Chapter 237: The Scapegoat and the Fall Guy (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 237: The Scapegoat and the Fall Guy (2)
Zipple will likely choose to take the fall.
A clan as powerful as Zipple—one that exerted influence not just over a single nation, but the entire world—would never willingly surrender its prestige.
Even if their image as the ‘Clan of Justice and Goodness’ took a massive hit, it was far better to offer up a few sacrificial pawns and accept a false accusation, like a lizard shedding its tail to escape.
An image could always be restored. Prestige, once crumbled, was not so easily recovered—especially when facing a formidable rival like Runcandel.
“Zipple’s 4th Magic Tower Master is currently held captive by Kinzelo. I personally pressured the Kinzelo mage, Chukon Tolderer, to make sure of it.”
When Jin added a brief explanation of how he reclaimed the compass—though he said nothing about the compass itself—Vitura’s mouth fell open.
For the old paladin, it was one shock after another.
“So, you plan to use Karl Zipple, the 4th Magic Tower Master… Now I understand your intention, Young Master. As you said, Zipple will choose to take the blame in Kinzelo’s stead.”
“Of course, things might not go exactly as planned. Still, I don’t think there’s a better move than this. It’s the best way to expose the Holy Kingdom’s current state and force those bastards to retreat.”
Vitura found himself unable to respond.
Originally, he had intended to lead the few remaining loyalists in a final, desperate stand. His ultimate goal was to somehow keep Rani alive and seek protection from Runcandel, the Secret Palace, or Nameless. He had thought that whether Rani then pursued a future with a sliver of hope or lived out her days in hiding would be her choice to make.
But then Jin had arrived.
Perhaps this boy was sent by Ayula.
Even if he was a Runcandel, he was still a reserve flagbearer who hadn't even reached twenty. Under normal circumstances, no matter how extraordinary Jin was, Vitura would never have considered entrusting him with such a task. The boy was simply too young.
“Young Master Jin.”
“Speak, Sir Vitura.”
“Tell me what Rani and I must do.”
“I’m heading to Old Oterium immediately. Until I return, you must continue to act as Zipple’s puppet while protecting Rani. Do not hand her over to anyone, no matter what. They will likely try to use drugs or torture on her.”
Zipple and Kinzelo would still want Rani standing beside the fake Holy King to conclude the Advent Festival. They would use any means necessary to make the escaped Saintess submissive.
“Do not worry about that.”
“Also, categorize and list everyone who has sided with Kinzelo and Zipple so we can expose them the moment I return. Furthermore, rally the remaining loyalists. There may be an armed conflict.”
“Understood.”
“Young Master Jin.”
Rani approached him.
“A brief encounter has now touched the fate of all Vankella. For now, I can only wait for your safe return, but I will surely repay this debt.”
“Hey, Saintess, it’s not too late to thank me after we’ve rescued the citizens of the Holy Kingdom. Just wait and pray hard. And you, Vitura. You need to look a bit more convincing now. We’re leaving.”
Slash!
Before Jin could even finish his sentence, Vitura suddenly cut off his own left arm.
“Ugh!”
Rani gasped in horror and immediately summoned her divine power, but Vitura pushed her away and shook his head. He had to be wounded to explain the deaths of the Golden Shield Society’s paladins.
“Sir Vitura, you didn’t have to go that far…”
Vitura held out his sword to Jin.
“Take my sword and escape. Your own blade should be in a wooden chest in the center of the first floor. I will send a pursuit party the moment you step out the door.”
“I will return before the Advent Festival ends.”
“I wish you luck.”
*
It took a full day to retrieve his sword, evade the pursuit party, and escape the Holy Kingdom. He had immediately become a wanted man and could not use the teleport gates.
There were five days left until the end of the Advent Festival.
Jin had to rescue the citizens and return to the Holy Kingdom within that time.
The schedule is a bit tight.
Whoosh—!
Murakan’s massive wings sliced through the wind.
Since Oterium did not belong to the Lutero Magic Federation, there were no restrictions on his flight. A land deemed uninhabitable, devastated after the Holy Kingdom Defense War, Oterium was now an unprotected zone swarming with monsters. It also served as the headquarters for the Dark Magic Association.
Even though he had mastered the Spirit Sword and the Pluto Sword and entered the ranks of the truly powerful, storming that place alone was normally unthinkable.
Cold Jo, the nemesis of Andrei Zipple and older brother of Rolt Jo, whom Jin had killed. Feziron Henserck, the Great Elder of the Viment Academy. Chukon Tolderer, the Archmage of Anz. And Susan Lilista, the Matriarch of the Lilista family.
Those four were the 9-star mages confirmed to be part of the Dark Magic Association. Besides them, the number of 7 and 8-star mages was unknown, and there was no telling what traps might lie in wait.
[Are you nervous, kid?]
Jin let out a short laugh.
“With you here? Why would I be?”
[Khaha! Exactly. With my great self here, you shouldn't be afraid no matter how many of those mages there are.]
Forty percent.
That was how much of his power Murakan had recovered thanks to Misha.
If all the 9-star mages are on standby, can Murakan suppress them alone?
Of course, the chances of all four being present were low. Aside from Cold Jo, the others were leaders of their respective organizations and wouldn't linger at the Dark Magic Association’s headquarters unless something special was happening.
Well, I’ll find out when we clash. Seeing his confidence, it doesn't seem impossible.
It was a moonless night.
Looking down, there was only pitch-black darkness. Who could have imagined that in the middle of this abandoned land, where not a single light flickered, lay the headquarters of the Dark Magic Association?
The cry of an unknown monster echoed from somewhere as Murakan began to increase his speed.
[Kid, looks like we’re close. Hehe, those human mages did something cute.]
“Something cute?”
[They’ve set up a barrier. One that has both illusion and alarm effects.]
“Is that so? I expected there’d be at least one. Can you dispel it?”
At that, Murakan burst into laughter again.
[I just flew right through it. Khahahaha, didn't you notice?]
Liar.
Jin was about to say it, but he turned and gasped.
In the empty air they had just passed through, he could see the remnants of a shattered barrier. Hidden magic circles, too numerous to count, floated in the air like broken glass.
Just how many magic circles were there? And he just… passed through them without a sound?!
Amidst the circles shining like stars, a mass of pitch-black energy created a jarring dissonance. It was the trace of spirit energy Murakan had unleashed to tear down the barrier, and the mass was growing larger as it absorbed the nearby magic.
The Dark Magic Association had settled in Oterium fifty years ago. For all those years, they had maintained this Great Barrier by grinding away the mana of countless mages. But to Murakan, it was less effective than an ordinary castle wall.
“…You unleashed that much spirit energy without any prep time? And what the hell is that? It’s not just one mass?”
It wasn’t just the spot they had passed. Identical masses of spirit energy were now dotted across the sky, though Jin had no idea when they’d been deployed. Like someone wiping away mold, the spirit energy was erasing the entire Great Barrier.
Jin could only stare back and forth between the back of Murakan’s head and the sky, his mouth agape.
[Why are you so surprised by such a trivial trick? You’re the Contractor of a Thousand Years. You could easily do this too, couldn't you?]
“That’s… true.”
If I were given enough time, I could at least crack one side of the Great Barrier…
He swallowed the rest of his words.
In the meantime, the Dark Magic Association’s Great Barrier had vanished without a trace.
[Ah, I see it over there. That citadel must be those bastards’ headquarters.]
With the barrier gone, a fortress towering in the middle of the black plains was revealed. The mages inside probably didn't even know that their greatest defense had just disappeared.
[Kid.]
“Yeah.”
[Let’s strike immediately. There probably aren't any experimental subjects in the outer walls. I’ll tear them down, so you head straight inside and find the citizens. Once you do, fire a signal flare.]
“Got it. If we find any other civilians besides the citizens during the battle, we have to rescue them too. They’re important witnesses who will expose Zipple’s true nature.”
[Don't worry. Hold on tight. I’m firing a Breath, then we’re diving.]
Inhale—!
As Murakan took his position in the sky, the spirit energy that had torn down the barrier gathered in his mouth. The citadel was roughly three hundred meters away—a bit far to fire a Breath.
For the current Murakan, however, it was more than enough. Assuming there were no citizens inside, he was confident he could level the entire castle with a single blast.
Flash—!
A single streak of black Breath tore through the sky, surging toward the citadel like a pitch-black meteor. Jin unconsciously swallowed as he watched its brilliant tail.
His focus shifted to the point of impact just as Murakan’s Breath slammed into the outer wall. It tore through the multiple layers of secondary barriers surrounding the citadel with ease.
Rumble—!
The outer wall crumbled, triggering a tremor that shook the earth. A cloud of dust instantly billowed out, enveloping the lower part of the fortress.
There was no time to marvel.
The moment the Breath made contact, they began to dive. The descent was so fast the skin on Jin’s cheeks felt like it was being pushed back. In the blink of an eye, Murakan passed through the collapsed outer wall.
“Aaaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams erupted from below—the cries of Dark Magic Association mages and Kinzelo beastmen who had been guarding the outer castle. They were either falling to the ground, clinging desperately to the ruins, or sitting slumped in a daze from the sudden chaos.
Whoosh—!
From Murakan’s wings, hundreds of streaks of spirit energy shot out like spears. They lanced through the necks and chests of those who had survived the initial blast, while skewering the bodies of the dead once more to confirm their demise.
Not even ten seconds had passed since the attack began.
Already, over two hundred mages and beastmen were dead, and the citadel was half-collapsed, its former appearance barely recognizable.
Even Jin hadn't expected the prowess of a Murakan with forty percent of his power to be this overwhelming.
[All who live will die. None shall escape me.]
As Murakan roared, Jin leaped from his back and vanished into the chaos.