293
‘I can't believe he came to Ventica...!’
Even though it was hard to see his face because of the distance, it wasn't difficult to recognize his friend.
Jin’s heart began to race, even though he hadn't swung his sword.
Jin had a gut feeling that Veradin was not his usual self.
Suddenly, Jin remembered the last conversation he had with Veradin.
-So, what are you going to do?
-About what?
-Leaving Zipfel.
-Oh, that... It's probably not easy. The most realistic way might be for you to capture me as a prisoner after you become a flagbearer. But that would lead to an all-out war. And I don't even know how your siblings will treat me.
-In any case, Runcandel and Zipfel will fight even if it’s not for you.
-That's true, but Jin, I have a sense of responsibility. If the clan is heading down the wrong path, I should correct it, shouldn't I? I will restore everything to normal. I will turn Zipfel back into the proud clan I know.
Shouldn't I correct it as well? I should correct it as well….
It felt like time had stopped, and Veraidn’s voice kept repeating in his head.
I will restore everything.
Jin didn't believe Veradin's resolve.
The Empire of Evil, which had never fallen in thousands of years, was already too far gone to be corrected. It seemed there was no solution other than to destroy it.
But even destroying it seemed impossible.
More than half the world was under Zipfel's influence, its alliances were strong, and countless people depended on Zipfel's magic for their daily lives.
It was the most powerful clan that seemed impossible to overthrow, even if the entire world turned against it.
That was Zipfel.
So, Jin wished for Veradin to run away. To leave his clan and live as his true self.
-No, if it were me, I would have left Runcandel if I felt that my will was gradually fading away without me realizing it.
Giant sword energies and the cannon fire of Kozec clashed, and the fragments of energy covered the sky.
Under the dark sky, Veradin's red eyes shook dangerously.
He's not in a normal state, Jin repeated the thought in his mind and gritted his teeth.
A life where memories were manipulated, slowly losing oneself. No one would want that.
Veradin looked like a madman as he stepped into battle with authority of fire imbued in his red-eyes.
Boom, boom, kwah!
The spatial explosions spread along with Veradin’s gaze.
‘You resisted your clan to the very end. There is no way you willingly come to this battlefield.’
Jin hadn't considered the possibility of encountering Veradin on his first mission as a flagbearer.
Of all times, Veradin had to be in this state, and curses rose to his throat.
He wanted to take Veradin away from the battlefield right now and help him regain his senses.
But that was just emotions.
Realistically, it was an impossible task. Getting Veradin back in his usual self right away was probably impossible.
Jin needed to control his anger and look at the situation rationally.
Of course, he couldn't completely erase his worries, but he thought: Veradin wasn't a child.
It wasn't his role to throw himself into danger to save Veradin like a child in peril.
That was something Veradin had to do for himself, and he could lend a hand when he asked for help, as a friend should.
It was Veradin’s decision to resist his clan on his own, and Jin had to respect that, at least until it became clear that he was completely broken.
Jin quickly regained control of his emotions, and his gaze became calm.
‘First, Veradin's appearance has significantly changed the situation of the battlefield.’
More precisely, it was the magic spell, spatial explosion, Veradin was using, which was similar to an authority.
Diphus and Barton were the only two people on Runcandel's side who could effectively deal with the flying Kozec and enemy dragons. They were using their swords for attack and flight.
However, their movements were blocked by spatial explosions.
Even if it were 10-star knight and 9-star knight with a blessed body of Runcandel, avoiding spatial explosions in the air was nearly impossible.
Veradin was using this fact to persistently disrupt the movements of the two.
As a result, they could only respond by firing sword energies from the ground, and it seemed like Zipfel was overwhelmingly on the offensive.
Veradin’s spatial explosion’s power was fundamentally different from the spatial explosions used by Midor Elner.
One spell had bound two transcendent martial artists in an instant.
‘Elder brother Diphus must be confused right now. It must be hard for him to accept that anyone other than Kelliark is using the spatial explosion, and he might suspect that Barton leaked information about the Ventica mission to Zipfel.’
As expected, Diphus was confused. Of course, he didn't make it seem so obvious to the enemy, but it was clear to Jin.
‘Barton probably leaked information to Zipfel before this operation started. Since he was assigned to Ventica, he must have informed Zipfel that they need to take appropriate measures to obtain the Ventica.’
The "appropriate measure" was the spatial explosion.
If too much firepower were devoted to stopping Barton and Diphus, Runcandel would also send troops accordingly, so it would be meaningless.
But what if they simply deter Diphus and Barton's aerial combat abilities with spatial explosions?
In Runcandel, there are only two individuals capable of aerial combat, while Zipfel has deployed not only five dragons but also Kozec. Moreover, it's unclear how many of Zipfel's elite mages, including White night, are on board the Kozec.
No matter how strong Diphus and Barton are, from the moment aerial combat was blocked, the situation became overwhelmingly disadvantageous.
‘Zipfels used their head well. If Runcandel and Zipfel had simply fought with more troops, the spatial explosion alone wouldn't have changed the situation.’
The situation would have been different if there were knights to protect Barton and Diphus from spatial explosions. But now there were no knights with such abilities among the ten guardian knights who came here.
The infiltration team was blocked, and the guardian knights deployed to kill deserters were instead being chased by the dragons.
"Damn it, why is Veradin Zipfel using the power of Kelliark... Sir Barton, I'll create an opportunity, so you kill him from a distance."
"4th Flagbearer, how do you plan to create an opportunity? The mages of White night are concentrating on protecting Veradin."
"I can easily tear apart those shields."
"4th Flagbearer, isn't your strength a bit lacking for that? It's too risky. Since aerial combat is blocked, we need to be prepared for considerable casualties to see this through."
"So you're saying we should retreat like this?"
"Please think rationally, 4th Flagbearer. As a Black Knight, I don't want to leave the stain of a mission failure, but the enemy has brought too many variables."
"What do you mean?"
"Does the Ancient everlasting steel hold much greater value than your life, 4th Flagbearer? The fact that Veradin can use Kelliark's power is already a significant gain."
While the conversation continued, fragments and spells continued to rain down.
Diphus and Barton kept avoiding spatial explosions with their superhuman senses.
But other guardian knights couldn't do the same.
What made spatial explosions so notorious was its ability to kill people without warning.
Kaaa!
Suddenly, one guardian knight screamed as his arm "exploded." Originally, the spatial explosion was aimed at his head, but he instinctively avoided it in exchange for his arm.
Even Diphus and Barton had to push their senses to the limit to avoid spatial explosions. And Veradin's spatial explosions were casted with "triple simultaneous casting." It meant that three explosions occurred in the air at once.
It was only a matter of time before the other guardian knights fell victim to spatial explosions.
"4th Flagbearer! What is the role of Runcandel's Flagbearer? It's to lead the knights of the clan and take responsibility. Do you intend to lead them to their deaths just because you don't want to leave the stain of a mission failure? Make a decision."
You filthy traitor, you thought I wouldn't understand your intentions!
Diphus calmed his rising anger and shook his head.
If it had been any other Black Knight than Barton, Diphus would have actively followed the suggestion to withdraw. Because there wasn't a single wrong word in his argument.
But Barton was a spy, and Diphus's mission was to secure Ventica and assassinate him.
"As you say, the value of the Ancient everlasting steel might not be that great. But if we secure Veradin, the situation changes. We can't just turn back. We will capture Ventica and take the life of Zipfel’s next patriarch."
"Then I will issue the retreat order."
"Sir Barton!"
"Even though you are the 4th Flagbearer, you have no authority over mine. I'll give you one last chance. Issue the retreat order yourself. If you refuse, I shall uphold my duty as Runcandel Black Knight and escape with other knights. If even one person dies, it will be entirely your responsibility, 4th Flagbearer."
"What are you talking about? When will we have another opportunity to kill Zipfel's next patriarch...?"
"In my eyes, it seems like you are blinded by desire for achievement, 4th flagbearer. You are unable to see the mistakes. Did you say an opportunity to kill Veradin? Do you really think Zipfel would leave the next patriarch so vulnerable?"
Diphus felt frustrated as he had nothing to argue.
He couldn't reveal Barton's betrayal in front of everyone.
Even if he did, killing Barton in this situation was out of the question. In fact, it would be fortunate if he wasn't the one targeted.
‘Damn it! I need to retreat for now and plan for the next opportunity! All because of a single magic spell!’
Retreating now would certainly be a disgrace.
But that wasn't the real issue. Rosa would likely transfer the mission to assassinate the Black Knights to another Flagbearer, most likely Joshua or Luntia.
If they managed to properly assassinate Barton, it would surely lower Diphus's position within the clan.
Suddenly, Diphus thought of someone who hadn't yet joined the battlefield.
Jin Runcandel, his youngest brother. If it were Jin...
He might have a way to turn this dog-like situation around.
It was just a hunch, but just considering it brought a sense of shame. However, from Diphus's perspective, the situation was dire.
‘Damn it. How did it come to this, Diphus? Right now, it's not about the immediate disgrace. I need to kill Barton. Today, right here. No matter what!’
Jin was still watching them from outside the battlefield.
Due to the noise and distance, he couldn't hear Diphus and Barton's conversation, but it wasn't difficult to read the changing situation.
‘Barton must have opted for a retreat. It would be madness to risk the lives of elder brother Diphus and guardian knights for the ancient everlasting steel against the threats introduced by the spatial explosions.’
Jin had no intention of passively observing the situation.
‘First, I need to neutralize the spatial explosions.’
Having made up his mind, Jin began moving toward the battlefield.
293
‘I can't believe he came to Ventica...!’
Even though it was hard to see his face because of the distance, it wasn't difficult to recognize his friend.
Jin’s heart began to race, even though he hadn't swung his sword.
Jin had a gut feeling that Veradin was not his usual self.
Suddenly, Jin remembered the last conversation he had with Veradin.
-So, what are you going to do?
-About what?
-Leaving Zipfel.
-Oh, that... It's probably not easy. The most realistic way might be for you to capture me as a prisoner after you become a flagbearer. But that would lead to an all-out war. And I don't even know how your siblings will treat me.
-In any case, Runcandel and Zipfel will fight even if it’s not for you.
-That's true, but Jin, I have a sense of responsibility. If the clan is heading down the wrong path, I should correct it, shouldn't I? I will restore everything to normal. I will turn Zipfel back into the proud clan I know.
Shouldn't I correct it as well? I should correct it as well….
It felt like time had stopped, and Veraidn’s voice kept repeating in his head.
I will restore everything.
Jin didn't believe Veradin's resolve.
The Empire of Evil, which had never fallen in thousands of years, was already too far gone to be corrected. It seemed there was no solution other than to destroy it.
But even destroying it seemed impossible.
More than half the world was under Zipfel's influence, its alliances were strong, and countless people depended on Zipfel's magic for their daily lives.
It was the most powerful clan that seemed impossible to overthrow, even if the entire world turned against it.
That was Zipfel.
So, Jin wished for Veradin to run away. To leave his clan and live as his true self.
-No, if it were me, I would have left Runcandel if I felt that my will was gradually fading away without me realizing it.
Giant sword energies and the cannon fire of Kozec clashed, and the fragments of energy covered the sky.
Under the dark sky, Veradin's red eyes shook dangerously.
He's not in a normal state, Jin repeated the thought in his mind and gritted his teeth.
A life where memories were manipulated, slowly losing oneself. No one would want that.
Veradin looked like a madman as he stepped into battle with authority of fire imbued in his red-eyes.
Boom, boom, kwah!
The spatial explosions spread along with Veradin’s gaze.
‘You resisted your clan to the very end. There is no way you willingly come to this battlefield.’
Jin hadn't considered the possibility of encountering Veradin on his first mission as a flagbearer.
Of all times, Veradin had to be in this state, and curses rose to his throat.
He wanted to take Veradin away from the battlefield right now and help him regain his senses.
But that was just emotions.
Realistically, it was an impossible task. Getting Veradin back in his usual self right away was probably impossible.
Jin needed to control his anger and look at the situation rationally.
Of course, he couldn't completely erase his worries, but he thought: Veradin wasn't a child.
It wasn't his role to throw himself into danger to save Veradin like a child in peril.
That was something Veradin had to do for himself, and he could lend a hand when he asked for help, as a friend should.
It was Veradin’s decision to resist his clan on his own, and Jin had to respect that, at least until it became clear that he was completely broken.
Jin quickly regained control of his emotions, and his gaze became calm.
‘First, Veradin's appearance has significantly changed the situation of the battlefield.’
More precisely, it was the magic spell, spatial explosion, Veradin was using, which was similar to an authority.
Diphus and Barton were the only two people on Runcandel's side who could effectively deal with the flying Kozec and enemy dragons. They were using their swords for attack and flight.
However, their movements were blocked by spatial explosions.
Even if it were 10-star knight and 9-star knight with a blessed body of Runcandel, avoiding spatial explosions in the air was nearly impossible.
Veradin was using this fact to persistently disrupt the movements of the two.
As a result, they could only respond by firing sword energies from the ground, and it seemed like Zipfel was overwhelmingly on the offensive.
Veradin’s spatial explosion’s power was fundamentally different from the spatial explosions used by Midor Elner.
One spell had bound two transcendent martial artists in an instant.
‘Elder brother Diphus must be confused right now. It must be hard for him to accept that anyone other than Kelliark is using the spatial explosion, and he might suspect that Barton leaked information about the Ventica mission to Zipfel.’
As expected, Diphus was confused. Of course, he didn't make it seem so obvious to the enemy, but it was clear to Jin.
‘Barton probably leaked information to Zipfel before this operation started. Since he was assigned to Ventica, he must have informed Zipfel that they need to take appropriate measures to obtain the Ventica.’
The "appropriate measure" was the spatial explosion.
If too much firepower were devoted to stopping Barton and Diphus, Runcandel would also send troops accordingly, so it would be meaningless.
But what if they simply deter Diphus and Barton's aerial combat abilities with spatial explosions?
In Runcandel, there are only two individuals capable of aerial combat, while Zipfel has deployed not only five dragons but also Kozec. Moreover, it's unclear how many of Zipfel's elite mages, including White night, are on board the Kozec.
No matter how strong Diphus and Barton are, from the moment aerial combat was blocked, the situation became overwhelmingly disadvantageous.
‘Zipfels used their head well. If Runcandel and Zipfel had simply fought with more troops, the spatial explosion alone wouldn't have changed the situation.’
The situation would have been different if there were knights to protect Barton and Diphus from spatial explosions. But now there were no knights with such abilities among the ten guardian knights who came here.
The infiltration team was blocked, and the guardian knights deployed to kill deserters were instead being chased by the dragons.
"Damn it, why is Veradin Zipfel using the power of Kelliark... Sir Barton, I'll create an opportunity, so you kill him from a distance."
"4th Flagbearer, how do you plan to create an opportunity? The mages of White night are concentrating on protecting Veradin."
"I can easily tear apart those shields."
"4th Flagbearer, isn't your strength a bit lacking for that? It's too risky. Since aerial combat is blocked, we need to be prepared for considerable casualties to see this through."
"So you're saying we should retreat like this?"
"Please think rationally, 4th Flagbearer. As a Black Knight, I don't want to leave the stain of a mission failure, but the enemy has brought too many variables."
"What do you mean?"
"Does the Ancient everlasting steel hold much greater value than your life, 4th Flagbearer? The fact that Veradin can use Kelliark's power is already a significant gain."
While the conversation continued, fragments and spells continued to rain down.
Diphus and Barton kept avoiding spatial explosions with their superhuman senses.
But other guardian knights couldn't do the same.
What made spatial explosions so notorious was its ability to kill people without warning.
Kaaa!
Suddenly, one guardian knight screamed as his arm "exploded." Originally, the spatial explosion was aimed at his head, but he instinctively avoided it in exchange for his arm.
Even Diphus and Barton had to push their senses to the limit to avoid spatial explosions. And Veradin's spatial explosions were casted with "triple simultaneous casting." It meant that three explosions occurred in the air at once.
It was only a matter of time before the other guardian knights fell victim to spatial explosions.
"4th Flagbearer! What is the role of Runcandel's Flagbearer? It's to lead the knights of the clan and take responsibility. Do you intend to lead them to their deaths just because you don't want to leave the stain of a mission failure? Make a decision."
You filthy traitor, you thought I wouldn't understand your intentions!
Diphus calmed his rising anger and shook his head.
If it had been any other Black Knight than Barton, Diphus would have actively followed the suggestion to withdraw. Because there wasn't a single wrong word in his argument.
But Barton was a spy, and Diphus's mission was to secure Ventica and assassinate him.
"As you say, the value of the Ancient everlasting steel might not be that great. But if we secure Veradin, the situation changes. We can't just turn back. We will capture Ventica and take the life of Zipfel’s next patriarch."
"Then I will issue the retreat order."
"Sir Barton!"
"Even though you are the 4th Flagbearer, you have no authority over mine. I'll give you one last chance. Issue the retreat order yourself. If you refuse, I shall uphold my duty as Runcandel Black Knight and escape with other knights. If even one person dies, it will be entirely your responsibility, 4th Flagbearer."
"What are you talking about? When will we have another opportunity to kill Zipfel's next patriarch...?"
"In my eyes, it seems like you are blinded by desire for achievement, 4th flagbearer. You are unable to see the mistakes. Did you say an opportunity to kill Veradin? Do you really think Zipfel would leave the next patriarch so vulnerable?"
Diphus felt frustrated as he had nothing to argue.
He couldn't reveal Barton's betrayal in front of everyone.
Even if he did, killing Barton in this situation was out of the question. In fact, it would be fortunate if he wasn't the one targeted.
‘Damn it! I need to retreat for now and plan for the next opportunity! All because of a single magic spell!’
Retreating now would certainly be a disgrace.
But that wasn't the real issue. Rosa would likely transfer the mission to assassinate the Black Knights to another Flagbearer, most likely Joshua or Luntia.
If they managed to properly assassinate Barton, it would surely lower Diphus's position within the clan.
Suddenly, Diphus thought of someone who hadn't yet joined the battlefield.
Jin Runcandel, his youngest brother. If it were Jin...
He might have a way to turn this dog-like situation around.
It was just a hunch, but just considering it brought a sense of shame. However, from Diphus's perspective, the situation was dire.
‘Damn it. How did it come to this, Diphus? Right now, it's not about the immediate disgrace. I need to kill Barton. Today, right here. No matter what!’
Jin was still watching them from outside the battlefield.
Due to the noise and distance, he couldn't hear Diphus and Barton's conversation, but it wasn't difficult to read the changing situation.
‘Barton must have opted for a retreat. It would be madness to risk the lives of elder brother Diphus and guardian knights for the ancient everlasting steel against the threats introduced by the spatial explosions.’
Jin had no intention of passively observing the situation.
‘First, I need to neutralize the spatial explosions.’
Having made up his mind, Jin began moving toward the battlefield.
