Chapter 863
Episode 215: Reunion with the Gods (4)

Jin decided to take on Tutad.

Among the five priests of the Solar God Cult, he was undoubtedly the strongest warrior.

“Then I’ll take care of the seniors from Yuronka and Kungenka. Runtia, you handle the seniors from Tipunga and Maierga.”

“Got it.”

“Wait, what about me?”

“Murakan, you stay back and protect Feitel with the others. Just watch the fight. We’ll handle everything.”

“Alright. If things go south, I’ll step in to help.”

The riders shook their heads as if to say that wouldn’t be necessary.

The priests of the Solar God Cult were clearly warriors who once ruled the world. Tutad Attila was famed as the world’s greatest swordsman of his time, and the others were legendary fighters still spoken of today.

Yet, none of them were objectively considered ‘Changseong’—the highest rank.

Because of that, Jin and the riders didn’t even entertain the possibility of defeat. If they weren’t Changseong, no one could beat them. That was their confidence.

Jin unleashed a fierce offensive against Tutad, pressing the attack relentlessly. At the same time, he radiated lightning energy in all directions, forcing the nearby priests to retreat to the flanks.

Luna and Runtia each engaged their assigned opponents. The battlefield’s center was Jin versus Tutad; on the right, Luna faced Kaiman and Kungen; on the left, Runtia confronted Rujin and Chin.

Zzzeong!

Tutad caught Sigmund’s strike, his eyes flashing with a wild gleam. It was as if he had been waiting for this fight his whole life, a mad smile spreading across his face.

“Addicted to the thrill of battle itself, huh? His eyes have gone mad.”

As if scolding him for talking too much, Tutad said nothing and focused entirely on the fight.

[“They keep calling each other ‘senpai’ but where’s the respect? Our doctor didn’t even ask and just picked his opponent. I was curious about tasting that guy’s blood.”]

Trax glanced between Luna and Jin, speaking with a sneer.

Luna let out a bitter laugh.

“So you think just because we called you ‘senpai’ you’re something special, huh? You worthless trash. How dare you talk back to anyone?”

Swish!

The axe-sword Krantel came crashing down toward Trax’s head. As Trax raised his sword to block, Krantel twisted with unbelievable speed and flexibility for such a massive weapon.

Trax reacted again but still ended up with a long slash across his cheek. If Kaiman hadn’t intervened, Trax would have been overwhelmed.

“The ‘senpai’ act is over. The good old days are gone. Both of you better get serious and fight hard if you want to live even a few minutes longer.”

As Luna summoned her energy, the surrounding space warped and cracked. Storms and thunderclouds bent away, unable to touch her.

[“Damn… Maybe it was right to run like he said? Kaiman, shouldn’t we tell Tutad to retreat now?”]

Kaiman had no time to answer. Luna was already swinging her axe-sword with a tearing force.

[“Those two are getting pushed back from the start? Both of them? By just one opponent?”]

Rujin and Chin couldn’t hide their shock. Kaiman and Trax were both 10-star warriors, known in their time to be close to Changseong level.

[“I heard no one besides Siron Runkandel reached Changseong, but this gap…”]

“Having trouble understanding, huh?”

Runtia lightly waved her twin swords, Sharl, through the air. Just that motion sent waves of aura rippling outward like a tide.

“I used to feel the same watching my sister. But you’ll think the same thing facing me now. ‘How can someone not Changseong be this strong?’”

As she finished speaking, Sharl pierced Rujin’s chest. Rujin blocked with his gauntlet but immediately calculated his limits in his mind.

“At most fifty exchanges… beyond that, I can’t hold!”

Rujin had never faced an opponent who could break him within that many moves. Even a Changseong knight, he thought, wouldn’t be able to.

Especially not someone of the same 10-star rank.

Chin also blocked the sword, feeling his own limits just like Rujin. Runtia wasn’t even putting her full strength into each strike—her face was expressionless as she swung.

“It’s hard to accept such a huge difference between two 10-stars, isn’t it?”

Hup!

“Oh, no time to answer? Well, to explain the difference: you guys lived in a soft era. The era we’re fighting in now is the worst in history…”

The thousand-year war between Runkandel and Ziphl had reached its peak.

Each faction boasted the strongest or near-strongest figures ever seen.

Siron in Runkandel, Keliak in Ziphl, Ron in the Empire, Thalaris in Bigung, Orgal in Kinzel.

And the next generation was rising to their level.

The ‘Demon God Stone’ had existed since Jin’s early days, and the great powers’ wars had awakened the King of the Black Sea.

The birth of the Fiend, underground forces, and the Demon Realm threatened the surface world.

As Runtia said, this was the most dangerous era in human history, filled with countless threats and obstacles.

“We’ve survived through this terrible age many times. So there’s no way you’re the same 10-star as us. Were you hoping that by cornering Feitel, you could beat a god? According to our Sojoo, that guy isn’t even a true god.”

Feitel, listening, glared at Runtia in anger for a moment.

But before Runtia noticed, Feitel’s spirit faltered and he looked away.

“Are those really humans? Monsters…! Damn, I used my seal and can’t break the oath or slack off. How much are these bastards planning to use me? Well, better than being wiped out by Tutad’s gang.”

Murakan smiled wryly at Feitel.

“Hey, keep your head down. You should at least be grateful we saved you, right?”

[“Murakan…”]

“Think of this as fate. Our first meeting wasn’t great, but from now on, we can build a good relationship, right? Ha ha, it’s all up to you now. With the kid and those two, you’ve got backup. But imagine if we weren’t here to save you, but to kill you instead.”

Feitel shuddered imagining that scenario. He had been utterly defeated on the Bluebird Archipelago before Jin grew this strong.

[“I see… Thank you.”]

“By the way, why were you hiding here instead of with your contract? Did you know those guys were after you?”

[“Because of Ziphl’s god hunting.”]

Ziphl had long been capturing gods to complete the Demon God Stone. As a higher-tier god, Feitel was naturally a prime target.

[“I hid to avoid capture, but somehow they found me here.”]

“There’s a shrine maiden in the Solar God Cult. She’s the one who set the trap. Those phantoms came with her. If it weren’t for us, you’d be done for. But seriously, for a so-called higher god, you’re pretty weak. You couldn’t even beat that much.”

[“You know why, don’t you? For a god to use their full power in the mortal realm, there are countless conditions. This place isn’t even my domain—it’s my brother’s grave. I’m imitating his energy, so there are even more restrictions.”]

“Thunder god Gram was amazing. Even he couldn’t beat the Demon King’s warrior. But is Gram’s remaining energy really that strong here?”

[“Until about ten minutes ago, my dead brother’s spirit was very fierce. But those guys pulled out some artifact and absorbed most of it. It seemed compatible with the Demon God Stone.”]

“Absorbed?”

[“Yeah, probably to use as material for the Demon God Stone. Honestly, my brother was arrogant but a great god. Even his lingering spirit is better material than most gods. When Jin, Runkandel, and you defeated me before, that spirit was in Sigmund helping you.”]

“You wouldn’t have beaten me without that. Hmm, then after we deal with those bastards, we’ll have to recover that energy too.”

By the time Murakan and Feitel finished their conversation, Jin and the riders’ battle was nearly over.

[“Ugh, huff…!”]

[“See? I told you to run earlier!”]

Luna’s opponents, Kaiman and Trax, were each missing a limb and gasping for breath. Rujin and Chin’s gauntlets were crushed, their last desperate struggles fading.

Tutad was covered in wounds.

But he wasn’t on the defensive—his face was wild with joy.

[“Joining the Solar God Cult, I wanted only one thing: a fight this thrilling. I could die here with no regrets.”]

“Tutad-senpai is quite the madman. Did you fight only for fun even when you were alive?”

[“There’s no greater pleasure than this, isn’t there?”]

“You’ve had your fun. Now, we’ll send you off.”

At those words, Tuzard pulled a sphere from inside his coat—the very object Paytel had mentioned.

“Tuzard! You’re really going to use that? No, if you ruin even that, none of us will ever achieve immortality!” Trax shouted in panic, even as Luna pushed him around.

But Tuzard didn’t respond. Instead, he grinned and locked eyes with Jin.

“I’m willing to give up the promised immortality for the pleasure of this very moment, Jin Runkandel. So show me the swords you haven’t used yet.”

With that, Tuzard shoved the sphere against his chest. Inside it, the brain-like device of Gram pulsed and shimmered.