* * *
[You took a long time this time, don’t you?]
Chaos raised its head and said.
Today, on the first day of October 1801, Jin has entered the door of chaos three months after the last confrontation. It was the first time after he had fought a battle every month.
“I was choosing a present for you.”
Jin answered in a low voice.
That calm answer was imbued with a deep hostility toward Chaos. To those with eyes that could see that deep animosity, the current Jin would almost look like a demon.
[Present?]
Over the past year and three months, Jin has undergone many changes. Through the long and difficult fights of the past, he regained about 50% of his strength, and he also accumulated new strength through training.
Even so, he has not become an opponent of Chaos so far.
The best time he got in his last fight, a fight of 18 minutes and 27 seconds, also couldn't really be called a proper fight. He just evaded most of the time and then ran away.
But Jin thought it would be different today.
[What, did you bring a toy for me?]
Chaos snorted.
‘Ultimate shadow Sword…… Did he come after perfecting the technique that he used to think about whenever he fought?'
In this space, Chaos can read Jin's thoughts.
That's why, in each battle, Chaos obtained information about all the martial arts that Jin was learning, including the ultimate technique of the shadow sword, and easily destroyed it.
'I didn't even need to do anything to be exact. Even the technique that seem to be okay have never been fully developed because he lacks the power he possesses.'
The only thing that had bothered the chaos so far was Jin's pure hatred. Just reading the hostility made it feel uncomfortable.
Chaos stood up and looked down at Jin. As always, in its eyes, Jin looked weak enough to kill by simply squeezing him with its front paws.
However, after a while, Chaos felt the hostility that Jin harbored suddenly subside.
[Oh, what. I realized now that it doesn't work for me...… Eh?]
And that wasn't all.
Along with the disappearance of hostility, Chaos also realized that since then Jin's inner thoughts has become unreadable.
This is also the first time.
[What did you do?]
Jin didn't answer.
Suddenly, in his right hand was Bradamante, stained black with shadow force, and Chaos could not help but be shocked by the sight.
It was because it was completely unaware of the moment when Jin pulled out his sword. Some ominous intuition chilled its spine like a chilly wind, and the scales stood up.
[This!]
Shaak-!
Chaos quickly swung its forepaw, but it didn't feel like it was being hit heavily. It was the same even if chaos swung its forepaws again and hurriedly hit in all directions with its tail.
'Where did you go!?'
Even when Chaos turned its head around, it couldn't see Jin's figure. As if he hadn't even entered this space from the beginning, it couldn't find Jin anywhere.
'There is no trace of opening the door and running away.'
So, if it release energy to the entire space, Jin will eventually be defeated. However, Chaos was worried about one problem that could arise if it did so, but now was not the time to be so relaxed.
Chaos vision was suddenly blocked.
'My eyes……!’
For a moment, Chaos had no choice but to mistakenly believe that it was blind.
This sub-space is originally composed of chaos, but the color and outline of chaos and Jin's body are not covered by the empty darkness.
But not now. Even if chaos put its front paws and tail in front of its face, and even if it turn its head and look at the wings, there is only darkness.
Invisible.
Chaos was known only then. The fact that Jin's hostility did not disappear, it was just blocked as if its vision had suddenly disappeared.
Chaos didn't even have to think about what was blocking them.
Shadow force.
In an instant, the energy of chaos that made up the entire subspace was covered with shadow force.
“It seems to work for you this time too…….”
When Jin's low voice was heard again, Chaos reflexively twisted its body.
Chaos couldn't tell from which direction it started. At that time, Chaos was exploding energy in all directions with no worries, but even it did not feel the sense of hitting Jin.
Since the beginning of the history of life, darkness has never taken off the symbol of 'fear'. Thus, for the first time, Chaos had no choice but to be terrified.
The opponent, who had only looked so ridiculous a few seconds ago, now became an unknown fear and oppressed the chaos.
[Hey, wait, wait. How is this possible? This is my territory...…!]
“Finally, I see you showing off your shallow inner thoughts in a panic like the first time.”
[This bastard!]
“Oh, and I guess you can’t read my thoughts in this state? If you had just kept your mouth shut, I wouldn't have known that.”
It was a 'sign' that the vision of chaos was blocked. When the ultimate technique of shadow sword is unleashed.
The sign naturally colored the subspace from the moment Jin decided to use the ultimate technique of the Shadow, and from then on, all of its senses became dull without chaos’s knowledge, and it was at the point when Jin pulled out his sword.
The reason why Chaos didn't notice Jin's sword wasn't because he was careless.
“Thanks to that, I can have more confidence.”
Over the past year and three months, the shadow sword's ultimate technique, which had plunged Jin into despair countless times, was beginning.
Shadow Sword 1st Ultimate technique
First Night (첫 번째 밤)
The darkness that engulfed the chaos deepened. Even if chaos opened or closed its eyes, only endless darkness disturbed the mind of chaos.
It seemed like its mind was going crazy. It just wasn't a feeling. Chaos was aware that the senses it knew were going out one by one like candlelight.
After sense of sight. The feeling of moving its body, the feeling of the air touching its body, the feeling of sound being transmitted to its ears, all of those senses were gone. As if it had become a thing.
In fear, chaos wanted to shout, but even that didn't work out as it wanted. No sound came out as if its throat had been blocked.
Chaos couldn't see, it couldn't move its body, it couldn't make a sound. It can't even get the feeling of struggling. Chaos could do nothing but die, like a doll with a broken string.
'Thought…… even thinking!?’
The last thing to be blocked is consciousness.
The darkness that covered all sides was eroding the mind of chaos like water. It tried to hold on to the consciousness that was about to disappear, but it was helpless.
'No……!’
With that thought in mind, all senses and consciousness of chaos went out. It couldn't be more defenseless than that. Chaos could not be awakened no matter how much it was cut, and it was in a state where it could not even feel pain from shock.
Swoosh...….
Eventually, the image of Jin standing out as he slowly moved towards chaos in the dark. Unlike Chaos, Jin was able to recognize exactly what he was doing. Chaos remained motionless, clinging to the curtains of shadow force.
'It's different from when I used it on the sister Battle god. I am able to succeed like this only because it was a strong monster.'
Jin looked at the chaos for a moment.
Jin wasn't relaxing. It was because he was so exhausted that he couldn't do anything else for a moment while unleashing his ultimate technique of the Shadow Sword.
'Certainly, as the siblings said, the shadow sword feels more like ability than a technique.'
Shadow Sword 1st Ultimate technique, the first night is based on Shadow Sword 1st technique ‘Soul Slashing’.
-By the way, didn't I say that soul slashing is the beginning and end of a shadow sword?
-Yes.
-So, even if you do a great job of soul slashing, does this mean that leaving a sword mark of only 100 steps in this training ground is the limit?
-If you only cut the soul, that's the limit. However, when you reach the peak of the martial art of the shadow sword, the soul slashing is not a technique, but becomes a ability.
The conversation Jin had with Garmund when he first started to receive training for shadow sword in Laprarosa.
At the time, Garmund had said that if he reaches the extreme of the shadow sword and unleashes a soul slash, he can reap the life of ‘an opponent weaker than himself’ at any time.
The first night could be said to be an intermediate step before being able to use that level of soul slash.
If Chaos had a higher will than Jin’s and had a strong will, the result would have been completely different from now.
“Whoa…….”
Jin took a breath and took a stance. It was time to cut him down and put an end to this long nightmare.
Crack, thaw-!
Jin ran and swung Bradamante in the darkness of shadow force that covered all sides, but each time, a sharp black sword like a flash cut through the chaos.
Like a glass is breaking. The body of chaos was broken.
Jin had never hit Chaos before, but as soon as he mastered the ultimate technique of the Shadow Sword, the fact that Jin was cutting it so easily gave the feel of both hopeless and thrilled at the same time.
It was also the pleasure of finally regaining strength. Each time Chaos' body was cut into pieces, a chunk that glowed like ore was revealed one by one, all of which were Jin's strength that chaos had stolen.
Jin snatched them and replenished his energy, increasing the speed of his sword swing.
Before long, Jin was able to get all his strength back from chaos. Jin’s eyes widened at the power that filled his whole body, and what he saw right after was that the body of chaos disintegrated beyond recognition of its original form.
When first night technique was over, a feeling of exhaustion came over that was so intense that it overshadowed the sense of recovering all the strength.
'No, if I get tired like this now.'
Jin is not yet convinced that he has put an end to the chaos. It almost seemed like that, but there was still plenty of room for him to recover.
And within seconds, the fear became a reality.
[You, damn……!]
The chaos, which had re-formed before anyone knew it, was looking down at Jin from the air.
Fortunately, it was incomparably weaker and smaller than before.
On the other hand, Jin was only temporarily exhausted, so if he got over this crisis, he could win a complete victory unconditionally in the next fight.
[Bastard!]
Chaos descended and spewed an awl into Jin's chest. Jin was able to block up to three, but couldn't able to stop the fourth awl.
The fourth awl was aiming for the face, and if hit, the head would disappear. Jin gritted his teeth and raised his sword, but it was a little late.
'Did it stop?'
For some reason, the awl stopped moving in front of Jin's eyes. If it hadn't stopped, at least half of Jin’s face would have been ripped off intact.
The victory in the next battle is certain of Jin doesn't miss that chance and open the door with the shadow sword and run away.
However, Jin suppressed the urge to do so and made eye contact with Chaos.
"You can't kill me, can you?"
* * *
[You took a long time this time, don’t you?]
Chaos raised its head and said.
Today, on the first day of October 1801, Jin has entered the door of chaos three months after the last confrontation. It was the first time after he had fought a battle every month.
“I was choosing a present for you.”
Jin answered in a low voice.
That calm answer was imbued with a deep hostility toward Chaos. To those with eyes that could see that deep animosity, the current Jin would almost look like a demon.
[Present?]
Over the past year and three months, Jin has undergone many changes. Through the long and difficult fights of the past, he regained about 50% of his strength, and he also accumulated new strength through training.
Even so, he has not become an opponent of Chaos so far.
The best time he got in his last fight, a fight of 18 minutes and 27 seconds, also couldn't really be called a proper fight. He just evaded most of the time and then ran away.
But Jin thought it would be different today.
[What, did you bring a toy for me?]
Chaos snorted.
‘Ultimate shadow Sword…… Did he come after perfecting the technique that he used to think about whenever he fought?'
In this space, Chaos can read Jin's thoughts.
That's why, in each battle, Chaos obtained information about all the martial arts that Jin was learning, including the ultimate technique of the shadow sword, and easily destroyed it.
'I didn't even need to do anything to be exact. Even the technique that seem to be okay have never been fully developed because he lacks the power he possesses.'
The only thing that had bothered the chaos so far was Jin's pure hatred. Just reading the hostility made it feel uncomfortable.
Chaos stood up and looked down at Jin. As always, in its eyes, Jin looked weak enough to kill by simply squeezing him with its front paws.
However, after a while, Chaos felt the hostility that Jin harbored suddenly subside.
[Oh, what. I realized now that it doesn't work for me...… Eh?]
And that wasn't all.
Along with the disappearance of hostility, Chaos also realized that since then Jin's inner thoughts has become unreadable.
This is also the first time.
[What did you do?]
Jin didn't answer.
Suddenly, in his right hand was Bradamante, stained black with shadow force, and Chaos could not help but be shocked by the sight.
It was because it was completely unaware of the moment when Jin pulled out his sword. Some ominous intuition chilled its spine like a chilly wind, and the scales stood up.
[This!]
Shaak-!
Chaos quickly swung its forepaw, but it didn't feel like it was being hit heavily. It was the same even if chaos swung its forepaws again and hurriedly hit in all directions with its tail.
'Where did you go!?'
Even when Chaos turned its head around, it couldn't see Jin's figure. As if he hadn't even entered this space from the beginning, it couldn't find Jin anywhere.
'There is no trace of opening the door and running away.'
So, if it release energy to the entire space, Jin will eventually be defeated. However, Chaos was worried about one problem that could arise if it did so, but now was not the time to be so relaxed.
Chaos vision was suddenly blocked.
'My eyes……!’
For a moment, Chaos had no choice but to mistakenly believe that it was blind.
This sub-space is originally composed of chaos, but the color and outline of chaos and Jin's body are not covered by the empty darkness.
But not now. Even if chaos put its front paws and tail in front of its face, and even if it turn its head and look at the wings, there is only darkness.
Invisible.
Chaos was known only then. The fact that Jin's hostility did not disappear, it was just blocked as if its vision had suddenly disappeared.
Chaos didn't even have to think about what was blocking them.
Shadow force.
In an instant, the energy of chaos that made up the entire subspace was covered with shadow force.
“It seems to work for you this time too…….”
When Jin's low voice was heard again, Chaos reflexively twisted its body.
Chaos couldn't tell from which direction it started. At that time, Chaos was exploding energy in all directions with no worries, but even it did not feel the sense of hitting Jin.
Since the beginning of the history of life, darkness has never taken off the symbol of 'fear'. Thus, for the first time, Chaos had no choice but to be terrified.
The opponent, who had only looked so ridiculous a few seconds ago, now became an unknown fear and oppressed the chaos.
[Hey, wait, wait. How is this possible? This is my territory...…!]
“Finally, I see you showing off your shallow inner thoughts in a panic like the first time.”
[This bastard!]
“Oh, and I guess you can’t read my thoughts in this state? If you had just kept your mouth shut, I wouldn't have known that.”
It was a 'sign' that the vision of chaos was blocked. When the ultimate technique of shadow sword is unleashed.
The sign naturally colored the subspace from the moment Jin decided to use the ultimate technique of the Shadow, and from then on, all of its senses became dull without chaos’s knowledge, and it was at the point when Jin pulled out his sword.
The reason why Chaos didn't notice Jin's sword wasn't because he was careless.
“Thanks to that, I can have more confidence.”
Over the past year and three months, the shadow sword's ultimate technique, which had plunged Jin into despair countless times, was beginning.
Shadow Sword 1st Ultimate technique
First Night (첫 번째 밤)
The darkness that engulfed the chaos deepened. Even if chaos opened or closed its eyes, only endless darkness disturbed the mind of chaos.
It seemed like its mind was going crazy. It just wasn't a feeling. Chaos was aware that the senses it knew were going out one by one like candlelight.
After sense of sight. The feeling of moving its body, the feeling of the air touching its body, the feeling of sound being transmitted to its ears, all of those senses were gone. As if it had become a thing.
In fear, chaos wanted to shout, but even that didn't work out as it wanted. No sound came out as if its throat had been blocked.
Chaos couldn't see, it couldn't move its body, it couldn't make a sound. It can't even get the feeling of struggling. Chaos could do nothing but die, like a doll with a broken string.
'Thought…… even thinking!?’
The last thing to be blocked is consciousness.
The darkness that covered all sides was eroding the mind of chaos like water. It tried to hold on to the consciousness that was about to disappear, but it was helpless.
'No……!’
With that thought in mind, all senses and consciousness of chaos went out. It couldn't be more defenseless than that. Chaos could not be awakened no matter how much it was cut, and it was in a state where it could not even feel pain from shock.
Swoosh...….
Eventually, the image of Jin standing out as he slowly moved towards chaos in the dark. Unlike Chaos, Jin was able to recognize exactly what he was doing. Chaos remained motionless, clinging to the curtains of shadow force.
'It's different from when I used it on the sister Battle god. I am able to succeed like this only because it was a strong monster.'
Jin looked at the chaos for a moment.
Jin wasn't relaxing. It was because he was so exhausted that he couldn't do anything else for a moment while unleashing his ultimate technique of the Shadow Sword.
'Certainly, as the siblings said, the shadow sword feels more like ability than a technique.'
Shadow Sword 1st Ultimate technique, the first night is based on Shadow Sword 1st technique ‘Soul Slashing’.
-By the way, didn't I say that soul slashing is the beginning and end of a shadow sword?
-Yes.
-So, even if you do a great job of soul slashing, does this mean that leaving a sword mark of only 100 steps in this training ground is the limit?
-If you only cut the soul, that's the limit. However, when you reach the peak of the martial art of the shadow sword, the soul slashing is not a technique, but becomes a ability.
The conversation Jin had with Garmund when he first started to receive training for shadow sword in Laprarosa.
At the time, Garmund had said that if he reaches the extreme of the shadow sword and unleashes a soul slash, he can reap the life of ‘an opponent weaker than himself’ at any time.
The first night could be said to be an intermediate step before being able to use that level of soul slash.
If Chaos had a higher will than Jin’s and had a strong will, the result would have been completely different from now.
“Whoa…….”
Jin took a breath and took a stance. It was time to cut him down and put an end to this long nightmare.
Crack, thaw-!
Jin ran and swung Bradamante in the darkness of shadow force that covered all sides, but each time, a sharp black sword like a flash cut through the chaos.
Like a glass is breaking. The body of chaos was broken.
Jin had never hit Chaos before, but as soon as he mastered the ultimate technique of the Shadow Sword, the fact that Jin was cutting it so easily gave the feel of both hopeless and thrilled at the same time.
It was also the pleasure of finally regaining strength. Each time Chaos' body was cut into pieces, a chunk that glowed like ore was revealed one by one, all of which were Jin's strength that chaos had stolen.
Jin snatched them and replenished his energy, increasing the speed of his sword swing.
Before long, Jin was able to get all his strength back from chaos. Jin’s eyes widened at the power that filled his whole body, and what he saw right after was that the body of chaos disintegrated beyond recognition of its original form.
When first night technique was over, a feeling of exhaustion came over that was so intense that it overshadowed the sense of recovering all the strength.
'No, if I get tired like this now.'
Jin is not yet convinced that he has put an end to the chaos. It almost seemed like that, but there was still plenty of room for him to recover.
And within seconds, the fear became a reality.
[You, damn……!]
The chaos, which had re-formed before anyone knew it, was looking down at Jin from the air.
Fortunately, it was incomparably weaker and smaller than before.
On the other hand, Jin was only temporarily exhausted, so if he got over this crisis, he could win a complete victory unconditionally in the next fight.
[Bastard!]
Chaos descended and spewed an awl into Jin's chest. Jin was able to block up to three, but couldn't able to stop the fourth awl.
The fourth awl was aiming for the face, and if hit, the head would disappear. Jin gritted his teeth and raised his sword, but it was a little late.
'Did it stop?'
For some reason, the awl stopped moving in front of Jin's eyes. If it hadn't stopped, at least half of Jin’s face would have been ripped off intact.
The victory in the next battle is certain of Jin doesn't miss that chance and open the door with the shadow sword and run away.
However, Jin suppressed the urge to do so and made eye contact with Chaos.
"You can't kill me, can you?"
