Episode 450
Chapter 128. Zephyrin (6)
“And immediately send healers skilled in antidotes and poison specialists to tend to Iza.”
The Black Knight no longer trembled. He barely breathed, looking as if death was imminent.
The squad members carefully lifted the Black Knight onto a stretcher.
“We must keep him alive at all costs. If Iza dies, it won’t bode well for the Black King’s faction—or for me. Especially since the Black King’s faction could face consequences far worse than mere inconvenience.”
“Don’t worry, Commander Jin!”
Murka, the third captain, responded firmly, and the dedicated healing mercenaries along with the Black King’s faction’s doctors swarmed the stretcher.
“On the contrary, if we manage to save him, it will be an invaluable advantage for both me and the Black King’s faction.”
If the Black Knight died on the Black King’s faction’s territory, regardless of the reason, Joshua would have a legitimate pretext to pressure Valkas.
But if he survived, the tables could turn—Valkas could demand compensation. Jin wouldn’t lose the family’s strongest helmet, and perhaps they could even negotiate directly with the Black Knight.
“We’ve pulled people back from worse situations more than once.”
“We will keep him alive, no matter what!”
Crackling and snapping sounds filled the air as the medical team rushed out to administer emergency treatment. Suddenly, a thunderous explosion shook the entire Black King’s mountain stronghold.
Like a volcanic eruption, from the narrowing rift in the pocket dimension, bursts of aura, magical energy, spiritual energy, and lightning energy spewed forth. Ever since Jin had stepped outside, the battlefield’s energy had intensified dramatically.
“A monster is a monster. Even though the pocket dimension’s collapse seemed to put them on the defensive, they’re still revealing this much power.”
Murakan had said there was no need to return, but Jin remained worried. They needed to evacuate the Black King’s faction as quickly as possible before regrouping.
“…What kind of battle is raging inside? Zephyrin—could that damned creature really be her?”
The second captain’s voice was heavy with despair.
Seeing Zephyrin transformed into a human and fighting against the commander Jin and his group was almost unbelievable.
Zephyrin.
Lately, she had been the Black King’s faction’s troublesome youngest member, the one who gave all the seniors and managers the most headaches.
Yet, despite the daily scolding and reprimands, her bright and cheerful spirit made her impossible to truly dislike.
But now, Zephyrin had become a monster threatening the entire Black King’s mountain stronghold. The massive serpent form that appeared and vanished intermittently was enough to make anyone nauseous.
“Lord Valkas was most worried that the second captain and his subordinates might have fallen victim to that creature’s claws. Has anyone in the Black King’s faction been harmed by Zephyrin?”
“Not a single one, 12th squad.”
“That’s a relief.”
The worst fear Valkas had was, so far, unfounded.
‘If we can evacuate everyone safely without casualties, then when I speak with Lord Valkas later, I can expect a positive outcome.’
A deafening roar echoed from beyond the pocket dimension’s rift. Though distant, even those who hadn’t experienced it firsthand could imagine the overwhelming power behind it.
The evacuation was gaining momentum.
Though such an event had never occurred before, like all fortresses, the Black King’s mountain stronghold had multiple special passages, devices, and protocols designed for escape.
Ladders unfolded throughout the fortress, and magical apparatuses for lowering supplies were activated.
Despite the urgency and gloom, the scene was impressive. The massive fortresses lined up along the mountain range moved in perfect unison, like a single living organism.
Jin left the central fortress where the Black King’s commander’s reception room was located and observed the evacuation.
Hundreds of special ropes connected fortress to fortress, ferrying people and supplies, while the fortresses operated ceaselessly like intricate machines.
The rugged mountain range surrounding the fortresses was rigged with some kind of mechanism—small explosions triggered landslides near the fortresses, creating sliding paths.
Supplies and non-combatants used these paths to descend the mountains, while defensive barriers sprang up across the fortresses and walls.
These barriers weren’t conjured by the squad members but by magical devices set up by the Black King’s faction. There were so many that it was hard to keep track.
‘And that’s just what’s visible. I can’t even imagine how much this all cost.’
Beyond the money, acquiring such equipment required close ties with magical toolmakers from both the Empire and the Lutero Magic Federation.
That was only possible because the Black King’s faction was a neutral mercenary group. For magic toolmakers to supply such items to Runcandel would be tantamount to treason. Most war magic tools Runcandel obtained were spoils of battle.
The evacuation proceeded smoothly.
True to their reputation as the world’s finest mercenary force, the Black King’s faction handled this unprecedented emergency with calm efficiency.
The mountain range housing the stronghold was nearly collapsing entirely.
Most of the squad had already evacuated below, while Jin, the captains, and officers hung from ropes along the landslide path, watching the central fortress’s battlefield.
More precisely, they watched the central fortress crumble.
“Phew…”
“Commander…!”
The forces bursting through the pocket dimension were pulverizing the central fortress.
Though the blue flames clinging to the rift had died down considerably since earlier, the continuous tearing of the rift by these forces was proving devastatingly effective.
‘The pocket dimension is about to be completely torn apart.’
What would happen next?
Zephyrin wouldn’t be able to transform into her true form, but the fight would continue. Even in her human form, she possessed at least the power of a 10-star martial artist.
However, the battle wouldn’t last long. Zephyrin was exhausted from multiple hits, and so were Jin and Valkas. What remained was a brief, decisive clash.
‘We can’t kill Zephyrin here. Since the squad has been moved out of major danger, the best outcome is to retreat without anyone suffering fatal blows.’
Even if she was tired, who knew what tricks Zephyrin still had? Judging by the shocking power she’d displayed, the tide could shift again at any moment.
Above all,
If the fight spilled outside the pocket dimension, other forces would surely intervene.
The Black King’s faction was a neutral power coveted by all. If a battle of this scale erupted at the Black King’s mountain stronghold, nearby factions wouldn’t fail to notice.
‘The reason they didn’t kill the second captain and his subordinates but instead created the pocket dimension in the reception room was probably to handle their objective quietly.’
The Black King’s mountain stronghold lay in the unprotected central continent, the Bise Kingdom.
Though the Bise Kingdom belonged to none of the four major powers, it was geographically close to the territories of Zipple and Biment.
And recently, Kinzello’s relations with them had been far from friendly.
‘If they’re prepared for those forces to come, Zephyrin will definitely choose to flee.’
Just as Jin thought this,
Screeeech!
The sound of the pocket dimension tearing finally reached them. Jin and the Black King’s faction members swallowed hard and looked up at the collapsing central fortress.
The battlefield glimpsed through the rift was chaotic, making it impossible to discern the situation inside.
Kahaaa…!
The first to emerge beyond the rift was Murakan.
He roared, asserting his presence, then exhaled a breath toward the escaping Zephyrin.
Jin silently breathed a sigh of relief.
‘She’s alive!’
But seeing Valkas and Shaku emerge afterward—especially Shaku—Jin’s heart ached.
Shaku looked so gravely wounded that standing was a struggle.
Though Jin hadn’t witnessed the battle firsthand, he immediately recognized Shaku’s condition as a sign of sacrifice.
As a guardian forged from soul and spiritual energy, Shaku’s death and injuries weren’t physical realities. So, naturally, he had no hesitation sacrificing himself for Jin and the others.
Even if his body were real flesh and blood, it would be the same. That was the bond of the Meiwang clan brothers.
“Brother Shaku!”
Jin didn’t bother saying sorry or thank you. Shaku turned his head at Jin’s voice and smiled faintly when their eyes met.
“Make sure to tell me later how I did today, Brother Jin.”
Shaku’s body dispersed into spiritual energy, and Jin gritted his teeth, gathering his strength. The moment to end the fight had come.
“Captains and officers, keep protecting the squad members!”
That was far more efficient than fighting alongside them.
Even if the captains joined forces, there was no guarantee they could kill Zephyrin, but the chance of ordinary squad members getting hurt by her attacks was far too high.
Flare!
Once again, spiritual energy and blue flames enveloped Bradamante. Jin wanted to unleash his sword’s secret technique immediately, but that risked sweeping away the squad.
Clack!
Jin’s leaping sword struck Zephyrin’s forehead.
She easily blocked it with her claws but looked visibly burdened by the blue flames so close to her face.
Her energy noticeably waned—though that only meant she was weaker than in her true form, she still possessed tremendous power.
Zzzeeng, kwa-gak!
Bradamante’s blade clashed with Zephyrin’s claws, producing a sharp crack.
Murakan shifted between his true and human forms, supporting Jin, while Valkas caught his breath.
Though not as severely injured as Shaku, Balkas had also sustained serious wounds and was poisoned by Zephyrin’s venom.
“Jin Runkandel, you bastard…!”
Zephyrin snarled as she struggled against Jin’s strength.
“Go ahead, act all cocky like before. You were talking like you could kill us anytime you wanted, weren’t you?”
At those words, Zephyrin furrowed her brow.
But soon, a faint smile returned to her lips as she said, “We’ll meet again soon enough, Jin Runkandel.”
“Yeah, you always say that right before you run away…”
Jin was about to continue when suddenly Zephyrin’s entire body began to swell, turning a deep violet, as if she were about to burst at any moment.
Jin wasn’t the only one who sensed it.
“Kid!”
Before Murakan could shout, Jin had already put distance between them and moved toward Balkas.
“Well then, goodbye!”
KRAAAASH…!
Zephyrin’s body, swollen with magic, exploded violently.
A powerful earthquake shook the entire mountain range, and the shockwave obliterated all the trees and rocks near the blast site without a trace.
The explosion was massive enough to level the entire Black King’s stronghold, but its true power was not beyond extraordinary.
From the start, Zephyrin never intended to kill Jin. The blast was simply a desperate bid to escape.
It was fortunate that the Black King’s stronghold was equipped with all manner of defensive magic and devices, and that Jin, Murakan, the captain, and the senior members still had some strength left.
“Hold the line!”
“The 12th squad is protecting the captain! Squads 1, 2, and 3, cover each other!”
The mountain range was crumbling under the magical explosion.
Had most of the members not evacuated beforehand, it would have been a catastrophe. Jin, Murakan, and the Black King’s members fought desperately to contain the blast and its aftermath.
Murakan, in particular, squeezed out the last of his spiritual energy to form protective barriers across the mountain, saving the greatest number of people.
“Damn it, even at the end, they pull this pathetic stunt!”
Nearly an hour passed before the explosions, landslides, and earthquakes finally ceased.
In the end, the group managed to contain the blast without significant casualties.
But the once-mighty Black King’s stronghold lay in ruins, buried beneath debris, and the groans and sobs of the Black King’s members echoed throughout the shattered mountains.
Murakan, still soaked in spiritual energy and hovering under the dim night sky, looked down at the Black King’s members with a hint of pity.
Those who knew the full story understood that this expression came from a place of sorrow.
But the reinforcements—Jiple and Biment’s troops and dragons—who had just arrived after detecting the battle, did not share that understanding.
“W-What happened here…? The Black King’s stronghold…!”
“Murakan!? No way, Murakan did this?”
“Murakan oppa…? Could he really be responsible for this?”
“Mu-Mu-Murakan…?”
“If that’s the case, could the 12th squad of Runkandel have… destroyed the Black King’s group…?”
Those from Jiple and Biment, seeing the destruction and Murakan’s presence, couldn’t help but fall into a grave misunderstanding.