Chapter 701: Deepening Worries (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 701: Deepening Worries (5)
Upon returning to the Tikan sortie point aboard the Red Owl, Vail immediately explained the nature of the sword art Jin had just acquired. It possessed the property of being 'ineradicable.'
"Ineradicable?"
"Yeah. I thought you'd know, but you look completely clueless."
"It's a technique I only just completed while fighting you these past few days. I did get the feeling I could easily suppress you the moment I manifested that fire, though."
Jin hadn't yet named his new magic sword technique.
While he had named secret techniques or special moves passed down from others, this was the first sword art he had created entirely on his own.
Because of that, naming it felt awkward. It would be even more embarrassing to give it some grand, imposing name like the Runcandel's ultimate techniques, Sarah’s Karma Fire, or the Pluto Sword God's arts.
"That fire of yours won't go out once it catches a target. It probably wouldn't even extinguish if you died."
"Is that right? How would you know something I don't?"
"Hmph. I possess transcendental insight because I have divinity. After you bested me, I kept pondering what that flame was. If you had cut me for real that day, I never would have been able to extinguish it on my own."
The power Vail possessed was the Authority of the Sun God. And according to Orgal, the Sun God was a being of a significantly higher status than the other gods known in the modern world.
If Vail couldn't extinguish Jin’s fire, it was highly likely that those wielding lesser divinities would be helpless as well.
Of course, the Authority of the Sun God that Vail possessed was only a tiny fraction, but even that granted him a status surpassing most low-to-mid-tier gods.
"It’s interesting, but I’m not sure I believe it."
"I can hardly believe you completed such a fire, even after seeing it myself. That is the realm Sarah aspired to reach... Since you're her successor, I'm not in a particularly bad mood about it. Sarah would have loved it. Try cutting me with that fire."
"Suddenly?"
"You said you didn't believe me. Besides, you need to know its exact effect so you can use it properly when you get revenge for Sarah later."
Vail released his power and held out one arm toward Jin, as if telling him to hurry up and cut.
"I'm a little uneasy about this. If the fire really doesn't go out like you said..."
[You reached the realm Sarah desired, yet you claim you can't control your own fire? That’s impossible. Just cut me. Very lightly—just a scratch!]
Jin ignited the fire on Bradamante and lightly grazed Vail’s forearm. The cut was so shallow that an ordinary person wouldn't have even needed ointment.
[Ah, that hurts like hell! It’s burning!]
Vail jerked his arm back, his face contorting. A moment later, Jin realized Vail’s words were true.
Vail really can't erase the fire lingering in the wound...
To prove his point, Vail manifested a dense golden aura in his other hand and pressed it against the wounded arm, as if trying to smother the flame.
However, the tiny flame in the wound showed no sign of going out. No matter how much he covered and scrubbed it with his Authority, the faint wisp of fire remained.
[See? Even a being like me can't erase this. That Orgal fellow will be the same. The status of the Sun God's Authority he possesses didn't seem any higher than mine. Unless your phoenix or the God of Fire steps in personally, there’s nothing anyone can do.]
"Have you arrived, Jin?"
As they were talking, Hedo and Yuria entered the sortie point.
"Yes, Sir Hedo."
Jin reflexively glanced between Hedo and Yuria. Seeing Hedo with Yuria instead of Sandra felt somewhat awkward.
However, Yuria’s expression was strangely downcast.
"Hey, Yuria."
"Hi... Jin-oppa."
"Why do you look so drained? Did something happen?"
Because she was the Contractor of Az Mil, her allies had always made special efforts to look after her mental health, considering the hardships she had endured since childhood and the various tragedies she had witnessed indirectly.
Thanks to their efforts, Yuria was usually bright and cheerful. She also possessed a strong sense of duty as a princess and was beloved by everyone in the Tikan Kingdom.
"No, nothing happened, but I feel strangely down. So, Uncle Hedo is trying his best to cheer me up."
"Hmm... Were you aware? Well, I suppose you do have the power of truth."
As Hedo spoke with a hint of embarrassment, Yuria smiled.
"Thank you for thinking of me, Uncle. Thanks to you, and seeing Jin-oppa return safely, I think I feel a bit more at ease."
Yuria guessed that her sudden unease was because of Jin’s safety. She had felt an ominous sensation ever since he'd left for Kinzelo’s new headquarters.
"I’m glad if it helped. But why is Vail twisting his body like that? Is he sick?"
[It's because you two showed up and now he won't put out the fire!]
"Fire?"
Jin explained the situation and retracted the fire from Vail’s wound. Just as Vail had predicted, the flame died down easily the moment Jin willed it.
"I was aware you had crossed a threshold that day. To think your new sword art possesses such power... Try testing it on me as well."
Jin gave Hedo an identical scratch.
He repeatedly rubbed the small, faint fire on the wound with his iron-like hand, but it did not go out.
"Oh... it really doesn't go out. A scratch this small isn't painful enough to make a fuss like Vail, but if someone were cut properly, there would be no solution."
"Do you think even you would find it hard to endure a deep cut, Sir Hedo?"
"Well, I wouldn't know until I experience it. It would be incredibly painful, though—like a burn victim who hasn't received timely treatment. Have you named this sword technique?"
"Not yet."
"How about Eternal Fire?"
"...Eternal Fire?"
"Yes, a fire that never goes out. Including myself, anyone who has faced you has probably felt the same way—that you are like an unquenchable fire. Since the actual effect of the technique is the same, I think it suits you well."
"It's so grand it feels a bit embarrassing."
For some reason, Jin felt a shiver run down his spine as he recalled the moment Cosmos gave him the nickname 'Black Prince.'
"That’s how it is when naming secret techniques. The ones you’ve learned were likely named in the same way. If you're okay with it, it seems like a fitting name."
And so, the secret technique was named Eternal Fire.
As a fellow martial artist, Hedo felt a sense of satisfaction for having named Jin’s new sword art. He pulled out some Mila Pine Smoke but put it away when he remembered Yuria was still beside him.
"Did you learn much from your meeting with Kinzelo?"
"Let's go to the conference room. I'll explain everything there."
While walking to the conference room, Jin carefully observed Yuria. Her expression seemed to have improved slightly, but her aura was still more subdued than usual.
I hope the power of Az Mil isn't showing Yuria some dark future...
Once they arrived at the conference room, all their comrades gathered in an instant. Jin then spent some time relaying all the information he had learned from Orgal in detail.
He spoke of the Sun God, the Demon King Zito, and the role Joshua was presumed to have taken on.
Most of his comrades who heard the story felt the same as Jin. Their worries deepened, piling on top of the burdens they already carried.
"Phew... The thought that this won't be over even after we eliminate the Evil God makes my chest tighten all over again. But what can we do? We were always going to have to settle things with our temporary allies after dealing with the Evil God anyway," Casimir was the first to speak.
"If we can't handle them all, the world will cease to be the place we know. It will either be changed by the 'purification' Kinzelo claims, become a hell ruled by the descended Demon King, have its history manipulated at will by a Zipple that has become the sole god, or be destroyed by the Evil God. So, no matter how burdensome it is, we must continue what we are doing."
He was stating facts everyone already knew, but somehow, Casimir exuded the dignity of the King of Tikan. He was truly developing the charisma of a monarch.
"Sir Casimir is right," Jin said. "We just need to resolve things one by one, step by step, as we always have. For now, let’s set aside the issues of the Sun God and the Demon King and focus on Rosa."
"That is correct, my Lord."
"As you all know, Rosa is growing stronger faster than Orgal anticipated. The presumed reason is the despair Joshua is generating. Orgal has decided to handle him and confirm this, so as soon as we hear back, we will coordinate to eliminate him. And..."
Jin slowly made eye contact with his comrades.
"I think it would be best to move up the final battle with Rosa as much as possible."
It wasn't just Joshua’s despair strengthening Rosa. It was the chaos spreading across the world, encroaching upon ordinary people.
The Barmul Alliance and their temporary allies were doing their best to suppress it by undertaking missions to contaminated areas worldwide, but there were limits. The Huphester region, in particular, was so severely corrupted that even they couldn't intervene. It was no exaggeration to say that half the world was already a cauldron of despair.
"Naturally, the longer we delay the fight, the more despair will be generated. This is just an intuition, but I think Rosa... is waiting for the moment we believe we are fully prepared. Crushing us then, right when we charge at her full of confidence, will maximize that despair."
If that wasn't the reason, Jin couldn't understand why Rosa, with all her power, remained confined to the Garden of Swords.
"Of course, I don't mean we should strike immediately. But we must find a moment she doesn't expect. We cannot fall into the despair she wants, and we must aim for a time before she has reached completion..."
It was a somewhat abstract discussion, but the very idea of Rosa 'using despair' was difficult to comprehend in the first place. Jin and his comrades had to make these difficult deductions every time, and they could never be certain of the results.
After all, they were dealing with a being that had become the Evil God, not a human.
"Starting today, we will work with our temporary allies to verify at least some of these predictions. Once we've confirmed the relationship between the speed of Rosa’s completion and the level of despair—even roughly—we will set the date for the final battle."
The moment Jin finished speaking, a member of the Seven-Colored Bird rushed into the conference room.
"Your Majesty, Sir Jin! Sir Mary has just returned!"
"Bring her in at once!"
Mary had recently left on a mission to rescue survivors within Huphester, accompanied by the Tona brothers and others. She had just returned after saving a few survivors, and her entire body was covered in wounds.
As soon as she saw Jin, she squeezed her eyes shut in agony.
She had encountered Dipus upon entering Huphester.