Chapter 763
Episode 187: The People We Must Find, An Unexpected Clue (4)
The Kinzelro headquarters instantly went on high alert.
Though Jin had no intention of attacking, it was only natural—if he had come to launch a surprise assault, the entire base could be razed in an instant.
In a flash, battle beastmen and demons appeared, sounding the alarm with their horns.
They drew their weapons and aimed them, but like the previous gatekeepers of the Red Tiger Tribe, most didn’t dare to actually swing them.
Jin noticed that among them were demons he hadn’t seen during the Fierce God War.
‘Have they already reinforced their ranks since then? Or were these troops hidden away, never sent out before?’
A few demons had notably imposing presences—fighters who, a few years ago, would have given Jin a hard time or even been unbeatable.
Of course, to Jin now, they were just minor nuisances, but to his relatively weaker allies, they could pose a serious threat.
Moreover, demons likely possessed special abilities like rapid regeneration or dark magic.
‘No wonder they’re glaring at me like I’m an intruder. If the opportunity arises, it wouldn’t hurt to size them up for my comrades’ sake. It’d be nice if a few of them stepped up and made a move.’
Just as he thought this, one demon narrowed his eyes and blocked Jin’s group.
He was as large as a White Wolf Tribe member, wielding a massive axe.
Jin almost thanked him for being so impressive.
“Jin Runcandel, what kind of nonsense is this?” the demon shouted, ready to charge.
“What nonsense have I done?”
“I heard the temporary alliance your leader made with us has ended. Yet you come to headquarters without permission and demand to see the leader? Do you think that’s normal behavior?”
Though the demon’s words were all valid, Jin just shrugged.
“My leader and I can share a cup of tea anytime.”
“Don’t play with words…!”
“Enough.”
Another demon stepped forward, standing before the large one. Dressed in old-fashioned attire with calm eyes, he radiated a far more dangerous aura.
“You’re not on the same level as this one. Step back.”
“Understood.”
The large demon withdrew, and the newcomer locked eyes with Jin.
“I am Shagal of the Bahma family.”
Among the four great ducal houses of the demon realm—Rontelgius, Caligo, Halobice, and Bahma—Shagal was the first prince of Bahma.
“Oh! Prince Shagal! Kill that one at once!”
“Yes, Brother Shagal! Crush him completely!”
Bubar and Ainas, who had quietly followed Jin’s group, shouted this out. Bahma ignored them and continued speaking.
“I’ve been curious about you, and now we meet for the first time. If you don’t mind, may I ask for a lesson? With the head of the Runcandel family absent, you are said to be the greatest swordsman in the human realm. They say that with the power of the Underworld’s warrior, you might truly be the top swordsman.”
Without waiting for Jin’s reply, Shagal drew the sword at his waist.
“Who says that?”
“Everyone.”
“I see. And what is your standing in the demon realm?”
“The greatest swordsman.”
“That seems unlikely.”
“…Let’s say I want to be. A swordsman ranked within the top ten, at least. Anyway, the leader is in a meeting now. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep me company until then.”
Jin figured there were many incompetent types in the demon realm and nodded in understanding. Shagal smiled, as if urging Jin to draw his sword.
“I am ready.”
“Then let’s begin. You’re not going to ask me to strike first under the guise of a lesson, are you?”
Shagal’s eyes widened. Jin’s twin swords remained sheathed at his waist. The beastmen and demons gathered nearby tensed, waiting for Shagal’s move.
“This should be interesting.”
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Shagal vanished from Jin’s sight—not just by speed, but his body dissolved into gray smoke in an instant.
‘Dark magic? Or some kind of divine power?’
The smoky Shagal reappeared behind Jin, slashing his sword.
Ssshh!
Jin spun around and blocked the blade with a punch. Shagal’s stance faltered, revealing an opening.
Jin’s fist changed direction and struck Shagal’s face. There should have been a metallic crunch, but his fist hit only empty air.
‘This is more like a divine power. Reminds me of Ozdok. He was immune to physical attacks, but when he struck, he exposed himself to damage.’
Still, Jin didn’t miss Shagal’s moment of reformation on the left side and delivered a deep kick to his ribs.
“Ugh!”
Jin grabbed Shagal’s nape and slammed him to the ground. Shagal immediately turned to smoke and put distance between them. His ribs were sunken in, and his face was smeared with dirt.
“Don’t put too much faith in your tricks.”
Jin straightened his clothes, clearly done with the fight.
The sparring match was over in less than three seconds.
“And when you face a stronger opponent, always give it your all. Has this been a lesson?”
Shagal blinked.
Of course, Shagal hadn’t expected to defeat Jin. From what he’d heard from Orgal and the Kinzelro leader, to beat Jin, the dukes themselves—including his own father—would have to step in.
But he hadn’t anticipated being subdued so quickly. He’d assumed Jin would at least put up a proper fight. His complacency, lulled by his divine power, was a fatal mistake.
“Sh-Shagal, Brother! You’re not going to admit defeat so soon, are you?”
“Prince Shagal! No! Are you saying Shagal was once with Lord Ranke?”
Shagal cast a contemptuous glance at the two before nodding toward Jin.
“…So be it.”
Because the match ended so quickly, Jin had to wait for Orgal’s meeting to finish.
Shagal personally escorted Jin’s group to the VIP room. Despite losing face, he showed no signs of anger or bitterness.
“But Shagal.”
“Yes?”
“If you give, you should also receive. Since I learned a thing or two from you, I have some questions.”
“Isn’t it already rude enough to show up here unannounced?”
“It is. But since you claim to be the greatest swordsman in the human realm…”
Shagal pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement.
“You have a point. What do you want to know?”
“After the Sacred Kingdom’s defense war, I heard the demon realm suffered near annihilation. Yet strong figures like you, Bianca, and Ranke still remain. How is that possible?”
“The demon realm is not one.”
That was new information.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll answer only this much.”
“What if I ask for more sword techniques?”
“I must decline, honored guest. Have some tea. It’s rare.”
Faced with Shagal’s firm refusal, Jin didn’t press further.
‘Not one…’
It could mean many things. Perhaps the demon realm wasn’t unified, or maybe it was divided across multiple dimensions. Since little was known about the demon realm after the Sacred Kingdom’s defense war, it was hard to say.
—“Yes, the sacred relic of the demon tribe held by our kingdom. The Eye of Zito has recently shown troubling signs.”
—“The Eye of Zito?”
—“You may not be familiar with the name. He never operated in the human realm, and few in the demon realm know of him. Even after becoming the Sacred King, I couldn’t find records about the Eye of Zito.”
—“To answer your question, Golgol, Zito is a disgrace to our tribe. But to me, he was like a teacher.”
Jin recalled a conversation with Rani and Orgal before the Fierce God War.
“So you mean the demon realm ruled by your leader Orgal and the domain where Demon King Zito reigned are separate? Is it just a territorial division, or are they different dimensions?”
Jin asked, hoping for some insight. Shagal choked on his tea, startled.
“Cough, cough.”
“Is it really that shocking?”
Orgal hadn’t told the other demons that Jin mentioned Demon King Zito.
“Hmph, you truly have a remarkable talent for surprising people… Looks like the meeting’s over. Go see the leader. I hope next time we can have a better fight.”
Shagal hurried off, and the group moved toward Orgal.
[You’re here, Jin Runcandel, the mage of Hister. Veil, it’s a pleasure.]
“Don’t pretend to be friendly. I don’t like you.”
[Today, I’m not in a good mood, Jin Runcandel. So you’d better have a good reason for showing up at our headquarters without notice.]
Though Veil spoke, Orgal’s expression showed his displeasure toward Jin.
“And if I don’t have a good reason?”
[I’ll draw my sword. And you’ll draw yours.]
“That’s a scary threat. I came to propose new terms for the failed steel trade.”
[If that’s all, then one of us won’t sleep in one piece tonight. Let’s finish the rest of the discussion before talking about the steel trade.]
Orgal was clearly ready to draw his sword. His hand was already gripping the hilt.
The room, which had just moments ago been an ordinary conference hall, shifted into a golden pocket dimension. Orgal had invoked his power to prepare the battlefield. The sudden turn of events caught Jin off guard for a moment, but he calmly met Orgal’s gaze.
‘He’s not just in a bad mood—he’s downright furious. What could have angered Orgal this much? He’s usually one of the most cautious among the Kinzello, who are mostly lunatics. It can’t be because of my statement.’
Jin wasn’t afraid, but now was not the time to fight.
Still, depending on how much value Orgal placed on the bait Jin had laid before arriving, an actual battle might break out.
“Rokia Ganesto.”
[…What?]
“I came because I’m curious why that traitor from a thousand years ago wants the resurrection of the Sun God just like you.”
Slowly, Orgal’s hand, which had been resting on the sword’s hilt, began to lower.