Chapter 446

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The dark and elongated nails sprouted from her fingers as Zephyrin threw the axe-sword. Those nails, which stabbed the Black Knight, were Zephyrin's primary means of attack.

The shimmering purple demonic energy on the nails was menacing. Zephyrin leaped forward with a sharp whistling sound. She swung her nails at Jin and others.

Jin blocked Zephyrin's attack with his sword, while Valkas parried with his fist. The clashing of sword, fist, and nails sent sparks and shards of energy in all directions.

Using a familiar weapon has a profound impact on anyone. After discarding the axe-sword, her posture and balance improved, and her movements became more agile.

And the opponent who felt the strongest among all the opponents Jin had faced became even more stronger. However, the real problem was this wasn't the end.

She was a dragon.

She hadn't revealed her true form yet, and her abilities as a "Demon Dragon" remained unknown.

'She's at least 10-star level by human standards just from the power she's shown.'

Jin even thought that she might rival his father, Chiron Runcandel, the demigod.

It is fortunate that Jin did not feel the aura of an absolute powerhouse, which he felt from his father and battle god Vahn. Though it was unclear whether it truly didn't exist or he simply couldn't sense it.

Shack!

Zephyrin fended off Jin and Valkas, and charged towards Murakan. The purple nails carve through one of Murakan's wings.

The nails passed through an illusionary wing, and the wing rippled like smoke. However, Murakan didn't miss the moment when she approached.

In an instant, Murakan's entire body turned into black smoke and enveloped Zephyrin. As the smoke reformed into Murakan's form, Zephyrin found herself trapped within one of Murakan's wings.

It was not visible on the outside, but a chaotic vortex of shadow force raged within the folded wing. It pierced the flesh and bone of Zephyrin with an eerie sound and created a chilling spectacle.

Just as Murakan had transformed into a shadow force to evade the attack moments ago, Zephyrin also used demonic energy to avoid the assault.

Contrary to human battles, dragon combat had its unique characteristics.

[Well, you seem to be the best Demon Dragon I've encountered so far. Did you live holding your breath in fear a thousand years ago? I wonder where you've come from.]

The purple smoke dispersed, and Zephyrin reappeared at a distance from Murakan.

"Haha, how audacious of you. How can you dare to assess me like that? It seems like you haven't figured me out yet, Mr. Murakan."

Swooosh!

This time, sharp demonic energy extended from Zephyrin's nails and cut Murakan in half as it passed through his midsection. Although the shadow force form had lessened the impact, this kind of expenditure of shadow force would eventually wear Murakan down.

"I wouldn't have been that afraid of you even if I'm facing you in your prime. The reason you don't know me well is because I could not fight you back then."

[Couldn't fight me?]

"There were some circumstances. You should know about them. No, how could you?"

Pshhh!

The Plutonian swordsmanship's Mystic Technique, Waterfall, was falling onto Zephyrin's head, and Valkas threw his full-powered punch at the same time.

The subspace was distorted because of the lightning energy and aura. The waterfall crashed onto the ground, and the punch ruptured the empty space.

Zephyrin leaped to avoid the attack, but Murakan swooped in like a hawk and let out a dragon breath. The black breath enveloped Zephyrin entirely, but even after it had all dissipated, it seemed like she had not taken a significant hit.

However, just before the crash, Jin's Thunder Blade and Valkas's Secret Technique were ready.

Dozens of lightning blades and Valkas's fists entangled with Zephyrin as she fell to the ground.

This time, Zephyrin couldn't transform her body into demonic energy in time. Thunder Blade sliced through her body, and Valkas's fists struck her right in the middle of her back.

"Ugh!"

With the sound of ear-piercing blows, Zephyrin spewed blood and was thrown to the other side of the group.

For a human, this would have been a fatal injury, with bones and organs shattered. However, Jin and others had an intuitive sense that she hadn't taken such a critical hit, even her screams seemed to be somewhat playful.

Murakan transformed into a human and stood beside Jin.

"Murakan."

"Yes?"

"Do you really not know who that Demon Dragon is?"

"Well, I thought she might be one of the Guardian Dragons of the Rontelgius family's demon you killed, but it doesn't seem like that."

"Any guesses?"

"A direct subordinate dragon of a Demon God-level being. That much is certain."

Can we win this?

Jin didn't voice this question. It was because he saw Murakan wearing such a serious expression for the first time in a long time.

To put it simply, Zephyrin was an unexpected calamity.

Jin found it puzzling how there could be any connection between the seemingly feeble demons he had easily defeated at Joshua's villa and Zephyrin.

'Is it possible that she holds a grudge against me because of the magic tome I acquired back then?'

When Jin and his companions first suspected Zephyrin of being a Demon Dragon back at the Sword Emperor Castle's banquet, they naturally assumed she was approaching them due to the magic tome.

If not, it seemed unlikely for them to have any dealings with beings like the Demons or Demon Dragons.

However, Zephyrin was currently acting as if the magic tome didn't matter at all.

'Or perhaps, she is planning to find everything from me about the magic tome after she could subdue Murakan and kill the Black king leader... Wait a moment.'

Just as this thought was about to cross his mind, Jin remembered a crucial fact: Zephyrin explicitly stated that she would "kill" only the Black King leader.

'She mentioned subduing Murakan, and the situation suggests she is not here to kill him.'

Why would she go to such lengths?

Jin was able to recall a conversation within seconds.

-I will praise this ambush. However, you and your god will be the most important materials for the Demon God's Orb, Jin Runcandel….!

These were the words Andrei Zipfel had said when using the Demon God's Orb.

'At that time, Andrei claimed that Soldelet's power was the core of the Demon God's Orb.'

Looking back, those seeking the power of the Demon God's Orb or something equivalent tended to be strangely fixated on the "contractor of Soldelet."

Both Andrei from Zipfel and Joshua from Runcandel showed this fact.

Moreover, considering that the creator of the "Demon God's Orb" was Bubare Gaston, Soldelet's power likely held a special value for them regarding their great cause.

'That's why those Kinzelo bastards kept trying to persuade me.'

Clink, clunk!

Zephyrin was grotesquely contorted and torn apart, but she was regenerating and getting up in an instant. Her bones returned to their place, and the torn wounds disappeared.

It seemed that no matter how much one shredded and twisted her body, Zephyrin would regenerate as if nothing had happened, similar to what Kinzelo's leader had shown during the Sword Emperor Castle's terrorist attack.

Kinzelo.

Jin quickly had a hunch that Zephyrin was likely affiliated with that insane group.

'If she is from Zipfel, then she probably moved with the Spectre corps. However, labeling her as part of Kinzelo doesn't quite make sense. Zephyrin's actions have been completely different from what Kinzelo showed me.'

Jin hated Kinzelo, but Kinzelo had always shown a compassionate side to Jin.

Ambushing Jin unexpectedly like now is clearly against their attitude.

"I think she is the dragon of Kinzelo's leader."

"The damned bastard? That could be possible. The authority he showed during the Sword Emperor Castle's terrorist attack was divine."

"...Mr. Murakan, and the 12th flagbearer. It seems there might be no end to this fight if it drags on."

Jin nodded as Valkas said this.

The Black Knight was dying behind them, and Zephyrin's body regenerated instantly even when twisted and torn apart. She showed no signs of fatigue.

"No end? It's much worse than that. We can never win against that."

Jin and Valkas's eyes widened in shock at Murakan's words.

Jin, in particular, was even more surprised. He had never imagined that someone as prideful as Murakan would so easily accept defeat.

In any case, if Murakan was speaking with such conviction, there was only one answer.

"We should run."

When Jin said this, Murakan nodded, and Valkas's eyes wavered for a moment.

This place is Black King Mountain Hideout, and Valkas cherished nothing more than his subordinates' lives. Abandoning his subordinates and fleeing was an impossible act.

Valkas believed that if their group ran, Zephyrin would not simply leave Black King Mountain Hideout alone. She had the power to annihilate Black King Mountain Hideout single handedly in a matter of moments. The countless defense mechanisms and traps within Black King Mountain Hideout were meaningless against such a fearsome dragon.

"I can't run, Mr. Murakan."

"I know, man. Who abandons their children and runs away?"

"Then...?"

"I will restrain her somehow, so you and the kid lead the others to escape. I'll shake her off and join you later."

"Murakan."

"What?"

"You think you can handle her alone?"

Of course, neither Jin, Valkas, nor Murakan had yet used their full power. But they could not easily defeat Zephyrin even when the three of them fought together. It was only natural to be concerned about whether Murakan could handle her alone.

Kahaha!

Suddenly, Murakan burst into laughter.

"Even if I'm like this, I've regained about 40% of my full strength. I can manage it even if it were a fiend like Demon King Orgal instead of a dragon."

"I'm not so sure..."

"Don't worry, kid. There's no way I will be left behind. And, after all, this is the best plan, you know."

Murakan pointed to one side of the subspace as he finished his sentence.

"First, let's break this subspace. You have done this a lot, so do you know the method?"

Shadow force 1st Technique Soul Slash and Tess's power. When it came to cutting through unwanted otherworldly subspaces, they had never disappointed Jin.

Huuuuuuuung...!

A tremendous amount of shadow force began to gather around Murakan. As the shadow force was released, the entire purple-hued subspace rapidly turned black.

As the expression implied, the current Murakan was releasing his full power.

[Hey, Zephyrin. Let's have a good time with us dragons. I will evaluate you whether it is true what you said about being confident enough to stand up against me in my prime.]