The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 160

126. Jarka Hoch

“Well, I guess we’ll only find answers by going inside the castle.”

Gordon broke the silence.

Nothing changes.

“Here it is.”

Aidan handed the emblem he got from the box to Karil.

“Ahem…….”

Karil also erased his memories of Alun Zabis and nodded, accepting it.

Whooooong……!!

It was then.

The moment he picked up the emblem from Aidan, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, the armor Karil was wearing began to glow with a faint green light, as if reacting to the emblem.

“W, what is this?”

Even Karil, who had never been flustered before, froze at the light emanating from his body.

But that was it.

The light that had reacted to the emblem faded away without any significant change.

“…….”

Karil stroked his armor, hidden inside his coat.

Clang…….

The sound of chains clashing was heard.

“That doesn’t look like ordinary armor?”

Gordon said, pointing to the silver chain mail visible between his collar.

“Yes, it’s Elven Mail.”

“Huh……. Armor made from the World Tree’s branches? That’s an elven artifact. Did you have elven relics on top of the Five Great Treasures?”

Gordon said, sounding dumbfounded at Karil’s words. Karil smirked at him.

“There’s nothing you can’t find in Tatur’s black market.”

In fact, the Elven Mail Karil was wearing was something the gnome craftsman Kalipsohn had left him before he departed.

In other words, it wasn’t something you could easily find in the black market.

‘Besides, this isn’t just an elven creation, but also a gnome creation.’

Karil kept silent, knowing how the Cult Mercenaries would react if they found out that there were still gnomes alive.

But whether his armor was made by elves or gnomes, it was definitely made from the branches of the World Tree that grew in Aerial Woods, the land called the elven territory.

He knew it was armor with excellent defensive capabilities, but Karil didn’t know it had such hidden functions.

“Why is the Elven Mail reacting to this emblem?”

“Who knows…….”

“You can ask the owner inside the Fortress of Specters. Anyway, keep it safe. It’s a rare item. Who knows? Maybe an elf will like it if you meet one.”

‘Even though it was made by a gnome.’

Karil replied inwardly.

“That’s true. I’d like to see an elf myself. There are few gnomes and dwarves, but they are said to be alive, but no one has ever seen an elf.”

It is known that these semi-human races boasted a thriving population even during the Magic Era 1,000 years ago.

However, the number of gnomes and dwarves has drastically decreased to the point of being on the verge of extinction, and elves in particular are only known to live in Aerial Woods, a small forest on the western end of the continent.

Many adventurers and explorers have explored the western end of the continent, but they have not been able to find the elven forest.

Thus,

Aerial Woods remained a legendary land full of rumors.

However, that’s why it could be more sacred, and there was even a story that Heim, the cult’s sanctuary, was modeled after it.

‘Why did this react to the emblem…….’

It was strange.

Karil tried to find the connection between the two, but he shook his head as if there was no connection and he couldn’t find an answer.

“Looking at your face, it seems like you don’t know exactly. But since there seems to be some connection…… you keep that emblem.”

“I will.”

“Shall we start now?”

Without much hesitation, Gordon turned his head and said.

“But……. To go further, we need to break the barrier and remove the poison. I don’t have the confidence to break through like the others.”

Aidan looked at the path where the hazy poison mists were floating. There was still a long way to go to the Fortress of Specters at the end.

“We couldn’t find the key to unlock the sealing magic from the Bone Dragon, so what do we do now?”

“Don’t worry.”

“Removing the poison is simple.”

“Yes?”

Just a moment ago, it was difficult to even enter the barrier, but Gordon said it casually.

Cooong…….

Then, he shouldered the Mouter [his warhammer] he had placed on the floor and slowly walked towards the barrier.

“Hup!!”

Gordon swung his hammer with all his might and struck the barrier.

Kwaaaang—!!!

Kwagang-!!

With a tremendous roar, the inside of the barrier where the hammer hit shattered, and fragments scattered in all directions.

People who knew that the barrier was sealed with magic and couldn’t even make a scratch looked at Gordon with surprised faces as they saw a large hole in the barrier in an instant.

“Karil, you would have felt it, right?”

“Yes. The magic on the barrier disappeared the moment the box was opened. Maybe Aidan taking out the emblem was the way to break the seal.”

“That’s right. If we had just left the box, the seal wouldn’t have been broken and we would have wandered around or eventually gone inside the castle. We almost got isolated, but it’s good to have a good subordinate.”

“I told you not to covet him.”

“Tch, you…….”

Gordon pursed his lips slightly at Aidan’s endless praise.

Whooooosh……!!

Whoosh……!!

As if there was an invisible ceiling inside the barrier, the poison clouds were trapped, but the ground poison began to escape through the holes in an instant.

The sight looked like signal fires were being raised. The poisonous smoke began to rise so high that it seemed like it could be seen all the way to the Empire across the Four Nine [a vast region].

Gordon made a few more holes and said.

“What are you doing? Help out too. We won’t be able to remove all the poison from this wide area, but if it gets thin enough, we’ll be able to go inside the castle.”

“Ah, I understand!”

“…….”

At his words, Miliana and Aidan moved.

“How is it, Karil? The brat you’re waiting for will come in on his own if we leave this much of a mark, right?”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter as long as the sealing magic is解除 [lifted]. Either way, Suan won’t come in this way.”

“Hmm……?”

Karil pointed to the opposite side of the barrier, where they were diligently making holes.

“Because he’ll cross the sea.”

* * *

Unlike the initial concerns, no significant monsters popped out while going through the thinned poison.

Jarka Hoch of the Fortress of Specters didn’t seem to be up to anything about the barrier being broken, but rather he seemed to be waiting for the group and cleared the way.

Creak…….

As if waiting for the group, the huge castle gate opened as they arrived in front of the castle.

“Huh…….”

They each let out a low exclamation at the sight that unfolded before their eyes.

“Welcome.”

Light poured out to the point of hurting the eyes.

A neatly dressed butler wrapped a long napkin around one wrist, put his other hand behind his back, and bowed to Karil.

Diring…… Diring…….

Diring…….

A faint melody was heard from inside the castle.

Like a luxurious banquet hall, dozens and hundreds of candlesticks were burning beautifully on the walls, and the huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling made it hard to believe that they had just crossed the land of death.

“What is this…….”

Aidan looked around with a bewildered expression without realizing it.

“Come in.”

“…….”

As they stepped inside, warm air brushed against Karil’s cheeks.

The fragrant scent and the smell of delicious food that whetted the appetite stimulated the nose.

People wearing fancy dresses, as if a festival was taking place, were dancing in groups of three or five.

“Hahahaha!!”

“Hoho……!”

Laughter was constantly heard from here and there.

Numerous people were chatting and giggling across the table.

Thud- Thud- Thud.

It was then.

A man strode towards Karil from the crowd of people.

“You’ve had a long journey. It’s quite cold now that winter is coming, isn’t it? Would you like a drink?”

With a hearty laugh, he snapped his fingers, and the butler brought a cup of steaming alcohol on a tray.

“It will warm you up.”

As the man handed over a large glass of alcohol on the tray, the fragrant scent inside the glass had a sweet scent that he had never smelled before.

“Hmm…….”

Gordon stared at the glass and let out a low sigh.

Kwaaak……!

At that moment,

He covered the man’s face with his large palm.

Then, as he slowly lifted him up, the man dropped the glass he was holding and grabbed his wrist.

He screamed strangely, kicking his legs in the air and making painful, choking noises.

“Aaaagh!!”

“Kyaaaaagh!!”

The people in the banquet hall screamed and started running away at the sight.

Kwaak……!! Thud!!!

The man’s head couldn’t withstand Gordon’s grip and burst like a balloon.

Brain fluid splattered in all directions, and the man’s legs, which had been kicking, lost strength and hung limp.

It was a gruesome sight.

But Gordon Fabian kicked the man’s corpse and shook his hand to wipe off the blood, saying in an annoyed voice.

“What, you son of a bitch. What kind of bullshit is this?”

Hwaaaaaak……!!!

Sarereuk……!

At that moment,

The banquet hall, which had been full of warmth just a moment ago, disappeared without a trace, and a fierce chill poured around them.

“Heuk?!”

Aidan screamed and threw away the bowl as the glass he was holding turned into an old bowl and the fragrant alcohol turned into rotten water with centipedes and pests floating in it.

Corpses lying all over the banquet hall.

The chandelier on the ceiling swayed in the wind like an axe on a guillotine, and there was not a single fire in the eerie banquet hall.

Kwaduk-

Miliana realized that the clothes of the corpse caught at her feet were familiar.

“…….”

It was the clothes of the butler who had guided them a little while ago.

She kicked the skeleton with her foot as if she felt bad seeing it.

“Tch! I’ve seen illusion magic, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a huge scale. Is the guy living in here a great wizard or something?”

Gordon Fabian frowned, spitting at the strong stench.

[You guys can’t enjoy the beautiful scenery.]

The end of the banquet hall.

A man was standing on a large chair on the stage above the platform.

“It’s you. You crazy bastard who does this kind of bullshit. Is making corpses dance beauty?”

Gordon said to him.

“Breaking your head would be more of a virtue.”

[Kekeke…….]

At his words, the man’s shoulders trembled lightly. Long silver hair swayed slightly in the wind.

The covered face was revealed.

It was a man with an astonishing beauty that didn’t match the mountain of corpses.

But what caught their eyes more than that was something else.

“Did you see that? Karil.”

“Yes.”

“I think I know roughly why your armor reacted to that emblem.”

“Me too.”

Gordon snorted and stepped forward.

“The owner of the Fortress of Specters is not a human, but an elf.”

“I know. It’s the first time I’ve seen an elf, but it’s a pity that it’s a corpse with only bones left.”

At Karil’s words, Jarka Hoch, who was sitting on the throne, smiled faintly.

Long ears were visible between the silver hair.

“Sacred ground my ass. No adventurer could find it in this shape.”

Gordon said in a low voice, slinging his hammer, Mouter, over his shoulder.

“This is the land of the elves. Aerial Woods.”