Episode 915
Chapter 228: The Fierce Battle at Groshé Castle (11)

[So you’ve arrived, Jin Runkandel. And the Sword Emperor.]

Sakiel’s voice echoed, seemingly coming from nowhere in the air, making it impossible to pinpoint her location.

“Why bother with such a shallow trick, Sakiel? You’re just hiding inside the castle anyway. What, do you want to play hide-and-seek?”

[You speak arrogantly, considering you ran away the last time we faced off.]

Jin and Dante sharpened their senses.

Sakiel Groshé—she was the one who had threatened Jin and Murakan before, using the Great Seal of the Hell’s End and fragments of Jito’s flesh.

Back then, Murakan had disrupted her sealing ritual before it was complete, and Jin had pulled back to prevent her from wasting Jito’s flesh.

But not this time.

Whatever she had prepared, it was time to shatter it head-on.

“You don’t really think Murakan and I ran because we were afraid of you, do you?”

[Well, I admit I was burdened by receiving Jito’s energy through you. But now, I hold even greater power than then.]

Boom!

Suddenly, an explosion erupted between Jin and Dante—their magic flared. Both easily dodged the blast.

As if on cue, they unleashed a barrage of sword energy simultaneously. Destroying the castle would naturally reveal Sakiel’s position.

The condensed magic in the air partially blocked their sword energy, but no matter how dense the magic was, it couldn’t fully stop their strikes.

Within ten seconds, sword energy pierced through the magic and struck various points of the castle. The entire fortress trembled as if it might collapse.

“If you’re so confident because you know this place, then come out. Otherwise, keep hiding. Either way, the outcome won’t change. Are you trying to imitate Keliak Ziphl’s spatial explosion? Did you also fall under his command?”

…You too?

Sakiel almost blurted out in surprise.

She had no idea that Keliak was recruiting demon lords one by one at the Jinma realm’s main base.

[Me, imitate Keliak Ziphl…? This is exactly why we demons despise humans.]

“Oh?”

[They live barely a hundred years, and most don’t even reach that. They’re lowly creatures, enduring each day just to survive like mindless beasts. Yet, without reason, they enjoy far too many blessings. They possess the surface world—the true sun—that even we cannot claim. It’s unbearable.]

Crash!

The main gate’s wall crumbled under the sword energy. The gate itself collapsed uselessly, and Jin and Dante blasted it away as if kicking a stone.

Beyond the vanished gate lay a desolate scene.

No soldiers guarded the gate or the inner fortress. Empty buildings and a lonely inner castle stood silent.

But to Jin’s eyes, traces of magic hidden within that scene were visible.

‘They must have used the castle’s garrison as a sacrifice for some spell. The flow of magic is solidified, drawing a magic circle invisible to the naked eye.’

Swish!

The sword energy destroyed more than just the gate. Through cracks in the broken protective barrier, the magic Sakiel had laid was leaking out.

As the magic thinned, the solidified flow of power forming the magic circle became clearer. Since this was an unknown dark realm, its exact effect was a mystery.

“You should have endured, even if it was hard. What’s the point of coveting the surface world and ending up like this? Don’t you feel sorry for your men, swept away like dust outside? Humans may live shorter lives and have fewer innate abilities, but they’re not as cruel as you.”

[Everything in this world has its destined fate. Though the meaning faded after the death of the Sun God, our Jinma realm remains orderly under the law established by Lord Jito. The fallen soldiers died as fate decreed—for Lord Jito and the Jinma realm.]

“Hah, what a disgusting lie… Sakiel Groshé. Then your fate will also be extinguished today by me and Jin.”

Dante’s sword strike swept through the inner fortress, toppling buildings.

[Don’t expect us to understand your perspective. To lowly creatures like you, it must feel like we’re stealing your rights. But once Lord Jito’s order is established on the surface, you’ll have no choice but to accept it… ugh!]

Sakiel clutched her chest, groaning.

A beam of sword energy imbued with the power of the Pluto King pierced through her chest, where she had been hiding.

‘…She already pinpointed my exact location?’

Jin closed the distance, firing another beam of light-speed thrust.

“Your hide-and-seek skills are terrible.”

Though his tone was casual, Jin remained alert.

As expected, Sakiel had used up all the flesh fragments that should have belonged to other demon lords. A mere chest wound wouldn’t deal a fundamental blow.

Even if she burned her entire body with eternal flames, it would take a long time to exhaust the power she held. And she wouldn’t just stand there quietly.

Flash! Magic radiated from Sakiel’s crystal orb, engulfing Jin. Jin and Dante carefully pressed her, scattering sword energy to keep the blades from touching her directly.

If the blades touched her, it would be hard to shake off; if the magic clung to her body, she’d suffer serious injury. Sakiel held a power that could be called a ‘part’ of Jito himself.

[Is that so? Honestly, I’m surprised. You Chukma—though you’re not at the level called Changseong—found me so quickly.]

“I’ve cut down countless foes who grew stronger by borrowing someone else’s power. Some were even beyond Changseong in strength. Don’t overestimate Jito’s power—it’s not truly yours. If your own fundamental strength isn’t greater than mine, you have no chance.”

[We’ll see about that once we fight…]

Their swords clashed with Sakiel’s magic, intertwining.

Jin and Dante had to avoid direct exposure to the magic while fighting, and also worked to push the magic spreading through the castle outward, preparing for reinforcements.

They couldn’t show their full strength just yet.

But it was only a matter of time.

Once they adapted to the new threat of Jito’s magic and expelled all the magic from the castle, Sakiel’s newfound power would lose its edge.

Boom! Crash!

The distant thunder of explosions from the first defensive line grew louder. The golden ships and knights were breaking through the defenses and approaching the castle.

‘But Sakiel seems strangely passive in battle… It’s not just that her close combat skills are weaker.’

Both Jin and Dante felt it.

If they were in her position, they’d push hard before the enemy got used to the magic.

‘Is she maintaining some pre-prepared dark realm magic?’

A sense of unease crept over Jin.

He opened his communicator and ordered the main force outside.

“All units, stand by to enter. After we deal with Sakiel inside the castle, I’ll give further orders. Until then, focus solely on eliminating the defense lines.”

{Understood, Commander! Uh, wait… What’s this? Commander! We just received urgent news from the Nameless King! A tsunami-like wave of magic has formed behind the left rear defense line! What!? It’s here too! Visible to the naked eye! Even in the sky…!}

Jin instinctively looked up.

Above the ruined ceiling of Groshé Castle, a massive magical veil writhed.

He immediately recognized its shape.

A dome.

A hemispherical magic barrier was rapidly closing in on the castle, encompassing all four sides of Groshé’s defenses.

{Jin! Did you hear? A magic veil has spread across the entire battlefield. It’s closing so fast that our troops—and even Ziphl’s fleet—are retreating at full speed toward Groshé Castle!}

This time, it was Luna on the comms.

If Luna was reporting, it meant even her power couldn’t stop the tightening magic veil.

{We’ve found that the highest-level superhumans can break through the magic, but then they can’t protect the rest of the troops. We’ll do our best to shield them and enter the castle. Ziphl’s rear fleet is already lost.}

{She’s right. And every time the magic closes in on Groshé Castle, groups of demons we see vanish. They’re being sacrificed.}

“Understood. Keep advancing until the magic stops.”

All of Inse’s forces attacking the defense lines were now moving toward Groshé Castle, avoiding the magic. The alliance, the federation, and Kinzel’s entire army.

Jin fixed his gaze on Sakiel and gripped his sword tighter.

That tidal wave of magic enveloping the entire battlefield was the very magic circle he had sensed hidden within the castle.

Sakiel smiled slyly.

{This is the spell known as the Wall of Death. It’s the first time in our Jinma realm’s history that it’s been deployed on such a scale. You should consider it an honor.}

Jin drew his sword, Bradamante. He unleashed the sacred blade, slicing through the magic veil that darkened the sky.

He felt confident they could handle it.

“When the Wall of Death narrows to its limit, if the superhumans and I strike all at once, it shouldn’t cause any major problems.”

Sakiel furrowed his brow as he watched Jin’s sword briefly part the sky.

“I get the gist of it. You’re probably picturing your troops, who’ve been using that Wall of Death spell as a defensive barrier, being forced to break into the castle. Most of your magic deployed here would die in the process.”

Sakiel didn’t answer, instead fixing Jin with a cold glare.

[…So you’re confident you can break through the Wall of Death and save your men. We’ll see how that turns out.]

Crack! Zzzzt!

Bradamante’s crystal orb collided with Sakiel’s. Sakiel gritted his teeth as he saw cracks spiderweb across his orb.

“Magic can’t hold if the caster dies. So no matter what tricks you’ve got left, you’d better use them all up as fast as you can—before you die.”