C216 - Bad Relationship (2)
Joshua also seemed surprised. His eyes trembled slightly as he stared at Jin.
But it was only for a moment.
Soon, a sly smile appeared on Joshua's lips.
"That should be my question, dear younger brother. You're a reserve Abanderado. What could have brought you to this island? It's quite difficult for me to guess."
Jin tried to assess the situation as he examined Joshua.
Why had Joshua suddenly come to this island?
Was he with someone else?
How would he handle the situation?
Many questions arose in his mind, but he had to address them quickly.
"I know this isn't a trap, and you didn't lure me here. If it were a trap, you would have made sure I never encountered Kuzan and Beris."
He had sent his subordinates to this island for some unknown reason and was staying in the area.
And when he saw the lightning bolts and Shadow Energy over the island, he came to check it out and encountered Jin.
It had to be that way.
Joshua grew curious and began looking around. He was alone.
The only vessel he saw in the waters behind Joshua was a small wooden boat.
"Anyway, I'm glad to see you. There are many things I wanted to talk to you about."
Hah. Jin shrugged.
"I don't think we're on such friendly terms to be glad to see each other and discuss things together, right?"
"Hmm?"
"We know each other's dirty details, so let's not pretend to be shy. Just as you know my secrets, brother, I know all the terrible things you've done to me all this time."
This was followed by a brief period of silence.
Jin and Joshua stared at each other.
Finally, Joshua smiled and shook his head.
"It seems you're furious. Understandable, yes, but not appropriate. So, I'll have to punish you as your older brother."
"Did you receive the message I left you at Kiddard Hall's laboratory?"
"You won't find a comfortable death like his."
Jin Grey.
That was the message he had engraved with his sword after killing Kiddard Hall.
Joshua nodded. "It was quite an impressive message. All the bulletins covered the incident, but none of the factions figured out that Jin Grey was you."
"You should have killed me back then. Or the day you cursed me when I was in the cradle at Stormcastle."
Shing!
Jin slowly unsheathed Bradamante.
"Then you wouldn't have to suffer today at my hands."
Jin had decided to kill Joshua.
He didn't have any of his subordinates with him, and there wasn't a single witness.
There was no need to be cautious of watchful eyes or assess the situation.
It was the perfect opportunity to kill him without consequences.
He couldn't fight Joshua head-on, but he still had enough Shadow Energy left.
This desolate Blue Bird Island would become Joshua's grave.
"Haha. What a ridiculous story. Yes, Jin. You've always been like this. I still remember how audaciously you provoked all your brothers when you arrived at the Sword Garden."
"Maybe you should have brought some knights with you, like when you received Luna? Going alone isn't your thing, right? I had the impression that you only felt comfortable with knights and elders around you to protect you."
Joshua's smile vanished.
On the other hand, Jin smiled and infused Shadow Energy into his sword.
"This power. You must have deceived yourself all this time, telling yourself that you keep me alive only for this power. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had a reason to keep me alive when the curse failed. Am I right?"
Joshua's gaze was fixed on Bradamante's dark sword.
He seemed enchanted by it.
A dark desire ignited in his eyes.
"That power should have been mine."
Jin shook his head.
"You're delusional. Take it if you can. You haven't even unsheathed your sword. Don't tell me you're too scared to fight me. Draw your weapon, Joshua Runcandel. Let's settle this once and for all."
Joshua's face reddened as he sighed.
Although he had only shown his cunning tricks to Jin so far, he was still the eldest son of the Runcandels, his second-in-command, and a Nine Stars Knight.
He had no reason to be mocked by a reserve Flagbearer.
"You're mistaken, my dear younger brother. Solderet's powers? Yes, they are quite desirable. But do you truly believe you can stand against me? Not even Maria is as conceited as you."
Joshua drew his sword.
The silver blade covered in its radiant aura contrasted with Bradamante's blade.
The Silver Sword Sran.
He did not wield the sword given to him by his mother.
Joshua's preferred sword was the Dark Sword Kainer.
The sword was known to be the second-best sword within the Runcandel Family, surpassed only by the Balisada.
It was one of the symbolic swords of the Family.
The Dark Sword Kainer also contributed to Joshua becoming the successor in the public's opinion because people had the notion that future Family Heads usually wielded the Kainer before obtaining the Balisada.
Of course, whether he wielded the Kainer or the Sran, Joshua's set of skills remained unchanged.
"Or are you counting on something? Well, it doesn't matter. I'll teach you a lesson. You won't be able to wield a sword after this day."
Jin blinked once as Joshua stopped talking.
When he opened his eyes again, Joshua's sword was already in his face.
Joshua had closed the ten-step distance between them.
He couldn't have made that provocation as a reference to my past life. I almost got carried away by it.
Whether he referred to his past life or the current one, it was still a provocation.
If Jin had been swayed by Joshua's words, he would have reacted too late.
Fortunately, Jin regained his composure before the fight started and was able to dodge Joshua's strike without much trouble.
And he counterattacked as well.
Sran's silver blade grazed Jin's cheek.
It was the result of Jin going beyond evading the blade and charging his body to attack.
Joshua hadn't expected this response at all.
He thought that Jin would obviously dodge his attack and try to gain distance between them first.
All because he thought the difference in their skills would lend him that advantage.
The First Movement of the Shadow Blade, the Soul Cut; Jin unleashed the Shadow Blade as soon as it was within his reach.
"Anyway, he knows all my powers, so it won't be a shock whether I conceal them or not."
The same went for the Photon Cannon or Tess.
The only weapon that could catch him off guard was Sigmund, but he had spent almost all his Lightning Energy on the Light Heart in his previous battle against Yulian.
Bradamante struck down with a sharp, dark blow.
To Jin's surprise, Joshua blocked it with a horizontal cut and deflected the Soul Cut.
In fact, he had done so while retracting his sword from the initial thrust, adding a movement in the process.
Joshua's sword had only traveled two fingers' width to the side.
Crack!
But the swords created a shockwave that couldn't have come from such a small movement.
Jin gritted his teeth and steadied his stance.
A nine-star Runcandel was completely different from a nine-star level of other clans.
Just as Jin had been blessed with the body of a Runcandel, the same applied to Joshua.
"So, this is the Shadow Blade? Not bad."
He didn't have time to respond.
"An Abanderado deserves the designation after all, huh?"
Although fatigued from his battle against Yulian, a single strike was enough for Jin to feel the difference in skill between him and Joshua.
Joshua had always been overshadowed by the monstrosity of Luna Runcandel, but he too was a top-tier Abanderado.
"Did you have the impression that I employ tricks and use the people around me because I lack the necessary skills? That I can't become a formidable Master like our sister?"
Ching! Wham! Krgggt!
Light and darkness clashed each time their swords met.
"Not at all! If I ever wanted to, I could always surpass our older sister. But, dear younger brother, do you have any idea of the things that lurk in the world above, the world you have yet to experience?"
Joshua suddenly pushed Jin aside and pointed to the sky.
"Why do you think the Runcandels never attempt to surpass the Zipples, despite our father? Why do you think Father has never abandoned me despite his disappointments? Setting aside his own dissatisfaction, it's because he knows that I am the one most protected against our enemies, among all our siblings in the Sword Garden."
Jin remained silent and chose to catch his breath.
"The state of my body is much worse than I thought."
Joshua would have been a tough rival for Jin on any given day.
With his current level of exhaustion from the battle he had fought all night, it should have been impossible to fight him in the first place.
Shuri squeaked and stood by Jin's side.
She realized that her owner couldn't win against this enemy.
Then Joshua's gaze fell upon Murakan, who lay unconscious.