Episode 743
Chapter 184: Beyond Destiny (15)
“It looks like Jin shattered the orb!”
“Confirming the Laprarosa footage! Location is presumed to be the Duelist Arena. Is that the Duelist!?”
“Yes, definitely the Duelist. Female, noticeably smaller build than other Meiwang clan members. Exactly matches the sketch Jin drew. Judging by her mouth shape and the glowing core in her chest, it seems the Duelist Unification was successfully achieved!”
Hupester, a remote island.
This deserted island was where Jin first experienced a mysterious ‘connection’ with Lingling after escaping the first full-scale assault on the Garden of Swords.
Ever since Jin shattered the orb inside the Fortress of the Fierce God, the Kumsul tribe waiting here had been shouting excitedly.
“I get that you’re thrilled it worked, but everyone, keep your voices down. You’re disturbing the Myoin tribe’s concentration.”
Pengi put a finger to his lips. The Kumsul tribe could watch Laprarosa’s footage thanks to the Myoin tribe’s unique dimensional abilities and the device developed by Kwaul and Valeria. Nearby, the Myoin tribe members were chanting spells with their eyes rolled back.
“Pengi’s right. Focus on the footage, and if anything happens, report to me immediately. I’ll be the one controlling this from now on.”
Kwaul sat before a machine resembling a massive wind harp. The Laprarosa footage the Kumsul tribe was watching was being transmitted from the opposite side of this device.
As Kwaul pressed keys like piano buttons, the image sharpened. If he pressed the wrong button or miscalculated, the image blurred.
The clearer the image, the higher the synchronization between Jin and Laprarosa; the blurrier, the lower the sync.
‘Wavelength Tracking Synchronization Device.’
That was the official name of the red orb Jin shattered and the harp-shaped machine. As the name suggests, it was built using technology from the spacetime device and the Red Owl.
Moreover, the analysis of ‘massive instantaneous teleportation through chaos’ obtained during the recent Ricarton invasion played a major role.
Tikan’s ultimate goal with this device was, of course, to extract the Meiwang clan members of Laprarosa into the human world.
For now, synchronizing Jin and Laprarosa was the limit, and even that required installing the device directly on this island. Still, it was an invaluable asset for the decisive battle.
Sweat dripped down Kwaul’s forehead as he manipulated the buttons. Not only was the control difficult, but he was also thrown off by an unexpected variable.
‘The synchronization rate… is far higher than the experimental values! Why? Is there something about the Fortress of the Fierce God causing this?’
A higher synchronization rate meant Jin and Ban’s Duelist Unification was proceeding exceptionally well—but it also increased the risk of side effects. The device’s stability was compromised, just as Valeria had feared.
The machine was heating up as if on fire.
‘For now, I have to adjust it as best I can… and hope the device holds until Jin finishes the fight!’
Kwaul gritted his teeth and hammered the buttons. The image grew sharper and sharper.
Jin’s entire body glowed blue.
Even standing still, the brain energy radiating from him distorted the surroundings. This wasn’t the calm, composed aura Jin usually gave off—it was a destructive presence that seemed ready to mercilessly annihilate any enemy.
‘Is that… the Duelist Unification?’
‘Like the Sogaju who used the Demon God Stone, he’s transformed into a completely different person…’
Allies watching Jin’s back thought this. Before the battle began, the Bamel Alliance had shared information about the Duelist Unification with their temporary allies.
The Fierce God noticed the sudden shift in Jin’s energy and twitched her lips.
Every time something unexpected happened during their encounters, she felt a strange thrill. In her bleak, joyless world, the only remaining pleasure was fighting Jin.
Kaang!
With a sharp crack, Jin vanished from everyone’s sight.
So fast that even the Fierce God lost track of his position. Before anyone could react, Jin leapt over her head and was striking down with Sigmund.
Disrupting aura generation with chaotic energy, assaulting the mind with psychic attacks.
Such tactics wouldn’t work on a Duelist. Jin was executing the Duelist Unification with higher synchronization than ever before.
A sword fell like thunder.
At the same time, hundreds of arms attached to the Fierce God’s torso swung massive weapons. These swords, larger than the fortress pillars, moved swiftly as if ignoring their weight.
But the moment they touched Sigmund, the swords shattered like glass. Even hundreds of swords capable of destroying mountains couldn’t stop the Duelist’s blade.
Screeeech!
The Fierce God’s chest split open like a bell. Black chaotic energy poured out like blood, soaking the ground. Before Jin even touched the wet earth, he twisted midair and slashed horizontally.
The Fierce God’s body was cleaved in a cross shape, staggering back while exhaling chaotic energy.
Though the chaotic energy penetrated Jin with every breath, the Duelist Blood and the glowing core left no room for it to accumulate inside him.
[How delightful…!]
The Fierce God spat out chaotic energy like bloody chunks, laughing madly. The shattered swords reformed, and her cross-split body healed.
Jin didn’t chase after the retreating Fierce God.
Instead, he unleashed the Meiwang Sword’s “Oppression.”
As the brain energy condensed in Sigmund began generating gravitational force, the entire space around the Fierce God trembled as if collapsing. The massive body of the Fierce God was pulled toward Jin.
It was a strange sight.
All the swords of the Fierce God clung to Jin’s sword. Layer upon layer of blades tangled and shattered recklessly, while Sigmund’s radiance deepened.
The brain energy flowing through the broken fragments distorted the Fierce God’s body, as if a gigantic hand was tearing her flesh apart.
Even the mighty Eternal Flame endured this, but the Fierce God was cut and torn repeatedly.
[Is that so? Let’s see if you can still say you’re pleased when this disgraceful life of yours comes to a complete end.]
Among the Changsung, perhaps the most formidable in all history.
Jin, united with Ban, was overwhelming the Fierce God in an instant.
(Brother Jin, how long can we maintain our connection?)
‘I heard from the device’s developer that it’s roughly an hour, but it’s definitely shorter. Our synchronization is much higher than he expected, so the device’s endurance will be shorter.’
(And the synchronization keeps rising in real time. It’s even clearer than when you were with Laprarosa.)
The Fierce God hadn’t yet revealed her full power. Even Ban’s senses struggled to estimate her total strength.
But there was no time for reconnaissance. They had to inflict maximum damage while the Duelist Unification held.
(Let’s break her until she can’t regenerate.)
The gravitational force of Oppression surged rapidly.
The Fierce God’s entire body twisted as if being absorbed into Sigmund’s blade.
This was a whole new level of Oppression. Its original purpose was to restrict the opponent’s movement, but Ban’s Oppression had the brute force to crush and deform them.
[This is a shocking sword, but is it enough to kill me? Physical damage has long lost meaning to me.]
From the Fierce God’s distorted face, empty eye sockets spewed chaotic energy like brain matter.
The released chaotic energy flowed like a torrent across the ground toward Jin’s allies behind him. Without even checking, they knew anyone without resistance like Jin would suffer severe radiation just from passing through it.
Fortunately, most of it evaporated in Jin’s brain energy and disappeared somewhere. The chaotic energy that passed him failed to penetrate the superhumans’ secret techniques and fleet bombardment.
Yet, every time the Fierce God spewed chaotic energy, she grew larger.
‘Even before growing, her intimidating presence was overwhelming, but she wasn’t suited for battle. Getting bigger won’t help her against me and Brother Ban. So then…’
A few seconds later, Jin guessed what the Fierce God was thinking.
‘Brother Ban, she’s going to self-destruct.’
(She intends to self-destruct.)
Jin and Ban said simultaneously.
The bigger the Fierce God grew, the narrower the battlefield became. The chaotic energy forming this fortress was all reverting to her.
Of course, it wasn’t a true self-destruction.
The Fierce God planned to explode her enormous body, infecting everyone here with chaos.
Only Jin, with immunity, could survive that blast.
[…Hahaha, isn’t it about time the extras disappear? So they won’t interfere with our fight. But still, I’m looking forward to this.]
The Fierce God’s voice was filled with ecstasy.
[I intend to infect and kill everyone who followed you. How many will you be able to save?]
No sooner had she finished speaking—
Suddenly, the ceiling vanished. The sky opened abruptly, but it was pitch black.
Jin and his allies soon understood why.
It wasn’t the sky—it was the underside of the ship Ram. The ship’s main cannon protruded grotesquely, opening its maw toward the ground.
“That, that’s—”
“Activate the shields—now!”
There was no room to dodge Ram’s main cannon in the shrinking battlefield.
Those who had endured the first full-scale assault knew all too well that the fleet’s shields meant nothing against Ram’s main cannon.
And it wasn’t just the cannon—there was also the imminent detonation of the Fiend’s core to contend with.
Even Orgal shook his head in disbelief. There was nothing he could do if the main cannon struck directly in this state. His best course of action was to retreat behind the steel gates with the most important personnel.
But Jin, gazing down at some part of the Fiend’s body clinging to Sigmund, answered calmly.
“All of it.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the neural core of Sigmund, which had been suppressing the pressure, began to transform.
The Reign of the Underworld Sword.
The warrior’s secret technique was unfolding.