C219 - Son of Prophecy
On October 7, 1797, Jin read a bulletin from Hufester.
The newspaper headline was about the knighthood appointment ceremony of the Schutzeron royal family, held four days ago. (Note: Previously known as Shucheron)
The knighthood appointment ceremony for the central region of the Kingdom of Schutzeron was presided over for the first time by the First Prince, Toleon Schutzeron, instead of His Highness Rumon Schutzeron.
Another noteworthy point was the attendance of the next generation of future patriarchs, namely Joshua Runcandel, and the successors of the McLoran, Tuko, Neiltrow, and Ken clans at a ceremony organized by Prince Toleon.
This may indicate that Prince Toleon has won the succession race, and it has resurfaced that Cyron Runcandel had provided a Guardian Knight to Prince Toleon in the past.
Jin had clearly seen Joshua die, after his entire body disintegrated into a Volcano four days ago.
If he had truly died, the article about events four days ago couldn't be possible at all.
Jin couldn't take his eyes off the newspapers for some time.
Worried, Gilly approached his side. "Young master?"
"I knew something was going on. That idiot was never going to die so easily."
Gilly and the other companions of Jin learned about what happened on the Blue Bird Islands. That's why they also found it hard to understand the article, which portrayed Joshua as if he were alive.
"It's also not possible for you to have mistaken Joshua Runcandel's face, Lord Jin. There's something strange. Perhaps the one you killed was a double, or someone whom Bouvard Gaston had transfigured," Kashimir said.
Jin shook his head.
"It's highly unlikely that it was a double or a transfigured person. The final move he executed was powerful enough to rip off two arms from a King of Battle Legends. No one could have exerted such force except a Runcandel. I would have thought differently if he had used a different sword technique."
Although most other martial arts clans also had their own secret moves and finishing moves, the Runcandel's sword techniques were impossible to emulate without the blessed bodies of the Runcandels, even if the person were a Ten-Star Knight. Their bodies simply couldn't withstand the energy.
"You're right. If there had been a double, the one who appeared at the knighthood appointment ceremony of Schutzeron is more likely to be the fake."
"We may have to investigate it. But for some reason, I feel like that cunning snake is using some kind of trick."
"Um, perhaps he could be under a curse like Shuri," Enya whispered, trying to be careful so that Shuri wouldn't overhear.
"If that's the case, he should have noticed his body regenerating at the moment it disintegrated."
"Young master, what are the chances that he used the Tear of Numerus?"
"I was told that the Tear of Numerus emits a powerful light around the entire area when used. There was a blinding light when Joshua died due to the aura, but it seemed completely different from it."
"Sigh. I was deeply asleep at that time," Murakan said.
"This is frustrating. What the hell is wrong with your older brother?"
"A copy?"
Jin mentioning the word caught the attention of his companions.
"Lord Jin, did you say a copy?"
"It occurred to me that it could have been a copy. The things he said and the way he acted on the Blue Bird Islands couldn't have come from anyone else but him."
Needless to say, copying humans was impossible.
But since something incomprehensible had happened, it was also worth considering things that were known to be impossible.
Just to illustrate, Shuri's immortality curse, Bouvard's Compass, and the Demon God Stone were all considered impossible not too long ago.
"Please continue."
"This is my theory. He has multiple copies of himself and sent one of them to the Blue Bird Islands. Peitel's contractor, Yulian, must have been one of his critical assets, and he would have assumed that something had happened to Yulian since the whole island was covered in lightning."
Jin looked at Yulian. He was still unconscious from the aftermath of his God's manifestation and was bound by shackles.
"He must have thought that Yulian was going through an overload since Yulian didn't seem to be on good terms with Kuzan and Beris."
"So, are you suggesting that he came to the island to master the overload?"
"Yes. The reason he came without an escort was that he didn't want to lose more capable subordinates due to Yulian's absence or he wanted to keep the Blue Bird Islands hidden."
Joshua didn't even have Execution Knights with him. He had taken a small wooden boat alone and rowed to the Blue Bird Islands.
This had bothered Jin from the beginning.
"Maybe he didn't bring any knights with him because he could easily subdue Yulian by himself. But considering Joshua's personality, it's hardly acceptable. In fact, he even detonated himself when he fought against Garmund."
"Young master, I couldn't understand either how that cunning bas... No, I mean, the second standard-bearer had immolated himself. Although he had been losing against the Legends, he's not someone who would easily lose his life," Gilly said.
"It seemed like he hadn't expected to see me on the Blue Bird Islands at all. But when he decided that he could overpower me, he even confessed that he was after my Shadow Energy. He never said he would kill me, no matter how much I provoked him. Until that moment, he had been thinking of capturing me and planning a future to break my Solderet contract."
"That power should have been mine." Joshua had spoken those words when he saw Jin reveal his Shadow Energy.
It was quite strange, although Jin didn't realize it at the time. His words left the impression that he had always known that Jin would come to wield Shadow Energy.
"But things changed after Garmund appeared. Suddenly, he was pushed back. And he had to decide in favor of damaging my forces, even if it meant postponing my capture."
Gilly spoke up.
"Perhaps he could have assumed that the power of the Volcano could kill you too, young master."
"He's a Nine-Star Knight. He would have undoubtedly known that Garmund had enough power to protect me. That's why he thought of killing or incapacitating Garmund with the Volcano, to seek another opportunity to steal my contract in the future. That's my assumption."
Jin thought that Joshua would have never chosen to immolate himself if he only had one life. But if he had many, he would probably have one to spare to destroy Garmund, Jin's ally.
As far as Joshua was concerned, he would have thought that Garmund was the strongest ally Jin had at his disposal.
There was a moment of silence.
Although Jin's theory wasn't easily acceptable, his companions considered what else could be possible based on his assumption.
"That's a headache. If it was a copy of Joshua that you encountered on the Blue Bird Islands, Lord Jin, I don't know what we should do for revenge."
"Lord Jin, what if we meet with Sir Cyron to discuss this matter?"
Jin shook his head at Alisa's suggestion.
To him, this was essentially a succession war. Seeking his father's help would only show his own lack of abilities, and they also didn't have solid evidence. He had no way to prove that he witnessed Joshua's death.
"That's true."
"If the man at the knighthood appointment ceremony of Schutzeron was a double, or the one I met was a copy, or maybe we completely misunderstood everything. For now, all we can do is establish theories. I'm sure we'll gather some information once Yulian regains consciousness."
"Kuzan and Beris. I'll have the Peacock agents search for them as well."
Jin couldn't spend much time looking for them while fleeing from the Blue Bird Islands. He assumed it was unlikely that they had survived, and it was unknown if more of Joshua's men could also arrive on the island.
"We don't have to go out searching for them. Sending people to the Blue Bird Islands could leave a trail for other forces to follow us here. If those two are alive, they'll point us in their direction first. They would have already realized that I'm not their sworn enemy."
Tremble...
A man trembled in his seat, experiencing cold sweats throughout his body and high temperatures, accompanied by unbearable pain and constant nerve shocks that shattered his mind.
One more thing: a sense of defeat that descended into infinite depths.
These were the things that Joshua felt each time he lost a body.
Whoooosh...
A dark force gathered in front of him. Shadow Energy. The very power that Joshua coveted.
The Shadow Energy soon took the form of a woman. She smiled as she looked at Joshua.
"To think that the man who will become the master of the Runcandels is trembling alone in a basement. How pitiful you are. You almost seem like a rain-soaked orphan abandoned by everyone. How does it feel, orphan?"
The darkness of the basement covered the woman's face. Only her intensely amber eyes flickered in the darkness.
"Have you come to mock me?"
"Yes, that's right. I've come to mock you. Haha, you stupid fool! Why did you immolate yourself? Do you think it's an easy job for me to make bodies for you?"
Joshua didn't reply. He stared at the woman for a while.
"Stop looking at me like that. At least you can try to give some excuse. Was that the best you could do? If it was, it would be disappointing."
"I had no choice if I wanted to kill the Legend I had summoned."
The woman burst into laughter. Then she abruptly stopped and gritted her teeth.
"Well, a question for the fool. Do you think the Legend called Garmund died? First of all, his body never belonged to this world."
"Are you telling me that Legend is still alive?"
"He's already trapped in a dead world, but in the sense that his body is intact, you could say he's still alive. In other words, you've simply discarded a body that I made for you."
She spoke with a chuckle and a smile, but there was deep disgust in her eyes.
"Seriously, I have no idea why the prophecy pointed to a man like you. If it had been your older sister or younger brother... No, you know what? Even Dyfus or Mary would have made things much easier than this."
Humiliation pierced his heart.
"Or maybe your father, who was originally designated by the prophecy, knew that he wouldn't go against his own fate to reach the Divine Star Level. How good would it have been if he had met me before he did? I wouldn't have needed to help a fool like you, right?"
Joshua silently waited for the woman's mockery to end.
He knew that the woman could never leave him or go against him. She would probably mock him for a while until she obeyed him again as she always did.
The woman stopped mocking and sighed.
"Well. I guess finding out about your little brother's ability to summon Legends was a gain in itself. What if we had discovered it at a more critical moment? Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps."
The woman gently wrapped her arms around Joshua's neck.
"And Shuri, we now know the whereabouts of that baby too. The fact that Jin has Shuri with him is much more disturbing. But in the end, they will all be returned to you. Son of Prophecy, I will make a new body for you."
"How many do you need this time?"
The woman grinned widely at Joshua's question.
"I still have enough ingredients from what you gave me last time."