Volume 6 Chapter 147 â Accidental Victory (1)
[Translator â jhei]
[Proofreader â yukitokata]
Morning of September 8th, 1796.
The three finished their face-off against the advanced cadets and sought an inn.
The strange thing was, after destroying part of the city, they went back to the restaurant and left the gold there.
Though, the restaurant where they met was half destroyed and burnt to a crispâ¦
âBleuuurghhh!â
Beradin threw up as soon as he relaxed his body.
The result of breathing in the fumes the cadets planted in the streets. The magician didnât have such a durable body like Jin or Dante.
And even for a magician, Beradin was a little weak.
âBeradin, are you alright?! Hereâs some water. Take deep breaths. The fumes need to naturally circulate out of your system.â
Dante pounded his hand on Beradinâs back with a worried expression. While he threw up, Beradin constantly cast healing spells on himself, and every time he felt a little better, he flicked up his thumb.
âI feel like this is a common sight. Those guys are a dynamic duo.â
They reminded him of Murakan, who chose to fly because he was bored of transfer gates, and Gilly, who had a fear of heights. Jin shook his head.
âHis cold sweat isnât stopping. Jin, is there anything we can do for Beradin?â
âYeah, Jin. Worry for me! Treating me would be better.â
Jin stared at Beradin.
âI never know what he really wants.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Apart from Dante, Jin knew that Beradin was doing it on purpose.
No matter how weak he was, he could instantly eliminate such poisons with his own recovery spells.
âWhatâs his intention?â
Pausing his thought, Jin walked over to Beradin, pulled out some herbs, and began to mince it with his daggerâs handle in order to make the antidote he learned from the book.
âHere.â
âWow!â
Receiving the antidote, Beradin happily looked at Jin. His eyes sparkled. He swallowed it whole and nodded in approval.
âNow I feel more alive. You knew how to make this stuff too?â
âWhoa, you feel better?â
âAll thanks to Jin. Fufu, itâs the first time I took an antidote from my friend.â
He really forced the word âfriendâ into the sentence.
Beradinâs acting was to simulate friendship. If he hadnât done so, then Jin would always remain distant from him, so it couldnât be helped.
Of course, Beradin didnât only think of Jin as a friend. However, he didnât want to miss moments where he wanted to be a little closer to Jin.
âGet some good rest. There wonât be any attacks before the sun sets.â
âHow do you know?â
âIâm playing a game with a higher-up of the city. The rule is that there wonât be any attacks in the day, but she sends groups in the night.â
âWhat do you earn if you win?â
âExperience and growth.â
âYou came to Samil and risked your life just for that?!â
âWhy? Canât I?â
Jin answered calmly. Beradin interjected and Dante clenched his fist thinking:
âThatâs the Jin I know!â
Jin didnât really bet his life. With Quikantelâs present, he had a last resort at hand. He also didnât come just for the experience and growth.
However, he had no intention of sharing the Thousand-Poison Antidote with the others, so he didnât need to mention it. Neither was it an item that he was guaranteed to obtain anyway.
âItâs not that I donât like them or anything, but I canât share that.â
If he acquired anything else, then he could possibly distribute it. Although they tracked him down like stalkers, they joined his cause to fight the cadets on just a few gold pieces.
No one else in the world could move them with such a small reward.
âThanks, guys.â
On Jinâs mindless comment, the two shuddered.
âDidja hear that?â
âDid you hear what he just said?â
The two exchanged glances simultaneously and felt that their visit was worth it. Jin turned around and began to meditate.
âOnce again, I can feel that experience is the most effective way of training. Just fighting cadets for a few days makes me feel close to opening my Mindâs Eyeâ¦â
âUse the eye of the mind to observe.
Something Jin heard hundreds of times from Luna during his own cadet days. After multiple years since the start of his Mindâs Eye training, Jinâs understanding became clearer and clearer.
He was desperate, but he wasnât late. Dante would be surprised if he found out that Jin was close to opening his Mindâs Eye.
Normally, knights would unlock their Mindâs Eye halfway through their training as a 7-star. Yet that only applied to those with talented senses. Mindâs Eye was something that knights had to train endlessly even until 8- to 9-star.
It was the basic ability and sixth sense of those who fought masters or talented knights.
Jin slowly approached it before hitting 7-star. His prowess and Lunaâs training as well as the many life-or-death situations helped him to this point.
Life-or-death situations.
He said it with such ease, but no one would believe that a 16-year-old 6-star knight survived battles against a herd of Samilâs advanced cadets.
âGo ahead and sleep. Iâll take care of your equipment.â
âThank you!â
âSo cool!â
The two lay down and began to snore. Their stamina had been depleted from the unexpected battle.
âDante is still pretty weak, but heâll get over it⦠Starting tomorrow, Iâll use them and protect them somehow.â
Using them was simple. The three meshed well with each other, so they easily filled each otherâs gaps.
However, Jin had to consider how to protect them.
âElder Sister Yona will probably start sending more skillful cadets. We have to prepare for when a real executioner comes. These two are just good at sword skill or magic. They donât have much experience on assassinations.â
He felt it the past night. The two only survived because they just overpowered the cadets. Once the stronger assassins come, it would be too challenging for them.
Pondering for a solution, Jin sensed something approaching. He looked around.
âFootsteps?â
The moment he looked forwardâ
âHuh?!â
A man with a white mask stood in front of him.
The Leader of Nameless, Owal. However, since he unstrapped his black belt, Jin couldnât identify who he was.
Owal just stood and stared at him for a good few seconds. Murderous intent flickered in the leaderâs eyes for no apparent reason.
A glare that could break even stones, trees, and other objects.
Jin instantly knew.
He knew that this man could target him one hundred times and kill him one hundred times. Only the most fierce and capable warriors possessed such transcendent glares.
âHe made his footsteps known on purpose. To see if I could detect him. Is he one of the best executioners of Nameless? â¦No. Excluding Yona, an executioner would have no reason to test me.â
âA distant servant greets the 85th Leader of Nameless.â
It looked as if he showed full respect, but Jin was still seated. Owal was a little surprised, but he maintained his stance as he looked down at Jin.
âLord Cyron recently acquired a gem. Truly someone to talk about marriage with the Hidden Palace. However, despite knowing itâs me, I think itâs a little too much to remain seated on such occasions.â
Jin almost uttered âPardon?â like an idiot. It wasnât surprising that the Leader of Nameless knew his status.
However, marriage talk was not important.
First Jin had to think of why he visited him and what he could earn out of him.
âI tried to see if the owner of the pure-whites would take my life. The moment I die, the ones fated with misfortune wouldnât be the Runcandels anyway. I presume you came to make me take responsibility for the city I destroyed the past few days.â
âYou easily knew that I would never kill you. After messing with my land, you are also very blunt.â
âSince you brought up my fatherâs name, I felt great respect and consideration from you.â
Even though he was a provisional flag-bearer, there was no need to mention Cyronâs name and try to threaten a Runcandel. Especially for someone who needed to play tug-of-war with the Runcandel Clan, Zipfel Clan, and Vermont Imperial Family.
âAs long as he treats me like Jin Runcandel, itâll be easy to coerce the conversation in a direction that I please. Itâs only disadvantageous if I talk in fear.â
Although he didnât know the relationship between Yona and the Leader of Nameless, he knew the ties between the Runcandel Clan and Nameless. Jin planned on using that to gain control of the situation.
âFighting sword to sword with him would be impossible, but itâd be different in a game of compromise.â
Especially in a situation where he felt like the Leader of Nameless âdesperatelyâ sought him.
Jin never thought Owal confronted him to take responsibility for the cityâs destruction in the first place.
If it were that, then heâd send the strongest assassinâlooking away from the fact that Jin was a Runcandelâor call him directly to the Nameless Manor to punish him.
However, Owal came to him secretly like a burglar.
âFor what reason did he come so desperately and guarantee that he will not cut my throat?â
As Owalâs harsh glare pressed all over his body, his brain ran and thought of every scenario. If he didnât do so, then the conversation would go into the leaderâs favor.
âIf it isnât for the demolished city, it must be about Elder Sister Yona.â
Jin opened his mouth first.
âIf you have something to say about Elder Sister Yona, then please tell me anything.â
âHahaâ¦â
Owal let out a low-pitched laugh. However, it reeked of bloodlust. Jinâs senses became hyperactive, reacting even to the slightest bit of dust.
âEven Lord Cyron doesnât toy with the weakness of the Land of White. How dare you, a mere youngest son of Runcandelâ¦!â
Hph!
Jin instinctively grabbed his throat.
He couldnât breathe at the fighting spirit he felt for the first time.
Cyronâs fighting spirit had a strength that shook the heavens, Talarisâs was the essence of bitter frost, and Lunaâs reminded him that there was nothing in the world that she couldnât cut.
Every great being he encountered, they had that kind of fighting spirit.
However, Owalâs fighting spirit was like a dead night where nothing could be seen. A darkness where it couldnât be differentiated whether oneâs eyes were closed or open.
While his consciousness slowly faded away, Jin thought about his words.
âWeaknessâ¦?! Elder Sister Yona is Namelessâs weakness?â
Owal was mistaken.
The reason why Jin tore down the city. The reason why he was so blunt. The reason why he had such hubris despite being a child.
It was because he knew that Nameless relied on Yona.
âIt wonât be too bad if I start threatening instead of compromising.â
Cough, coughâ¦
Jin let out the stifled air and sat straight up.
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