Chapter 150: Two Long Nights, One Short Night (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Two Long Nights, One Short Night (2)
Pop.
Pop, pop, pop…
The problem was that for all its grand name, the flames of the Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven, Demon Emperor Form 1 were utterly pathetic.
The very first spark that managed to breach the barrier had been almost fierce, but even that had vanished into thin air in an instant. Now, tiny bubbles of flame were merely drifting about like soap suds.
“Huh?”
“Wh-what?”
Those voices didn’t belong to Jin or Dante.
They belonged to the assassins—men who, until this moment, hadn’t shown a flicker of emotion under any circumstance. Not when Jin overwhelmed their section leader with 6-star power, nor when Dante unleashed his secret technique.
These high-ranking assassins of Nameless, masters of emotional suppression, were so utterly flabbergasted they couldn’t help themselves.
Because the two boys had defended the mage with their lives, the assassins had been inwardly bracing for whatever terrifying magic was about to be unleashed.
Pop, pop-pop. Sssss…
And yet, these adorable little sparks were the result.
The flames melted into the air like snowflakes hitting water; they couldn’t have singed a candle, let alone a person.
‘Crazy bastard.’
A brief silence fell. It lasted barely two seconds, but it was more than enough time for Jin, Dante, and Veradin to resent the undeniable reality.
Veradin, in particular, had lost his usual thick-skinned composure. His face, all the way to his earlobes, was flushed bright red.
‘I knew it wouldn’t be at full power, but this is just cruel.’
Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven, Demon Emperor Form 1.
Not even a 10-star mage—no, not even a Creation-level mage—could perfectly cast such a grandiose spell unless they possessed a specific, special power.
However, since Veradin was the legitimate heir of Zipple, Jin had expected at least ten percent of its true might.
“Is that all?”
The section leader, having suppressed his bewilderment, spoke for the first time. The other assassins let out low, mocking chuckles and exchanged glances.
It was only human to want to repay the humiliation they had just suffered. The insult they felt when Jin claimed that fighting wasn’t their specialty was particularly galling.
It was a disgrace that ten high-ranking assassins of Nameless had failed to kill these half-grown monsters. If word got out, it might damage the prestige of the entire Nameless organization.
However, the section leader was not so immature as to repeat a mistake.
‘The black-haired one must have a trump card left. Close combat is too unpredictable. We finish this with ranged attacks. Before they can reach that place!’
At the leader’s signal, the assassins scattered and reformed their formation. Even those who had been wounded by Dante rejoined the line. If they couldn’t continue a mission with injuries of that caliber, they wouldn’t have been appointed as high-ranking assassins in the first place.
Jin quickly checked on Dante and Veradin.
‘Dante’s stamina is almost completely depleted.’
Huff, huff. His ragged breathing confirmed it without a word.
‘And Veradin… Oh, you damn idiot. Are those early symptoms of mana backflow?!’
Veradin, still shivering in shame, now had blood pouring from his nose. The formula for the Destruction Flame Orb had been botched, causing his mana to recoil violently.
The only consolation was that the Unicorn Horn was visible in the damnably heavy bag Jin had been carrying.
However, even if they broke the Unicorn Horn to treat him, it would take at least an hour for the mana backflow to subside.
In other words, both of them were now non-combatants.
“I-it’s been a while since I used it, so I think I got the formula mixed up… It’s just so complex… Cough, cough!”
As Veradin offered a meek excuse, Dante stood by his side, assuring him it was alright. From Jin’s perspective, however, it was enough to make his blood boil.
‘What can I do? This is the price I pay for not stopping them when they insisted on fighting in the first place.’
But the situation wasn’t entirely hopeless.
“Dante, grab Veradin and run. I’ll follow behind and hold off the assassins.”
“Will you be alright alone?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. But you two might die. That is, unless you run like your lives depend on it.”
“Ah.”
“Oh…”
Veradin and Dante let out sighs as they grasped Jin’s meaning.
In this open terrain, Jin was no longer surrounded. As long as all ten assassins didn’t swarm him at once, he held the advantage in close combat and could deflect any projectiles. Most importantly, the fight would turn back into a pursuit. They had made it this far because Jin and Dante were fundamentally faster than the assassins.
“Pray that I can deflect every single projectile… Now, run!” Jin shouted, swinging his sword and launching a wave of sword energy toward the assassins. As the crescent-shaped, bluish energy flew toward them, their formation momentarily faltered.
Simultaneously, Dante scooped Veradin up and began to sprint like a madman.
If even a single projectile bypassed Jin and struck their backs, Zipple and Hairan would lose their heirs.
For Jin, the future Patriarch of Runcandel, that would actually be a favorable outcome.
But Jin chose to follow his heart over any future benefits—a heart that, right now, didn’t want them to die.
‘As long as I protect them until we reach the center, we can all survive!’
There had to be a reason the Nameless King told him to ‘flee to the center of the city at all costs.’ That was the hope Jin clung to.
“Graaaaaah!”
As Dante roared and sprinted away, a hail of projectiles followed.
Clang! Ching! Kank!
Even while running, Jin displayed the incredible feat of constantly looking over his shoulder to deflect the hidden weapons. A month ago, he wouldn’t have understood how he was capable of this.
But recently, Jin had become clearly aware that he had reached a new level.
‘My Mind’s Eye is almost open.’
Suddenly, he remembered training with the Tona brothers and the Blue-Eye Stones. Back then, thanks to the Tona brothers’ mistakes—vomiting every day in the intermediate class’s secret training ground—Blue-Eye Stones would fly at him from every direction.
That was when he first felt that strange sensation. No matter where a steel ball flew from, or was about to fly from, its direction and trajectory seemed to be drawn inside his head.
‘The suffering I've endured since coming to this city wasn't for nothing. Is this thanks to Sister Yona?’
He hadn’t obtained the Ten Thousand Poison Liquor yet, and his life had been threatened multiple times, so he didn’t feel particularly grateful.
‘I will survive until the day after tomorrow, get the liquor from her, and make sure the Nameless King keeps his promise.’
Of course, he also planned to keep Dante and Veradin alive so he could hold it over their heads for a long, long time.
*
Two long nights passed.
On the second day, the chase between the trio and the assassins followed a similar pattern. The number of high-ranking assassins assigned to them had increased to twenty, but the night ended more easily than the first.
This was because they didn't stubbornly engage in a full-scale battle, instead fleeing to the main road leading to the city center, just as the Nameless King’s map indicated.
“To think the assassins would stop attacking, just like that, the moment we crossed that road. What a strange and charming tradition.”
“If it weren't for the traditions of the Nameless assassins, two of us would have died the day before yesterday, and all three of us would have died yesterday, Veradin.”
The center of Samil.
This was the area where the families of Nameless assassins and their special benefactors resided.
And the assassins of Nameless had a tradition: unless there was an enemy invasion or a similar emergency, they would never draw a sword or use a lethal technique within that area, no matter what.
In other words, it was the only No-Kill Zone in Samil.
It was a tradition even Quicantel didn’t know about, an unwritten rule established after the era of her prime.
“What do you mean ‘Veradin’? We agreed to call him Young Master Destruction Flame Pop-Pop Orb, Demon Emperor Form 1 from now on.”
“Stop teasing me…! Anyone can make a mistake.”
“And anyone can tease you for it.”
Jin chuckled, and Dante suppressed a laugh with a dry cough.
“Ahem! Anyway, there’s a limit to how many times we can flee to the center of Samil when those guys show up. When exactly does this bet you made with the high-ranking official of Nameless end?”
“I doubt it’s a bet where you’re just allowed to run to the center every time. I’m also curious who this high-ranking official is,” Veradin added.
The two of them, eyes sparkling, seemed to hope Jin would explain the details.
In truth, it was closer to an order than a bet, but Jin didn’t correct them and feigned ignorance.
‘According to the promise with the Nameless King, I have to get these two out of Samil before evening comes today.’
—When the morning of the day after tomorrow breaks, urge the two future patriarchs to leave the city. By any means necessary. If they won’t listen, use force to drive them out.
Thanks to the map Oul had provided, he had faithfully kept the promise so far.
Actually, even that was an incredible feat. Though they had used the trick of fleeing to the center, the world would find it hard to believe that three people had survived for two days in Samil against dozens of high-ranking Nameless assassins.
However, the three of them couldn't possibly hold out today.
‘Tonight, a top-tier assassin will surely come. And the Nameless King will be terrified when he sees Dante and Veradin still stuck to my side.’
Jin had no intention of sending the two of them out of the city.
“Today is the last day of the bet. Both of you, sleep well until evening.”
“Oh, so we only have to endure this hardship one more time.”
“If you win and get something, you have to share it with us, okay? You will, right? Just like at the Arena.”
“Yeah.”
I’ll give you a souvenir.
Jin smiled, swallowing his last words.
*
“Lord Oul, please answer my question honestly from now on.”
“Hmm… Yona, what is it?”
“You helped them, didn’t you?”
Oul hid his flinch and tilted his head.
“What are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t make sense. How could the youngest and those weirdos reach the No-Kill Zone two days in a row? This is clearly something the Nameless King…”
“Haha, absolutely not.”
“Your lie is so obvious, hee-hee.”
As Yona spoke with a giggle, Oul felt a chill run down his spine.
“Ahem, anyway, have you finished writing your apology for destroying the city…?”
“Hee, since Lord Oul broke the promise first, I’m going to step in personally today.”
“Do you not trust me?”
“No. And Lord Oul, you have to stay right next to me from now until evening. Because you might go find them and help them again.”
“Haha…”
Oul let out a hollow laugh, but in truth, he had wanted things to turn out this way from the start.
‘That clever boy will surely send the other two away. If so, it’s better for Yona to target Jin one-on-one than for another top assassin to do it. Yona seems to cherish Jin in her own way… perhaps she will show mercy.’
He couldn’t be sure. Yona’s personality was steeped in deep chaos; she was perfectly capable of killing even a beloved younger brother.
“It’s almost evening. That means it’s time for those boys to die. Are you coming with me?”
“I shall.”
“Hee-hee!”
The two moved silently toward the inn where Jin’s party was staying.
When they took their positions on the roof of the building across the street, Oul felt a sharp prickle at the back of his neck and a heavy weight in his chest.
‘Wh-why? Why are all three of them still together!’
He could see clearly through the un-curtained window. The three of them were together.
Worse, only Jin was awake, while Veradin and Dante were still sprawled out on their beds, fast asleep.
“Yo-Yona.”
“They’re gathered so nicely together, making it so easy to kill them…”
“Wait, hold on…”
“Huh!?”
“What!”
Suddenly, both of their pupils dilated.
They had seen what was held in Jin’s hand. The very item Quicantel had given him.
And surprisingly, Jin was holding it out precisely in the direction where Yona and Oul were hiding.
Yona whipped her head around to glare at Oul.
“Even if you are the Nameless King, you gave him that too?! Just to save them!”
“N-no, that’s really not it, Yona!”
For the first time in a very long while, Oul couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.