C411 - Why, Hairan (5)
The enemy remained silent.
It was hard to anticipate their expression hidden behind the mask.
"...I wondered if you'd finally make the right decision and attack Dante Hairan. You're complicating things, Jin Runcandel."
The reason the enemy expressed that kidnapping Dante was the 'right' decision was because it benefited Runcandel.
Hairan wasn't just a key figure in Vermont, one of the four major factions, but also the second-best swordsman clan after Runcandel.
Therefore, the fall of Hairan would be a significant blow to Vermont.
Runcandel and Zipple were clearly at odds among the four major factions.
The enmity between Vermont and Kinzelo was not clear yet.
But Vermont had maintained significant interactions with Zipple for a long time, making it more likely that they would choose Zipple as an ally if they had to choose one.
"It's you who's complicating things. I've been trying to make Hairan my ally, and here you are, casting ashes on the cooked rice."
Swish!
A black sword swung toward the enemy's face.
The enemy raised their sword to parry, but they didn't engage in a direct clash of forces.
It seemed the pressure from the flames bothered them.
'Judging by their words, it's clear they're a Black Knight.'
He decided to be sure.
It didn't matter much whether they were a Black Knight or another Warrior.
In any case, the enemy was acting in a way that would benefit Runcandel, and it was evident they possessed the skills of a Black Knight.
"If you've understood, get lost, Joshua's lapdog."
Whenever he swung Bradamante, a sharp path was left behind as Shadow Energy and blue flames merged.
Unlike when the enemy initially blocked the attack, they didn't directly confront the sword but effortlessly evaded it.
There weren't many warriors in the world who could so cleanly dodge Jin's planned attack.
However, few warriors could keep dodging so 'casually.'
At first glance, it might seem like the enemy was relaxed, but that wasn't the case.
As Jin's attacks continued, the evasion radius decreased.
Now I understand.
Jin smiled to himself as he watched the enemy's sword.
An ordinary steel sword, that was why the enemy avoided receiving the attacks with their swords.
It wasn't to peacefully evade Jin's attacks and wait for the right moment to strike.
If they had brought their original sword or a famous blade, it would have been a test in itself, and they wouldn't have been able to handle it.
The sword was ordinary by Jin's standards, but if it were shown to any blacksmith, it would undoubtedly be considered an excellent sword.
However, this plain steel sword was facing Bradamante.
One of the masterpieces completed by the legendary blacksmith Picón Minche, who became a God.
People often tend to think that famous swords are irrelevant to enlightened warriors, essentially believing that the quality of a weapon doesn't matter to them.
However, this is a misconception of those who haven't wielded a sword.
When two warriors with exactly the same strength fight, the one with the better weapon naturally has the upper hand.
That's why Cyron used Barisada, known as the unrivaled sword, Ron wielded Rashid, and Talaris used Full Ice.
All other warriors were the same.
Even an ordinary steel sword, no matter how well-made, can break when its user possesses transcendental strength.
'The sword's durability has already hit rock bottom due to deflecting my sword and Dante's techniques, in addition to dealing with Hairan's knights.'
If the fight continues in such a situation and their weapon breaks...
No matter how skilled a Black Knight was, they couldn't face Jin with their bare hands.
A stroke of luck for Jin, but a grim situation for Dante.
Thanks to the previous King's Sword, Sol, the swords of the fallen knights lined on the ground were all damaged.
Even if the sword were to break now, the enemy wouldn't be able to get another weapon.
Jin smiled.
"What should I do if you're so openly worried about your weapon, Black Knight?".
Jin increased the speed of his attacks.
Once again, Jin deployed the curtains of Shadow Energy and relentlessly shot sword energy amidst them.
The pressure from the flames in his sword energy pressed heavily on the enemy.
The enemy couldn't keep dodging forever and finally blocked part of the sword energy.
The enemy had to block the attack, but they couldn't exert their full strength.
On the other hand, Jin kept releasing sword energy effortlessly.
The only weapon they could grab is Dante's sword.
Jin positioned himself as he thought of the fallen Dante.
If, by chance, the Black Knight got Dante's sword, the situation would take a turn.
"Did you bring any spare weapons just in case?".
Bam!
There was a deafening metallic clang as the enemy abruptly closed the distance and parried Jin's strike.
Amid that clang, Jin could feel the distinct vibration traveling through the metal.
It was a fact that couldn't be hidden even if he were shrouded in an aura.
"Oh, were you originally planning to use other knights' swords as reinforcements?" The Scissor Blade of the Shadow Sword extended behind the enemy.
They managed to evade it by bending their body, but they couldn't completely dodge the vertical slash that immediately followed.
Drops of blood splattered.
Bradamante's blade barely grazed the enemy's shoulder and couldn't inflict a deep wound, but it landed a successful blow.
"Go back. Your mission has failed."
"I can't understand it."
The enemy shrugged.
"Do you really think Dante Hairan would side with Runcandel just because you have a friendship with him?"
"Is there any reason for him not to?"
"I didn't know you had such a naive side."
"That naivety will result in an alliance between Hairan and my Runcandel. Your master or the rotten current Runcandel couldn't achieve such results."
"It seems like talking won't get us anywhere."
"We don't need to understand each other."
Crash!!
This time, the noise didn't come from the clash between Jin and the enemy, but from the outside.
The battle between Ron and Berakt was intensifying.
Even though they were so far away, the powerful aura emitted by both was palpable, and the entire castle was filled with an ominous vibration.
"Finish what you were doing."
Shadow Blade - First Technique: Soul Cut.
A longsword blade silently advanced like a shadow, and the elongated blade scraped the enemy's face.
This Shadow Blade was Jin's very will, a manifestation of his determination to cut through anything.
Finally, the enemy's sword fell to the ground.
However, the enemy didn't seem surprised or nervous, as if they had foreseen it.
Suddenly, something sharp came out of their sleeve.
A claw?
It was a weapon not used by many.
It symbolized the McRolan Clan, Gilly's original clan.
Was the enemy a Black Knight of McRolan?
Such questions crossed Jin's mind in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, the enemy was approaching Jin like an arrow.
Were the claws their true weapon?
Jin had considered it fortunate that the enemy wielded a seemingly ordinary sword.
However, it turned out the claws were the enemy's real weapon.
It was undoubtedly a weapon made of ancient cold iron, and Jin could no longer have an advantage in terms of weapons.
"You have a talent for surprising people."
Clanging!
The claws and Jin's sword clashed, producing an unpleasant friction.
The enemy, who had brought out a new weapon, exhibited completely different movements from before.
Strangely, they didn't seem as formidable compared to the intense danger Jin felt when he first saw them.
I think it was because of their weapon.
Three streams of sword energy were unleashed every time the claws moved.
Dozens of attacks were launched in a matter of seconds, and Jin found it difficult to keep up with the pace.
If he hadn't activated his Shadow Energy armor, he would have already suffered minor wounds all over his body.
"You were supposed to hide your identity, weren't you? Using such a distinctive weapon..."
"There's no need to worry as long as there are no witnesses."
"But I'm the only witness here."
"Exactly, that means I'm going to get rid of you."
"Such an unpleasant joke isn't very funny. Killing me right now would be a significant loss for Runcandel, wouldn't it?"
The enemy didn't respond and extended their claws.
Jin had limited experience facing someone wielding claws.
In fact, he had sparred a few times with Gilly after becoming a Flagbearer and when Gilly's seal had been released.
"It's clear that I'm much stronger than you, Gilly, but it feels quite challenging."
"Claws are different from a regular sword, young master. There's no reason to be afraid when used by amateurs, but when it's in the hands of a true expert... the sword rarely moves according to your will during battle."
A conversation he had with Gilly during their light sparring sessions.
As she had advised, controlling the sword exactly as he wanted wasn't easy.
The sword's movement was restricted within the claw's space.
Jin held the sword with his left hand and used his right to launch close-range attacks.
Despite activating the Myulta Rune, he felt a chill every time the claws grazed his face.
This is no joke.
Jin tried to counterattack during the few opportunities he had while backing away, but he couldn't push back the enemy's momentum.
Using Hellfire or the Sword of the Reign of the King of Legends would be too dangerous with Dante nearby.
First, he needed to create some distance.
His Shadow Energy Armor provided him with protection.
But if the close-quarters battle dragged on, he would inevitably suffer a mortal wound.
However, the enemy clung tenaciously to Jin as he tried to gain distance.
He unleashed Soul Cut successively, but the enemy's claws didn't break like the steel sword.
However, that didn't mean there was no impact.
The relentless claw attacks suddenly slowed down.
This gave Jin the opportunity to create a distance of about ten paces, and he planned to maintain that distance while continuing the fight.
There was very little Jin could do in close combat unless he possessed superior sword skills to the enemy.
Woosh!
At that moment, the enemy turned around and changed targets.
"Dante!"
From the beginning, the enemy's primary target had been Dante. He had intentionally lured Jin to create an opportunity to capture Dante before proceeding with his original plan.
Jin and the enemy rushed toward Dante simultaneously.
Due to the ten-step difference, the enemy reached Dante first.
The enemy's gleaming claws were aimed at Dante's exposed neck, as if he could kill him without taking him as a hostage.
In an instant, as the claws were about to pierce Dante's throat...
Jin threw Bradamante to block the claws' path and drew Sigmund at the same time.
However, Jin's stance was inevitably altered when he forcefully threw his sword.
Meanwhile, the enemy redirected the claws toward Jin.
Clank!
The claws managed to pierce Jin's Shadow Energy Armor, causing him to cough up a bit of blood.
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