Episode 186
Chapter 60: Blood Transfusion, The Brothers (2)
‘Where am I lying right now?’
The space around him was cramped, the ceiling so low it almost pressed against his nose. It felt like he was inside a coffin.
His limbs were numb, powerless. Especially his thighs—they burned with a scorching pain, as if seared by fire.
‘Looks like Shaku cut my legs off. He said he’d sever my limbs, and he wasn’t bluffing. Boras must have reattached them with some kind of advanced surgical technique.’
Amputation cases were notoriously difficult, even for top-tier healers. But Jin had long since stopped trying to understand the Meiwang race by ordinary standards.
They weren’t just strong—they possessed technology and civilization so advanced it rivaled, if not surpassed, that of the current era.
‘From the perspective of modern humanity, they’re incomprehensible. Even Shaku, a mere warrior, far outclasses the highest-ranked Rune Kandel guardians…’
He might even be as strong as a “Black Knight,” not just a guardian.
Before their downfall, the streets of Laprarosa must have been filled with warriors like Shaku. The thought sent chills down Jin’s spine.
‘Maybe the gods destroyed the Meiwang race because they feared they would become uncontrollably powerful.’
As Jin pondered, Ban spoke up again.
“Can’t do it, Boras?”
“No, I can. But I don’t quite understand why the Twin Gods want to give their blood to Jin. Are they testing him?”
“Boras, you gave him your molar the moment you met him, along with the memories.”
“That’s a different matter. The real question is whether Jin can handle the Twin Gods’ blood. One wrong move and he could die. Temar refused for that reason.”
“This child is different from Temar.”
“Honestly, I like Jin better, but the others still remember Temar because he was incredibly strong. Do the Twin Gods think Jin is stronger than Temar?”
“No, not yet. At least, not for now.”
Jin could only listen quietly. He couldn’t speak or move, so he had no way to express himself.
“Then why the blood…?”
“Temar, after reaching his full potential, became a human so strong even I couldn’t guarantee his survival. But what happened? He died the same way as our other brothers.”
“Hmm.”
“If this child ends the same way, what will be left for us?”
“If that happens, we’ll have to wait for the next successor.”
“A thousand years have passed since Temar. But unlike what Solderet predicted five thousand years ago, there has only been one successor since Temar.”
“…Are you saying Jin might be the last successor?”
“Yes. And above all, we can’t hear Solderet’s voice from this child at all. Something must be wrong with that dark god. If this child dies, it might mean our complete extinction.”
Boras sighed softly.
“The Twin Gods seem to want to give Jin everything about the Meiwang race. But it’s an extreme gamble. If Jin can’t withstand the blood and dies, everything ends.”
“Watching him fight Shaku, I don’t think that will happen. Even if it does, that’s just the fate of us and the successor.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Twin Gods so impatient.”
“It’s not impatience. It’s hope.”
“Well, fine. If the Twin Gods say so, I don’t really have the right to refuse. Let’s do the transfusion. Let’s pray Jin can endure it.”
Moments later, Ban’s blood began filling the coffin.
Jin closed his eyes quietly and accepted the blood.
The benefit of the Mandokju was undeniable.
The Mandokju inside Jin’s body recognized the Twin Gods’ blood as poison and fiercely boiled for over a month to detoxify it.
As a result, the toxicity of the Twin Gods’ blood vanished, leaving only its divine nature and strength to fill Jin’s veins.
The moment he woke, he instinctively felt it. Without the Mandokju, he wouldn’t have awakened for at least a year.
But he would have eventually overcome the Twin Gods’ blood and woken up.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Ban’s face appeared. She hadn’t left his side once during the transfusion.
“You’re awake, successor.”
“I don’t know what to say. Boras gave me a molar, and now blood—without even asking my consent.”
“Did you want to refuse?”
“Did I even have that right? You knew I was awake when you talked to Boras, didn’t you?”
“If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”
“I’m not asking for an apology. I understood it as making another contract with the gods. You’re called the Twin Gods, after all.”
“That’s surprising. I thought you’d argue fiercely.”
“If you were my enemy, maybe. I do want to argue, but there’s no time. I have to leave by May.”
Jin already knew a month had passed. He had been conscious the entire time the Mandokju was active.
It was now March 16, 1797, and Jin had only two months left in Laprarosa. He had to return before the compass retrieval operation began on June 1.
“How’s your body?”
“Very good. Light and full of energy. It’s a bit unsettling to have a radiant heart in my chest.”
Jin pointed to his chest.
It wasn’t an aura-formed radiant heart, but a real one formed by Ban’s blood, glowing softly.
Though only half the size of his fist, the aura raging inside was anything but small.
“Having this doesn’t mean I’m one of you brothers. If anything, people like Shaku will probably resent me even more.”
On the other hand, those who liked Jin—Garmund, Boras, Linpa, Beliz—would be pleased.
“Probably.”
“Do you think I couldn’t have changed their minds before I left without this help?”
Jin met Ban’s calm gaze.
If she said yes, or lied, he was ready to destroy the radiant heart without hesitation.
“If I say no, will you break the heart? Because it’s not a power you earned yourself?”
Ban immediately saw through Jin’s thoughts.
And once again, Jin had an answer that exceeded her expectations.
“You’re exactly right. But this heart is something I earned. I didn’t want it at first, but if I didn’t meet your standards, I wouldn’t have accepted the blood. I just see it as one way of succession.”
“Then why do you want to break it?”
“Because what I earn, I can do with as I please. If it were a power given purely by your goodwill, I wouldn’t even think of breaking it. It wouldn’t be truly mine.”
Ban smiled.
“You would have been accepted by the brothers even without my blood.”
“Then I’ll make good use of it.”
Jin put on the clothes laid beside the coffin.
Clang, clang. The sound of hammering filled the air as the blood was absorbed. The place where Jin had lain for a month was Boras’s forge.
“I’ll train with Linpa and the two sword techniques. In the afternoon, should I spar with Shaku?”
“Chiltu, the seventh brother, will be at the training ground. Beliz will teach you the third sword technique.”
“I like the schedule. See you this afternoon, Twin God.”
Morning training, afternoon sparring.
Forty-nine days passed like this. Jin fought Shaku forty-nine times and lost every single time. Each defeat cost him a limb, requiring Boras’s help to reattach.
The Meiwang race was strong.
If gaining a radiant heart instantly closed the gap, countless martial artists would risk everything chasing such a chance instead of training.
With every loss, Jin gained a clearer understanding of Shaku’s skill and the Meiwang’s power.
At first, he vaguely thought Shaku was far stronger than himself. After about ten fights, he believed Shaku was as strong as Luna.
But after twenty fights, he began to doubt that judgment. After thirty, he completely reversed it.
By the fortieth fight, he was confident he could sever one of Shaku’s arms.
Changing one’s perception of an opponent so rapidly meant rapid growth. If Luna was a distant mountain, Shaku was now a peak coming into view.
Knowing this well himself, Jin always enjoyed fighting Shaku.
“Why the sour face today, Shaku? Are you tired of fighting me?”
Jin was having fun, but lately Shaku seemed reluctant to strike him.
Even Baltrock, the first twin brother who used to glare at Jin and his supporters, no longer mocked them.
Reluctantly, Jin had to admit that even Shaku and Baltrock had come to see him in a more favorable light.
Though recognized by the Twin Gods, Jin wasn’t arrogant. Despite losing limbs daily, he never complained or despaired, forcing even his harshest critics to acknowledge him.
Other brothers had long since taken a liking to Jin, making it painful for Shaku to keep beating him in front of them.
“…It’s not that. I guess I’ve grown attached to these daily sparring sessions. It’s getting harder to cut you.”
That was how it was with Temar, too.
Even among the onlookers, no one mentioned Temar’s name anymore. For some time now, the Meiwang brothers hadn’t spoken of Temar in Jin’s presence.
“I’ve told you several times already—if you approach this with such a half-hearted attitude, your training won’t improve. Let’s do this properly. I understand how you feel.”
“Hmm… alright.”
“Wait, Twin Blades!”
Suddenly, someone in the crowd called out to Ban.
It was Tantal.
“What’s the matter, Brother Tantal?”
“Now that Jin Runkandel, the successor, will soon be leaving Laprarosa, there’s only about two weeks left. And both Brother Ituwang and Brother Shaku seem ready to acknowledge Jin as the true successor.”
“Go on.”
“I think it’s time we accept the successor as one of our own brothers and give every brother a chance to spar with him. Brother Shaku has been monopolizing the time for too long.”
“That’s right! The brothers who supported the successor from the start have only been watching. Please give others a chance as well.”
Shaku was the first to nod.
“To be honest, that’s been weighing on my mind too, Brother Twin Blades. As time passes in Laprarosa, I hope other brothers besides me can also spar with Jin.”
With Shaku’s words, Ban nodded calmly.
“If all the brothers here agree to accept Jin as one of us, then I will accept that opinion.”