Chapter 726,
Chapter 183. A skirmish that started from within (1)
* * *
Grave of swords.
Hufestor named the newly built castle in the Garden of Swords that way.
Newspapers from Hufester were constantly pouring out praises of Rosa’s power to build castles and the army of chaos.
The temporary alliance gathered information about the sword’s tomb through daily strategy meetings. Orgal scouted the area near the Garden of Swords through the steel gate every day.
“From the outside, it looks like it’s already been completed…? A castle that big? The first report came in only two days ago!”
“Are you saying that you can wield that level of authority without retrieving the power you gave to the Fourth Horseman? Certainly God is God.”
Octavia and Beradin said. Others in the hall were clearly shocked.
It was only natural that the castle, which was much larger than the old Imperial Palace in Beamont, was completed in just a few days.
It was also completely unexpected.
The only problem left for the provisional alliance was the suspended ship Ram and the wounded Rosa.
It was a matter of not even thinking about a super-giant fortress on a scale that had never existed in human history.
For a while, words about sex came and went.
Why the hell did Rosa build the castle, what she was trying to achieve through her, and whether the power of the temporary alliance would be able to break through the castle made up of marriage.
Of course, no clear conclusions could be drawn.
However, there was general public opinion about the ‘purpose’ for which Rosa built her last name.
“To me, it seems like a plan to recover from the blow caused by the death of the Fourth Horseman. It is a kind of show off. He still has this much power.”
At Cardun’s words, Ronil nodded.
“I think so too. The citadel was completed so quickly, but the construction of Ram, the ship that really symbolizes the authority and power of the Goddess of Mischief, is still at a standstill.”
“It’s a show off…”
As soon as Jin opened his mouth, people’s eyes gathered.
Unlike the first meeting, Jin had a very haggard face. Her eyes are black, her hair is frizzy, and her face is drawn.
It was because of a nightmare.
Ever since Rosa started making the castle, Jin has been suffering from severe nightmares every day. It’s about Rosa’s nightmare.
It was not a nightmare caused by psychological pressure or anxiety.
Rosa’s authority and will were directly penetrating into Jin’s inner world. Just as Gleeek in the white stone devastated Dante’s inner world.
So whenever Jin fell asleep, he was fighting against Rosa’s will.
No, even when I was awake, I felt her influence every moment.
Allies and colleagues knew that too. The decisive battle had not yet begun, but so to speak, the ‘inner skirmish’ had already begun between Jin and Rosa.
“Rosa doesn’t need that.”
It was a heavy word.
After the first all-out attack, the only person in the temporary alliance who felt Rosa’s power “directly” was Jin.
So, in Jin’s eyes, Kadun, who talked about showing off, looked funny.
“Then what do you think? 12 riders.”
“Just like the name of the castle, it seems like they just built a grandiose tomb. A grave in which I will be buried.”
Silence passed for about ten seconds.
Jin carefully looked around at his allies and colleagues.
Anxiety lingered in their eyes as they looked at Jin.
Jin is Rosa’s only opponent.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that everything in the Battle of the Chests depended on a one-on-one match between him and Rosa.
Even before such a fight, Rosa’s energy was crushing him, and he was getting haggard every day, so he had no choice but to be concerned.
[Considering the obsession that the evil god has shown you so far, it could be.]
When Orgal opened his mouth, Jin nodded.
“I don’t have a chance to analyze the structure of the castle or check the internal power anyway. One battle, one outcome. That will determine our… no, the world’s survival.”
Jin stood up from his seat.
“Fortnight later.”
[15 days?]
“Then hit the sword garden. Until then, I will prepare myself to overcome Rosa’s nightmare and fight at my best. Temporary allies should finish preparing for battle in the meantime.”
“What if you don’t get over Rosa’s nightmare by then?”
“In that case, we will have to postpone the date. If you go and fight in this state, you will never be able to win. You’re asking the obvious, Veradin. Conversely, if I push Rosa’s energy before him and restore her original state. The invasion will begin immediately.”
“If you’re careful, it means that you can sortie right away tomorrow. I know, get ready. Do you agree with Kingelo?”
[I agree.]
“Can I participate in this meeting only when there is something I really need to hear before the showdown?”
It was a story that I would focus on improving my physical condition. It was far more important for Jin to overcome the nightmare as soon as possible than to attend the meeting himself.
“As you like. It’s a detailed strategy.
* * *
After that day, Jin spent time in the Secret Palace.
There was no better place than Secret Palace to end the inner war against Rosa’s aura without caring about anything.
The only companions who came to the Secret Palace together were Gilly and Valeria Quaul. In the quiet and cold space, Jin spent a lot of time meditating while sitting on a throne.
Although invisible to others, a fierce battle was unfolding inside Jin every moment.
When I opened my eyes, Rosa’s voice ran through my head, and when I closed my eyes, Rosa’s sword rushed into my heart.
When he fell asleep, he had a dream in which Rosa murdered Jin and his loved ones, and Jin could only helplessly watch. While desperately trying to discern whether this is reality or a dream.
So the method Jin chose was to reduce sleep to a minimum and meditate. Other than that, there was no way to resist Rosa’s mental attack.
‘I bet you don’t know that you can’t help me with this prank.’
‘You’re pretty emaciated for that, son.’
‘I admit it works. But if I win this fight, I don’t think you have anything to lose either.’
‘Well… if I have anything left to lose, it’s only you. You are my last joy.’
No one else could hear Jin’s inner conversation. Instead, Jin relayed the contents to his colleagues who would be frustrated.
peek.
A group of small beastmen poked their heads into the training hall entrance and looked at Jin.
They were the top performers of the gold top and members of the Watertail tribe.
“It looks tough. You can’t die.”
“Oh, what else to die! Hmm, there’s not even a drop of blood on his face, as if he’s sick. It looks like there is no moisture in the body, so why is it sweating like that? You keep making sounds of pain and getting upset.”
Darkfire and Top said worriedly.
“Isn’t it something that I need to take a month of restorative medicine?”
“There is our eel. Shall I give it? jin. If you eat it, you will be strong.”
“Would you like to have that? I heard that what was spread around the secret palace was a miracle drug. What is Sogung-ju doing without taking out those things right away? Could it be that you are cherishing this place!?”
“No, it’s because elixirs are useless.”
The top covered my mouth at the sudden voice of Siris.
Before I knew it, Siris, like the little beasts, was sticking his head out toward Jin.
“Oh, what a surprise. It doesn’t look like I’m talking behind my back, does it? Sogungju. I just said it because I was worried about Jin. haha.”
“That’s right, Topi talked behind his back.”
“Anyway, he only speaks clearly when it’s like this!”
Siris tousled the little beastmen’s hair and put her index finger to her lips. It meant to be quiet as it would interfere with Jin’s meditation.
Every day was like that. Jin meditates while his colleagues watch him from afar. It was like the whole family being careful about their actions while leaving a person facing a big test.
One day, Siris first asked Jin a question.
“I could give you Jin’s mother’s closed gym. Why are you insisting on an open training ground?”
“Because it’s a little better to feel the presence of those close to you.”
Siris caught Jin’s eyes in shock at the completely unexpected answer.
“To resist the mental attack of the Evil God?”
“That’s right. The presence of colleagues nearby is sometimes a milestone. While responding to Rosa’s mental attack, my ego is buried, and I suddenly come to my senses when I hear the voices of my colleagues or the sound of footsteps and coughs.”
“That means it needs a moderate amount of friendly noise.”
“That’s right, Mr. Siris. If it’s too noisy, you won’t be able to focus on mind attacks.”
“It’s hard to believe with my own eyes that a mere mind attack can make someone as strong as you look so thin.”
“It’s just… I guess I could explain it as feeling like you’re drowning in the deep sea with your hands and feet tied, and the deeper you go, the more you see the corpses of people you care about. That fear lasts 24 hours on the border between reality and mental attack.”
“…seriously hopeless. Are you getting better little by little?”
Siris asked one more cautious question.
Jin’s face was much worse than the day he first came to the Secret Palace.
“Honestly, I don’t know. And… when the point comes when you need to completely end the mind attack, then you’ll need the Closing Grounds.”
“In the end, it means you need a moment to fight alone.”
“yes. It’s a hunch, but it certainly will be.”
Siris and other colleagues couldn’t help but feel frustrated. Even before the temporary alliance starts an all-out attack, Jin alone is fighting a difficult and lonely battle.
That’s why the colleagues couldn’t help but imagine the fight Jin was going through and support them.
However, from the day Jin came to the Secret Palace and four days later.
Rosa’s mental attack began to spread to her colleagues and key figures in the temporary alliance.
It was Siris who first had the same kind of nightmare as Jin.
“Aaaagh!”
“Lord of the Little Palace!”
“Leader!”
When Siris’ scream was heard, the seven swords of the secret palace and the escorts hurriedly entered the secret palace master’s bedroom.
They saw Siris shivering, all covered in sweat.
It was the first time for all of them to see Siris so terrified.
Siris was the one who calmly took a breath and closed her eyes again even when she woke up from a nightmare in her childhood, and the one who didn’t show any signs of distress even when she was undergoing rigorous training as a small bow master.
“Are you okay, Captain?”
“Hee-eok hee… Jin Jin-eun.”
“Lord Sogung?”
“You mean you’ve been enduring something like this… every day?”
Saying that, Siris couldn’t help but be mesmerized for a while.
While the fear of the evil god Rosa paralyzed his limbs, he felt unbearably sorry for Jin.
