C496

"Runcandel and Kinzelo invaded the Second Magic Tower. Is that all?"

The white-haired elder responded calmly to the journalists rushing through the transfer gate.

It was Kelliark Zipple, the strongest archmage of this era and the leader of the world's largest clan.

At the time the shipyard was attacked, he was on an uninhabited island in the western sea, where Beradin's villa was located.

During the "Battle of the Western Sea," fought by Talaris, Misha, Octavia, and the Specter Corps, the uninhabited island was completely destroyed and vanished.

But now, the island, the villa, and all the objects used by Beradin had been perfectly restored.

"Furthermore, Miss Sandra has sent all the forces to the Second Magic Tower. If you give the order, I will immediately send Drakka's mages to the Second Magic Tower."

For a while, Kelliark flipped through the pages without saying a word.

Then, as if he found an interesting passage, he raised mana in his fingers, underlining it, and smiled.

"Don't be too surprised; it's inevitable."

Before Kelliark could speak, the journalists felt as if their guts were being torn apart.

Time was of the essence.

However, Kelliark had anticipated from the beginning that external forces might attack not only the shipyard but also the Second Magic Tower.

He wondered if it was necessary to prepare separately.

'Hedo.'

Because that man was in the White Night Tower.

'This incident might be an opportunity to test him again.'

Since Hedo became a member of Zipple, Kelliark had always wanted to put him to the test.

Even he couldn't easily guess whether Hedo was truly someone who would wholeheartedly devote himself to Zipple.

"Send reinforcements only to the shipyard. Also, as the capabilities of external forces have already been confirmed, losing more resources is pointless. Preserve as many resources as possible."

"As you command!"

The journalists bowed in unison and retreated into the darkness.

Kelliark silently looked across the sea, recalling the moment he met Hedo a long time ago.

"Hoo...!"

Suddenly, Murakan covered his head with both hands.

His back bent as if he was invaded by an unbearable headache.

Jin and the Runcandels quickly surrounded Murakan, casting a protective shield around him.

Although they had predicted it from the moment Hedo appeared, the tension after receiving the sword was nothing compared to what it was before the battle began.

Needless to say, showing such weakness before a transcendent being like Hedo was undeniably fatal.

Fortunately, he didn't take advantage of Murakan's weakness.

Not that he couldn't.

Hedo didn't demonstrate it, but he was a bit intrigued by Murakan's recent words.

'It's the first time I've seen someone talk as if they know Bale. Even the patriarch and Cyron-nim seemed to have no idea about the identity of this sword.'

Bale.

Such characters were engraved in small letters on the blade of a long sword that Hedo obtained by chance a long time ago.

He didn't know exactly whether it was the name of the sword, the name of the blacksmith who made it, or the name of the person who used it.

In his youth, when he actively sought extremes as a warrior, he was curious about the true nature of the longsword.

But soon after, Hedo came to the conclusion that, even if he knew the identity, it wouldn't matter much.

So, he decided that Bale was probably the name of the sword.

Hedo didn't seize the moment when Murakan's stance crumbled because he was simply waiting for him to speak about Bale.

It was also a matter of trust.

Even with this level of leisure, the outcome wouldn't change. The reason Zipple didn't send reinforcements to the Second Magic Tower was also in the same context.

Kelliark knew that Hedo was present here, so it was undoubtedly the case.

"Murakan."

Jin called softly and checked Murakan's condition.

He seemed very distressed and confused.

It's similar to the day we met the leader of Kinzelo in old Oterium.

'I don't know why, but Hedo's sword is stimulating Murakan's confused memories...!'

Unlike Jin, the other Runcandels didn't know that Murakan's memories were incomplete and that such issues could arise in times of conflict.

The sudden panic of the clan's guardian deity in a desperate situation only served to bewilder them.

"Kugh!"

Murakan groaned again.

1 second...

2 seconds...

3 seconds...

With each passing second, the Runcandels felt the sense of crisis multiplying.

If Murakan couldn't fight properly, there was a high probability that Runcandels would be captured or killed.

Jin made a decision.

'It has to work like back then. Like the day we met the leader of Kinzelo, when he was spouting nonsense!'

Swish, bum-!

Suddenly, a fierce strike that shook the eardrums burst into the silent room.

Jin literally swung his fist with all his might, delivering a swift blow to the back of Murakan's head.

Jin's actions were based on experience, but since the others didn't know the circumstances, they couldn't help but think that Jin had gone mad.

After receiving such a strong blow to the back of the head, Murakan stood erect like a rigid pole for a while.

He seemed to have turned into a stone statue.

Only his head was slightly tilted in the direction where Jin's fist had struck.

"Jin, what is this?"

Dyfus spoke with a trembling voice, trying to calm down.

For a moment, he thought Murakan might have died.

Of course, that wouldn't make sense, but Murakan was so motionless that it wouldn't be strange even if he had died standing.

The direction of the neck seemed somewhat ambiguous, and receiving a blow with all of Jin's strength in a defenseless state couldn't be riskier.

"Ugh... Damn. It hurts like hell."

Fortunately, after what felt like an eternity to the Runcandels, Murakan finally spoke with an irritated voice.

"Are you awake?"

"I guess I had a... chronic illness? Yeah, it seems like I had a chronic illness. Brat, even if that's the case, why did you hit me so hard?"

Thud! Crack!

Murakan turned his head, loosening the joints in his neck as he continued ranting.

"Can't you see how many eyes are watching us, huh? My image is going to be ruined. My image! Huh?"

Excitedly talking, Murakan stumbled and lost balance.

Although he had regained consciousness, there was a fact that Jin had overlooked.

When he used the same shock therapy in old Oterium, Jin was exhausted, and now he had all his stamina.

And he had also become much stronger than back then.

Wow, this is crazy.

You should have controlled your strength a bit, brat.

My bones ache, and the world is spinning.

But what the hell is that damn sword?

It seems to have a close connection with me.

'I feel like my head is going to explode when I try to remember.'

He was curious to the point that it was driving him crazy.

But for now, he had to focus on the fight.

After all, he had to save his Contractor.

'This physical beauty doesn't seem like someone who would tell lies or use superficial tricks. She clearly said that no reinforcements would come.'

It was time to unleash all his power.

"Kid."

"Yes?"

"I'll transform into my true form. If, for some reason, that physical beauty turns out to be a insignificant liar, and reinforcements come, leave me and escape. Understood?"

Jin nodded heavily.

He didn't really intend to abandon Murakan, but for now, it was better to accept. Regardless of whether reinforcements came or not, if Murakan didn't go all out, there was no solution.

"...There are some parts I don't quite understand, but let me make it clear that you needed time for the operation. Do I have to wait longer?"

Hedo, who had been waiting for Murakan to speak about his sword, concluded that no more patience was necessary.

"Hmph, undoubtedly, you are the best of this era among those I've seen with my own eyes. However, I am Murakan. Although my majesty and the long rivalry with your master's Family have faded over a thousand years, I am still Murakan."

Woong...!

As Murakan finished speaking, his shadow grew.

Soon, it dispersed into black smoke with a gust of wind, transforming into the true form of a Black Dragon, beating a pair of dark wings.

Kaaaah!

After the sharp and ominous roar, Hedo casually adjusted his glasses with a courteous gesture.

"I'll look forward to it."

A black curtain spread out of nowhere, dyeing the ceiling black. The vortexes of shadowy force swirling wildly inside seemed like the eyes of giants, and each one pointed at Hedo.

In the shadow-infused Bradamante, blue flames formed, and from the swords of Joshua, Dyfus, and Jane, a dazzling aura emanated.

The members of the Spectre Corps also gathered their mana, and Hedo took a deep breath.

The sky seemed to tear apart from the amplified energy of the superhumans, and the entire tower vibrated unsettlingly and unpleasantly.

Expansion just before the collision.

It was Hedo who first broke that precarious situation.

"Hmm!"

The contained spirit of Hedo's longsword, Bale, rushed into the chaotic scene where shadow force, aura, and mana mingled.

It was a simple thrust.

Moreover, it was perfect.

The trajectory of his sword cut through the center of the entangled energies in a diagonal line.

The target was Murakan.

It was a speed and distance that could never be avoided with Murakan's uniquely gigantic body.

Normally, compensating with a similar or greater force or counterattacking to avoid mortal wounds were the only options for the dragon.

However, at that moment, Murakan turned back into black smoke, dispersing his body to avoid Hedo's sword.

At the same time, he counterattacked with dozens of shadow force vortexes.

'Ugh!'

He didn't come out unscathed.

At Hedo's level, the sword wave swept through, scattering Murakan's particles in the smoke.

Hedo, furthermore, instead of just receiving the attack with his body this time, used footwork to evade it.

Not only did Murakan's thrust miss, but the poisonous strikes of the Runcandels also followed.

As a result of Murakan dodging Hedo's thrust, the extraordinary energy of the sword left no chance for the Spectre Corps behind the Runcandels.

Therefore, the Spectres felt so betrayed and unjustly treated that they almost went mad.