The Hister! Jin had never thought he would hear that name at such a time and place.
'Does Joshua's achievement have anything to do with the Hister clan?'
Jin's heart is beating fast. Valeria is the only Hister alive today.
"I've never heard of them."
Jin said in a dull voice after barely managing to keep his poker face.
"It was only the clan that threatened Zipfel with magic in the past. Still, the reason you haven't heard of them is because they were wiped out by the Zipfel and erased from history. Now, there is barely any information left related to them."
"Ah, after listening to your words, uncle, I think I've heard that name at least once when I was a reserve flagbearer. It's easy to understand why there is not much information left about them. Zipfel must have removed all of them."
"Yeah. It seems that Zipfel is still vigilant about them, considering they still have a bounty on a clan which was wiped out hundreds of years ago."
"Are there any survivors?"
"There is only one person left. We, Runcandels, noticed the fact that Zipfel was looking for them a few years ago. So the clan was also secretly looking for Hister's whereabouts."
It is the first time Jin has heard that Runcandel was looking for Valeria. Jin was far from becoming a flagbearer in his past life and he was treated like garbage by his clan, so he could not know this information.
'My teacher never told me that she was pursued by Runcandel. Did she not notice it? No, it can't be. I guess she didn't tell me so I wouldn't feel sorry.'
Jin and Valeria hardly talked about 'Runcandel' in his past life because the name Runcandel clan itself was the biggest pain and failure.
"Then the 2nd flagbearer made the achievement by capturing the survivor?"
Although unlikely, there was still a slim chance that Valeria might be captured. It could be that she was caught and released in the past or ran away.
"No, it is not that."
Jin sighed in relief inwardly. Zed paused for a moment and looked around. There is no way that there would be an eavesdropper in the training ground, but he want to emphasize that the information is confidential.
"...he couldn't capture them, but I think he figured out the alias the survivor is currently using."
"He doesn't know where they are, nor does he secure them, he just found out the name. You are saying that my mother went directly to Kelliark to offer a deal on that basis."
"That's why I told you to keep quiet."
"It's amazing. To think that a descendant of a fallen clan has such an impact... It feels like Zipfel is afraid of the clan called Hister."
-I can't fathom what the Histers' intentions were in their view of history. However, what caught my attention was the fact that Zipfel couldn't manipulate the history written with their record magic.
Jin suddenly recalled Misha's words. A magic spell that can leave a record that is impossible to manipulate. Zipfel is actually afraid that the magic spell would come back into the world.
"Anyway, is it enough?"
"Uncle, maybe you..."
"What else?"
"Do you know the name of the survivor? And what my mother is trying to get out of the deal…."
"I wondered, where the hell do you sell your shame? You're too greedy. Or you're looking down on your uncle."
"I'm sorry. However, I thought that my uncle's reputation is more than that information."
"It seems that you have had some ties with flattery while you were outside the clan. I can't tell you about those things."
"Honestly, you do care about me, uncle. You won't regret it if you tell me about them."
"You are so thick-skinned. Didn't I tell you earlier? I don't know exactly what Joshua's achievement is. I don't know their alias of survivor. The same goes for what the acting matriarch wants."
"It's such a shame."
Actually, Jin did not feel that way.
'The mere fact that the clan is interested in the teacher is a huge gain.'
Jin got valuable information that he never thought of getting for free. It would have been an added bonus if he had found out Rosa's purpose, but he could always dig into that later.
"A shame? You mean little brat. Now, change your words one more time about the decisive killing move, you are going to experience something quite interesting here."
"Of course not, uncle. Thank you."
Jin bowed his head.
Zed was taken aback by his clever attitude. It wasn't really unpleasant. He was rather pleased to see his nephew stand up to him after a long time.
Of course, if Jin had been deceiving Zed, he would have immediately reprimanded Jin, but Zed thought Jin was simply taking care of his own interests.
Swish, Zed's sword shone while holding the aura.
"If you are grateful, prove to the elders that you have found us clues to the improvement of the clan's decisive killing move in the future."
Then, Zed began to perform a decisive killing move.
An improved version of Runcandel's 4th decisive killing move, Falling petals.
Jin focused on his uncle's sword. Everything was the same as when he first saw it, from deliberately splitting the aura that wrapped around the sword, making it nearly fall off, and forming the petal shapes.
It is the same as the petals of aura scattering in all directions in an unpredictable trajectory. However, it was right after the blade was withdrawn following the vertical slash.
Kwaaas······!
Aura pillars suddenly rose from the spot where the falling petals was performed. The petals gathered to the pillar and spread again, and it was as if petals of a huge tree made of aura were swaying in the wind.
"The Waterfall of the Plutonian sword, poured lightning energy into the place where the sword had passed as the name suggests. On the other hand, the falling petals take an ascending pattern. I thought about the most efficient way of using aura instead of lightning energy."
At a glance, Jin could see a big difference from the previous falling petals.
"What do you think?"
"When I first saw the falling petals, I thought the move was a class below the Waterfall. But now it has become as powerful as the waterfall. The Waterfall is suitable for a single target, while the improved falling petals will make it easier to deal with many people."
Zed smiled brightly.
"You see it accurately. The reason that the Falling petals was inferior to the Waterfall is because both moves were actually the same. Rather, the falling petals was just a version of the Waterfall without lightning energy, so its power had to be reduced."
Just over a month has passed since Jin showed Zed the waterfall move. In that short time, Zed studied the move he saw only once, and improved the decisive killing move.
'It's not unreasonable to say that it's not an improvement, but he practically completed the move.'
Jin swallowed his admiration and spoke.
"You've worked hard, Uncle. But."
"What is it?"
"Are you really going to put my name on the improved falling petals? I've thought about it many times, but this is your work, not mine."
"I have already said that I will give your name to falling petals. I am not taking it back."
"But."
"As you said, the elder council does not like you. And I think that even if you don't give falling petals your name, you will eventually prove yourself in one way or another. You have always been like that."
"Then why do you insist on passing on the achievements that you have accomplished to me, uncle? Is it because you have already told the elder council that I assisted you?"
Then, Zed shook his head.
"Is that the case? It's not that I like you very much or anything like that. I don't think there's anything wrong with clearing a debt early on. Well recently, you did a great job for the clan."
The 'Great job' that Zed said was the assassination of Barton Vicena.
"So, behave well while your uncle still feels like supporting you at all. But, as I said before. If you ever stray away from what is right, I will be the first to take the lead and point my sword at you."
"All right."
"And one more thing, I changed my mind."
"What are you talking about?"
"It would be better to delay showing evidence to elders for the improvement of the decisive killing move. At least until I finish improving the 6th decisive killing move, lightning flash, as well. Now show me the move of the Plutonian Mystic technique that Diphus has seen."
"I'll show you. Instead, you should know this one thing too, uncle."
"What?"
"If it had been an elder other than you, or any other member of the clan. I would have prevented him from reforming the decisive killing move I possess. And if you succeed in improving the 6th decisive killing move, lightning flash, please put your name on it, uncle."
"No, I'm going to give it your name too, so show me the move already."
The two did not leave the training ground until the night, and practiced decisive killing moves and displaying Plutonian swordsmanship.
Zed had a smile on his face every time Jin showed him a new move of Plutonian swordsmanship, as he thought of improving the decisive killing moves based on it (the thought that the elders would cling to Jin and himself in the future).
***
Ha!
Joshua sighed and sat down on the chair. He lit a cigarette which showed the fatigue on his face.
A woman approached him.
"Joshua, what happened?"
She is Joshua's wife.
"... apparently, Kelliark Zipfel didn't agree to my mother's offer."
Negotiations between Rosa and Kelliark broke down. However, Kelliark has an advantage just by hearing 'I found Hister's name' out of Rosa's mouth.
"The acting matriarch and we expected it to some extent. So, don't be too discouraged."
"A name alone is not enough. I must capture Hister so that mother can properly pressure Kelliark."
The woman gently wrapped her hands around Joshua's neck and smiled.
"We know the name anyway, so it's only a matter of time before we catch that bitch. She has a good way to hide like a dirty rat, so it will take quite a while, but she will end up in our hands before Zipfel."
Zipfel doesn't know the name of 'Arya Aulhart' yet. Therefore, it is highly likely that Runcandel would find Valeria first.
"At that time, Kelliark will have to give up more than what we proposed this time. So, don't be impatient, Joshua….."
***
Last day of March 1799.
The scorching sun is beating down over the city where villains swarmed like bugs. A barren land where not a single weed grows, a city of scums and lawless people.
Mamit.
'It reminds me of the old days.'
The first time Jin visited this place in his present life was when he was fifteen, in his intermediate class.
In the meantime, Jin has achieved indescribable growth, but Mamit has the same scenery as back then.
Residents of the city still spoke of horrific crimes, and the streets are littered with filth and spilled organs, fingers, and heads that had clearly once belonged to the living.
Just like four years ago, Mamit's criminals felt a fresh shock when they saw Jin who had just entered the city. But if there is one thing that has changed since then, it's how they treat him.
'It's J-Jin Runcandel...,'
'Madness, why did such a tycoon come to this mess?'
'You assholes! don't make eye contact with him. He will kill us like dogs.'
There is fear in the eyes of the Mamit criminals when they notice Jin.
"Mesa."
"Yes! My Lord."
"Go to the Moonlit Well and tell the kings of Mamit. I want every single one of them to be lined up and on their knees before I get there."