C410 - Why, Hairan (4)
Of course, it could have been a coincidence.
After all, they had only exchanged a few blows.
There was no concrete evidence that he was a Black Knight.
"But it's too similar to the unique sense of danger I always felt when facing the Black Knights..."
Jin pushed his sword forward once more to confirm.
Bradamante's black blade came between the two enemies' swords.
Dante took advantage of that opening to strike at the other enemy from behind.
The one who looked like a Black Knight swung his sword in a complete circle and simultaneously blocked both attacks, while the remaining enemy turned around and aimed at Dante's neck.
Since Dante was already exhausted and focused on his original target, he intended to deal with Dante first.
"Kuh!"
Dante took a step back as he dispersed his sword aura.
Dante's aura shone brightly despite appearing to bleed heavily.
Although they hadn't fought together often, Jin and Dante moved as if they had practiced together for a long time and fluidly read each other's swordplay.
It was natural for the tide of battle to change, and the enemies had to acknowledge that their plan was falling apart.
Clank!
Jin pierced the enemies' swords and positioned himself next to Dante.
Looking down, Jin noticed that Dante's sword was trembling.
It wasn't out of fear.
It was out of rage.
The numerous corpses lying around were people Dante had tried to save or who had tried to save him.
Dante!
Yes, Grandfather!
It's impossible to gather all the knights in one place. These bastards have already spread outside.
Outside too...!
As the future lord of the Emperor Sword Castle, take responsibility and evacuate the guests.
Ron had given Dante that order when the attack began.
However, Dante was not only not following that order but had led more people to their deaths.
Jin could clearly see Dante's troubled mood.
"Dante, you need to regain your composure."
Jin had no comforting words to offer.
And comforting him wouldn't solve the issue at hand.
"...I know. Thanks to you, I've regained some of my sanity."
The tremor in the hand holding the sword ceased.
The dark and sunken eyes that didn't quite match Dante's own looked at the enemies.
However, it was almost unbelievable that someone with such dark eyes could exude the bright aura now surrounding Dante's sword.
I'll buy you some time.
Jin understood Dante's intent without a word.
The Sword of the King.
The Hairan sword that was only given to the most worthy.
Dante was about to use a secret technique.
The enemies who recognized this sword began to wield their own swords once again.
Jin intercepted their attacks to ensure Dante could safely raise his aura.
Jin could easily handle one opponent, but the Black Knight-level enemy wielded a formidable sword.
Each of his strikes had the power equivalent to a high-ranking warrior.
Even an ordinary vertical slash that seemed to be thrown casually carried the weight of a mountain.
It was a perfectly refined sword, free of impurities, like pure gold.
Those who could wield such a sword were truly rare. Jin was reminded once again of the name 'Black Knight.'
Slash!
The enemy's sword grazed Jin's nose.
Jin's stance crumbled, and the Black Knight-level enemy swung his sword at that opening, and Jin would have been decapitated if he hadn't reacted in time.
Three swords gleamed like fire.
Sweat and drops of blood evaporated in the air as soon as they left their bodies due to the heat emanating from the swords.
"This is a tough situation, damn it."
At first glance, it seemed like the battle was tilting in their favor.
But that was only because the Black Knight-level enemy had not yet unleashed his full power.
He had been strangely conserving his strength since Jin appeared, but it wasn't clear if he did it out of caution or for some other reason.
In the meantime, Jin needed to reduce their numbers.
'I don't know why he's not using all his power, but I need to deal with the weaker one at least.'
Whoosh!
Shadow Energy gathered around Jin.
Instantly, coffin-shaped Shadow Energy curtains appeared around him, and Jin moved back and forth between them while unleashing his sword energy.
He didn't forget to protect Dante in the midst of all this.
Dante needed about ten seconds to fully execute the Sword of the King.
It wouldn't have taken him this long if his body were in better shape, but it was inevitable due to the severe bleeding.
Considering Dante's chronic issue with 'endurance,' using the secret technique itself was already a monumental feat.
Sshk-!
The black sword energy shot out from within the curtain and pierced through one of the enemies' arms.
It was the arm holding the sword.
Just as the enemy recoiled and tried to retrieve his sword, Bradamante charged at his throat.
Taang!
Once again, the Black Knight-level enemy managed to deflect Bradamante.
So annoying...!
However, at that very moment, Dante's secret technique was completed.
It was much faster than Jin and the enemies had anticipated, and Dante's sword was already heading towards the enemies.
A bright light filled the entire main hall like a flash cannon.
And the sound followed the flash of light.
The sharp and unique sound of a sword slicing through the air amplified to the point that it resonated in their ears.
"Have you underestimated Hairan...?!"
The sword emerged from the glare.
It wasn't just one sword.
Pure white swords sprang from various points of brightness that filled the main hall.
Sword of the King; Secret Technique: Sun
The name of the sword technique Dante used.
Just like its name, the brilliance of the aura filling the main hall resembled the sun.
Even the Shadow Energy curtain Jin had set up was completely covered by the radiance of this aura.
There were hundreds of swords.
The Black Knight-level enemy managed to block Jin's sword, but he couldn't stop all of the Sun swords.
One sword deeply penetrated the enemy's back, whose arm had been severed.
The enemy shuddered and tried to evade, but he could do nothing against the swords flying in all directions.
Before he could even scream, the new blades stabbed him in the abdomen, chest, neck, and head.
Soon, the enemy disappeared entirely in the Sun's radiance. His flesh, his bones, and even his blood turned to ashes from the heat of the aura.
'You've grown stronger, Dante.'
Hairan was the second strongest swordsman clan in the world after Runcandel, and Dante was their next patriarch.
And he displayed power befitting that position.
Now, only one Black Knight-level enemy remained.
The Sun swords kept raining down on him.
However, unlike the enemies who had died before, the Black Knight-level enemy showed incredible strength and dodged every one of the hundreds of swords with unwavering resolve.
Only his robe was being torn apart, and it seemed that Dante's sword wouldn't be able to directly harm him even after a few more seconds had passed.
He's already exhausted, so he won't be able to use all his power as he originally intended, thought Jin.
Even if the opponent were an enemy of Black Knight level, it was impossible for Dante's secret technique to cause the slightest injury.
Dante emerged from the Sun's radiance.
He felt frustrated that he couldn't kill the enemy despite unleashing the Sun.
However, his eyes remained determined and resolved.
Uf, uf...
Jin felt Dante's heavy breathing at his side.
He had become even more agitated than when Jin had arrived.
Jin sensed that Dante had reached his limit.
The Black Knight-level enemy was in a similar state.
He also clearly recognized that it would be nearly a miracle for Dante to continue fighting.
"You could die if you use more power, Hairan's next patriarch."
The Black Knight-level enemy spoke for the first time.
His voice was somehow muted and distorted.
However, even if it were the true voice of the enemy, it wouldn't have made sense to Jin because there were only a few Black Knights he would recognize by their voices.
As expected, they weren't trying to kill Dante.
If their sole goal was the destruction of Hairan, it would have been best to kill Dante.
There were numerous opportunities to kill Dante.
Despite the overwhelming power of the Black Knight-level enemy, he fought with the intention of capturing Dante alive.
"Those honorless don't need to worry about my life."
The Black Knight-level enemy then shook his head.
"It seems difficult for you to even stay on your feet. But if the backlash begins, you'll have to live with a disability for the rest of your life. Are you still okay with that?"
The enemy's words were accurate.
Even the finest healers of Hairan wouldn't be able to heal Dante immediately.
He would either become a cripple, lose his aura, or die.
When the backlash began, these were the only three possibilities Dante could face.
'And in those cases, his value as a hostage will plummet. It's probably the situation the enemies would most like to avoid.'
The enemy's goal was to kidnap Dante.
Kinzelo would probably use Dante for negotiations with Hairan or other clans in the future.
If Dante wasn't in good condition at that time, it could cause problems.
However, Dante was not one to back down or make a humiliating decision under any circumstances. That's Dante Hairan for you.
Dante wouldn't take a step back or compromise his beliefs, even if it meant begging for his life.
His determination and commitment to his principles were unwavering, and there was no way he would choose a more efficient path.
But he's a cool and nice guy.
Jin couldn't stand idly by and watch his friend become a cripple or die.
"Your concerns are unnecessary...!"
Tang!
Jin struck Dante on the nape of the neck with the palm of his hand.
"Cough, kek!"
Dante coughed up blood and staggered forward, but he didn't complain or express anger at Jin's actions.
What Jin did was a last-ditch effort, a risky move that could have killed Dante if he had used a bit more force.
But there was no other way to stop his stubborn friend.
Both Beradin and Dante were the same in that regard.
Jin often resorted to this method to knock them out.
Dante, who had fallen to the ground, stopped moving.
Jin immediately checked his pulse and watched for any signs of a backlash and fortunately found that Dante had simply lost consciousness.
"Phew."
Jin heaved a sigh of relief.
The blow he had just delivered could have triggered a backlash if it had been a bit less precise.
It was a gamble on Jin's part.
The radiance of the Sun that had filled the main hall began to fade.
There was a moment of silence between Jin and the Black Knight-level enemy.
"However you look at it, you seem to be a Black Knight of Runcandel."
Jin said, pointing Bradamante at the enemy.
"If you're a Black Knight, I recommend you withdraw. Trying to take down the Hairan Clan and losing the favor of the next Patriarch of your own Family doesn't seem like a smart decision, does it?"
Woosh!
Bradamante blazed with Tess's blue flames as Jin unleashed his Shadow Energy.
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