C446 - Zephyrin (2)
Dark and elongated nails sprouted from her fingers as Zephyrin hurled the axe-sword.
Those nails, which pierced through the Black Knight, were Zephyrin's primary means of attack.
The menacing purple demonic energy of the nails was threatening.
Zephyrin leaped forward with a sharp whistle.
She flung her nails at Jin and the others.
Jin blocked Zephyrin's attack with his sword, while Valkas intercepted it with a fist.
The clash of sword, fist, and nails sent sparks and energy fragments flying in all directions.
Using a familiar weapon has a profound impact on anyone. After discarding the axe-sword, Zephyrin's posture and balance improved, and her movements became more agile.
And the opponent who felt the strongest of all that Jin had faced became even stronger.
However, the real issue was that this was not the end.
She was a Dragon.
She had not revealed her true form yet, and her abilities as a "Demon Dragon" remained unknown.
Based on the power she had demonstrated, she was at least a 10-star level by human standards.
Jin came to think that she might rival his father, Cyron Runcandel, the Demigod.
Fortunately, Jin did not feel the absolute power aura transmitted by his father and Battle Goddess Vahn.
Although it was unclear whether it truly did not exist or if he simply could not sense it.
Shack!
Zephyrin dodged Jin and Valkas and charged towards Murakan.
The purple nails pierced through one of Murakan's wings.
The nails went through a wing, and the wing rippled like smoke.
However, Murakan did not waste the moment as she closed in.
In an instant, Murakan's entire body turned into black smoke and enveloped Zephyrin.
While the smoke reshaped into Murakan's form, Zephyrin found herself trapped inside one of Murakan's wings.
It wasn't visible from the outside, but a chaotic vortex of Shadow Energy roared inside the folded wing.
It pierced through Zephyrin's flesh and bones with a chilling sound, creating a gruesome spectacle.
Just like how Murakan had transformed into Shadow Energy to dodge the attack moments ago...
Zephyrin also used demonic energy to evade the assault.
Unlike human battles, combat between dragons had its unique characteristics.
[Well, you seem to be the best Demon Dragon I've encountered so far. Were you holding your breath in fear a thousand years ago? I wonder where you came from.]
The purple smoke dispersed, and Zephyrin reappeared at a certain distance from Murakan.
"Haha, how bold you are. How dare you evaluate me like that? It seems you still don't recognize me, Murakan-nim."
Swish!
This time, a sharp demonic energy extended from Zephyrin's nails and slashed through Murakan's midsection.
Although the Shadow Energy form had dampened the impact...
This type of Shadow Energy expenditure would eventually exhaust Murakan.
"Even if I were dealing with you at your best, I wouldn't be so scared. The reason you don't know me well is that I couldn't fight against you back then."
[You couldn't fight with me?]
"There were some circumstances. You should know them. No, how could you?"
Pshhh!
The Sword of Legends Master Combat Technique, Petal Cascade, fell on Zephyrin's head...
And Valkas unleashed his punch at full force simultaneously.
The subspace distorted due to the lightning and aura energy.
The Cascade crashed into the ground, and the punch broke the empty space.
Zephyrin jumped to avoid the attack, but Murakan lunged like a hawk and released a Dragon's Breath.
The black breath enveloped Zephyrin completely, but even after it dissipated, it seemed she had not taken a significant hit.
However, just before the collision, Jin's thunder blade and Valkas's Secret Technique were ready.
Dozens of thunder blades and Valkas's fists entangled with Zephyrin as she fell to the ground.
This time, Zephyrin couldn't transform her body into demonic energy in time.
The thunder blade pierced through Zephyrin's body, and Valkas's fists hit her right in the middle of the back.
"Kugh!"
With the sound of tearing blows, Zephyrin spat out blood and was sent flying to the other side of the group.
For a human, it would have been a mortal wound, with shattered bones and organs.
However, Jin and the others had the intuition that she hadn't received such a critical blow; even her cries seemed somewhat playful.
Murakan transformed into a human and stood beside Jin.
"Murakan."
"Yes?"
"Do you really not know who that Demon Dragon is?"
"Well, I thought she might be one of the Guardian Dragons of the Rontelgius Family that you killed, but it doesn't seem like it."
"Any guesses?"
"A direct subordinate Dragon of a Demon God-level being. That's for sure."
Can we win this?
Jin didn't ask this question.
It was because he saw Murakan with such a serious expression for the first time in a long while.
In short, Zephyrin was an unexpected calamity.
It puzzled Jin that there could be any connection between the seemingly weak demons he easily defeated in Joshua's villa and Zephyrin.
Could she hold a grudge against me for the magical tome I acquired back then?
When Jin and his companions first suspected that Zephyrin was a Demon Dragon at the Sword Emperor Castle banquet, they assumed she was approaching them because of the magical tome.
If not, it seemed unlikely that they would have dealings with beings like Demons or Demon Dragons.
However, Zephyrin was acting as if the magical tome didn't matter at all.
Or maybe, she is planning to find out everything about me regarding the magical tome after she could subdue Murakan and kill the Black King Leader...
Wait a moment...
Just as this thought was about to cross his mind, Jin recalled a crucial fact:
Zephyrin explicitly stated that she would only "kill" the Black King Leader.
She mentioned subduing Murakan, and the situation suggests she is not here to kill him.
Why would she go to such lengths?
Jin was able to recall a conversation in a matter of seconds.
"I'll commend this ambush. However, you and your God will be the most important materials for the Demon God Orb, Jin Runcandel...!"
These were the words Andrei Zipple had said while using the Demon God Orb.
At that time, Andrei claimed that the power of Soldelet was the core of the Demon God Orb.
Looking back, those seeking the power of the Demon God Orb or something equivalent tended to have a strange fixation on the 'Contractor of Soldelet.'
Both Andrei Zipple and Joshua Runcandel showed this fact.
Moreover, considering that the creator of the "Demon God Orb" was Bouvard Gaston, the power of Soldelet probably held special value for them in their grand cause.
'That's why those Kinzelo bastards kept trying to persuade me.'
Clank!
Zephyrin was grotesquely contorted and shattered, but she regenerated and stood up in an instant.
Her bones returned to their place, and the torn wounds disappeared.
It seemed that no matter how much her body was torn and twisted, Zephyrin regenerated as if nothing had happened, similar to what the Kinzelo Leader had demonstrated during the terrorist attack on Sword Emperor Castle.
Kinzelo...
Jin soon had the hunch that Zephyrin probably was affiliated with that group of lunatics.
If it's from Zipple, then it's likely she moved with the Specter Corps.
However, labeling her as part of Kinzelo doesn't make much sense.
Zephyrin's actions have been completely different from what Kinzelo showed me.
Jin hated Kinzelo, but Kinzelo always showed a compassionate side towards Jin.
Ambushing Jin unexpectedly like this clearly goes against Kinzelo's attitude.
"I think she's the Dragon of the Kinzelo Leader."
"That damn bastard? That might be possible. The authority he showed during the terrorist attack on Sword Emperor Castle was divine."
"...This, Murakan-nim, Twelfth Flagbearer. It seems that this fight may not have an end if it continues."
Jin nodded as Valkas said this.
The Black Knight agonized behind them, and Zephyrin's body regenerated instantly even when twisted and torn.
She showed no signs of fatigue.
"No end? It's much worse than that. We'll never be able to win against that."
Jin and Valkas's eyes widened at Murakan's words.
Jin, in particular, was even more surprised.
He had never imagined that someone as proud as Murakan would so easily accept defeat.
In any case, if Murakan spoke with such conviction, there was only one response.
"We should run."
When Jin said this, Murakan nodded, and Valkas's eyes hesitated for a moment.
This place was the Black King's Mountain, and Valkas valued nothing more than the lives of his subordinates.
Abandoning his subordinates and fleeing was an impossible act.
Valkas believed that if his group fled, Zephyrin would not simply leave the Black King's Mountain.
She had the power to annihilate the Black King's Mountain single-handedly in a matter of moments.
The countless defenses and traps of the Black King's Mountain were meaningless against such a fearsome Dragon.
"I can't run, Murakan-nim."
"I know. Who abandons their children and flees?"
"Then...?"
"I'll hold her off somehow, so you and the brat guide the others to escape. I'll shake her off and meet up with you later."
"Murakan."
"What?"
"Do you think you can handle her alone?"
Of course, neither Jin, nor Valkas, nor Murakan had yet used all their power.
But they couldn't easily defeat Zephyrin even when all three fought together.
It was natural to worry if Murakan could handle her alone.
"Hahah!"
Suddenly, Murakan burst into laughter.
"Even in this state, I've recovered nearly 40% of all my strength. I can handle it even if it were a demon like Demon King Orgal instead of a Dragon."
"I'm not so sure..."
"Don't worry, brat. There's no way I'll be left behind. And, after all, this is the best plan."
Murakan pointed to one side of the subspace as he finished his sentence.
"First, let's break this subspace. You've done this many times; do you know the method?"
Shadow Energy.
First Technique: Soul Cut, and Tess's power.
When it came to cutting unwanted subspace from other worlds, these techniques and powers had never disappointed Jin.
Woo...!
A massive amount of Shadow Energy began to accumulate around Murakan.
Upon release, the entire purple subspace turned black.
As the expression implied, the current Murakan was unleashing all his power.
[Hey, Zephyrin. Let's have a little Dragon fight. Let me judge for myself if what you said about being able to stand up to me in my prime is true.]
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