Episode 237
Chapter 76: The Empty Pot and the Lone Burden (Part 2)
‘Jiple will probably decide to take the fall.’
There was no way the Jiple family—a powerful clan wielding influence not just over one nation, but the entire world—would willingly give up their prestige.
Even if their image as “guardians of justice and virtue” took a massive hit, it was better to have a few scapegoats take the blame.
Reputation could be restored over time, but once prestige was lost, it was nearly impossible to regain. Especially with a formidable rival like Runcandel looming.
“The four Pillars of Jiple are currently prisoners in Kinzello. I personally coerced Chukon Tolder, Kinzello’s mage, to make it happen.”
When Jin briefly explained the situation during the compass’s retrieval—though he kept details about the compass itself under wraps—Bitura’s mouth fell open.
For Bitura, it was one shock after another.
“So that’s why you planned to use Kal Jiple, the four Pillars of Jiple. Now I understand the Duke’s intentions. According to him, Jiple will choose to take the blame on behalf of Kinzello.”
“Of course, things might not go exactly as I hope. But I can’t think of a better move. It will bring the current state of the Holy Kingdom to light and force those bastards to retreat.”
Bitura couldn’t bring himself to respond.
Originally, he had planned to lead the few remaining loyalists in a final stand.
His last goal was to somehow save Lani, then ask Runcandel, the Secret Palace, or the Nameless for protection.
After that, whether Lani clung to a faint hope for the future or lived out her days in hiding—that was her choice.
But then Jin arrived.
‘Maybe this boy was sent by Ayula herself.’
Despite Runcandel’s reputation, Jin was still a trainee knight not even twenty years old. Under normal circumstances, Bitura would never have extended a hand, no matter how extraordinary Jin was. He would have thought the boy too young for such a task.
“Duke Jin.”
“Speak, Lord Bitura.”
“Tell me what Lani and I must do.”
“I’m heading straight to the old Oterium. Until I return, you must keep pretending to be a Jiple lackey and protect Lani. Under no circumstances should you hand her over to anyone else. They’ll likely resort to drugs or torture.”
Jiple and Kinzello still wanted Lani to stand beside the fake Holy King and mark the end of the Ascension Festival. So they’d try every trick to bring the runaway Lani back under control.
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Also, sort through those clinging to Kinzello and Jiple, make a list. I want it ready to be revealed the moment I return. And rally the remaining loyalists. There might be armed conflict.”
“Understood.”
“Duke Jin.”
Lani approached him.
“This brief encounter has touched the fate of Vankela. For now, all I can do is wait quietly for your safe return, but I will repay your kindness.”
“Hey, religious fanatic. You can thank us after we bring the Holy Kingdom’s people back. For now, just pray and wait. And Bitura, you better start acting like you’re hurt. We’re leaving.”
Before Jin could finish, Bitura suddenly severed his own arm.
“Ugh!”
Lani gasped and immediately summoned holy power, but Bitura pushed her away, shaking his head. He needed to appear wounded to explain the deaths of the Golden Shield paladins.
“Lord Bitura, you didn’t have to go that far…”
Bitura handed his sword to Jin.
“Take my sword and escape. Yours is stored in the wooden box on the first floor, center. I’ll send pursuers the moment you step outside.”
“I’ll return before the Ascension Festival ends.”
“Good luck.”
It took a full day to retrieve the sword, evade the pursuers, and escape the Holy Kingdom. As a wanted man, Jin couldn’t use the transit gates.
Five days remained until the Ascension Festival ended.
Jin had to rescue the citizens and return to the Holy Kingdom within that time.
‘The schedule’s tight.’
Whoooosh!
Murakan’s massive wings sliced through the wind.
Since Oterium wasn’t part of the Lutero Magic Federation, Murakan’s flight wasn’t restricted.
Once a desolate land deemed uninhabitable after the Holy Kingdom’s defense war, Oterium was now a no-man’s land overrun by monsters and the stronghold of the Dark Magic Council.
Even with mastery of the Spirit Sword and the Underworld Sword, and having truly entered the ranks of the powerful, Jin alone storming in was unheard of.
Andrei Jiple’s nemesis, Ben Rolt’s elder brother, the cold Jo.
Feziron Hensark, senior member of Biment Academy; Chukon Tolder, the great mage of Anz; and Susan Lilista, head of the Lilista family.
These four were confirmed nine-star mages belonging to the Dark Magic Council. There were countless seven- and eight-star mages as well, and who knew what traps lay in wait.
[Feeling nervous, kid?]
Jin chuckled.
“With you here? Not at all.”
[Hahaha! That’s right. With me around, no matter how many mages there are, there’s no need to be afraid.]
40%.
The power of Murakan restored by Misha.
‘Even if all nine-star mages were on standby, could Murakan handle them alone?’
Of course, it was unlikely all nine-star mages would be present. Except for the cold Jo, the others led their own groups or families and wouldn’t stay at the Dark Magic Council’s base unless something special happened.
‘Well, I’ll find out when I clash with them. Judging by this guy’s confidence, it doesn’t seem impossible.’
The night was pitch black, not even moonlight.
Looking down, only darkness stretched out. Who would have imagined that in the middle of this abandoned land, with no lights or inhabitants, stood the Dark Magic Council’s stronghold?
From somewhere came the howl of an unknown monster, and Murakan increased his flight speed.
[Kid, we’re almost there. Heh, those human mages have been up to some cute tricks.]
“Cute tricks?”
[They set up a barrier. It has both illusion and alarm effects.]
“Of course there’d be at least one barrier. Can you dispel it?”
Murakan laughed again.
[I just passed right through it. Didn’t you notice?]
A lie.
Jin turned to look back and swallowed hard.
Traces of the barrier they had just passed through floated in the air—magical circles, shattered and scattered, too many to count at a glance.
‘How many magical circles were there? And we just… passed through them silently?!’
Among the star-like glowing circles, a dark energy stirred uneasily.
It was the residual spiritual energy Murakan had unleashed to break the barrier. That mass of energy was absorbing nearby magical circles, growing larger.
The Dark Magic Council had established themselves in Oterium fifty years ago.
For fifty years, they had poured countless mages’ power into maintaining this grand barrier, but to Murakan, it was less than an ordinary fortress.
“…Did he unleash that much spiritual energy without any preparation? And what the hell, it’s not even a single mass?”
It wasn’t just the spot they passed through.
Identical masses of spiritual energy were scattered across the sky, erasing the barrier as if mold was being wiped away.
Jin could only gape, alternating his gaze between Murakan’s back and the sky.
[Why are you surprised at such a trivial thing, contract holder of a thousand years? You can do this too.]
“Y-yeah.”
If given enough time, I could easily crack a section of the barrier myself…
He swallowed the rest.
The Dark Magic Council’s barrier vanished completely, leaving no trace.
[Ah, there it is. That castle must be their base.]
With the barrier gone, a fortress rose tall in the middle of the black plain.
The mages inside probably had no idea their barrier had disappeared.
[Kid.]
“Yeah?”
[Let’s strike now. There probably aren’t any test subjects near the outer walls. I’ll break down the outer walls; you infiltrate inside and locate the citizens. Signal immediately when you find them.]
“Got it. If we find any other civilians besides the citizens during the fight, we have to rescue them too. They’re important witnesses to expose Jiple’s true nature.”
[Don’t worry. Hold tight. After I breathe out, I’ll dive straight down.]
Huuuuuuuuuh…!
Murakan took position in the sky and inhaled deeply, drawing the spiritual energy that had broken the barrier into his mouth.
The fortress was about 300 meters away—somewhat far for a breath attack.
But for Murakan, it was more than enough. Assuming no citizens were inside, he was confident he could destroy the entire fortress with a single breath.
Paaaaaah!
A jet of black breath tore through the sky, rushing toward the fortress like a dark meteor.
Jin swallowed dryly, unable to look away from the trail of breath.
As the focus naturally shifted to track the point of impact, Murakan’s breath was already striking the outer wall—ripping apart the layers of protective barriers that had surrounded the fortress in a brutal, merciless sweep.
Rumble…!
The outer wall crumbled, triggering a tremor, and a cloud of dust rapidly spread, engulfing the lower part of the fortress.
There was no time to marvel.
The moment his breath hit the wall, Murakan began his descent. The fall was so swift it seemed to push the flesh on his cheeks aside. In the blink of an eye, he had passed through the shattered outer wall.
“Aaaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams echoed out—those of the dark mages guarding the outer fortress and Kinzel’s beastmen alike.
Some were plummeting to the ground, others barely clinging to the rubble, and many had simply collapsed in shock amid the chaos.
Whoosh—!
From Murakan’s wings, hundreds of spear-like streams of spiritual energy shot forth.
These energies pierced the throats and chests of those who had somehow survived the breath attack, and stabbed again into the bodies of those already dead, confirming their demise.
Less than ten seconds had passed since Murakan’s assault began.
Already, over two hundred mages and beastmen had met their end, and the fortress was half in ruins—its former shape barely recognizable.
Even Jin hadn’t anticipated that Murakan’s power, restored to forty percent, would be this devastating.
[All who live must prepare to face death. No one will escape me.]
As Murakan bellowed this, Jin leapt from his back, vanishing into the chaos to conceal himself.