CHAPTER 241

Crackle…

As Tess returned to the Fire Dimension, Jin regained his consciousness. However, it wasn't easy for him to control his body due to the immense fatigue.

"Are you up, kid?"

"…What a big mess. Is Tess responsible?"

Jin asked after he reactivated Myulta's Rune and took a look around.

During the few minutes he had been unconscious, the unidentified elephant-shaped golem, hundreds of people, beastmen, and Living Golems had all been burned to ashes.

Tess had left, but the blue flames which engulfed the battlefield had not yet been extinguished, radiating a strong heat throughout the area.

The three 9-star magicians looked distraught, having completely lost their will to fight.

"Well, you could say it was your doing since she basically borrowed your powers. She just used her divine knowledge and experience to utilize that power more explosively and… No, that's not important right now. Take a look at this."

Jin raised his head and looked toward the outer wall.

A human-like figure was there, slowly descending to the ground.

"What's that supposed to be?"

As Jin tilted his head, the 9-star magicians followed his gaze.

Upon seeing the hazy figure, they immediately bowed their heads, wearing an expression that seemed to say 'We're saved'.

"Greetings to our leader!"

"Greetings to our leader!"

The magicians exclaimed in unison as they knelt down on one knee.

Jin and Murakan couldn't help but be shocked.

"That's… the leader of Kinzelo?"

Encountering this mysterious figure was completely unexpected.

Jin had never spent much time imagining what they would look like, but this was not it. For a terrorist group like Kinzelo, it didn't seem to fit.

After all, he was glowing with a bright light.

As if a god had descended down to earth, the leader's hazy figure was enveloped in a magnificent glow. 

"What's with that blurry glow? It's like looking at a giant firefly."

Murakan expressed his lukewarm take as Jin shrugged. 

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?"

Despite how they reacted, they were both tense. If it was the leader of a terrorist group that even the Zipfel Clan avoided an all-out war with, then that person would definitely have the skills to back their reputation.

"I couldn't detect his presence at all… Hm, I'm certain he's a dangerous individual, but somehow he just doesn't feel real to me. Like a spirit or a ghost, he has no actual presence."

The leader landed in the center of the confrontation and remained motionless for a while. He didn't spare a glance toward the magicians, instead directing his gaze at Jin. 

Roughly thirty steps separated them. A skilled individual would be able to easily cover that distance and launch an attack in just a blink of the eye.

Fwooshhh—

Murakan positioned himself in front of Jin and released his Spiritual energy so that he could immediately counterattack in the case of an attack.

[At last, I'm meeting the big name that Zipfel and Vermont have been desperately searching for. Nice to meet you, Vamel.]

The voice sounded deep.

[And as for you, Murakan, long time no see. I heard you awoke from your slumber. Oh, seeing as he's under your protection, Vamel must be a Runcandel? I was curious as to why such a well-known figure suddenly appeared out of thin air.]

"What's wrong with you? Do you know me?"

[I know you well. After all, I'm the one who saved your life.]

"Kuhahaha, this is a first. My savior? Who do you think you are? Have you come from a group of comedians? Absolutely ludicrous!"

[When Temar tried to kill you when you lost control, the one who stopped him was none other than me. Murakan, don't you remember me?]

Temar Runcandel.

As soon as that name was mentioned, Murakan's eyes were tinged with a murderous rage.

He fiercely gathered his Spiritual Energy as if he was readying an attack, but promptly canceled it while scoffing.

"You dare bring up his name, you bastard. You may seem like quite an old demon, but Temar would never join hands with the likes of you. Also, me losing control? It looks like you've overheard quite a lot from somewhere, huh? But the one who actually went out of control that day was…"

[It was Temar, and not you? Is that what you're trying to say?]

The leader calmly smiled.

To be precise, it couldn't be called a smile. Rather, the hazy area where a mouth should be opened in the shape of a crescent moon.

[Putting aside the fact you've lost all memory of me, to think you remember that day to be Temar's fault. If he were to hear about this, I can't even imagine how unfair he would think that was.]

"…Say his name again, I dare you. I'll kill you and send the rest of you bastards from Kinzelo straight to hell."

The only thing that stopped Murakan from attacking was Jin. Had Jin not been in such a state, he would've attacked without a second thought.

[Even at your prime, that would be impossible. I'm dying with curiosity, though. Do you really have a problem with your memories? Do you truly think it was Temar that went out of control and not you?]

"It seems you want to die."

[Or perhaps you reconstructed your own memories to what is most convenient for you?]

"Shut your mouth…!"

[Judging by your reaction, it seems to be the latter.]

Just as Murakan was about to transform into his true form…

"Murakan."

Jin grabbed his shoulder.

From listening to the conversion, Jin was convinced that the leader knew Murakan 'very well'.

'He is someone with full knowledge of all of Murakan's weakest points.'

Murakan's immense anger made his breathing rough and coarse.

Jin could feel Murakan's body trembling with fury and judged that he had fallen for the leader's provocation.

"He's just provoking you. You can't give in."

"How dare he, the bastard… What on earth is he saying…"

Murakan exclaimed, losing his focus as if he had been possessed.

"Calm down. This guy's the leader of Kinzelo. If we charge in without preparation, there's a high possibility that we'll lose, especially when you're as emotionally unstable as you are now."

The usual Murakan wasn't particularly rational or cool-headed, but Jin had never seen him break down this much over a mere couple of words. 

[I understand. Everyone has at least one thing that they don't want to admit or acknowledge. Whether your memories were reconstructed or not, your grief at losing your friend, Temar, would be genuine. So, on one hand, I pity you.] 

"Kaaahhh!"

"Murakan!"

Twack!

Jin hit the back of Murakan's head with all of his power. Although just about every ounce of his strength had been drained from his body, his blow was still as powerful as a hammer strike. 

Murakan flinched in pain and looked back at Jin.

"Kid? Why did you hit me? Are you crazy?"

"To get you back to your senses."

"What? What are you talking about all of a… Oh!"

Murakan shook his head.

"Damn it, I was played by that snake-like bastard for a second. How disgraceful."

The leader of Kinzelo did not use hypnosis or mind control magic. Confusing Murakan's already unstable memories proved to be more effective.

[Oh, look at that. If only you were able to stop your rampage back then as well.]

Before Murakan's anger could resurface, Jin spoke first.

"Look here, the sight of you with your constant blabbering ever since you got here isn't all that pleasant. Murakan and I killed all of your men. Seeing as you're their leader, I think that should be your main concern. Enough about Temar. How about you start worrying about those subordinates of yours we reduced to ashes, alright?"

[Yes, you're right. I behaved too impudently since I was just overjoyed to be meeting my old friend after such a long time.]

"If you've realized it, why don't you come over and avenge your dead subordinates? Instead of moving that tongue of yours."

'Kid, didn't you tell me that fighting should be avoided?'

…That's what Murakan's eyes seemed to say as he looked at Jin. Of course Jin ignored him and just spat at the leader.

He also made some rather rude hand gestures, goading him to attack.

"What are you waiting for? If you could stop Temar, the first patriarch of Runcandel, you must be quite the fighter. If that isn't a lie, you could get rid of everybody here with a single blow, right?"

[What an interesting character.]

"You're the interesting one, sitting still doing absolutely nothing. Just as Murakan said, it makes me wonder if you're from a comedian troupe or something. Have you ever met Temar? Well, I have. He's not someone you could take on. You were full of bravado earlier, but now what's wrong? Are you too scared to fight?"

Jin's childish provocations were a gamble.

'The truly powerful don't spare any words. If they have something to say, they do it after subduing their opponents.'

All of the transcendently strong beings Jin had encountered had been like that.

Cyron, Talaris, Luna, Owal, Misha, and so on. For them, conversation was a procedure that only took place after half-killing their opponents or completely bringing them into submission through intimidation. 

'On the other hand, provocation is also used when you don't have enough power, or when you need to resort to cheap tricks.'

In that sense, the method used by the leader of Kinzelo was nothing like that of the truly strong.

He acted like he would only fight if Murakan made the first move. As if he had prepared a trap. 

"Right, seeing as you've been deciding what Murakan's memories were as you pleased all this time, it looks like this is some shitty psychology session. This time, I'll try to guess what's going on in your head. You came here to save those three and set up some kind of hidden trap, but since it doesn't look like we'll fall for it, you're starting to get a bit frustrated."

[Hahaha…]

"You bastard, what's so funny? Am I wrong? How dare you try and trick us without having any strength of your own. Answer me."

He provoked him this much, but the leader didn't launch any attacks.

He just stood still and stared at Jin. Naturally, Jin felt as though he was getting more and more of an initiative on him. 

The leader's blurry face made his expression unreadable, though. He looked as if he was ashamed, but it also looked like he was enjoying this.

[You've got me. It's as you say, Jin Runcandel. You got almost everything right. I'm not in any condition to take you on right now. As you can see, this body doesn't even have any bones.]

"Wait a couple more minutes, then. Let me finish thinking about what sort of trap you set and then I'll destroy you myself."

[Didn't I say you only got almost everything right?]

Click clack click!

Suddenly, pieces of metal joined together right in front of the leader. They appeared out of thin air and soon formed a sword. 

'It's not an aura sword… but an actual sword?'

Fwoosh!

The place the leader's sword headed for was none other than straight for the mages. 

"L-Leader… Ack!"

Slice!

The sword closed the distance instantly and severed Susan Rilistar's head from her body.

Her head fell to the ground, unable to utter any words while looking up at the leader with resentful eyes.

He then stabbed the sword right into Chukon's chest and twisted it. Even as a master of defense, he was unable to block the attack from his master in this situation.

[Sorry, I can't save you guys as well]

Chukon fell forward as he died.

Just like before, metal pieces appeared out of nowhere. Instead of a sword, this time they formed a 'door'.

The door opened to reveal a dark space, through which the leader intended to escape with Joe.

Joe was someone the leader couldn't afford to lose yet. Joe knew this well, so he believed that if he could survive, the leader would come to save him. 

[I look forward to a more pleasant encounter next time.]

The door closed behind the leader as he entered, and the metal pieces which formed the door instantly vanished into like dispersing smoke.