Chapter 292: Power, and the Worship of Power (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 292: Power, and the Worship of Power (3)
March 8, 1799.
The swords of Runcandel, gathered to kill Barton Vichena, arrived in the disputed territory of Ventica.
Ventica was in the depths of winter. The sky looked parched, as if wrung dry of all moisture, and a piercing, razor-sharp wind scraped across the earth.
It was a wilderness of dirt and rocky mountains. Yet, for hundreds of years, this land had been the stage for countless conflicts, both large and small, all because of its resources.
Vast pits scarred the wasteland. From a distance, they looked like mere gaps in the earth, but up close, most were large enough to swallow a sailing ship.
These were the scars of resource extraction. This place, strangely rich in mineral deposits, had always been a lucrative source of income for its conquerors.
It was here that ancient Ten Thousand-Year Steel was first discovered. Whenever that mystical mineral was found, it invariably sparked a struggle for power between the great factions.
Just as the knights of Runcandel and the mages of Zipple were gathered here now.
The Kozec. I’m going to have to deal with the power of that damned ship again.
Something radiated light like a sun near the distant horizon.
The Kozec, Zipple’s massive warship, revealed its majestic form.
Five Red Dragons could also be seen flying near the flagship like escorts. With the giant vessel and five dragons dominating the sky, even the vast heavens seemed cramped.
Jin watched the back of a single knight facing them all.
So that’s Barton Vichena…
A fluttering cape, a single sword glimpsed through its folds, and a black helmet.
Standing alone before the Kozec and the five Red Dragons, Barton’s presence felt even more immense. Though hundreds of meters separated them, they were already within each other’s range.
It felt as if he could ravage the Red Dragons and destroy the Kozec the moment he chose to.
A Runcandel Black Knight.
To wear the black helmet and hold the title of Black Knight was a privilege granted to only ten individuals in the entire clan.
Jin could tell just by the aura he emitted. Barton was indeed a man worthy of wearing that black helmet.
The problem was that he was a traitor.
If Rosa alone had been convinced Barton was a spy, Jin might have investigated the facts himself. But since even Cyron had not denied it, he was undeniably a traitor.
Jin felt no comfort in the fact that he had to kill him. According to the records, Barton had certainly endured enough to justify a grudge against Runcandel.
But hesitation was forbidden. He merely wished, just once, for a moment to talk before he had to kill him.
“You’ve arrived, 4th Flagbearer.”
As Jin, Dipus, and the Guardian Knights approached, Barton spoke first. The voice that carried from beneath the helmet was grim and overbearing.
He used formal language but didn't even turn to look. Even a Flagbearer did not outrank a Black Knight.
Dipus took his place beside him.
“Sir Barton.”
“I didn’t expect the 12th Flagbearer to join this mission. Was this Lady Rosa’s decision?”
Barton turned around belatedly, his eyes scanning Jin.
Jin immediately read the emotion implied in that calm tone.
Disappointment.
He seemed displeased that a Black Knight like himself had to conduct a mission alongside Jin, who had only just become a Flagbearer.
Dipus nodded.
“That is correct, Sir Barton.”
“This will be a dangerous battle. 4th Flagbearer, please ensure the 12th Flagbearer is well protected.”
“Well, he’s not exactly at a level where he needs that much protection.”
“If that is your judgment, 4th Flagbearer, then I have nothing more to say. However, keep in mind that I will have little room to spare while facing those opponents.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Despite Barton’s somewhat commanding tone, Dipus showed no sign of offense. He complied readily, as if it were only natural.
Setting aside the fact that Barton was a spy, Dipus’s attitude was correct. While many Flagbearers die without ever making it to the Mausoleum, a Black Knight was guaranteed a place there unless they committed an act tantamount to treason.
In that sense, Barton would never go to the Mausoleum.
“4th Flagbearer, take the center line with me. As for the Guardian Knights, the three most skilled will form the infiltration team. The remaining seven will deal with enemies fleeing the battlefield.”
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty!”
“Even if an unexpected situation or emergency forces a temporary retreat, never set your path toward the center line. You will only increase your chances of being swept away and killed.”
“We will keep that in mind.”
Barton never gave a single order to the 12th Flagbearer, Jin.
After mentioning him once at the beginning, he treated him as if he didn't exist.
Betrayal aside, from Barton’s perspective, this must be a matter of pride. Having to carry out a mission with someone as young as me, who is even undermining the clan’s legitimacy.
Jin showed no reaction to Barton’s attitude. Shouting about being ignored would only make him look ridiculous, and he didn't find it particularly offensive.
He even felt a strange sense of consideration from it—though it was likely not the kind Barton intended.
Die, run away, or fight. Do as you please. That was all it sounded like.
“That is all. To your positions.”
At Barton’s word, the Guardian Knights began to scatter.
The three chosen for the infiltration team remained, donning masks to conceal their identities.
The Kozec and the Red Dragons were closing in fast. They were still far, but the Red Dragons simultaneously deployed their shields, forming a massive circle in the sky.
Screeech…
At the same time, Barton, Dipus, and the infiltration team unsheathed their swords.
The battle had begun. The Red Dragons had deployed their shields to buy time for the Kozec to activate its cannons.
“I wish you luck, 4th Flagbearer.”
Whoosh—!
Barton dashed forward, his eyes glowing. With every step, rock fragments shattered beneath his feet, and his aura-infused sword was already generating a massive blade of energy the size of a ship's sail.
Dipus charged forward behind him, and the infiltration team advanced, predicting where debris from the clash between sword energy and mana cannons would fall.
Barton believed that only he and Dipus could fight without restriction once the debris began to rain down.
I should pull back for now.
Jin decided to withdraw. First, his physical condition wasn't perfect, and it was pointless to waste strength so early.
Second, he wanted to delay revealing his full power to Barton for as long as possible.
It’ll be troublesome if Barton figures out my true strength too early. He might sense something is off and start re-evaluating things.
From Barton’s perspective, this mission was solely about ‘securing Ventica.’ He didn’t yet know that the Flagbearers and Guardian Knights had come to kill him. If he had known, he wouldn't have ignored Jin this way.
Therefore, Jin had to hide his strength as much as possible.
The best-case scenario was for Dipus, Barton, and the Guardian Knights to defeat the Zipple forces without his intervention. Afterward, the mission would be a success if he finished off a weakened Barton without Zipple noticing, or if he could manipulate events so that Barton died at the enemy's hands.
But in the end, it’s highly likely I’ll have to step in. Whether it’s to clinch the victory, turn the tide, or save the knights.
The next best option was for the Runcandels to lose, and for Jin to kill Barton during the retreat. In that case, they would surrender Ventica to the enemy, but the responsibility would likely fall on Dipus, not him.
This mission has no downside for me. Then again, it has no upside either. Whether it succeeds or fails, the credit or blame belongs to Brother Dipus anyway. Mother really did give me this mission just to use me.
In that case, as always, he just had to take whatever benefits he could for himself.
In that sense, Jin was able to form a decent plan, thanks to Barton already treating him like thin air.
Whether the battle ends in a victory for Runcandel or Zipple, both Brother Dipus and Barton are bound to take a hit. At that time, if the opportunity arises… it wouldn't be a bad idea to 'take care of' Brother Dipus as well.
Take care of him.
That didn't necessarily mean death. He wanted to plant a seed of fear so deep in Dipus’s heart that he would never dare to treat Jin lightly again.
There was no need to kill Dipus yet. It would be foolish to remove someone who could keep Joshua in check this early.
You have much to do while you’re alive, Brother.
Jin smiled as he watched the front.
It was time to enjoy the battle.
Rumble—!
The Kozec spat out a blast of mana condensed into a golden cannonball of light.
He had experienced that cannon in Colon; a direct hit possessed enough power to collapse the entire landscape. Fortunately, this wasn't as strong as the one he faced back then. Zipple couldn't possibly value ancient Ten Thousand-Year Steel more than the Mirror, so the crew aboard the Kozec was likely less skilled than the one he'd faced before.
Sssss, Screee—!
The sword energy from Dipus and Barton also shot toward the sky.
As the two forces collided, a thunderous roar and shockwave erupted, and the desolate sky lit up brilliantly for a moment.
Then, debris began to pour down. Each fragment, packing the force of a 6-star warrior’s strike, rained down, threatening to blanket the entire battlefield from the outset.
On the surface, the scene was nearly identical to the battle in Colon.
But back then, Talaris had been unable to attack Zipple freely, as she had to protect the natives. The Runcandel knights, however, had no such restrictions. They didn't need to engage in a simple power struggle between sword energy and mana cannons.
After firing his sword energy, Barton didn't care if the second cannon blast struck the ground.
The Zipple side was the same. The mages of the White Night, who were aboard the Kozec, took to the air one by one on the backs of the Red Dragons. They began to fire all sorts of high-level destructive magic, including Hell Wind and Ice Splitting Sword, from above, while Barton and Dipus continued to leap toward them.
He’s a monster, that Barton Vichena.
Leaping—the act of leaving the ground.
In such a state, movement was naturally far more restricted than it was on the ground. Nevertheless, Barton blasted sword energy from his feet to propel himself through the air, moving as freely as if he were flying.
He was using the recoil from his aura releases as propulsion. Even those blasts weren't wasted; they shattered the enemy's shields as he passed.
It was a similar picture on Dipus’s side. However, since he had not yet reached 10-star, it was clear he was trying to use his aura more efficiently than Barton.
While the two warriors were busy tearing through the battlefield, moving between heaven and earth—Bang!
A ‘sudden explosion’ erupted without warning in their path.
Fortunately, both Barton and Dipus avoided a direct hit, but they couldn't prevent themselves from falling.
At that moment, a strange light flickered in Jin’s eyes.
Dipus and Barton also realized what kind of magic had just attacked them and scanned the dragons. They had to identify which mage had used ‘Space Explosion.’ As far as they knew, Kelliark Zipple was the only one in the world who used Space Explosion.
Jin could immediately deduce who had cast it.
Midore Elner, it’s him!
He remembered struggling against Midore’s Space Explosion in Colon.
Jin’s eyes darted around, searching for him as well.
However, a few seconds later, Jin realized that the mage who used Space Explosion was not Midore.
Pure white hair stood out even from a distance.
Veradin…!?
Mounted on a Red Dragon, he looked down upon the Runcandel knights, his eyes glowing red as if they were soaked in flame.