The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 135

107. Advance

“The monsters summoned around the Demon Nest have all been dealt with.”

Upon Azif’s report, Ruon realized that he could no longer delay.

“One thing that’s bothering me is why they didn’t deploy troops in Twin Armor and instead set up camp outside. But we can’t just stand by and watch.”

“Indeed.”

Azif nodded at Ruon’s words.

However.

Although they were a tiny fraction compared to the assembled army, the 1,000 mysterious troops at the forefront were concerning.

“In that case……?”

“We have no choice but to advance.”

It was expected, but as the order fell from Ruon’s lips, Azif cautiously spoke.

“Wouldn’t it be better to request peace once more? The damage isn’t significant, but they have suffered troop losses due to the Demon Nest.”

“No. The Empire already sent an official letter before the expedition. For them to act like this, it can only mean two things.”

Ruon said, looking toward Twin Armor.

“Either those inside are disobeying the Empire’s orders by not opening the gates, or the Empire has rejected our request.”

“…….”

When moving troops beyond a certain number through another country, it was customary for kingdoms to exchange official letters [formal diplomatic correspondence].

And, of course, the kingdom had the right to refuse.

He was too naive.

Having mobilized an army of 70,000, Ruon naturally assumed they would open the gates.

He trusted in his position as part of the Empire.

“If it’s the former, even if we advance, they can’t say anything because they disobeyed orders. If it’s the latter, it’s a war we have to fight anyway. It doesn’t matter if the timing is a little earlier.”

Azif frowned at his words.

He let out a low sigh.

‘It’s a pity. I should have brought Bran with me on this expedition no matter what… He would have come up with a brilliant plan.’

In this worst-case scenario, unexpectedly stuck at Twin Armor and with the added misfortune of a Demon Nest appearing, there was someone who kept coming to Azif’s mind.

That was.

Bran Gaunt.

He was a distant relative of Azif.

His family had fallen, so he had lived under Azif’s care since childhood. Azif had recommended him to become a scribe in the Imperial Palace library a few years ago.

He couldn’t enter the academy because he wasn’t a true noble, but Azif had noticed his extraordinary talent since he was young.

That’s why he recommended him to be a scribe in the Imperial Palace library, where he could see and learn a lot.

When he first received Ruon’s offer, he immediately thought of him.

‘Bran, why did you only send a letter saying you were in Brelado due to an injury… Why didn’t you come?’

Azif bit his lip.

At first, he was disappointed but accepted Bran’s reply, which only stated that he couldn’t comply with the summons due to his weak health.

But for some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Bran was deliberately avoiding him.

“If we retreat like this, the Empire will be branded with the indelible disgrace of using the people of the border region to open the gates of the Three Kingdoms.”

Azif looked at Ruon.

‘Not the Empire, but you, Prince Ruon, will be disgraced. And is that really a disgrace? It’s true that you used them as prisoners.’

As the deputy commander of the Golden Knights and a member of a traditional imperial noble family, he believed it was his duty as a nobleman to support Ruon, the legitimate heir and first prince.

That’s why, despite the commander’s dissuasion, he stayed in his territory under the pretext of an injury and then participated in this expedition.

‘Hoo…….’

Azif wouldn’t know.

That Bran Gaunt was one of the Seven Heroes of the Empire in his previous life, who helped Oliven rebuild the Empire.

Perhaps already…….

He might be walking a different path from Azif.

“Advance.”

Ruon said quietly.

The die had already been cast [a point of no return].

If it was irreversible, he had no choice but to move forward no matter what.

“I will obey your command, Your Highness.”

Azif answered, holding his sword upside down and bowing his head to him.

* * *

“Hoo…….”

Marje watched the busy movements of the Imperial army and let out a tense sigh.

‘The troops at Twin Armor total 30,000, combining both castles.’

Not only was there a difference in the total number of troops, but they also lacked a sufficient number of magic units compared to the Imperial army, leaving them without rear support.

‘Fighting a full-scale war instead of a siege in this situation is suicide.’

‘Is this the end of stalling for time…….’

He had succeeded in concentrating the troops along the moat to block the Imperial army’s movements, as Karil had suggested.

But Ruon’s suspicion didn’t last long.

‘We were fools. There’s no way we could have subjugated an S-class Demon Nest in a day or two.’

‘We have no choice but to withdraw the troops now…….’

As Marje turned his head, Aven nodded as if he had the same thought.

“The Imperial army is preparing to advance. No matter how I think about it, it’s right to face them with a defensive strategy. What are you going to do?”

Aven asked the vice-commander of the Free Army.

“We will stay here. The Master told us to hold our ground.”

“Heh…….”

Marje couldn’t help but let out a low exclamation at his unchanging expression.

‘Is he brave or reckless… Is he saying that he will fight against an army of 70,000 even if we retreat?’

The vice-commander of the Free Army raised his hand.

Clang!! Clack!!

Then the soldiers simultaneously raised their spears and shields to form a battle formation. Seeing their posture, the two men’s eyes wavered.

“It’s shameful. We were about to abandon those who helped us just to save ourselves.”

Marje said in a low voice, readjusting his shield.

“Yeah. I think the same. We’ve lived long enough. We don’t need to be so afraid to lose our lives.”

Aven also said, grabbing his sword.

“This isn’t just a one-time issue that we can tolerate. If the gates of Twin Armor are opened, the Empire will never leave the Three Kingdoms alone.”

Waaaaaaaah―――!!!

Waa―――!!

At that moment.

The roar of the 70,000-strong army echoed loudly.

“Soldiers of Twin Armor!!!”

Marje shouted as if to counter the roar of the Imperial army.

“Com……!!”

A touch-and-go situation.

The earth shook with a resounding vibration.

That’s when it happened.

Wooooooooo―――!!!!

“……!!!”

Everyone’s eyes were focused on one place.

“W, what is this……!!”

“Could it be……!?”

The roar of the Imperial army, which was about to charge, stopped, and the Twin Armor army froze as they looked at it.

Just before the battle broke out.

The giant Demon Nest that had been erected on the battlefield disappeared hazily like a mirage.

* * *

Swish―

Karil plunged his sword into Minos’s neck without any hesitation. The head, frozen cold, fell off and rolled on the floor, but not a drop of blood flowed.

The people who had watched his actions inside the labyrinth were simply staring blankly, as if they had lost their souls.

Cheeeeeeek……!!!

At that moment.

Karil once again stabbed Agnel into the guy’s head that had fallen on the floor.

The sword blade, imbued with the inextinguishable flames of the Flame King, touched Minos’s severed head, and a fierce cloud of steam rose.

Boom!!!

Then, unable to withstand the heat, it shattered like an explosion.

Swish―

Karil swept the monster’s remains, scattered in all directions, with his foot without any emotion and raised his head.

Wavering flames and cold air raged fiercely around him.

He scanned his surroundings.

As soon as the boss of the Demon Nest disappeared, the labyrinth also disappeared like a mirage, and instead, the murky smell of the battlefield stung Karil’s nose.

“…….”

The two armies were about to clash.

People were looking at the broken face of the giant monster with faces full of astonishment.

“Hoo…….”

Karil let out a low breath in the middle of the battlefield where tens of thousands of troops were gathered.

“I’m not late.”

“W, what the hell is going on!!”

Ruon shouted madly at Karil’s sudden appearance.

Marze and Aven were equally astonished.

However.

Their surprise was markedly different from Ruon, who was cursing and shouting.

‘To think… he actually succeeded.’

Marze and Aven shared the same thought as they looked at Karil.

It was…

Awe.

They had expected it from the start.

They hadn’t seen any of the immaturity in him that one might expect from someone his age.

But the emotion when that expectation was proven true was something one could never understand without witnessing it firsthand.

‘No, it’s more than that.’

If one were to rank the strength of the world’s warriors, the peak would undoubtedly be the five Sword Masters of the continent.

‘Could any of them have reached that level at his age?’

Indeed.

Marze felt that Karil, younger than any of the top-tier individuals he had seen in his life, was exuding the most perfect sense of overwhelming power.

Thump―

Marze felt his heart sink without realizing it.

There was no proper information about him—no known origins, connections, or even age.

Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion, even a tear forming in his eye.

‘I must be crazy…’

The old knight, who had sworn lifelong loyalty to the kingdom, tried to deny feeling such emotions for anyone other than the king.

But as the red sunset illuminated Karil’s back like a halo, he unconsciously clenched his fist.

Step― Step― Step―

Karil slowly moved forward.

Beykan, Kinu Mukari, Viola, and Grace followed behind him.

Without a command, the 1,000 Free Knights from Twin Armor kept pace with him, marching towards the 70,000-strong army.

“Not yet, Ruon.”

He said in a low voice, looking at the Imperial soldiers in front of him.

“It’s too early to be surprised.”

Whoooooosh――――!!

Whoosh――!!

It was then.

The Ponaine River, which had been flowing quietly behind the Imperial Army’s base, surged as if an explosion had occurred.

The soldiers, maintaining their formation, were startled by the falling water droplets and turned around.

“W-What’s going on?”

“What’s happening all of a sudden…”

“Is it the enemy?!”

As explosions erupted from the river, where nothing had been happening, adjutants shouted amidst the bewildered soldiers.

“Check the river immediately!!”

“Prepare for an enemy attack! Rear troops, maintain combat readiness!!”

There was a brief moment of chaos, but the Imperial soldiers, well-trained as they were…

However, as if mocking their stability.

[Krrr…]

A massive monster slowly emerged from the river, baring its sharp fangs as it looked down at the soldiers and growled.

“T-The Water King?!”

People were speechless at the sudden appearance of the Sea Serpent.

“Didn’t they say… the master of the Ponaine had died? Damn it…! You morons…! Without even properly confirming!!”

Ruon shouted, grinding his teeth.

He had thought it fortunate to have crossed the notoriously fierce Ponaine River easily, but now his retreat was blocked.

But it was too late for regrets.

“It’s just one. Even if the Water King is a formidable monster, 70,000 Imperial soldiers can take it down. Azif, divide the troops.”

“Pardon?”

“The Twin Armor defense force won’t attack us first anyway. They’re probably hoping we’ll go around.”

He said with a spiteful voice.

“Behead the Water King and secure the rear.”

Swish…!! Clang…!!

It was then.

As if mocking Ruon’s resolve, massive tentacles, unseen in the Ponaine, emerged from around the Water King and lashed out at the soldiers stationed along the river.

“Aaaagh!!”

The massive tentacles swept across the ground, dragging soldiers along, and dozens of them were stuck to the tentacles’ suckers, unable to move.

“Ugh…!!”

“Uuuugh…!!!”

The tentacles curled up, pulling the soldiers into the river.

As their struggling hands sank helplessly, only a few bubbles struggled to the surface before bursting.

“…”

The soldiers, caught off guard by the sudden event, could only stare blankly as their comrades died in the water.

“W-What… what is that?”

The soldiers stared at the river with fear-filled eyes. Among the corpses of the soldiers floating on the surface, the tentacles that had killed them moments ago rose again.

[Krrr…]

The problem was that there wasn’t just one tentacle.

The size of the tentacles, one by one, was almost comparable to the Sea Serpent.

Swish…! Clang!!

The tentacles moved like whips in all directions.

They seemed displeased with the fresh water and began to ravage the soldiers around the Sea Serpent.

Gurgle… Gurgle…

A massive object was sinking in the river, emitting bubbles. Huge eyeballs, watching them from within the water, moved from side to side.

“Could it be…”

At that moment.

People realized.

The ten tentacles that had emerged from the river, pulling in their comrades, were not tentacles but the legs of the monster with those huge eyeballs.

“No way… How…”

The soldiers, as if seeing something that shouldn’t be there, unconsciously stepped back and shouted.

No.

It actually shouldn’t be there.

“How can the Sea King [Kraken] be in the Ponaine River?”

“Could it be… to catch us?”

“No way!!”

That quiet question spread like a plague, terrifying the 70,000-strong army.

Not one, but two.

The two monsters, known as the terrors of the continent, who would never tolerate the intrusion of other powerful beings into their territory, were now in one place.

Wanting to claim their lives.

“Yeah. It was too early to be surprised, Ruon. This is the real deal.”

Karil finally said with a satisfied expression.

“Ugh… Uaaagh!!”

“S-Save me!!”

The soldiers threw away their weapons and began to scatter.

“Everyone, get a grip!! Maintain formation!!”

Azif shouted, pouring magic into his voice.

But the ordinary soldiers, already in a panic, couldn’t hear his voice, let alone the Knights.

[Kuaaaaak…!]

[Kweeeek!!!]

But at that moment.

The soldiers near the river, who had been breaking ranks and fleeing at the simultaneous screams of the Sea Serpent and the Kraken, stopped as if frozen.

The roars of the two monsters had drained them of the strength to even run away.

Crunch!! Kwaaaang―――!!

Crackle…!!

The Water King opened its massive mouth towards the soldiers who had stopped like statues, and the Sea King’s legs poured down.

“I can’t believe it…”

“Are you saying… the monsters are fighting for us?”

Was this a dream?

Marze and Aven couldn’t believe what they were seeing, even with their own eyes.

It was then.

Even in the moment when everyone was stunned, Karil didn’t miss the opportunity.

“All troops.”

Whooooosh―――!!!