Rising god
Chapter 70: Only One Person

Chapter 70: Only One Person

The Dawnless stronghold buzzed with a chaotic energy as the first and second executives returned, their curiosity piqued by the third executive’s message: their leader, Baines, was back, if only briefly.

Since Baines had last opened the vault and entrusted them with its treasures before departing, the organization had flourished, its influence spreading like wildfire across the region.

The executives were eager to see what their enigmatic leader had planned next. But upon their arrival, they were met with an unexpected sight, dozens, exceeding hundreds of organization members toiling in the courtyard, their shovels biting into the earth as they dug a massive pit.

When the executives inquired about the purpose, the response left them dumbfounded: "For a mountain."

"Are mountains plantable these days?" the first executive wondered aloud, exchanging a skeptical glance with the second.

Their doubts lingered until a thunderous BOOOOOM! shook the ground beneath their feet, scattering the workers away.

And before their disbelieving eyes, a towering volcano materialized in the freshly dug space, its jagged peak piercing the sky.

Without satisfying their curiosity, the supervising lich stepped forward and began muttering incantations as it wove a complex spell.

The searing heat radiating from the volcano vanished, replaced by a cool, controlled aura, and shimmering barriers rose around the structure, their translucent surfaces pulsating with arcane energy.

The executives stood in awe, their minds racing. Who would ever think of using a volcano to power a formation? they thought, their gazes shifting to the third executive for answers.

But he, too, was staring at the volcano, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. The sheer audacity of the feat was beyond comprehension, even for seasoned veterans like them.

Inside the stronghold, Baines left Wick to stabilize the volcano, the organization members watching with wide-eyed wonder as the loyal subordinate worked his magic.

Baines, however, was beyond his limits. He trudged into his office, the weight of days without rest pressing down on him like a physical force.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he collapsed into his chair, his body finally succumbing to exhaustion. He hadn’t taken a break in what felt like an eternity, and with the volcano secured and the formation in place, he allowed himself a rare moment of respite, his eyes fluttering closed as he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

...

Far away in Darkan, the grand arena was a cauldron of tension and disappointment. The leaders in the special viewing area, representatives of the empire’s most powerful families, still fixed their gazes on the Darkan head, demanding answers.

They had traveled great distances for this tournament, drawn by the promise of witnessing Jin’s prowess, and the revelation of his absence felt like a betrayal. The Darkan head knew he couldn’t lie, especially not in the presence of the Malakar family, whose ability to detect falsehoods surpassed even the keenest dragon.

So, he opted for the truth, his voice steady but tinged with frustration.

"Actually, he got me good on that one," he admitted, before recounting the events. Jin had achieved something significant for Darkan, then requested a seemingly trivial reward in return, which was granted on a promise.

But at this critical moment, with the tournament underway, Jin had chosen to cash out his reward and disappear.

The leaders nodded, piecing together the puzzle. It became clear then: Jin had deliberately evaded the tournament, avoiding the spotlight while securing the benefits of his actions.

"I’m not surprised," a delegate from the Last Front interjected, his voice calm.

Heads turned to him as he continued, "Even after what he did there, on the day of the banquet when people wanted to see him, he suddenly claimed a severe internal injury."

Murmurs rippled through the group as they processed this new information.

"So, what is his goal?" another representative asked, her brow furrowed in thought.

The Ironborn delegate, a gruff man with a voice like grinding stone, spoke up. "What I think is, he said he’s looking for someone, right? But he doesn’t want the fame that comes with it. He wants the position that comes with the reward. Using that position, he can find whoever he’s searching for without anyone using it as leverage against him." The logic was sound, and heads nodded in agreement.

Even the Darkan, who had maintained a facade of hospitality, recognized the truth in the words. If they had known who Jin sought, they might have used that knowledge to manipulate and control him.

But on the ground level, the younger generations weren’t so understanding.

"WHAT?" roared a young representative from House Titanos, his voice echoing through the pit.

Like many others, he had come to test himself against Jin, to see what the mysterious figure was capable of, only to be met with bitter disappointment.

"Tch, we are forfeiting," he declared, his tone dripping with disgust. His decision sparked a wave of withdrawals, as numerous young fighters followed suit.

With so many forfeits, the referees had no choice but to allow it, and the pit’s numbers dwindled by half, while a quarter of the spectators left, muttering that they would hear of the winner later. The Darkan could do nothing to stop them.

Ronick glanced at his cousin Tasha, concern flickering in his eyes. ’Why is she so angry?’ he wondered. Tasha was usually cold and reserved, but now her anger was palpable, her fists clenched at her sides.

"L-Let the preliminary match begin," the referee stammered, trying to salvage the event.

What had been the most anticipated tournament in years quickly became its most disappointing, later dubbed "the Darkan’s Disappointment."

...

Back at the Dawnless hideout, Baines awoke from his rest, his body still aching but his mind sharper than before.

He sat in the leader’s office, half-listening to the executives’ reports on the organization’s recent activities. And just like he had done in the ruins, he mentally commanded Eye to compile a detailed overview of his current abilities and power.

[STOMACH CORE: 6TH STAR - AURA MASTER, MIDDLE TRUE SWORDMASTER, ABSOLUTE CUT AND DESTRUCTION, AGING REVERSAL TECHNIQUE]

[HEAT CORE: 5TH STAR - ASHEN-ORIGIN ARTS]

[BLOOD DOMAIN: BLOOD PALACE]

[SWORD RESONANCE: 2ND STAGE]

[SOUL ENERGY: 7 YEARS]

[MASTERED TECHNIQUES:]

1ST STAR TECHNIQUES: 100%

2ND STAR TECHNIQUES: 100%

3RD STAR TECHNIQUES: 100%

4TH STAR TECHNIQUES: 100%

5TH STAR TECHNIQUES: 90%

6TH STAR TECHNIQUES: 58%]

The list didn’t include his vast collection of artifacts or the individual skills he had honed over the years.

Baines frowned, his mind turning inward. While acquiring more treasures and techniques strengthened him, it also diluted his mastery of each. Take the Slave chain Weapon, for instance, its chains had proven immensely powerful, capable of uprooting a volcano, yet he knew he wouldn’t use them in battle.

Not because he didn’t want to, but because he already had a plethora of options: the Bladeless Sword, Demon Blade Roesha, Moonfang, and more.

’I’ll have to do something about this,’ he thought. ’For now, I should let Wick actively use the chains.’ He turned his attention back to the meeting, forcing himself to focus.

"And that concludes the report," the third executive said, his voice steady as he detailed the organization’s recent growth.

Baines was about to ask Eye to transfer the information directly into his mind when the door to the office burst open with a resounding Bang!

"What is..." the second executive began, his temper flaring, but he froze as three 5th-star enforcers dragged in a bloodied, beaten man.

"Sirs, we caught this man sneaking in through the mountains," one of the enforcers spat, glaring at the kneeling figure with unbridled hatred. "He killed twenty of our men before we brought him down."

"What?" The second executive leapt to his feet, his fist raised to strike the intruder, but Baines’ voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Wait," he said, his tone calm but commanding.

"Huh?" The executives turned to him, their shock evident.

They had assumed Baines was barely listening to their reports, so his sudden interest caught them off guard. Baines stood, his gaze narrowing as he studied the intruder.

He and Wick had gone to great lengths to secure the stronghold’s security, using a volcano to power the formation, a feat that should have made infiltration nearly impossible.

Yet this man had breached their defenses. ’Who is he?’ Baines wondered, stepping closer.

"Hah... hah..." The bloody figure heaved, his breath ragged as he lifted his head to meet Baines’ gaze.

"Is, is that you?" he rasped, his voice trembling as if on the verge of collapse.

’Does he know me?’ Baines thought, his mind racing. Then the man spoke a single word that shattered his composure.

"Banny."

BOOOM!

The name detonated in Baines’ mind like a thunderclap, memories he didn’t remember flooding back with violent intensity.

There was only one person in the world who had ever called him that, Ralph Baek, his elder brother.

The room seemed to fade away, the executives’ voices drowning in the roar of Baines’ heartbeat as he stared into the battered face of the man he thought he’d lost forever.

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