Chapter 621
Episode 159: The Twin Kings’ Battle (8)
“Do as you will.”
Ban answered in a calm, even tone.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t Jin who was taken aback by Ban’s response—it was the Mingwang clan.
They had secretly hoped Ban would step in to mediate this horrific conflict spiraling out of control.
Ever since Jin first stabbed Kaio, or rather, since Garmund and Kaio’s initial quarrel, the Mingwang clan had been waiting for Ban to intervene.
But Ban had never once involved himself in the brothers’ disputes. Not even now, at this critical moment when the situation had reached this point.
No one could understand why. Were Ban’s feelings of disappointment directed at Jin? Or at the clan? Or was there some other reason?
If Ban had shown favoritism toward Jin, the Mingwang clan would have followed without question.
Even if Ban had punished the brothers who demanded further verification—brothers he himself had chosen as successors—they would have accepted it willingly. And if Ban had told them to take Jin’s words as their own, they would have obeyed.
“Why do you stand by and do nothing until the very end…? Is it guilt over the final war? Do you believe the destruction of our people was the result of the Twin Kings’ decision, and so now you refuse to choose anything? Even though the brothers are on the brink of fracturing like this!”
Ban briefly met Baba’s gaze. Baba felt as if her innermost thoughts were laid bare, and though she felt embarrassed to be sulking like a child, she did not look away.
“If it’s possible,” Ban said.
Baba’s eyes widened at his words.
She stood there stunned for a few seconds before clenching her teeth as if they might shatter.
“…Understood.”
As Ban and Lingling flew off somewhere, Jin turned briefly to look at Baba and the Mingwang clan.
“How kind of you. Both Kaio and you.”
“What did you say?”
“You’re going to steal my sight, kill me. Was it really necessary to warn me in advance? If you’re confident, then act without boasting. Such behavior only makes you look weak.”
Baba nodded slowly.
“I’ll take your advice.”
The battle between Jin and Baba was the 65th Great War.
The tradition, revived as a hope for liberation, was now nearing its end—much like the relationship between Jin and the Mingwang clan.
Though a few more battles remained after the 65th, the Mingwang clan believed that the fight between these two was truly the final Twin Kings’ Battle.
Until this battle began, the others held little significance for the clan.
Jin’s death was directly tied to the fate of Laprarosa.
As the leader during the tribe’s destruction, Ban’s guilt was presumed to be the reason he had not intervened until now.
Baba was not alone in this belief; most of the Mingwang clan shared the same thought.
“If the Twin Kings kill Jin… our time will likely stop forever. The next heir to the Spirit Sword may never come.”
“We were already doomed. No, that’s certain. Thanks to Solderet, we’re just barely surviving trapped in a dead world. Jin became a brother and gave us hope, but in the end, he abandoned us over petty conflicts. He should never have been accepted as a brother from the start.”
“Yeah, from the very beginning… When the Twin Kings transfused blood and asked for our opinion, we should have opposed it. If we had, we would have simply passed the Spirit Sword to him, and never suffered this betrayal…”
Betrayal.
That was how the Mingwang clan understood Jin’s behavior so far. They couldn’t believe that a few demands for further verification could justify such actions.
“Still, it’s hard to accept. That tonight might be our true end…”
Amid the despondent clan members, Baba’s eyes burned with determination.
Time passed mercilessly fast. The Mingwang clan ascended to the main hall with faces heavy with sorrow and anger.
Unlike usual, the sky above the hall was simply dark and gloomy.
As if by unspoken agreement, the clan suppressed the fierce battle aura they usually released during these wars.
Kaio, bedridden since the 22nd Great War, was carried into the hall by Baba.
“Before we begin the 65th Great War, I have something to say to the brothers.”
Ban’s words made the clan’s eyes widen.
‘Could it be…?’
‘Is the Twin King finally stepping in to mediate…!?’
But Baba’s gaze remained steady, unshaken.
She had already steeled herself.
Then Ban spoke words that far exceeded everyone’s expectations.
“Even if Baba kills Jin in this battle, Laprarosa’s time will not come to a complete halt. Perhaps because it was originally Jin’s chaos. Lingling—this child—can fulfill the same role as Jin.”
“Is that… really true, Twin King? Lingling can take Jin’s place?”
[It’s true!]
“Yes. I had sensed it ever since accepting Lingling, but it became certain two days ago.”
Ban did not elaborate on how this was possible or how he confirmed it.
Yet everyone could clearly sense the truth in his words.
“So even if Jin dies, our time won’t end completely…!”
“Lingling is the original chaos, so perhaps even more is possible. The Twin King speaks with such conviction.”
Laprarosa’s fate, once dependent solely on Jin, now had a new alternative in Lingling.
A heavy silence fell. Except for Ban, only Baba maintained complete composure.
Baba handed Kaio over to Garmund.
Garmund scratched the back of his head and adjusted Kaio’s posture to make him as comfortable as possible.
“I’ll be back.”
Baba slowly walked toward the center of the hall. Behind her stood 11 Twin Kings and 64 Mingwang clan members.
No one stood behind Jin as he approached from the opposite side.
“Begin the 65th Great War.”
Though the battle had begun, neither Jin nor Baba drew their swords immediately.
Still, the fierce aura radiating from both weighed heavily over the entire hall.
‘It’s only been about ten days, but not only has he recovered… he’s grown stronger.’
The energy flowing from Jin was unusual. He was a completely different person from when he lost to Rumora in the 54th Great War.
“You can kill me if you can. I wondered why the Twin King said that to me.”
“Do you understand now?”
“A little. But there’s one more thing I’m curious about. Why are you going this far…?”
Ssshhh…
Baba’s sword, Light, slowly slid from its sheath.
It was the sword once wielded by Nana, her ancestor and a previous Twin King. As its name suggested, the blade shimmered with dazzling brilliance.
Jin drew his sword slowly as well. The pale blade of Sigmund contrasted sharply with Light.
“I thought you might be uneasy. You must have seen us, who always gave absolute support, suddenly showing greed when the situation changed. It must have been completely unexpected for you.”
“Ridiculous. Not certainty, but the moment hope of going outside appeared, you revealed your true colors. So I provoked you a little, and suddenly most of you agreed that this sword should be taken from me. Some even spoke of exile.”
“A little? A little?”
“That’s the essence of what you call brotherhood. Dividing into factions over a few words, rejecting me even though I was recognized as a brother and chosen by the Twin King to inherit the sword, threatening me with accidents. I was disgusted by your true nature.”
“Before you stabbed Kaio, or even after, did you ever consider talking?”
“Once I realized brothers aren’t one, what’s the point of talking? Kaio threatened me, saying I could cause an accident even though he could have subdued me more effectively—that’s forgiven because he’s a brother. But I stabbed Kaio, who isn’t a brother, so that’s unforgivable?”
“Kaio never shot you in the end. And there’s a difference between doing something and not doing it. You tried to kill a brother…”
“I nearly lost an eye or my head, but since Kaio didn’t shoot, it’s fine. Then I stabbed Kaio, but he didn’t die. No one died.”
“Besides, Kaio’s pressure had a purpose.”
“Then couldn’t I have had a purpose too? Couldn’t you consider that I had a reason for stabbing Kaio?”
“To find out, Belliz, Garmund, Linpa, and the peace warriors visited your hospital room.”
“They were the only ones who came to me, and they blamed me. Did more of the Mingwang clan on the other side do the same to Kaio?”
Baba said nothing.
“You don’t understand the core of the problem. When the opportunity arose, your true feelings surfaced. Kaio was a brother, and I was just a familiar outsider.”
“…You’re nitpicking. So you justify stabbing a brother because you felt hurt? There are limits.”
“It’s a matter of perspective. If you want to prove you’re right, stop talking and draw your sword. Now that Lingling is here, there’s no reason to hesitate in dealing with me.”
Baba’s eyes grew cold.
“Lingling, huh… Whether we can go outside or not isn’t the real issue. Don’t think that’s why we’ve tolerated you all this time.”
Kzzzzzt…!
As Baba began to gather her energy, the entire hall was instantly engulfed in a fierce blue battle aura.
“Why do my brothers think I’m the one destined to inherit the title of the Fallen King… I’ll make sure they understand clearly.”
The Sword of the Underworld, Gu Tu-wang’s decisive strike.
Retribution.
Baba charged at Jin like a spear of blue lightning, and Jin met her head-on, swinging Sigmund with fierce determination.
‘Finally, this damn villain’s end is in sight.’
That was the thought running through his mind.