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A black ship, seeming to trample the sky as it floated.
With a hull length of nearly 5km, 'Ram' was completely overwhelming other battleships in the sky from its size.
"Is that... a battleship?" Octavia spoke with a disbelieving voice.
As she said, the form of Ram was more like an 'aerial fortress', like the main hall of the battle gods hall than a flying ship. It was not a battleship, but seemed like an entire black island floating in the air.
"When did Runckandel manage to create something like that...!" Kardun exclaimed through gritted teeth.
The major factions, who had visited Huphester with great vigor, once again felt their blood run cold in front of the hidden power of Runcandel.
It was almost despairing.
How much did we truly know about Runcandel until now?
The leaders of each faction could only ponder the same question.
'We knew nothing... absolutely nothing...! How could we have been so unaware of the terrifying power they were hiding!'
Regret was futile.
"... I was wrong. We shouldn't have come to Huphester," Hedo quickly admitted, realizing that his decision to prepare for an all-out attack was wrong.
"It is not your mistake. Kelliark also gave the final approval himself, believing that this judgment was correct. It is the mistake of all of us who had no idea of their power until now. Damn it! Even the fleet rotation seems to be difficult."
They were already too deep into enemy territory to retreat. Even far behind each fleet, the sky was pitch black. The energy of chaos was blocking the return path of battleships.
It was also confirmed that the fleet was pulled towards Ram beyond the rotation interruption. Zipfel was being forced to make a decision.
To stand and fight.
Ram's attack had not yet begun. It was overwhelmed by its energy and appearance alone, but they didn't know until they got attached.
The major factions also brought forth their maximum firepower.
"If we try to forcibly retreat, we will only be attacked unilaterally. Besides, there must be limitations on the operation of such a huge battleship. We must find and exploit those limitations somehow. Kinzelo must be considering that too!!"
Kinzelo was thinking exactly what Kardun said.
[This is unexpected even for me. To think they've already created something like that. Was the despair harbored by Rosa Runcandel and Joshua Runcandel truly of such magnitude? It's truly a manifestation of the evil god...….]
Orgal was the only one who had seen Ram firsthand in the past.
At that time, Orgal had concluded that even himself in his prime could not handle Ram's firepower.
If there was any silver lining to the misfortune, it was that Orgal believed the Ram was still not complete.
[Jin Runcandel, everything depends on him.]
"Leader, what do you mean by that?"
"Master?"
[Even though it's not yet complete, as long as the Ram exists, neither we nor Zipfel can penetrate the airspace and enter the Garden of Swords. Retreat would only result in great losses.]
The leader's dimensional portal was also affected by chaos. Chaos put restrictions on all types of transfer gates such as Mort's dimensional movement and the Red owl's spatial jump.
If the dimensional portal were forcibly opened, Kinzelo would suffer catastrophic damage without being able to inflict any significant blow to Runcandel in the meantime.
[The only one fighting from within is Jin Runcandel. We can only hope that he can deal a blow to the Ram's power. Neither attack nor retreat. Only then will it make sense.]
Ram's power.
A chaos engulfing the entire Garden of Swords centered on Rosa Runcandel. There had to be a problem with that. In order for Zipfel and Kinzelo to get even a little gain and plan their next move.
[I will give new orders. The entire fleet responds to Ram and supports Jin Runcandel. Saving him is our top priority.]
Lead the war to inflict damage on both sides of Zipfel and Runcandel.
Orgal quickly reversed this order. He judged that if Jin died without hitting Ram's power, then the only result that the giant forces would receive was catastrophe.
Thus, the aerial battle between the two major factions and Runcandel began.
Of course, it was Ram who started the preemptive strike. The center of Ram's hull was distorted like a whirlpool, and gathered the energy of chaos.
The main cannon, typical weaponry for a conventional battleship, was unleashed by the Ram.
But the next moment, the Ram's onslaught surpassed all known types of cannons in the world in terms of sheer scale. It seemed to scoff at any comparison.
Kwaaaaah...!
The black streak dividing the sky first struck Zipfel's fleet.
Kadun, who had already transformed into his true form and came out of the battleship, had to spread the flames with all his might from the start.
The battleships were close to each other, deploying a protective shield. The protective shield that contained all of Zipfel's technology and mana seemed to struggle against the black energy spewed by Ram.
But within seconds, they were mercilessly torn apart.
The shield centered around the flagship of the second fleet, Kozec 2, was the first to break. Kadun and the other strong ones, along with the nearby fleets, had no time to intervene.
[Ahhh...!]
Kadun's roar was drowned out by the thunderous destruction of the fleet.
Rosa, standing at the forefront of the Ram, burst out laughing as she saw that.
[It's so good to see you struggling like a bug...… Zipfel's fire dragon.]
Rosa's voice was faintly trembling, as if she was overcome with ecstasy. However, the Prophet felt uneasy about her demeanor.
'The speed at which your mind collapses is too slow. I'm proving everything, but why are you still wary of my power, Rosa Runcandel...…!'
A single cannon fire silenced Kozec 2 and drove the 2nd fleet of Zipfel to near annihilation.
The current power of the Ram that the Prophet anticipated was at least 50% greater than that. It wasn't fully realized due to Rosa's caution towards her.
Rosa saw through the Prophet's inner thoughts completely.
[I guess it upsets you that I'm wary of completely assimilating into you even though you are proving such a level of capability?]
"That's not it."
[The day will never come when Runcandel is completely subordinate to you. All you have to do is provide power. You are just a parasite that feeds on my clan...….]
"Ha, it's regrettable that you reject a more effective path. You always do."
[It's all up to my judgment. Don't forget that you are nothing more than a servant of the clan, Ilina Runcandel. Is my youngest son still there?]
"Since Sir Stam and Sir Lionel are there, it will be resolved soon...."
[That alone won't suffice, surely you know that. You are expecting me to take action myself.]
The Prophet bowed her head.
Rosa was definitely on a different level from Joshua. The Prophet couldn't control her in the slightest.
[This is your last chance. If, after today, you dare to question me again, even once... I will terminate our contract.]
"I am sorry."
[Summon him.]
When Ram's first barrage ended, Kadun's scales turned all over his body, and he was breathing heavily.
For the first time in my life. He felt a sense of complete loss of will to fight.
A sensation that he had not felt even when he faced Murakan a thousand years ago shook his insides.
Nevertheless, Kadun gathered fire breath with all his might. If it had been another dragon and not him, they would never have done that.
[Sheenu's protection will be with us...…!]
As Kadun rushed in, Zipfel's fleet was also advancing at the same speed using Ram's attraction force.
Indeed, they also had potential. The place where Kozec 2 disappeared was filled with a new spectre fleet that had been summoned before anyone knew it, and the shield that had collapsed from Ram's attack was being restored in an instant.
All were assisted by the fire emitted by Kadun. Hedo, along with Octavia, mounted the Wind Dragon Salion and fired sword energy, and after that, the spectre performed chain magic.
It took some time for Ram's main cannon to be ready again. From what they could see with their eyes, the speed at which the energy of chaos was gathering in Ram was not very fast.
From the rear, Kinzelo was charging. Unlike Zipfel who had withstood Ram's attack, they hadn't taken any damage yet.
Zephyrin, who stood at the forefront, was bigger than ever. She is drawing all of Orgal's power, which she hasn't been able to use due to restrictions.
However, since Orgal has not fully recovered yet, there are obviously limits to her ability to recreate her prime.
About an hour.
Though not overly long, during that time, she could engage in battle as a being approaching the strongest in the demon world.
So, Zephyrin was full of confidence. Unlike those stupid Zipfel bastards who didn't bring Kelliark, she was pretty sure that she'd be able to deliver a decent blow to Runcandel.
Until Ram released what it held within.
[Didn't I tell you, Zephyrin? Before Jin Runcandel creates a variable on the ground, you won't be able to hit Ram. Don't be greedy.]
[Damn it, Master! What else is that!?]
[Chaos, her creatures....]
Aaaaaaagh-! Aww!
Hundreds of dragons escaped from Ram's hull.
The creatures of Helluram that should be called 'Chaos Dragons'. And likewise, there were hundreds of black ships.
The Chaos Dragon and the Black Ship were escorting Ram. It is constantly breathing and shooting its main cannon, and spreading a shield to receive attacks from the two major factions.
The entire sky was ablaze with chaos. The scene of war seemed not like a battle between humans but more like mortals struggling against evil god.
The chaos dragons let out grotesque cries as they bit Zephyrin and fleet.
Amidst the explosions of blood, flesh, chaos, and bones everywhere,
Orgal gazed at the ground, in the middle of the Garden of Swords.
Jin's flame of hell was fading away.
* * *
Haah, ha...!
Jin gasped and looked down at the fallen people. Stam stopped moving with only half of his body remaining, and Lionel was on one knee, coughing up froths of blood.
'Lionel's decisive killing moves were definitely dangerous... Even if his mind was corrupted, the patriarch was still the patriarch.'
Jin's injuries were revealed between the broken Multa runes and armor.
It is true that his stamina was rapidly depleted, but it was not to the extent that he could not continue fighting.
Before going to finish off Lionel, Jin looked up at the sky. He saw Ram, the Chaos Dragon, the Black Ship, and the fleet of major factions fighting beneath it.
'We are going to go against those things... I don't know if the elder chief can survive.'
Like those outside, Jin was getting a little nervous about the clan's unexpected strength. Even at a glance, it seems that the two major factions were already being pushed back.
Lionel raised his head.
[You are the strongest descendant of Runcandel I've personally faced... You were born in the wrong era. If there were someone like you in my time... then the evil god would not have been born in our clan.]
Jin doesn't answer, but approaches Lionel and decapitates him.
Then, as he tried to find the Prophet, Lionel's head that fell off was still talking.
[Also, the clan's heroes wouldn't have to fight such a dishonorable fight against their brightest descendant...….]
Jin felt the energy of another old hero appearing from the mausoleum. It was an energy that Jin had seen once before.
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