Chapter 655
Episode 166: Traces on the Caldaran Snowfield (2)
“Miss, please calm yourself.”
“Hedo, didn’t you just hear what that insane demon dragon spat out?!”
“I heard it.”
“Then how can you tell me to calm down? Jin is mine alone, and that bastard—I swear I’ll tear him apart… Jin is married?!”
“Miss, your current behavior is something Jin Runcandel would strongly disapprove of. And Jin Runcandel is unmarried.”
“Right? So that creature was just babbling nonsense? That demon dragon will die by my hand one day, mark my words.”
Sandra wanted to lash out more, but when she glanced at Jin’s profile, she fell silent. His expression looked unbearably sad.
The pale sky over the snowfield quickly darkened, stained black by Zephyrin’s magical energy. She was systematically erasing the knights who had gathered.
Unlike usual, she showed no trace of her usual arrogant smile or refined composure. She was keeping her promise to Jin.
“We should be moving on now, Keeper. I don’t think we have much time left.”
Of course, not all the knights had engaged Zephyrin. About twenty percent remained near the cave, keeping watch.
“Hedo.”
“Yes, Miss?”
“Those knights—can you handle them alone?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, can you or can’t you?”
“I can.”
“Then Hedo, clear the path for Jin by yourself.”
Hedo was momentarily stunned that Sandra could think so deeply.
“Of course I can, but I doubt the Twelve Knights will approve.”
“Why not?”
“They’re not the type to pass their burdens onto others. Still, that’s quite a commendable suggestion.”
Jin was already moving forward. A pitch-black aura swirled around his sword, Bradamante.
About a hundred knights remained near the cave.
They only realized Jin was approaching after thirteen of them had already been cut down. In the blink of an eye, a series of spirit sword strikes and soul slashes unfolded.
‘As expected… the corruption is complete.’
The knights, now consumed by chaos, were no longer “Knights of Runcandel” but grotesque monsters.
Their twisted arms swung swords in unnatural ways, and their legs, transformed into thorny brambles, wounded themselves with every step, spilling chaos instead of blood.
Their eyes were hollow pits, and their mouths emitted only eerie breaths and guttural screams.
Jin swung his sword, swiftly sending them to eternal rest. It was the only kindness he could offer those who had once loyally served the family as knights.
‘Rosa… soon you will pay for your sins. Without fail.’
Hedo didn’t even draw his sword.
More precisely, watching Jin’s swordsmanship, he judged it better not to interfere.
“Not a single wasted move… almost like Sir Shiron’s swordsmanship.”
In terms of precision, Jin’s skill rivaled even Shiron’s.
Hedo found himself captivated by Jin’s form, momentarily forgetting their positions and roles, as if admiring a masterpiece.
“What’s with that dumbfounded look? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Jin too?”
“I’m just a bit shocked, Miss. Those who haven’t seen Sir Shiron in person might think the Twelve Knights have been reborn with his arrival.”
“It was only a few years ago in the Sota Desert that you almost got beaten by Hedo. Back then, you overwhelmed Jin and his group, but what about now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think you can win?”
“I don’t think so. I expected as much since he’s alone in the Garden of Swords, but seeing it up close is a different experience.”
Sandra laughed as if that were her proudest boast.
“See! Jin definitely has a chance. I didn’t think so at first either, so it’s not your fault, Hedo. So why don’t we do as I suggested last time—ah, watch out!”
Hedo sliced through a sudden surge of magical energy near Sandra. Zephyrin was subtly sending shockwaves toward Sandra’s side while battling the corrupted knights.
“Hah, that old dragon’s got some bite left, acting like a child despite being thousands of years old.”
As they talked and moved, Jin had already cut down more than half of the knights near the cave.
Right in front of the cave stood those who were once Black Knights, senior elders of the Black Sword Council, or top-ranking execution knights.
As Jin cut through the knights and advanced, their chaotic energy grew stronger.
‘So they were holding back their power.’
Fifteen in total.
Their mutations differed from the earlier corrupted knights. Instead of twisted, grotesque forms, they looked like intricately crafted dolls—stable and composed.
‘They still have some reason left.’
Their eyes were normal, not hollow pits, though like Rosa, they had horns and chaos blades reinforcing their bodies.
“Twelve Knights’ Jin Runcandel. State your name.”
[Your status as a knight has been revoked, traitor Jin.]
A man stepped forward from the group.
Though somewhat transformed, Jin had never seen this face before. He guessed this man had been a Black Knight.
“You used to wear the Black Helm, didn’t you? Though Rosa’s acceptance of chaos has changed things, that helm was once truly glorious. Why do you stand there like that now?”
[Whether we wore the Black Helm or not, the swords of the family exist only to fight for the family. The knights you’re killing have only changed for Runcandel.]
“I heard few became monsters by choice. What about Uncle Jorden?”
[Choice? If Runcandel had tolerated such things, would it have lasted this long? Runcandel was built on domination, command, and power.]
“So you’re saying, unlike the others, you truly sided with Rosa’s rebellion.”
[You only seek to fulfill your personal desire to become head of the family, traitor. That’s why you’ve already allied with the other factions. Thanks to Lady Rosa, Runcandel has finally become the world’s strongest family. But did you know? If you hadn’t betrayed us, Lady Rosa would have made you the head.]
A gust of energy faded from Bradamante.
[Without Lady Rosa, what do you think would have become of Runcandel, or the Hupester Alliance? You would have been crushed and erased by Ziphl and Kinzello, who begged you for an alliance…]
“I will show you no mercy. And don’t try any foolish tricks against me.”
An aura of blazing flames engulfed Bradamante.
At the same moment, a flash of light streaked through the air, and the Black Knight’s right arm fell to the ground.
Though lacking one acceleration compared to his lightning-fast thrust enhanced by lightning energy, it was still enough. After all, the sword was called a ‘Secret Technique.’
“Did you think I wouldn’t see through your ploy to stall for time until reinforcements arrive?”
The Black Knight’s severed arm quickly regenerated.
He prepared to counterattack, but Jin had already pushed past the other knights and reached his rear.
“You thought you dodged? I intended to sever your arm from the start.”
The regenerating right arm was cut off again, and his left arm, raised to strike back, tumbled to the ground.
Jin grabbed the knight’s horns and slammed his head into the floor.
[Gah!]
“I told you, I will show you no mercy…”
As the Black Knight writhed beneath him, the other knights drew their swords against Jin.
Jin calmly parried all their strikes in place.
Shockwaves rippled outward, knocking the charging knights back. They coughed up black chaos like blood, trembling violently.
“Be grateful I’m busy. I’d love to make each of you suffer in detail, but I don’t have the time.”
Though he said that, the knights who charged Jin felt a pain that pierced to their very bones—far worse than those slain by Zephyrin.
By then, Hedo had joined in, helping to finish off the remaining knights.
Though he didn’t intentionally amplify their suffering, his sword style was naturally more destructive than Jin’s.
Five minutes.
That was all it took to eliminate the fifteen knights who had once been top-tier, including the Black Knight.
Partly because the two were among the world’s strongest, but Jin also knew well that the corrupted knights’ ‘rank’ had fallen. Except for special cases like Stam.
If the knights hadn’t accepted chaos, it would have taken much longer. Rosa and the Prophet had chosen to increase total strength even if it meant lowering individual ranks.
‘Or maybe, once they accepted chaos, they had no other choice.’
Jin drove his sword into the back of the crushed Black Knight.
[There is no one inside… the person you seek is not here. You will not find them.]
“Is that the best you can say? Everyone knows Hister isn’t in the Garden of Swords.”
The Black Knight smiled grimly.
[Yes, you’re right. That red-haired woman is already dead… heh heh.]
“What did you say?”
Jin reacted sharply, and the Black Knight sneered mockingly.
For a few seconds, Jin stood still, staring down at him.
The man flinched and pulled something from his chest. Jin almost roared in response.
What the Black Knight held was a handful of red hair.
But instead of reacting, Jin chose to regain his composure and summoned a flicker of blue flame in the palm of his hand.
“I told you not to play tricks. If it had been your head, not just your hair, I might have taken you more seriously.”
As the flame dropped like a droplet onto the Black Knight’s back, an instant blaze of blue fire erupted all over his body. A piercing scream filled the air.
“Arrgh…! If you keep searching for Hister’s corpse, you too… will die on this land…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the Black Knight was reduced entirely to ash.
Jin turned away from the smoldering remains and cast his gaze deeper into the cave.
Hoping, desperately, that Valeria was still alive.