The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 469

279. The Great War (1)

“Can you handle it? What you’ve done.”

Yulla said sharply, looking at Karil. His right arm, severed by her sword, instantly regrew with light.

‘I feel nothing.’

It was clear she had cut off her arm, but the sword felt as if it had cut through empty air. It was the opposite of all her attacks being deflected until now.

Thud- Thud- Thud-

Yulla walked towards Karil, flexing the wrist of her severed right arm.

Whoooo……!!

With each step, a hazy light enveloped her entire body from her feet to her shoulders. As the light faded, brilliant silver armor materialized.

It was thick armor that seemed too bulky for her slender frame, and a pair of wings fluttered behind her back.

[A god wearing armor. Heh heh… Everyone is afraid of death.]

Aln commented, watching her. The moment she donned the armor, everyone in her domain felt as if they were suffocating.

Karil was no different.

Kugugugugugu……

The moment Yulla stopped walking, the area began to shake violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

“Keuk?!”

“Be careful!!”

“All troops!! Maintain formation!!!!”

The vibration spread rapidly for several kilometers, reaching the Free Army that surrounded them.

“Ugh!!”

“Everyone, watch your footing!! The ground is collapsing!!”

The earthquake caused the ground to crack like a spiderweb.

“Cough……!!”

That wasn’t all.

Along with the earthquake, a crushing pressure bore down on the soldiers, and those who couldn’t withstand the force fell into the widening cracks.

“Aaaaaaack!!!”

Screams erupted from everywhere. Then, intense heat rising from below the cracked ground began to engulf the soldiers.

Kwaaaaaang—!!!

The suffocating pressure shattered like glass with a roar. For a moment, her hair floated as if swaying in the wind.

“……”

Yulla’s eyes shifted diagonally.

Karil’s sword was touching her neck. She simply looked down at him holding the sword as if nothing had happened.

Kurururu……!!!

Kwagang!!!

As if fast-forwarding, the clouds in the sky moved fiercely, and a red sky like dawn appeared behind the quickly approaching night.

Chwareureuk……!! Kugung……!!

Yulla slowly floated into the sky and raised her arms towards Karil. Shimmering lights began to rise behind her like a heat haze.

The lights slowly condensed and stretched out like sharp tentacles, falling towards Karil.

Kwagagagagang!! Kwagagang!!

The tentacles of light multiplied rapidly, forming a net aimed at Karil.

“Everyone, scatter!!”

Karil shouted. The golems around him quickly retreated from the front lines, while those that couldn’t escape gathered in one place, as if by agreement.

[Hoo……!!]

Wingel Hart moved Ascalon to where the golems were gathered and raised Aegis [a powerful shield] above his head.

Kagagagagagak—!!!!

The moment the scorching lightning collided with Aegis, a roar erupted as if all the air in the area was being sucked in. Black smoke poured from Ascalon’s entire body, which had absorbed the divine lightning.

[Cough… Keulkeul!!]

Wingel Hart instinctively covered his mouth, feeling the intense divine power through the controls. Because Israphel, the first magician, was connected to Ascalon through his superior eyes [a magical connection], he could feel Wingel’s pain.

“Aegis is……”

Wingel wiped away the blood and looked at the shield attached to Ascalon’s arm. It was charred black, but the shield imbued with divine power hadn’t broken.

“I can block it one more time.”

[……Yes?!]

Deureureureuk-!!

Wingel immediately pulled the lever on the control stick. Ascalon turned its body, allowing the golems and soldiers hiding behind the shield to retreat from the front lines.

Boo Woong-!!

Karil’s sword pierced through the falling lightning and slashed towards Yulla. But she lightly deflected his attack as if flicking her finger.

Karil slid back, sticking his sword into the ground to slow his momentum. Then, he leaped into the air again and rushed his sword towards Yulla.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes-

The relentless sword strikes, delivered with bated breath, made it seem as if only he was moving in a world where time had stopped.

“Keuk?!”

However, despite the fierce onslaught, Yulla leisurely stepped back, avoiding Karil’s attacks.

Cheolkeok-!!

Just then.

A black shadow fell behind Yulla. Karil shouted at the sight of the giant god that came into view.

“Wingel!!”

Kwagagagagak……!!

Ascalon grabbed Aegis vertically with both hands and slammed the shield’s edge down on Yulla.

There was no time to hesitate.

Karil dove into the dust storm that erupted when Aegis collided with the ground.

“Heuaaaap!!!”

Seomgyeok (殲擊) [a one-hit kill technique].

Originally, it was a one-hit kill technique that involved imbuing two swords with different attributes and colliding them to create a momentary impact and unleash a devastating sword strike.

But Karil only had Polsetia’s sword in his hand. Instead of using another sword, he slashed his wrist as if scratching it and struck Yulla.

The moment Karil’s sword cut through the air in the dust storm, it hurtled towards Yulla with a sharp, tearing sound.

Kirik……?! Kigigigigigik—!!!

With a sharp and bizarre friction sound, as if metal was grinding against metal, Karil’s body was thrown out of the dust cloud.

Binggeureureureureu……!!

Polsetia’s sword spun in an arc above the sky and plunged into the ground.

As if the sword’s impact was a signal flare, Karil moved towards her again.

Pakang! Kaaang! Kang-!!!!

Continuous attacks followed immediately after landing.

Karil’s fists and legs relentlessly targeted Yulla, and the two became entangled in close combat.

Peoeok-!!!

With a dull impact, Karil’s fist struck Yulla’s cheek. At the same time, Yulla’s hand blade struck his ribs.

Wooddeuk……!!

With the sound of bones breaking, Karil’s waist bent at an unnatural angle.

Badeuk!!

Despite the excruciating pain, Karil gritted his teeth and threw a punch.

Jureureuk……

A faint bloodstain appeared at the corner of Yulla’s mouth.

A coldly hardened expression.

Her gaze could freeze with a single look, but Karil simply smirked.

“……I can’t believe it. A human is actually fighting a god with pure strength.”

“He really seems to have reached the realm of God.”

“You have to fight poison with poison, but maybe we’ve unleashed a terrible poison that could even threaten us.”

The three gods watched Karil fighting Yulla and clicked their tongues.

Kaang!! Kang-!!! Kakakakakak—!!!!

Karil pushed himself to the limit, ignoring his physical restrictions. Unlike before, when he swung his sword, Yulla’s body staggered each time she blocked the blows.

Peoeok-!!!

Karil lifted Yulla’s chin with his knee.

The Lycanthrope’s armor emitted a blue light upon impact. Yulla’s body was lifted into the air. Karil rotated, striking the back of her neck with his other leg.

Kwaaaaang……!!!

Yulla’s body fell to the ground as if collapsing. Karil pulled Polsetia’s sword from the ground and pressed down on her as she fell.

Chwaaaak……!!!

“Keuk?!”

The sword pierced Yulla’s right thigh. She seemed more surprised than pained, blocking Karil’s subsequent attacks and getting to her feet.

Chijijijijijijik—-!!!!

“Euaaaak!!”

Karil screamed, a sound that was hard to distinguish between a scream and a roar, and swung his sword. His fierce attack left the onlookers speechless.

“Hmm. It’s definitely a terrible poison, but ultimately impossible alone. If we leave it like this, victory will inevitably go to Yulla.”

“Yes. It’s an amazing feat for a human, but… The problem is time. He’s fighting as if burning his life away.”

Unlike his relentless assault, the three gods watched him with cold eyes, their initial surprise gone.

“Even Ranpocher, who is the incarnation of God, is still a human with a lifespan. If he consumes divine power like that, the human side will inevitably run out of power first.”

“So, to win, we need our help. We need him too.”

The woman with snake lips said to the two gods.

“Yes. If that happens, our position with him will change a little. It’s not that he’s giving us a chance anymore, but a state where our interests are intertwined.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and help him first.”

The second god, the woman with snake lips, took out the whip she had wrapped around her waist.

Cheok-

But the old man blocked her.

“What are you doing?”

The woman with snake lips frowned slightly.

“I agree to help him. Because we have to kill Yulla. But I don’t think we need to help right away.”

“What are you talking about? If we leave him like this, he will eventually die. If he loses, our chances of losing also increase.”

The old man smirked.

“Of course, we shouldn’t lose. Yes, that’s right. But that doesn’t mean we have to make him overwhelm Yulla from the beginning, does it?”

“……What?”

“Didn’t he use us to eliminate the fourth, fifth, and sixth gods? You have to stand in line well.”

The woman with snake lips tilted her head, looking at his sly grin.

“Thanks to us, he bought time to cause a disaster and was able to fight Yulla, so now it’s time for us to use him. Wait a little. If it’s a victory we have to get anyway, it’s not bad to wait until both of them are exhausted.”

“Keuheuk……”

The man laughed, as if he expected this.

“You’re still scheming. What if something unexpected happens like during the disaster?”

“You don’t think we’re going to lose, do you? Yulla is receiving the benefits of the dimension, but we have received the blessings of four gods. The gap is not that big.”

Just then.

“I knew it would be like this. That’s why humans are rebelling against you. You goddamn bastards.”

“……!!!”

“……!!!”

A woman was sharply rebuking the gods who were plotting conspiracies while Karil was busy fighting Yulla.

“That’s why they say you shouldn’t trust outsiders. Karil showed you grace, but you’re stabbing him in the back like this? How can the creations, humans, be right when the gods are like this? We, who can see the truth, have no choice but to take up the sword.”

The three gods hurriedly turned around.

Cheok-

She pointed one sword at the old man.

“Fight if you don’t want to die.”

And pointed the other sword at the man.

“Such impudence……!!! How dare you!!!”

The old man shouted, looking at the sword under his chin. But the sword blade turned golden and emitted intense magic power.

“……Dragon magic power?”

“This is not a request, it’s a warning. Fight with all your heart. I saw Karil pierce that bastard’s back. That means my sword can also cut you.”

It was a powerful magic power, reminiscent of the golden dragon Toska in his prime. The faces of the three gods hardened at the tremendous magic power that humans shouldn’t possess.

She pointed to the corpse of the fifth god who had died in Karil’s attack a little while ago.

“Your enemy is not only Yulla. Keep in mind. Millions of humans are pointing their swords at your backs.”

The Empress of Digon, Miliana, glared at them as if she would devour them right away.

“If Karil dies, you die too.”