Chapter 692: Yona, Yona, Yona……. (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 692: Yona, Yona, Yona……. (1)
On May 6, 1803, word arrived from Nameless: they had discovered traces of Yona.
Fortunately, Yona had not yet left Akin, and her location was far from any private residences or cities.
Immediately upon receiving the news, Jin boarded the Red Owl. He took with him Hedo, Vail, Bianca Caligo, and Lanke Halovice. The latter two had come along demanding to know why he hadn't brought Vail back sooner.
“Jin… Runcandel… why… are we…?”
Bianca’s slow voice was tinged with bewilderment. Lanke’s face was a mask of profound displeasure, his fear of Jin the only thing stopping him from shouting.
“Unfortunately for you, your Grand Duke made a deal with me. In exchange for letting Orgal meet Vail, he promised to provide absolute protection for Sandra and Sir Hedo.”
“Ah… protection. But… he didn't say… it would be absolute….”
“If you don't want to do it, you can go back now. But that would mean our deal is void.”
“Urgh… ugh.”
As Bianca clutched her head in frustration, Lanke finally snapped. He stood up abruptly, his face contorted in a scowl.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! This is too much. Are we your slaves? If you want protection, you should be staying put. Why must we be responsible for you inviting unnecessary danger?”
“Lanke Halovice, it seems I didn’t hit you hard enough last time if you’re still making such bold remarks.”
“Eek! Even if I lost to you once, I am the First Prince of the great Halovice family, one of the Four Great Ducal Houses of the Demon World! I am the ruler of the northern Demon World and its denizens, the master of Mt. Tna and Mt. Karion! I will not abandon my pride just because I yielded to strength!”
“Is that so?”
“La-Lanke.”
“This is a clearly excessive and absurd demand. Bianca Caligo, don't just stand there stuttering like an idiot! The honor of our Four Great Ducal Houses is at stake!”
“Honor….”
“Fine, honor. Well said. If you hate helping me according to the deal that much, how about this? Lanke, if it weren't for me back on the Caldran Snowy Plains, you would have been finished. Who was it that rescued you when you were lying there like a discarded rag, your strength completely spent?”
“It was you!”
“If you know that, then shut up and cooperate. Isn't it an honorable thing to help one's benefactor?”
“Benefactor, my foot! The only reason we went to the Caldran Snowy Plains was because of you!”
“That was a necessary step for the greater cause—the final battle against Rosa. It wasn't just my personal business; it was right for all our temporary allies to step forward. It’s the same now. My sister, Yona, is considered a god among assassins. Naturally, she would be a great help when we face Rosa, wouldn't she?”
“Don't nod like that's reasonable, Bianca! Fine, Jin Runcandel. If this is a matter for the temporary alliance, why isn't Zipple here? Was it too much trouble to call them after you snatched away that hunk of muscle? Even though it’s for the greater cause?”
“Zipple is providing the location. If you hate this that much, then back out. Go back and explain the situation to your leader; I’m sure he’ll tell you that you did a great job. And in my opinion, the reason you keep running your mouth isn't just because you hate the work—it’s because you’re afraid of Yona.”
“What did you say?”
“It’s understandable to be afraid of an opponent who can kill you before you even realize they’re there.”
“Ha, fine. It seems you’ve looked down on me ever since you defeated me, but I’ll prove it to you today. This Lanke is strong and useful. But know this: after today, I have no intention of being dragged around by your schemes ever again.”
“Good, good. Excellent.”
Lanke didn’t back down out of pride, and Bianca seemed to have finally understood why she had been dragged along.
They’re so easy to handle.
Jin wondered if all demons were this simple-minded. Beside him, Hedo seemed to be thinking something similar.
However, the reason individuals like Bianca and Lanke were revered in the Demon World despite their unfortunate intellect was undoubtedly their overwhelming strength, which more than compensated for it.
In any case, having brought along these powerhouses of the Demon World, a weight lifted from Jin’s shoulders.
Jin, Hedo, Vail, Bianca, and Lanke, along with Oul and the top assassins of Nameless.
In truth, there were few forces in the world that could withstand a party of this caliber. Excluding Cyron and the now-malevolent Rosa, there was no one who could face them all and survive.
As always, the Red Owl delivered them to the forests of Akin in an instant.
“You’ve come, 12th Flagbearer. This is quite a… unique and reliable combination.”
Oul did not know Vail’s true identity or the reason the members of Kinzelo had come along. After Jin explained, he nodded, looking very satisfied.
“Even if Yona has grown stronger from the Spirit Energy Overload, this lineup should be more than enough.”
If the goal had been to kill Yona, Jin alone might have sufficed. But capturing her alive required more than double that power. Not only was she strong, but she also possessed highly specialized abilities.
In that regard, the party Jin had assembled was more than adequate.
“However, if this drags on, Zipple will surely show up. At that point, Sir Hedo’s betrayal might become an issue, and Zipple might try to interfere… well, I suppose that won't matter. They can't afford to wage war against this group with the final battle against Rosa looming. Especially since Kelliark isn't in top condition himself.”
“That’s right, Lord Oul. I’ve already sent a letter to Zipple regarding this situation. It should be arriving right about now. It would be better for them to cooperate and see Yona captured before she causes more damage to their territory. Though I’m sure they’ll be bitter and resentful.”
It was the kind of statement one couldn't make without a fair amount of audacity.
Furthermore, it was only possible because he possessed the power to back up such a bold stance.
Oul felt once again that the Jin before him had become a figure who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's elite. In just a few years, Jin had become a true titan.
Moreover, his realm has risen another level since I saw him at Hairan’s 2nd Castle….
Oul glanced at Vail.
“Did you achieve another breakthrough because you met Sir Vail?”
“Sir Vail played a part, but it was mostly because of Rosa. She is reaching completion faster than I am growing stronger.”
When fighting Vail, Rosa had only looked down at Jin through Padler’s eyes for a moment, but even that had been enough for Jin to clearly feel her power. She was definitely exceeding Orgal’s predictions.
“……A terrifying tale. Though that is why even thousand-year enemies are joining forces.”
Oul pointed toward the forest stretching out in the distance.
“Yona is currently somewhere in that forest. We’ve had several skirmishes, but she hasn't broken through our perimeter. Or rather… it feels like she’s been waiting for the best moment to kill us all at once. Instead of tiring out with each clash, her senses are actually becoming sharper.”
In their last encounter, Oul and Bizen had run into Yona simultaneously, and Bizen had nearly died from a single blow.
“In that case, we should just burn the entire forest down to find her,” Vail said.
“Vail, doing that will inevitably lead to civilian casualties. Have you forgotten the Young Lady’s orders?”
When Hedo replied, Vail narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He wanted to shout at him to shut up and that he’d handle it, but Sandra’s orders had included following Hedo’s lead.
“It would be best if only I, Sir Hedo, and Lord Oul enter for the search,” Jin proposed. “The rest of the personnel should wait at key points along the perimeter and enter immediately if a signal flare goes up. If it looks like my sister realizes we’ve entered and tries to flee, Sir Vail can pursue her.”
As Vail released his power, a halo formed above his head and wings sprouted from his back, his body overflowing with golden energy. He could fly faster than a hawk.
“I think that’s for the best,” Oul agreed. “The assassins on the perimeter have signal flares as well, so joining up from any direction will be easy. And Sir Vail… I’d like you to act as a liaison. Your mobility will be unmatched.”
“Ha, giving me orders?”
“Vail, follow them quietly. Do I really have to tell you twice every single time?” Hedo cut in.
“Tch!”
With that, the group split up. Jin, Hedo, and Oul entered the forest.
Unlike the others, as soon as Jin stepped into the woods, he could sense the faint traces of Yona’s Energy of Chaos lingering everywhere.
“The residual Energy of Chaos is faint and erratic, but if I focus, I think I can use it to find her.”
“You can sense that?”
“Yes. For some reason, my sensitivity to Chaos has increased remarkably, Lord Oul. I will deduce her general path; please advise me if I find it difficult to make a judgment.”
As they began the search for Yona in earnest, Jin struggled to steady his racing heart.
If Yona was already in an irreversible state, there would be nothing they could do, even if they captured her.
No, my sister must be fighting it. The fact that she hasn't killed a single civilian is proof that she’s resisting. As long as we don't lose her here, she can definitely come back….
The search continued for about two hours when Jin suddenly stopped and scanned his surroundings, a look of bewilderment on his face.
“12th Flagbearer, is something wrong?”
“……Lord Oul, the types of Chaos energy have suddenly increased.”
“What?”
“It means my sister isn't the only being using the Energy of Chaos in this forest right now.”
“That’s impossible. The perimeter has been maintained ever since I met you at Hairan’s 2nd Castle.”
“Is there no possibility that someone broke through the perimeter and entered the forest? Or that there was another Chaos user in the forest besides my sister from the beginning?”
“The former is completely impossible. With a perimeter that includes myself and the top assassins, infiltration is absolutely out of the question, unless there’s someone else with abilities on par with mine or Yona’s. As for the latter… wait, could it be?”
Oul’s eyes widened as something suddenly occurred to him. Jin was thinking the same thing.
“It’s possible if it’s a Fake Yona. Perhaps the one we’ve been clashing with all this time was a fake.”
“The new Energy of Chaos I’ve found has only a very subtle difference from the one I was sensing before. The fake we encountered at Hairan has infiltrated the forest.”
If that was the case, the Fake Yona had either been in the forest before Nameless arrived, or she had infiltrated the perimeter using her own abilities or the Prophet’s Hole.
In other words, there could be multiple Yonas in the forest, including the real one and the fakes.
And there were likely only a few reasons why the fakes would have come to this forest.
“Jin, if that’s true, wouldn't we need the Contractor of Truth?” Hedo asked.
Jin shook his head.
“If there are multiple Fake Yonas, it will be too difficult to protect Yuria. Since there are two types of energy, I’ll suppress everyone using Chaos without distinguishing between them. We can sort out the real one from the fakes after they’re all captured.”