Chapter 493

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It wasn't just the aura that they felt, but also a vast and highly pure mana.

"It's a battle!"

The moment Diphus spoke, the vibrations intensified even further. And then, an explosion occurred around the middle levels of the White Night Tower, and light flashed.

It was a type of explosion that the group had seen numerous times in their lives. 

The area around the Tower of the White Night was illuminated with brilliant colors that do not appear in battles between knights, or mages.

"This isn't a fight between Kinzelo and Zipfel."

There is nothing that can be called brotherly love, but the three Runcandel brothers who came here all mastered the same sword.

"It's Joshua. He and the Black Knights have started a battle with Zipfel's mages."

Even without seeing it directly, Jin and Diphus could accurately perceive the unique destructive aura of Runcandel's sword.

They also identified the owners of the mana.

'The Spectre Corps.'

Both of them had personally encountered Zipfel's most powerful magic unit. It was undoubtedly them that Joshua was fighting against.

"I don't know if he was discovered while infiltrating, or if it was a trap from the beginning and he fell into it. I think it's the latter."

In any case, it was an awkward situation for the group.

'Judging by the scale, there probably aren't too many other mages at the 2nd Magic tower, but it's been revealed that Joshua and the Black Knights are in the 2nd Magic tower, Drakka will soon send reinforcements.'

This was Zipfel's headquarters. 

This means that there is no way there is a shortage of troops to the point where they can barely send support to the underground shipyard in the Sota Desert.

Moreover, the Second Magic tower was much more dangerous than the shipyard.

The shipyard was merely a bait thrown to test the abilities of external forces. But the Second Magic tower would undoubtedly contain the actual battleship's blueprints.

"However... It's a bit strange. The mana I sense is roughly two to three members of the Spectre Corps, or four at most. Why did they deploy such a small number?'

If Zipfel had already anticipated that there might be an intrusion at the Second Magic tower and had plans to set a trap to catch the biggest fish from external forces, they would have tried to kill them all even if it meant risking an all-out war.

This was the perfect opportunity.

There should have been not just two to four members of the Spectre Corps but a much larger force waiting in the White Night Tower ahead of them.

It wouldn't be strange at all for someone like Kelliark Zipfel himself or a figure of Octavia's caliber to appear in this situation.

But there are only a few members of the Spectre Corps.

'Could it not be a trap?'

It wasn't easy to quickly grasp the situation, but it was a moment that required a decision.

'If it's a clear trap, we should flee even if it means giving up on the blueprints. In that case, Zipfel wouldn't have left any blueprints at the Second Magic tower. Moreover, even with me, Murakan, and elder brother Diphus, we can't escape a full-force of Zipfel.'

But what if it wasn't a trap?

The reason why only a few people are guarding the White Night tower is the result of several twisted causal relationships that are difficult to immediately take into account. What if it was just Zipfel's carelessness and mistake?

What if Joshua had already secured the blueprints, and a battle broke out during his escape?

Ever since they arrived in the Sota Desert, Jin had always had a headache, but this time, it felt like his head was about to explode.

How many unexpected variables they had encountered so far and how many unforeseen situations lay ahead were nearly impossible to gauge.

But one thing was certain.

'If we don't act today, we won't have another chance to obtain Zipfel's battleship blueprints.'

With the fact that Runcandels not only attacked the shipyard but also the Second Magic tower, Zipfel would undoubtedly strengthen security regardless of the outcome of this incident.

This wasn't just any clan; it was the most powerful one in the world. This was not a clan that would make the same mistake.

Jin quickly came to a conclusion.

"...It doesn't seem to be a trap, second eldest brother. If they had lured us in from the beginning, they would have had more troops."

"That's true. Ugh, this is so frustrating. If it's not a trap, why is that idiot Joshua getting caught and causing us so much trouble?"

Right then!

The Second Magic tower's midsection exploded again, and debris rained down. The battle continued to intensify.

"This is the moment to take risks."

Jin took a deep breath and continued talking.

"Even if it's not a trap, reinforcements will arrive shortly, so it would be a reasonable decision to retreat. But we can't rule out the possibility that Joshua has secured the blueprints."

Diphus nodded.

"I understand what you mean."

"If you want to retreat now, you can, elder brother."

The youngest, what are you talking about? The decision to kill Joshua in the first place was a risk. Do you really think I'm going to leave now?"

"I just wanted to mention it just in case."

"Moreover, this might be an opportunity. If he has the blueprints, we can just kill him after we escape and take the blueprints. Joshua will undoubtedly be injured in the battle with the Spectre corps, making it easier to achieve both objectives. Plus, if we don't act today, we'll never get the blueprints, that's for sure."

Diphus had already been thinking the same as Jin. The way things were unfolding was undeniably the best course of action.

Had they known for certain that the blueprints were not in the Second Magic tower vault, neither of them would have made this decision.

"Let's go, Jin, Lord Murakan. Let's save him and kill him ourselves before Zipfel's reinforcements arrive."

Of course, the issue they needed to be aware of was that Zipfel's reinforcements were not the only ones present.

'Kinzelo hasn't shown much presence since the shipyard terror.'

Either they are moving slowly because they are blocked by the barrier on the other side, not the area that Jin released, or they are still looking for more opportunities even though the situation has progressed to this point.

Jin looked back for a moment. Far in the distance, the Sota Desert was now a battleground between Kinzelo and Zipfel not only underground but also on the surface.

'It seems they might be biding their time. However, if Kinzelo hasn't achieved their goal yet, the terrorist group members should have retreated by now.'

The three of them quickly arrived at the entrance to the tower.

The midsection of the tower, where Joshua and his group and the Spectre corps were fighting, was littered with debris and piles of stones, but there were no signs of other mages or guards.

As they entered, a vast interior space unfolded before them. Whether it was soundproofed by magic or for some other reason, the sounds and vibrations of battle were surprisingly muted inside, indicating the tower's impressive construction.

"There's not a single bug here. Does this mean they've almost given up?"

Murakan chuckled and said. Even Jin and Diphus, who saw it in person, couldn't help but find it strange.

It is impossible to guess that the reason there is no one in the Magic Tower is simply due to Sandra Zipfel's whims and madness.

In the center, there was a massive spiral staircase with an elevator at its core, but the elevator was not operational.

They hurried up the stairs.

The tower was much taller than it appeared from the outside. Even when they sprinted, it felt like Joshua and the Spectre corps on the middle floor were not getting any closer quickly.

This reflected the urgency that Jin and Diphus felt because they feared the blueprints might be lost during the ongoing battle.

Fortunately, the group soon felt the vibrations of battle again, signaling that they had reached the middle floor.

They opened the imposing iron door that was tightly closed.

Chrrrr!

The Spectre corps was indeed the Spectre corps. Even in the midst of a fierce battle, they immediately fired a mana beam towards Jin as soon as the door opened. 

Crack!

The beam was deflected by Diphus, with the blade of his great sword Volgar.

The Spectres didn't panic and reorganized their formation as more enemies arrived.

Jin and Diphus couldn't help but gnash their teeth as they assessed the situation.

'Damn it, there are four of them.'

They had expected between two to four, but of course, it had to be four. Joshua and Jane had been fighting these four Spectres until Jin and his group arrived.

Jin and his group approached Joshua. He was breathing a little hard, but was not seriously injured. However, the problem was with the Black Knight, Jane.

Jane had minor to moderate injuries, with bleeding from small and large wounds scattered all over her body. There were even some deep wounds that could potentially be fatal.

The Black Knight might have a fighting chance in a 2v2 scenario, but facing the four Spectres meant she had to put her life on the line.

What's more, they were on Zipfel's territory inside the Magic tower, and it was entirely possible that the Spectres could use the Magic tower's special devices or energies to enhance their magic beyond its normal capabilities.

It was evident that Jane's injuries, of course, were a result of her protecting Joshua.

It was only natural for a Black Knight to protect the next patriarch of the clan, but isn't the Joshua present here merely a clone?

'Does the Black Knight not realize that Joshua is a clone? Damn it. The clan's best sword is being sacrificed to protect a mere clone.'

Jin's blood was boiling, and he wanted to cut Joshua's throat right then and there, but not the clone's throat, but the original's. However, Jin didn't overlook one crucial fact in the midst of all this.

'Joshua hasn't obtained the blueprints yet. No matter how cowardly he is, Joshua's evaluation isn't entirely wrong. If he had acquired the blueprints, he would have told the black knight to escape with the blueprints, saying he would stop the enemy somehow.'

Although hidden behind a mask, Joshua would undoubtedly have had a shocked and happy expression.

The expression stemmed from the fact that they had successfully monopolized information about the 2nd Magic tower and had arrived faster than expected, giving them a chance to turn the tide.

"4th and 12th flagbearers."

"Hey, you don't greet me again? Can't you see me? Huh? Are you blind?"

"..... And Lord Murakan. I will explain the situation later…."

"There is no need for that, 2nd flagbearer."

Jin cut off Joshua's words and drew his sword.

"Instead, tell me the location of the blueprints immediately. Let me tell you in advance that if you refuse to cooperate, you may be held liable for obstructing mission and immediately executed. You knew very well that I don't make empty threats."