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***
Tikan was still in the midst of moving and installing the equipment for the Black Kings.
The construction work, which began with the arrival of the Black Kings, was a crucial task for the defense of Jin and his companions and the safety of the residents. It was a long and meticulous process.
"Lower it, lower it!"
"There, adjust the angle of the cannon just a bit! To the left, to the left... That's it! Stop!"
The world's most formidable mercenaries worked tirelessly day and night, but their voices were cheerful and lively for some reason.
It was all thanks to Amela.
Deep down, everyone had been worried. Worried that the great mercenary might outperform Jin and Murakan, or worse, not surrender.
Of course, whether he did or not, they had no doubt about Valkas's unwavering loyalty to the new lord. But they somehow felt as though they might lose if Amela held out well.
Fortunately, Amela gained the upper hand for a very short time. As soon as Jin began to display his true strength, she immediately surrendered.
"Haha, in any case, our leader chose side well. I was a little worried that both we and the lord would lose face because of the great mercenary. There is also a hierarchy issue of the leader."
"Was the title of great mercenary just a bubble? I heard from Lord Murakan that she simply surrendered."
"Bubble? You are saying some frustrating things. So are you saying that the people who directly faced her on the battlefield were all just a bunch of braggers?"
"The great mercenary not only surrendered, but she also accepted to play dead. What does this mean? It means that our lord, whom our leader chose, is that remarkable."
In any case, the Black Kings were satisfied that their lord's trip to Gaifa Archipelago ended with satisfactory results. The ghost mercenaries who were dispatched to work together with them also felt the same way.
On the other hand, two siblings in Tikan's mansion did not share the same sentiment.
"Ugh, go away...!"
"Huff, you're so annoying!"
Lata and Faye, the siblings from the Ghost mercenaries.
They also believed that the forces of Jin increased further through Amelia, but they couldn't accept the situation as entirely positive.
"Have you already had enough, my cuties? Play with me more! Let's play!"
Amela reached out her hand beyond her chubby bushy camouflage and shook them, and the Prochi siblings were clearly displeased.
However, the siblings were trying to balance things out to some extent to avoid causing any trouble for their lord. Normally, they would be brandishing their swords or at least spewing curses, but for now, they were only showing mild irritation and avoiding running away.
'Sir Lata and Faye surprisingly get along well with Amela... Didn't they really hate it that much?'
That's what Jin thought as he watched them. However, it was a misunderstanding. The three of them were running around the mansion, playing what seemed like hide and seek.
"You've been playing for quite some time. Hey! Calm down and stop running. Do you want to run around all day?"
The moment Murakan shouted, Amela came to a halt.
"I'm sorry."
Amela bowed her head toward Murakan. Leaves and twigs fell from her chubby bushy camouflage. The Proch siblings wiped the sweat from their foreheads and looked for a cigarette with faces that said life was tough.
Jin stared at Amela.
"I am sorry, Jin."
"Oh, why did your tone change like that? You were so confident in the Gaifa Archipelago."
"I lost my mind for a moment back then….."
From what they had observed since the Gaifa Archipelago. Amela was somewhat like a playful beast, not very socialized, lacking common sense and a sense of the situations.
However, she didn't display the killing intent they saw in Gaifa Archipelago.
-Occasionally, those who survived by pure luck and came back from encounters with Amela showed signs of being terrified.
-It's hard to put it into words, but it seemed like she thought of us as toys or playmates. She swung a sword at us while saying she was bored.
Furthermore, it aligned with what the Proch siblings had explained.
-So, it means we must recruit Amela. It's entirely different when you're temporarily fighting on different sides due to different employers and when you become outright enemies. Personally, I think you should consider the possibility of having to kill her if you think she might become an enemy.
-I understand what you mean. Our top priority is to understand what Amela wants. Do you have any specific information?
-Exploration.
-Exploration?
-Amela has been wandering and exploring the world her whole life. I asked her about it when we shared a meal after a battle. She seemed to have a strong desire to find something, but she didn't tell me exactly what it was.
It felt somewhat different from what Valkas had described.
The Amela who had come to Tikan was not as aggressive when playing with the Proch siblings, and she didn't seem to have the intense desire for 'searching and exploring something' as Valkas had mentioned.
She simply enjoyed playing (especially with the Proch siblings), had a friendly personality, and she is no different from the kid who is a bit scary (especially Murakan and Jin).
"Amela, big sister!"
"Amela unnie!"
As a result, she got along very well with the other children. Not just Kou and Pinte, Euria, and the others, but she also seemed to closely follow Enya.
Because of this, it was quite perplexing for Jin.
'It's still dangerous.'
At first glance, it might appear that after surrendering, she instantly became an ally and integrated into Tikan, but Jin couldn't truly trust Amela yet.
It was a given. With the unpredictable elements that Amela possessed, you never knew when and how they might come into play. There is no way a bond has already formed between her and people in Tikan.
-[Tell me anything! I'm not a friend of Bubare and Kinzelo anymore; I'll be your friend.]
There was also the fact that she betrayed Kinzelo too easily. If someone provides her clues about the chaos, she could also betray Tikan in a similar way.
A person you couldn't fully trust or outright reject. That was how Jin perceived Amela.
"Dame Amela."
"Yes?"
"There are quite a few things you need to tell me. About Gaifa Archipelago, how you used Bubare's soul to amplify the power of chaos, the information about the chaos that you've found so far, and more."
"You can ask anything and I'll answer."
"But right now, I can't trust what you say."
"I don't tell lies because Amela is a good girl."
"That's why I've brought someone who might be able to see through you."
Amela raised an eyebrow, and her face hidden under the bushy camouflage seemed to have a question mark floating over it.
"Someone who can see through me? Ah, is it Euria?"
"Unfortunately, it's not me, Amela."
Euria didn't address Amela as "sister." Her way of dealing with Amela was closer to that of dealing with a younger sibling.
Of course it is possible to verify Amela's words with the power of truth that Euria possesses.
However, Jin and his companions had decided not to use Euria's power on Amela because of the uncertainty of how the chaos power might affect her. They still have very little information about chaos energy.
"Ta-da!"
"Eeek!"
Someone appeared out of nowhere and shouted loudly into Amela's ear.
Amela was startled and jumped as if struck by lightning, and others nearby were equally surprised, their eyes widened.
It was Yona, the person Jin had brought to examine Amela.
As always, she came to Jin without being noticed by anyone using her ghostly stealth.
"Hehe."
Yona grinned as she looked at Amela. Her first words were, "Do you want to die?"
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, you."
As Yona started walking, Amela took a few steps back. Before she could walk more than a few steps, she was trembling and unable to meet Yona's gaze.
"Ugh... I-I don't want to die."
"Hehe, shh."
"Urk!"
Amela reached the wall and curled up. Yona looked down at her with her signature murderous gaze.
I don't know what's wrong with her, but if I stop her, I will be in an even worse situation.
No one interfered with Yona's actions. Even Murakan refrained from commenting on her actions.
'Come to think of it, she exuded a powerful aura the first time she saw Bubare's sculpture when I was reserve flagbearer.'
Someone like me.
Back then, Yona had mentioned that he was of the same kind as her while observing the sculptures of Bubare in the feudal state of Kurano. At the time, Jin didn't know it was related to chaos, but now he could understand.
Whiiiiing!
Suddenly, a gale began to blow near Yona.
The magic lamps shattered randomly, cracks formed in the walls, and the ceiling seemed as if it might collapse at any moment.
Jin signaled with his eyes, and the Proch siblings quickly led the others out of the room. Meanwhile, Yona's power continued to intensify.
[Come out.]
Yona's voice resonated as she began to float in the air. Amidst the darkness, Yona's shadow, which had grown disproportionately large, concealed the crouching Amela.
'The shadow of elder sister Yona is different from her...!'
The gigantic shadow was drawing a different form, not Yona's. It seemed to be sketching the mouth and fangs of some kind of a monster.
By instinct, Jin and his companions realized that this was the form of chaos that Yona possessed.
And a moment later,
Suuuuh...!
Amela collapsed forward as if she had fainted, and something like a black soul emerged from her. It was Amela's chaos.
Unlike Yona, this chaos had a clear form. It had a black, humanoid shape with horns and a tail.
Had it been alone, Amela's chaos would have undoubtedly given off a tremendous sense of intimidation. But in front of Yona, her chaos looked paler than a single fang.
[You thought you could hide, huh?]
Yona, with her cold gaze, looked down at Amela's chaos.
[Now, have mercy….]
[This is my first and last warning. If you ever harm my younger brother.]
Thud! Swish!
[Aaaargh!]
The black lump fell to the floor. It was the severed arms and legs of Amela's chaos. Yona didn't swing a weapon; she had merely moved her gaze to cut off the limbs, and her chaos devoured them.
[And you'll never enjoy freedom again.]
[I will obey you. I will follow you and your younger brother as my masters!]
Even after experiencing the loss of its limbs, Amela's chaos meekly lowered its head in submission to Yona.
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'Is that the materialization of chaos?'
Yona's chaos was still smacking its lips as if it was hungry.
Amid the confusion brought about by the sudden appearance of chaos's forms, Jin noticed a particular aspect about the chaos that took form in Yona's shadow.
'At first glance, it's somewhat similar to shadow force.'
He had a similar thought when he saw Amela using the murky aura in Gaifa Archipelago. However, Yona's chaos gave an impression even more akin to shadow force.
'Moreover, this materialization... It almost looks like a manifestation of god.'
Some gods could manifest through their contractors.
In the Blue Bird Islands, Peitel manifested through Yulian, and Picon Minche and Olmango had also manifested in front of Jin in the same manner.
Yona and Amela's materialization of chaos seemed to be a phenomenon similar to the manifestation of a god.
The only difference between materialization of Amela's chaos, the manifestation through contractors and Yona's chaos is that Yona seemed to control her chaos while they lost consciousness after manifestation.
Cough, cough!
Amela's chaos vomited something that looked like black blood.
[You must keep that promise. From now on, you should treat my one and only younger brother with even more care.]
[I understand, I will definitely...!]
Ssshhhh...
Amela's chaos bowed her head, and slowly faded away.
It disappeared to hide deep within Amela once again.
It was also because of the severe, irreparable injuries that she couldn't maintain her form.
Yona, who had been floating in the air, landed on the ground, beginning to absorb the chaos energy. However, the chaos seemed to be reluctant to follow her intentions.
It ducked its head to avoid Yona's gaze, and whimpered in an attempt to break free from the restraint.
But as the pressure grew stronger, it seemed like it could no longer withstand it. The form of chaos was returning to Yona's shadow.
Right before it disappeared completely, Yona's chaos left these words:
[Run...!]
[Or kill him...!]
In that moment, Jin felt as if he had met eyes with the chaos that was rebelling one last time.
Jin had a hunch that the chaos was referring to himself.
-From now on, you must never bring that power out in front of me. Please don't ask me for any details.
-I lose my temper when I see shadow force.
-You don't have to be sorry because I didn't explain. Hehe, I thought the youngest would hide that power from me, at least until he became a flagbearer…
Suddenly, Jin remembered Yona's words after they had investigated Bubare's sculpture workshop.
Back then, Jin had brought out the shadow force, a sign of his trust in Yona. However, as soon as she saw the shadow force, she screamed in agony as if she had been struck by a lightning bolt.
Yona's chaos feared shadow force.
That's why Yona's chaos whispers to her to kill Jin, every time they meet.
For a regular person, no. Even someone who had grown and trained to awaken their extreme willpower, found it hard to ignore that sweet voice.
Yona had been overcoming all of these temptations and intimidations all on her own.
Even at this very moment.
And she did not ask anything in return.
Protecting her beloved younger brother was something Yona simply considered as her duty.
"Yeah, go ahead and die. Hehe."
In no time, the chaos had completely faded, and Yona's shadow returned to its original form.
The darkened interior brightened as if the storm had passed and the weather was cleared, and all the objects that had been blown away by the wind fell to the floor.
"Ugh, Ahem! Wha-what?"
During a brief moment of silence, Amela, who had fallen, suddenly got up and coughed.
Her camouflage outfit trembled, and her eyes darted anxiously behind the hood.
"Ugh!"
However, as she met Yona's eyes, she lost consciousness once again and fell to the ground.
"Whoa, is she dead? Hey, bush. Bush! Wake up... Ah, she's just sleeping!"
As they approached, they heard the regular sound of her breathing.
Murakan seemed baffled and shook his head as if to express his surprise, then he tossed Amela onto the bed.
"She is going to sleep soundly for quite a while, hehe. Hello, Murakan! It's our first meeting, isn't it?"
"Uh, nice to meet you. The kid talked a lot about you."
"Really? Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"Did he talk about me a lot?"
"That's right. But why are you speaking informally to me? I'm a Black Dragon who's over three thousand years old, and I'm the guardian deity of your clan."
"Jin speak informally with you, right?"
"Right."
Surprisingly, Murakan didn't seem to have any problems or make any snide comments about her lack of etiquette. He simply shook hands with Yona.
"Elder sister."
As Jin approached, Yona's eyes sparkled.
On the other hand, Jin could only look at her with a worried expression.
Yona's face was unnaturally pale.
It was a face that Jin had never seen before, a face that looked exhausted.
"I missed you, my youngest!"
"Are you okay? Your face is so pale."
"I'm not okay. I'm going to die soon."
"Don't say that, even as a joke."
Jin took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat on Yona's forehead.
Yona smiled, feeling proud of her younger brother.
Then, suddenly, she pouted and flicked Jin on the forehead.
Bang-!
If it were an ordinary person, their head might have been sent flying. But Jin only ended up with a lump like a big chestnut on his forehead.
'Wait... Is this elder sister Yona's strength? Not elder sister Luna's?'
Instead of feeling unjust or in pain because of the sudden blow, Jin was more dumbfounded by the overwhelming power.
"Ugh, as expected, you get too strong if you call me. Sorry, youngest! I didn't mean to hit you so hard. But it's okay to get hit, right? No, you should get hit. You called me just for this?! You're going to get into big trouble!"
Jin thought that the big trouble Yona was talking about was the order of Chiron. After all, Chiron had always made it clear that no one in the clan should use Yona for their purposes.
"No, that's not it! I was so happy that you called your older sister for some reason. I thought you wanted to hang out with me, of course. But I had no idea you had another reason. Hehehe, hehehehe, hehehehehe."
It sent shivers down his spine.
And he felt genuinely sorry.
As Yona said, it was a matter that could easily offend her.
"I'm sorry,elder sister."
At that moment, Kashmir, Valkas, and Jet, who had sensed the commotion, arrived in the room where Jin was.
"Lord Jin! What's happening..."
"My lord, are you..."
Kashmir and Valkas started to inquire but fell silent when they saw Yona.
'Is she Yona Runlandel?'
'Yona Runcandel!?'
Jin didn't recognize her.
"If you keep acting like this, your precious friends will die one by one. Do you understand?"
So when Yona spoke with a playful smile,
"Huh! What is this little girl saying? I should really give her a good beating! My lord! Please let me do it!"
He shouted without realizing the situation.
Yona looked at Jet as if she found his reaction quite interesting.
"Yes, Jet. It's me, Yona. It's been a while since I saw you too."
"Huh! When did you see me and why are you pretending to know me... Wait, Yona. Yo...oona? Could you be Yona Runcandel?"
At the words 'I haven't seen you in a while', Jet's hair stood on end.
Though Jet couldn't recognize her, Yona had seen him quite often. The same was true for the other companions.
"I take full responsibility for my audacity. I'll do anything if you spare me. I'll show you anything! Oh god, please help me….!"
In reality, Kashmir and Valkas were on high alert, ready to protect Jet as they sensed the danger.
"He is a loyal subordinate of our lord. How about sparing him, Yona Runlandel?"
Valkas had experienced Yona in the past, and he knew that there were very few people she couldn't kill if she set her mind to it. He also knew that she considered life to be lighter than a feather.
"Hehe."
Yona shrugged her shoulders.
"The youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"Now I might understand why ordinary people find me so uncomfortable or scary. Well, at least a little."
Yona had recently gained the ability to control a part of the Chaos through her desire to protect Jin. This made her stronger and more relatable to others. Some of the emotions that Chaos had damaged were now restored.
In other words, Yona no longer treated life as lightly as she did when she first met Jin. Of course, she could only control a "portion" of the Chaos, and her emotions hadn't fully returned to normal.
She didn't explain further, but Jin felt like Yona's words held deeper meanings.
"The people who are precious to my youngest are precious to me too. I was just joking, Black kings leader. Relax a bit. Jet, lift your head too, hehe."
"Thank you, Miss Yona!"
Yona turned around and met eyes with Jin again, and her complexion was returning.
"Anyway, I'll invite you to hang out next time. I want to hear all about how it was when you made the patriarchy declaration! I only saw it in articles and heard about it from others!"
Jin felt touched by every word she said.
"So, let's go for a walk from now on and hang out, while I catch up on the stories I missed. Hehe!"
In fact, Jin initially planned to seek help from Yona and address one more issue before she went back to Samil.
Just as Yona said, just to break the ice with her.
The reason Jin was moving so urgently was none other than the fact that there was something bigger than the mercenary Amela. Jin had yet to find any clues about this issue.
So, as a result, Jin had planned to go to the Garden of Swords as soon as he finished verifying Amela's words to meet with Vigo.
Since Vigo had gone to Gaifa Archipelago on behalf of Joshua, he was likely to possess more information than Jin, which was why he had planned to use Gaifa Archipelago's debt as leverage to find out.
However, Jin couldn't deny that Yona was important, not just out of regret but because Yona is more precious to Jin than anyone else in the world. Above all, there were moments when family's feelings took precedence.
And that was exactly what was happening right now.
"I have so much to talk about and stories to share with you, elder sister. Thank you for your forgiveness. Shall we go for a walk?"
"Sure, sure."
Crash!
Yona smashed through the window and leaped outside, and Jin followed suit. As they landed in the garden.
'Is that a ship?'
Jin could confirm that a ship was approaching Tikan from the other side of the sea.
The ship stood out because it lacked any identifying marks.
"Uh."
Yona, on the other hand, tilted her head as if she knew whose ship it was.
"Huh? That's Mary Unnie's ship."
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"Elder sister Mary's boat?"
"Yeah. It's been a while since I've seen that boat. The boat's name is probably... Puberty. Hehe, the boat's name is Puberty."
"That's a strange name."
"Mary unnie didn't come up with the name herself. It was Diphus Orabeoni who named it."
Mary's sailboat, which wasn't that big, didn't even have a hull number written on it. There were no sailors on deck, just like a ghost ship.
'Why did elder sister Mary come to find me... Ah, for that?'
A duel.
Jin and Mary had signed a contract stating that "the two of them would duel once every three months." The last duel was in late August last year when they were subjugating Ozdock, so it was about time for another match.
Hmm, Jin seemed a bit perplexed as he shook his head.
The duel with Mary was a different matter from the walk with Yona.
He needed to find the information about that important thing as soon as possible, and if he dueled with Mary, he would definitely not be in good shape afterward.
"Also, Mary unnie's Puberty doesn't sail alone very often."
"Why is that?"
"She always takes her obedient subordinates with her, hehe."
A person appeared on the deck of the Puberty.
The distance was too far to confirm whether they were wearing an eye patch, but from the lively manner in which they stood at the bow, dramatically raising their sword, it was clear that it was Mary Runcandel.
Jiiiiiin, Ruuuuun, Caaaaan, Deeeeel!
Mary was calling out her younger brother's names in a voice so loud and powerful that it was shaking the entire sea. Tikan's residents naturally opened their windows to see what was going on, as this shocking and destructive display was impossible to ignore.
Jin had to hold his head in his hands due to the headache he got from the sight.
"Hehe, Mary unnie's voice is really something, isn't it?"
"It's not just that, is it? Anyway, luckily it seems that elder sister Mary is alone right now... Huh, what's that?"
Swuuuush!
Above the calm sea where only Puberty was sailing, white froth began to bubble and churn. It looked as if something was about to emerge at any moment.
The next moment, what appeared on the sea was a fleet that seemed to number more than fifty boats at first glance.
'What's this, submarines? They don't look like submarines at all.'
The boats that surfaced on the water were too large and massive to be considered submarines. Even the rather unimpressive Puberty appeared more splendid in comparison. Thanks to that, the unimpressive Puberty seemed to stand out even more.
It was impossible to know how such a fleet emerged from the depths of the sea, but the important thing was that Mary had chosen this moment to show up.
"Hahaha! Rise, Mary Runcandel's fleet! Unfold the sails!"
As Mary shouted, the ships rapidly raised their masts and started to spread out like wings on either side of Puberty. All of the sails that had been unfurled had Mary's face drawn on them.
"Shoot the fireworks!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! At Mary's command, the entire fleet fired their fireworks into the sky.
Even though the midday sun was shining brightly, the nearby sea was filled with colorful explosions due to the thunderous fireworks.
"Wow!"
"Awesome, Mary Runcandel!"
"What a spectacle!"
"Everyone, come out and take a look at that!"
At first, the residents of Tikan were a little scared by Mary's tremendous voice, but now they couldn't help but be enthusiastic about the sudden fleet show.
Tikan had a tower-like structure. Before they knew it, all the residents had come out and were waving, whistling, and cheering in the direction of Mary's fleet.
Jin's headache was getting worse, so he decided to ignore Mary.
"Well, let's just go for a walk."
"Yes, hehe. I should finish before Mary unnie arrives."
"Elder sister Mary is an uninvited guest, and you're a guest I personally invited. So she should wait. Why would you think otherwise?"
"Well, Mary unnie probably doesn't like me much, right? She'll probably dislike me. Hehe..."
Except for Jin, Yona had no relationship with any of her siblings.
After committing her first murder at the age of eight, Yona had always been alone, even in the storm castle or the Garden of Swords.
She hadn't even been able to become a cadet until she was sent to Samil, and until then, she had never even had a proper meal with her other siblings.
That was the will of the Chiron.
The battle of hegemony was important, but it was necessary to prevent all the children who grew up with Yona from dying in vain.
Young Yona was naturally much more vulnerable to chaos than she is now.
At that time, Yona could have killed any of her siblings at any time. Since then, Yona was already one of the world's greatest assassins and an uncontrollable sword.
The reason Yona knew so well about Mary's ship that she used in her youth and the story of how Diphus gave it the name "Puberty" was because she had always checked on her siblings whenever she had the opportunity.
Her siblings didn't know the fact that Yona was curious about them, and sometimes even tried to kill them impulsively. Just as Jin didn't know who the protagonist of Green Rose was.
It was because of Yona's ability. If Yona approached someone with determination, there was only one person in the world who could feel her presence and find out her location at any time and in any situation, and that was Chiron.
'I haven't been consciously thinking about it much since we're quite close. If you think about it, elder sister Mary and elder brother Diphus probably don't know that she knows the name and origin of Puberty.'
Jin felt sorry for Jonah, and something bitter seemed to well up in his heart.
"I think elder sister Mary would actually like you if she got to know you. She doesn't dislike you."
His words were not just to comfort Yona. Jin actually had the thought that Mary and Yona, these somewhat unique sisters, would get along well.
"Hehe, really?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad you said that, Jin. But Mary unnie has never come to see me."
-You're making me flustered.
-Just think of it as my excessive love for my little brother. You wouldn't know how surprised I was when you came. Even the nice Eldest Sister Luna didn't come to visit me.
-You're making me sad too. Does Eldest Sister Luna hate you?
-I don't think she likes me. I broke a few promises. No, actually, a lot…
Jin remembered a past conversation he had with Yona at Samil.
As the conversation implied, no one else had come looking for her in Samil apart from Anne in his past life and Jin in his current life.
The main reason for this was Chiron's strict orders not to touch Yona, but that wasn't the only reason.
Lack of bonding.
It is impossible to develop any sense of bond or relationship between people who have never eaten at the same table.
Furthermore, Yona was an extremely dangerous individual. Therefore, her siblings had no reason to go looking for Yona at the risk of being killed.
"Hehe, anyway, I don't have much time left. I'm fine! Don't make that expression."
Don't hesitate, meet her once. Elder sister Mary will like you.
Jin kept that thought to himself. It seems unlikely, but if Mary shows any signs of discomfort, Yona will be emotionally hurt again.
A better idea came to Jin's mind, a way for the two of them to form a good relationship in the future.
"...Understood."
Yona momentarily glanced at Mary's fleet. The fleet was now rapidly approaching Tikan.
"Uh, unnie is getting closer too fast. Maybe I should just get to the point! Listen carefully, my youngest."
Jin nodded. The "point" she was talking about was related to the chaos.
"First of all, Amela will never betray you. To be precise, she can't betray you. I've completely subdued Amela's chaos, so you can be at ease and manipulate her to your heart's content."
Yona was speaking at a very fast pace now because she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Mary got closer.
"Hehehe, my youngest, you little brat! Hurry up and come out to greet your big sister. It's a contest, a duel!"
Unaware of Yona's feelings, Mary continued to shout like that. Yona was now even wiggling her fingers and toes.
"And! Amela's way of speaking and behavior is like that of a child. She's around the same age as the Black King leader, but in reality, you should see her as a child. She is just like me, born with an innate self that has not been encroached upon by chaos, but she is old."
Yona grabbed Jin's arm and took a step back. Mary was almost at Tikan.
"Ah, there you are, the youngest! Jin Runcandel, my proud little brother! You brat, you won't even answer. Increase the speed! I need to see my little brother up close!"
"Kwahaha! Did you hear what the Captain said? Row faster! You scoundrels!"
Jin heard a familiar voice of the pirate.
'...Pirate King Cosmos? Did he join elder sister Mary?'
In the midst of the increasingly confusing situation, Yona seemed to be ready to escape at any moment.
"Elder sister Yona, are you really going like this?"
"Hehe, hehehe. If you have any more questions, ask quickly, Jin!"
It seemed that Yona couldn't be held back.
"What is chaos, elder sister?"
"I can't tell you that! Something else!?"
"If you keep moving away like this, how can I ask questions? Something else? Oh, I will meet you in Samil later, and explain it to me then!"
By that time, Yona was quite far away.
"Alright! Heh, then I'm going!"
"Wait, before you go, Green Rose! Do you have any Green Rose with you?"
"I do!"
"Leave those behind!"
"I already put a few in your pocket!"
When Jin checked his pocket, he found that there were five knitted green roses. He hadn't noticed Yona putting them in his pocket while they were close together just moments ago.
As he looked up, Jin saw Yona crossing the mansion's wall. Jin couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Yona looking back one last time and giving a sly wink.
'Elder sister Yona is something else, really.'
As soon as Yona left, Mary's fleet arrived at Tikan.
Mary had anchored her fleet on the side near Jin, ignoring all the procedures to enter the city. She was ready to leap from the ship to meet Jin directly.
"Youngest!"
"Elder sister Mary!"
"You're responding now! Just wait a moment; I'm coming up right now. I guess you are ready to fight this older sister..."
"I am warning you, do not jump up this way!"
"What!?"
"Have you forgotten Father's orders? Without my permission, no Runcandel is allowed to set foot on Tikan's soil."
"... Are you really going to break our contract? "We decided to fight at least once every three months!"
Although Mary was close to Tikan, Jin was on the top floor, so the two had no choice but to talk loudly.
All the residents who had come out to watch were naturally listening to this conversation.
"It wasn't unconditional! Check the contract. Anyway, not today! I will contact you soon, and then we can fight!"
Mary looked quite displeased, but she seemed to have expected this kind of development this time.
She soon flashed a triumphant smile.
"Is that so!? Alright, then I'll leave!"
The fact that Mary left so easily made Jin somewhat uneasy.
"We can't have a duel, but how about sharing a cup of tea before I go?"
"Sure, it's okay. But I'm pretty busy, you know."
"Well, in that case, alright! Take care!"
"Oh, by the way. What a shame! I was going to tell you about a big catch if you won this time!"
Jin couldn't help but feel like he'd been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.
'It must be about something more important than Amela...!'
Mary had brought a proposal that Jin couldn't refuse from the start.
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Mary shares all information with Diphus, who is one of top flagbearers. So, it wasn't strange at all that Mary knew something Jin didn't.
In fact, Jin had no clue about the important thing other than the Gaifa Archipelago.
Other significant issues that had been on Jin's mind were continually being verified by his companions, but there were no unusual developments.
'Hoho. Diphus orabeoni's words were right after all. He is reacting right away!'
Mary suppressed her laughter inwardly. It was a pity that she could not enjoy the bewildered expression on the youngest's face from a closer distance.
"Elder sister!"
Jin opened his mouth, and Mary, who had turned around, had her lips almost reaching her ears.
"What!"
"I've been too hasty in my thinking! You've come a long way, so it wouldn't be courteous to just send you back!"
"What are you saying?"
"Please come up! I'll allow it!"
"I can't hear you well!"
"I'm sorry. Come up, and let's have a conversation!"
"Hahaha, I can't hear you! Say it one more time!"
Of course she heard it clearly. She is just pretending not to hear with exaggerated gestures, trying to tease her youngest brother.
Of course, Jin wasn't showing any signs of embarrassment or awkwardness as Mary had anticipated. It was only Mary who was incredibly amused.
As Jin looked at the back of his sister, who was smiling proudly with her hands on her hips, he felt a pity for some reason.
'Is this so amusing...? She seems to like it as if she has never had fun in her entire life.'
For Mary, it was quite surprising to see Jin's sloppy side. She found her small victory very sweet.
Jin continued to play along with Mary's prank for a while, and thanks to that, it didn't take long for all of Tikan's people to see her and her fleet.
Initially, Jin's companions and the residents shared Mary's sentiments. It looked amazing that Jin was playing along with this childish prank. This side of Jin was unfamiliar not only to Mary but to everyone else.
"Um, captain. Could you stop now...? The atmosphere is gradually getting a bit chilly."
Only after Cosmos reluctantly spoke did Mary stop her prank.
When she turned around, she saw Jin's expressionless face, and Murakan, who was looking at her sternly.
Other people, though they couldn't show it openly, probably shared the same sentiment as Jin and Murakan. The situation was becoming quite difficult.
'If things were going this way, you should have told me sooner, you bastard.'
Mary whispered, and Cosmos nodded.
'I thought I'll be beaten like last time...'
'But it's different from back then.'
'Still, don't worry. I'll find a way to lighten the mood when I get the chance.'
When Cosmos stepped aside, Mary once again met eyes with Jin.
"Ahem! Well, if you are so keen to welcome me, I shall oblige by coming up!"
With a leap, Mary landed on the outer wall and the construction site, making her way to the mansion's garden.
"Haha! What's with this fierce pirate act, Mary Runcandel! It suits you well."
"Hmph, what's with this act? My dignity, that's what it is."
"What? Dignity? Are you saying losing one eye is an honorable injury?"
"Or it could be a bluff. You're still quite entertaining, Lord Murakan."
Even though Mary had arrived at the mansion, the residents of Tikan were still watching, not returning to their homes and workplaces.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Cosmos, the pirate king and king of the privateer navy operating in the Huphester waters, with the permission of Captain Mary! The reason our pirate crew has come to Tikan today is..."
It was because Cosmos began to work hard to create an atmosphere outside.
Bam, boom!
Fireworks exploded, and pirates on the deck breathed fire and demonstrated various feats, capturing the attention of the crowd.
Moreover, the crowd was already full of anticipation. After all, Mary had shouted for a duel that shook the entire sea in a thunderous voice.
"Cosmos owes me a debt, and he was going to lead the privateer navy someday for me. But you have taken the lead. How did you find that out, elder sister?"
After the compass theft incident, the Cosmos Pirates were being chased by both Vermont and Zipfel. Jin had secretly worried about them from time to time, but the Cosmos Pirates, a small pirate crew, strangely had never been overtaken by any major factions.
"I came across them as I roamed around, knocking out anyone in my way. Besides, that guy was acquainted with me from before. I even thought he was quite useful when I was young. Good enough to run errands for me when I do my training."
"Training, you say?"
"Haha, yeah. Lately, your dear sister has set some goals of her own."
"What kind of goals?"
"You don't have to know that! There won't be any contract duels for a while after this. I'm going to leave far away after deciding which one of us is superior today. Some very harsh lands to seek out inner core demonic creatures and hermit masters."
I haven't given a firm response to the duel request.
Under normal circumstances, Jin would answer like that, buying time to observe the situation and gaining some initiative.
But he had no other choice seeing Mary's gaze.
A resolute, determined look of someone who had firmly prepared for something. The Mary who had been full of playfulness just a moment ago now had such a look in her eyes.
'What happened to my elder sister?'
Jin was totally unaware of the fact that the reason for such determination of Mary and her training was recent actions he had shown.
'Anyway, judging by how earnestly elder sister Mary approached this, it seems that the issue regarding that big thing is not very urgent.'
In a dire situation, the clan would have certainly mobilized Mary. It was a case for which the 1st division of the 4 major forces have gave up Amela and clung to it, and Mary couldn't come here to have a leisurely duel
"It's an honor to have my sister's training include a duel with me. I'll accept this challenge with gratitude."
"Yes, that's the spirit!"
"In that case, shouldn't you give me a hint about that big case?"
"I'll let you know once you defeat me."
"I'm worried that I might become too curious and lose my concentration when fighting you, elder sister. Wouldn't that be rude to you?"
Jin was half sincere. He felt like he could figure it out even with just a small clue. He had been wandering around aimlessly ever since leaving Gaifa Archipelago, and it had left him frustrated.
"You're trying to trick me again!"
"Elder sister, I cannot count the number of eyes and ears that have already seen and heard you. Please let me know, I won't take the lead and leave you out."
Mary stared at Jin, as if she could see through him. Eventually, she shrugged her shoulders as if she had no choice.
"It's Zipfel, Jin."
Jin's eyes widened.
Members of the four major factions who hadn't come to Gaifa Archipelago were preparing to restrain Zipfel.
'Zipfel, huh? Is it about living golems or a new type of battleship? Or... that cubical thing?'
From the perspective of the four major factions, these things were far more important and dangerous than Amella.
'Research facility or production plant!'
Zipfel. Just that one word sent a sharp intuition piercing through Jin's mind.
Living golem, Kozec-2 Myuron, research facilities for cube, and production plants. The major factions had found them and were preparing to seize them.
"Hmmm, it looks like you've already caught on."
"I feel like my unease is fading away."
"I'll tell you more details if you beat me. If you can't defeat me, then it will become a thing that did not exist. We'll fight one on one until one of us is unable to continue fighting. Let's settle it without killing each other or causing permanent injuries."
"Very well. Do you have a place in mind for this fight?"
"No, I am planning to fight you right here."
"Well, elder sister, I am speechless. If you and I seriously fight here, there might not be much Tikan left."
Jin and Mary, both ranking among the elite, possessed the power to easily reduce the entire city to rubble, wherever they fought. With the ongoing construction of defensive structures, a slight misstep could lead to the complete collapse of Tikan.
"It seems today has been a special day for me to see your reckless behavior. You fool, did you think I suggested we fight here without knowing what I was doing? Hey, Cosmos!"
Mary turned her head towards Cosmos and shouted.
"Speak, Captain!"
"Prepare the stage!"
"Understood! Did you hear that, you stinking lot? Prepare the stageeeeee! Go, go, go!"
Woo-woo-!
The Cosmos blew the horn.
When Cosmos blew his trumpet, the ships in his fleet began to move in perfect order.
The scattered ships gathered in an instant, forming a space like a plain, with no gaps between decks.
It was just like the arena of a martial arts competition.
"As I mentioned earlier, this competition is a one-on-one duel. It's also a pure swordsmanship match! The rules are simple. You and I will fight on the fleet. However, any highly destructive techniques that excessively damage the fleet are strictly prohibited."
"Oh... I really like that, elder sister. In that case, Tikan won't be destroyed."
"I am going to destroy you, though. Let's get started!"
Cosmos, who had been maintaining the atmosphere, cleared his throat before making the announcement.
"Ahem! Please, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and the elderly and children! Now, get ready for an incredibly, incredibly intense duel between two individuals! Is everyone readyyyyyy?"
Yeeeeees!
Cosmos had completely captured the crowd's attention and was a seasoned organizer of such contests, given his long experience in hosting events.
"It's hard for me to contain my excitement too. Let's all cheer together! Known to everyone and anyone, the greatest fighter of our time! Truly crazy about fighting! The Southern Continent madwoman, oh, I guess she doesn't like that nickname. And the windfury Mary! Her titles always include the phrase 'crazy'! Who is this person? Who, I ask!"
"Mary!"
"Mary Runcandel!"
"Yes, M.A.R.Y! R.U.N.C.A.N.D.E.L! Let's invite her!"
Hop!
Mary leaped onto the deck, and thunderous cheers erupted from all directions. She appeared as if she were quite familiar with such situations, waving casually with a mischievous smile on her face.
She turned Jin by pointing her index finger at him, making a gesture of slitting throat with her thumb.
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Mary, Mary, Mary!
The already ripe atmosphere had now literally turned into a frenzy.
The residents had become spectators of the arena, and witnessing such a fight from up close was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.
'Ah, this is it. This is exactly how it felt...!'
Cosmos, the Pirate King and the king of privateer, was truly experiencing the thrill and joy that ran through his entire body after a long time.
Since helping Jin in the operation to steal the compass three years ago, Cosmos has never held a competition. He always wandered around the dark places of the sea as a wanted criminal.
'Come to think of it, Jin Gray and Paul Mick's match in my arena was the greatest spectacle of my life. From today onwards, I hope to organize a proper martial arts competition with the support of Runcandel!"
Jin was more conscious of Cosmos, who was looking up at him with moist and shining eyes, as if he was about to cry, rather than Mary's taunt.
'What's going on? He is so moved that it's almost overwhelming.'
Cosmos naturally wiped the corners of her eyes and opened his mouth again.
"Yaaah! Mary, it's the windfury Mary! Well, then, the opponent is—!"
As if they had made a prior agreement, the commotion in the spectators suddenly subsided as Cosmos began to introduce Jin.
Surprisingly, the connected decks started to sparkle, and subordinates who appeared to be executives moved along the ropes between the masts and fired what looked like cannons in the direction of Jin.
Boom! Boom!
What the cannons fired were thick ropes with hooks at the ends. The ropes were connected to dozens of thick cords, each tied to a bundle of silk and velvet, forming a bridge that connected Tikan and the ship.
This time, not only the spectators but also Jin and his comrades, even Mary, could not help but admire Cosmos's incredible performance.
'I've been feeling this for a while, but I can't understand why a person with such abilities would become a pirate.'
Jin gazed down the rope path that followed after his landing.
"He was the most famous reserve flagbearer, the assassin of the archmage Kidard Hall, the one of kind thunder swordsman Vamel, the contractor of Solderet and the Black Dragon Murakan, the savior of the Holy Kingdom of Vankela, the Magic Swordsman, the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel and perhaps the next patriarch of Runcandel… The winner of 1796 Cosmos Competition!"
There was something off, but it wasn't the right atmosphere to question it.
Jin Runcandel! Jin Runcandel!
As a couple of people called out Jin's name from the railing, Cosmos silenced them by placing a finger on his lips.
Then he continued, pausing briefly.
"...According to recent rumors circulating among the sailors, the stories of the innkeepers, and the latest meetings of various critique associations, knight orders, and the alliance of martial artists and mercenaries, he has been given this name lately."
Jin didn't have a 'representative' title yet.
Shadow Contractor, Magic Swordsman, Hero, and many other titles were there, but there wasn't a specific and widely recognized epithet.
"...I present to you! The Black Star and sharp sword, the monster of Runcandel! Huphester's... Black, Crown, Prince!"
At that point, Jin cleared his throat without realizing it, and Murakan pointed to Jin and his companions in turns, exclaiming, "Black Crown Prince, Black Crown Prince! Hahaha, Black Crown Prince!" as he laughed hysterically. Fortunately, his laughter was drowned out by the continuing drumming.
In fact, no one had ever called Jin the Black Crown Prince before.
That was partly because Jin was not an actual royal or noble, but the biggest reason was because of the existence of Joshua.
The word 'Crown Prince' referred to the person next in line to become the next monarch.
Joshua was the next patriarch in line, there weren't many brave people in Huphester who would dare to label Jin with such a title.
In that sense, Cosmos was a very brave person, and he had a hunch. The nickname 'Black Crown Prince' he had just given Jin would become a symbol representing Jin across the world in the future.
"Jiiiiin, Runcandellllll!"
As soon as the introduction was over, a thunderous cheer, more than twice as loud, no, three times as loud as Mary, resonated through the waters of Tikan.
Tikan was Jin's base, and since Cosmos's introductory speech was so grand, it was natural that there would be differences in reactions.
That's why, when everyone was still awestruck by the sight of Jin slowly descending the silk and velvet rope path, Mary yanked Cosmos's earlobe.
"You bastard, who are you serving? Why is the youngest introduction so much louder than mine?"
"Ugh, my, ear, ear, my ear, please! Hoo! No, Captain! How can you blame me for that!?"
"What? This is crazy..."
"The silk path was originally prepared for you, Captain. But you just jumped down even before you could use it, so I had no choice but to let your younger brother use it."
"Hmm."
"And do you really hate it when your younger brother does well? You couldn't stop boasting about him during the whole journey here!"
"Of course, it's great that the youngest is doing well, but it feels odd."
"Hehe, don't worry. If you win, Captain, I'll set off an even grander fireworks display. I wish you luck, Captain!"
Eventually, Jin descended to the deck using the silk path.
The enthusiastic cheers continued, but the atmosphere grew heavier as Jin and Mary silently gazed at each other.
The audience swallowed their saliva, enjoying the tension, and the siblings were silent for a while.
"By the way, Did Yona leave? Hey, creature!"
"Yes, Lord Murakan."
"Who do you think will win? Make a bet. A thousand gold coins."
"A thousand gold coins may be a bit too much for a bet, isn't it?"
"Two thousand. Now that I think about it, I have something to buy."
"If there were no rules, I would have chosen Lord Jin, but in this situation... Well, it's hard to say. One thing's for sure, no matter who wins, the world will once again stir up. There are plenty of eyes watching this."
"The current generation of pureblood Runcandels have rarely fought in public. This will be a battle to clearly show the public who is superior, and the losing side may have more to lose than they think."
Alisa provided an additional explanation, and Valkas nodded.
"Especially Mary Runcandel has a lot to lose. She is a 7th flagbearer, but she is actually treated close to the top flagbearer, and many say that she is the flagbearer that Sir Chiron showed the most interest in after White Whale."
This was a well-known story for the martial artists. In fact, Chiron had shown a lot of interest in Mary, to the point of directly passing on some of Runcandel's secret techniques.
"And, ghost blade, did you mention that you don't know what the outcome of their fight will be?"
"Yes, Sir Valkas."
"You've never seen Mary Runcandel's sword in person. So, don't say things like that."
"Sir Valkas, isn't it true that you haven't seen the sword of Lord Jin?"
"If it were me, I would bet on Mary Runcandel without a doubt. There is no need to worry if the Lord competes in pure swordsmanship. Absolutely."
"Alright, you two bet on Mary. I'll bet on the kid."
Sizzle, clatter!
As the bets were being exchanged, Mary spun her chain sword in the air and began speaking first.
"Your nest is still under construction, the youngest. It's no exaggeration to say that the entire Black King Mountain Hideout is being moved to Tikan. But didn't you know that I and Diphus orabeoni protect your loot from the pests?"
"I didn't know, elder sister."
"I also wanted to have a good fight with the Black King leader at least once. You brat, when did you grow so much? To the point of destroying the Black Kings on your own."
On your own?
Just as he was about to question it, Mary proudly continued with her statement.
"You were protected from the Zipfel mages by my orabeoni and I until last year. You used the Plutonian Reign Sword and magic sword secret technique in the Black King Mountain Hideout just like in the Garden of Swords, right? In fact, the goal I mentioned a little while ago was precisely that. To surpass you by a wide margin."
There seemed to be some misunderstanding, but Mary never gave Jin a chance to talk. She was like a child who was excitedly shouting, revealing her big ideas for the first time.
"Somehow, she has had a look in her eyes as if she were determined to do something big from the beginning. Is that where the misunderstanding came from?'
Mary clenched her fists.
"Youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"Although we decided to seal most of the big techniques in this duel, your big sister is going to give her best. So don't just mess around. If you don't fight properly, I'll destroy Tikan immediately."
How am I supposed to fight you, elder sister? It's an impossible task from the start.
Instead of replying like that, Jin decided to choose different words.
Since this fight has become unavoidable, Jin will use what he does best, as always.
The act of provoking and shaking up the opponent to create an opening was one of the elements that Jin considered most important in a fight.
"All right, sister. I understand. But if you're evaluating me like that, isn't there one thing you need to fix before starting the fight?"
Mary's eyebrow twitched.
"What is it?"
The conversation had been hushed until now, spoken in low voices up close, so it hadn't been conveyed to the crowd. But the next moment, Jin shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"Take off your eyepatch!"
His loud shout echoed off the walls of Tikan.
"..... Huh, elder sister."
Murakan burst into laughter once again, scratching Mary's insides, and the crowd remained silent, confused as to whether it was okay to laugh or not.
"I am starting to understand why uncle Jorden cut off your arms in the past…."
Gooooo!
In an instant, the shining aura gathered around Mary's chain sword 'Viper'.
The aura was so densely packed and formed so quickly that it was almost unbelievable.
'This is...!'
Jin recognized immediately what she was attempting to do with her first strike, just from her posture.
On the other hand, Mary smiled with a sly grin, showing off a secret technique that she had improved even more since last time.
Runcandel's Fifth Secret Technique
Light-speed thrust
What Mary executed was the same sword she used to defeat Ozdock in the past.
'No, this is madness! She said to refrain from using the big techniques that could destroy an entire fleet...!'
It was impossible to question whether the flagbearer of Runcandel was taking her words back so quickly or lying.
Mary's viper was already rushing towards Jin.