Kashimir obtained a 'Nameless Pass'.
It was an object required to enter Samil City, where the main base of Nameless was located. Going to the city without the Nameless Pass was suicide.
However, possessing the Nameless Pass didn't guarantee safety in Samil. The city was more dangerous than an unprotected area like the Black Sea.
The sacred place for all assassins.
There were no common folk in Samil City. Everyone residing there were cadets aiming to become a part of Nameless. The entire city was essentially a training ground, which meant that assassin training was constantly in session. However, apart from normal training, cadets were allowed to assassinate within the grounds, and protecting the visitors wasn't the higher-ups' duty.
Hence, using a visitor for assassin training was no problem.
'Going there with the Nameless Pass basically means that I will follow their ways.'
On the other hand, going without the Nameless Pass meant they were not a visitor, but an enemy.
A visitor would still survive assassination attempts from cadets and barely return. However, if an enemy successfully escapes, they'd be left on Nameless's hit list and live the rest of their life in threat of murder.
Not many could even think of survival after getting on the list.
Jin lay on the sofa, playing with the Nameless Pass.
'Where Elder Sister Yona is. Going to see her wouldn't violate the rules of being a provisional flag-bearer either.'
Yona was not in the Garden of Swords. She wasn't acting as a Runcandel affiliate, but as one of Nameless's executioners. Additionally, even if he met her, Jin would face no punishment from the clan.
After regressing, he wanted to visit Nameless before 1799.
Leaving now was a little early, however. The Namless cadets' assassination attempts were hard for even 7-star knights to deal with.
'I was going to go when their assassinations have become laughable… but if I meet Kuzan again, or meet another poison master, then I can't do anything.'
Jin intended to visit Samil City because of poison.
'There are too many poisons that my Runcandel-blessed body can't handle.'
He remembered all of the moments he was at death's doorstep.
The time he met the White Wolf Tribe warrior Quazito Truka in his first mission, when he fought Andrei Zipfel, when he faced the Zipfel magicians in the Kollon Ruins, among others…
Yet the most dangerous encounter was when he fought Beris and Kuzan. When he got hit by Kuzan's poison, he would have definitely died if it weren't for Prince Laika.
Jin contemplated after Taimyun's death.
'Kuzan will continue to pursue me. And besides him, there'll be many who will try to kill me with poison. Even after I return to the main house.'
Everyone affiliated with Nameless increased their poison resistance through training. Even the cadets in Samil had enough resistance against mid-tier poisons. Those who officially become a 'Nameless Assassin' would have achieved significant resistance to deadly poisons.
However, Jin didn't want only that. He already had that resistance since he was born.
'The Thousand-Poison Antidote. I have to obtain it.'
An antidote passed down to the best executioners of Nameless.
Those who drank it got one step closer to Absolute Resistance.
Absolute Resistance wasn't recorded in history, but it seemed to be a domain only few had achieved. The first patriarch of Runcandel, Temar; the current patriarch, Cyron; the first leader of Nameless, Corun.
Obviously, it wasn't something that Jin could just get. It was an item that was offered only to those that the leader of Nameless approved as the greatest executioners of Nameless.
'But in my past life, Anne drank it. Around 1799."
If the events unraveled the same way as in Jin's past life, Anne would drink the Thousand-Poison Antidote in three years.
Gifted to her by Yona.
'At the time, Elder Sister Yona became the greatest assassin of Nameless in the shortest time in history. In fact, she already had a body close to Absolute Resistance since birth, so she didn't really need it.'
As such, Yona offered the antidote to the clan.
Nameless's leader was infuriated by it, but he stayed quiet due to two reasons. Firstly, his concern for Yona was no different than for his own children. Secondly, Nameless would fall the moment it retaliated against the Runcandel Clan.
Instead, the organization's leader complained to the Runcandels and kept Yona in the organization even after her contract expired.
'It would be better for her to be there anyways. Well, Anne drank it back then… but this time, I'll drink it.'
Jin felt that Anne was definitely on Joshua's side, and he planned on ruining everything good for his enemies. From stealing the benefits that they reaped to magnifying the harms towards them.
He would slowly but surely have his revenge that way.
* * *
The deciphering of the Tome of Overload was complete.
"Ugh, finally. It's over, damn! Come over here and give me your back."
"Thanks."
One by one, Murakan cast the characters onto Jin's back while muttering some words.
Jin felt that his understanding of overload spells rapidly increased every time a rune character was cast on his back.
Overload Reflection and Overload Vortex among other normal Extreme Overload spells. As well as an ultimate overload spell called 'Heavenly Defiance'.
Satisfied, Jin burst into laughter, and Murakan shrugged.
"You like it that much?"
"I like this aspect of magic. I can't master decisive killing moves of the sword through rune character decoding."
"It's also the downside of magic. If you don't have the rune characters, sometimes, you can never master the magic. That's why I don't use Photon Cannon. Well, I don't need that to be strong anyway."
"I feel like I got some good weapons after Photon Cannon."
"I saw them while deciphering, and they're pretty useless spells. If you master the Heavenly Defiance spell or something, you'll dominate even a herd of 7-stars."
Heavenly Defiance was essentially a massive Overload Vortex in the sky. It sucked mana incomparably more than the Overload Vortex that was only on the caster's hand.
Moreover, it shattered the basic rule of overload. Even if the opponent was of higher mana level, the user could still induce a mana overload.
If Kidard had unleashed a Heavenly Defiance instead of a regular Overload Vortex, he would have been difficult to defeat even with the Fountain of Mana in hand.
"I kinda stressed the barrier on the mirror to get this magic, so it has to be worth something."
"My god. You think a seal from Solderet's prime would loosen just because of a 9-star magician? Use that thing more comfortably."
"Still, it doesn't feel right. If the seal breaks, the world ends. I have to use these as a last resort. And if I just rely on the mirror, my growth will only be delayed."
"Good point."
Murakan responded boringly, but he was genuinely astonished.
'He should've realized how great the infinite mana pool is when he killed Kidard, but this kid isn't falling for the temptations of comfort…'
In his three thousand years of activity, he had seen many geniuses who ruined their lives due to cutting corners. Getting stronger efficiently was important, but there was no definitive easy way to get stronger.
"Hm… Anyways, why don't you try it out?"
"Heavenly Defiance?"
"Yeah."
"Wait a moment, let me release some spiritual energy."
"It'll take time to cast anyway since you're new to it. It was a 9-star's ultimate spell. Plus, you lack the mana, and we're indoors, you crazy kid."
"It's spacious enough. I'm starting."
Jin closed his eyes and started to cast. Murakan quickly covered his body with spirit energy. Since he also had some mana, he had to prevent himself from being affected by the massive mana vacuum.
Whoooooooosh, kaaaaaaang…!
The mana that emerged from Jin's hand began to form a massive circular shape on the ceiling, and it took approximately fifteen seconds to cover the entire surface.
After he finished his cast, the mana spun quickly, and the room began to rumble.
"Ohhh!"
"Lord Jiiiiiiii—!"
The moment Murakan looked up at the Heavenly Defiance, Enya entered the room. Exposed to the spell, foam began emerging from her mouth.
"Shit!"
Jin immediately canceled his spell and ran over to Enya. Murakan pointed at him and laughed as the young Runcandel helped Enya up.
"Are you okay, Enya? I'm sorry, I didn't know you were nearby…"
Enya flicked her thumb up with sparkling eyes.
"It's the best…!"
"…Huh?"
"It's the best! Just now! Crazy cool!"
It was hard to tell if it was the Heavenly Defiance or the current situation that she found cool.
Nevertheless, Jin was relieved that Enya wasn't badly hurt.
"Phew, that's a relief. If you had gotten hurt…"
"Wait, stay like this for a sec. No, forever! I feel like I succeeded in life—Ack!"
Quikantel smacked the back of Enya's neck, causing her to lose consciousness. A common sight.
"Shit… You let her play with you? My goodness, I told her not to do so no matter how much she loved you."
At that point, Murakan was rolling on the floor, laughing like a hyena. Jin explained the situation to Quikantel.
"This is my fault, Miss Quikantel. I will apologize to Miss Enya when she wakes up."
"An apology… No need. Enya needs to get into her right mind. Anyways, I heard you're going to Samil City, where Nameless is, right? To get the Thousand-Poison Antidote."
"Yes. I want to leave by the day after tomorrow."
"Do you know what kind of place that is?"
"I do. The entire city is basically a massive training ground, and even visitors aren't free from the threat of assassination."
"At your level, I'm sure you're capable of holding off the Nameless cadets. However, as you survive longer and longer, you will encounter stronger assassins. The best will come if you defeat them too."
"Oh, I've never heard of that."
"Of course you haven't. Because anyone who escapes with that kind of knowledge would probably die knowing since they retain knowledge regarding Nameless and could potentially spread it. Usually, they die before encountering the best executioner or they'd return after finishing their business."
During Quikantel's era, Nameless was a famous assassin organization. And among her allies, she was the most knowledgeable about Nameless.
"Even your sister can't stand a chance against the real assassins of Nameless. So, when you feel like you've been pushed into a corner, show them this. Then, you might just live."
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