Chapter 261: Trackers (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 261: Trackers (3)
Gooooooo…!
The atmosphere began to vibrate as the members of the Wraith Squad unleashed their mana in unison. This was no simple tremor.
The air grew thick, turning heavy and dense like water. It crushed down on their shoulders and stifled the very air in their lungs—a phenomenon caused by an immense expansion of mana. Anyone unable to cast at least a 5-star shield would be forced to their knees.
As the elite force of the world’s most powerful clan, the Wraith Squad’s strength far exceeded all expectations.
[You say you’ll kill the kid? I believe I already told you it’s too late. You seem to be hard of hearing.]
Octavia offered a thin smile at Murakan’s words.
“According to the records, you were supposedly the strongest dragon in history… but seeing you in person, you hardly live up to the legend. Your incessant chatter suggests you're trying to mask your own anxiety.”
Kieeeeeeeek!
A bone-chilling screech tore through the sky. It was the sound of the Wraith Squad’s Red Abyss overwhelming Murakan’s Spirit Energy.
Across the sky, once stained black by his Spirit Energy, red mana began to bloom like spreading crimson stains.
Murakan summoned even more Spirit Energy, but with only forty percent of his original power, he couldn’t overpower the collective mana of the entire squad. The moment Octavia added her own power to the Red Abyss, the crimson tide in the sky accelerated.
Andrei Zipple was a monster, but these people are on another level.
There were fifteen members of the Wraith Squad present.
As Jin read the flow of their mana, he was certain this wasn't their full number.
There are jarring gaps in the way their mana links together.
It was a telltale sign of having too few mages to perfectly execute a Chain Magic. The Red Abyss was a spell that could only display its true might when the entire Wraith Squad cast it together.
A chill shot down his spine. It meant there were likely more than fifteen mages out there with power comparable to a Black Knight.
And a force like this was completely unknown to the world.
Unlike the Runcandel Black Knights, the Zipple Wraith Squad was an organization Jin had never even heard of. They were a true secret weapon. Suddenly, it made sense why the Runcandels, even with a Creation Knight like Cyron at their helm, had never waged all-out war against the Zipples.
“Are you alright?”
Misha landed beside Jin, transforming into her human form.
“Yes, thanks to you.”
Ptui!
Jin spat out a mouthful of blood and took her hand to stand.
His stomach churned. His Heart of Light, overheated from the Aura backflow, was pounding wildly, and his blurred vision made it impossible to fight properly. Even with Murakan and Misha here, Jin couldn't feel at ease.
“I never imagined they'd send so many mages of this caliber.”
“Consider yourself lucky. The Wraith Squad I faced in the past was even more formidable than this. Murakan’s pride is about to take a beating.”
Since the Wraith Squad was a combat unit established after the death of Temar Runcandel, Murakan had never fought them before.
Misha, on the other hand, had clashed with them several times over the past thousand years. In her judgment, the Wraith Squad was stronger than any other mortal combat force in the world.
“Jin.”
“Yes.”
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. Do not argue or ask questions.”
Kiii, kik! The sky was now almost entirely red, Murakan’s Spirit Energy reduced to mere specks of black.
In a battle against a mage unit, losing control of the sky was fatal, especially with a Chain Magic in play. Once the sky was completely saturated with enemy mana, they would be helpless against a one-sided barrage.
“More Zipple reinforcements will be flooding in soon. This means there is no hope if the battle drags on.”
If the rest of the Wraith Squad stationed at the main estate, Kadun, or the White Night and the Kozec arrived as backup, even the Black Dragons would be helpless. There was even a chance that Kelliark Zipple himself might appear.
No matter how strong the Black Dragons were, if two of them alone could dismantle Zipple’s maximum military might, Zipple would never have become the world’s strongest clan in the first place.
Jin nodded inwardly. He had already suspected as much—that even with Misha and Murakan here, killing Octavia and the Wraith Squad would be impossible.
“So, you and Murakan must escape. I will buy you time. And do not forget this: the enemies you must one day defeat are as powerful as the ones you see before you.”
“You speak as if this is the end.”
“I told you not to ask questions, yet you found a roundabout way to do it. Why? Do you think I am sacrificing myself to save you?”
“I do.”
“I will, if it becomes necessary. One must always account for variables.”
Vooooom!
Spirit Energy gathered in Misha’s palm, quickly taking the shape of a spear. A moment later, more energy radiated from the weapon, wrapping around her body to form a suit of armor. Now fully armed, she shimmered with a dark, ghostly light.
“However, I have no intention of dying to them today, so you can leave with peace of mind. Even the old Wraith Squad couldn't touch me. I will escape as soon as I know you’re in the clear. Murakan and I have already discussed this.”
She had formed the plan the moment she broke through the barrier. Since victory was impossible, she had to get Jin out with Murakan. That was why Murakan had spoken with such confidence, declaring that they couldn't kill Jin.
I can't just leave you behind, Lady Misha.
The words rose to Jin’s throat, but he swallowed them. That was something he could only say if he had the power to take responsibility for the outcome—or if he was prepared to die fighting alongside her.
Misha had no intention of dying a glorious death just to satisfy the pride of Solderet and the Black Dragons, and Jin had no intention of ignoring his own duty and throwing away his future. If he insisted on fighting with her, the only result would be a meaningless death for them both.
Instead, Jin chose to offer something that might actually help her.
“Lady Misha, this place is within the territory of the Secret Palace.”
Veradin had intentionally built his villa on a deserted island in the West Sea to avoid his clan’s surveillance. Since the West Sea was under the influence of the Secret Palace, he had assumed Zipple wouldn't dare send people there openly.
That assumption had been proven completely wrong by the arrival of Octavia and the Wraith Squad, but the location was now a stroke of luck for Jin.
“If the fight gets out of hand, cause as much of a ruckus as you can—enough to shake the entire West Sea. If you do, the Palace Master will have to intervene.”
“Oho, now that you mention it, I believe your comrades in Tikan said something similar. That the current Palace Master’s only daughter is your lover. That’s a welcome bit of news in a bad situation.”
“It’s not quite like that… but it is true that the Palace Master dotes on me. If Zipple’s actions cause damage to the West Sea, the Secret Palace will have justification to intervene. She’ll have no reason not to help you.”
“Heh, you certainly have a shameless side.”
“I’d rather be a little shameless than have you get hurt, Lady Misha.”
The blades and chains of the Red Abyss, held back by Misha’s Spirit Energy, began to twitch. It looked like the dark energy binding them would soon break.
Murakan and Octavia were still locked in combat. Beams of light continuously lashed out from Octavia, while Murakan countered them with his breath alone. Since he was also using most of his Spirit Energy to suppress the Red Abyss, he had few means of attack.
Whish. Misha lightly spun her spear and took a step forward.
“This is only the second time we’ve met, and both times I’ve ended up in your debt.”
Misha shook her head.
“No. The debt belongs to me and that fool over there. You are the last hope of the shadows.”
The moment Jin was about to reply—
Spirit Energy converged at the tip of Misha’s spear. Jin flinched, stunned by the sheer, unimaginable vastness of the power she was gathering.
It was a Spirit Energy far deeper and denser than anything Murakan had shown—not when he faced Julian, Paitel’s avatar, nor when he slaughtered the mages of the Dark Magic Association. It took less than a second for that infinitely condensed energy to gather at her spear’s tip.
The martial art she was using was a spear variation of the Spirit Sword. Temar himself had named it ‘Shadowless Spear’—a paradoxical title for a technique that consumed even more Spirit Energy than the Spirit Sword.
“I will open a path.”
The name ‘Shadowless’ was twofold. First, it signified an attack so fast that even Temar had struggled to perceive it. Second, it meant that once she committed to the strike, nothing would remain—everything would be pulverized so completely that not even a sliver of shadow would be left behind.
“So stay put. Don't follow me.”
Jin lowered his head in understanding. A moment later, the tip of Misha’s spear sliced through the air.
At that exact moment, Octavia, who had been raining spells down on Murakan, flinched and whipped her head around. Her attention had been fixed solely on the dragon, her view of the others obscured by the dust clouds kicked up from the island’s destruction.
Her reaction was a fraction of a second too late. And because she was late, the entire Wraith Squad was late. There was no mage among them superior to Octavia.
Pitch-black energy erupted from Misha’s spear and hammered into the Wraith Squad’s shield.
CRACK!
“What…!?”
With a single strike, the center of the thick, multi-layered shield shattered like an eggshell. Even Octavia couldn't help but gasp, and the Wraith Squad mages inside felt their hair stand on end.
Jin swallowed hard.
I knew Lady Misha was powerful after seeing how she casually handled Murakan, but…
This far exceeded his expectations. He felt a flush of embarrassment for ever thinking she might die trying to save him. Even if Zipple reinforcements arrived, there was no way Misha wouldn't be able to escape this place.
…I was overreacting.
It was as if Misha, her back still to him, was smiling, silently asking if he’d really thought she could be defeated by the likes of them.
[It's time that arrogant mouth of yours learned some humility, mage.]
Murakan spoke, looking down at Octavia. Then, feigning a breath attack, he suddenly began a rapid descent toward Jin the moment Octavia took a defensive stance.
Only then did Octavia realize.
The Black Dragons had never intended to fight them. All their posturing, all their threats of an all-out war, had been nothing but a smokescreen to rescue Jin.
“Stop Murakan! Don't let him get to Jin Runcandel!”
[Khaha! As if you could!]
Murakan mocked her as he withdrew the Spirit Energy he had been using to suppress the Red Abyss.
Immediately, the freed blades and chains of red mana flew toward him, but Misha’s leap was faster.
“Seeing as you have the leisure to worry about others while I’m right in front of you, I suppose your predecessors in the Wraith Squad didn't leave any records about me?”
The energy blasting from her spear shredded the incoming blades and chains of the Red Abyss. She swung the spear so fast it blurred, transforming her into a spinning vortex of black destruction.
[Let’s go, kid!]
Jin launched himself onto Murakan’s back with all his remaining strength. The moment he was secure, Murakan shot upward at maximum speed, aiming for the breach they had already torn in the barrier.