Chapter 959
Episode 236: Flames of Ruin, Cruel Past (2)
“Long time no see, Keliak Ziphl. Though I can’t say I’m all that glad to meet you. Had we met as corpses, as fate would have it, this wouldn’t be happening.”
Jin replied calmly, scanning the battlefield.
Two energies—spiritual energy and flames—divided the sky over Dokmasong. But the flames dominated far more territory, and that was because Murakan was absent from the field.
‘…Looks like Murakan pulled back after fighting Keliak. Reading the energy closely, I sense Murakan’s presence just beyond the battlefield’s edge.’
The lingering spiritual energy in the sky was the trace of the Dark Arrival technique. As Jin had expected, Murakan had left the battlefield temporarily after binding Keliak to protect Veradin and search for Betty.
‘Then Murakan will be back soon. He’s probably sensed my energy by now.’
Though somewhat fatigued, Jin was accompanied by Elona Ziphl, and Murakan would return shortly.
Even if not at full strength, that made three Changsung-class fighters. No matter how powerful Keliak had become by fusing with Shinu, facing all three at once was impossible.
‘Of course, that’s assuming Keliak actually fights properly…’
Keliak looked down at Jin and Elona with an expression of calm indifference. Jin was certain he hadn’t come unprepared.
Residual energies from Jito and the Artificial Sun swirled around Keliak, drawn from all directions.
Yet Keliak didn’t absorb these powers directly into himself; instead, he gathered them into a spherical form above his head.
It was pointless to gain more power now. Having already attained the authority of a supreme god, absorbing Jito and Artificial Sun’s remnants would only add impurities to his body.
Keliak planned to use those energies elsewhere. Jin, sensing this, was gathering his own energy in response.
“Fate, you say… It’s amusing to hear such words from you.”
“Amusing? What’s so amusing about it?”
“Forty-four years.”
The answer was sudden and cryptic to anyone else, but Jin couldn’t help but feel a flicker of surprise the moment Keliak mentioned “forty-four years.”
—It took a full forty-four years before Joshua learned that Taimun Marius had cursed you.
—Jebaal, kaaak. No, stop…
—I never had the chance to plead like you do now. Kidad, I was only one year old then. Your insignificant eighty years could never repay my forty-four, but I’ll write the Book of Reversal well enough.
Words spoken while killing Kidad Hall.
Jin said nothing, simply staring at Keliak.
“After hearing about you from Kidad, I’ve been curious. Why did you say ‘forty-four years’…? The conclusion I reached is this: you might be someone who has experienced the future once before.”
“Hell… After learning of the existence of the Demon Realm, I had similar thoughts. Perhaps hell holds all the villains I’ve killed. Kidad Hall, that grotesque worm, seems to have been resurrected like Ann Runcandel.”
“Answer me. I’m very curious.”
“Whatever nonsense Kidad spouted is none of my concern. But if I must answer, I think my senses dulled before death, and I misheard.”
“I see… Anyway, from what I can tell, there’s no one in this world more out of sync with fate than you. You use the power of Solderet through a contract, but Solderet no longer exists here. That alone makes you an anomaly.”
“You know Solderet no longer exists here because you gained Shinu’s senses?”
“That’s part of it, but not the whole story. We Ziphl have tracked Solderet for a long time to complete the Demon Stone. But since you became the contractor, Solderet has never revealed himself. He’s probably become one with you, like me. Or perhaps he paid some price for you.”
“Think what you will. But Keliak, you must be quite frustrated right now. You tried to lure Veradin to kill him, but my guardian dragon blocked you, and you failed, didn’t you?”
Jin glanced at Elona’s expression.
Elona looked much more at ease than before. Using her Changseong senses, she had read Veradin’s energy far away. As Jin had assured, Veradin was indeed alive.
“It’s strange. I sent Murakan to find the Biceps, but he accidentally saved Veradin, and the Biceps are right here now. It’s as if the world itself is helping me.”
The world is helping me.
Jin’s casual remark struck a nerve with Keliak. The “power of existence” Jin wielded was far more unsettling than mere martial strength.
“Let me tell you what’s about to happen, Keliak. You’re probably planning to use the powers of Jito and the Artificial Sun to utterly destroy the Demon Realm.”
“Oh? I must admit, your sharp mind is impressive. Yes, thanks to you cutting down Jito, I’ve just become the new master of this land. But I no longer need this place, and the witch seems uninterested… so destroying it is the better option. For the demons who were brainwashed by Jito and committed vile acts, this is a better end.”
Jin snorted, laughing dismissively.
“You lack the confidence to fight us directly, so your only choice is to destroy hell itself to buy time to escape. The whole world will mock you for that. And your plan will fail again, Keliak Ziphl.”
Drawing Sigmund, Jin’s golden aura began to spread. The spiritual energy Murakan left behind resonated with it, turning golden as well.
“I won’t allow it. Do you really think you’ve become a god by gaining Shinu’s power, Keliak? Detonate the remnants of Jito and the Artificial Sun. We’ll withstand the blast—and then cut your head off.”
Elona raised her staff, amplifying her magic. Massive cubes of magical energy appeared throughout the battlefield.
“Keliak Ziphl, as the greatest mage in Ziphl history a thousand years ago and the current elder, I will punish you severely for daring to threaten the master.”
As Elona finished speaking, the sky behind them darkened.
Spiritual energy spread from Murakan’s two pairs of wings.
[Kid! Hey, Elona Ziphl is here too? What, did she join our side?]
Though Murakan had exhausted much energy fighting Keliak while protecting allies, his presence remained imposing.
“That’s right. She’s on our side. Murakan, you’re here.”
[Oh, I’ll hear the details later. The kids are all safe. Some annoying bastard named Lagal left behind a mess, but with the Immortal Demon here, it’s fine. When the golden energy spread across hell, I was sure you handled Jito well without me. Elona probably helped too.]
“Long time no see, Murakan. There’s much I want to discuss with you.”
[Yeah, yeah. I have tons of questions too, Elona. But first, we need to deal with Keliak.]
Murakan quickly grasped the situation. Keliak planned to use the remnants of Jito and the Artificial Sun to buy time and escape.
‘Hmm. If those energies explode all at once, it’ll be intense. But if Elona and I contain the blast so it doesn’t spread beyond the Demon Realm, and the kid breaks in to capture Keliak, it might just work.’
Jin and Elona shared the same thought. Though Jin was the most fatigued, he was still the strongest in close combat, while Murakan and Elona were better suited to handling large-scale explosions.
“Such confidence, it almost feels wrong to crush it…”
Keliak said.
Jin’s group couldn’t move first. They had to wait for Keliak to detonate the remnants of Jito and the Artificial Sun, or their positions would be compromised.
Soon, Keliak locked eyes with Elona.
“Elona Ziphl. Known as the greatest and most powerful mage in Ziphl history. A thousand years ago, the top mage; now an elder who has sided with Runcandel… You have many faces, lost ancestor.”
“I’ve simply come to understand the truth.”
“Truth? I’m intrigued. What truth have you realized?”
“I’m not just someone who exists for Ziphl and its destruction.”
“Then you’d have no reason to come to hell to save my son. Veradin is the current master of Ziphl, so you’ve come for Ziphl’s sake.”
“The master? No. Veradin is someone I love. Even if he ceases to be master, even if he abandons Ziphl, I will always give my life for him. Someone like you wouldn’t understand.”
“You speak as if you are human, Lady Elona. Then let me ask you one more thing. Do you remember who your parents are?”
Elona’s eyes widened.
“As expected, you don’t remember. Then where were you raised? What is your earliest memory after gaining self-awareness? Even your true form—do you remember it?”
Nothing came to mind.
It was an unexpected question. As if a part of her consciousness was blocked, Elona had never recalled any of those things in her life.
The magical cubes she had summoned vibrated unsteadily. Her inner world was trembling.
[Elona, don’t pay any mind to that nonsense. Whatever you’re curious about, our historian will explain it all.]
“You don’t even know that, yet you’re proudly boasting that you’ve uncovered the truth. Honestly, Lady Elona, I find that quite pitiful. Now, allow me to reveal the real truth.”
As Keliak finished speaking, he detonated the remnants of Zito and the artificial sun he had gathered in the sky.
Jin immediately readied himself to close the distance to Keliak, while Murakan spread his Dark Arrival to contain the spreading explosion.
But Elona, who was supposed to move with them, stood rooted to the spot like a nail driven into the ground. Without her, Jin couldn’t break through to Keliak.
[Elona, what are you doing!]
Murakan’s voice didn’t reach her.
Amid the blast that engulfed them in an instant, Elona stared, as if entranced, at the object Keliak had produced. An irresistible, intense pull was biting into the back of her neck.
“This glowing object, shaped like a laurel wreath, is your mother. Or perhaps, you could say it’s your original form.”