CHAPTER 214

A completely new sensation.

Just like when Talaris faced the Kozak's weapon alone, Sigmund mimicked the immense power through its projectiles. 

Lightning ripped space apart. The air collapsed into the torn vacuum, creating a thundering clap, followed by a shockwave.

'The sky is with me.'

Had Sigmund not gotten empowered by Graham's grave, he wouldn't have been able to channel such energy. 

Even without Sigmund's strength, Jin would still have been able to hold out for ten minutes. However, if Murakan's strategy were to fail, he wouldn't have anything else left for battle then.

Moreover, they didn't know if reinforcements were coming. They were still on Joshua's land, after all. 

「Kurgh…!」

Julien's eyes locked onto Jin, furiously looking at him as if in shame of the fear he felt.

「Fuck off!」

Peitel swung Halmilla like a sword, and all of Jin's attack disappeared.

"Come down from there. Don't just keep your distance."

Jin didn't give him a chance to react and boosted himself with the winds. Against an archer, he had to close the gap.

Although Julien parried Jin's attack with his bow, the impact made him fall straight to the ground, consequently boosting Jin upwards.

As he fell back down, he gathered the surrounding lightning and absorbed it in Sigmund. 

Jin stabbed the air, creating a beam of crackling light towards Julien.

"Die!"

The voice inside Sigmund echoed. He could feel the brotherly hatred.

"Die, die! HAHAHA! DIE!"

Jin didn't really listen to the voice, since he had to prepare a follow-up attack. As soon as he landed, he charged and swung his sword.

Julien barely deflected the attack with his bow. He scrambled to the side and sprayed mud everywhere, hindering Jin's vision.

When his vision cleared, there was already lightning right on his nose.

Skimming past his cheek, the lightning exploded behind Jin. He used the pommel of his sword to deliver a blow to his stomach.

Thanks to the empowerment from the grave, Jin was superior with respect to overall power. Julien was sent flying after each strike.

Although succeeding in defending, if it weren't for Incarnation, every single bone in his body would have been shattered.

At first glance, Jin appeared to have dominated the fight, but Julien was technically stronger.

Despite this, Peitel had never been familiar with such a style of battle.

Only throwing lightning from the skies, a ranged fighter didn't stand a chance against a melee warrior. Hence, Peitel could only be shocked when faced by Vahn's successor.

The battle progressed at Jin's desired pace.

The sight deluded Kuzan as he ran away with Beris on his back.

'He's a monster… I don't think that's the same guy I saw in the Delki Kingdom.'

Kuzan didn't realize that the new sword empowered Jin greatly. In his eyes, Jin just transcended the Runcandel flag-bearers.

'If his words are true… What the hell am I supposed to do?'

Hell ensued on the island, with lightning leaving more craters on the ground every second. Kuzan had to survive to find out more about Taimyun's death.

「And you think you can defeat me?!」

Julien drew the bow, and Jin charged towards him.

However, he couldn't advance due to the constant explosions. Julien adjusted the battlefield to suit his needs. 

The lightning intensified.

「You shall pay…!」

Julien unleashed a flurry of lightning towards Jin. 

Divine Onslaught, Disintegration.

Jin instinctively unleashed his ability. Sigmund pierced the ground before the first projectile could make contact.

However, it was significantly stronger than when he fought Vanessa. The lightning got attracted to the ground, creating a large circle around the two.

'Even Madame Vanessa can't dodge this.'

It was a battlefield that called for thunder. 

A large lightning bolt fell, making Julien's attacks look like child's play.

An ear-splitting explosion and a blinding light followed.

A knee-shaking impact.

The catastrophe devastated the island. Every time lightning struck the ground, an earthquake followed, and a few hit Julien square on the head.

Not a single scream was heard due to the thunder. Not even a silhouette could stand against the light. Julien only trembled under the attacks.

It was a chance to put the nail on the coffin.

Recollecting himself with a deep breath, Jin advanced.

'Will my body hold out?'

Although he became stronger thanks to Sigmund, he didn't think he would be able to perfectly cast Conviction. 

With the promised ten minutes slowly approaching, he thought that it'd be alright to end the battle.

Sigmund spewed lightning, but it looked as if it was approaching its ceiling. Just as Peitel had a limit in Julien's body, Jin also had an upper limit.

Divine Onslaught 3rd Form.

As soon as his blade was fully charged, Jin bolted towards Julien. He hid behind the lightning strikes, his footsteps drowned out by the bellowing thunder.

Halmilla was drawn throughout the storm, aimed directly at Jin, and lightning gathered into the bow. 

Nocked on the string was no longer just an arrow. 

The moment the spear of Conviction flew towards Julien—

'Did he get cocky because I got hit once?'

The two projectiles met. 

Halmilla's lightning shattered through Conviction.

The arrow flew towards Jin's forehead at the speed of light.

'He's dead!'

He felt a little bummed out since he couldn't give a painful death, but he could just play with the dragon instead. 

However, Julien once again had to scream.

「Argh! T-Tess!」

Fwoosh!

Where Jin's head should have been, blue fire burned brightly instead. Tess's flames lunged towards Julien.

'Such a cowardly God.'

Jin's course of action was brought about after witnessing Peitel's reaction to the name 'Vahn'.

A God who feared Vahn would definitely fear Tess as well. The phoenix's fire could swallow the world whole. And even if he didn't know of Tess, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Thankfully, he made this decision immediately after flinging Conviction.

「You sly bastard…!」

Words that came as a compliment to Jin's ears.

Although his opponent only used ten percent of their power, he was still in front of a God.

He had to play it smart.

Even if Jin were stronger, he would still resort to using cunning tactics.

Amidst explosions filling their surroundings, Julien heard the sound of another sword being unsheathed.

Bradamante.

Spiritual energy wrapped around its blade. Swiftly and quickly, Jin struck Julien's side with it.

Shick!

He felt his blade cut through flesh, even hitting bone.

Incarnate or not, the opponent's physical constitution still remained human.

「Kurgh!」

Julien immediately stumbled back as he spat out blood.

Eyes filled with fear, he shuddered. Tess's blue flames scorched his skin, and he fell to the floor under the fire's Pressure.

However, Jin felt a chill. He took down his opponent, but he felt a wave of anxiety.

With one blink, he saw why.

The Lightning Bow wrapped around Julien like a snake. Blood stopped flowing out of the lethal wounds.

Julien smiled.

「I must admit, you are one incredible roach. However… I am a God. My body may break, but I will never die. A mere mortal would've never known…]

From that voice, Jin felt chills.

He had no chance of winning.

「Why do you look so disappointed? Come at me again—」

"You. Bitch. You talk way too fucking much."

Murakan had finally completed his spiritual energy release and entered the fray.

He spat on the ground.

「What…?」

"It looks like you've never dealt with spiritual energy before, so I'm gonna let you experience it."

「I did hear that Solderet really valued his dragons, but I do not see why. I shall kill you first.」

"Talk about aggressiveness. I heard that your brother died in style and honor. Pfff-hehehe."

「Why do you laugh?」

"You thought that you could use fifty percent of your power through Incarnation and still underperformed anyway. Wouldn't you laugh at that too?"

All shadows on the island gathered towards Murakan. 

Simultaneously, the lightning disappeared, leaving the entire island to sink into darkness.