Chapter 459
Episode 131: Those with Good Intuition, Those Without (3)
As Gilly stepped out to start preparing for Jin’s journey, Murakan came looking for him this time.
On his way in, Murakan caught sight of Gilly and deliberately twisted his face into a silly expression, rolling his eyes to make her laugh. But she just nodded politely and passed by without a reaction.
“Hmm, judging by Strawberry Pie’s mood today, I sense 20% irritation, 30% sadness, and 50% bitterness. There’s not a single error in that calculation, kid. You know that, right?”
“What nonsense are you spouting now?”
“Well, what would you know? Tsk. You only know how to boss Strawberry Pie around.”
A vein popped on his forehead.
“Then, does the great Black Dragon only know how to throw pathetic flirtations?”
“Flirtations? What flirtations?”
“Even cheap jokes mixed in.”
“You don’t know how many times Strawberry Pie laughs at those jokes.”
“Yeah, I don’t need those jokes. Gilly just laughs when she sees my face.”
“Hah! Look at you talking like that. A thousand-year contract holder acting like you’re untouchable. I raised you wrong. I should’ve known back when you threatened to burn the erotic art collection!”
“Oh yeah? Murakan, you’d better start behaving yourself now. It’s already frustrating enough without you coming around and scratching old wounds.”
“Fine, fine.”
“Because I can give you a reason.”
Murakan suddenly cleared his throat in a classic, awkward way.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Jin chuckled softly.
“Go help Strawberry Pie—or rather, Gilly.”
That was the key.
Without a proper reason, if Jin offered to help Gilly, all he’d get was a polite, “It’s okay, no need to bother.” But with a reason, the response would be, “Oh, the young master is coming?”—making collaboration natural.
“Heh heh heh, good. Kid, that’s a story I like to hear. So while you’re off looking for Amel or Camel, I’ll catch up on the household chores with Strawberry Pie…”
“You’re coming too. And there are no chores to catch up on.”
“Right, I’m coming too… Why? Why?”
“Aren’t you the guardian dragon?”
“Well, yes, but sometimes even I need some privacy.”
“I’d like to meet your expectations, but this time you have to come. It could get pretty dangerous.”
“Unless some Zephyrin pops out, I think it’ll be fine. Wouldn’t it be better for Murakan to just guard Tikan?”
“There’s no guarantee Zephyrin won’t show up. And the Gaipa Archipelago needs a bit of prestige.”
Murakan’s brow twitched at the word “prestige.”
“Prestige? You want to use me as your prestige?”
“Exactly. When we get to the Gaipa Archipelago, all four major powers will be there. Big names will be representing each faction.”
“So you don’t want to be overshadowed among them, huh?”
In truth, even without Murakan, Jin wouldn’t be looked down on by anyone. Just a year or two ago, many might have dismissed him as “only a 12th class,” but now he had truly risen to the ranks of a major player.
He had been a remarkable rising star shaking the world, but after swallowing the Ghost Corps and the Black King’s faction, there was no doubt he was a heavyweight.
So while Murakan’s presence wasn’t essential, more allies meant more strength.
The Gaipa Archipelago was a small cage where the world’s predators gathered.
Even the smallest spark could ignite a fierce battle, and then Jin and the Prochi siblings alone might not be enough. Their enemies would bring along their own troops.
“That’s right. We need to prepare for any emergencies.”
“Well, sounds like we might get to fight.”
“Anyway, so it’s settled? Help Gilly, then I’ll prepare the lines you’ll need to use for various situations in the Gaipa Archipelago.”
“Lines? What lines?”
“There are such things.”
The transparent sea was calm, warm breezes blew year-round, forests stretched out with views of the ocean, trees heavy with ripe fruit, and unknown wild animals roamed freely. This was the Gaipa Archipelago.
A truly useless place.
The nearby waters were calm, but just beyond the archipelago, deadly currents and mysterious whirlpools made normal sea routes impossible.
The daily warm winds often carried dry sand and droplets, covering the islands and making it unsuitable for setting up travel gates.
The beautifully colored soil yielded only insignificant resources.
Moreover, many people who tried to settle in groups couldn’t endure the mysterious endemic diseases that struck every year, so even those who came to settle rarely lasted long.
To top off these terrible conditions were the monsters. The Gaipa Archipelago was an unprotected zone. Not classified as a super-dangerous area, but orcs and similar monsters wandered the islands once or twice a week.
Therefore, the Gaipa Archipelago could not be used as a tourist spot, a residential area, or even a retreat for the wealthy.
Occasionally, some tried to invest or establish private spaces despite all these drawbacks.
But since the mercenary Amela settled here over thirty years ago, all such attempts had vanished.
Splash, splash…
Oars gently cut through the misty sea.
This was Rata Prochi, rowing alone all the way to the archipelago.
“There have been many rumors about why people stopped coming here after Amela arrived, my lord.”
“You mean why fewer people approach the Gaipa Archipelago since Amela’s arrival?”
“Exactly. The rumor is that Amela hid something here and killed anyone who came looking for it. Stories about hiding a lover, kidnapped children, that sort of thing.”
“Of course, there must have been tales of treasure too.”
“Yes. Many mercenaries and pirates came searching for the Gaipa Archipelago. All fools, and none were ever seen again.”
If only one or two disappeared, it might be coincidence, but entire groups vanishing could only be Amela’s doing.
“Those few lucky enough to return alive were so traumatized that even the mention of Amela’s name terrified them.”
The rumors that Amela wore human skin or was a cannibal started from such accounts.
“One thing is certain: Amela hates visitors to the archipelago.”
As they left the foggy area, the Gaipa Archipelago came into view.
“Yes.”
More guests than ever had gathered on the Gaipa Archipelago.
Rata was certain Amela would not welcome them.
But if she did, it would surely be a prelude to war.
“By the way, there’s a rumor that Amela has a liking for Lord Rata and Fei.”
“Even if Lord Balkas said so, please don’t worry about our feelings, Lord Jin.”
Fei spoke. Before departure, she had heard the same from Balkas. Then she added:
“And ‘liking’ might not be the right word. Balkas said it after a chance meal together on the battlefield, but my brother and I have seen Amela often besides that day.”
“If not liking?”
“It’s hard to explain. It felt like we were her toys or playmates. She’d say she was bored but still swing her sword around.”
“Embarrassingly, I once got a cut on my forehead from one of those surprise attacks.”
At that moment, as Jin listened to the stories about Amela, he realized the strange déjà vu he’d felt.
Someone whose line between good and evil was blurred, who might kill others as a joke.
Among the people Jin loved, there was someone like that.
“Yona noona.”
From what he’d heard so far, Amela shared many similarities with Yona.
And one word naturally came to mind.
Chaos.
“Maybe Amela, like Yona noona, is infused with chaos.”
Of course, she might just have a twisted personality, but other clues fit as well.
The fact that she single-handedly overwhelmed the entire Black King’s faction in battle was one.
Balkas had assessed that Amela wasn’t a transcendent martial artist beyond 10th star level, but possessed a special ability.
—“Amela has wandered and explored the world all her life. After battles, when we ate together, I asked casually, and she seemed to be searching for something with great passion… though she never said exactly what.”
Jin recalled Balkas’s words.
Sharp instincts stabbed at his mind from all directions.
“Amela is searching for something related to chaos.”
The source of her chaos, the reason for it, or a way to control or eliminate it.
“If that’s what Amela seeks, what can I offer her?”
Jin didn’t know much about “chaos.” Almost everything he knew came from what Talaris had told him recently.
But how much did their enemies know?
Not the royal family, but Kinzello and Ziphl might have more information than him. Especially Kinzello’s commander, who was suspected to be a demon god-level being.
“If Amela’s goal really is information about chaos, I’m at a serious disadvantage. And I seem to have arrived last to the archipelago.”
Just as this thought crossed his mind…
A familiar scene came into view in Jin and his companions’ eyes. Far ahead, right in the middle of the Gaipa Archipelago, thick black smoke and flames were rising.
There was no doubt about it—this was the unmistakable sign of a battle. And it was unfolding rapidly, visible even from a distance.
“My lord.”
“What should we do?”
When Lata and Pei asked, Jin made a swift decision.
If there had been only one massive force in the Gaipa Archipelago, he would have rushed straight there.
Because then it would have been a fight between Amela and that single giant faction.
But not now.
This could be a clash between multiple giant forces, or a battle involving Amela, or even a fight between Amela and some of those forces.
And all of them wanted Amela.
Unless the four great powers united to take her down, Amela was actually safest in any situation. After all, someone would always try to protect her.
“Let’s proceed more cautiously. If possible, we’ll find a good spot to hide and observe how the fight unfolds.”