C692 On May 6, 1803, they received a message from the Nameless that said they had found traces of Yona.
Fortunately, Yona had not left Akin and was still at a considerable distance from the villages and cities.
Immediately after receiving the message, Jin, along with Hedo, Bale and Bianca Kaligo, and Ranke Halovice (who complained about why they had brought Bale so quickly), boarded the Red Owl.
"Jin... Runcandel... Why us...."
There was a hint of confusion in Bianca's slow voice.
Ranke, driven by fear of Jin, didn't shout angrily but had an expression of great displeasure on his face.
"Unfortunately, your Grand Duke made a deal with me. In exchange for allowing Orgal to reunite with Bale, Kinzelo promised to provide absolute protection to Sandra and Sir Hedo."
"Ah... Protection. But... we didn't say it would be absolute..."
"If you don't want to do it, you can turn back now. In exchange, our deal will be terminated."
"Ah... Ugh."Frustrated, Bianca wrapped her head with her hands, and finally, Ranke stood up abruptly and confronted Jin.
"Oh, come on! This is too much. Are we your slaves or something? If you want protection, at least have the decency to be obedient. Now you even ask us to take responsibility for unnecessary risks?"
"Ranke Halovice, it seems you haven't learned your lesson from last time. Seeing you speak with such arrogance is quite something."
"Arrogance! Although I was defeated by you once, I am the First Young Master of the esteemed Halovice, the ruler of the northern part of the demonic world and its inhabitants, the master of the Tna Mountains and the Karion Mountains! I may submit to power, but I will never relinquish my dignity!"
"Is that so?"
"Ra, Ranke."
"This is clearly an excessive and unreasonable demand. Bianca Kaligo, stop stuttering like an idiot. This is a matter concerning the honor of the Four Great Dukes!"
"Honor..."
"Very well, honor it shall be. You've spoken well for once. If helping me according to our agreement is so repugnant to you, how about this? Ranke, if it weren't for me, you would have met your end in the Kaldran Snowfield. Who was it that rescued you when you lay there, exhausted and defenseless?"
"It was you!"
"If you know that, shut up and cooperate. It's an honorable task to help a benefactor, isn't it?"
"Our benefactor died frozen, and the reason we went to the Kaldran Snowfield is because of you!"
"That was necessary for the impending battle with Rosa. It wasn't just a personal matter but a cause that required the collective effort of our temporary alliance. The same applies now. Elder Sister Yona is known as a god among assassins. It goes without saying that she would be of great help during the battle with Rosa."
"Don't nod as if you understand, Bianca. Fine, Jin Runcandel. If it's a matter concerning our temporary alliance, why isn't Zipple here? Is it too burdensome to summon that empty-headed person? Even for a just cause?"
"Zipple is providing a location. If you dislike it so much, you're free to leave. Go back and explain the situation to your leader, and you'll probably be praised for your wise decision. And in my opinion, you're still making a fuss not just because you dislike the task but because you're afraid of Elder Sister Yona."
"What?"
"If you face an opponent who can kill you before you realize it, it's natural to feel fear, isn't it?"
"Hah, fine. Since you humiliated me before, I must seem quite foolish now, but today I'll prove you wrong. Remember that I won't tolerate your jokes after today."
"Great, great, that's excellent."
Ranke didn't back down due to his pride, and Bianca seemed to understand why they had brought her.
"They are so easy to manipulate."
The demons were all so foolish that Hedo couldn't help but think that.
However, even with the unfortunate intelligence of individuals like Bianca and Ranke, they were revered in the demon world because they were overwhelmingly strong, surpassing that intelligence.
In any case, now that they had brought the strongest among the demons, Jin felt much lighter.
Jin, Hedo, Bale, Bianca and Ranke, Owal, and the best executioners of Nameless.
In reality, with a group of this caliber, there were few beings in the world they couldn't deal with.
Aside from Cyron and the transformed Rosa, there was no one capable of facing them alone.
The Red Owl quickly transported them to the Akin Forest, as always.
"Have you arrived, Twelfth Flagbearer? A unique combination... and reliable."
Owal didn't know Bale's true identity or the reason for Kinzelo's presence.
When Jin explained it to him, Owal nodded in satisfaction.
"Even if Yona became stronger thanks to the chaos energy, there shouldn't be any problems."
If their goal were to kill Yona, Jin would have sufficed on his own, but subduing her required more than just his strength.
She wasn't just powerful but also possessed special abilities.
Even from that perspective, the group led by Jin was more than enough.
"By the way, if the situation drags on, Zipple will undoubtedly come. Sir Hedo's betrayal could be a problem then, and Zipple might intervene... Well, it doesn't matter. We can't afford to make war with the people here right before the battle with Rosa. Especially since Kelliark is also not in good shape."
"That's right, Owal-nim. I've already sent a message about this situation. They should arrive soon. It would be better if they cooperated and helped capture Elder Sister Yona before the territory suffers more damage. It may be unfair and frustrating, but that's the way things are."
It was a statement that couldn't be made without a certain level of thickness.
Additionally, it required possessing enough power to withstand such forced circumstances.
Owal realized once again that Jin, right in front of him, had become a figure who could stand among the world's top players.
In just a few years, Jin had become a true giant.
Moreover, he has climbed another step since I saw him at the second Hairan castle..."
Owal looked at Bale.
"Did breaking through another wall have something to do with meeting Sir Bale?"
"Bale influenced it, but it was because of Rosa. She is becoming complete at a faster rate than I am getting stronger."
During the fight with Bale, Rosa only briefly glanced at Jin through Padler's eyes, but even that was enough for him to sharply feel her power.
She was clearly surpassing Orgal's predictions.
"...It's a terrifying story. That's why even thousand-year enemies are joining forces."
Owal pointed to the forest that stretched in the distance.
"Yona is currently somewhere in that forest. There have been several skirmishes, but she hasn't been able to break the encirclement. Or... I have a feeling she was waiting for the best opportunity to kill us all at once. Instead of getting tired after each encounter, her senses have sharpened."
In the last battle, both Owal and Bizen encountered Yona simultaneously, and with a single strike, Yona almost killed Bizen.
"In that case, we should burn the entire forest to find her."
Suggested Bale.
"Bale, if we do that, it will inevitably cause civilian casualties. Have you forgotten Lady Sandra's orders?"
When Hedo responded, Bale narrowed his eyes as if annoyed.
He wanted to shout at Hedo to shut up and let him handle it, but Sandra's orders also included instructions to obey Hedo.
"It would be better if only I, Sir Hedo, and Owal-nim went for the search. The rest of the team should wait at key points of the encirclement. When the signal flare is launched, immediately enter the designated areas. If there are indications that Elder Sister Yona knows we have entered and tries to escape, Bale can pursue her."
When Bale unleashed his power, rings formed above his head and wings appeared on his back, and a golden aura overflowed. He could fly faster than any bird.
"My thoughts coincide with that. In any case, the siege assassins also have a signal, so it will be easy to join in any way. And Sir Bale... it would be great if you could fulfill your role as a communication network. With your overwhelming mobility, it would be of great help."
"Hah, are you giving me orders?"
"Bale, just follow me quietly. Do I always have to repeat myself?"
"Tch!"
With that, the group dispersed, and Jin, Hedo, and Owal entered the forest.
Unlike the others, Jin immediately perceived faint traces of Yona's chaos scattered throughout the forest.
"The remaining chaos energy is too weak and disoriented, but if I read it carefully, I think I can find Elder Sister Yona."
"Are you saying you can feel it?"
"Yes, my sensitivity to chaos has strangely increased over time, making this possible, Owal-nim. I can deduce the approximate route, so please advise me whenever I find it difficult to make judgments."
As they began the search in earnest, Jin struggled to prevent his mind from being overwhelmed.
If Yona was already in an irreversible situation, capturing and bringing her back would be useless.
No, my sister will resist and overcome.
The fact that she hasn't killed any civilians so far is proof of her resistance.
If we don't lose this opportunity, Elder Sister Yona will definitely return...
After a few hours of searching, Jin stopped walking and looked around confused.
His face clearly showed an expression of bewilderment.
"Is something wrong, Twelfth Flagbearer?"
"...Owal-nim, the types of chaos have suddenly increased."
"What?"
"It means Elder Sister Yona isn't the only one using chaos energy in this forest right now."
"That can't be. The encirclement has been maintained since I saw you at the second Hairan castle."
"Is it possible that someone broke through the encirclement and entered the forest? Or maybe there were chaos users apart from Elder Sister Yona from the beginning."
"The first is completely impossible. With me and the top executioners included in the encirclement, it would be impossible to break it by force unless there's someone else with skills comparable to mine or Yona's. As for the latter... Wait, could it be?"
Suddenly, Owal's eyes widened as he realized something.
Jin seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"If it's a fake Yona, it's possible. Maybe the Yona we've been fighting all this time was fake."
"The new traces I found only have a subtle difference from what I've perceived before. It means the fake I found in Hairan has infiltrated the forest."
So, either the fake Yona was in the forest before Nameless, or she infiltrated the encirclement using her own skills or through the Prophet's tunnel.
In other words, there could be multiple Yonas in the forest, including both the real and the fake ones.
And the reason the fakes were searching the forest was probably rare.
"Jin, if that's true, don't we need the Contractor of Truth?"
At Hedo's words, Jin shook his head.
"If there are several fake Yonas, it would be too difficult to protect Euria. Since there are two different energies, we need to subdue both the real Elder Sister Yona and the fakes, and then differentiate them based on that."
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