Chapter 568: King of the Black Sea, Gliek (12)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 568: King of the Black Sea, Gliek (12)
The only reason he managed to avoid being decapitated by Ron’s blade in that instant was likely because his spirit energy had been bolstered by chaos.
Jin’s reaction speed was unbelievable, even to himself. Before, it would have been impossible to create distance after being ambushed by Ron at full strength.
A hot streak of blood trickled down his throat.
He had finally encountered his most dependable and powerful ally in this subspace, yet the man had tried to kill him without a moment's hesitation.
That fact was far more shocking than the brush with death itself. Furthermore, what Ron had said cut deep.
“I asked why it was Dante who was devoured, and not you!”
Ron’s anguished cry cut deeper than any dagger.
Guilt—the emotion that had tormented Jin since the Sword Emperor Holy War began. The guilt he had desperately suppressed to focus on the fight now welled up like a bitter tide.
Lord Ron is simply not in his right mind. No matter how despairing he is, he is not a man who would ever say such things…
Jin himself had just experienced his body and mind being corrupted by chaos. He had barely managed to suppress the madness that followed the agony of his flesh being crushed.
Judging by his clouded eyes, Lord Ron must be going through the same thing I did. He must be…
Urgh!
The moment that thought crossed his mind, a wave of nausea surged as a sickening lump lodged in his throat.
The cause was doubt.
Even if he was being corrupted, Ron's words might be the truth hidden in the depths of his heart.
Considering the tragedy Hairan had recently endured, it was entirely possible. Anyone in his position would need someone to blame.
What Jin found even harder to bear was that the encroaching madness of chaos, and the murderous intent it birthed, was beginning to turn toward Ron.
Whether Ron’s resentment was sincere or not, Jin believed he had no right to hold any animosity toward the man. Even after Dante disappeared, Ron was the one who had tried to save him.
Ron took a stance, leveling the tip of his sword at Jin.
Somewhere within the black-stained blade of Rashid, Jin felt that Ron’s true energy—the light that had shone so brilliantly before Gliek’s awakening—still lingered.
That invisible light was serving as Jin’s guide.
If he hadn't witnessed the efforts Ron made to save Hairan and to keep Jin alive, Jin might have simply turned into a battle-crazed demon and fought back.
Jin slowly raised Bradamante and centered himself.
The madness swirling in his mind was gradually subsiding.
Jin began to see the current Ron just as he saw the spirit energy and Pluto Tribe blood that had saved him from the earlier corruption.
Just as the spirit energy and the blood had helped him control the chaos-infused power, the light that was Ron Hairan was now triggering another great leap within him.
He had overcome the corruption of his body and shaken off the madness of his inner demons.
In a sense, Jin had achieved growth—transcendence—within this subspace. Even the suspicion that this might be another of Gliek’s tricks was fading.
To cross a wall is to see what lies beyond it. In this new realm of understanding, Jin could no longer sense any of Gliek's intent.
Jin saw it clearly.
When Gliek pulled Jin into this subspace, it had expected that Solderet’s foul power would soon be extinguished.
That was why it had declared that all of Jin’s opportunities were gone. No matter how potent Solderet’s power was, it couldn't defy Gliek while it remained so weak.
However, that wasn't the only thing that defied its expectations.
The monster hadn't been the one to summon Ron here.
Now it is my turn to help you, Lord Ron.
He didn't know how to help yet, but he decided to accept Ron’s wrath. Now that chaos had strengthened his spirit energy, he felt he could properly trade blows with Ron.
Until Ron’s resentment faded, even just a little.
Jin resolved to fight.
Clang—!
Ron lunged, his sword descending toward Jin’s forehead.
There was no hesitation in Ron's blade. Pushing aside his heartache, Jin firmly met the strike.
“Why wasn't it you?!”
No matter how much his own heart ached, it was nothing compared to the pain Ron had endured. Therefore, he couldn't allow himself to look more sorrowful than the man before him.
To do so would be an insult to Ron’s suffering.
Clash, screech…!
The battle began as a stalemate. Both men stood their ground, clashing swords without retreating.
Yet, even as he swung his sword tenaciously, Jin never once managed to launch an attack of his own. It wasn't that he couldn't bring himself to cut or stab Ron; he simply didn't have the leeway.
Conversely, Ron, who was on a relentless offensive, couldn't break through Jin's defense.
“Dante… Give back that child…!”
Silently, as if performing penance, Jin endured the man named Ron Hairan. In the depths of the abyss, their lonely battle continued.
Just as before, there was no way to tell how much time was passing in the subspace.
Though it likely hadn't been long, Jin felt as if he had aged. To embrace the sorrow of a giant like Ron, he had no choice but to become even more resolute, making that strange sensation of aging feel inevitable.
Ron must have needed someone.
He must have desperately needed someone to tell him it was okay to cry, to vent his anger to his heart's content. Someone to tell him to try, whether it solved anything or not.
Someone should have told him to express his rage purely for himself, not for the sake of saving Jin or for revenge.
Tears hotter than the blood flowing from his neck ran down Jin’s cheeks.
The reason Ron had overcome death for the sake of his grandson and his friend, even after losing everything, was simply because that duty was immeasurably heavy.
It was the same for Jin, who had no choice but to revive Ron with the Demon God Stone he so loathed.
In this war, neither of them had ever made a choice for themselves.
They had picked up their swords solely for others.
And the reason Jin, unlike Ron, could still fight for the other man rather than himself was because he had experienced less pain.
In doing so, Jin found a strange comfort for himself.
Only now did he feel he could truly empathize with his own pain and Ron's suffering. He couldn't stop the tears that flowed until they blurred his vision.
Humans are born to see themselves in others. Through Ron, Jin was now recognizing sorrows within himself that he never knew existed.
However, that did not help in battle.
Ron’s sword, which Jin had been narrowly blocking, drew ever closer. At this rate, Ron’s blade would soon cut him down.
Minor wounds began to appear. Perhaps because the chaos staining Ron’s sword had deepened during the fight, the cuts from Rashid spat out black, poisoned-looking blood.
Neither his spirit energy nor his Pluto Tribe blood could suppress the chaos from Ron's blade. Though it acted like a poison, it wasn't one, so the energy of the Ten Thousand Poison Liquor remained inert.
Death was imminent.
Yet, it wasn't death that Jin feared. He feared that Ron might not return to his senses before his own life flickered out.
Thuck!
Ah…!
Finally, Ron’s sword pierced Jin’s abdomen.
If the blade twisted or slashed, Jin would meet his end.
No, perhaps… it’s already too late.
Even the chaos from the minor wounds had caused a severe toxic reaction; the chaos energy from the blade now piercing his abdomen was far worse.
Ron stood still, his head bowed.
He was so vulnerable that if Jin had the strength to move just once, he could have easily stabbed him with his sword.
However, Jin could not move so much as a finger, though he managed not to drop his weapon.
Soon, Jin met Ron’s gaze as the older man lifted his head.
Black tears streamed from his chaos-stained eyes.
“Lord… Ron…”
There was no answer, only the sound of sobbing. Ron’s hand, gripping the hilt, was trembling violently.
He was resisting the energy of chaos that whispered for him to twist the sword and finish Jin off.
Jin said nothing. He didn't tell him to overcome it, to stop, or that he shouldn't be doing this.
He simply waited, trusting Ron to climb the final step out of the abyss on his own.
The reason Ron hesitated at the final moment, delaying the death he had so desperately yearned for, was the same reason Jin had endured it all.
Just as Jin had found enlightenment by seeing the light within the man named Ron Hairan, Ron, too, recognized something in Jin, who had swung his sword for him until the very end.
He saw himself—a monster submerged in sorrow.
“You may… resent me.”
Ron’s eyes wavered.
Slowly, he began to withdraw Rashid from Jin’s body.
Ron’s black-stained eyes began to return to their original color. The moment the sword was free, Jin collapsed, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Chaos had spread through his body like poison, and with the severe bleeding and internal injuries, he should have surely died.
Yet, Jin felt as though he wouldn't die.
Ron did not look down at Jin but stared straight into the void.
In that void, there was something that Jin could not see—something that no one else on the battlefield could have seen, even if they were there.
Only two people in the world could see it.
Cyron Runcandel.
And now, Ron Hairan, who had just entered the realm of Creation.
A pure white light, visible only to him, filled the air. Ron remained motionless for a long time, his gaze fixed on that light.
When one crosses a wall, what lies beyond becomes visible.
The moment he faced the light of Creation, Ron understood several things he had never before considered, or perhaps had only dared to hope for.
Jin could not see the light himself, but he felt it. He felt that Ron had finally taken the final step to defy fate.
The murky energy of chaos was no longer emanating from Ron.
“I see… hope.”
Ron reached out toward the light of Creation, and Jin lost consciousness with a smile.