C286 - Temar's First Tomb (7)
The dense lightning energy in the Light Heart made it seem as if a small sun was radiating its light from the center of Jin's chest. The strong white light shone through his shirt and began to cast a glow around him.
And it went beyond that.
As more lightning energy gathered in his Light Heart, it immediately illuminated the dark ethereal plane.
The guardian didn't seem to comprehend what was happening but sensed that a great change had occurred within Jin.
It must be the lightning energy. Without a doubt, it's an intriguing power, just as Temar described it.
His attacks continued.
The guardian's giant sword now sent enormous waves that could split entire warships in half. Jin was completely engulfed in those blade waves and barely clung to life.
It didn't seem like he would last much longer.
Jin's movements had noticeably slowed down after the lightning energy began surging into his Light Heart.
Jin was gathering lightning energy for the Battle God's Combat Technique, which naturally affected his level of concentration.
"Did you think you could afford to make such mistakes in front of me?"
The guardian's giant sword swung in a vertical slash, creating an ugly tear in the air. Even the most common vertical strike of a ten-star knight was as powerful as a master's move, and Jin certainly couldn't avoid it with his sluggish movements.
The best he could do was dodge it.
Jin gritted his teeth and moved aside.
He maintained his posture, and Silderay's giant sword struck the ground.
Dodging the strike of a ten-star knight was entirely different from dodging any other attack.
Simply getting out of the sword's path was not enough because the shockwaves created in the sword's movement through the air alone were as powerful as eight-star attacks.
Shluk, shiik! The shockwave cut Jin near his Adam's apple. If the cut had been deeper, the damage would have been critical. Another shockwave grazed his chest and shoulder.
His blood sprayed in an arc.
His coat and shirt tore and burned from the heat of the aura, revealing a luminous heart charged with lightning energy.
It was radiant. Silderay momentarily squinted his eyes when he suddenly faced the light of the Light Heart.
That brief instant was the first opportunity Jin had since the battle began.
Jin chose to create distance rather than attack. But he only managed to step back once, as Silderay still controlled the distance.
That single step felt precious to Jin.
It didn't take him out of Silderay's attack range, but that one step allowed him to breathe away from the intense aura exuding from his opponent.
It felt as if Jin had gained distance from the active volcano that was Silderay.
He felt as if his entire body was being pressed by his aura just by staying close to him.
It was the blessed body of the Runcandels that kept him moving.
Now that he had earned a breather for himself, it was time to complete the Battle God's Combat Technique. Countless lightning energy flooded his Light Heart, which seemed on the verge of blazing.
That was the full capacity of Jin's lightning energy.
"It seems you have completed what you have been preparing all this time, Jin Runcandel."
The guardian smiled weakly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. In reality, he had been controlling his attacks so that Jin could complete the Battle God's Combat Technique.
Therefore, his smile held several meanings. On one hand, curiosity and anticipation regarding Jin's power.
And on the other hand, his reprimand for the fact that Jin wouldn't have evaded death if this had been a real battle, not Solderet's trial.
"I'm almost offended."
Zas, pum!
Jin read him through his smile and replied while dispersing the sword waves. Silderay's sword waves shattered with deafening noises.
"Because I waited for you?"
"If this had been a real battle, I wouldn't have faced you like this, Lord Silderay."
The guardian smiled.
What Jin had just shown reminded him of the man he respected and obeyed all his life and in his youth. Temar Runcandel. That's how he was.
No matter who he faced. He always faced a challenge without being arrogant and was calculating despite appearing reckless. That's why everyone around Temar saw him as a mystery.
"You resemble him a lot."
"It's not an expression I appreciate."
Kzzt!
Something sounded as if it was being crushed inside the Light Heart.
The dense lightning energy exposed on the surface of the Light Heart knotted around the heart like thick ropes, making it seem as if the heart had cracked.
Jin planned to perform the Tenth Battle God's Combat Technique.
It was the Final Movement of the Battle God and the greatest profound mystery, encompassing all his techniques.
It was the Reign of the King of Legends: The Initiation.
When Vahn taught Jin the tenth Battle God's Combat Technique, he told him that this movement was not a mere killing technique created to destroy enemies.
The Reign of the King of Legends was the roaring declaration of a man who had reached the pinnacle among the kings of light.
The ground they stood on began to crack.
It twisted violently, and cracks spewed out lightning energy like lava. The entire area was immediately covered with the devastating forces of lightning energy, making it impossible to breathe.
It wasn't just a figure of speech. Anyone who couldn't shield themselves from this torrent of energy would turn into ashes within seconds.
Those who could only gather to cast shield barriers would suffocate over time. And it had nothing to do with Jin's intentions. Fire never discriminates whom it burns.
Only those who were worthy could survive the lightning of the Reign of the King of Legends. It was a privilege granted only to those who could at least match the strength of the most powerful race ever known in the world.
"That's why my brothers no longer call me Temar-like, Sir Silderay."
Jin's voice was different. For some mysterious reason, it sounded as if dozens of people were speaking in unison. Needless to say, there was a deep majestic tone in his voice.
His eyes and hair were now filled with lightning energy, emitting a bright blue color. If there were a lightning god revered by the masses, it would probably look like this.
The guardian thought the same.
However, his superior perception was not deceived by his thoughts.
"Appearing transcendent doesn't mean you truly are. But I am intrigued nonetheless."
Ten stars. A height where one truly understands that they are very close to being the most powerful.
The guardian knew what it meant to be transcendent precisely because he was within reach of such heights. And transcendent was a term only granted to those who had reached the Divine Star.
Although Jin had activated the Reign of the King of Legends, the guardian could see that it was nothing more than a burst of Jin's potential.
But, of course, that still shocked him considerably.
"I see there is less room to attack now. Let's start again."
Wroom!
Waves burst forth from the guardian's gigantic sword. They cut through Jin's lightning bolts as if piercing through water, but their impact was greatly reduced when they reached Jin.
The lightning energy dampened their power. Similarly, Silderay's movements were slightly restricted.
On the other hand, lightning felt natural to Jin after activating the Reign of the King of Legends. Unlike the guardian, who couldn't fully unleash his power while resisting the lightning, Jin's sword movements were deadlier than ever.
The Reign of the King of Legends wasn't a simple movement. It was an ability that elevated other abilities. One that could turn an ordinary vertical strike into a master's move.
Now, this wasn't only true for the guardian. It applied to Jin as well.
This was what Vahn told him before leaving Lafrarosa, right after mastering the Reign of the King of Legends.
"I might have mentioned it to you last time, brother Jin. You are a brother of the Legends, our descendant, and my heir. Therefore, you must never be afraid, no matter whom you have to face."
The lightning covering the battlefield moved along with the Sigmund.
Jin swung his sword upward as the guardian struck downward. Their swings were so fast that they both went after each other's afterimages. The clash of swords revealed a new dynamic in their battle.
A stalemate.
Who would have imagined it was a battle between a ten-star knight and an eight-star swordsman?
The two swords struggled to push each other away, and it was difficult to tell which was superior.
Amazing!
The guardian didn't offer clichés like compliments or show any signs of satisfaction.
Such things were only appropriate when facing an opponent who was clearly inferior in terms of skill.
The guardian no longer needed to evaluate the young descendant of the clan before him. Now, he only had to accept Jin as a worthy enemy to commemorate his final battle as a guardian.
This meant he could no longer afford to be lenient with him. Just as Jin was giving his all, he had to give his all as well.
Pum, pum! Clang!
The ethereal plane gradually descended from the shockwave, creating swirling Shadow Energy that scattered like sand.
The chaotic scene of lightning energy, sword waves, and Shadow Energy was certainly worthy of being called the battlefield of great warriors.
Just as Silderay remained humble, Jin also didn't let the current rhythm get to his head.
I can't last long in this state. I must finish it as soon as possible.
The lightning energy fiercely gathered towards the Sigmund.
And for the first time in the battle, the guardian took a step back. Jin seized the opportunity to perform the third movement of the Battle God's Combat Technique, Retribution, to push him further back.
Retribution was obviously much stronger now with the Reign of the King of Legends activated.
Three spikes of retribution formed simultaneously and flew toward the guardian.
Supposedly, the Reign of the King of Legends required three stages to complete: initiation, progression, and conclusion. But at Jin's current level, activating initiation already demanded a lot from him.
Therefore, overlaying another Battle God's Combat Technique was undoubtedly an overwhelming task.
However, Jin had a clear reason for using retribution. He assumed that the guardian didn't possess the blessed body of the Runcandels.
Sir Silderay will have to use large amounts of aura if he wants to block the retribution performed with the Reign of the King of Legends. If both of us suffer the impact of the outburst, I'm likely to end up on the better side.
Jin's assessment was accurate.
The guardian, Silderay Runcandel, had blocked all attacks so far without significant changes in his expression, but now, he seemed serious, as if this attack was quite difficult for him to handle.
But obviously, it wasn't out of fear. It was out of a particular resolve.
"I will show you the legacy of your Runcandel ancestors, dear descendant."
The spikes of retribution struck Silderay's shield barrier. Cracks immediately formed in the shield, and it would only take a blink of an eye for the shield to shatter completely.
But that split second was more than enough.
It was all Jin needed to reveal one of the supreme moves of the Runcandel Sword Technique created by Temar and the ten knights a thousand years ago.
The secret move of the Runcandel Clan.
Giant Sword King
Jin stopped exerting more force on the spikes and inwardly gasped for breath.
The guardian's giant sword was already enormous on its own. But now, it was becoming terrifyingly colossal.
He had seen people extend their swords with aura countless times in training.
But he had never imagined a sword so ridiculously massive.
The giant Shadow Energy soared immediately toward the sky as if it wanted to pierce through and rise above the lightning.
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