Chapter 193: Operation Compass Seizure (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 193: Operation Compass Seizure (5)
The absence of the Kozec meant that both Kinzelo and Zipple had to fight with restraint.
Considering the sheer number of warriors and mages gathered on the island, the scale of their collective power was immense. The ranks were filled with 7-star and 8-star combatants, with even a 9-star Archmage in their midst. If they were to unleash their full strength, this tiny island would be wiped off the map in an instant.
And it wouldn't end there. The spot where the island once stood would become a chaotic vortex of explosions, whirlpools, and tsunamis as the unrestrained Aura and Mana of the combatants collided.
How many could possibly survive that? Even an Archmage couldn't breathe underwater, and no matter how powerful a warrior might be, swimming against such a massive vortex was impossible. Even if one could escape the chaos—by riding a dragon, for instance—the situation escalating to that point would be a disastrous outcome for everyone. A battle of that magnitude would never escape the notice of Runcandel or Viment.
Zipple and Kinzelo needed to keep their alliance and the existence of the Compass a secret. Furthermore, if the Compass were destroyed or lost in the ensuing battle, Kinzelo’s losses would be immeasurable.
Jin and his companions were in a similar predicament. Revealing their identities would be catastrophic, costing them their sanctuary in Tikan and leaving them without a single safe haven in the world.
‘I thought his threat to kill us all was just a bluff to buy time, but he was actually trying to confirm the Kozec wasn’t nearby?!’
The realization struck Kall like a physical blow to the back of the head.
‘Now that I think about it, that black magic helmet he’s wearing… The White Night mages who went to Colon mentioned it. They said Talaris protected her daughter and a man in a black magic helmet from the Kozec. Damn it, how am I only remembering this now!’
Midore Elner, his half-brother, had told a similar story. He’d said the one who killed Myuron Zipple was also a man wearing a black helmet.
But regret was useless now. Besides, knowing his identity beforehand wouldn't have changed the fact of Jin’s overwhelming martial prowess.
Why did he go to Colon? Did he already know about the Sacred Object? What is his relationship with the Palace Master? Wait, was it this guy, not the Palace Master, who half-destroyed the Kozec at Colon?
Just what kind of grudge does he have against Zipple? How does he know our top secrets, from the Sacred Object of Colon to the Compass?
As countless questions swirled through Kall’s clouded mind—
Crackle!
Lightning enveloped Sigmund. Pluto Sword Basic Form: Lightning. Jin now intended to control the tempo of the fight.
‘I need to fight just enough, then find the right moment to escape.’
The ideal outcome would be to kill Chukon, Kall, and every last henchman on the first floor and outside the gambling den.
That, however, was impossible. With his remaining strength, it would be difficult to even pierce Chukon’s Ultimate Defense Magic. And since everyone was forced to hold back, he couldn't pour out his full power either.
In that case, what was the best possible outcome he could aim for?
He reached a conclusion before he even thrust his sword.
‘The best move is to incapacitate Kall and create a situation where Kinzelo takes him hostage. If I were Chukon, and I saw Kall fall after I’d made my escape, I’d have no reason to just leave him be.’
Zipple and Kinzelo were clearly burdened by the prospect of an all-out war with each other. Though they had yet to emerge into the public eye, Jin saw Kinzelo as a group fully capable of becoming one of the world’s Great Powers. Yet here, they had failed to receive the Compass as promised and had botched the job while suffering immense damage.
Taking Kall hostage to demand concessions from Zipple would be the only way for Kinzelo to salvage some profit from this disaster. There was no reason for them not to do it.
Naturally, deepening the grudge between Kinzelo and Zipple was also advantageous for Jin.
‘This will be interesting. Chukon Tolderer, you’ll realize my intentions soon enough. And unless you’re a fool, you’ll have no choice but to play along.’
Flash!
Lightning began to strike. Simultaneously, Chukon slammed his staff down, forming a massive shield that the remaining Kinzelo henchmen huddled behind.
However, as if to mock their defense, the bolts of lightning poured down exclusively upon Kall and his subordinates.
“Urgh! Don’t look down on us, you bastard!”
“You certainly change how you address me often. Is that a habit?”
Five of Zipple’s guardian knights remained—veterans among veterans. They seemed to have adapted slightly to the Basic Form: Lightning, showing better reactions than before. They utilized their mages’ shields or predicted the landing spots of the lightning to dodge. Some even fired off Sword Energy in a counterattack.
All the while, Chukon and his men remained tucked away inside their shield, observing.
“Sir Chukon! Are you just going to stand there and watch?!” Kall screamed in a rage.
Chukon simply shook his head, his expression seeming to say, Well, our alliance is already over, and didn't you just try to stab me in the back?
Clang! Crash!
The Sword Energy fired by Kall’s knights battered against Sigmund. Zipple’s mages, including Kall himself, couldn't manage a single counterattack, preoccupied as they were with maintaining their shields. They were paralyzed by the fear that if they carelessly chanted an offensive spell and showed an opening, Chukon would strike them down. Aside from Kall, the rest seemed barely able to block the onslaught of lightning.
“Lord Kall! Please retreat! We will hold him off!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Aren’t that guy’s accomplices on the first floor? The high-ranking mages who were down there still haven’t come up. Sir Chukon, we must fight together!”
Chukon did not answer. Rather than mocking Kall, he was now focusing all his senses on gauging Jin’s exact level of power.
‘I was confused because of that unique power called Lightning Energy, but his Aura is at the 8-star level, or perhaps just entering it. However, his actual combat effectiveness feels far superior to that of an ordinary 8-star knight.’
If that was the case, there was no reason Chukon couldn't suppress him once Kall had drained a bit more of Jin’s strength. Conversely, Chukon thought the possibility of Kall defeating Jin was low.
‘Still, he should be able to inflict some injuries. My main concern is whether he’ll activate the Tower Master’s Staff before he’s taken down.’
Rune characters were inscribed on the staff. If activated, reinforcements from the 4th Magic Tower would arrive immediately, and both Runcandel and Viment would catch wind of the incident. That would bring great danger to Kinzelo as well as Zipple, but if pushed into a corner, Kall would undoubtedly prioritize his own life.
‘He’s a spiteful one, but I suppose it’s time I helped him and suppressed this uninvited guest first…’
The moment Chukon arrived at that thought, the lightning suddenly ceased.
The knights didn't miss the opportunity and lunged at Jin, while Kall began chanting an offensive spell for the first time.
And Jin unleashed another technique of the Pluto Sword.
‘Basic Form: Oppression.’
Sigmund’s blade seemed to pull in the swords of the five knights who had lunged at him. It hadn't even been a minute since they had started to cope with Basic Form: Lightning, and now they were facing another unknown sword style.
“Ack!”
Startled by Sigmund’s sudden gravitational pull, the heads of two knights went flying. The remaining three instinctively widened the distance again. The instant an opening appeared, Jin threw himself at Kall.
“Die!” Kall screamed, thrusting his staff forward. Just as countless ice blades were about to erupt from it—
Screeeech!
Slice!
Sigmund severed the head of the staff. Despite this, the ice blades poured out as intended, and Jin did not dodge.
He endured it, trusting in the Rune of Mul-ta and his Black Light Armor. His clothes were shredded and his arms were covered in deep cuts and lacerations, but fortunately, no shards had embedded themselves in his bones.
Drip, drip…!
Blood and bits of flesh fell from Jin’s arms and shoulders, which had become a mangled mess in an instant. Had it not been for his peerless armor, he would not have escaped a fatal wound.
“Are you flustered? This is a pathetic showing for a Tower Master.”
Crunch! Jin stepped on the fallen fragment of the staff, crushing it. The Rune characters inscribed on it were destroyed, and Kall’s face turned deathly pale. Losing the staff didn't prevent him from casting magic, but it meant his final safety device had just vanished.
“Don’t be too disappointed. If you had activated those runes, you would have ended up in a difficult spot anyway.”
At those words, not just Kall, but even the spectating Chukon felt a chill run down his spine.
It wasn't just because of Jin’s swordsmanship or his bold gamble. It was the unnerving feeling that their innermost thoughts had been read. Chukon, in particular, felt goosebumps rise on the back of his neck.
As if looking right into their hearts, Jin had cut down the staff the very moment Chukon had begun to consider it a threat.
Jin brushed off the ice blades stuck in his arms and looked at Chukon. His gaze seemed to ask if he understood the situation now.
‘The wounds are deeper than I expected. I should finish Kall and get out of here.’
Though not fatal, his arms were in tatters, preventing him from wielding his sword perfectly.
Furthermore, while Kall hadn't expected his staff to be cut, his first offensive spell, ‘Ice Splitting Sword,’ had been a feint from the start. The magic he had truly been preparing was something else.
Whoosh!
Blue flames flickered to life in both of Kall’s eyes.
Zipple’s secret magic, the Eyes of Azure Fire. It was a spell that scorched an opponent with unquenchable blue flames just by looking at them.
It was the very same magic Myuron Zipple had used in Colon.
Writhe in the flames that consume your entire body.
Kall Zipple wanted to mock Jin with those words. He wanted to see Jin’s face contort in agony as he gradually lost his will to fight, consumed by the azure flames.
However, the triumphant smile that rose to Kall’s lips froze before even a second had passed.
Screeeech!
The master of the fire realm, the true ruler of blue flames.
Tess had been summoned.
“Te-Tess…!”
Chukon’s mouth fell open. As if the bizarre lightning sword and impossible insight weren't enough, now there was Tess. He had known the man was a magic swordsman, but since he hadn't used any magic after the initial Flash Cannon, Chukon had made a grave miscalculation. He had assumed the man’s magic was merely at a ‘decent’ level.
Though Jin’s Aura was hitting rock bottom and his arms were slick with blood, the Spirit Energy and Mana he commanded were still as sharp as ever.
“Ha.”
As soon as Kall let out a sigh filled with self-loathing, the azure fire that was trying to cling to Jin’s body flickered out.
The fact that Jin’s phoenix was Tess was something even the White Night mages and Midore Elner, who had fought Jin in Colon, could not have known. The only witness who had seen Tess, Myuron Zipple, had met his end before they arrived.
“Just what… are you…?”
His voice was hollow. Kall still had plenty of Mana left to fight, but his will had been shattered.
That was as good as a defeat. No matter what he did, no matter how great his magic or how high his Mana, Kall could not defeat Jin.
“Well, there’s no need for you to know what I am. But I would like to tell you something else.”
Jin’s eyes shifted behind Kall, toward where Chukon was standing.
“You’d better watch your back, Kall.”
Swish!
A single beam of Mana fired by Chukon pierced through Kall’s shoulder.