Chapter 568
Episode 147: King of the Black Sea, Gliek (12)

The reason Jin narrowly avoided having his neck sliced by Ron’s blade at that moment was likely because his spiritual energy had been strengthened by chaos.

Even Jin himself couldn’t believe how fast his reflexes were. Before, it would have been impossible to create distance after being ambushed by Ron charging at full speed.

A warm trickle of blood slid down his throat.

At last, he faced the strongest and most reliable ally in this pocket dimension—but without hesitation, that ally tried to kill him.

More shocking than the near-death experience was that fact itself. And what Ron shouted was even more piercing.

“Why was it Dante who got devoured, and not you?!”

Ron’s voice, raised in a desperate scream, cut through Jin’s soul colder than any dagger.

Guilt—the emotion that had tormented Jin ever since the Sword Emperor War began—boiled up inside him like a vengeful tide he had tried so hard to suppress in order to focus on the fight.

“Lord Ron isn’t himself right now. No matter how desperate things seem, he would never say such things under normal circumstances…”

Jin had just barely resisted being consumed by chaos himself. After the excruciating pain that crushed his body passed, he had managed to hold back the madness rising within.

“Judging by his eyes being overtaken, Lord Ron must be going through the same ordeal… surely…”

Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged up. It was so overwhelming that it felt like a thick lump was choking his throat.

It was doubt.

Though Ron was possessed, perhaps what he was saying now was the deepest truth buried within his heart.

Considering the recent tragedy Hailan had suffered, it was understandable. Anyone would want to blame someone.

What made it even harder for Jin to bear was that the madness invading Ron’s mind was turning into murderous intent aimed at him.

Whether Ron’s resentment was genuine or not, Jin felt he had no right to harbor hostility toward him. After all, even after Dante disappeared, Ron was the one who tried to save him until the very end.

Ron’s sword tip was poised, aimed directly at Jin.

Somewhere within the blackened blade of Rashid, Jin sensed the true energy of Ron—the radiant force that had shone so brilliantly before Gliek awoke—still lingering.

That invisible light was guiding Jin.

If he hadn’t witnessed Ron’s efforts to save Hailan and send him away alive, Jin would have simply become a berserker and fought Ron to the death.

Slowly, Jin lifted Bradamante and steadied himself.

The madness swirling in his mind began to subside.

He realized that the Ron before him was no different from the spiritual energy or the blood of the fighting spirit that had saved him from possession earlier.

Just as spiritual energy and fighting spirit blood helped control the chaos-enhanced energy, the light of Ron Hailan was sparking another great leap within Jin’s soul.

He had overcome the possession of his body and shaken off the madness in his mind.

In other words, Jin had grown and transcended within this pocket dimension. Perhaps even this was part of Gliek’s scheme—but that suspicion was fading.

Crossing a wall meant being able to see what lay beyond it. In this new realm, Jin felt no trace of Gliek’s intentions.

He saw clearly.

The moment Gliek pulled Jin into this pocket dimension, he had expected the filthy power of Solderet to be finished soon.

That was why he said all chances given to Jin were gone. No matter how strong Solderet’s energy was, it was too weak to oppose him here.

But what surprised him even more was that Gliek hadn’t summoned Ron here.

“Now, it’s my turn to help Lord Ron.”

Jin had no clear idea how to help.

All he could do was decide to accept Ron’s anger. With chaos strengthening his spiritual energy, he felt he could at least spar properly with Ron.

Until Ron’s fury subsided even a little.

Jin resolved to fight him.

Clang!

Ron’s rushing blade struck Jin’s forehead.

Still, there was no hesitation in Ron’s sword tip. Jin no longer felt pain in his heart and met the strike firmly.

“Why you, and not him?!”

No matter how much Jin’s heart ached and how deeply he grieved, it could never compare to the pain Ron had endured. He could not afford to show more sorrow than Ron.

That would be an insult to Ron’s suffering.

Clang, clang… The battle began evenly matched. Neither side gave ground as their swords clashed.

Yet, despite swinging desperately, Jin never landed a single successful attack. Not because he couldn’t bring himself to wound Ron, but because he simply didn’t have the chance.

At the same time, Ron’s relentless assault failed to break through Jin’s defense.

“Dante… give him back…!”

Enduring silently as if bearing a great burden, Jin tolerated the man named Ron Hailan. Deep within the abyss, their lonely fight dragged on.

Since entering this pocket dimension, time’s passage was unknowable.

Still, it couldn’t have been very long, yet Jin felt as if he had aged slightly. To embrace the sorrow of a giant like Ron, he had no choice but to become stronger—and that strange sensation of premature aging was inevitable.

Ron must have needed someone too.

Someone who would let him cry freely, vent his rage without restraint—someone desperately needed. Whether it brought relief or not, at least to try.

Not for Jin’s sake, not for revenge, but purely for himself—to express his anger.

Hot tears streamed down Jin’s cheeks, warmer than the blood trickling from his throat.

Ron had overcome death for his grandson, for his friend, because the weight of that duty was unbearable.

Jin’s choice to revive Ron with the hateful Demon Stone was for the same reason.

Neither of them had ever made a choice for themselves in this war.

They had drawn their swords solely for others.

And unlike Ron, Jin could still fight now for someone other than himself because he had suffered less pain.

In that, Jin found solace.

Only now did he truly empathize with his own pain and Ron’s sorrow. He couldn’t stop the tears blurring his vision.

Humans are born to see themselves through others. Now, Jin recognized the sorrows he had never known through Ron.

But that did not help in battle.

Ron’s blade, barely held back, was inching closer. At this rate, it would soon cut Jin down.

Small wounds had begun to appear.

Perhaps because the chaos staining Ron’s sword had thickened, the wounds inflicted by Rashid bled black blood, as if poisoned.

Neither Jin’s spiritual energy nor his fighting spirit blood could suppress Ron’s chaos. Though it was like poison, it wasn’t true venom, so the antidote energy showed no reaction.

Death was imminent.

But Jin did not fear death.

What terrified him was the possibility that Ron might never come back before Jin’s life ended.

Thunk!

“Ah…!”

Ron’s blade finally pierced Jin’s abdomen.

If Jin twisted the sword or slashed it aside, death would come instantly.

“Maybe… it’s already too late.”

The chaos infecting the wound caused a severe toxic reaction. The energy piercing his abdomen was even worse.

Ron stopped moving and lowered his head.

If Jin had even a moment’s strength, he could have stabbed Ron with the sword he still gripped—he was completely defenseless.

But Jin hadn’t dropped his sword; he couldn’t even move a finger.

Soon, Jin met Ron’s gaze as he lifted his head.

Black tears streamed from Ron’s chaos-tainted eyes.

“Lord Ron…”

No answer came, only the sound of sobbing.

Ron’s hand gripping the hilt trembled.

He was resisting the chaotic energy whispering to twist the blade and finish Jin.

Jin said nothing. He didn’t urge him to fight, to stop, or to give up.

He simply waited. So Ron could climb the final step of the abyss.

At the last moment, Ron delayed the death he so desperately wished for—for the same reason as Jin.

Just as Jin had seen the light within Ron Hailan and gained enlightenment, Ron too recognized the man who fought for himself until the end.

The monster consumed by sorrow.

“You may blame me… if you wish.”

Ron’s eyes wavered.

Slowly, he withdrew Rashid from Jin’s body.

The blackened eyes of Ron began to regain their color, and as soon as the sword was pulled free, Jin collapsed, coughing up clots of blood.

Chaos spread through his body like poison, and the bleeding and internal injuries were severe—he was surely dying.

Yet Jin felt as if he would not die.

Ron didn’t look down at Jin but stared into empty space.

In that void, something was there—something Jin could not see, even if someone else on the battlefield stood there.

Only two people in the world could see it.

Shiron Runcandel.

And now, having just entered the realm of creation,

a pure white light filled the empty space—visible only to Ron Hailan.

For a long moment, Ron fixed his gaze on that light, motionless.

Crossing the wall means seeing what lies beyond.

The moment Ron faced the light of Changseong, he realized a few truths he had never even dared to imagine—truths he had only barely hoped for.

Jin hadn’t seen the light directly, but he could feel it. He could sense that Ron had finally taken that last step to defy fate.

The murky aura of chaos that once clung to Ron was gone.

“Hope… I can see it.”

Ron reached out toward the light of Changseong, and Jin smiled softly before losing consciousness.