571
In the deepest abyss on the surface, the sound of a weeping that illuminated the darkest corners of the human heart resonated. Ron's transparent tears were infused with light.
"Because... because I was fooled."
Dante repeated the same words with blank eyes.
He was overcome with guilt rather than joy at the fact that two people more precious than his own life, his grandfather and Jin, had arrived here to save him.
Because of that he couldn't stop blaming himself. While imprisoned in Glyek's unconsciousness, Dante felt everything that was happening outside.
It was not possible to examine the exact details of the entire situation because he was chained to the abyss, but at least it was clear that Glyek had killed Ron, destroyed Hairan, desecrated this land, and tried to devour his friends, and realised all of those terrible things.
Dante thought all of that was the price of not being able to beat Glyek.
If only he had endured a bit more, if only he had not succumbed at the last moment, if only he had not been so foolish and weak in that one instant...!
He resented himself. It's all his fault, but he's driven mad with resentment that he can't stand upright on his own, let alone have the power to undo everything.
"Don't say that, Dante. No one could have handled it as well as you did. The fact that I and your friend could come this far is all thanks to you..."
Ron said, wiping away Dante's tears.
"So, it's okay to rely on this old man and your friend now. If it weren't for you, no one could have survived."
Dante lost consciousness and was unable to answer. His breath was labored, his pulse weak, and his body was covered in black traces left by the chaos.
But there was no threat to his life. There will be some traces of chaos encroaching on him like Jin, but there were no fatal internal injuries.
If he gets some treatment and rest outside, he will be able to recover as much as he wants.
However, there was one thing left to do. To put an end to Glyek, the Fifth King of Chaos.
Ron lifted Dante and put on Jin's back. He could feel it. Soon, the final battle of this war would begin.
The fact that Ron and Jin reached the abyss of Glyek also accelerated its awakening.
Originally, Glyek would have taken the control of the unconsciousness naturally as the black sea was formed, but he was awakening faster than expected because the two trampled the abyss.
"The attack will begin soon. Take Dante and somehow get out of here."
The end of the abyss began to sway unstably.
An energy bigger and more ferocious than the storms of chaos that they had experienced while crossing here shook the space where they stood.
Although Ron eventually reached the genesis knight and rescued Dante.
To end the war, he has to deal with Glyek. Jin felt sorry for the fate of Ron and Hairan, who still had to fight after overcoming so many hardships and death.
Kiii-!
In every corner of the abyss, chaos was seething like a plague. It turned into swords and spears and continued to stab from below, but it was blocked by Ron's protective shield and could not enter.
Ron raised his sword and gazed into the center of the abyss.
The unsealed white stone was vibrating. Ron couldn't take his eyes off the white stone for a moment.
"From now on, I will deal with you not as Dante's grandfather, but as the Sword Emperor of Hairan...."
Saying this, Ron slowly swung Rashid.
Looking at the speed of the sword slowly falling towards the white stone, it seemed like it could cut anything. Like Chiron's sword, which Jin faced before becoming a flagbearer, it had the enlightenment and weight of the genesis knight.
Jin seemed to be able to see the expression of Glyek, the white stone facing the sword. A face twisted with anger and fear.
On the other hand, of course there was no more madness in Ron.
He had an absolute gaze unique to those who reached the genesis knight, that was to say, he had a look that said that there was neither one who could defeat him nor the one he could not defeat.
Crack!
The white stone cracked as Ron's sword touched it. It started to fall apart like cheap jewels breaking apart.
The blade continued to slowly cut through the white stone.
Aaaaaaaa...…!
Then, Glyek's distant scream from a distance was heard again. It seemed to express agony, as if the slow cutting process was unbearable.
The more Ron focused on Rashid, the stronger the swords of chaos that pressed the shield became. As a result, the protective shield gradually became narrower, but there was not a single spear that penetrated through it.
Glyek seemed to be concentrating all his power into the abyss.
Jin felt a nauseating sensation as he realized that Glyek still possessed such power.
Glyek also felt the same way about Ron.
"Sir Ron!"
Jin shouted. It was because he had suddenly seen Ron coughing up blood.
The 10% light given to Jin right after he reached the genesis knight and the energy consumed while breaking through the abyss were putting a strain on his body.
Ron nodded as if to assure Jin that he was okay.
The limitations of the body were no hindrance to the genesis knight. Just as chaos was only a form of the king of the Black Sea, the body of the genesis knight was merely a means to embody their enlightenment.
Even though he vomited blood, Ron's swordsmanship was not disturbed at all. The spilled blood soon evaporated in his aura and disappeared without a trace.
By then, there was only a gap of about one step left between the protective shield and the sword of chaos. The white stone was split in half first, or the shield was broken. Jin wasn't worried about the latter at all.
Like that thought, eventually Rashid's blade split the white stone in half first. In the place where the stone had been floating, only the glowing trail that Ron slowly drew remained.
For over a thousand years, Hairan had silently protected the world, and now, at last, the moment had come.
The white stone was finally cut down.
And Ron and Jin could feel the light of the world tickling their eyes, not the darkness of chaos.
Finally, they stepped out from the abyss into the outside world. However, the brilliance of the light wasn't as bright and dazzling as they had expected.
It was because the sky where the light was supposed to shine was still shrouded in chaos. The light was faint, like the grass that sprouted sparsely in the wasteland.
The barrier of chaos was also stronger than it was first formed when Glyek woke up, and Jin was conscious of the fact that heat and poison were everywhere.
'As expected, the battle continued outside as well.'
A whole day had passed since Jin and Ron entered the subspace of Glyek.
And those who fought outside were unaware of what had happened to the two. There was no way for them to ascertain whether they had been captured or had perished.
"Ugh, 12th flagbearer, huff, 12th flagbearer confirmed alive!"
One of the black knights breathed heavily and shouted.
Runcandel had not given up on Jin. However, most of the knights couldn't help but think of the possibility that Jin was unlikely to be alive, just like Dante, who was absorbed by Glyek.
Besides, if he was alive, he would remain inside Glyek, but there was no person with the power of genesis knight in the battlefield outside, so they couldn't penetrate it. It was impossible to even get rid of the barrier of chaos that protected Glyek even after slashing and cutting.
But, out of nowhere, the barrier collapsed by itself, and Jin appeared. Even Rosa opened her eyes wide, inwardly sighing with relief.
[Kid…!]
Murakan shouted as he rushed towards Jin.
However, because of the awls of chaos rising from the floor, it was not easy to approach Jin, and he seemed on the verge of losing control.
Murakan now had only one thought: he must take Jin and escape, regardless of the situation that would unfold afterward.
Kelliark had similar thoughts to Murakan. It seemed that even if Glyek was resolved by negotiating with Kinzelo in the future, he would have to secure Jin and leave the battlefield. Even if the world was in danger of being destroyed.
"12th flagbearer...!"
Rosa also extended her sword and leaped forward, and Kelliark followed suit. The corpses of knights and mages were trampled under their feet.
However, Talaris, who was as concerned about Jin as they were, could not easily approach Jin. She was barely holding her own as her entire body was covered in blood.
Elona Zipfel was the reason why her sealing had been suspended until now. Talaris had been fighting without being able to use most of her power.
The reason why Talaris overturned the release of Elona Zipfel's seal was no different.
Ron Hairan.
It was because he disappeared with Jin. If it's Ron, if only that stupid old man comes to his senses...… It was because of the expectation that a miracle might happen again. Talaris thought that breaking the seal of Elona Zipfel should be postponed even if there was hope as small as a grain of rice.
"Youngest!"
Rosa, who was heading towards Jin, shouted with a sharp voice. There were about a hundred steps left between them, but suddenly she saw chaos like a tsunami attacking Jin.
It was by no means the energy that Jin can handle. If she couldn't block it, his whole body would be torn to pieces and he would disappear without a trace.
Amidst the horror and despair of those who sought to save Jin,
Suaaaaaa...!
They witnessed a single shining blade cleaving through the chaos, splitting it in half that attacked Jin.
Then, as the tsunami of chaos cleared, people could see the sight of Jin carrying Dante, and even the appearance of Ron Hairan standing tall next to him.
At that point, everyone paused for a moment and doubted their eyes.
Especially the giants like Rosa, Kelliark, and Talaris were shocked to see Ron. To the point where they even forgot their eagerness to reach Jin in an instant.
'Ron Hairan has reached the domain of genesis knight!'
'Really, genesis knight... Besides, even Dante Hairan...…!'
The giants' heartbeats raced as if about to burst.
Even if all human history was combined, there were less than 10 people who have the power of genesis knight. Even including both the old and the current ones who's history was erased by Zipfel.
In particular, the giants of this era thought that another genesis knight could not appear because the world already had one genesis knight named Chiron.
They were convinced that the difference between Chiron and them was so great that they could not overcome it even if they devoted their entire remaining life to it. Even Chiron predicted that Ron would be more likely to become a monster than to reach the genesis knight domain.
Chaos attacked Jin several times even after being blocked, but was blocked by Ron's sword and returned to nothing.
And looking at the fragments of chaos falling like flesh, Ron said:
"Glyek... There is nothing more you can take from here. Not even your own life."
572
After Jin and Ron disappeared into subspace, the battlefield outside became in a state of defeat in an instant.
This is because Glyek has shown greater strength than before he was sealed in the magical seal of Hidden Palace.
Glyek had judged that all the variables that humans could expect were blocked. In a battle that lasted through the day, the giants were unable to do any damage to Glyek.
Like in the beginning, they couldn't even attempt an attack properly. They couldn't cause fundamental damage to Glyek and his energy was strong, so they were in a hurry to protect their allies.
It was like the sea, which eventually regained its true form no matter how much it was cut.
They couldn't make him tired, and they couldn't open the magical seal again, so the war flowed only bleakly.
Until Ron, Jin and Dante return. The only time Glyek stopped attacking was when Ron was cutting the white stone that's left in its abyss.
It was only a matter of time before the giants of Zipfel, Runcandel, and Hidden Palace could have died in battle.
Kelliark had been thinking of retreating, but even that seemed unlikely because of the transformation of the Black Sea.
In such a situation, Ron gained the power of genesis knight and returned to the battlefield. That too with Jin and Dante.
How the hell was Ron able to reach genesis knight domain in such a short time, and what happened while he disappeared with Jin?
The giants didn't know, but one thing was clear.
The fights from now on will never be as absurd as it has been until now.
Glyek is being hit.
The brilliant sword spreading like a whirlwind protected Jin and Dante like a barrier.
The energy of chaos seemed to be unable to approach the shield as easily as beasts in front of fire.
[How... What have you done? Ron Hairan.]
Glyek's gloomy voice still has the energy to terrorize humans by itself.
But giants, no. Even the others on the battlefield who had not yet reached the realm of transcendence felt it.
That there was fear in his voice. Glyek flinched every time when Ron swung his sword.
Glyek's body was about to be comparable to the sword emperor castle that was destroyed, but Ron standing in front of him seemed even bigger.
"That's what I'm going to ask. What have you been doing up until now, to my Hairan."
Whoa-!
Rashid resonated intensely.
The formless sword, the enlightenment that symbolizes the Sword Emperor Ron Hairan.
The sword continued to lose its pure form after the beginning of the Sword Emperor castle battle.
As the situation became more difficult, it lost its transparent color and turned gray, and when he fell in chaos, it was dyed black with chaos and even stabbed his own allies.
Now, Ron's swordsmanship, which had begun pouring from Rashid, was formless again.
However, the reason why his swordsmanship is invisible is not just because his swordsmanship is as great as before.
Just as those who did not climb to the genesis knight realm could not recognize the light of the genesis knight, Ron's new formless sword was the same. Therefore, the current formless sword is just an invisible swordsmanship to the vast majority of humans.
To someone like Chiron Runcandel, it will look like a sword that shines even brighter than that...… Glyek also saw it that way.
Glyek cringed at the bright flash that seemed to blind him. Just by looking at it, he felt as if his entire body would be torn apart and disappear somewhere.
"Answer me."
Ron said while making eye contact with Glyek. Then, following his will, the swords of the genesis knight rushed into his body.
[Kaaaaaaa…!]
Glyek struggled in pain and let out a scream. The formless sword was dissolving the chaos that formed it into particles.
A calm storm.
Those who knew Ron's intangible sword couldn't help but think of such a strange expression. A power as vast as the sea is tearing Glyek apart, but they can't see it at all.
Even the giants couldn't accurately recognize how the formless sword energy was flowing.
"I don't think you have anything to say. If so, I will recite it for you."
Squeak-!
Ron swung his sword and cut off five or six of Glyek's arms, which he reflexively extended.
"White stone, Glyek. You destroyed the territory of Hairan, made the land uninhabitable again, and tried to kill the next patriarch of Hairan. As the Lord of sword emperor castle, I will ask you for the crime and execute the sentence."
Punishment is extinction.
After Ron's words finished, his eyes shone brightly.
And there was laughter mixed in the screams of Glyek. Screams that shook the heavens and earth and ridicule like a bleak wind rang at the same time.
[Puheh...…! That's great. It is clear that you are more special than any human being I have ever met. I praise you for that.]
Glyek's size dwindled rapidly as he began to speak. Ron didn't feel anything special about his relaxed appearance.
[However, you had the power to defy fate... It is not necessarily possible to do so.]
Swoosh...… Glyek's body began to dissipate.
As the unnecessarily huge form disappeared, the chaos lost to the formless sword reduced. It has now become a black wind and scattered all over the battlefield.
The giants were still unable to break through the chaos and enter where Ron is standing
Even though Ron is giving Glyek an essential blow, it's still full of chaos that even they can't bear.
Still, the giants were slowly regaining their composure.
'Anyway, it would be safer for Ron Hairan to take over to protect Jin Runcandel than myself, but... Indeed, the question is whether he will defend Jin until the end.'
'Forcibly securing the youngest is rather dangerous. It seems that the King of Chaos has some other means left, so we should rather prepare for it. If Ron Hairan gives up on the youngest, it's a factor that can't be changed without worrying about it.'
Kelliark and Rosa thought. They were concerned about Glyek's outbursts and Ron's 'abandoning Jin'.
The latter seems to be a matter of no need to worry about, but it was no different for them to think that way.
Although they did not reach the genesis knight domain, they knew well how those who reached the genesis knight lost their humanity.
Those who reach the genesis knight were in danger of becoming monsters for the rest of their lives.
In particular, Rosa had seen firsthand what state Chiron was in right after he reached the genesis knight. The Chiron at that time was no different from a murderer. It was only after a long time that Chiron remained as stable and insensitive as he is now.
There was no law against Ron either. In fact, just like Rosa and Kelliark's worries, Ron was still in the middle of an inner struggle with the mind trying to eat him up.
[Especially if you still have strong mortal feelings like you do now...….]
Glyek's voice echoed in the black wind of chaos.
Although it is true that he made a mistake in his own calculations, and as a result Ron Hairan stood by his side and climbed the genesis knight realm. Glyek still held onto the possibility that Ron might be of his kind. With a premonition that maybe even Ron's rise to the genesis knight might be just a precursor.
Also, even if Ron could eventually maintain human emotions, Glyek was convinced that his combat power was superior to Ron, and he was also aware of the fact that Ron's genesis knight attribute was specialized in 'protection'.
Whoa-!
The scattered chaos of Glyek began to form a vortex in the middle of the battlefield. At the same time, the energy of chaos that had colored the ground was gushing out. It seemed as if a black tidal wave was rising from all sides.
All the humans on the battlefield except for Ron were speechless for a moment. It's been tough enough so far. But now, the energy that Glyek had begun to reveal has far exceeded the power that humans had experienced.
The chaos of Glyek is in full bloom. That meant that the black sea had been completely converted to the amount necessary for him to fight with his natural strength.
Until now, he had been unable to use his power because he was absorbing Jin and stopping them from entering the abyss.
The Orb of Origin is an object made by combining the energy of all the gods, and even the Plutonian tribe in its prime days faced the result of destruction while opposing its power.
And it was the kings of the Black Sea who divided that power into five pieces.
What has been revealed so far cannot be everything. Since the beginning of the war, time has never been on the side of humans. Even up to this moment.
"Ha...!"
The approaching giants stopped charging and caught their breath. The venom of chaos rising from the ground was holding them back.
All humans except for giants couldn't even breathe properly. Even the Black Knights and the Wraiths vomited blood because of the chaos that penetrated their bodies, and the lesser knights and mages quickly lost consciousness.
Talaris' condition was not good either. Since she hadn't unsealed Elona, she didn't have the strength to defend herself.
Still, the reason Talaris didn't fall immediately was because Rosa quickly made a judgment and returned to her side.
"Master of hidden palace, stick to me."
Rosa remembered how Talaris had tried to tell Kelliark that she had one last move left before Jin disappeared.
As Rosa and Kelliark predicted, Jin and Dante were not affected by the poison of chaos rising from the ground. Ron's power is protecting them.
It also meant that Ron would have to keep guarding them and do battle with Glyek.
And Jin was aware of the fact that something was wrong with Dante, who's on his back, as soon as Glyek's outburst began.
'Dante's body... It is being engulfed in chaos again...…!'
He could see Dante's hand wrapped around his own neck gradually turning black.
Ron is also aware of that fact and is furious, but he doesn't express it enough to be noticed by Jin.
However, Glyek was looking out for it. The fact that Ron is in a rage. That anger would soon turn into hatred and seduce Ron again.
[Ron Hairan, if you want to defeat me, you will have nothing to protect....]
573
Dante was convulsing. His black blood flowed down Jin's neck.
Jin gritted his teeth as he confirmed that the blood was stained black with chaos. Dante's body against his back was cold and rigid.
Obviously, Dante's pulse was weak right after Ron and Jin saved him, but his body temperature had almost returned.
Clearly, Dante was dying.
How many trials did he have to go through to save Dante?
Jin had no time to even feel anger toward Glyek, thinking that he could not lose his friend, who overcame all that and was finally saved, in vain.
Jin only thought about how he could save Dante.
Jin recalled what Ron had said to him before coming out of Glyek's abyss.
The words that urged him to somehow take Dante and escape while he fought Glyek in their final battle.
'I must go to the rear battlefield and find Madame Talaris!'
He had to ask Talaris if she had a means of sealing Dante, so he could postpone his death.
She will have to make sure and get the means to keep Dante alive, not just her, but also Rosa and Kelliark. If they possessed the Legacy of Numerus, Jin had to tell them to use it on Dante.
Originally, they would never use such a sacred item to save Dante in a situation like this, but not now.
Now that Ron has reached the Genesis knight, the great clans had to save Dante to avoid his wrath.
'It is unlikely that Runcandel and Zipfel have any Numerus's legacy. Even if they had it, considering the current situation, they must have already used it. Still, I need to go there first...!'
Jin urgently turned his head in all directions. Glyek's chaos blocked the path no matter where he looked.
Jin followed the trajectory left by Ron's sword and relentlessly advanced towards any possible opening.
The formless sword continued to dissipate the chaos energy, but there seemed to be no sign of a space large enough to escape.
Moreover, while Ron swings his sword to open the path, there is inevitably a slight gap in Jin's safety. The sword of chaos was rushing into the gap.
Fortunately, it was not to the extent where he couldn't evade yet, but it wouldn't last.
Ron separated a portion of the energy that protected him and layered it over Jin and Dante.
Strictly speaking, Jin was not fighting Glyek, and unlike Ron, who had reached the Genesis knight, he could not accurately read the flow of his attack.
Therefore, Jin did not know that the chaos energy outside his field of vision was also targeting him.
It was only after a black awl flew in from behind and pierced the shield.
"Jin, don't dodge or block, just keep going!"
Jin nodded. Ron sent his energy whenever the awl caused a crack in the protective shield surrounding Jin.
Having the power to defy fate did not necessarily mean that it would happen...
Glyek's words were not false. Humans only got the chance to win the fight thanks to Ron becoming Genesis knight, but victory was not guaranteed.
Full power.
Now Glyek was literally pouring out all his strength.
And the fact that the King of the Black Sea was doing his best meant that the aftermath of the battle was not limited to this place, the territory of the Sword Emperor Castle.
Kwaaah...…!
Everyone on the battlefield except for Ron reflexively looked up at the sky at the sudden roar.
The sky, dyed black in chaos, was opening.
A different level of crack was being formed than when the sky was changed by the Demon God's orb.
A Black lightning strikes through the swirling chaos.
The merciless black lightning claimed the lives of knights and mages barely holding on, creating bottomless craters wherever it struck the ground.
Even within those craters, chaos erupted like lava. In the intensifying disaster, the elite forces of Runcandel and Zipfel were dying helplessly.
Even this wasn't only happening in the territory of the Sword Emperor Castle.
They could see a swirling vortex of chaos in the sky. The chaos extending beyond the battlefield moved towards the Empire, beyond the Empire, and into the territories where other people lived—Runcandel and Zipfel's territories—at an indescribable speed...
'Is he going to attack the entire human world!'
Even Rosa, who had told Jin that it wouldn't matter if the entire world perished as long as only Runcandel survived, was shocked to see the chaos spreading to the world. She wondered if she had ever encountered a more shocking instance in her life.
Even the elite forces of each faction couldn't withstand this chaos.
If something like that was released into the human world at random, ordinary humans would never be able to endure it.
The destruction of the world seemed to be an inevitable sequence of events.
'Is there no choice but to expect the Prophet to come up with something? I don't know what she will ask for in return.'
Kelliark had similar thoughts to Rosa.
'If this continues, the empire will of course be destroyed...… but Zipfel is also in danger.'
Both clans had already suffered severe blows. In Runcandel, the black knights began to lose their life, and Zipfel almost lost its fleet and the number of dragons and mages died was unknown.
The fleet can be rebuilt, and they can find the dragons of the same attribute who were inactive.
However, even if the martial artists of Zipfel were revived with the Demon God's orb, they could never return to their original form once they died because the Demon God's orb was incomplete.
Demon God's orb was affected again as Glyek began to use his full power.
Previously, it only trembled in fear, but now it was showing an unstable state as if it was going to run out of control at any moment.
'… I should have restricted Veradin's rampage from the beginning. I can only hope that Kadun and Hedo will make the right decision without me.'
As Kinzelo first predicted, Runcandel and Zipfel were not without last resort.
However, both clans absolutely wanted to exclude those means. If only they had known of Glyek's existence from the beginning, it might have been different, but now it seemed late to bring it out.
'The land where my daughter is supposed to live... how can I stop that?'
Talaris, who had been sitting down to catch her breath, raised her head and gazed up at the sky with a devastated face.
The chaos that began to spread all over the world and the giants did not have the means to stop it. Glyek didn't say anything, but his triumph feeling seemed to penetrate to the bone.
However, their despair didn't last long. Because the next moment, they saw a huge protective shield that humans had never seen before in their lives.
A huge, dome-shaped shield made of light covered the entire battlefield, extending beyond the coastline far out to sea.
The attribute of Genesis knight achieved by Ron Hairan is protection. That power, no. The 'divine power' reacted to the chaos and started blocking the chaos from being released into the world.
The rate at which the protective shield expanded was faster than Glyek's chaos could spread.
It is unbelievable that one human being created it, and a great power has begun to protect the entire world.
It's something even the gods can't do.
It was a protection that only Ron Hairan could do.
"You said I had nothing to protect if I defeated you."
Saying that, Ron extended his sword forward. Then the scattered chaos of Glyek followed Ron's hand and formed a human-like figure in front of him.
It wasn't something Glyek had created; Ron had forcibly drawn the chaos to fashion a state suitable for eliminating it.
Squeak-!
As Rashid slashed the figure, the entire space tainted by chaos trembled. The growth of chaos escaping from the vortex also stopped in an instant, and Ron forcibly grabbed Glyek's energy once more as soon as the shape was scattered.
"If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have made it this far..."
Ron continued to cut Glyek like that.
If Glyek was dealing with Chiron, it would have been a good decision to take all of humanity hostage. Chiron might be able to kill him faster than Ron, but he couldn't prevent the damage on the human world.
But it was an obvious mistake against Ron. Rather, Glyek should have focused his power on one man, Ron Hairan.
This was not what Glyek did without any calculations. He had expected that when Dante died and the world was on the brink of destruction, Ron's demon heart would accelerate.
There was still a threat of Ron becoming a monster.
However, Ron's light of protection had reached a far greater realm than what Glyek felt.
Ron's protective shield wasn't completely blocking the entire chaos that went outside the battlefield.
Still, the remaining people outside could handle it if this much chaos escaped outside.
There would be inevitable casualties, but the complete annihilation of the world could be avoided.
"No matter what you do, I will never become a monster like you. Even if Dante, my grandson, whom I rescued so desperately, ultimately meets his end at your hands, I absolutely won't."
[We'll see about that.]
At those words, Ron grinned and said.
"Do you think you can see it?"
Glyek did remained silent.
Ugh!
Dante, carried on Jin's back, spat out black blood again. Although the convulsions had completely ceased, Jin could hardly feel Dante's heartbeat.
Thanks to Ron's protection, Jin was considerably far from the battleground between Ron and Glyek. However, it would still take time to reach Talaris, Rosa, and Kelliark.
It seemed unlikely that Dante would still be alive inside.
Regardless of Dante's survival, Ron clearly held the upper hand.
Because Glyek had dispersed his power, he was unable to stop Ron from forcibly forming his body and cutting it down.
Every time Ron cut down Glyek, the vibrations on the battlefield grew stronger, and the amount of chaos escaping the protective shield also decreased.
For the first time, Glyek was on the defensive. Ron was successfully putting pressure on Gliek like a wild beast that wouldn't let go of its grip on the back of the neck.
Finally, those who were fighting outside also had some breathing room. Rosa and Kelliark quickly ordered the wounded to be moved toward the area with the least chaos, outside the protective shield.
And Glyek focused solely on Ron. Observing Ron, who entrusted Dante to Jin, concentrated on Glyek, and Glyek suddenly felt a strange sensation.
Clearly, Ron's goal was to save Dante.
Thinking this, Glyek concluded that what Ron should do first is not attack him, but to share his Genesis knight's energy with Dante.
[Ah.]
Glyek spoke as if he had gained some assurance. The conclusion he reached was this:
[Ron Hairan... you're going to self-destruct with me.]
574
"Wh-What is that!?"
"Shadow force? No, that's...."
The mages aboard on the watchtower of Zipfel's unfinished 3rd Fleet's flagship, 'Lucia' opened their eyes wide.
They were currently crossing imperial waters to provide support for the ongoing War of the Sword Emperor Castle (as it was known to them).
Kelliark did not directly order reinforcements, but as the war was taking longer than expected, Zipfel decided that something was wrong in the Sword Emperor Castle.
"Quickly inform the commander's office!"
Before news arrived from the watchtower, another mage on board burst into the commander's room.
"I just came in from a scout ship! Near the Sword Emperor Castle, the sky is turning black, and an unidentified energy continues to pour down..."
"Unidentified? You stupid bastard, that's the chaos energy! And it's from one of the Five Kings of the Black Sea!"
Kadun shouted, cutting off the words of the reporter mage.
He felt absurd, and it felt like his internal organs were all twisted. It was not only because of the mages' ignorance, who failed to recognize even the chaos energy, but also because they didn't know who the owner of that enormous power was.
'The white stone, it is not the chaos and records of Helluram, but the sealed king of the Black Sea…!?'
A throbbing headache came over him. He knew that without the power of the genesis knight, they would never be able to handle the King of the Black Sea.
Hedo, standing next to Kadun, also had a solemn expression. He doesn't know much about the King of the Black Sea, he had experienced chaos in the Black Sea in the past. It was the first time he had seen such vast chaos.
"It looks like the patriarch is in danger."
"Father?"
At Hedo's words, Sandra Zipfel tilted her head.
"We need to increase our speed. We have to clear the way. Hedo, you should take the lead and open the path."
"Lord Kadun. If we increase the speed, it will be difficult to maintain the state of young patriarch."
Veradin Zipfel had forced himself to go wild to prevent Kadun and Hedo from participating in the Sword Emperor Castle War.
Therefore, even though they decided to provide support, Kadun had brought Veradin, who was forcibly sealed in the device. As it is an object that should be firmly fixed, so they are flying at a speed slow enough not to burden the device.
The moment Veradin ran out of control, Zipfel had too much to lose.
Nevertheless, Kelliark was the first priority of Kadun as he was a guardian dragon. In fact, losing Veradin could be painful but replaceable, while Kelliark was not.
Hedo, on the other hand, observed the situation more calmly.
"Still."
"Just calm down. In my view, even me and Lord Kadun would have a hard time breaking through that level of chaos anyway. Furthermore...."
Hedo's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the sky over the sea.
"I can feel the energy of the genesis knight. Someone on the battlefield has reached the genesis knight. It seems to be the Sword Emperor. His aura is suppressing the chaos."
Originally, Kadun could have easily perceived it, but in his urgency, he missed it. Through the black sky, he could see the protective shield that Ron had spread, standing out little by little.
There was no way to know how Ron, who was immersed in internal trauma, became a genesis knight so suddenly. But Hedo felt that it was not an important issue.
"If the Sword Emperor has reached the Genesis knight, it would be even more problematic. Doesn't he already have a grudge against the patriarch?"
"He's not the type to seek personal revenge when he's dealing with something like that in his own territory. If he wanted to kill the patriarch first, he wouldn't have prevented chaos like that."
"What an impressive old man!"
"... Young lady. There must be the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel in this living hell."
"Oh, yes! Baby! Damn! Hedo, what are you doing! As Lord Kadun said, we have to speed up right now!"
"He might already be dead."
"Say that stupid thing one more time with your mouth."
"Lord Kadun."
Hedo made eye contact with Kadun.
"It might be better to wait."
"What! Can't you hear me, Hedo!?"
"Why do you think that?"
"The way the chaos is spreading seems unusual. It seems impossible to break through. It might be better to take measures to prevent the chaos that breaks through the Sword Emperor's shield from destroying the clan's territory. At this speed, it will reach not only the Empire but also the clan's land soon."
Kadun thought for a moment.
'Hedo is right. Regardless, the Sword Emperor is the only one who can face the King of the Black Sea, and it's very risky if Veradin gets out of control.'
Besides, no matter how the battle of the Sword Emperor Castle ends, either Ron or the King of Chaos will surely die. The winning side is also unlikely to emerge unscathed.
Then, at that time, the side with the highest remaining power would be advantageous in every aspect. Therefore, it was necessary to conserve strength as much as possible, and for that purpose, defending the territory was a necessity.
"I'll do as you say, Hedo. Until there is a meaningful change in the situation, we will prevent the spreading chaos from reaching our territory."
* * *
Runcandel's reinforcements were exactly in the same situation as Zipfel. As the war prolonged, they were heading to Sword Emperor Castle according to the war scenario that Rosa said.
'Is that catastrophic power spreading from the known as Glyek, the king of the Black Sea?'
It was Diphus who led the Second division Knights of the Black Sword Association, and the allied clans on behalf of Jorden. Originally, he was protecting Tikan at Jin's request as soon as the Sword emperor castle War started, but given the circumstances, he had to command the reinforcements.
Diphus got the information that Glyek had awakened from the Vamel Alliance, who escaped the battlefield, not from the knights who went on scouting.
'Furthermore, what's preventing the chaos from spreading across the entire Empire is the power of genesis knight… Perhaps Sir Ron.'
Diphus was also checking Ron's aura that was holding back the chaos.
'It is impossible to advance through the battlefield with all our strength now. Anyway, we can't inflict damage if it's not a genesis knight, so even if we can enter, the chances of it being helpful are low. Rather, we will become a burden.'
So, as soon as Glyek woke up, Rosa ordered all the knights except for the Black Knight and the first division of the Black Sword Association to escape to the outside. Diphus was making the same judgment.
"Orabeoni, what are you going to do?"
Mary said, standing next to Diphus. She also recently started her personal training, entrusting all the work of the 7th flagbearer to Diphus, but she was urgently called.
There was a hint of nervousness in Mary's voice. The thought that not only Jin but the entire clan might come to an end made it challenging for her to maintain composure.
Diphus made a swift decision.
"There is no guarantee that the chaos energy escaping the empire couldn't invade the clan's land. Until it is deemed feasible for the main house and allies to enter the battlefield, we will contain the chaos and prevent it from spreading."
"Damn it, why do our elder sisters have to be absent at a time like this?"
Luna was in the middle of a battle with Kial, and Luntia was unaware of the current situation as she was tracking down Temar's legacy.
Mary tousled her hair as if frustrated, and she looked at Myu and Anne.
'Why do they seem strangely relaxed? Even their hushed conversations seem oddly carefree.'
Mary strode towards them.
"Hey, you two."
"What?"
"What are you whispering about?"
"Oh."
Myu smiled.
"I think you worry too much."
"What?"
"Would the 7th flagbearer be so worried even if our father was in Sword Emperor Castle? Ron Hairan has risen to genesis knight domain, so he will defend his territory, and even he is friendly to the 12th flagbearer. I don't think we need to worry about this much."
"How many of our knights do you think are dying in there?"
"I don't know exactly, but it's certain that we are taking less damage than Zipfel. Ron Hairan is helping the 12th flagbearer. Isn't it an advantage for our clan if the situation ends with relatively much damage to Zipfel?"
Mary was momentarily speechless.
There was nothing wrong with Myu's answer. But that wasn't why Mary hesitated.
"Oh, yes. You could think that way, right? You crazy folks, saying that now. Let's talk after the situation is over. Get out of here, I might punch you right now."
As soon as Mary answered, Myu and Anne left their positions.
"… Diphus Orabeoni."
"Yes."
"There is something that those two believe in. Something must have happened since the 2nd flagbearer has fallen. Let's find out after this job."
"Okay. We have to sort that out first, so prepare yourself."
* * *
At the word self-destruct, Jin hesitated for the first time and looked back.
'What...!?'
Not only Jin, but everyone on the battlefield were shocked to hear Glyek's voice. But Ron burst into laughter at his words.
"Self-destruct? You're spouting nonsense because you are cornered."
Ron didn't say this to hide his true feelings. Ron quickly erased his laughter and focused on slicing and tearing Glyek apart.
But Jin wasn't able to relax for some reason. An ominous feeling that was difficult to explain crept through his brain.
'This is not the time to lose focus on these worries. Let's just look at the situation. If Sir Ron really had self-destruction in mind in the first place, he would at least have told me.'
The energy of chaos penetrating Ron's guardian wall came into Jin's sight, who started running again.
'The rest of the great clans outside are not fools. They'll definitely choose to stop that instead of entering. There's no choice but to do that.'
The moment he wants to run again. Jin's eyes widened. It was because for the first time he felt movement from Dante on his back.
"Ugh, ugh...."
"Dante! Are you awake!?"
The reason Dante was regaining consciousness was clear.
It was because Ron began to deal a serious blow to Glyek, and the power of chaos affecting Dante became unstable.
A slight warmth circulated through his cold, stiff body.
Jin realized for the first time in a long time that it was so difficult to see his friend go through the crossroad of life and death.
"Jin...."
"Dante, don't try to talk until you're feeling a bit better. Just hold on a little longer, I'll heal you..."
A smile spread across Ron's lips. Amidst the deafening noise of battle, he could clearly hear his grandson's voice, a small voice that started so far away.
Dante seemed to want to say something more, but after struggling to breathe for a while, he couldn't muster the strength to speak. His consciousness was returning and disappearing each time as Ron slashed Glyek, the cycle of coming to his senses was getting shorter and shorter.
"Looks like it's time to put an end to it, Glyek."
Ron said as he tightened his grip on Rashid.
575
As Ron felt Dante's vitality gradually return, something hot rose in his chest. Although his heart continued to numb due to the Genesis Knight's energy, his eyes welled up with undeniable emotion.
The amount of chaos escaping through the protective shield was clearly decreasing. The speed at which Ron's sword energy tore apart Glyek also increased.
Glyek, who had effortlessly overwhelmed the elite forces of the world's strongest clans until now, was no longer recognizable.
Slish, thud-!
Ron forcibly gathering and cutting Glyek's form in seconds. While Glyek's momentum was rapidly waning, Ron's sword was showing its true value.
Glyek screams are quieter than before. It was not because the pain was reduced, but because his strength had diminished.
The black vortex of chaos that engulfed the sky also became smaller. Jin was eventually able to reach Rosa and Talaris as its influence diminished.
"Youngest."
Rosa said, wiping the blood from her mouth. For a moment, they exchanged glances without saying a word.
Jin did not express gratitude to Rosa for coming to save him, and Rosa did not expect it. Both of them just did what they had to do.
After silently bowing to Rosa, Jin turned his gaze to Talaris. And as soon as he saw her, he could immediately realize. That if Rosa had continued to enter the battlefield to save him, Talaris might have been dead.
It was unreasonable for him to ask Talaris to seal Dante. Because she can't even control her own body right now. Fortunately for him, Dante is alive, so it seemed like it wouldn't be a big deal without Talaris' help.
However, Rosa's expression as she examined Dante's body was not good.
"His life has been saved,but as a martial artist, he is as good as dead."
"I beg your pardon?"
"... The blood vessels throughout his body were blocked, and the entire aura channels, including the nervous system, was fatally damaged. Didn't you know?"
Jin ran so frantically that he didn't have time to notice it.
When he checked, it was as Rosa said. It seemed that Dante would never be able to fully heal unless it was the tears of Numerus that brought the dead back to life.
Jin closed his eyes tightly and swallowed his breath.
"As long as he is alive, that is enough. The fact that he's not dead... That's enough for me."
"I wish I could say the same for Sir Ron and Dante Hairan."
"Kid, are you okay!"
At Murakan's voice, Jin nodded his head. Murakan still wanted to escape with Jin even now, but Jin did not accept it.
"It's impossible to break through that chaos and Sir Ron's protective shield. Besides, even if it was possible, going out now would be rather risky."
This means that if Jin and Murakan can leave the battlefield with their combined strength, so can Kelliark and Rosa.
'In that case, Kelliark will come after both me and Dante. Even if the clan manages to fend them off, my mother is just as dangerous as Kelliark.'
Kelliark now had to secure both Jin and Dante. Jin was needed for the completion of the Demon God's orb, and Dante as a means of tying Ron up so that he can't recklessly attack Zipfel in the future.
The situation was the same for Rosa.
She does not cherish Dante like Jin. Like Kelliark, Dante was nothing more than a pawn for Rosa to move Ron Hairan. Currently, Jin and Murakan have no power to protect Dante from them.
Therefore, Jin had to ensure that after the war, Dante would return safely to Ron. It was both a duty as a friend and a responsibility as a human.
Grrr...…!
The body of Glyek, which was being forcibly formed, was struggling.
After awakening from the seal, everything he had planned failed. The predestined fate was changing, signifying a turn of events.
Glyek had been sealed for such a long time, but he had to die in such a way. It is something that Glyek couldn't accept.
Why was Ron not falling into despair?
As his body was being torn apart, Glyek naturally thought about the cause. The power of the genesis knight that he knew could never be stabilized so quickly.
Soon, Gleeck came to a conclusion.
[You bastard... The moment you reached the genesis knight, you shared that energy with Solderet's contractor. Yes, thanks to that, you were able to withstand the demonization.]
"It's unpleasant to keep listening to a monster who speaks human language."
[Why did you do that?]
"It's something that you can't understand."
[Don't you regret it?]
"Of course not."
[You are a special human being. Even if you combine hundreds or tens of millions of mortals, it cannot exceed the value of the power you gained.]
"So, you're perishing because of it."
[Puhehe...…!]
Glyek let out a self-deprecating laugh. He was admitting that he couldn't defeat Ron. However, he wasn't without a single means left to make a fuss.
[Self-destruction was my role, not yours.]
Ron narrowed his brows.
He hadn't even considered the case of his self-destruction with Glyek. Even if he managed to save Dante, if he died in the process, he wouldn't be able to protect him in the future.
That's why, deep down, he was wary of Glyek's self-destruction. If the huge chaos that composed Glyek explodes all at once, even Ron himself cannot be sure.
Suddenly, the wind of chaos stopped moving. Seeing the chaos encroaching on the ground and sky come to a halt all at once, humans felt an ominous premonition overtake them.
Just like rivers converging into the sea, chaos that had stopped began to gather in the middle of the battlefield. Ron tried to catch the flow, but his energy wouldn't stop.
Choose! Ron Hairan.
About ten seconds later, Glyek's voice resounded throughout the battlefield.
It was an ultimatum for Ron.
[You can escape alone, easily. Whether you protect yourself or save the worthless mortals compared to you, I will watch until the end. With joy...]
For Glyek, that was the best decision, and the last option.
As long as Ron shared the light of the genesis knight with Jin, Ron could never fully prevent Glyek's self-destruction. Even if Ron stopped it, he would either die or be unable to fight any longer, so he had to do this for the sake of his siblings beyond the Tigris Mountains.
Even if Ron escaped alone, it wasn't too bad. The fact that he abandoned his blood and kin that he wanted to protect so much would amplify his demon heart again.
At that moment, Dante stood up.
"Dante!"
His vitality is returning, but he still couldn't move properly.
However, he was moving his steps toward his own grandfather, like Ron overcoming his death.
"No… no, Grandfather...…."
Ron turned to look in the direction his grandson was running.
Ron was smiling as he saw his grandson running towards him with a broken and battered body.
He didn't say anything about stepping back as all the chaos of Glyek was about to explode. Instead, he illuminated a path, allowing his grandson to approach him directly. The light of genesis knight was assisting Dante's steps.
"Come closer, Dante."
Tears of blood flowed from Dante's eyes as he approached Ron.
Thud...…
Soon, Dante collapsed and reached Ron's arms.
Ron patted his grandson's back a few times, then grabbed him by the shoulder and picked him up.
"Dante Hairan, my grandson."
"Grandfather, gra, grandfather...."
"I've always intended to give you everything. The time just got a little ahead. My life has been yours since the moment you were born."
Dante was unable to speak.
The realization that this might be the last moment with his grandfather, the conviction that his grandfather would never change his decision. It was unbearable, and he couldn't hold back his emotions.
"After fighting through pain all this time, I understand how difficult it must have been for you."
Ron handed his sword, Rashid, to Dante.
Dante continued to shake his head while making eye contact with Ron, but Ron's hand, which was holding Rashid, was too firm.
And it was warm. Even if he wants to shake it off, he can't.
"Now...."
You are the Sword Emperor.
You will become the Sword Emperor.
At Ron's words that followed, Dante burst into sorrowful tears. Then Dante realized that an incredibly powerful vitality was entering his body.
The light of genesis knight obtained by a human named Ron Hairan and the true energy obtained by a martial artist named sword emperor was moving from him to Dante.
Just as sand escaped through the cracks of hands, all of its power could not be fully transmitted to Dante. Just like it happened when he shared the light of genesis knight with Jin.
However, it was enough for Dante's blood to run wild again and the broken organs to return to their proper places.
In addition, the 'innate chaos' that made Dante so frail from birth was disappearing. It was the result of Glyek, the white stone forming that chaos, beginning to lose its identity.
Now, there was no existence left in the world that can be called Glyek.
Only the enormous chaos, ready to explode like a volcano, filled the battlefield.
"You have always made me proud."
"Grandfather, please, please stop. It should be you who survives, not someone like me. I can stay alone..."
"And above all else, I loved you more than anything in the world. You have been the blessing of my life."
Ron raised his head and met eyes with Jin, who had followed Dante.
"Please take good care of Dante. I owe you until the end, without giving anything in return."
Jin couldn't say anything.
Ron finally embraced Dante for the last time. He was relieved, feeling his grandson's heart beating vigorously.
"Go now, Dante. This is not the end for you and me, do not linger in sorrow for too long."
Ron turned around, and Dante and Jin's bodies floated into the air.
Dante struggled and stretched out his hand toward Ron, but their bodies were moving away from him along the path of light.
"Grandfather, grandfather...!"
After Dante's voice calling him faded completely, Ron turned back to look at the disappearing path of light. Only after the voice calling him ceased completely did Ron turn back to look behind.
Then he formed a sword in place of Rashid.
To end the war, he stepped into the core of chaos.
It was the moment when the fate of chaos, the death of Dante and the destruction of Hairan, was completely changed.