CHAPTER 717

[T.L: punisher87]

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At the moment when Mon's sword began to pressure Myu and Anne and shake the entire battlefield, Mary paused briefly and turned around.

'It's the aura of at least a Black Knight-level martial artist. Did Sir Mon come to support the Tona brothers?'

There were more cannon shots, and along with that, Mary could feel the fact that the vibrations transmitted through the inner castle intensified.

It was evidence that the allied forces had arrived.

So Mary decided to halt her infiltration and wait for the arrival of her allies before moving together. There was no need to risk herself unnecessarily.

Until now, she had pushed through regardless, trying to assess the internal situation, but now she realized that if something went wrong, she would only become a burden to her allies.

The captives trapped in the inner castle, the prophet, the Tona brothers, and their allied forces were engaged in combat. Jin and Diphus were rumored to have moved somewhere and initiated a battle.

Although there were countless factors causing anxiety, Mary calmly turned her body.

She intended to go toward the entrance of the castle and wait for her allies.

However, Mary immediately swallowed a sigh as she sensed the arrival of someone.

Tap, tap... From behind the corridor, a figure in a black robe approached.

"Well, things never go according to plan, do they? Ilina... no, Prophet. I see you've come to meet me in person."

[Of course, the 7th flagbearer of the clan came to Rikalton. It would be right for me, the lord of the castle, to come out myself, right?]

Swoosh!

Viper stretched forward like a whip and swept through Ilina.

'Is it an illusion...? It doesn't make contact.'

Ilina only shimmered like water, completely unaffected by the attacks. The same thing happened when she was attacked again.

"What kind of law says that you can welcome guests while playing a joke like this? Is it the land of chaos?"

Ilina waved her hand and smiled.

[Oh no, I have truly prepared a lot for you. So please don't be too upset. I'm sure it will be a surprise.]

"Hehe! Listen, Prophet. Our allied forces have already surrounded the outside. Moreover, I know that you are in a situation where the evil god cannot move, and the 4th flagbearer is currently luring Jin into a fight. You may act composed, but I see everything with my own eyes. Are you afraid that things will turn against you?"

[Does it look like I'm afraid?]

"Clearly, your original plan was to prevent the allied forces from ever reaching this stronghold. But they arrived, albeit later than expected, and you set up this illusion for your safety."

[Unfortunately, you pose no threat to me. So this illusion for safety is just your excessive confidence. This is not a simple illusion.]

"Are you going to send out more puppets? Or are you going to activate some trap to try to kill me? Whatever it is, go ahead and do it. Today, you and your lot will definitely lose."

[If I wanted to kill you, there would be no need for traps.]

"Then come out and face me if you want to kill me."

[There's someone else who wants to kill you.]

"What?"

[Jin Runcandel, the 12th flagbearer. You will die by his hand.]

Mary let out a hollow laugh.

"Jin is different from the others. He will never fall, just like the Myu and Anne who were outside, the other armies of chaos, Rosa, the 4th flagbearer... He will never be corrupted. You have no idea how special he is, how strong he is. You can't even imagine."

[Sir Diphus said the exact same thing. Huh, you're not a worthless piece of garbage like Joshua after all. You and the 4th flagbearer, the 12th flagbearer should have been on our side.]

"Even if he's fallen, he hasn't completely lost his senses. The 4th flagbearer knows it too, that he can't defeat Jin. The youngest isn't someone who will fall to you or the 4th flagbearer. If you want to capture him, you'll have to bring out the evil god, and even that will ultimately fail!"

[Then why did Sir Diphus lure the 12th flagbearer separately, knowing he would lose?]

"It must be a scheme to buy time until the evil god can move. Just like you have been doing all along."

[That's half the answer. 7th flagbearer, before the battle begins today... I will tell you what Sir Diphus ordered me.]

I have to set a stage, so that Runcandel doesn't lose even if I lose.

Ilina continued her words and took off her hood.

[It is not necessary for the 12th flagbearer to embrace chaos in order to harm you. Sir Diphus never even considered corrupting him. Instead, it is done like this...]

The moment Ilina said that, Mary hurriedly stepped on side and swung the viper.

Suddenly, a tremendous energy erupted from the air and engulfed her.

'This...!'

It was a thunderbolt.

And it contained Jin's unique, powerful force.

Excluding the Plutonian tribe, Jin was the only one who could handle this kind of lightning bolts.

And this was just the beginning.

In an instant, the lightning bolts spread from all directions.

No matter how many times she checked, it was undoubtedly Jin's energy.

[... Unbeknownst to yourself, it will lead to your death. Sir Diphus and I have prepared measures to ensure that all the energy wasted in fighting him is directed at this very spot. A variation of the power of dimensional teleportation, you could say.]

"Damn!"

Mary, pushed back by the lightning bolts, gritted her teeth.

[As you said, it wouldn't be easy for us to gain the upper hand in a firepower battle while the lord matriarch is absent. That's why I have truly made thorough preparations. Even if the 12th flagbearer doesn't fall, I have ensured that he cannot escape the abyss of despair!]

True to Mary's words, Jin never corrupts.

Diphus had long recognized that fact and acknowledged that he could not defeat Jin as long as he was injured by the eternal flames.

That's why Diphus approached the situation in a completely different way.

And as everyone knows, Jin, apart from the evil god, was practically unbeatable. Even a being like Mary could barely hold out for a few minutes in a proper fight against him.

And now, Jin's attacks were penetrating through Rikalton's inner castle.

In just a few seconds, the corridor where Mary stood was already destroyed beyond recognition.

How is this even possible?

Neither Mary nor any of the allies had anticipated such a situation.

She was going to die.

And it would be by the power of the youngest.

Even if she were to die, Mary held no resentment towards Jin. But the weight of despair that Jin had to bear was indescribable.

'Moreover, it's not just me who will die. If things continue like this, the energy of the youngest will affect our other comrades as well!'

Currently, Jin's energy was spreading only towards the inner castle. 

But it was uncertain how long that range would be limited to the resistance. If Jin's energy spreads to the outside, beyond the castle and onto the battlefield...

Not only would thousands of prisoners be annihilated, but there would also be a surge of casualties among their own allies.

Jin would hear all about it after the battle is over.

'No matter how strong the youngest is, if he experiences something like that...!'

He would collapse.

He had no choice but to crumble. No one could go through such an event and come out unscathed.

Those who survived, especially their comrades, would say that it was not Jin's responsibility.

But Jin could never think that way.

"Ugh, cough...!"

Fzzz-!

Some of the lightning bolts, which were made from 9th sword technique of battle god, struck Mary.

She managed to barely fend it off, but her collar bone was broken, and hot blood gushed from her throat.

Ilina licked her lips, seemingly satisfied with the sight.

[How about it? Do you still think you can win? Are you worried that things might not go as planned? I am a prophet. What I have spoken will inevitably come true. Today, Jin Runcandel will kill a lot of people]

Checkmate.

Mary had no choice but to acknowledge that fact. She couldn't see any way out.

All she could do was fend off the lightning bolts.

But somehow, for some reason...

Mary felt a sudden wash of relief, as if the fear and concern she held for Jin were suddenly washed away. It was like the moment when believers encounter the voice of their god in a desperate moment.

Great beings sometimes instill baseless faith in such moments.

Mary realized that she had been regarding the youngest in such a way. Not just to herself, but also to the clan and Tikan's comrades, Jin was such a person.

[You're quite strong too, aren't you? How many times have you already fended off these fierce lightning bolts? Keep up the strength, the more desperate traces you leave, the better.]

"Yeah, you're right. This is really a crisis, cough!"

Mary rolled on the ground again, coughing up blood.

"It's strange... Somehow, I don't think the youngest will keep playing tricks like this."

The Prophet's eyes narrowed.

Mary's pupils, which had been plunged into despair and darkness, were gradually regaining their light.

The prophet thought there was no situation where Mary could harbor hope.

[Oh, so in the end, you too have gone mad in the face of this death? That's a sight that suits ordinary and weak humans.]

"No, it's just... I still can't envision a scenario where Jin falls into your trap. And we don't have mediocre prophets like you, we have a record-keeper. By now, our record-keeper would have sensed something unpleasant, and someone among our comrades would go and inform Jin..."

[Yes, yes. Whether you say it or not, soon your whole body will be torn apart by the power of the 12th flagbearer. At best, you can endure a couple more times.]

Mary fended off the thunderbolt and stood up.

Her legs trembled as if she would collapse any moment, but her viper shone fiercely.

"If you really think that way, how about we make a bet? I'll bet on there not being a single person who dies from Jin's energy. Two times? Ten times, even twenty times, I can stop it."

So if you want to see me die, come and face me yourself. I will never be defeated by Jin's power.

Mary finished her words and glared at Ilina.

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