The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 61

54. Colorless Sword Art

“Where is this?”

[This is a training ground where the magicians of the Magic Era used to train. Well, it’s a virtual space created with magic.]

Karyl looked around.

Even in his past life, when he had attacked the Gray Schoolmaster, he didn’t remember such a wide open space.

[The Platinum Dragon knows the map of this place. He bypassed unnecessary areas and came to the place where the Ice Claw is stored via the shortest route.]

Alrn seemed to read his questioning expression and spoke before Karyl could even ask.

[Or maybe it’s to kill me quickly.]

Karyl chuckled at his self-deprecating words.

“To kill a magician like you without anyone knowing… I’m reminded once again that Nardie Mauge is a dragon.”

[You have to face a guy like that.]

“I’m still keeping my options open. Just because I made a contract with you doesn’t mean I’ll unconditionally side with you.”

[Hmph, fine. We’ll see about that.]

Karyl was doubtful at Alrn Zavias’s defiant attitude.

‘Is that really the case?’

After the oracle was given.

When all the dragons turned away, only Nardie Mauge stood on the side of humanity and fought.

But listening to Alrn Zaviass, it didn’t seem like he did it simply because he cared for humans.

[Focus.]

Alrn’s voice broke his train of thought.

Karyl tightened his grip on the Ice Claw.

[The Gray Schoolmaster was a place that taught magicians. There were many magicians, and they each had their own unique characteristics.]

Magic Era.

That era when Alrn Zaviass lived was a time when magic was much more prosperous than it is now.

Even with the same attribute, they created numerous variations instead of standardized magic.

250 years ago.

The origin of the magic that Kaie Essir used may have been someone from the Magic Era.

[Among them, there is one unusual guy.]

“I see.”

Karyl could tell without listening to Alrn Zaviass’s explanation.

There were countless traces of magic in the training ground.

But there was something particularly noticeable among them.

“Sword marks.”

Traces that seemed old and messy, but remained on the walls of the training ground and everywhere else.

‘It’s not just one person…’

That was the reason why it looked so messy.

As time passed.

Another trace was covered over the first sword mark, and then repeatedly combined, making it difficult to distinguish.

[What I want to tell you is not to make you a Sword Master. The swordsmanship we pursue is not just about injecting magic power into the sword to increase its power.]

“Then?”

[At best, there is a limit to the magic that a swordsman can use. Buffs and shields that strengthen one’s body, and Mana Blade that puts attributes into weapons.]

Karyl nodded.

It meant that he agreed with Alrn Zaviass’s words.

[There is a limit to swordsmanship through the body, but there is no limit to magic. What if someone with Sword Master-level swordsmanship had Great Magician-level magic power?]

“Hmph…”

But he snorted at the second statement.

“That’s a narrow-minded view from a magician’s perspective. There’s a limit to swordsmanship? Who said that? I’d like to see if they’ve reached the true pinnacle.”

Alrn Zaviass laughed lowly at Karyl’s words.

[Heh heh… Well, you might think so. I don’t know about swordsmanship, but I admit that it’s a magician’s perspective.]

Clang-

Alrn Zaviass struck the floor with the hazy staff he was holding. Then, many sword marks disappeared and only one remained.

[What I want to tell you is not whether a magician is strong or a swordsman is strong.]

“…”

[I just have something that guy said.]

“What is it?”

Karyl said that, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the sword marks in front of him.

[The swordsmanship of a swordsman and the swordsmanship of a magician are clearly different.]

Alrn Zaviass already knew that Karyl had noticed something from the sword marks.

He whispered to Karyl as if he were confiding in him.

[You are no longer an existence that can be distinguished by common standards. You’re not going to just stay as a Sword Master, are you?]

Karyl laughed lowly at Alrn’s words.

“Then?”

[The ability of a Great Magician and the ability of a Sword Master. The one and only being who can use all of that.]

Whoosh-

At that moment.

The sword marks engraved in the training ground began to shine.

[Become the Grand Master, the pinnacle that no one has ever reached.]

* * *

Swish- Swish—!!

Kwagagagang—!

A sword was raging before his eyes.

The rapidly successive sword styles were tyrannical at first, then eccentric.

Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, and the trajectory of drawing through the air scattered so messily that it was impossible to follow with the eyes.

Bang-!! Kwagang—!!

The blue-light spirit took the form of a person, then scattered, divided into two, and then became three again, competing with each other.

[It is a sword strike created based on the traces left in the training ground and my memories. It’s difficult to explain swordsmanship, but for you, it’s better to see it once than to explain it a hundred times.]

“Interesting.”

One of the three spirits beheaded another. And when it cut off the breath of the remaining one without slowing down its momentum, five spirits appeared in the air.

‘Each one is aiming for a vital point. It covers the difficult postures to link with magic, and focuses on the swordsmanship itself rather than being obsessed with Mana Blade.’

Karyl watched the sword style that the spirit was emitting.

It was clearly different from the way he had fought so far, and it was also different from the swordsmanship of a Sword Master.

[It is a swordsmanship created by Kalnere, the only one of the 7 Elders who used a sword. He created the most suitable swordsmanship for the Ice Claw he used.]

“Indeed amazing.”

[He said that the 49 complex and detailed sword styles can perfectly cope with any situation. I don’t want to see him being arrogant, but it’s true that it was difficult for me to fight when he held a sword.]

Alrn Zaviass waved his hand in the air.

Then the spirits blew away the five spirits in front of them.

Swoosh……! Swoosh……!!

At the same time, 49 spirits separated and appeared, each holding a sword in their respective poses.

Karyl watched them all without missing a single one, as if engraving their appearance in his eyes from the first to the last.

[It’s definitely not something you can learn easily. Don’t be impatient. Even after leaving the Gray Schoolmaster, you will be able to create this space if you make a contract with me.]

Alrn Zaviass said, lightly patting Karyl’s shoulder.

[With your magic power, it’s nothing.]

Buzz—!!

Karyl lightly swung the Ice Claw he was holding. A heavy sound of cutting through the air was heard.

“Hmm…”

Then, he closed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment as if he was worried.

Buzz- Buzz-!

After standing still like that for a few minutes, Karyl opened his eyes and swung his sword again.

This time, several sword styles were connected for a longer time.

Swish……. Swish……!!

How many times did he repeat that?

The heavy sound of the sword blade gradually became sharper, and Karyl’s movements also became faster.

[…….]

From top to bottom, from side to diagonal.

Alrn Zaviass watched Karyl’s movements as he moved as if bouncing off, and quietly watched him with his mouth shut.

Squeak-

A sharp sound as if cutting through the air.

The sonic boom was no longer heard.

Rather, it was close to silence.

“Hoo…”

When the sword style stopped and Karyl lightly swung the Ice Claw, the frost droplets that had formed on the tip of the sword fell to the floor.

“Does this swordsmanship have a name?”

Karyl wiped away his sweat and raised his head.

Alrn Zaviass looked at him with a dumbfounded expression and said quietly.

[Colorless Sword Art.]

“Good name. It suits the swordsmanship.”

Karyl nodded.

With a satisfied face, he lightly swung his sword again, savoring the sword style, and then said.

“Is this all you have to show me?”

“What?”

Alrn Zaviass flinched at his question and asked back.

“If so, I don’t think I’ll have anything more to do here. Rather, if I go outside, there will be someone who can please you more than me.”

[What are you……]

Karyl said, putting away the Ice Claw.

“And I’m telling you because I think you’re misunderstanding one thing. This swordsmanship. It’s not a complex swordsmanship consisting of 49 sword styles.”

[Then……?]

Alrn Zaviass stared at Karyl with a surprised face, his mouth gaping.

“This is only 7 sword styles.”

Karyl had already penetrated the essence of the Colorless Sword Art.

* * *

“You’re back!!”

Karyl, who was in the carriage, slowly opened his eyes, which he had been closing, at the shout he heard from outside.

When he leaned back in the carriage prepared by the lord’s mansion, he thought he could rest comfortably for a short time after a long time.

“Have we arrived already?”

Karyl murmured, clicking his tongue as if he was sorry, recalling the time he had spent at the Gray Schoolmaster.

[Is that the guy? The one you were talking about.]

Seeing Mihail running over in a hurry, Karyl finally felt like he was really back.

Behind him, Aiden Hamil and Bargo Sira were visible.

“That’s right. How is he?”

[I understand why the Platinum Dragon said that. The blood vessels leading from the magic power blood [Mana veins] to the magic power point [Mana core] are shorter than others. It is easier to learn magic with such a body.]

“Really?”

[Hold his hand.]

Karyl, who got out of the carriage, grabbed Mihail’s hand at Alrn’s words.

“Huh?!”

Mihail looked at him with a surprised face at the sudden handshake.

[Hmm, good. The thickness of the blood vessels is also thick, so it is easy for magic power to circulate… A blessed body. If you learn well, you can reach the ranks of being called a Great Magician of your era?]

‘That much?’

[If it was when I was alive, there would be plenty of them.]

Karyl chuckled at Alrn’s appearance, still not letting go of his pride in his era.

But this made it clear.

Unlike himself, who was just a simple guess, Alrn Zaviass clearly saw through Mihail’s talent and body.

[Yes. Of course, that’s on the premise that you can learn that much.]

Karyl nodded.

A person with the qualifications to become a Great Magician ended up living the life of a mercenary who was just a little good at fighting in his previous life.

‘Looking at that, you really don’t know a person’s fate.’

It was the same for himself.

To think that he would meet an ancient magician at the Gray Schoolmaster, where he went to get the magic weapon, the Ice Claw.

Besides, he’s with him now.

‘If it’s a teacher, I won’t have to worry. Because you’re here.’

Karyl said to Alrn in his heart.

The two people who had finished the contract could communicate without using vocalization [telepathically].

[Now you want me to teach that brat? No way, you.]

He said it indifferently, but somehow Alrn’s voice sounded excited.

It couldn’t be helped.

Whether he was alive or dead, he was a magician by birth. Raising a great disciple was as enjoyable as exploring magic himself.

‘It will be necessary. It will be difficult for me to attack Nardie Mauge’s lair alone. Besides, teaching Mihail will be more enjoyable than me.’

[Hmm…….]

“Once we finish things up here, we’ll leave right away. There’s plenty of time. How about making him properly before we get to the lair?”

Honestly, raising a magician would be more enjoyable for Alrn than Karyl using a sword.

At Karyl’s words, Alrn Zaviass clicked his tongue and said.

[Instead, there is a condition. It will take quite a while to teach him. I’ll leave it up to you to decide when we arrive at the Platinum Dragon’s lair. Instead, can we stop by Cheongdo (靑道) [Blue Island] on our journey?]

“Cheongdo……?”

Karyl tilted his head at the place name he heard for the first time.

[Yes……. People in this era call it that.]

Alrn pulled out a word from Karyl’s memory.

[Narak Rock [Hell Rock].]

At that moment.

Karyl’s face hardened.

[Yes. It’s a place you don’t want to go. Because it’s the place where the tower you returned to the past was built. And…….]

“Stop.”

Alrn closed his mouth at Karyl’s words.

There’s no way he wouldn’t know.

No, how could he forget?