Episode 856
Chapter 213: The Rift, Omen of Cataclysm (3)
Luna, Zed, Vanessa, Tuben, and Heyjin.
The five knights, returning to the family under Sirron’s orders. Jin, hearing Luna’s welcoming voice, momentarily wondered if this was all a dream.
Even as the Crimson Owl descended beside them, he worried they might vanish like illusions.
But this was no dream.
Stepping off the Crimson Owl, Jin nearly shed tears but held them back—he couldn’t show such vulnerability in front of his sister after so long.
Without hesitation, Luna and Jin embraced tightly. The others stood guard, shielding the siblings from the shockwave of their emotional reunion.
“You’ve grown so dependable, little brother.”
“Ha! He almost cried just now.”
“Don’t tease the youngest, Uncle Zed. You were the same when you met Father.”
“Uncle Zed, Lady Vanessa, Sir Tuben… and—”
Heyjin smiled knowingly as Jin hesitated, unfamiliar with this newcomer.
“Pleased to meet you, Young Master. I’m Heyjin Kriel. By the family head’s command, I will serve you from now on.”
“Glad to meet you, Sir Heyjin. But did you just say ‘Young Master’…?”
Jin’s appointment as Young Master was a decision made by the previous family heads. News of it surely hadn’t reached the Black Sea expedition.
‘Could Father have somehow seen through the interworld that I was named Young Master?’
Of course not.
“By the order of Sirron Runcandel, head of the Runcandel family, I, Sirron Runcandel, hereby appoint Jin Runcandel, the twelfth knight of the family, as Young Master, declaring him my rightful and lawful successor.”
Luna knelt on one knee as she spoke. Zed and the veteran Black Knights followed suit, kneeling and raising their swords in salute.
“Luna Runcandel, first knight of the family; Elder Zed Runcandel; former Black Knight Vanessa Olson; Heyjin Kriel; and Tuben. From this moment, these five shall be the most loyal blades of the Young Master.”
“Sir!”
“We will serve you with all our strength.”
Though Jin had already been acting as Young Master, receiving this formal salute from the family’s pillars weighed heavily on his conscience. Yet, alongside the pressure came a deep sense of relief.
‘Finally… Father has officially recognized me.’
Twenty-eight years before his return. Twenty-three years after. A total of fifty-one years had passed. Memories of countless trials, the misery of his past life, and the brilliance of his current one flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
All those moments threatened to spill over as tears down his cheeks. But Jin swallowed them once more and looked down at Luna and the knights.
Now was not the time for sentimentality. The battle was far from over, and peace and prosperity had yet to come to the family and the world.
Now was the time to act as Young Master.
“I never imagined I’d see you all here today. I want to catch up and hold a grand welcome, but of all times, the Runcandel territory is under attack. So, let’s postpone the celebrations and get down to business.”
“Anything, sir.”
Luna, Zed, and the veteran Black Knights rose, drawing their swords.
The herald of the family’s strongest return was Luna’s decisive battle technique.
Runcandel’s Third Battle Technique: Meteor Shower.
The brilliant swordplay that once saved Jin during his apprentice days now swept through the violet energy of Siatelo’s rift, cutting it away.
“Huh? That’s not the youngest’s Meteor Shower, is it? Right, Mary?”
“No way… That’s Luna’s Meteor Shower!”
Mary was the first to recognize Luna’s technique. When she uttered Luna’s name, the Tona brothers could hardly believe their ears.
[Luna? You mean the first great-granddaughter we’ve only heard about in stories?]
Balas and the other knights watched the Meteor Shower piercing through the wills of Zito’s minions scattered among them.
As Luna leapt into the heart of the battlefield, swinging her axe-sword Krantel with deadly precision, the knights couldn’t help but shout.
“Sister Luna!”
“Is that really Luna? No way!”
“White Whale…!”
“The first knight, White Whale, has returned…!”
“Knights of the family, fight without fear! Elder Zed, the veteran Black Knights, and I will protect you!”
Luna’s voice echoed across the battlefield. Even from her tone alone, Jin could tell she was still worthy of being called the family’s strongest knight.
Just as Jin had grown stronger, Luna had also broken through her limits multiple times while exploring the Black Sea.
“Moreover, the family head remains strong and continues to explore the Black Sea. So don’t worry that our return signals any misfortune for him. I repeat: the family head has only grown stronger, overcoming demonic corruption and reaching the pinnacle of mastery!”
Cheers erupted throughout the battlefield.
The chaotic fight against unknown demonic beasts had transformed into a festival-like atmosphere.
“You’ve gotten a bit roughed up since I last saw you, huh? Seems like you’ve been busy and in danger a lot, just like my brother said. Sorry we couldn’t fight alongside you when you returned from training. We’ll handle things here today, so just watch and relax.”
“When I first met the Young Master in the Black Sea thanks to Ozdok, I had a feeling a day like this would come. It’s an honor to serve you, Young Master.”
“The family head often thought of the Young Master even at his worst moments of demonic possession. We will destroy the enemies and return to you soon.”
Zed, Tuben, and Heyjin spoke as they passed by Jin.
Turning around a beat later to watch them charge into battle, Jin felt an overwhelming pride.
The pride of being a Runcandel.
“Hey, those guys. It’s great they’re back, but they didn’t even say hi to me… Wait, aren’t I the family’s guardian dragon? Unbelievable.”
“They didn’t even greet me.”
“Well, that’s because of you.”
“You? You’re losing your mind, Murakan. Do I really have to torment you like Misha did?”
“They’re just Ameris and the others! They don’t know who you are, so cut them some slack. They’re busy reporting back and following orders. In this situation, the kid’s the star, right? Ah, I’m proud of our little one.”
“You’re the one who started sulking about no greetings, Murakan.”
“Heh heh, don’t be so harsh.”
Though they sounded disappointed, Murakan and Ameris were genuinely happy. They knew better than anyone the pressure Jin had been under lately.
[Kurururuk!]
The manifested wills of Zito groaned and retreated. With the reinforcements, Runcandel quickly gained the upper hand, pushing the enemies back overwhelmingly.
Even if the real Zito were here instead of his wills, Jin felt confident. No matter what enemy he faced next, it wouldn’t weigh on him as heavily as before.
[Kiraaaak…!]
The wills shattered by the knights’ blades dissolved back into the rift. Though new wills emerged from the rift, they had no impact on the battle.
“If the returnees hadn’t come, you’d probably have had to handle most of those wills alone, Jin. Like the rift, Zito’s wills can only be cut by special power. All the returning knights, including your sister, carry that power in their blades.”
Having faced and defeated the Black Sea’s most horrific monsters and kings multiple times, the returnees’ swords had all reached the realm of divine authority.
They were specialized to fight transcendent beings and monsters with unique powers. That’s why even the veteran Black Knights, not pureblood Runcandels, wielded a kind of magic sword. Their will, not magic, empowered their blades.
Within ten minutes, all of Zito’s manifested wills vanished.
But the battle wasn’t over. The rift, now devoid of wills, emitted a shockwave far stronger than before. It felt as if a powerful demon might burst forth at any moment.
Only then did Jin draw his sword for the first time.
The Siatelo rift had to be cut and destroyed, even at the risk of injury. And now, even if he were wounded and needed treatment, the gap in his combat readiness wouldn’t be as severe as before.
“Little brother, won’t you get hurt if you cut that?”
Just as Jin prepared his spirit sword, Luna approached.
“Yes, sister, you recognized it immediately. But if we leave that rift alone, it will summon an entire demonic base or city into Siatelo. That’s why most rifts have been left untouched until now—to prepare for the moment when we must eliminate rifts in critical areas like this.”
Luna nodded.
“Good call. But unlike you, I’m a bit tougher.”
She exaggeratedly stretched and hefted Krantel.
“Excuse me?”
“That means even if I erase that rift, I won’t suffer any serious damage. Ah, though the number of times Father told me about it will probably decrease a bit… Still, if I want to protect Siatello, that’s a sacrifice I have to make.”
Before she knew it, Luna’s eyes were glowing with a fierce red light. The crimson aura spread from her pupils to her axe-sword, Krantel, which now radiated a deep scarlet flame like burning embers.
“So, I’ll be the one to erase this. Wow, this brings back memories. I used this sword the last time I saved you.”
Silent Blade—
Red Moon.
As Luna whispered the enchantment over Krantel, a sudden burst of red radiance swept across the sky and earth.
Most of the knights didn’t even realize the moment Krantel was swung. Then, a streak of red light sliced straight through the center of the rift.
In an instant, that massive crack vanished without a trace.