Chapter 296: Power, and the Worship of Power (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 296: Power, and the Worship of Power (7)
As he controlled the flames, Jin’s gaze locked onto Veradin’s staff.
The weapon was pointed directly at him, and for some reason, he felt a surge of murderous intent mixed with a strange, hollow curiosity emanating from it. Veradin was smiling—a wide, vacant expression. He looked as if he were thoroughly enjoying the carnage.
However, Jin no longer felt any bitterness. He realized that the person pointing the staff at him now merely wore Veradin’s face; he was not the true Veradin.
Furthermore, Jin was certain of one thing: the Zipple Clan would not leave Veradin in such a broken state forever.
‘If they only needed a combat doll, there are plenty of others they could use besides Veradin. He likely acts normal most of the time. The next Patriarch can’t be a madman obsessed only with war and slaughter.’
The thought crossed his mind that Veradin’s mind must have been manipulated in his previous life as well.
‘Disgusting bastards.’
The shimmering rune characters drifted toward the Kozec. By now, every mage on the deck knew those runes were markers indicating the strike points for the flame orbs. Terrified, they all aimed their staves at the runes, unleashing a barrage of spells to drive them away.
It was futile. The runes were too small and moved with an erratic, incessant rhythm that made them nearly impossible to intercept. Even when a spell managed to connect, it had no effect. The runes simply drifted through the magical assault like a breeze and continued their ascent.
In an instant, dozens of runes latched onto various parts of the Kozec’s hull.
Immediately, an equal number of fire tendrils erupted from Jin’s flame orb. The mages watched in horror as the chains of fire coiled around the Kozec like serpents, constricting the vessel.
“Aaaagh!”
Creeeeeak…!
It looked as if a dozen giant snakes were crushing a single prey simultaneously. Small cracks spiderwebbed across the hull in an instant, and the mages screamed at the sudden, violent impact. It would not have been surprising if the chains of fire had crushed the Kozec into scrap metal right then and there.
The surviving Red Dragons threw themselves at the flames, attempting to sever the bonds holding the ship, but their strength was useless against that fire. The dragons that tried to bite the flames were either impaled through the torso or decapitated by other chains of fire.
Jin watched the scene with eyes that were utterly cold.
“Turn the ship!”
“The vessel won't move!”
No one present had ever imagined that the Kozec could be restrained by a single person—especially the 12th Flagbearer of Runcandel. Every single one of the thirty phoenixes had been unsummoned. That meant every mage responsible for the summoning was dead.
Gaaaaah…!
With a roar, Tess’s breath surged toward the Kozec. With the added pressure of the Azure Fire intensifying Jin’s flames, the Kozec vibrated as if it were about to shatter. The Guardian Knights stared back and forth between Jin and the Kozec, looking dazed. Even the traitor Barton had his eyes wide in shock.
‘Is this… the power of the 12th Flagbearer?’
It was hard to believe, even while seeing it with his own eyes. Even as a 10-star knight, Barton couldn't have neutralized the Kozec like that, even considering the ship wasn't operating at maximum efficiency.
‘At this rate, the Zipple mages will be annihilated. Even Veradin Zipple’s survival isn't guaranteed.’
Luring the Zipples to secure Ventica was no longer the priority. To avoid disappointing Kelliark Zipple, he had to stabilize the situation.
‘First, it looks like Veradin Zipple is about to try something… I’ll have to coordinate my response with that.’
Jin let out a roar, heightening the mana and spirit energy within the flame orb. Simultaneously, Veradin’s staff turned a deep crimson. He, too, had finished the formula for the Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven: Demon Emperor 1st Form.
Rune characters left behind by Riol Zipple emerged from Veradin’s body. They tangled with Jin’s runes and immediately summoned new flames.
The 1st Form, like the Final Form, took the shape of a massive flame orb. A sphere of fire composed purely of mana positioned itself in front of the Kozec like a shield. Though this blazing orb was smaller than Jin’s, it clearly contained more mana.
A streak of blood trickled from the corner of Veradin’s mouth. His body was failing him after repeatedly using Space Explosion and then manifesting such a massive spell.
‘It’s mana backflow. But he doesn't seem to feel the pain.’
Even as he coughed up blood, Veradin continued to pour mana into the flame orb. His rolled-back eyes flashed white.
“Hahaha…!”
Eventually, Veradin burst into laughter as he looked at the completed Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven: Demon Emperor 1st Form. It looked as if two suns had risen in the sky. He couldn't take his eyes off them, looking immensely satisfied.
However, unlike Jin’s Final Form, Veradin’s 1st Form was a projectile spell. The 1st Form’s flame orb began to descend toward the space where Jin hovered. It seemed to move very slowly, but that was only because the orb was so massive; in reality, it was moving at an incredible speed.
Would the Kozec break first under the power of the Final Form, or would the flames of the 1st Form consume Jin first?
The onlookers were consumed by anxiety. Jin remained calm, while Veradin’s face was flushed with manic excitement.
“It looks like you’ll have to learn how to use magic all over again from the beginning.”
He wasn't talking to Veradin. He was talking to the Zipple Clan.
The mental manipulation was undoubtedly achieved through magic. In Jin’s eyes, that magic was extremely inefficient. Losing one's reason in battle was no different from closing one's eyes. What was the point of turning Veradin into a berserker with such unstable mental manipulation? He was merely attacking recklessly, unaware that his own body was being torn apart by backflow.
Whirrr…!
The spirit energy that had painted the sky pitch black began to vanish. Jin’s body, which had turned black, also regained its original color. The energy was scattering into countless particles of spirit energy. These particles were all sucked into Jin’s flame orb, which gradually grew darker as a result.
It took three seconds for the flame orb to absorb all the spirit energy that had filled the sky. Veradin’s 1st Form was still some distance from Jin, but the Final Form was already primed to explode.
“You bastards.”
Thrum…
A sudden white light ignited at the center of the flame orb, which now looked like a black sun. It was a thin, long streak of light, as if a blade had passed through. A moment later, when the explosion began, an earthquake surprisingly shook the ground below.
It was a tremor caused by the shockwave of the explosion occurring high in the air. The ground cracked from the shockwave alone. While the corpses of Red Dragons and mages were tossed about like pebbles along with rocks, the sky presented an even more shocking sight.
The clouds were being torn apart. It looked as if some giant hand had reached up and shredded them. The entire sky seemed distorted by the overlapping shockwaves.
The Kozec tossed helplessly like a buoy in the wake of the explosion. In all of history, the Kozec had never looked more pathetic than it did at this moment. The Zipple’s ultimate weapon was being rendered helpless by the 12th Flagbearer of Runcandel.
The side cannons were destroyed in the blast. The shields covering the Kozec were now like shattered glass, failing to function. Even the chains of fire binding the Kozec remained intact. It seemed entirely possible that the ship could be completely destroyed.
Victory was firmly in hand.
However, Dipus could not rest easy.
“Youngest…!”
Dipus screamed at the top of his lungs. Veradin’s 1st Form was still falling, intent on crushing Jin. Jin was down on one knee, gasping for breath. Like Pluto's Sovereign Sword, the Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven: Demon Emperor Final Form placed a massive strain on his current body.
Huff, huff…!
As he breathed raggedly, Veradin’s flame orb drew closer.
“Dodge! Hurry!”
Dipus recognized that Veradin’s magic was of the same kind as the one Jin had unleashed. It was a power that would leave even him severely injured if he took it head-on. But he couldn't help Jin because of the shockwaves. The Guardian Knights could barely keep themselves anchored by stabbing their swords into the ground, and Barton made no move to help Jin, pretending to protect the wounded.
For Barton, Jin’s death would be the best possible outcome. If the Kozec retreated afterward, he could simply kill Dipus and the remaining Guardian Knights and return to the Garden of Swords.
‘That traitorous bastard…!’
Dipus gritted his teeth. He could see right through Barton’s thoughts. Before arriving at Ventica, Dipus had also considered killing Jin if the opportunity arose. But not now. For the sake of Runcandel, Jin was someone who could not be allowed to die yet.
“I said dodge!”
Jin raised his head at the repeated shout. He wasn't looking at Dipus, but at Veradin’s flame orb, which was now right in front of him. It was true that he lacked the strength to dodge.
‘In the Holy Kingdom, you tried to use this magic to protect me.’
— Stop. Jin, Dante. You two go first. I’ll stop them.
— Fine, we’ll head out first, Veradin.
— Jin! If we’re the only ones who run, what about Lord Veradin!
— Dante, you were just gloriously defeated while trying to stop me.
That day, Veradin had tried to manifest the 1st Form but was beaten by Jin and fell into mana backflow. If Jin hadn't stopped him like that, Veradin would have become the Zipple who killed his own kin for the sake of Runcandel in front of everyone.
The Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven: Demon Emperor 1st Form was a spell he had intended to use with that level of resolve. There was no way he could manifest it properly with a manipulated mind.
“Cough!”
Suddenly, Veradin’s body buckled forward as if he were about to collapse.
Mana backflow.
Jin couldn't knock his jaw out of place like he did back then, but he had been certain from the moment Veradin manifested the 1st Form. The current Veradin could never fully manifest the 1st Form. Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to sustain it until it reached him.
Two spans.
With exactly two spans left before it touched Jin, the flame orb rapidly withered away.
“Aaaaaagh…!”
Veradin screamed as he collapsed. Not only was he coughing up blood, but his entire body convulsed as his capillaries burst. In the blink of an eye, the once-massive flame orb shrunk to the size of an egg. The uncontrolled mana dissipated hollowly into the air.
Sizzle, pop, pop…
The flame orb that finally reached Jin made small popping noises, just as it had in Samil, drawing everyone’s gaze. Jin reached out and calmly closed his hand over the flame. For a few seconds, Jin stared at the soot remaining on his palm.
Dipus found himself gaping at the sight.
‘Don't tell me… he calculated that Veradin Zipple’s magic would inevitably fail due to mana backflow…!’
High above, Jin’s flame orb was still battering the Kozec. However, its power had diminished significantly, and the vessel was slowly beginning to turn.
“…4th Flagbearer, pursue them. They’re going to flee.”
Jin spoke as he wiped the soot from his palm.
“Understood! Sir Barton, let’s go!”
Dipus shouted, grabbing Barton’s shoulder.