Chapter 619: The Fighting King Tournament (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 619: The Fighting King Tournament (6)
The two combatants from the shocking 22nd match remained unconscious for over a week.
During that time, Fighting God Ban halted the Fighting King Tournament. Normally, the tournament would proceed immediately even if an "accident" occurred, but this situation was exceptional.
Jin was the Pluto Tribe's only hope of leaving their current realm. His death would mean the history of the Pluto Tribe would once again grind to a halt.
"Brother Boras!"
"What happened? Are our brothers all right?!"
"Brothers? Hey, Brother Garmund! You saw it, didn't you? What Jin did to Brother Kaio after the match was decided…!"
"Brother Kaio treated Brother Jin like an enemy first. I'm not saying Brother Jin was right, but if Brother Kaio hadn't gone that far in the first place…"
"Even so, to stab a brother while his guard was down and detonate lightning energy inside him? That’s no accident; it’s attempted murder."
"Brothers, shut up! Let's hear what Brother Boras has to say!"
Boras, the 5th Fighting King, looked haggard. He had just finished performing a major surgery that had lasted more than a week.
"…Both are safe. There will be no permanent disabilities, and their lives are not in danger. However, they need complete rest, so do not visit them until I give the word."
The members of the Pluto Tribe nodded.
Boras had separated their recovery rooms as a precaution, and the tribe members took up positions outside the room of the warrior they supported.
Even before the 22nd match, the Pluto Tribe had been divided, engaged in a daily battle of nerves.
However, while the factions had previously been split almost down the middle, the overwhelming majority now supported Kaio.
It was inevitable. While it was true that Kaio had been the first to act as if he couldn't acknowledge Jin, he had not crossed the line.
Jin, on the other hand, clearly had. Furthermore, Kaio had been strictly arguing for upholding the traditions and principles of the Fighting King Tournament.
Until Jin provoked him, Kaio had never initiated an attack.
The only Fighting Kings guarding Jin’s room were Linpa, Belize, and Garmund. With fewer than ten ordinary warriors, including Shaku, also present, it was clear where the hearts of the Pluto Tribe lay.
Yet, even those gathered on Jin’s side did not support him unconditionally.
They, too, believed that Jin had committed a grave sin. They simply held the position that he shouldn't be cast out from the circle of "brothers." The rest of the tribe, however, mostly believed that Jin should be exiled—or that exile alone wasn't enough and should be accompanied by severe punishment.
"Damn it, how did it come to this…?" Garmund, the 8th Fighting King, muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead.
He felt the heaviest burden of responsibility for this incident. He believed that if he had fought properly, the situation would never have deteriorated to this point.
"Stop blaming yourself, Brother Garmund. It's not… your fault."
"Exactly. Let's use that energy to think of a solution instead. Sigh. Was the bond between our brothers really this fragile? At this rate, we're no different from the foolish races we used to despise."
Whether they wanted to exile Jin or not, the choice wasn't theirs to make. The absolute right to decide the Pluto Tribe's fate belonged solely to Fighting God Ban.
Ban had only halted the tournament and had yet to express any other opinion. Beyond that, she had shut herself away with Ling Ling and refused to see anyone.
"Fighting God Ban needs to step forward and say something."
"This is the first time she has remained silent like this. I wonder what she's thinking."
While the tribe’s concern and anger continued to grow, Jin and Kaio finally regained consciousness two days later.
Upon waking, Jin immediately stated his position to the brothers who rushed in with Boras’s permission.
"Unless Fighting God Ban punishes me directly, I will continue to participate in the Fighting King Tournament as scheduled. And if necessary, I will use the same method I used to defeat Brother Kaio again."
For the waiting brothers, it was an astounding declaration. They had expected Jin to reflect on his excessive actions and apologize to his infuriated brethren.
"Brother Jin, are you crazy?! You're going to do that again?"
Jin nodded calmly at Belize’s agitated voice.
"Yes. The Fighting King Tournament is fundamentally a fight, not a spar, Brother Belize. And in this fight, I will prove my will and my qualification for the succession."
"Are you saying it's okay to do such things just for victory? Do you really think winning by trampling on the trust and affection of your brothers is a righteous competition?!"
"I can do worse. If you think it's unfair, the brothers who fight me can do the same."
"…Brother Kaio’s injuries are so severe he can no longer participate in the tournament. Your lightning energy exploded inside his chest! It will take at least a year for him to fully recover. He can't even feed himself right now! Do you feel nothing?"
"And I almost lost both my eyes to Brother Kaio. At the end, my entire head was nearly obliterated."
"But it didn't happen! Do you know why? Because Brother Kaio couldn't bring himself to fire at you in the end."
"That's right. I don't know if he truly couldn't bring himself to fire or not. Regardless, he lost, and I will win my next match as well. Thinking, 'I can't kill him because he's my brother'? In a tournament where accidental death is considered unavoidable, entering with such a soft-hearted mindset is the real problem."
"What did you say…?"
"And do you really think Brother Kaio held back because he cares for me? It's more likely because if I'm gone, so is the tribe's hope of ever leaving this place."
Belize raised her arm as if to slap Jin’s cheek, then, trembling, she slowly lowered it.
"I want you brothers to be clear about your attitude toward me. If you truly accepted me as a brother, you shouldn't have denied my position as Sigmund's successor just because another possibility arose."
"Not all of us were like that."
"But many of you were. Even Fighting God Ban didn't suppress that atmosphere. And look at the result. The tribe is already divided, with most of you supporting Kaio. In fact, it's not even a division. It feels more like unity—a chance to deny my succession, which none of you ever wanted in the first place."
The brothers standing nearby all gritted their teeth at Jin’s vicious words. They wondered if this was truly the same Jin they had known.
"…It seems we misjudged you, Brother Jin."
"I have never truly been included in the Pluto Tribe's 'we.' Now, even you will turn your backs and stand on the other side. In the end, blood is thicker than water."
As Belize turned and stormed out of the room, the ordinary warriors followed her. Linpa and Garmund remained for a moment, looking down at Jin.
"Brother Jin… why are you… doing this?"
"Brother Jin! No matter what, this isn't right. It started with my mistake, but right now, you are definitely in the wrong! Brother Kaio was a bit rough, but you don't really think the only reason he held back was because he wanted to leave this place, do you?"
"Please leave."
Jin closed his eyes. The two stood silently for a long time.
"…Brother Jin, just… know this. If you keep this up, all the brothers might really… turn away from you."
* * *
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Kaio’s room was even heavier.
Everyone was silently suppressing their rage. If the lightning energy had exploded in a slightly more dangerous location, Kaio’s Heart of Light would have shattered, leaving him crippled for life.
"He must be exiled."
"That's right! Brother Jin—no, I don't even want to call that bastard 'Brother' anymore. He crossed the line. This was clearly attempted fratricide."
"If we exile him, we might never be able to leave, but we can't just let this slide."
Kaio silently swallowed the porridge that the 9th Fighting King, Baba, was feeding him.
"Fighting God Ban has just issued an order!" Mouka shouted as he burst into the room.
"What did she say?!"
"She said the Fighting King Tournament will resume as soon as Brother Jin is fully recovered."
Groans erupted from all sides. They had expected Ban to punish Jin, so hearing that the tournament would continue was difficult to accept. The resumption of the tournament essentially meant Kaio's disqualification, as he was in no state to continue.
"…This makes it clear. Fighting God Ban has no intention of punishing Brother Jin herself."
However, the Pluto Tribe did not see this as Ban’s favoritism. Rather, they felt she had given them the "choice" of what to do with Jin. Or perhaps, she was giving Jin one more chance to see how he would act in the next match and how he would treat his brothers.
"Fighting God Ban must feel the same way we do. Even if it means we can't leave, we can't just let this pass."
"Right. If she had no intention of punishing Jin, she would have ordered us not to seek revenge."
"Brother Jin is not qualified to succeed the Fighting God. He not only lacks strength, but he tried to kill Brother Kaio, using our inability to leave this place without him as a shield."
"When my turn comes, I will take Brother Kaio’s place and…"
As several members of the Pluto Tribe radiated bloodlust, Baba set down the porridge.
"But in the end, Brother Jin didn't kill Brother Kaio either. Let's all calm down a bit."
"Brother Baba. Are you saying we need to think about this more?"
"When Brother Garmund messed up, the reason Brother Kaio got so angry was because of you, Brother Baba. Surely you know that."
9th Fighting King Baba.
Until the tribe's fall, most of the Pluto Tribe had believed that the one to eventually succeed Ban would be Baba. The other Fighting Kings, including Kaio, had spent their lives struggling to surpass her. Even in the last Fighting King Tournament held before their destruction, the final victor had been Baba.
"Hah, I know. I know. But are you really going to kill Brother Jin? It could have been a mistake. Besides, even if you all talk like that, none of you actually have the heart to exile or kill him."
"Baba…"
Finally, Kaio raised his head. His voice was hoarse, and everyone turned to look at him.
Kaio’s eyes snapped open as he spoke.
"If… Jin makes another 'mistake'… then… you must end him yourselves."