Defying the Fate of Beheading-Chapter 610 - 326: The Shadow Strikes, The Sin of Envy Appears

The Barnes Squad ran into trouble, and Neo instinctively sensed something was wrong, immediately dispatching troops toward the Imperial Capital for support.

Meanwhile, on the road leading to the Imperial Capital, Kulin and Jino chose to temporarily set up camp.

"Jino, stop suppressing your strength and break through to legendary as soon as possible."

Hearing his master's words, Jino's face darkened.

"Do you think breaking through to legendary is something I can do just because I want to?"

Kulin looked at Jino without speaking.

Jino seemed to sense something amiss and looked at his master, saying:

"Do you think my current strength is no longer enough to protect the royalty?"

Kulin let out a cold snort and said, "If we were in peaceful times, your strength would be no problem, but with the current panic and turmoil among nations..."

Kulin didn't continue, but Jino understood what he meant.

Problems had started to appear in various countries over the past two years.

Not to mention the empire, but other countries.

Eastern and Western Monet Kingdoms have rampant infectious diseases.

The Tunisian Brotherhood began disrupting their internal affairs.

The Giant Demon Tribe, needless to say, their nation-building battle was quite brutal.

The surrounding areas were becoming increasingly embroiled in conflict, with an ominous sense of war looming.

Even in the Ense Empire, there had been quite a few problems in the past two years.

Kulin, though old, had participated in the fire and bloodshed of the Mad King's Rebellion.

His instincts detected the scent of war approaching.

This made him uneasy.

"Though I've become a Sword Saint, I'm well aware that there's no further advancement possible for me."

Kulin took a sip from the water bottle; though it was filled with clear water, Jino noticed a hint of intoxication in Kulin's eyes.

Jino said nothing.

He had long known that his master had no chance of advancement.

Not due to a lack of talent or age.

But because his professional core was damaged beyond repair during the Mad King's War years ago.

Unlike the maid beside the Second Princess.

That maid couldn't advance to legendary because of a visible heartache that blocked her from crossing a critical threshold.

But his master was wounded at the core.

Under normal circumstances, his master wouldn't have retired so early from the legion.

The legion had more abundant resources and easier access to top-level powerhouses.

If there were a choice, staying in the academy wouldn't be necessary.

Yet his master chose to retire.

At a professional level of LV20 and just over a hundred years of age, he ought to have been around for another fifty years before showing signs of old age.

Yet now, his master seemed like a man in his sixties.

"I'll make the breakthrough soon." Jino looked somewhat irritated, stood up, and said, "We could've left earlier today, but that captain delayed us, making it inconvenient to enter the city sooner."

"So what? It's been a long time since you and I camped outside like this."

Jino froze for a moment and said somewhat nostalgically, "Yeah, it's been more than ten years since I left the academy."

"You rascal, back in the day, when I took you out for field training, you kept complaining about not getting any meat outside."

Hearing his master's words, Jino uncharacteristically lowered his head in embarrassment.

He was originally of commoner status, relying on his talent to enter Saint Louis Academy, using this platform to grow rapidly.

Later, his talent caught his master's attention, and his master consciously gave him a few pointers.

Then Jino was surprised to find his already fast progress in martial skills became even faster.

Reminiscing about the academy days truly brought back the cherished memories of the past.

Saint Louis Academy primarily catered to noble students.

Or rather, broadly speaking, given the resources required to train professionals, even with royal support, the resources consumed by Saint Louis Academy were astonishing.

Reducing admission requirements for some competent imperial noble students in exchange for their high tuition fees was fundamental to its long-term operation.

Previously, Jino would get angry, feeling that some nobles formed cliques and cliques, which was frankly disgusting.

But looking back later, he found those so-called cliques at the academy seemed laughable to him now.

They were more like interdependent small groups with common language.

A small number of people disliking him was normal.

After all, as a genius admitted without exams, the resources he used every day were like scraping the nobility's flesh.

Some nobles feeling pained was reasonable.

At least, they never went too far in the academy, and the competition remained within a reasonable "professional contest" scope.

But his younger self couldn't understand these things.

A seventeen-year-old youth, naturally spirited, would react against displeasure impulsively.

At that time, he was determined to prove himself at the academy, using any means necessary.

After receiving his master's teachings, he became quickly infatuated with the joy of rapid growth.

Who could refuse the guidance of a Sword Saint?

Eldest Princess Beatrice couldn't, Louis, that brat, couldn't, and naturally, neither could he back then.

His master's usual expressions, he had cheekily called out while sticking to his master, learning martial skills as if coaxing to eat and drink.

Initially, his master disapproved.

But later, perhaps annoyed, or maybe seeing his talent and softening, he tacitly accepted Jino's calls.

Jino hadn't disappointed him and had grown vigorously to where he stood today over the years.