Chapter 1046
Episode 249: The First Sortie of the Pluto Clan (13)
Among the Pluto Clan members who had gone on the sortie, only Ban and the three Tushin warriors had returned to Tikan so far. The rest were still clearing out the remaining temples alongside the priests of the Solar Faith before making their way back.
The comrades in Tikan were left speechless for a while as they listened to the incredible feats they had accomplished.
“So, if I understand correctly, the great lord Ban and the Pluto Clan entered the Black Sea and immediately annihilated Nirgan? Then you met Sir Shiron, another great lord, had a brief chat, launched a surprise attack on the Solar Faith’s pocket dimension, wiped them out, and in the middle of all that, you encountered someone claiming to be the Solar God himself…? And that Bligiet fellow is using Lord Temar Runkandel’s body!?”
At Zett’s words, Ban simply nodded lightly. She had just been explaining all of this in a calm, almost indifferent tone, as if it were no big deal.
Even Jin blinked in stunned silence. He knew Ban’s prowess better than anyone, but he hadn’t expected her to have resolved so many things in one go.
“Ahem! Then, may I ask which battle was the toughest among them!?”
Zett mustered his courage.
The question of who was stronger between the strongest warrior recognized by all of Inse and the legendary Tushin Ban had recently become a hot topic among the alliance members. Not just among them, but most people in the world were curious about it.
“The hardest fight was against Jin’s father, Shiron. And I actually lost.”
“Gah…! Then that means…!”
For a moment, Ban’s eyes turned cold. Of course, Zett didn’t dare say, “So Sir Shiron is the strongest?”
Instead, Luna spoke up.
“No, no, Ban. I heard that your father used both hands, while you only used one…? Ah, my head’s spinning. Is it even possible to face your father with one hand?”
“It wasn’t an actual battle, just a sparring match closer to a test of strength.”
“So, what Ban means is that the fight with the Tushin brother was merely a simple contest of strength, and even then, he only used one hand, so it wasn’t a true defeat. Haha… ha, ha. Oh dear, I need to check the chaos particle readings—ah, yes! Ahem!”
Boras, who had been interpreting Ban’s words, quickly disappeared after receiving a glare.
“…That makes it even harder to believe. Ban, you said you hadn’t fully recovered from your injuries, you even passed the Tushin blood to the youngest sibling, and you’re past your prime. So how could you face your father with one hand?”
“Is it that hard to believe, Luna?”
“No, it’s not that exactly.”
“It means you can’t believe it, and you’re deeply shocked that the head of the Runkandel clan was defeated or at least felt defeated in some way. And I suppose you want to say that just as Ban wasn’t in perfect condition, neither was your father.”
This time, Mary clarified Luna’s meaning. Runtia and the Tona brothers nodded in agreement but quickly looked away after receiving Luna’s glare.
“Luna, it doesn’t matter who’s stronger between me and Shiron. We’re on the same side, after all.”
“That’s true…”
“Even if we were enemies, it wouldn’t matter. Whoever wins, the other would either die or be left with irreparable injuries. Or become completely incapacitated.”
“Even if the Tushin brothers were at their peak!?”
“Even if I were at my peak. But didn’t Boras just say he was going to check the chaos particles?”
“Ah, the particles have returned to normal. Don’t hit me…”
“Huh? You speak as if I usually hit my brothers. Don’t give people the wrong idea.”
“Wouldn’t one hit from the Tushin brothers be fatal?”
Ban chuckled softly, and Luna felt a strange sensation. The others felt it too—something was off.
“Anyway, meeting Shiron was very impressive for me as well. Unlike me or Temar, he said he doesn’t rely on Jin but fulfills his own destiny. You can look forward to it. And he’ll probably figure out Solderet’s arrangements in the Black Sea.”
Shiron hadn’t sent any separate messages to Inse, but Ban recounted the conversations they had, especially about family, lineage, and children.
“Shiron didn’t seem worried about Jin or you. He seemed eager to meet Balas. Tell Balas this when I’m not around—Shiron will pester me to say exactly how much he wants to see him.”
The lighthearted mood ended there. Though only a day had passed since all this began, the newly revealed information and enemies were heavy burdens.
“Bligiet…”
Ameris pressed her throbbing temple and spoke.
The moment Ban mentioned that name, she felt a headache and dredged up hazy memories. In some ways, it was only natural—the Solar God had never been known by a single name.
“Do you remember something, Lady Ameris?”
“Kinzelro—that name represents the Solar God in his most complete form. He had countless names, just as my nine heads were each called by different names…”
Bligiet.
The name Ameris recalled was like a distinct persona that had branched off from the ‘Complete Solar God.’
“Bligiet is essentially no different from beings like Veil or Hedo. If you consider their components, they could be seen as the same. But Bligiet is of a higher rank, formed with a clearer will.”
Veil, standing nearby, frowned as if displeased.
“Imagine a massive rock called the Solar God. When it shattered, countless fragments like Veil and Lord Hedo remained. Among them, there’s a particularly huge piece—not just a fragment, but a rock in its own right. Bligiet is such an entity.”
“…So there are others like Bligiet?”
“Yes. Definitely more. But I can’t recall exactly how many. There were more than five, I think… They only become remembered when they clearly recognize their names and existence, like Bligiet.”
Jin and his comrades hardened their gazes. Ameris’s words meant that more beings like Bligiet could awaken at any time.
Even Ban showed signs of concern.
“If there are many like Bligiet, that’s definitely dangerous. They’re not comparable to Nirgan or Luke. That guy was an opponent I couldn’t even be sure I could kill. More likely, Jin would be better suited to handle such foes.”
“Why do you think so, Tushin brother?”
“Because Jin has something neither I nor Shiron possess. It’s hard to explain in detail… but you feel it too, don’t you? The power of existence, or something similar. And the power Jin has is definitely superior to Temar’s.”
If Temar had faced the same situation as Jin, he would have collapsed the moment he struck Rosa. Ban swallowed the rest.
“But just because Jin is better suited doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. From what I fought, Bligiet was worthy of being called the god of gods. Among the alliance, only Shiron, Jin, Luna, and I can properly fight him.”
“If several of those guys appeared at once…”
Runtia narrowed her eyes. Since Bligiet had suddenly revived, it seemed entirely possible.
“Everyone, we can’t assume all the Solar God’s personas are our enemies. Isn’t that right, Lady Ameris?”
Jin’s words earned a nod from Ameris.
“The Solar God’s personas fall into three main categories: world preservation, world destruction, and world reconstruction. These three are hostile to each other. However, destruction and reconstruction can sometimes cooperate, as their goals partially align—they use each other.”
Bligiet was a persona embodying ‘reconstruction.’ It was also the goal the Solar Faith, including Luke, had longed for.
Of the three, only those with the ‘world preservation’ persona could be allies of the alliance.
“Ban, you said you had a hunch Bligiet would seek Ziphl the moment he freed himself from the constraints of the physical body?”
“Yes, Ameris.”
“I think after fighting you, he added that to his plan. Ziphl aside, he might awaken other Solar God personas to face you. He is the Solar God’s persona itself. He already knows where the others are and how they slumber.”
“Jin will have a hard time.”
“You speak as if it’s someone else’s problem, Tushin brother.”
“I’m serious. No matter how many come, I’ll fight alongside Jin. But fundamentally, cutting off their lifelines will be Jin’s job. I’m curious how much their combat power varies by persona. Based on Bligiet, even I couldn’t handle two or more at once.”
Jin felt something boiling inside him.
Anger.
“I’ll watch closely, but Kinzelro has effectively surrendered and allied with us… We’ve destroyed the Jin Demon Realm, the Red Name Tribe, and the Solar Faith. And now, the Solar God’s personas.”
It wasn’t an entirely unexpected development.
Ziphl was the last visible enemy, but the intervention of transcendent beings like the Witch Helluram, the Solar God, or Solderet had been somewhat anticipated.
Jin suppressed his anger and looked around at his comrades.
“Still, now it’s just the Solar God’s personas and Ziphl left. The end is finally in sight. First, let’s track Bligiet’s movements and prepare a countermeasure. We have to recover Temar’s body from him.”