My last vestige of humanity cursed me as it died in your embrace. I am fervently hoping for that curse to be fulfilled. Do you know why? Because pain is better than loneliness."
This time, Jin pushed the blade into the evil god's throat.
Drip. The blade grazed the throat, staining it with blood. Hot, crimson droplets were obscuring his vision.
It felt like cutting a person, not an evil god.
Only now did he realize the sensation of being able to establish a bond with a human, no longer a monster.
However, Jin didn't see this as a "battle."
The evil god was already in a state of defeat even before giving birth to Jin. It was already a monster, no different from a person, even before Jin grew up.
Defeating someone who had already been defeated long ago was impossible.
That person wasn't present in this place.
One of the two entangled swords in the relentless clash belonged to the current living human, while the other was merely a trace of the person who disappeared long ago.
In the endless exchange of blows, Jin and the evil god accumulated wounds on their bodies. They were drenching each other in their own blood.
To the point where they wanted to stop fighting.
The evil god fiercely extended its sword, becoming desperate but showing no hesitation.
Jin felt that she, in the end, remained selfish. Just like how everyone becomes sad when their parents die, despite being brutally abused.
Just like an inevitable torment that came.
They couldn't tell how long they fought.
Jin kneeled on one knee, leaning on the sword, and looked down at the evil god.
"Ugh, cough..."
The fallen evil god gasped for breath. It continued to open its mouth as if trying to say something, but only blood foam came out instead of a voice.
Jin no longer had the strength to cut off its last breath. With labored breathing, Jin had to silently witness the evil god's final moments.
The evil god's consciousness was fading away.
Jin never took his gaze off the evil god.
He held on to its fading spirit, not letting it die to escape that death.
Finally, the evil god couldn't leave any last words to Jin.
The moment the evil god's breath ran out.
Whaaaam!
A sudden white light burst forth, and Jin instinctively closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes, the blue and shining sky of Huphester enveloped Jin, a sight he hadn't seen in a long time.
Jin was plummeting towards the ground, unable to move a finger.
He had exited the subspace.
As Jin descended, one by one, voices of people reached his ears. He could hear the lamenting calls of his companions.
"Jin...!"
A warm gust of magic, like a whirlwind, wrapped around Jin.
It was Valeria's magic.
Jin was gently pulled towards her embrace by the magic of the wind.
And Jin could see.
He could see the figures of Valeria and his companions anxiously shout something.
And what unfolded beyond that, the Garden of Swords.
Jin closed his eyes, confirming the landscape that remained unharmed.