Chapter 338: Debt and Debt and Debt (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 338: Debt and Debt and Debt (5)
Boom! Crash! Shing—!
Every time Verakt swung his sword, another section of the cave ceiling peeled away like paper, revealing the sky above.
The Wraith Squad mages were thrown onto the defensive the moment his assault began.
Amid the ear-splitting explosions, the shriek of rending air, and Verakt’s roars, Margiella beamed at Jin.
“Surely you’re not going to pretend you don’t know us, like you did back in the Holy Kingdom? I trust you’re not so shameless.”
He was getting help, and he doubted he’d ever be this happy to see a pack of lunatics like Kinzelo again. Still, Jin felt no gratitude.
To him, Kinzelo was fundamentally no different from Zipple.
They were lunatics who performed biological experiments on living people, and just like Zipple, their goal was to rule the world.
Of course, Jin also planned to take the Runcandel throne and become the world’s strongest, but at least he didn’t use people as test subjects.
Above all, Kinzelo was an enemy and a competitor.
“A debt? This is your territory anyway. Shouldn’t you have shown up regardless?”
“Oh my, how cold. We came all this way just to save you. It’s a shame when cute little beastmen die, but if you weren’t in danger, we would have left them to their fate. This land isn’t that important, after all.”
“How did you know I was in trouble?”
“That’s a trade secret!”
Considering their Leader’s abilities, Jin wouldn’t have been surprised if Kinzelo was monitoring the entire Land of the Beastmen through a crystal ball, watching it like the palm of his own hand.
“Anyway, I have no intention of being indebted to you, so cut the crap. If you really came just to save me, it’s only because you decided there was a profit in it.”
“Hmph. You’re annoyingly logical. Can’t you say something nice for a change? If you keep being so difficult, Lord Verakt might just decide to gobble you up too, Sir Jin.”
Aaaargh! Gack, ugh—!
The screams of the Wraith Squad mages echoed through the cavern.
While it didn’t sound like they had suffered fatal wounds yet, Verakt was utterly overwhelming them.
Jin let out a short, dry chuckle.
“Then I suppose I’ll be taking my leave. And while I can’t speak for Kinzelo, I will overlook one minor transgression the Ivliano family makes against Runcandel in the future.”
“Hey, are you planning to go save those escaped beastmen?” Jo cut in, stroking his thin mustache.
“What’s it to you?”
“I’d recommend you just leave. We have no intention of sending anyone after them. Don’t go wasting the life we went to the trouble of saving.”
“But Lord Jo, it wasn’t you who saved Sir Jin. It was Uncle Verakt.”
“Mar— I mean, Miss Moruriela. Don’t you think it’s embarrassing for me when you put it like that?”
“If Uncle Verakt heard what you just said, he’d fly into another rage, haha. I’m worried you might actually get killed by him one of these days, Lord Jo.”
Ugh. Jo scratched his head and looked away.
Cold Jo, a notorious 9-star mage, was practically a laughingstock among the Kinzelo executives.
Jin ignored Jo, his eyes locking with Margiella’s for a moment.
This woman… It was the same during the Holy Kingdom incident. He had no idea who she really was. Almost nothing was known about her publicly, yet she seemed to hold a significant position within Kinzelo. Did she have some kind of special ability?
He doubted her influence came simply from being the doted-upon younger sister of Vishkel, another Kinzelo executive.
As if reading his mind, Margiella simply maintained her enigmatic smile.
“Until next time, Sir Jin. It was a pleasure.”
Flash!
[Mya!]
Jin pulled the red jade from his breast pocket and summoned Shuri. Margiella gushed over how cute Shuri was, but Jin was already speeding away from the scene.
“That… that arrogant little brat!” Jo clicked his tongue.
Margiella just shrugged.
“Well, he’s cool, isn’t he? I’ve always liked his style.”
*
Jin ran at full speed.
He prayed that the battle hadn't reached the small beastmen.
Even after running for ten minutes, there was no sign of them, and anxiety began to take root in his heart.
How on earth did those little guys move so fast?
He could guarantee that few creatures on land—if any—were faster than Shuri.
The battle with the Wraith Squad hadn’t even lasted that long, but after ten minutes of sprinting, he still couldn’t find them. Just as frustration began to set in, the tracks Shuri was following came to an abrupt end.
The tracks led to the riverbank. Of course! That explained how the small beastmen had moved so quickly.
Splash!
Shuri leaped into the river and began to swim with all her might.
The Water Tail Tribe could use the large leaves native to the Land of the Beastmen to travel downriver at high speeds.
A wave of relief washed over him. If they had taken the river, the Wraith Squad mages would have few ways to pursue them.
After another twenty minutes of following the river, he finally saw one of the small beastmen. It was Dark Flame of the Water Tail Tribe.
“Dark Flame!”
“Oh, Jin, it’s you.”
Dark Flame was alone on a leaf boat, carrying a large bundle that looked like fireworks.
“Where are the others?”
“They are, escaping, everyone.”
“Why are you the only one lagging behind?”
“In case, danger, happens. I, will signal.”
As chief of the Water Tail village, he was staying behind as a sacrifice for the others.
“The Wraith Squad back at the cave has been dealt with.”
“Oh, good.”
“But two other mages are looking for you. We need to regroup with the others quickly.”
Dark Flame’s eyes widened, and he nodded.
“Understood. Follow. Me. Closely.”
Huuuuuuh—!
Dark Flame took a massive breath. It was hard to believe such lung capacity was possible in his tiny body; he swelled up like a large sack about to burst.
Paaaaa…! Splash, splash-splash!
When he exhaled, the air burst out like a shockwave, propelling the leaf boat forward at a remarkable speed.
Paddling with the broad tail characteristic of his tribe, he moved so fast that even Shuri struggled to keep up.
[Mya-mya-mya-mya!]
After traveling down the river at that incredible speed for a short while, the rest of the beastmen came into view. The Gold Snow Tribe members were all aboard the Water Tail Tribe’s leaf boats.
“Oh! Our partner! You came back alive! You kept your promise!”
Top waved his hand vigorously and shouted.
“Waaa!”
“Yay!”
The small beastmen hugged each other and cheered. Jin felt a brief sense of pride at the sight, but…
Nothing ever ended that easily.
“Uh, uh-oh, what, is that.”
“That, what is it!”
The Water Tail Tribe members pointed behind Jin and Dark Flame.
“Damn it, it’s mages! Everyone, pick up the speed again!”
“Human mages are chasing us!”
Looking back, Jin saw them—two mages in those cursed gray robes.
They were using wind and ice magic to pursue the beastmen along the riverbank.
Much like Barton had once fired an absurd amount of sword energy for propulsion, they were indiscriminately pouring out magic to catch up.
“Everyone, stay low! And get to land!” Jin shouted, drawing his sword.
The Wraith Squad mages were already aiming offensive spells at them. On the river, no matter how fast they moved, they couldn't dodge or hide.
“Ugh, ahhh.”
“Oh no, save the Gold Snow Tribe!”
The Water Tail Tribe members frantically steered their leaf boats. The Gold Snow Tribe members, in their panic, threw the sacks of gold coins and nuggets they were holding into the river.
Zzzzzzt—!
As the attack began, Jin threw himself forward and unleashed his sword energy.
Dammit. I managed to suppress the mana backflow on my way here, but I’m still not in any condition to fight properly…!
He needed to use Black Light Call.
However, he didn't have that luxury right now. Mana beams rained down incessantly, and he was using every ounce of his strength just to deflect them.
I just need to buy time until the small beastmen escape. After that, I can just call my brothers from the Pluto Tribe!
It was another race against time. Would the beastmen escape first, or would Jin collapse?
“Dark Flame!”
“Ye-yes!”
“Listen carefully. Once you get to land, don't run toward the forest; run toward the plains. If you go into the forest, they’ll burn the whole thing down. Understand?”
“Understood!”
Fortunately, the river was narrow, so it only took a moment for the small beastmen to reach land.
The Wraith Squad mages quickly crossed the river as well, repositioning themselves to intercept Jin and the beastmen.
Even while moving, they continued to fire mana beams without pause.
They can’t use their full power while casting spells to cross the river, but once they’re on land, I won’t be able to block all their attacks.
Not only that, but once they stopped using magic for movement, one would likely start firing beams while the other prepared a large-scale spell.
If that happened, he would have no choice but to use Black Light Call, even if it meant risking the lives of some of the small beastmen.
How many would die? These innocent, kind beastmen…
As his heart tightened at the thought, a subtle vibration began to emanate from the forest bordering the plains where the beastmen were fleeing.
It felt like a faint earthquake. What is that? It sounds like a massive creature running at full tilt…
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Jin realized the source of the vibration.
“Mages spotted!”
“The 12th Flagbearer’s presence is also confirmed!”
The vibration came from the thundering footsteps of fifty Runcandel Guardian Knights.
The tremor was the result of them all running at full speed with their auras fully unleashed.
Leading them were, naturally, Jin’s siblings.
“What’s this, our youngest? Were you really fighting those things all by yourself just to protect some beastmen?”
The 7th Flagbearer of Runcandel, his third sister, Mary Runcandel.
“All units, draw swords! Protect the 12th Flagbearer and the beastmen! Squads Four and Five, each take a group of beastmen and evacuate them to safety.”
And the 4th Flagbearer of Runcandel, his second brother, Dipus Runcandel.
They had been on standby at the main house and had rushed here after news that a massive amount of mana had been detected in the Jhan Kingdom.
“Those things look like elites, yet you were so fearless. Honestly, our youngest is pretty cool when he’s like this.”
At the sight of more Runcandel flagbearers, the Wraith Squad mages faltered, adjusting their stances.
“With this, the debt from the Black Knight Assassination Mission is repaid, Jin,” Dipus said as he took his place beside Jin.
Dipus’s greatsword, Volgar, and Mary’s chain sword, Viper, were glowing brilliantly, steeped in aura.