Chapter 7
Part 1
“—, sorry……”
Then came the wet sucking sound as Rin’s dagger was buried in the back of Jin’s waist.
Hearing the apology that accompanied the stab, Jin’s head started to swim as his eyes started to roll and lose focus.
“Ri…in, why?”
“Haha, as expected of the “Strategist [Game Controller]”-sama! When I thought that you might be swayed over by the enemy to betray us, I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my back just now!”
The owner of the voice clapped his hands while walking down the spiraling stairs. The man who wore the red and blue strikingly contrasted jacket was undoubtedly Maxwell Demon Lord himself.
“Fufu…… our ‘strategist’-sama have quite the brains and brawns. You’ve really changed my perception of you. To backstab such a simple-minded lad, you are really quite merciless.”
Walking closer to Jin and Rin, who was stained by the blood, Maxwell was beaming a wide smile that seemed to be his way of controlling his urge to laugh.
“HngHmph, you should know that we women are capable of nastiness as well. —So when did you start watching us?”
“Oh, only the last part. Just when he started to spin his lies. Well, it’s all because of my bashful bride running away from me again that I’ve been chasing her until a moment ago.”
“Ah~…… so that’s how it is.”
—what a liar. Rin and Jin’s instincts were telling them that.
Although they couldn’t be sure when he had started to listen in on them, but this man had surely heard of their plans. And Rin had narrowly pulled it off by stabbing Jin when she noticed his presence.
Watching the whole drama played out before him as an amusing joke, this man couldn’t help but have a smile plastered across his face which was his way of suppressing the urge to laugh.
“Come to think about it, “Strategist”-sama, have you gotten hold of the inheritance of the Dragon King of the Sea of Stars yet?”
“I was about to get it. —Mhm. I also wanted to let him see something special before sending him on his way across the Sanzu River. Hence I staged the little play just now.”
“Hoho, that’s really……”[67]
Maxwell had a smirk on his face as he fixed them with his horrid gaze.
It was then that Jin realized his fatal error.
(This is bad…… The men under His Highness aren’t his private army but one that is mixed with a pair of eyes working for their superiors……!)
And that person was none other than Maxwell Demon Lord. Even if Rin possessed a Gift that is seemingly invincible, she would still be in trouble when matched with an opponent who can perform instantaneous teleportation to dispose of her. He would also possess the freedom to report his findings at any point in time.
Only being aware of this now, Jin gripped his fist with his other hand as he knelt over in regret.
(I was too hasty……I was too focused on the fact that I might lose the chance to negotiate with Rin if I lost this chance!)
If he had given it more thought, he should have arrived at the speculation of a look-out in their midst. But in the end, he had caused it to escalate into a situation that almost brought harm to Rin and His Highness as well. And by doing so, he had closed off the option for Rin to let him live as letting him off would put them into an unfavorable light.
“Then, ‘Strategist’-sama. What do you plan to do with him?”
“Tie him up and bring him with us. After all, Jin’s power is quite rare.”
“—What?” Maxwell’s expression had changed.
The mirth had left his eyes and there was a trace of animosity and doubt that started to grow in his gaze. However, Rin did not back away as she returned the stare and pointed her dagger at him.
“Maxwell-san, I should be asking you why you are here. Didn’t I ask of you to capture both the [Genome Tree] and Willa the Ignis Faatus, alive? Or is it so difficult that a fourth digit Demon Lord is also forced to run back with the tail between his legs?”
“……That’s—”
“I’m not willing, but to bring Jin Russel back with us would also count as an accomplishment. For us who are in need of all the accomplishments we can get, to earn us some favor, this is indeed a realistic decision. You should be able to understand that right?”
“Uu—” Maxwell gave a dissatisfied withering look but seemed to have agreed with Rin’s decision.
*Pak!* With a snap of his fingers, Maxwell had Jin locked in ice cuffs while using fire to cauterize the wound.
“Ouf, Guh……”
“Oh? You have quite some backbone on you eh? Although it’s just a small entry wound, it’s still a feat to not scream from the cauterization process.” Maxwell gave his insincere praise while Rin continued to watch with an unfeeling face. After all, if she were to say something that did not match her position, her intentions would have been given away.
“Mah, if you want to play with him, that’s fine by me, but it’s almost time to notify the rest to prepare their retreat, right?”
“Oh……? Why?”
Maxwell stared at Rin with suspicion and it was clear that he no longer trusted her words.
However, Rin fearlessly announced her decision to Maxwell.
Though her heart was pained by the inner turmoil, but she could only use this method to tide the situation over.
“I will be obtaining the inheritance of the Dragon King of the Sea of Stars right now and releasing the seal of that Demon Lord—Issue the order to all our members to get out of North Side immediately.”
Saying that, Rin retrieved the Dragon Horn of the Dragon King of the Sea of Stars. She then placed the two dragon horns upon the sealing pedestal with the tattered cloth that was used to wrap around them and the items immediately gave off a hazy glow.
But what had glowed wasn’t just limited to the Dragon Horns.
“……No, it can’t be.”
Jin momentarily forgot about his pain as he stared at that particular radiance.
However, what he had forgotten wasn’t just the pain on his side. For in his mind, the matters such as the battle that was taking place currently on the outside, or even Maxwell who was standing beside him, they were all thrown aside as it took greater precedence.
—That glowing tattered piece of cloth was a Flag.
And that was a flag that he would never forget. It was the flag that Jin and Kuro Usagi had always looked up to during their years of growing up. Even if it were stolen or desecrated, the flag that continues to fly in their hearts had never disappeared.
The cloth that had a red background bordered with gold threads, depicted a girl with the rising sun behind the hills and this was a flag that had no other like it in this world.
“You must become a Man worthy of this Flag.”
Jin had grown up under such expectations from both his parents and the other adults. It was also the line that kept Kuro Usagi, the senior group and the other kids going even when the times were tough.
Even if it were to be at the expense of everything in his life, this is the one and only flag in the world—
“Hmph, for this rag to actually be the flag that belonged to the Community that defeated the most Demon Lords in the history of Mankind.”
“……and you still have the cheek to say that when you obviously didn’t have any trick to handle their leader.”
At Rin’s mock surprise, Maxwell fell silent.
Spreading the Flag across the pedestal, she then inserted the Dragon Horns of the Dragon King of the Sea of Stars.
“With this, everything is set. Then we would just need fire to be injected into the dragon horns to act as the catalyst for stimulating the ley lines and the veins of the volcano. And that would release the seals of the [Ecliptic path of the Twelve Chén] and [Another Cosmology].”
“The [Dragon]’s Sovereignty of the Sun……Hoho. With this, His Highness will be a step closer to completion.”
Maxwell walked over to stand before the pedestal where he placed his hands upon the Dragon horns to release a fiery blaze,
“Here goes—Open, the Gates of Hell!”
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