Chapter 107
It had been about five weeks since he left home.
Although he had wanted to leave on a whim, too many things had entangled him in foreign lands.
First, there was Raph.
That talkative kid, impossible to hate, whom he had met on the opposite seat of the hyperloop—he should at least stay to see him discharged, right?
Thus, Jin's daily schedule went like this:
As soon as he woke up, he would sluggishly crawl out of bed, have a hearty breakfast at the hotel, and—if nothing else came up—head straight to the arena.
He would then spend hours with the successor kids before stopping by to visit Raph in the evening, just before dinner.
More than once, he had gone to see Raph with Anna.
Hold on—he hadn't forced her or anything.
At first, it had been a request, but after that, it was entirely Anna's choice.
And so, today was no different.
After spending a long time chatting about trivial things, the two finally left the hospital as dusk settled in.
"About Raph."
Anna spoke as if talking to herself, glancing at Jin.
"He's a peculiar person. Like you."
"I think so too... Hmm, what do you mean by that last part?"
"Why? You don't like it?"
"It's not that... but aren't I a bit more serious than Raph? Hey, why are you laughing?"
By chance, he had overheard something.
Anna had few peers in her family.
The only daughter of the former patriarch, and the youngest sibling of the current one.
Naturally, she was surrounded by nieces and nephews but had little connection with them.
Perhaps that was why she had gotten along with Walter, who had knocked on the family's doors as a young Esquire.
Walter.
At that name, Jin suddenly thought of the ember.
That ember had now deepened into a flame named Sacred Flame.
But even now, Jin believed it was Walter who had passed the ember to him.
A tiny spark that had ignited within his heart.
A warmth that had sometimes served as a guiding light when he was swallowed by black waves.
Thinking about it, Walter was nothing short of a benefactor.
If not for him, Jin might have long since been burned to ashes by his own black flame.
Perhaps that was why.
"Anna."
"Yeah?"
"Hold on a sec. Look at this."
As they walked beneath the evening glow, Jin stopped and turned his palm upward.
In the next moment—
Anna's eyes widened as she saw a faint, transparent heat forming above his hand.
"This is...?"
"Walter left it behind. Not sure why he gave it to me instead of you, but well... I kept meaning to show you, but with everything that's happened, I kept forgetting."
"..."
For a while, Anna said nothing.
She simply gazed at the Sacred Flame with a deep look in her eyes.
As the silence stretched on, Jin felt a little awkward.
And then, he suddenly noticed something—without calling forth her White Flame, Anna's eyes were a soft, verdant green.
"I've heard about it before. A fire of utmost purity. The long-lost wish of our family, waiting to be found again."
The next moment, white flames flared up from Eanna's hand—sacred heat, the Baekyeom—White Flame.
Gently, it overlapped with Jin's palm.
"It's warm, isn't it?"
She smiled softly as she spoke.
Time passed.
Not much—just about three days.
And tomorrow was Raph's discharge day.
Getting discharged just fifteen days after losing an arm—this place definitely felt more advanced than his homeland in that regard.
Of course, the attending physician had strongly objected, saying it was too soon, but Raph had stubbornly insisted he was fine.
In any case, this was Jin's last day in the 8th district.
As he was spending it like usual, someone came looking for him.
"I've come to escort you."
It was a familiar attendant of the Sword Saint.
Following his lead, Jin arrived at a small noodle shop—where he found the Sword Saint himself, studying the menu with a deadly serious expression.
"Have a seat. Do you like noodles?"
"Oh, I love them. I'd eat them every day if I could."
As Jin sat down, the Sword Saint let out a quiet sigh.
"This place always makes me struggle with choices."
"Why's that?"
"Everything is good. Could you pick for me?"
The Sword Saint subtly slid the menu over, and Jin solved his dilemma with a single sentence.
"We'll take one of everything."
"Oh? That's an option? But can you eat it all?"
"I said I'd eat them every day if I could."
And so, the meal began.
As Jin practically inhaled his noodles, the Sword Saint, watching in amazement, first took a sip of broth before speaking.
"You've had an awakening, haven't you?"
"Hmm?"
Jin paused mid-bite and glanced at the Sword Saint.
"Oh. Yeah."
Judging by his words, the man had instantly recognized that Jin had reached the mid-stage of the 2nd Rank.
Jin didn't even bother wondering how—he had long since accepted that some things were just beyond understanding.
After all, this was the man whose sword reached the sky itself.
At this point, Jin wasn't sure if even the 3rd Rank could fully encompass the Sword Saint's abilities.
It wasn't just a vague suspicion.
Even after his deepened awakening, Jin still couldn't gauge the man's level at all.
It was a strange feeling—as if the Sword Saint, though right before his eyes, remained impossibly distant.
A kind of certainty that no matter how fast he threw a punch, it wouldn't land.
Luckily, it seemed the Sword Saint was unaware that this brazen vagabond was using his face as a mental target for estimating distances.
Or, even if he was aware, he didn't particularly mind.
"Congratulations. Sparring with strong opponents has been helpful, I take it?"
"I nearly died, though. You saw Kendrick bedridden. Won't his family head give you an earful later?"
"No worries. Elder Gabelus will actually be pleased. It looks like Kendrick has hit a wall."
"...Him?"
"Then."
What the hell?
Does the Sword Saint's Training Method actually work?
Jin slurped his noodles with a doubtful expression.
The Sword Saint also slurped.
Of course, there was a misunderstanding between them.
Kendrick had reached the peak of the second rank, not because of his battle with the Apostle, but because he had finally been freed from the burden weighing on him after his match with Jin.
Somewhere, the Young Thunder King scratched his ear.
"By the way, you're leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. I have to go. I ended up staying longer than expected."
"Ryucard will be disappointed."
Once again, Jin reflexively thought, Him?
Really?
Ryucard Anarion.
He was always polite and proper—a commendable younger brother in the eyes of Jin, who had the mindset of an old-fashioned man despite his youth.
But he never struck Jin as the type to be disappointed over someone's absence.
After all, even in gatherings of heirs, the man spent most of his time staring at his sword.
If there was anyone in this era who embodied pure devotion, it was him.
Jin had even nicknamed him Sword Devotee for that very reason.
Of course, he never looked deep into the man's heart.
"Tell him I'll visit occasionally. Actually, never mind—I can tell him myself. Anyway, this place really is a great restaurant."
Jin raised his eyebrows as he reached for his fourth bowl.
An eternal growth phase meant eternal hunger.
Across from him, the Sword Saint watched with a helpless expression.
"You really eat well."
Jin refrained from pointing out that noodles weren't very filling and that even this wouldn't be enough.
That way, the Sword Saint could continue his words naturally.
"I have something to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"You remember the Sacred Relic of the Saint King, don't you? And the fact that its divine power has taken root in you."
"..."
Jin slowly nodded, wondering if the Sword Saint was about to hold him accountable for it.
His guess was half right.
"Let's be honest. There's a strong opinion within the family that you should be confined to the Eighth District. Some more extreme voices are even suggesting imprisonment."
Cough!
Jin involuntarily coughed, covering his mouth with his hand.
"What the hell? Is this some kind of last supper?"
"Does it seem that way?"
The Sword Saint chuckled as he scooped up a spoonful of broth.
Then, in a calm tone, he added:
"Don't worry. As long as I'm alive, that won't happen. However, I want to make it clear that the elders aren't pushing for this out of personal grudge against you."
So it was the elders.
Jin quickly grasped who was trying to keep him restrained.
His appetite disappeared, and he idly stirred his noodles, listening closely as the Sword Saint continued.
"...Divine power. The Saint King's last legacy and one of the few remaining traces of a god in this land."
The Sword Saint's gaze settled on Jin, his voice becoming more solemn.
"And at the same time, it's a power that the Apostles seek."
You understand why I'm telling you this, don't you?
Jin's lips parted slightly.
"...You think they'll come after me again?"
"Exactly. If the relic had shattered and disappeared, that would be one thing. But for some reason, the divine power chose to remain in you. Once the dark mages learn of this, they'll definitely come after you. That's what the elders are worried about."
"Hmm."
Jin finally nodded.
Now he understood why the Anarion family wanted to keep him under a travel ban.
So he could also predict what the Sword Saint would say next.
Be careful.
Avoid using divine power if possible.
But that was a misjudgment. Jin had yet to fully grasp the kind of man the Sword Saint was—
"That's why you must not lose."
Jin blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"I said, don't lose. That's the only way to protect the divine power."
"Not be careful?"
"Be careful? Since when do people like us do that? Is that what Lokan taught you?"
Of course.
The current Sword Saint and former Mad Sword—this man never even considered a world where he wouldn't fight.
Just to be sure, Jin asked if he could use divine power.
The response?
"That's up to you. But if you want my opinion—use it whenever the moment demands victory."
Jin let out a quiet chuckle.
No wonder he's the family head.
Lokan wasn't exactly sane either.
But Jin fully understood the Sword Saint's intent.
And this was a request he could gladly fulfill.
"Leave it to me."
Seeing Jin thump his chest with his palm, the Sword Saint smiled.
"Good. That's how it should be."
***
On the day of departure.
Jin visited the arena one last time.
There, the successors of the Seven Families—or rather, six of them—came to see him off.
"See you next time, Jin."
Anna, who had become a comfortable friend, said with a smile.
Jin gave her a light hug before turning to Katrina.
"Come here."
"W-What?"
Katrina froze in shock, eyes squeezed shut.
Jin grinned mischievously and ruffled the top of her head before dashing away at her outraged scream.
"Brother! Thanks to you, I've learned how vast the world is. I'll work even harder!"
The youngest, Dayor, bowed respectfully.
"Let's have a rematch next time..."
Carlos, who had lost the friendly competition 3-2, sighed in frustration.
Then it was Rycard's turn.
"Do not let greed taint your sword."
"What? Why?"
"Well, you would know the reason better than I do, wouldn't you?"
At a loss for words, Jin ended the conversation with a promise to visit often and turned his gaze to the last person.
"I'm off."
"Go ahead. And—"
Kendrick, arms crossed and his expression as cold as ever, added a remark with his usual air of arrogance.
"Next time, come to Zahad. I'll make sure to crush you in front of my grandfather."
"Yeah, yeah."
By now, Jin was used to Kendrick's way of speaking.
So, he casually interpreted the remark as something along the lines of, "Come visit my place next time."
With that, he patted Kendrick's shoulder a couple of times, then took a few steps back, waving his hand.
When he had put some distance between them, he turned around and walked alongside Raph.
"Did you say goodbye to Anna?"
"Of course. I wrapped it up short and sweet while you were doing your tour for the heirs."
"That so?"
The two chatted idly as they walked to the train station.
Time passed.
As the announcement rang out that the Hyperloop would soon arrive, Jin slowly got up, then suddenly turned his head to take in the cityscape beyond the glass.
District 8.
A place he wouldn't forget, for better or worse.
"It was fun."
With that brief remark and a small smile, Jin stepped onto the platform.
"Where are you heading next?"
Raph posed the question inside the returning train.
Jin, who had been gazing out the window at the shifting scenery, responded.
"Not sure. I'll probably head back to Downtown. The real issue is the ridiculously long journey."
"Then you'll get off at the last stop."
"And you?"
"Same here. But I get off six hours earlier than you. Should be soon now."
"Huh?"
Jin tilted his head.
If he remembered correctly, Raph had come from District 36.
Meaning, there was no reason for him to get off early when the Hyperloop's final stop was District 29.
"Why so sudden?"
"It's nothing major. I just want to see my master."
"Oh, yeah?"
Jin nodded, not thinking much of it—until, suddenly, something occurred to him.
He waved a finger in the air and asked,
"Does your master have any other disciples? I mean, do you have any fellow students?"
"······?"
For the first time, Raph hesitated.
He, who never had delays in his responses, wavered.
His conflicted expression made it obvious he was debating whether to answer.
Eventually, he decided to speak.
"···There was one. Though I don't know if you'd really call them a fellow student."
"Why?"
"He killed our master."
Raph replied with a grimace, scratching the back of his head.
"Hey, don't get the wrong idea. I'm just visiting the grave. The place where my master is buried… But why'd you ask about that all of a sudden?"
Jin deflected the question with a vague, "Just curious."
He had noticed something strangely familiar in Raph's fighting style—but he couldn't quite recall where he had seen it before.
"Well, that was anticlimactic."
Raph shrugged, and before long, the train came to a stop.
He got up from his seat.
"I'm off. Take care. Keep in touch now and then."
"You too."
After seeing Raph off with a brief farewell, Jin leaned against the window.
Then, pulling out his terminal—
"Let's see."
With the thought of finally getting back to work, he logged into the Solo Intranet.
「Promotion」──────────────
Further, higher.
You have been promoted to Solo (Lv5).
Reward: XP 10,000─────────────────
An unexpected system notification struck his vision—
"Ugh!"
A sudden jolt hit his brain.
And then, his eyes landed on an alert marked (+999).
He didn't even need to check.
They were all new requests.