Episode 1074
Chapter 253: Gathering at Laprarosa Once More (5)

Beltiann’s two eyes continued to emit powerful shockwaves.

The fleet’s protective shield encircling the skies was barely holding. Jin glanced back and forth between Beltiann and Bligiet, then nodded.

“What exactly do you intend to do with that?”

[We just need to show it! I’m currently restrained and powerless, so you need to bring me close to Beltiann.]

Bringing Bligiet near Beltiann was dangerous. Besides, Bligiet’s sudden change in attitude was suspicious. But Jin decided to trust Ameris instead of Bligiet this time.

“If it weren’t for Lord Ameris, I wouldn’t have trusted you.”

[You’ll come to trust me a lot more from now on, mortal Jin Runcandel. As I said, I’m putting everything on the line for you all now. The world will finally become beautiful again.]

Bligiet grabbed Jin’s left arm.

Without hesitation, Jin leapt forward, closing the distance to Beltiann’s eyes hovering in the sky. Naturally, the shockwaves intensified, trying to repel him, but Ban and Murakan shielded Jin just as fiercely.

The solar energy, lightning, and spiritual energy clashed again, creating a scorching convection that seemed ready to consume everything. Each time the heat seeped through the shield, Bligiet flinched, testing Jin’s nerves.

[Come on, try holding it back! At this rate, we’ll burn up before we even get to show this to Beltiann!]

“Stop panicking. You’re just making things worse.”

[H-hey, hey! Cut that out!]

“Bligiet, were you always this temperamental?”

Though Jin spoke calmly, he couldn’t help but be on edge from Beltiann’s sudden surge in power.

He had to protect Bligiet while moving, making it even more nerve-wracking. One mistake now would mean serious injury.

Not fatal, of course—they could recover—but the longer the fight dragged on, the more innocent lives would be lost to Ziphl’s forces somewhere else.

Determined not to witness that, Jin gritted his teeth and swung Bradamante.

Each time Bradamante moved, it left a massive trail across the sky, and Beltiann’s solar energy poured down onto the ground.

Jin was obscured by the relentless shockwaves, making it impossible to see him clearly. Ban and Murakan struggled to keep up.

Their vision was blocked. Recklessly hacking through the solar energy to chase Jin risked injuring him or Bligiet.

[Araksion! Unlike me, you’re still intact. Why are you only sending energy? Come quickly! Malugia is waiting for us!]

Beltiann’s counterattack grew fiercer. The image of him being overwhelmed by Jin, Ban, and Murakan was gone. Now, he radiated the dread befitting the name of destruction.

Two massive eyes, surrounded by tens of thousands of arms like serrated gears.

Each movement of those arms hurled glowing spears forged from solar energy in every direction. The spears pierced through the Golden Fleet’s shield, striking the outer armor directly.

“All ships, focus on protecting the flagship from shockwaves and follow Brother Jin’s orders!”

Despite the armor being breached, the fleet remained composed and obeyed Jin’s commands. In particular, Luet had already slipped outside Laprarosa’s perimeter, tracking Ganesto’s records.

[Target located! Position: southern Laprarosa, near the city entrance! Lan, Vigo, Mu, and Ann Ganesto are activating the Chaos Dimensional Gate.]

{Lord Veradin and I will go, Chief Butler Runcandel.}

The First Flagship of the Hailan fleet, the Sword Emperor, responded immediately. Dante was preparing to sortie alongside Veradin’s Tikan Ninth Fleet.

[Understood. I’ll continue tracking the records.]

Dante and Veradin’s fleet began landing at the coordinates Luet sent. Though most ships were pierced by Beltiann’s spears during the descent, none were shot down.

The outskirts of Laprarosa were the farthest from Beltiann’s solar energy on the battlefield, yet the light was so intense it illuminated everything.

“Only Veradin and I will disembark. The fleet, form a blockade to prevent any enemy escape.”

“Understood, Sir Dante!”

Dante and Veradin landed and took their positions.

The Ganestos were aware of their arrival. Mu and Ann smiled slyly as they saw the two break through the solar energy.

“The little runt’s bootlickers have arrived.”

“What do you want? Don’t you get it yet? We’re not dying.”

Dante and Veradin chuckled softly.

“It’s an era where death has lost its sharpness, Ann Runcandel. Your extinction will only come when all of Ganesto is finished. But our goal isn’t to eliminate you right now.”

“Exactly. We just need to ruin Lokia’s plans.”

Ssshhh…!

The Ganestos drew their swords first. At that moment, Mu suddenly realized his left arm had already fallen to the ground.

‘When did that happen? Ah, the intangible sword…!’

Before he could think further, his head was severed. The remaining three scattered quickly, heightening their senses.

But even awakened to Ganesto’s power, they couldn’t read the intangible sword’s movements. Especially now, with solar energy filling the air, making it impossible to distinguish energy signatures.

“You deal with those pests, Dante. I’ll destroy the dimensional gate.”

“Understood.”

Fwoosh…! Flames burst from Veradin’s staff.

The Annihilation Flame Jade, the first type of Riol Ziphl’s decisive magic, bloomed perfectly under his control.

“A spell that brings back memories, Lord Veradin.”

“Right? Jin will see it explode in all its glory soon enough. Just wait a little longer.”

The massive crimson flames already aimed at the Ganesto dimensional gate, which shimmered with an unnatural black sheen.

The Ganestos had planned to stall with combat.

‘Five minutes, no—three minutes more, and we can send all of Araksion’s power. But damn it, this gap? Even now? And that guy isn’t the youngest, it’s Dante Hailan…!’

Screech, swish!

The sound of a blade slicing through flesh and bone echoed every second.

“You seem to have forgotten—I am the Sword Emperor. Though I’m not yet a match for Jin, you worthless pests should consider it an honor to cross swords with me.”

Not three minutes, not even thirty seconds would last.

The Ganestos realized this instantly. Dante wasn’t even going all out. He was holding back, forcing them to reveal any trump cards they might have.

Hoping that Lokia or Joshua would show up.

Meanwhile, Veradin trusted Dante and poured all his magic into the Annihilation Flame Jade. It was the most fundamental way to suppress Beltiann’s overwhelming power pressing on the alliance fleet and the Starborn.

As the scarlet flames melted the Ganesto dimensional gate, Jin immediately sensed the shift in the battlefield.

‘The Chief Butler has found Ganesto. Dante and Veradin are attacking them.’

Though subtle, the solar energy from Araksion feeding into Beltiann was weakening.

[Araksion’s power is being cut off. That’s a relief!]

Bligiet noticed this too and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I missed hundreds of chances to attack Beltiann while protecting you. That solar energy better be worth it.”

[Hmm, it will be.]

“You suddenly sound less confident. I hope I’m just imagining it.”

[Nothing in this world is absolute, Jin Runcandel. If Beltiann doesn’t change his mind… could you at least be lenient during your meeting with Lucy?]

Jin was momentarily speechless.

Still, they were close enough now to face Beltiann’s true form, hidden behind the solar energy. Jin risked accelerating, and Bligiet squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the breakthrough to end.

Like a door finally opening, they passed through all the solar energy concealing Beltiann’s core.

Beneath the two enormous eyes, a figure crouched, looking as if forged from gold. That was Beltiann’s true form.

[Araksion, Malugia…]

Unlike the roaring outside, Beltiann whispered the names of other destroyers while curled up within the solar energy.

Jin fixed his position with a gust of sword wind and jabbed Bligiet’s side.

[Beltiann.]

[Bligiet? How dare you—!]

[Wait, wait, wait. Before you get angry, look at this!]

Bligiet raised the iridescent solar energy. Beltiann, about to charge, stopped in his tracks and fixed his gaze on it.

[…The primordial memory!? How do you have that?]

[I’ve broken free from my bindings, Beltiann. You should look at this once. You’ll understand why we created this world!]

Whoooosh…!

The iridescent solar energy shone brightly as it fell before Beltiann.

The first memory held by the ‘True Sun God’ Kinzello was a simple feeling anyone could easily imagine.

[Beltian, we created the world simply because we were lonely. We couldn’t bear the endless, vast emptiness where only we existed, so we made the earth, the sky, and life itself. And now you say you want to destroy it all? That’s impossible. This sphere is what remains of us when we were whole!]

Jin was left speechless, stunned by Bligiet’s words once again.

“You said just once, so please believe me, and this is all you’ve got? Bligiet, there’s no way this kind of thing will work—”

[Sniff… sob…]

Just as Beltian lunged at Bligiet, he suddenly collapsed, breaking down in tears. Jin barely managed to blink in shock.

‘…This is actually working?’

Not knowing how to react, Jin watched as Bligiet quickly pressed close and whispered urgently into his ear.

‘Jin, cut him down now!’

‘What?’

‘Unlike me, he’s the self of destruction. He got sentimental for a moment, caught up in old memories, but at his core, he’s the self of destruction. So before he comes to his senses, you have to cut him down fast and bind him with restraints like I’m using, so he can’t recover. He’s most vulnerable right now—so cut him down quickly!’