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May 10, 1800.
About a month has passed since the war ended.
Now, even those who did not directly witness the Sword Emperor Castle battle and the Glyek subjugation knew what had happened in the world.
The fact that the emperor had driven the pillar of the empire as traitors, the identity of the white stone, and the results of all these events were still being constantly reported by newsletters from each faction.
Ron Hairan had ultimately succeeded in single-handedly preventing the final explosion of chaos.
However, it was impossible for him to fully deal with the aftermath of the chaos and self-destruction that had already penetrated his protective shield during the battle with Glyek, even for him who had risen to the genesis knight.
As everyone on the battlefield feared. The chaos beyond the protective shield was making the world uninhabitable.
"This is insane, it's endless. Is this really just a remnant of that monster, the King of Chaos or something?"
Daytona and Haytona.
The two were on a mission to subdue the 'remnants of chaos' that had fallen near Delki Kingdom.
The tired look on the faces of the brothers and the guardian knights they led was evident. It had been several days since the night watch had continued without end.
Monsters named the Remnants of Chaos were being created in the lands all over the world where Glyek's Chaos was dropped.
Delki was just one of them. The currently discovered 'contaminated areas' numbered around fifty, and the count was increasing every day. It was unknown how many undiscovered areas of contamination there may be.
If Ron couldn't handle Glyek's self-destruction, if Ron's attribute of genesis knight's divine power was other than protection. Then the world would have been irreversibly destroyed.
"The youngest, the people on that battlefield… What kind of monsters did they fight against?"
"It must have been terrible enough if the remnants of that monster are this much."
Heytona answered while cutting the monster's body into pieces.
The monsters in the contaminated area had a vitality that was incomparable to any monster known to the world.
When torn apart, they multiplied in numbers, only ceasing when almost reduced to pea-sized flesh.
Some individuals possessed not just multiplication but also a high-speed regeneration ability. These creatures belonged to a particularly strong category, and the monsters in the contaminated areas varied in abilities.
The strongest known individual required the combat prowess of a Black Knight level to be subdued.
These creatures were vastly different from typical demonic creatures in behavior. They specialized in parasitism rather than combat, making living beings, including humans, their hosts.
The infected beings exhibited contagiousness, and humans attacked by such entities showed signs of being consumed by chaos, resulting in a rampage.
Fortunately, it wasn't that the entire human population was vulnerable to infection. Trained martial artists and mages showed a considerable level of immunity, but the Tona brothers did not even want to imagine what it would have been like without it.
The Magic Society named it 'contagious chaos'.
In other words, the world was facing a great catastrophe. Even compared to the greatest catastrophes known to have been caused by Helluram, it was more than sufficient.
Not only the Tona brothers, but all members of each faction, including Zipfel, were suppressing chaos around the world.
"It's still terrible, but if Elder Brother Diphus in our clan and Kadun the Fire Dragon in Zipfel hadn't swiftly opted for initial suppression, things would have been even more chaotic. Damn, it gives me chills. Nevertheless, it is the first time that the clan has been hit so hard since the Holy Kingdom protection war 500 years ago."
"Isn't it fortunate that not only our clan, but the whole world, and that Zipfel suffered that much damage...."
Runcandel and Zipfel. Excluding the Empire, these two clans were undoubtedly the most affected in this war.
Runcandel lost nearly three hundred elite knights, including five Black Knights, and Rosa suffered severe injuries.
Zipfel also lost the entire 1st and 2nd Fleet including Kozec, lost more than 30 dragons and over 500 mages and Kelliark seriously injured.
In particular, the aftermath of the last explosion was a problem. Glyek's self-destruction continued for three days. The forces of each faction could only withdraw from the battlefield after two days of the unprecedented explosion in history.
Currently, the remaining strength of the two clans was less than that of one clan just a month ago.
And, of course, the injuries suffered by Rosa and Kelliark were typically incurable due to the influence of the power of chaos that inflicted them.
"The 10th and 11th flagbearers. I just got a message from main house."
A Guardian Knight approached Tona Brothers.
"Report."
Upon hearing the Guardian Knight's report, the Tona brothers' eyes widened.
"... So, it's finally decided."
"We'll have to hurry if we want to meet the deadline."
Without even the luxury of removing the flesh of the monsters stuck to their bodies, the brothers moved deeper into the contaminated area.
Right after the war ended, they felt a strange power that began to develop in them.
* * *
"A ceasefire with Zipfel has been decided."
In response to Rosa's voice, Diphus nodded as if he had expected it.
A dark spot could be seen on Rosa's wrist, revealed through the sleeves of her dress. When Diphus' gaze fell on it, Rosa instinctively covered her wrist.
"It's because of Kinzelo."
"Yes. They're the only ones who didn't take any hits in this war. And they probably watched this war from the beginning and hoped that it would weaken us and Zipfel, and the result is just as they desired."
Suppressing a cough, Rosa recalled the final moments of the war—the horrifying explosion that swept away the knights of the clan and the mages of Zipfel, and the moment when Zipfel's Demon God's Orb shattered.
'Since the Demon God's Orb is destroyed, it is impossible for Zipfel to recover its power within a short period of time.'
If Chiron were present, this would be the opportunity to end the thousand-year war in victory.
However, the Black Knights sent to the Black Sea at the beginning of the war eventually returned to the clan without being able to contact Chiron.
Therefore, on the contrary, now was the best time for Zipfel to attack Runcandel, but it couldn't venture out in front of a public enemy called Kinzelo.
For Zipfel, restoring the Demon God's Orb was the most urgent thing. It was said that it was for healing, but the real reason was different.
"Mother. As you know, strange things have been happening to purebloods, including myself."
The strange thing Diphus said was about the power that the Tona brothers felt.
"Are you talking about starting to feel mana?"
"... That's right."
Mana.
Right after the war ended, the purebloods of Runcandel, excluding Jin, felt mana for the first time in their lives.
Rosa didn't feel that sensation, but she was aware that the mana acquired by her children was still at an extremely weak level.
As a result of the broken Demon God's Orb and Zipfel received a serious blow.
The power of the stories, the magic of Zipfel that manipulates history, was weakening. Therefore, the oath and curse of a thousand years ago that had suppressed Runcandel were also becoming unstable.
That was why Kelliark hastily proposed a ceasefire. Even though Rosa knew that fact, she had no choice but to accept.
"What should we do?"
"If you're asking whether you should be vigilant and on guard, there's no need for that."
Diphus flinched and met Rosa's eyes.
"What are you so surprised about? The youngest already told all members about the fact that our clan had the power of a magic sword. The current situation is a result of Zipfel's influence weakening, and the curse they placed on the clan is fading."
"Once they recover their strength, it will be back to square one."
"Just because everyone can handle mana doesn't mean they can all become like the youngest. Besides, unless we completely destroy the Zipfel, this power will remain at a level where you can't use it properly."
Rosa decided that there was no point in finding a way to use the weak mana right away.
She thinks that they can regain their status as a magic swordsman only when they put an end to Zipfel and the curse of the clan really ends.
"The flagbearers won't have time for personal training until the chaos is fully suppressed anyway. Stay alert and start cleaning up the contaminated areas."
Diphus nodded solemnly.
"And, is the 12th flagbearer still there?"
"Yes."
When Glyek's self-destruction continued for three days, Jin and Dante suffered no additional damage in the storm of chaos. It was because Ron's will was concentrated on protecting the two.
Currently, the land where Sword Emperor Castle was located is in a more severely contaminated state than any other place where the fragments of chaos have splattered.
For the past month, those who have been tasked with suppressing the chaos from each faction have not been able to start the purification of the Sword Emperor Castle yet.
It was just encamped and tied up the chaos that was still swirling inside the territory so that it could not escape.
Just as Rosa was about to say something, a guardian knight hurriedly found their office.
"Acting matriarch! There's a report that the 12th flagbearer entered the Sword Emperor Castle Territory two hours ago...…!"
"What!?"
Diphus shouted.
Like Rosa and Kelliark, Jin is still in a state where the encroachment of chaos is not completely over.
And since it has already been revealed that those engulfed in chaos respond to greater chaos and proceed with demonic nature, entering the territory of the Sword Emperor Castle was no different than suicide.
"Mother, I will go myself...."
"No, there is no need for that."
Rosa said in a calm voice.
"It must be because he is sure that something will protect him. If the youngest had fallen into demonic nature after entering the territory, there would have been additional peculiar reports, such as attacking allies."
What exactly are you saying is protecting the youngest?
Seeing Rosa's bitter eyes, Diphus couldn't ask the question.
* * *
At that time, Jin was not the only one who entered the territory of the Sword Emperor Castle.
There was a person who entered the territory that became a chaotic hell before him. Then, as Rosa expected, the two of them walked on the contaminated ground with the help of a certain power.
If not for those two, no one else could have enjoyed such protection.
"Dante."
Looking at the back of his friend, Jin called out his name.
"Jin."
Dante didn't turn to face Jin. Jin sat beside Dante, shifting his gaze to where Dante was looking.
Amidst the chaos storm enveloping the entire territory, only one spot that the two were looking at was radiating a bright light.
That single patch of light.
It was the light that had protected the two from the chaos of the contaminated land.
"This is not the end for you and me, so don't linger too long in sorrow, is this what my grandfather meant...…."
Jin patted Dante on the back for a long time without seeing him crying.