Episode 85
Chapter 30. Defeat Alisa! (Part 1)
In early August of 1795, Ziphl officially announced the deaths of Deputy Lord Andrei and the Wind Dragon, Buretta, through its newsletter.
Yet, despite the official statement, the details were vague.
The cause of death was left unclear, and even the date of death was given only as an estimate. The names of Jin and his group, who were directly involved, as well as Quicantel, were nowhere to be found in the report.
It was truly a major incident.
Other powers—including Runcandel, Biment, and Bigung—watched the situation with bated breath, while countless rumors spread among the common folk.
Some whispered that Andrei had been ousted and eliminated in an internal power struggle within Ziphl. Others claimed he lost a duel to his rival, the great mage known as “Cold Joe.” There were even rumors that he had angered the emperor and was taken down by Biment’s royal guards.
But the most widespread rumor was that “the riders of Runcandel killed him.” There was talk that Talaris Endorma, the lord of Bigung, had assassinated him, but that theory never gained much traction.
Of course, Andrei’s official place of death was Biment’s uninhabited island, and at the time, most of Runcandel’s riders were stationed at the Garden of Swords. Neither Ziphl nor Biment even knew of Luna’s existence.
But none of those facts mattered to the public.
In truth, the most thrilling speculation was the one that deserved to be called the truth.
Would Runcandel now rise to dominate the world?
After the official announcement, endless debates broke out among the commoners in taverns.
Sword or magic—which was stronger?
Everyone believed that Runcandel and Ziphl were finally gearing up for a full-scale war. Deep down, they were convinced that Runcandel was behind Andrei’s assassination.
And it wasn’t just the common folk—some noble houses and warlords were equally fixated on the matter.
Especially the smaller factions that didn’t belong to any of the great powers like Runcandel, Ziphl, or Biment.
Like Bigung, they had maintained a stance of “neutrality” until now, but unlike Bigung, they lacked the strength to protect themselves in a crisis.
So they had to choose a side—either Runcandel or Ziphl.
If a war broke out between sword and magic, these smaller neutral factions would be like leaves swept away by a raging current.
Surprisingly, most of these neutral groups gravitated toward the sword.
More of them gathered under Runcandel’s banner than Ziphl’s, which had long been considered the world’s strongest.
“Lord, today the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Shcheron and five second-tier mercenary groups have requested protection from Runcandel. Since Andrei’s death, these requests have been pouring in daily. The rumors must be terrifying indeed,” reported Heinz, Runcandel’s chief steward, for the fourth day in a row.
“Return all the gifts they bring, but accept their requests for protection. Provide the Crown Prince of Shcheron with a suitable sword as well. Ensure he can firmly secure his throne in the future.”
“Yes, I will assign an eight-star guardian knight to him.”
“Understood. You may go.”
Siron accepted all requests, except from those who had openly provoked him.
Though these factions had remained neutral due to their lack of presence, they weren’t a significant boost to Runcandel’s power.
Still, if Runcandel defeated Ziphl and truly became the world’s victor, these allies would prove useful.
As this trend continued, another rumor began to spread.
That Ziphl no longer held the upper hand over Runcandel. With neutral factions flocking to Runcandel, it was hard to see it any other way.
“This whole thing is the result of the youngest one causing trouble on Biment’s uninhabited island. A kind of butterfly effect. I wonder if he’s hearing all this news in Tikan,” Siron thought, his mind on the youngest.
Of course, the talk that Runcandel had surpassed Ziphl was just rumor. Ziphl was still standing strong, and in truth, it held a slight lead over Runcandel.
“This incident has brought in quite a few neutral factions. Even as a prospective rider, he’s already contributing to the family. My child is truly an interesting one…” Siron smiled faintly and summoned the guardian knight, Khan.
“You called, Lord?”
“Any word from Kashimir yet?”
For Khan, it was hard to hide his surprise.
“I knew Master Jin was special ever since the Storm Castle, but I never imagined Lord Siron would take such an interest in him. You seem almost anxious!”
Even Khan had never seen Siron like this. Not even when Joshua, the next head of the family, reached nine stars recently did Siron show this much concern.
“No, my lord.”
“I see… Very well.”
Siron’s tone was tinged with disappointment, and Khan bowed apologetically.
“I will depart for the Black Sea again the day after tomorrow. If you receive any news, come find me immediately.”
“I will remember.”
Meanwhile, Jin—the one Siron was so curious about—had been dedicating himself to personal training ever since returning from the Garden of Swords.
“If not for Luna, I would have surely died on Biment’s uninhabited island.”
After his reincarnation, at just fifteen years old, he had already reached five stars in both swordsmanship and magic, and his spiritual energy was nearing five stars as well…
But thinking about the future made him restless.
He had felt it more keenly than ever after the battle on the island. Though he was extraordinarily talented for a fifteen-year-old, there were still very few enemies he could face alone.
“I have to get stronger. Within the five years Father gave me, I must surpass all my brothers. Strong enough to need no one’s protection!”
Luna had been a huge inspiration.
Seeing his sister overwhelm Andrei’s group—whom even Murakan and Quicantel couldn’t handle—with just a single sword was like witnessing a god of war.
Yet even that god of war…
When Jin visited the Garden of Swords recently, she had suffered the humiliation of being disarmed—simply because she had helped him.
Those were the kinds of people Jin considered his enemies.
Swish!
Bradamante sliced fiercely through the air.
He had already swung the sword over ten thousand times. His muscles felt like they were about to burst, and every joint ached.
But Jin felt more frustrated than pained.
“My insight is still so far off… but I will reach the absolute realm of the Heart Sword within five years, just like my sister.”
The Heart Sword’s Crimson Moon.
It wasn’t a secret technique of Runcandel, but a realm Luna had independently mastered beyond insight.
A state where the sword’s spirit was awakened only by imprinting a verbal command—every knight’s dream. Luna’s red aura was special, achievable only through a unique enlightenment.
“You can reach it within five years. First, learn to express your will through the sword to awaken the spirit.”
“Express my will through the sword…?”
“It means that after swinging your sword ten thousand times, the last strike must be as precise as the first.”
That was what Luna had told him.
“Right now, I can only manage about a thousand.”
After over fifteen thousand swings, he was at the point where he couldn’t tell if he was swinging the sword or if the sword was swinging him.
Just as he prepared for the next strike—
“Stop, Lord Jin.”
Kashimir had quietly approached beside him.
“Phew, Sir Kashimir.”
“I never trained as hard as you do, Lord Jin… but if you keep this up every day, even Runcandel’s blessed physique won’t hold up.”
Enya, who had followed Kashimir, fussed as she handed him a towel.
“Lord Jin! Your face is all pale. Wait, oh no! Your palms are torn! The floor’s soaked in blood! Ahhh!”
It was true.
A small pool had formed beneath Jin’s feet—a mixture of blood and sweat, faintly tinged red.
As Enya wiped his face and called for healers, Kashimir couldn’t take his eyes off the pool.
“What kind of determination is this? This isn’t the mindset of a mere fifteen-year-old.”
The healers arrived and began casting healing magic on Jin’s palms. Jin sat quietly, staring at his own hands.
“Sorry for worrying you, Sir Kashimir, Enya.”
“Why do you put such beautiful hands through this? I think I can see the bones…”
Of course, Jin’s hands, hardened by years of sword training since childhood, were covered in calluses and far from delicate. But to Enya’s admiring eyes, they looked like a beautiful sculpture.
“Is this all because of what happened on the uninhabited island?” Enya asked as the healers finished and stepped back, and Kashimir sat beside Jin.
“Yes. Not just the battle with Andrei. There were many moments when it would have been dangerous if not for Gilina or Murakan. To avoid burdening my loved ones, I have no choice but to train this hard.”
“You’re the same age as me, Lord Jin. Don’t be so impatient. It’s upsetting.”
“No, Enya. Lord Jin is very realistic in his self-assessment.”
Kashimir’s words made Enya flinch.
“That’s harsh, Sir Kashimir. Lord Jin is—”
“Enya is right. He’s definitely the strongest among fifteen-year-olds. But I understand his feelings. The enemies he’ll face won’t be ordinary.”
Jin nodded heavily.
“But Lord Jin, impatience is the greatest poison during a period of growth. It’s often the very thing that forces you off the straight path. I believe Lord Gilly tells you the same thing every day.”
Just as Kashimir said, Gilly was giving Jin the same advice daily. The young master needed to slow down his pace a bit. Right now, he was pushing himself far too hard.
“I’m well aware of that, but once I get immersed, it’s hard to control myself. It’s embarrassing, really.”
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. You’re accomplishing a training regimen that no one else could manage—that’s impressive in itself. But how about balancing it with some training that helps clear your mind?”
“Training to clear my mind…?”
Kashimir smiled.
“Some sparring.”
“Sparring with you, Sir Kashimir?”
Kashimir shook his head gently.
“No, it’s too soon for you to spar with me directly. That’s something to start after you’ve made more progress.”
Though Kashimir hadn’t even noticed when the Guardian Knight Khan had secretly approached him with a note recently, that was a testament to Khan’s skill, not a shortcoming on Kashimir’s part. The title ‘Ghost Sword’ was not given lightly.
“Try defeating my wife, Alisa Batzer, within six months. Use every skill you have—swordsmanship, magic, spirit energy. I guarantee it will be an invaluable learning experience for you, Lord Jin.”