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***
"Runcandel and Kinzelo invaded the 2nd Magic tower. Is that all?"
The white-haired old man answered in a calm voice to the reporters who hurriedly crossed the transfer gate.
He was Kelliark Zipfel, the strongest archmage of this era and the leader of the world's greatest clan.
At the time when the shipyard was under attack, he was spending time on an uninhabited island in the western sea where Veradin's villa was located.
During the 'Battle of the Western Sea' fought by Talaris, Misha, Octavia and the Spectre Corps, the uninhabited island was completely destroyed and disappeared. But now, the island, the villa, and all the items used by Veradin had been perfectly restored.
"Moreover, Young lady Sandra has sent out all the forces of the 2nd Magic tower. If you give the order, I will immediately send Drakka's mages to the 2nd Magic Tower."
Scratch, scratch...
For a while, Kelliark flipped through the pages without saying a word. Then, as if finding an interesting passage, he raised mana in his fingers, underlining it, and smiled.
"Don't be too surprised, it's inevitable."
Before Kelliark opened his mouth, the reporters felt as if their insides were being torn apart. Time was of the essence.
However, Kelliark had anticipated from the beginning that external forces could attack not only the shipyard but also the 2nd Magic tower.
He wondered if there was a need for separate preparation.
'Hedo.'
Because that man was in the Tower of White Night.
'This incident might be an opportunity to test him again.'
Since Hedo became a member of Zipfel, Kelliark had always wanted to test him.
Even he couldn't easily guess whether Hedo was truly someone who would wholeheartedly dedicate himself to Zipfel.
"Send the reinforcements only to the shipyard. Also, since the capabilities of external forces have already been confirmed, further resource loss is meaningless. Preserve as many resources as possible."
"As you command!"
The reporters bowed in unison and retreated into the darkness.
Kelliark quietly cast his gaze across the sea, recalling the moment he first met Hedo a long time ago.
***
Ugh...!
Suddenly, Murakan covered his head with both hands. His back buckled as if he was being overcome by an unbearable headache.
Jin and Runcandels quickly surrounded Murakan, casting a protective shield. Although they had predicted it from the moment Hedo appeared, the tension after actually receiving the sword was nothing compared to before the battle began.
Needless to say, showing such a weakness in front of a transcendent being like Hedo was undeniably fatal.
Fortunately, he didn't exploit Murakan's weakness.
Not that he couldn't. Hedo didn't show it, but he felt a bit intrigued by Murakan's recent words.
'This is my first time seeing someone who speaks as if they know Bale. Even the patriarch and Sir Chiron seemed to have no idea about the identity of this sword.'
Bale.
Such characters were engraved in small letters on the blade of a longsword that Hedo obtained by chance long ago.
He didn't know exactly whether it was the name of the sword, the name of the blacksmith who made the sword, or the name of the person who used the sword.
In his youthful days, when he was actively seeking the extremes of martial arts, he was curious about the true nature of the longsword.
But shortly after, Hedo concluded that even if he knew the identity, it wouldn't be of much significance. So, he decided that Bale was probably the name of the sword.
Hedo didn't exploit the opening when Murakan's posture crumbled because he was simply waiting for him to talk about Bale.
It was also a matter of confidence.
Even with this level of leisure, the outcome would not change. The reason Zipfel didn't send reinforcements to the 2nd Magic tower was also in the same context. Kelliark knew Hedo was present here, so it was undoubtedly the case.
"Murakan."
Jin called in a low voice and checked Murakan's condition. He looked very distressed and confused.
'It's similar to the day when we first met the leader of Kinzelo in the old Oterium. I don't know why, but is Hedo's sword stimulating Murakan's confused memories...!'
Unlike Jin, the other Runcandels didn't know that Murakan's memories were incomplete and that such problems could occur in case of any conflict.
The fact that the clan's guardian deity suddenly fell into panic in a desperate situation was only bewildering.
"Krruh!"
Murakan groaned again.
1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds...
Runcandels felt a sense of crisis multiplying with each passing second.
If Murakan couldn't fight properly, there was a high probability that Runcandels would either be captured or be killed.
Jin made a decision.
'It has to work like it did back then. Like the day we first met the leader of Kinzelo, when he was spouting nonsense!'
Swoosh, bang-!
Suddenly, a fierce hitting sound that shook the eardrums erupted in the quiet hall.
Jin literally swung his fist with all his strength, delivering a swift blow to the back of Murakan's head.
Jin's actions were based on experience, but since the others did not know the circumstances, they could not help but think that Jin had gone mad.
After receiving such a strong blow to the back of his head, Murakan stood upright like a stiff pole for a while. He seemed to have turned into a stone statue.
Only his head was slightly bent in the direction where Jin's fist had struck.
"Jin, what's this?"
Diphus spoke with a trembling voice, trying to calm himself.
He thought for a moment that Murakan might have died.
Of course, that wouldn't make sense, but Murakan was so motionless that it wouldn't be strange even if he died standing up.
The direction of the neck seemed somewhat ambiguous, and taking a full-force blow from Jin in a defenseless state was as risky as it could get.
"Grr... Damn. It hurts like hell."
Fortunately, after what felt like an eternity to the Runcandels, Murakan finally spoke in an irritated voice.
"Are you awake?"
"I guess I had a, uh... Chronic illness? Yeah, it seems like I had a chronic illness. Kid, even if I was like that, why did you hit me that hard?"
Thud! Thud! Murakan turned his head, loosening the neck joints while continuing his rant.
"Can't you see how many eyes are looking at us, huh? My image is going to get ruined. My image! Huh? Huh..."
Murakan, who was talking excitedly, stumbled and lost his balance.
Although his consciousness had returned, there was a fact that Jin had overlooked. When he used the same shock therapy in the old Oterium, Jin was exhausted, and now he had full stamina. And he has also become much stronger than he was then.
'Geez, crazy. You should've controlled your strength a bit, you little brat! My bones are ringing, and the world is spinning. But what on earth is that damn sword? It seems to have a close connection with me. My head feels like it's going to explode when I try to remember.'
He was curious to the point that it's driving him crazy.
But for now, he had to focus on the fight. After all, he had to save his contractor.
'This physical beauty doesn't seem like a guy who would tell lies or use shallow tricks. He clearly said that reinforcements wouldn't come.'
It was time to unleash his full power.
"Kid."
"Yeah?"
"I'll transform into my true form. If, for some reason, that physical beauty turns out to be a petty liar and reinforcements come, leave me and escape. Got it?"
Jin nodded heavily.
He had no intention of actually abandoning Murakan, but for now, it was better to agree. Regardless of whether reinforcements came or not, if Murakan didn't go all out, there was no solution.
"...There are some parts that I don't quite understand, but let me make it clear that you needed time for the operation. Do I have to wait any longer?"
Hedo, who had been waiting for Murakan to talk about his sword, came to the conclusion that there was no need for further patience.
"Hmph, you're undoubtedly the best in this era among those I've seen with my own eyes. However, I am Murakan. Although my majesty and the long rivalry with your master's clan has faded over a thousand years, I am still Murakan."
Hooooong...!
As Murakan finished speaking, his shadow was growing larger.
Soon, he dispersed into black smoke with a gust of wind, he transformed into the true form of a black dragon, flapping a pair of dark wings.
Kaaaah!
Following the sharp and ominous roar, Hedo casually adjusted his glasses with a polite gesture.
"I'll look forward to it."
A black curtain spread out of nowhere, staining the ceiling black. The vortexes of shadow force spinning wildly within it looked just like the eyes of giants, and every single one of them was pointed at Hedo.
Blue flames formed on the Bradamante wrapped in shadow force, and dazzling aura soared from the swords of Joshua, Diphus, and Jane.
The members of the Spectre corps also gathered their mana, and Hedo took a deep breath.
The sky seemed to be torn apart by the amplified energy of the superhumans, and the entire tower vibrated uneasily and unpleasantly.
Expansion just before the collision.
It was Hedo who first broke that precarious situation.
"Hmm!"
The restrained spirit of the Hedo's longsword, Bale, rushed into the chaotic scene where shadow force, aura and mana were mixed.
It was a simple thrust.
Moreover, it was a perfect one. The trajectory of his sword cut through the center of the entangled energies in a diagonal line.
The target was Murakan.
It was a speed and distance that could never be avoided with the dragon's uniquely gigantic body. Offsetting it with similar or stronger force or counter attacking while avoiding fatal wounds were usually the dragon's only options.
However, at that moment, Murakan once again turned into black smoke, dispersing his body to avoid Hedo's sword.
At the same time, he counterattacked with dozens of shadow force vortexes.
'Ugh!'
He didn't escape unscathed. The level Hedo had achieved, the sword wave was striking by sweeping away the particles of Murakan scattered in smoke.
Hedo, too, instead of simply receiving the attack with his body this time, he used footwork to evade it. It was not only Murakan's awl that fell, but also the venomous strikes from the Runcandels follow.
As a result of Murakan avoiding Hedo's thrust, the extraordinary sword energy left no chance for the Spectre corps standing behind the Runcandels.
Therefore, the Spectres felt so betrayed and unjust that they almost went mad.