Chapter 41: Enemies Within and Without (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 41: Enemies Within and Without (1)
A 5-star Knight.
Jin had expected it would take at least three to five years to reach that level. For a Runcandel, becoming a 5-star Knight by the age of twenty was considered average.
However, Jin, who had just defeated the 5-star Knight Kajin, was only fifteen.
Even if Kajin had been caught off guard by underestimating him, Jin was confident he would win again if they fought a second time.
“You were… crushed by the youngest?”
“Ha, now he’s just lying to our faces. Does that even make sense? The youngest was a 3-star until just recently. Don’t be a fool. This is impossible.”
Myu and Anne stared at Kajin, their faces etched with disbelief as they listened to his report.
It was only natural. Jin hadn’t used a surprise attack, nor had Kajin held back. In terms of raw combat experience and physical build, Kajin was overwhelmingly superior.
“I have no excuse.”
“Did you go easy on him because he’s pure-blooded?”
“Or did the youngest pay you off?”
“…That is absolutely not the case, my ladies.”
“Then what is it? Are you really telling us to believe the youngest became a 5-star in such a short time?”
“It wasn’t just me; everyone at the training ground saw it. That aura was definitely at least 5-star level.”
“Ha!”
Myu pressed a hand to her forehead, and Anne let out a hollow laugh.
“Fine. It was my mistake to expect anything from the likes of you. Get out of my sight.”
Once Kajin had left, the two women looked at each other.
“So, the youngest has finally bared his teeth at us, hasn't he?”
At Anne’s question, Myu replied, “No. He’s bared his teeth not just at us, but at the entire family. It seems his next mission should be to a place where he’s guaranteed to never return alive… and we’ll mix some of our own people into the team.”
* * *
In an instant, the Garden of Swords was abuzz.
The rumor that Jin had defeated Kajin and become the undisputed strongest in the Intermediate Class spread like wildfire, reaching even the servants. However, many of them, much like Myu and Anne, found it hard to believe.
His growth rate was simply absurd. In the thousand-year history of Runcandel, only three people had become 5-star Knights at the age of fifteen: the First Patriarch Temar, Cyron, and Luna.
However, most people believed Jin’s achievement was limited to swordsmanship.
‘5-star swordsmanship, 4-star magic, 4-star spiritual energy.’
Reaching 5-star in swordsmanship was a level of growth even he hadn't fully anticipated.
After returning from Mamit, he had simply continued his usual training with the Blue-Eye Stone. Before he knew it, his aura had reached the 5-star level.
Even during his rest periods, when he would simply coat his blade in aura and maintain it, the speed at which aura accumulated in his body was staggering.
It wasn't just because Jin’s talent for the sword was exceptionally brilliant.
It was a kind of synergy.
The three powers flowing through Jin’s body were Spirit Energy, Mana, and Aura. It was a realm unknown to ordinary people, who would never have the chance to wield all three at once. But Jin could feel that they shared common ground.
When one of the three grew stronger, it influenced the others. Among them, spiritual energy had the greatest influence, and Jin had recently achieved significant growth after experiencing a ‘Spirit Energy Overload.’
As a result, the pathways for his aura and mana had also been elevated to a new level. For Jin, it was like winning the lottery without even having to scratch the ticket.
‘Now that I’ve openly revealed I’m a 5-star at fifteen, my siblings will finally start getting genuinely nervous.’
He had reached a remarkable level, certainly.
But he wasn't yet strong enough to face his older siblings. Perhaps he could handle the Tona brothers, but the family’s Flagbearers could crush him at any moment if given the chance.
It wasn't just Myu and Anne.
Joshua, who had already been designated as the next Patriarch, and the heavyweight siblings hot on his heels would now have no choice but to pay attention to Jin.
Jin had now become a thorn in the side of everyone vying for the Runcandel throne.
Choosing Barisada during the Selection Ceremony could be dismissed as mere superstition, but truly distinguishing himself with power was on another level entirely.
‘Hiding my skills for a while longer wouldn't have been a bad choice, either.’
If he had revealed his strength around the age of eighteen, he might have made those closest to the throne let their guard down.
However, Jin judged that there were more benefits to be gained from revealing it now.
‘Starting today, the news that I’m a 5-star at fifteen will begin to spread outside Runcandel. All sorts of families and alliances will come to see me. With so many eyes watching, my siblings won't be able to act recklessly.’
And above all, his father, Cyron Runcandel, would personally visit the Garden of Swords.
He was currently desperate for a successor who could replace Joshua. Since Luna, Cyron had never once felt satisfied with any of his children.
But Luna, the only one who met his standards, had no interest in the throne. In fact, she remained a bystander, claiming she hated the idea of family members fighting to the death.
Therefore, no matter how strong she was, Cyron had judged that Luna was not fit to lead the family.
Joshua, designated as the successor and the next best option, was acceptable in terms of personality. While not perfectly satisfying, he possessed razor-sharp decisiveness, drive, and cold-bloodedness.
Furthermore, even if something went wrong with Joshua, it wasn't as if there were no alternatives. Cyron also considered his second son Dipus, his second daughter Luntia, and his third daughter Mary as potential successors.
The succession structure seemed to be solidifying, but…
‘Now, there’s me.’
With Jin’s appearance, the landscape had changed. Cyron was a man who granted opportunities regardless of age.
‘Just like with the Beginner Class, the results of this mission will be reported to Father. Along with my achievements… and then he will issue some kind of directive.’
Jin expected that whatever Cyron’s directive was, it would include two things simultaneously.
First, a trial. A test to see if Jin could overcome the age gap between himself and the siblings designated as successors.
Second, protection. Now that he had distinguished himself, direct attacks from his siblings were inevitable. Cyron would not want Jin to become prey before he even had a chance to take the test.
This was because Jin was a special case. Cyron was not the type to intervene in his children’s disputes.
“Gilly.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Soon, major families and organizations will request meetings with Runcandel. They’ll want to see for themselves who this youngest Runcandel is—the one who reached 5-star at fifteen, a story that will soon dominate the world’s newsletters.”
Not only the great martial families like the Ivlianos of swordsmanship, the Kens of spearmanship, and the Tukos of grappling would come.
National organizations like the Viment Imperial Guard, the Special Task Force, and the Dragon King Knights would also send people. The same went for martial groups like the Secret Palace, the Black King Corps, and the Ghost Captain’s unit.
“Wow, kid. Aren’t you full of yourself? Don’t those people have anything better to do?”
“Tracking Runcandel’s movements is a very important matter for them. Everyone will expect a shift in the Runcandel succession because of my achievement. It’s something they have to come and verify personally.”
Jin’s certainty about the situation was partly due to his ability to read political currents. But the stories he had heard in his previous life were a huge help.
He had heard countless times about how many people flocked to the family when Luna became a 5-star Knight at fifteen. It was a legendary tale among the siblings.
“Oh, aren’t you just the best. Meanwhile, no one gives a damn about a lowly Black Dragon like me.”
“That’s right. I’m glad you know. Anyway, once the official letters requesting visits start arriving, Father will come to the main estate himself. He’ll likely hold a banquet.”
“The Patriarch will be leaving the Black Sea again, then. I will make thorough preparations.”
“I’m counting on you. And make sure to keep a close eye on Murakan. It’ll be a disaster if he sneakily transforms into a human and joins the banquet. You understand?”
“Am I a child? I can at least handle that much—”
“I will keep that in mind,” Gilly said, cutting him off.
When Murakan glared at her, she pointedly avoided his gaze.
* * *
Two days later, the newsletters were truly plastered with stories about the youngest son of Runcandel.
Since Jin had yet to engage in any public activities, the reporters were naturally frustrated. All that was known was his age and the rumor of him being a 5-star.
Reporters with deep pockets tried to bribe Runcandel servants, while resourceful reporters sought out the teleport gate attendants of the Mitel Kingdom or the 3rd Division of the Black King Corps to ask about Jin.
This was because they were the only ones in the world who had actually laid eyes on him. However, the teleport gate attendants valued their lives too much to speak, and the Black King Corps utterly loathed newsletters.
Inexperienced reporters—those who didn't know the ways of the world—thought that Runcandel might have spread false rumors just to generate hype, given the lack of information.
“Just what kind of person is Jin Runcandel?”
Such lamentations were common among reporters.
The Garden of Swords was not a place where mere reporters dared to set foot, so the best they could do was pace anxiously and try to pull strings with powerful families that actually had permission to visit.
Another week passed. By the time May 1795 arrived, official letters requesting permission to visit began to pour into the Garden of Swords like a breaking dam. Everything was unfolding exactly as Jin had predicted.
“The butlers seem to be losing their minds trying to reply to all the official letters, Young Master. When I asked Petro, he said even the Imperial Family of Viment sent a letter.”
“The Imperial Family? That’s a bit surprising. Even those recluses must have had their curiosity piqued.”
“I find it more surprising that you read the situation so perfectly, Young Master.”
Gilly smiled proudly and continued.
“And I heard that today, the Patriarch announced his schedule to visit the main estate through Guardian Knight Khan. It seems he’s coming in a month. The visits from other families and organizations are being scheduled to match that time.”
While the world both inside and outside the clan was in an uproar over Jin, there was strangely no significant movement from his siblings. They carried out their missions or continued their training as usual, and Jin did the same.
It was only natural. It would be foolish to try and suppress Jin while the world’s eyes were fixed on him. The moment they started interfering, it would be like advertising their fear or hatred of him, which would inevitably damage their reputations.
However, it wasn't as if no one was going to do something foolish.
“Yo—Young Master!”
The man who sought out Jin with a frantic expression was the 2nd Butler, Petro.
The moment Jin saw his face, he knew what was coming.
‘It seems Sisters Myu and Anne have played another trick.’
Petro was drenched in sweat, a testament to how hard he had run through the vast Garden of Swords.
“Catch your breath and speak slowly, Petro.”
“Haa, haa! Thank you. Phew… It’s about a mission that’s been assigned to you, Young Master. But the location is…”
“Where is it?”
“The Colon Ruins.”
“Ha! The Colon Ruins? Young Master, the Flagbearers have gone too far this time. That place is Zipple territory!”
“You are correct… the Flagbearers have indeed gone too far,” Petro said. “That is why Madam Rosa is currently furious. It seems several Flagbearers have already been summoned, so you should probably go see the Madam as well, Young Master.”
Jin nodded calmly.