Chapter 445
Episode 128. Zephyrin (1)
A sudden gush of blood spilled out from beneath the Black Knight’s hood. The poison beneath Zephyrin’s claws was so potent that the wound on his side, inflicted by her nails, was already turning black.
Though caught off guard, he was still the Black Knight. Among the countless Rune Candelle guardians, only ten were granted the black helmet. Even severely wounded, he immediately launched a counterattack.
But the claw that slipped out from the sleeve of her robe failed to reach Zephyrin. She swung at his neck, but her blade only sliced through empty air.
Swish! Zephyrin’s claws clashed again with the Black Knight’s.
The poison coursing through his body left him weakened. The Black Knight staggered back after just one exchange, coughing up blood as he tried to put distance between them.
If he had been alone, the fight would have been decided then and there. Already fatally injured, the Black Knight had no chance of withstanding Zephyrin’s relentless assault to come.
At that moment, Jin, Murakan, and Valkas stepped forward together.
“What the…!”
Their reactions were surprisingly quick, but all three wore expressions of clear shock.
For Jin, the most shocking fact was that the ‘Black Knight’ had been struck down in a single blow.
“Even if he was caught off guard, that shouldn’t have happened. Unless she possesses the power of someone like Sister Yona or the Nameless King, or even surpasses the Black Knight himself.”
Power and strength. Zephyrin might have one or both.
One thing was certain: she was an opponent far too formidable for their group to handle easily.
“Oh my, these so-called Black Knights of Rune Candelle really are something. I didn’t expect you to dodge that.”
The Black Knight’s lips, now pale blue, barely moved in response. He had no strength left to answer, struggling to suppress the deadly poison spreading through his body.
“Zephyrin, you! You wouldn’t dare go after the Second Commander…!”
Originally, the plan was to bring the Black Knight along with the Second Commander.
Valkas was the first to worry about his own subordinates, including the Black Knight.
Given the overwhelming power Zephyrin had just displayed, it was entirely possible she had assassinated them and come here alone.
When Valkas glared at her with murderous intent, Zephyrin smiled brightly.
“I told you, you don’t need to know. The Commander is dead. I was going to let him rest peacefully because of the bond we shared, but if you keep asking pointless questions, I might have to kill you painfully instead.”
At that, Murakan scoffed.
“Quikantel was right on the mark. Hey, hey, you demon dragon bastard, I was going to ask anyway, so thanks for revealing your true identity first.”
Whoooosh…!
As Murakan transformed into his true form, a dense spiritual energy spread throughout the spacious reception hall.
[The reason you’re acting so cocky now is obviously because of that Rontelgius demon, isn’t it? And you’re confident enough to challenge me even knowing I’m here?]
In the past, before the demon race vanished from the mortal realm, Murakan had fought countless demon dragons who betrayed their own kind.
And he had never lost. Against those famously powerful demon dragons, he always emerged overwhelmingly victorious. Eventually, even the top demon dragons of the four great dukedoms avoided crossing paths with him.
Murakan’s reputation wasn’t just legendary in the mortal realm; among the demon race, his name was spoken of as an absolute sovereign.
However, among the powerful demon dragons Murakan knew, none bore the name ‘Zephyrin.’
“Is it a lapse in memory? Or is she someone I’ve never encountered? Hm… I think I’ve beaten every notable demon dragon at least once. Where did this one come from?”
He couldn’t decide quickly.
Zephyrin turned her head slowly to look at Jin and Murakan.
“Haha, you’re still as arrogant as ever, Murakan.”
[You speak as if you know me. But I don’t recall ever seeing anyone like you.]
“Memory, huh… That’s understandable. Is there any dragon in the world who doesn’t know you? You were the only dragon who ruled the blue, beautiful skies of the mortal realm.”
[That’s why my attitude isn’t arrogance—it’s the truth. Reveal your true name.]
“You won’t kill me like you did the Commander. Instead, you’ll fall into a deep sleep with your heart shattered once again. When you wake, you’ll see a world different from the one you know. Just like last time.”
Zzzziiit!
Suddenly, a violet aura spread from Zephyrin’s grasp.
‘Magic power? No, it’s different. It feels similar to the strange magic the dead Rontelgius demon once cast, but much deeper and darker.’
Jin sensed the spreading violet energy and thought:
What Zephyrin was unleashing wasn’t mere magic—it was magia. A massive scale of it that even made Murakan flinch.
The magia quickly enveloped the entire reception hall, and Jin instinctively realized it was forming some kind of ‘pocket dimension.’
As the magia spread, Jin and Valkas charged at Zephyrin.
Within the violet darkness, Sigmund’s pale blade flashed alongside Valkas’s fists, surrounded by a heavy aura.
Valkas was known as one of the top three mercenaries and was considered the world’s finest martial artist.
Thwack!
Zephyrin met Valkas’s punch with a swing of the axe-sword strapped to her back.
The shockwave from their clash rippled outward. Without the magia consuming the space, the reception hall would have been shattered by that blow.
The pocket dimension created by the magia made the hall feel like an entirely different, empty void.
Jin tried to thrust his blade into Zephyrin’s side, but she twisted her axe-sword to block it effortlessly.
Both Jin and Valkas felt the tremendous impact travel up their arms.
Though Zephyrin’s axe-sword seemed to swing lightly, the blessed bodies of Rune Candelle’s warriors and their ten-star martial arts conditioning both suffered from the pain and shock.
Fwoosh!
As the two naturally stepped back after their attack, Murakan exhaled a black spiritual breath. It was powerful enough to topple a small fortress in one blow, but Zephyrin casually sliced through it.
Her face was full of amusement.
“I’ve heard your breath is warm, Murakan.”
Murakan didn’t answer. Instead, he formed black spikes of spiritual energy on his wings and shot them out.
Jin and Valkas weaved through the spikes like a dance, each taking turns attacking Zephyrin.
Watching her dazzling axe-sword movements, Jin felt as if he were watching Luna.
Despite taking on attacks from Jin, Valkas, and Murakan, Zephyrin remained composed.
A truly formidable foe.
Laughing heartily as she swung her axe-sword, she seemed to be enjoying the fight.
Crack! Crunch! Ching!
Blades, fists, and spiritual energy collided, painting the dark space in chaotic streaks.
The battle seemed evenly matched at a glance.
‘Even if it’s close, we’re at a disadvantage.’
Behind them lay the dying Black Knight.
Though he was Joshua’s man, sent to the Black King’s stronghold to hinder Jin, the Black Knight was undoubtedly one of Rune Candelle’s top fighters.
Losing him so easily was a direct blow to their family’s strength. Strictly speaking, he wasn’t just Joshua’s man but also belonged to the ‘next head of the family.’
‘We need the Holy King, his healers, or a poison master of Kuzan’s caliber immediately.’
If not for their ten-star conditioning, the moment the Black Knight was clawed, death would have been certain.
Even Jin, with his antidote, instinctively felt the poison was too terrible to be completely immune to.
How long could the Black Knight hold on? Judging by his trembling and foaming at the mouth, it didn’t look like long.
They quickened their pace. The Black King’s commander was also on high alert—losing the Black Knight on his own turf could cause serious problems.
[Listen, every demon dragon who dared challenge me back then died the moment I unleashed my breath.]
“That may be, but I might have been friends with other ordinary dragons. Anyway, maybe I was arrogant once, but now I’m just an old dragon clinging to past glories. Like I showed at the Sword Emperor’s fortress, it’s better to fight properly.”
Murakan scoffed again.
“Properly? Back then, I couldn’t fight freely because I was protecting humans. I’ll send you where you want—to hell.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to it!”
The sword energy, infused with magia from the axe-sword, slashed wildly in all directions.
Murakan’s spiritual barrier tore apart, and Jin and Valkas frantically danced through the air, firing sword strikes.
To any observer, the sword energy was undeniably powerful and overwhelming.
But at that moment, Jin and his companions noticed something odd about Zephyrin’s swordsmanship.
‘Her attacks are fierce, but her swordplay feels strangely awkward.’
‘It’s like she’s wearing ill-fitting clothes and trying to move in them.’
She blocked and swung well, but the flow of her blade was not smooth.
Of course, only martial artists of Jin and Valkas’s caliber could perceive this; most below eight-star martial artists wouldn’t notice.
Suddenly, an unpleasant and uneasy feeling crept into their minds.
“No way… the axe sword isn’t her main weapon?!”
At first, caught up in the chaotic clash and dazzled by her extraordinary physical prowess, no one had noticed that Zephyrine’s ‘axe sword technique’ was incredibly sloppy.
But instinct soon turned into certainty, sending thick goosebumps crawling down their spines and arms.
Though all three struggled to hide their bewilderment, Zephyrine saw right through their thoughts.
Then, as if surprised they were only just realizing it now, she shrugged and said with a smirk,
“Hmm, it looked fun, and I was a bit curious, so I gave it a try… But I guess it’s pretty pathetic, huh? Haha.”
Just like when she pretended to be human.
Zephyrine had never once properly learned how to wield the axe sword. She was simply curious about the weapon that had cut down one of her charges.
Whoosh, swish!
She playfully spun the axe sword through the air.
Then, as if her interest had already faded and this weapon wouldn’t be enough to kill them all easily, she casually tossed it to the ground.
The heavy thud echoed sharply.
“No matter what, smashing Murakan’s heart with something like this feels disrespectful. So, I’ll at least put you to sleep with a bit of honor.”