Chapter 559
Episode 147: King of the Black Sea, Gliek (3)

Ron’s back heaved with labored breaths. His trembling legs, his body thinner than before, and the darkened ash-gray patterns of the Tyrant Sword all spoke volumes about how dire his condition was.

“Sir Ron!”

Without turning around, Ron swung Rashid again, unleashing a storm of sword winds. The gray gusts slowed down the falling blades and spears of Gliek.

But Ron wasn’t the only one standing between Gliek and the fortress.

Luyan, Aquita Hiran, Erol Ryman, Bel Artemiro, and Franz.

The five Sword Saints of Hiran stood beside Ron, their blades aimed at Gliek.

When the whirlwind of chaos struck, they had poured every last ounce of their strength into helping Ron reach the fortress.

The Sword Saints beside Ron didn’t flinch. After clearing the path for him, they met death standing tall.

That was truly the Sword Saints’ final stand.

“The Sword Saints…!”

Crackling, whistling…

Their bodies shattered and crumbled into ash, scattered by the wind. It was unfathomable how they had fought on until this point.

It felt like a blade was tearing through Ron’s chest. Though he had thought the long battle was a farewell, the Sword Saints had given everything—right to the very end—for Hiran and those they cared about.

With the Sword Saints gone, Ron was left alone on the front line.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on his back.

So no one knew what his face looked like.

Between the deep wrinkles around his eyes, tears, sweat, and blood mixed and streamed down. His mouth hung open in a hollow gasp, and from it came the faint sound of stifled sobbing, barely held back.

The Sword Emperor had been shattered without a trace, and his grandson—priceless, more precious than life itself, the very reason he lived—had been devoured by that monster.

In the end.

Ron Hiran, who had protected and loved almost everything in his life, had lost it all to a place so far away that it was beyond reach. A place he would never see or touch again.

And as always,

Despair gave no time for sorrow. Gliek swung hundreds of arms in every direction, as if utterly indifferent to Ron’s grief. Most of those limbs aimed toward the fortress.

“Raaahh! Aahh…!”

Ron’s hoarse roar, thick with rage and despair born from his frailty, resembled the voice of Dante.

Revenge was out of reach.

He was exhausted, and the new enemy was overwhelmingly massive.

He couldn’t ignore Gliek to launch a final desperate fight against Jipul and the traitors.

Yet, the only reason he refused to give up and stood to fight again was simple.

If he ended like this, even in death he wouldn’t see his grandson’s face. There was still something left to protect, and his grandson’s dearest friend was fighting for him.

As an adult, he had to keep him alive and send him away. Even if he couldn’t repay the favor, he couldn’t abandon him to die in this desolate land.

Rashid’s ashen radiance deepened.

Ron alone blocked over seventy percent of Gliek’s blades falling toward the fortress. The rest were held off by Stam, the Black Knights, and the fortress itself.

“Is it possible he still has this much strength left…?”

Kellyak Jipul couldn’t help but be shocked again as he watched Ron rampage like a wild beast from afar.

It should have ended, but it didn’t. He should have died, but he didn’t. He should have stopped, but he kept going.

Ron’s fierce resistance against Gliek was clearly beneficial to Kellyak, but Jipul’s forces were still being worn down by Hiran’s knights. Both Kellyak and Octavia felt an inexplicable unease from Ron and the Sword Saints.

Despite using the Demon Stone, Kellyak still struggled to reach the surface. Pure power-wise, he was far superior, but it was meaningless.

Even though Ron was slightly closer to Gliek, Kellyak knew that even if he had been in Ron’s place, he wouldn’t have reached the surface any faster.

And if he were Ron, Kellyak would have kept fighting Jipul instead of rushing to save the fortress. Even if that meant a path to mutual destruction.

Unlike Jipul, who had the goal of completing the Demon Stone, what stood between Hiran and the fortress was nothing but loyalty and honor.

Even if he chose to save the fortress, it would be for the sake of loyalty, not negotiation with Jipul.

“Well, thanks to your stubbornness, I can at least breathe easier for now. Hold on until we and Runcandel can properly join forces.”

Kellyak formed the Second Type of the Annihilation Flame Demon Stone and glared at the surface. His pure flames, untouched by the Demon Stone’s power, were clearing away the chaos.

Rosa and Runcandel, along with Octavia and the Phantom Legion, were also opening a path to save the fortress from the rear.

Rosa saw Octavia and the Phantom Legion’s unguarded backs in the distance but didn’t order an attack.

It was time to unite their strength.

“Even with Sir Ron holding them off, if this continues, our comrades will all die soon.”

The attacks had focused on her from the start, so for her comrades’ safety, she had to leave.

But changing position was a gamble. There was no guarantee Gliek would completely ignore this side if she left.

“Better than just taking it.”

Before moving, she decided to test Gliek’s reaction by deliberately strengthening Bradamante’s spirit energy.

[Sol… Deret…!]

As soon as the fortress’s spirit energy amplified, Gliek’s attacks grew even fiercer.

“Murakan!”

“Yes!”

“I’ll draw its attention. You protect Tess and the others until Lord Thalaris finishes healing!”

“Damn it, got it!”

As Jin charged forward with all her might, Ron and the Black Knights followed closely behind.

Fortunately, Gliek immediately shifted its gaze. The chaotic swords and spears all moved toward Jin’s direction.

“Well done, Jin. I got caught up in my own thoughts and forgot about your comrades.”

Ron’s words made Jin feel a hot lump rise in her throat.

“Sir Ron, please don’t say that. More importantly, your body—”

“I won’t die until I save you. I’ll hold on stubbornly enough to make even that monster sick of me.”

Kugrurrrk! Chwang!

The seven swords of the knights clashed relentlessly against Gliek’s weapons. Like in the early second phase, Ron’s sword winds supported everyone, and it seemed they could hold out until reinforcements arrived.

But that feeling was fleeting.

[You dare… insult me, Solderet!]

Having awakened in an incomplete state, Gliek seemed to perceive Jin not as a contractor but as Solderet himself.

“Ugh!”

Ron twisted his waist as he blocked five swords at once, coughing up a black lump of blood.

Jin, Stam, and the Black Knights hurried to cover his weakness, but their balance faltered.

Gliek’s attacks weren’t limited to hundreds of swords and spears. The moment Ron lost his center, a tremendous gravitational force suddenly surged from Gliek.

Naturally, Gliek was trying to pull Jin with its chaotic power.

Stam exploded with energy to counteract, but he couldn’t stop Jin from being dragged into the air.

Following Gliek’s gaze, Jin floated upward. Tess, seeing this late, gasped.

If the oppressive power within the Azure Flame hadn’t suppressed Gliek’s gravity, Jin would have been pulled right in front of Gliek’s eyes. Luckily, she stopped midway and locked eyes with Gliek.

Her trembling eyes were like an endless abyss. Just looking into them felt like being sucked in, but Jin focused her mind and gripped her sword.

Dante.

The monster who swallowed her friend. The fear of overwhelming power that crushed the greatest warriors alone was overshadowed by a deeper, darker hatred.

[Now that I see.]

A crescent-shaped grin split Gliek’s mouth.

[Solderet, you’ve… lost your strength, haven’t you?]

“You damn monster, what did you do to Dante?”

[He was an extraordinary human… no wonder… he was your contractor.]

“What…?”

[If he hadn’t mimicked your voice, it would have been even more troublesome…]

A sharp ringing filled Jin’s head as if struck, her neck muscles tightening painfully.

Without needing further explanation, she instinctively understood. Dante had fought Gliek within the seal of chaos but was deceived upon hearing his own voice.

“…Then what happened to Dante? Is he still trapped in that seal?”

She asked, barely keeping her voice steady.

[You keep asking pointless questions… Solderet. Strange, you should know best.]

“I don’t know.”

[He’s gone.]

Jin’s eyes widened.

[He’s been erased.]

“Bullshit.”

[Now… it’s your turn.]

“Tess!”

Just as Gliek moved, Jin called out Tess’s name, sending him her will—to release the pressure.

‘We have to create an opening for Sir Ron to attack.’

If Ron had to rush in to save her, it would only be another loss in battle.

‘Even if I go deeper, Tess can pull me out once. I’ve only defended so far; I have to land at least one attack.’

As the taut tension snapped like a fraying rope, the crushing pressure lifted, and Jin’s body lunged once more at Gliek. Hundreds of massive blades formed a dark forest around them.

Even a graze would have meant losing limbs. Twisting and turning, Jin locked eyes with Gliek and drove his sword straight in.

Thud…!

But Gliek seemed unfazed, even with the blade piercing his pupil dead center.

“Kaak!”

Instead, it was Jin who took the hit. The moment his eye was stabbed, one of Gliek’s swords slashed across Jin’s chest.

Though his spirit armor held, every bone in his body rattled as if shattering, sending a violent tremor through him.

Gliek moved to strike the falling Jin again, but just as Jin had hoped, Ron had already slipped into Gliek’s grasp, swinging his sword fiercely.

And as Jin hit the ground, coughing up blood, his mind couldn’t help but replay the moment Gliek’s blade struck him.

Before the sword even touched me, I could feel it—the power was enough to shatter the spirit armor and then some.

Just before the blow landed—

It was as if someone had pulled the sword back; for a brief instant, Gliek’s blade froze in place.

No way.

Thump, thump, thump!

Jin’s heart pounded wildly. In that moment, he couldn’t shake the thought that the one who had made Gliek hesitate might have been Dante.