Chapter 929

## Chapter 929

“Huuu….!”

Beradin took a deep breath and looked down. He was in the center of the protective shield he had deployed around Drakka.

Ashes flew around the shield like a dense sandstorm. They were the corpses of the demons that had died due to Beradin’s magic.

While all the magicians of the Zipple clan had participated in the defensive battle, in reality, Beradin had almost single-handedly eliminated the invading demons in Drakka.

The leaders of Zipple, including Satrin, and the higher-ranking magicians had only dealt with the demons that occasionally managed to break the shield.

Thanks to this, despite the opening of such a large fracture, not a single citizen of Drakka had been harmed. There were no casualties among the civilians, let alone injuries.

However, Beradin showed no signs of satisfaction. Instead, his furrowed brows seemed to struggle to contain his anger.

“Thank you for your hard work, Patriarch.”

Satrin, who had ascended to the protective shield, stood beside Beradin and observed him for a moment.

“Are you alright, Patriarch?”

“What about Brakle and the other areas that were under attack?”

“I’m still checking, but there is no area as perfectly defended as Drakka. As reported earlier, the Felyn Kingdom has almost been annihilated, and it is estimated that over 100 federal magicians and more than five thousand civilians have been affected in Brakle. And the rest…”

Satrin continued to inform, and Beradin’s expression darkened with each passing moment.

“The fire of Kelliark is incredibly unpleasant.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I thought I had completely erased his shadow, but…”

I erased his shadow.

As he said, Beradin believed that his Zipple clan had become much superior to Kelliark’s Zipple in terms of power and control. He believed he possessed superior magic and commanding power compared to Kelliark.

However, his confidence wavered upon seeing the remnants of that fire left by the demons that emerged from the fracture, which were clearly Kelliark’s minions.

‘Kelliark Zipple has become stronger. Perhaps he has become the first Genesis Magician since Riol Zipple.’

What would have happened if Kelliark had deployed the protective shield instead of him?

What troubled Beradin was precisely that assumption. No matter how much he thought about it, if it had been the current Kelliark, he would undoubtedly have defended not only Drakka but also the crucial neighboring autonomous districts without any damage.

Of course, Beradin could have achieved better results if he had deployed Elona on the battlefield.

However, he couldn’t shake the thought that he still couldn’t surpass Kelliark without his power.

‘Sheenu… That disgusting god will never give up on Kelliark until the end. They must have fully merged.’

Anger surged in his chest like a fireball.

At that moment, Beradin was experiencing his inner demon. He regretted not having completely killed Kelliark in the Tower of Stories that day.

“Urgh…!”

Suddenly, Beradin clutched his head and groaned. It was a phenomenon that occasionally occurred when the side effects of mental manipulation were severe.

‘Mana reflux… it’s a sign of leakage!’

In the midst of Satrin’s confusion, as he tried to respond, the small warship of the Zipple clan descended rapidly. It was a small vessel that had flown hastily from the First Magic Tower of Zipple, the Tower of Stories.

“Patriarch!”

Elona shouted as she descended into the protective shield.

Beradin didn’t even understand her voice and reflexively extended Hroti to attack. His eyes were filled with madness.

But Elona dissipated the mana in Hroti with one hand and carefully wrapped her other hand around Beradin’s shoulder.

“Ugh, huff…!”

A moment later, Beradin gasped for air as he regained his composure after being enveloped in Elona’s mana. His whole body was drenched in sweat.

“Are you alright, Patriarch? Did I not promise to protect you?”

“Lady Elona… I showed you an unpleasant image.”

“No, it’s probably because of Kelliark Zipple’s mana. I rushed here when I suddenly felt terrible mana coming from the direction of Drakka.”

Elona had been sitting quietly in the Tower of Stories and reading, accurately sensing Kelliark’s mana, which had spread far in Drakka. Satrin wondered once again what it would be like to be a Genesis Magician.

Then, Elona gathered the fire of Kelliark that clung to Beradin. It was a lump of fire so red that it seemed foreign.

Beradin was finally able to breathe with relief once the fire was removed from his body.

“This is an ancient curse used by those who control fire.”

“A curse…?”

“The curse of fire. It is a curse that the incarnation Sheenu once tried to teach me. It amplifies mana and turns the target into a beast filled with bloodlust.”

Elona clenched her fist and dispelled the fire curse.

“It is particularly effective against Genesis Knights or those of similar strength. I haven’t experienced it personally, but those who suffer from it fall into their inner demon, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and the curse, no matter how sharp their senses are.”

Therefore, the fire curse is the most dangerous for those who go through the inner demon stage.

However, there are many restrictions on its use and a limit on how many times it can be used.

“…So I almost fell victim to the curse just now. Thank you, Lady Elona.”

“I’m glad I didn’t arrive too late. However, Patriarch, you must rest by my side for several days from now on until I can find and eliminate all traces of the curse. It won’t be safe otherwise.”

“Several days? That’s not possible. If I don’t go personally to the Holy Kingdom right now…”

Thud! Beradin spat out a mouthful of black blood.

‘Kelliark, you really gave me a good hit, you old monster.’

Beradin felt like he was dancing in Kelliark’s palm, and he felt a wave of discomfort. At this point, Kelliark was probably smiling somewhere in the True Demon World.

“If you go to the Holy Kingdom in your current state, you will undoubtedly die. Even if your old friends face Paellito at full strength, they won’t be able to win.”

“Huff… How aware are you of the battlefield situation in the Holy Kingdom?”

“It’s grave. The map is changing in real time, and Paellito’s demonic energy is rapidly increasing. At this rate, it could soon cover the entire Holy Kingdom.”

“Then, the forces fighting in the Holy Kingdom right now…”

“The Tower has calculated that they will definitely lose. However, the Tower’s calculations are still unstable, and that’s why most of the recent calculations related to the True Demon World have been incorrect. The strategy to conquer Grosh Castle and this invasion of Drakka—all these calculations have been wrong.”

Elona looked Beradin in the eyes.

Her eyes weren’t as cold as usual after nearly falling into her inner demon. They were filled with anger and madness.

And within them, there was barely a visible sense of concern and anxiety.

No, it was clearly visible. Although Beradin himself might not notice it, Elona could see it. She had gone through a similar time when she saw the world in a similar way. It was as if she was looking at her past self in a mirror.

‘What are you worried about, Patriarch? Your confused mind is bringing something buried deep within you to the surface. Perhaps it is the fear of Kelliark Zipple,… or the worries about Jin Runcandel and Dante Hairan? The fear of losing your friends…’

It wasn’t clear what exactly was contained in Beradin’s trembling eyes, but it was evident that he had a deep fear.

‘Whatever it is, I promise to help you find what you have forgotten. Just as you gave me new meaning when I returned, just as you valued a monster like me.’

A vague memory flickered in Elona’s mind as she made her determination.

It was as if someone had embraced her once, just as she was embracing Beradin now.

“What do you think, Lady Elona? Do you agree with the Tower’s calculations?”

“Honestly, when Paellito emerged to the surface, I didn’t think anyone, except me and the Runcandel patriarch… and the other two entities whose identities are still uncertain, could stop that demon.”

“Has that changed?”

“…I’m sorry, Patriarch. I don’t know.”

“You don’t need to apologize; just say what you think.”

“Still, if I had to say something, I feel that something enormous is about to awaken again in the Holy Kingdom. It’s like when Cyron Runcandel’s energy spread from the Black Sea just before the White Whale returned to Runcandel.”

Beradin and Satrin’s eyes widened.

“Are you suggesting that Jin Runcandel could also ascend to the realm of Genesis Knight during the battle, just like the previous Sword Emperor…?”

“That would be a future that even Az-Mil cannot know. The Genesis Knight is unpredictable, and has the power to twist even destiny. However, the energy I sensed feels very dark.”

“Dark, you say.”

For a moment, Beradin imagined what it would be like if Jin became a Genesis Knight during the battle.

He didn’t think that moment could be dark. It seemed very far removed from the actions that Jin Runcandel had shown so far.

“In that case, it may not be Jin, but Zito’s eye that the Holy Kingdom is guarding that could manifest. If that happens, it will undoubtedly be as dark as Lady Elona described.”

Beradin responded with a somewhat weakened voice.

“Paellito Belgasyum can break another wall as well. One thing is certain, no matter what awakens in the Holy Kingdom right now, you and I won’t be able to witness it firsthand. Whether the Vamel Alliance is annihilated or manages to defend the Holy Kingdom somehow, we will only be able to face it once this battle is over.”

Beradin solemnly nodded. Elona had said what she thought, and there was no need for him to take his injured body to the Holy Kingdom.

From Zipple’s perspective, the best outcome would be for the best personnel of the Vamel Alliance and the True Demon World to face each other in a mutual annihilation in the Holy Kingdom.

However, the idea of that outcome somehow didn’t convince Beradin.

‘Perhaps it’s because of the curse, but it’s strange. I find myself hoping that Jin Runcandel and Dante Hairan do not die.’ 

Beradin quickly pushed that thought aside and took Elona’s hand.

“For now, let’s go to the main house, Lady Elona. I was careless and kept you in this chaotic battlefield for too long.”