Episode 564
Chapter 147: King of the Black Sea, Gliek (8)

“Secure Jin Runcandel! He must not be consumed by chaos!”

Not long after Gliek awakened, Keliak had shouted those words with a desperate urgency that strained his voice.

At that moment, Jin realized something crucial.

“Even though resurrection through the Demon God Stone is possible, the instant Gliek awoke, Keliak showed unprecedented panic.”

There was only one meaning behind that.

While other forms of death might be manageable, if Keliak lost his life to Gliek, it would cause a fatal disruption to the completion of the Demon God Stone.

“So what Keliak fears most is that I die or something goes wrong because of Gliek.”

Jin also sensed something from Gliek’s lingering grudge.

The creature wasn’t merely trying to kill him. Just as it had swallowed Dante whole, Gliek was attempting to absorb Jin himself.

“If I fall to Gliek, Ziphl will never complete the Demon God Stone.”

Jin made his point clear.

Keliak didn’t deny it.

He was the one who had given Jin the clue, and that was a clear mistake.

“From what I see, even if you refuse my offer, you’ll never actually carry out what you say. Or rather, you can’t.”

“Is that so?”

“You’re too human, burdened with too much. How many have risked their lives to save you? What about all you’ve done to protect Hailan? Yet, to throw your life away just to stop my obvious plan? That’s impossible. It’s just empty bravado.”

This time, Keliak cut Jin off and continued, glancing at Rosa.

“But your mother is different.”

Rosa had been listening to their conversation.

“The moment you reject my offer, your mother will waste no time throwing you into Gliek’s jaws. Isn’t that right, Rosa Runcandel?”

Rosa smiled coldly.

Accurate and true.

She judged Jin’s assessment as spot-on. Had Jin said otherwise, she would have made the same offer to Keliak herself.

If Jin tried anything foolish, his life would be forfeit.

And as Keliak said, this was no bluff or gamble—it was a genuine threat.

She, too, had read Keliak’s weakness from his words that Jin must not be ‘consumed by chaos,’ and she was already anticipating his next move.

That was why they hadn’t yet unleashed their full power.

“You know me well, Keliak Ziphl. So if you want to keep hoping for the Demon God Stone’s completion, it’s best you don’t make any reckless moves.”

Jin’s proposal to Keliak was also why Rosa had immediately rejected Mew and Anne’s opinions.

She still had a means to hold Keliak’s leash by keeping Jin alive as a hostage.

“Having a weakness is such a hassle.”

“We’ve lived with it for a thousand years, so no need to complain too much.”

Keliak shrugged.

“I accept your offer. A temporary alliance.”

“What kind of negotiations do you propose with the 12th Cavalry, Kinzel?”

Up ahead, Ron, Thalaris, knights, and mages were attacking Gliek.

Thalaris hadn’t yet begun the absolute sealing ritual of the Divine Bow in earnest.

Jin exchanged a glance with Rosa.

“Judging by the circumstances, they likely knew the true nature of the White Stone from the start and probably have means to restrain Gliek—whether it’s the power of the Divine Bow or something else. And what they want is for everyone here to clash with each other and with Gliek, causing irreversible damage.”

Jin gestured behind him.

The knights of Runcandel had rescued the Balmur Alliance and escaped that way.

“I’ll tell them to step in and deal with Gliek immediately. If those bastards don’t join this battle, we’ll retreat at once and strike at their stronghold.”

If Kinzel refuses to deal with Gliek, Jin was saying they would abandon the world’s last line of defense and attack Kinzel directly.

“Come together to stop it, or die together. That’s a bold move.”

Kinzel wanted not the world’s destruction, but a reduction of powers.

Whether they possessed the power of the Divine Bow or other means to stop the King of the Black Sea, they certainly weren’t strong enough to wage war against everyone currently fighting Gliek and win.

So far, Jin had confirmed Kinzel’s strongest forces were the Commander and Zephyrin.

But the Commander was not whole, and Zephyrin, who operated based on his power, was also unable to perform at full strength.

Of course, aside from them, there were the ships Grnil and Berakt, beast warriors, the masterful living golem, and the demons newly revealed in the Sota Desert.

Among them were some who displayed first-class superhuman strength, like Bianca Caligo.

There were likely other unknown forces as well, but none capable of stopping the combined forces of Runcandel and Ziphl.

If they could, the world’s dominance would have long since fallen into Kinzel’s hands.

Rosa was very pleased with Jin’s plan.

From risking her own life to make an offer Keliak couldn’t refuse, to urging Kinzel to act immediately—even if it meant the destruction of their family and the world, they would be finished last.

Everything perfectly aligned with Rosa’s own thoughts.

“Everything’s roughly settled.”

Rosa’s sword glowed brilliantly. Her energy erupted like a volcano, creating another whirlwind on the battlefield.

A low, ominous resonance began to emanate from Keliak’s Hrotti as he released his power.

Though Rosa had been protecting her family’s knights alone and Keliak had been fighting for a long time, neither showed any sign of fatigue.

If Gliek were not the King of the Black Sea but merely a monster of equal strength to Keliak, and if killing it didn’t require the power of the Divine Bow, they would never have needed to negotiate with Kinzel at the cost of the world.

Now, there was only one thing left to do: help Thalaris perform the absolute sealing of the Divine Bow and decide who would negotiate with Kinzel.

Even after the sealing ritual, Rosa, Keliak, Ron, and Thalaris couldn’t leave the battlefield.

Thalaris had to maintain the seal, and the others had to stay in case of emergencies.

There was no guarantee Gliek would cease all activity once sealed, and even the three-day timeframe Thalaris mentioned was uncertain.

Jin couldn’t go either.

Though he usually secured favorable outcomes against Kinzel, sending him to Kinzel’s stronghold now would be like handing over a weakness.

The only reason Runcandel and Ziphl could temporarily unite was because of Jin’s life.

If Kinzel captured Jin, Ziphl would have to negotiate with them, not Runcandel. That would mean the end for Runcandel.

“Sir Stam!”

Stam stepped out of the formation and stood before Rosa.

“Your orders.”

Rosa briefly explained the conclusions reached with Jin and Keliak.

“Inform the Divine Bow’s master and proceed to negotiate with Kinzel yourself.”

“Understood.”

“Octavia!”

Octavia approached Keliak.

“You will negotiate with Kinzel alongside the Black Knight Captain of Runcandel.”

“Yes, Lady.”

Thus, Stam and Octavia were chosen to go to Kinzel’s main assembly.

Stam then relayed the plan to Thalaris.

Thalaris showed displeasure; negotiating with Kinzel could stray from the Divine Bow’s mission to ‘protect the world from anomalies.’

If Kinzel refused to negotiate and Runcandel and Ziphl’s forces marched on their stronghold instead of Gliek, the world’s destruction would be inevitable.

Then Thalaris would have to fight Gliek alone or with Ron.

But she had no choice but to accept the plans of the great powers. Since Siron couldn’t come, there was no other way.

“…I may have to consider fully lifting Elona Ziphl’s seal.”

If Kinzel rejected the offer and things spiraled out of control, Thalaris would eventually release Elona’s seal.

Her power, recorded as reaching the Divine Bow’s level, could stand against Gliek.

But what would happen once she returned to the world was unknown.

—The Divine Bow has hidden this woman from Ziphl for a thousand years.

—If they discover her, you mean she could become active again?

—A future I don’t want to imagine. If such a monster joins the already dominant Ziphl, balance will cease to exist.

This was the conversation Thalaris had with Jin when first revealing the Divine Bow’s mission.

Elona would side with Ziphl even if she stopped Gliek… and whether that would be better than Gliek consuming the world was uncertain.

“No matter what, if Kinzel rejects the offer, there’s no answer. Being the Divine Bow’s master won’t be worth it.”

A cold wind began to sweep across the battlefield.

“I will begin the absolute sealing!”

Thalaris stepped back and took her place, ice forming before her.

At the same time, Rosa and Keliak charged toward Gliek, while Stam and Octavia stood on either side of Thalaris, raising protective shields.

Jin stepped forward, watching the backs of the giants fighting ahead.

The storm of Ron’s ashen blade energy, Keliak’s magic, and Rosa’s decisive strikes gradually forced Gliek to falter, if only slightly—but he still smiled.

As if he knew their every move all along.