Rising god
Chapter 50: Another one

Chapter 50: Another one

The news of Jin’s latest triumph spread like wildfire across Darkan, igniting the imaginations of its citizens. Headlines blazed across every tavern, marketplace, and noble hall, each article vying to capture the magnitude of his feat:

-Jin achieves another impossible victory!

-Clearing a ruin: A champion’s unprecedented triumph!

-Eyewitness accounts: Jin’s mysterious actions in the forest before the joint attack.

The people of Darkan devoured these stories like food. The thing about him wasn’t just his achievements, but by the audacious methods he employed in achieving them.

He turned overlooked details—factors others dismissed as trivial—into weapons of victory. His ingenuity captivated them, transforming him into a living legend. In smoky taverns, bards spun tales of his exploits, while children reenacted his battles in the streets, wielding sticks as if they were his fabled blade.

But the next headline struck like a thunderbolt, shattering the celebratory mood:

-Jin, Darkan’s hero had been kidnapped!

The news sent shockwaves through the land.

Disbelief gave way to outrage as citizens flooded the streets, demanding answers.

The Darkan family’s response was swift and unequivocal, proving Jin’s importance. Dragons soared overhead, their scales glinting in the sun as they scoured the countryside. Knights in gleaming armor marched in formation, while the elusive Shadow Unit—Darkan’s covert operatives—slipped into the underworld.

Even the Special Force, a rarely deployed elite squad, joined the hunt, targeting every known underground organization. The scale of the operation was unprecedented, a testament to Jin’s value.

Rival families seized the opportunity, dispatching their own agents to find Jin, not out of loyalty but ambition. Claiming him would shift the balance of power, allowing them to siphon his glory. Vassal families and upstart clans joined the fray, driven by dreams of fame.

For them, just rescuing Jin was a ticket to prestige, a chance to etch their names into Darkan’s annals. The underground organizations, caught in the crossfire, faced a war they couldn’t escape.

They burrowed deeper into the shadows as their operations turned crippled by the relentless pursuit.

...

Only a day had passed since the large-scale search when chaos erupted at the heart of Darkan’s main estate.

BOOOM!

A deafening explosion rocked the cobblestone streets, shattering windows and sending plumes of dust into the air.

Guards stationed at the estate’s perimeter froze, their faces twisting with fury.

"Who dares fight in Darkan’s heart?" bellowed a captain, his hand on his sword as he led a squad toward the commotion.

But as they rounded a corner, their anger turned to shock. "Huh, isn’t that—?"

"Shit, report this now!" another guard shouted, urgency replacing bravado.

"GO, NOW!"

The scene was dire.

Jin, the kidnapped hero, stood in the plaza, his body battered and bloodied, facing a monstrous seventh-star warrior.

The creature towered over him, its form a grotesque blend of muscle and shadow, its eyes glowing with malevolent intent. It unleashed a barrage of spells—fireballs, arcs of lightning, and shards of ice—that tore through the air with relentless precision.

Jin, weakened and staggering, barely deflected the onslaught, his movements sluggish but defiant.

Word reached the Darkan family head, Varen Darkan.

"What? Jin? A seventh-star?" Without listening further, he leapt to his feet, his cloak billowing as he dashed to the scene, his heart pounding with dread at the thought of what might have happened to him.

In the plaza, dragons circled above, their roars shaking the earth as they launched fiery breaths. Magicians on the rooftops hurled spells, their incantations lighting up the dawn sky. But the monster shrugged off their attacks, its aura an impenetrable barrier.

It countered with a wave of dark energy, forcing the defenders back.

BOOOM!

Another explosion erupted, drawing every eye.

Lord Varen had arrived, and his presence became a beacon of hope. "It’s the family head!" a guard cried, relief washing over the crowd.

"Thank the gods, we’re saved!" another cheered.

Baines stood amidst the chaos, blood-soaked in his tattered clothes, his face pale, his breath ragged.

He had once again instructed Eye to inflict internal injuries and subtly damage his core to sell the deception.

To the onlookers, he was a man who’d endured unimaginable torture, barely clinging to life.

Varen’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the monster.

Even he, a seasoned seventh-star warrior, doubted his ability to defeat it outright.

Gripping his greatsword, he swung, the blade slicing through the air to intercept a spell hurtling toward Jin. The clash unleashed a series of explosions, the shockwaves rattling the plaza.

Boom... Boom... Boom...

And when the dust settled, the monster had vanished, as if it had never been.

Baines, seizing the moment, collapsed dramatically, his body crumpling to the cobblestones. The crowd gasped, their hero’s survival hanging by a thread.

"Take him inside!" Varen barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I want detailed reports on everything. Secure the area!" He remained behind, scanning for lingering threats, his mind racing with questions.

A few minutes later, Varen returned.

That was how Baines deceived the entire Darkan family.

Days later, after proper treatment, Baines stood before a massive crowd in the grand hall of the Darkan estate, his body swathed in bandages that lent credibility to his tale.

The hall was a marvel of architecture—marble pillars, stained-glass windows depicting Darkan’s history, and a vaulted ceiling adorned with chandeliers that cast a warm glow. And this hall was filled with several Darkan members.

They hungered for his story: how he’d cleared the Mortuary Ruins, a feat deemed impossible, and how he’d escaped captivity.

And Baines, with his voice steady despite the bandages, recounted his tale with calculated simplicity, weaving truth and fiction into a narrative that captivated them.

"The undead in the ruins were powered by a central source," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "I used Smalltooth, Todd’s dragon, to reach it and sever its sustenance. The Lich nearly killed me, but I escaped by a hair." He paused, letting the crowd lean in. "An underground group captured me, tortured me. The Lich tracked me down, slaughtered them, and I slipped away in the chaos."

His battered appearance—bruises, bandages, and a slight limp—had totally sold the story.

Internal injuries like what he came with couldn’t be faked, could they?

The crowd hung on his every word, marveling at his cunning. Clearing the ruins was meant to be a minor mission, a friendly skirmish with vassal families.

Yet, Jin had returned with a victory that expanded Darkan’s territory. Yes, the Mortuary Ruins, once shrouded in death fog, were now habitable, adding vast lands to Darkan’s domain.

More astonishing, he’d returned as a sixth-star Aura Master, a leap from his previous rank. Whispers rippled through the hall. How had he grown so swiftly under such duress?

Lord Varen, standing on a dais, addressed him. "What reward do you seek?" His voice carried the weight of obligation. This achievement demanded recognition.

Baines didn’t hesitate, as his demands were blunt. "An increase in my holiday, to be used when I choose, access to the library, and a decent training room."

The crowd murmured, expecting grander requests.

Varen frowned, not because the demands were excessive, but because they were modest. Jin could’ve asked for a title, wealth. Hell, they would’ve accepted even adoption into the Darkan name, and the family would’ve agreed.

Yet, he chose simplicity.

Varen recalled rumors that Jin sought someone, perhaps family, perhaps allies. The request was strategic, preserving his freedom to pursue that goal.

"Alright," Varen agreed, his tone grudgingly approving.

The crowd erupted in cheers, their hero’s humility endearing him further.

Baines turned, his expression unreadable, and walked away.

The adulation meant nothing; he’d achieved his objective.

The deception had secured his position, buying him time and resources.

He had finished the business he came for, now it was time for him to focus on his growth.

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