Chapter 833
Episode 209: The Seventh Tomb of Temar – The Key of Barisada (6)
“Barisada is the key…? I’ve never heard that before,” Murakan said, tilting his head in confusion.
Jin was hearing it for the first time as well.
“We only learned about it recently from the steward,” Jin explained. “We don’t know exactly what it unlocks, but we were told it must never fall into the hands of the fake Murakan or the witch. They warned of a great danger looming over the world…”
Jin and Murakan had already experienced firsthand how the sword served as a key through the Shakan of the Veil.
‘Could it be that Barisada is another key to one of Temar’s tombs? But somehow, it feels like it’s something else entirely… If it were related to the tombs, surely Pikon would have known.’
Pikon Minche was the one who had first informed Jin about Temar’s first tomb. He was the ‘messenger’ who had heard the story directly from Solderet.
So, there was no reason for Solderet to exclude any mention of Barisada when appointing Pikon as the messenger for the first tomb. In fact, Pikon was also the creator of Barisada.
‘There are two possibilities. One, Pikon knew Barisada’s secret but lost the memory due to historical tampering. Two, Solderet added a special mechanism or power to Barisada without even Pikon’s knowledge.’
Either way, it was clear that Barisada’s secret hadn’t caused any problems in the world so far.
The real Barisada was currently in the possession of Siron Runkandel. Moreover, since Temar’s death, in a thousand years of Runkandel’s history, Barisada had never left the family or been wielded by anyone else.
Of course, the idea that Barisada was a key might itself be a fabricated ‘contamination’—a false narrative planted before facing the truth of the painting.
‘Maybe Father went on the Black Sea expedition because he knew Barisada’s secret…’
Suddenly, Jin found himself missing Siron, Luna, and the expedition team.
‘Father looked strong when I saw him in the other world. As he said then, if I do my part, there will be a day we meet again.’
It was a strange feeling. Jin had never imagined he would come to miss his father. Now, more than ever, he longed for him and Luna.
“A mysterious, enormous danger… Seems like chaos everywhere. Well, Leet wouldn’t have said such nonsense lightly. We have to protect it.”
“Where else? Is there trouble somewhere else too?” Jin asked.
“Oh, there was a bit of a stir in Laprarosa as well. Not as serious as here, so don’t worry about it.”
Murakan shook his head, using Laprarosa as a vague excuse. Frey blinked suspiciously but didn’t press further.
“Do we have any idea when the fake Murakan might strike?”
“No one knows. But since it keeps attacking different regions to provoke us, it probably won’t risk an all-out war just yet. That’s why today was so surprising—it’s never directly hit Stormhold before.”
“So that’s why Dranax was so upset with me for letting it reach Stormhold.”
“Exactly, Murakan! That bastard doesn’t have the guts to face us head-on. So it’s been tormenting the weak, trying to lure one of us away. I thought it was just injured from fighting Gaju, but now I see—it’s because it’s a fake!”
With Frey’s judgment, Dranax now fully trusted Jin and Murakan’s words.
“Yeah! If I were the real deal, would I be scared of you three? I’d have smashed right through by now.”
“Haha, Murakan! That stings a bit! This guy’s mocking us! Right, Biolo?”
“Agreed. We’re the Ten Great Knights, the Ten Great Knights. Murakan, don’t you know what that means?”
“Honestly, I’m pretty damn strong, right? Of course, it’s not easy to take down you three and the elite knights all at once. But if I knew Barisada was in Stormhold, I’d just charge in, smash everything, grab the sword, and run. Admit it.”
“I have to admit it, and that just makes me mad. Right, Biolo?”
“You’re making me mad by always telling the truth, Dranax.”
“See, Frey? Biolo and I get along great. The fighting’s just for show.”
“Alright, alright. Murakan is strong, no doubt!”
Murakan, Dranax, and Biolo burst into loud laughter, while Jin and Frey sighed quietly. Jin felt embarrassed for Murakan, and Frey felt embarrassed for the two of them.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, we grabbed something light on the way.”
“Still, since you’ve been exerting yourselves, I’ll prepare some dishes. You probably won’t have much to do while waiting. I’ll also prepare reports related to the fake Murakan, so you can review them over the meal.”
“Understood, Sir Frey.”
“Honestly, having you and Murakan here makes me feel so reassured. Murakan, I wish we could hold a welcome ceremony for you and Bamel’s return, but as you can see, it’s not the time. I hope you don’t take it personally.”
“Do you think I’m that petty?”
“Instead, we’ll throw a grand welcome once everyone returns—Gaju, the others, all gathered back at Stormhold.”
Murakan couldn’t hide the bitterness beneath his awkward smile. What Frey described was a scene unlikely to be seen again, either in this painted world or reality.
Frey seemed to read something in Murakan’s expression but said nothing more. While she and the Ten Great Knights looked elsewhere, Jin quietly patted Murakan’s back.
The Stormhold dining hall looked much the same as in reality. If anything, the repaired parts looked brand new, and the weather was unusually clear for Stormhold. Sunlight streamed beautifully through the window cracks.
As they reviewed the reports, dishes arrived one by one. News that the real Murakan was with Jin spread throughout Stormhold, and the servants greeted Murakan with tears and joy.
“We truly believed you had become a demon… We resented you so much. My son was recently killed by that fiend’s breath in Loron. Please, avenge us.”
“We’re overjoyed by your return, Lord Murakan. We prepared your favorite dishes.”
Meat and various pies kept coming.
“Your appetite hasn’t changed in a thousand years.”
“But back then, no one could make a strawberry pie quite like the real thing. Ah, I’m starting to miss strawberry pie. It must be lonely and sad without me. I wonder how much they miss me…”
“Good grief… Ever since Misha finished her shift and came back, the strawberry pie obsession has only gotten worse.”
“Hmph, that’s only natural. Three years is short for a dragon, but not for Gilly. What would a rookie like you know about loving a being with a limited lifespan?”
“Enough with the goosebumps. Keep it down where others can hear.”
“Are you and I strangers?”
“Let’s not talk. Eat the pie. Drink some water.”
“Well, it’s not quite the perfect strawberry pie, but it’s a nostalgic taste. I’m so famous for loving pies that some dared to open pie shops in my name. Of course, they were commoners, so I didn’t interfere. I did sneak in sometimes to eat and surprise them by transforming into a black dragon.”
Jin focused on the reports as soon as he finished eating. Even a quick glance revealed how much trouble Stormhold’s knights had endured tracking the fake Murakan.
‘How many towns and villages have been destroyed in just the past month? How many knights died during the pursuit?’
Soon, Jin noticed a pattern in the fake Murakan’s movements.
‘All reports from when the fake was raiding the entire Hupester region came from outside sources. But all reports from Mittel were written by Stormhold’s knights themselves… And recently, it’s been massacring only in the Mittel Kingdom.’
The fake attacked Mittel at intervals of two to three days.
“Have you looked into it?”
“Yes, Sir Frey. Recently, the fake has been targeting only Mittel. And the towns it attacked in the last ten days—Schulbie, Tulan, Kitia, Loron—are all relatively close to Stormhold. It’s like it’s sweeping through Mittel’s outskirts, tightening the noose around Stormhold.”
“We were aware of that too. If this continues, the next hunting grounds will be Lugado, then Mito.”
Lugado was a nearby city, and Mito was the village beneath the mountain where Jin and Murakan had first arrived.
“So we’ve issued evacuation orders for Lugado, Mito, and nearby areas, sending knights to control them.”
“If the fake wipes out Lugado, Mito, and the surrounding regions, the only places left to attack will be far from Stormhold.”
“What does Bamel think? Will the fake go after those distant regions again, or will it target Stormhold next?”
Jin paused to think.
‘The Ten Great Knights are undoubtedly powerful… but Murakan’s destructive power described in the reports is probably even greater. One breath could level a city. It wouldn’t be impossible for the fake to wage all-out war against Stormhold, even with the three knights there.’
He recalled what a villager had said.
“…In my opinion, unless Lord Temar himself returns recovered with the sacred relic of Numerus, that bastard is convinced he can definitely capture Stormhold. So, if he confirms that Lord Temar doesn’t personally come to aid them when they attack the nearby area, he’ll likely advance on Stormhold.”
Sigh “The chances of the lord returning now are extremely slim. If that’s the case, then he’ll be here soon…”
That very evening.
The family’s guardian knights, who should have returned after issuing evacuation orders to the nearby towns, did not come back to Stormhold. Starting at nightfall, a fierce storm began to rage as if the clear weather from earlier that afternoon had been a lie.
And then, a black dragon tore viciously through the dark clouds, heading straight for Stormhold. It was the fake Murakan.