Chapter 898

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Jin's eyes narrowed. A single drop of blood trickled down from his cheek.

If this were past Anne, it would be unimaginable for her to cause such a wound to the current Jin. The same was true during the time when she embraced the power of chaos.

"Huh?"

Jin was so baffled that he couldn't speak at first. Anne, with a smile on her face as she stood up, emitted a different kind of madness from the Anne of the past.

[T/L: 광기 - madness/ lunacy; describes a kind of madness associated with a villainous character.]

In other words, it was a calm madness typical of a villain.

[Hey, what's going on there again?]

Murakan, who was just kicking Siker, looked surprised as he glanced at Jin and Anne.

'What, what is that human...! How on earth is this happening?'

Even Siker, who had regarded Anne as nothing more than a hostage, widened his eyes in shock. The strange energy emanating from Anne right now was undoubtedly overwhelming his own Demon king's demonic energy.

"You seem quite surprised, the youngest."

Jin quickly understood the situation.

'I don't think Tilias and Misol would do such a shallow thing if they had known about this. It seems there's something else that Visepps doesn't know about."

Visepps had only learned the fact that Ragal had secured the siblings through a spy, so it was entirely possible.

"It's one of the most unexpected things lately, Anne. I've always thought you were just stupid, so I never imagined you could pull off such a performance."

"Oh, yes. I was quite stupid back then... That's why I couldn't destroy you when you were young. I regret that part. If I had been as clever as you, I wouldn't have ended up like this. You would be doing well like this, and I wouldn't have lived like a vulture and gone to hell."

"Well, I thought you might have repented a little, but it seems you still haven't come to your senses."

"Haha, I'm in a clearer state of mind than ever."

With Anne's left hand, a white energy gathered to form a new sword. When she was a Runcandel Flagbearer, Anne had used a pair of swords.

'I couldn't sense any energy when I approached Anne... Maybe it's because she's forming weapons like that.'

You could hide your killing intent in some way, but you couldn't hide the energy of the sword hidden within your hand from martial artists like Jin. 

'Furthermore, that energy, although foreign, is clearly mana.'

While Jin was one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the world when it came to magic, he had never heard of magic related to 'creating' objects, like a weapon.

Of course, shaping the form of a sword with the energy such as aura or mana was entirely possible, but the mana Anne had just released replicated the texture of ancient everlasting steel.

Judging by the form of magic, it wasn't even a summoning magic spell. Anne had literally created a weapon with her mana.

Perhaps it could be called a 'creation' magic, and it was undoubtedly an ability she received from Lokia.

"I guess we'll have to see about that. So, you've returned from hell just to be a presence that barely concerns me? You still have no confidence in defeating me. How pathetic."

"Well, now I can face reality a bit. I have become stronger, but how can I kill you alone? Even if I've grown stronger, Anne Runcandel is still Anne Runcandel."

"Do not use the name Runcandel from now on. I am warning you as the young patriarch of the clan, so it would be best to take it seriously."

"Haha, are you trying to scratch my insides now that you've become the young patriarch? Well, you've succeeded. I'm driven crazy just thinking about it. I've never even dreamed of that position. Anyway, I can't use the name Runcandel anymore because I am scared. Well, it's okay since I've gained a new surname."

"A new surname?"

"It's the surname of the one who made me like this. Well, to be precise, thanks to my awakening... I realized my true name because of it."

Suddenly, Jin recalled a conversation he had with Dante in the past, about what he had heard from Padler after the end of the evil god war. They had talked about Qwaul.

-He is a great genius. However, I'm a bit worried.

-That's because he's also a descendant of Ganesto, like the evil god?

-Yes, if Sir Padler's last words are true, then Dr. Qwaul could also become one of Ganesto's pawns someday. And perhaps... it might also apply to our flagbearers, the children of the evil god. We too have some of Ganesto's blood, after all."

-It's a terrifying story. Somehow, it seems like it won't concern you and the remaining flagbearers. If a person like Lokia Ganesto could interfere with your mind, the evil god might not have ended that easily.

"Lokia Ganesto."

Jin deliberately spoke with confidence in order to get Anne's confirmation. She smiled slyly as if she had no intention of hiding.

"That's right, Lokia Ganesto. That's my new name. And I'm the one who kills the deviant Runcandels... It was my destiny from the beginning. This is what my destiny has always been, even before I was born."

Swoosh...

Jin slowly drew his sword.

"Thanks to you, things have become clearer in many ways."

There were suspicions that Lokia had already betrayed the clan during her time as a great knight, and until just a moment ago, Anne had briefly made Jin uneasy with her unexpected pitiful appearance.

But now, Lokia's betrayal had become certain, and Anne had become an even greater villain through her power.

'Perhaps the others who were said to be in hell have also become like Anne, and the enemies have increased once again.'

Anne also corrected her stance while gathering her energy. Her intense and powerful aura caused the surrounding debris to twist and scatter in all directions.

Both of them simultaneously rushed toward each other, wielding their swords. With their first clash, the ground beneath them quivered, and shockwaves distorted the near space.

"Ugh, it's heavy. Even heavier than Luna unnie's sword from my memories. I can't win this, after all."

Under the continuous strikes from Jin, Anne found herself quickly on the defensive.

While it's true that Anne had suddenly acquired superhuman combat abilities, she was still no match for Jin. She could only hold her own to a certain extent against Jin.

Jin dealt with Anne leisurely, as if he was testing her. In a matter of seconds, shallow wounds began to appear all over Anne's body, and Jin gradually increased his speed.

Anne is shedding red blood unlike when she was corrupted by chaos.

'I don't think any other reinforcements will come, and she doesn't have super-speed regeneration like when she was stained with chaos. But she doesn't have the attitude of a person who will die, then she either has a means of resurrection or a way to escape.'

He can't kill Anne right here.

Jin was certain of that. Anne already knew about Jin's most unique ability, "Eternal flame." Lokia would have also given her information about Murakan's ultimate technique, True Manifestation of Shadows.

Lokia had already rescued Anne from the torture in hell and awakened her using some kind of ability. Regardless of the form, Anne must have prepared for her own death. The reason Lokia had turned Jin's siblings who went to hell into this kind of state was undoubtedly because she needed them for her own purposes.

'Even if it's not today, I'll find a way and deal with them. Anne, my other siblings, and Lokia Ganesto…'

"Kraaah!"

Siker's scream and died. Murakan directed the power he had been pouring into Siker straight towards Anne.

He was furious about Lokia's betrayal.

[Anne!]

A fierce black chain struck Anne's lower back. Anne had no strength left to properly avoid or defend against the black chain while dealing with Jin.

"Kuk!"

As soon as her stance faltered, Jin plunged deeper and sliced Anne's waist. Anne desperately used her hands to block her spilled organs and screamed.

It was difficult to block Jin's sword, which he did not use with his full strength to begin with, so the moment Murakan joined in, it was virtually the end.

[Tell me, what on earth has Lokia been up to? Did she have different intentions from the moment she first met Temar, from the moment she first set foot in the clan?]

"Ah, sorry, Black Dragon Murakan. It's hard to answer when my organs are spilling out."

Even in the midst of her body falling apart, Anne showed no signs of shaking. Seeing her like this, Murakan also realized that Anne wouldn't die today.

[She betrayed her comrades, revealed her true colors after a thousand years, and the person she sent in the first place is someone like you. It seems like Lokia is in a dire situation.]

Murakan landed on the ground and spoke.

Anne barely supported her trembling legs, and alternately glanced at Jin and Murakan. She kept bending forward and vomited blood.

"Hoo, huh...! You're talking too much, considering you left a thousand years ago without knowing anything. Well... How could you understand Ganesto's ideals? You are just obsessed with survival and prosperity!"

For a moment, Anne's voice changed. It sounded like Lokia's voice, which Jin had heard in Kaytam's painting.

After exhaling coarse breaths for a while, Anne looked at Jin again with a calm face.

"When I appear in front of you again, I feel like I should choose someone of the right level to deal with you...… I won't let myself lose my body pathetically like this. As for you, you're still Oraboni's share. My Oraboni has inherited much thicker blood and will than me. You can look forward to that, my youngest."

Jin chuckled.

"Did you already forget what you said yourself? You may have gotten stronger, but Anne is Anne, and Joshua is Joshua. Stop talking nonsense and tell Lokia Ganesto. I know your weaknesses, so if you push it further, you'll end up in a worse situation than now."

"Hehe, you're telling such shallow lies. It doesn't suit you."

"Not too long ago, some members of the expedition team returned from the Black Sea, and Father had sent a message for me through them. It's about Ganesto. When you report it to Lokia, she'll understand what my words mean."

At those words, for the first time, Anne's pupils trembled. Murakan couldn't detect it; it was an extremely subtle tremor. However, Jin didn't miss it.

Perhaps it could have been an eye twitching caused by the physical deterioration. In fact, this phenomenon often occurred during their conversations.

However, Jin judged that Anne's eye twitched because of embarrassment, not because of the mention of Chiron and Black Sea.

'Anyway, it seems I can't win with words, let alone battle. There's no way I could really know about the Black Sea and Ganesto's secrets…'

Anne thought to herself and shook her head.

"Anyway, it's time to part ways. Let's not meet again, youngest. I'll make sure to avoid you. And, give my regards to others. If you ever think about joining us, you're always welcome. We were all born on the same ship in the end."

Fssss...

As Anne finished speaking, her body quickly dissipated into white particles. That, too, was an unfamiliar mana, and soon the mana scattered in all directions and disappeared somewhere.

"I hoped we wouldn't, but Lokia... Hoo. Hey, kid. But what was all that nonsense about Lokia's weakness?"

"Of course, it was just something I made up. I tried to see if Anne would react. The deepest part of the Black Sea is even more unknown territory than the underworld, and since Father is exploring it, it would seem plausible even if I claimed to have obtained information about Ganesto. Besides, Anne might think she's hidden, but I noticed it."

"You noticed something? I didn't."

"It seems like I'm a bit sharper than you, huh? I do feel a bit uneasy about selling my Father's name without permission. Anyway, judging from Anne's reaction, there's a high possibility that Lokia has a weakness, and it's probably related to the Black Sea."

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