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Sharp and hard crystals of ice were swirling around Syris’s blade.

Although it was the innate power of the Endorma bloodline used to kill their
opponents, Jin couldn’t help but find her figure beautiful and breathtaking, shining
under the crystal lights.

Every time she thrust her sword, the small crystals broke apart and reflected the
moonlight.

The cold energy’s crystals were spread apart densely like a net and shone brilliantly.
And while it gave Jin the urge to touch these beautiful floating shards, they were
lethal weapons that would tear him apart.

Craack!

The two blades collided, and the sound of ice breaking echoed in the arena. Had Jin
not covered his sword with aura instinctively, his weapon would’ve shattered into
bits and pieces.

‘So this is the rumoured Myriad Iceblades.’

Most people would’ve been bewildered when suddenly facing the Myriad Iceblades,
but Jin didn’t show any change in his expression.

“It’s still too early to be surprised, Jin Runcandel!”

‘Um, I’m not really surprised… ’ or so Jin would’ve liked to reply, but his opponent
had such an elated and triumphant face that he didn’t want to spoil her mood.

So he didn’t say anything and calmly dodged her attack with nimble footwork.
Although Jin had some time and room to spare, Syris believed he had narrowly
avoided her blade.
As Jin adjusted the distance between them and continued retreating, a wide grin
grew on Syris’s face.

“You will tell me everything related to that day.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. I could’ve cut you down just now if I wished for it.”

Indeed, it would’ve been possible had he used spiritual power, so Jin was technically
telling the truth.

“Looks like your bluffs are 5-star like your swordsmanship!”

Syris swung her sword with full power once again.

There are many cases where a 4-star defeats a 5-star in a duel of pure
swordsmanship. Thus, if you added the Myriad Iceblades and Syris’s abundant
fighting experience into the equation, it was beyond doubt that she would win this
duel. At least, that’s what Syris was thinking.

Shhhrk! Shrrrrk!

Every time her sword was swung, the air around the blade froze.

It was a highly dangerous power. In fact, the rumours say that an Endorma who
masters the Myriad Iceblades can freeze an entire ocean.

“I didn’t think you’d use your secret technique right off the bat, Syris. As the
youngest child who has yet to learn the clan’s secret techniques, it’s quite
disheartening to watch.”

“That’s not my problem!”

Jin didn’t counterattack and simply continued concentrating on his defense. Thus,
Syris believed that her victory was guaranteed.

A horizontal slash. Lower slash. Now a diagonal.

Syris’s swordplay was fierce yet drew flexible trajectories. Jin threw his body around
to dodge and fend off her attacks.
Although it appeared as if he was being pushed back, Jin was waiting for an opening.
Moreover, the fact that he was able to ward off her sword every time proved his
swordsmanship’s superiority to Syris’s.

Soon enough, Syris realized that her opponent was more composed than she had
expected.

‘I guess a 5-star is still a 5-star. He was narrowly dodging and parrying my attacks
earlier, but as we continue fighting, his true character and skills are showing.’

It took a genius to know another genius.

Syris admitted the fact that she had underestimated Jin. His swordsmanship was
clearly far more advanced than hers.

‘But that’s the extent of it. The Myriad Iceblades 3rd Form can easily make up for the
difference.’

The Myriad Iceblades 3rd Form. It was a technique that the Endormas called
‘Avalanche’. Syris could only use this technique a single time. Its consumption of aura
and cold energy was severe, so it was a last resort she could only use at a decisive
moment in a duel.

‘His strength and stamina are superior to mine, so there’s no need to drag out this
fight. When he finishes reading my attack pattern and finally counterattacks, I’ll turn
the tables on him and finish this once and for all!’

Clang! Clang! Skrrrt!

Their messy and chaotic duel slowly but gradually came to a stalemate. As time
passed, both of them were getting used to each other’s movements.

But there was no reason to let the fight drag out.

And Syris wasn’t the only one thinking that. Jin was slowly changing to a footwork
that put him on the offensive, and he had the same thoughts as his opponent.

‘Syris should have recognized the difference in our skills by now, and she must be
preparing to deal a decisive blow to end the fight. I’m sure she’ll use some secret
technique, but the question is: how powerful is it going to be?’
Jin couldn’t quite estimate the strength of her secret technique as he had never
confronted someone using the Myriad Iceblades.

Therefore, Jin decided to use the most powerful ‘secret technique’ he himself knew.

Back when he was at the Storm Castle, he wasn’t just reading the secret tomes
underground in order to kill time. Needless to say, Syris didn’t know that Jin already
knew several secret techniques of various martial clans from history.

Before Jin could decide on his countermeasure, Syris boldly charged at him. She
yelled loudly and swung her sword down, aimed at Jin’s shoulder. A few strands of
her long, silver hair got in the way of her blade and were sliced off.

“It’s over, Jin!”

Fwoooosh!

Suddenly, a violent blizzard materialized in the arena, swirling around in a circle

with Syris at the center. But unlike the blizzards that form naturally, when the icy
winds reached Jin, he received small gashes on his forehead.

The sharp winds were slicing away at his clothes, and the cold air was making his
neck and joints stiff.

Myriad Iceblades 3rd Form, Avalanche!

Once Syris finished generating this snowstorm, the arena was completely dyed
white. Crystals of ice formed and exploded with dull sounds, and pure-white aura
crashed into the obstacles like an avalanche.

The scenery had unexpectedly changed to that of a snowy mountain peak in winter.
The snow/aura blocked Jin’s vision, and the wave of cold energy made it impossible
to breathe.

At the center was Syris with an enthusiastic expression showing her confidence in
her victory.

But she then saw Jin wearing the same look on his face. It was the glow and grin of a
human who knew they had already defeated their opponent.
‘How come?’

The avalanche-esque snowstorm was already rampaging in the arena, so even if he

was a 5-star genius swordsman, he wouldn’t be able to overcome the Hidden
Palace’s secret technique.

Although she felt uneasy for a short moment, Syris didn’t pay it much heed. The main
force which prevented the world’s two superpowers—the Runcandels and Zipfels—
from conquering the Hidden Palace was this power.

Stagger.

Syris stumbled as she had used up all the energy and aura within her. Since she had
avoided hitting Jin in the vital areas, he would most likely survive this ordeal. But at
the very least, the Runcandels’ youngest child would fear her from today onwards.

However, Syris couldn’t savour the taste of victory yet.

Akin to an ice pick, a single handle-less blade pierced through the thick layer of
white, snowy energy that blocked their vision.

‘What? How did he—!’

Syris hastily fixed her posture… At least, she tried to. The will wasn’t enough on its
own. Her body’s lack of strength from using the secret technique prevented it from
following her brain’s orders. She could only wait for the next sequence of events to
occur in her bad posture.

Shhhhrk!

A single flash of light streaked through the snowstorm.

The blade didn’t contain a god’s power like Syris’s sword—in which she had injected
her cold energy. In fact, the blade wasn’t even covered in aura, the universal and
basic power that every knight used.

It merely appeared to be an ordinary steel edge without a handle.

Syris couldn’t accept the fact that such an unremarkable weapon was tearing
through her Avalanche.
“This can’t—”

Be!

She couldn’t even finish her sentence, because the annoyingly persistent blade
coming at her was about to explode.

Crrrk!

Crack!

Syris clearly witnessed the steel crumbling on itself as dents formed on it, along with
a bright and dangerous glow escaping through the cracks on the metal. Before she
could even realize what was happening, a loud and urgent yell pierced her ears.

“Get down!”

It was the boy whom she had been fighting until now.

Syris didn’t plan on listening to him. Even if she was in great peril and could lose her
life, accepting her opponent’s mercy in order to avoid the danger was a greater
humiliation than being defeated.

BOOOOOOM!

Jin’s steel blade that had been compressed to the size of a knuckle exploded.

Tiny steel shards flew forward. Each little fragment was shining with aura.

Although the weapon that tore through the storm wasn’t covered in aura, its blade
was filled to the brim with energy.

It was the decisive and killing move called ‘Blade Storm’ of the ancient and ruined
clan of swordsmen—the Attila Clan. Since they had been destroyed by the
Runcandels, there were barely any records left of their swordplay and techniques. In
other words, this move was quite literally Jin’s secret technique.

This was the strongest technique Jin had mastered amongst all the ones he had
learned from the secret tomes beneath the Storm Castle. Even if she was a user of the
Myriad Iceblades, Syris wouldn’t be able to handle the Blade Storm’s firepower as a
4-star knight.

‘Dammit!’

Either Jin had overestimated the power of the Myriad Iceblades, or the Attila Clan’s
secret technique was far more powerful than he had expected.

Whatever the answer was, Jin was regretting having used the Blade Storm. If she
didn’t dodge it, Syris would definitely die. If not, she would at least be crippled for
life.

Jin’s heart was beating rapidly in worry of her possible death.

Meanwhile, Syris clenched her teeth to suppress her instincts of wanting to save
herself by crouching, since she didn’t want to be humiliated.

And so, a second went by.

‘Ah!’

‘Ah… ’

Once the Blade Storm subsided, the two fighters exclaimed to themselves.

One had a sense of relief, while the other groaned in mortification.

Syris had crouched just as Jin had shouted.

“Are you alright?”

Jin threw away the sword handle that was remaining in his hand and grabbed Syris
by the shoulders. She was just staring into the emptiness with wide eyes due to the
big shock.

This was her first ever defeat since the first time she grabbed a sword in her life.

‘I… crouched because… I was afraid of dying or getting hurt? I, Syris Endorma, was
afraid?’

When victory was within hand’s reach but the Blade Storm turned the tables, Syris
had made up her mind not to avoid the blow. She believed that she wasn’t a weak
human who needed to rely on her enemies’ mercy and pity.

However, no matter how strong her pride was, no matter how important her honour
was compared to her life, no matter how iron-willed she was, she was still a 15-year-
old girl. She was too young to willingly and forcibly suppress her survival instincts
and desire to live.

“Phew, things could’ve taken a dangerous turn just now. I deeply apologize for that.”

Once he made sure Syris was unscathed, Jin sighed and put a hand on his chest.

He could tell what the silent Syris was thinking. No matter what he says to cheer her
up, she would still be crushed by this sense of defeat.

‘Geez, I’m so… I should’ve held myself back and narrowly lost to her… She’s just a
kid.’

If one counted the total number of years Jin had lived, he was already in his forties.
When he realized that he was almost the cause of death of a young 15-year-old girl,
he was crushed by a sense of guilt.

Moreover, she could either become a rival or a friendly associate in the future, yet he
was about to kill her.

Jin stared at Syris for a short moment as he sorted out his thoughts on what to tell
her. But he didn’t need a lot of time to ponder.

“If I were in the same situation, I would have avoided the blow as well. And you also
would’ve yelled at me to get down. So I won’t say any more about this incident.”

He knew that he wouldn’t be able to cheer her up. And he didn’t plan on forcing
himself to try to console her.

So once he said his piece, Jin merely turned around and walked away. It was best to
just leave her alone in times like this.

“Jin Runcandel.”

But before he could leave, Syris called out to him and stared into his eyes. Light had
returned in her gaze. In fact, her gaze was brighter and deeper than before, as if she
had been enlightened and changed on the inside.

“You’re still bleeding from the forehead from when I cut you earlier.”

She took a few steps towards Jin and took out a handkerchief from her inner pocket.

She then silently wiped his wound and even rubbed some of the healing ointment on
it. It was the same ointment as the one she had rubbed on his shin in Mamit.

“With this, I’ve repaid you for saving my life.”

“Aren’t you considering the value of your life a bit too cheaply? I don’t think the
Hidden Palace’s successor’s life can be repaid with some ointment on a graze.”

“That’s why I rubbed the ointment extremely carefully since you just saved me out of
pity. From now on, I’ll be an invaluable and distinguished person again, so in the
future, I hope I can get an opportunity to save you.”

They both moved towards the arena’s exit. Once they took a step outside, Syris added
one final comment.

“Oh, and from now on, today’s the first time we’ve ever met.”

“Indeed, it seems I’ve won the bet. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jin attended the banquet the following day as well.

Fortunately, not many people were aware of his duel with Syris. In fact, many were
misunderstanding their relationship just like Dipus Runcandel, and their beliefs
were reinforced today.

Had they actually duelled, the winner would’ve been bragging about their victory to
others at the banquet. Nevertheless, Jin and Syris remained silent and didn’t bring up
the topic, so people naturally came to the conclusion that they had had a secret love
affair last night.

The banquet continued in a similar fashion as the day before.

Jin stayed seated in one location, and the guests came introducing themselves to him.
However, there were less people crowding around him. Since the secret and veiled
child of the Runcandels had already revealed himself last night, the guests were
busier dealing with their own favours and grudges amongst themselves.

Ever since Jin and Syris had left the arena last night, countless other duels have been
occurring nonstop until now.

And since people were allowed to spectate the fight, there were more guests
gathered at the arena than the banquet hall.

The ‘single-log bridge’ party had begun for real.

Nevertheless, Jin was sitting at the center of the hall, sipping on his wine as he
looked around in glee.

‘I should be able to meet those Zipfels today.’

Jin was curious to know how high their mastery of magic was. Since he had heard
that the four Zipfel guests were between 15 and 20 years of age, they were the best
magicians he could compare himself to.

Moreover, if he got the chance, he wanted to ask them about the Kollon Ruins. But Jin
changed his mind as it was probably a bad idea.

‘I’ll get a lot of free time once I become a provisional flag-bearer. I can just go
investigate the Kollon Ruins with Murakan whenever I want in the near future.’

And if he received Murakan’s help, Jin could easily find and take the mirror artifact
called the ‘Fountain of Mana’ for himself.

‘I’ll make sure the Zipfels can’t mass-produce 7-star magicians like a factory this time
around.’

Once his thoughts reached that conclusion, Jin laid his glass on the table and exhaled
deeply.

Meow.

Meooow.

He suddenly noticed a black cat naively walking around the banquet hall. The guests
were surprised by the presence of a small cat at the Runcandel main house, so they
couldn’t help but stare at it.

‘That stupid…!’

Jin was certain Murakan had sneaked inside without Gilly’s knowledge. The boy
wasn’t sure whether the dragon had noticed his gaze on him, but Murakan raised his
tail straight and catwalked to the center of the hall.

He then safely arrived at his destination: on top of Syris’s lap.

The girl was satisfied by the cute pet’s affection towards her and she started stroking
it. After a short while, she looked at the nametag on the cat’s collar and burst out in
laughter.

—Nabi Runcandel

That was the name written on the tag. Syris laughed out loud for a long time, before
composing herself and wiping her tears. She then got up and approached Jin.

“Did you come up with his name, Young Master Jin?”

She was speaking in a soft tone, a complete 180 compared to her attitude back at the
arena.

The way she skillfully carried him showed her abundant experience with animals. Jin
smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“Yes.”

“Before coming here, I imagined you to be a battle maniac obsessed with swords, but
you have quite a few surprising sides to yourself. May I play with him for a short
while?”

“Feel free to.”

After receiving his approval, Syris bowed and left the hall.

‘Did she really come to me just to ask that?’

Jin found her quite peculiar but somewhat likeable. Then, someone else
unexpectedly sat next to him.

“Oh! So we finally meet again, Jin Runcandel! You have no idea how difficult it was
finding you, haha.”

A young man wearing a genuinely friendly smile spoke to Jin enthusiastically.

Jin knew this boy, as well as all the feats and accomplishments he’d achieve in the
future.

However, he didn’t want to act familiar with him, even though he was a Zipfel Jin had
been looking forward to seeing.

“Who… are you?”

“Goodness! To think I’d hear such a disheartening greeting from you at our reunion!
How could you forget about me? I’ve been thinking about you every day all this
time.”

“So who on earth are you?”

“C’mon, try guessing. The first two letters of my name are ‘Be’. Haha, do you
remember now?”

“Nope.”

“Dammit! We first met each other at the Mitel Kingdom’s transfer gate. Does it not
ring a bell?”

“Nope, no bells ringing at all.”

At this point, Jin found their interaction amusing, so he continued feigning ignorance.

“Hahaha… To think that you don’t remember even with all these clues… Jin, I think
you have the memory of a goldfish. Listen carefully. My name is Bera—”

“Beradin Zipfel. You’re still as oblivious as ever. I was indirectly saying that I didn’t
want to act like your acquaintance. Yet you didn’t get the hint and continued bringing
up the topic. How tiresome.”

“Oh, is that what it was…?”

To think that this boy would actually become a 9-star magician by 30 years old and
get selected as the succeeding patriarch. Jin had also realized how clueless Beradin
was on their first encounter, but this was just on another level. He was speechless at
how ridiculous the situation was.

Even though Jin had bluntly said how tiresome Beradin was, the Zipfel boy didn’t let
it bother him for too long. He wore a gloomy expression for a short while, but soon
resumed the conversation.

“You have no idea how much I was looking for you since yesterday. Geez, the
Runcandels’ banquet hall is enormous. No matter how much I walked around, I just
couldn’t find you. I think I roamed the hall for two hours or something.”

“Gosh, no matter how large this hall is, it’s just a banquet hall. Are you seriously
telling me you didn’t find me after searching for two hours?”
Jin spoke as he recalled the previous day.

He was the center of attention and guests continued approaching him. He was also
located at the center of the hall, so even if someone didn’t want to see him, they’d
inevitably notice the boy at least once during the evening.

“Yeah, I’m serious. Had I used magic, I could’ve found you in ten seconds, but isn’t it
banned to use magic at the Runcandel estate? I just kept walking around, but always
saw the same faces around me.”

“Is that so.”

“Anyways, it’s so good to see you again, Jin. Has it been five years already? To think
you’re already a 5-star. I knew you’d be the cause of some big event the last time I
saw you, haha. But I haven’t been lazing around all this time either. I’ve already
reached the…”

The directionally-challenged boy paused to add a dramatic effect.

“6-star stage! Kuhahaha, I’m already a 6-star magician. In other words, I’m one level
higher than your swordsmanship!”

Beradin was three years older than Jin, so he was a 6-star magician by the age of 18.
This was quite the achievement. It was worthy of being celebrated just like Jin’s
exceptional growth. However…

‘He’s only 6-star?’

Jin was greatly surprised as Beradin’s level was far lower than he had expected.
Putting aside the foolish act of revealing his abilities in enemy territory, Jin was
shocked that the most talented pureblood of the Zipfel Clan was only a 6-star
magician.

‘I feel like my mana will be about 7-star in three years, though… ’

Had he overestimated Beradin due to his achievements in Jin’s past life? Or was he
lying about his own growth to trick the Runcandels?

“Seeing your shocked face makes the time I spent searching for you totally worth it,
Jin. I’m looking forward to the day I finally get to fight you. I was greatly enlightened
by our last encounter and trained like crazy. Try your best catching up to me, Jin.
Now, let’s have a toast.”

Jin didn’t bother revealing the true reason behind his shock and raised his glass of
wine with a bewildered face.

As the cups hit each other, Jin barely suppressed the smile that was about to grow on
his face.

‘If Beradin was only able to reach 6-star by 18 years old… the next person to reach
the peak of magic after Kelliark Zipfel will be me. I’m sure of it.’

Jin was reevaluating his own potential objectively. Meanwhile, the unaware Beradin
was standing with his chest puffed out as he thought Jin had acknowledged him.

“You should care more about me from now on. I have no doubts that you’ll become
the succeeding Runcandel patriarch. So in the future, the Runcandels under your rule
will be fighting the Zipfels under mine. Just think about it. Doesn’t that get your
blood pumping?”

Jin smiled softly.

“Beradin Zipfel. It seems I need to give you another piece of advice just like five years
ago.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“You should learn to hold your tongue.”

“Haha, you say the same thing as my father.”

“Anyone would say that after knowing you for more than a minute. Anyways, why did
the Zipfels come to the banquet without sending a formal request?”

They had come at the last minute, resulting in their second-in-command getting
humiliated.

Jin silently waited for Beradin’s answer.

“Oh, that’s because of me. I pestered Uncle Andrei to let me come, saying that I
absolutely had to see you.”

“What?”

“We just happened to be in Huphester when I heard the news of a banquet

celebrating your achievement, so I thought, ‘This is fate! Fate is letting me see him
once again!’, and so I came here.”

“Is that it?”

“Yep, that’s it.”

Jin was at a loss for words.

‘Andrei Zipfel—the clan’s second-in-command—actually listened to a kid’s tantrum

and came to enemy territory without any preparation?’

Jin just couldn’t comprehend Andrei’s thought process using common sense.

However, as he dwelled on it a bit longer, he realized how much love, affection, and
attention the boy known as ‘Beradin Zipfel’ was receiving in the clan of magicians.

Beradin was already being treated like the next patriarch of the clan.

The Zipfel clan was a place where geniuses in magic were a dime a dozen. However,
this boy was already being considered the best of the best, despite not being 20
years old yet.

Once he realized that, a certain thought went through Jin’s mind.

‘If we kill Beradin before he can fully mature… we could deal a terrible blow against
the Zipfels.’

Even if they killed Beradin, the Zipfels surely had an alternative.

Nevertheless, they would lose the only magician of this generation who would reach
9-star by the age of 30.

Beradin would surely become the Zipfels’ strongest magician of this generation in
the future, and losing him would be a terrible outcome for them.
“Beradin.”

“What?”

“You should be grateful that we’re in a banquet hall right now.”

“Keke, aren’t you being a bit too cold to me? But yeah, I know. I know that your father
showed mercy to my uncle. Speaking of which, let me make you a promise. If you
ever come to a Zipfel banquet without a formal request, we won’t bring you any
harm.”

Beradin wore a cunning smile as he scratched the back of his head.

“Really? What if I suddenly attacked people in the middle of the hall and sabotaged
the banquet?”

“I never take back my words. Even if you cause a terror attack, we won’t kill you. If a
fight were to break out, I won’t take part in it at the very least.”

‘What a foolish romanticist,’ thought Jin.

Still, he couldn’t put aside the possibility that Beradin knew about the human
experiments conducted using forbidden magic inside the Zipfel Clan. However, no
matter how stupid Beradin was, Jin couldn’t just bluntly ask questions about the
Kollon Ruins as it was risky.

Having emptied his glass, Jin suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“Some displeasing creep has been glancing at me since earlier, so I’m off to give him a
good scolding.”

Jin directed his gaze towards the left.

Over there was a certain man leering at Jin since a while ago: Bouvard Gaston.

“Oh, are you starting a fight? Can I watch?”

Jin ignored Beradin’s question and walked towards Bouvard.

“Excuse me, sir. Do you happen to have something you wish to tell me?”

Vishukel wasn’t next to him. He was looking around the banquet hall with his sister
Margiela. That was why Bouvard could act so carelessly with no repercussions…
until now, that is.

“Um… When will Lady Luna return?”

“What was that?”

“Hehe, I’m talking about Lady Luna. Will she not make another appearance at the
banquet? I wanted to give her this… It’s a poem I wrote all night long, filling it with
my love…”

“Haha.”

Jin chuckled and Bouvard took that as an acknowledgement. So far, Jin could just let
this insolence pass as just one chubby man’s ‘foolishness’. He was about to ignore the
man as he appeared to be lacking in the brain department.

‘To think that there’d be a moron disrespectfully and thoughtlessly searching for
Elder Sister Luna at the Garden of Swords. Isn’t he an attendant serving the Yvliano
Clan? I should warn Lord Vishukel about his attendant’s behaviour sometime before
the banquet ends.’

However, Bouvard ended up trespassing his limits and infuriating Jin.

“Hehe, Lady Luna will realize once she reads my poem that I’m not your typical man.
In fact, I may even become your brother-in-law in the near future, Young Master Jin.
Uhehehe.”

Even Beradin—who was silently watching this interaction while sipping on his
glass—couldn’t help but spit out his wine once he heard those words.
Skrrt! Skrrt!

Jin took the pieces of paper in Bouvard’s hands and tore them in four. The thick stack
was easily torn apart like a thin cloth.

“It seems you need a beating, sir.”

“Eh…?”

Bouvard’s eyes opened wide as he stared at Jin, dumbfounded. He had no idea why
Jin was reacting as such.

And that ignorant look of surprise on his face angered Jin even further.

‘Not only did he thoughtlessly mention Elder Sister’s name, he also wants to be my
brother-in-law?’

If they weren’t in the banquet hall, Jin would’ve ripped the guest’s tongue out of his
mouth immediately.

Not only had Bouvard insulted Luna Runcandel with his words, he had basically
looked down upon the entire Runcandel Clan. No one was allowed to speak as such
of the Runcandels unless they were the Vermont Imperial Family.

Needless to say, Bouvard wasn’t trying to offend the Runcandels. The problem was
that he was incredibly dull and slow-witted.

“Haha, why are you acting like this, Brother-in-law… I mean, Young Master?”

Bouvard accidentally called Jin ‘Brother-in-law’ again, and the boy nearly sent his fist
flying at Bouvard’s face on the spur of the moment. However, he closed his eyes and
calmed his anger before raising his hand and calling the guardian knights.
“Drag this man to the arena.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Clang! Clang!

Two guardian knights who were standing by the edge of the hall grabbed Bouvard by
the shoulder. To this instant, Bouvard still had no idea why Jin was seething with
anger against him.

‘Did he not like my joke? Is he seriously humiliating someone like this just because of
a stupid reason like that? This bratty piece of shit!’

He was merely in a shocked mental state.

As someone who hadn’t learned any manners or cultural knowledge in life, he

would’ve been long dead on the streets, killed by some thugs if not for his
‘transformation’ ability.

People’s attention was directed towards the ruckus. Their eyes were full of curiosity
as they observed the man who would become Jin’s first duelling opponent of the
banquet (most weren’t aware of Jin’s battle with Syris).

“Please don’t act like this, Young Master! I was merely expressing my love! Everyone
in the world has the right to express their love freely!”

Bouvard continued yelling as he got dragged away, but Jin didn’t bother answering. It
wasn’t that Jin had nothing to say to this worthless man in return.

“Argh, Young Master Jin! Who on earth treats their guests as such? Release me!”

As they slowly approached the arena, Bouvard felt like livestock being dragged to the
slaughterhouse.

‘Goddammit! Those Zipfel followers should’ve murdered this brat five years ago!’

Five years ago, Jin had departed from the Storm Castle. The radical Zipfel followers
had disguised themselves as guardian knights and attempted to assassinate Jin.

The culprit behind their perfect disguises was Bouvard Gaston. Although he was
affiliated with Kinzelo, he often lent a helping hand to the Zipfel followers.

Due to his personality, Bouvard would help anyone out as long as they were going to
commit acts that would cause chaos in the world. Of course, as long as he himself
didn’t get put in danger.

‘There’s no way he knows I’m the one who transformed those assassins, so why is he
acting like this? He’s making a fuss just cuz I called his sister pretty!’

In fact, no one else in the world knew that Bouvard was the culprit behind the attack
five years ago, as he had been informed that the Zipfel followers who had asked for
his help failed their mission and died.

“The duel shall be a barehanded fight.”

Before entering the arena, Jin spoke in a cold voice. Bouvard stayed silent and didn’t
consent, so the guardian knights grabbed his head and forcefully made him nod.

‘B-Bouvard?!’

Vishukel Yvliano had coincidentally returned from his tour of the Garden with
Margiela. As soon as he saw the spectacle and Bouvard’s involvement, he was greatly
shocked and stared in astonishment.

“What is going on, Elder Brother? Wow! A duel! It seems Mr. Bouvard is having a duel
with Young Master Jin!”

“That fucking moron…!”

He had caused trouble in the short time during which the siblings were away.

Vishukel was certain that Bouvard had asked Jin to introduce him to Lady Luna,
talking about stupid things like love and marriage. Once Vishukel successfully carries
out Kinzelo’s grand masterplan, he swore to tear that pig apart and murder him
horribly.

“Sigh… We should follow them to the arena for the time being, Margiela.”

“Understood, Elder Brother! I’ve always wanted to see Mr. Bouvard fighting before.”
The siblings weren’t the only ones headed to the arena. Syris had also been watching
the spectacle before her with Murakan in her arms.

‘I was planning on asking him for another duel later on, but what’s this now? Why is
he willingly duelling against that man?’

Her irritation was unsurprising. Although she wasn’t confident of defeating Jin even
if they fought again, she wanted to continue facing him in multiple duels until the
end of the banquet.

“Oh! To think I’d meet the Hidden Palace’s successor in person! It seems it was the
correct decision to participate in the banquet this time. You must be Lady Syris
Endorma. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Beradin Zip—”

“Get lost.”

“Ah, yes.”

After his pitiful attempt at trying to get to know her, Beradin simply followed her
from behind to the arena with a sorrowful expression.

“By the way, you should be wary of that cat. It once scratched me on the face, haha.
Quite the nasty feline.”

Syris completely ignored him as he continued attempting to have small talk with her
and entered the spectators’ area in the arena. Even if she knew that he was the rising
star of the Zipfels, she would’ve behaved the same way.

The arena was filled with excitement and vigor, unlike when Jin had duelled with
Syris the previous evening.

Countless martial artists were having fights one after another, while the spectators
cheered and booed at the top of their lungs.

Normally speaking, one had to inform the arena’s host about their intention to duel
and wait in line until their turn. However, Jin had no need to follow those rules. As
soon as he appeared at the arena, the crowd immediately died down.

One guardian knight approached the host and whispered to him the details of Jin’s
duel.
“Next up is the leading man of the banquet! The rising star of the Runcandels, Young
Master Jin will be having a duel!”

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah~!

As the crowd cheered like crazy, Jin warmed his body up and got on the circular
stage. He then turned around and spoke to Bouvard.

“Get up.”

Most of the spectators didn’t recognize Bouvard.

But even though his name wasn’t well known, no one looked down on him. They
believed that anyone who was worthy enough to come to the Runcandel banquet
would be strong.

“Is he some hermit who trains in seclusion?”

“I hear he came as an attendant of the Yvliano Clan, but he seems quite noteworthy.”

At this stage, Bouvard couldn’t bail out of the duel. Irritation and anger began boiling
inside.

Even though he had been proving his innocence during the entire walk to the arena,
the little brat had completely ignored and humiliated him. It was now time for
Bouvard to reveal his skills.

“Good! I accept the duel. Try not to regret your decision!”

Bouvard got on stage and stood before Jin.

“Young Master Jin Runcandel. Allow me to formally introduce myself before the duel.
I am Bou—”

“Silence. I do not care for your insignificant name. Let us begin.”

Before the host could even announce the beginning of the duel, Jin dashed to his
opponent. The spectators deduced that Bouvard had committed a grave offense for
Jin to behave in such a way.
“Keuk!”

Having not expected the surprise attack, Bouvard took a punch in the cheek and took
a couple of steps back. As he winced in pain, foul words and curses escaped his
mouth instinctively.

But Bouvard was no dunce. Although it wasn’t well known, he was a 6-star martial
artist.

“Haah!”

Swoosh!

His fist flew forward at an unbelievable speed one would never expect from a portly
man like him. Although his strike appeared quite simple and unsophisticated,
Bouvard’s hand was covered in a piercing aura.

A fierce counterattack. But Jin calmly avoided the punch.

At first sight, Bouvard’s aura appeared to be far more destructive and powerful than
Jin’s. The spectators were slightly disappointed since Bouvard was ‘weaker than
expected’, but they still watched in excitement since he was stronger than Jin.

“Looks like Young Master Jin chose an opponent stronger than himself.”

“And that fatty’s specialty seems to be hand-to-hand combat. The Young Master
made a poor choice by putting his sword away. He might get defeated and humiliated
at this rate.”

Just as the audience had observed, Bouvard was skilled in hand-to-hand combat. In
fact, if this arena weren’t in the Garden of Swords but in an ordinary city with more
average contestants, then Bouvard would attract a lot of attention from the
spectators.

Meanwhile, Jin was a knight who fought with a sword. So not only did Bouvard have
greater aura, he was also better skilled as both duelists were fighting barehanded. It
was to no surprise that the audience expected Jin’s defeat.

Whack!
Bouvard’s follow-up hook struck Jin square in the jaw. Jin felt his legs lose strength,
and a soft grin grew on Bouvard’s face.

‘You dare attempt to lay a finger on the Great Bouvard with such measly skills? I’ll
pummel you and make you beg for your life, punk.’

However, Bouvard’s smile didn’t last long.

“Keuk!”

The stumbling Jin should’ve fallen face first to the floor, but instead, he pounced at
Bouvard with an arm clocked back and bloodlust in his eyes.

‘I punched him straight in the jaw, so how is he still conscious?!”

He had definitely seen Jin’s legs losing strength as well.

However, that was merely an act. The Runcandels’ blessed bodies wouldn’t crumble
simply from a strike to the jaw. Had Bouvard fought against a Runcandel before, he
wouldn’t have let down his guard after successfully hitting Jin.

Whack!

Jin palm-striked Bouvard straight in the face and a heavy strike echoed in the arena.
Bouvard’s nose was flattened and distorted as a string of blood ran down his chin.

But he didn’t have time to groan in pain. The Runcandels’ combat style was to show
less and less mercy the more the opponent was beaten down.

Thwack! Thud! Boom, crack!

Another punch to the broken nose, one to the left cheek, his right flank, his solar
plexus. Jin’s two fists covered in aura were relentlessly clobbering Bouvard.

And it was far from over. Jin then started adding kicks to his movements. In mere
seconds, Bouvard was covered in his own blood and was being thrown around the
stage like a dirty and bloody rag.

“It appears to be over.”

“He made his opponent let down his guard, followed up with a surprise attack and
incessant blows aiming at different parts of the body to be unpredictable. That truly
is the best strategy to use against someone stronger than yourself.”

The spectators were disappointed for not seeing Jin’s swordsmanship, but found the
actual battle more than entertaining enough. Moreover, the greatest harvest of this
duel was being able to observe Jin’s battle style.

‘I see. Young Master Jin isn’t the kind of person to let his hubris and arrogance hold
him back in fights. As soon as he judges that his opponent is stronger than himself,
he makes use of every possible strategy at his disposal.’

It isn’t uncommon for 5-stars to win against 6-stars in a duel. However, it is quite
rare to see the 5-star completely overpower the 6-star like Jin moments ago.

It was a one-sided beatdown. Bouvard’s first successful hit was also his last. He then
got mercilessly pounded like a sandbag. In fact, he was still being beaten to the
ground like minced meat.

‘I guess it’s about time I stopped. Geez, I get too emotional at times.’

Actually, Jin was behaving somewhat reasonably. Had it been another Runcandel,
Bouvard would’ve been cut down on the spot before he could finish uttering
‘brother-in-law’, even if they were in the banquet hall.

“Phew.”

Jin shook both of his hands to get rid of the blood and took in a deep breath. The
unconscious Bouvard was twitching on the floor as tears ran down his mangled face.

Jin turned around and was about to exit the arena, when he heard a certain lady’s
voice amongst the audience.

“Elder Brother Vishukel! I cannot comprehend the reason behind Young Master Jin’s
actions. Wasn’t the victor already decided earlier? How could he beat up an
unconscious and vulnerable man in such a cruel manner?!”

“M-Margiela?”

The shocked Vishukel stared dumbfounded at his little sister.

“Young Master Jin went too far. He was bullying the weak. The unconscious man
down there is our friend, is he not? Will you just stand here and do nothing, Elder
Brother? Your little sister is very disappointed in you.”

Bouvard Gaston. That unpleasant man was neither weaker than Jin nor was he their
friend…

Vishukel wanted to answer as such, but he couldn’t as his one and only sibling’s
words weighed on his mind…

—Very disappointed in you.

“…Are you telling me to duel Young Master Jin?”

“Yes. I wish Elder Brother would teach Young Master Jin a lesson. Of course, in an
honourable and dignified manner, unlike the behaviour Young Master Jin showed us
earlier.”

“Oh, what a flamboyant young lady!”

“Vishukel! You should listen to your sister’s request. Haha, an interesting battle is
about to unfold.”

In the end, Vishukel went down to the stage due to his sister and the audience’s
pressure and expectations.
Vishukel Yvliano was known as a 7-star knight, but in reality, he had already reached
8-star. In other words, he was an insurmountable opponent to the current Jin.

‘A duel with a 7-star knight.’

This was a great opportunity for Jin.

Whether he won or lost, the battle would greatly affect his reputation in a positive
manner. As long as he appeared to have put up a good fight to the spectators, it
would benefit him.

Moreover, experiencing the Yvliano swordsmanship would be a perfect opportunity

to study it. Even Cyron had recognized the previous Yvliano patriarch as a powerful
man worthy of respect, so Jin always wanted to face an Yvliano swordsman.

However…

‘Margiela Yvliano. What a laughable lady.’

Jin was fully aware that the woman was enjoying this situation. The moral duty she
had brought up was all just a sham. Her goal was merely to watch an entertaining
battle.

That, or she enjoyed putting her brother in troublesome situations and watching him
flail around. Whatever her real intention was, Jin didn’t find it very pleasing.

“You seem to care deeply about your sister, Lord Vishukel.”

Jin reached out his hand towards the guardian knights on standby outside the stage
as he spoke. One knight respectfully approached and placed a sword in the young
master’s hand.

Whirrrrrrrrrrr!
Jin’s blade immediately began shining in aura, as if someone had cast a magic light.

“…Yes, indeed, Young Master Jin.”

“I also care deeply about my elder sister. So from now on, you should teach your
servants not to open their mouths carelessly.”

He referred to the 6-star martial artist Bouvard Gaston as a mere ‘servant’.

The audience realized that the Runcandels and their pride had not changed over the
years.

“The man you pummelled to the ground is called Bouvard Gaston, and he is our
attendant, not a servant. Did he commit some sort of blunder?”

Vishukel pretended to be unaware and asked Jin to explain himself despite knowing
what offense Bouvard had most likely committed. Meanwhile, Jin was taken aback
when he heard the name ‘Bouvard Gaston’.

It wasn’t a common name. He had beaten up the man without even asking for his
name due to his insolence, but to think he was that Bouvard Gaston.

“Did you just say that his name is Bouvard Gaston?”

“Indeed. He merely attended this banquet to aid my sister, who is physically disabled.
He is an artisan who doesn’t fit well in the Runcandel banquet in the first place. Thus,
whatever faux pas he may have committed, he meant no evil. I hope the young
master will generously overlook his blunder this time around.”

An artisan.

There was no need to verify the fatass’s identity any longer. The ‘attendant’ Vishukel
had brought with him was none other than the Transformer Jin had been searching
for.

The people around the world were still unaware of the existence of the Transformer
Bouvard Gaston. Even the Vermont Empire’s Special Forces, who were investigating
the transformation crimes, had yet to find any clues or traces potentially leading to
the culprit.
Thus, Vishukel had merely told Bouvard to wear a simple disguise when coming to
the Runcandels’, as no one would suspect them. Moreover, since ‘Bouvard Gaston’
had yet to spread around the world as the Transformer’s name, he had no need to
use a fake name when attending the banquet.

Vishukel had thought that no one would show any interest in Bouvard in the first
place, so he wondered whether a disguise was truly necessary.

Of course, this didn’t apply to Jin as he was a regressor. He knew about Bouvard
Gaston from his past life.

‘I should’ve let him introduce himself earlier. Not only is his face different, but we’re
also located in the Runcandel Clan’s main house—the Garden of Swords. I could
never have predicted my opponent to be Bouvard. Had I known his true identity
earlier, I wouldn’t have let him off with such a light beating.’

Not only was Bouvard implicated in Jin’s assassination attempt when he had
departed the Storm Castle, but the Transformer was also the main cause behind the
chaos and confusion that would soon take over the world.

Thus, it would’ve been much better to kill him and use him as compost.

If Jin were certain that Vishukel had no real connection with Bouvard Gaston, he
would’ve grabbed this opportunity and killed the unconscious, bloodied Bouvard
straight away.

However…

‘Bouvard Gaston and Vishukel Yvliano… ’

How were they related? Did Vishukel know that Bouvard was the Transformer?

Jin’s brain began overclocking, and his thought process accelerated. When Bouvard
was captured by the Vermont Special Forces in his past life, there was not a single
piece of news about the Yvliano Clan being involved with the transformation crimes.

It was greatly emphasized that Bouvard was the one and only culprit behind those
crimes. Back then, Jin read the articles in the newspapers without much thought. But
if he assumed that Vishukel was aware of Bouvard’s true identity, this situation was
far more dangerous than he had initially thought.
Anyhow, Jin did not have enough time to come up with all the answers. There were
countless eyes watching them right now and Jin was still standing face to face with
Vishukel.

“…Very well. Since I also took advantage of the duel to beat him half to death, I shall
overlook the blunder this time around.”

“Thank you very much. Then, shall we begin our duel as well? I am in your care,
Young Master Jin.”

“I thank you in advance for your guidance.”

A guardian knight handed Vishukel a sword, and the duel began.

Jin promptly erased all the questions popping up in his head. He couldn’t afford to
show a change in his behaviour after hearing Bouvard’s name, nor could he show his
suspicion towards Vishukel and Bouvard’s relationship.

‘I’ll need to start investigating the Yvliano Clan alongside the Zipfel Clan, especially
everything related to Vishukel Yvliano.’

Clang!

Jin realized the truth as soon as their blades clashed the first time.

‘Unlike what’s known publicly, he’s not a 7-star knight.’

That was Jin’s intuition. Needless to say, Vishukel hadn’t used his full power in the
exchange just now. However, his swordplay and the trajectory of his blade wasn’t
ordinary.

Jin could even say that Vishukel’s swordsmanship had as much depth as his uncle
Zed’s. He couldn’t explain it properly, but Jin knew as soon as their swords clashed
that Vishukel was hiding his true skills.

Many of the spectators also realized this truth while observing the first exchange.

“That fellow seems to have had an enlightenment recently. His movements have
gotten more profound.”
“No wonder he’s called the Yvliano Clan’s hope.”

The expressions of the spectators got serious.

Although the duel was a complete mismatch, this was the perfect opportunity to
observe and appreciate the swordsmanship of both the Yvliano Clan’s pillar of
support and the Runcandels’ rising star.

Shling! Slit!

Vishukel’s blade moved like a whip and cut Jin’s shoulder. It wasn’t deep, but blood
erupted from the injury and splattered on the arena’s floor.

Jin tried to avoid the following attacks but got wounded at the thigh. Vishukel’s blade
flew in unpredictable trajectories, and the boy could not comprehend his opponent’s
swordplay with his current proficiency.

“As I thought, Young Master Jin is getting overwhelmed by Lord Vishukel. I know best
that the Yvliano swordsmanship is no joke. It’s terribly difficult to counter.”

“The gap in their skills is too big. Well, it’s not surprising since a 5-star is facing a 7-
star. Hm, in fact, we should be amazed that the young master managed to fend off a
few attacks…”

The Yvliano Clan’s swordsmanship was cunning and irregular. Those who have
experienced that devious style before always tried to avoid facing another Yvliano
swordsman in their life.

“Hm, you all seem to be unaware, but swordsmen from the Runcandel Clan often
shine brighter in situations like this.”

If the Yvliano Clan’s swordsmanship was a cunning snake, then the Runcandels’ was
a charging rhinoceros. Even if its horn were to be broken, it would never stop its
headbutt.

The Runcandel swordsmanship was specialized in facing foes stronger than the user.
The problem was that, since the Runcandels were often too strong and rarely faced
opponents that surpassed them, they couldn’t make full use of their fighting style
efficiently.
Although blood kept gushing out of his shoulder and thigh, Jin’s blade still stood
strong and fierce. In fact, his movements slowly changed from the defensive to the
offensive. His senses got sharper and his blade’s trajectory became bolder and
daring.

Vishukel’s sword slashed Jin in the chest, but the boy took another step forward, as if
he would put his life on the line to aim at the 7-star(?)’s neck.

“Impressive, Young Master Jin!”

Vishukel yelled as he dodged Jin’s attack. Even though he was facing a young boy
who was weaker than himself, the Runcandels’ wild and bold swordplay was sending
chills down his spine and making his hair stand on end.

“Keuk.”

The attack Jin had attempted, in return for a 20-ish centimeter-long wound on his
chest, went down the drain. The boy let out a low groan, as the long injury was
inhibiting his battle prowess unlike the small gashes on his shoulder and thigh.

Fortunately, his bones and organs hadn’t been touched.

‘This reminds me of that time I fought against the White Wolf warrior.’

He had no way of defeating Vishukel through ordinary means—similar to his battle

against the beastman. Even with the Runcandels’ blessed body and their bold
swordsmanship, Jin couldn’t defeat his opponent.

He had no choice but to lose.

Nevertheless, Jin’s heart began beating like crazy for the first time in a long while as
a feeling of satisfaction swept through his body.

‘It’s clear that Vishukel is going easy on me. But it’s also true that I’m facing him
quite remarkably.’

And that was more than enough for now.

Not all 8-stars were on the same level, and that also went for 5-stars.
If any other 5-star knight amongst the Runcandel cadets were to face Vishukel right
now, they wouldn’t be able to put up a good fight like Jin was doing—no matter how
much Vishukel went easy on them.

Moreover, Jin was facing his opponent while having sealed two of his abilities: magic
and spiritual power.

‘My vision is starting to get blurrier and dimmer… But for some reason, I still feel like
I can read and predict Vishukel’s next move.’

Jin had lost too much blood.

He slowly made up his mind to bring this duel to an end. As his vision got darker, Jin
finally realized the goal of his training with Luna and began to understand the
principle behind the Mind’s Eye exercise.

The boy’s stance changed.

Jin closed his eyes and held his sword upright with both hands in front of his chest. It
almost looked like the stance knights would take during a wedding ceremony or
something of the sort. The audience believed that Jin had given up and was waiting
for his opponent to deal the final blow to end the duel.

Vishukel was of the same opinion. Deep down, he wanted to praise the young boy for
lasting this long. To show respect to Young Master Jin, he finally wrapped his sword
in aura for the first time during the battle. His intention was to break Jin’s blade and
bring an end to the duel.

He believed that it was an appropriate way to finish things while respecting the boy’s
spirit and tenacity.

“This was an excellent duel, Young Master Jin.”

Zooom!

Vishukel went all out on this last attack and charged at Jin. His blade was covered in
the powerful aura of an 8-star knight. It sliced the air and flew horizontally along
with Vishukel’s body.

Craaang!
Jin’s sword—which was standing vertically in his hands—shattered almost
simultaneously as Vishukel made his final move.

The Yvliano Clan’s secret technique smashed the sword and reached towards Jin’s
neck, but froze right before touching the boy’s skin. Had Vishukel not stopped his
weapon in time, it would’ve definitely decapitated his target.

Jin remained standing for around two seconds, before falling to the ground,
unconscious.

“The victor is Lord Vishukel!”

As soon as the host announced the results of the duel, the medical team rushed onto
the stage. The spectators watched the medics’ reactions with nervous looks, until
they received a signal indicating Jin’s safety.

Clap clap clap!

The audience applauded in response to the spectacular duel they witnessed. In fact,
the martial artists were highly impressed by Vishukel’s final technique.

However, Vishukel and other prominent martial artists noticed something during the
two contenders’ final exchange. Before Jin fell unconscious, something extremely
extraordinary had occurred.

‘What was that… at the end? Are you seriously telling me that during our spar, he
reached the Mind’s Blade Realm for a split second?’

Vishukel had undoubtedly destroyed Jin’s sword. However, the instant the blade
shattered, Vishukel felt the sensation of something sharp flying upwards and
piercing his chin.

That would’ve been the conclusion of the duel had Vishukel’s final attack landed 0.1
seconds slower. The 8-star’s instincts were telling him as such.

If Jin had reacted 0.1 seconds faster, Vishukel would’ve been carried off the stage
fatally injured. The sword standing vertically before Jin’s face would’ve stabbed him
from below the chin.

Moreover, since Jin was already half-unconscious during their final exchange, the boy
wouldn’t have been able to stop his attack in time to spare Vishukel’s life.

Needless to say, being able to shorten that gap of 0.1 seconds is what makes one a
true master and expert.

‘Jin Runcandel. What a terrifying boy.’

In fact, he could become a great threat to Kinzelo in the future when they start
properly executing their grand masterplan.

‘It’s truly a relief that he was born so late. He’s too young to defeat his siblings and
become the next patriarch.’

Vishukel sheathed his sword with a trembling hand.

Jin was having a dream.

A jet-black tentacle monster was stuck to his face and wouldn’t let go no matter
what.

Mmmh! Mmmhmmm!

He couldn’t breathe. He could only let out small groans as he suffocated.

As he frantically opened his eyes, Jin finally realized the source of his nightmare.

Meow~

Meow, meow~ Meoowww!

A small black cat was asleep on Jin’s face. Indeed, it was Murakan. He had been lying
on Jin’s face for over thirty minutes.

“Get off me, geez.”

Jin slowly got up and stretched his arms. Sunrays beamed in through the window
and brightened his room. He could smell the fragrant aroma of tea near him; it was
the scent of the black tea Gilly often brewed for him.

‘I had a nightmare because of Murakan… But now that I’m awake, I feel fully
refreshed. Did I fall unconscious right after the duel with Vishukel?’

His entire body felt light like a feather. The wound on his chest and the grazes
throughout his entire body had completely vanished. The Runcandel medic had
probably healed Jin while he was unconscious.

“You’ve awakened, Young Master.”

Gilly sensed his awakening and approached the bedside with a cup of tea and some
cold water.

“How long was I out for, Gilly?”

“For two days.”

“What? Two days?”

Jin was surprised but quickly nodded in acknowledgement. Not only had he bled too
much, but during the final exchange, he had reached a new realm for a short instant,
which used up all his mental and physical energy. Considering those circumstances,
he had woken up pretty early.

“The banquet must have ended already. It seems I was unable to send everyone off
and bid them farewell.”

“There is no need to worry so much. During the past two days, your duel against
Lord Vishukel was the hot topic of the banquet that everyone gossipped about. I
think everyone was understanding of your situation. Moreover, you’ve shown them
more than enough courtesy while you were attending.”

Gilly was right. Although there was a complete mismatch between an 8-star and a 5-
star, the duel was all that the guests were talking about until the end of the banquet.

It was because of the ‘Mind’s Blade’ Jin had displayed at the very end. Although it
couldn’t be called a perfect Mind’s Blade, the fact that a turnabout almost happened
during Jin’s fight against an 8-star knight was more than extraordinary.

Vishukel wasn’t the only one to have noticed Jin’s feat. In fact, many others had
realized it. However, the 8-star knight in question appeared to have been so shocked
that he never returned to the arena afterwards until the end of the banquet.

‘The daily training I’ve done with Elder Sister Luna is finally paying off. I couldn’t
understand anything in the beginning… To think that it would come in handy like
this.’

Jin recalled Luna continuously saying ‘use the eye of the mind to observe’ like some
religious chant and chuckled to himself.
He first realized what kind of sensation the Mind’s Blade produced during his
training with the Clear Stones. Afterwards, he tried to recreate that feeling again, but
to no avail, which frustrated Jin.

‘Seems like for now, that sensation will only manifest itself during dangerous
situations or in subconscious moments.’

It was a pity, but Jin couldn’t do anything about it. It was already impressive that he
had somehow managed to imitate the Mind’s Blade, albeit sloppily. Generally
speaking, the Mind’s Blade was a realm only attainable by true masters starting from
the 8-star stage.

Jin stretched again and got off the bed.

‘In any case, that was a very fruitful banquet. I gained so much. I figured out
Beradin’s standing within the Zipfel Clan, started a good… friendship? Bond?
Something like that with the Hidden Palace’s successor. At the very least, she
behaved somewhat amicably after our duel.’

Moreover, Jin got the chance to beat up Bouvard Gaston half-dead and also learned
that Bouvard has a close relationship with Vishukel. This was the greatest outcome
of the banquet.

‘It’s highly likely that the Yvliano Clan or Vishukel alone are backing the
transformation crimes. It’s also possible that Vishukel is part of some organization
outside of his clan, and Bouvard Gaston is affiliated with them.’

Jin thought of many possibilities, but he couldn’t make a hasty judgement. He had to
investigate them and unravel the truth himself.

Moreover, he planned on making them take responsibility. Responsibility for the

assassination attempt on him five years ago performed by the radical Zipfel
followers. Jin was going to interrogate them and make them admit their involvement
with the assassins’ disguises.

After Jin’s thoughts came to an end, Gilly pointed at a certain vase on the bedside.
There were pure-white flowers resembling Baby’s Breaths but with a soft,
snowflake-like shape glowing faintly.

[TL/N: Check out Baby’s Breath on Google if you don’t know what type of flowers they
are.]

“The Hidden Palace’s successor left these flowers for you. She waited for you to wake
up until this morning but left afterwards as she had to return.”

“Hm? Lady Syris left these behind?”

“Yes. Maybe you hold a special place in her heart~?”

“No. The Hidden Palace’s snow blossoms mean ‘unfinished battle’ in the language of
flowers. Seems like she wants to fight me again in another duel. She’s quite the
persistent and tenacious woman.”

Gilly simply shrugged at Jin’s response.

“Whatever it signifies, this is still your first time receiving flowers from a lady.
Congratulations, Young Master.”

“Kuahaha! Your first flowers are a letter of challenge. That’s hilarious! This is
monumental, don’t you think so, Strawberry Pie?”

Murakan laughed out loud excessively and glanced at Gilly.

He was being cautious around her due to the incident where he sneaked into the
banquet hall without her authorization. Indeed, Gilly was acting like Murakan didn’t
exist for the second day straight.

Having grasped the situation at hand, Jin just lightly shook his head. A despondent
Murakan transformed back into a cat, his ears drooped.

“Speaking of which, the patriarch has ordered you to go find him as soon as you
wake up, Young Master. Just as you mentioned before… I think the time for you to
prove your qualifications has arrived.”

The trial to prove his qualifications to become a flag-bearer. Although he had been
expecting this, Jin felt somewhat conflicted now that his father’s directive had
arrived.

Jin couldn’t even have dreamt of this day in his past life, but now it was right before
him, within his grasp.
“I see. It seems we’ll be leaving the clan for a while. Where is Father?”

“At the mausoleum.”

“Alright. I’m off.”

When Jin’s siblings received the same summons from their father, they all wore neat
ceremonial clothes and brushed their hair before going to see him.

However, Jin lazily tidied his disheveled hair and wore some good-quality leather
travel clothes. He also wore Bradamante at his waist before entering the corridor.

The mausoleum.

The Garden of Swords’ courtyard—where countless swords were impaled—was no

different to the clan’s graveyard. However, the clansmen who achieved extraordinary
accomplishments even amidst the best of the best knights were allowed to be buried
in the mausoleum as heroes of the clan.

Inside the mausoleum, at the lowest floor underground, there was not a single spot
of light. The darkness smelled of metal, and a low voice resounded.

“You’re here.”

Jin could barely see Cyron’s silhouette from behind. He respectfully lowered his
head.

“It’s been a long time since a child of mine answered my summons in such
comfortable clothes. I assume you’ve realized that you’ll be spending time outside of
the clan for a while, right?”

“Yes, I plan on departing immediately.”

Cyron quite liked this aspect of his youngest son. The boy didn’t feel intimidated by
him and simply announced his intentions clearly.

His other children couldn’t even have imagined behaving as such before their father.
They already had a hard time trying to conceal their fear and anxiety just by being in
his presence… Actually, it wasn’t the case for all his other children. Luna was also
different. She had quickly left Cyron’s grasp and lived her own life.
Jin was aware of his father’s personality, which was why he purposefully came in
laid-back clothes.

‘Ever since my regression, I find my father to be the easiest person to read.’

It was an inexplicable thought. In his past life, not only was Jin terrified of Cyron, but
he also had barely interacted with his father during his 28 years of life.

The father and son duo didn’t speak for a while. Nevertheless, it wasn’t an awkward
silence.

“Is this your first time inside the mausoleum?”

Cyron was the first to break the silence.

“Yes, Father.”

“If the garden is a burial ground permitted only to those who bring honour to the
clan, then the mausoleum is only permitted to those who protect the clan.”

That was it. As simple as that.

The Runcandel Clan had faced countless dangers during its thousand-year-long
history. The dangers varied from all kinds of small, personal disputes to big threats
that brought the clan to the brink of destruction. Indeed, all kinds of conflicts and
battles had threatened the clan throughout time.

And every time such major incidents happened, the people who protected the clan
till their very last breaths received the honour of getting buried in the clan’s
mausoleum.

“Did you know? The clan’s first patriarch, Temar Runcandel, is not buried here.”

As soon as Temar’s name exited Cyron’s mouth, Jin had a hunch that his father would
bring up the topic of Solderet.

He was confident in his intuition.

“Yes. I am also aware that there is not a single grave or tombstone throughout the
garden dedicated to the first patriarch.”
The only legacy that was left behind was Temar’s beloved sword ‘Barisada’, which
was now hailed as the family heirloom. Other than the weapon, there was not a
single memorial or ceremony that honoured him.

“The dark power you possess. That power is the reason why we are unable to
honour the first patriarch. Show me your spiritual energy.”

Jin calmly extended his hand and created a ball of spiritual energy on his palm.

After the first patriarch’s death, the Runcandels made a humiliating pact with the
Zipfels.

A pact that banned the swordsmen from using magic ever again.

Moreover, they were prohibited from worshipping ancestors who used magic.

That was the true reason behind the downgrade of the Runcandel Clan—the unique
‘Clan of Magic Swordsmen’—to a mere clan of knights.

It was an inescapable fate as Solderet wasn’t there to protect the Runcandels from
the Zipfels’ gods anymore.

As a result of the pact, the Zipfels’ gods united their powers and cast a curse on the
Runcandel bloodline.

Thus, every Runcandel after Temar was born with a body that couldn’t control mana.

“When you beat the Tona twins with spiritual power back at the Storm Castle, I
didn’t ask you the details of how you obtained that power. Do you remember?”

“Yes. I also remember that I lied about how I’d use the spiritual power to protect the
clan.”

“Haha, that’s right. You were lucky you were still young. If you told such a lie before
me now, I wouldn’t have let it slide so easily.”

Although Cyron was laughing, Jin knew that his father was being serious. Thus, he
didn’t laugh along.

“…Solderet. Did you hear his voice?”

“Yes, I heard him. He called me his contractor.”

Needless to say, Jin had yet to hear Solderet’s voice ever since his regression. But
there was no need to hide his identity as the contractor from Cyron anymore.

“How unfair this is for your siblings.”

Not only was Jin born with more potential than Luna, but he had also contracted the
god who had left the clan long ago. In fact, maybe Jin was able to contract Solderet
thanks to his extraordinary potential.

“Will you be able to defeat your siblings and conquer the clan using that power?”

Jin had already come up with an answer to that question.

“If I explore the world and do not find anything else worth conquering more than the
clan, then I shall do so.”

Jin had also predicted that this answer would greatly satisfy his father. It goes
without saying that Cyron smiled widely, showing his beautiful and uniform teeth.

“The others departed the Garden of Swords in order to get recognized by the clan…
but you will depart the Garden in order to find a reason to recognize the clan itself, is
that it? I’m not sure whether it’s praiseworthy or pure insolence. Kuhahaha.”

Cyron hunched forward towards Jin, who still had his right arm extended forward
with a ball of spiritual energy.

“I shall give you five years. During that time, whether you get recognized by the clan
or recognize it, find an answer for yourself and return. I shall await with impatience.”

There was no need to drag out the conversation.

Shling!

Jin unsheathed Bradamante and raised his sword.

“Thank you for everything until now. I shall see you again in five years, Father.”

Jin exited the mausoleum and returned to his room. Gilly had already finished the
preparations for their departure and was waiting for him.

The only luggage they had was a small basket in which lay Murakan along with some
dry food and Jin’s notebook with the transcription of the secret tomes.

Gilly had metal nails impaling her wrists and ankles. As Jin’s gaze reached these
anomalies, Gilly adjusted her clothes and hid the oddities.

The nails were medical tools used to seal Gilly’s aura. She would be unable to use the
energy until Jin’s qualifications as a flag-bearer were proven.

“I had heard about this from my seniors and the other nannies, but it feels quite
weird to suddenly lose my powers. Haha…”

Gilly laughed awkwardly, to which Jin felt a suffocating throb in his chest.

It was the clan’s tradition. The Runcandels sealed the nannies’ powers so that the
provisional flag-bearers couldn’t receive their help in gaining reputation and honour.

If they ever removed the seal without the clan’s authorization, the nanny would be
crippled mercilessly.

“I’ll protect you from now on, Nanny. Not just for the next five years, but for the rest
of my life. I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t say such things. I am just content and touched that you’ve become a
provisional flag-bearer already, Young Master. And I’ll regain my powers once the
trial is over, so please don’t worry.”

And so, they left the room and departed the Garden of Swords.
The first thing that provisional flag-bearers had to do in order to gain honour and
reputation when departing the Garden of Swords was to leave the Huphester
Alliance.

Jin and Gilly erased all traces of their affiliation with the Runcandels. The robes
covering their clothes didn’t have the Black Sword emblem on it, and the bag
containing their belongings had no label either.

Details of Jin’s face had yet to spread to the public, so there was no need for him to
wear a disguise. Nevertheless, he still tweaked his appearance a little bit.

He cut the black hair that came down to his shoulders. However, his appearance
didn’t matter much. In fact, the martial artist known as ‘Gilly McRolan’ was far more
famous than Jin to the public. Fortunately, her active years were short, so she wasn’t
extremely well-known either.

The names written on their identification were aliases; Jin Grey and Gilly Piten.

Although they had fake names on their papers, those were still elaborate passports
that even allowed them to leave and enter Vermont’s capital city as they pleased.

Be that as it may, anyone in the Huphester Alliance would be able to guess that they
were provisional flag-bearers of the Runcandel Clan. Huphester was no different
from the Runcandels’ main headquarters, so it wasn’t surprising that the people
would see through their lies.

Therefore, Jin and his companions had to go to a land where the Runcandels’
influence didn’t reach—somewhere beyond the sea.

“Lady Luna will be quite saddened by your departure. The same goes for the cadets
in your faction, Young Master. Will you really leave without telling them goodbye?”

“Yeah. Elder Sister Luna is also quite free-spirited herself, and the cadets are
probably going to overreact. It’s not like I’m going to die or something.”

However, as they were about to pass through the Garden of Swords’ main gate, Jin
came face to face with nine cadets.

“Geez, hasn’t training started already? Uncle Zed won’t forgive you so easily for
skipping.”

“““Please stay safe during your travels!”””

The cadets raised their swords in unison. Jin silently stared at them for a moment,
but before long, a small smile drew on his face.

“I expect everyone to be far stronger than my expectations by the time I’m back. I
don’t want any deaths or dropouts while I’m away. Good luck enduring the
disciplinary punishment for skipping class to come see me.”

Jin fist-bumped everyone before continuing his way to leave the Garden.

‘How curious. It’s a completely different feeling compared to back then.’

In his past life, Jin was banished from the clan at the age of 25. He had to leave the
Garden of Swords in a similar fashion as today. However, the atmosphere of leaving
as a 15-year-old provisional flag-bearer was poles apart from the atmosphere back
then.

Fifteen years.

It had taken Jin fifteen long years to finally get five years of freedom. Those fifteen
years felt like an eternity to the boy, since he had a fully conscious mind since his
rebirth.

Jin felt so giddy that he couldn’t stop himself from humming a cute little melody.

Generally speaking, Cyron never gave a five-year timespan to a provisional flag-

bearer; it usually spanned between six months to two years maximum. Within that
time, the provisional flag-bearers have to gain honour and reputation before
returning to the clan.

‘There’s only one reason Father gave me five long years. It’s for me to reach the
pinnacle of spiritual power before coming back.’

Needless to say, Jin wasn’t a goody two shoes who listened to his father’s every word.
He didn’t plan on reaching the pinnacle of spiritual power only, but also that of magic

***

Cyron—who had remained in the mausoleum—quietly thought to himself.

‘I wonder… Will the youngest gain the power to liberate the Runcandels from the
Zipfels? I can’t wait to see.’

Even though Cyron had reached the demigod realm by wielding a single sword, he
still couldn’t destroy the pact his ancestors had made with the Zipfels.

The Runcandel Clan’s only hope was Solderet’s contractor, his youngest son. Of
course, this hope was merely a candle in the wind at the moment.

***

One day went by. Two people were walking down a path in the forest.

Most Runcandel provisional flag-bearers head to the Mamit Lawless Zone first in
order to gain honour. Mamit was an area where countless criminals and outlaws
crawled around like cockroaches, which made it the perfect place for provisional
flag-bearers to beat up villains and gain a decent reputation.

Jin had also considered choosing Mamit as his first destination.

But his reasoning was different from the others. He didn’t want to go to Mamit to
beat up criminals, but to find someone who went by the name ‘Hister’. Hister was
Jin’s magic teacher in his past life, and he couldn’t wait to see them again.

However, Jin couldn’t allow himself to waste time just because he missed his master.

‘It’s not like Master will recognize me in this life anyway.’

Jin could always go find his Master whenever he wanted in the future.

Thus, Jin renounced Mamit as his first destination and decided to head to the ‘Akin
Kingdom’.

‘The land where I died in my past life.’

Jin had died in his sleep when three 9-star knights attacked the city he was in.
Fortunately, that death ended up being a blessing in disguise, as Jin gained a second
chance at life.

“Why the Akin Kingdom specifically, Young Master?”

“Have you been to Akin before, Gilly?”

“No.”

“When I was out on my mission at the Kollon Ruins, I overheard a conversation

between some magicians there. Apparently, many unregistered magicians have been
messing around in the Akin Kingdom recently.”

“Unregistered magicians?”

Just as the name implied, unregistered magicians are magicians who didn’t register
their names at the Magic Association. Most of them are either criminals or evil
mercenaries.

“Right. It seems they’ve been collaborating with martial artist mercenaries and
terrorizing the Akin citizens. I plan on heading there and beating them to a pulp.”

It goes without saying that Jin hadn’t overheard any of this at the Kollon Ruins; it was
merely the information he knew from his past life. Anyone who has been in the Akin
Kingdom knows that unregistered magicians and mercenaries have been wreaking
havoc.

The small number of unregistered magicians and mercenaries in Akin were all
pawns and henchmen of the evil ‘Tesing’ Clan of the Akin underworld.

Jin’s true business lay with that clan. The underground auction house the Tesings
hosted contained countless items—items whose true values were yet to be known
around the world.

‘I absolutely need to buy a few magic tomes and a certain ring.’

Although most books are written in archaic language or in a secret code, the ancient
magic tomes contain some interesting spells. Many of them can’t compare to modern
magic spells that have been improved over decades and centuries, but some rare
ones are still exceptional spells that transcend time and era.

Thanks to his excellent master, Jin also knows how to distinguish the good magic
tomes from the bad ones.

Moreover, in five to six years, a certain item’s true value will spread around the
world, and the artifact in question would receive a proper name. It was a helmet
artifact in the shape of a ring, and it was an item that every martial artist in his past
life dreamed of having.

“A great idea, Young Master. I very much adored beating up villains back when I was
still active as well. I’m feeling excited already!”

Gilly spoke as she did a fist pump.

Although her skills as a 7-star knight had been sealed, Gilly’s heart couldn’t help but
beat in excitement at the thought of travelling the world with Jin and Murakan.

However, there was one big problem…

“Young Master, I don’t think we can use the transfer gate to go to the Akin Kingdom.
We will have to buy the cheapest ticket and go by ship…”

The trio were broke.

Back at the Garden of Swords, none of them had to worry about money, but
currently, they only had ten gold coins in their pockets.

With these funds, they couldn’t pay for the transfer gate, let alone buy a single high-
class ship ticket. Jin’s life as the rich son of a wealthy family that could use 3000 to
5000 coins per day without hesitation had come to an end.

Poof!

The black cat inside Gilly’s basket transformed back into a human.

“Strawberry Pie! I knew this would happen, so I secretly brought a few of my limited
edition magazines with me. Fufu, we could easily buy a high-class ship ticket by
selling one of these.”

“When did you even pack those up, Lord Murakan? Hm… Won’t it be a bit
embarrassing when we sell them?”

“Put those away, Murakan. We’re not cold-hearted people that’d make you sell your
treasured collection.”

“Young Master, I do believe that I’d be able to earn a few hundred coins by enduring
the shame and selling them to a peddler in a city.”

“Hundred?! I bought this one for 2000 coins. You can’t sell this at that price.”

Gilly and Murakan squabbled with each other for a short while about the erotic
magazines’ prices, and Jin found them adorable. Soon enough, he shook his head and
spoke up.

“Enough, both of you. I have an idea for our funds. Before heading to Akin, let’s stop
by the Zhan Kingdom tonight. There’s someone I can make good use of over there.”

“The Zhan Kingdom? But how will we get there without money in the first place?”

“We can just ride Murakan. What are you doing? Transform into your original form
already.”

Although a day had passed since they had left the Garden of Swords, it was still
broad daylight. It wasn’t the appropriate time for the legendary Black Dragon to
suddenly appear in the skies.

“Oh, can I really do that, kid?”

“N-Nonsense! We cannot do that, Young Master! What if someone sees us? We

haven’t exited the Runcandel territory yet.”

“C’mon, it’s fine. We should enjoy ourselves for once. A single time wouldn’t hurt.
Transform already, Murakan. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”

Gilly didn’t even have the opportunity to stop them again.

Swooooosh!

Murakan had already returned to his black dragon form and grabbed the two
humans with his hand. He then placed them on his back.

[Hold on tight. I’ll have to fly restlessly to reach the Zhan Kingdom by nightfall.]

The three of them soon darted across the Huphester skyline and headed to the Zhan
Kingdom.

In the near future, a small rumour spread within central Huphester, where people
said they ‘saw a dragon’. Nevertheless, no one ever learned of the truth of that
incident.

No one, except Jin’s eldest sister.

“He really is quite extraordinary. He’s flying through the sky on a dragon as soon as
he becomes a provisional flag-bearer?”

Luna was sitting on her balcony drinking alcohol while thinking of her youngest
sibling who had just departed. Needless to say, she had seen Murakan flying across
the sky as well as the two people riding on his back.

“A toast to my ungrateful and insensitive brother who didn’t come say bye. Hmph.”

***

“Urgh… Uub.”

Unfortunately, Gilly had a terrible case of acrophobia. As soon as they landed on a hill
in the vicinity of the Zhan Kingdom’s capital, Gilly got off Murakan and trembled in
fear for a long while.

“A-Are you alright, Strawberry Pie? Hey! Kid! Strawberry Pie is completely terrified
right now because of you!”

“Why is it my fault? It’s because you were flying weirdly.”

“You’re the one who wanted to ride me! Ah, breathe deeply, Strawberry Pie… That’s
right, take it slow. Breathe deeply. Good.”
Jin and Murakan consoled Strawberry P—I mean, Gilly for a while as they patted her
on the back. She was still trembling all over with a face pale as a ghost.

Murakan made use of this opportunity and embraced Gilly in a big hug. Whether she
was aware of his intentions or not, Gilly didn’t resist. Murakan then talked big while
staring at Jin.

“This won’t do. I’ll look after Strawberry Pie, so you go get the money, kid.”

‘You crazy… Are you being serious?’

Jin was about to blurt that out, but managed to hold back. He then decided to follow
Murakan’s suggestion.

The boy ran down the hill and the streets for two hours before reaching his
destination.

The Bill Clan’s residence.

It was a gigantic mansion visible from anywhere in the Zhan Kingdom’s capital city.
No wonder they were Zhan’s greatest clan of merchants.

Jin approached the front gate and the guards stopped him.

“What’s with you? Get lost, brat.”

Aaah…

As soon as he heard the old-fashioned, cliche line, Jin felt a nostalgic sensation as
memories flooded his mind. He had heard similar lines so many times in his past life,
where he roamed… no, crawled the lands as a beggar.

The long flight on Murakan had disheveled his hair, and the travelling clothes he was
wearing didn’t have the clan’s Black Sword emblem on them. In the guards’ point of
view, Jin was merely an annoying brat who was approaching the mansion in the
middle of the night.

“Cember Bill. Is he inside?”

Jin bluntly mentioned the Bill Clan’s eldest son’s name, and the guards looked at each
other, baffled. The boy’s behaviour was like that of the son from a prominent family.

“Yes, he is residing inside the mansion. If I may ask, who might you be, young sir?”

Jin pondered on what to answer.

What about ‘I am Jin Runcandel’? Or ‘an old friend’? Maybe ‘I dropped by since I was
nearby. Tell Cember to come on out’?

None of them were appropriate answers. Revealing his name would mean breaking
the rule of not using the clan’s name as a provisional flag-bearer. Meanwhile, the
other options would take too long. The guards would make Jin go through all the
procedures and paperwork before allowing him to meet Cember.

“Thanks. And sorry about this.”

Thwack!

Jin swiftly chopped the two guards in the back of the neck with his hands and they
fell unconscious. Jin took out his entire fortune—ten coins—and placed them on
their stomachs as compensation. Jin then opened the front gate and entered the Bill
Clan’s residence.

Fortunately, Cember was sitting at the center of the lake in the residence, acting
pitiful. Thus, Jin didn’t need to deal with other guards and wreak havoc.

“Cember.”

“Who ar—mmh, mhmm!”

“Don’t shout. It’s me, Jin. The one who rescued you from Kinzelo.”

“Bwaaah! My, Lord Jin? What brings you here?”

“Do you remember how you told me to come find you if I’m ever in need of help?”

“Of course I do. How could I ever forget my debt to Lord Jin? If it weren’t for you,
right now I wouldn’t be—”

“Great. I’ll be waiting here, so go get me some gold and money.”

Cember immediately ran to the main building and thought to himself.

‘Jin Runcandel! An incomparable genius that reached 5-star at the age of 15. My life
saviour. To think that such an incredible person would come find someone like me in
the middle of the night to ask for help!’

Cember was incredibly touched. Jin was his saviour who even brought along
Runcandel guardian knights on a mission to rescue him. No matter how much money
one had, one couldn’t easily experience such a luxury when being rescued.

What was the reason behind Jin’s request? The Runcandel Clan’s youngest child
should be overflowing with money normally. Was he on a secret mission during
which he urgently needed some funds?

‘Whatever the answer is, I’ll have helped him out in making a great achievement in
the near future, even if my influence is minimal. After our deaths, historians will
write records of Jin Runcandel, and I’ll be happy if there’s even a single line in his
biography mentioning “Cember Bill”.’

During the short ten minutes Cember took to collect the money, his imagination ran
wild.

Cember returned with a large leather bag with all kinds of valuables and plenty of
gold coins.

“Huff, huff… Here’s what you asked for, Lord Jin!”

He had brought too much. Even at first glance, the bag appeared to weigh more than
30kg of treasure. Jin wouldn’t be able to take all that and continue his journey.

Jin grabbed a handful of golden valuables and took about 500 gold coins. Even
robbers didn’t dream of gaining this much money in one day.
“This is more than enough. It was good seeing you again, Cember Bill.”

“It was an honour, Lord Jin. I do not know what mission you are undertaking, but I
wish you the best and pray you return in good health…!”

“Thanks, I’ll see you another time. Oh, and when I came here, I had to do something
about the guards at the gate, so…”

“I understand. I shall deal with that myself, so please do not concern yourself. And I
shall keep my mouth closed about today’s matters until Lord Jin gives me permission
to talk about it.”

Jin wasn’t expecting much of Cember Bill when he first coincidentally rescued him
back in the Zhan Kingdom’s southern region by the border. However, he now saw
Cember as quite the decent person. Not only did he remember his debts, but he was
also sharp and quick-witted.

‘I should get him some gifts in the future, whatever they may be.’

Cember excitedly waved his hands until Jin’s silhouette disappeared into the night.

***

Most Runcandel provisional flag-bearers spend their first two months in poverty.

They had only ever learnt striking, stabbing, and slashing enemies since their birth
inside this clan of swordsmen. Thus, their senses and intuition in money and
finances were non-existent. They had never earned money themselves, so it wasn’t
surprising that they’d spend a couple months in poverty once out in the real world.

Therefore, most provisional flag-bearers either killed the crime lords in Mamit and
brought their heads to the Vermont criminal investigation team, or they lived as
mercenaries to earn money. But until then, they’d still be penniless.

Munch, munch. Gulp.

Today was Jin’s third day as a provisional flag-bearer. The boy, his nanny, and his
(pet?) dragon were devouring all the food at the Zhan Kingdom’s best and most
popular restaurant. Although they had ordered dozens of dishes, the bill had barely
scratched their funds.
“Don’t eat too much, Murakan. The transfer gate is in an hour. If you throw up
everything like last time…”

“Quiet, kid. Even if I end up vomiting later, I’ll still eat everything. That’s what it
means to live like an apex predator like me.

“How stubborn.”

“Young Master, please try some of this too. Zhan cooking is quite delicious.”

“Kuhaha. Didn’t you ask Jin ‘isn’t that extorting money from him, Young Master?’ just
yesterday, Strawberry Pie? You seem pretty comfortable eating now.”

The three of them were planning on using the transfer gate rather than riding
Murakan to travel. The reason behind this decision wasn’t Gilly’s fear of heights but
because of their destination.

Although the underground organization Tesing was making a mess out of the
country, the Akin kingdom was undeniably part of the ‘Lutero Magic Federation’. And
the Lutero Magic Federation was under the management of the Zipfels.

Moreover, 80% of the active dragons today were affiliated with the Zipfels.
Therefore, recklessly riding on Murakan and flying into the kingdom was no different
from a declaration of war to them.

‘The reason why the Runcandels can’t break their pact with the Zipfels is also
because of those dragons.’

Technically, it was because of the gods who had created those dragons.

The Runcandels only had a single member who had contracted a god: Jin. However,
the situation was different at the Zipfels. Dozens of contractors were supporting the
clan.

And they were all patiently waiting for Cyron’s death.

As long as Cyron disappeared, the Zipfels could easily obliterate the Runcandels who
were a thorn in their flesh.

“It’s about time now. Let’s go.”

3 PM.

The trio finished their meal and headed to the Zhan Kingdom’s transfer gate and
finished the legal procedures. Murakan had no identification, so he transformed into
a cat in order to travel with Jin and Gilly.

“The teleportation will soon begin.”

Whiiir!

Once they took their seats in a quiet waiting room, a staff member announced as
such.

Bright blue mana softly enveloped the three of them, and after a short while, they
opened their eyes in the Akin Kingdom.

“Welcome to the Akin Kingdom in the Lutero Magic Federation.”

Their fake papers allowed them to enter the kingdom with no problems. As they
exited the building and entered the streets, the strong sunlight shone on them.

‘It’s been fifteen years.’

Jin had spent one year in the Akin Kingdom’s capital city right before his regression.

Although there was a fifteen-year gap between the current city and the one from Jin’s
memories, the view hadn’t particularly changed. The street vendors who were doing
business on the streets, the homeless people crouching on the ground next to them,
people from the dark alleyways of the city, etc.

The shadows on people’s faces drew a stark contrast to the clean roads and the
bright sunlight. Indeed, the city was warm all year round.

‘It must be because of the Tesing Clan’s tyranny. I remember hearing that their reign
of terror was worse now compared to in the future.’

Gilly also noticed the disparity and stayed wary of their surroundings.

“The city is oddly sombre, even though the weather’s so pleasant.”

“According to the magicians at the Kollon Ruins, the climate here is good, but life
here isn’t enjoyable. Let’s find an inn first before we search for our prey.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

In truth, Jin had already chosen their inn as well as their first target.

Jet, the information broker.

Jin was quite close with Jet in his past life. Not long after he arrived in the Akin
Kingdom, he received Jet’s help when settling down.

However, they weren’t close in the good sense of the term. Jet was someone who
often backstabbed people for his own benefit.

‘That punk. These days, he must be scamming morons as a self-proclaimed top-class

information broker. Fuck, just thinking of him makes my blood boil.’

In fact, Jin himself was one of those ‘morons’ who got scammed by Jet in his past life.
The information broker had tricked him so much under the guise of introducing him
to the Tesing underground auction house.

This time, Jin planned on revealing Jet’s schemes from the beginning to teach him a
lesson.

‘I’ll beat Jet up. Then, I’ll control him and make good use of his skills. It’s much easier
to explain things to Gilly and Murakan if I associate myself with Jet.’

Jin didn’t plan on revealing himself as a regressor to Gilly and Murakan in the future.

Thus, Jin needed good excuses in order to convince them whenever he made plans
using his knowledge from his past life.

Just like right now.

“Kid, do we really need to look for an inn in this rundown alleyway? Aren’t there
good enough inns by the main street?”

“The Young Master must have a good reason for his actions, Lord Murakan.”
“But there is no need to reside in a place like this when we have as much money as
we do, Strawberry Pie.”

“Indeed, it would be a great idea to spread the news that we have a lot of money in
this city, where countless unregistered magicians are wreaking havoc. Am I right,
Murakan?”

“Ha! Are you seriously telling me that I, the Great Murakan, must sleep in this dirty
inn—that even orcs would avoid—just because of those petty criminals?”

Jin made up some excuse and guided the two others towards Jet’s inn.

But he couldn’t behave like this forever. On the other hand, if he made Jet his
subordinate, these problems would disappear.

Huh? How do you know that, Young Master?

Kid, why do we need to do that?

So then, if Gilly and Murakan were to ask him these questions, he could reply that he
had gotten the information from Jet and easily convince them.

“Hm, this place looks good.”

After squabbling with Murakan for an hour, Jin and the others finally arrived before
the inn Jet managed. But because of Murakan’s constant grumbling, it felt like it had
taken ten times longer.

Please call for Jet at the reception.

Jin unintentionally snorted and smirked when he saw the familiar signboard again.

As always, the inn had a very odd name. Though, it was quite the fitting name if you
took into account the fact that the place wasn’t quite an inn, but an information
broker’s residence.

“Why here specifically?”

“Because I heard the magicians at the Kollon Ruins talk about… Never mind. It’s just
my gut feeling.”
Murakan was still sulking and pouting as they walked through the front door.
Meanwhile, Gilly stood confidently behind them as she fully trusted the young
master no matter what.

One slim man was sitting behind the counter, head on the hard table as his drool
made a puddle. It was Jet. He hadn’t sensed the trio’s presence and simply snored
loudly as the smell of alcohol filled the air.

“Are you the owner of the inn?”

“Hmmgh. Ah, a customer? Welcome.”

Jet unsteadily fixed his posture and quickly scanned the three guests from head to
toe. He then immediately categorized them into fools he could trick.

‘A thin, weak-looking kid in a nice shirt, a swordsman on his first journey, and a
woman. Well, she’s quite pretty. Is she a maid? They’re obviously a young and stupid
aristocrat with his servants playing at adventurers.’

Despite such thoughts running through his mind, Jet simply showed a bright smile
on the outside.

“Do you have empty rooms?”

“Well… They’re all empty. You’ve come to the right place. I take pride in my pricings.
For travelers like you, it’s the lowest price for the greatest treatment and beds! Now
then, please take a look at our rooms and choose the ones you prefer most.”

Jet stood up and swiftly pushed the trio upstairs. He was telling them to choose the
room they wanted on their own and come back down.

He planned to make them use the rooms already without telling them the detailed
pricings. A typical scammer’s technique.

Furthermore, Jet quickly prepared three drinks for the guests while they were
upstairs. Once the kid and his servants downed their glasses, he would charge them
absurd fees for the service.

Had the guests been seasoned mercenaries, Jet would’ve stopped his schemes at this
point.
However, Jet didn’t plan on holding back his tricks before this group of naive
travelers.

‘Once they’re back and drink these, those three will start a new life in the
underground auction house forever, huehuehue. I just hit the jackpot!’

Jet had made up his mind as soon as he saw the trio.

He would sedate them with sleeping pills and sell them as slaves in the Tesing
underground auction house. A quick mind and fast execution of his plans. This was
how Jet became the greatest information broker of Akin in the future.

Needless to say, Jin knew more about Jet than Jet himself did. He was already four
steps ahead of him.

‘I bet he’s impatiently waiting for us to trick us with that outdated technique and
make the most profit possible. Get ready to die, Jet.’

As he had predicted, Jet was waiting for them downstairs with three drinks as the
trio returned.

“Goodness, you must be parched from your journey. Please have a cup to quench
your throats, hehe. This is our inn’s special orange juice. Its taste is unrivaled! Even
aristocrats sometimes come here just to have another sip of this juice.”

The Runcandels’ blessed bodies have a slight resistance against most poisons, so
these cheap sleeping pills would barely have an effect on Jin.

Jin pondered for a while.

Should he down the cup and tell him the sleeping pill was tasty while pummelling
the man? Or should he dare Jet to taste test the drink first?

However, there was one option that Jin had completely overlooked.

“Did you lose your fucking mind, you lowly son of a flea?”

Murakan wasn’t in a good mood for a while now.

The dragon had been staring at the bubbles floating in the spiked orange juice.
“Oi, kid! Didn’t your gut tell you this place was good? Then you should check your gut
and fix it while I beat this piece of crap to death. Make sure to check carefully,
alright?”

Creaaak.

Murakan spoke as he slowly closed the inn’s front door. It was now Jet’s fate to
endure Murakan’s beating and spill all the beans.
Jet was doubting his own ears.

Had these travelers, who were in Akin for the first time, lost their minds? Even so,
customers were still customers. He decided to treat them with respect as he
normally should.

“Why are you acting like this, sir? Haha, even if you’re a customer, it’ll be problematic
if you hurl insults at me… Kurgh!”

Crack.

Murakan’s left punch broke one of Jet’s ribs in the blink of an eye. The scammer
gasped for air, but before he could even feel the pain, a heel swiftly descended upon
his shoulder, instantly rupturing his shoulder muscle.

His two eyes and ears couldn’t believe what was happening before him.

‘E-Even though I’m a 5-star knight?’

Although he was currently living like a ruffian in these streets, Jet was once part of a
mercenary group. He had gone through countless hardships and was a seasoned
fighter.

There were very few situations where a 5-star knight could get beaten down so one-
sidedly.

“Lord Murakan! Why are you attacking him? The inn’s owner is going to die!”

“That’s the whole point, Strawberry Pie. I’m trying to kill him. He put some poison in
our drinks.”

Fortunately for him, Jet was quick-witted and adaptable. He didn’t hesitate to change
his behaviour as he was quite attached to his life. The best plan right now was to
immediately kneel down, admit his wrongdoings, and beg for his life.

“That’s— Khargh— Keuk— Urpp…!”

Needless to say, Murakan didn’t give Jet the time to apologize and continued his
flurry of attacks. The dragon in human form spat out all kinds of insults to the inn
owner, such as ‘you lowly son of a flea’, ‘piece of trash’, ‘go die’, etc. However, his face
was surprisingly expressionless the entire time.

Murakan’s lack of expression further enhanced Jet’s fears.

‘Such a satisfying spectacle.’

Seeing Jet—with whom Jin had a terrible relationship in his past life—getting
pummelled to the ground gave him a brand new sense of gratification.

However, the scammer would be quite useful here on out. If this continued, Jet would
soon turn into a cold corpse.

“Enough, Murakan. Let’s hear him out for now.”

“Do you seriously have things to talk about with this asshole who secretly tried to
poison us, kid?”

Murakan paused his beating and turned to Jin. Seeing a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity, Jet immediately knelt towards the boy.

“Please spare my life, Young Master! I will do anything to pay for my sins!”

Despite his broken ribs and his flattened nose, Jet spoke clearly and articulately. His
tenacity and will to survive were quite admirable.

Jet had crawled to Jin’s feet in the blink of an eye and clung to his pants. Murakan
snorted but reluctantly paused his outburst of anger. Jin was still the promised
contractor of a thousand years, so he would listen to the boy’s thoughts and plans.

Whack!

“Let go. Your blood is staining it.”

Jin crouched down and slapped Jet across the cheek.

“Yes! My deepest apologies. I’ll let go, so please spare my life…!”

“I will ask you a few simple questions from now on. If you lie to us, you’ll die. But if
you answer truthfully, you’ll live. I’ll judge whether you’ve lied or not depending on
my mood, intuition, and gut feeling. Do you understand?”

Jet nodded furiously, splattering droplets of blood everywhere around him.

“Good. What do you do for a living?”

Normally speaking, the first question one would ask would be something along the
lines of ‘Did you really spike our drinks?’ or ‘Why did you spike our drinks?’
However, Jin’s interrogation started off with a more fundamental question. Thus, Jet
realized that Jin wasn’t your ordinary kid.

He knew it would be useless to try to gain Jin’s sympathy, so all he could do was to
reveal the truth as objectively as possible.

“I-I’m an owner of an inn and an information broker. I also work as a pimp from time
to time and dabble in some human trafficking… So I’m involved in various jobs. I-If
you spare my life, I can be very useful to you, Young Master! Akin is my area of
expertise.”

Gilly’s face contorted due to Jet’s mind-blowing self-introduction. Murakan nodded

to himself while muttering ‘I knew it’.

“Enough with the unnecessary comments. In other words, you’re a multi-functional

piece of trash. Then did you spike our drinks to sell us somewhere as slaves?”

“As deplorable as it may be, that is the case…”

“Where to?”

“Excuse me?”

Crack!

Jin helped Jet’s pinky finger meet the back of his hand for the first time. Jet didn’t
dare cry out in pain and stuttered out a certain name.

“T-T-T-T-Tesing! To the Tesing underground auction house!”

“Explain.”

“Yes! The Tesing underground auction house is an auction house that an

underground organization called Tesing manages… Down there, you can buy and sell
slaves, drugs, all kinds of smuggled products and stolen artifacts!”

“I’ll have someone heal your body by this evening. You understand what you need to
do afterwards, right?”

“Of course! Thank you very much, Young Master. Thank you very much!”

Having realized his life would be spared, Jet was about to kiss Jin’s shoes.

This multi-functional piece of trash would become useful to them during their stay in
the Akin Kingdom. While Jin loathed Jet and his very existence, he still highly
evaluated the piece of trash’s skills and knowledge.

Jin sent Jet upstairs. Today’s ‘Please call for Jet at the reception’ would be closed for
business.

“Kid, why don’t we just bury that piece of trash up some random mountain instead of
paying for his medical fees?”

“I concur, Young Master. He may try to backstab us again if we let him survive.”

“An underground organization and their auction house. It’s the perfect thing to
destroy in order to gain honour and reputation, don’t you think? We can always kill
him afterwards.”

“That is true, but…”

“Let’s trust him this one time. We do need a guide during our stay in Akin after all.”

The nanny and the dragon didn’t argue anymore and agreed to the boy’s plan. In
order to have a smooth journey with no complications, one sometimes had to
accommodate the party leader’s decisions.
Murakan and Gilly stayed behind in the inn to keep an eye on Jet while Jin left to find
someone to heal the scammer.

Jin truly considered the two of them as good friends.

Nevertheless, as soon as Jin took a step outside the inn on his own, he felt an
unprecedented sense of freedom and exhilaration. He could now make use of his
knowledge as a regressor as much as he wanted inside the Akin Kingdom.

The city’s development was being hindered by the Tesings’ tyranny. In other words,
most of the buildings, facilities, groups, and organizations Jin knew of in his past life
were highly likely to be present today.

It didn’t take him long to find a tight-lipped healer he could trust. ‘Maltran’ was
someone who would heal anyone—even wanted criminals—as long as he was paid
properly. Fortunately, his magic store was located at the same place as in Jin’s
memories.

“I’ve heard that you’re excellent at performing illegal medical procedures.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Unimportant. I will pay you handsomely.”

Although he definitely looked fifteen years younger, Maltran was still the same pot-
bellied middle-aged man. Maltran visibly pondered for a moment, caressing his
bulging stomach in the meantime.

“…How’s the patient’s situation?”

“A couple of broken ribs and a finger dangling abnormally. But he didn’t lose a lot of
blood.”

Cling.

Jin flicked a well-crafted ring to the middle-aged man. Maltran stood up immediately
as he caught the payment.

“My lucky day. Let’s go.”

Maltran was a highly skilled healing magician.

Once he arrived at the inn, it barely took him five hours to erase all traces of violence
on Jet.

In fact, Maltran’s sweaty appearance as he earnestly cast healing magic made him
look like a devout cleric.

“I see. The Lutero Magic Federation isn’t called a magic federation for nothing. To
think that a healer we found on the streets would be this skilled.”

Gilly whispered to herself as she watched the medical procedure. Her eyes twinkled
with curiosity and awe as she had rarely observed magic during her life with the
Runcandels.

Jet was touched by Jin and his willingness to hire such a good healer. As soon as he
fully recovered, he knelt on the ground and continuously showed his gratitude.

“Young Master, although our first meeting did not go so well, I now pledge my eternal
allegiance to you. Please allow me to serve you.”

“That’ll depend on your behaviour and performance here on out. Have you finished,
Healer? I hope his ribs won’t suddenly break apart again in a few hours.”

“What an unfunny joke. Well then, I will take my leave. Please call me again if there’s
another emergency. I will even heal someone for free a single time as long as it’s
nothing too serious. I always work as much as I’m paid.”

“You have excellent work ethics. Have a nice day.”

Maltran left the inn.

Jet was now carefully observing the trio—who were sipping on their cups of black
tea while seated.

‘No matter how much I think about it, these people… They smell of money and
authority. And here I thought I had an eye for people… How did I not notice it
immediately?! And why did such big shots come to this desolate area of the city?’

The man who had beat him up was an extremely skilled fighter. The maid seemed to
be used to seeing violent scenes. Finally, the boy Jet judged as a young and stupid
aristocrat was naturally ordering the other two around as if they were his vassals.

This was a sight Jet had never seen before.

‘Is he the heir to a prominent martial clan? Or the Vermont Special Forces? Either
way, if I recklessly betray them, I’ll be erased from the face of this continent without
a single trace left behind.’

After a while, Jet concluded that the trio were the Vermont Special Forces.

He even believed that their actions so far had all been calculated, including their
disastrous first encounter. Jet wasn’t foolish to think so. The trio immediately
realized their drinks were spiked and somehow found an excellent healer within an
hour after the beating.

‘These people must have investigated me before. I bet they know all kinds of
information about me. They must plan on using me to enter the Tesing underground
auction house to carry out some kind of mission… ’

And once they fulfill their mission, they would get rid of their now-useless hunting
dog: Jet.

Once he came to that conclusion, Jet clenched his teeth and steeled himself. He
needed to become an indispensable existence to them in order to survive. He needed
to be so useful to them that they wouldn’t kill him. Thus, he needed to show them his
absolute and undying loyalty and serve them wholeheartedly.

Although the Tesings held immense power and authority, they could only wield
those inside Akin like a frog in a well. Meanwhile, the Vermont Special Forces was an
internationally renowned and prestigious organization. Therefore, Jet had no reason
to hesitate on which side of the conflict he had to stand on.

Jet soon shared more information about the Tesings and the underground auction
house to the trio. Even though he made the wrong assumption about them, he was
still a top-notch information broker.

“Although the Tesings’ publicly known boss is someone called Salka, the real boss of
the group is someone else. Salka is just a frontman and signboard. We call the real
boss ‘Spiderhand Alu’ among ourselves.”
“Really?”

“Alu is an extremely dangerous individual. Rumours say that Alu even has
connections with pureblood Runcandels beyond the sea. About the underground
auction house…”

Jin already knew most of the information Jet was sharing, but simply let the
information broker continue his endless speech. This way, his companions could also
learn of the information Jin knew from his past life.

‘Still, connections with pureblood Runcandels? To think that such false rumours
about Alu would spread. I highly doubt any of my siblings would associate
themselves with some random thugs in the Lutero Magic Federa—’

Jin suddenly placed his teacup back on the table as if he had suddenly remembered
something.

‘There is one. The one who tried to place a curse on me. It’s possible if it’s them.
After all, this is the Lutero Magic Federation—the Zipfels’ territory.’

He couldn’t make a hasty conclusion. Only a top-class magician could cast a curse on
the level of ‘Bladed Illusion’, and there was no way these underground thugs had
such a magician within their ranks.

However, there was nothing Jin could do other than grasping at straws. He had spent
ten years in the Storm Castle and five in the Garden of Swords. All this time, he had
searched for the culprit behind the curse but couldn’t find a single clue or trace.

“Have you finished explaining?”

“Yes! Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions after we arrive as well. I shall
explain everything with all my heart. I swear to you on my son’s life.”

“You have a son?”

Although Jin acted ignorant, he was quite close with Jet’s son in his past life. The son
was a kind and gentle kid, unlike his father.

“Yes. Since I’ve pledged my allegiance to you, let us set off after you’ve seen my son’s
face. It is to prove that I hold no intention of betraying you, Young Master.”
The son was probably about 2 years old right now. To think that he’d use his own
toddler as a tool to show his sincerity… Jin was once again amazed by Jet’s awful
nature and shook his head in response.

“Forget it. Let’s just go.”

Any facilities managed by the Tesings can only be accessed by newcomers if they
have an introduction from a regular. As a matter of course, that held true for the
underground auction house as well.

One hour by carriage. It wasn’t very far from Jet’s inn.

The place they arrived at looked like an ordinary aristocrat’s villa at first sight.
However, it was actually a location where all kinds of illegal transactions took place.

“Oh hey, Jet. Why do you have so many people with you today? Are they goods?”

“Watch your mouth. These people are my guests.”

Jet simultaneously shamed all of the guards. Although the guard apologized for his
careless words, it showed that Jet was a respected and honored individual of Tesing.

The three then followed Jet into the auction house. Even though it was operated by
sketchy alleyway dealers, there were Akin nobles partying from the courtyard.

‘This place hasn’t changed one bit. Still pretty corrupted.’

Most of the nation’s leaders were from the Tesing Clan, and not even official
investigation agencies could snoop around this area.

While regular citizens got abused by unregistered magicians and mercenaries, the
feast never ended in the auction house as all kinds of things—including humans—
got sold.

Although the Zipfels were aware that all of this was happening, they didn’t try to
control and restrict these people. Not only was it because this land was important to
the people of Akin, but also because the Zipfel Clan received bribes from Spiderhand
Alu.
It was very nerve-racking.

‘Filthy scum.’

Jet ordered the guards to retrieve some masks and distributed them to his guests.

“Since we are going underground instead of lingering here, I recommend wearing a

mask. Usually, masks aren’t allowed. But, since I am your escort, you can cover your
profile. Hehe.”

There was a hidden staircase behind the garden. As expected, there wasn’t a single
thing different about this place. Even in the far future, the Tesings would rule the
Akin Kingdom, and an auction would be held here everyday.

Unless Jin interfered with the business of this place.

As soon as they entered the underground area, the chattering stopped, and a
pleasant violin melody filled the air. A group of musicians in tuxedos was constantly
playing tunes for the public.

‘It’s just as I remembered it.’

It was all to Spiderhand Alu’s tastes. He always tried to convince people that he
wasn’t an uncivilized gangster.

“What? Are you sure this is an underground auction house? Music? You’ve got to be
joking.”

“I know, right?”

They sat in the outskirts of the room for an hour. In the meantime, Jet informed the
other executives that he brought guests. For the time being, there wasn’t anyone who
came to check the three masked people.

“It does seem like Jet is a respected newbie recruit amongst those other fat-asses. So,
what are you gonna do? Wipe out these lowly gangsters on your first day in Akin?”

“The guards that we saw on the way here didn’t seem too shabby. There are also a lot
of unregistered magicians. You aren’t going to engage in a battle here, right, Young
Master?”
“You guys think I’m stupid? Let’s at least look around the place.”

Jin definitely did not want to flip this place upside down. As his companions said, it
was dangerous, but there were also items that he had to obtain.

‘Ancient magic tomes and the helm artifact.’

Magic tomes with spells that transcended the ones of this era, and a ring that turned
into a helm artifact that overflowed with mana.

Amongst the magic tomes, Jin wanted one from a great historical magician called
‘O’Hensirk’. As for the helm artifact, it had amazing abilities. The owner could also
mask their face anytime, which was convenient.

Jin didn’t know the exact date that O’Hensirk’s magic tome would be auctioned. It
was more likely to get struck by lightning than the chances of the tome being sold
today.

‘It doesn’t really need to be O’Hensirk’s. Ancient magicians’ tomes are sold here
everyday anyway. It’ll be best to just wait a few days and buy the best item there is.’

Conversely, he knew the exact date when the helm artifact would be sold.

Around five or six years later, the ‘Helm of the Demon King’ would soon fall into the
hands of Emperor Vermont.

When Emperor Vermont acquired the helm through tribute, many romanticists,
historians, and scientists gathered together. They all considered the helm a
masterpiece and tracked it down to take it for themselves.

The historians called it the Helm of the Demon King due to the speculation that
ancient demon kings used it in the past.

For a while, there was a great commotion in the magic journalism community. They
always got worked up when magic experimenters discovered or declared a new
masterpiece.

Since Jin was caught up on the massive, thick journals, he naturally knew the
location where it was first discovered as well as the date it was auctioned.
Surprisingly, it was located in Akin’s notorious underground auction house. Yet, the
helm had not been sold for the past few years, so it was thrown into a room…

‘The helm would be traded five years later, which means that it’s in storage right
now.’

They didn’t have to come on the day of the helm’s auction.

They just needed to steal it.

‘The problem is, how do we find and steal it in the first place?’

As Murakan and Gilly mentioned, they weren’t dealing with a small organization that
they could easily fight. Most of the guards were at least 6-stars, and there were
unregistered magicians disguised as regular customers.

It wasn’t a crowd that Jin could handle on his own, and neither could they just use
Murakan’s power. As soon as he reveals his Draconic Magic, the Lutero Magic
Federation would alert an emergency.

“Thank you to those who came here this wonderful evening at the Tesing
underground auction house, and thank you for waiting. We will now start the
auction!”

After debating with himself for a while, the auctioneer finally emerged onto the
stage.

Simultaneously, a dozen naked slaves joined him, separated between men and
women. All of them had drowsy eyes—as if they were drugged. At least there weren’t
any children.

“Alright, alright. Numbers 1 through 30. Today’s stock looks pretty darn good. Let’s
get this started.”

The slave auction began. It didn’t even take an hour for all of them to be sold.

“So you were trying to sell us off like that?”

“H-haha. It was foolish of me, Young Master.”

Jin wanted to save them. Half of them were probably misfortunate people who were
dragged in here without them knowing.

But now wasn’t the time.

‘I can’t think of a way to retrieve the helm without getting caught.’

The best idea was to bribe mercenary groups like the Black King Mercenaries or
Ghost Mercenaries and call several 7-star soldiers to wipe out the entire place.

But, aside from not having the kind of money to do that, Jin couldn’t use his
Runcandel name to command the army—especially an army of a grand scale.

He was terrorized by the feeling of being cornered. The situations and plans were
too risky.

A little later, he thought of a third option.

‘Well… it’ll feel a little awkward, but it’ll be fun. It’ll also help with finding out who
Alu’s connection is within the Runcandel Clan.’

That day, Jin didn’t buy anything from the auction and returned to the inn.

***

For a while, Jin spent each day doing nothing.

He trained his magic and spirit energy on one side of the inn during the day and
spent the rest of the day carefully watching the items sold at the underground
auction house.

When the three companions first came to the auction house, the Tesing guards were
uninterested. But as the days progressed, their gaze slowly changed. Jet offered
hospitality without any complaints.

“Hey, kid. I am often curious about what goes on inside your head. You think that
plan would actually work?”

“Young Master, I… I have an uneasy feeling about this. Would they really not know
him? Jet emphasized that Spiderhand Alu is a people person.”
“That’s the key point, Gilly. Alu probably knows someone from the Zipfel Clan, but
they’re probably just a low-tier magician or some old servant. So, even if I call myself
Beradin, he can’t call bullshit.”

“But you are a Runcandel. To say that you will impersonate Beradin Zipfel… This plan
is a little… I don’t know what to say.”

Jin’s plan went like this.

If a valuable ancient tome was put on auction, he would buy it and find Alu. Then, in
the name of Beradin Zipfel, reprimand him for selling tomes that are of “his clan’s”
property.

Like Jin, Beradin was yet to become an important leader, so he was not well known
yet.

“At my age, I am able to conjure at least 5-star magic. If I were Alu, I would believe
that I am Beradin. And even if we get busted, we can just run away.”

“Well, I’m powerless right now, and would it be that simple…”

“The kid’s right, Strawberry Pie. I wouldn’t even need to transform into my true
form. Running away with two people is a piece of cake against these thugs.”

“Hmmm.”

“Either way, if we want to execute this plan, a legitimately valuable ancient tome
needs to be auctioned. Let’s hope that one comes out today.”

As the night arrived, as always, Jet prepared the carriage.

“Sir, this may be out of the blue… but if you don’t buy anything today as well, the
Tesing executives may pester you. They’ll probably call you out on only looking and
not purchasing.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just focus on the carriage.”

“Understood.”

The auction started once again. Soon, the slave auction ended, and as the tomes and
artifacts entered the stage, Jin straightened his back.

“The slaves are once again sold out! And now… time for the antiques. I hope all of
these return to people who actually respect the items’ value. Let’s begin!

“The first item. The tome of a magician who once ruled the world, Matthew Woniak’s
magic tome. We haven’t deciphered it, but some incredible spells are probably
recorded on it. And already, our first bid!”

Jin smirked. The auctioneer made a mistake while introducing the item. The correct
name was Matthew Morniak. And, as Jin remembered, his publications were already
in the Zipfels’ bookshelves.

The week’s auctions were always like this; the auctioneer spat some nonsense, then
the vanity-seeking magicians made stupid bids…

“This is the seventh item. Hmm, the author of this tome is… Tzenmi. Does anyone
know of a magician named Tzenmi?”

The auction house was quiet. Even Jin didn’t know of that name.

‘A tome like that is a gamble, and it’s extremely rare to win that gamble.’

According to Jin’s master’s teaching of premonition, there was no need to buy

Tzenmi’s magic tome.

However, Murakan thought differently.

“Kid.”

“Hm?”

“Buy that. If it’s the Tzenmi that I know… this is huge.”

The dragon’s advice—a strong recommendation.

Jin had no reason to doubt his words, so he raised his hand towards the auctioneer.
“One hundred.”

One hundred gold.

That’s how much Jin bid. For an ancient magic tome, the price wasn’t too high or too
low. However, the other guests thought Jin was crazy.

‘He’s paying a hundred for that?’

There were also magicians who were curious. After all, a guy who hasn’t bought
anything for the past week just bid for a magic tome.

“One-fifty.”

“One hundred fifty on the table!”

Someone raised the bid, but it wasn’t because they wanted the item. The bidder held
in his laughter as he stared at Jin.

He was teasing him. He wanted to make a fool of Jin for trying to strike it rich or
attain a higher level of magic by buying a mysterious tome, which was a common
sight during the magic tome auctions in the auction house.

Jin just ignored him and called for the next bid.

“One-seventy.”

If it were back in his first life, he would have called one or two thousand to flaunt his
money and destroy the provoker’s pride.

But Jin knew that this wasn’t the time to attract attention.

“Any more bids? Going once. Going twice. Sold!”

Tzenmi’s magic tome was delivered to Jin.

With a straight face, Murakan opened the ancient tome and gripped Jin’s hand.

“Kid, this is an amazing acquisition.”

This renowned shadow dragon was not an idiot obsessed with aura. He, like other
dragons, could cast countless spells. And, back in his heyday, his magic skill level was
at least 9-stars.

‘An item that got Murakan all worked up? It must have spells incomparable to those
of O’Hensirk’s.’

Additionally, Jin’s and his companions’ luck was yet to be over.

“Uh, this is the 25th item of the auction. Previously owned by ‘Schugiel Hister’. Let
the auction begin!”

Hister.

The name that Jin had the bar owner look into when he first went to a bar in Mamit.
As soon as he heard the name, he doubted his own ears.

Hister was the clan of Jin’s master. But it was also a clan that officially dissolved
hundreds of years ago.

“Two hundred.”

Just as before, the crowd began to whisper after Jin called his first bid. They first
thought he was somebody special, but now they thought of him as an idiot bidding
for shit.

“Two hundred. Anyone else?”

Schugiel Hister’s tome was immediately sold.

“Hey, kid. Why’d you buy that? Are you feelin’ something again?”

“I thought it would be weird if I only bought one item, and I also have a good feeling
about this one.”
As soon as the tome arrived, Murakan cracked open the book. Not even one minute
in, he shook his head. Unlike Murakan, Jin’s heart pounded as he examined the tome.

“It’s just a tome with weird and complicated ciphers. Nothing too special.”

Murakan didn’t seem to know.

This weird and complicated cipher system was only known by two people—Jin and
his master. And since Jin learned it from his master, ‘Schugiel Hister’ must be his
master’s ancestor.

After seeing the complex text, sorrow struck Jin’s heart. He watched the auction
continue, barely concealing his emotions. In the end, he didn’t find anything
interesting to buy.

The night came to a close as the auction ended. Some guests stayed and enjoyed
their time while others immediately left.

Jin usually joined the latter, but tonight, he had to stay in the auction house.

“Jet.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want to meet Spiderhand Alu.”

Usually, Jet would say that he understood. However, this time, his expression
changed.

“Uh… sir. That will be difficult. Even though you are a guest, meeting Alu is
impossible. The most I can do is introduce you to Salka. If you really need to meet
him directly, then please give us a few days.”

“Tell Alu that Beradin Zipfel wanted to see him.”

It looked as if Jet’s eyes would pop out as his face flushed red. He covered his mouth
in shock.

‘B-Beradin Zipfel?’
“Understood?”

Instead of answering, Jet simply blinked.

‘Shit. These guys weren’t part of Vermont’s Special Forces… but were members of the
Zipfel Clan?’

Cold sweat drenched his body. Even though Vermont’s Special Forces were
notorious, it wasn’t comparable to the Lutero Magic Federation.

If anyone else introduced themselves as Beradin Zipfel, Jet would’ve scoffed and
cussed at the sight. However, that was not the case. In Jet’s eyes, Jin and his party
were beyond comprehension.

Additionally, they have been part of the Lutero Magic Federation for quite some time,
so there is no way they would be accused of impersonating the Zipfels.

Jet’s brain was running at the speed of light.

‘I was mistaken. Severely mistaken. They’re not a part of Vermont’s Special Forces,
but are pureblood Zipfels! This is an encounter of a lifetime.’

Five minutes ago, Jet’s main goal was to become an informant of the presumed
Special Forces unit. Then, he could’ve saved his life and earned some reward greater
than that of Tesing’s.

But what about becoming a servant of a Zipfel?

To a member of the Lutero Magic Federation, there is no greater honor than serving
a Zipfel. As Jin lifted his hand, Jet stood with stone-cold eyes.

He quickly passed a few employees and opened a door.

“Shit. Whatever. Whatever happens, happens.”

Murakan shrugged. Unlike his careless words, he was definitely itching for a fight.
Gilly put her hand on her forehead as she heaved a heavy sigh.

A Runcandel impersonated a Zipfel.

Other than getting the message to Alu, Gilly thought of a different, more important
problem.

‘If this information ever reaches the ears of future clan members or the patriarch,
then the Young Master will be executed.’

It would be the first time in the clan’s thousand-year history.

Not only that, but the Zipfels were also surely going to get worked up to catch the
impersonator. Lies are always meant to be uncovered.

‘On the contrary, it’s surprising how the Young Master committed these devious acts
without remorse.’

The awkward melody of a violin filled the room. As time felt like it was slowing
down, a different agent came to greet the three.

“You… are Beradin?”

SLAP!

In a split second, Jin slapped the life out of the agent and caught the attention of the
entire room.

“Are you Alu?”

He wasn’t. Jin still asked despite knowing Alu’s face. The agent looked confused, but
he couldn’t fight back or anything.

‘If this insolent kid is indeed Beradin Zipfel, the entirety of Tesing could disappear
overnight.’

“N-No, sir! The boss ordered me to escort you to him.”

SLAP!

Jin slapped the agent once more. The agent quickly straightened his back and bowed
as an apology for his ineptitude.

Up until this moment, the plan went perfectly.

“Make Alu bring his ass here. I already revealed my name, and yet he sends over an
underling?”

Fwooooosh!

On his right hand, Jin conjured a crimson sphere made of flames. Jin’s mask flickered.

With one look, one could tell that it was, at the very least, a 5-star skill.

Anyone can claim to be a Zipfel. However, a young boy invoking high-level magic and
calling himself Zipfel seemed more convincing.

“I apologize. I will report this to the boss.”

The agents quickly led the other customers out of the auction house. The agent who
got slapped was scrambling away, but Jin wasn’t satisfied.

“Tell your stupid boss to crawl to my feet. Since he mistreated his guests, he must be
punished.”

Jin discontinued the spell and scanned his surroundings. The rest of the guests had
left, and the agents were startled.

His words were loud and clear. If the boss actually appeared crawling on the floor,
then the agents would have to do so as well.

Five minutes passed.

Spiderhand Alu crawled into Jin’s presence. A fairly large middle-aged man crawling
on the floor wasn’t the most pleasurable sight. As for Alu, there were a million
thoughts passing his mind.

With him was a herd of his underlings, and among them was Jet who had bruises all
over his face.

It seemed that the others beat him up for saying bullshit about Beradin Zipfel being
present.

The other agents, who were awkwardly standing, quickly lowered their bodies to the
ground.
‘I guess “Zipfel” is a very scary name to hear. I’m sure the detected aura would be
around 7-star, but they came crawling without even checking?’

If the situation proceeded as is, the rest of the job would be a piece of cake. After
scaring Alu, they could examine the storage and take the helm artifact.

However, Alu wasn’t just any easy human. If he ever saw an opportunity after
conversing for a while, he would let loose and kill all three of them.

Jin did not say anything while Alu crawled to his feet. Jin stood as if he was used to
acting like a superior. Frankly speaking, he acted the same way back home.

“Rise.”

“I am Alu… the man who runs the Tesing Clan. I failed to recognize Your Excellency,
and for that, I beg for mercy.”

With the other man towering over two meters, meeting Alu felt like facing a wall.
However, he was permanently looking downwards, eyes never meeting Jin’s.

It was an obvious reaction after meeting an assumed pureblood Zipfel.

“Shut up. Look at these.”

Jin tossed Tzenmi’s and Schugiel’s tomes to Alu.

“What do these look like?”

Opening the tomes, Alu’s face drained of color.

“They’re magic tomes. I apologize. We sold ancient magic tomes without the Zipfels’
permission.”

“These two tomes that I purchased today are greatly valued—even by my clan. I can’t
imagine the number of magicians who left to search for these…”

“Beradin, sir. This may sound like an excuse, but I am unrelated to that. My stupidity
couldn’t realize the tomes’ worth and troubled you. I will try my best to recollect the
other auctioned tomes. Please give me a chance.”
“Would you be faster at gathering them, or would we magicians be faster? Quit the
bullshit and bring an accountant and customer registry. Starting tomorrow, my clan
will investigate your mischief.”

As Jin skillfully lied, Alu realized that he had nothing to say. If the Zipfels started the
investigation, then the Tesings would be destroyed.

Alu reconsidered his options.

‘Beradin Zipfel… Does his clan know that he’s here?’

If they didn’t…

Maybe getting rid of him would be better.

‘They’re probably trying to comprehend the situation. Aside from identifying me as
the real Beradin, they would be dying to know if the Zipfel Clan knew of this
commotion.’

He would be thinking of that too. In extreme scenarios, humans tend to prioritize

survival over anything else.

‘They can’t strike me anyway even if they confirm that I am acting without the clan’s
knowledge.’

The real Beradin Zipfel and the impersonator Jin Runcandel. They could be identified
as the brightest magicians of their era, but they were still in their teens. So fighting a
group of Tesing’s unregistered magicians would still be dangerous. There was
actually no need to even summon them; Alu could probably deal with Jin by himself.

But “Beradin” wasn’t the only person that Alu had to consider.

‘How good are Beradin Zipfel’s bodyguards?’

A young man with slanted eyes and an emotionless woman. In the process of getting
rid of Beradin, the bodyguards were the greatest threat.

It wasn’t easy to consider. Seeing that neither of their auras were detectable, they
could either be weak magicians or masters who concealed their true power.

“And Jet, come over here. Don’t just sit there like that.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Damn, your face is a mess. Did you get beat up after mentioning my name?”

“Oh, I’m okay, sir. Don’t worry about an insignificant guy like me… please remember
your tasks.”
“Yeah? Alright, then.”

Although Jin felt sympathy for Jet, he was the least of his concerns.

“What are you doing, Alu? Bring me your transaction records and customer registry.”

“Yes, Sir Beradin. Hey! Didn’t you hear him? Hustle!”

The Tesing agents at the edge of the room scattered like ants. Despite there being
over ten volumes of the records and registry, it was all still just the tip of the iceberg.

“This is everything that is in the auction house, Sir Beradin. More important
documents are in my residence’s magic safe…”

As Alu’s voice drifted off, he became self-conscious.

“May I go there myself and retrieve it? You only need to wait a little bit.”

“Haha… ‘Wait a little bit’, my ass. Can’t you see the situation you’re in?

“Who are you trying to fool with that obvious trickery? If I send you alone to find the
purchase history, do you plan on destroying all of the important documents and
contacting your connections to find out whether I’m real and why I’m here?”

“No, Sir Beradin. That is not my true intention.”

Alu knew that his plan was obvious, but he had to take his chances. Alu’s ears flushed
red, and he ducked his head only to see the edge of Jin’s foot.

“Hahaha… Alu. It seems you know how to be embarrassed. Very well, go ahead. Go by
yourself. Do whatever you can for the time being, and you’d still be in the palm of the
Zipfels.”

As soon as he heard that, Alu lost all hope.

From his perspective, those were words that sprouted a chain of misunderstandings.

‘He was… not alone. I thought wrong. There must be Zipfel magicians outside
already…!’
Jin smirked knowing that Alu would dig his own grave by overthinking the whole
situation.

“I… I have been mistaken. I will proceed with a supervisor of your choice, Sir
Beradin.”

“Piss off. Starting now, I expect wise decisions from you, Spiderhand Alu. For the
time being, I will be searching the storage.”

The hopelessness in Alu’s face dissolved. If he acted upon “Beradin’s” expectations,

he could get out of this situation alive.

“…It will take around two hours, Sir Beradin. You guys escort Sir Beradin to the
storage room while I am absent.”

With a serious look on his face, Alu moved to exit the auction house. The only ones
left inside were the Tesing agents as well as Jin and his companions.

The quick-witted agents approached Jin and immediately escorted him to the
storage.

“There are many items from the boss’s residence and summer house, but the Tesing
auction house has only one official storage room. This way, please.”

A snitch. As soon as the boss was about to crumble, the agent commented about the
‘many items from the boss’s residence and summer house’ to expose the crimes of
embezzlement.

If they all found out that he was bluffing, how would they react? Jin scoffed.

It was his first time seeing the Tesing underground auction house’s storage room. It
started one more floor beneath the auction house, and its entire structure had three
levels.

The first basement housed the slaves, below that was the second basement with
shelves of magic tomes, and lastly, the third basement that was filled with artifacts.
Jin and the others were surprised at seeing the storage being bigger and more
organized than they had expected.

The slaves didn’t react to the sight of new people. Although they were not drugged
yet to be presented on stage, they didn’t exactly foster any hope either.

“I will be outside. Please call me anytime if you need assistance.”

As soon as the Tesing guard left, Jet began to worry.

“I didn’t know you were such an important person! A successor of the Zipfel Clan. Sir,
please offer me a chance to display my loyalty. I will do anything.”

“Good idea. Starting now, go find out about the birthplace and real name of each
slave in the first basement. Afterwards, a clan member will come and take them
away.”

“Oh! Yes, I understand. I will proceed immediately.”

The Zipfel Clan explicitly prohibited slave trading. In reality, there were still many
who engaged in these illicit activities, but they just needed to avoid getting caught.

Also, underlings should have fun while working for their reward.

“So, kid. What are you gonna do? That Alu bastard will return after confirming that
you’re an imposter.”

“Yeah, I know that.”

Outside the auction house, contrary to what Alu imagined, there were no Zipfel
magicians. He was walking on eggshells thinking that they were watching, but he
would soon realize that it was all a hoax and contact acquaintances to confirm
Beradin’s identity.

He would ask someone who knew of the appearance and whereabouts of Beradin
Zipfel. It was only a matter of time until Jin got busted.

“Why did you order Jet to survey the slaves when we are short on time? It’s easy for
us to escape, but he’s dead meat anyway.”

“No, the paper with the birthplace and name will save Jet. As long as we drop off the
slave registry at the Zipfel Clan’s residence and the Vermont Empire’s press, the
Tesing Clan is doomed. Even if we’re impersonators.”
If the public caught on to this, not even the Zipfels could let this institution continue.
The most elite magicians will be dispatched to save the slaves, wipe out the Tesings,
and righteously rebuild the rotten Akin Kingdom.

This result was obvious because the clan’s lowest-ranked members needed to
prioritize the Zipfels’ reputation over the Tesing Clan’s bribe.

‘The irony will force them to make a move.’

Jin planned on appointing Jet as the messenger. Then the Zipfel Clan would protect
him as a witness.

Of course, in this scenario, Jet would be stuck with the Zipfels and the Empire’s
Investigation Team. But since he had strong survival instincts, he would only spit
evidence that would be advantageous for him.

For example, he would say something like “There definitely wasn’t an impersonator
of Beradin in Akin, and I am only reporting this institution because I felt
disillusioned from the slave trading done by the Tesings.”

Ultimately, Jin was not saving Jet because he was valuable; he was just being
considerate of Jet’s two-year-old son.

Under witness protection, Jet can scrap his shady backstreet life and peacefully live
the rest of his life with his son in vast unknown lands.

It wasn’t a bad future for the father and son. When considering all the other
possibilities, there was no better future than this one—not for Jet, but for the child.

Because the pure and kind child would be following in his father’s footsteps.

“Well, okay. Let’s just say that part goes as planned. What next?”

“Well, what do you think? Until Alu comes back, we get to shop for free and then
leave. The Zipfels will deal with our mess, so you go to the second basement to find
useful magic tomes. Gilly and I will visit the third basement to find the artifact.”

“Young Master, will we be choosing to commit these reckless actions in the future? I
can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, Gilly. Let’s go.”

At the Lutero Magic Federation, artifacts are normally more valuable than standard
magic tomes.

Additionally, in an auction house like this, it was common to find ancient magic
tomes, but finding a high-tier artifact was pretty rare.

The third basement was no different from a trash dump. It was hard to believe that
there was a hidden masterpiece between these useless artifacts that people wouldn’t
take even if given for free.

The two didn’t need much time to find the Helm of the Demon King. Within the
unruly mess in the corner of the room, they chose and opened the smallest chest.

‘This is it!’

A low-quality silver ring with a ruby stone.

As Jin suppressed his excitement and slipped on the ring, he could feel the energy
flowing through his fingers.

The mana, unlike normal mana, was formless. It was as if a dozen snakes wrapped
around his finger, and the mana slowly entered his head.

And Jin absorbed it all.

‘Normal magicians would only think of this effect as an enhancement in magic. That’s
probably why this isn’t considered a masterpiece right now.’

Now, Jin could use the magic he absorbed to summon a shadow-black helm
whenever he wanted.

If the user never utilized a powerful artifact or didn’t have a strong feel for magic like
Jin did, then the power was not immediately noticeable.

‘Summon Helm.’

Fwoooosh!
Jin tested out his new artifact, and black mana spread through the air. It formed lines
and discs that slowly approached Jin’s face.

It didn’t even take one second for the helm to form. The completed helm covered the
entire face and neck; it had a hole for breathing and two others for the eyes. On each
side of the helmet were two cool-looking sharp horns.

Rather than being surprised, Gilly smiled at the sight of Jin’s successful conjuring of
the helm.

‘I actually doubted if this would work out, but thankfully, we found it quick.’

Since they found the artifact, there was no need to stay in the third basement.

“Gilly, I think this place is filled with garbage. Let’s just return to Murakan.”

“Mmm, even I, an expert in magical artifacts, do not see anything in particular that
catches my eye. Still, just in case, I shall take some ornamental artifacts that would
make us good money.”

The magic tome basement had the same situation. Even though Murakan
meticulously searched for O’Hensirk’s works, he couldn’t find anything while Jet
surveyed the slaves.

“Kiddo, since we already got Tzenmi’s tome, there is no need to greed for more. Let’s
leave.”

It had been an hour since Alu left. When Jin, Murakan, and Gilly walked back upstairs
into the auction house, the agents respectfully greeted them.

“Jet, you can go home now.”

“Yes, sir. I will be waiting for you at the inn. Hehe, please do not forget my service.”

“‘Service’, my ass. You were going to rat us out.”

“Oh, please forget the past. Since I met Sir Beradin, I have been reborn as a new
person.”

Jin flashed a sarcastic smile.

“Yeah… Let’s just forget the past, shall we? Big shot of Akin Jet, lend me your ear for a
moment.”

“Alright.”

As Jet offered his ear, Jin finally whispered.

“I am not Beradin Zipfel. So take your son and quickly escape this place. If you can, go
to the Vermont Empire. I assure you, that is the only way for you to survive.”

To Jet, it had to be a jaw-dropping truth.

‘Wait, then who is that bastard? Is he part of the Vermont Special Forces, just like I
guessed?’

Jet was hastily running with his son peacefully sleeping in his arms. Luckily, the child
remained sound asleep until they arrived at the dock.

‘Dammit, my life is ruined. I was gonna land a position as an accountant in Akin.’

His big dreams, everything he worked hard for; he had to leave them all behind.

‘I didn’t think that I would be running away.’

Even until the moment he boarded the ship, he doubted his life decisions based on
the words of a child he didn’t even know.

Jet climbed into the starboard with a disappointed face and sifted through his
pockets. He grabbed a heavy gold necklace, a ring, and a handful of tiny gold pieces.

Keep this while you run away. Feed your son well.

Those were the last words Jet heard from Jin. He couldn’t understand the child’s
intent of helping after impersonating Beradin and manipulating Jet.

‘Welp, I’ll first get to Vermont and wait for the news.’

Jet was clearly depressed.

***

BANG!

The auction house’s agents woke up to the sound of someone busting a door open.
Alu furiously stomped in with heavy breaths.
“That scamming fucker—Where is he?!”

“Huh? Boss, who do you mean?”

“Beradin Zipfel! That bloody impersonator of Beradin Zipfel! Bring him to me right
now. I will peel his skin and kill him…!”

“Wh-what do you mean by ‘impersonator’, boss? There’s no way.”

All of the agents exchanged glances of cluelessness, as if uttering ‘Did you know?’
‘The hell if I did.’

“Boss, th-they already left. About an hour ago.”

Alu was going to go insane from their stupidity.

Slap! Slap!

He slapped each of his agents with his thick hand.

“You useless sons of bitches. You let that happen? You just let that happen?”

‘But boss, you got tricked as well.’

No one had the courage to point it out. Whenever Alu’s eyes were in the back of his
head, it was smarter to just stay silent.

“Boss, those guys… They took all of the customer registry and transaction records.
They didn’t take anything valuable from the basement though…”

Alu was about to explode. As much as he wanted to slaughter all of his workers,
catching the impersonator was more important.

“Get ready to chase them down. We’re catching those rat bastards before sunrise.”

***

Meanwhile, Jin had already sent the anonymous letter to three places using postal
magic. He sent it to the Vermont Imperial Family, Zipfel House, and the Akin
Kingdom Press.
If the anonymous note only said ‘Tesing is bad’, then the three organizations wouldn’t
bat an eye.

However, Jin sent different pieces of evidence for each recipient. He sent the slave
records to the Imperial Family, the transaction history to the Zipfels, and the
customer registry to the press.

‘The Vermont Imperial Family would take action after seeing that the majority of the
slaves in the Tesing underground were citizens of its empire. The Zipfels would get
heated over all of the illegal transactions of valuable artifacts. Essentially, the Tesing
Clan is doomed.’

And of course, the Akin Kingdom Press would speak out after receiving the customer
registry. Even though the press was under the Tesings’ control, there were those who
silently despised the clan’s business.

Now, the organizations just needed to read the information within two days. Then,
the Tesing Clan would be obliterated and forgotten forever.

Despite the imminent downfall, Jin did not leave Akin. He and his companions were
waiting for Alu at the outskirts of the kingdom.

Jin needed to check if he has a connection with a Runcandel in any way.

“Kiddo, aren’t you being too wary of Jet’s words? You really think any of your siblings
could get along with those lowly scums?”

“I agree, Young Master. There’s no way a Runcandel would meet such people.”

“The Tesings themselves are not significant, but Alu is at least a 7-star. Thus, he is a
man of significance.”

Jin didn’t know anything from Alu’s past aside from the fact that, at some point, he
took control of the clan and corrupted Akin.

“Hm… Well, we should at least thank him before we leave. Other than Tzenmi’s magic
tome, he also gave us a great masterpiece. I was pretty surprised when you came out
of the basement with that ring.”

According to Murakan, the ring artifact was not called the ‘Helm of the Demon King’,
but instead was called ‘Myulta’s Rune’.

Thousands of years ago, the demons of Myulta created this artifact in order to
protect one of their great leaders from the never-ending battles.

And that great leader was the first emperor of Vermont.

“I honestly can’t believe we found this in some sketchy basement. After everything is
over, let’s decipher and read through Tzenmi’s magic tome.”

They waited for two hours.

Some time later, a group of Tesing agents found the three sitting around a small fire.

“It’s him! Report to the boss!”

Boom!

An agent fired a signal firework. However, they couldn’t blatantly attack the three
targets. The impersonator was a child, but they remembered that he wielded at least
5-star magic.

It was a weird standoff.

Jin—who had no intention of running away—blankly stared at the agents, and the
agents were waiting for reinforcements.

“Murakan.”

“What?”

“I want to duel Alu.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. So, you’re telling me to deal with all of the peons?”

“Exactly.”

“Man, what a hassle…”

While Murakan complained, Alu arrived. He was soaked with sweat from running
hastily.

Behind him were about a hundred underlings who were also panting from
exhaustion.

The agents who were cautious of Jin became confident after the reinforcements’
arrival.

“Y-You… motherfucker. The hell are you guys doing? Get him!”

“Wait here and guard our Strawberry Pie.”

Out of all the attacking agents, half of them were magicians, and the other half were
mercenaries. The magicians started to cast their spells from afar, while the
mercenaries charged at the enemy.

Unlike them, Murakan was basically naked. He only wore a thin shirt and had a small
dagger in his hand.

Crack!

“Kurkk.”

However, despite his lack of gear, Murakan cracked the first attacker’s jaw with his
elbow and dashed into the crowd of mercenaries.

They weren’t well-trained, but they weren’t unskilled either. In the middle of the
crowd, every time Murakan threw a punch, someone either died or fainted.

In the eyes of Alu and his bodyguards, Murakan looked like an invincible fighter.

“You fucking idiots! Attack the kid in the back, not him!”

The magicians changed their target after hearing Alu’s screech. Jin scoffed at the
sight of ineptitude.

“Fire!”

The lead magician shouted, and the magicians simultaneously raised their staves.
“Gilly, get behind me.”

Fwoooooosh.

They chose to fire the 3-star ice magic, Icicle Shot. Fifty icicles aimed for Jin and flew
towards him.

However—

‘I don’t even need to block this.’

Thanks to Demonic Beast King Orgal’s Pendant, Jin was immune to any spells that
are 5-stars or lower.

Crackle… Crackle…!

The icicles disintegrated before they could reach Jin. The spells of Tesing’s
unregistered magicians were blocked with a blink of an eye.

“Wh-What are those guys…?”

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“Oof!

Murakan was already almost done with the peons. It didn’t matter if there were fifty
or a hundred—peons were peons. It was too easy for the Shadow Dragon.

Five minutes passed since the battle started.

The Tesing mercenaries were losing their will for battle. But their devastating defeat
against the ones who tricked the clan was not only because Jin and his companions
were strong.

After finding out that Jin was an impersonator, the agents of the Tesings’ elite forces
ran away.

They predicted that ‘Alu was done for’. Until now, the Zipfels had overlooked the
Tesings’ illegal activities. But after being tricked by the impersonator, they knew that
the Tesing Clan would inevitably fall.
After sunrise, it was certain that the Zipfels would take action, so their escape was a
wise choice.

At this point, Alu knew that his underground empire would soon fall.

“Hehehehe.”

Alu cracked a pained smile as his sword emitted a white aura.

“It seems that you guys aren’t just any normal scammers.”

SCHICK!

Alu began to slash at his own magicians. They could not escape their crazy boss, so
most of them immediately died on the spot.

“B-Boss, why are you doing thi—AAACK!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

Alu slaughtered every single one of his minions with a straight face, living up to his
‘Spiderhand’ name.

“Who sent you guys? Who hired you in the first place?”

He spoke with bloodshot eyes.

“You guys were gonna go to hell anyways. I’m just alleviating the pain you would
have felt.”

“That’s true… but—”

SLASH!

‘He’s fast!’

Alu threw a dagger at Jin, barely missing his cheek. If Jin were a little slower, the
dagger would have sliced his neck.

“But how unfortunate. I don’t intend to go to hell alone. You guys are coming with
me.”

This was just the beginning.

There were 50 meters between Jin and Alu.

Jin felt the goosebumps traversing his body.

‘As expected from a 7-star knight.’

He had met countless 7-star knights, but this was the first time one tried to kill him.
His throat dried from the pressure of the standoff.

The moment he drew his sword…

“You finally met someone your size. I guess it is my turn to guard Strawberry Pie.
Kuku, good luck!”

Murakan shouted at Jin as he ran away with Gilly on his back.

“You dare dodge my dagger? Pretty impressive agility for a magician. Or maybe it
was luck?”

Alu thought that Jin was a magician; probably because Jin showed off 5-star magic
when he impersonated Beradin Zipfel.

Clang!

Alu quickly closed the gap between them and swung his sword.

His eyes widened, however, as Jin deflected it.

“So you weren’t a magician?”

Bradamante glowed with an overflowing aura.

All Jin did was deflect Alu’s attack, but it felt as if his bones rattled. Jin quickly backed
off.

As soon as he widened the gap, Alu closed the distance once more. He could read all
of Jin’s movements.

“This is getting pretty annoying.”

Slash!

The following slashes ripped Jin’s coat. Droplets of blood scattered into the air, but it
wasn’t a serious injury.

‘He’s fast. It probably isn’t even his full power, but I’m already getting tired.’

The fight was proceeding as Alu planned.

It was unbelievable that Alu was this strong. Jin barely had time to react to each
attack, constantly being pushed back.

At this point, Alu thought that the child was a knight.

‘The spell he showed at the underground auction house was probably fake. Dammit,
how could I fall for such a trick?!’

He was pretty pissed at himself.

Even though he knew his opponent was not Beradin Zipfel, he controlled himself and
attacked with composure. His enemy’s rank was about 5-stars, but still, he couldn’t
assume anything.

And yet, despite that knowledge, Alu was not concerned about Jin. He was more
worried about Murakan, who was flashing a smile while watching them.

‘I thought that guy was a minion. Why isn’t he fighting?’

After destroying dozens of Alu’s men, Murakan just proceeded to stop fighting
altogether. Alu didn’t know the guy’s intentions, but he wanted to think about it after
killing Jin.

Murakan, on the other hand, enjoyed watching the young Runcandel struggle.

‘I know you’re pretty talented, but enough to challenge a 7-star? Yeah, right. I hope
you learn something today, you audacious brat. Hehe.’

Murakan smirked.

Clang, clang!

The clashing of Jin’s and Alu’s swords was music to his ears.

“Lord Murakan, are you not going to help? I understand that it was Young Master’s
orders, but he doesn’t stand a chance against a 7-star.”

As Gilly said, Jin was barely staying alive. His dodges were on point, but his
movements were definitely getting slower.
“It’s alright, Strawberry Pie. That kid needs to know the value of life.”

“That’s true.”

“And, my little Strawberry Pie, you think that kid will lose?”

“What?”

Murakan smirked.

It was fun watching Jin get constantly attacked, but Murakan already knew the
outcome of the fight.

“For the magic swordsmen of the Runcandel Clan…”

Speak of the devil. As soon as Murakan began his sentence, Alu quickly backed off
from Jin.

Fwoooosh!

From Jin’s hand came a pillar of flame. It was the 5-star fire spell ‘Flame Pillar’. More
fiery pillars blasted out from the ground.

“…A 7-star knight is nothing.”

It was the first time Alu had backed off in a fight. His eyes widened.

“A m-magic swordsman?”

Alu tried his best to dodge or deflect the incoming flames—they were very difficult
to extinguish.

‘There’s no chance to react. Shit… ’

Normal magicians needed some preparation time in order to fully cast a spell. One
must gather up mana and then convert it into usable magic.

However, it was different for those who were more talented. Jin could gather and
convert mana simultaneously at a ridiculous speed.
Additionally, because Jin was a ‘Dual Caster’, he could secretly prepare a spell
without Alu’s knowledge.

‘My spells will be effective in this fight.’

Jin felt pretty confident. A high-level spell out of nowhere would scare anyone—even
a 7-star like Alu.

“You two-faced bitch!”

Alu shouted as he barely extinguished the fire off his clothes.

Jin already prepared the same spell, but he knew that the same attack wouldn’t work
twice.

‘I’ll use this spell again to make him piss his pants, and then I’ll finish him off shortly
afterwards.’

It didn’t matter how strong the opponent was.

As long as he held a few tricks up his sleeve, the outcome of the battle would always
be a fifty-fifty.

Win or lose.

That was how Jin maintained a 50% win rate throughout his battles against
opponents who were stronger than him. Or at least before the world finds out he
was a magic swordsman.

It was because he had mana and spirit energy. With only one spell using mana, Jin
was able to scare the living daylights out of a 7-star knight. But if he also used his
spirit energy…

However, Jin did not intend to use it.

Bzzzzzzt!

Next came a lightning spell. Jin conjured the spell he used on the Moonlight Fountain,
and a bolt of lightning struck the location he selected, illuminating the night sky.
Alu felt the imminent strike and quickly moved away, throwing his body to the side
and releasing a volley of daggers after.

Zoom!

When a dagger brushed past Jin’s shoulder, Alu thought that it was a chance to kill
him.

However, Jin already expected more attacks after the flying daggers. He knew that
dagger-users used that technique before landing a lethal blow.

The moment Jin lowered his body to dodge the rest, Alu planned to close the
distance and strike his throat.

It was the perfect opportunity.

‘It’s over.’

For a split second, Alu’s legs overflowed with energy. There was an explosion as he
pushed off the ground, leaving a crater in his wake.

His sword was aimed at Jin’s neck. Whether it was by stabbing, or beheading, Alu
was sure that Jin would be dead.

He never would have guessed that this entire situation was formulated by Jin.

‘I’m sure he didn’t notice that I became vulnerable too easily.’

On a normal occasion, Alu would’ve noticed this trick. He was a 7-star for a reason.

However, he was desperate.

Since it was his first time fighting a magic swordsman, he decided to end the fight as
soon as possible. After all, the longer the fight, the more chances a magic swordsman
had to attack their opponent with more spells.

Alu’s sword was about to slash Jin’s throat.

Gilly gulped.
Murakan knew it was Jin’s victory.

‘Summon Helm.’

Clang!

The sword was supposed to smoothly slide through, but it was halted by something
instead. It was because Jin activated his newly acquired artifact, Myulta’s Rune, to
conjure a black helm.

This was why every knight dreamt of owning Myulta’s Rune. It was the only helm
that could completely nullify a 7-star knight’s strike—the only one in the world.

The helm deflected Alu’s blade, causing the man to lose his balance. Jin took this
opportunity.

Slash!

Bradamante cut through Alu’s shoulder.

“I guess it’s over.”

Murakan shrugged. Gilly couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Kuuuuuh…”

He could’ve stabbed his heart, but Jin stopped his sword. Barely breathing, Alu fell to
the ground, and he was able to postpone his death a little longer.

Gurgle, gurgle.

Jin stared at Alu, who had a mouth bubbling with blood.

“Let me ask one more thing before I leave. I heard you had ties with the Runcandels.”

“Kukuku.”

Alu smirked and glared at Jin, as if he were saying ‘You’re a Runcandel?’

“Tell me. Name any Runcandel.”

“Hey, hey. Kiddo. You got it all wrong. You should’ve pinned him down and then
asked him. How is a dying guy gonna answer all your questions?”

Murakan walked towards Jin, shaking his head in disapproval. He was right, but Jin
couldn’t do anything about it.

It was probably impossible for him to pin down a 7-star knight.

“I… see. I get it. Jin… you bastard. Jin… Runcandel…”

“I mean, the name ‘Jin Grey’ is pretty common nowadays. I guess it doesn’t matter for
a guy who’s about to die.”

“Ptoo!”

Alu coughed as he spat out blood. And yet, he was smirking. For a while, Alu
breathed coarsely while smiling creepily.

Then, he spoke.

“It doesn’t matter… You—You can’t stop him…”

“What?”

“Even though he failed back then…”

Those were his last words. His eyelids lowered, and he no longer breathed.

“The fuck did he mean?”

“Young Master, are you alright?”

Murakan and Gilly spoke at the same time.

Jin lightly nodded, still confused about Alu’s final words.

‘He failed back then, and I can’t stop him…?’

Of course, those were some words from a scummy thug. His words definitely implied
some connection with a Runcandel, but they’re not necessarily trustworthy words.
But if this man had ties with a Runcandel, the ‘failure’ he uttered would refer to
‘Bladed Illusion’, and the ‘unstoppable entity’ would be…

‘No way.’

One name popped up in his head.

Runecandel’s successor, Joshua Runcandel.

‘Alu means that I can’t stop him. The only person who I can’t stop is the man who
would lead the clan.’

The entire world knew that Joshua would be the next Runcandel patriarch.

All of these realizations were still an assumption, but it was still unsettling.

“Spiderhand Alu. It probably isn’t his real name.”

It was something he never thought of.

“Young Master, why do you bring that up?”

“I should find out. Because this guy seems to have ties with a Runcandel. It’s also
weird that a 7-star is running some sketchy side business.”

“Kiddo, there are 9-stars who run a bar their entire lives. I’ve seen many like this
corpse. One of your ancestors was like that.”

“It’s the clan I will soon lead. It’d be nice to clean up some old history. Well, let’s go.
We should look for more informative people like Jet.”

The three then left the capital city of Akin.

Two men were frowning as they sat in a cramped room.

They had been talking with Jet for the past few hours.

“So let me get this straight, Mr. Jet. You… filled out this anonymous note for the
prosperity of the citizens and the downfall of Akin.

“And you, who were mostly a lowly accountant, decided to betray your organization
because you accidentally walked into the slave storage and was shocked by the
atrocity?

“Moreover, among the documents you risked your life to take, there was also an
accounting record of the magic tome auctions. And you thought it would be a way to
collapse the Tesing Clan from the inside, so you handed it over to the Zipfel Clan.

“And out of all of the different press media throughout Akin, you specifically chose
the one that is against the Tesings’ atrocities because you were interested in Akin’s
politics…

“Lastly, since you are a mere harmless reporter, you want us to protect you in order
to stay safe from Tesing’s surviving forces… Is that what you mean?”

Jet frantically nodded.

“Precisely! Man, I tried to do some good deeds in order to live out my life. I don’t
know why I’m being treated like this. Please let me go. I’m worried about my son.”

The two men let out a deep sigh.

They were part of the Vermont Criminal Investigation Team. After receiving the
letter about the Tesing Clan’s misdeeds, they caught Jet at the port and began an
investigation.
As Jin expected, Jet had a strong survival instinct.

He listened to each word uttered by the investigators and responded with the most
advantageous reply possible.

Talking about the Beradin impersonator wouldn’t help him in this situation. He had
to sugarcoat everything as an “act of goodness” to gain witness protection.

The investigators were baffled.

‘No matter how I look at it, there’s no way this bastard acted upon moral values. He
just wrote his name on the letter. He didn’t draft the entire thing.’

‘It’s probably the shady people who destroyed the Tesings. However, we don’t need
to chase the culprits around.’

Instead of finding the true author of the letter, declaring the bastard in front of them
as the righteous hero would be much more convenient.

On top of that, apart from the initial letter, the handwriting from the slave records
matched Jet’s signature. At least he wrote the slave records himself to save the
Vermont citizens.

The investigators shrugged.

“Alright, Mr. Jet. Honestly, you kinda look like some lowly scum, but we’ll turn a blind
eye on your lies since you are saving dozens of Akin citizens.”

“However, the Zipfels have already requested your testimony, so you have to
cooperate with us.”

“The Zipfels are searching for me…? No, no, no way. If I go there, I’ll die.”

“Nothing will happen if you tell them what you told us. As long as your story stays
consistent, the Vermont Criminal Investigation Team will keep you safe. Just go and
tell them the story.”

“If they hear something different from us, then it gets really annoying. You have some
time before you go to the Zipfels’ investigation room, so go see your son and eat
some food.”
An hour later, Jet followed the investigators to the investigation room.

Ultimately, he didn’t say a single thing about the Beradin impersonator, and the
Zipfel investigators couldn’t kill him even though they knew that he was lying.

“Still, we can’t make you a hero. The Zipfel Clan will take the credit for the downfall
of the Tesings.”

“I don’t care, as long as you promise to keep me alive and protect me.”

“I will hear the truth once I beat the crap out of the surviving Tesing agents. Leave.
Also, don’t think that the Vermont witness protection is perfect.”

***

The Tesing Clan was demolished.

Despite causing a ruckus, the three companions didn’t even get a bounty on their
heads.

This wasn’t the Zipfels’ business. The destruction was unfortunate for those who
lived off of Tesing’s dirty money. However, if the Zipfels announced that they
destroyed the Tesings, then they would gain more trust from the citizens of Akin.

Either way, for the Zipfels, the support gained from the people of a miniscule
kingdom was equivalent to that of an ant.

“So the Zipfel Clan and Vermont Imperial Family would share the fame while you
would rake in the true benefits.”

“Indeed. Myulta’s Rune, Tzenmi’s magic tome, and Schugiel Hister’s magic tome are
now in our hands. Also, I got to fight a 7-star knight.”

“Not all 7-stars are the same, Young Master. Please be more cautious in the future. A
magic helm, magic, spirit energy, and swordsmanship… You’re a great fighter.
However, we can’t always walk on a tightrope like this.”

“Of course. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stand against actual opponents like you
can, Gilly. I already know that. Still, I’ll be more careful.”
For a few days, the three spent their time in a remote village near Akin and observed
the flow of events. With everything going as Jin predicted, Murakan and Gilly were
astonished.

“Well, it looks like the Zipfels wouldn’t be searching for us. We can travel to our next
destination without too much pressure.”

“Where’s our next stop?”

Jin already had a place in mind.

“The Free City of Tikan.”

“Tikan?”

After experiencing their journey through Akin, the three felt the importance of
having an information broker like Jet. They needed someone to give them valuable
information about the area as they continued on their journey based on Gilly’s and
Murakan’s memories.

Additionally, information about Vishukel Yvliano’s, Kinzelo’s, and Alu’s true names;
the prohibited magic in the Kollon Ruins; as well as other things.

There were many things they wanted to know. Moreover, territories weren’t some
places one would just casually visit.

Tikan, the Free City, wasn’t an exception.

‘Once we get there, I should form relations with Ghostblade Kashimir.’

Even in the present world, there weren’t many who knew of Ghost Blade Kashimir.
Many young Runcandel swordsmen begged him to be their teacher, but he always
refused.

The reason being that he had a valuable intelligence agency known as ‘Seven-
Colored Peacock’.

Excluding the intelligence agencies of the Runcandels, Zipfiels, and Vermont Imperial
Family, the Seven-Colored Peacock was the next best information source. It would be
the most useful source during a time before the Runcandels rose to power.
The agency was an incredible group of information brokers, but none knew that its
leader was Kashimir.

He was also known as ‘the Fallen Prince of Vermont’ in the present world. To a
regressor like Jin, it wasn’t anything special, but the world was turned upside down
when his status and identity were revealed.

‘The seven information brokers that form the Seven-Colored Peacock were all loyal
Vermont higher-ups. Along with Kashimir, they are a gathering of abandoned
Vermont nobles.’

Jin didn’t know the entire story, but he knew that the Seven-Colored Peacock
consisted of many useful people.

Ten years later, the Fallen Prince Kashimir would become the first ruler of The Free
City of Tikan.

Using the information that they gathered for decades, they would compromise
sovereignty and the right to rule the land. They were beyond talented.

‘Going to Tikan is easy. The problem is getting close to Kashimir.’

Deeply in thought, Jin smirked.

‘A small country needs power. I’ll lure Kashimir to me with the thing he wants most.’

The most stable way to strengthen a country is to enlarge its military force. This way,
it can fight against invasions and build its infrastructure.

However, after earning its independence, Tikan remained as a mere small country.

Due to its small population, the military force is small. There wasn’t a great
abundance in resources, so it couldn’t even advance its technologies. It was a country
reliant on ‘information’.

‘If he seems reasonable, I’ll ask him about the mirror artifact at the Kollon Ruins.’

Of course, Jin couldn’t show Kashimir an artifact that he doesn’t have, nor could he
explain its abilities.
Moreover, it all depended on Kashimir’s aspirations for the army he had. Humans
would naturally believe things they want to believe.

‘Even if I obtain the mirror artifact, I don’t intend to hand it to Kashimir. Though, I
can share its healing effects. I’ll show him Myulta’s Rune and teach him the existence
of these masterpieces. After that, I will slowly convince him to support me.’

Not only that, Jin also planned to break the rule of not using the clan’s name as a
provisional flag-bearer. He had to introduce himself as a Runcandel to at least make
Kashimir bat an eye.

“Why are you laughing, kiddo? What kind of place is Tikan? Never heard of it in my
generation.”

“It’s probably because of the information brokers, Lord Murakan. There is a massive
intelligence agency called the Seven-Colored Peacock…”

As Gilly continued to explain, Murakan shook his head.

“You’re choosing abusable scapegoats, just like we used Jet. Not bad. Is that why you
were so excited?”

“I was laughing because of the magic tome. By this time tomorrow, wouldn’t the
deciphering of Tezmi’s magic tome be finished? I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, wondering about that Tzenmi guy’s magic got my stomach in knots. Seems to
be light-type magic…”

“What?”

“I said it’s light-type magic.”

“I remember that all light-type magic was forgotten after ancient times… Wait…”

Jin shook his head. He already heard a few times that Tzenmi was a magician of
Murakan’s era.

Light magic.

It was the dream of all magicians of the present.

“What the fuck happened? To think that Tzenmi’s tome was being tossed around in a
sketchy, run-down underground auction house. If I were Tzenmi, I would’ve crawled
out of my grave.”

“What kind of person was Tzenmi?”

Murakan smirked at Jin for a few seconds.

“Fifteen hundred years ago, around five hundred renowned Zipfel magicians plotted
to assassinate Tzenmi. But they all failed. Which is probably why no one—including
you—knows of Tzenmi.”

It was similar to how they wiped any records of the Runcandels’ magic
swordsmanship to a clean slate.

The Zipfel Clan completely erased Tzenmi’s existence from the history books.

“It’s their specialty. They erase any threat to them from the history books. If you
hadn’t awakened your spiritual energy, you would have ended up the same as
Tzenmi. Forgotten.”
“Anyways, about that Tzenmi guy…”

Murakan continued to ramble on about Tzenmi. It was a story so long, it would take a
thousand years just to finish telling even its summarized version.

Jin’s eyes sparkled as he listened to Murakan, and Gilly softly lay her eyes on Jin.

‘At times like this, it’s as if he’s still a child.’

And so, they left the village for the Free City of Tikan.

Although there was no bounty on them, they couldn’t go back to the capital and use a
transfer gate due to the ruckus they caused.

Thus, they chose to ride a ship.

After travelling on a carriage for a day, they arrived at a port and contracted with the
best ship on dock. Being offered a large sum of jewels and gold, the captain prepared
to set sail.

“I am honoured to escort you.”

Crewmates were called out to deck, and they didn’t complain at the sight of many
precious minerals.

“It will take one week at most to get to Tikan.”

The boat departed within an hour.

On the first day, Jin trained the release of his spiritual energy with the ocean wind
blowing against his chest. If there wasn’t anything to do, training was the way to go.

The fun part would start after Tzenmi’s magic tome got fully deciphered.
“I wondered what light magic Tzenmi practiced. And it looks like some magic you
need the most.”

“What is it? What is it?”

Jin, who was resting in his room, bolted to Murakan.

It was hard for him to contain his excitement. Murakan explained Tzenmi’s strange
magic techniques as destructive spells that made even dragons quiver in fear during
their era.

Among the spells within the tome were one that decomposed an opponent into light
particles, a piercing spell that penetrated any shield or force field, and a spell that
summoned a spirit of light.

There wasn’t really a spell that was better than the others.

Murakan laughed at Jin’s excessive curiosity. Then, with a straight face, he spoke,

“Tzenmi called this spell Photon Cannon.”

“Photon Cannon! The spell that breaks down the opponent into particles of light…”

“Nah. It’s just a spell that instantly blinds someone. With a strong flash of light, that
is.”

“Hm.”

Jin calmed down and nodded.

He then considered the effectiveness of Photon Cannon. It wasn’t what he wanted,

but it was definitely useful in some scenarios.

“It’s perfect as a distraction for attacking or escaping.”

“Whoa, kiddo. You don’t seem too disinterested.”

“It’s probably in the magic tome because it has good use. But I would be lying if I said
I wasn’t disappointed. Still, it’s indeed a spell that I may need the most.”
“Of course. It’s easy to learn too. I deciphered it an hour ago and cast it as a test…
Close the door for a sec. The curtains too.”

Seeing the darkness in the room during a bright afternoon felt bizarre.

“It doesn’t necessarily need to be cast in the darkness, but it’s a light spell. I’ll
demonstrate, so open your eyes wide and watch carefully.”

Sssssssss—

In Murakan’s right hand, mana started to gather and solidify. Naturally, Jin was
staring intently at the mana sphere, awaiting some bright result. However, the ball of
energy was drowned in black.

“It’s a light spell, so why is it bla—”

The moment he spoke, before the mana sphere dissipated and disappeared, there
was a bright white light akin to hot, glowing steel. For a split second. The instant the
light exploded, Jin reflexively flinched and let out a groan.

“Ugh!”

It was because of the blinding light that filled the room.

It was as if he were staring at the sun during the highest noon. The light felt like a
giant needle prodding his retinas.

‘I feel like my eyes will get swollen.’

Photon Cannon was unleashed for only a second, yet being exposed for such a short
time was enough to make one’s eyes very weary. Jin opened his eyes and saw an
afterimage—a giant blob floating across his vision.

He really wanted to give Murakan a nice uppercut for telling him to ‘watch carefully’,
but the strength of the spell gave him goosebumps.

‘Incredible…!’

If he could cast this spell at will during a battle, fighting a stronger opponent
wouldn’t be a problem.
Including the scenarios where he would need to escape, the spell was useful in terms
of offense and defense.

“From my knowledge, I’m pretty sure this spell was Tzenmi’s most prized spell. So,
what do you think?”

“It’s incredible. In fact, your cast wasn’t even 30% of its true power, right?”

Jin knew without an explanation, making Murakan proud.

A shoddy demonstration right after deciphering.

Additionally, Murakan said that it was easy to learn, so Jin could master the spell by
the end of the boat ride.

“With your talent, you could master it in two days. If you absorb the magic tome for
the rest of the trip, then by the time we get to Tikan, you’ll have a god-tier weapon
under your belt.”

Even if Jin finished mastering these ‘unique spells’, he would still need to absorb the
magic tome to enhance his general skills and abilities.

The process of absorbing a magic tome was simple. Jin just had to convert the cipher
system into a rune and then cast the magic tome onto his body.

“I’m sure you’ll make me deal with the rune conversion. Am I right, kiddo?”

“Mhm.”

“How do you expect to repay me for that kind of debt?”

Jin immediately started to learn Photon Cannon. Murakan said it would take him two
days, but mastering the theory of the spell didn’t even require a day.

‘It’s the most incredible spell I’ve ever seen. Such a sophisticated and simple spell,
yet so powerful.’

However, the spell was simple for a reason. Moreover, even though all of the
magicians in the world attempted the simple spell, not many were able to use it.
Photon Cannon required insane levels of mana and mana control that only talented
magicians had.

Flash!

Although the resulting light was not as brilliant as Murakan’s shoddy demonstration,
Jin understood the spell as soon as he tried it.

He felt weak and dizzy, but he smiled in the light of success.

‘The caster is not affected by the light coming from the spell.’

There was a big difference between the light emitted by the spell and the
surrounding natural light. Jin could stare at the flash, but it still wouldn’t affect his
vision.

“Hey, kiddo.”

Four days later, Murakan finished the rune conversion and asked Jin,

“Schugiel Hister or whatever’s magic tome. I can’t decipher it. I think it’s just regular
garbage. Wanna use it as kindling?”

“Kindling?”

“I’m just pissed. This stupid-ass code’s annoying me, the great Murakan.”

Jin was about to say that it was a code from his fond memories.

But instead, he just smiled.

‘I was originally gonna decipher it myself and use it… But I’ll just find my teacher and
have them teach it to me instead.’

Jin’s master spent their entire life recovering the magic spells of Hister. Although it
was a relationship in his past life, Jin always felt indebted to his teacher.

“I’m sure we’ll find many great spells if we find a good decoder. I just feel it. So don’t
fuss over it, and just give it to Gilly.”
“You little brat. You could burn my precious magazines any time, but this old book…”

“Speak some sense, O Great Black Dragon. If you’re done with the rune conversion of
Tzenmi’s magic tome, just cast it on me.”

Murakan scoffed.

“Ha! Strawberry Pie and I—we’re no different from slaves. Ever heard of a wicked
master who got stabbed and killed by a slave?”

“My bad. Unfortunately, growing up as a Runcandel made me like this.”

Murakan began to cast the magic tome on Jin’s back. The text in the magic tome
began to glow and come off the pages.

Murakan slowly moved the glowing text towards Jin’s left shoulder blade, and the
magic tome’s text was printed onto Jin’s back. It emitted an eerie glow—like a special
tattoo.

“Damn, I wanted to cast it on your ass, or even your di—”

“Enough with the unfunny jokes. Let’s see what changed.”

As soon as the text sank into Jin’s skin, his understanding of Photon Cannon
increased rapidly. The absorption of Tzenmi’s tome seemed to have stimulated his
abilities.

‘Photon Cannon.’

Fwoooosh!

The spell was cast, and the entire room was bathed in white. The ardent light pierced
through the curtains and was seen on the deck.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.

The captain—who was surprised by the light—rushed into the guest room.

“Sir, did anything happen? There was a light…!”

Jin and Murakan looked at the captain and simultaneously denied.

“Light? What light?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I presume you were hallucinating.”

The captain didn’t need to know that they just practiced an ancient light spell.

***

The boat arrived in the Free City of Tikan on the 2nd of July, 1795.

To show his appreciation for the satisfactory trip, Jin tipped the captain, then passed
the city gates with his fake identification. When passing the gate, Murakan
temporarily transformed into a cat.

“Meow.”

In Gilly’s arms, Murakan shook his head.

“The atmosphere in Tikan and Akin are completely different, Young Master.”

“Yeah, you can feel the energy and enthusiasm wherever we go.”

As opposed to its amazing scenery, Akin was filled with hopeless people. In Tikan, on
the other hand, the ocean was always in view wherever they looked.

It was because of the city’s unique landform. The entire island had a single horn-
shaped tower with ten floors.

Instead of ‘Free City’, calling it a ‘Tower’ was more fitting. It was a name that held the
dreams of the initial founders.

“Young Master, shall we first find a place to stay?”

Poof!

Jin almost tripped when Murakan suddenly returned to his normal form and spoke.

“You won’t just go to a ramshackle inn and abuse the hell out of the owner like last
time, right?”

“Murakan, you know how many people are here? Transforming in the middle of a
city…”

Although Tikan had a small population, the density was high. Transforming in the
middle of the road was an easy way to lose anonymity.

Gilly tried to add to Jin’s scolding, but Murakan shook his head.

“Humans never pay attention to strangers. Haha, no one probably saw.”

They scouted the area, and it seemed like it was the case. Everybody walked with
busy footsteps, and even in an open area, no one seemed to care about the three.

“Uhh…”

However, it only ‘seemed’ as if nobody cared.

“A cat… turned into a man.”

Startled, Jin, Murakan, and Gilly turned their heads towards the voice.

“How did you do that?”

While holding a small dragon plushie, a small girl stared at them.

“…How is it?”

“Mm! It’s good, sir.”

“I’m not that old…”

Being called ‘sir’ at the age of 15 was harsh.

“Sir is right.”

Jin cracked an awkward smile and shrugged.

They bought some ice cream for the girl with the dragon plushie. Although watching
her happily eat the cold treat was cute…

‘How the hell do we deal with her?’

While evaluating the situation, Murakan got tense and clenched his fist.

Gilly was furious—her expression cold as stone. Whenever the little girl looked at
her, however, she flashed a bright smile.

Thankfully, it was only a little girl who witnessed Murakan’s transformation.

Thank goodness.

‘What if it was a group of adults and not a little kid? The Zipfels would have put a
bounty on me immediately.’

Murakan learned from this experience. Indeed, humans often didn’t care about
others’ businesses, but he promised to be careful when transforming.

Jin sighed as he stared at a hunched-over Murakan who was racked with guilt.
‘Damn… As bad as it is for us, it’s worse for him. After all, he was a grand black
dragon who didn’t need to care about people’s gazes.’

It had been five years since he broke out of the glass coffin in the Storm Castle’s
underground chamber.

Murakan’s emotions hadn’t changed even from before his slumber a thousand years
ago. Although he wanted to cause mass destruction, he patiently held in his urges
and matched the behaviour Jin expected of him.

Excluding the several rowdy moments at the Storm Castle and Garden of Swords, the
shadow dragon suppressed his emotions well.

‘If I think about it like that, I kinda feel sorry.’

Jin bought more ice cream and gave it to Murakan. Without a word, Murakan
received the treat and smiled. Gilly exploded into laughter.

Oblivious to what was happening, the little girl grinned.

“Then is that guy not a cat?”

“Yeah, I guess Euria is seeing things.”

“Euria isn’t seeing things! That guy is cat. You are not cat.”

“Haha, you like cats?”

Jin and his companions were sitting on a bench, watching the cute kid eat ice cream.
Her name was Euria.

“Mmmm…”

“Euria, do you know the way home?”

“No, Euria don’t know.”

They listened to her story and concluded that her parents lost her in the crowd, and
she encountered Jin while wandering the streets.
So, the three decided to find the child’s parents. They didn’t have any immediate
objectives anyways.

Twenty minutes passed, and the child’s parents never showed up.

“Young Master, shouldn’t we take her over to the guards at a nearby garrison?
Technically, we aren’t obliged to solve this problem.”

“That would be good. Did you finish your ice cre—”

As soon as she heard ‘guards’, Euria frowned.

“I don’t like there. Make mommy tired.”

“The garrison makes your mother tired?”

“Ya, that place make mommy very tired.”

At that moment, a million thoughts went through their heads.

‘Is she being exploited?’

‘Is her mother a criminal?’

There weren’t many interpretations of the girl’s words.

After a bit of thinking, they still agreed that taking her to the guards was the best
conclusion. Euria pouted then accepted her fate.

“What a nice child, Young Master. There was a time when Young Master was also…
Hmmm, never mind. Haha.”

Finding the way to the garrison wasn’t hard. Living up to its name, the Free City did
not have anyone who was scared of outsiders.

The garrison looked immaculate, with ‘The Free City of Tikan Central Defense Force’
written neatly on the white walls.

Jin liked the presence of a central defense force. Whatever issue existed, dealing with
problems at a big organization was easier.
“Tikan Central Defense Force. How may we help you?”

“Oh, uh, this child…”

“Oh, it’s Euria. Hey, guys, bring the chief.”

“Do you know this girl?”

“Haha, more than just know. She’s the chief’s daughter.”

“Huh?”

Euria, who apparently hated the garrison, was being treated like a princess.

So that’s what she meant when she said the garrison made her mother tired. The
three of them smiled simultaneously.

“Hey, kid. You dare fool the great Murakan?”

“I didn’t fool you, cat man.”

“I said I wasn’t a cat.”

Clomp, clomp.

A tall woman walked towards them. She looked at least 2 meters tall with broad
shoulders and had a knife scar on her left eye.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if she operated several dark organizations like Tesing, but
she was wearing a military uniform. It was hard to miss the flashy ‘chief’ badge.

The woman embraced Euria before picking her up.

“Haha, Euria. My bad, my bad. Mom remembered she had some work to do, so I
rushed back and accidentally forgot about you.”

“It’s okay.”

“Of course it’s okay. The people in this city know that if they mess with you, they’ll go
to the sky world. Or they’ll never see the sky again.”
She was throwing violent jokes in front of a 5-year-old, but the words were filled
with love and affection.

The three spectators were at a loss for words.

“You guys brought Euria? My apologies. I am Tikan’s Chief of Defense, Alisa Betzer.”

They exchanged handshakes.

“Tourists, I see. It seems that I was a little careless since I knew that the citizens
knew Euria well.”

“No, no. It’s fine. It’s a relief that she’s your daughter. We were worried that it would
take longer to find her parents.”

“Oh, it seems that you also ate some ice cream. Euria, make sure to thank them. Good
girl. Anyways, thank you very much. How may I return the favor?”

“If there are any good inns nearby, it would be great if you could recommend some.
We just arrived…”

“Oh, a place to stay? Hold on. Euria, what did you say?”

Whispers.

Alisa bent over and lent her ear to Euria, who then began to whisper.

Alisa thought for a moment, wrote something on a piece of paper, stamped it, and
handed it to Jin. It was a simple letter.

“It’s an introductory letter with the Chief of Defense’s seal. Wherever you go, if you
show them this pass, then you will be treated with the utmost respect. The provided
food will change as well.”

“That’s amazing. It will be of good use. We shall leave now.”

The three left the building, and Alisa shrugged her shoulders.

“Euria, you really saw a cat turn into that man?”

“Mm, but they didn’t want to share it. So I guess they didn’t tell you.”

Alisa patted Euria’s head.

“Alright, everyone has their secrets.”

And then she thought:

‘Transformation… Only dragons can do that. And there’s no way Euria is lying. I must
ask Kashimir.’

***

The power of Tikan’s Chief of Defense’s pass was beyond their expectations.

Jin chose the most luxurious inn in the outskirts of the city. When he showed the
pass to the receptionist, employees were summoned to escort them, and all kinds of
services were discounted.

On top of that, they were offered the most luxurious room without a reservation. Jin,
Murakan, and Gilly were finally able to rest comfortably.

“Wow. We’ve only experienced this kind of treatment in Huphester. Isn’t nepotism
great?”

“The cushioned bed is great, kiddo. Our living space needs to be more like this. Our
place in Akin was a pain in the ass.”

“I have a good feeling about this place, seeing the great fortune we got as soon as we
came. Oh my, the cocktails and sauteed shrimp are delicious. Young Master, have a
taste. Can we order some more?”

“My goodness, Gilly. No need to ask. Just order more.”

Their visit felt like a vacation trip.

‘This is new.’

The three have been together since their days at the Storm Castle, but it was their
first time experiencing this kind of hospitality.
Gilly seemed to be especially happy, for she was constantly singing and humming a
tune. Seeing her indulge in the lavish goods, Jin felt pity.

‘She likes this stuff so much. As soon as she became a fair lady, she got stuck with me.
No time to play, no time for herself.’

He wouldn’t have made Gilly go through this in his past life. In fact, he wouldn’t make
anybody in the clan experience this kind of abject deprivation. Even if they weren’t
pureblood Runcandels.

Was this lifestyle truly for Gilly? Was it righteous to let her live her life from here?

For a moment, he considered letting Gilly go.

“Gilly.”

“Yes, Young Master?”

“Have you ever regretted accompanying me?”

Gilly halted her humming and movements and stared at Jin. She knew exactly why he
posed this question.

“Not once in my life. This kind of joy is meaningless if not spent with you, Young
Master. Oh, including Lord Murakan. Though, he is definitely annoying at times.”

“On that note, let me ask you, Strawberry Pie. Why do you remain stuck to the
Runcandels? You don’t seek treasures like that Emma person, nor do you want
political power.”

Jin was thankful that Murakan joined the conversation. He didn’t know how to
respond to Gilly’s heartwarming response.

“Uhm… that’s…”

“Did I catch onto somethin’? Or do you feel indebted to the clan for life? Your
dedication definitely has some ulterior motive.”

“May I share regarding this topic at a later time?”

“When are you gonna tell us, huh? Strawberry Pie?”

“When I become old and senile, perhaps?”

“That’s not too far in the future. I can wait until then, but you’ll have to tell us why.”

Gilly meant that response as a joke, but Murakan took her seriously. Realistically
speaking, a few decades of her life was nothing to Murakan.

“Haha, I guess I’ll order some more shrimp.”

Once Gilly left the room, Murakan called Jin over.

“Hey, kid.”

“What?”

“It’s a blessed life.”

“Agreed.”

Not long after leaving, Gilly returned to their quarters.

However, her startled face didn’t look as if she had ordered more shrimps.

“Young Master, Lord Murakan, something’s not right. There’s not a single person in
sight in the lobby.”

“What?”

“Employees, and guests included, all seemed to have cleared the building.
Something…”

Clunk, clunk, clunk.

At that moment, dozens of footsteps resounded from the hallway, approaching their
vicinity. It was definitely the sound of marching soldiers equipped with steel boots.

The stomping stopped at their door. Then, a more quiet pair of footsteps approached
it.
A man entered the opened door.

Murakan was clueless about the man’s identity, but their visitor was a famous
swordsman that Jin and Gilly knew.

“Hello there.”

It was Ghostblade Kashimir.

Meeting Kashimir was their main objective for coming to Tikan. However, they
struggled to find a way to meet him.

But to think that he would come straight to their doorstep. Quite the unexpected
turn of events.

“What’s this?”

Naturally, Jin stepped in front of Gilly and Murakan.

Kashimir leaned on the doorway and shrugged his shoulders. It was hard to miss the
scimitar on his waist. It was a curved blade that slaughtered hundreds of strong
opponents before its owner was given the name ‘Ghostblade’.

“Oh my. Did I disturb your peaceful break?”

Murakan—who was amused by the situation—smirked. Jin thought about why

Kashimir came to them.

‘There’s no way he knows about our business in Akin. It seems the chief of defense
leaked our general location, and the inn owner saw our pass and contacted her.’

But why?

They just arrived in Tikan and have only been in the city for a grand total of two
hours. They didn’t do anything in particular—just spent some quality quiet time.

There was no reason for Kashimir to be interested in them.

Then he remembered their encounter with Euria.

‘Unless…? What if Euria told Alisa about Murakan’s transformation, and knowing
that transformation is an ability only dragons have, Alisa reported it to Kashimir?’
Certain of the possibility, Jin began to formulate the scenarios in his head.

‘If he was convinced by a 5-year-old who witnessed it and believes that we are
dragons, it means that he’s desperate. As a close acquaintance, the chief of defense
probably knows this as well.’

It didn’t seem like a horrible situation, though.

‘The armoured knights outside don’t seem to intend to threaten us. They were
brought to prepare for a possible fight against a dragon. If not, there’s no reason to
keep them outside. They would’ve come into the room if they wanted to scare us.’

Jin realized that Kashimir evacuated the people inside the inn for the same reason.

‘Probably evacuated not only the inn, but the surrounding area as well. Causing a
dragon’s rage because of this encounter would devastate the vicinity.’

It didn’t even take a few seconds to evaluate the situation. Their short stay in Tikan
easily narrowed down all of the possibilities.

At this point, Jin thought he could safely approach Kashimir. In addition to not
knowing that Murakan was the dragon, he mobilized the troops outside and
evacuated everyone. His preparation was immaculate.

However, he made one small mistake.

“‘Oh my’, my ass. You bitch. You talking like that to me? Do you know who I am?

“Wh-what?”

“So fucking annoying. You think the world is so easy just because you have a cool
weapon on your ass and some goons to drag around?”

Kashimir didn’t greet them—more specifically, Murakan—respectfully.

Murakan continued to spit swears and curses, and Kashimir was startled.

It was a widely known fact that dragons didn’t have the greatest personalities.

Kashimir should have known this, but he just nonchalantly greeted Murakan
anyways. Though he was the Fallen Prince, was his attitude because he had been
part of the Vermont Imperial Family?

Regardless, Murakan was on the nicer side amongst the nasty dragons.

“Who do you think you are, messing up the nice mood. I’m asking you, you mongrel.
Do you know who I am? Answer me.”

“I… don’t know.”

Kashimir’s handsome profile was ruined as he answered Murakan. He seemed to be

very shocked.

At that moment, he was certain that Murakan was the dragon. Otherwise, he
wouldn’t stand still like a scarecrow after being brutally humiliated.

“Oh, is there a lump of gold stuck in your throat? You’re still not talking, you dumbass
dog. C’mere. Get your ass over here. People like you need a nice beating to get into
the right mind…”

Despite telling Kashimir to come to him, Murakan stomped towards the other man.

Kashimir shivered in fear as he slowly backed away. Jin wanted to laugh at the sight.

“Murakan, calm down. Relax. Don’t worry about it.”

Jin softly stopped Murakan. The dragon then stood still, eyes fixed on Kashimir. He
would’ve spun the other’s jaw multiple times if he hadn’t been stopped.

There were three reasons why Murakan was pissed.

The biggest reason was because he made his poor Strawberry Pie feel threatened,
and then it was a split between him disturbing their peace and lacking respect.

Barely catching his breath, Kashimir cleared his throat.

“Ehem! My apologies. It seems I was insolent. I did not intend to aggravate you, so
please, I humbly request your forgiveness.”

“Sir Ghostblade Kashimir.”

“Uh, pardon me, but you know who I am?”

“How would I not? I’ve been wanting to meet the glorious ruler of Tikan.”

Jin’s demeanor was much calmer than Murakan’s. Kashimir cleared his mind and
avoided Murakan’s gaze.

“I didn’t know that you would suddenly visit like this. Maybe because of a certain
cat?”

Hearing this, Kashimir regained his composure and the sharpness in his eyes. He
overcame his trauma when he remembered what he originally came for.

“And your name is?”

“It’s Jin Runcandel.”

Without hesitation, he said his real name. Gilly—who stood behind him—covered
her mouth. Murakan was also slightly surprised.

Someone identifying as a Runcandel heir was an occasion out of their control, but
revealing his own identity should’ve been avoided at all costs.

Of course, the one who was surprised the most was Kashimir.

“If you had attended the banquet not so long ago, then I’m sure we would have met
beforehand. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Kashimir.”

Kashimir slightly smiled.

‘So he’s Jin Runcandel… After revealing that man as the dragon, the boy just reveals
himself. Was there even a case where the Runcandels and dragons got along?’

According to his knowledge, it was impossible. Since ancient times, dragons only
formed relations with magicians who either contracted with gods or have special
abilities.

‘That frivolous man is the dragon. His speech and tone was like a back-alley thug, but
the momentary pressure and threat he gave off was immense.’
Analyzing the crew in front of him, Kashimir naturally turned his eyes towards Gilly.

‘And isn’t that woman Gilly McRolan?’

Before being deemed the Fallen Prince, he had seen some of the McRolans at the
Vermont Imperial Palace.

Although he didn’t remember Gilly precisely, he had a vivid memory of a young Gilly
displaying a claw’s potent power at a training academy.

And there was no doubt about it. The boy in front of him was a Runcandel. Though,
he couldn’t understand why Jin was being accompanied by a dragon.

“It’s a long story. Sir Kashimir, please take a seat.”

Kashimir ordered the soldiers to clear the area. In his position, it was a dangerous
move, but he acted out of pacifism to gain the favour of the dragon.

Murakan, however, was still annoyed.

Respecting Jin’s decision, Gilly set three goblets on the table. Murakan was forced to
follow the kid’s agenda.

Glug, glug.

Jin poured some wine into Kashimir’s goblet.

“Young Master Jin, does your clan know of your whereabouts with a dragon? I’ve
never thought of a Runcandel and a dragon working together.”

“The clan does not know.”

“You’re telling me a risky secret like it’s nothing.”

“Because you just sent your soldiers away. If things don’t go as I planned, and
depending on the outcome of this conversation, we can just get rid of you.”

Kashimir assumed that Jin was joking and awkwardly laughed.

“I guess we didn’t give Euria enough ice cream. If we knew this would happen, we
would’ve bought her better stuff. I guess Sir Kashimir and Alisa really trust Euria?
Seeing that you acted upon the child’s seemingly fake story…”

“And since Young Master Jin shared a clandestine secret, I will share one as well.
Euria is my daughter. There is no reason for me not to trust her.”

Kashimir looked robust, but he definitely was lacking compared to Alisa. However,
picturing the two next to each other, they do look nice together…

‘No, that’s not important right now.’

Jin nodded and continued to speak,

“I have never heard news of Sir Kashimir having a daughter.”

As if that information wasn’t enough, Kashimir added to his words.

“And my daughter contracted with Az Mil.”

“By Az Mil, you mean…”

“Yes, the God of Sight, Az Mil.”

Jin finally understood why Kashimir and Alisa trusted Euria’s absurd story.

Anyone who contracted with the God of Sight would never be ‘seeing things’. There
was no such thing as hallucinations for them.

“I think my secret is of equivalent weight to yours.”

—My daughter contracted with Az Mil.

Revealing such truth required a great sum of courage. Az Mil’s contractor not only
gained the ‘Absolute Eye’ that enables them to see the truth behind everything, but
also the ‘All-Seeing Eye’ which allows them to see a vision of the future.

All of the rulers and leaders in the world searched for the one who contracted with
Az Mil with the hopes and greed of avoiding the uncertainty of the future.

Which is why most of Az Mil’s contractors were abused and taken advantage of,
living the rest of their life in misery.

Especially with the extremity of the Zipfels’ and the Vermont Imperial Family’s
actions. Everyone knew that they wanted to keep the contractor by their side ‘by all
means’.

“Wait, you mongrel. If that kid is Az’s contractor, then where’s the dragon? I didn’t
sense any presence of a dragon in this city. It’s well known that Az’s dragons take
really good care of the contractors.”

Engaged in the conversation, Murakan sat in a chair, which settled the mood.
Combining the dragon’s words with the image of Euria holding onto a dragon doll,
Jin finally deduced why Kashimir came to them.

‘For some reason, the dragon disappeared. That’s why he urgently came here after
hearing of another dragon’s presence.’

Kashimir’s face dimmed.

“…Euria’s guardian dragon suddenly disappeared about a year ago. I think that either
the Vermont Imperial Family or the Zipfels are at fault, but it’s just a hunch.”

“What kind of stupid dragon would get kidnapped just like that? At least speak some
sense…”

Murakan paused, then his eyes widened.

“Wait, it’s been a year? And your daughter… is 5?”

“Indeed.”

Kashimir dropped his head, holding a hopeless and melancholic expression as he

thought of the day he lost his friend and creating a doll for his daughter to
commemorate them.

But right now, losing an acquaintance was the least of Kashimir’s concerns.

“Then that means your daughter is constantly looking into the future! A young
contractor can’t control their abilities without their dragon. Holy shit, she probably
saw my transformation from a vision.”
“Pardon? Euria is constantly looking into the future?”

“A measly human like you wouldn’t understand. Witnessing the future inflicts so
much mental strain—even for a dragon. Right now, your daughter is so young. She
can’t differentiate between fantasy and reality.”

“Wh-What do you…”

“At this rate, your daughter will go crazy and become bedridden forever. After one or
two years, she will slowly feel exhausted, and it just snowballs from there. It
becomes impossible to stop. We must find that dragon.”
Kashimir’s eyes went bloodshot. Anyone would get shocked after hearing that their
daughter would become bedridden for life.

“Murakan, what do you mean by that? That kid will become bedridden? Elaborate.”

Jin’s chest felt heavy. He felt his stomach sink at the thought of a horrible fate for a
small, innocent child.

“You humans think that clairvoyance is miraculous and extraordinary, but that is
only one side of the coin. The moment you make a contract with Az Mil, you lose the
ability to change the future.”

Murakan continued to explain the ‘causation principle’.

“If one sees the future, they must follow it. No matter what. When you begin to act
against it, Az Mil will begin to condemn you.”

Even though they want to alter their actions, thought processes, or decisions based
upon the future, Az Mil’s contractors must abide by their fate.

Thus, even if they see in the future that their brother was going to get assassinated,
they must not tell him or go stop the assassination.

Since everyone in the room deduced the near future, the ‘causation principle’ applied
to them as well. However, even though they try to change the future, Az Mil punishes
the contractor regardless.

“If they disobey the ‘causation principle’, the contractor will receive death as their
punishment. Your daughter has been living in a different world than you and me.
She’s basically living a pre-planned life.”

“I-I can’t believe it. I’ve never heard of that before.”

“Of course not. It isn’t well known even amongst the dragons.”

“Then about Euria’s discovery of your transformation… If she was destined to meet
you, what does that mean?”

“That it was from a prophecy. What are the chances of meeting Az Mil’s contractor in
a big city like this? Az Mil probably set us up to offer the helpless girl some
assistance because she lost her dragon. Essentially, Az Mil is requesting help.”

“A god is asking some humans for a favour?”

“For a dragon and two humans, that is. I can’t exactly pinpoint Az Mil’s intentions of
intervention, but I’m probably right. A coincidental encounter seems very
improbable.”

Kashimir, speechless, shook his head, and Jin thought about the little girl.

The All-Seeing Eye that could see into the future, and the Absolute Eye that could see
the truth behind everything in the world.

‘Calling me ‘sir’…Did she see me before I regressed?’

Now that he thought about the possibility, goosebumps crawled all over Jin’s body.

“Either way, we need to find the dragon and return it to her side.”

“…O Great Dragon, it is not known to the world, but I am the leader of the
information broker agency, ‘Seven-Colored Peacock’. We have many skillful workers,
but for the past year, we did not find any news about Euria’s guardian dragon.”

“The Seven-Colored Peacock is yours? I can see why Az Mil is messing with our
world. We came to Tikan to use the Seven-Colored Peacock’s information anyways.”

To Kashimir, Murakan’s words were like a beam of light through a cloudy sky. Instead
of just requesting for uncompensated help from a dragon, he could offer his services
to successfully seal the deal.

Thump!

Kashimir fell to his knees and lowered his head.

“O Great Dragon, I humbly beg for your assistance. I will do anything for my
daughter. I would even offer you the entirety of the Seven-Colored Peacock.”

Normally, Kashimir was a very composed man. Although he was kicked out, as a
former member of the Vermont Imperial Family, his sense of pride and self-esteem
were very strong.

However, this was a situation in which his daughter’s life was on the line. Although
they were not backed with any evidence, Kashimir didn’t doubt a single word uttered
by the dragon, desperation filling his senses.

After all, he was in the presence of a dragon and a Runcandel; they would not lie as it
would soil their name.

Surprised, Gilly blinked, and Jin’s eyes widened.

“I want to help out, but I don’t make the final decision.”

“Pardon?”

“You hafta ask this kid. Whatever we do, it’s this little fella that decides everything.
So, what are we gonna do, kiddo?”

Normally, a dragon and its god’s contractor usually have a somewhat ‘equivalent
relationship’, but the contractor does have command over the dragon. Essentially, the
dragon has a sense of independence.

No matter how close the dragon is to the contractor, the dragon does not forget its
principles. Kashimir knew of this principle, and from it, he realized that Jin wasn’t
just any Runcandel.

“Please offer your assistance, Young Master Jin.”

“Please stand up, Sir Kashimir. Though we’ve only just met, the life of a child is on the
line. Accepting the request is not a problem.”

Jin helped Kashimir onto his feet.

The man’s eyes were filled with tears. Jin could feel his anxiety and frustration.
“Sir Kashimir, I understand that you are nervous, but let us keep our calm. Starting
today, we’ll look for Euria’s guardian dragon. There has to be a way to find it.”

“I will be forever indebted, Young Master.”

The encounter proceeded very smoothly.

Jin didn’t even need to reveal his masterpiece of an artifact, nor did he have the need
to access the Fountain of Mana that he didn’t even have. They could cooperate with
Kashimir and the Seven-Colored Peacock.

But it wasn’t a joyful turn of events. Nobody would find joy in a quest with a little
girl’s life on the line.

‘If the Seven-Colored Peacock doesn’t have anything, then we have to rely on the
Runcandels’ or the Zipfels’ intelligence.’

But since he was on a mission to become a provisional flag-bearer, he could not ask
for help from his clan. In his current situation, he wanted to break some rules, but
they wouldn’t help him in any way.

“Sir Kashimir. You said that you suspect the Zipfels or Vermont Imperial Family of
kidnapping Euria’s guardian dragon. What did you mean by that? You said that it was
simply a gut feeling.”

“If the dragon died, then Euria would know, no matter what. Only the Zipfel Clan and
Vermont Imperial Family are capable of kidnapping a dragon without a trace.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Many different types of magic are needed to kidnap a dragon. For an infantry and
swordsmanship-based clan like the Runcandels, committing such a crime was not
impossible, but it would leave evidence of battle.

“The suspected date of disappearance was August 2, 1794. According to my workers’

research, the Zipfels’ and Vermonts’ strongest magicians left their posts that day.”

“The Zipfel Clan and the Vermont Imperial Family…”

If it’s those two, whether they conclude by intuition or with the use of evidence,
rescuing the dragon wouldn’t be easy.

Not even difficult—it would be impossible. Along with the Runcandels, the Zipfels
and Vermont Imperial Family made up the three strongest families, and amongst
them, the Zipfel Clan was on top.

“I already kind of gave up rescuing my daughter’s guardian dragon. And if you hadn’t
told me that her life was on the line, I would’ve given up indefinitely.”

“Do not fret. It’s also my first time learning about the fate of Az Mil’s contractors.”

“Correct, mortal. Self-blame won’t solve anything. Hmmm, the Zipfels and an
empire… Hey, kid. Is the Free City of Tikan part of the Lutero Magic Federation?”

“No, Tikan is a city-state—just like Mamit. It’s not exactly a country of some sort or a
part of anything else.”

However, one key difference between Tikan and Mamit was that Tikan had vast
lands. The Zipfels and Vermont Imperial Family, some other kingdoms and the
Runcandels as well, of course, wanted their hands on Tikan’s land.

Additionally, the Vermont Imperial Family found the Fallen Prince’s easily earned
freedom very annoying as well.

Establishing a city amongst many land-hungry empires after ten strenuous years,
Kashimir and the Seven-Colored Peacock’s ability to compromise was incredible.

‘Even though he could raise a city, he couldn’t save his own daughter… because the
citizens themselves weren’t aware that the ruler of the Free City of Tikan, Kashimir,
had a daughter.’

Additionally, if news ever got into the limelight, rescuing Euria could largely impact
the course of history.

“Then, I can just transform here, right?”

“Why’s that?”

“Gonna fly to the Vermont Empire and ask some other dragons. Most of the dragons
over at the Zipfels’ are my enemy, so I can’t ask them.”
Almost 80% of the existing dragons were affiliated with the Zipfel Clan.

Most of the remaining 20% were under the Vermont Imperial Family, and the rest—a
very small portion—was associated with smaller clans or unknown contractors.

“You can’t just fly into the Vermont Empire because of their barrier. Getting another
fake identification and passing through a transfer gate would be much easier.”

“Barriers don’t matter. If I emit a ton of energy while flying, then a few goons would
notice me. So I’m going somewhere I won’t be detected.”

“What? How?”

“I may have just awoken from a thousand-year slumber, but when I was in my prime,
there were many who were indebted to me, you know? Hopefully, I’ll find one of my
fellas in the outskirts of the empire. If not, it’s whatever.”

Dragons often remained active for more than thousands of years. As long as a god
constantly renewed contracts, it was possible.

“O Dragon Lord!”

Having thought of something, Kashimir exclaimed.

“Hey, just call me by my name. Don’t keep calling me like that. It’s embarrassing. Am I
some kind of cult leader?”

“Sir Murakan! Before you leave, I can offer you an archive of the Vermont Imperial
Family’s dragons. It is something that agents of the Seven-Colored Peacock are
already investigating!”

“Oh, really? Then rush over there and bring it to me. I’m really looking forward to our
partnership. Let’s hope I see a familiar name.”

“Yes, Sir. Please wait a moment!”

“Hey, hey, wait.”

Murakan stopped Kashimir at the door.

“Before you leave, I’ll tell you two things. First, starting today, your daughter will
spend tiring hours. Every single day, make her play until the sun sets. Whenever
she’s awake, make her constantly waste time. So then she falls fast asleep.”

“H-How long will she need to do this?”

“Until we find her guardian dragon. Get a clown or entertainer or something. You
have to entertain her out of her mind. Whenever she gets tired, Az Mil’s powers
naturally become weaker.”

The weaker the power, the safer Euria will be. Then there will be a higher chance she
won’t see her future and will not need to live by it.

Although she was at an age where she could not distinguish between the present and
future as well as fantasy and reality, if she sees her ‘shocking future’, then her actions
will be influenced. And once she reaches that point, she will be in grave danger.

However, it is possible that she could interpret the future as just one of her dreams.

“Oh.”

“Feed her sleeping pills, or you can cast a sleeping spell on her. But I presume you
wouldn’t like that. I don’t like it either. Neither does the kid or Strawberry Pie or
your wife—even your child herself. Right?”

“Understood. I will try my best to tire her through joy and entertainment. And the
second?”

“Recall the inn’s chefs that you evacuated and tell them to make a lot of shrimp
dishes. A substantial amount.”

Kashimir nodded and rushed out the door.

Gilly walked over to Murakan.

“Lord Murakan, that was very nice of you.”

“Haha, Strawberry Pie, I remembered that you couldn’t get the shrimp dishes that
you wanted.”
“No, not that. I meant when you calmly communicated with Sir Kashimir in order to
alleviate his anxiety.”

Embarrassed, Murakan awkwardly looked away and coughed.

“His feelings don’t mean anything to me anyway.”

Amongst the dragons currently affiliated with the Vermont Imperial Family, the
Seven-Colored Peacock could identify six.

Earth Dragon Labus.

Earth Dragon Virtega.

Earth Dragon Untiel.

Golden Dragon Ziv.

Azure Dragon Madurai.

Silver Dragon Quikantel.

After learning of their identities, Murakan let out a sigh.

“Hah, these guys are still active.”

Before he regressed, Jin had information on the three earth dragons as well as the
azure and golden dragons being affiliated with the Vermont Imperial Family.

However, he didn’t expect the Silver Dragon Quikantel to be included.

‘Were there people who contracted with the God of Time?’

Only a contractor with the God of Time can be blessed with the presence of a Silver
Dragon. It was similar to how Fire Dragon Kadun accompanied Kelliark Zipfel,
contractor of the God of Flames; Wind Dragon Vyuretta guarded Andrei Zipfel,
contractor of the God of Wind; and Black Dragon Murakan protected Jin, contractor
of the God of Shadows.

In his past life, Jin was 26 when he heard about a magician who contracted with the
God of Time, Olta.

‘At the time, it had been at least half a century since anyone worthy of being Olta’s
contractor had been born, and it caused an uproar throughout the world… If what I
heard was true, then it means that something nasty happened.’

And indeed, something nasty had happened.

According to his memory, the contractor was a pureblood Zipfel. And a pureblood
Zipfel would not be working as a magician at the Vermont Empire.

Jin tried to tell Murakan this information, but the dragon opened his mouth first.

“And Quikantel? Does Olta’s contractor reside in the Vermont Empire? Hey, twerp.
You sure this info’s accurate?”

“Yes, Murakan, Sir. The world does not know that Olta’s contractor is with the
Vermont Imperial Family.”

“Which magician clan is Quikantel’s contractor from? Let me think about Olta’s
favourite clans… Lafun? Kainul?”

“Oh, that. It’s a commoner named Enya. Apparently, she’s a talented scholar at the
Vermont Magic Academy. In fact, she’s still attending school.”

“A commoner! The pure-royal-blood-loving Olta contracted with her? I guess talent

doesn’t lie. Anyways, that’s pretty funny. I can just ask Quikantel regarding the
whereabouts of Az Mil’s guardian dragon.”

Jin was confused by ‘commoner’ and ‘talented scholar’.

‘I’ve never heard of the name ‘Enya’. If she was able to contract with Olta, then she
potentially possesses incredible power. And since she’s a student, she’s about the
same age or slightly older.’

Aside from Solderet, the other gods worshipped by magicians were the God of
Flames Sheenu, and the God of Time Olta.

Despite that, why didn’t Enya become a famous magician? And, according to Jin’s
memory, why did Olta’s contractor only appear half a century later?
There was no need to think hard.

‘Zipfel magicians probably got rid of Enya and formed another contract.’

Although he didn’t have any evidence or even something as simple as a hunch, he

was certain of it.

Getting rid of a commoner student in a calm suburb was as easy as breathing for
them.

But there was no way to form another contract. Nobody knew if it was even possible,
but if it were the Zipfels, they would’ve found a way to do so.

“Hm, I’ve heard the rumours quite thoroughly, Sir Kashimir. The Seven-Colored
Peacock’s intelligence network is amazing. I didn’t have the time to say so before, but
I was really surprised that you were the leader of this incredible information broker
agency.”

“It’s nothing compared to the Runcandels’, Young Master Jin. Still, I would like to
thank you for your compliment. Phew, I also could not say this, but I vow that I will
take your words to my grave.”

“Same here. Even after rescuing Euria, you and I will have a lot of work to do
anyways.”

“Indeed, we are now on the same boat. Even if we can’t save my daughter’s guardian
dragon… I would never betray you, Young Master. I would assist in your work as if it
were my own.”

“I also promise to find and return the dragon.”

Jin extended his arm and the two shook hands. Kashimir looked much calmer
compared to when he first learned about his daughter’s condition.

They had work to do in order to save Euria.

“I will divert all resources of the Seven-Colored Peacock to finding the guardian
dragon.”

“Good boy. Make sure to play with the kid. I’ll be leaving now.”
“Murakan.”

“What do you want, kid?”

“I think I should go too.”

“Sure, whatever. What about Strawberry Pie… Since you have a fear of heights, you
should just stay here. Also, it’s a little dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Mmm… Quikantel’s a bitch. And we had a rough past.”

“Lady Gilly, I shall hire an escort to take you there. I’ll get some talkative fellows so
they can keep you from worrying about Sir Murakan or the young master.”

“If you can, please prepare escorts with Vermont imperial blood.”

As Jin said this, Kashimir’s eyes widened.

Not only was the fact that he led a great information broker agency kept hidden, but
also the fact that the great leaders of the Seven-Colored Peacock—the Big Seven—
had Vermont imperial blood in their veins wasn’t known to the world just yet.

“…Damn, I underestimated the Runcandels’ intelligence network. I wasn’t planning

on hiding it from you, though, Young Master…”

“I’ll see you later, Sir Kashimir.”

Kashimir left the inn, leaving Jin’s crew in the empty room.

***

They flew for at least two days to a remote ocean territory near the Vermont Empire.
As they approached the vast ocean at a high altitude, Murakan slowly began his
descent.

They arrived in the early morning, not a single boat afloat in the moonlit waters.

During their journey, Jin listened to many stories about various dragons’ relations
from Murakan.

“Are you okay with that? According to your stories… I think these dragons won’t be
friendly towards you. If anything, they’d be compelled with fear.”

Murakan said that the current dragons residing in the Vermont Empire got beat up
by him a long time ago. It was because they encroached and flew near his mountain
during his prime.

[Anyone who invades my territory is welcomed with a beating. It was like that at the
time.]

“Wow, you’re so cool,”

Jin sarcastically commented.

However, unlike the other five, Murakan’s relationship with Quikantel was a little
complicated. It was one that was littered with love as they were in a loving
relationship for about five hundred years.

[For humans, it would be equivalent to meeting each other for five years.]

“With Quikantel? Why’d you break up?”

[Well, just… personality difference. Alright, if I slowly emit my energy, Quikantel or

the other goons will come out. I’m starting.]

Murakan began to emit his energy, but Jin couldn’t feel anything.

A special energy that only dragons could emit and identify—akin to a dolphin’s
echolocation. It was a signal that humans could not detect.

However, looking down at the ocean directly below Murakan, constant ripples of
waves formed.

‘That’s cool… So this signal can really reach the empire’s inner boundaries?’

If estimated, it would at least span about dozens of kilometers. Notifying one’s

presence only with this energy was very astonishing.
[It’s possible because I’m me. Not all dragons can do this, kid.]

“You’re full of yourself.”

An hour passed.

Surprisingly, just as Murakan said, two flying figures approached them from afar. It
was two earth dragons.

[Labus and Untiel. As expected of the two who I beat the most. Wear your helmet.]

Jin used Myulta’s Rune to cover his face.

They were moving so fast, the tiny specks in the distance became massive draconic
figures in a second.

Not fast, more so rushed, as if they were tardy for class.

[Murakan~!]

As they came closer, Murakan communicated in a high-and-mighty voice.

[Earth Dragons Labus and Untiel. I have awoken from my slumber for some tasks…
Offer your assistance.]

The two dragons looked at each other, cleared their throats, and slowed the flapping
of their wings.

[Solderet’s acquaintance, the Ruler of the Mountain. I do not know what position you
are in, but now is not a good time. Please retreat from this place.]

[Please leave this place! I, Untiel, do not want a battle in the Vermont Empire’s
territory. I am glad to greet you today, but I do not wish to put my contractor in
danger.]

Listening to Murakan’s altered speech habits along with the other dragons’, Jin
wanted to burst into laughter.

They talked as if they were hypnotizing each other.

‘What do they mean by “get out of here”?’

Murakan shook his head.

[There is no place for me to hide under this sky. How dare you tell me to flee? Do you
fear me? I’m sure I have stated my business.]

Murakan maintained his composure.

The earth dragons lost it.

[Ah! Fuck, stop! Stop! Now isn’t the time. Get out! Quikantel is thirsting for your
death right now!]

[If a fight ensues here, our contractors’ empire will get destroyed! I’m sure you didn’t
come knowing that Quikantel is also here?]

[What dost thou mean, my old friends? You claim that the Silver Dragon of Time
intends to harm me?]

[Oh, come on! Please, brother, I beg you. Can’t you just leave?]

[The other dragons don’t know of your awakening, right? If you don’t leave, I’ll tell
the other drag—]

[It seems you forgot your fear, you lowly earth dragons. Would you like to reminisce
about the nightmares from a thousand years ago?]

Whooooosh~!

Murakan released his spirit energy, and their surroundings darkened. Just as
Murakan said, the earth dragons were scared out of their minds; they couldn’t even
look Murakan in the eyes.

As Jin watched, he found the situation very interesting while also realizing that
Murakan was a great dragon in the past.

However, if the other dragons were begging as they are now, maybe fleeing the area
was a good idea.
[Ahhhhh!]

[Whatever!]

Just as Jin was about to get Murakan to listen to them, the two dragons split apart
and began flying in opposite directions.

Swoooooosh~!

And from far away, causing a great wave of energy was a figure flying straight at
them.

Quikantel’s breath.

“Uh, hey…”

[Hold on tight, kid.]

Murakan bolted across the sky to dodge the breath. Jin turned his head and saw the
wave of energy that bent space as it traveled.

It was comparable to an ultimate ability from a mythical knight.

Shwooooot, shooooooom.

More breaths flew towards them. Murakan danced across the sky, dodging the
projectiles. Jin verified the attacker’s direction while holding onto Murakan’s scales.

‘Shooting breaths and closing the gap?’

A shiny silver dragon that blended into the night sky finally revealed itself as it flew
through the clouds. Quikantel, the one who guarded the horizon of time.

Crack!

Quickly closing the gap, Quikantel opened her snout and snapped at Murakan’s neck.
Thankfully, it only skimmed his scales, but as their bodies tangled, Murakan felt that
he was being overpowered.

Unlike Murakan who lost his power after losing Temar, she was still in her prime.
[I will disembowel you. Who do you think you are, showing your face on this land!
You should’ve remained asleep.]

[Pretty harsh for a greeting.]

Murakan untangled himself and backed off.

“What’s this? We have to fight that monstrous dragon?”

[That’s why I said it might be dangerous, kid. If she gets any closer, shove
Bradamante into her. Okay?]
‘How the hell am I supposed to stab that thing?’

Firmly holding on for dear life during a turbulent and erratic flight was already
enough. Every time Murakan and Quikantel tackled each other, Jin felt the impact
vibrate his bones.

‘She’s treating him like a mortal enemy.’

Quikantel’s movements screamed her intention to kill Murakan. The breaths she shot
were filled with murderous intent, and she kept snapping at his throat.

Fwiiit!

Quikantel’s breath skimmed past Murakan’s back. He checked his back, and there he
saw Jin, dripping with cold sweat.

The battle seemed one-sided with Murakan constantly being beaten up. But
Murakan wasn’t thinking of playing defensive the entire time.

[Calm down and let’s talk this out, Quikantel!]

Whooooosh~!

The sky filled with dark clouds.

The black clouds were Murakan’s spirit energy in its materialized form. Murakan
flew directly into the clouds, and Quikantel let out an ear-splitting scream.

Jin felt like his eardrums were going to rip. The screech that traveled through his
ears rattled his brain.

Just like how humans had a ranking system from 1-star to Genesis, dragons were
also divided into different ranks. Amongst the active dragons, Quikantel had the
combat skills of the highest rank.

If Jin hadn’t trained enough, he would’ve fainted just from the dragon’s shriek.

Jin caught his breath as darkness surrounded him.

“I have to get my mind straight. Good thing I came along, if you died to that silver
dragon, I wouldn’t have heard a thing.”

[No way I’d die. No matter how strong Quikantel is, she can’t come in here. Let’s take
our time thinking of something. A way to persuade that fellow.]

But Murakan was delusional.

[You think I can’t chase you in there?]

Quikantel’s wings caused a sharp thunderclap. Then, a massive body pierced through
Murakan’s spirit energy like a diver through water.

[Quikantel, how did you…?]

[It seems you still haven’t realized how weak you’ve become. You call this garbage
‘energy release’? Murakan, I cannot hide my disappointment.]

[Hmm, Quikantel. Think of our past. Why not just end it here? I merely came to ask
you something.]

[Thinking of our past, ripping you into millions of pieces is not enough.]

[Well, okay. I guess it can’t be helped. Come at me if you can. You were always like
this. All we did was break up.]

Crack!

Quikantel bit Murakan’s wing. Sounds of breaking and snapping echoed throughout,
and Jin instinctively pulled out Bradamante.

Murakan also bit Quikantel’s wing. Due to them being wrapped in spirit energy,
neither of the dragons fell even though they stopped flapping their wings.
They suffered the same attack, but Murakan took more damage. Blood splattered
from his wing while Quikantel’s just had a fissure across it like cracks on glass.

Jin had to swing his sword before the two dragons began to move. As soon as
Murakan was bitten, the spirit energy clouds began to recede at an alarming rate.

‘It’s a tough exoskeleton that even Murakan’s teeth can’t pierce. My current blows
won’t do anything.’

So, Jin targeted the fissures across Quikantel’s wings. It probably wasn’t her weak
spot, but it was better than wasting an opportune chance.

Woooom!

Bradamante glowed with an aura. Within the dark environment, a shining aura
illuminated its surroundings.

[What?!]

Surprisingly, Quikantel never detected a human on Murakan’s back. She only noticed
at that moment that Jin was on him.

Gripping his sword, Jin launched off Murakan’s back like an arrow aimed towards the
silver dragon’s wing.

A decisive strike with all his might. The sword slipped into the fissures and
penetrated flesh, but Jin was not finished.

‘Blade: Unleash.’

Murakan told him not to use this skill until he achieved 5-star spiritual energy
release. However, now was not the time to hold back.

If this attack did not inflict critical damage, then there was only one other option:
breaking Orgal’s Pendant and summoning Luna.

Jin didn’t plan on doing that, so he at least tried to use all of his cards.

And above all, he did not lack the spirit energy to unleash Bradamante. Jin had been
absorbing some from Murakan’s spirit energy release.
[Good job, kid. Now slash her wing so she can calm down!]

Jin did not hear his words.

The unleashing began, and just like the time he slaughtered the White Wolf
Tribesman, time seemed to have stopped.

All around him, the spirit energy began to whirlpool into Bradamante. More and
more crackling energy entered Quikantel’s wound, and the ruptures spread across
her left wing.

She let out a painful cry and tried to shake off the cause, but it was too late to stop
Bradamante.

Essentially, she let her guard down. Blinded by anger, she failed to notice the human
on Murakan’s back, and it was the result of ignoring a peaceful resolution.

The spirit energy finished traveling through Quikantel’s wing.

Jin pushed his entire body weight onto the handle of the sword.

Creaaaak!

A high-pitched scraping sound echoed, and the spirit energy began to glow. Jin slid
down Quikantel’s wing and dragged the sword through it as he went, ripping the
dragon’s wing apart.

The deeper he pushed his sword, the farther the spirit energy traveled. Since he was
expending energy dozens of times beyond his power limit, the rate of energy
consumption was inefficient.

Not even a 7-star knight could penetrate Quikantel’s wing, so there was no choice
but to pour all his energy into one attack. There were bound to be some spills.

The blade finished ripping through, and Murakan caught Jin as he fell with his sword.

Cold sweat covered Jin’s body from expending so much power. However, seeing the
massive wing falling into the ocean, he felt confident with his amazing feat.

A second later, Quikantel plummeted. Her other wing flapped uselessly.

‘Did I just become a dragon slayer?’

The ocean swallowed her whole—a massive splash symbolizing her death.

“Phew, urgh.”

Jin also had to deal with the aftershock, the consequence for crossing his limits.

‘Thankfully, there’s no excruciating pain like last time. Probably means my skills have
increased since then.’

Still, his limbs trembled before the pain rushed in. He tried to lie down on Murakan’s
back.

[Alright, now all we need to do is to pray that Quikantel can think straight.]

“What do you mean? We’re not done?”

[Dragons that control time don’t die so easily. Like that.]

Looking down onto the ocean, Jin gulped.

A dark shadow resurfaced from the water. Jin then remembered the special ability of
time-controlling entities.

Rewind.

The disconnected wing and Quikantel’s body floated back into the sky. She was
rewinding her time.

In fact, she wasn’t defenseless during this process. The space around her recreation
was warped, and swinging a sword through it wouldn’t really hit anything.

Goosebumps ran all over Jin’s body as he watched the sight before him.

[This is the difference between inherent ability and magic. But don’t worry. The
ability is pretty broken, but it takes a disgusting amount of power to use it. Also,
you’ll need to act like you can keep fighting.]

Quikantel’s fully intact body now floated in front of them.

The space around her restored to its normal state, and Quikantel began to move.

Just as Murakan said, she looked very exhausted. She had short and fast breaths, and
her wings seemed sluggish.

They didn’t want to immediately attack again.

[Not attacking yet? I guess you want to talk this out.]

[…What happened, Murakan? Is that human Solderet’s contractor?]

[Yeah. Is your tantrum over yet? I didn’t know you had so much rage left over from
our breakup. Didn’t we end well?]

[End well? You just threw me away, one-sided. Just like what I did a while ago, last
time, you never gave me a chance to speak.]

[Is this and that the same? Whenever I said that we should live our separate ways,
your eyes would roll to the back of your head, and you would attack. So why should I
let you speak? I didn’t cheat on you or anything. What do you want me to do about
our incompatibility?!]

This was a conversation between two dragons who had lived for thousands of years.

Jin had to swallow his sigh.

‘It’s not like I ever expected dragons to be overflowing with courtesy and respect in
the first place… but this is too human. Were the murderous attacks only because she
wasn’t over what happened between them thousands of years ago?’

The dragons tried to sort things out, but they simply repeated the same words over
and over again. Their conversation never progressed.

[Well, let’s stop this nonsense, Quikantel. I didn’t come here to fight. I came to ask
you something. My ally’s life is in danger.]

[Ha! The greedy and high-headed Murakan cares about his allies. You speak lies!
How many of your own species have you killed?]

As Murakan heard those last few words, his expression froze. It was a sensitive topic.
Quikantel noticed her mistake and looked away.

[…Indeed, of the dragons I have killed, there was also your father’s mortal enemy. A
dragon that I knew nothing about. I killed him only because you hated him, you
know? Did you want to hear that?]

Murakan breathed a deep sigh and continued.

[I’m done, it was my fault for trying to ask you. I will solve this issue with another.]

[Just tell me. Damn it, just looking at you makes me emotional. I apologize for my
words.]

[What about the part where you tried to kill me.]

[I had a righteous reason to do so.]

[Sure, buddy. Anyways… recently, Az Mil’s guardian dragon went missing. You know
anything? Az Mil’s contractor needs them.]

[Missing? Are you talking about Lathry?]

[Oh, yeah. Lathry. I haven’t heard of the name because of the generation gap.]

Quikantel blankly stared at Murakan and blinked.

[What an interesting topic. Wind Dragon Vyuretta took them somewhere some time
ago.]

Wind Dragon Vyuretta.

A dragon related to Andrei Zipfel. Jin and Murakan had a bad feeling as soon as they
heard his name.

[Why, though?]

[I heard that, since the other dragons under Az Mil weren’t active, Vyuretta took
Lathry instead to teach them some Draconic Magic.]

They finally knew the culprit behind Euria’s missing dragon.

Quikantel slowly blinked as Murakan thoroughly explained the situation.

[…It certainly is a serious problem. But first, let us relocate. There is a small island a
few minutes from here. Follow me.]

Quikantel flew past Murakan. Before following her, Murakan talked with Jin.

[Whew, we could’ve died today. You okay, kiddo? I didn’t think you could successfully
unleash your sword.]

“There wasn’t any spiritual energy congestion like last time, but my entire body feels
like it’s gonna shatter. More than that, are you okay? Getting beat up by your ex
doesn’t sound really fun.”

[Olta’s dragons know they’re hotshots, so a small scratch to their pride will make
them turn into monsters. I mean, I came to see her despite knowing that, so it was
my fault. I mean, I knew she would get kinda mad, but not this much. The bigger man
is supposed to be patient. On that note, you don’t need to wait ten years to cast
spells. Anyways, good thing we’re making progress. As soon as we came, we found
out who the kidnapper was. Vyuretta…]

Jin had already asked Murakan about Vyuretta at the Runcandel banquet; the day
when Andrei Zipfel got kicked out.

According to Murakan, Vyuretta was a little younger than him. The third strongest
dragon amongst those under Melzeyer, the God of Wind.

[It’s possible that it doesn’t only involve Vyuretta, but also the God of Wind. It’s
starting to smell a little fishy. Alright, let’s go.]

They instantly caught up to Quikantel. She slowed down to match Murakan’s speed,
considerate of his exhausted state. It seemed she lost her violent tendencies.
They approached a no-man’s island in the middle of the Vermont Empire’s waters.
Once they successfully landed, the two dragons changed into their human forms.

Jin was startled by Quikantel’s transformation. The hysterical breath-shooting

dragon was gone, and there stood a beautiful woman, which was weird to him.

“No one’s here. It is possible, however, that other dragons can hear our
conversation.”

She didn’t seem to trust Earth Dragons Labus and Untiel, as if not regarding them as
her allies.

Murakan shrugged.

Quikantel remained silent for a while, staring at the black dragon. Though, it was
hard to tell if it truly was just staring or glaring.

Murakan couldn’t ignore her gaze.

‘Am I supposed to leave them alone, or…?’

Before Jin had the chance to leave, Murakan broke the silence.

“We didn’t come here to just exchange weird glances. Tell me exactly when Vyuretta
took Lathry.”

Quikantel bit her lower lip and sighed.

“Over a year ago.”

Exactly when Kashimir said the dragon went missing.

“Tricking Lathry about learning Draconic Magic… That’s pretty nasty.”

“But Murakan, why do you think that Vyuretta kidnapped Lathry for malicious
intent? Maybe it really is to teach them Draconic Magic.”

“Quikantel, Az Mil’s current contractor is really young. She can’t control her powers.”

“What? That’s when it’s most dangerous without a guardian dragon.”

“Vyuretta definitely knows about that. And even if he didn’t, Lathry would’ve told
him. Doesn’t matter. Tell him that Lathry will learn the Draconic stuff later and to
return them to their contractor now.”

“Hm, definitely peculiar. If they didn’t intend to kill Az Mil’s contractor, Lathry
would’ve been returned ages ago.”

Quikantel furrowed her eyebrows.

To her, the life of Az Mil’s contractor was not important. After all, she had to protect
Enya, not a contractor of a different god.

However, Quikantel just remembered that Vyuretta showed some interest towards
Enya.

“How did you know that Vyuretta took Lathry?”

“Vyuretta stopped by the empire when it happened. Apparently, he was going to

introduce Lathry to me, but in reality, it was to see Enya.”

“Who’s Enya?”

Murakan played it dumb, and Quikantel, unexpectedly, revealed that she was Olta’s
contractor.

“Anyways, Vyuretta really wanted to meet Enya for some reason. Even though I
rejected his requests many times, that creep keeps trying to latch on.”

“With your personality, you just let him latch on to ya? You calmly denied it, I see.
What’s this? You’re scared of the Zipfels now?”

Quikantel sighed.

“It wasn’t because I was scared of the Zipfels. There was nothing I could do. The
higher-ups of the Vermont Empire already knew that Enya was the contractor, and
the information was probably already passed down to Andrei Zipfel.”

And Enya was one of Vermont Magic Academy’s scholars.

If Quikantel fought with Vyuretta for any reason, the academy’s Zipfel thugs would
do some undesirable things towards Enya.

“…If I dealt with it my way, it’s a loss for me as a guardian dragon. Anyways, hearing
about Lathry, I think that Vyuretta’s approach towards Enya may have some shady
goal.”

“Huh, you’re one to talk. You were trying to harm my contractor a while ago.”

“I didn’t know you had a human on your back. If I knew Solderet had a contractor, I
wouldn’t have gone that far.”

“Sure, you wouldn’t.”

Silence.

“Murakan.”

“What, kid?”

“For Enya’s case, the higher-ups of the Vermont Empire already know who and
where she is, but not Az Mil’s contractor.”

Jin intentionally did not mention Euria’s name. He didn’t trust Quikantel with such
classified information.

“With that in mind, how did Vyuretta approach Lathry in the first place? Seeing that
Vyuretta hasn’t returned Lathry yet, I’m pretty sure he knew of the existence of Az
Mil’s contractor. On top of that, the fact that the contractor is young…”

“For sure. Hmm… For the thousand years I was asleep, was there a spell that could
detect contractors?”

Quikantel shook her head.

“There’s no way something like that could be developed, whether it was a thousand
years ago or today. No one could tell who the contractor was until the contractor
discovered their own powers.”

“We never know. Those Zipfel bastards. I don’t want to admit it, but they’re a pretty
impressive bunch.”
“Okay, but even if that kind of magic exists, what good would they get from finding
the contractors?”

“They can benefit in two ways. Any contractor outside of their control is considered a
threat, so they can simply eliminate them. Also, if the contractor dies, the Zipfel Clan
has an opportunity to form a contract with the then-vacant god.”

Jin answered, attracting Quikantel’s attention.

“Just for that…? Don’t they already have immense national power? One or two
contractors won’t be of any threat.”

“I don’t know about dragons, but humans’ thirst for power never ends. Also, if a few
contractors were to get together, they would definitely be a force to be reckoned
with.”

Quikantel had a hard time understanding the child’s words. Considering that the
Zipfels were a clan that was already at the top of the world, she didn’t think that they
needed to take drastic actions for such trivial matters.

However, Murakan nodded in agreement.

“Definitely a possibility. I know best about the Zipfels’ greed. Let’s just put it this way.
First, they have a method to track down contractors. Second, if they find any non-
Zipfel contractors, they’ll eliminate them.”

“Hold on. Do we really need to assume that? We can just ask Vyuretta.”

“You serious? Stop talking bullshit, Quikantel. If you were a kidnapper, would you
just spill everything? Get your shit together. From what I can see, your Enya kid
might be in danger.”

It wasn’t that Enya ‘might be’ in danger; she was definitely in danger.

A few years later, Enya would be assassinated by the Zipfels, and not a single word
about it would appear on the news. Instead, a new pureblood Zipfel would become
Olta’s contractor and be known around the world.

As a regressor, Jin was certain of this theory. He remembered the different events
and occurrences in his past life very clearly.
“I have my eyes wide open, and Enya is not in danger. Until that child fully grows,
nobody can harm her.”

‘Please stop denying it, and think straight. Leaving her alone will lead to her death.’

These words were about to come out of Jin’s mouth, but Murakan said it a little
louder.

“Quikantel, there’s nothing wrong with being very cautious. But it’s impossible for
you to be beside Enya 24/7 for 365 days and more. Just get the hell outta the
Vermont Empire. The academy relays Enya’s every move to the Zipfels.”

“That child has never left the empire since birth. In fact, her entire family is there.
Are you telling me to change their life because of an unknown and uncertain threat?”

“Life is only enjoyable if you’re still breathing. Look, this is only a suggestion. The
choice is yours anyways.”

“Hmmm… Ms. Quikantel, please listen to what I have to say.”

Quikantel turned towards Jin.

“Murakan and I will search for Lathry. We will do whatever it takes. But if Lathry is
discovered imprisoned or injured, and we tell you about it, what will you do?”

“I would…”

Quikantel clenched her teeth.

“…relocate Enya.”

“Then I would do that now. If Lathry is already imprisoned or injured as we speak,

no matter how fast you are, it will be too late. I humbly request that you make a wise
decision.”

“The kid’s right, Quikantel. Move Olta’s contractor and her family to a safer place.
We’ll determine whether Vyuretta is full of shit or not, and then we’ll meet once
more.”

Quikantel could no longer stand her ground. There wasn’t a single flaw in their
argument, and she was genuinely concerned about Enya’s future.

‘They are more worried for Enya’s safety than I am… I have a lot to learn from them.’

Phew.

Quikantel heaved a deep sigh and nodded.

“Alright, let’s do that. I will assist you two.”

“Oh, no need. It’s fine. We’ll deal with it ourselves. Sure, my darkness got a little
weaker, but you don’t need to help me deal with a measly wind dragon. That
Vyuretta bitch is washed up.”

“…And how will you meet him?”

“What do you mean, how will I meet Vyuretta? Just like how I called you—with my
energy.”

“Are you saying this even after knowing how many dragons are with the Zipfels? On
top of that, you’re going to take the Runcandel kid and head to the Zipfels’
mainland?”

Jin and Murakan faced Quikantel with a look of surprise.

“What are you startled by? The kid has an aura like that Temar runt. You think I
wouldn’t notice that energy?”

“Hmmm… Quikantel, can I entrust you with these secrets?”

“I still hold Temar in high regard. Being with one of his successors reminds me of the
old days.”

Temar Runcandel, Murakan, and Quikantel were close friends. When Murakan and
Quikantel were together, that is.

“Anyways, I will call Vyuretta. He’ll react to my call like a horny teenager. You guys
can deal with him after that.”
‘Damn, I already revealed my identity to two people ever since I arrived in Tikan.’

Ghostblade Kashimir and Silver Dragon Quikantel.

Kashimir was already their ally, and it was likely for Quikantel to join their forces as
well. Jin wondered if anyone amongst the provisional flag-bearers revealed their
identity openly, but at this point, he didn’t care.

‘Who cares if I break some rules? I’m already behind on training anyways. I’m living
this life however I want.’

Each time Jin broke his clan’s rules, he felt refreshing pleasure from the delinquency.

Then, Jin formally introduced himself to Quikantel.

“Hm, so you’re that Jin Runcandel. I already expected it when I felt Temar’s aura, but
still… very fascinating.”

“I think you’re the more fascinating one. The Silver Dragon of Time. I’ve heard of
rumours, but I was speechless when I witnessed you turning back your time.”

“Not something I want to hear from the child who slit my wing. Hm, I’m saying that
you’re interesting because Enya often talked about you.”

“Olta’s contractor spoke of me?”

“Yes. Not so long ago, every single press in the world couldn’t stop talking about your
5-star acquisition. Enya read about it and told me multiple times that, even though
you’re both 15, she admires you because you’re very talented.”

“Haha, there’s nothing to admire… It’s a little embarrassing since I’ve never even met
her before. I’m sure she has incredible potential within her as a contractor.”
“Yeah, Quikantel. Very awkward of you to put Jin on top of a pedestal. You gonna take
responsibility for his heightened ego?”

Jin and Quikantel naturally ignored Murakan’s interruption and continued their
conversation.

“If that kid sees you, she would be very elated. Why don’t you visit the Vermont
Empire before you set out for Vyuretta?”

Quikantel said that it would take about a week to summon the wind dragon.

It would’ve been great if they could immediately meet and beat Vyuretta, but the
wind dragon was with the Zipfels’ second-in-command. Basically, not an entity that
was easy to meet.

“Enya will also need time to get things sorted out, and it would be nice to have you
explain to her why she must leave the empire. Since you’re the man of her dreams,
maybe it’ll be easier for her to understand.”

Jin nodded.

Persuading Enya was an ulterior motive. After all, staying in the Vermont Empire to
meet Vyuretta was convenient.

The reason being the location of their rendezvous, the place they were standing on—
the uninhabited island.

At this location, even if a big fight broke out, no problems would arise from it. Just
like how Jin and Murakan were not interrupted while fighting Quikantel.

“Then, Ms. Quikantel. Where would be a good place to stay in the empire? I believe
that the capital is too crowded to maintain our secrecy.”

The Vermont Empire was not small like Akin. There were probably people who could
recognize Jin in the streets. People like low-ranked nobles and the Dragon King
Knights resided there. It would be too risky.

“Oh, you can stay at my place. We have a lot of empty rooms.”

“Hey, hey! Wait. Your house? It’s okay if it’s a small place, so just buy us a remote
residence. I’ll repay you later. Isn’t it weird to share a roof when we, you know, broke
up?”

“Stop acting hysterical, Murakan. I merely proposed this to help you with your little
business.”

“Huh?! Hysterical? What about you?”

“It would be great if we forget past events. Let’s make sure to distinguish work and
personal matters.”

Though it was baffling, there was no point in talking. Murakan quaked in frustration
before letting out a sigh.

***

Jin and Murakan had no choice but to hide in Quikantel’s wings to sneak in since
Murakan couldn’t transform carelessly within the empire.

Quikantel’s dwelling sat in the middle of a forest on the outskirts of the capital. It
was a house she built when she became Enya’s guardian dragon.

Built with logs, it had a very clean and cool facade. A nice, refreshing smell of wood
lightly surrounded their bodies.

“Wait for a moment. I’ll be out after cleaning a little bit.”

“Take your time.”

Although they were dragons, was she really conscious about showing a dirty room to
her ex? Quikantel went in first, and Jin shrugged.

“How does it feel to ally with your old love interest, Murakan?”

“Ha… Don’t even remind me. I feel a little uneasy inside.”

Murakan could not take his eyes off the log cabin.

‘That bitch… She built the exact same house from a thousand years ago. So this is
why she wanted to bring us here.’
Yet, despite being faced with the house of their past, Murakan didn’t feel his burnt-
out love rekindle.

His uneasiness stemmed from reminiscing about their nostalgic past.

A thousand years ago, partying all the time with Temar and Quikantel in a log cabin
with the same design.

One passed without leaving a grave. And the other became a past lover. As he
remembered the good old days, bitterness filled his heart.

“You can come in now.”

As soon as he entered, Jin unintentionally smirked.

‘This is “clean”? Quikantel seems to have an unexpectedly clumsy side to her.’

It looked like the room was hastily cleaned, but around the house, there were clothes
and empty bottles lying on the floor.

“Anything to drink?”

“Just some cold water, thank you.”

“You, Murakan?”

“Toss me a few bottles of wine. God damn it, this is why I didn’t want to come here.”

“You came here first and disturbed my peace. And I really don’t have any other
intentions, so if you really don’t like it, then get the hell out.”

“Whatever.”

Murakan murmured some complaints as he tossed himself on the living room sofa.

Before Quikantel could bring over the water and wine to her guests, Murakan was
suddenly sound asleep, snoring loudly.

“What the… Murakan? Asleep? How do you just sleep like that?”
“…Probably because of our fight. He was bitten all over, after all. I used a lot of spirit
energy myself, which explains my exhaustion.”

“Ah… I see. I didn’t know because you seemed fine a moment ago.”

POP!

Quikantel popped the cork off the wine bottle that was originally for Murakan and
poured some wine into her own glass.

“Jin Runcandel.”

“Yes?”

“I’m assisting you due to my allegiance with Temar as well as for Enya’s safety, but
the main reason is that sleeping bastard.”

“I see.”

Jin didn’t have anything to say. He could only imagine how deep her lingering
feelings were for Murakan.

But the words that followed were completely different.

“That fool doesn’t really know how weak he has become.”

When he was in his prime, Murakan was the strongest of the strongest. Even the fire
dragons, who were born for combat, tried to avoid him at all costs.

In fact, other dragons had subservient relationships with their gods, but Murakan
had an equal relationship with Solderet, hence he was special.

Unfortunately, this was no longer the case. Thanks to Jin, Murakan was recovering
some of his spiritual energy, but he was still incomparably weaker than his past self.

“Currently, Murakan can’t fight Vyuretta. With respect to his pride, I didn’t mention it
a moment ago. But when the time comes for them to fight, I will fight in lieu of him.”

“Is Vyuretta that strong?”

“Kind of, but it’s more because Murakan is significantly weaker. My murderous
rampage earlier would simply be a child’s tantrum for the Murakan from a thousand
years ago.”

Quikantel drained her goblet into her mouth.

She looked discontent as she poured herself another.

“I’m saying this so you’d know. If I told this to Murakan, he would strongly deny my
help.”

Jin calmly nodded.

‘She was crazy at first sight, but it’s relieving to see this side of her.’

Zzzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzz.

Murakan’s snoring echoed throughout the room.

“Jin Runcandel. What will you do after you confirm whether or not Vyuretta
kidnapped Lathry? If I help you capture or kill Vyuretta, the Zipfels will take action.”

“Well, I am a Runcandel… Having disputes with the Zipfels is pretty natural.”

“An interesting response. I can assume you didn’t think this through yet?”

“Not that I’ve never thought about it. However, I don’t have anything fully planned, so
you’re not wrong. Either way, the first thing to do is to save Az Mil’s contractor.”

“It seems you are very close to Az Mil’s contractor.”

“Not really. We only met two days ago.”

Quikantel’s eyes widened.

“What?”

“I mean, I can’t just watch a kid shrivel up and die. Az Mil’s contractor is a child
named Euria, and she’s only 5 years old.”
“So for a child you only met two days ago, you’re planning to risk your life and fight
Vyuretta? And as a provisional flag-bearer, rouse the entire Zipfel Clan?”

“Something like that.”

“Haha… truly, the return of Temar. Each action and intent of yours is analogous to his
fervour. Very interesting.”

“I’ve noticed it earlier, but it seems you were very close to the first patriarch.”

“‘Close’ is an understatement. Temar was a friend I would’ve given up everything for.

Together with Murakan, we had a hell of a time in the past.”

“Then why did Murakan go into a thousand-year slumber after losing to the first
patriarch?”

A question Jin often pondered about. He asked Murakan a few times, but he never
heard a real answer from him.

“It’ll be better if you heard directly from Murakan. He’ll tell you when the time
comes.”

It must be a meaningful story.

Jin understood the situation and simply nodded. There was no reason to hear the
story as of this moment.

Naturally, silence ensued. Soon after, footsteps could be heard from outside the
cabin.

Creak.

The front door opened, and a girl peered inside.

“Ms. Quikantel, I’m… home? Who might these men be?”

It was Enya, who immediately bowed to Jin. She didn’t know who he was, but she had
a hunch that he was someone important.

“Come sit here, Enya. This is Jin Runcandel, and that sleeping scoundrel is a dragon.
An old friend.”

“Ah, yes. Mr. Jin Runcandel. It is nice to mee—Jin Runcandel?!”

Enya’s eyes grew and ran up to Jin. Her face flushed red.

“I… I’m a big fan! Lord Jin! It is an honour to be in your presence!”

Quikantel smacked her forehead, and Jin could only offer an awkward smile.

“…Enya, how about we maintain your dignity as a contractor?”

“Oopsie… My apologies, Ms. Quikantel. But it’s Lord Jin. Is he the real Jin Runcandel?
Oh heavens, my goodness! Oh god! Lord Jin is in front of my eyes! Aaaaah!”

Enya’s dream came true in the presence of Jin.

Whooooaaaa~!

Excited out of her mind, Enya bellowed and beat her chest like a beastly primate. Her
uproar surprised Jin, making him step backwards. The girl’s guardian dragon sighed.

Snatch!

Enya grabbed Jin’s two hands and bowed. With her head inches away from hitting
the ground, it looked like prostration.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Lord Jin! I’m Enya!”

“Oh, mhm… Nice to meet you too, Enya.”

“Kyaaaaa~!”

‘Seriously.’

Jin had never seen a situation like this in his entire life. Even the all-great-and-
powerful Beradin Zipfel wouldn’t get this much admiration from a single admirer.

‘Is this what “admiration” means?’

It was akin to a follower meeting their god. Frankly, Enya—who was still crouched
on the ground—began to mumble some prayers.

Jin’s chest was about to burst from embarrassment.

A girl with dreams of meeting a ‘deity’, something that Jin will never truly
understand. Probably because he never experienced such excitement.

“…It wasn’t this bad when she became Olta’s contractor.”

Quikantel sighed once more.

When the God of Time chose her, all Enya said was ‘Whoa.’ And now she was jumping
around like an excited dog, which disappointed Quikantel.

‘This is why I told Lord Olta about royal blood!’

A sight without any composure or self-control!

This was why Olta and the silver dragons prioritized blood class. A contractor of a
god should at least be civilized.

But what could they do?

In the present, no human was more friendly and approachable than Enya, so they
forced themselves to make a contract with her. Due to the irrevocable contract,
Quikantel had to love and take care of Enya.

Because that was the duty of a guardian dragon.

“Ahem, Enya. That’s enough.”

Quikantel tried to alleviate Enya’s enthusiasm. Quikantel lightly pressed Enya’s

forehead, and finally, the girl calmed down.

Of course, her sparkling silver eyes never stopped staring at Jin.

The young Runcandel chuckled to himself.

‘I wonder what Murakan would say to her.’

“Oh, I must’ve gotten too excited. Seeing the real Jin Runcandel in the flesh and not in
something released by the press really got me going… I’m sorry!”

Enya bowed once more in apology.

A girl with a severely sociable and lively personality—that’s what Jin thought of her.

“No need to apologize, Enya. I just don’t know how to react to the celebratory
welcome.”
“Kyaaaa! Would you like some more?”

“That would be enough.”

“Ms. Quikantel! Ms. Quikantel! Can you please tell me now? The reason why Lord Jin
came to our place? Did Olta respond to my prayers?”

“You pray to Olta nightly?”

“Obviously, I prayed to meet Lord Jin someday. Heehee. Anyways, today is such a
great day! I was so tired at the academy.”

Quikantel’s face darkened. She knew how often Enya was discriminated against by
the other students and staff.

‘I can’t slaughter all of those bastards either… ’

Quikantel ground her teeth as she thought of the noble scum bullying Enya. If they
physically abused her, she would kill them all. But all they did was treat Enya as if
she didn’t exist.

Jin looked at Quikantel and felt sympathy for her pain. He knew how the academy’s
nobility acted in the presence of a commoner. He nodded.

‘They would do all kinds of bad things just because she’s a commoner. This is why I
didn’t talk to magicians from the academy.’

During Jin’s learning days, he encountered all kinds of magicians from the academy.
To this day, he never met a group of people he hated more than them.

Moving on.

It was time to pull Enya out of the discriminatory shithole. As a Runcandel, Jin
couldn’t specifically help her, but their elaborate plan for relocation would be just
enough.

‘I just need to persuade Enya to immigrate her entire family to Tikan. And as for
magic, I can just find an excellent teacher.’

Overall, the Free City of Tikan had a carefree and welcoming community.
Additionally, Kashimir would take care of her, so she would experience the most
extravagant life.

If she could just forfeit her homeland, then it would be a great opportunity.

“Miss Enya, the goal of my visit is to ensure your safety and take you somewhere
safer.”

He straightforwardly stated the truth.

It didn’t take long for him to realize that his phrasing could be misunderstood. As
soon as she heard what Jin said, Enya felt like the main character in a novel.

“To… take me… To. Take. Meeeeee!”

His words caused another chaotic mess. Enya started punching the air like a
hallucinating patient, and her eyes were bloodshot.

“I go— I’ll go! Wherever it is, I’ll go! All hail Olta!”

Thock!

Tired of the sight, Quikantel lightly hit the back of Enya’s neck. Enya’s body shook,
then fell to the ground as she fainted. Jin chuckled at the funny sight.

“My goodness. How did she become Olta’s contractor?”

“Well, a child has got to be a child. You’re a child as well. Phew, there’s no need to
persuade her. She would even follow you to the Runcandel underground prison.”

“We do not retain an underground prison in our clan, Ms. Quikantel.”

“It’s gone? It should still be there. And probably has some dragons locked up.”

“…What?”

“That’s not important, so forget it. Okay, listen. Enya will wake up exactly ten seconds
from now. Once she does, make sure to choose your words carefully, and explain the
current situation to her.”
“Didn’t you hit her pretty hard? Not even a trained knight can survive that blow.”

Rustle.

Ten seconds hadn’t even passed, yet Enya started coming to. Goosebumps traversed
Jin’s body. Modern physiology and medicine could not explain the phenomenon
before him.

It was the will of a fanatic.

Still, the strike definitely had some effect. Enya seemed to have lost some of her
overflowing energy.

She was also at a loss for words.

“Looooooord Jiiiiin.”

“Miss Enya, I will slowly explain the current situation.”

Enya nodded. Jin then began from Euria and her predicament, all the way to the
speculations regarding Vyuretta and the Zipfels.

He couldn’t say anything from his past life, but thankfully, Enya easily digested all of
the content.

“Mhm, since they’re the words of Lord Jin, I’ll trust every single one. It’s so romantic!
Dragons, conflict, adventure, a boy and a girl! And Lord Jin!”

“Something like that.”

“I’m fine as long as it’s for the benefit of me. Anyways, I must leave the Vermont
Empire with my family and head to Tikan?”

“Exactly.”

“And when should we leave?”

“The sooner the better. Ms. Quikantel and I have some business in the empire, so it’s
a good idea for you to leave first.”
Officially leaving the academy and clearing out the area was not a good idea.

The Vermont Imperial Family will not let Olta’s contractor go so easily, and the
moment they notice her intention to leave, they will chain her down at all costs—
whether it be by capturing her family as hostage or using drugs to prevent her from
leaving. The Vermont Special Forces would also be assigned to monitor them.

Before that happens, secretly leaving was the most optimal choice. There would be a
search and chase, but it would start in the Lutero Magic Federation instead of Tikan.

Though, it doesn’t mean there’s no danger at all.

‘It depends how much the Vermont Imperial Family cares about Olta’s contractor.’

As Jin saw it, the Vermont Imperial Family didn’t really care about Enya. If they did
care, then Enya wouldn’t be wearing ragged clothes.

‘Either they’re being cautious of the Zipfels or they can’t give her special care
because the world simply doesn’t know about her yet. She isn’t even being escorted
by anyone.’

If the problem was the latter, then she would at least have some bodyguards around
her at all times.

Even though she was a contractor, she couldn’t receive special aid because of her
social class. In the eyes of the rich and privileged, a poor contractor was only a
nuisance.

Essentially, the Zipfels enforced their ideal through the working staff—to never aid
the worthless commoner.

“So as soon as possible. I understand, milord. I will get my family ready by

tomorrow.”

Enya’s entire family was just her 7-year-old brother and an old dog named Pupi.

“But Jin, how are you going to transport her? You can’t go through the gate, and I
can’t take her there myself. Everything will be put on record, so the threat of a chase
is likely.”
It would be the same if they were to fly with Murakan.

However, Jin already thought of a way.

“Merchant ships from Tikan periodically dock in the capital’s port. Just sneak on one
of them.”

The Seven-Colored Peacock agents in the Vermont Empire all worked around that
docking schedule. Although the empire knew the sailors worked for the intelligence
agency, they couldn’t do anything because the organization had valuable information
about the empire’s corrupt government and high-ranking officials.

Aside from the agents that had a hold of sensitive information, lower-ranked agents
could travel in and out of the Vermont Empire freely.

“After Enya leaves, I will proceed with a normal life and try to find an opportunity to
meet Vyuretta. As for the academy, I’ll say that Enya is sick.”

The rich and nobility wouldn’t give a damn about Enya’s attendance. They would
rather have her never come in for the rest of her life.

“Yes, we can wrap things up with Vyuretta and return to Tikan. I hope we can resolve
issues without fighting… but a battle is imminent.”

“As mentioned before, Vyuretta is mine. That sleeping dog shouldn’t fight him.”

Wrapping up their conversation, Jin and Quikantel simultaneously looked at the

front door.

They could hear pairs of footsteps getting louder from the front yard. Then…

Knock, knock.

One of the owners of the footsteps knocked on the door.

“Anyone home? We came to ask for some kindling.”

There’s no way someone would come all the way to their remote location for some
firewood.
They were either the Special Forces or the Imperial Guard that came to check up on
them.

“Coming all the way here for some kindling? How absurd. Please wait a moment.”

And surprisingly, Quikantel didn’t even doubt the uninvited guests.

“Wait, Ms. Quikantel.”

“Hm?”

“Do you really think those people outside are neighbours who came for some
firewood? I think they’re from the Special Forces.”

Quikantel was definitely very strong, but because of her strength, she didn’t even
have a single ounce of caution.

‘Considering all the things she had done and Enya’s assassination in my past life,
Quikantel is not suited to be a guardian. At least, in her current situation.’

“Vermont Special Forces… I’ve heard of them before, but why would they…?”

Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock.

The people outside—speculated to be the Special Forces—rapped on the door once

more. Quikantel looked confused as she tried to interpret the situation.

“Probably because of Enya. I think they were supervising this area. And when they
saw you bringing some outsiders, they came to check on you.”

It could be a far-fetched assumption, but who in the world would come to a remote
log cabin in the middle of a forest to get some firewood?

Moreover, there was no negative consequence in encountering them with caution.

“If you’re right about those guys being the Special Forces, hiding from them would
elicit more suspicion. I’ll observe them, and when they seem a little suspicious, I will
immediately disable and capture them.”

“Capture? Do we really need to do that? Isn’t it better to just make an excuse and
have them go on their way?”

“No. If they’re trying to supervise me, I can’t let that slide. Violating my privacy is
unforgivable.”

Quikantel trotted to the door.

Meanwhile, Jin dragged Murakan to a room and activated Myulta’s Rune, and Enya
watched in awe.

‘Damn… Nothing is normal in Quikantel’s and Enya’s lives… ’

Creeaaaaak.

Quikantel opened the door and was greeted by two big men. They wore oversized
shirts and straw hats, and their lower bodies were well-built.

“Speak the truth. You runts are part of the Special Forces, right?”

The two men shook their heads at Quikantel’s aggressive query.

“What do you mean by that?”

“We apologize for the unexpected inconvenience. We are farmers from down the
forest, and we were out of kindling…”

Hearing all of this, Jin thought to himself.

‘Those guys will have to face severe reprimand and write a dozen pages of apologies
for their incompetence once they return to headquarters.’

The Special Forces needed to carry out their tasks smoothly while in a disguise that
suited the time and place.

On that note, the soldiers at the door were a pair of bums. It made no sense that they
came for firewood when there’s wood all around them. Moreover, they had a shoddy
disguise.

They were probably the lowest of the low, newly recruited newbies from the Special
Forces.
‘I can see how easily the Vermont Imperial Family can supervise Enya and Quikantel.
But isn’t this too effortless…? Are those guys even from the Special Forces?’

Pow! Thwack!

Before Jin could even complete his thoughts, solid striking sounds could be heard
from outside the room.

It was from Quikantel beating the crap out of the guests.

“I’m sure I told you to tell the truth. And yet, you dared to lie…”

Peering out, Jin saw Quikantel brutally abusing the visitors. By the first strike, they
couldn’t even resist and fell to the ground.

“Kuheok!”

“Where do you think you’re spilling your dirty blood?”

Violent beatings ensued, and Quikantel dragged two flimsy corpses by the head into
the living room. The two men looked pitiful.

“Since when have you been watching me?”

“W-We are not with the Special Forces!”

“What? Who sent you, then?”

“I did.”

The voice of another man resounded. And surprisingly, it came from inside the
house.

Additionally, its source was right next to Jin.

‘What?! I didn’t even detect his aura…!’

Jin flinched and inched away from the man.

The intruder wore a red mask and a skin-tight blue suit—the uniform of the Vermont
Special Forces. According to his knowledge, Jin knew that only important leaders
wore red face coverings.

Quikantel—who was slightly startled by the occurrence—released the two men’s

collars.

“Ohhh, so you are in the Special Forces. You sent these goons to sneak into my
house?”

“You guys are dismissed.”

The two men who “wanted kindling” scrambled away.

Quikantel was about to flick a magic arrow to their backsides, but the masked man
opened his mouth.

“Killing them would complicate the situation. Other soldiers will be summoned to
this location.”

“Oh yeah? Why don’t we complicate things, then?”

“If you really want to, then I will not stop you.”

Quikantel paused, then lowered her hand.

“Yeah, if I’m going to kill a human, it better be you. Not those guys.”

The man didn’t seem to show any fear in the presence of Quikantel’s fury.

It was obvious. At first glance, Jin knew this man was at least an 8-star. Quikantel
knew this as well.

‘Now that I think about it, that scimitar… I’ve heard about it multiple times in my
past life.’

Only one person wielded a scimitar in the Vermont Special Forces.

Codenamed Wratch, the Special Forces 3rd Division Leader. As Vermont Emperor’s
most trusted person, he was well known in the Runcandel Clan as ‘the guy with good
swordsmanship’.
Essentially, he was a swordsman that even the Runcandels acknowledged. There was
no need to doubt his skills.

‘Good thing I used Myulta’s Rune to cover my face. That was close.’

Wratch slightly lowered his head towards Quikantel.

“I apologize if we offended you. I had to identify the guests you brought into our
lands. Since I have identified them, I shall depart.”

Wratch didn’t even ask who Jin and Murakan were, and even if he did ask, Quikantel
wouldn’t tell him. Looking up their citizenship and identification would be easier.

“I don’t think you can end this with just an apology for stalking me. And who said
you could leave already?”

Quikantel threw a punch.

Wratch didn’t even flinch, nor did he dodge. His face received the full blow, yet he
remained still like a statue—unscathed.

“I see how it is, you’re something. Pretty useful for a human. You relied on your
toughness to act like a fool around me?”

“If your anger has been alleviated through that, I think you should stop.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then I, as well, will attack. My mission is in no way related to ensuring Enya’s safety
should anything happen.”

Wratch slowly shifted his eyes towards Enya. With eyes glittering with curiosity,
Enya met his cold eyes. The man’s frigid glare froze her in place.

It was a threat. If they were to fight, he didn’t know about Quikantel, but he could
definitely take care of Enya. And since he didn’t want to fight, it was a compromise
for his departure.

That was a pretty smart move by him. It didn’t matter how angry Quikantel was, as
long as Enya’s life was on the line.
No matter how strong Wratch was, it probably was impossible for him to defeat
Quikantel in a duel. However, fighting in such a cramped space could possibly
endanger Enya.

Things would be different if Murakan was awake. Thankfully, without him, the
conflict slowly and quietly resolved itself.

“Alright, then. I will see you next time.”

Wratch walked past Quikantel and through the doorway. The moment he stepped
outside, he vanished.

“That piece of…”

Quikantel threw a tantrum. Aside from the fact that she had been stalked by the
Vermont Imperial Family, she also felt like she had been played.

“I’m a dumbass for keeping Enya in this hellhole.”

Quikantel sighed.

“Jin Runcandel. If I hadn’t met you and Murakan, I can’t imagine the horrible fate that
Enya would’ve faced. Not just Enya, they were watching me too…!”

Enya remained shocked—eyes widened and face frozen.

“Th-That person… w-was very scary.”

Receiving a look filled with murderous intent from an 8-star knight was a different
level from the bullying she received at the magic academy.

“My brother! I must go get my brother. Lord Jin, let’s leave now…!”

“Please go with Ms. Quikantel. You should board the Tikan merchant ship first thing
tomorrow morning.”

***

Her luggage was a small bundle of items.

No different than the items in her school bag, it was all of the things she needed to
leave the Vermont Empire.

With the bundle on her back, she tightly held her brother, Pinte, by the hand and
tucked her dog to her chest with the other.

Her eyes were filled with fear.

“Uhhhhh, milord? Are we really not going to get caught? I was super scared after
seeing that man that I couldn’t even sleep…”

All Jin could do was offer her some words of relief.

“Even if we get caught, I will promise that you and your family will be safe. Trust me.
Either way, getting out of here as soon as possible would be our safest bet.”

Still, Jin safely assumed that the Vermont Special Forces didn’t monitor Enya in close
quarters. Despite Quikantel’s carelessness, it wasn’t enough to miss stalkers within
her vicinity.

‘Before Wratch came in, even Murakan didn’t detect anything. We were probably
found out when we flew through the empire’s barrier while on Ms. Quikantel’s back.
And it’s likely that the Vermont Special Forces were dispatched afterwards.’

Additionally, with yesterday’s incident, the Vermont Imperial Family probably knows
that Quikantel was pissed. They wouldn’t get anything good out of aggravating her
even further.

And they would never expect Enya to sneak out of the empire immediately. They
would assume her absence at the academy to be caused by mental shock.

“No need to worry, and board the ship. Beyond all this, Ms. Quikantel probably can’t
imagine you traveling alone as she stays in her cabin. And this cat—I mean, Murakan
will protect you.”

Since Jin couldn’t expose himself, he couldn’t escort Enya to the merchant ship.

Just in case, he had Murakan turn into a cat and protect Enya. If the Special Forces
were to notice Enya’s escape, Murakan could stop their attacks.
The main street led straight to the port anyways, so Jin was sure that being spotted
would be unlikely.

In a street filled with thousands of people, pinpointing Enya’s family’s exact location
would be impossible without closely stalking her.

“Milord…”

“Don’t worry. He is the Great Black Dragon. I will see you in Tikan soon, Miss Enya.
And Pinte.”

Enya bit her lips and bowed. She then left the remote log cabin and headed to the
heart of the capital. No different than her daily walk to the academy.

This time, however, she wouldn’t be going to the magic academy, and Pinte wouldn’t
be going to his preschool.
‘I would’ve died if I wasn’t careful.’

Wratch—who escaped the remote log cabin—felt relief despite only showing a
straight face. His demeanor was born from hours and hours of strict facial
expression and emotion suppression training necessary to become a Vermont
Special Forces Division Leader.

Quikantel probably displayed inconceivable power to him, but he didn’t really feel
fear. After all, to the Vermont Special Forces, death was considered only a small
inconvenience when it came to executing missions.

‘But who were those two guys in the house? The man with long hair was probably
Quikantel’s lover, and the boy with the strange artifact covering his face… Maybe
she’s hiding her children?’

He would’ve never imagined that they were Jin Runcandel and Murkan—the black
dragon who woke from a thousand-year slumber.

Either way, Wratch completely misunderstood the relationship between Quikantel

and the two mysterious people. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be easy finding
information about those people.

‘I should tone down on the close-quarter monitoring. I should order soldiers to

return with simple reports until she starts acting strange.’

Although he treated death like a common cold, it was different when it came to the
sub-class soldier’s livelihood.

Wratch didn’t think he needed to have his henchmen supervise Quikantel while she
was in a sensitive state.

Thanks to the division leader’s decision to take caution, Enya and her family were
able to safely board the Tikan merchant ship.
And the Vermont Imperial Family did not notice that Olta’s contractor was missing.

At least, until Quikantel left to meet Vyuretta.

***

A week later, mid-July of 1795.

Just as Jin expected, there weren’t any spies monitoring Enya and Quikantel’s
location around the cabin at all times.

During that time, Jin and Murakan never left the house. Once a day, only Quikantel
left for the city to get food and drinks.

During their stay, Jin received a message that Enya safely arrived in Tikan and was
receiving protection under Kashimir.

“Well, I already knew they’d be safe, but receiving a personal letter from Enya is
more reassuring. We can definitely meet Vyuretta with a lighter burden.”

Quikantel had already contacted the wind dragon. She requested a rendezvous to
discuss Enya.

Vyuretta quickly accepted the request, and the promised date was tomorrow night.

“You think Vyuretta will come alone?”

“Kid, between dragons, etiquette is very important. Quikantel called to just meet, so
bringing a line of Zipfel magicians would be unacceptable. Even if you call them for a
fight, they’ll come alone—without reinforcements.”

“Oh, so that’s why you went to the Vermont Empire’s ocean territory with such
bravado.”

“Of course. There’s nothing that could stop the great Murakan.”

“Sure, buddy. Remember when you almost died to me when you came here? If it
weren’t for Jin, you would have been sinking to the depths of the cold ocean right
now.”
“That’s… I was going easy on you, Quikantel.”

“Do I need to beat some more sense into you?”

“What?”

While the two dragons growled at each other, arguing that one’s strength is more
superior than the other’s, Jin was deeply entrenched in his thoughts.

‘…So he’s saying the dragons come alone whenever they’re summoned because of
etiquette. But we’re a group of three going to meet Vyuretta… Well, who really
cares?’

Jin shrugged it off and went to separate the two whose fighting easily became a
routine sight for the young Runcandel.

“Yeah, yeah. No more, you guys. You’ll end up fighting before we even meet Vyuretta
tomorrow. I think we should plan more thoroughly about what we should do once
we meet him.”

“What do you mean, ‘what we should do’? We just tell him that we called to find out
about the whereabouts of Lathry, not to talk about Enya. And if he’s bullshitting
about teaching them Draconic Magic, then we just beat him up.”

“I concur. Since Enya isn’t here, I can act as aggressively as I want.”

“Hmmm. Yes, it all sounds good. I just wanted to ask because Vyuretta wouldn’t
answer so easily. And if a battle breaks out, even if we win, we will need to face the
Zipfels’ wrath. I think we should at least consider the consequences of our actions.”

Jin firmly stated this in a serious tone.

‘I already predicted that intervening with the Zipfels in order to save Euria’s
guardian dragon would cause some problems… But not this much.’

Fighting with Vyuretta meant turning the entirety of the Zipfel Clan into their enemy.

And, as of the moment, Jin did not have the forces to fight them. Even if he called his
latest ally’s army—Kashimir’s regiment of Tikan—they wouldn’t stand a chance.
As a matter of fact, rescuing Lathry wasn’t that beneficial in many ways.

In exchange for allying with Kashimir, Az Mil’s contractor, and the Seven-Colored
Peacock, Jin would be turning the Zipfels against himself.

Despite this consequence, Jin chose to meet Vyuretta for three main reasons.

First, he promised Kashimir about returning Lathry to Euria’s side.

Second, verifying the Zipfels’ plot of finding and assassinating contractors.

Lastly, acting in order to save a child was a given.

“Hmmm, the kid’s right. Though I’m not really scared of their retaliation, it’s still
something to think about.”

“Not only that, we also have to consider the outcome if we were to lose. Unlike you
two, I think it’s possible that Vyuretta would come with the second-in-command,
Andrei. In a scenario where he disregards the dragons’ etiquette.”

And if Vyuretta did come with Andrei? Or what if he shows up with other advanced
magicians in tow? There was no definitive answer. Each of the Zipfels’ advanced
magicians were equivalent in power to a low-tier dragon.

Of course, Jin already had a last resort planned, but he wanted to hear Quikantel’s
opinion.

“Don’t worry about that. If Vyuretta brings other goons to the rendezvous point and
they try to attack me, I will summon the Vermont Imperial Family’s dragons as
reinforcement.”

“That’s a great plan. Even if we don’t find out more about the kidnappings, in the
event that Vyuretta refuses to cooperate, we have a good reason to call
reinforcements.”

“Exactly. And when I take care of Vyuretta, if we have the Imperial Family’s dragons
on our side, then the Zipfels can’t really take action. The Zipfel Clan and Vermont
Imperial Family have some complicated political ties, after all.”

The Vermont Imperial Family was the balancing weight between the Zipfel Clan and
Runcandel Clan.

Whichever direction the Vermont Imperial Family were to stick to, the balance
between the two strongest clans would break. Therefore, Quikantel could destroy
Vyuretta, and the Zipfels would still be unable to do anything.

If the Zipfels made the Vermont Imperial Family turn against them, then the
Runcandels would take the free benefit.

It would be a very satisfactory response. This way, no matter what they did, they
would not be targeted by the Zipfels.

“Sounds good. Then tomorrow, we will entrust the job to you. In the meantime,
Murakan and I will be hiding nearby.”

“Huh? Kid, what do you mean by that?”

“It means we’ll be backup. If Vyuretta comes alone, Ms. Quikantel will fight him by
herself. Nothing good will come out from us selling our faces to the Zipfels.”

Quikantel smiled at Jin’s response in satisfaction.

“Yeah, Murakan. It would be best if you don’t come out at all. I will be fighting, so all
you need to do is watch.”

Her words were lined with a teasing undertone, but Quikantel was genuinely
concerned about Murakan. She firmly believed that he stood no chance against
Vyuretta in his current state.

“…Damn it. I understand that I got a little weaker, but I don’t want any sympathy
from my ex.”

“Who’s sympathizing? Shut your idiotic self up, and help me out if I ever get in
trouble. But of course, that would never happen.”

***

Nothing would have happened if Vyuretta came alone because, amongst all of the
active dragons out there, Quikantel was one of the strongest dragons.
However, as Jin predicted, Vyuretta brought along a person.

And it was the Zipfels’ second-in-command, Andrei Zipfel.

Standing in the middle of the island, Quikantel glared at Vyuretta.

Jin and Murakan were hiding, watching the tense scene. They already filled the forest
with spiritual energy, so their presence was concealed.

“Ho, ho, hum. It is this old man’s first time meeting the Silver Dragon of Time.
Madame Quikantel, it is an honor to meet you. I am Andrei Zipfel.”

[…Vyuretta. I didn’t think you would bring a person in response to my call.]

[Please understand, Silver Dragon. When I received your signal, Andrei was right
next to me. With the topic being about Olta’s contractor, he showed great interest, so
I brought him along.]

Quikantel expressed severe disappointment, and Andrei chuckled, messing up his

first impression even further.

[Vyuretta, you have been very disrespectful ever since you started asking me to
introduce Enya. I hope you never do something like this again.]

[Understood. So, let’s get right into it. What do you want to tell me about Olta’s
contractor?]

[Before that, I would like to ask you something.]

[Go ahead.]

[Az Mil’s contractor’s guardian dragon, Lathry. What did you do to them?]

She spoke in a dangerous tone.

Vyuretta chuckled for a bit in return, then held a straight face.

[Damn… I got baited. You called to talk about Lathry, not Olta’s contractor. I knew
something was up.]
Vyuretta’s head shook as he spoke.

[Answer my question, Vyuretta. One year ago, you took Lathry to teach them some
Draconic Magic. I saw with my own two eyes. And to this day, Az Mil’s contractor
failed to locate their guardian dragon.]

[I don’t know how to answer you without leaving you unsatisfied. Hm, Lathry… is
fine. I would’ve never known you’d have a connection with Az Mil’s contractor. Were
you asked to find Lathry?]

[Exactly. Now, if that made sense, return Lathry now. Az Mil’s contractor is searching
intently.]

Wooooosh~ Wooooosh…!

Whirlwinds suddenly manifested, surrounding the island. It was a cyclone caused by

Vyuretta’s wind ability.

[Vyuretta, it seems you’ve gone crazy. You are under the Zipfels indeed. But to a point
where you kidnap your own kind? And a youngling, at that? Based on your actions,
just tell me that you want a fight.]

[You know too much about our business. I will say this now. Hand over Enya, and we
will spare you.]

Quikantel smirked.

[Oh yeah? Perfect. I wasn’t going to spare you anyway, no matter what you chose to
do.]
‘These crazy fuckers… I didn’t think they would come out aggressively this fast.’

They were now certain that the Zipfels kidnapped Lathry, but seeing their bravado
for the misdeed baffled Jin.

Additionally, their brash attitude towards eliminating Quikantel without hesitation

made it clear that the Zipfels’ central forces definitely had a hand on any business
related to Lathry or Enya.

‘They just demanded for Quikantel to hand over Enya. They are definitely hunting
down contractors outside of the Zipfel Clan and are either using or eliminating them.’

The fight was about to begin, so Jin and Murakan remained hidden.

‘We strike when Ms. Quikantel gets into a dangerous position or when there is an
opportunity for ambush.’

Andrei and Vyuretta still did not notice Jin and Murakan’s presence, so observing the
fight for now was a better idea.

[I’ll be honest, I haven’t really liked you ever since we met, Quikantel.]

Vyuretta shouted, spreading a massive pair of wings.

Mana flowed through the powerful winds, and the static tornados began to close in
on the silver dragon.

Whooooooooosh…!

The tornados moved like huge snakes. As trees got torn away from the ground,
Quikantel scoffed.

[I’m sure you aren’t planning to do anything with wind like child’s play.]
It was at least an 8-star spell—not something one would call ‘child’s play’.

However, it was not enough to pierce her exoskeleton. She didn’t even dodge the
attack and took the winds at full force. Not that she was underestimating the attack,
but she genuinely believed that she had no need to.

Loud screeches echoed throughout the island as the cyclones made contact with her
silver armor.

But that was all.

The cyclones died down, failing to affect even a single scale.

The surroundings were devastated, as if caused by a bombing. And yet, Quikantel

stood in the same spot—in the same position.

Vyuretta was a little surprised, eyes slightly widening.

“Whoa…! Incredible!”

Andrei expressed his admiration with a shaky voice.

Quikantel didn’t like his expressive attitude. Not one bit.

The 9-star grand magician, ‘Wind King’ Andrei Zipfel.

As the second-in-command, everyone knew how strong he was, but not many knew
of his ‘real’ power. Simply due to the fact that everyone who fought him had died.
People only could infer his combat power.

And as for Quikantel, she didn’t know much about Andrei either.

[I guess Wind King isn’t just a title. You filthy human. Show me your strength. After I
begin my attack, you won’t have any opportunity to show off.]

“I can finally use my full power. In that case, I will enjoy it, Silver Dragon of Time.”

Andrei’s staff began to glow.

Mana Expansion—a spell signifying the start of an attack.

‘It’s been a long time since I saw a 9-star Mana Expansion up close.’

In an instant, about 500 meters around them, the blue mana dyed their
surroundings. It was not a common sight.

And because he was the contractor of the God of Wind, Andrei’s magic was the pure
essence of wind. Every movement of air around the island could potentially become
Andrei’s weapon.

Wind was invisible. Although the artificial compression and movement of wind was
visible as it ripped through space, wind—at its purest—had no form.

Thus, Andrei’s wind could become an invisible sword or a formless spear and pierce
the enemy.

The space around the grand magician began to morph with the flow of wind. No one
knew what would come out of the bending space.

“If I had one thing to say…”

Andrei smirked and extended his finger towards Quikantel.

“I am especially strong against dragons. So please be careful.”

Hissss~

From Andrei’s finger, wind in the form of a spike flew out.

Quikantel sensed the danger and spread her wings. She planned on flying upwards,
dodging the attack and shooting her breath to counter him.

But there was a reason Andrei mentioned his strength against dragons.

‘My flight… has been disabled?’

No matter how much she flapped her gigantic wings, no wind occurred. In fact, her
wings felt heavier, as if she were swimming in water.

A technique that only Melzeyer’s contractor could use—Windless Domain.

Inside the Mana Expansion, there was nothing that could fly without Andrei’s
permission. And losing the ability to fly was a great loss to a dragon’s combat power.

Crackle!

Andrei’s wind spikes hit Quikantel’s chest. Some scales broke off and fell to the
ground. Simultaneously, Vyuretta flew to the sky.

[These bastards…!]

[You are definitely strong, but you were too careless.]

Vyuretta’s breath flew at many angles. Quikantel conjured a force field with her
mana, but Andrei cast another spell.

This time, it wasn’t an inherited spell from Melzeyer. Instead, it was the Zipfels’
lightning-attributed spell, Lightning Storm. Blue chains crackled and gathered in
Andrei’s palm as his feet started lifting off the ground.

Just because he was Melzeyer’s contractor didn’t mean that he was limited to wind-
attributed spells. Even Jin used spells of multiple attributes freely while using
spiritual energy.

‘This can be lethal. That cursed human…!’

Unable to attack, Quikantel felt as if she was being pushed into a corner.

‘Do we go now?’

Jin exchanged looks with Murakan, and the black dragon shook his head.

“Quikantel was indeed acting cocky, but those guys are also underestimating her.
Let’s watch for a little longer. If we go now, then her pride is gonna get hurt.”

As Murakan finished speaking, Andrei also finished casting his spell.

Violent chains of electricity charged towards Quikantel. Hundreds of sparks and

crackles of electricity—enough to blind a man—mixed with Quikantel’s breath.

Although they were pretty far away, Jin felt shocks throughout his body despite
protecting himself with spiritual energy.

Power definitely worthy of being the Zipfel Clan’s second-in-command.

However, despite its uncontested strength, the spell didn’t hit its target and was
rendered useless.

Quikantel activated her temporal powers and froze Andrei’s spell.

As the grand magician ruled the wind as Melzeyer’s contractor, Quikantel ruled time
as one of Olta’s dragons.

[That was a pretty neat trick.]

More and more crackling bolts of lightning froze in front of Quikantel.

Before them was an even match between two god-given powers.

Andrei lowered his staff and lowered to the ground. Strangely, avarice flickered in his
eyes.

“A very coveted power… Hehehe. Seeing it with my own eyes, I can feel the blood
vessels twitching inside my aged body.”

Quikantel remained silent and stepped away from the frozen bolts of lightning.

[I guess it’s my turn now.]

It may still be a situation where her ability to fly was incapacitated, but Quikantel
was confident that she could still rule the skies.

[If you won’t let me fly, then I will not let you move a single finger!]

Screeeeeeeeeeech!

A sharp sound echoed, and waves of energy emerged from Quikantel’s forehead.

Ripples could be seen throughout space, as if a rock was thrown into water, and
everything that the ripples touched lost its time.
Inside the frozen time, one would basically become a statue.

“That is the reason why you permanently become a mere plant if you don’t get along
with the dragons of time, kid. Get caught by it, and it’s over.”

“That’s unspeakably overpowered!”

“Well, not really. Just don’t make contact with it. Then it becomes easy. The spell
itself is hard to sustain too.”

As it was Vyuretta’s and Andrei’s first time fighting a dragon of time, they dodged the
pulses by instinct. But they forgot one crucial fact.

If any part of the body gets caught—whether it was the tip of the toe or a strand of
hair—then the entire body will freeze.

Andrei easily dodged with his small and nimble body, but that was not the case for
Vyuretta.

Thoooom!

Quikantel blasted off the ground with her feet and charged at the wind dragon who
was frozen still.

“Vyuretta!”

When she got close enough, she released the time prison and ripped Vyuretta’s
throat apart with her jaws. Screeching, Vyuretta fell with Quikantel.

Boom!

From Vyuretta’s long neck spilled thick rivers of blood. With his neck in her jaws,
Quikantel stood like a beast that caught its prey.

Every time the wind dragon moved, green scales, blood, and flesh splattered
everywhere.

Andrei was furious, but he couldn’t do anything. Any move he made could kill
Vyuretta. In fact, if he tried to approach them, then Quikantel could recast her
ultimate spell.
[Keuuuook!]

[Tastes like garbage. You said I’m cocky? Say that shit again!]

Chomp!

Quikantel bit off a chunk of Vyuretta’s flesh and taunted her enemies. From
Vyuretta’s wound, the white of bone was visible, and the wounded dragon
floundered to escape.

Reactivating her ability, Quikantel froze Vyuretta once more.

The silver dragon made an unbearable sight as she repeated the same process. Her
brutal attacks instinctively made the spectators squint their eyes.

“Wow, I’m getting goosebumps. I also suffered from that attack before.”

“From Ms. Quikantel?”

“Yeah, we fought a lot while we were in a relationship.”

Two more times and Vyuretta would be decapitated. The wind dragon’s
consciousness was already gone. And even when his time wasn’t frozen, his massive
body only flinched a little.

“S-Stop, Silver Dragon!”

[Shut the fuck up and watch, Zipfel magician. You’re next in line. And you’re at a loss
for words? Maybe you’re scared of your impending doom.]

Despite her threatening words, Quikantel was also very exhausted at that point.

If she could infinitely use her temporal abilities, then the world’s strongest being
would not be Cyron Runcandel.

‘I was able to claim victory due to Vyuretta’s carelessness. I’ll kill this bastard. As for
the magician, I’ll get help from Jin and Murakan…!’

Because she abused her ability, Quikantel’s mana had depleted.

Huff, puff…

Breathing heavily, Quikantel was about to cut off Vyuretta’s airway.

Yet, with a firm resolve, Andrei walked towards the two dragons.

“You have gone too far.”

[Look who’s talking.]

“That is only for the stronger one to say, Silver Dragon. You were born as a Silver
Dragon of Time, declaring yourself and your god as strong. All this time, you
probably thought of yourselves as rulers of the world…”

‘…But that’s a delusion. Everything will fall under the Zipfels’ flag—all humans and
gods.’

Andrei lowered his staff and pulled out something from his robe.

In his hand was an orb emitting an ominous black glow. The moment Murakan saw
this, he exclaimed.

“The Orb of Origin…! No way!”

He transformed into his true form, and his torso broke through the spiritual energy,
revealing a massive shadow unto the ground.

[Escape, Quikantel!]
Oh, I see there were more guests.”

Andrei cracked a big grin.

Goosebumps covered Quikantel as she saw the hysterical smile, backing off after
hearing Murakan’s warning.

They felt an ineffably ominous energy flowing throughout Andrei’s mysterious orb.

And Quikantel’s instincts were not wrong.

Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!

Not long after, a long entity emerged from the orb, making a screeching sound that
ripped their eardrums.

‘A face…?!’

From what Murakan called the ‘Orb of Origin’ came a huge, black entity that
resembled a face. However, its eye sockets were empty. And with part of the face
being disfigured, the exact facial features were indistinguishable.

As soon as the face formed, the black entity’s long neck extended, and the figure
moved to bite Quikantel’s throat.

In a split second, it munched on thin air. Had she ignored Murakan’s call, she would
not have evaded death.

“I wanted to use you as a test subject… but that’s too bad. Since you saw this face,
don’t expect to get any time to rest.”

Then, Andrei turned to Murakan.

“A black dragon, I see. I only know of two black dragons alive in this world. And since
you aren’t a female, you must be the Runcandel Clan’s Murakan. It seems you have
awoken from your slumber? Then, the boy next to you…”

Jin was covering his face with Myulta’s Rune, but Andrei knew who he was.

“…must be Solderet’s contractor. Certainly… Jin Runcandel. You’re the only Runcandel
provisional flag-bearer in this area. Am I wrong?”

Andrei’s eyes overflowed with avarice.

He originally only wanted to ‘consume’ Olta’s contractor. However, the possibility of

making two great catches filled him with greed.

Instead of answering the grand magician, Jin just glared at Andrei. Quikantel
remained cautious despite the battle being in temporary armistice.

During that time, Murakan could not stop looking at the orb in Andrei’s hand and the
‘face’ that stemmed from it.

‘It’s similar to the Orb of Origin, but it’s a little different. The gods already disposed
of it, so there’s no way for a human to possess such an object.’

It could only mean that the orb in the grand magician’s hand was a replica.

‘But how?’

Questioning the situation, Murakan thought deeply.

The ‘Orb of Origin’ is a sacred object that contained the power of all gods, and it was
a kind of safety mechanism.

It prevents the gods’ creations from attacking the gods, and the gods themselves
from attacking other gods. Essentially, it was an object that prevented the end of the
world.

However, the gods found out that the Orb of Origin possessed powers exceeding the
threat of possible war. They evaluated it to be enough to obliterate the entire world.
So, as humankind began to prosper, the orb was destroyed.
‘Last time, it was the cemetery giants. Now, it’s a replica of the Orb of Origin? What
the hell is happening?’

Although it was merely a replica, the orb in Andrei’s hand possessed disgusting
amounts of power.

The ‘face’ approached Vyuretta’s corpse and whispered a chant. Soon after, black
smoke emerged from the wind dragon’s wound, and it began to heal. However, it
wasn’t a normal regeneration.

Instead of green skin and emerald scales, the missing flesh was filled up with the
same dark energy as that from the orb.

“I shouldn’t have held back. I apologize for your loss, my old friend, Vyuretta.”

It didn’t even take ten seconds for the exposed white bones to be covered by the
newly grown flesh, skin, and scales.

Vyuretta slowly raised his body. The ground below him still had lakes of blood and
remnants of his flesh and scales, but the wind dragon seemed unaffected—besides
the massive black blotch on one side of his neck.

The sight startled Jin.

Even Quikantel—who “regenerated” a severed wing—slowly stepped backwards,

and Murakan gritted his teeth.

The wind dragon’s corpse was resurrected.

Occurrences such as this would still be impossible even with the help of the God of
Healing, but it happened right in front of their eyes.

[We gotta get serious, kiddo.]

[Murakan! I will call the dragons of the Vermont Imperial Family. Until then, buy me
some ti—]

“Uh-uh. I can’t let you do that.”

Fwit!
Instantaneously, Andrei disappeared and reappeared behind Quikantel. The face
from the Orb of Origin replica opened its jaws.

Chomp!

Quikantel’s left foot grazed the black teeth—albeit only slightly.

However, Quikantel—who didn’t show a single sign of pain while fighting Vyuretta—
floundered, screaming in her suffering.

Smoke emerged from the grazed wound. Quikantel backed off, limping away from
the enemy.

“What a great scream to hear, Silver Dragon. It’s a shame I cannot hear more of it.”

And as Murakan tried to run to her…

[You think you can make a difference, Murakan?]

[Move away, Vyuretta.]

[Move away? The great Murakan is asking me?! Hahaha! I’m sure many dragons
would be dying to meet you if they found out about your reawakening. I agree with
what Andrei said earlier. It’s a shame I can’t tell the others about you.]

Spiritual energy began to spread from Murakan’s wings.

[At some point, all dragons feared your presence. But do you think they still do? You
have gotten weak. And your contractor is still a baby!]

Wooooosh!

As he finished his monologue, Vyuretta released a breath.

Compressed wind projectiles.

The breaths quickly displaced the spiritual energy as they traveled. Vyuretta’s
breaths were definitely stronger as compared to before his ‘resurrection’. All because
of the Orb of Origin.
Vyuretta was elated as he watched the view before him; for overpowering an old
bully felt amazing and refreshed him.

[I, Vyuretta, will go down in history as your killer!]

[Yeah, right, crazy bastard.]

Although he was incomparably weaker than his past self, it was still a fact that
Murakan was at the apex among all of the entities in the sky at one point.

He wasn’t going to lose only after one breath.

Fwooooosh…!

After resisting the breath, Murakan’s body sublimed and scattered into the black
smoke. Then, he approached Vyuretta and reconstructed his body, revealing himself
next to his enemy.

[Indeed, it’s too easy, isn’t it?]

And a close-combat fight ensued. Each time the two massive dragons clashed, the
island rumbled and quaked.

As space was morphed with the merging of spiritual energy and wind, Jin intently
watched the fight between Andrei and Quikantel.

He had to read the flow of the battle.

‘In my current state, joining Murakan and Vyuretta’s fight is suicide. Just getting near
them is already impossible. On the other hand, for Andrei… ’

There was no chance for ambush.

After Andrei revealed his Orb of Origin, Quikantel was just running away. Because of
this, there was no opportunity for Jin to attack.

Additionally, the main enemy of this fight wasn’t Vyuretta, but Andrei Zipfel. Killing
him first would make Vyuretta’s demise more meaningful.

‘Andrei can’t cast a spell while holding that orb. Probably because the artifact drains
insane amounts of mana.’

If he was casting 9-star spells instead, then Andrei would have been unapproachable.
However, he was focusing on the orb. Occasionally, he would cast a short
teleportation spell to catch up to Quikantel, yet that was all.

‘I don’t know if it’s the orb, but his overall physical abilities increased. At the level of
a 7-star knight, at the very least. This will be difficult.’

Ambush and execute instantly.

Or at least cut off the hand holding the orb.

After concluding his plans, Jin began to move. Thankfully, Vyuretta didn’t seem to
notice Jin’s movements as he fought against Murakan.

It was only possible because Murakan was putting up a good fight.

‘When I go back, I should ask Kashimir about this. Well, I don’t know if this will work
for Andrei…!’

Once he got past Vyuretta, he increased his speed and sprinted towards Quikantel.
She and Jin were looking at each other, with Andrei’s back towards the young
Runcandel.

He only needed three steps before getting in range to strike.

However, Andrei spun around with a grin, expecting the ambush.

“So you have come, Jin Run—Erk!”

But Jin never actually thought of slashing Andrei from behind. Not even once.

Flash!

Instead of swinging his sword, Jin opened his hand in front of Andrei’s face. A spell
was ready in his left hand.

A spell that everyone thought was gone. An ancient light magic that only one person
in the world mastered not so long ago.
Photon Cannon—Tzenmi’s vision-impairing spell that Jin mastered in the ship, right
before his arrival at Tikan.

‘It worked!’

Instinctively, Andrei used one hand to cover his eyes and bent over. As the magician
staggered backwards, Jin unsheathed his sword and swung.

Slash!

He felt the blade cutting through the flesh at Andrei’s chest. Jin recoiled to stab him,
but the orb’s face charged towards Jin.

However, the black figure seemed to be influenced by Andrei’s vision, as it just

floundered while snapping its jaws at empty air.

Jin lowered his torso and swung his sword in an unnatural stance, aiming to slash
Andrei’s legs.

“Kraaaaaaaagh!”

Slice…!

Andrei—with his ankles cut through—stumbled and fell backwards.

A normal enemy would have been doomed and met their end at that point, but Jin
didn’t have the opportunity to finish him off.

Quikantel was also at her limit. Even with Jin buying her time, she couldn’t lengthen
the distance between her and Andrei. She was hunching over the ground, catching
her breath.

“I applaud your ambush. However, you and your god will become ingredients for the
Demon God’s Orb, Jin Runcandel.”

Even after being blinded by Photon Cannon and having his feet severed, Andrei
spoke normally.

Using the face of the Demon God’s Orb, he protected his body. And just like Vyuretta’s
resurrection, his ankles were being regenerated.
As this all occurred, Vyuretta pushed Murakan away and rapidly stomped towards
Jin. He didn’t defeat Murakan, but he flew through the Windless Domain, unaffected
by the skill’s effect.

[Kid! Above you!]

Crash!

Vyuretta fell to the ground, right where Jin was standing. Jin was able to throw his
body aside to dodge the attack, but evading the subsequent breaths while also
avoiding the orb’s face was impossible.

He felt that he was right at the doorstep of death.

At that moment, Jin put his hand towards his neck and thought of a name.

One belonging to the world’s greatest knight, praised by everyone. The transcendent
White Whale.

His eldest sister—Luna Runcandel.

He clenched his fist, and Orgal’s Pendant shattered. For the past six years, he had
never taken it off.

Crrrack!

Simultaneously, a flash of mana burst out, and a dimensional gate opened.

“It seems you’re in a tough spot, youngest Runcandel.”

And from it, the White Whale emerged.

The axe-sword, Crantel. The sword with a tip forged into the shape of an axe blade. A
weapon born to satisfy Luna’s tastes.

At first glance, one would say that it was a heavy and inefficient weapon—it easily
weighed heavier than three or four men.

But Luna swung the axe-sword as if it were as light as a feather.

Sheeeek! Krrrrt!

The first strike deflected Vyuretta’s breath, splitting it into two and sending them to
the ground. The second struck the face from the Demon God’s Orb, redirecting it
towards Andrei like a ball.

Andrei—who had been confident and relaxed—looked anxious and tense. On the
other hand, Vyuretta didn’t dare to attack again after landing on the ground.

As soon as Luna appeared, the battle scene rapidly changed.

She stepped in front of Jin and looked around, then lightly grinned.

“The Zipfels’ second-in-command and a wind dragon. Yes, it’s worth calling me for
this kind of fight. Jin, are you hurt anywhere?”

The sun shone behind Luna as she turned to face Jin.

Looking into her ocean-deep eyes, Jin was certain.

The fight was already won.

After all, she was the definition of ‘strongest’.

“No, not a scratch.”

“Good. If you got hurt, I’d kill those two then go flip the Zipfel Clan inside out.”

Hearing these words, Jin got goosebumps. Mainly because he felt the love and care
coming from his sister.

Also because ‘flipping the Zipfel clan inside out’ wasn’t impossible for Luna.

“Anyways, I missed you. It was so boring without you back at home. I’m sure you felt
the same?”

“I think so.”

“How cute.”

Arriving next to Jin, Murakan covered him with his wings.

[Damned kid. You have such a great sister. I thought I was gonna die.]

“Lord Murakan, it is our first time meeting, yes? As the eldest daughter of the
Runcandel Clan, I believe that officially introducing myself would be proper.
However, I think that I will be a little busy. Please take care of my youngest brother.”

[Understood. I entrust you with the rest of the job, Luna Runcandel.]

“Sister, please be careful. The Demon God’s Orb artifact resurrected the wind dragon
earlier.”

“Don’t worry, and get out of here. The adult will deal with this, child.”

With Jin on his back and lightly holding Quikantel in his mouth, Murakan began their
retreat. Although it looked laughable, if he didn’t get as far as possible…

He would be struck by Luna’s sword. They would be safe if they’re at least 500
meters away.

[Alright, alright. Now, let’s just spectate. Quikantel, don’t be too embarrassed. It may
just be a replica, but it’s normal for a dragon to be afraid of the Orb of Origin.]

It didn’t take long for them to get far away from the battlefield. During that time,
Andrei and Vyuretta only stared at Luna, at a loss for words.
Luna, on the other hand, looked at the Demon God’s Orb that the grand magician was
holding.

‘What in the world is that? That ominous energy… It feels very similar to that of the
demons I killed in the past… Well, whatever it is, there’s nothing I can’t cut through.’

Thinking this, Luna slowly pointed her axe-sword at Andrei.

“Are you just going to look at me like that, Andrei Zipfel? To think that a legendary
figure like you would have business with my brother. I would like an explanation.”

Andrei’s eyes narrowed.

“…Heh, this is an unexpected variable. O White Whale, the Runcandel Clan has
broken its oath. Your brother used magic.”

“Indeed, he broke the oath. But that news won’t get to your clan. Oh, if you want, I
can go tell Kelliark Zipfel myself. I think it’d be great if I also tell him about your visit
to the banquet and fleeing from my father.

Andrei gritted his teeth.

‘Luna Runcandel… How dare you, you worthless bitch.’

But he couldn’t reveal his anger.

‘That bitch is just food for the Demon God’s Orb. After all, she’s just a mere human.
As long as she’s not a demigod like her father, she can’t handle its power.’

Andrei firmly believed in the power of the orb and that the Runcandel bitch had no
intel or feel for it.

‘If I cast normal spells like before, it would be a difficult battle. But with the orb,
there’s no way I would lose. Nothing changed.’

Thinking this, Andrei’s eyes found calm.

“Well, alright. I knew that I would have to fight against you like this one day. Today,
we will find out if you truly are worthy of the grand name ‘White Whale’.”
“Among all of the Zipfels, you have the talent of making a boring speech even more
boring. Just as boring as you!”

Shaaang!

With a single step off the ground, Luna arrived right in front of Andrei like a bullet.

The grand magician was instantly within the axe-sword’s massive strike zone.

“And weirdly enough, amongst the Zipfels…”

Crackle!

Andrei barely blocked Luna’s attack with the orb’s face. Vyuretta charged at her, but
in an instant, she was standing next to him instead.

“…no one knows about me that well.”

Slash!

The edge of Vyuretta’s wing was cut off. Although it was a small injury, the wind
dragon was startled by his inability to react to her attack.

‘What kind of speed is this…?!’

To Vyuretta and Andrei, Luna moved at the speed of light. Following her movements
with the naked eye was impossible, and it was the ultimate speed. They could only
react to her actions by predicting her next move.

“Will the dragon not fight me in his original form? There’s nothing good about
having a big body right now.”

Surprisingly, after hearing the human’s mocking advice, Vyuretta transformed into a
human. As Luna said, one wrong move, and he would be cut into dozens of pieces.

The Zipfel Clan didn’t necessarily have zero information on Luna.

Being the strongest after Cyron, the Zipfels endlessly scraped information about her.
However, the intelligence agents who got too close often got killed. And every single
Zipfel who fought against her died, not even leaving out a single one.
Additionally, to the Zipfel Clan, Luna was a mystery. They only heard about the
rumours of her strength, yet no one told the tale about the whole truth—only
settling with a vague conclusion.

That she transcended human limits.

‘Are you saying that a non-contractor could possess this much power? A human
other than Cyron?’

For a moment, Andrei was delusional. He had mistaken that Luna was a ‘consumable
contractor’ for the Demon God’s Orb.

However, the orb didn’t react to her. Therefore, Luna was a normal human.

‘As soon as I return to the clan, I must completely revise the plans against the
Runcandels. If we let them grow in power, the Zipfels will be the first to fall.’

Andrei could only be worried about the future of his clan.

‘Meeting Luna today is an opportunity given by god. If I don’t kill her now, the next
chance is when the orb is complete…!’

As Andrei thought about his plans, his thoughts on ‘Luna Runcandel’ rapidly
changed.

Orb in hand, faced with a person that he could never think of fighting against without
it, and in a no-man’s island with no witnesses.

What were the chances of facing Luna Runcandel in the first place?

There would never be a second chance.

“Vyuretta!”

Vyuretta nodded as he heard Andrei’s urgent cry. Because they have coordinated
their attacks for a long time, the two could communicate their next move even
without speech.

Whoooooooosh!
Wind began to compress on Vyuretta’s palm, its form loosely resembling a spear.

And even in his human form, the black blotch on Vyuretta’s neck was flickering. The
power that he received from the orb during his resurrection was still being used.

“I show my utmost respect. I would have never thought I’d use this power against a
human.”

“You must’ve lived a long time. It seems you have fought against many humans.”

Luna was pretty relaxed.

However, as soon as Vyuretta began to conjure power from the power he inherited
from the orb, Luna knew that the dragon’s movements changed.

‘This isn’t magic. It’s closer to some god-given power. I can see why the aura I felt
was similar to the demons’. And this dragon started to use all its power to… ’

It was to buy time for Andrei, who could extract more power from the orb.

With all of it thought out, Luna scoffed.

‘A 9-star old grand magician and a wind dragon. Do they really believe some measly
artifact could save their life?’

Baffled, no words came out of her mouth.

She realized why the Zipfels couldn’t overtake the Runcandel Clan after so long. They
had such a pathetic human as their second-in-command.

This thought baffled Luna, silencing her. Then, a thought sparked in her mind.

‘There’s no way this guy is the Zipfels’ second-in-command. The real one must be a
figure who isn’t well known.’

Watching from far away, Jin thought the same thing.

‘It’s so weird. Elder Sister Luna is very strong, but is that really the strength of a 9-
star magician?’
It definitely looked as if the man lacked the mana to cast other regular spells while
operating the orb. The initial Mana Expansion would’ve consumed a lot of mana
already.

Even considering that, Jin really didn’t expect Luna to dominate the battle.

‘Either he’s a fake Andrei, information about Andrei has been exaggerated, or the
real second-in-command is a different member of the Zipfel Clan and Andrei is just
the figurehead. It’s one of these three.’

While the Runcandel siblings determined these facts and possibilities, Vyruetta’s
wind spear grew massive.

Wind, aura, mana, and the Demon God’s Orb’s energy. All four powers seeped into
the spear.

“Do you really think that you will win with one strike using that big and slow
weapon of yours, Wind Dragon Vyuretta?”

Just as Luna said, the spear continuously grew and reached a point where it no
longer resembled a spear.

Without hesitation, Vyuretta began to swing and thrust the weapon, and Luna felt a
little sorry.

‘How could a dragon become so corrupt?’

After dodging two attacks, Luna stopped in place.

“I’ll show you, then. I will take it head-on. I didn’t want to stall anyways.”

Fwooooosh!

Crantel let out a brilliant glow; the blade’s endless light shone in all directions.
Resembling the light emitted by the sun, its aura looked more sacred than
dangerous.

The Runcandels’ third decisive killing move, ‘Meteor Shower’.

The blade was slammed to the ground. And, true to the technique’s name, the clouds
split open as meteors began to fall.

Right where Luna’s arrogant opponents stood.

‘That’s…!’

Jin’s eyes filled with awe as he looked up to the sky.

He had heard his brothers discuss the clan’s different decisive killing moves multiple
times in his past life.

Seeing the sky open up and an aura plummet to the ground, he was able to deduce
that it was the clan’s third decisive killing move, ‘Meteor Shower’. But it was the first
time he actually witnessed it.

As well as his first time seeing one of his clan’s secret techniques.

‘It’s surprisingly beautiful… ’

And strong.

Countless balls of energy fell like shooting stars. As each streak of light hit the
ground, Jin could feel the impact throughout his body.

He felt like he was looking at the absolute limit of human ability.

He clenched his fist and focused on observing, not wanting to miss a single moment.
He wanted to remember this scene and someday recreate it himself.

Recreate the same domineering power.

Quikantel mindlessly stared at the hundreds of aura stars falling from the sky. The
only calm person was Murakan.

[Decisive killing move, Meteor Shower. It’s been a thousand years. It’s still lacking
compared to Temar’s, but your sister is still a monster.]
BOOM! KABOOM!

Every time a meteor smashed the ground, the entire island wailed.

The land became disfigured, rocks shattered, and dirt crumbled into smaller
particles. Meteors thrashed the ground, powerful enough to disintegrate everything
that makes contact into nothing.

Among the explosions, a helpless human and dragon looked pitiful as they searched
for shelter.

They realized that they couldn’t survive relying on some incomplete artifact—
ultimately filling their hearts with hopelessness and misery.

‘No…! This can’t be!’

Andrei muttered words like a prayer as he gripped the Demon God’s Orb. Vyuretta
returned to his dragon form and leapt to protect him.

‘We can win if I keep Andrei safe. If I protect Andrei…!’

Even if his body was torn into millions of pieces, as long as one broken bone or
chunk of flesh remained, Vyuretta could be resurrected with the power of the orb. It
was because of this that he never feared death.

However, Luna’s strength was still horrific.

It didn’t matter if he got revived and resurrected. He was guaranteed to die again
anyway. Maybe, even with a complete Demon God’s Orb, it would be impossible to
defeat the human before him.

On the other hand, Luna overflowed with majestic might as she lowered her axe-
sword.

She didn’t even look at the meteor shower ripping Vyuretta apart, preoccupied by
her dissatisfaction with the results.

She disintegrated the island and slaughtered the Zipfel grand magician as well as his
dragon. And yet, she was not satisfied.
‘Not even close to Father’s.’

Cyron’s Meteor Shower, which she had witnessed only once in the past, was much
stronger.

It was difficult to explain, but it transcended… it wouldn’t even be considered as

something that was done by a human.

She had to do something that would absolutely dominate the battlefield. Only then
could she consider comparing herself with her father.

‘Still, this is a good experience for the youngest. Hopefully, it gives him some
inspiration. If I’m not worthy of being Father’s successor… it definitely has to be you,
our youngest brother.’

With that thought, she looked behind her.

She wanted to send a message to her sibling who was watching the incomplete yet
amazing technique. That he should grow and become much stronger in order to
become the next patriarch of the Runcandel Clan.

And Jin felt his sister’s sentiment. Even though she didn’t voice it out, or even if she
said it and Jin couldn’t hear it… Even though Jin could barely see her from far away,
he knew what she wanted to tell him.

‘She is always teaching me something.’

She lit a fire in his heart.

Compared to any other moments, he had never felt more passionate about
swordsmanship. The thought of surpassing his eldest sister and their father to
succeed the throne suffocated him.

He would never forget this moment.

At the end of the meteor shower, a massive crater was left behind in the middle of
the island, filling up with water. And, as if a submarine volcano erupted, a tsunami
grew from the filled crater. Additionally, Vyuretta and Andrei were nowhere to be
seen.
They surrendered their life to the body of water—for within the tsunami, parts of
Vyuretta’s corpse were visible.

The sky above was clear; every single bit of cloud had been dispersed by the meteors
that pierced through them.

Luna lightly shook her head as she stood underneath the shining sun and in front of
the growing tsunami.

“This is a little disappointing. In front of my brother… It’s annoying if you hold on for
too long.”

Luna pointed Crantel at the tsunami.

Simultaneously, something inside the massive wall of water slowly revealed itself.

A black, massive, monstrous face.

It resembled the entity from the Demon God’s Orb. However, it soon emerged out of
the water with a full body. Its arms and legs broke out of the water’s surface first,
then its torso followed.

Andrei had fused with the orb.

“That crazy… What is that? Is that the result of unleashing the artifiact’s powers?”

Orb of Origin, Demon God’s Orb—whatever it was, Jin knew it wasn’t normal.
Moreover, the power was too horrific to simply be from an ‘artifact’.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it in my past life. It’s as if a powerful god has
descended.’

There was no word to describe the terrifying creature other than ‘god’.

Quikantel’s tail curled up, unable to resist the terror in front of her.

Although it was a replica, the Demon God’s Orb still contained the power of the gods,
which automatically drew the fear out of dragons.

[Whew, I’m certain now. Kid, the Zipfels used a contractor to recreate the Orb of
Origin. Thankfully, it’s not very strong right now. Just a little evil… I’ll tell you the rest
later. First, we have to get outta here.]

“We have to escape?”

Andrei’s Windless Domain was long gone. Murakan opened his wings and began to
rise, and Jin instinctively shouted.

“We have to get Elder Sister Luna! We can’t let her fight that thing alone!”

[No, that thing needs to be killed. If we let it live, then it will torment the world. The
Orb of Origin is like that. And the only person who can end that thing is your sister.]

“But…”

[Even though I lost my strength, my eyes are still sharp. Your sister can definitely
take it head-on. If it were the real Orb of Origin, even Temar wouldn’t be able to stop
it.]

As if she were listening in on their conversation, Luna looked up towards Jin and
Murakan. She waved her hand in the air as she shouted.

“Don’t worry about me, and go somewhere safe!”

Jin still felt uneasy and thought it wasn’t right for him to just escape.

Yet, he instinctively knew. As Murakan said, ‘that’ needed to be exterminated.

However, he was extremely upset and disappointed that he could only watch from
the sidelines instead of help.

‘After today, there will never be a day where I’m powerless…!’

Jin gritted his teeth.

Murakan grinned, for he was proud of Jin’s hunger for improvement.

‘Friggin’ kid. I knew you had no fear. Looking at that thing and still emitting your
battle aura… Looks like you really want to kill it yourself.’
A strong energy, enough to sting Murakan’s plated back; it was undoubtedly Jin’s.

An unbelievably prominent battle aura from a fifteen-year-old who just became a 5-

star.

‘You will become the best, Jin Runcandel, the contractor of a thousand years.’

Murakan didn’t feel great about escaping as well. However, he was looking forward
to Jin’s future and potential.

[C’mon, don’t be too down, and watch your sister. Watch the anomaly called the
Runcandels. Today, Luna Runcandel will save the world!]

When she thought they got far enough from the island, Luna wrapped Crantel with
aura. At the same time, Andrei stepped away from the massive water wall and looked
down on her.

“Andrei Zipfel. Hmm… Your face is too disfigured for me to tell, but you’re definitely
making a confident expression. Since you became a monster with that artifact, you
must think you could defeat me now.”

Grrrrr, grrrrrrrrk, grrrrrrrk!

The monster let out a triumphant laugh that sounded similar to someone violently
clearing their throat. As she said, Andrei was no longer afraid of Luna.

“The power of the Twelve Gods are currently inside me, Luna Runcandel! And what do
you have? Even if your father was here, you wouldn’t be able to defeat me!”

“Ah, the Twelve Gods. Unfortunately, I only have this one sword right now.”

She responded with a calm face.

“Show me all you’ve got. I will gladly receive it!”

A belittling smirk then grew on Luna’s face.

“As expected, you’re still delusional. If you fought me using the magic you had trained
for years, you could’ve seen half of my true skill at most.”
Andrei tried to respond, but held back after seeing that Crantel was dyed in red.

‘Crimson aura?’

Andrei tilted his head in confusion. He had fought hundreds of knights, but he had
never seen any of them use a crimson aura.

“On that note, although you never deserved it…”

Crantel was set ablaze.

“In order to fix your foolishness… I shall show you what true swordsmanship is. And
naturally, you will see the flaws in your ways.”

‘You allegedly caged the entities you proclaim as ‘gods’ inside that pathetic little
rock, and you think that nothing can stand in your way just because you have it in
your possession. Delusional. The man I’ve seen my entire life—who is deemed a
‘demigod’—is dominating the world. Or are you saying that your gods are stronger
than him?’

‘Mind’s Blade: Blood Moon.’

Luna whispered, a brilliant red light emitting from Crantel.

A light that swallowed the island and sky. Andrei didn’t feel an ounce of danger, for
he trusted the orb too much.

“Come! With your powerless attack!”

Luna swung her sword, and a massive red wave of energy traveled quickly across the
island. The ground soon began to rumble, and in an instant, the ground split, forming
fissures.

The slash of red light passed through the entirety of the island.

And Luna, thinking there was nothing to check, lowered her sword and turned.

“I’ll…”

‘I’ll show you.’

He couldn’t finish his sentence. And that became his last will.

Pzzzzzt!

Crack!

The orb hidden in Andrei’s chest pocket shattered. The space around him cracked
like glass, and the orb’s dark energy was sucked into its crevices.

On the pathetic excuse of an island, even the biggest of boulders were being
vacuumed into the void.

The moment Luna—who was kneeling on one knee due to exhaustion—was about to
reach its edge…

Whooooosh!

Murakan descended at full speed, and Jin extended his hand towards her. She barely
caught his hand, and she flashed a smile.

“It looks like our youngest has saved me this time.”

The island where they fought completely disappeared after the destructive onslaught
from Meteor Shower, Mind’s Blade: Blood Moon, and the explosion from the
shattering of the Demon God’s Orb. It was enough destructive power to completely
annihilate the island from existence.

The Vermont Empire realized this case and dispatched an investigation team. In the
nearby seas, the naval security witnessed the great explosions and alerted the
mainland.

The dispatched investigation team were the Imperial Magicians and Vermont Special
Forces 3rd Division.

They could only be shocked at the devastated scenery.

The obliterated island was one thing, but the eerie mana continued to whirlpool into
nothingness. It was the main reason as to why they couldn’t approach the remnants
of the island.

‘What the hell happened here?’

And the Special Forces soldiers who were tracking down Quikantel and Enya felt
their hearts sink.

They knew that the destruction before them was definitely related to the
whereabouts of the contractor and her dragon.

An Imperial Magician—who was watching the scene—approached the Special

Forces.

“Division Leader Wratch, it seems that Silver Dragon Quikantel had a battle here. The
silver dragon’s mana… and the wind dragon’s mana can be detected here.”

“The wind dragon… Are you sure?”

“Yes. I think it’s the Zipfels’ Vyuretta. He was the only wind dragon who came near
this area. And I can detect a human’s mana… but I can’t determine whose it is.”

Wratch placed his hand on his forehead.

Why did they fight? No answers immediately came to mind.

‘The human’s mana is highly likely to be from Olta’s contractor, Enya. Maybe it’s
related to the “thing” that the Zipfels are making? Shit, I should have kept more eyes
on the log cabin…!’

The ‘thing’ he referred to was the Demon God’s Orb.

Currently, there weren’t many in the Vermont Empire who knew about the orb. The
only ones who knew of its existence were the emperor, the Special Forces Division
Leaders, and some imperial ministers.

However, none of them exactly knew its abilities and functions, nor did they know
the item’s name.

They only had knowledge of the Zipfels making an artifact involving the ‘contractors
of gods’.

“Division Leader! The navy discovered parts of a dragon’s corpse on the opposite
side of the island.”

The discovered pieces of flesh and scales were stuck to some remnants of dead trees
floating in the ocean.

“…They’re certainly from the silver dragon’s wing and the wind dragon’s tail.”

The imperial magician verified after looking at the remains.

“Gather all of the remains in the ocean. Make sure you don’t let it fall into that void!”

In the following hours, the investigation team was able to recover many pieces of
flesh, bones, and scales.

The imperial magicians concluded that both dragons died from the battle, and
reporting such news to the emperor was Wratch’s job.
“Indeed, just like you said, this may be related to the artifact that they are making.
Does that mean you didn’t identify what caused the whirlpool that superseded the
island?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“There seems to be many uncertainties within your reports. And you didn’t even
identify Quikantel’s guests.”

“My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Well, you probably didn’t do it on purpose. If you are not able to find them, then
they must be extraordinary people. Still, I believe that you can track them in the end.”

Wratch lowered his head.

“Anyway… In our perspective, we should be praying that both dragons are dead. Else,
they’d see it as a threat. First, let’s wait for the Zipfel Clan’s official declaration.”

“What shall we tell our press?”

“Tell them to cover it up for now. If Enya isn’t found until tonight, then declare her as
missing. Quikantel probably just died with her. The nobles at the academy would be
delighted.”

After Wratch left, the emperor sat alone in the office and thought to himself.

‘I should dispatch more of the Special Forces near the Zipfel Clan. Too many things
happened while I wasn’t paying attention.’

***

At the topmost floor of the Zipfel Clan’s Tower of Magicians, a man looking into a
crystal ball spoke.

“Andrei… is dead.”

The man was Kelliark Zipfel, the Zipfel Clan’s current patriarch.

Although Andrei was his younger brother, finding out that the second-in-command
had died didn’t really affect him.

Unlike the world’s perception of his appearance, he had the face of a young adult.
Anyone who didn’t know what Kelliark looked like back in his youth wouldn’t be able
to immediately identify him on the streets.

[What? Your brother died? What do you mean? That crystal ball… You can’t see
anything inside it. It’s just for decoration. Is that supposed to be another unfunny
joke, Kelliark?]

The only being who could talk to Kelliark Zipfel this comfortably was Fire Dragon
Kadun—one of the God of Flames Sheenu’s dragons and Kelliark’s guardian dragon.
He was slowly cooking a meat skewer using the breath coming out of his snout.

“No, not through the crystal, you idiot. I can feel it. My younger brother just died. I’m
not kidding.”

Kadun stopped turning his skewer.

[Hm… so you say it’s true. Maybe he lost to Quikantel? Didn’t he take the Demon
God’s Orb with him? He also had Vyuretta. Ah, since Andrei died, then did Vyuretta
perish as well? Either way, Quikantel should have been an easy opponent if he had
the orb’s power by his side.]

“No idea. Perhaps the silver dragon was stronger than we thought, or a third party
helped them.”

[Quikantel? That bitch is strong, but not enough to fight both of them. She’s definitely
not enough against the orb!]

Chomp!

Kadun chewed off a bite of the skewer. Kelliark looked at him and gently grinned.

“If that’s so, then it means that there was a third party. Who do you think it is?”

[How the fuck would I know? Dumbass.]

Kelliark frowned at the dragon’s words.

[…It’s probably a dragon! Last time, didn’t Kinzelo say that ‘a dragon controlling the
shadows’ killed the cemetery giants? Then it could be Misha. Very likely.]

“By Misha do you mean Black Dragon Murakan’s sister?”

[Yeah, her. That bitch wouldn’t feel fear from the orb’s power. She may not be as
strong as Murakan in his prime, but she’s still super strong.]

“Your duty has been determined, Kadun.”

[To go find Misha? I guess I do all the dirty work. I’ll try to find her, but don’t expect
anything from me. If a black dragon tries their best to hide, even the God of
Searching wouldn’t be able to find them.]

“I’ll just trust you, Kadun. Either way, losing the orb is kind of a pain in the ass.”

[Do you even give a single fuck that your brother just died?]

“Well, I knew that dumbass would die at some point. A while back, he just waltzed
into Cyron’s banquet without an ounce of fear, and I was pretty worked up. I didn’t
think he’d take the orb with him to the grave, though.”

[We gotta call the Fragmentor to make it again. Without that, we can’t go for the
Runcandels before Cyron dies. And the kings of the Black Sea…]

“I know. I know already. Man, this is all a mess. Just in case, I should go get rid of all
evidence of the orb. I got more dirty work than you, Kadun.”

[You should be doing that much. In order to become the God of the World, that is.]

***

In Bouvard Gaston’s Fragmented Workshop located in the Curano Dukedom,

Vishukel sat down as he suppressed his hateful wrath and emotion.

“Ah, welcome, Sir Vishukel! Good timing. I was craving those sweet potato croquettes
of yours. Hehe… No croquettes today…?”

“Listen closely, Bouvard. I came after hearing from the traitors of the Vermont
Imperial Family. It seems that the Zipfel Clan used the Demon God’s Orb behind our
backs.”

“What? They did?”

“Yes. In the Vermont Empire’s ocean territory, a silver dragon and wind dragon had a
big battle, and an island got annihilated. And because of the remaining mana, there’s
a whirlpool in the middle of the ocean that wouldn’t disappear… It’s definitely
caused by the orb’s destruction.”

Hearing this, Bouvard jumped up from his seat and shouted.

“Urrrrggghhh! That orb was my creation! I’m sure I warned them not to use it in its
incomplete state! I’ll never forgive them if it’s true!”

As Bouvard threw a tantrum, Vishukel grimaced.

‘The day to kill this dumbass hog strays further. He has to remake the orb.’

The Zipfels came up with the initial idea, but Bouvard took care of the orb’s creation.

Thus, the orb’s ownership was equally shared between the Zipfel Clan and Kinzelo
group.

“Even our leader is furious. Since our alliance with the Zipfels could shatter at any
moment, don’t communicate with them for the time being.”

***

Two days later.

“Young Master Jin, welcome back!”

Jin and his companions arrived at Kashimir’s mansion in Tikan. Kashimir and the
agents of the Seven-Colored Peacock came out to the courtyard to greet them. And
Gilly—who was awaiting their arrival—frantically ran to them.

“Young Master! Are you alright?”

“Strawberry Pie. Haha, I’m okay.”

Gilly had heard about Enya’s plight, and never slept one bit as she worried about Jin.
She turned her head towards Luna, and immediately bowed.

“It’s alright, Gilly. I heard on the way here, but the youngest seems to love you a lot.
Please continue to take care of him.”

“Luna…? Wait… The White Whale, Lady Luna Runcandel?”

“Ah, you must be Sir Kashimir. Greetings. I am Luna Runcandel.”

“I can’t believe that Lady Luna would come to my residence. It is my honor to serve
you. Please, come in. You have all done well.”

As they entered the mansion, Kashimir spoke before Jin could open his mouth.

“Young Master Jin, I must tell you something first. Earlier today, about three hours
ago, my daughter’s guardian dragon returned.”

Jin’s eyes widened.

“Lathry returned?”

“Yes, but there’s something weird. It seems like Lathry has a gap in their memory for
the time they went missing. For now, Lathry is beside my daughter, but it seems like
they couldn’t understand the situation themself. Maybe it wasn’t a kidnapping?”

“It definitely was. Quikantel got a confession directly from Vyuretta.”

A thought suddenly came to Jin.

‘Maybe the Zipfels are concerned about other clans discovering the existence of the
orb, so they’re getting rid of all evidence regarding the situation. Then, it’s likely that
they would purposefully erase Lathry’s memories to protect its secrecy.’

With this in mind, Jin explained the events at the island, and Kashimir nodded as he
listened.

“Those are some extreme situations… I feel bad that I forced you into such
circumstances while I powerlessly remained in Tikan. An artifact that swallows
contractors whole… What the hell is happening in the Zipfel Clan…?”
“There’s only one reason to make a replica of the Orb of Origin, twerp.”

Murakan opened his mouth. Jin, Quikantel, and Luna nodded.

On the way to Tikan, they had heard more about the Orb of Origin.

“They’re trying to become a god in order to rule the world… Well, I don’t know if
things will go how they want it to, though.”
It hasn’t even been a month since he became a provisional flag-bearer and left the
Garden of Swords, yet Jin has already destroyed the Akin Kingdom’s underground
organization, settled in the Free City of Tikan, and killed the Zipfel Clan’s second-in-
command along with his guardian dragon, Vyuretta.

The last battle may have been concluded by Luna, but if it wasn’t for Jin, Andrei and
Vyuretta would’ve never come to the island in the first place.

No provisional flag-bearer in Runcandel history had this many achievements in such

a short amount of time.

However, there was a problem.

“I worked my ass off and did a lot of stuff, but not anything to instantly prove myself
worthy of becoming a provisional flag-bearer.”

Murakan sighed at the young Runcandel and spoke.

“Well, when this is all over, I can say that I caused all the ruckus, so there’s nothing to
be worried about. Either way, it’s better to not become a public figure right now.”

A provisional flag-bearer’s fame was stocked up on a ‘fake name’ that the clan
determined beforehand.

And once it was known that the provisional flag-bearer had gathered enough fame,
the clan would contact the candidate to inform them of their worthiness to the
throne.

Therefore, Jin’s fame needs to naturally travel into the ears of the Runcandel Clan in
order to be considered a strong candidate.

However, he could not do this. Until now, everything he did wasn’t resolved with only
the use of his sword.
‘Since I dealt with stuff using magic, I definitely can’t tell anyone in the clan.’

He would only be able to tell them once he had accumulated enough power and
authority—to a point where there would be no problem when his siblings find out
about a ‘magic-using Runcandel’.

Until then, Jin planned to remain as a ‘rumour’ to the world.

Simply put, a rumour of a human who could resist the Zipfels and other powerful
entities. One who could wield the sword and use magic, and also has unknown
individual powers.

Furthermore, a rumour that he is Solderet’s contractor.

‘Until then, the people who know of my ability to use magic must be limited to my
companions, Elder Sister Luna, and Father.’

Luna knew Jin’s inner thoughts. Even before she heard Andrei say that Jin ‘broke the
oath’, she knew that her brother was a magic-user. Being the one to visit the Storm
Castle and detect Murakan’s presence, it was obvious that she knew.

And Jin was certain that she knew about Murakan. He had no doubt that Cyron was
also aware of her knowing about the black dragon.

“Our dear youngest brother, using magic even though he’s a Runcandel. A free-flying
teenager, I see. He’s gonna cut you in half, hehe.”

Luna walked towards Jin and spoke in a playful tone.

“I’m also worried about the Young Master’s magic, Lady Luna. If the patriarch hears
about this, he won’t sit still.”

“No, Gilly. Father probably already knows. The destruction of the Tesing Clan and
Andrei Zipfel’s death… He probably already assumed that it was all done by me.”

Luna nodded at her brother’s conviction.

“You’re pretty confident while saying that. You got something planned?”

“Yes, Elder Sister. I’m planning to go see Father with you tomorrow.”
“Oh, sure. We can go see Fa… What?”

Luna stared at Jin in disbelief.

“Everyone knows that you’re impulsive, but wouldn’t it be better to stay put when
Father is turning a blind eye to you? What are you going to do when you meet him?”

“I’m going to warn him that the Zipfels are executing multiple plans to strike at the
Runcandels.”

The life in Gilly’s face drained, and Murakan was a little surprised.

“Hmm, the story about the orb? Wouldn’t it be better if I told him about it? A
provisional flag-bearer returning to the clan without permission is basically ruining
your chances to the throne.”

As Luna said, a provisional flag-bearer could not enter the Garden of Swords without
permission. It was equivalent to a ‘forfeit’.

“No, if you were the one to tell him, you would also have to mention that I summoned
you to the island. It’s better if I confront him myself. And with the story as the base, I
plan to strike a deal with Father.”

Gilly spat out the water that she was drinking, shocked at the younger Runcandel’s
declaration.

“Y-Young Master, you’re joking, right?”

“On top of returning to your clan, you’re going to make a deal with your dad? Hah,
what in the world… I would’ve never thought of that. Not even through my entire
lifetime.”

The very idea of striking a bargain with Cyron Runcandel doused the group in
awkward silence.

Was that even possible? Even Luna was concerned that her brother might have hurt
his head during the battle.

“What do you plan on bargaining for from Father?”

“There are too many, so I’m planning to choose one or two while on the way there.”

“…I can see how tiresome it is for Gilly to deal with you. Losing your chances of being
a flag-bearer is not the problem. One wrong move and you’ll die. What should we do,
Gilly? Stopping him will be futile, so is beating some sense into him the right
answer?”

“If the situation doesn’t go well, you can just calm him down.”

Luna ultimately didn’t beat Jin, but Gilly could only sigh at the sight of her young
master’s impulses.

“Don’t worry, Gilly. If I block with my body, then Father will not be so harsh.”

“Lady Luna… In that case, I shall follow you, Young Master.”

“Awww, not you too. I’m tired.”

Contrary to her words, Luna thought it was nice of Gilly to volunteer.

‘I’m sure she’s scared, but is she declaring that if she were to die, she will die with
Jin? The youngest is very lucky to have such a protective guardian.’

She was a little heartbroken. After all, Luna knew the backstory of how ‘Gilly
McRolan’ became ‘Nanny Gilly’.

‘If she hadn’t become Jin’s guardian, then she would’ve become the McRolan’s next
generation’s strongest sword. A destiny very similar to that of Jin.’

Murakan cleared his throat, attracting everyone’s attention.

“Eldest daughter of Runcandel. I shall go together with Strawberry Pie.”

“The great black dragon should remain here. Even if you go, wouldn’t you have to
stay as a cat the entire time?”

“I understand…”

Disappointed, Murakan turned into a cat and lowered his tail. However, no one really
turned to look at him, so Murakan sauntered over to an adjacent room, where Euria
and Enya were playing.

At least there, he was the center of attention.

“Alright, then. Tomorrow, we’ll depart for the first transfer gate. It hasn’t even been a
month, but it feels like it’s been a long time.”

The day passed, and right before their departure to the Garden of Swords, Jin visited
Kashimir’s office.

“Young Master Jin.”

“Sir Kashimir, I came for some favours.”

“Favours? No need. You and I now share the same fate, so all of my powers and
acquisitions are yours as well.”

Jin knew that Kashimir was the Fallen Prince of Vermont and that his daughter was
Az Mil’s contractor.

Kashimir knew that Jin was a Runcandel provisional flag-bearer who was a talented
magic user and got along well with dragons.

Essentially, they both had information that enabled them to hold each other by the
throat. Which is why they shared the same fate.

On top of that, Kashimir felt indebted to Jin. Although he didn’t directly bring back
Lathry, ultimately, it was Jin who saved his daughter.

“If I never met you, I would be watching my daughter suffer and die without
knowing. I would never be able to repay this debt even until my final days.”

Kashimir’s eyes were glistening.

‘He’s very sensitive and delicate—even more so than I expected. I mean, in my past
life, I heard that the Free City of Tikan was established during the era of Holy Kings.
A very romantic and emotional time period.’

While Jin looked for an answer, Kashimir hurriedly wiped his eyes with a
handkerchief.
“My apologies… Haha, the mood would’ve been ruined. Anyways, what do you want
me to prepare? Tell me anything you need.”

“Please tell the Seven-Colored Peacock to research and investigate these things.”

He pulled out a piece of paper from his chest pocket and lent it to Kashimir.

Written on the paper was a list of the Zipfels’ wrongdoings that Jin witnessed. The
creation of living golems at the Kollon Ruins, and his experiences fighting against the
Demon God’s Orb.

Including everything regarding the Cemetery Giants in the Curano Dukedom, which
Murakan confessed on discovering as he explained the Orb of Origin yesterday.

Kashimir’s eyes shook after reading through the paper.

“Creation of living golems… If the world finds out, everyone’s respect for the Zipfel
Clan would plummet. As for the Demon God’s Orb… Since nobody knows of the Orb
of Origin, I will not approach this problem.”

“Alright. However, this is information that shouldn’t be exposed to the public. If

anything happens, the Zipfels will conceal their illicit actions even further.”

“I agree. I will order investigations to the most trustworthy agents. On the contrary,
may I ask why you want the real name of this gangster named ‘Spiderhand Alu’ and
information regarding Vishukel Yvliano?”

Kashimir simply asked about the purpose of the investigation in order to confirm
whether Jin also thought of Kashimir as a companion.

Jin answered him without hesitation.

“We caused the destruction of the Tesing Clan and found out back then that Alu had
ties with a Runcandel. As for Vishukel… Recently, there were some weird things that
happened at the banquet. However, I’m not certain of anything, so it’s hard to
answer.”

“I understand. Although I can resolve the Alu and Vishukel cases very quickly, I don’t
know how long the other cases will take.”
“It’s alright. Investigating the Zipfel Clan is not an easy task.”

The two met eyes, and Jin extended his arm for a handshake.

“I look forward to our partnership, Sir Kashimir.”

“I as well, Young Master Jin. I will prepare some high quality wine in the belief that
you will return in one piece from the Garden of Swords. There are many things I
would like to discuss with you. The Free City of Tikan will soon become a country,
and you will become its closest friend.”

Kashimir met Jin’s hand.

Within the hour, Jin left Kashimir’s residence and prepared to board a carriage with
Luna and Gilly to leave for the transfer gate.
Early in the morning, the Huphester Alliance’s transfer gate lacked people.

Yet, as soon as Jin, Luna, and Gilly arrived, they attracted the attention of the few
people who were there.

Mainly because of Luna.

Jin’s face had not been widely known yet. But when it came to Luna, people would
notice her anywhere she went. And being the Runcandel Clan’s military ally, the
people of the Huphester Alliance especially paid more attention to her.

However, nobody spoke to her nor mentioned her name. Instead, that night, there
would be bustling talk about her visit to the city.

“This is why I don’t like moving around. I usually enjoy a small rural area where
nobody knows me. How could you say that the outdoors are more comfortable?”

While Luna complained, Jin pulled down his hood to partially cover his face.

The transfer gate’s security ran towards them.

““All hail!””

“I am honored to escort the first flag-bearer of Runcandel!”

“Since we’re going to the Garden of Swords, please call a carriage for us.”

Luna received the salutes and responded.

““Yes, ma’am!””

The security officers ran off. Although they were not directly affiliated with the
Garden of Swords, they received financial compensation from the Runcandels for
their work. It was the same for all knights in the Huphester Alliance.

After ten minutes, a steel carriage belonging to the Runcandel Clan arrived at the VIP
waiting hall.

The person who brought the vehicle was the clan’s second butler, Petro.
Conveniently, he had come to the transfer gate to deliver some important documents.

“Lady Luna! The main house was petrified because of your sudden disappearance.
Where have you been?… Huh? And Young Master Jin…? Gilly?! Why are you with the
eldest daughter?”

Petro’s eyes widened.

To his knowledge, these three people shouldn’t be together. A provisional flag-bearer

acting with the first flag-bearer was unacceptable.

“…It seems there is some backstory to this nonsense. Well, let’s go, Lady. There are
too many eyes here. You guys go to the main house first and tell them the news.”

Petro looked around and told the guardian knights to go ahead. He was worried that
there would be rumors of Luna being together with Jin.

Clop, clop.

The carriage began to move, and Petro still couldn’t suppress his discomfort.

‘What the hell is going on? At this rate, if Young Master Jin arrives at the house… ’

Then the Garden of Swords would definitely turn upside down.

Luna’s sudden disappearance was dismissable because it often happened.

But a provisional flag-bearer returning without permission when it hadn’t even been
a month since they left?

At that point, if blood dropped from the sky, nobody would be surprised.

“Uh, Lady Luna, Young Master Jin! It may seem a little tactless, but I have something
to ask.”
“You’re already making it awkward, so shut up. I’m also very concerned.”

“Understood…”

Unaware of the embarrassment burning Petro from the inside, the carriage and its
passengers departed for the Garden of Swords.

‘We came here, but what should we do if Father gets furious? Do I have to pray that
Gilly takes Jin and escapes while I block Father’s attacks?’

There were too many stationed guardian knights to do that. Even without them,
running away from the other Runcandel children was impossible for Gilly alone.
Additionally, the nanny’s power was currently being suppressed.

As they got closer to the Garden of Swords, Luna got more and more uncomfortable.

‘Whatever. Whatever happens, happens. There’s no way Father will try to kill him,
right? I mean… No, he definitely has the drive to do so.’

Luna gave up on thinking through the situation and stared at Jin.

‘Even I’m sweating from anxiety, but this kid is annoyingly straight-faced.’

In fact, Jin was leaning on a window, lost in thought. Of the things he planned to
request from Cyron, he was deciding which would be more strategically
advantageous for him.

“Youngest Brother.”

“Yes, Eldest Sister?”

“You better be really nice to me.”

“Of course.”

The carriage stopped.

In the courtyard, there were countless swords with the hilt sticking out of the
ground. A few servants were working about. The guardian knights on standby raised
their swords in salute at the sight of the carriage’s arrival.
Petro opened the carriage door, and Luna stepped out.

Subsequently, Gilly and Jin disembarked the carriage, startling the servants. Even the
lowest-class servants expected something bad to happen in the near future.

Receiving the reports from the guardian knights who left earlier on Petro’s orders,
Jin’s siblings emerged from the residence.

“This crazy bastard! Youngest Brother! Do you not have any respect or responsibility
after leaving the house? How dare you enter the Garden of Swords as a provisional
flag-bearer?!”

The first one to exclaim was the fourth son, Vigo Runcandel. Next to him were the
fourth and fifth daughters, Myu and Anne.

“Probably the result of Eldest Sister’s kindness.”

“I don’t think Eldest Sister Luna can help you this time. This is really not okay.”

Luna, Jin, and Gilly stood still and remained silent.

On the other hand, as the man who brought them here, Petro felt like he was sitting
on thorns.

‘Ha, they’re getting scolded as expected!’

The servants couldn’t even murmur. After some time, they stopped their work in the
courtyard and frantically fled to safety.

Jin’s disobedience of the rules was that severe.

From the residence, the second daughter Luntia, third daughter Mary, and second
son Dipus emerged.

“Wow… It’s more shocking in person. What is it, youngest idiot? Are you forfeiting
your chance of becoming a flag-bearer? Or is your puberty compelling you to commit
suicide?”

Dipus clicked his tongue and looked towards Mary. However, Mary did not respond
and instead continued to glare at Jin.
‘You dumbass… You can’t come back yet. You have to get stronger and fight me
someday.’

From the moment she gifted him the Phoenix Heart, she was awaiting a great battle
with Jin. But now, with Jin standing before them, she could only be confused and
disappointed.

As the culprits stood like statues, Luntia sighed and walked towards them.

“Eldest Sister Luna… for what reason did you bring him back?”

Luntia spoke with a soft tone, but her eyes held a cold, violent glare.

“I didn’t bring him here. He brought himself.”

“Then you should’ve stopped him. Just because his head is empty doesn’t mean you
can just allow this!”

Even though Luntia shouted at her, Luna didn’t really have anything to say.

After all, she was more or less correct.

“Whatever. So, where’s Father?”

Annoyed, Luna turned her head away from all of the insults. Ever since she was
young, Luna had a hard time dealing with Luntia, which explained why the second
daughter was the only sibling who could talk to her in this manner.

“Oh my. Did you really return to see Father?”

“Indeed, Sister.”

Luntia facepalmed and spat some curses.

If Luna wasn’t there, the Runcandel siblings would’ve ripped Jin to shreds.

‘What a wonderful family.’

Jin sarcastically praised his family. Luntia shook her head and sighed.
“I don’t know what he’ll do, big sister. You, youngest. I don’t know why you even
came to see Father, but brace yourself. Go ahead. He’s in his study.”

Jin moved his feet and Luna began to follow him.

Shing!

Along with the siblings, all of the guardian knights unsheathed their swords.

“…As of now, please surrender your weapon and wait, first flag-bearer. There was a
strict order from the patriarch that we must send Jin Runcandel alone.”

Their father, the patriarch; the eldest daughter, the first flag-bearer.

Luntia stopped screaming at Luna because she wanted to deal with this problem
professionally. Additionally, it was on Cyron’s orders.

‘Ah, this isn’t how I expected it to turn out.’

Luna thought. At this rate, if their father decides to kill Jin, she won’t be there to
become Jin’s shield.

“And if I decline?”

As Luna slowly reached for Crantel, a guardian knight stood behind Gilly and put a
sword to her throat. Since her powers were still suppressed, she couldn’t even react.

“Please halt, first flag-bearer. It is the patriarch’s orders.”

“You little—! Put that sword away!”

“You’ve crossed the line. If you don’t offer a satisfactory discussion to Father, then
you will not return alive. As for the first flag-bearer, you can’t evade banishment.”

“Please surrender your weapon. If you resist, I will kill her.”

Luna gritted her teeth.

‘We’re doomed… Should I just escape with Jin? Damn it. I knew I didn’t think this
through. I didn’t think anything would happen since I thought Father favored Jin…!’
If she fought them and escaped, they were likely to succeed.

However, she probably couldn’t save Gilly and would live the rest of her life being
chased by the Runcandel Clan.

Of course, losing Luna—who had become a 5-star knight at the age of 15, the genius
among geniuses, and the strongest knight after Cyron—would be a great loss for the
clan.

However, the Runcandel Clan wasn’t a rational clan. Even though they would lose a
significant amount of power as a consequence, the orders of the patriarch were
absolute.

At this point, Jin had no choice but to satisfy Cyron’s will.

Still, Jin was expressionless the entire time.

“…Brothers, Sisters. It seems that you are all worked up. As a son—as a member of
the Runcandel Clan, I only came to report something to Father. Please calm
yourselves.”

His siblings held back their glares and lowered their voices.

They were all just keeping an eye on Luna with a ‘professional’ attitude.

“Eldest Sister Luna and Gilly, I apologize for putting you in such a situation.”

Jin began to walk towards the residence.

He did expect such a reaction from their family, but he would be lying if he said he
wasn’t nervous.

‘My siblings don’t know Father that well. It’s against the rules for a provisional flag-
bearer to return to the main house. But surprisingly, Father isn’t that strict with
rules.’

Either way, getting something from Cyron without any fear of danger was
impossible. He couldn’t evade the gamble.

On top of that, after his regression, Jin thought that it was much easier to understand
his Father.

Usually, he couldn’t even look his father in the eye. Now, however, Jin found it most
comfortable when confronting him.

‘If I just stay alert, then I can succeed. If he just gives me a chance to talk, I must.’

Phew.

Jin took a deep breath as he arrived at the study’s door and carefully knocked.

Knock. Knock.

Swoooooosh.

Simultaneously, a blade beam flew past Jin’s head—undetectable to Jin at the

moment.

“I guess I thought of you too highly. I’m sure I gave you five years.”

Cyron’s booming voice followed soon after. The blade beam disintegrated the door to
the study into dust.

As he looked at his father, Jin felt himself smile internally.

For some reason, his mind became calm the moment he saw Cyron. And the things
he wanted to discuss constantly popped up in his mind.

‘I can’t say that I’m sorry. I must maintain a confident attitude, but not to a point
where it comes off as disrespectful.’

He immediately chose his response.

“I came because I wanted to see you again, Father.”

Fsssssshhh…

The former intact door’s dust flew away silently.

‘I’ve heard about it many times. Father’s blade beam is at the level of instantly
disintegrating anything it touches.’

Since there were remnants of the object—albeit in the form of dust—saying that it
was completely disintegrated was inaccurate. However, Cyron’s swordsmanship was
still composed of techniques that transcended humanity.

In fact, he didn’t even have his sword in his hand. Instead, at the tip of his fingers
were the glowing embers of residual aura—implying that he temporarily conjured a
sword.

Although the destroyed door was a murderous threat, Jin felt like he received a
present.

‘He was showing me a close-up of the edge of his sword.’

Cyron, with his eyes wide open, looked down upon Jin. This time, even Jin couldn’t
decipher his expression.

‘Hm… Should I have greeted Father differently? Since my head is still intact, I don’t
think it was that bad… ’

And Cyron was doused with a strange feeling.

For five minutes, none of them exchanged any words. The patriarch could only feel
his throat drying up as he thought of his youngest son.

It was because…
‘It’s the first time I heard my child say that they missed me.’

His feelings were genuine, and Jin’s words rendered him speechless.

He had thirteen children, but they all just called him ‘Father’. Beyond that name, he
had never formed relationships with them.

The Runcandel children’s childhoods were the nannies’ responsibilities.

And as soon as the children became one year old and completed the Selection Ritual,
they would be sent to the Mitel Kingdom to spend their early years.

After hitting the age of 10 and returning to the Garden of Swords, the children were
bound to fear Cyron and Rosa.

It was because they learned about their parents through different classes and
lectures at the Storm Castle.

Beyond being ‘parents’, they were the absolute rulers of the massive clan. In fact,
they held power that could twist and turn the world. If possible, the children would
be taught through blood and violence should they fail to produce good results.

So, of course, Cyron and Rosa didn’t expect any ‘I wanted you see you’ from their
children after putting them into such an environment.

All they wanted was to determine the next-in-line to the throne—the one to continue
Cyron’s grand legacy of being the world’s greatest swordsman.

Only that was important.

‘…Not bad.’

It had been a long time since his heart was filled with emotion.

Looking back, after rising to the demigod realm, it was his youngest son who always
moved him.

‘Although I praise you for moving your father’s heart, that is still not enough. Alright,
let’s hear what you have to say.’
Cyron gently smiled.

“You came to see me… Did you get infected with awkward familial love after drinking
sewage water? I didn’t expect that kind of response from you.”

‘Not a bad reaction!’

Ascertaining a good response, Jin lowered his head and continued to lie a little more.

“I didn’t drink some sewage water. I have always loved you, Father.”

Cyron suppressed his laughter and unleashed his Fatal Air, causing the air in the
room to suddenly become as sharp as a knife. Every breath he took felt as if spikes
were piercing through his lungs. Jin gritted his teeth in pain and met eyes with
Cyron.

“Enough with the nonsense. State your reason for your return to the Garden.
According to the quality of your response, you and your sister’s fate will be sealed.”

And that was the truth.

Cyron had full intentions of beheading Jin the moment he responded with ‘some
useless stuff’. Then instantly erase Jin from his heart afterwards.

The same way he slashed and killed his own siblings and companions before he
became the patriarch.

“The one who was insulted by you during the banquet, the Zipfels’ second-in-
command, has died.”

“What? Are you saying you killed him?”

“No, Father. A few days ago, Eldest Sister Luna killed him. And I was the one who
called her. Would you allow me to state my experiences after being declared a
provisional flag-bearer?”

“A provisional flag-bearer receiving help from Luna… How insolent. Well, keep
talking.”

Finding the story to be interesting, Cyron stroked his beard. Jin then explained his
narrative from his days in Akin and Tikan, all the way to the events in the Vermont
Empire.

Of course, he didn’t report every single thing. Jin made sure not to mention the
suspicions of Spiderhand Alu having ties with a Runcandel, Myulta’s Rune, Tzenmi’s
Tome, and his alliance with the Seven-Colored Peacock.

“It seems you have experienced many things in a short period. So, you came to tell
me that you killed Andrei Zipfel? Are you hoping that you caused some imbalance in
the world after killing the second-in-command of a powerful clan?”

“That’s not all, Father. After confronting him, I don’t think that Andrei is the clan’s
true second strongest.”

Cyron raised his eyebrow.

“Hoh? And why is that?”

“There is no way that man is the second-in-command of the one clan that could
destroy the Runcandels. Well, it’s a hunch anyway.”

“Precisely. As you said, he is just second-in-command by name. He’s not really the
second strongest in the Zipfel Clan. There probably is another strong being after
Kelliark. Though, it’s not information that I could tell you now anyway.”

“Thank you for confirming my suspicions, Father. However, what I really wanted to
tell you was regarding the existence of Andrei’s strange artifact.”

“Artifact?”

“Yes. An artifact called the Demon’s God’s Orb.”

Jin continued explaining what he knew about the orb. He mentioned that it was a
replica of an item of the gods called the Orb of Origin, and that it got stronger after
each contractor it consumed.

And surprisingly, Cyron was shocked. His eyes widened.

“A replica of the Orb of Origin… Is this true? There’s no way you could identify the
artifact’s powers and abilities. It seems your guardian dragon, Murakan, informed
you about this.”

“Yes, my guardian dra—Huh? You knew that he had awakened?”

Jin was startled and stared at his father.

“Would that be all that I know, I wonder? I also know that you are a magic-user. Did
you think that you could fool me all this time?”

“I, of course, knew that you would sense it, but I didn’t know you detected Murakan’s
presence all this time.”

“Hahaha!”

Cyron burst into laughter. He wanted to laugh because he was proud of his son, and
he couldn’t hold it in much longer after the banter regarding Murakan.

“As you said, I merely assumed Murakan’s awakening! It’s nice to see him figuring out
things for himself. ‘Nabi Runcandel’? Kukuku… The great and powerful black dragon
has plummeted to a housecat!”

Jin couldn’t laugh along with Cyron due to embarrassment.

While feeling naked, Jin felt his ears burn up. He couldn’t even tell his father to stop
laughing.

Instead, he scratched the back of his head.

‘Is “Nabi Runcandel” that funny? Well, at least the situation is unraveling well… ’

Cyron immediately stopped laughing and fixed his posture. The carefree mood
instantly became as heavy as a boulder.

“A replica of the Orb of Origin. You have really brought a heavy case onto the table. I
must talk with Luna who broke the artifact.”

Cyron already knew about the Orb of Origin fairly well.

‘I wonder if the Kings of the Black Sea know about this as well. I should return to the
Black Sea. Certainly, that power is dangerous… but I don’t know how well they
mimicked the original.’

After rising to the demigod realm, Cyron spent most of his time in the Black Sea.

He dueled the Kings of the Black Sea many times, and each king was a ‘piece’ of the
Orb of Origin.

“Just this once, I will pardon you for breaking the rules. But you wouldn’t be satisfied
with just this, considering you physically came here instead of just telling me
through a messenger.”

Jin slightly bowed and Cyron gently grinned.

“Declare your request.”

It was all Jin wished for. Before Jin even proposed the deal, Cyron offered the gift
before him.

But Jin knew.

‘Father wouldn’t just let me walk away with something for free. Once I declare my
request, he’ll definitely add some terms and conditions…!’

He had to think hard.

If he asked for something too big, then the conditions would be too strict. But that
didn’t mean he could back off. The person sitting on the compromising end was
Cyron.

“For the time being, please do not allow any Runcandel to travel through the Free
City of Tikan.”

“Tikan? Interesting.”

Cyron’s eyes glinted with an eerie light.

‘Oho, youngest runt. You already made it your main base? The Free City of Tikan… ’

Living up to its name, Tikan was a land that wasn’t affiliated with anyone—be it the
Runcandels, Zipfels, or the Vermont Imperial Family.
Simultaneously, all three powers aimed to colonize that land. It wasn’t for power or
resources; attaining the Seven-Colored Peacock, intellectual prowess, and the trade
center would be a wonderful three-in-one gain.

It was just a free gold coin on the ground.

Tikan wasn’t worth fighting other clans to acquire the land, but it was still wasteful
to leave such an easy acquisition alone.

‘If he is settling there and has it as his main base, it is likely that Tikan would be
under the Runcandel Clan after all of this. This baby couldn’t have possibly already
formed ties with Kashimir… Well, it’s worth watching for a while.’

Cyron hid how proud he was of Jin’s achievements and spoke.

“I shall accept your request if you pass the test I give you.”

“Yes, Father. Please tell me what kind of test it is.”

“Ghostblade Kashimir. Make him join you and prove to me that he is your ally. If you
succeed, then no Runcandel will be able to step on Tikan without your permission.”

Doubting his ears, Jin let out a refreshing scream in his mind.

After all, Kashimir was already Jin’s ally.

“Yes, Father. I already planned on establishing a strong and friendly rapport with
him. Because just leaving Tikan untouched would be wasteful.”

All this time, other provisional flag-bearers worked to raise their own name to fame.

However, Cyron found Jin’s attention towards the clan’s strength to be very
impressive and interesting.

“You have one year. That insolent fool refused to become the instructor of the
Runcandel cadet trainees multiple times… I’ll see if you could coax him into your
cause.”

“I will bring him to you quickly.”

“Alright, now proceed on your path.”

After bowing and exiting the study, Jin would’ve hummed a song.

‘Everything I did in my past life didn’t go well, but this life is going pretty smoothly.’

However, when he reached the bottom of the stairs, his expression froze at the sight
of two boys running towards him.

“J-Jin! Are you okay…?!”

“Did Father say that he’ll let you live? Why did you even do this?”

After Jin left the courtyard to see their father, the Tona twins were very concerned
about his imminent death. However, they were afraid of their other siblings, so they
stayed inside and bit their nails.

“You guys act too cute sometimes. I’m fine. Besides, I have a favor to ask.”
“A f-favor…?”

The Tona twins tilted their heads.

They were already astonished by their youngest sibling returning alive after meeting
their father, but him asking for a favor out of nowhere was very confusing for them.

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing too grand. My faction’s cadets… Until I come back, please take
care of them. I’ll also tell them myself before I leave.”

Before the Tona twins could even respond, Jin walked away. He had to tell Luna and
Gilly—who were probably worried sick—that he was okay.

“Nothing changed about him… He came back from meeting Father, right?”

“Right.”

Watching Jin’s back, the Tona twins shrugged.

“Wait, why are you worrying about him so much in the first place?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hm… Whatever. Well, I guess he’s gonna leave his faction’s cadets to us. Hehe. I
guess we gotta deal with the intermediate classes.”

Outside, the siblings guarding Luna and Gilly were shocked at the sight of Jin walking
out of the doors unscathed.

Myu and Anne especially—who really wanted Jin to die—grew pale in the face.

“It seems like Father and the youngest had a nice talk. Now, why don’t you move your
sword? Before I kill all of you.”
At Luna’s low tone, her siblings and the guardian knights immediately lowered their
weapons.

The guardian knight who had a blade on Gilly’s throat was about faint, eyes rolling
back in the presence Luna’s murderous glare.

‘Damn, you little runt. You luckily survive each time…!’

Myu and Anne thought while grinding their teeth.

‘As expected, he’s not a guy who would die that easily. Grow a little older and
entertain your older sister!’

Mary grinned while looking at Jin.

“Eldest Sister Luna, I think you should pay Father a visit. He seems to be curious
about some things regarding the events of that day.”

“Alright, I understand.”

“I’ve also received some homework from him, so I will make a trip to the transfer
gate. I’ll see you later.”

“Transfer gate? Hm, I don’t know what kind of homework that is, but I’ll see you.”

Jin and Luna calmly exchanged words.

In fact, the others had no idea what they were talking about.

‘That day?’

‘A trip to the transfer gate? Wait, does that mean he’s gonna come back?’

‘What does he mean by Father giving him homework?!’

And it wasn’t anything to ask about either. The siblings could only exchange glances.

“Let’s go, Gilly.”

“Oh, yes, Young Master!”

Gilly never expected the situation to proceed smoothly, so she was still in a state of
awe. They quickly left the Garden of Swords, and Luna proceeded to the study.

All the rest of their siblings could do in the courtyard was to stand around and do
nothing.

***

Three hours later, in Cyron’s study.

Although he didn’t show it, Cyron was a little surprised that Jin confronted him with
a confident expression.

“…Just as I expected. You weren’t startled at all after hearing the details about the
test. Your confidence wasn’t for nothing.”

Cyron puffed a laugh and directed his eyes towards Kashimir.

He had just traveled through the transfer gate to come to the Garden of Swords while
hiding his identity.

‘This man is the world’s strongest knight, Cyron Runcandel… Errrrr, just meeting
him is making my stomach ache.’

Kashimir had refused multiple offers of being the instructor of Runcandel’s beginner
class cadets.

In the process of making Tikan a ‘country’, becoming an instructor in the Runcandel

Clan would not help at all. Moreover, it would be a distraction from his main goals.

Additionally, Cyron was ‘someone he didn’t want to meet’. Though, Kashimir couldn’t
blame Cyron for feeling disrespected when he rejected the offer multiple times.

Furthermore, if Cyron tried to ally with Tikan, Kashimir wouldn’t have many ways to
resist it.

‘Well, I came because of Young Master Jin’s favor… But it’s very awkward. Have I been
declining a favor from this person all this time?’

Actually seeing Cyron for the first time.

The overwhelmingness was way beyond the rumors. Although Kashimir was also a
pretty strong knight, he knew that his swordsmanship was child’s play in the
presence of Cyron.

‘So this is the dignity of the absolute strongest… Still, let’s keep our composure.’

Kashimir grew conscious of Jin’s goals and fixed his posture.

‘I am Young Master Jin’s guest. There’s no need to fear Lord Cyron… ’

“So you’re Ghostblade Kashimir.”

“Y-Yes! However, it’s embarrassing for Lord Cyron to call me Gh-Ghostblade, so p-

please refrain from doing so!”

He instinctively stuttered as he responded. He himself didn’t even know what he was

saying.

Inside, he shed tears, and from the outside, sweat ran down his face. He didn’t even
feel embarrassed from the fact that Jin was right next to him.

‘Give me a break. Last time I almost got beat by Sir Murakan. This time, it’s showing
disrespect towards Lord Cyron… ’

It seemed that after meeting Jin, he just kept meeting troublesome people.

“Father.”

“Proceed.”

“To describe my relationship with Sir Kashimir, we have intertwined fates… or

something like that. Moving on, it is now your turn to keep your end of the promise.”

Kashimir doubted his ears as he listened to Jin’s perfectly enunciated speech.

‘Young Master Jin, how are you so confident when talking to Lord Cyron? And having
intertwined fates! I know I said that first, but if you say that in front of Lord Cyron…!’

For a moment, multiple possible dark outcomes zipped through Kashimir’s brain.
Kashimir… So you and my son have intertwined fates? In that case, Tikan now belongs
to the Runcandels.

You share the same fate… The Runcandel Clan and Tikan can do that too, then.

If that’s so, starting today, the Runcandel Clan and the Free City of Tikan would also
have intertwined fates. Hahaha!

Kashimir envisioned Cyron in these horrific conversations.

Of course, that was only a result of Kashimir’s fear.

“You petty runt… You dare trick your father?”

Completely different from Kashimir’s imagination, Cyron looked down on Jin with an
undecipherable expression.

In reality, Cyron was very satisfied. He didn’t know what Jin did to meet Kashimir,
but his youngest son was surpassing his expectations.

“What do you mean by ‘trick’, Father? You’re mistaken. I was merely lucky. In fact, as
soon as I arrived in Tikan, we immediately formed relations.”

“Alright. Anyways, you pass the test. Starting today, no Runcandel will step into Tikan
without your permission. Even if that Runcandel is me.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“If that is all, you can go on ahead. I have other things to talk about with Kashimir.”

Jin bowed and left the study.

Being left with Cyron alone, Kashimir cleared his throat while looking at Jin’s back,
getting farther and farther.

“Don’t get too nervous. You make it look as if I’m going to eat you or something.”

“H-Haha… I apologize. Lord Cyron, I’ll be honest. Seeing you in-person, I cannot hide
the respect and fear within me.”
Cyron said nothing and walked towards the tea table. He brewed a cup of tea and
handed it to Kashimir, who received the teacup with two hands.

“The reason I dismissed the youngest and kept you here…”

Kashimir unintentionally gulped.

‘Is he going to talk about forming an alliance? Or maybe to ask for the reason as to
why I constantly declined the Runcandel instructor position offer?’

In the midst of his guest’s fretting, Cyron continued.

“…is because I wanted to request something from you.”

Kashimir’s heart sank at the word ‘request’. However, he reminded himself that he
was going to be the leader of many and will soon become the ruler of a country.

‘I can’t act like an idiot. If he asks for Tikan, I have to firmly refuse!’

Strengthening his resolve, Kashimir looked Cyron in the eye.

“I am listening, Lord Cyron. If it’s anything that doesn’t harm Tikan, I am more than
happy to help.”

His response drew the line, but Cyron didn’t really care. Kashimir calmed his burning
insides and waited for Cyron’s next response.

“From now on…”

“Yes, Lord Cyron?”

“Please report my youngest son’s progress whenever you can. I think he needs some
supervision.”

It was something completely unexpected.

‘…Well it isn’t about an alliance, so that’s good. And I can infer how much Lord Cyron
cares for Young Master Jin.’

A Runcandel—the Cyron Runcandel—cared for someone.

He didn’t expect this kind of favor. Kashimir began to wonder more about their
father-son relationship.

‘I knew something was off. Enough for Lord Cyron to request for supervision?
According to the Seven-Colored Peacock’s information, he doesn’t even care about
Joshua—who is presumed to inherit the throne.’

Kashimir nodded.

“That is not at all difficult, Lord Cyron. If you just establish a faster means of
communication, then I will report every single bit of information.”

This was an opportunity for Kashimir. It was a way for him to repay his debt to Cyron
as well as a direct contact to the Runcandel Clan.

Being able to contact Cyron Runcandel at will wasn’t an easy feat. It was a special
offer that even Emperor Vermont did not have.

“I am very grateful. I won’t forget your kindness. And no one should know about this
agreement.”

“Affirmative. I will keep it a secret—even to Young Master Jin.”

“Before you leave, a guardian knight named Khan will give you an address. Direct all
your reports there. If there is a special conflict, please come here yourself and tell
me. I will even offer you good wine.”

“Thank you, Lord Cyron.”

“You are dismissed.”

When Kashimir bowed and prepared to leave, Cyron opened his mouth once more.

“Oh, and…”

“Yes? I am listening.”

“Brace yourself. The youngest said that he wasn’t satisfied with just the Runcandel
Clan. I am expecting great growth from you and Tikan. Enough for him to want your
country.”
Afterwards, before they left for Tikan, Kashimir wasn’t able to meet the guardian
knight named Khan.

‘I’m pretty sure he said that he’d establish a means of communication… Do I have to
come back when Young Master Jin isn’t present?’

Confused, he shoved his hands in his pockets and felt an unknown piece of paper.

A note.

(Greetings, Sir Kashimir. I am Khan, a Runcandel guardian knight. The patriarch’s

address is…)

Kashimir didn’t notice that Khan had already approached him and slipped the note
into his pocket when he wasn’t looking.

Realizing how quickly executed the action was, goosebumps raised on Kashimir’s
skin.

‘It means that they could easily get rid of me without anyone noticing. The
Runcandel Clan… truly is a terrifying clan.’

Kashimir turned his head towards Jin, who could possibly become the next patriarch
of the said fearsome clan.

“How does it feel knowing that Tikan is guaranteed to be free from any Runcandel,
Sir Kashimir?”

“I’m very confused at this very moment, but I really look forward to the things about
to come.”

Kashimir frantically hid the note and grinned.

Early August of 1795, the Zipfel Press finally officially declared the death of the
second-in-command Andrei Zipfel, and his dragon, Vyuretta.

Despite the official declaration, the cause of death wasn’t clarified. Even the date of
death was made up. Additionally, Quikantel’s or Jin’s name was not mentioned
anywhere.

Nonetheless, it was groundbreaking news.

The Runcandels, Vermont Imperial Family, and other powers including the Hidden
Palace heightened their senses and watched the situation unravel.

In light of the news, many rumors spread amongst the people. Rumors that he was
killed off for losing in political disputes, or that he lost in a heated duel against a
grand magician named ‘Cold Joe’. Or that Emperor Vermont ordered the Vermont
Special Forces to assassinate him.

However, the more popular rumor was ‘the flag-bearers of the Runcandel Clan killed
him.’ There was also ‘the Master of the Hidden Palace, Talaris Endorma, assassinated
him’, though that one didn’t gain too much attention.

Of course, the official location of death was a remote island in the Vermont Empire,
and at the time, the flag-bearers of the Runcandel Clan were at the Garden of Swords.
On top of that, the Zipfel Clan and Vermont Imperial Family weren’t able to identify
the mana that would have proven Luna’s involvement.

But to the masses, the truth didn’t matter.

They thought that the more interesting narrative deserved to be the truth—more
than the truth itself.

‘Will the Runcandels begin to dominate the entire world?’

After the press release, bar regulars endlessly debated.

Which is stronger—swords or magic?

Many thought that the Runcandels and the Zipfels would finally start a war. They
definitely believed that Andrei’s killer was a Runcandel.

And it wasn’t only the commoners who found interest in foreign politics, but also the
nobles and soldiers.

Especially the neutral powers who were not directly affiliated with the Runcandel
Clan, Vermont Imperial Family, the Zipfel Clan, or other big clans.

Just like the Hidden Palace, they maintained a ‘neutral’ state. But unlike the Hidden
Palace, smaller clans couldn’t defend themselves in an emergency.

Which basically compelled them to take a side between the Runcandels and Zipfels.

If a war broke out between swords and magic, the neutral states in the gray region
would become of leaves being swept away should they get caught in the middle of it.

And surprisingly, the neutral powers sought for the sword more than magic.

They all huddle towards the Runcandel Clan instead of the Zipfel Clan despite the
latter being deemed the strongest at the moment.

“Lord Patriarch, today, the Schucheron Kingdom’s prince and five second-class
mercenary troops requested protection from the clan. Following the death of Andrei,
it seems we get protection requests every day. The rumors sure do seem scary.”

The Runcandels’ first-class butler, Heinz, had been reporting similar information for
the fourth day in a row.

“Return all of their gifts and tell them that the request will be fulfilled. And make
sure to offer the Schucheron prince a fine sword to make sure he inherits the
throne.”

“Understood. I will send an 8-star guardian knight.”

“Alright, you’re dismissed.”

As long as the requester was not an immediate enemy to Cyron, he accepted any
favor.

Although the ‘neutral’ clans didn’t have any presence in the world and didn’t really
support the Runcandels at all, the smaller clans would be something of use once the
clan of swordmasters take down the Zipfels and become the ruler of the world.

As more and more clans sought to ally with the Runcandel Clan, more rumors spread
amongst the common folk—that the Zipfels can no longer overtake the Runcandels.
And the fact that all of the neutral forces sided with the Runcandel Clan made the
rumor seem all the more likely.

‘I believe this is because of the youngest’s horseplay on that remote island. Some
kind of butterfly effect. I’m sure he’s hearing these rumors in Tikan as well.’

Cyron thought about his son as Heinz left.

Of course, the rumors of the Runcandels surpassing the Zipfels was merely a rumor.
The Zipfel Clan was doing pretty well, and the truth was that the Runcandel Clan was
only a little ahead.

‘We were able to absorb many neutral forces recently. That provisional flag-bearer is
already making big changes for the clan. He’s a very interesting fellow… ’

Cyron grinned and summoned Guardian Knight Khan.

“At your service, Lord Patriarch.”

“Any messages from Kashimir?”

Khan could barely contain his surprise.

‘I knew Young Master Jin was special ever since the Storm Castle… but I never
would’ve thought that the Lord Patriarch would give him so much attention. He’s
itching to know!’

It was Khan’s first time seeing Cyron like this. When Joshua became a 9-star knight,
Cyron didn’t even flinch.

“There were none, Lord Patriarch.”

“Hmmm… Alright.”

Cyron responded with disappointment, and Khan lowered his head as if it was his
fault.

“The day after tomorrow, I will be leaving for the Black Sea once again. If there are
any reports on him, come find me and inform me.”

“Understood.”

***

After coming back from the Garden of Swords, Jin—who Cyron yearned to hear
about—dedicated his time to personal training.

‘If it wasn’t for Eldest Sister Luna, I would’ve died on the island in the Vermont
Empire.’

After his regression, although his swordsmanship and magic had reached 5-star, and
his spiritual energy would soon reach 5-star…

‘Considering the events coming soon… It’s not enough.’

Which made Jin feel impatient.

He felt it the most after the fight on the island. Although he was very talented and
strong in terms of a 15-year-old, there weren’t many enemies that he could face by
himself.

‘I need to get stronger. In the five years that my father gave me, I need to get strong
enough to take down all of my siblings—enough to not need anyone’s help!’

And Luna, especially, motivated him.

An opponent who Murakan and Quikantel couldn’t land a finger on was defeated
with a single slash of a sword… She looked like the god of battle.

However, even the god of battle went to the Garden of Swords, dropped her weapon,
and got humiliated. Just because she had to save someone weaker.
Jin’s enemies were like that—targeting his companions first so they couldn’t help
him.

Swoosh!

Bradamante swept through the air violently.

After slashing over ten thousand times, his muscles felt like exploding, and his bones
felt like shattering.

However, Jin felt worry more than pain.

‘Although Mind’s Eye is still beyond my reach… In five years, I must reach the Mind’s
Blade Absolute Realm that eldest sister showed me.’

Mind’s Blade: Blood Moon.

It was not a Runcandel secret technique, but a domain that Luna experienced on her
own while surpassing Mind’s Eye.

A realm that could be awakened by casting Divine Language on the sword, Mind’s
Blade. Every knight’s dream. If Luna hadn’t realized the special techniques and
secrets of her red aura, she would’ve never achieved Mind’s Blade.

—For you, you can definitely get there in five years. First, to awaken your Divine
Language, you need to practice expressing your fervor in your sword.

—The way to do that is…

—If you swing your sword ten thousand times, it means that your first and last
swing must be similar in terms of effort and technique.

That was what Luna told him.

‘Then, is one thousand consistently identical swings my limit right now?’

After passing the fifteen thousand mark, he could no longer tell whether he was
swinging the sword or the sword was swinging him.

“Please stop, Young Master Jin.”

Kashimir was right next to Jin just as he prepared for another swing.

“Phew. Sir Kashimir.”

“Even when I trained, I never trained as hard as you… If you do this every day, even if
you have the Runcandel Clan’s blessed physique, nothing will be left of you.”

Enya—who followed behind Kashimir—handed the young Runcandel a towel.

“Lord Jin! Your face looks dead. W-Wait, oh heavens. Lord Jin, your hand is all torn!
There’s blood all over the floor! Uwaaah.”

Just like she said, below Jin was a small puddle consisting of blood and sweat—
strands of red swirling in the clear water.

While Enya wiped Jin’s face and called for healers, Kashimir kept his eyes on the
puddle.

‘What kind of resilience is this…? It’s nothing I’ve ever seen from a fifteen year old
boy.’

Healing magicians rushed over and began to cast healing spells onto Jin’s hands. The
young Runcandel just sat down, staring at his palms.

“My apologies for causing a mess, Sir Kashimir, Enya.”

“Why would you abuse those beautiful hands! I-I think I see some b-bones…?”

Jin had calluses all over his hands, having held a sword ever since his youth.
However, to a fanatic like Enya, it looked like a beautiful sculpture.

The healing magicians left, and Kashimir sat next to Jin.

“The reason you are doing all this… must be because of the events on the island?”

“Indeed. Not only because of Andrei and his companion. There would have been too
many potentially dangerous moments if it wasn’t for Gilly or Murakan. In order to
not become a burden to my allies, I must train harder.”

“Lord Jin is the same age as I am. Don’t be too impatient. I’ll be sad.”
“No, Miss Enya. Young Master Jin is judging himself from a cynical perspective.”

Kashimir responded, and Enya was startled.

“You’re too mean, Sir Kashimir. Lord Jin is—”

“Just like you said, he is very strong. Amongst 15-year-olds, he’s probably the
strongest. However, I understand Young Master Jin’s intent. The opponents he will
face will neither be young nor normal.”

Jin slowly nodded.

“But Young Master Jin, impatience is the poison to your growth. It could make your
straight path and progress make a turn. Though, Miss Gilly had been saying the same
thing every day.”

As Kashimir said, Gilly also told Jin the same advice every day. That he should slow
down a little, or that he’s pushing his limits too much.

“I know well enough about that, but after making up my mind, stopping myself isn’t
easy. I’m embarrassed.”

“No need for embarrassment. I find it incredible that you are executing a volume of
training that no one else can. Instead, how about some training that could cool your
mind?”

“Training that could cool my mind…?”

Kashimir grinned.

“How about a spar?”

“With you?”

Kashimir shook his head.

“No. You’re still lacking a little to spar against me, so that’s for another time—for
when you get stronger.”

Despite his words, Kashimir still wasn’t able to notice Guardian Knight Khan
sneaking and slipping a note into his pocket.

However, that was just Khan being incredible. It wasn’t that Kashimir was weaker.
After all, the nickname ‘Ghostblade’ wasn’t just given to him for free.

“Within six months, please try to defeat my wife, Alisa Betzer, using all that you’ve
got—sword, magic, and spiritual energy. I can guarantee you, this will be a good
learning experience for you.”
Alisa Betzer.

Along with a massive physique, she had a knife scar on her left eye. She was also
Tikan’s Chief of Defense and Ghostblade Kashimir’s wife.

‘Take that person down in six months?’

At first glance, she already looked stronger than the criminals in Mamit. Her bulky
build made her two times bigger than Kashimir—anything but normal.

But was she really that strong?

Jin had swordsmanship, magic, and spiritual energy. Would it really take six months?

He had seen her every day for a month after he arrived in Tikan. They ate breakfast
at the same table and also bantered every now and then.

He didn’t truly feel that she was strong.

‘I know that she’s a unique person… but will fighting her really be hard when I have
magic and spiritual energy? I even defeated a 7-star knight with the use of all my
skills. I’m sure Sir Kashimir knows that she’s at my level.’

Despite the doubt, he knew it was going to be fun after seeing Kashimir’s confidence
in his wife.

“Lady Alisa, you say… If you say so, there must be a reason. Alright, I will try sparring
her. As long as she agrees.”

“She most certainly will. She was getting bored from the lack of fights after becoming
the chief of defense. A duel against you will be a great gift for her.”

As Kashimir said, Alisa showed a refreshed expression as soon as they asked her. She
excitedly accepted.

“Me? With Young Master Jin? Haha! Sounds fun. Fighting shriveled criminals was
getting boring. Well, I don’t see any anymore, since I caught all of them…”

“Mommy and Mister Jin fighting?”

Euria, who was in Alisa’s arms, trembled with tears of worry rolling down her face.

“No, we’re not fighting. We’re… strengthening our friendship.”

“But everyone who fought mommy lost…”

“Well… Anyway, if we strengthened our friendship, who would you cheer for?”

“Uhmm… I want Mister Jin to win.”

“They said that teaching children would be futile… You little brat. Good 5-year-olds
would cheer for their mother.”

Alisa jokingly spoke and bit her child’s cheek, and Euria’s next words temporarily
made Jin forget how to speak.

“But, but! Mister Jin is much weaker. I will always be on the weak people’s side! For
people who are weak and suffering!”

“Pfffffffffffahahahaha.”

Murakan—who was reading an erotic novel on a nearby sofa—sat himself up and

burst into laughter.

“‘Weak and… suffering Mister Jin.’ Hehehehe. Ice cream runt, you already know how
to judge people! As expected from Az Mil’s contractor.”

With an awkward smile, Jin silently walked over to Murakan and tried to dig his heel
into the dragon’s foot. Murakan managed to slip his foot out in time, but that didn’t
stop Jin from snatching his book.

“You fu—I mean, bad dragon. Didn’t I say not to read this kind of stuff in front of a
child?”
“I purposefully chose the one with small text and archaic dialect and have been
reading it secretly ever since. Put it down, while I’m asking nicely.”

“Where do you keep getting these things? I’m sure you didn’t have anything like this
when we first left the Garden of Swords.”

Kashimir cleared his throat in guilt.

He had been sourcing five erotic novels every week for Murakan. The great black
dragon requested it, so as a mere mortal, he could not refuse.

“Ehem! Anyways, how about you start sparring the day after tomorrow, Young
Master Jin?”

“For the next six months, let’s spar every day after I return from work and eat dinner.
I should show you why I am Tikan’s Chief of Defense.”

“Every day? That’s fine with me, but I think I would be taking too much of your time.”

Alisa smiled and shook her head.

“No worries. For the time being, it will end quickly.”

***

Two days later at the underground sparring room in Kashimir’s mansion.

In order to improve his body’s condition, he had taken a two-day break from his
personal training. And since he was in his best condition for their first spar, he
planned to compare and inspect his subsequent results.

Alisa stood in front of Jin as she loosened her body and spoke.

“Young Master Jin. Before we begin, I would like to mention something.”

“Please go on, Lady Alisa.”

“I was in the Vermont Special Forces. Before Kashimir became the Fallen Prince, I
was his bodyguard. We left together when he was banished from the Vermont
Imperial Family.”
Hearing that, Jin instantly understood why he could feel her radiating strength.

Unlike the Vermont Empire Imperial Guards, the Vermont Special Forces needed to
operate in the shadows. Thus, the first thing they learned was how to conceal their
strength.

‘I expected something like this, but a former Special Forces knight… Kashimir didn’t
say six months for nothing.’

Jin knew that the Vermont Special Forces’ units were at least 6-stars.

However, that was merely a minimum. If she had guarded ‘Prince’ Kashimir, she was
definitely at least a 7-star.

“On that topic, please don’t feel down from losing too much. Also, I don’t plan on
going easy on you. So, shall we begin?”

The instant Jin nodded…

Whoooosh!

Alisa closed the gap between them—her fist right in front of Jin’s face. Her
movement’s speed wasn’t one that a regular 5-star knight could react to.

She planned on finishing the first battle with one strike.

Even though it was just a spar, fighting as if it was the real thing was her ideology.

‘For the past two days, I’ve asked Sir Murakan and Miss Gilly about Young Master
Jin’s past. And from what they said, all he needs is a humiliating failure and the
process of standing up against it. For at least ten days, you won’t be able to dodge the
first strike.’

From what she heard, there was always an ‘opportunity’ and a ‘variable’ in all the
dangerous situations that Jin got in.

When he fought Alu, he had a variable called Myulta’s Rune.

When he fought Quikantel, he was able to cut her wing when she least expected it.
And very recently, when he fought Andrei, he was only able to swing his sword
because Murakan and Luna were there.

As for his fight against Quazito Truka of the White Wolf Tribe, if he knew that Jin had
spiritual energy, then he wouldn’t have lost.

Hence, all of Jin’s opponents either let their guard down or did not have enough
information on him.

On the other hand, Alisa knew all about Jin’s abilities. Swordsmanship, magic, and
spiritual energy, and also the fact that he had Myulta’s Rune.

Therefore, Alisa decided to show him the reality of being exposed to ‘true danger’.
For a knight to become stronger, the best way was to simulate danger.

And so, Alisa aimed her fist at Jin’s face.

However, it met the surface of a scabbard instead.

‘He blocked it?!’

Alisa’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t completely blocked, though. Through the scabbard, the shockwave traveled
to Jin’s body and instinctively made him back off.

The staggering made him lose the ability to defend or dodge. There was nothing
worse than losing your balance in a battle. Alisa could easily take him out with one
more blow.

Although, she could only be surprised after being denied a direct attack.

‘I’m sure it was at a speed that he couldn’t react to—even accounting for his blessed
Runcandel physique. Did I get slower? I think I felt like my punches got minisculely
slower.’

Jin was still defenseless. He hadn’t even drawn his sword, yet Alisa’s second fist was
already about to make contact with his ribs.

Then, he activated Myulta’s Rune and wore the helmet.

Along with it, he unleashed a spell that he prepared before coming to the
underground training area.

‘Photon Cannon!’

Flash…!

Even for a trained knight, closing one’s eyes due to a blinding flash of light was
inevitable. Even in a moment before defeating the opponent.

“Erk!”

Pow!

Because of the bright light, her stance faltered, causing her punch to not go as
expected.

Still, it was enough for one of Jin’s ribs to be blown. The light couldn’t change the fact
that the punch was enough to end the battle.

Before following up with a third strike, Alisa felt admiration for her opponent.

‘All of those opportunities and variables weren’t from luck. He purposely created all
of them! I would’ve never expected him to prepare a spell.’

It was the same this time.

Simply put, Alisa lost in the battle of strategy.

‘I get it now. Blocking my first attack… and using magic to decrease the density of the
ground. Because of that, I couldn’t harness my true speed.’

When she looked behind her, she found a deep hole at the spot where she stood
beforehand. It was a microscopic difference.

If Jin had tampered more with the floor, she would’ve noticed before the approach. A
knight like her would notice such subtleties.

‘It’s alright. It’ll all be over soon.’

Jin knew that, when he faced Alisa, the fight would be over in seconds.

Before the battle began, he constantly thought of the different variables that could
affect their fight. Ultimately, all of the variables he tweaked worked to some extent.

But not enough to take down the chief of defense.

Crack!

The third punch was sent straight into his hip. Jin flew about three meters and lay on
the floor, and a shock went through Alisa’s body.

Not because of her sweet victory, but because she was amazed at how much Jin
surprised her on the first day.

“Damn… Little clever tricks weren’t enough.”

‘Tricks?’

Alisa was about to correct his word choice. This wasn’t some trick but an actual,
elaborate plan.

“Remarkable, Young Master Jin. I would’ve never thought I needed to attack thrice.”

Jin fell back to the ground, struggling to stand up.

Just like Alisa, he was also in shock.

‘As expected from a former Vermont Special Forces knight. All of my variables
worked, but I couldn’t even draw my sword.’

He was disappointed and upset, but his heart was still pumping.

It was the first time he completely failed, even with his little gimmicks.

And as Kashimir mentioned, his mind cooled off.

“So, uh, Lady Alisa.”

“Yes, Young Master Jin?”

“Aren’t you going to call… a doctor?”

“Oh my, what am I doing? You must be severely injured. Please wait a moment!”

Alisa frantically ran out, and Jin smirked.

‘I will take her down in less than six months’ time.’

Compared to learning and mastering Mind’s Blade, defeating Alisa before the
aforementioned time was a very attainable goal. In Jin’s heart, a great fervor for
achievement roared.
September 27th, 1795.

The unsupervised land in the east, also known as the Black Sea.

Four days had already passed since Guardian Knight Khan arrived. Which meant that
he hadn’t slept a wink for the past four days. He had slashed through more than five
hundred monsters along the way.

Even the weakest among the Black Sea’s monsters were incomparably stronger than
the monsters in known lands. It was because these monsters grew up breathing pure
evil energy.

Even for a guardian knight like Khan, the slightest mistake could easily result in
death—such was the dangers of the Black Sea.

Slash! Slash!

Although he had an emotionless expression, he couldn’t hide his dead, tired eyes.

He felt like there were more monsters than usual.

‘I wonder… What kind of information is written on this letter?’

Khan was suffering like this because he had to deliver a letter from Kashimir to
Cyron. It was the first after being informed of the secret address.

‘I’m sure it’s about the Youngest Master’s growth… But it’s only been a month. Has
there been rapid and important growth? Enough to report to the patriarch?’

He could only wonder.

Since Khan’s cadet days in the Runcandel Clan and being named a ‘monster’ by his
friends, he remembered the tough and strenuous times he went through when he
tried to break through the 5-star barrier.

‘There’s no way he already achieved 6-star, right? Phew… I hope Lord Patriarch tells
me the information as well.’

Khan charged forward and fought more monsters for five hours.

Soon after, he finally found Cyron sitting in the middle of the Black Sea.

“Greetings to the patriarch. This is Khan.”

Cyron—who had already detected Khan’s presence—slowly opened his eyes. Khan
proceeded to salute him. The patriarch raised his hand and waved it in a circle.

As he moved his hand in the air, all of the monsters in the area fled away, scattering
as if they were bugs sprayed with bug repellent.

A display of the Genesis Knight’s power and dignity.

Though, in reality, he was suppressing his happiness.

‘It must be about the youngest…!’

Khan handed the letter over with two hands.

“A letter from Sir Kashimir arrived ten days ago. I tried to come as fast as possible,
but the monsters were very aggressive. I apologize for my incompetence.”

Cyron received the letter with a frown.

‘I should take some time and kill off some of the monsters in the area. If it weren’t for
them, I would’ve received this a day earlier.’

Sssst.

With a flick of a finger, Cyron ripped the letter’s seal. The envelope was quite thick.

Like an elder who found old diary entries, Cyron began to attentively read.

(To the admired Lord Cyron.

As a knight of a small city, I am ineffably honored to flip my pen and send a letter to
Your Honor.

How is the weather in the Garden of Swords?

In the Free City of Tikan, it is currently dusk. The soft clouds like velvet, high in the
sky, with stars sprinkled here and there, and they seem to sing of your greatness.

I will say it once more.

I, Kashimir Alfleon, am very thankful and honored that you offered a mere knight an
opportunity to send a heart-filled letter. I hope the deep effort poured into each
character satisfies you…)

Cyron flinched.

‘I also felt it last time, but this guy has a problem… Why is this introduction so long?’

He was very annoyed, but with the patience of a Genesis Knight, he turned the page.
However, the next page was also filled with greetings and thanks, and there wasn’t
even a single sentence about Jin on the third.

“Haaa…”

Cyron sighed and shook his head, and Khan suddenly felt like it was his fault.

‘The patriarch is… angry. Did something happen to Young Master Jin?’

But then, on the fourth page, Cyron’s expression brightened a little. His eyes began to
sparkle, and he slowly began to grin.

“Hoho.”

He even laughed a little.

Khan had been Cyron’s bodyguard for the past twenty years, but it was his first time
seeing the patriarch like this. After Luna declared that she wasn’t interested in
inheriting the throne, Cyron was always cold with his children.

Thus, Khan was dying from curiosity. What happened to Young Master Jin to make
the patriarch that happy?

“Khan.”

“Yes, Lord Patriarch?”

“It seems that the youngest is getting beat by Kashimir’s wife. Ahahaha. From the
time he wrote this letter, it looks like they sparred at least forty times and Jin lost all
of them.”

Khan couldn’t believe his ears.

Usually, Cyron would click his tongue and call his child weak and powerless, but
Khan was surprised that he was amused by the news.

“That’s a lot of losses.”

“The first battle lasted three seconds, and the second lasted five. The seventh lasted
ten seconds, the twentieth lasted twenty-five, and the thirtieth lasted forty.”

“I can see how the young master withstands against a 7-star using magic and
spiritual energy. In fact, if it’s against the same person, he will gradually survive
longer.”

Because Khan was Cyron’s most prized and trusted guard, he knew all of Jin’s secrets
as well.

Of course, he would never reveal such secrets. Even if Cyron were to unreasonably
fire him.

“Indeed. But do you know what happened in the fortieth battle?”

“What happened?”

“He lasted over 120 seconds. He overcame a barrier—realized something.”

Although it was incredible for a 5-star to make so much progress against a 7-star,
Khan knew that it wasn’t only because of his improved swordsmanship.

Khan’s eyes widened as Cyron continued relaying the contents of the letter.
“And it says here that Kashimir’s wife, Alisa Betzer, is a former Vermont Special
Forces agent. The 2nd Division. Hoho, now I can only laugh. It has definitely been a
while since her retirement, so she’s probably rusty. Still, it’s nice of her to volunteer.”

The Vermont Special Forces.

Amongst the Forces, the division tasked with protecting the Imperial Family was the
2nd Division, and Khan knew well of their strengths.

“…If she was previously in the Special Forces 2nd Division… She’s not an opponent
that the young master can use tricks and gimmicks on. I congratulate your son, Lord
Patriarch.”

“Since he hasn’t even defeated her, it’s too early to celebrate. Kashimir said that he
gave the youngest six months. To defeat her, that is.”

“At this rate, he’ll succeed before the time period ends.”

“If that runt was the first child, I would’ve left the clan in his hands without remorse.
What a shame. Khan, what do you think of the youngest?”

“I concur. If he were the firstborn, then Master Joshua would’ve been superseded by
Young Master Jin.”

“I didn’t mean that.”

Khan was startled and stared at Cyron.

“Do you mean… as a successor?”

Cyron nodded.

Khan was surprised, but not because of Jin’s measly age of 15.

‘This is the first time the patriarch talked about his desired successor…!’

Cyron had never chosen a successor. Although he looked forward to some of his
children—like Luna—this was the first time he explicitly stated his opinion.

People only thought of Joshua as the first successor candidate after Luna’s refusal of
inheritance, but Cyron never truly selected him.

The same went for the other successor candidates—Mary, Dipus, and Luntia.

After reorganizing his thoughts, Khan spoke.

“I think he needs a little more observation due to his young age. Although he is
growing and learning very quickly, I don’t think he is suited for the throne just yet.”

“And why do you think that?”

“He lacks coldness. The story of the Young Master’s journey to save the beginner
cadets was from his personality. I can see that he has a very kind and malleable
heart.”

“You’re right. On the other hand, Joshua is the opposite. The youngest often showed
weakness towards relationships and attachments. How about when you ignore all of
that?”

“When needed, he must be cold enough to get rid of his own sister, and with his
current growth rate, he will be perfect for your position.”

Satisfied with the guardian knight’s answer, Cyron grinned.

“Indeed, that is what a Runcandel is. You are dismissed.”

“Yes, Lord Patriarch.”

He had fought and slashed through monsters for four days to get there, but as soon
as the order was heeded, Khan immediately began to walk the exact same path that
he came from.

To exit Cyron’s domain, he would have to slash and kill monsters for another four
days.

Before he drew his sword, a thought occurred to him.

‘Did the patriarch smile because he looked forward to Young Master Jin transcending
the Runcandels’ ancestors?’
 ***

Mid-November, 1795.

Three months had passed since Jin’s quest to defeat Alisa.

No longer did he pre-cast spells before the fight.

“Whew! Young Master Jin. Today was also a close game.”

At the 95th battle, Alisa wiped her forehead after knocking down Jin.

“Haha, you said that yesterday as well. This makes it 95 losses. It’s kinda
depressing…”

“The small differences will accumulate. And now, you can fight me for at least fifteen
minutes. Anyways, Young Master Jin, are you going to do ‘that’ before returning?”

“Yes. Please go on ahead, Lady Alisa.”

Tired from watching, Alisa shook her head.

Since one week ago, after each battle, Jin only left the training area after completing
ten thousand swings.

Ten. Thousand.

‘I must channel my will through the sword… ’

A realm that could be awakened when the first and last of ten thousand swings were
identical. While training with Alisa, Jin could enact the same swing three thousand
times. Even with an exhausted body.

‘This isn’t about physical strength. Whether I am exhausted or perfectly fine, the
importance is in the transferring of one’s will into the blade.’

Jin took his stance for the long haul, and Alisa exited the sparring room.

‘Whew, I didn’t think he would catch up this fast. Watching that toxic amount of
training… He makes me feel like I’m not trying hard enough.’
Alisa watched Jin train for a while, then she slowly closed the door.

“He truly deserves to be stronger.”

She never would have expected what awaited her the next day.
‘Did the anxiety and nervousness slowly recede after each and every spar?’

The next day, during the 96th spar, Alisa finally lost to Jin. As the battle reached the
70-second mark, Jin’s stab penetrated her shoulder.

“Erk!”

The moment his attack succeeded, they were both very surprised.

In fact, it was a wound that was severe enough to prevent Alisa from continuing the
battle. Jin dropped his sword and frantically called a healer, and Alisa smiled
awkwardly.

“Lady Alisa! Are you alright?”

“Uh… Yeah, I’m fine. I haven’t had this kind of injury in a while.”

Blood spilled all over the place. While the healers cast healing magic, Jin tilted his
head.

‘It wasn’t an attack that Lady Alisa couldn’t dodge. This is a victory born from luck.”

And it was true.

Jin hadn’t given his full effort yet. When training with Alisa, he often played his final
trump cards after the 100-second mark.

In other words, Jin always beat Alisa in the ‘Analysis Phase’. Though, this time wasn’t
because of his growth, but because of his opponent’s mistake—so today’s victory
wasn’t as sweet.

‘I temporarily lost vision from the spiritual energy and failed to read his sword’s
movements… I can’t believe I made this mistake. I guess I got pretty rusty after
retiring.’

Maintaining the same amount of focus while fighting an opponent who she beat 94
times was not easy, even for a knight like Alisa.

Alisa wiped her forehead and shook her head.

“Damn. I’ve lost.”

“No, I think we shouldn’t count this match. I cannot accept this victory.”

“I knew you would say that. I agree. I understand that you can’t accept this. My
mistake has caused a dilemma.”

Thanks to the healers’ hard work, the wound was treated in an instant.

“However, Young Master Jin, we can’t just ‘not count it’. If it were you from three
months ago, even if I made a mistake or hesitated, you would never be able to defeat
me.”

A difference of roughly only three months—97 days, to be exact.

As for Alisa, she couldn’t believe how fast Jin improved in that short amount of time.

‘Even considering that he’s a Runcandel, I don’t understand this level. Soon, his
swordsmanship and magic would both become 6-star.’

Because she was a former member of the Vermont Special Forces, she had met many
swordsmen from a famous clan of swordsmen known as Hairan.

However, Alisa was certain. Amongst all of the talented knights she fought, Jin was on
another level.

“Then, does that mean I can’t fight you anymore?”

“Not at all. In the remaining three months, try to achieve your desired victory. Until
then, I will always keep my evenings open.”

***
December 1st, 1795.

The day for Jin and Alisa’s 110th battle, Alisa took the day off from work. She wanted
to fight Jin in perfect condition.

Because of that, the two didn’t fight in the evening, but at noon instead.

And thirty minutes before the battle, Kashimir sought Jin.

“Young Master Jin, the information that you requested has finally arrived. It took
longer than expected…”

“You found Alu’s real name?”

The head of the Tesing Clan, Spiderhand Alu.

At first, Kashimir thought that searching for a person’s name would be a piece of
cake—that finding information about some sketchy alleyway gangster leader was
easy with the Seven-Colored Peacock’s intelligence network.

However, even after all this time, they failed to find Alu’s real name.

“Unfortunately, that is not the case. The best agents investigated everything
regarding that fellow named Alu. Seems like he had a lot of secrets. But there is
nothing left from anything he did before becoming Tesing’s leader.”

Kashimir shrugged.

“There is only one reason for the Seven-Colored Peacock’s failure. Someone must’ve
intentionally erased his records. As you said, he may have some connections with a
Runcandel.”

“Hmmm… I regret killing him now. Then, how about the information on Vishukel?”

“Yes, Vishukel Yvliano. The Yvliano Clan’s next patriarch. Hm… Young Master Jin, do
you know of an organization named ‘Kinzelo Group’?”

“I do. Our paths met when I executed a mission with my fellow cadets this year.”

The Kinzelo Group.

A crazy organization that wanted to make their leader the king of the world. In Jin’s
past life, they assassinated the Zhan Kingdom’s king and slaughtered their people,
which really fostered their notoriety.

“Although I am not sure, it is possible that Vishukel is part of the Kinzelo Group. Once
a week, he visits the Curano Dukedom, and he always goes to this one fragment
workshop.”

“Please tell me more.”

“The owner of the strangely titled fragment workshop, ‘Artistic Explosion’, is a man
named Bouvard Gaston. According to what we found, Bouvard is an executive of the
Kinzelo Group. And Vishukel visits him every week, which raises suspicion.”

“Bouvard Gaston?”

Jin spoke as if he didn’t know. He couldn’t tell Kashimir that Bouvard could
‘transform’ into other people just yet.

Not because he couldn’t trust him, but because there was no way to prove it.

“Yes. A rather fat man in his mid-thirties. And Vishukel always brought sweet potato
croquettes every time he went to his shop. Like some kind of delivery.”

“Hmm, assuming that both of them are part of the Kinzelo Group, Bouvard must be of
a higher rank.”

“Most likely so. I have actually met Vishukel once in the past. He’s a very proud
individual. But if it’s a man who he always delivers food to, then…”

In reality, Bouvard was an executive and Vishukel was the vice-leader of the group,
so the latter was the one with the higher rank. However, the Seven-Colored Peacock
didn’t figure that out yet.

Kashimir and Jin simultaneously chuckled. They couldn’t imagine Vishukel

delivering food to a fat man.

‘I expected a relationship between them, but the Kinzelo Group… This is unexpected.
In fact, Bouvard seems to have a higher rank… What does Vishukel get out of being
part of Kinzelo?’
The answer was simple.

Although the Yvliano Clan couldn’t go against the Runcandel Clan, they were strong
enough to put up a fight against the Vermont Empire’s Hairan Clan.

However, the clan lacked any other talented knight, so if they excluded Vishukel,
their power would decline.

‘It’s either he’s trying to use the Kinzelo Group’s strength to regain his clan’s honor
or he’s being hypnotized.’

But is the Kinzelo Group that strong? Enough for a talented knight like Vishukel to
seek them?

‘Looking back at my past life, when the Kinzelo Group was at its peak… It’s not
impossible. Even the three strongest powers didn’t touch those crazy guys.’

As he thought of the past, he remembered some weird things that happened.

Whether it was before or after he regressed, the Runcandels didn’t lay a finger on the
Kinzelo Group. Even though he and the other beginner cadets got fucked over by
them.

‘Was it because the Runcandel Clan didn’t think that they’re worth anything? Or
because they considered them a very dangerous organization? Well, I’ll find out soon
enough.’

Jin lightly bowed to Kashimir.

“Well, alright, Sir Kashimir. Thank you for your service.”

“Well the service was from the agents. I only sat and listened to their reports. I
presume the next task is to find out about the Kinzelo Group, then? As well as to
continue searching for information on Alu.”

This was the part that Jin liked about Kashimir. Even without saying anything, they
had the same plan.

“I am always in your debt, Sir Kashimir.”

“In that case, why don’t you go play with Euria? Every day in my office, she yearns for
your presence. And with Miss Enya present, they make my head hurt.”

“Understood. Oh, anyways, it’s time for me to spar with Lady Alisa. Would you like to
come and watch?”

“Sounds good. I wanted to see how much you’ve improved anyway.”

Kashimir’s expression was filled with confidence.

He was confident that Jin couldn’t defeat Alisa yet.

‘I should witness Young Master Jin’s growth and send another letter to Lord Cyron.’

Alisa was already in the training area, waiting for Jin.

“Huh? What? Honey, why are you here?”

Alisa began to jokingly complain after seeing Kashimir walk alongside the young
Runcandel.

“What, am I not allowed to come here? Young Master Jin invited me to watch.”

“Well, no, it’s not that. It’s just… I don’t want you to see me losing.”

“Losing…? Wh-What? You’re going to lose? What do you mean by that?”

Kashimir’s eyes were filled with shock.

‘Instead of the promised six months, he managed to defeat her in only three?’

Asking with his eyes, Kashimir looked at Alisa, and she nodded.

Alisa Betzer, former Vermont Special Forces 2nd Division agent and Tikan’s current
Chief of Defense.

She took a day off from work to fight in perfect condition because she expected a loss
in today’s battle.

‘His skill has already caught up to mine. Yesterday.’

While Kashimir lost his sense of reality, Jin and Alisa took their positions.

“Seems like today will be the last spar, Young Master Jin.”

Jin only bowed instead of responding to his opponent. Alisa continued.

“Even in the far future. I wish you would remember me as a great sparring partner.
Even the moment when you reach the top of the world.”

“Instead of a sparring partner, I will commemorate you as a great teacher and friend.
And I hope you remember me as a wonderful student.”

Kashimir got a hold of himself and stepped away from the battlefield. He didn’t want
to interfere with their fight.

Alisa clenched her fists, and Jin muttered.

“Summon.”

Phoenix.

A summoned beast from a different world. An entity that could only be summoned
by magicians who are 6-star and above.

For the past 109 battles, it wasn’t only his swordsmanship that improved. His
spiritual energy and magic were also greatly enhanced.

Fwoooosh…!

Jin conjured a dimensional portal, and a massive flaming bird emerged from it.

And Kashimir—who was looking at Jin’s phoenix—let out a gasp.

He knew who that phoenix was.

If a magician was at least 6-star, then they could contract with a phoenix.

And of course, all magicians wanted to own a ‘special’ or ‘unique’ phoenix.

Something like Kelliark Zipfel’s ‘Beloit’ or the historical grand magician O’Hensirk’s
‘Maniere’.

They wanted to become an owner of a well-known phoenix.

However, magicians were never given the ability to choose.

After becoming a 6-star and opening the door to the Fire Dimension, no magician
knew what kind of phoenix would approach them.

With sweat rolling down his face, Kashimir stared at Jin’s phoenix.

He felt the burning heat waves every time the mystical blue-flame phoenix flapped
its wings.

In the Magicians’ Society, there were over ten thousand registered phoenixes, but
there was only one that was characterized with ‘blue flames’.

“Tess…! What in the world, Young Master Jin?!”

Jin had summoned Tess, the beast deemed as ‘the most noble phoenix’.

And every magician who summoned it became that era’s strongest magician.

—Even in the far future. I wish you would remember me as a great sparring partner.
Even the moment when you reach the top of the world.

As soon as Kashimir saw the phoenix, he knew why Alisa spoke such words.
She was no longer able to face Jin.

Shing!

Jin unsheathed Bradamante and spoke.

“Then, shall we start, Lady Alisa?”

Jin stood still, pointing his sword at Alisa. It was only a month ago when he was the
challenger. Now, the tables had turned.

Today’s challenger was Alisa.

“Prepare yourself, Young Master Jin.”

A white aura surrounded her two fists, and she bolted forward like a bullet, instantly
closing the gap.

In his current state, Jin couldn’t follow Alisa’s movements with his hand-eye
coordination. Usually, he predicted her movements and counterattacked.

However, he didn’t need to do so today. Tess emitted deep-blue flames that licked its
surroundings, preventing Alisa from approaching.

Fwoosh! Fwoooooosh~!

The smallest of the flames were at least 5-star level. Even for a 7-star knight with a
trained body, without an aura shield, she would get a second-degree burn.

On top of that, Tess’s flames had a special ability called ‘Pressure’.

‘If that gets on her, then she’ll start to rapidly burn energy. She has to finish the battle
quickly!’

As the name suggested, pressure pressed upon the opponent afflicted with the
phoenix’s ability.

Tess’s flames had weight that defied all laws of nature. Therefore, the moment it
landed upon an aura shield, she couldn’t ignore it because the flames didn’t
extinguish easily compared to a normal fire.
Because the opponent’s body itself would feel as heavy as a rock in water.

Dodging the flames, Alisa weaved through each attack and put herself in a defensive
stance. As such, Jin was easily given the upperhand.

‘I can only keep Tess here for about three minutes. Within that time, I must make a
meaningful attack towards her, so I can end the battle swiftly afterwards.’

Although it was only a spar, in the past 109 times, Jin always felt the threat of death.
Now, it was Jin’s turn to make Alisa feel the same.

Without skipping a single day for the past three months, Alisa trained Jin to help him
get stronger, and he knew the best gift to give her.

Swoosh!

Alisa jumped into the air, dodging a flame, and Jin swung his sword towards her.

“Urgh!”

She quickly twisted her torso, and the blade barely scratched her back. A minor tear
on her clothes, but enough to make her very tense.

Then, as soon as she landed and caught her balance, a sphere of mana formed in Jin’s
left hand.

‘Wind Blade! Using this, I can force her to dodge once more.’

He threw Wind Blade towards her ankles, and as he expected, she leapt into the air
again.

‘I’ll prevent her from regaining composure to pester her impatience… And then I’ll
end it!’

After fighting Alisa 109 times, Jin realized that her patterns were diverse. As of the
current moment, predicting her moves and reacting to them would be practically
impossible.

However, among all of Alisa’s many patterns, there was a common ‘order’.
In any situation, she always tried to get the upper hand.

‘As I use more of my swordsmanship, magic, and spiritual energy, she will start to
feel tired and will be more desperate to gain the upper hand. However, that will be
the reason for her loss.’

Alisa moved to the left, dodging the Wind Blade. She fixed her eyes back to Jin as the
spell flew past her.

With fire in its mouth, Tess was prepared to shoot its breath.

‘Phew. So you’re a magic swordsman, Young Master Jin!’

Alisa quickly turned her head.

From the sides, Jin swung his sword multiple times, creating multiple crescent
slashes in the air. And with Tess shooting its breath at the same time, an attack from
the front and sides approached her.

It wasn’t impossible to dodge both attacks, but doing so would enable Jin to have the
offensive advantage once more.

‘Instead, I’ll block the breath with my aura shield and then parry Young Master Jin’s
attacks!’

After giving Jin a nice slug in the stomach, she planned on waiting out the phoenix’s
summon timer.

Even if she faced an injury, she decided that gaining the upper hand would be the
most optimal choice. She would never win if she stayed cornered for the entire
battle. She needed to interrupt the flow that Jin had set for the battle.

Fwoooosh!

Tess’s breath struck Alisa. The cone-shaped blue flames seemed to swallow her.

However, the flames couldn’t penetrate the aura shield that she created. Tess couldn’t
unleash anything stronger because the strength of the phoenix depended on the
summoner’s mana.
‘Gotcha!’

And just as she planned, Alisa caught Jin’s blade. Although she protected her hand
with aura, blood splattered. However, it wasn’t enough to cut her fingers off.

Crunch!

In order to throw a punch, she planted her feet on the ground and pulled on the
sword to drag Jin towards her.

“Hup!”

With an echoing shout, she threw her punch. She couldn’t give it her all due to the
aura shield she raised, but it was still enough to make Jin recoil.

BAM!

A refreshing, clear sound of impact should’ve been made. But the lack thereof caused
Alisa to flicker her eyes around.

‘He’s not here? I’m sure I pulled him in and hit him.’

Her fist had hit thin air.

Instinctively, she looked upon the sword she was holding. And at the end of the
handle, where Jin should’ve been, was no one.

‘Then I must’ve felt and pulled the weight from Pressure…!’

A blue fire burned brightly at the other end of the sword.

After Alisa caught the blade, Jin had given up on his sword and repositioned himself.
In lieu of him, he placed a heavy flame on the hilt of the sword, tricking his opponent.

Alisa was too busy dealing with Tess’s breath and failed to notice it.

She only noticed everything after it all happened.

As such, she was too late to react.

“Haha… I’ve lost, Young Master Jin. I’ve fought many foes, but I’ve never imagined
them using a trick like this.”

The phoenix halted its breath.

Alisa’s aura shield dissipated, and Jin emerged behind her with a dagger.

“I pushed myself and made this shield strategy for the chance of victory, but it came
back to bite me. My goodness, I can’t believe I’ve lost because I didn’t keep my rear in
check. I’m a little shocked. Since when did you calculate all this?”

“If I say ‘since the first battle’, would I sound too arrogant?”

Alisa waved her hand in defeat.

“No, that sounds completely reasonable. A little surprising.”

“Thank you for all your time, Lady Alisa.”

“As for me, Young Master Jin. You would never know how proud I am of you.”

Alisa turned around, and Jin put away his dagger.

They looked at each other, then simultaneously extended their arms to shake hands.

“How does it feel to defeat a former Vermont Special Forces agent before hitting the
age of 16?”

“Honestly, pretty good. Very good. In fact… I would like to fight you full force again
next year.”

Alisa softly smiled at Jin’s response.

“I don’t gear up if I don’t have to kill my opponent. So, there won’t be a reason for you
to fight me when I’m at my full potential.”

In the 110th battle, Alisa did not use a gauntlet or piece of armor. Not even once. A
fully armored Alisa was an opponent that even Kashimir couldn’t face. It wouldn’t be
suitable for Jin.
“Well… at this rate, you would surpass my full potential in no time. Anyways,
congratulations, Young Master Jin. We should throw a party at dinner.”

Kashimir—who had watched the entire battle—looked soulless.

‘I honestly thought six months wouldn’t be enough. He’s crazy! Crazy! Lord Cyron,
the next letter will be super special!’

In reality, Kashimir thought that Jin needed at least a year to defeat Alisa.

He couldn’t believe his eyes even after witnessing that it only took the young
Runcandel 110 days.

“Why don’t you go get healed and prepare for the party?”

“Oh, uh-huh. Alright.”

***

The victory was celebrated with all of Jin’s companions in Tikan.

During the feast, everyone was told that he summoned Tess the Phoenix and
defeated Alisa.

“By Tess do you mean, Tess the Blue-Flame Phoenix? Young Master, I have heard of it
before. That it’s a very rare phoenix…”

“Miss Gilly! That’s not even the most crucial part about it. Magicians who are able to
summon Tess are guaranteed to be the best magician in the era. Lord Jin! Please give
me an autograph! Quick! Right here, on the back of my shirt!”

Enya scrambled towards Jin, eyes gleaming.

While more people were astonished by his feat, Murakan and Quikantel were at a
loss for words.

Clang!

In fact, they both dropped their silverwares at the same time. They seemed to be in
deep shock.
“Hey, kid… Did you just say… Tess?”

“Jin, did you really contract with the Majestic? I-In fact, you first met at the
underground training area, and as soon as you summoned the Majestic, you made
them fight?”

This time, Jin was confused.

Even the proud dragons were baffled, respectfully addressing the phoenix.

“Murakan, Miss Quikantel, is there a problem…?”

“Hey, anyways, try summoning them now!”

“Summoning uses too much mana, so it’s exhausting.”

Jin looked around him then summoned Tess.

“We are honored to meet the ruler of the Fire Dimension!”

Quikantel got on her knees and bowed, shouting her greetings.

“Hey, uh… ruler of the Fire Dimension… Long time no see… Uhh… What—why… I can
talk to you like this. I can also—Yeah, my condolences. Understood. Oh, okay. I
understand, so please stop cursing.”

Murakan looked as if he met an old teacher that he had a bad history with.

Everyone’s stomach flipped at the fantastical sight.

In the short time of Murakan and Tess’s conversation, no human could hear Tess’s
voice.

“Hmm… Alright, alright. I understand. I will tell Jin. Aaaah, come on. The curses! This
isn’t even the Fire Dimension. If you keep doing this, I’ll get mad!”

Peck-peck-peck-peck-peck!

Tess pecked on Murakan’s head at ridiculous speeds. Surprisingly, the black dragon
didn’t fuss and just backed off.
The phoenix said something after punishing the dragon, and Murakan nodded.

“Whew… I understand, I’ll tell him that, so please calm down. Ha, you caused a fuss
as soon as you came. Hey, hey! Tryna peck me again… So hot-headed. Whatever. Kid!
Send this bird back to the Fire Dimension.”

Jin released his summoning spell. The bird thrashed and threw a tantrum as it was
unwillingly sucked into a dimensional portal. Quikantel finally stood up and sighed.

“You and Miss Quikantel seem to have a complex relationship with Tess… It was
pretty surprising. Anyways, what did you talk about?”

As soon as Jin asked, Murakan shuddered, as if there were an impending doom.

There wasn’t much information about the ‘other world’.

All entities from the alternate dimension were witnessed in unsupervised lands like
the Black Sea which fostered many monsters or through different summoned beasts
like the phoenix.

In his past life, Jin had never heard of the ‘Fire Dimension’ despite his vast
knowledge of magic—vast enough to trump many professors.

“Fire Dimension… This is top-class information. Usually, incompetent and

unimportant runts don’t need to know this stuff. There aren’t many dragons who
exactly know of that place, and the number of those who have personally gone there
are in the single digits.”

“It’s common knowledge that phoenixes are summoned beasts from the other world,
but it’s the first time in which the other world was called the Fire Dimension.”

Jin scratched his chin, and Murakan shook his head.

“The name ‘Fire Dimension’ is just an easy name for us to call it in this world. It’s just
a dimension with fire and phoenixes. Even the gods don’t know the true name of that
world.”

Everyone listened to Murakan as if he were some lecturer. Enya, who was a pupil in
magical studies, was very worked up.

“Even the gods don’t know? Does that mean the Fire Dimension is outside of the
gods’ control?”

“Exactly. Even the God of Flames can’t control the fire in that world. However, the
ruler of the Fire Dimension, Tess, can’t control Sheenu’s fire either.”

“Ah… Then the Majestic became the Young Master’s summoned beast. Isn’t that a
great thing?”

“Strawberry Pie is also correct. But as for it being a great thing… Well, it’s the
opposite. It’s very bad.”

Murakan clicked his tongue and a shadow loomed over his face. Quikantel’s
expression was still frozen, still shocked from meeting Tess.

One second, Two seconds, Three…

As Murakan’s silence prolonged, some audience members gulped. They thought that
Tess’s summoner had received some special curse or something.

“Hey, just tell us. Don’t just leave us hanging. Why’s it bad?”

Jin grew impatient and asked Murakan. The shadow dragon lowered his head.

“It’s great… only for you. God fucking dammit, I don’t like that guy! Why Tess? There
are so many other good phoenixes. There’s Maniere or Shankish!”

Murakan threw a tantrum and some punches in the air. Many sighs of relief could be
heard from the crowd. Jin thought that Murakan would never mature.

“Well, although I’m a little pissed, I’ll offer you a bland congratulations, kiddo. You
can’t use that guy’s full potential ‘cause you lack some mana, but it’s better than
some random phoenix.”

“If I unleash all of their power, how strong will they get?”

“You can’t unleash all of their power. Never will. At full strength, your beast can
vaporize a mid-high-tier god.”

Quikantel shuddered at those words.

She remembered the horrifying nightmare she experienced when she visited the Fire
Dimension with Murakan and their respective gods, Olta and Solderet. That day, she
watched five gods disappear from existence.

“What…? They’re that powerful?”

Jin asked, observing Quikantel’s reaction.

“I heard he can’t do it outside of the Fire Dimension. In my case, thank goodness. I

can talk to them casually and even tease them a little. Just like how our gods can’t use
their powers in the Fire Dimension—a mutual penalty.”

“Mmmm. I see.”

Well, even if Tess’s powers weren’t that overwhelming, Jin was satisfied with it based
on what he saw in textbooks. And the best part was that their fire could not be
controlled by Sheenu.

A full-scale war was imminent between the Runcandels and Zipfels. And if Jin were
to fight against Kelliark, Tess’s strength would be of great help. No matter its tier,
normal flame spells would never be effective against Kelliark, Sheenu’s contractor.

“Oh, and what did Tess want to tell me? What kind of conversation did you have with
them? And am I not able to directly communicate with them?”

“You can’t. It’s spiritual communication. And the thing they wanted to tell you is,
well, nothing much… Just that they like you a lot. Also said it’s the first time they
were summoned for such a minor reason. They’re a special fellow. Said to come over
to the Fire Dimension after you get stronger.”

“Oh, I can go there too?”

“Well, when you reach 10-star and can comfortably breathe in the fire. That
neighborhood’s a little rough.”

Murakan wrapped up his little explanation, and the party continued to talk about
Jin’s victory and his summoned phoenix.

And as soon as the celebration ended, Kashimir took a bath and sat in his office,
preparing himself to write a new letter.

***

January 1st, 1796.

The new year came.

On the first day of the new year, the family would get together and pray for a safe
year. Fostering love with family, loved ones, and friends would be wonderful…

But one man, Guardian Knight Khan, was charging through the Black Sea and
covering himself in the black creatures’ blood and guts.

And this time as well, he had a letter stored safely in his chestplate. His new year’s
mission was to deliver a letter.

‘This time, it has been three months. Did the Young Master defeat Alisa Betzer? Now
I’m looking forward to this letter… ’

Khan was also curious about the letter’s content. It seemed to motivate a faster trek
to Cyron, who was at the center of the Black Sea.

“Greetings to the patria—”

“Give it here.”

“Yes, sir!”

With a grave expression, Cyron hastily ripped off the seal. He looked like a parent
who sent his children off to study abroad.

(To the legendary knight who I admire most, Lord Cyron.

Oh, it is the second letter. I am once again writing this letter with all of my heart and
soul with the warm sun shining on my back…)

“Shorter.”

“Pardon?”

“Next time, tell Kashimir to write a shorter letter.”

“…Understood, Lord Patriarch.”

Just like last time, the long letter was at least 70% miscellaneous greetings.

But reading the fourth page, Cyron began to smile.

“It seems that Young Master Jin defeated Alisa Betzer.”

Khan guessed so while watching Cyron’s expression.

“Hehe, he won by catching her off guard. On top of that, he seemed to have tamed
Tess the Phoenix. I’m sure you know who that is?”

“I apologize, Lord Patriarch. I do not know of that entity.”

“It’s a blue-fire phoenix, and any magician who summons it becomes the best
magician of the century.”

“Congratulations!”

“But I don’t care about some phoenix. Today’s letter is just about it. Not more than a
single line about Jin’s swordsmanship.”

(His swordsmanship improved significantly. At a ridiculous speed.)

Cyron was disappointed.

He allowed Jin to practice swordsmanship, magic, and spiritual energy at the same
time. But of course, as a Runcandel, he wanted to see more improvement in his son’s
swordsmanship.

Khan nodded.

“I can see the problem. It’s a little worrying that he might be too entrenched in
magic.”

“It’s exactly as you said. I know he’ll balance it out well on his own, but it’s getting on
my nerves… Hmmm.”

A long silence.

While Khan maintained his kneeling position, Cyron spoke.

“Ron Hairan’s son. Go find out what he’s up to.”

Ron Hairan.
The Vermont Empire’s swordmaster, patriarch of the Hairan Clan, and at some point,
Cyron’s worst enemy.

However, the difference in their power became clear when Cyron achieved the
Genesis Knight realm. Even Ron’s children were being overpowered by the
Runcandel children.

In that situation, the most talented child was born—Ron’s son.

Despite being a child, he already transcended his generation, being deemed the next
patriarch.

“You mean Dante Hairan? Coincidentally, there is information about his recent
whereabouts.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Not long ago, we received a request regarding the Cosmos Arena. Seeing that
the request asked for an assassination of a pirate, Dante Hairan entered the
competition with a fake name.”

Cyron’s eyes shimmered.

“The Cosmos Arena… I’m sure that’s… the fighting competition hosted by the
pirates? I remember Mary got second place and threw a tantrum.”

“That is correct, Lord Patriarch. And to my knowledge, it was her first defeat.
However, she went back for revenge two months later.”

A secret that not many clanspeople knew.

“Send Jin there and have him fight Dante Hairan. It’ll be fun. He can’t use his magic or
spiritual energy there, right? He can only fight with his sword.”

The only cases when Jin can use his spiritual energy and magic was when ‘there
were no witnesses’ or ‘he can get rid of all the witnesses.’

Of course, he could not use all three of his strengths in that contest. He could enter as
a magician and only use magic, or he can enter as a knight and only use
swordsmanship.
And Jin could not fight Dante with only a sword.

Cyron wanted to stimulate Jin through Dante. The phoenix and magic were nice and
all, but Cyron wanted Jin to prioritize the art of the sword.

“Understood. I will deliver your message to Sir Kashimir.”

***

However, the 16-year-old used most of his time training his swordsmanship—
enough to make Cyron’s concerns pointless.

‘Ten thousand swings. The first… same as the last…!’

After ending the consecutive battles with Alisa, he devoted all of his energy into his
training.

But he didn’t feel as impatient to improve. Thanks to Alisa, he learned many things
about himself.

“Is it not boring, Young Master Jin?”

“Nope, it’s only fun—”

“Did you say it’s boring?! I prepared this for you! Tadaaa!”

Kashimir pulled out a piece of paper and shook it in front of Jin.

“What’s this?”

“An entry to the Cosmos Arena. Recently, the intelligence agents found out that a
special fellow is entering this competition. An opponent that would compel you to
fight—Dante Hairan, the Hairan Clan’s next patriarch!”

“Dante Hairan? Why is that guy going there…”

From Jin’s knowledge, the Cosmos Arena was just a playground for pirates. In fact,
most of the competitors were around 2 to 3-star.

Kashimir raised his eyebrows and continued.

“You are mistaken. This competition is more dangerous than you think.”
“It’s more dangerous than I think?”

Jin repeated Kashimir’s words as he sheathed his sword, and his companion nodded
in affirmation.

“Indeed. It doesn’t have a ‘no-killing’ rule, unlike other competitions, so it’s very
dangerous. Although it’s true that most of the competitors are novices, some
competitors are just there for slaughter.”

The Cosmos Arena had no rules, as expected from a pirate-organized fight.

Including murder, there were no other restrictions for special weapons and tools. It
was a crazy competition that even allowed murder or assassination before the fight.

“You just need to defeat your opponent using any method. There’s a story where a
guy held the opponent’s family hostage and threatened to kill them. All in order to
win, of course.”

Which was why, even though the opponents were only 2 to 3-star, competitors had to
anticipate dirty tricks.

“4 to 5-star who don’t know anything will become their prey. After walking the world
while being oblivious of the world’s dark side, they become humiliated by the tricks
and gimmicks used in that crazy competition. Well, I’m not saying that you’ll
experience the same thing. You are… well, far off from that level.”

Indeed, he wasn’t even comparable to those people.

“There are also fighters who are above 6-star who take down the opponent with the
use of immense strength. At that point, it doesn’t matter if they use tricks or not.
These are the true predators of the arena. Well, they’re just perverts who come for
the stimulation.”
“Stimulation?”

“Yes. You know, those kinds of people. Sadists who destroy their enemy and feel
satisfaction from it—the most dangerous people.”

“Man, what kind of competition allows this stuff to happen?”

According to Kashimir, it was a dirty, low contest. One characterized by filthy scuffles
that enticed its audience to drink and gamble.

“Well, the official name isn’t a competition, it’s just an arena. If it wasn’t for Dante, I
wouldn’t have asked you to enter.”

“Surely he won’t fit into the crowd. Is there some insane grand prize awaiting for
first place?”

“The winner can choose from a plethora of prizes or one thousand gold coins. To a
commoner, that would be a lot of money. But for the successor of the Hairan Clan, it
would be pocket change.”

“Then is his mortal enemy there or something?”

“As of now, we have no information regarding his entry. But in my opinion…”

Kashimir paused for a second.

“Maybe he wants to test his swordsmanship. To see if his blade will glow in the
darkness of evil tricks. If not, he’s just throwing himself into a shithole.”

That made no sense.

It would make no sense if Dante really entered the dirty competition in order to test
his swordsmanship.

“Either way, I feel compelled to go. Dante Hairan… I could never dream of fighting
him.”

Before his regression, prior to his banishment from the clan, the commoners would
always debate who was stronger with the sword—Dante or Beradin.
Because they had many similarities.

They were both over 7-star at an early age, were nominated as the next patriarch of
their respective powerful clans, and achieved 9-star at the age of 30. Whenever they
encountered each other during a meeting, the press would go off. On top of that, they
were the same age.

‘At the time, they got more attention than the Runcandel children. Eldest Sister Luna
didn’t present herself too much, and Eldest Brother fell behind them.’

There weren’t any other second-generation Runcandel who was stronger than Dante
other than Luna. Though, there wasn’t definitive proof that he was stronger than all
of the Runcandel children, but that’s what the world thought.

‘He’s a fellow I’m curious about. There’s nothing bad from meeting him once.
Hopefully, he’s not hot-headed like the Beradin from my past life.’

However, Kashimir’s exaggerated attitude was getting on his nerves. He could’ve just
naturally asked Jin to compete, but he was promoting it as if he were a businessman
selling drugs.

‘And I’m sure the Seven-Colored Peacock doesn’t have spare time to investigate
Dante Hairan. All of the best agents should be investigating the Zipfels, Alu, and
Kinzelo. I doubt that it’s just some idle information they found… ’

Thinking until that point, Jin smiled.

‘It was Father’s orders. The information about Dante is likely to have come from the
Runcandel Clan. And now that I think about it, back at the Garden, Father sent me off
first so he could talk to Kashimir alone.’

He pondered the possibility of Kashimir sending reports to Cyron regarding his

progress ever since that day at the Garden of Swords. However, it wasn’t of any
importance. There weren’t any disadvantages that would affect Jin.

Instead, he felt a little mischievous.

“Hmmm… Sir Kashimir, do I really need to go?”

“Huh?”
“I don’t really want to attend such a pathetic battle. And I can face Dante Hairan
anytime in the future.”

“Ehem! Young Master Jin, please think about it. You would obviously meet him many
times since you are a Runcandel, but would there be an opportunity to fight him? It
could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance…”

“Haha, I’m not some fighting legend or anything. And I’ve recently been feeling tired
from fighting Lady Alisa.”

“Y-Young Master, don’t be like that… Just trust me and try participating. I-Isn’t it a
chance to evaluate Dante Hairan’s strength? Hahaha, my tongue is getting twisted.
Maybe I’m getting a heatstroke…”

Jin pointed to the window and laughed. Outside, snow was falling. The early January
blizzards were rolling in.

“Heatstroke?”

“Oh, my mistake again. Anyways, Young Master Jin! I’ve already filled out your entry
form. Just trust me and enter, ok? I’m sure this will be a great experience for you!”

“Well… If you say so, then there’s nothing I can do. I’ll participate.”

“Thank you, Young Master Jin! Oh, and on top of that, you must leave tomorrow. The
schedule is tight. That is all!”

“Tomorrow? Wait, Sir Kashimir!”

Kashimir quickly escaped the training area without looking back.

And Jin’s suspicions were solidified.

‘He’s definitely reporting my progress to Father. And this must be the first order—to
face Dante Hairan.’

Jin chuckled. He knew his father was interested in him and his progress, but he didn’t
think that it was enough to make him intervene.

His siblings would go crazy if they found out.

‘And Sir Kashimir is terrible at acting… Is it just in front of me? I heard he was really
good at politics after becoming the ruler of Tikan.’

Jin chuckled once more.

***

The Cosmos Arena was hosted on an island south of the Bellard Empire. It was right
outside of Bellard territory, so the surrounding ocean was the pirates’ playground.

Jin went alone to that island.

‘It’s a mission ordered by Father, so it’s right to not bring anyone else.’

If he brought anyone with him, Jin would have an emotional attachment that could
potentially drag him down.

He knew what his father wanted to say: to sweep the competition alone with a
sword.

Using magic and spiritual energy around a massive audience was crazy.

‘It’s been a while since I received a solo mission after the one in Mamit. But just like
last time, I’m dealing with outlaws.’

After arriving in the Bellard Empire, he took a ferry to the island, using up a thick bag
of gold.

The island… didn’t look nice.

It had the ambience of the lowest of the low infesting the place, with stenched
streets that had fresh streaks of blood everywhere.

Any type of disturbance would get one stabbed. In addition to being a remote island,
since it was filled with pirates who tasted the bitter and sweet of life, it was
impossible to maintain order in the place.

“Kekekeke.”

Every five steps, there were people laughing hysterically, driven mad by drugs.
But not all were like that.

Occasionally, there were houses with guards and children, and knights who had
decent armor. They were either competitors or spectators of the arena.

Jin began to follow one of these respectable people. He felt that he could arrive at the
reception desk after following the man.

And just as he thought, after walking for thirty minutes, he reached the reception
desk. A single-table set up in front of an arena that looked worse than a pig pen.

“I came to register for the arena.”

He held out the entry form that Kashimir filled out, and the receptionist opened his
eyes. Hair covered his big body, and tattoos crawled all over his arms.

“Huh? The time frame for registration’s already passed. Fuck off. Better if you die
while leaving.”

“It’s passed? I’m sure you guys are open until sundown.”

“Oh, I just don’t want to take any more entries. You deaf?”

The man then formed a circle with his thumb and index finger. Clearly, he wanted
money.

Jin knew to end money-related problems by paying up.

With the added interest of beating some sense into the guy.

Crack!

Jin kicked the table to the side. As the man tried to stand up, Jin slammed his fist on
the crown of his head. In Jin’s fist was the crumpled registration form.

“Erk! Argggh, this bastard.”

“Take it. I’ll give you the money.”

And he threw some gold coins on the ground. The guy’s expression brightened, and
he nodded.

Jin could only be surprised at the strength of his punch, which could have severely
injured a trained 4-star knight.

However, even though the guy took the hit, he immediately stood up and laughed at
the sight of money.

“Registration complete! Hahaha! A hotshot kid. I like it. You’ll fight in group 13. Take
this and go inside. The other fellows will escort you.”

The man handed him a small piece of paper with something written on it.

(Group 13, Jin Grey.)

“Kuhaha, welcome to the Cosmos Arena, filled with love and fervor. Try your best!”

‘Since he struck me for no reason, I’ll stick him with the strong guys. Oh, and if this
kid doesn’t survive tonight, I’ll cook him and feed him to the sharks.’

The man—smiling with his gold-plated teeth—was the host of the competition.

Pirate King Cosmos.

Filled with love and fervor… And yet, the arena interior reflected the structure of a
prison.

There were long, dark hallways with individual rooms squished together on either
side. However, instead of a normal door similar to that used on a normal house, each
room had a jail door.

The only difference the place had from a prison was that the competitors could enter
and exit the rooms freely. Also, the guides—Cosmos’s underlings—were pretty nice.

“What’s this? There’s a fetus in this competition? Kuhaha, this year’s arena rumble is
filled with children. C’mere. Let’s see… What the—Group 13? Oh, uh… And you beat
the captain? This kid’s a special breed.”

Amazed, the guide scanned Jin.

“Kids these days don’t have any fear. There’s another kid who struck the captain, and
if you two fought, it’d be fun to watch. Unfortunately, your groups are different.”

There was no need to ask who that kid was. On this deranged island, there wasn’t
any other teenager aside from Dante Hairan.

“So, what room do I use?”

Jin asked with irritation, and the guide only shrugged in response.

“Wherever the fuck you want! Group 13 fights tomorrow, so if you’re bored, go watch
the other groups. Shouldn’t you make some fun memories before you die?”

The guide definitely thought that Jin would die immediately. However, it wasn’t in a
mocking tone, so Jin just walked past him and began to choose a room.

Clop, clop.
As he observed each room while walking slowly, he noticed that there was significant
diversity within the rooms.

One room had someone sitting in the corner and muttering prayers, another had
someone inspecting unidentified objects. Some competitors had already formed
gangs and bantered amongst themselves.

In some aspects, it felt more barbaric than the Mamit Lawless Zone.

‘And that pirate named Cosmos… He’s not an easy fellow. I wonder why he’s
marauding in this area.’

Jin shrugged and chose a room. He had been roaming the halls for about ten minutes,
but there wasn’t any specific room that was cleaner or nicer. They were all old and
dirty.

‘In fact, there aren’t enough rooms for all of the competitors. It seems that two or
three people per room is the norm. It’s extremely obvious that they intentionally
wanted to cram people in here, and I hate it.’

The Cosmos Arena was a scuffle in which killing was allowed even before the fight.
The contest was more of a survival game than a regular scuffle.

Hence, they purposefully crammed the competitors into cramped rooms. They
wanted them to fight whenever possible in the tight spaces.

And once one entered the competition, it was impossible to withdraw. Cosmos’s
underlings guarded the entrance, and the other competitors would not let anyone
escape so easily.

If someone were to make a poor attempt at escaping, the other competitors would
turn the runaway into dead meat before the guards could even get to them.

That was the very reason why Cosmos thought that Jin would become shark food if
he didn’t survive and the reason why the guide said that Jin will die anyways.

It was hard to expect a newbie to survive in such a savage environment. They

thought that Jin’s chances of death were high even if he were a talented 4-star.

In order to survive the veiled enmity and rotten gimmicks, observation and
experience was more important than pure fighting power. And to a pirate, that
wasn’t something a young adult would have.

—You are mistaken. This competition is more dangerous than you think.

Jin remembered Kashimir’s words. After exploring the area, he finally understood
what he meant.

‘Well, it’s an experience.’

In the middle of the long hallway, Jin pulled on a cell door.

Clack, creeaaaak…

The irritating sound of metal scraping against concrete echoed, and the three
competitors inside the cell glared at Jin.

“Can’t you see that there are already three people in here? Fuck off to another room,
kid.”

“Man, as much as this is a shitty contest, this is off the top. They let babies enter?”

“Why are you just standing there? Go away.”

The three guys were in their mid to late-twenties. Hearing their attitude and seeing
their crooked posture, Jin concluded that they were just some irrelevant gangsters.

‘I wonder who said that punches were medicine for these kinds of people? I
wonder… Was it an old master? Was it Elder Sister Mary?’

Thinking that he should still give them a chance before beating them up, Jin met eyes
with each of them.

“Starting today, I’m using this room by myself. I will count to three. I’m sure that’s
enough time for all three of you to walk out of this room?”

He didn’t have any intentions of sharing a room—not even in the slightest. If he left
these people next to him, they could backstab him at any moment.

The hoodlums doubted their ears and blinked.

“One. Two. Three.”

Bam! Crack! Thoom!

Two punches and one wrestling throw. All of which resulted in a fractured bone,
shattered skull, and a dislocated shoulder, respectively. The thugs couldn’t even react
to the quick attacks.

Following the painful cries were loud cheers echoing from the adjacent room. Jin put
his hands on his hips, and the three scrambled out of the room without a single
word.

Clean room: check.

But the real battle had just begun.

‘I’m certain that other people will attack me after seeing that I’m alone here… Well,
so much for sleep.’

And his prediction was precise.

Not even ten minutes later, two contenders appeared.

“Hey, let’s share a room.”

They entered with bravado.

“Erk! Argh!”

Although it was adorable of them to get beat up and run away from him, Jin couldn’t
forgive those who sprayed poison or fired a crossbow.

For those people, he cut off either all of their fingers or their entire hand. It would
convey a better message to the other contenders rather than just killing them.

However, the most concerning type of people were the ones who just watched and
then walked past.

‘They will definitely strike when they see the opportunity. Possibly when I’m busy
dealing with the other guys and lowering my guard.’
He wasn’t scared, but more so they were getting on his nerves. Because he couldn’t
use magic or spiritual energy.

‘It’s kinda pressuring that I have to use my sword in whatever situation I get into.
Since I’m used to always utilizing all three of my strengths.’

Either that or he had his companions to rely on. And not so long ago, he had a
necklace that would save him, no matter who he faced.

‘I can see why Father wanted to send me here. Fighting Dante is important, but it’s
also to drag down my ego on my swordsmanship.’

So much time passed as he watched the entrance to his cell, with his senses
heightened to the maximum.

Then, he heard the guide’s voice resounding from outside.

“Alright, alright. We’ll have the battles for groups 1 and 2! If you wanna watch, then
get your asses to the audience seats. Oh, and I’m sure you know the audience seats is
a murder-free area. Don’t do dumb shit. Or else… Well, you know the consequences,
so watch your ass.”

Clank, clang!

The cells in the hallway began to open one by one. They were all heading over to
watch the fights between the participants in groups 1 and 2.

And on top of that, since the area was murder-free, they could finally be at ease.

With that, there also seemed to be an implied rule; no one attacked another as they
relocated to the seats. So Jin tried to naturally join the cramped line.

‘The guys who looked at me and walked past… If I were them, I would stab my target
while we’re in that line. That would bring the highest chance of success.’

No matter how great Jin was, noticing a blade and dodging it was impossible when
standing in the middle of a crowd.

However, not attacking while amongst the line was at most an ‘implied rule’.
He had read the rules on the back of the entry form dozens of times, but it had no
mention of it. After all, it wasn’t one established by the host.

Of course, if anyone attacked Jin, then the surrounding people would glare at the
attacker. However, they would rather thank the murderer for eliminating the
arrogant kid who monopolized a room.

‘There’s nothing bad about going out late. I’ll leave after the hallway clears up.’

Which was the right decision.

The ones who glanced at Jin and walked past earlier were all part of the same group.
They assumed that Jin was a 4-star and had plans to eliminate him.

They didn’t really have a reason to get rid of him. They just thought that he was the
most enjoyable to kill amongst all of the other prey.

However, they could not execute their plan because of Jin’s quick thinking. Watching
this, the guide muttered.

“I thought he was just a fearless child who just trusted his strength, but he’s also very
intelligent. I can see why the boss stuck him against the stronger opponents.”

As the hallway cleared up, Jin silently left his room.

Getting closer to the arena, the screams and shouts grew clearer. Arriving in the
audience seats, Jin silently stood to conceive the massive crowd.

‘Holy shit… This many people came to see this?’

Excluding the contenders, there were at least a thousand other spectators.

For a moment, Jin worried that there may be someone who would recognize his face,
but he didn’t think that someone who went to a Runcandel banquet would come to
such a dirty place.

‘Well, as for Dante Hairan, he probably entered knowing that not many people knew
what he looked like and that his acquaintances will not attend this arena.’

Still, if he knew that there would be this many people, he would’ve focused on his
disguise a little more.

Jin licked his lips and sat in a decent spot. He could hear the spectators’ voices.

They looked like upper-class Bellard Empire nobles who visited the arena annually.

“Hey, you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“There’s a rumor that a Runcandel provisional flag-bearer is attending this arena

with a fake name.”
Jin flinched.

‘Shit. What the hell? Why do people already know?’

Jin would’ve never thought of hearing this kind of rumor right as he reached the
audience. He sneakily took a seat near the two nobles and listened in on their
conversation.

“A Runcandel provisional flag-bearer? Haha, you fool. Why would someone that
amazing come here? This place is only crawling with the lowest of the low.”

“It’s just something that I heard while drinking with the Cosmos Pirates executives.
They said that there’s a talented youngling among the combatants, and they were
sure that it was one of the Runcandels’ provisional flag-bearers.”

“Hmmm, really? Let’s see… Right now, the Runcandel Clan’s three active provisional
flag-bearers are Daytona, Haytona, and Jin Runcandel. So it’s one of those three.”

“Jin Runcandel really shook the public last year. Every single press talked about his
5-star achievement. Either way, the executive guy was certain. One of those three
must’ve entered.”

Jin found it interesting that he was closely listening to nobles discussing this new
rumor.

‘I guess the clan’s fame and power is really well known. My name was written in
press releases many times, but they even know the Tona twins’ names.’

The Tona twins were about to become provisional flag-bearers. Before Jin’s
regression, they started their provisional flag-bearer missions around 1796 or 1797.

Thinking about the environment and mood of the ‘Cosmos Arena’ as well as the
twins being deemed the Nefarious Homicidal Maniacs in his past life, Jin inferred
that it was completely possible for them to join the arena.

Of course, in this life, the Tona twins were abused by Jin since their youth. Compared
to his past life, they got significantly tamer.

‘If the twins did enter, then it’s great for my case. I can bring them to my room and
use them as guards. Make them do all of the dirty work as well.’

Afterwards, the nobles debated on which Runcandel entered the competition.

Not only that, but other nobles also began to whisper about the same topic.

‘Now that I think about it, most of the spectators are nobles. Well, rich people are
always looking for some entertainment.’

Creaaaaaak!

A massive steel door on one side of the circular stadium suddenly began to open.

A man then emerged and walked to the middle of the arena—Pirate King Cosmos. As
soon as he appeared, the audience went crazy. Cosmos seemed to be very popular
with the crowd.

“Thank you for waiting!”

“““COSMOS! COSMOS!”””

Around him were nobles who screamed and cheered in excitement for outright
criminals. It was bizarre to witness the very people who looked down upon common
folk suddenly cheer for lawbreakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Cosmos Arena. I, Pirate King Cosmos, thank
you for coming here. Hahaha! This time, there are significantly more people than last
year. I can’t wait to see the fight!”

Clap!

Cosmos clapped some and fireworks were shot into the air, coloring the sky in bright
colors. As the explosions ensued, the air around them warmed up.
“Alrighty, alrighty. Then, let’s get riiiiiight into the fight! Hehe, fellas! Bring in two
guys from group 1! Cue the horns!”

Toooooooo~! Toooooooooot!

The pirates at the edge of the arena blew their horns. The steel doors on both sides
of the arena rose, and the contenders revealed themselves.

Each group had 14 people, and since there were up to 13 groups, there were 182
contenders who entered this filthy contest. There was no other fighting competition
that had this many people.

“The lucky guy to fight in the honorary first round… Last year’s 16th-round qualifier
and cutie of Shark Pirates! Mantis! And the opponent!”

Cosmos’ eyes narrowed and shoved his face into the roster. His expressions implied
that something was wrong.

“Oh damn. I’m gonna get flamed by the Shark dudes’ captain. And I’ll drown the guy
who planned the brackets. Well, here he is anyway! Paul Mick!”

“Who’s Paul Mick?”

“Never heard of him. Seeing Cosmos’s reaction, I think he’s a special fellow.”

As the nobles conversed with astonishment, Mantis entered the arena first.

With a shriveled physique and a distinct shark tattoo on his back, he made an
awkward stance with scimitars in his hand. The epitome of a pirate.

“Hoho, Cosmos. What kind of guy is Paul or Mick or something? Making me all
nervous. I’m a little disappointed, making me look bad.”

Cosmos ignored Mantis’s banter.

Paul Mick came out of the waiting room, and the audience began to chatter.

“That’s a kid.”

“What is this…? I know that there were a lot of kids in this contest, but this is too
much.”

“If he bent his knees a little, the sword on his back would drag on the ground. Hoho.”

Jin was also a little surprised.

This Paul Mick guy didn’t look like he was over 15.

‘13? 14? They let a child enter here? That’s crazy!’

He would’ve jumped into the arena without hesitation. He couldn’t just let the child
die there.

If Cosmos didn’t make a strange reaction, that is.

‘Wait… Is that kid Dante Hairan? No, Dante Hairan is three years older… ’

The next series of events was most surprising.

Notifying the start of the battle, Cosmos walked out of the ring, and Mantis shrugged
in confusion.

However—

Slash!

It happened in an instant.

Mantis’s neck was cut.

“Oh?”

“What… was that?”

“Anyone see that correctly?”

The audience couldn’t exactly pinpoint when the pirate’s head fell off.

It was obvious. The movement was so quick that Jin—who was about to hit 6-star—
barely saw what happened.
‘It was a crescent slash. He instantly closed the gap between them, and when he was
only five steps away from the pirate, he used a crescent slash to slice his head off.
Damn, that guy… ’

No, there was no doubt about it.

Amongst the contenders, there was no one other than Dante Hairan who could pull it
off.

The audience went quiet. Those who were talking until a minute ago were now at a
loss for words.

Thud!

Mantis’s body fell to the ground.

And Cosmos smacked his forehead, dumbfounded.

“Wow, fucking dammit. Mantis was a 16th-round finalist, so we could’ve profited off
his popularity. And now, he just dies… Well, anyway. It’s Paul Mick’s victory!”

Cosmos announced the victor, but the audience remained silent. While everyone was
still shocked, a man in the VIP seats on the opposite side of Jin’s seat stood and began
to clap.

“From now on, I have all my money on Paul Mick. Paul Mick! Paul Mick! Amazing!”

And surprisingly, it was someone that Jin knew well.

‘What the—Beradin Zipfel?! Why’s he here?!’

Jin’s eyes widened, and he had to reconfirm that the face he saw was Beradin Zipfel.
The audience began to belatedly cheer.

Beradin had come by order of the Zipfel elders. Since the Hairan Clan’s successor
was growing rapidly, they ordered Beradin to come and see for himself.

“Wooooooh!”

“This youngling’s spicy!”

“I’m also betting on Paul Mick this time! All in!”

And the two Bellard Empire nobles in front of Jin began to whisper in certainty.

“See? Is my information ever incorrect? It’s him, the Runcandel provisional flag-
bearer!”

“Wow… That’s a surprise. Well, if he isn’t a Runcandel provisional flag-bearer, he

can’t do that at that age. I’m sure that’s Jin Runcandel.”

“Me too. He’s too young to be one of the Tona twins.”

The other nobles nearby nodded in approval.

Of course, no one yelled his name out loud. They knew that blabbering about a
provisional flag-bearer would result in a manhunt.

Which was why they were whispering amongst themselves. Paul Mick is Jin
Runcandel, Paul Mick is the provisional flag-bearer!

Listening to all this, Jin scoffed.

‘Anyways… It’s my first time seeing Dante looking that young. In my past life, I just
heard from the press that he looked nice, but he doesn’t even look 19.’

Jin looked at Paul Mick—no, Dante and then at Beradin, who was still clapping.

‘Beradin probably came because his clan told him to. He’s also getting on my nerves,
just like Dante. He’s definitely going to notice me… And if he does, he’s going to be a
pain in the ass.’

His anxious predictions couldn’t be wrong.

And unfortunately, right at that moment, Beradin spotted Jin who was looking at him
intently.

“Oh? Wow!”

Beradin crazily waved his arm at Jin.

Of course, Jin ignored him and looked back at Dante. Amusingly, Dante turned his
head and glared at Beradin.

‘That is… Beradin Zipfel. Is he acting like he knows me? I’ve only met him at the
Zipfel banquet, and yet, he’s enthusiastically greeting me. Alright, I will also greet
you, Beradin!’

Misunderstanding the situation, Dante waved his hand at Beradin. Jin burst into
laughter. He couldn’t read Dante’s mind, but he could assume what he was thinking.

‘Funny fellows.’

Cosmos’s underlings ran over and retrieved Mantis’s corpse.

“Alrighty, alrighty. Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that Mantis had a short standing.
Let’s hear some words from our victor. Mister Paul Mick, how do you feel?”

“I feel like I got rid of another filthy scum. I pray he doesn’t become a pirate in his
next life.”

Although his appearance was child-like, his voice was comparably deeper. And with
it, he berated the pirates in a pirates cove.

A lot of pirates ground their teeth, but they couldn’t attack Dante. Their hesitation
was expected after bearing witness to his swordsmanship.

Cosmos let out an awkward chuckle and nodded.

“Heheh, being a pirate isn’t a job to recommend to children. But remember that it’s a
great start for those cornered at the bottom of the social ladder.”

Dante silently walked towards the waiting room, and Cosmos carried on with the
battles.

Jin then thought to himself while watching Dante’s back.

‘That guy… Can I beat him?’

Jin quickly concluded that a fight against Dante was winnable.

‘If I could use magic and spiritual energy.’

Not long ago, he defeated a former Vermont Special Forces agent—though she was
retired and washed out. It was true that Dante was very talented, but Jin could
definitely take him down.

‘But if we were to fight only with swords, there’s no certainty. His crescent slashes,
agility, explosive strength, and accuracy were all extraordinary.’

The second battle began, but it didn’t catch his eye. Instead, the sight of Dante
beheading Mantis constantly repeated in his head.

Dante Hairan definitely practiced more skilled swordsmanship. It was inevitable

because he was three years older.

So Jin had to analyze.

He could possibly win if he gathers all methods of victory until he meets Dante in the
arena.

‘But unlike the other contenders, I don’t want to use tricks or gimmicks on him. It’s
only meaningful if I beat him head-on.’

While Jin was deep in his concerns, on the opposite side of the arena, Beradin
couldn’t contain his beating heart as he sat in his VIP seat.

‘Thank god I came. Who would’ve thought that Jin also entered! And seeing him and
Dante meet swords like this… is a miracle.’

Jin and Dante.

Beradin considered them to be his only two rivals in the world, and he never
expected to meet both of them here.

Unfortunately, Jin didn’t really care about Beradin.

***

Jin watched all of the battles in groups 1 and 2.

He concluded that there was no other formidable foe aside from Dante. From the
beginning, he could tell that the arena was closer to a tragic slaughterfest than a
fighting tournament.

Those who were 3-star and below were busy using tricks. And the inexperienced
contestants fell for said tricks, which then satisfied the nobles who were watching.
The veterans tortured their opponents, and the crowd would then cheer.

That was the Cosmos Arena.

‘Starting tomorrow, they’ll start doing four or five groups per day. Then I’d be on the
field after four days. Until then… ’

He had to survive the nights in the arena.

Which was the most dangerous aspect—more than the battle itself.

There were 147 people left in the arena living spaces. Out of 182 contenders, 35 had
already died.

About ten of them actually died from battle, and the other 25 died while fighting in
their cells before the real fights.

Poisoning, assassination, and ambush were staple methods. There were also gang
fights.

Just sitting in one’s room and trying to rest was a one-way ticket to hell.

However, Jin couldn’t just not sleep for the next four days. Having a light nap while in
the audience seat was possible, but a deep sleep was impossible.
‘I did get insomnia training during my cadet years… But this is the first time I’m
trying to last four days.’

He had already thought of making some contestants his underlings and they could
take turns resting.

But is there anyone he could trust in this tournament? Trust them with his back,
enough to protect him while he eats, sleeps, or rests until his battle.

There was no one. About 70% of the contestants were plundering pirate outlaws,
and about 20% were cunning gangsters.

Still, the slightly-better 10% were just regular knights who attended just to gain
some experience since they didn’t know much about the world. In simpler terms,
they were incompetent, ordinary people.

And most of them had already died. They were too naive to survive in the hell hole
they were in. But if they were alive, Jin would team up with them anyways.

‘Fuck it. I’ll just stay awake. It’s not like I’m the only tired one. The ones who’ll try to
kill me will also die of exhaustion.’

Shing!

Jin unsheathed Bradamante and set it on the ground as he sat down, making it easier
for him to swing it as soon as someone attacked him.

Time passed very slowly.

While his senses were heightened, time felt as if it passed even slower knowing that
there were 147 enemies outside his room.

As he watched the time pass at a snail’s pace, the sun eventually rose and illuminated
the surroundings.

And Jin was not attacked a single time.

‘Did cutting off their fingers scare them off? I didn’t think that no one would come to
my room.’
Of course, that didn’t mean that Jin could sleep tonight without worry. The others
could be waiting for Jin to lower his guard.

‘It seems that many fights broke out throughout the night.’

The contender count decreased from 147 to 140, and although not dead, there were
many who were severely injured.

As he satiated himself with dried food and water, the guide notified the start of the
battles. There were battles scheduled all the way until the next morning.

Rumble, rumble.

With tired expressions, the contenders moved their feet. Just like last time, Jin waited
for the crowd to die down before proceeding to the audience seats himself.

And the events were the same as yesterday. He watched pathetic scuffles and
returned to his room as the battles ended.

Because murder was prohibited while in the audience seats, Jin could catch multiple
light naps. Other contenders did the same, but it didn’t really help with getting rid of
the exhaustion.

Another night came.

For the two days Jin was at the arena, he didn’t do anything. Other than chasing out
the previous inhabitants of his room.

Despite doing nothing, he felt like dying from acute exhaustion obviously caused by
sleep deprivation.

But he wouldn’t be this tired just because of sleep deprivation. The fact that he had
to heighten his senses and be prepared for battle for two straight days exhausted
him most. It was hell.

‘Today, and tomorrow… Gotta hold on. They said that I can get actual time to rest
during the preliminary rounds, so I have to clench my teeth and endure.’

It didn’t matter. As long as his opponent wasn’t Dante, he could destroy them with
20% of his power. Even if it was a ‘talented’ veteran.
Jin kept Bradamante out, prepared to strike.

Time, again, went slower than ever.

Was it because of his accumulated exhaustion?

He almost nodded off to sleep multiple times due to fatigue.

And strangely, the night was quiet. There were occasional screams of death, but that
was all.

Yet again, no one attacked Jin that night.

And the fact that no one did tortured Jin. He confirmed that there were people who
waited for him to lower his guard, but he felt humiliated realizing that he had no idea
who was doing so.

And as the day’s fourth hour approached, a thought shot through Jin’s brain.

‘Do I just go out and kill all of them?’

Chills.

Most of the contenders were bad people. However, he still debated whether it would
be right to slaughter a hundred people for no reason.

‘Ha… I’m going crazy. As Sir Kashimir said, it’s a dangerous competition.’

Phew!

He took a deep breath, and regained his composure. As a knight, he knew he could
kill many people, but he didn’t feel the need to become a mass-slaughterer.

And after one hour—

Clop, clop…

He heard footsteps growing louder in the hallway. There was no way it was just a
passerby. It had to be the movement of a person who intended to kill him.
‘And so it begins?’

They could be going for someone else, but still, Jin silently picked up Bradamante.

The footsteps got closer, louder.

They stopped in front of the room adjacent to Jin’s. One more step and it would be
Jin’s room.

‘He’s going for me. Is he bold or stupid? He just comes at me like that? Or did he go
crazy from lack of sleep?’

Jin stood and lowered his stance while firmly gripping his sword. As soon as the
visitor came inside his cell, Jin planned on immediately striking.

The man outside emitted a strong metallic stench—the smell of blood.

And then, Jin heard an unexpected voice.

“Wait… Can we talk for a sec?”

A husky voice.

It was Dante.

‘What the… Why is Dante coming to me?’

Suddenly, all kinds of thoughts went through his mind.

‘Does he know who I am? If he does, did Beradin tell him? Did he come to settle our
anticipated battle without waiting? Or none of that, and just coincidentally came
here?’

Jin could hear his heartbeat.

If Dante was in a rested state, Jin couldn’t win. But he couldn’t decline the fight just
because he was tired either.

“Talk?”
Jin concealed his nervousness and calmly asked.

“Yes.”

Jin thought for a bit before opening the door.

“Come in.”

“Thanks…”

Thud!

‘Huh?’

As soon as he came in, Dante kneeled on one knee, as if he couldn’t control his body.
While Jin’s eyes widened, Dante spoke.

“I apologize for the request on our first meeting… but please… let me sleep. In
exchange, I will guard you so that you can sleep.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just as I said. I can’t endure much longer. I must sleep for at least an hour… so I
won’t go crazy.”

If it was like this, his limit was different. Like Jin, he kept his eyes wide open as he
waited for potential assassins.

“But why me? What is there to trust about me?”

“Yesterday, I watched you. Unlike the others, you seemed like a real knight. Out of
everyone… just you. Which is why… I can trust… zzzzzz…”

Thud.

Zzzzzz, zzzzzzzz…

Jin could only be surprised.

‘What in the world is this guy? The audacity! On some aspects, he’s worse than
Beradin.’

There would be no problem slitting Dante’s throat while he was vulnerable. He was
fast asleep on the spot.

‘Does the Hairan Clan not do insomnia training? Either that or more contenders
attacked him.’

Shuffle, shuffle.

However, before his frustrations receded, Jin heard evident footsteps from people
who tried to sneak and conceal them.

It was the gang that waited for Dante to be knocked out, and at that moment, Jin
finally realized.

‘Dante’s pungent metallic smell… He came here after fending off the many enemies
that went into his room. Unlike my room, which had no visitors.’

Making the Hairan Clan’s next patriarch indebted to him wouldn’t be bad at all.

Jin covered Bradamante with aura and prepared to fight the aggressors.
‘Four—no… Five.’

Seeing that they poorly concealed their presence, Jin knew they weren’t trained
assassins. Additionally, their breaths were hoarse, which meant that they were very
nervous.

They would still be able to deal with Dante, who was exhausted to death.

But they weren’t enough to take care of Jin.

‘I don’t need to fight them in such a cramped space. I don’t want to contaminate my
living space with bloodstains.’

Stomp!

Jin intentionally stomped towards the cell door, and the assassins stopped in place.
Before his enemies could exchange signals…

“This isn’t Paul Mick’s room.”

Slash!

Jin shot out like a bullet towards the cell door and slashed the assassins near the
hallway wall. He didn’t want to send them back with only severed fingers or hands.

He had already done that on the first day to warn the rest of the attackers.

The next time someone came to his room, they would not be losing a body part, but
their life.

“Ahhhh!”

Hearing the swing of a sword, the man behind the victim screamed instinctively.
As Jin predicted, there were a total of five enemies. And since one just died, they
were now down to four. Amongst them, none saw how the first one died.

After his battles with Alisa, Jin’s swordsmanship improved significantly.

“G-Get him!”

Stab!

His second strike exactly pierced the target’s heart. The other three ran in
simultaneously, but their movements were stiff due to nervousness.

Coating the blade with venom didn’t matter if the sword didn’t hit anything. Jin easily
dodged each poison-gleaming blade and continued to attack.

“W-We are not here to attack you!”

“I know. You came to kill Paul Mick. But since you came to my room, it’s the end for
you.”

Every time Bradamante’s blade danced through air, blood flew and splattered.
People in adjacent rooms stuck out their heads to watch the spectacle. However, they
immediately returned to hiding, afraid that they would be associated with the fight.

As Jin tried to clean up the rest of the assassins, something shining at the edge of the
hallway caught the corner of his eye.

He heard the pull of a bow string and soon realized that the glimmer came from the
light hitting an arrowhead.

‘They even prepared a ranged attacker? Or maybe… these guys were bait to begin
with, and they planned to shoot Dante when he comes out?’

Tang!

He barely deflected the arrow. If he hadn’t caught sight of the glimmer earlier, he
would’ve gotten injured.

Fwoo-fwoo-fwoo-fwoo!
Subsequently, more arrows flew. It looked like they prepared at least ten archers.

However, Jin had expected this much, so he used a corpse as a meat shield.

Thud, thud-thud, thud!

As the arrows pierced through the corpse, Jin could see the arrowhead covered in
yellow poison.

‘These bastards… ’

At this point, he was furious.

Although they weren’t his mortal enemies, he really wanted to know why they were
going so far to get rid of some kids.

‘I know that this contest is all about dirty, underhanded tricks, but this is too much.
And these guys are too organized despite being average contenders.’

He threw the corpse away and ran towards the archers, jumping from wall to wall.

He planned on leaving one alive for questioning. With what intention did they
attack? And who ordered them to do this?

Just as the first five had poor swordsmanship, the archers didn’t have great aim.

Things would have been different if Jin moved in a straight line, but instead, his
sporadic movements prevented them from hitting him.

‘I need to wrap it up ASAP. Someone might attack Dante while I’m not in my room.’

As he quickly closed the gap, his sword began to glow.

Some of them began to run away, and Jin let them.

He personally wanted to chase and execute them, but Dante’s safety was his priority.
Jin could kill them anytime, but getting the Hairan Clan’s prospective successor
indebted to him was a rare opportunity.

Slash! Slice!
Heads fell to the ground. He didn’t even need ten seconds to kill three of the four
who didn’t escape.

“S-Save me.”

“Shut up.”

Bam!

Instead of attacking with his sword, Jin threw his fist at the last archer, rendering
him unconscious. Soon after, he dragged his newly acquired hostage back to his
room.

The spectators who watched from their rooms didn’t even make a sound.

“Phew. Hey. Wake up.”

Slap! Slap! Slap!

As soon as he returned to his room, Jin slapped the hostage awake. Meanwhile, Dante
was still fast asleep.

“Euk! Erk!”

“Alright, starting now, I’m going to ask you something, and you’ll have to answer
every time. If you answer to my satisfaction, I will send you back. If not, I’ll send you
to the sky. And if you don’t answer within three seconds, you’ll also go to the sky.
Understood?”

He nodded.

“First, who are you guys?”

“P-Pirates. I-I’ll explain more! Please lower your sword. We’re One-Eyed Joe’s
underlings. He’s the winner of last year’s arena rumble.”

“Second, why are you going after Paul Mick? In such an organized way too.”

“Captain Joe… said that Paul Mick was an important figure in a big clan, so he told us
to capture him.”
“Did he say which clan?”

“He said that it was probably R-Runcandel…”

Jin instinctively grinned.

‘You do this shit despite thinking that he’s a Runcandel? Well, they say that ignorance
is courage when combined with confidence.’

“Why are your arrowheads poisoned, then? He asked for a hostage, not a corpse.”

“We have an antidote.”

“Then, third. Where is Joe? Is he also in the arena?”

“No, he came as a spectator this year, and he only ordered us to capture Paul Mick.”

Dante entered this competition in Jin’s past life as well.

And that time, he became these guys’ hostage. The Hairan Clan were able to retrieve
Dante after giving them an inconceivable amount of money and solemnly swearing
that they wouldn’t take revenge.

Like a butterfly effect, the Hairan Clan faced internal failure and many consequences.

Jin didn’t know much about the backstory of the clan’s internal failures due to its
secrecy, but he knew that he had just changed history just by saving Dante.

‘Hm… Just as this guy said, Dante was kidnapped last time. Then these pirate fuckers
held him hostage and took a big bite out of the Hairans.’

Even if they were a renowned clan, if an important figure were to get caught, the clan
could only be dragged along. Especially when the hostage was their next patriarch.

‘Of course, if it were the Runcandel Clan, they would just tell the pirates to kill the
hostage and would proceed to slaughter the kidnappers, their families,
acquaintances, and even unrelated individuals. Everyone would die… ’

That was the Runcandel method. Strikingly different from other big clans.
“Alright, perfect. I like it. I’ll spare you.”

“Th-Thank you!”

“Instead, leave two fingers here.”

“…Huh?”

“Just as I said. Leave two fingers here. If not, leave your head here.”

Losing one’s fingers was better than getting beheaded.

“Kraaaaah!”

Ultimately, the pirate trudged back to his room after blowing off some information
and leaving some of his fingers in Jin’s room.

The young Runcandel sat back down and waited for Dante to wake up.

***

Dante woke up after seventeen hours, around dinner time.

And as soon as he awoke, Jin explained everything that happened since he passed
out.

He went on about how much he did to keep Dante’s ass alive, and how he captured
one guy and found out about One-Eyed Joe as well as his gang of pirate gangsters.

“So they mistook me for a Runcandel and tried to capture me… That One-Eyed Joe
guy is definitely crazy. I find all of this absurd—laughable. A Runcandel? Absurd!”

He let out a deep laugh and shook his head. Seeing Jin’s soulless eyes, Dante
continued.

“Ah, since you are my savior, I must explain. As they suspected, I am a noble.
Although I’m not a Runcandel… I’m a little embarrassed to tell you my clan’s name.
Will you understand if I just say that I’m a noble from the Vermont Empire?”

Dante thought that Jin’s attitude would change if he revealed that he was a Hairan.
While traveling with an alias, whenever his status got revealed, he had often seen his
friends suddenly act like servants.

Noticing Dante’s intention, Jin cleared his throat and contained his laughter.

‘Well, I don’t need to tell him that I’m Jin Runcandel. He’ll find out soon enough. And
Beradin’s fat mouth will blabber about it anyway.’

Jin nodded.

“Ehem! I understand. Everyone has that moment when they want to conceal
themselves.”

“I appreciate it. Anyways, I’m very thankful that I came to you. If I kept fighting them,
I wouldn’t be able to fend them off for so long… I don’t know how to repay this debt.”

Saying this, Dante’s eyes were filled with genuine gratitude.

“You probably do not understand the great feat you have accomplished… A knight
like you doesn’t seem to want capital. I cannot express my gratitude with one great
sword or anything material!”

“No, it’s not much.”

Inside, Jin felt good. He certainly knew that he successfully planted indebtedness
inside Dante.

‘Yes, yes. I don’t need a sword or money. I like the guilty, indebted heart that you have
towards me.’

Dante concluded his thoughts and turned towards Jin.

“The best way is to offer my life to you. From now on, whenever you are in danger,
whenever you need me, I will fight by your side with my life. I swear by my name.”

“Hmm, do whatever you want. Anyways, as we promised, I’m gonna sleep, so just
protect me well. Wake me up when group 13 starts.”

“Understood! Ah, and me protecting you right now is unrelated to my solemn swear.”
“Yeah, yeah.”

Zzzzzzz.

Jin instantly fell asleep just like Dante did in the morning.

And as he stared at Jin who slept soundly, Dante thought to himself.

‘Now that I think about it, I don’t even know this guy’s name. I hope we meet in the
finals… Whatever the result, there is much to tell my parents.’
Jin’s battles the next day were not that different from Dante’s.

His opponents were introduced with pretentious names like Hellia’s Demon King or
something, but it took only seven seconds to kill them.

Once again, the audience went quiet, and Beradin led the crowd to cheer.

“This year’s arena finalists must be those two.”

“That Jin Grey fellow is incredible, but it’d be hard for the Runcandel provisional flag-
bearer… Who are you betting on? Jin Grey? Or Paul Mick?”

“I’m still with Paul Mick. After seeing yesterday’s fight, I contacted the main house
and brought all of the money. You should bet on Paul Mick too. He’s a Runcandel. A
Runcandel! Who could beat a Runcandel when it comes to the sword?”

“Hm, good point…”

Jin showed off his amazing sword skill, but the nobles in the audience were already
certain that Dante was the Runcandel Clan’s provisional flag-bearer. It was no longer
just a rumor to them. More and more money accumulated onto Dante’s pool, and not
that many bet their money on Jin.

Thanks to Jin, the other contestants naturally became irrelevant. The previous year’s
finalists, victors, and veterans—who were supposed to lead the event—seemed
underwhelming.

“Dammit. Those kids are making it hard to touch some money this year.”

Most of the contestants were murder enjoyers, but as much as they enjoyed killing,
what they wanted most was money.

More than the grand prize of 1000 gold coins for the competitors, receiving a portion
of the pool from the host was much more important.

“Should we just kill ‘em off before the rest of the preliminaries? I think we can get
‘em if the veterans band together.”

The distributed prize money for the winner would increase as more bets
accumulated on one person. Other’s fortune could only be a pain for the veterans.

“Hold on. Did you not see the One-Eyed Pirates get destroyed? This year’s contest is
those kids’ stage. If you want to save your life, you gotta stay out of it.”

“Goddammit…”

Since the veterans’ mood was this sour, the other contestants had to team up
amongst themselves.

“Until the end of the preliminaries, let’s fight minimally. That way, we can come back
next year and earn money. We can also bully the newbies too.”

The veterans’ plan was to manipulate the victory. They planned to stage ambiguous
battles without killing each other. That way, they could guarantee easy money by
distributing the bets.

The guide relayed all this information to Cosmos.

“Ha, so they’re plotting something, eh? Bullshitting the fight to bathe in some
money…”

“What should we do? If the competition gets boring, then we’ll have some problems
next year.”

Hmm!

Cosmos scratched his gold tooth with his index finger and shook his head.

“Change the preliminaries around. Make sure that Paul Mick and Jin Grey don’t
awkwardly meet and fight each other in the quarter-finals of something. They have
to meet in the finals.”

“Are you sure?”

“The most important part of the show is to give what the audience wants. They want
this duel more than the slaughterfest, so it’s all we can do. Instead, make sure they
can’t bet anymore, and increase the other guys’ distribution pay.”

“Then who should meet Jin Grey and Paul Mick throughout the rest of the
preliminaries?”

“Stick them with the One-Eyed Pirates. We can’t let the other veteran contenders die,
since we gotta use them next year.”

“There’s going to be a lot of dissent from One-Eyed Joe if he hears about it.”

Cosmos burst into laughter.

“You idiot! If Paul Mick really is Jin Runcandel, do you think he’ll live? The One-Eyed
Pirates were done for as soon as they pissed him off. Don’t worry about it.”

“…Good point.”

***

The remaining rounds in the preliminaries proceeded quickly.

As much as it was staged, it wasn’t as bloody or brutal as the previous year’s.

The veterans just broke some bones and effortlessly wrapped up their eventless
battles, causing angry shouts to ensue from the spectators.

They could tell that the fights were staged.

Despite this, however, no one left their audience seats. They knew that, after all of
the boring battles, they would be able to see the duel between Jin and Dante.

And every time Jin or Dante faced a One-Eyed Pirate in the arena…

“Ohhhhhhh!”

“Paul Mick! Paul Mick!”

Although neither of the crowd favorites really did anything special, the crowd would
go wild. The two didn’t even need to brutally murder their opponents.

The two fellows finished their battles within one or two swings of the sword. From
the preliminary rounds all the way to the semifinals, all of their battles easily ended
like that.

And finally came the finals.

“They finally face each other today.”

The entirety of the audience awaited their appearance. Beradin had come out to
watch without sleeping a wink due to anxiety.

“Who do you think will win between those two?”

Beradin asked his bodyguards.

“Paul Mick.”

“Seeing the previous battles, I think that Paul Mick’s swordsmanship is better.”

“Hm… You think?”

“Youngest Master, what are your predictions?”

“I… bet on Jin. About 100,000 gold…”

“H-How much?”

“100,000.”

“You’ve bet too much. If Jin Grey wins, would Cosmos be able to match that amount?
The odds are three to one. I don’t think such a pirate would have that much money.”

“No, they’re bigger than we thought. They can pay as much as 300,000 gold. If they
sell some of their islands, that is. Ohhh, they’re starting!”

Cosmos walked out to the middle of the arena.

“Thank you for waiting, ladies and gentlemen! I greet you once again today. I, Pirate
King Cosmos, thank you for being here for the grand finals!”

Cosmos bowed towards the audience.

“““WOOOOOOO!”””

Many cheered after seeing him introduce himself.

“Fuck off and just bring out the kids!”

“Yeah! Just proceed with the finals, you dumb pirate fuck!”

And there were also those who swore at him.

Cosmos could only feel disappointment. Usually, the audience would shower him
with cheers and flowers for hosting such a great show.

‘These stupid noble bastards. When was it that you gave me a thumbs up for
inventing the best show in the world… Starting next year, I’m gonna raise the
entrance fee!’

Cosmos stood up, hiding his dissent.

“Yes, yes! I understand. Paul Mick and Jin Grey. I’m sure you are itching to see their
battle… Why don’t we call them, then? Paaauuul!”

“““Mick! Paul Mick!”””

Dante was more popular than Jin. It was unavoidable, since the audience thought
that he was a Runcandel.

As Dante entered the arena, there were many who screamed their hearts out for him.

“Alright, and his opponent! The nameless teenage swordsman, Jin Grey!”

As Jin entered the stadium, the cheers were significantly quieter. Instead, there were
many who had their hands together on their forehead, praying for their desired
outcome. They were the gambling addicts who saw the three-fold gambling
multiplier and brought all of their life savings to use for betting.
Despite their misprediction of Dante being the Runcandels’ provisional flag-bearer,
people definitely thought that he would defeat Jin. Until now, Dante had freely and
skillfully handled his sword and crescent slashes, and Jin had not.

So, the people who bet on Jin prayed for his victory.

“Jin Grey! Let’s goooo!”

Beradin stood up and screamed with bloodshot eyes.

“““Let’s gooooooooo!”””

Other audience members who bet on Jin began to scream as well.

‘Go where, you sick fuck.’

Of course, Jin didn’t give them a single glance and walked to his side of the arena.

He felt significant pressure. Not because of the gamblers who bet their lives on the
line, but because he was uncertain if he could actually defeat Dante.

Jin Runcandel and Dante Hairan.

The two faced each other with a calm expression. Unlike their other fights, they
purposefully left thirty steps between each other. One more step would be within
striking range. They were standing still, but a crippling tension stifled the two
contenders.

As the audience went silent, Cosmos opened his mouth once more.

“Oh my, I didn’t think that my arena would become like this. This is like watching a
dueling championship between famous clans… Then, let’s begin the final battle!”

Tooooo~!

The pirates blew the horns, and Cosmos ran out. The two contenders slowly
unsheathed their swords.

Simultaneously, they conjured their aura, and their swords began to glow.
‘There’s no opportunity to strike… ’

Jin could not make the first move as per usual. Even without clashing swords, he
knew that Dante’s swordsmanship was better than his. He felt it ever since he first
watched Dante’s fights.

As for Dante, he couldn’t strike first as well, but not because he thought Jin was
better.

‘Strangely, I sense something ominous. I don’t know what it is, but something’s up.’

After hitting 7-star, it was the first time Dante felt uncertainty while in the presence
of a sub-6-star, and he fell into a dilemma. Does he use all his energy to finish the
battle quickly, or does he observe his opponent and slowly wear him out?

To begin with, he never entertained the idea of losing—never thought that he would
lose to Jin.

‘This sense of foreboding must mean that you prepared something to face me. In that
case, I should take it slow.’

Thinking that he should be extremely cautious, Dante stepped forward. He chose to

take precaution instead of closing the gap and finishing the battle quickly.

At that moment, Jin smiled in his mind.

‘I guess you chose to carefully take me on. It means that my chances of defeating you
just increased by ten percent.’

Jin had already planned a method to defeat Dante.

He, as well, never considered losing this fight.

One step forward.

Jin matched Dante’s movement and closed the gap a little more. Subsequently, Dante
took another step, and Jin mirrored it again. Prudently searching for an opportunity
to attack.

‘This is more nerve-racking than I thought. Five more steps and Dante will start his
atta—Hmf!!!’

Jin unconsciously stopped.

He had a strong feeling that Dante’s attack would begin earlier than expected.

‘Left? Right?’

His eyes flickered to the left, then to the right. Then, as he focused his attention back
to the middle…

Dante had disappeared.

Swoosh!

And the familiar sound of a sword traveling through the air went to his ear.

“Erk!”

Surprised, Jin raised Bradamante, and Dante smiled as he flew towards Jin.

Clang!

The impact that traveled through the sword hilt was incredible, as if an explosion
occurred within his sword. Within the heavy blow was an energy as sharp as
shattered obsidian.
If Jin even lacked a little less hip and lower-body strength, his stance would have
collapsed immediately. He let out a sigh of relief. Then, he calmly took steps towards
the left to retreat from Dante.

“I tried it, thinking that there was a possibility of it working. But as expected, it
didn’t.”

Disappointed, Dante licked his lips. Jin cracked an awkward smile instead of
responding.

‘He’s faster than I thought…?’

The battle could’ve finished on the first sword swing. Jin’s entire body was covered
in goosebumps, and his back was covered in sweat. All the while, Dante looked very
carefree.

‘This is like Lady Alisa’s top speed. If it weren’t for the 110 battles that we had, there
would be no way I blocked that attack. What kind of observation game is this, crazy
bastard? You tried to finish it in a single strike.’

Although a little surprised, he could feel that he improved and grew a lot.

Additionally…

‘And if this is his top speed, it’s super winnable.’

He was certain. With this certainty, Jin also thought that, if Dante could attack any
faster, there was no way of winning.

Wooooom!

As Jin prepared to swing his sword, Dante’s blade was covered in a more potent aura.

“If I can’t win with speed, I’ll do it with strength.”

‘Just what I wanted!’

Jin had no time to respond. Dante had already begun to swing his sword, and Jin was
still gathering his aura to defend.
He was too slow.

Boom! Boboom! Boom!

Every time their blades met, sounds of explosion echoed. Instead of two sharp
weapons, it sounded as if two blunt weapons were hitting each other.

“Whooaaa!”

“Is this really a fight between kids?”

Compliments could be heard all over the audience. They all expected a great battle
between the two, but they didn’t think it would be this entertaining.

Beradin, oblivious of his sweaty hands, clenched his fists.

In the beginning, Jin looked as if he was being pushed to a corner. But as each second
passed, he caught up to Dante’s tempo. When they were about twenty swings into
the fight, the two looked evenly matched.

‘That was his top speed!’

Jin was certain of it after matching swords multiple times.

No matter how talented Dante was, there was no way a 19-year-old could surpass
the speed and strength of a former Vermont Special Forces agent.

All Jin had to do now was to hold on.

‘Dante only increases his speed at strategic moments to ration his energy. I just need
to barely match his tempo until he gets exhausted.’

Jin’s plan to take down Dante was simple. He would utilize the only trait that he had
an advantage in against Dante.

Stamina.

‘I felt it when he came to my room. Dante has shockingly great skill, but his stamina
is very low.’
Dante’s body didn’t complement his skill, and that was his weakness. He was 19 but
looked around 13 or 14. He had a very small physique, which made it hard to believe
that he was 19. He could raise his power and strength using his aura, but altering his
endurance was beyond his range of ability. If his stamina were as great as his sword
skill, then he would’ve never requested Jin for help.

On the other hand, Jin was blessed with the Runcandel Clan’s renowned physique.
His physical strength, endurance, recovery rate, and agility surpassed most if not all
human beings.

He could survive the nights in the arena without Dante.

But the same could not be said for Dante.

‘The key is how fast Dante realizes that my stamina is far greater than his.’

Dante’s stamina was incomparable to Jin’s. Dante had always attempted to overcome
his weakness, dripping blood and sweat. He also executed inconceivable amounts of
training.

Which was why it was hard for Dante to realize.

That he still lacked one major trait compared to the 16-year-old in front of him.

Outclassed by innate talent.

“You’re holding on well! If you have something coming, you should bring out all of it
now. Starting now, I’m gonna get a little faster.”

“If I bring out everything I have, you’ll get depressed, idiot.”

“Your jokes are pretty average, just like you. I like that.”

Slash!

Dante’s blade slit Jin’s thigh. It wasn’t a deep cut, but blood still splattered. Jin gritted
his teeth. It was close. If it were a little deeper, it would’ve been fatal.

‘I’m gonna have to let him get some shallow cuts on me.’
The problem was the need to dodge every lethal swing. Since the tempo was faster,
Dante’s stamina would deplete faster. However, as Jin received more shallow
wounds, he also got gradually exhausted.

Losing blood meant that he was also losing stamina.

‘Conversely, I can’t give him a single scratch until he gets tired.’

Still, with hopes of victory, Jin gritted his teeth and kept dodging. As long as he
maintained his current speed, he extrapolated that he could continue with the battle
for at least an hour.

‘But that guy will go for the win at some point.’

Dante wasn’t an idiot.

Although it looked as if Jin was losing and Dante was carefree, there was no way
Dante would be oblivious of Jin’s plan. Ultimately, he would find a way to outplay
Jin’s defense plan.

Evading that attack was crucial. Another cut on the shoulder. And while dodging a
storm of jabs, Jin got a cut on his hand, almost letting go of his sword.

He backed off, tore off a part of his coat with his teeth, and wrapped his hand to
cover the wound. Dante tilted his head in confusion.

“He’s done for! End him!”

“Just a little more, Paul Mick!”

All of the spectators who had bet their money on Dante began to shout and scream.
To their eyes, Jin looked like he was getting single-handedly beaten, so they thought
the battle was soon to be over.

However, Dante finally realized it.

‘He knows that he has more stamina than me, so he’s dragging out the battle. And
finally I know… that you were also using an alias…!’

Jin Runcandel.
If he was a Runcandel, he would have an inconceivable endurance beyond Dante’s
knowledge.

Putting aside the cuts on the thigh, shoulder, and hand, if Jin possessed a normal
body, he should’ve fainted during the shockwaves from the clashing of swords.

Dante mouthed Jin’s real name, and Jin smiled.

‘So you figured it out?’

Hoo, hoo…

Jin felt that Dante’s breaths were getting hoarse. His own breaths weren’t the same
as in the beginning of the fight, but he still had more breathing room than Dante.

“I guess it’s my turn now.”

As the audience’s energy and screams continued to fill the arena, this time, Jin
charged towards Dante. The spectators—who had their money on Jin—stood and
screamed.

“Let’s gooooo! Let’s fucking gooo!”

Jin—who had been on the defensive the entire fight—began to attack.

And Dante began to look back to see where it all went wrong.

‘Damn it. I should’ve finished him off at the beginning!’

He didn’t need much time to make that conclusion. If he didn’t have that sense of
foreboding at the beginning, Dante would’ve already won.

‘Then what was that feeling? My instincts were telling me that a careless attack
would be dangerous.’

Dante could not work out that what he sensed was due to Jin’s two suppressed
abilities—spiritual energy and magic. If Jin used those abilities, Dante wouldn’t even
stand a chance.

An inherent terror that came from a ‘stronger opponent’.

Clang! Clang!

Jin swung Bradamante with all his might and began his attack. Dante’s stance
staggered, urging him to back off.

Jin only did a single movement in each attack.

The swing he practiced ten thousand times with maximum effort every day. One that
he could replicate three thousand times.

‘Jin Runcandel, you monster. You still had this much energy left…! On top of that, how
is a simple swing so heavy?’

Jin continued with the same vertical swing, and Dante could not easily escape from
it.

Each time Bradamante fell on him, it felt as if a massive wall pressed upon him. He
had neither the time nor strength to change his stance.

At this rate, in a few minutes, Dante would experience an embarrassing defeat to the
same swing. So he had to come to a decision.

‘Do I have to use the clan’s secret technique…?’

Unlike Jin—who hadn’t learned any secret decisive killing moves—Dante had
already mastered multiple secret techniques from his clan. These attacks had the
potential to flip the battle completely. He could easily use it with his remaining
energy.

However, he was faced with a dilemma.

‘But I don’t want to kill you.’

If he used his secret technique, then Jin would certainly die.

Which prevented him from using it. Although they had only met a few days ago, Jin
was a very important person to him.

A savior. A worthy opponent. A mountain that the Hairan Clan must overcome. The
Runcandel Clan’s youngest son.
A friend.

Dante made a conflicted expression while sorting out his thoughts, and Jin knew
exactly what he was feeling.

‘He’s hesitating because he doesn’t want to kill me. If not, he would’ve gone for the
win by now.’

Clink.

Jin sheathed his sword and looked Dante in the eye before speaking.

“I am Jin Runcandel. Don’t go easy on me, Dante Hairan.”

The two had stopped moving, but the audience continued to shout and scream. Even
though the tables had turned significantly, with hope in their bets, the people
contributed to the loud noise.

Jin’s words were overpowered by the wild crowd, and the two just stood and stared.

—Don’t go easy on me.

Hearing those words, Dante felt embarrassed.

‘Yeah… It could look like that. It could look like I’m going easy on you.’

In whatever situation, refusing to hurt the opponent meant failure as a warrior. That
was disgraceful while confronting an enemy, and even more disrespectful in front of
a worthy opponent.

‘Is there anything more embarrassing than going easy on an opponent that I value?’

The problem wasn’t whether or not to use his secret technique.

It was whether or not he would try his best without hesitation.

Ending the battle without doing so would be pointless regardless if he won or lost.

“I apologize for showing such disgrace. Let’s start anew.”

Dante pointed his sword at Jin, meaning to tap swords to represent respect for each
other. Jin used his sword to tap Dante’s, emitting a soft musical sound of metal
hitting metal.

And at that moment, they experienced a weird feeling.

The shouts and screams grew faint, like an echo traveling in a canyon. Their
surroundings blurred and gradually became dark. In their world, it was just the two
of them, standing in front of each other.

They both trusted that either one of them would put up an exhilarating fight. They
didn’t need to talk to share this feeling. It was a common hallucination that
swordmasters enter when dueling their rival.

“Then let’s begin.”

Whew.

Hoo.

They simultaneously took a deep breath.

It was difficult to tell who struck first as they clashed swords. Unlike their respectful
sword taps in the beginning, the impact of their blades caused blinding sparks to
scatter.

Sounds akin to explosions, the screech of metallic friction, and wind echoing
throughout; aura flickering everywhere.

As if his exhaustion was a lie, Dante swung his sword more energetically than before.
Jin, as well, channeled the rest of his energy in his attacks with a shout.

Dash.

Because of the impact, blood and sand splattered and sprayed throughout the arena.

In a moment where they should be cheering, the crowd grew quiet from shock. In
their eyes, the two fighting teens looked like giants, and they didn’t dare to blink lest
they would miss a moment of the fight.

It had been ten years since the arena had opened, but they never had a moment like
this. The spectators—who originally came to watch a cruel slaughterfest—were now
blessed with a spectacle. They were witnessing a duel between two talented knights.

At this point, the gambling aspect of the arena became irrelevant. Of course, once the
battle finished, some would be laughing, and some would be crying.
Still, as of this moment, everyone was astonished by the fight.

‘Maybe I kind of underestimated Dante. I was sure he was exhausted, but where did
this power come from…?!’

Blood dripped from Jin’s lip. He was too busy deflecting Dante’s attacks to notice that
he had been biting his lip.

Dante’s feel for the sword was a god-given talent, but his strength and stamina were
painfully average.

No, how much effort did this undersized boy—who was born with below-average
physical traits—put into training? How many times did he kneel in despair before
overcoming his fatal flaw?

Those who trained until death could notice the amount of effort in others. As for Jin
in his past life, he remembered the seemingly eternal hell of being unable to
overcome the 1-star wall despite having the Runcandels’ blessed body.

So he could easily picture Dante’s past. Him curled up like a little ball in a dark
training room, staring at his small and frail body in the mirror with distress. He who
trained and whipped himself until he was on the verge of death and exhaustion.

And in all those moments, he never let go of his sword.

Just like his own past life.

However, unlike the past Jin, Dante persisted through each hardship.

‘Makes me shed a tear.’

Dante’s hoarse and husky voice was born from all of the shouts and screams he
channeled in order to overcome his challenges.

Shudder, shudder.

Dante began to tremble.

From wandering through hopelessness to becoming the prospective successor of the

Hairan Clan and having the motivation to try harder and harder after each tiring day.
Simply because he was one with his sword.

If he weren’t, even if he were a noble in an empire, life would merely be a boring

stage play.

Dante was like that.

‘Jin Runcandel. Runcandel’s thirteenth young master.’

As each strike of the blade vibrated throughout his body, Dante thought about Jin.

‘You were born with everything you needed.’

The bloodline of every knights’ dream. A durable body that came from the blessed
bloodline. Jin—who became a 5-star at the age of 15 and was now 16—could face
Dante head-on.

The most talented among the talented.

‘Why am I feeling desperation from you, then? Despite being born into a world
considered a heaven for knights, you act as if you’ve been watching this heavenly
world from afar.

‘Why are you so desperate? Why, despite being born with everything, do you have
such emotions dyed in your blade? Is it because being the heir to the throne is far
from reach as the youngest son? No, you are not an earthly being to fuss about
hierarchy… Is it just to become the best in the world? Or is it because you had lived
many days of hopelessness and despair? Are you saying you had more days of
anguish than I did?

‘Who are you, Jin Runcandel?… No, it doesn’t matter who you are. Today… is the day I
prove that my efforts weren’t in vain.’

Crackle.

As he exerted force into his sword’s handle, Dante could feel cracks crawling
throughout the bones in his hands. Excruciating pain traversed his body, yet he didn’t
falter.

Instead, he smiled.
Crrraaaack…

Every time he swung his sword, his bones would suffer from more fissures, but his
movements didn’t change in the slightest—not even his shoulders, chest, waist, and
feet.

Although his stance began to fall apart, Dante did not despise his weak body.

‘I’m just fighting because I love to.’

Dante was smiling as Jin began to dominate the battle. He knew he couldn’t do
anything about it.

‘Dante’s body… is falling apart?’

While Jin felt the sword closer than his skin, he could feel Dante’s exhaustion
through each clash of their swords.

Once he felt that his victory was within reach, Jin felt anger more than joy.

‘Why are you not using your clan’s decisive killing move?! Are you hiding another
skill that I don’t know about?’

He was wrong.

Dante staggered back, looking as if he were a beast that had used all of its energy.
Although his eyes glimmered with a burning fighting spirit, he was truly on the verge
of fainting.

‘You definitely had the chance. You still don’t hesitate to slash me, so why…?’

It was now Jin’s turn to decide.

‘Do I slash him, or do I not?’

He didn’t need to think for long.

‘Putting away my sword would mean disrespecting you.’

Clang~!
Jin swung a horizontal swipe. Dante deflected the blow, but his body shook. Barely
maintaining his balance, Dante felt more bones breaking in his body. Before he could
turn his head and track Jin’s movements, Bradamante was already on its second
strike.

Thankfully, there was hesitation in the blade.

‘You bastard! Why?!’

Gritting his teeth, Jin changed the trajectory of his swing, which was supposed to
slash through Dante’s chest.

Because he forced his sword to move unnaturally, his hands cramped up.
Bradamante flew out of Jin’s hands, and Dante aimed his sword towards Jin’s throat.

It looked like it was purposefully aimed. However, before he could even thrust it, his
body lost all control.

In fact, Dante had already lost consciousness before Jin’s second attack.

Thud!

Dante fell on the dirt floor.

Jin rapidly blinked and breathed coarsely as he stared down at him.

Time seemed to stop in the ensuing silence.

At that moment, the audience held their breath.

And as for Jin, he had many complex feelings. Victory aside, millions of complicated
emotions heated his body. He prayed that Dante didn’t die. However, he was certain
that he died, but he felt a little scared to check.

Instinctively, he sat on the ground beside his body and checked for his pulse. Jin
couldn’t feel anything due to his own blood pumping through his fingers.

‘We have to call a doctor…!’

The moment he tried to yelp for a doctor or anyone who could treat Dante, an
audience member jumped out of the spectator area and into the arena.

“Young Master!”

Bodyguards followed the teenager into the arena.

Beradin Zipfel’s hands glowed with a warm, green light as he sprinted on the dirt. He
was already preparing a healing spell halfway through the battle, worried that he
would lose either one of his friends.

“Beradin…!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll save him!”

Beradin kneeled beside Dante and chanted a spell.

Then he cast two more.

Beradin had cast three healing spells consecutively, displaying his insane talent for
magic. However, at this very moment, Jin was only concerned about Dante.

Beradin’s expression didn’t look great as he chanted the spell. Not even ten seconds
had passed, yet his entire body was drenched in sweat. Jin wondered how much
mana he channeled.

Even though he was using a spell that could instantly heal a fatal wound, Dante’s
eyes were not opening.

While Jin and Beradin’s hearts ached, the young Zipfel lowered his hands and shook
his head.

‘Shit. This isn’t something that could be healed with magic…!’

All of Dante’s insides were messed up.

Not a single bone was intact. In fact, his broken body was burning with aura. Not
even Holy King Mikellan could revive him with a miracle.

‘Jin.’
Beradin whispered Jin’s name.

‘Beradin, Dante is—’

‘Listen well. This will stay between the three of us.’

Following his words, Beradin revealed something from his cloak.

“Young Master, that’s—!”

As soon as they saw the object that Beradin revealed, the guards’ faces turned white
in fear.

The young Zipfel put his index finger over his puckered lips.

“Quiet. And use your capes to cover us up.”

The guards bit their lips and surrounded Beradin, Jin, and Dante with their capes.

The crowd began to chatter, whispering amongst themselves at the sudden turn of
events. No one detested Beradin’s actions after seeing the Zipfels’ insignia on the
guards’ capes.

“The Zipfel Clan…?”

“That fellow… was a Zipfel?”

“Oh, what will you do? When that Zipfel cheered for Jin Grey, you swore at him to
cheer for Paul Mick.”

“Yeah, maybe I-I’ll go home first.”

As soon as the Zipfel coat of arms was revealed, everyone—including the pirates—
became as quiet and calm as a flock of sheep. Even Cosmos, the host, did not dare to
step into the ring to intervene with the current state of events.

‘Shit’s going down. Did he come to kidnap Paul Mick because he’s a Runcandel?!
Dammit. One wrong move and I’ll be saying goodbye to my pirate life. I must act
professionally.’

“Everyone, close your eyes and plug your ears!”

Cosmos shouted. The charismatic host who warmly welcomed his audience suddenly
ordered the sealing of the senses.

It was a very laughable situation, but the audience actually listened to his orders. Not
a single person smiled or laughed.

The Zipfel Clan was not a force to be reckoned with.

“That fellow… He knows what’s going on. Maybe I can discount 100,000 gold from
my winnings.”

Beradin had pulled out some kind of gemstone. At first glance, it was a spherical
ruby. However, upon closer look, it had a much deeper shade of red—as if it were
blood compressed together.

And they detected an ineffably weird energy from it.

‘That’s…?’

Jin had also seen it from somewhere.

But he could not exactly remember what it was. It wasn’t something he saw
physically, but something he saw through a textbook when he was a student.

“It’s Numerous’s Blood.”

The moment Beradin divulged its name, Jin’s jaw dropped.

Numerousl

The God of Hope who disappeared because of a few incidents before the rise of the
Holy Kingdom of Vankela.

All Numerous left before disappearing were eight teardrops and a hundred drops of
blood, and humans led a bloody history in order to collect these artifacts.

Numerous’s Tear was an item that could resurrect the dead.

On the other hand, resurrecting the dead wasn’t easily possible with Numerous’s
Blood. However, it could heal any injury or sickness with ease.
So far, seventy drops of blood had been used, and the rest were still missing.

It was the most pursued artifact at first, but as it became more rare, its existence
became a myth.

And one of those mythical objects was shining in front of him.

“What…? Using this on Dante now…?”

Although Numerous’s Blood was a tier lower than the Tear, it could not be replicated
anywhere. The Runcandels and Zipfels were still searching with bloodshot eyes for
more copies.

‘And the Zipfels had one of them!’

In fact, it wasn’t even the patriarch who had it. It was in the hands of Beradin who
came out for a trip. Jin could not understand.

It implied that the Zipfel Clan exclusively reserved the Blood for Beradin. The world’s
greatest clan, the Zipfels, only had two of the gemstones.

“Shhhhh, let’s keep this between us. Me, you, and Dante.”

Jin couldn’t ask why he was going to use it on Dante.

From a rational perspective, Beradin’s actions were unreasonable. Although the

Hairan Clan was smaller than the Zipfel Clan, they were still competing with each
other. And Dante was the prospective successor of that clan.

As of the moment, Dante’s death was the best-case scenario for Beradin.

‘However, I also feel the same. Although Dante’s death is beneficial for the
Runcandels, since he put away his sword at the last moment… ’

Beradin grinned.

“I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you why I’m doing this.”

Beradin placed Numerous’s Blood near Dante’s mouth and spoke. Using magic, he
cracked the gemstone, and a red mist emerged. The crimson clouds of energy slowly
slid like water into Dante’s mouth.

Shshshshhhshhshh…

“Oh, and no need to thank me. Losing a rival is as sad as losing a friend, am I right?”

Flinch!

As soon as Numerous’s Blood entered his body, Dante reacted. They couldn’t see
what was happening within him, but his pale face gradually reclaimed its normal
color.

‘Beradin Zipfel… I didn’t think you would do something like this.’

Jin never thought that he would be so unpredictable. Doing a massive favor for
another person who was no different than an enemy. He wasn’t an easily judgeable
character.

While Jin trapped himself in complicated thought, he had one clear emotion.

‘He has a cool side to him.’

Puah!

Dante breathed hoarsely, as if he came out of water. Shocked, he looked at his own
body in amazement. He knew that he escaped from the verge of death.

“How in the world…?”

“Let’s have a drink after the closing ceremony, Dante. You’re gonna tag along, right,
Jin? Don’t say no. And whenever we meet anywhere, it would be nice if you noticed
me.”

Jin remembered dismissing Beradin at the Runcandel banquet. Jin chuckled.

“Sure.”

As Dante slowly stood, Cosmos looked around and concluded that the issue was
resolved. Then he knew what the three teens needed as of the current moment.
To make it look as if nothing had happened.

In reality, the audience didn’t know what transpired underneath the cloaks. Just
assumptions that Beradin treated Dante with his magic.

However, everyone questioned the young Zipfel’s actions upon helping Paul Mick,
who was assumed to be a Runcandel. Still, no one expressed curiosity as they valued
their own life.

“Alrighty! That was a heated battle! The victor is the nameless teenage swordsman,
Jin Grey! Ladies and gentlemen! Please give them a round of applause!”

***

The closing ceremony began that night.

The arena that was once filled with murder and assassination became a place of
celebration. Whenever they had the chance, the surviving contestants sprayed wine
on the floor to honor the dead contenders.

Usually, everyone would start stuffing their faces with great amounts of food.

However, people merely drank wine, not daring to eat before a Zipfel.

“The victor, Jin Grey. Please step forward!”

Jin stepped towards the podium made out of stacked wine bottles.

Cosmos waited in front of him with a trophy made out of shark bones as well as a
bag containing 1,000 gold coins.

And at Cosmos’s feet was a small treasure chest. It was the secondary prize.

He could choose between 1,000 gold or the chest with an unknown prize inside it.

“Alrighty, choose your prize! Gold or treasure chest? What do you choo—”

“Just give me both.”

Jin responded, tired of the place. Laughter exploded from the audience.
In the history of the arena, it wasn’t the first time the victor requested for both of the
prizes. But never this blunt.

‘I didn’t get to sleep for the first few days, and I almost killed Dante while fighting
him. Risking my life to take these pathetic prizes… and to choose only one?’

He could not accept it.

Remembering the wave of despair when he thought Dante was dead, Jin thought that
even owning Cosmos’s entire pirate gang didn’t satisfy his frustration.

“I understand that you want to have it all, haha. But you see, kid, we have this thing
called tradition.”

“And I can annihilate that history and tradition today.”

Cosmos frowned then nodded.

“Yeah, okay, buddy. Take it all…”

At that point, Cosmos and the spectators knew that Jin was some hotshot from a
famous clan. The Pirate King let him do as he pleased simply because he didn’t want
to mess with him.

‘This runt kinda feels like he’s from the Hidden Palace… Ha. Starting next year, I’ll
make sure to do thorough background checks. Make sure that there are only lowly
runts who I can control.’

After the ceremony.

While the drunkards rampaged the arena, Jin and Dante reconciled in the cell they
first met.

Together with Beradin, who escaped from his bodyguards.

“Wow… You two… lived here for multiple days? My goodness. I wouldn’t even survive
one day! Even my clan’s stables are better than this.”

Beradin cracked open the luxurious wine, which he ordered the bodyguards to bring
before the event.
Glug, glug.

While each goblet was filled, Jin passed the bag of gold to Dante.

“You’re giving it to me?”

“Yes. You take it.”

“But you’re the victor.”

“Well, don’t take it if you don’t want it, then.”

Dante stared at the bag then shook his head.

“No, I shall take it. Although the Hairan Clan has a lot of money… I will place this
upon a pedestal when I get home. To commemorate this moment.”

With a lifted mood, Dante took the bag and shook it. A solid jingling sound echoed
throughout the cell.

Seeing Dante’s look of satisfaction, Beradin licked his lips in disappointment.

“Jin, me too. Gimme something too. Some souvenir. Today was a special day for me
too.”

Eyes glimmering, Beradin put his two hands forward.

‘Do it yourself.’

Jin would have responded heartlessly. However, since Beradin really did something
special today, he felt kind enough to offer him something.

Jin wanted to keep the shark bone trophy with his name on it.

So only the treasure chest was left.

Thinking of a good idea, Jin nodded.

“Wait a sec.”
Clack!

Jin broke the lock and opened the chest. This was the first time he revealed the
contents of the box.

‘Paper?’

Inside the box was a poorly drawn topographic treasure map with an ‘X’ near the
middle.

“Oh? There’s ancient texts on there. I’ve never seen those characters before.
Interesting… Give that treasure map to me—”

“No, your souvenir is the box. Take it.”

“Oh, that’s great too! Thanks!”

‘One guy says that he’ll display the bag of gold on a pedestal, and the other is
thankful for some garbage. Are they idiots?’

Jin chuckled. As he laughed, the other two began to laugh as well. Then, Jin
straightened his expression, and the others coughed.

“Hey, Dante Hairan. Let me ask you something.”

“Oh, ehem. What would you like to know?”

“Why didn’t you use your secret technique? I’m sure I said to not go easy.”

Dante scratched the back of his head and responded.

“You… did not use your secret power and went easy on me too. Therefore, I didn’t
think that my secret technique would make it a fair fight.”