Chapter 497

C497
Sword energy akin to a storm scraped against the Spectre's protective shield.
The Spectres never expected Hedo to fight them with such intensity.
'I didn't expect Hedo to cooperate or join forces with us, but this attitude towards enemies is not very different!'
Wielding Bale once again, Hedo showed no intention of ensuring the safety of the Spectres.
A lightning spread under the black curtain Murakan had deployed.
It was the light emanating from Joshua's black sword, Kainer.
Runcandel's Sixth Decisive Final Movement:
Lightning Bolt.
It had already been proven that ordinary attacks couldn't inflict damage on that tremendous physique.
Unless it was a special attack, like a decisive lethal move, a secret technique, or a crimson sword aura obtained through some enlightenment, it might even become a vulnerability.
The condensed aura in Kainer exploded, scattering sharp fragments like shattered obsidian.
Thousands of fragments emitted an intense sound, as if brain energy were erupting, and the dazzling light contained in each fragment flickered on and off repeatedly with surprising speed.
Finally, Kainer, leaving a varied trajectory, rushed towards Hedo.
The sword energies, irregularly scattered, momentarily covered Hedo's figure as they reflected the light.
'He knows the form of the Final Movement, Lightning Bolt. Just like Barton Vicenna,' Jin thought as he followed Hedo's movements with his gaze.
He had already experienced Runcandel's lethal decisive movement several times.
Thus, he skillfully predicted the lightning's trajectory and used his footwork.
The ground trembled with each step Hedo took, and the air became stifling.
He was not only evading but also deploying his energy to contain the Runcandels.
Crack!
The lightning dissipated, and Hedo's figure reappeared.
Hedo either dodged or deflected most of it, and the group was no longer surprised to see him resist the Second Flagbearer of the Family's decisive lethal move without a single scratch.
Everyone had regained their composure.
They were the Flagbearers of Runcandel and the Black Knight.
No matter how desperate the situation, those at the forefront of the Swordsmen Clan always found a way out.
Next was Dyfus's sword.
The blade of the greatsword, Volgar, descended as if it could touch the ceiling.
The third final movement, Meteor Shower.
As the name suggested, countless sword energies fell like a meteor shower, eroding Hedo's area.
Hedo's figure blurred.
It was not obscured by the meteor shower as the lightning did.
He simply moved from the point where the meteor shower was falling at an incredible speed.
Beyond the speed of sound.
A shockwave spread from where Hedo was, and a loud explosion sounded.
The next moment, Hedo was under Murakan's wings.
He was right in front of Jin.
Jin felt as if a wall had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Dyfus had just executed the meteor shower, so he couldn't casually recover the aura.
He adjusted his posture a bit late, and Jane couldn't match Hedo's speed.
[Brat!]
Murakan descended like a hawk to protect Jin, but Hedo had already swung the longsword, now lying on the ground, towards Jin.
It was too late to dodge.
"It seems like a rather dangerous sword, Twelfth Flagbearer."
"Ah!"
Jin managed to block the attack, but he couldn't exert all his strength because he was focused on gathering aura and mana for the magic sword.
He ran the risk of being pushed back, just like Dyfus, who hadn't recovered the aura used in the meteor shower recklessly.
Although he activated the shadow force armor to mitigate the impact, Jin felt excruciating pain in every bone of his body as his swords and Hedo's clashed.
The next slash was also an upward strike.
Jin turned his body to the side to avoid the sword, and meanwhile, Murakan, who had charged, blew black breath over Hedo's torso.
However, Hedo easily evaded the black breath.
As a result, the breath flew back towards the Spectres behind Hedo.
One of them ended up letting out a death scream but was drowned out by the deafening noise of explosions and destruction throughout the room.
Swish...
Jin's mask split in half and fell to the ground.
Hedo's second upward strike wasn't meant to kill Jin from the beginning but to remove his mask.
He looked at Jin's face for a moment and said:
"You're very handsome. But I'm not sure it's worth celebrating to the point where the lady would give her right arm."
The words "the lady would give her right arm" were muttered so low they were barely audible.
"Stop babbling nonsense and fight!" Joshua shouted with bloodshot eyes.
In the trajectory of his charge towards Hedo was a posterior image, and the Black Sword Kainer was ready to execute the fourth final movement, Fallen Petals, with the aura prepared.
It's not that he was angry for being ignored and accused recklessly.
'I need to gain time...!'
Time for Jin to execute the Magic Sword Secret Technique.
It seems like a rather dangerous sword.
Joshua was attentive to what Hedo had just said.
If Jin could breach with his Hellfire once, Joshua and the other Runcandels, as well as Murakan, could inflict damage on Hedo.
Even if they couldn't finish him off, they could wound him and secure an escape route.
'If that's not enough, I also have to consider using that power...'
With those thoughts, Joshua dove into the fight.
Dyfus and Jane also charged at Hedo with similar determination.
'When Jin executes the Hellfire, I'll pour everything I have...'
However, the Spectres didn't stand idly by. Although they hadn't experienced the power of Hellfire, they could clearly see how the Runcandels were moving and what plans they had.
Kwaaaah!
Murakan unleashed his breath and a barrage of shadow force spears towards Hedo and the Spectres.
The spears sprouted not only from the ceiling but also from the floor.
The aura dispersed in the air kept turning into decisive lethal moves, pressing on Hedo.
It wasn't even easy to determine the other's location among the dazzling lights of the decisive lethal moves.
Jin prepared to attack again under Murakan's protection.
"But there's something off."
Jin suddenly had a strange thought while accumulating mana and aura.
"If I were Hedo, I wouldn't fight like this."
Frustrated.
Hedo had two clear opportunities that could have been fatal for Jin.
Maybe he could have killed Jin.
"He feels strangely passive. Why?"
Even now, Hedo could easily break through the defensive line.
If he wanted to enjoy the fight or revel in combat itself, he would have fought more aggressively.
If he belonged to the category that adores the tension of life-or-death battles, the group was an inadequate opponent.
Actions follow reasoning to achieve objectives.
And if you know the other person's purpose and can use it.
The fight was destined to be easier.
Does he want to capture me alive instead of killing me and use me as material for the Demon God's Orb?
That doesn't make sense either.
"Is it just the whims of the powerful?"
There's no time for deep contemplations.
The brothers who had thrown themselves at Hedo were continuously repelled and rose repeatedly.
Hellfire was complete.
The azure color of the blade intensified, and as the shadow force armor was released, the glowing runic characters created flames.
In an instant, Jin turned into fire.
From him, the flames began to spread like a tidal wave in all directions.
The blue flames completely consumed the interior but didn't engulf the allies.
Is this the achievement of the Twelfth Flagbearer?
Is this the power that single-handedly demolished the Garden of Swords...?
The Spectres immediately ceased their attacks and concentrated all their mana on defense.
Even in their best condition, the four Spectres couldn't completely block Jin's Hellfire.
They had to avoid the damage.
However, it seemed impossible to evade it without a place to retreat and with obstacles everywhere, including the Runcandels and Murakan launching an offensive.
"If Hedo doesn't help, we'll suffer mortal wounds that will at least incapacitate us for fighting. Or death."
They were already exhausted from the battle with Joshua and Jane before Hedo arrived; the Spectres were dragging considerable fatigue.
Furthermore, they were simultaneously enduring the attacks of both Runcandels and Hedo, so surviving in this situation seemed challenging.
"Notable."
Hedo felt impressed for the first time as he cleared away the blue flames flooding him.
The swords of the other Flagbearers and the Black Knight were mediocre compared to the Runcandels he knew, and Murakan's combat prowess, of which there were only rumors, was still below expectations.
On the other hand, Jin's Magic Sword Technique had something dazzling even to Hedo's eyes.
However, Hedo could sense that Jin's Magic Sword was not yet complete.
Well, if it keeps growing like this...
He might be able to handle my troublesome miss.
"Of course, assuming the miss isn't a Zipple, and the Twelfth Flagbearer isn't a Runcandel."
Suddenly, Hedo felt bitter.
Sandra's love would never bear fruit.
After all, Jin and his Family were no different from patients diagnosed with a terminal illness, so maybe.
He wondered if it would be better to slit Jin's throat now rather than let him become an ingredient for the Demon God's Orb.
What should I do?
In the moment of confusion, the screams of the Spectres scratched at Hedo's nerves.
"Hedo! Are you just going to stand there looking?"
Hedo had no plans to help them from the beginning.
Letting them all die would serve as a proper warning to Octavia Zipple.
"Why are you calling me? You should be begging for your life from the enemies... Hm!"
Swiish!
Suddenly, Jin, who had lunged forward, thrust his sword into Hedo's face.
"Guardian of the White Tower, you are undoubtedly a Warrior worthy of respect even as an enemy. But you are too relaxed."
Although Hedo managed to block Jin, he felt as if something oily fell on him.
The flames flowed over Hedo's body through the Bale sword.
In an instant, the upper part of his body was completely immersed in blue flames...
But Hedo looked at Jin without showing any signs of pain.
At first glance, it seemed like the flames were burning him, but there was no visible impact.
However, Jin didn't hesitate.
The power of Hellfire and the strength of Runcandel were not his only abilities.
"Twelfth Flagbearer, I have a suggestion."
"A suggestion?"
"If you happen to have picked up something here, give it to me now. Then I will consider sparing your life for now."
Something picked up here.
There was no need to think about what that meant; it was clear.
It was the battleship's blueprints.
'What is he talking about suddenly?'
'Have they already stolen the blueprints?'
In that moment, Jin tried to suppress his absurd feelings and choose a response.
Among the Hellfire surrounding Jin, something fell with a dull sound.
It was the key Joshua had given him.
Hedo fell silent for a moment and could only open his eyes and fixate them on the fallen key.
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