Chapter 253

Chapter 253: Gathering (6)

Having ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍missed Ria right in front of his nose, Renin spat curses he did not want to put in his mouth and glared at Jing.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍while facing Renin, who was glaring at him with an expression that looked like he was on the verge of going mad with rage, Jing’s heart was quite calm.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did feel a slight urge to kneel at once and beg forgiveness, but even that faded the moment he saw Adol standing behind Renin, his face white.

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍because he had bitten down so hard, Adol’s lip had split and blood was flowing.

Adol’s ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍eyes, mixed with anger and fear, briefly met Jing’s.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍child looked at Jing with guilt-filled eyes, then lowered his head.

Adol’s guilt made Jing’s mood sink even further.

It always weighed heavily on Jing’s heart when a young child suffered pain he did not need to suffer.

Perhaps thinking the quietly standing Jing was frightened, Renin’s eyes quickly swept over Jing and the surroundings.

After confirming that there was no one beside him, Renin’s mouth twisted.

“To think you cannot even recognize your master. You have become lower than a dog, Piteos. It seems there is no black-haired one to help you now.”

With his eyes fixed on Jing, filled with contempt and anger, he aimed his bow at Jing’s head.

As if recalling the disgrace he had suffered at Ratel’s hands, Renin’s eyes blazed with anger.

It was rage that would not have been strange even if he released the bowstring at once, but he seemed to change his mind, slowly letting out a breath.

Then Renin tilted the arrowhead slightly and changed the target to Jing’s right leg.

“Personally, I would like to leave not even a piece of your flesh behind and feed you to the dogs, but in consideration of the Piteos family’s loyalty until now, I will let you live for a while.”

At the voice pretending to bestow mercy, Jing held back a laugh that nearly escaped aloud.

It was ridiculous.

The smile caught on his lips was partly because of skepticism, but in truth, also to swallow the words that might leap out of his mouth.

Because if he did not hang something on the edge of his mouth, he felt like the sarcasm that seeing how cowardly Renin was, it seemed he had not lost the Emperor’s seat so narrowly after all, might burst out.

Seeing as unfamiliar and blasphemous words he had never even imagined before were coming to mind, it seemed there was still much to learn even at this late age.

He had learned this much in the short time he had spent with Ran, so by the time they destroyed all the remaining holy objects, Jing could not estimate how far he himself might master blasphemy.

Until very recently, he might have shed tears of gratitude for the magnanimity Renin bestowed, but the current Jing knew.

Renin was saving his pride.

After confirming Ratel was not here, and while using the shallow move of trying to threaten them with Jing, who seemed to be Ratel’s companion.

In other words, it also meant he feared Ratel enough that he could not win head-on.

Jing was certain that even if he had not inherited Piteos blood, Renin would not have been able to kill him.

It had been proven once more that sixty years of loyalty was a truly futile waste of life.

“Where is your black-haired companion inside? Did he go in there?”

Renin asked, gesturing with his eyes toward the cave Jing was blocking.

At the question, impatient to be conscious of Ratel, Jing slowly nodded.

It was not a lie.

In any case, it was true that he had entered the cave with Ria.

Renin, who had hesitated for a moment, threw an unconscious Werewolf at Jing’s feet.

At the same time, Adol, who had been behind Renin, drew in a short breath.

Jing realized the Werewolf rolling across the ground was Naria.

Fortunately, she was still breathing, but the flesh where the huge arrow was lodged in Naria’s shoulder had already healed, and it seemed the arrow could only be pulled out by cutting through its center and tearing the flesh.

“I heard that to go inside, the help of a monster is needed. That is certainly what you said, is it not?”

Renin asked as he forcibly dragged Adol out, and the child looked back and forth between Naria and Jing, then squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

The child’s face was a mess with despair and guilt.

He must have felt quite guilty for guiding Renin here in order to survive.

Proud that the child had cleverly escaped from life-threatening danger, Jing showed a small smile.

Judging by the way Adol’s expression twisted, it did not seem to be very comforting.

While Jing wondered whether he should have simply praised him outright, saying he had done well, Renin roughly threw Adol forward.

Adol rolled across the ground several times and lifted his head covered in dirt.

At that moment, before Adol could even gather himself, a huge arrow flew in aiming at the child.

Jing hurriedly changed the direction of the wind.

Even so, the remaining trajectory, which had not completely changed away from Adol’s chest, embedded itself in the ground instead of piercing the child’s heart thanks to Adol quickly rolling his body.

When things did not go as he intended, Renin’s eyebrows twitched.

“Two guides are not needed.”

It meant he would kill the useless child on the spot.

Without taking his eyes full of anxiety off Renin, Adol slowly backed away from Naria rolling on the ground.

It seemed he was afraid that an arrow aimed at him might hit Naria.

The end of Renin’s arrow did not take Adol’s fear into consideration.

It was the moment Renin drew the bowstring and prepared his next attack.

“Leave the child alone. Then I will follow quietly.”

At Jing’s firm voice as he stepped forward, Renin’s face twisted hideously.

As if he could not bear the fact that a mere human dared set a condition before him, almost like a threat.

“Your blood is not so valuable that I would show mercy twice, Piteos.”

Renin muttered as if chewing the words, and as if proving his words, he released the bowstring he had aimed at Jing’s leg.

Jing quickly moved his leg, but the arrow changed direction again and flew in, aiming for Jing’s knee.

Jing hurriedly pulled up Manis and succeeded in changing the arrow’s path.

He had no leisure to watch the arrow that pierced the ground instead of his kneecap trembling.

Because several arrows that split the air immediately flew in, persistently aiming at Jing’s legs.

He succeeded in striking down two of them, but the third and fourth arrows narrowly grazed Jing’s cheek and thigh.

Ignoring the pain, Jing turned his gaze toward Adol, who was still sitting collapsed on the ground.

“Adol! Run! Come this way!”

Fortunately, before his shout had even fully ended, Adol moved.

The child held Naria in his arms and ran without looking back.

“Do you think you can escape?”

Renin shot the next arrow toward Adol’s back, but this time too, Jing succeeded in slightly changing the arrow’s path.

However, Jing could not affect the arrow’s movement as strongly as before.

The change in direction was slight, and barely enough to slow the speed at which the arrow flew.

Thanks to that, the arrow grazed poor Adol’s thigh.

Adol, who barely avoided falling, succeeded in hiding Naria behind Jing.

Though immediately after throwing Naria down, he fell face-first to the ground.

Jing immediately struck away the arrow that flew toward Adol and glared at Renin.

“Come to think of it, the Piteos bastards could use Manis too. Arrogantly.”

Renin laughed as if it were contemptible.

Hidden beneath it was the petty pleasure of feeling the overwhelming difference in strength.

Jing watched him smack his lips as if regretful that he could not prolong this hunt.

He knew painfully well that he was no match for Renin.

But there was no need to despair just because he was weak.

Even if the enraged god had finished preparing to present them with an attack they could not avoid.

The dozen or so arrows of Renin that surrounded them all pointed toward Adol and Jing at once.

The only difference was that while the arrowheads pointed at Jing aimed at his limbs, the arrows aimed at Adol were aimed at the child’s heart, head, and neck.

The moment Renin’s attack was about to rush in, Jing opened his mouth.

“They went inside to destroy the holy object.”

At Jing’s confession, which hid his nervousness, Renin furrowed his brow.

If their plan was not merely to steal it, but to destroy it, then even Renin had no choice but to grow anxious.

Because he was Renin, who had emptied his castle and ran like a dog to retrieve it.

“Do not speak nonsense. Do you think such a thing is possible?”

“Has there been even one thing that has happened until now that made sense?”

Jing did not back down before Renin’s denial.

“My companions are people who can make things that make no sense into reality. It means the more time you waste, the more disadvantageous it is for you, Lord Renin.”

Feeling his heart beat rapidly, Jing recalled the day he had stood in Dito’s way together with Ran in the past.

The day he had first confirmed that a god’s will could be stopped so perfectly.

And now, he stood alone before a god, but the feeling of guilt did not squeeze his chest as tightly as it had that day.

He felt certain anew that destroying the first holy object had been something worth risking his life for.

“You have already been delayed quite a bit. And you no longer have the leisure to waste any more time.”

“Can you not see what state you are in? If I move just one finger, I can turn you and that vermin into beehives.”

“It will not be easy. I will resist until the end. I cannot defeat you, Lord Renin, but I am confident in buying time. I survived even against an Abalan stronger than you.”

Of course, he had nearly lost one leg, and at the time, he had also received Ratel’s help, but even so, Jing was confident he could last longer than that.

“How dare you spout a bluff that will not even work......”

Renin, who muttered that, had no patience to wait any longer.

Renin’s arrows flew in from all directions to pierce Jing and Adol.

Jing stretched out his hand and released Manis.

Since he knew Renin had no intention of killing him anyway, Jing’s strength was wholly directed toward Adol.

Perhaps because the situation was urgent, the wind that had been about to surround Adol’s body spread wider than Jing expected, and succeeded in bringing Jing and Naria into that range as well.

But even this was far too insufficient to block all of Renin’s arrows.

Instead of blocking them, Jing succeeded in cutting down some of the significantly slowed arrows and letting some slide past.

Thanks to that, Jing, who had sustained weaker injuries than his resolve to give up at least one arm, fixed his posture again.

During that time, Renin’s arrows rose into the air again.

The arrowheads caught their targets again, but Renin did not attack immediately.

Seeing his gaze keep turning toward the cave, Jing became certain of his victory.

“I can block them as many times as needed. But if you let the child go, I will gladly follow you, Lord Renin.”

It was a bluff inflated as much as it could be.

In truth, Jing did not have enough strength left to block Renin’s attack again and again.

He would probably suffer the next attack helplessly.

He had no choice but to block the attack toward the child with his body so Renin could not kill Adol.

In any case, Renin would not be able to kill him.

But Jing was not naive enough to reveal his anxiety on his face.

He looked at Renin with steady eyes, and a taut tension flowed between the two.

But in the end, this ended in the defeat of Renin, who was pressed for time.

Chewing back a curse, Renin turned his head.

Only after confirming that the arrows surging around him all fell to the ground at once did Jing exhale the breath he had been holding.

In truth, because he had scraped together and used his Manis, his knees were trembling, but he could not reveal that.

Because Renin, who had slung the bow onto his back, was approaching them.

Jing blocked the child’s body with his entire body so Adol would not be visible to Renin.

Perhaps Jing’s desperate appearance was funny, because Renin bared his teeth and laughed.

But as if he had no intention of touching him any further, Renin passed by Jing and Adol.

“Fine. I will let you go for now.”

Renin’s eyes, packed full of malice, turned toward Adol.

“But from today, there will not be a single day when you can sleep in peace. I may even make you be torn apart and eaten by monsters in your sleep. You will not be able to receive help either. Wherever you run, there is no place Abalan’s hand does not reach.”

At the curse that said he would chase Adol to the end of the world and kill him, Jing pushed his stiff body backward, hoping the child would not be frightened.

“Run. As far as you can.”

Because he did not know when Renin might change his words, Jing spoke quickly without taking his eyes off him.

He could not check Adol’s face, but judging by the fact that he stood still in place, the child seemed to be hesitating.

“Go quickly! You have done everything you can.”

Jing urged the child again with force.

At last, light footsteps began to sound from behind Jing.

They grew faster and farther away.

Only then could Jing let out a sigh of relief.

Renin, who had been glaring at Adol as he grew distant, turned his eyes toward Jing this time.

The next moment, the sound of air splitting brushed past his ear, and dreadful pain covered his shin.

When he looked down while suppressing a scream, he saw that Renin’s arrow, which had flown in from behind Renin, had pierced his shin.

“Remember that what you bestowed upon that vermin is not goodwill, but a curse. That little thing has lost the chance to die comfortably.”

Above his lowered head, Renin’s cold voice settled.

The words that he would not leave things that way rose to the tip of his chin, but Jing swallowed them.

There was no need to provoke Renin any further here.

Instead, Jing obediently entrusted his body to the hand that seized his shoulder, and accepted being dragged across the ground like luggage.

Enduring the pain, Jing threw his gaze in the direction where Adol had disappeared.

Fortunately, the child seemed to have fled far enough that not even a trace of him could be seen.

With a sigh of relief, Jing was sucked into the cave’s darkness together with Naria.

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