The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 332

218. Ambush

Woooooong…….

The sound of the airship’s engine passing through the north echoed softly inside the situation room.

Inside the situation room, dozens of mercenaries were busily moving about. On the top floor, technicians gripped the control sticks embedded with attribute stones, piloting the airship, while the mercenary group’s mages operated dozens of magic mirrors.

[Kwaaaang……!!]

[Kwagang!!]

Inside the activated magic mirrors, flashes of explosions and flames, along with the images of soldiers desperately fighting back, could be seen.

Tsseut―

With a gesture, the magic mirrors, which had been emitting loud noises, were muted, and only the screens continued to play.

“It’s quite a mess. The number of troops deployed on both fronts already totals 300,000. It would be difficult to find a battle of this scale in history. It is said that the Empire’s 300,000-strong army will soon be dispatched. And beyond that, the main force of 500,000 is being prepared.”

Watching the battle in the magic mirror, Jaegun muttered a quiet observation.

“The Empire intends to strike Tatur with all its might. Can Tatur really stop the Empire?”

Then, lowering his head, he looked at Gordon Fabian, who was sitting in a chair, as if seeking his opinion.

“300,000, huh……. Only 300,000 have clashed so far. This is just the beginning. The continent will be in chaos. It will be soaked in blood for the first time in a long while.”

“And we are at the center of it.”

Jaegun gave a bitter smile at Gordon’s words.

The airship’s engine roared as if answering his words.

“History will change. You have made a truly difficult decision. Unlike before, this is an opportunity to firmly establish the position of the Gyodo Mercenary Group.”

“Will it really?”

“……Yes?”

“Only you would think that way. Haven’t you considered the possibility that the Empire might lose? Well, you’ve always admired the Empire. Still wanting to be a noble, even as a mercenary.”

“Wh, what are you…….”

Jaegun, the vice-captain, stammered, seemingly flustered by Gordon’s blunt words.

“Well, if you’re lucky, Olliver might give you a seat this time. Or it might be more likely if I die.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Jaegun replied with a slightly stiff face.

“I won’t deny it. Wanting to become an imperial is my personal hope, but before that, I am also a member of the Gyodo Mercenary Group. Unless it’s a natural death, I have never wished for the captain’s death. I refuse to be sacrificed in a war like a fool.”

“Heh heh……. You’d have it your way if it were a natural death?”

Jaegun shrugged.

“If you enjoy your *Tianming* [destiny or mandate of heaven] and leave, who would say anything? And wouldn’t I have to feed the guys below in a situation where there’s no captain? When that time comes, I would protect my subordinates in the way I do best.”

“Yeah. You’re always so sassy. You know.”

Gordon said, looking out the window.

“But that’s also why I made you vice-captain. It’s what I like about you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment……. It’s a bit strange that the captain likes me.”

“Heh heh. Crazy bastard.”

Although they had different methods, their ideals were the same. Gordon and Jaegun were silent for a moment, but they fully understood each other’s thoughts.

“Are you still holding it against me? When the late Emperor was alive, I secretly helped the Empire.”

Jaegun said, slightly pouting his lips.

“I didn’t side with the Empire without any reason either. Didn’t you see it, Captain? The Empire’s trump card. Dragons. No matter how great Karil is, he won’t be able to defeat a dragon.”

“I never resented you. If you couldn’t stand it and caused resistance or rebellion anyway, you would have died by my hand.”

“That’s true.”

They knew it was nonsense, but it seemed like they were deliberately exchanging jokes to shake off the tension.

[Report!! Life forms detected ahead!]

“Life forms? We’re the only ones who can fly at this altitude over the continent.”

Jaegun asked nervously, placing his hand on the communicator.

[Red scales……!! It’s a drake!!]

“The time has come.”

Unlike his subordinate’s urgent voice, Gordon slowly rose from his seat as if he had been waiting for it.

Knowing that the reason they had been exchanging jokes was because of this, Jaegun bit his lip slightly as the reality he had hoped wasn’t true approached.

“Where are you going?”

“Are you asking even though you know? I have to greet him. He’s furious, so if we stay still, he might tear the airship in half. I don’t care, but you guys can’t survive if you fall from here. Like you said, I have to protect you guys in the way I do best. At least I’m still the captain.”

Jaegun swallowed hard, looking at Gordon, who was pointing downwards and speaking nonchalantly.

Kkwadeuk―

Jaegun clenched his fist.

“Everyone, prepare!! To your positions!! The ceiling of the airship will be opened!! Fasten your belts without exception. It’s over the moment you fly away!”

Jaegun shouted, looking at Gordon.

As his command fell, the mercenaries in the control room began to move in an orderly fashion.

Keugeugeugeu…….

At the same time, the dome in the ceiling opened, and a high-altitude gale began to rage.

“Mouter.”

Even in the storm that seemed to sweep him away at any moment, Gordon stood upright without a care and reached out his hand.

Cheolkeok―! Jiiiiing……!

The chair he had been sitting on until just now rotated and descended, and at the same time, a huge battle hammer in a glass case rose from the floor in its place.

“Hmm.”

Gordon shouldered the hammer and jumped onto the ceiling, stepping on the floor as it was.

Kwaaaaaaaang―――!!!

At the same time, a strong explosion was heard.

“Keuek?!”

“Uaaaaaak……!!”

“Hold on tight!!”

The airship staggered.

“The captain has gone outside! Close the door immediately!!”

Jaegun shouted, grabbing the control stick with all his might to maintain balance.

“Maintain altitude as much as possible! Deploy the airship’s defensive shield to the maximum!! Maintain the shield up to the maximum limit of the ignition stone’s core!”

“But……. If we do that, the airship’s core will be completely exhausted before we reach our destination.”

“We’re in a situation where Sword Masters are about to have a showdown over our heads. The goal isn’t to worry about arriving, but to prevent the airship from being destroyed!!”

Tension filled the faces of the mercenaries at Jaegun’s shout. The Gyodo Mercenary Group, known as the strongest on the continent, was intimidated by a single person.

“Don’t be scared, you bastards!! Even if the enemy is a Sword Master, our captain is more than that.”

Jaegun shouted at his subordinates as if trying to shake off their fear.

“To your positions! Focus!!”

“Yes!!”

The mercenaries shouted loudly as if trying to shake off their fear.

‘Let’s go back alive. Captain.’

But unlike encouraging his subordinates, Jaegun felt a cold sweat running down his back for the first time in a long while.

“Since you said we can survive even if we fall, we’ll do our best to shake him off. Airship, full speed ahead!!”

Woooooong……!!!

With a rough sound from the ignition core, the airship began to speed up.

* * *

“Gordon.”

Karil kicked away the torn outer armor of the airship, and the solid outer armor flew backwards in the blowing wind as if it were a piece of paper.

“Hey, do you even know how much that costs? There are no ruins to get the materials, so I’m having a hard time repairing it.”

“Stop talking nonsense. You should be grateful that I didn’t destroy the airship. Compared to the lives of the thousands of mercenaries in here, this is a cheap price to pay.”

Kwang―!!

Karil kicked another outer armor of the airship.

The airship staggered lightly from the impact.

“What are you thinking, siding with Olliver? War is going to happen anyway, but I need to hear your scheme.”

Gordon said, shouldering the Mouther.

“I think I already answered that question in the north.”

Gordon curled the finger of the opposite hand holding the Mouther, gesturing as if to challenge him.

“You know better than anyone that you can’t win even if you fight me.”

“You won’t know until you try.”

“Those who have to eat to know whether it’s an herb or a poisonous plant only realize it’s a poisonous plant when they die. You know? When you regret it, you’re already in the afterlife.”

“Heh heh heh……. All the young ones around me are sassy.”

Kwaaaaaaaang―――!!

Gordon kicked off the deck and ran.

The huge hammer roared as it flew towards Karil’s side, aiming horizontally.

Kaang!! Kadeudeudeuk……!

With a heavy reverberation, Karil clashed with the Mouther, causing sparks.

“But that’s why it’s fun.”

Looking at him uttering strange words, Karil deflected the hammer and readjusted his sword.

Zeueueung……!

The blade of Lakna took on a silver-gray color.

“What is that? It’s a new mana blade that’s neither dragon power nor secret power.”

“I’m not going to tell you my scheme, so I don’t need to kindly explain it to you, right?”

At Karil’s audacious words, Gordon smirked.

“Okay, come if you want to hear it. I’ll see how much you’ve grown in the meantime.”

“You’re asking for death.”

Kwadeudeudeuk……!!

As Karil’s magic mixed with killing intent surged, the blade of Lakna crazily grew, resembling a storm.

Paat―!!

Karil’s body disappeared with a blurry afterimage.

As if teleporting, he ran zigzag through the air, pulling out Agnel from his arms with his other hand and focusing his magic.

Hwareureureuk!!

Then, the blade of Agnel lengthened, sprouting a red flame blade.

“…….”

At the sight, Gordon’s gaze turned to Agnel.

He stared intently at the Black Eye Clan’s dagger, as if contemplating something.

“Instead…….”

Then, pushing away Mouther with all his might, he deflected Lakna.

Kaang―!!!

As they clashed, with monstrous strength, he lifted Mouther overhead, and Karil’s body flew upwards!

Gordon’s thick forearms, like giant trees, felt a tingling sensation.

A strange current flowed between the two.

Even as they exchanged blows, somehow, their sword blades seemed to hide a different meaning than just murderous intent.

The scene was like they were secretly talking so no one could hear.

And a word faintly heard in the roar.

Tak―

Karil, whose body was sent flying by Gordon’s brute force, landed on the deck of the airship, looking at him with trembling eyes.

But he swung Mouther again, as if asking what he was doing. As if to deceive someone who might be watching them.

Karil blocked Gordon’s attack with a stiff face, the words he left behind fleetingly lingered in his mind.

‘I’ll tell you the secret we saw in the north.’

Kaaaaaaang―――!!

The air changed, and a cold blizzard began to envelop them. In the biting cold that made them shiver, the sound of their clash alone echoed through the strong wind.