CHAPTER 637

[T.L: punisher87]

[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]

He also must be a knight born from chaos, the power of the Prophet.

However, he was different from the other knights in appearance. 

Instead of the dense and black sensation typical of chaos energy, his entire body was tinted with a subtle silvery hue.

Even the pupils do not harbor the ferocity of a beast thirsting for blood. Rather, they bore the deep and solemn gaze of a martial artist who had reached the peak.

Strong. To the extent that there was no need to check him by clashing swords.

Jin carefully examined him and searched for his memory. He remembered a description of a former patriarch of the clan that he read in the storm castle library.

The former patriarch of Runcandel, who was called the 'Lion King' because of his long hair that stretched out in all directions like the mane.

Lionel Runcandel, that was the name of the man who came from the mausoleum.

"The youngest child of Runcandel greets the sixth patriarch of the clan."

Jin showed courtesy to Lionel with a calm attitude.

[Ah, so you recognize me. I've heard there are hardly any tales left about me. Admirable.]

Almost all of the records about him remained in the storm castle library. As his era was shortly after Runcandel's defeat against Zipfel, most of the records about him were wiped out.

"You said it was admirable, so may I ask you a question in return?"

[What is it?]

"Unlike other chaos knights, you seem to have clear reason and will, ancestor. In that case, the current state of the clan must not seem very good to you. Which side did you punish with that dead body?"

[Haha! If I don't take your side, you seem like you'll rush in right away.]

"Please answer me."

[I am just a ghost bound to the summoner. So my job is to punish you. You're asking the obvious. Well, in my opinion, Rosa's judgment isn't that bad.]

"Then I can no longer respect you, Lionel. Even if you endure the shame of being cut down by the sword of your descendant from now on, I hope you will humbly accept it..."

[This is a very good spirit.]

The blue flames in Jin's eyes sharpened.

At the same time, Lionel cut through the air with a longsword formed by chaos.

Suaaaaaa...…!

Lionel's lightly swung blow distorted the space and released sword energy that had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

The nearby chaos knights were swept away by the force and repulsion generated by his swordsmanship.

Lionel paid no heed to their safety. 

With the exception of Temar and the current patriarch of Runcandel who was undoubtedly the strongest of all time. Lionel was full of thoughts that he had to kill the descendant who was obviously the child who resembled Chiron the most.

While Lionel's sword energy engulfed Jin. Stam targeted Jin's rear and was inwardly astonished.

'Even though he's completely turned his back... there's no opening.'

Stam couldn't recklessly extend his sword against Jin's exposed back. He was convinced that even if he rushed in, the result would be a meaningless battle.

The 12th flagbearer of the clan, whom he saved just a few years ago, was revealing the dignity of an absolute martial artist.

Even Jin casually...…. 'teared' Lionel's sword energy. Not even with a sword, but with bare hands.

"I thought you would give me the first chance to attack, but it's embarrassing."

Swoosh.

Jin was looking up at Lionel, who was taller than him, but Lionel felt that his gaze had started from a higher place.

[Even though I've lived my whole life in arrogance, I don't feel confident enough to allow such behavior against you.]

Lionel was not taken aback when he saw his sword energy converging into Jin's grasp and disappearing.

He immediately acknowledged the fact that Jin is stronger than himself.

[Small fries, get out of the way. Standing here won't pose even the slightest threat to him.]

Ran, Vigo, Myu, Anne.

Those four were the ones whom Lionel referred to as the small fries. They were chaos knights, and they were looking for an opportunity to attack Jin all the time.

"You can't do that, Lionel. My mother's orders take precedence."

[Rosa couldn't have told you to kill him. Can't you tell the difference between heaven and earth? If you don't want to waste your lives, do as you please.]

Siah-!

Once again, Lionel closed the distance first. The air ruptured as he charged, sending shockwaves rippling out, and Jin countered with Bradamante.

In terms of strength, Lionel had the upper hand. When their swords clashed, Jin was pushed back, and it was then that Stam found his first opportunity to strike.

A small crack spread across Multa's rune and on the breastplate of the Shadow force Armor. If Jin hadn't avoided it, Stam's sword would have pierced his armor and ruptured his throat and heart.

Although Jin's sword touched Lionel's chest and Stam's armor, it was clear that Jin was being pushed back in the composition of the first fight.

The three swords, clashing several times in a second, made a roar and vibration like a mountain or fortress collapsing.

The swords of the clan's guardians stuck in the garden were being erased in the aftermath of the battle of the superhumans.

The rusty and shiny swords, which retained history and pride, were being shattered. Jin was the only person in this garden who was heartbroken to see the scene.

[You are strong. Incredibly strong indeed! Can't you now stand by your mother's side and fight? With your and Rosa's strength, you'll be able to hold the world in your own two hands!]

"Lionel, you introduced yourself to me as nothing more than a ghost bound to a summoner."

Jin pushed Stam away and received Lionel's diagonal slash.

"The same goes for me. I, too, am a human bound by the clan's values. No matter how tempting an easier path may seem, or how sweet the seduction, I simply cannot turn away from those values... The struggle. That's the bitter truth."

[It seems I spoke futile words out of sheer regret. Nevertheless, surviving is the essence of the struggle. Your mother fulfills it more faithfully than anyone else.]

"I acknowledge that. If Rosa Runcandel belonged to a different clan, I would have regarded her as a remarkable individual."

Thud!

A pale stream of blood gushed from Lionel's right cheek. 

He hadn't realized the moment when Jin's sword passed his face. It was the first time in his life he completely missed an opponent's sword during battle.

'If I hadn't reacted subconsciously, it could have ended right there.'

But Lionel wasn't even surprised. 

He only reaffirmed the fact that he was facing an unprecedentedly strong opponent, one he had never encountered even in his living days.

Fear and joy tingled down Lionel's spine. Stam, too, was enveloped in a similar sensation.

[Even though you have the power to be an absolute ruler in your era, you still cling to the dream of a mere boy. That's likely why you'll die here today.]

Jin didn't answer and swung his sword again.

The sheer magnitude of raw power still favored Lionel and Stam. The speed at which the cracks on Multa's runes and armor increased as time went by.

Jin's breathing was also quickening. 

On the other hand, Lionel and Stam's swords gradually moved in perfect sync.

Whenever Lionel created an opening, Stam's sword pierced through the armor without fail.

Blood trickled down from beneath the helmet.

'As expected, it is impossible to deal with two people in this state.'

Just a little longer.

Though he had managed to maintain his composure throughout, Jin was clearly being pushed back.

Lionel shows no signs of exhaustion even though he used decisive killing moves relentlessly, and Stam controls the flow of the battle as if he had combined characteristics of Yona and Luna.

Stam was surprisingly quiet when piercing through openings, and it was overwhelmingly heavy when attacked.

Because of this, Jin came to the conclusion that Stam was a more formidable opponent than Lionel.

'On top of that, I'm sure the two of them have saved some moves.'

Same goes for Jin. 

However, Jin was constantly aware of an uncontrollable variable. It would be wasteful to unleash his trump cards now.

'The chaos energy beating the flames is fading little by little. If that continues like this, I will have to hold out without drawing another card...….'

About 5 minutes. 

As long as he endured that, it would be okay to retrieve the power of the flame of hell that was protecting the escaping knights.

That had been Jin's rationale for engaging Lionel and Stam solely in a power struggle thus far.

'Until then, it's hard to tell whether I can withstand the attacks of the two with pure swordsmanship...….'

The moment Jin thought that far. 

He could feel that the energy of chaos suddenly weakened, pushing the flame of hell.

And from afar, someone's aura began pushing the chaos energy away in earnest.

Jorden Runcandel.

He began to release the power that he had stored under the protection of the flame of hell.

Gaaaaaa...…!

Tess, who was protecting the knights from above, let out a roar. It was a signal that they were leaving the Garden of Swords and heading towards Kalon.

Jin smiled unconsciously.

'Finally.'

The flame of hell that had filled the Garden of Swords disappeared at once.

At the same time, Lionel and Stam distanced themselves. 

It was because they recognized that Jin's energy had changed as soon as the flames disappeared.

However, the fire didn't disappear, it just returned to Jin. The fire centered around Jin once again enveloped him in blue light.

When Multa's rune and shadow force armor were released, Jin's body was revealed, perfectly reproducing the flame empress.

'Could it be that the flame of hell we've been facing all this time was only half of its true power...!?'

For Lionel and Stam. It was completely unexpected. They knew that the flames was protecting the knights, but they couldn't believe that it couldn't exert its full power because of it.

It's not because their insight was lacking. 

No one would have guessed that the transcendent fire that had pushed back the chaos of the entire Garden of Swords all along was only half the force.

"Lionel, I think I should tell you one thing before we finish this."

Lionel's widened eyes were shaking in awe. As a descendant who was blessed to witness the legend of the Flame Empress, Sarah Runcandel.

"Unlike you, Dame Sarah fought for Runcandel for a thousand years even after death. Even though her whole body was broken and her mind was more devastating than that...… over those long years, she never compromised with anything."

Would you still dare to call her thousand-year struggle and determination just a mere boy's dream?

Lionel couldn't choose an answer to Jin's words that followed.

"I see you cannot answer. That's why today, you face death once more in this place."

Bradamante was rushing towards Lionel and Stam, like the blade of a guillotine falling upon a traitor.

[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]