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Flash!
A dazzling light obscured his vision first.
There isn't a single person in the world capable of 'reacting' to the light-speed thrust.
It is something that cannot be avoided without predicting, not reacting, or gaining some kind of enlightening that goes beyond even that.
Fortunately, Mary had not fully mastered the 5th secret technique yet. Furthermore, even though it was executed too quickly without any preparatory movements, Jin was able to move his body despite being caught off guard.
He threw his body to the left.
The range of the light-speed thrust was not limited to a single point. It started as a point, spread in a fan shape, and then converged back into a point.
Therefore, even though Jin had moved significantly away from the trajectory of the chain sword viper, he still felt the sword energy passing close to his cheek and neck.
His hair stood on end.
'Is Tikan okay?'
Along with the sensation of hot blood running down his clothes, Jin quickly calculated in his head how to deal with the situation.
'It's too late to look behind, I need to counterattack first.'
He judged that the direction of the light-speed thrust was narrowly avoiding Tikan.
It is unlikely that his sister would have gone to the extent of disobeying their father's orders and risking becoming enemies with him by executing the light-speed thrust.
Swish!
Jin lowered his body, and leaped like an arrow and thrust his sword. The pale and sharp blade of Sigmund was reaching towards Mary's forehead.
She easily deflected her brother's thrust. Then, she burst into laughter as if very satisfied.
The ongoing clash between the siblings was a fast and dizzying spectacle with two streams of light reflecting and intertwining.
The spectators couldn't keep up with the movements of the flashing and dispersing sword energy that swiftly came back together.
"Wow! Dame Mary's incredible right from the first move! Eek! What's that, what's that! There's a hole in the sky above Tikan!"
Cosmos seemed to have taken on the role of not just a host but also a commentator.
The spectators followed his pointing fingers and gazed at the sky, where indeed a huge hole had opened in the clouds, and they couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
The fact that a human could create such a phenomenon by swinging a sword once was beyond belief, even when seen with their own eyes.
Is this Runcandel...!
Everyone could only admire it like that. Not only the remarkable thrust that Mary executed but Jin, who dodged it and even counterattacked, looked like a monster.
Not only the crowd but also Jin's companions were thrilled and in awe of Mary's skills.
"To perform such a thrust while standing. Well, can we even call that a thrust? I think I understand why Sir Valkas asked me to bet money on Dame Mary."
Valkas smiled quietly in response to Kashmir's words.
'Cosmos is still talking without any problems, so it seems Tikan wasn't hit.'
Jin was relieved that his decision to immediately counterattack was indeed correct.
If he had hesitated even a bit or tried to check on Tikan first, he would have had to withstand the follow-up attacks with his posture compromised.
"Tsk, it is still far away from what father had executed. I polished it quite a bit, but..."
The anger quickly boiled inside Jin over at the sight of his sister licking her lips, but he barely suppressed it and made eye contact.
"You really came with the intention of killing me. My head almost disappeared."
"But you didn't die, did you? I knew you would naturally avoid it, hehe."
"...Didn't you first say that we should avoid big techniques?"
"Huhuhu, me? When?"
"No, you definitely..."
If you really think so, then recall what I said, the youngest."
-The rule is simple. You and I fight on the fleet. However, highly destructive techniques that excessively damage the fleet are strictly prohibited.
-Although we decided not to use mostly big techniques in this duel, this big sister will do her best.
Highly destructive techniques that excessively damage the fleet are strictly prohibited, big techniques are mostly sealed, but I will do my best...
In other words, it meant that any technique could be used as long as it didn't excessively damage the fleet.
'It was just a figure of speech, wasn't it.'
Thud!
Jin involuntarily ground his teeth.
Come to think of it, his first duel with Mary was like this too.
Back then, Mary had been wearing the shining armor, scattered top-tier mana bombs across the battlefield.
While he usually didn't fall for such wordplay or shallow tricks, it was strange how Jin always seemed to fall for this type of tricks when facing Mary.
"I understood what it meant."
"Oh, did you? It's fortunate that you finally get it. Come on, attack me again! Attack me! By the way, why didn't you activate your helmet?"
Mary spoke in an excited voice and pointed the tip of her sword at Jin's head.
"Ah, you mean Multa's rune?"
"Is that what it's called? Anyway, the black helmet. If you had used that, you probably wouldn't have been hurt this badly, you know."
"That's for the same reason you wore the eyepatch, elder sister."
Mary paused at Jin's response.
She hadn't worn the eyepatch because she lost an eye. She thought that if Jin couldn't use his magic sword secret technique or Plutonian Reign Sword, wouldn't it be okay for her to have this much of a handicap?
Mary believed that, despite Jin clearly being superior to her, she had an advantage in pure swordsmanship.
"Oh, is that so?"
"Think about it carefully, elder sister. We were evenly matched even in our first match. I was even afraid that you might die back then, so I pushed my limits. But should I really have to use such an artifact now?"
"It won't be too late to say that after you create a situation where you have to take off the eyepatch, youngest!"
The moment they finished speaking, Mary closed the distance once again. When Jin blinked and opened his eyes, the viper had already flown in front of his nose, blocking his vision.
Jin judged that it was a stab and raised his sword to block it, but the chain sword was extended and its path changed.
The chain sword that moved like a snake or whip was flying from all directions, making it hard to believe that it was an attack from just one person.
To the eyes of the spectators, Jin appeared to be completely trapped within the trajectory and afterimages of the viper. Every time the two of them stepped, the deck cracked, and splinters flew.
The pressure from the chain sword was getting heavier.
It was the result of Mary's entire body beginning to be stained with aura. It was a variation of the 7th decisive killing move of the Runcandel, a type of physical strengthening rather than a self-destruction move.
Runcandel 7th Decisive killing move
Volcano – Mary Runcandel
Mary had given her name to Volcano, thanks to none other than Chiron, who had given permission for it.
Jin had only seen Mary execute her Volcano once before. The form was somewhat different from then and now.
'This is a variation of the volcano that she used when she came to rescue the small beastmen and me from spectres. Maybe it's progressed since then, but it feels completely different.'
He had no time to dwell on it with gratitude.
Besides, there was no need to ask if it was okay to use such a powerful attack, given that it would surely destroy the fleet.
Kuh-!
As soon as the Volcano was executed and their sword clashed, Jin staggered backward, spitting up blood.
It was a strange sword.
Mary's volcano sword strike could be considered a sincere strike from a 10-star knight, but for some reason it did not cause any damage to anything other than Jin.
'Why isn't the shock escaping to the outside...?'
Mary's viper, stained with the aura of the volcano, only targeted Jin.
Even when Jin struck back with incredible force, the deck didn't even crack slightly.
As a result, to spectators, it looked like the siblings were just fooling around. They were engaged in an ordinary battle, except Jin seemed to be bent forward and vomiting blood each time the sword touched him.
Originally, this phenomenon was something extremely difficult for Jin to accept. The shock should have escaped to the outside, following the laws of nature, but it was firmly contained within his body.
"What is going on? It looks like a light attack, but Sir Jin is vomiting blood! It's a crisis for Sir Jin!"
Like the spectators, most of Tikan's companions couldn't understand what was happening. Even Kashmir, known as a ghost blade, had never seen such a type of sword.
"Oh, indeed. Valkas, your evaluation isn't that far off. Who would have thought that Mary Runcandel had already reached such a level. She has more delicate aspects than I thought. There weren't many people who could use that even in my time."
Murakan, who had lived for over three thousand years and had experienced Runcandel's heyday, immediately recognized what was going on.
"What's happening?"
"Well, hey, Cuicantelle. What was that called again? I haven't seen it in so long, so I can't remember."
"Temar is called Mind's Heat. It's a method mainly used by warriors rather than swordsmen."
"Oh, right. Mind's Heat, that was its name. It's a sword that causes only internal injuries, with no external shock. That is the reason why the kid suffers from ordinary attacks."
Clang, clang, clang!
Jin felt a terrible pain as if his internal organs were pierced by awls every time their swords clashed. Cold sweat filled his bristling hair.
First, there is a need to increase the distance.
There was no way Jin wouldn't have known that natural response. However, he couldn't use any techniques strong enough to push Mary away, and it wasn't easy with limited space.
'...she won't be able to maintain a volcano and keep wielding a sword like this. After all, the variation of Volcano is a technique that puts an enormous strain on her body.'
Jin realized that counting on this alone was a gamble and an impossible task. Mary already had the information about his magic spells, including the Flash cannon, so they could not buy him any time.
So, he had to finish it quickly.
And, in fact, that had been his plan from the beginning. Jin was somewhat flustered by the variables of the Light-speed thrust and the Volcano Sword.
He wasn't suited for a long battle in this confined space. Therefore, he selected the Plutonian Reign Sword first with a good reason.
Przzt...
Mary opened her mouth as the lightning energy radiating from the Plutonian Reign Sword began to cover Jin's entire body.
"Is it that technique you showed in the Garden of Swords? You're definitely going to get a disqualification loss with that. Or do you want to kill your big sister, regardless of victory or defeat?"
Jin nodded, and Mary let out a mocking laugh.
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Zzzzz, Pzzzt!
Jin released his lightning energy, and Mary felt a sensation as if thousands or even tens of thousands of awls were piercing her flesh.
'He was just raising his energy, but it caused this overwhelming pressure. Jin...!'
Jin's eyes, stained with murderous intent, were emitting a colorful light in the lightning energy that spread like huge blue blood vessels. As their eyes met, Mary involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.
Her blood also boiled like crazy. Her life had always been filled with battles and wars, but there were not many battles that made her heart burn this much.
"Ugh!"
Cosmos stumbled backward under the weight of Jin's energy despite being quite a distance away.
For someone as seasoned as him, he barely managed to stay on his feet, but other pirates nearby had already retreated to the very end of the deck.
The fiery and sharp lightning energy even extended to the audience on the Tikan railings. Of course, Jin's companions had already set up protective shields to ensure no harm came to the spectators.
The energy caused waves to ripple fiercely.
A sea breeze laden with lightning energy blew in, creating flashes of light everywhere, as if the star-filled night sky had shrunk and spread over the fleet.
If Jin were to release this energy, not only would the fleet and pirates be obliterated, but even the spectators behind the protective shield could be caught in the catastrophe.
"Incredible! Sir Jin! This is the Plutonian Reign sword! The sword that once belonged to the most powerful beings on the earth is now unfolding before all of you!"
Despite the danger, Cosmos continued his commentary, and the spectators had no intention of leaving. They didn't want to miss the greatest spectacle of their lives, even if it was slightly risky.
Hoo!
Mary took a deep breath, and she was the first to act. She hadn't stood still for a few seconds to wait for Jin but to read the flow of his attack and find an opening to strike.
Mary waited patiently, unable to fully grasp the flow of Jin's attack. She knew that waiting too long would mean being hit by a perfectly prepared technique.
'Has it reached a new level since the Garden of Swords incident, or is it different from that sword back then? He released this much energy but the fleet remains intact. There's no need to complain about cheating.'
Mary found the phenomenon originating from Jin's lightning energy to be the most peculiar among all.
The sea was roiling, and such a powerful energy extended even to the spectators. However, for some reason, not even a single scratch appeared on the deck.
Either way, Mary had no choice but to dig in nervously.
Pzzzz!
Mary moved into the area of lightning energy, she felt a powerful repulsion as if her whole body was being torn apart.
Mary also increased her aura of Volcano to push back the lightning energy, but overall, Jin's energy was stronger.
It was as if she was moving through water, and it was difficult to advance.
'Fortunately, it seems the youngest is struggling to maintain this energy,' Mary thought, despite slowly closing the distance.
However, Jin remained motionless in place, like a statue.
Finish it in one move.
That wasn't just Jin's judgment. Mary also believed that if the fight dragged on, it wouldn't be in her favor. That's why she had executed the Light-speed Thrust from the beginning.
The lightning energy grew denser as she moved closer step by step.
The view inside the lightning area was completely hazy and blurred, unlike when she had observed Jin's eyes from the outside just a while ago.
Now, the distance between them was about ten steps.
Mary decided not to get any closer, as if to say, "This should be enough." Instead, like Jin, she adjusted her posture and began to concentrate.
"What's happening inside the lightning energy?"
Woooo…!
The aura that bloomed like smoke pushed out the lightning energy and formed its own area. A hole was pierced in one side of the lightning energy's hemisphere, allowing the audience to see Mary inside it.
What followed was a vortex.
A huge aura was rotating in a cross-shape vortex around the viper's blade. As the cross vortex rotated, Mary's area in the lightning energy's hemisphere expanded.
At that moment, Jin felt a chilling sensation, as if a cold blade had touched his throat.
'It seems she also wants to finish this in one move.'
Fortunately.
Mary was still mistaken in thinking that Jin's lightning energy was a form of the Plutonian Reign sword, or another technique equivalent to it.
'That's probably why she's trying to fight back with strength versus strength.'
However, just as Mary did not know that Jin's technique was nothing more than a trick, Jin also did not know what kind of sword Mary was about to execute.
'First of all, her current stance is for thrust.'
He could anticipate that she would attempt the Light-speed Thrust again.
However, that couldn't be all. Even with the reinforced Light-speed Thrust using the volcano, there was no way she would finish a failed technique.
Jin tightened his grip on Sigmund.
He opened his eyes wide to catch the moment the viper moved. That moment would determine the outcome.
'This sword I prepared for you, the youngest.'
Mary's shoulders trembled.
The scene felt like it was unfolding in slow motion. He was so focused that he barely managed to miss that moment.
Runcandel's Fifth Secret Technique: Light-speed Thrust.
Once again, it drew a trajectory that did not cause any direct damage to Tikan, but the second light-speed thrust had a power that was incomparable to the first.
The hemisphere of the lightning energy was torn apart, scattering countless particles in all directions. The vision was completely obstructed, as if tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of pieces of glass had broken all at once.
Particles of lightning energy poured down like a shower. Even Jin's companions couldn't immediately determine if Jin had managed to avoid the Light-speed Thrust or not within the swirling particles.
But the Light-speed Thrust did not end there.
Mary had decided to put her all into this attack without holding back, as this was the final duel with her beloved younger brother before leaving for her training.
Twice.
The volcano Light-speed Thrust was not limited to just one attack.
Swoosh!
A delayed shockwave reverberated, revealing that the Light-speed Thrust had unfolded consecutively.
'Three consecutive Light-speed Thrusts...!?'
This was an unexpected turn of events for Jin.
However, it was not an unavoidable situation. No matter how incredible or fast the Light-speed Thrust was, it could only be executed within the range that wouldn't harm the fleet and the Tikan.
The Light-speed thrusts were coming from both the left and right side. So Jin had limited space to maneuver due to the Light-speed Thrust attacking both directions almost at the same time.
The center.
Even the center was not completely safe. The two streams of Light-speed Thrust that passed through the center constantly caused a vortex of destruction in the central area.
In the midst of the lightning particles and the literally biting vortex, Jin was barely able to keep his balance.
'The two streams of Light-speed Thrust are just a means to keep me in place.'
Now, Jin had no way to evade. With the Light-speed Thrusts occupying the space on both sides, the siblings were standing as if on a tightrope.
Light was spreading.
As the Light-speed Thrust spread and left behind flashes and remnants, the dazzling brilliance filled the space between the siblings.
And it was closing in.
Like a predator cornering its prey with no escape, Mary ran forward along the one and only path left.
There was no escape, just one final confrontation. In other words, the central path where the two of them stood was the real stage for this duel, created by Mary.
'You're really something, aren't you?'
Very impressive indeed.
Mary's volcano emitted a dazzling light even brighter than before. The light of the volcano grew bigger and bigger, trampling on other lights. She was getting closer to Jin.
Jin could not have predicted that Mary would create this situation. When predictions went awry, one would typically find themselves at a disadvantage.
But for Jin, this was the ideal scenario he wished for most: an unavoidable one-on-one fight.
For that purpose, he pretended that he used the Plutonian Reign sword, and pretended that he could handle it more delicately than when he made the patriarchy declaration, so he sprayed lightning energy without aiming.
The lightning energy that formed the hemisphere, now broken into glowing particles, was merely a means to disturb her vision.
It was an entirely meaningless move.
The moment when Mary, stained by the aura of volcano move, was right in front of him, Jin released the grip on the hilt of Sigmund. The pale blade that fell helplessly exploded the lightning energy it contained as soon as it hit the floor and bounced off somewhere.
'What!?'
At this point, Mary could only be taken aback. She naturally assumed her younger brother would execute the Plutonian Reign sword or an equivalent sword move.
'Is this rascal dropped his sword out of the fear of killing me...! I'm sure he wasn't that soft!'
Of course, she didn't want to kill her youngest brother. He was her sibling, and she always wanted to compete with him or fight alongside him.
'That's right, he did something like that before. I heard he had even dropped his sword at a critical moment when he fought Dante Hairan in the arena.'
Even if Jin backed off, Mary had no intention of doing so. That was because it was not the way of a Runcandel.
Just before thrusting the viper into her youngest brother's chest, Mary couldn't help but feel a deep sense of disappointment.
Considering what Jin did during the patriarchy declaration, Mary couldn't fathom or accept his current erratic behavior.
The fourth Light-speed Thrust.
That was the sword move she chose for this last moment.
Originally, Mary had a different sword in mind. She wanted to show her respects to her youngest brother by executing her unfinished ultimate technique.
'If you behave like this, you need a lesson too. As your sister, I will remind you again!'
The Light-speed Thrust aimed at the center would undoubtedly damage the Tikan.
'…But I'm not as soft-hearted as you.'
Sibling love.
The two people Mary felt the strongest bond to were Diphus and Jin. This was why she decided to teach Jin a lesson, by causing harm to his nest.
She wanted to fire the fourth light-speed thrust in a direction that would not cause irreversible damage. However, she was determined to beat Jin to the brink of death after the fight was over.
Also, she makes sure Jin doesn't die from being hit by the Light-speed Thrust. She was planning on taking a closer look at Jin's condition before beating him.
But this very notion of mercy was her own arrogance, as she realized when she heard a distinct, spine-chilling sound.
Shrung!
The sharp blade slipped out of the scabbard, producing a clear and chilling sound.
Mary momentarily forgot what kind of person her youngest brother was. Also, the fact that her youngest brother has two swords.
It was her excessive love for her youngest brother that made her keep forgetting these facts, even in this situation. But in the world of martial arts, one could not afford to be naive.
'I was fooled!'
Shadow Sword 7th technique
Shadow Assault
The sword move that Jin had been concealing while meaningless firing lightning energy all over the place.
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The viper of Mary was already striking forward.
The target point had been determined, and only a single point of blade and lightning energy touched, but the blue field of vision first became clear.
'Darn it!'
She could not see Jin because he was covered by the lightning energy.
Her youngest brother, who could not bring himself to kill her and thus dropped his sword, was nowhere to be seen.
'Where are you!'
Like those who realize their mistakes often do, she also gnashed her teeth. A difficult-to-describe chill seemed to pass through her body.
She would die if she didn't withdraw her sword.
Her instincts were telling her that. The experience she had gained from thousands of battles warned her of the same danger.
She must reabsorb her aura, although it would cause backflow. She had to locate the position of the youngest.
The light-speed thrust, a sword that pierced the sky. So there will be backlash if she forcefully withdraws this powerful sword move.
Kraaaah!
Mary let out a scream as she changed her movements. She felt the muscles and bones of her waist and lower body, as well as her grip on the sword, arms, and shoulders, were shaking as if they were breaking.
She withdraw her sword.
The progress of the light-speed thrust that was tearing through the lightning energy stopped as if it were a lie. Waves of lightning energy surged again, and the flashing lights disrupted her vision.
Mary turned her body around, in a fleeting moment, and she could sense that the energy surrounding her was not only from the lightning energy but also from the black curtains.
What the lightning energy hemisphere was covering was the shadow force. From the beginning, Jin had released the lightning energy with the sole purpose of concealing the shadow force's curtains, in order to perform the Shadow Assault.
She swung the retrieved viper in all directions to secure her line of sight. Each time the lightning energy lifted, black curtains were instantly visible.
'Four, no. Seven!'
She thought something like a black sword energy would be shot at her at any moment.
However, the curtains remained still, and there was no sign of them moving yet. Instead, Mary turned her body to the side.
'He was there!'
Jin was rushing forward. With each flash of the lightning energy, with each blink of an eye, the distance between them was getting closer. Along with Bradamante, which was dyed black.
Ssshhh-!
Finally, Bradamante and the viper clashed.
It appeared as if they collided. Mary displayed an overwhelming response to Jin's sudden attack despite her internal injuries.
However, the viper swung through thin air. The large sword energy that spread like a fan pierced through the lightning energy and shot towards the sky, disappearing.
Mary couldn't help but be perplexed once again.
'He was right in front of me...!'
As if he were a ghost or had teleported somehow.
The blade of her youngest brother was rushing from front just a moment ago, but for some reason, the blade was now rushing in from her rear once again.
The shadows spread around the two were a kind of "gate." Only Jin, who used Shadow Assault, could come and go through it.
This was why Jin was able to seize Mary's rear once again. Just before the clash, Jin had passed through the curtain.
'Even my elder sister is a monster.'
Blood splattered.
It was Mary's blood. Bradamante, who had been aiming for her throat, barely brushed her shoulder.
'I thought I could at least take out his shoulder.'
The blade of the viper also grazed Jin's cheek. The fight was no longer visible from the outside due to the lightning energy and the curtains of the shadow force.
However, everyone could hear the sound of the two swords clashing, the siblings' battle cries.
And everyone had an intuitive sense that when the shadow force and the lightning energy subsided, the person left standing would be the winner.
Kaaah-!
Every time Mary roared, the hemisphere of lightning energy seemed to tremble as if it were about to tear apart. Jin poured out a shower of attacks to prevent his sister from gathering her strength again.
'If I give her even a moment, she might come up with another technique.'
Just before Mary was about to execute the fourth Light-Speed Thrust, Jin felt an inexplicable unease.
The sword move she originally intended to use was not the secret technique, but the unfinished 'ultimate technique'. Jin didn't know that fact, but his instinct warned him of the danger just like Mary's.
Jin had to press on without respite, so Mary couldn't even think of using anything else.
Hoo, hoo!
Mary wasn't the only one breathing heavily. Jin was also losing stamina.
Jin hadn't executed the Plutonian Reign sword, but he couldn't help but get tired since he was rapidly consuming a comparable level of lightning energy. Surprisingly, Mary was in a slightly better physical condition.
Jin roars and grits his teeth.
'It's about time, but how is she still holding up like this?'
What he was waiting for was clear.
Backflow.
'No matter how powerful my sister is, she can't just use Light-Speed Thrust like that without a scratch.'
Kooh-!
The moment his thought ended, Mary bent forward and threw up blood.
The moment to end the battle had come.
Jin went in front of Mary and threw down Bradamante. Mary focused her last ounce of concentration to read his attack trajectory.
Bradamante, which was raised at an angle, was aiming for Mary's neck.
Mary almost missed the trajectory, but she raised her sword and managed to block it.
That much was within Jin's expectations. He had anticipated that a superhuman like Mary would naturally be able to handle it up to this point.
'But in the meantime, she's counterattacking...!'
However, blocking wasn't all there was to it. She was even counterattacking.
To be precise, Mary didn't exactly "block" Jin's final strike.
Shadow Sword 2nd technique: Scissors.
Jin's last trick. The black blade of the scissors was forming on the other side of the trajectory drawn by Bradamante.
In the end, Mary couldn't block the final blade of the scissors.
Shak...!
The shadow force blade grazed Mary's face.
What the blade cut was the pirate eyepatch she was wearing. If it had aimed for her neck instead, it could have easily severed it.
'It's over, elder sister.'
From the beginning, Jin had foreseen his victory the moment Mary used the Light-Speed Thrust. He hadn't let his guard down even in the final moment.
His opponent was Mary Runcandel, after all.
But the fact that Mary counterattacked at the last moment would remain a haunting experience for Jin in the future.
Mary Runcandel, the 7th flagbearer of the Runcandel clan. Regardless of her level of battle prowess, she was regarded as the most formidable opponent by all her siblings when they fought for their lives.
As the mist dispersed, both the lightning energy and shadow force on the battlefield disappeared in an instant.
Suaaaa-!
Suddenly, a stream of water poured from the sky. It was a stream of water falling from a huge wall of water formed when part of the sea split behind Jin.
This was the aftermath of Mary's final counterattack.
"What just happened?"
"Did you see it?"
Cosmos, the pirates, the crowd, and most of Jin's companions had no idea why the wall of water had formed.
Only those who had reached the ranks of superhumans were aware of the fact that Mary had "swung her sword."
"Heh, how did she swing her sword at the last moment?"
"I... I couldn't see it clearly, Lord Murakan."
"I don't know what it is, but if she had swung at the kid properly, the outcome could have been different."
Murakan and Valkas spoke, and Jin was trying to swallow his dry saliva.
'I thought it was just a simple counterattack, but it was faster than the Light-Speed Thrust... No, even if I had known in advance, I could never have dodged it. It was a slash close to divine power.'
Runcandel ultimate technique.
Jin was immediately convinced that the last horizontal slash that had passed by his side was one of the three ultimate techniques of the clan's swordsmanship. It was definitely not complete. If it had been a completed ultimate technique, he would have never remained standing.
Suuuuu— The wall of water crumbled like a sandcastle and returned to the sea.
"Both... both of them seem to be standing perfectly fine! But the fight is over...! Neither Dame Mary nor Sir Jin are moving!"
Cosmos raised his voice, with his pupils trembling.
The siblings made eye contact as they pointed their swords at each other.
Bang!
Mary kneeled on one knee, and sighs of relief were heard from all around.
"Argh! Damn it, I lost. I had no idea you could toy with me like this with your tricks...!"
Mary spat out blood and wiped her forehead. Then, Cosmos announced the result of the battle with fireworks bursting from all around.
"The winner is... Jiiiin, Runcandel! Congratulations! A blazing and unforgettable match, a big match you won't see twice in a lifetime! Everyone, show your appreciation with applause!"
Amidst thunderous applause, Jin approached Mary and extended his hand.
"Why did you try to end the fight with the Light-Speed Thrust when you can use an ultimate technique? If you had executed your ultimate technique at that moment, I think I would have been the one defeated."
"I thought you dropped your sword because you didn't want to kill me, so it was a waste to show this sword move to you, but I forgot for a moment that there was no way you would have backed down like that. Damn. I never thought I would fall for something like this."
"I have used this sword technique against the guardian modeled after one of the Ten Great Knights, Sarah Runcandel. She wasn't in her prime and couldn't fend it off. However, if we assume that you had the ultimate technique, I'm not sure it would have worked against you."
"Hmph, are you comparing me to the clan's old heroine out of fear that your sister will be upset?"
"Aren't you feeling a little upset?"
"Tsk, turns out I'm the one who backed down."
Mary took Jin's hand and rose to her feet. Despite her tone, she had a refreshing smile on her face.
"...Jin, my youngest brother."
"Yes, elder sister."
"Today, you officially defeated the clan's 7th flagbearer."
"Can we really call it an official match? We had too many restrictions on each other."
"That's right. I fought with an eyepatch the whole time, and you restricted the use of magic. But what does it matter? You didn't let your guard down until the very end, and I made mistakes that led to my own defeat. That proves right there that you are stronger than me."
When Jin didn't respond, Mary burst into laughter.
"So, starting today, you're ranked 5th in the family's flagbearer hierarchy. Hold the position well and I can regain it after thorough training. And for that purpose... Hey! Cosmos!"
"Yes!"
"Bring that here."
At Mary's command, Cosmos hurriedly retrieved something from his pouch. What he politely handed over was a book.
Jin couldn't help but widen his eyes and even open his mouth like an idiot as he looked at the author of the book.
The 5th Secret Technique, Light-speed Thrust - Chiron Runcandel.
It was none other than a training manual on Light-Speed Thrust technique that Chiron had written for Mary.
"It's unreasonable for the 5th flagbearer to not know even a single secret technique of his clan, right?"
Jin received the training manual, but he couldn't hide his astonishment.
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"Hmm! So, did you think Lord Jin would win from the beginning and yet told me to bet on Dame Mary, Sir Valkas? You even lied, saying that if I had seen Dame Mary's sword in person, I would have thought the same…"
Tak! Kashmir set down his glass and said. Murakan and Valkas were patting his back with a chuckle.
"I recently joined Tikan, so shouldn't I make a good impression on Lord Murakan? Huhuhu, please understand."
"Anyway, you are quietly foolish, aren't you? Hey, and even if we think the kid will lose, we must bet on the kid no matter what. Can you just bet two thousand gold recklessly if it seems like the other side will win or not?"
Kashmir's forehead wrinkled when he saw the two people laughing.
"No, didn't you instruct me and Sir Valkas to bet on Dame Mary, Lord Murakan!?"
"Oh, now you are yelling at me. Are you out of your mind? Huh? Are you acting like this because you lost the bet and don't want to give up the money? You, the second richest man in Tikan?"
"When did I yell, again! And it's not about the money!"
"You yell again just now. No, I can't stand it, you little creature. Oh, did you avoid it? Here, come here! Hey!"
As if playing a game of catch, Murakan and Kashmir started running comically, and laughter erupted from all around.
"It's a peaceful sight."
Mary said while watching all of this.
After the duel and the award ceremony in the style of Cosmos, Jin and his companions, as well as Mary and the pirates, were having a light post-celebration. They were congratulating Jin's victory.
Jin was sitting next to her, fiddling with the book that Chiron had written himself. He still looked as dazed as when he first received it.
'It seems my father is really interested in elder sister Mary.'
He couldn't imagine the sight of his ruthless father writing a training manual for someone. Even if he forcibly tried to imagine it, he could only vaguely see the back of the man.
"Is Tikan always like this?"
"Most of the time."
"It is really different from the gloomy atmosphere of the Garden of Swords. By the way, you can't take your eyes off it. Do you really like it that much?"
When Jin turned his head and smiled, Mary burst into laughter as if she couldn't stand it.
"Even my cold-blooded younger brother can make such a foolish expression. I thought the only thing you were interested in was fighting like a maniac, but this is also quite nice."
Jin adjusted his expression and gently put the book in his pocket.
"If you wish, I can make you laugh more. What kind of expression should I make?"
"Suddenly, speaking so dryly makes it boring. You have to be a little embarrassed to make it fun."
Clang! The two of them clinked their glasses.
"The youngest."
"Yes, elder sister."
"All the major factions that haven't gone to the Gaifa Archipelago are gathered in the desert named Sota. Have you heard of it?"
Mary was talking about the information she promised to tell Jin.
[Miya!]
Before Jin could respond, Shuri, who had been lying between Mary and Jin (she had been summoned because Mary missed her), let out a cry.
Shuri raised her body and used her front paw claws to draw the location of the Sota Desert on the floor, indicating that she knew where it was, and Mary let out an exclamation.
"Wow, I always feel this whenever I see you, but you're really a clever one. Yes, Shuri. It's there. The desert is located near the center of the Lutero Magic Federation."
In the center of the Lutero Magic Federation, there is not only the Sota Desert but also the capital and the headquarters of the Zipfel, "Drakka."
The first divisions of the three major factions are gathered near that area.
"What is happening in that desert?"
"They are producing new Kozecs."
From the moment Mary first mentioned the word 'Zipfel,' Jin had a certain expectation.
'This is the battleship that Midor summoned with Myuron from that cube.'
The point to note here is not the new 'Kozec,' but the use of the term 'Kozecs' in plural.
"...So they are building and mass-producing giant battleships like Kozecs in the facility located in the Sota Desert."
"Yeah, who would have thought they could mass-produce that?"
"So we need to go and destroy that production facility."
"That's right."
It was a top-secret mission, unlike any other.
In enemy territory. Near the headquarters. It was an attack on a secret facility, and only a very small number of people could be sent back. Jin immediately began to calculate various strategies for the mission.
The solutions were so bad that he had no choice but to grit his teeth.
"When did the clan find out that Zipfel was operating a flying battleship shipyard?"
"The clan seems to have known about the shipyard operation for a while. They only found out the exact location shortly after you destroyed the Black King Mountain Hideout."
"Elder sister, you just now said that not only our clan but also Kinzelo and the Imperial family are on standby in the Sota Desert. So, is it possible that our clan obtained information after them?"
"That's not true. They also got similar information around the same time and rushed to send their top executives to the Sota Desert instead of the Gaifa Archipelago. I am sure about Kinzelo, but the Imperial family may not have sent people to Sota."
"Runcandel and Kinzelo, and the Imperial family got similar information at the same time. This is... clearly a trap."
Jin was convinced.
Zipfels deliberately leaked the information about the shipyard in the Sota Desert. If not, it would be impossible for Runcandel, Kinzelo, and the Imperial family to send people at the same time.
"Diphus Orabeoni said the same thing.
"He probably also said that it was a trap we couldn't avoid."
Mary nodded her head.
It was indeed a trap that they couldn't avoid.
'Attacking the shipyard in the desert right next to Drakka is, in fact, a crazy idea. Even if we succeed and return by pouring in our best manpower, the benefits that the clan and other factions gain are minimal, mainly just consuming Zipfel's resources and slightly delaying Kozec's mass production.'
Of course, since it is a project to build a battleship, so an astronomical amount of resources and manpower may be invested, but it was not worth the effort that the top personnel of each faction, excluding Zipfel, would risk their lives.
As long as the technology was preserved, they could rebuild the shipyard if it was destroyed.
But they couldn't afford to let the Kozecs continue to be manufactured. In this operation, Zipfel was effectively starting from scratch, trying to defeat other factions from the beginning.
If they had already lost.
Jin needed to find a way to win as best as possible, and only then could he avoid being defeated next time.
Or even if the clan lost, Jin had to create a situation where he could gain as much benefit as possible. So he could use those benefits when the clan eventually became his.
'What does Zipfel want? Why did they suddenly leak information about the shipyard at this time? To lure the top personnel from each faction to the center of the Lutero Magic Federation and eliminate them one by one? No, that violates the main premise that there would be no full-scale war as long as my father is around.'
If the top flagbearers died in the shipyard, it could lead to a full-scale war.
'If they intended to fight properly, they would have built all the battleships first and launched a preemptive attack at an unexpected time instead of revealing the location of the shipyard.'
In that case, what was their intention...?
A word suddenly flashed through Jin's mind.
Check.
'Are Zipfels trying to check the strength of the representatives from each faction who attacked the shipyard or whether they possess any special abilities?'
The Sota Desert was near the capital city, Drakka, and Drakka was located at the center of the Federation.
Drakka hadn't been exposed to any attacks from outside forces in the past thousand years. Even Runcandel would find it nearly impossible to create an infiltration team that could infiltrate all the border networks up to Drakka.
'Attacking the secret shipyard next door wouldn't be much different. If Runcandel, Kinzelo, or the Imperial family succeed in infiltrating the shipyard, it's as if Zipfel is checking the abilities of outside forces.'
Kinzelo had the leader, Plutonian-type golems and Bubare, the Imperial family had Majins, and Runcandel had Jin, Murakan, and Joshua, the Prophet.
Of these, the only one that Zipfel might not know exists is the Prophet.
A sharp intuition struck his mind.
'Zipfel found out that Joshua has a special ability and wants to know about his power...!'
That's why they laid down the sweet poison, the trap that they couldn't help but step into.
Of course, it could have been an overkill.
But if that wasn't the case, he couldn't think of any other reason why Zipfel would reveal the location of the secret shipyard.
'Also, there's a high probability that Zipfels didn't include me in their calculations. I chose to go for the Gaifa Archipelago instead of infiltrating the secret shipyard in the Sota Desert. Furthermore, they would have concluded that Joshua and I could not carry out a mission together considering our hostile relationship.'
A faint smile finally appeared on Jin's lips, which had been dark all along.
Once again, he had the role of a variable.
"But, elder sister."
"Yes?"
"Why are you entrusting this mission to me instead of going to the Sota Desert yourself? Is it because of the training you mentioned earlier?"
"That's one reason, but if I had won the duel earlier, I had intended to go myself. Sending the stronger one increases the chances that Diphus Orabeoni won't get hurt."
Joshua and Diphus were the two flagbearers currently stationed in the Sota Desert, waiting for infiltration.
Mary stood up, emptied her glass, and said, "It's time for the losers to leave. This is a letter from Diphus Orabeoni. The infiltration route is marked on it, so just follow it. In case something happens to him, I'm counting on you to make sure he doesn't die."
"Elder sister, hold on."
"Hmm? What is it? Are you trying to thank me for the training manual? Heh, try it five times."
"No, it's not that. Well, of course, I'm incredibly grateful. Please take a look at this."
What caught the eye of Mary as she tilted her head was a knitted green rose.
"Actually, elder sister Yona was here before you came. She even confirmed that the boat was yours, but she was too busy to meet you in person, so she asked me to pass this on to you."
Mary's eyes sparkled as she heard a story that contained somewhat well-intentioned lies.
"Oh, really? Yona, that girl?"
"Yes."
"Haha! Yona had such a cute and adorable side! Isn't she just embarrassed rather than busy? Alright, I like it. To show appreciation for her kindness, my next challenge will be in Samil!"
"Elder sister Mary?"
"Cosmos!"
Mary rushed to the railing and shouted the pirate's name.
"Yes, Captain!"
"Raise the anchor. We've just decided our next destination!"
Immediately, the pirates, scattered across the deck, raised the anchor and prepared for the voyage.
Mary once again covered her eyes with the black eyepatch and before she ran off, she turned around and shouted.
"Come back with Diphus Orabeoni without getting hurt. Got it!?"
Jin smiled and nodded.
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***
On February 27, 1800, a raging sandstorm obscured everything in sight outside the field camp.
The relentless sandstorm that blew all day with the power to bury everything was so tedious that even just watching it could make you nauseous, but the fact remained that this very sandstorm had concealed the members of Runcandel for the past few weeks.
It had also shielded the fact that there was a massive battleship construction yard here until Zipfel intentionally leaked the information.
"Ugh..."
Diphus groaned softly, pressing his forehead.
He felt a pounding headache after reading the newsletter brought by the enforcement knights who had gone to the nearby village in the morning.
(The Windfury and Black Crown Prince fought a battle on deck in the sea near Tikan..... The sea split and the sky opened up whenever the two knights swung their swords.)
(The war of ranks had started out of nowhere due to Mary Runcandel's provocation! The winner was the 12th flagbearer…)
(Mr. Cosmos, the confidant of the 7th flagbearer, revealed, 'the Captain wanted to continue to fight the 12th flagbearer as soon as she heard that he single-handedly defeated the Black King Mountain Hideout.' Were the rumors about the Black Kings incident true?)
(The rumors circulated that the 12th flagbearer had been involved in the recent unknown battle near the Gaifa Archipelago... Did Jin Runcandel kill (or make disappear) Amela?)
(Mr. Zemo, a confidant of the 12th flagbearer, confirmed, 'Amela was indeed sent to the other world by our lord in a single slash.')
(Jin Runcandel climbed to the fifth rank in just one year after becoming a flagbearer. Has the Runcandel succession structure truly changed?)
(Overwhelming victory against the 7th flagbearer! The 12th flagbearer continued to soar, and how long would their legend last?)
'Mary, I expected you to cause a big incident, but I never expected you would have a duel with the youngest in front of the public.'
They hadn't been able to visit the village every day, so it had already been over a week since the news had come out.
While the infiltration team was hiding in the Sota Desert, the world was in chaos due to the battle between Jin and Mary.
-Do whatever you want for the time being. Cause as many incidents as you like, train as you please. I'll take care of the aftermath."
Diphus recalled the words he had said to Mary some time ago. He truly intended to help Mary live her life to her fullest.
However, he desperately needs Mary's help due to the unexpected leak of information about the battleship construction yard by Zipfel.
Luna and Luntia were on different missions and unavailable, and the lower-ranked flagbearers were likely to be more of a burden if he called them.
So, with the intention of getting help just one last time before Mary left, he hurriedly sent a letter indicating the infiltration tunnel.
Diphus never thought he would hear the news that she had a fight with the youngest.
'Could it be that she didn't receive the letter? No, that can't be. Knowing Mary's style... She probably challenged the youngest to a duel with the intention of the winner to come here to support me.'
Phew.
Diphus let out a sigh.
Asking Jin for support wasn't something he hadn't considered at all.
He had just officially become the 5th flagbearer in ranking, but Jin's strength and abilities are comparable to the top flagbearers, as proven during the patriarchy declaration.
However, the reason he preferred Mary's support over Jin's was clear.
Coordination and teamwork.
Needless to say, the brother Diphus trusted most was Mary. If he had to entrust his back in such a dangerous mission, it had to be Mary.
Moreover, in terms of teamwork, Mary was a much better fit than Jin. Just knowing about Joshua and Jin's relationship would make anyone think so.
'Of course, Jin and Joshua would probably divide the work, but... I don't have a good feeling about this.'
Swoosh!
As he had that thought, suddenly both the front and back doors of the barrack opened at the same time.
Joshua and the Black Knight, who were out scouting, entered through the front door, and Jin, who had just arrived, entered through the back door.
"...The youngest? Why are you here?"
When Joshua raised an eyebrow, Diphus shrugged, and Jin casually asked a question.
"There are quite a few strange tunnels along the infiltration tunnel. Were they made by you, 2nd flagbearer?"
Strange tunnels.
That was a question that had intrigued Diphus as well. Joshua had created the entire infiltration tunnel into the Sota Desert. Diphus had attempted to create a different tunnel from another direction but had failed and eventually joined Joshua's tunnel.
During this process, Diphus had also confirmed that Joshua's infiltration tunnel was in a shape that no ordinary person or average magic could create.
Joshua's infiltration tunnel clearly dug deep enough to cause the ground to collapse, but for some reason, it maintained its shape without collapsing.
"Yeah, I made it."
"It seemed like an infiltration tunnel that couldn't have been made by humans."
"Do you think your limited standards apply to everyone? I've clearly overestimated your intelligence."
"Are you not hiding the fact that there's a helper, the so-called prophet or something?"
Since he had met Joshua in the mausoleum immediately after the patriarchy declaration, Jin had judged that Joshua would soon reveal the existence of the prophet to everyone.
Even back then, Jin had openly discussed the prophet in front of other flagbearers and elders, but Joshua had shown no sign of being particularly disturbed.
"You seem to be having some misconceptions."
Joshua shook his head and continued speaking.
"I've never hidden the existence of the prophet. The fact that you and the other flagbearers didn't know about it was simply because you lacked the necessary access to information."
Jin chuckled.
"Well, I didn't bring up the subject to get a strong reaction from you. I feel reassured to think that someone who has been a top secret for a long time is helping me with my work. There are two Black Knights now as well."
The Black Knights didn't react to Jin's provocative behavior. Joshua's gaze landed on Jin's shoulder, where Murakan in the form of a cat was snoring.
"I'm relieved to think that the clan's guardian deity is watching over this mission. Our goals are infiltration and assassination, so you're more suitable for the job than Mary."
While the two were conversing, Diphus continued to ponder the word "prophet."
'How much information did the youngest find out about Joshua?'
And how did they find out?
Diphus felt a mixture of bitterness and curiosity.
He had been aware for a while that Joshua had some special power or helper behind him, but that was all he knew.
He had been investigating for a long time but had found no clues about what Joshua possessed. He had assumed that Rosa had hidden information about Joshua from him, making it impossible to find out.
On the other hand, Jin seemed to know everything about the prophet since the patriarchy declaration. Diphus couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.
'A defeat is a defeat, and I need to figure out a way for the youngest to share his information with me. I have to gather as much information as possible and move faster than Joshua, even if it's slower than the youngest.'
Diphus came to that conclusion, while Joshua and Jin continued to look at each other.
'I mentioned the Black Knights on purpose, but there was no reaction. Has Dox not gone to Rikalton yet?'
Jin thought to himself.
He hadn't received any contact from Dox yet, so he didn't know how his orders were being carried out.
Also, regardless of whether Dox went to Rikalton or not, it wasn't that difficult for someone like Joshua to hide his true feelings.
Joshua smiled and took out a bundle of documents from his pouch.
"Here is the information about the secret shipyard that we've been monitoring and the details of the operation until your arrival."
The document provided detailed information about the internal structure of the secret shipyard, surveillance personnel, risks, and special considerations.
'All facilities of this scale are built underground?'
Jin examined the internal structure, and he was taken aback by the sheer scale of the secret shipyard. It was much larger than he had anticipated.
Joshua smiled, as if he had expected Jin's reaction.
"There are a total of 24 sections, each equivalent in size to a decent-sized castle. Over half of the desert's underground is the secret shipyard. It makes me wonder how they built a facility this size and kept it secret all this time."
A few sections marked in red stood out.
"These marked sections are believed to be the most critical areas for the battleship's design or essential resources for battleship construction. The 4th, 11th, 17th, and 19th sections have the strictest security, and we haven't been able to access them yet."
Up to now, the infiltration team had been scouting the internal structure with the Prophet's power. The fact that they could not infiltrate these areas even with that special power and the abilities of the two top flagbearers and the two black knights meant that the only way was to enter by force.
And the moment they entered those four areas by force, the real time limit for this mission would begin.
"We need to choose our initial entry points wisely because we may only have one opportunity."
"Yes. The real operation will begin at 2 AM tomorrow. From then on, we obtain information directly from the inside, select one of the four sections, and begin the mission of destroying and taking over. The top priority is securing the battleship blueprint and destroying the most important resources. I guess this is enough explanation, right?
Jin nodded.
"Okay, then I guess I'll just have to rest for a bit."
Joshua turned around, taking up the newsletters on the table.
"And congratulations on reaching 5th rank. I'll give you a bottle of good wine as a gift when we return."
"Thank you, I'll gladly accept it. Oh, and thank you for your help during the Black Kings incident."
The conversation turned back to Dox once again.
When Joshua saw that Dox did not return during the Black Kings incident, he instructed his newsletters to write articles favorable to Jin and Murakan, ultimately increasing the clan's prestige.
"As I was looking at those articles, it occurred to me that there were times when the second flagbearer and I got along well."
"I hope the same thing happens during this mission, Black Crown Prince of Huphester. Hahaha…"
The moment he heard the title of Black Crown Prince, Jin felt an intense desire to kill Cosmos all over again.
As Joshua and the Black Knights left the tent, the eyes of Jin and Diphus naturally met.
"Second eldest brother."
"Yes?"
Jin spoke after a brief pause.
"...Let's kill that person during this mission."
Diphus was taken aback by the sudden declaration.