Episode 497
Chapter 138: The White Night’s Tower Keeper (3)

A storm of sword energy scraped against the protective shields of the Phantom Squad.

The Phantom Squad hadn’t expected Hedo to fight without any regard for them.

‘I never expected Hedo to cooperate or coordinate with us, but this is no different from treating us like enemies!’

With wild, gleaming eyes, Hedo swung his blade again, showing no intention of ensuring the Phantom Squad’s safety.

Beneath Murakan’s black veil, a flash of lightning streaked through the air—the dazzling light poured forth from Joshua’s black sword, Kainar.

The sixth Rune Candle decisive technique: Thunder Flash.

It had already been proven that ordinary attacks couldn’t harm that colossal body.

Unless it was a decisive technique, a secret art, or some special attack like the crimson sword energy born from enlightenment, any normal strike would only create an opening for a counterattack.

The aura condensed within Kainar exploded, scattering shards as sharp as shattered obsidian.

Thousands of fragments erupted with a thunderous roar, each piece flickering with blinding light that rapidly dimmed and flared again.

Then, Kainar surged toward Hedo, tracing an unpredictable path. The scattered sword energy spread like erratic reflections, momentarily obscuring Hedo’s massive form.

‘I know the form of the Thunder Flash decisive technique. Just like Barton Vichena did.’

Jin, tracking Hedo’s movements with his eyes, realized that Hedo had already faced Rune Candle’s decisive techniques multiple times. That’s why he skillfully anticipated the Thunder Flash’s trajectory and adjusted his footwork accordingly.

Every step Hedo took shook the ground and dulled the ears. He wasn’t just dodging—he was simultaneously projecting his energy to keep the Rune Candles at bay.

Crack!

The Thunder Flash shattered, revealing Hedo’s massive figure once more.

Though he had dodged or deflected most of the attacks, the fact that he remained unscathed after enduring the decisive techniques of two family’s top riders no longer surprised the group.

They had regained their composure. They were Rune Candle riders and Black Knights. No matter how desperate the situation, those on the front lines of the sword always found a way through.

Next came Dipus’s sword.

The blade of the greatsword Volgar, nearly touching the ceiling, was falling. The third decisive technique—a meteor shower of countless sword energies—was engulfing Hedo’s domain.

Hedo’s body blurred.

Not because the meteor shower obscured him like the Thunder Flash, but because he had escaped the point where the meteor shower rained down at an unbelievably fast speed.

A speed beyond sound.

Shockwaves rippled from where Hedo had stood, followed by a sharp explosion. The next moment, Hedo was beneath Murakan’s wings—right in front of Jin.

It was as if a wall had suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Dipus had scattered the meteor shower into thin air but couldn’t retrieve his aura recklessly, so he was a beat late in regaining his stance. Jane couldn’t keep up with Hedo’s speed.

“Kid!”

Murakan swooped down like a hawk to protect Jin, but Hedo was already raising his long sword, which nearly touched the ground, in a rising strike aimed at Jin.

It was too late to dodge.

“That’s a sword that gives off a somewhat dangerous vibe, Rider Twelve.”

“Ugh!”

Jin tried to parry, but since he was focusing his aura and magic power to activate the secret art of the demonic sword, Flame of Upheaval, he couldn’t exert his full strength. Like Dipus, who hadn’t retrieved his aura after using the meteor shower, there was a risk of backlash.

Even with his spirit armor activated to soften the impact, clashing blades with Hedo sent searing pain through every joint in Jin’s body.

The follow-up strike was another rising slash. Jin twisted his body sideways to avoid it, and at that moment, Murakan arrived and breathed his black breath onto Hedo’s torso.

But Hedo easily dodged the black breath. Instead, it flew toward the Phantom Squad behind him.

One of them finally cursed aloud, but the roar of crashing and breaking filled the arena, drowning out the words.

Flutter—

Jin’s mask split in two and fell to the ground.

Hedo’s second rising strike wasn’t meant to kill Jin but to strip off his mask.

He paused briefly to examine Jin’s face and said,

“Quite handsome. Though I’m not sure if you’re worth the lady giving up her right arm to commemorate.”

The words “the lady giving up her right arm” were mumbled so quietly they were barely audible, laden with complicated feelings.

“Stop spouting nonsense in the middle of a fight!”

Joshua shouted, eyes blazing with fury. His charge toward Hedo left afterimages, and Kainar was ready to unleash the fourth decisive technique, Falling Flower.

He wasn’t recklessly rushing out of anger at being ignored.

‘I have to buy time…!’

Time for the youngest to activate the Flame of Upheaval.

A sword that gives off a somewhat dangerous vibe. Joshua was paying close attention to what Hedo had just said.

If Jin could create even a single opening with the Flame of Upheaval, Joshua, the other Rune Candles, and Murakan could strike Hedo.

Even if they couldn’t finish him off, they could at least wound him and secure an escape route.

‘If that’s still not enough, then I might have to consider using that power myself…’

Joshua threw himself forward with that thought.

Dipus and Jane ran toward Hedo with similar resolve.

‘When the youngest activates the Flame of Upheaval, we go all out…!’

But the Phantom Squad wasn’t standing still either. Though they hadn’t experienced the power of the Flame of Upheaval, they clearly understood the Rune Candles’ plan.

Kraaaah!

Murakan unleashed a barrage of breath and spirit energy spikes at Hedo and the Phantom Squad. The spikes now shot up not only from the ceiling but also from the floor, and the aura dispersed in the air continuously converted into decisive techniques, pressuring Hedo.

The dazzling lights of the flurry of decisive techniques made it nearly impossible to even locate each other’s positions. Only Jin, protected by Murakan, prepared the Flame of Upheaval once more.

‘But something feels off.’

As he gathered his magic power and aura, Jin suddenly had a strange thought.

‘If I were Hedo, I wouldn’t fight like this.’

Frustratingly, Hedo had already created two chances where Jin could have dealt a fatal blow. He might even have been able to kill him.

‘He seems oddly uncommitted. Why?’

Even now, Hedo could easily break through their defenses.

It didn’t seem like he was just enjoying the fight or reveling in the battle itself. If that were the case, he would have fought more aggressively, and if he were the type to worship the tension of life-or-death combat, they would have been insufficient opponents.

Actions always have reasons tied to their goals.

And if you know and can exploit your opponent’s purpose, the fight inevitably becomes easier.

‘Is it to capture me alive without killing me, to use me as material for the demon stone? That doesn’t add up either. Maybe it’s just the whim of a strong man?’

There was no time to ponder deeply. The brothers who charged at Hedo kept getting repelled and rising again.

The Flame of Upheaval was complete.

The blue flame within the blade deepened, and as the spirit armor deactivated, glowing rune symbols flared up like fire.

In an instant, Jin became fire.

The flames spread like a tidal wave, radiating in all directions. Astonishingly, the blue fire consumed everything inside but didn’t harm their allies.

‘Is this the achievement of Rider Twelve? The power that single-handedly shattered the Garden of Swords…!’

The Phantom Squad immediately ceased their attacks and focused all their magic on defense. Even at their peak condition, the four Phantom Squad members couldn’t fully withstand Jin’s Flame of Upheaval.

They had to avoid it. But there was nowhere to retreat—walls blocked every direction, and on top of that, the other Rune Candles and Murakan were pressing the attack.

‘If Hedo doesn’t help, everyone will suffer fatal injuries or worse—death!’

The Phantom Squad was already heavily fatigued from the fierce battle with Joshua’s group before Hedo arrived.

Moreover, they were simultaneously enduring attacks from the Rune Candles and Hedo, so even the Phantom Squad’s survival was in jeopardy.

‘Impressive.’

Brushing away the encroaching blue flames, Hedo was for the first time genuinely impressed.

Compared to the other riders and Black Knights, the Rune Candles he knew were far superior, and Murakan’s rumored prowess was still disappointing.

But Jin’s demonic sword secret art held something dazzling even to Hedo’s eyes.

Still, Hedo instinctively knew one thing: Jin’s demonic sword was not yet complete.

‘Well, if he keeps growing like this, he might just be able to handle our reckless lady. That is, assuming she’s not a Ziphl and he’s truly Rider Twelve, not just a Rune Candle.’

Hedo felt a sudden bitterness.

Sandra’s love would never bear fruit. In the end, Jin and his family were like patients with a terminal diagnosis. Perhaps…

Maybe it would be better if he ended Jin’s life now. Rather than letting Jin become material for the demon stone, it might be kinder to let him die honorably in battle for the lady’s sake.

What should I do?

Just as his thoughts grew tangled, the Phantom Squad’s shouts grated on Hedo’s nerves.

“Hedo! Are you just going to stand there and watch?”

Hedo had never planned to help them.

Letting them all die would send a proper warning to Octavia Ziphl.

“Why call me? You might as well beg the enemy for your lives… hmm!”

Whoosh!

Before he could finish, Jin dashed forward and slashed his sword at Hedo’s face.

“The Keeper of the White Night Tower, you are undoubtedly a warrior worthy of respect—even from an enemy. Yet your confidence borders on arrogance.”

Though blocked, the flames of the vengeful fire spread like oil spilled over the greatsword Veil, creeping toward Hedo’s body.

In an instant, his upper body was engulfed in blue flames, but Hedo showed no sign of pain as he stared down at Jin.

At first glance, it seemed as if the blue fire burned him without leaving a mark, yet Jin did not lose hope.

The power of the vengeful flames and the strength of Runcandel were far from exhausted.

“Rider Twelve, I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“If you have anything you gathered here, leave it behind. In return, I will spare your life—for now.”

Anything gathered here.

There was no need to ponder what that meant.

The ship’s blueprints.

‘What is he talking about? The blueprints were already stolen?’

Suppressing his disbelief, Jin was about to respond when—

From the flames wrapping around him, something dropped with a soft thud onto the ground.

It was the key Joshua had given him.

For a moment, Hedo was speechless, his eyes wide as he fixed his gaze on the fallen key.