C386 - Who Is the True Runcandel? (6)
"The sin of insulting the Patriarch must be paid with death!"
Two elders from the Black Sword Association lunged at Jin.
Although they had retired long ago, they were once high-ranking Knights.
Their swords, shrouded in a terrifying aura, emitted a sharp clang.
Their movements were as formidable as those of young Guardian Knights.
The way their swords cut through the air was precise, and their continuous strikes, unpredictable.
However, Jin effortlessly evaded their attacks, twisting his body with ease.
Not even the hem of his cloak brushed against their swords.
The elders' swords only sliced through the air.
In an instant, Jin vanished from their sight, and the elders could feel a chilling aura, as if ice had been placed on their backs.
"I dare."
The elders sharply turned their heads in response to that voice.
What they saw were straight fists and the compressed air distorting along the path of those fists.
Bam!
The elders managed to block the consecutive punches with great effort, but their stances crumbled.
Before they could regain their balance, Jin struck them with his fists again.
A direct hit from those fists would probably shatter my head completely, leaving no trace...
Simultaneously, a thought crossed both elders' minds.
There was no avoiding it.
All they could do was keep their eyes open to avoid looking pitiful in this futile moment of their demise.
Their vision darkened.
It was because of the fists that had stopped just in front of them.
Like statues, the elders remained motionless, unable to respond to Jin's mercy.
"Was the Patriarch someone you could insult with a few words?"
Jin turned around after retracting his fists.
"I won't hold back next time. Return to your positions."
Most of the spectators were utterly amazed.
"I had heard that the Twelfth Flagbearer was powerful, but he subdued the two elders from the Black Sword Association..."
He did it without even drawing his sword!
Was he really capable of this?
Especially Miu and Anne, who had been the first to face Jin, seemed to have completely lost their composure.
"You should be grateful to me. After all, you probably wouldn't have survived, right?"
They couldn't deny Mary's whispering voice.
"Gulp!"
The Tona siblings involuntarily let out a sigh and quickly covered their mouths.
Normally, anyone would have scolded the Tona siblings for such behavior, asking them if they knew where they were showing such unbecoming conduct.
However, no one reprimanded the Tona siblings.
The shock from the recent incident left them speechless as well.
Of course, not everyone present here was unsettled.
"Stop and return! Do not disgrace yourselves any further."
It was Lynn Milcano, the Head of the Law Guardians.
She had been irritated from the moment the elders raised their voices in response to Jin.
"And you two are no longer part of the Council of Elders."
"Tch... Head of the Law Guardians..."
"That's enough. Or do you really want to end up with your noses in a bowl of water as suggested by the Twelfth Flagbearer?"
When Lynn's eyes sharpened, the two elders had no choice but to return to their positions without a word.
They knew that speaking unnecessary words at a time like this could cost them their lives.
"Twelfth Flagbearer."
"Yes, Head of the Law Guardians."
Jin made eye contact with Lynn.
"It's not a good sight to see someone like a Flagbearer boasting about their strength against the elders."
"If I had truly boasted about my strength, this place would have disappeared without a trace."
"Have you always liked to brag?"
"Wasn't what I showed a bit too modest to call it bragging?"
As he responded this way, Jin silently reevaluated his information about Lynn.
Lynn Milcano, the Head of the Law Guardians, held significant influence even over the elders of the Black Sword Association.
'She's someone who has worried me even more than Uncle Jordan.'
Lynn's expression, which had become calm, made it difficult to read her thoughts.
'If possible, it would be good to make the Head of the Law Guardians my ally.'
To become Patriarch later on, the support of the Council of Elders was an absolute necessity.
Of course, there would be no problem if he achieved great success and eliminated opposing elders.
But realistically, that was a difficult task unless he reached the Genesis Knight Realm before Joshua.
'For now, the Head of the Law Guardians and Uncle Zed are temporary allies, but it's not enough.'
Who is Lynn Milcano, and what does she want?
As this thought briefly crossed Jin's mind, Lynn spoke again.
"Modest, you say? Well, then it wouldn't hurt to take a good look."
Swoosh...
Lynn smoothly unsheathed her sword.
"You mentioned a way to surpass Zipple. That must mean it's related to your qualities as a Magic Swordsman. Am I correct?"
"Yes."
"In that case, let's see this display of strength."
"Are you sure you won't regret it?"
"That depends on what you show me."
"Very well, then."
Jin unsheathed Bradamante as he finished his sentence.
"I will restore Runcandel's status as a Family of Magic Swordsmen."
A heavy silence hung over the arena.
However, after the humiliation of the elders, everyone refrained from challenging this arrogant Twelfth Flagbearer immediately.
"...No one's saying anything, but I hear a lot of noise. What you just said directly challenges the legitimacy of our great family."
"Legitimacy..."
Mana power enveloped Bradamante.
"Among the Runcandels here, I wonder if there's anyone who can speak of legitimacy before me. A thousand years ago, Runcandel was originally a Family of Magic Swordsmen."
This fact was not known to everyone in the clan; it was a well-kept secret.
For those who didn't understand the context, Jin's words seemed like gibberish.
"After losing to Zipple, our family made a humiliating pact and lost its magic..."
Fwoosh!
Then, the mana swirling around Bradamante turned into flames.
"The glorious history has been erased, and the names and pride of the ancestors who protected Runcandel have been forgotten."
The blue flames, the power of Tess, and the darkness, Solderet's Shadow Energy, dyed the sword.
The sound of swords being unsheathed echoed from various places.
"I am the successor of Runcandel's Magic Sword, the Contractor of the God of Sword and Shadows, Solderet, and the sole descendant who honors the spirits of our ancestors. I am the continuator of Runcandel's brilliant will from a thousand years ago."
Jin's entire body was now covered in fierce flames, and his eyes gleamed with fire.
Lynn could no longer maintain her serene expression and tightly gripped the hilt of her sword.
Who dares to speak of legitimacy against me?
Who is the true Runcandel?
A deep, resonant voice shook the spectators in the training field.
It was the ancient Runcandel spirit that had begun to emanate from Jin.
"This fire belongs to Sarah Runcandel, a great Knight of the ancient Runcandel."
Runcandel's Magic Sword Secret Technique
Hellfire - Sarah Runcandel
Suddenly, it seemed as if a volcano had erupted in the middle of the arena.
The flames spreading across Jin's body, marked with runic characters, rapidly expanded from dots to lines, from lines to surfaces, instantly engulfing the arena.
At that moment, the first to perceive the danger among the Flagbearers was Luntia.
She, who always seemed drowsy and lethargic, moved faster than anyone and leaped in front of Lynn.
"Head of the Law Guardians."
"Third Flagbearer...!"
"I apologize for my rudeness. However, please understand that this is by order of the Law Guardians. Guardian Knights, form a defensive formation and carry out the check."
Woosh!
Following Luntia's command, the Guardian Knights formed a defensive formation.
Other Flagbearers did the same.
Luntia's swift actions made everyone realize the seriousness of the situation.
Woosh!
The hellfire began to erupt.
If Luntia had been a little slower to react, there would have already been casualties at this point.
Guardian Knights who blocked the explosions with their swords barely managed to avoid greater harm.
Screams echoed everywhere, but even those were drowned out by the fire.
Relatively powerless individuals were already dozing off, leaving their lives in the hands of their comrades, and several parts of the training field had already exploded and lost their original shape.
However, Runcandel's Magic Sword Secret Technique was still in its initial phase.
Amidst the flames, a sharp sword energy descended.
Jin unleashed hellfire as punishment for daring to challenge the legitimacy of Magic Swordsmen using the name their ancestors protected a thousand years ago, even after death.
The sword energy filled with flames and shadow strength enveloped the Runcandels.
If they blocked, their swords melted, and if they dodged, there was a wall of flames.
Most Guardian Knights and elders didn't have the power to break through that wall.
If this were a real battlefield, those individuals would have turned into ashes within a dozen seconds.
The reason they didn't die and held their ground was because of the other knights who had ascended to superhuman ranks.
Flagbearers, the core members of the Council of Elders, as well as the executing knights.
They relentlessly wielded their swords to protect those facing death.
There was no time to be amazed by the greatness of the ancient Magic Sword Secret Technique unleashed by the Twelfth Flagbearer.
They were too busy desperately fending off the flames, unable to think of anything else.
Within the scorching flames, there was overwhelming pressure.
The blue flames were suppressing the Runcandels.
Amidst the raging flames and swords, Jin shouted once more.
Who is the true Runcandel?
For the Runcandels, his question sounded like the voice of the fire itself.
Even screams, like beasts howling in madness, were drowned out, but Jin's question was clearly heard by all.
The flames grew denser and more intense.
Amidst the flames, a particularly bright glow unmistakably belonged to Jin.
And his sword was pointed at Luntia.
They had always been curious.
Among the Flagbearers, excluding Luna, who was the strongest?
And when he extended his sword with all his might at the strongest among them, what result would he obtain?
Frrr!
Bradamante, dyed by the fire, fell onto Luntia's forehead.
When Luntia repelled it, the flames that had been near her burst into explosions everywhere.
Jin and Luntia's gazes clashed.
"...You're always so annoying."
To this, Jin grinned maliciously.
"If you don't like it, you'd better cut my throat right now."
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