The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 378

Whooooosh…

As the barrier protecting Olliver shattered, the remnants of magical power in the debris transformed into particles of light, drawn into the ancient book held by Caryl. The tome seemed to pulse with a brief, vibrant energy.

Crack… Crack, crack…

Around the blade of Ice Claw, the area near Olliver’s chest began to freeze rapidly, a chilling frost spreading outwards.

Caryl didn’t yank the sword from Olliver’s chest. Instead, he gently laid the Emperor’s body on the ground.

“You… you bastard…!!!”

Bellen Valention, his face contorted with rage as he stared at the Emperor’s lifeless form, screamed at Caryl.

“Don’t interfere.”

Caryl, taking a slow, deep breath, turned his head towards Bellen.

“Sir Bellen, you must understand. This is no longer a battle within human limitations. The war between the Empire and the Free State is over.”

A heavy silence descended upon the Solar Hall.

His words weren’t the boast of a victor. The Emperor’s death was a monumental event, but Caryl’s focus, like Narr Di Maugh’s, had already transcended the petty squabbles of humans, looking towards a larger, more ominous horizon.

Merely a stepping stone.

“But the true challenge remains.”

Following Caryl’s gaze, everyone in the Solar Hall turned their attention to Narr Di Maugh.

“Indeed.”

Feeling their collective stare, Narr Di Maugh smirked. His eyes were fixed on the ancient book in Caryl’s hand, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his face.

“You haven’t disappointed me. The potential of humans… truly astonishing. To think one could construct Polsetia [a legendary, immensely powerful magical construct] exists. That book is something no human should be able to wield… How?”

His voice was more curious than shocked, seemingly unconcerned by Olliver’s demise. The covenant of the Empire’s guardian dragon was, perhaps, just another means to exploit humanity.

“Potential? You’re still harping on about that.”

Caryl’s laugh was devoid of warmth.

“You, in all your supposed brilliance, consider countless possibilities, yet you’ve overlooked one crucial factor.”

“And what is that?”

“The possibility of you being devoured by humans. It never crossed your mind, did it?”

Narr Di Maugh’s eyes widened, a genuine surprise registering on his face.

“Heh, kukuk….”

But beneath the surprise, a smile began to form.

“Interesting. Polsetia… you place your faith in that and utter such amusing words. Yes, with your swordsmanship and that book, it would be the most direct path to uniting the powers of sword and magic.”

Narr Di Maugh’s lip curled into a sneer.

“I don’t know how you came to possess it… but unfortunately, it poses no real threat to me.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“I, too, considered that possibility long ago. But that experiment is a failure. No matter how much dragon magic you possess, activating Polsetia alone is impossible. That tome constantly hungers for magic, insatiable in its appetite. The body simply cannot endure it. Not even a dragon could.”

“We’ll see. There’s always a way.”

“…What?”

“Indeed, as you said, when I first laid eyes on this book, the magic woven within was incomprehensible. Without Aln’s repository of knowledge, I wouldn’t have even begun to decipher it.”

“Then you should thank me. Because he died, you were able to inherit it.”

[Shut your trap.]

Aln’s voice was a snarl, and Narr Di Maugh shrugged as if it were a jest.

“But it’s not enough. Merely activating the magic requires a tremendous amount of power, and even if successful, magic alone is insufficient to kill you.”

“Then?”

“The answer, in the end, lies with the sword.”

Narr Di Maugh’s lip twitched. The solution Caryl presented seemed to have shaken his composure.

“How fortunate. That the key to ending you is what I excel at most.”

Narr Di Maugh stared at Caryl, as if contemplating a Zen riddle, continuing the conversation as if discussing an experiment he had long sought to solve.

“Using Polsetia while wielding a sword? You speak so casually of the impossible, of something whose prerequisites cannot be met.”

He gestured towards Aln.

“To activate Polsetia, you must abandon the body. Are you also planning to discard your physical form and become a spirit like him?”

“Of course not. I need this body to wield the sword. To plunge it into your neck.”

Caryl raised Lakna [Caryl’s sword].

“I will utilize Polsetia in a different manner. To satiate the perfect magic that this book craves, it is indeed necessary to be without a body.”

“What do you mean…?”

Narr Di Maugh frowned, puzzled by Caryl’s words.

“A way to provide magic without a body.”

Caryl pointed the blade of Lakna at Narr Di Maugh’s chest.

“Your heart.”

“…”

“I will extract your heart to activate Polsetia.”

“Kukuk….”

Narr Di Maugh erupted in laughter, as if Caryl’s words were utterly absurd.

“Hahahahaha!!!”

Bending over, clutching his stomach, he wiped tears from his eyes.

“I can’t remember the last time I laughed like this… Such utter nonsense. You intend to construct Polsetia with my heart?”

Narr Di Maugh spoke with disdain.

“It defies all logic. You require the power of both sword and magic to defeat me… If you’re going to use my heart to construct Polsetia, how do you intend to kill me before that happens?”

“You’re the one who’s mistaken.”

Step- Step- Step-

Caryl began to move slowly. He glanced briefly at Olliver’s frozen corpse, then turned his gaze back to Narr Di Maugh.

“You are no different to me than that man. Just a stepping stone. I have someone far greater to contend with.”

“Crazy…”

“Before engaging in conversation with me out of dragon arrogance, you should have considered how I defeated Olliver.”

“…What?”

Clang!!! Zzzzzzzzz…!!!

Thud! Thud! Thud…!!

At that moment,

With the sound of a colossal machine grinding into motion, a vast shadow fell over Narr Di Maugh.

[Now is the time…!!!!]

Before Narr Di Maugh could fully react, Wingle, emerging from the shattered remains of Revol [a powerful golem], moved Ascalon [another powerful golem] while Narr Di Maugh was distracted by his conversation with Caryl.

Crrrrrrrr…!!

Ascalon raised its greatsword high above. Merely controlling the giant was already a tremendous strain, so unlike when Caryl controlled it, the greatsword lacked a mana blade. Yet, the sound of the wind being torn apart as the multi-meter blade descended vertically was deafening.

Kwaaaaaaang!!!

With a deafening roar, the ground where the two stood shattered into fragments from the impact of the greatsword.

“Is this the best you could devise? A golem that barely managed to defeat an artificial being I created is the trump card you believe can defeat me?”

Crack… Crack!

Surprisingly, Narr Di Maugh raised his hand and firmly grasped the falling greatsword.

Crack!

As he exerted pressure, his fingers pierced the blade of the greatsword. Then, with a downward pull, he tore the greatsword apart as if bitten by a monstrous beast.

“Try it.”

Narr Di Maugh taunted Caryl, shaking off the debris of the shattered greatsword.

Sreung…!! Swish!!!

At that moment, Zigra’s dagger aimed for the back of his neck from within the shadows. But as if he had anticipated the attack, Narr Di Maugh didn’t even turn around.

Kwaaaaaaaang…!!!

Unexpectedly, Zigra’s sword, which should have been reduced to ash upon contact, collided with Narr Di Maugh’s barrier, unleashing a violent explosion.

“…Agnel, was it.”

He muttered, glancing at the dagger in Zigra’s hand.

“The attempt was admirable, but what can an immigrant [a person without magical abilities] accomplish with that sword? It’s merely pearls before swine.”

“Cough…!!”

Narr Di Maugh seized Zigra by the neck. With impossible speed, Zigra was caught before he could react.

[Kuaaaaaaa!!]

At that moment, Zarka Hochi struck Narr Di Maugh’s wrist with all his might as he gripped Zigra’s neck.

Kwaang…!!

The impact forced Narr Di Maugh back, and Zigra, whom he had been holding, was flung into the air.

“Now…!!!!”

Kay Rothschild pulled the puppet’s strings with all her might. Zarka Hochi moved with lightning speed, surpassing his normal capabilities, snatching Zigra and retreating.

“Is this all? What can you achieve with just this!!”

Narr Di Maugh unleashed a devastating punch.

Kwaaaaaaang…!!

Ascalon’s joints shattered, and the golem collapsed forward.

Flash-

Simultaneously, Narr Di Maugh shot forward like a bullet, grabbing Zarka Hochi by the neck and slamming him into the ground.

[Cough…!!]

“Kyaaak!”

Kay Rothschild, connected by the strings, screamed in agony along with Zarka.

Crack…! Swish!!!

Narr Di Maugh snapped Zarka Hochi’s head off without hesitation. After a sickening crunch, he ripped the puppet’s head clean off.

Gurgle…!! Chwruk…! Kwalararalak…!

The pure white spine inside the puppet’s body was pulled out along with the head.

[Kuaaaaaaaa!!]

As the pure white bones, disturbingly similar to human bones, were torn from the body, Zarka Hochi screamed as if in torment.

Thud-

Narr Di Maugh tossed the severed head onto the floor and advanced towards Kay Rothschild.

“What can you possibly do?”

He pressed down on Kay’s ankle, who was sitting on the floor. Her slender ankle snapped with a sickening crack!

“What can we do?”

Despite the excruciating pain, she bit her lip and glared at him.

“You’ll see. You overlooked something while flaunting your power against the weak. An arrogant lizard brat. Never underestimate humans.”

Kay spat at Narr Di Maugh’s face.

“…”

As the sticky saliva dripped down his cheek, Narr Di Maugh let out a low, menacing sigh.

“How dare you, you bitch…!!!”

His anger exploded, and he stomped on her broken leg with all his might.

“Aaaaaaak!!!”

With a bloodcurdling scream, he raised his hand to strike Kay’s cheek.

Crack…!!

It was then.

“…”

Narr Di Maugh’s hand froze in mid-air. Sensing the energy behind him, he turned his head.

“I warned you to remain vigilant.”

“Do you believe you are any different? To a predator, you and she are indistinguishable.”

The Bracelet of Greed on Caryl’s wrist began to crack and emit a blinding light.

Clang…! Crack!!!

Simultaneously, the gems on the four rings with red jewels on his fingers shattered.

“Indeed. I, too, may be insignificant in your eyes. But what you failed to notice is not me. It’s the trap I laid.”

Then, a tremendous surge of magic, a veritable magical storm, began to coalesce and be absorbed into Polsetia.

“…!!!”

The Bracelet of Greed and the Four Fangs [cursed magical items].

Both were cursed objects that drained the user’s magic.

It was now clear: Caryl’s dragon magic had been accumulating within them.

But no matter how much magic was stored, even if they were items crafted in the Magic Era, they were insufficient to activate the Great Grimoire [a powerful magical artifact], a Blader’s artifact from the Mythic Era.

However, Caryl possessed not one, but both of those items.

The accumulated magic was doubled.

It was just enough to meet the minimum requirements to activate this immense tome.

“Just once.”

Caryl said, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he struggled to control the overwhelming surge of magic.

[That’s enough.]

Swish…!!

A blue serpent coiled around Polsetia, riding along Caryl’s wrist, and devoured the condensing magic as if it were prey, opening its mouth to speak.

[Whether it’s a mosquito or a dragon, life is only one.]

Charrrrrr…!!

At that moment, Polsetia opened, and a pure white light erupted from within the book. Dozens, hundreds of magic circles appeared and vanished on the opened pages of Polsetia, overlapping and intertwining. Caryl reached into the heart of the swirling magic circles.

Grab-!!

Then, he gripped the hilt inside with all his might.

It was,

A sword.