Chapter 604: Purifying Chaos (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 604: Purifying Chaos (8)
Boras was burning with scholarly passion over the succession of new discoveries.
“If the Fighting God Union is mediated through Chaos, then perhaps my ancestral brothers, Nana and Kaka, were also related to the First Chaos. This is a truly historic discovery!”
The moment Ban glanced at Boras, the Chaos entity fixed its gaze on Jin and let out a snickering laugh.
Jin felt his blood begin to boil.
Ugh… that really gets on my nerves.
A simmering heat rose within him. As Jin took a heavy step forward, the Chaos entity bared its fangs and scurried backward.
“Hey, you can talk, can’t you?”
[Kying-kying?]
“You understand me perfectly, and you’re quick on the uptake. There’s no way you can’t speak. Explain yourself. Why are you affecting the Fighting God Union?”
The Chaos entity simply tilted its head as if it had no idea what he was talking about.
“That, too, is likely because of the Fighting God Blood, Brother Jin.”
“Brother Boras.”
“As I said before, your Fighting God Blood underwent a change—an evolution—while resisting the Chaos during your battle with Gliek. But it wasn't just the Fighting God Blood that changed… that Chaos entity over there was surely influenced by the Fighting God Blood as well.”
Fighting God Blood and Chaos.
Boras concluded that the two had altered each other's properties while intertwined within Jin’s body. Just as the Fighting God Blood had resisted the Chaos, the Chaos had clashed with the Fighting God Blood, creating a strange connectivity between them.
“Originally, the two forces tried to merge inside you, Brother, but they failed. The struggle ended before either side could completely consume the other.”
Technically, however, that battle had been a victory for Chaos. If Jin hadn't come to Laprarosa, the hidden Chaos would have killed him within a month.
“In other words, both the Fighting God Blood and the Chaos were left in a modified state, having partially absorbed each other's properties. And now, because there is an existence nearby that both energies can react to, the Fighting God Union is naturally forming!”
Fighting God Ban—the energy she possessed had attributes compatible with both the altered Chaos and the evolved Fighting God Blood.
That was Boras’s deduction of the current situation.
“As expected of me, I am a genius. To think of all this in an instant.”
“The 5th Fighting King is indeed clever, Brother.”
“…If what the 5th Fighting King says is true, it explains a few things. Like why the Fighting God Union only manifests when that thing and Brother Fighting God are close to each other.”
The only related cases were Nana and Kaka, but no detailed records remained. Because of this, the Fighting God Union was a legendary martial art for which not even a theory existed.
Therefore, they had no choice but to deduce and experiment.
“Brothers. Take the Chaos entity far away again.”
At Boras’s command, Baltirok and Rumora once again dragged the Chaos entity outside the training ground.
Sure enough, the moment the Chaos entity was far enough away, Jin and Ban felt the resonance break. When it was brought back, the resonance began anew.
This phenomenon wasn't limited to the Central Training Ground. They repeated the same experiment while traveling to various regions of Laprarosa, and the result was always the same.
“This proves it…”
Boras opened a notebook where he had briefly jotted down the experimental process and results.
“Approximately one li. Regardless of the location, if the distance between you two and the Chaos entity exceeds that, the Fighting God Union does not occur. For the Fighting God Union to work, the three of you must be within one li of each other.”
During one experiment, Ban raised a valid point: what if distance was irrelevant and the Chaos entity could control the Fighting God Union at will?
They tested this by blindfolding the Chaos entity and blocking its other senses as much as possible while Jin and Ban varied their distance over a long period.
The conclusion was that the Chaos entity had no ability to control the Fighting God Union. The only key factor was distance.
As for why the Fighting God Union didn't occur during their first battle with the entity, Boras concluded it was because "time was needed for the Chaos, the Fighting God Blood, and Ban’s energy to achieve synchronization."
As the experiments progressed, the Chaos entity grew increasingly triumphant. It adopted a smug attitude, as if to say, See? You can't use the Fighting God Union without me…
“Brother Jin.”
“Yes, Brother Fighting God.”
“Now that I think about it, our goal was always to purify your Chaos and help you reclaim your strength, not to stumble upon some legendary martial art.”
“That is correct.”
“So, let us end these experiments on the Fighting God Union here. It would be best to finish that thing off as soon as possible.”
“I feel the same way, Brother Fighting God.”
Boras felt a lingering regret that this legendary discovery was ending so abruptly, but he didn't oppose Ban and Jin’s decision.
“Tsk, as a blacksmith and a researcher, it’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Still, you never know. Since it’s an established fact that Brother Jin’s Fighting God Blood has changed, we might find a way to use the Fighting God Union even after the Chaos is gone.”
“It was a mysterious experience in its own right, so at least it wasn’t a waste of time,” Ban said. “What will you do, Brother Jin? Will you start fighting it again today? Or do you need to rest?”
At that, the Chaos entity’s face turned pale. The situation was unfolding in a way completely different from what it had expected.
“I’ll start immediately.”
After all, they could still use the Fighting God Union until the Chaos entity was finished. The union manifested automatically as long as the three of them were within one li of each other.
Crackle!
Ban’s energy began to flow into Jin’s Heart of Light. Having already reclaimed ten percent of his power, Jin was now incomparably stronger than he had been in the previous battle.
As the fight was about to begin, the Chaos entity looked around frantically, appearing deeply troubled.
But there was no one to stop the fight and nowhere to run. All the Chaos entity could do was fight back.
Ban maintained her position five steps away, ready to protect Jin. Even if Jin fainted from the overload of the Fighting God Union as he had before, it wouldn't be a problem.
For the Chaos entity, it was a fight it simply could not win.
Klang!
Naturally, Jin was the first to charge.
Bradamante, imbued with Lightning Energy and Spirit Energy, now possessed a power reminiscent of its former glory. This was thanks to Ban’s energy being added to his reclaimed ten percent of Aura.
The Chaos entity couldn't even mount a proper counterattack, suppressed by Ban’s sheer momentum. It could only keep forming shields and retreating.
For some reason, I feel like I’ve become the villain here.
Fortunately, he was able to shake off that uncomfortable feeling before long.
A link existed between Jin and the Chaos entity, connecting their inner selves. Through it, Jin was certain that the creature was merely ‘pretending’ to be pitiful.
The entity’s true feeling was pure annoyance that its plan had gone awry.
Damn human! You’re nothing on your own, yet you act so bold with those monsters backing you up?
The moment he heard the creature's inner voice, Jin’s eyes widened as he locked gazes with it.
It was a sound the other brothers could not hear.
I’m nothing on my own? The one who stole all my power is thinking that?
It was an absurd situation for Jin and a frustrating one for the Chaos entity.
Hmph, it would have been better if we just went our separate ways! If you’re going to be like this, then I have a plan too. No more mercy. It’s a waste to just end things here, so first, take this! My powerful forepaw swing!
If the Chaos entity’s thoughts hadn't been transmitted…
Jin would never have dodged the forepaw attack that followed in the next instant. Even with ten percent of his Aura and the Fighting God Union, it was a speed the current Jin shouldn't have been able to react to.
Huh? How did he dodge that!?
You really do attack exactly as you think…
Was it luck? No, he dodged again!?
Jin did more than just evade; he closed the distance and dug into the creature’s flank. Before the panicked entity could reflexively pull away, Jin reclaimed the ten percent of Mana that had been gathered at its side.
Dammit! Stealing my power again—urk!
Bradamante slammed into the creature’s forehead.
He lacked the strength to cut through, but a dull thud echoed through the air.
“Why is this ‘your’ power?!”
As the Chaos entity’s posture collapsed while it clutched its head in pain, Jin thrust his sword with all his might into its abdomen once more.
[Kyuaaa!]
Seizing the opening, Jin reclaimed another ten percent of his Aura, which had been gathered in its belly.
“Oh, Brother Jin’s energy is growing larger and larger!”
“But didn't it seem like Brother Jin just said something, as if he was answering that thing?”
“Did he? Anyway, at this rate, he’ll have it all back in no time.”
It was just as the watching Plutos had said. In this single day, he had already recovered twenty percent of his Aura and ten percent of his Mana.
I think I finally understand how Murakan felt. When I lost my power, it felt like my entire world had vanished. Reclaiming it now… there’s no feeling more refreshing. And it seems that thing, unlike me, can’t read my thoughts.
He didn't know why there was a difference, nor did it particularly matter.
What matters is what move that thing has left.
Only a few minutes ago, the Chaos entity had thought it held a trump card.
The entity had wanted to toy with Jin and vent its anger for as long as possible before resorting to this, but the unfavorable situation forced its hand.
Hmph, now you won’t be able to get help from those monsters either.
The Chaos entity spread its wings.
Jin tried to leap and attack, but he halted his movement as he saw the creature’s body suddenly scatter into particles.
Its very form was changing.
A transformation?
Ban showed her anger at the entity’s sudden action, but even she had no way to stop it. She couldn't land a direct blow on the Chaos entity.
Instead, as soon as its form scattered, Jin was able to momentarily reclaim more of his energy that lingered in the air. The Chaos entity didn't seem to have any other thoughts, as if it had accepted the loss.
To be precise, its inner voice was no longer being transmitted to Jin. The moment its form changed, the mental link that had broadcasted its thoughts was completely severed.
It didn't take long for the transformation to complete. About ten seconds later, Jin and the Plutos could only tilt their heads in confusion at what the Chaos entity had become.
“That is…”
“A door? Is it a door?”
A door.
The form the Chaos entity had taken was a door, one that looked just like the one Dante had seen when he was trapped in the White Stone.