Chapter 359: The New Bradamante (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 359: The New Bradamante (1)
The ground was invisible, buried beneath a sea of nameless monster corpses. With every step the knights took, pooled blood splashed under their boots, staining their clothes and armor an even deeper black.
There was one man, however, who remained untouched: Cyron Runcandel.
Despite having personally slain more than half the monsters now lying in pieces, he was pristine, without a single drop of blood on him. Dark gore rose to his ankles, yet he glided over it as if he were a leaf floating on water, his feet perfectly clean.
This was the deepest part of the Black Sea.
For decades, only Cyron and his most trusted confidants had ever set foot here. No one else in the world ever visited this hellish region.
There were no maps of this place, save for the rough sketches they were secretly creating. No one knew what dangers lurked in the depths, and even if one managed to kill the horrific monsters, the only reward would be a few useless fragments of bone.
To the rest of the world, there was no reason to seek out the heart of the Black Sea. Even the boldest warriors who ventured into its outer reaches to hone their skills—including the few genuine masters among them—had no idea what this landscape truly looked like.
But Cyron and the Runcandels believed that exploring the Black Sea was a task upon which the very fate of their clan rested.
"Luna."
"Yes, Father."
"We will soon reach the territory of the Five Kings of the Black Sea."
"…I was thinking it was about time we encountered one of them."
"Are you exhausted?"
Luna brushed back her blood-soaked hair.
For a moment, images of the monsters she had slain flashed through her mind. There had been a time on this expedition when every knight, including Cyron and herself, had fought for ten days straight without closing their eyes, fending off a flood of monsters that never seemed to end.
"No, just bored. Fighting alongside you, Father… no matter how many I cut down, they feel like dust."
It was the first time she had ever felt that such a long, arduous battle could feel so safe.
Cyron turned his head.
"Have you learned nothing from these battles?"
Learning.
In this world, only Cyron could pose such a question to a warrior like Luna, who had already reached a transcendent realm.
Luna met Cyron’s gaze for a moment before surveying her surroundings. She saw the Black Knights checking their equipment and sharing water.
"I've learned what it means to trust my back to others."
Cyron nodded.
His eldest daughter—the first child Cyron Runcandel had ever had.
From the moment she was born, Luna had been a source of both inspiration and great expectations for Cyron, and she had never once disappointed him until the day she renounced her claim to the throne.
Even after she withdrew from the succession war, declaring she would be the sword that protects the clan, Cyron had held on to his hopes for her for a long, long time.
He had harbored a sentiment that was… surprisingly human, and somewhat uncharacteristic of him.
He had hoped that his eldest daughter would live a fulfilling life, not just as a warrior, but as a complete person, regardless of whether she became the Patriarch.
However, even long after reaching maturity, his eldest daughter had been unable to break through certain walls that confined her. Cyron had always found that slightly regrettable.
She didn't know how to fight alongside others.
That was what Cyron considered Luna’s greatest flaw. She had been born with both absolute talent and the destiny of solitude.
"You have finally realized that. It is a lesson you must learn to face the Kings of the Black Sea."
His tone was not one of rebuke. Instead, Cyron wore a faint, satisfied smile.
His words were heavy with meaning. Luna, recognizing this, struggled to find a response.
A sun more distant than the space between stars, perhaps, or one too blinding to approach.
That was how Luna had always perceived her father. It wasn't just her; all his children had felt that way about Cyron since they were young.
Is that praise? No, it doesn’t feel quite like that… I don’t know what to call it.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
Of course, Cyron hadn't spoken expecting an answer. Still, Luna felt it would be rude to remain silent, but she couldn't think of anything to say.
In the midst of her predicament, she saw someone new joining the rear of the formation.
It was Tuben.
Sir Tuben? Did they find something unusual in the middle region of the Black Sea? Is it because of that human—no, that monster he brought with him?
Tuben had been working with Vanessa Olson to map the middle region, maintaining a considerable distance from Cyron’s main force.
The eyes of the entire unit fell upon Tuben and Ozdok, who followed behind him with his head bowed deferentially.
Even though Ozdok still maintained a form that closely resembled a human, everyone recognized his true identity at a glance.
"My Lord. I have come to report an unusual occurrence."
"Speak, Tuben."
"I confirmed that the 7th and 12th Flagbearers had approached the entrance to the Black Sea. When I went to investigate, I found them engaged in battle with this monster."
Luna’s ears perked up at the mention of the 12th Flagbearer. Thanks to Tuben, she was not only saved from an awkward silence but was also about to get news of her youngest brother, whom she had been wondering about.
Looking at Cyron and the Black Knights, Ozdok’s shoulders slumped even further.
I-I can’t even count how many of these monsters have died… Every one of them could have become an Inner Core monster with enough time and opportunity. How many humans on the same level as this Tuben are there? And more importantly, the one Tuben calls his lord…
He was reminded of a name that everyone, a thousand years ago, had called the strongest.
Temar Runcandel.
Recalling that sword, Ozdok’s knees buckled, and he trembled violently. The entire reason Ozdok had taken the old Sarva Kingdom hostage was to avoid the wrath of Temar and the Runcandels.
[I-I am called O-Ozdok, sir…!]
Unconsciously, Ozdok blurted out his name and fell to his knees. He even prostrated himself, but Cyron didn't give him so much as a glance.
"How did they fare?"
"The 12th and 7th Flagbearers fought together, though they struggled. I intervened afterward and brought the situation to an end."
"Did it look like they were going to lose?"
"Not necessarily. However, I judged that if the Flagbearers exerted their full power, the battle might be observed from the outside."
"Excellent."
Tuben felt that the praise was directed at the Flagbearers, not at himself for his intervention.
This monster, Ozdok, is quite strong. Could the Youngest have handled it alone? I’m dying to know how much stronger he’s become these past few months.
No one paid much attention to the fact that Ozdok was a ‘monster capable of human speech.’ They had all seen such creatures in the depths of the Black Sea before.
While Luna was debating whether to ask a question, Tuben, as if reading her mind, spoke first.
"The 12th Flagbearer likely could have killed it on his own. However, he wouldn't have escaped serious injury. Without allies like Lord Murakan or the 7th Flagbearer, there was a high probability he would have died from those injuries before exiting the Black Sea."
Cyron shared Luna's curiosity. Jin’s rate of growth was exceeding even his own predictions.
"It has been a while since someone other than you has brought a report regarding the youngest, Khan."
Khan, who was closing his canteen, gave a silent bow.
He, too, had been mapping the area alongside the Black Knights. He also served as a messenger, traveling between the depths of the Black Sea and the outside continent.
"It has been a long time since I received a special letter from Tikan, so I was curious myself."
"It took quite a while for that fellow Casimir’s letters to become coherent. Thinking back on it now, it’s rather amusing."
Amusing. When Cyron said that, all the knights looked surprised.
Lately, Cyron had been showing more of these glimpses of his old self. Like in his younger days, before he reached the Realm of Creation, he would occasionally crack a joke or speak of trivial, ordinary desires.
The deeper they ventured into the Black Sea, the more frequent these moments became.
Because of this, the knights hid a deep sadness in their hearts.
It was a sorrow born from the realization that their lord had been an ordinary human before becoming a demigod, and that his time as a human was truly running short.
"Ozdok, a monster of legend."
Cyron turned his gaze toward Ozdok for the first time.
[Yes!]
"It must have taken you a very long time to acquire an Inner Core and learn human speech."
[It did!]
Tuben lightly pressed down on Ozdok’s shoulder as a warning. Ozdok, of course, didn't dare let out a groan.
"When the Lord asks a question, answer in more detail."
[I-I have lived in the Black Sea for about a thousand years…!]
A thousand years in the Black Sea.
And another thousand years traveling between the outside world and the Black Sea. The time it took for Ozdok to become an Inner Core monster was two thousand years in total.
"Then you must know something of the geography and the Kings of the Black Sea."
It sounded like a casual remark.
But Ozdok knew, instinctively.
The moment he answered, "I don't know," his body would be dismantled, and his life would end right then and there.
Ah, damn it! My memories from before I had an Inner Core aren't that clear…!
Regardless, he had to say he knew. Technically, it wasn't a complete lie.
[T-That is correct, sir.]
"Lead the way. Beyond the territory of the Five Kings of the Black Sea."
[Understood! Just leave it to me!]
Ozdok replied with a forced, bright smile.
Inwardly, he couldn't help but think that he should have just stayed asleep.
*
The bald—no, the legendary blacksmith and now their god, Picon Minche, let his eyes sparkle with excitement the moment he received the Inner Core.
[Ooh…!]
His heart hammered against his ribs at the thought that he could finally complete his masterpiece.
Furthermore, the Inner Core Jin had brought contained even greater power than he had expected; it seemed there would be enough left over to use elsewhere even after reinforcing the sword.
The fact that the Inner Core was larger than expected also meant that Ozdok had been weakened less than Picon had anticipated.
"Hey, Baldy. You happy? You are, aren't you? Huh? Does it feel good to pull a scam like that every time?"
Thus, Murakan’s jeering could be considered perfectly justified.
This time, Picon seemed to have a sliver of a guilty conscience and couldn't snap back at Murakan.
He was also far too excited to even think about arguing.
[Heh, I can finally complete my child…! Jin! Now, there is one last thing I need… Gack!]
Murakan grabbed Picon by the collar, his eyes blazing.
"What? There’s another thing you need? Do you really want to die? Huh? Kid, don't stop me."
"Yeah, I have no intention of stopping you," Jin said flatly. "Keep going."
[Hey, hey, wait, wait! P-Put the fist down. Just listen to me!]
"I'll give you five seconds. Talk. If your reason isn't good enough, you’re finished."
[The last thing I need is fire! You don't need to go find it; Jin just needs to use the Magic Sword Secret Technique: Karma Fire!]