[T.L: punisher87]
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"You can do it," Vahn replied with an indifferent voice.
Surprisingly, it wasn't Jin who was taken aback by that response but rather the Plutonians. Deep down, they had hoped that Vahn would intervene and mediate in this terrifying situation that was escalating to its extreme.
Since the first clash between Jin and Kaio, or rather, since the first conflict between Garmund and Kaio, the Plutonians had silently wished for Vahn to step in.
But Vahn had never once intervened in the brethren' issues, not even at this moment when things had reached this point. It was completely incomprehensible whether she was disappointed in Jin, disappointed in herself, or if there was another reason.
If Vahn had taken sides with Jin, the Plutonians would have followed without question. Even if she punished the brethren who demanded a new validation test for successor that was directly chosen by her, or even if she told them to consider Jin's words as her own.
'Why do you continue to just watch... Is it because of guilt over the last war? Are you trying to avoid making any decisions now, thinking that the extinction of our race was due to your decision, sister battle god? Even in the face of such a crisis, when the brethren are so divided!'
Vahn looked into Baba's eyes for a moment. Baba felt that her inner thoughts were laid bare, so she felt embarrassed and wanted to express her frustration, but she didn't avoid Vahn's gaze.
"If you can," Vahn continued.
Baba's pupils dilated at her words.
After a few seconds of staring blankly, she clenched her teeth as if her molars were about to shatter.
"...Understood."
As Vahn and Lingling flew away, Jin briefly turned back to look at Baba and the Plutonians.
"You are very kind. Kaio and you, too."
"What?"
"If you're going to take my eyes or kill me, do you really need to announce it beforehand? If you're confident, just do it without making a fuss. Such actions only make you look weak."
Baba nodded slowly in agreement.
"Advice duly noted."
* * *
The battle between Jin and Baba was the 65th match.
The revived tradition, which was once a beacon of hope, was now nearing its end, just like the relationship between Jin and the Plutonian tribe.
Although there were still a few matches left after the 65th, the Plutonians practically considered the fight between the two as the final showdown of the Great Tournament of Battle kings.
Before that battle, the other battles held little significance to the Plutonians.
Jin's death was directly linked to the fate of Laprarosa.
The guilt of being a leader when her people perished.
Plutonians, including Baba, speculated that the reason Vahn had not intervened until now was due to that guilt.
Most of the Plutonians had similar thoughts.
"If sister Baba kill Jin... Our time will probably stop forever. Perhaps the next inheritor of the Shadow Sword may never come."
"We were already doomed. No, that's for sure. Thanks to Solderet, we're just surviving trapped in a dead world. Jin became our brethren and showed us hope, but in the end, he abandoned us over trivial conflicts. He wasn't our brethren from the beginning."
"Yes, from the beginning... We had to object when sister battle god asked us for our opinion on blood transfusion. If we had done that, we would have simply passed on the shadow sword to him, and we wouldn't have faced this betrayal..."
Betrayal.
The Plutonians understood Jin's actions so far as betrayal. It seemed unreasonable to go to this extent just because a few people demanded additional verification.
"Anyway, it doesn't feel real. The fact that tonight might be our real end..."
Amidst the despondency and anger among the Plutonians, Baba had a resolute and determined look in her eyes.
Time passed by cruelly fast. The Plutonians entered the main hall with gloomy and angry faces, unlike their usual selves.
Unlike usual, the sky in the main hall was just dark.
The Plutonians suppressed the thunderous roars that were usually released every time a match began.
Even Kaio, who had been bedridden since the 22nd match, climbed the main hall on Baba's back.
"Before starting the 65th match, I want to tell you all something."
At Vahn's words, the eyes of the Plutonians widened.
'Could it be?'
'Is sister battle god trying to mediate now, even at this late hour...!?'
However, Baba's eyes remained unwavering even then.
She had already made up her mind.
And the next moment, Vahn's words far surpassed everyone's expectations.
"If sister Baba kills brother Jin in this match, Laprarosa's time will not completely stop. Maybe it's because it was originally brother Jin's chaos. Lingling, this child can play the same role as brother Jin."
"T-That... Is that really true, sister battle god? Lingling plays the same role as Jin."
[It's true!]
"That's right. I have been feeling it ever since accepting Lingling, but it became certain two days ago."
Vahn did not elaborate on how it was possible or what means were used to confirm it. Despite this, everyone could clearly understand that Vahn's words were true.
'Then, even if Jin dies, our time doesn't end completely...…!'
'Lingling is the first chaos, so perhaps even more is possible. It's to the extent that sister battle god speaks with such conviction.'
The fate of Laprarosa, which depended only on Jin, now had a new alternative called Lingling.
A heavy silence hung in the air. Except for Vahn, the only one maintaining complete composure amid this silence was Baba.
Baba handed Kaio over to Garmund.
Garmund scratched the back of his head and positioned Kaio in a way that would give him as much comfort as possible.
"I will be back."
Baba slowly moved to the center of the main hall. Behind her stood 11 battle kings and 64 ordinary warriors.
No one stood behind Jin who was approaching from the other side.
"The 65th match, commence."
Even though the match began, Jin and Baba did not draw their swords for a while.
However, the fighting spirit emanating from the two of them was already weighing heavily on the entire hall.
'Just over ten days have passed, but not only has he recovered... He's become even stronger.'
The energy flowing from Jin was unusual. He was a completely different person from the one who had lost to Lumora in the 54th match.
"I can kill you if I can. I wondered why sister battle god had told me that."
"Do you understand now?"
"A little. And I was also curious about one more thing. Why are you doing this to such an extent...."
Swoosh...
Baba's sword, 'Light', slowly came out of its sheath.
Light was the sword used by Nana, her ancestor and the former battle god. As the name suggested, the blade sparkled with dazzling radiance.
"It was a trivial matter. This verification was neither unreasonable nor everyone's wish. But you turned your back on your brethren with just that."
Jin also slowly drew his sword. The pale blade of Sigmund contrasted with the light.
"We thought you might be uneasy. We, who always provided unconditional support, must have seemed greedy the moment the situation changed in your eyes. It must have been an unexpected situation for you."
"Amusing. As soon as you had the hope of going outside and not even sure about it, you all revealed your true intentions. So I tried to provoke you a little, and in no time, most of you conspired to take this sword away from me. And even suggested banishing me."
"A little? Is that all you have to say?"
"That's the essence of what you call the concept of brethren. With just a few words, you split into factions, rejected me, who had been acknowledged as a brethren and inherited the sword after being chosen by the battle god, and threatened me by talking about accidents. I felt disillusioned by your actions."
"Before stabbing Brother Kaio, no. Even after stabbing him. Have you ever thought of having a conversation?"
"I found that there are different types of brethren, what kind of conversation do we need? Even though more effective control was possible but you forgave the Kaio, who threatened me by saying that he could cause an accident, because he was a brethren, and you couldn't forgive me for stabbing Kaio because I was not a brethren?"
"Brother Kaio didn't shoot you after all. And the act of committing a deed and not committing it are never the same. You tried to kill your brethren...…."
"I almost lost my eyes or head, but it's fine since Kaio didn't shoot me in the end. So, even though I ended up stabbing Kaio, he didn't die. No one died."
"Besides, brother Kaio intended to pressure you."
"Then could I have other intentions? Couldn't you have thought that there would be a reason why I even stabbed Kaio?"
"Sister Beliz, brother Garmund, and sister Linpa and ordinary warriors visited your hospital room to ask about that."
"That's right. The people who came to see me were all of them, and they reprimanded me. Did the other members of the Plutonian tribe on the opposite side do the same to Kaio?"
Baba couldn't answer.
"You don't understand the essence of the problem at all. As soon as an opportunity arises, your true intentions are being revealed subtly. Kaio is a brother, and I was just a friendly outsider."
"... You're nitpicking. So, are you trying to justify stabbing your brethren because you're upset? There's a limit."
"There's a difference in standards. If you want to prove you're right, stop talking and draw your sword. Now that Lingling is here, there's no reason to hesitate to deal with me."
Baba's eyes grew cold.
"Lingling... to begin with, the important question wasn't whether we could go outside or not. I hope you don't think that the reason we've been putting up with you all this time is because of that."
Cuzzz...…!
As soon as Baba began to raise her aura, the entire main hall was enveloped in blue lightning bolts in an instant.
"Let me tell you clearly why do my brethren think that I am the one who should inherit the battle god."
Plutonian 9th Battle King Mystic Technique
Punishment
Baba charged at Jin like a blue spear, and Jin faced her head-on, swinging Sigmund.
'Finally, the end of this damn villain is in sight.'
While thinking like that.
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