Chapter 27

Chapter 10. Jin, the Cadets, Suin, and... (5)

'What the hell is this?'

Jin crouched, supporting Misa. Bang, bang! It sounded like some kind of battering ram was continuously striking the Kinzelo branch, and it seemed the entire building might fly apart at any moment.

An earthquake?

Or was it just a simple explosion or some accident on the upper floor?

Jin examined the shaking ceiling, heightening his senses. A sense of unease washed over him, but he had to maintain his composure.

"Master! Take cover first."

"Quiet, Misa."

"Promise me one thing."

Misa looked straight at Jin.

"If we find ourselves in a truly dangerous situation, you must leave me behind. You are someone who cannot afford to be harmed here."

Jin nodded.

He didn't agree with Misa's opinion. If he had, he wouldn't have come to save her in the first place. However, he judged that this was the best way to handle a child.

"We need to check the situation upstairs."

"Maybe the mages have started their attack? The building seems about to collapse at any moment."

"The mages here don't have that kind of power."

Even as they spoke, the deafening noise continued without pause.

"I'm going up. I can't support you, so stay close behind me and keep your wits about you."

The two of them climbed the stairs.

The shock seemed to have originated from outside, and large cracks were appearing in the walls. The murals depicting Kinzelo's symbols had all fallen to the ground.

Strangely, despite the internal chaos, not a single Kinzelo member had entered the building.

'Either they are still assessing the situation outside, or they are already dead. One of the two.'

As soon as Jin and Misa left the building, he immediately understood the reason.

The latter. When he opened the iron door, the first thing he saw were four dead Kinzelo members. Their bodies were horrifically torn apart, as if slashed by some giant claws.

'They must have died trying to return to the building. And this is the work of Suin.'

Of all the races he least wanted to encounter here, he had run into one of them. Jin grimaced.

Outside the building, it was a scene straight out of hell.

The flames Jin had ignited had already reached the front of the building, and the small paths between the burning buildings were littered with torn and mangled bodies.

"Misa."

"Yes."

"There's a Suin. The bodies show that it's a combat race with claws. Shh, don't say anything. Follow this path. You can walk to avoid the fire... damn it."

Jin stopped speaking, raised his sword Bradamante, and took a stance. From the other side, something was slowly walking out of the raging inferno.

Its fur was impossibly white, it stood over two meters tall, and its eyes glowed with a fierce light.

A White Wolf.

In its right hand, it held a massive hammer, the source of the continuous booming sounds that had been shaking the area. Using the incredible strength characteristic of the combat race Suin, it had been hammering the building's surroundings, as if trying to flush out mice hiding in a den.

"What, I thought these useless brats had been taken out by some riffraff. A kid like this?"

The White Wolf stopped, lightly spinning its hammer. By then, Misa was completely terrified, but not for her own life, but for Jin's safety.

"Master... It's a White Wolf. I'll buy you some time. Please keep your promise."

Huff.

After taking a deep breath, Jin turned and struck the back of Misa's neck. She trembled in despair and fainted.

The Suin seemed to find this amusing, shrugging and smiling.

"Ha, a scene that can't be watched without tears. It's a shame to see it alone. This... what do humans call it? Ah, yes! Love! Are they lovers? Huh?"

Although it spoke in a low, thug-like tone, the White Wolf was far from a mere thug.

If compared to a knight, it would be at least a 6-star. This was just the average for an adult White Wolf, a race said to have been born solely for combat and slaughter.

Thus, for the current Jin, the chances of defeating it were virtually zero.

"I am Jin Runkandel, the heir of Siron Runkandel. State your name, Suin."

"Runkandel...?"

The smile vanished from the White Wolf's face. There were only two reasons for a change in attitude upon hearing the name Runkandel in such a situation.

Either they feared the Runkandels or...

"Among all I've killed, today's prey will be the most valuable... I see the black sword symbol on your robe. My name is Quarto Truka! A warrior of the Truka clan."

Or they hated the Runkandels intensely.

In the case of the White Wolf, it was the latter. This was because the first head of the Runkandel family had killed 'Havier,' a White Wolf they once revered.

"Today, I will offer you to Havier's altar to comfort his wronged spirit! Jin Runkandel! Choose. Will you fight me honorably, or will you be torn apart while fleeing cowardly?"

Jin's sword glowed with a white aura.

"I will fight you honorably."

This was a calculated move based on the characteristics of the White Wolf.

Ordinarily, White Wolves consider humans mere prey or toys, showing no regard for honor and only their ruthless side.

However, in special circumstances, such as when they judge their opponent to be strong enough to fight with honor, or in the case of a Runkandel...

They seek an honorable duel, fighting with respect and excluding all cowardly tactics.

Such prey, having not cheated, could be offered to Havier's altar.

"Quarto Truka. Before we begin the duel, I have one proposal."

"Speak, Runkandel brat."

"During the duel, do not touch the human lying behind me."

Quarto nodded.

"Agreed. But if I win, that woman is mine."

"Understood."

Jin moved to the open space in front of the building. During this time, he passed by Quarto, but the White Wolf did not attack him, adhering to the laws of honor and duels.

"Let's fight here. This way, I can keep my promise during the duel."

"Good thinking. You know our laws well. But remember, Runkandel brat. If you try to cheat..."

"I'll just tear you apart. I have no intention of cheating."

"Keh! So there are still Runkandels who understand honor."

Jin smiled inwardly at this.

This Quarto was probably meeting a Runkandel for the first time. If he had met any of his other siblings, he wouldn't be alive to breathe now.

Jin and Quarto faced each other, about ten steps apart.

"Begin!"

Quarto raised his hammer, taking a stance. The first move was his.

Whoosh! Quarto swung his hammer and charged forward. Despite his muscular build, which must have weighed over two hundred kilograms, his speed was unbelievable.

Jin could step back to avoid the attack and even stab Quarto with Bradamante.

However, Quarto was not one to be defeated by Jin's swordsmanship. He flexibly changed his attacks, pressuring Jin, who had no choice but to retreat.

Clang! In the few seconds of the exchange, their weapons clashed only once, but Jin felt as if his wrist would be torn off.

No, it wasn't just his wrist; the impact felt like he had been beaten all over his body, the pain reaching even his toes. He could withstand such a clash no more than ten times, at most.

'There's only one chance.'

If this were a hopeless fight, Jin would have already shattered the Orgeal pendant given by Luna. The moment the first sister was summoned, Quarto would be disintegrated in a second.

But this pendant wasn't for such a minor crisis.

Moreover, if he couldn't overcome even this level of danger, he wouldn't deserve to be a strong person. Every strong person he knew had overcome countless deaths and turned the tide.

Having a weapon the enemy doesn't know about is always advantageous.

Quarto didn't know two things about Jin: that he could use spirit energy and magic.

'I can't use magic.'

Magic was out of the question. If he missed his chance and failed to kill Quarto, he would have to use the pendant, no matter how reluctant.

If Luna found any traces of magic or if Quarto revealed the fact before dying, it could cause trouble later.

Besides, a 4-star magic wouldn't even pierce a White Wolf's skin.

That left one option: spirit energy. And Jin had already decided how to use it.

'I will open the sword.'

Bramdamante's opening, or awakening.

A power of the contractor that Murakan had said not to even dream about until reaching 5-star spirit energy liberation.

On the morning he received the sword from Luna, Jin had already attempted to open the sword once.

The moment the sword opened and an immense power enveloped his body, he was beaten by Murakan and failed.

-Do you want to go mad and die, Jin Runkandel? You are the only contractor! If you mess up...

Murakan had been genuinely angry. To make up for it, Jin had to find all kinds of erotic books for him...

Right now, Jin was waiting for another chance to recreate that sensation.

Bang!

Jin groaned as Quarto's powerful strike hit him. Even though he blocked it perfectly with Bradamante, his body couldn't withstand it.

"Good sword, Runkandel brat. Not a single chip on it from my hammer."

"Thank you."

"But it doesn't suit your symbol, that black sword. It's too white and flashy."

Clang! With another strike, Jin was sent flying to the outer wall of the Kinzelo building. The impact felt like his skull and spine were shattered, but he managed to regain his senses.

Huff, huff...

As he coughed up blood, Quarto's approaching figure appeared doubled due to the shock.

"It's over now. I'll offer this sword to Havier's altar with you. It was a good fight."

Quarto raised his hammer high.

The moment that hammer fell like a massive boulder, Jin would meet his end.

"Farewell!"

The instant Quarto swung his hammer, he suddenly felt his vision go dark. It was a brief moment, but it felt like hours had passed.

Quarto couldn't swing his hammer.

His time had momentarily stopped.

When he regained his senses and looked down, he saw a black blade piercing his body.

A blade of deep, shadowy light.

Jin's hair was fluttering like flames, as if moved by a spiritual wind.

"Exactly... when."

"I didn't know why the black sword was our family symbol until recently."

The moment Quarto spat out a gush of bright red blood, Jin began to scream. But it was a rough, terrifying voice, completely different from his usual one.

"It was a good fight."

Kaaah!

The shadow attached to the dead Quarto, the shadow of Misa lying nearby, and the shadows of the burning trees.

All the shadows in the area were being absorbed into Jin. They moved like animals fleeing from light, seeking refuge somewhere.