The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 162

128. Undead (1)

“Hoo-eup!!!”

Gordon Fabian channeled power into Mouster, fending off the Undead.

How much time had passed?

He was putting on an incredible display, pulverizing the Undead protected by magic barriers, but his breathing gradually became rough.

Thump!! Thump, thump…!! Crrk…!!!

Dozens of Undead stabbed at him with swords and spears, but they bounced off the Automata armor protecting him.

However, they did not relent in their attacks, and his body, which had seemed as solid as a massive wall, was pushed back for the first time.

[The writhing of life is quite a sight to behold. No matter how strong, even the mighty are destined to perish.]

Zarka Hoch, inside the magic barrier, watched Gordon’s fight as if watching a play, humming softly.

“I’ve raided countless magical lairs in my life, but that guy is the most unlucky monster I’ve ever encountered.”

Gordon growled, but Zarka Hoch still wore a relaxed expression.

“Hoo….”

Although the pain had subsided, Gordon, not fully recovered from Sanhwa Blood Deficiency [a condition causing weakness and pain], could focus his power in short bursts, but prolonged combat was too much for him.

“Zarka.”

Gordon seemed more annoyed by the situation than regretful about his diminished skills.

“You’re right, Elf. What glory am I trying to enjoy, struggling here to survive… My memory must be failing as I get older.”

In that moment,

An indescribable magical power erupted from his body. Every blood vessel seemed ready to burst.

“Instead of doing this until your magic is depleted, my way was always to just kill you. Forget the medicine, just die.”

[Kaaaaah…!!]

[Crack!!]

The corpses of necromancy rushed towards Gordon as he walked towards Zarka.

“No, what should I say to dead guys?”

He swung Mouster as if annoyed.

Whoo-oong…!!

At that moment,

The Undead dodged Gordon’s attack with strange movements.

“What?”

But they were soon shattered by the subsequent second strike. Still, the Undead had clearly dodged his attack, even if only once, which they had never done before.

‘That technique is….’

At that moment, Caryll’s eyes flashed.

He realized that the foreign feeling he had sensed from them earlier was exactly that.

‘It’s not human.’

He searched his memory.

A movement that was somehow familiar.

It was ridiculous that the Undead’s movements were familiar, but the subtle actions of the monsters dodging Gordon’s attack were definitely etched in his memory.

‘It wasn’t conscious action, but instinctual.’

That meant it was a memory or experience from their past lives.

“….”

Regardless of Caryll’s thoughts, Gordon couldn’t hide his unease and kicked the broken bones roughly once more, as if irritated.

“They’ll just reassemble anyway… I’ll crush you before that happens.”

You ignorant fool, Zarka Hoch thought, looking at Gordon approaching him with contempt.

Still leaning back in his chair, he grabbed his staff, which had been standing still, for the first time.

Whoosh-

A gust of wind gathered at the end of Mouster as if condensing. As he slammed the hammer down with all his might, a shockwave that shattered the air erupted from the hammer’s head as it fell from its apex.

Kwaaaaaaa–!!!

The explosion, detonating before it even touched the ground, sounded like the roar of a monster.

‘He still had that kind of power left.’

Caryll once again felt the might of one of the continent’s five great Sword Masters, his skin tingling even from a distance.

[χ-stφω Ϫφχ γω…….]

Elven incantations flowed from Zarka Hoch’s mouth. Undeterred by the overwhelming force that seemed ready to crush him, he looked at Gordon and slammed the shining staff downwards.

Koo-oong….

A majestic reverberation, different from Gordon’s attack, was heard from beneath the floor.

The floor shook as if an earthquake had occurred, but Gordon spun around and swung the hammer once more.

Each time he struck with Mouster, shockwaves rippled as if distorting the atmosphere.

Bang!! Bang!! Kwaaaang!!!

The magic barrier of Zarka Hoch, which had seemed perfect, wavered under the relentless assault.

“Monster….”

Aidan said, seemingly at a loss for words at the sight.

“Kuaaaaaaaa!!!”

Gordon’s cry echoed through the castle.

It was a raging attack, but the greatness of his strength lay in the fact that each attack was fought purely on instinct, without any form.

Crack…!!

The ground beneath Gordon’s feet split, and thick tree trunks began to rise, binding his body.

“Hmph…!”

But as if Zarka Hoch’s magic was laughable, Gordon shattered the massive wall of trees blocking his path.

It was truly an attack befitting the word ‘destruction’.

‘It seems he wasn’t at full power when he fought me.’

Caryll smiled wryly.

He acknowledged Gordon’s strength, but his all-out appearance was beyond imagination.

All swordsmanship used by humans is bound by constraints called techniques (術) [jutsu, or techniques]. Caryll had swung his sword for countless eons to break free from those constraints, creating the five stances of the sword.

Condensing and mastering all possible human swordsmanship, compressing it into five.

But he could not deny that he, too, was restricted by the technique (術) [jutsu, or techniques] of stances.

Thud… Thud….

“Huh?”

The spirits that had been wielding swords at him just moments ago stopped and began to revert to their original skeletons.

Aidan took a step back, slightly surprised by the creatures collapsing in front of him.

“I see.”

Caryll nodded, watching the skeletons that had lost their power and collapsed as Zarka Hoch withdrew the magic power he had been using for necromancy in the face of Gordon’s fierce attack.

“Aidan, you’re right.”

“Huh?”

“Gordon Fabian is a real monster.”

Even after their battle in the South, when he shattered Gordon’s signature magic armor, Caryll honestly believed he had surpassed him.

‘Well, that thought hasn’t changed now, but…’

He realized that if he recovered from Hematemesis [vomiting blood] and could exert his full power, Gordon would not be an easy opponent to defeat.

‘It’s fortunate I saved you. That monstrous power I didn’t see in my past life will be essential to me.’

Caryll picked up the skull of a skeleton lying on the floor and examined it. At first glance, it looked human, but there was a subtle difference.

Seemingly convinced, he threw the skull down and said in a low voice,

“Zarka Hoch. It seems you haven’t ended this ridiculous charade since we entered the castle.”

“What are you talking about?”

As the undead swordsman who had been attacking him disappeared, Milliana sheathed her sword and approached him.

“Wow… he really is a monster.”

Before she could grasp the meaning of Caryll’s words about the charade, she chuckled in disbelief as she watched Zarka and Gordon fighting.

Crack….

With that thought, she frowned slightly and tightened her grip on her sword.

She, too, was now entering the ranks of Sword Masters. She thought she had become stronger, but ironically, she only realized the difference between herself and Gordon more clearly.

“Does that mean there are five such beings on the continent?”

She had always been confident in her own strength, but now that she had stepped into the world of the pinnacle, she felt that the real journey was just beginning.

“Don’t expect to be full on your first bite [don’t expect to achieve everything at once]. He’s been a Sword Master for years. Besides, you have dragon magic power that other Sword Masters don’t.”

Caryll patted her shoulder lightly and strode forward.

“Do you even know how much of a cheat dragon magic power is?”

“…What?”

It was then.

Caryll, who had been silently watching their fight, moved for the first time.

[γstφω……!!!]

The cry of Zarka Hoch chanting magic was heard. The giant trees that had sprung up from the ground a moment ago began to writhe and split apart.

Crack… Crack…!!

The ends of the giant trees, split in half with a dull sound, poured down on Gordon like huge mouths.

It was like an earth dragon.

“Hoo-oop…!!”

Gordon swung the Mouter [his weapon] with all his might at the giant trees flying towards him.

As he twisted his supporting leg, the ground shattered as if unable to bear Gordon’s weight.

Amidst the fierce battle, Caryll slipped away as if nothing had happened.

“You brat!!”

Gordon belatedly discovered him and shouted.

“Just hold on a little longer.”

“…What?”

Gordon clicked his tongue as he watched Caryll’s back disappear into the trees.

“Looks like he’s up to something again.”

Gordon tightened his grip on the Mouter.

Crack, crack, crack…!!

He pushed back the earth dragons that were opening their jaws as if to devour him and shouted,

“I don’t know what it is, but hurry up and do it, you bastard!”

Passing by Gordon, Caryll stood on the throne.

“Zarka Hoch. I can see that while the magic power of the elves may be great, you are not a skilled fighter.”

Then he said quietly.

He realized the reason for the undead’s strange appearance.

Each and every one of them showed movements comparable to a Sword Expert.

There were dozens of such undead.

Even a monster like Gordon Fabian would inevitably tire.

“Besides, they regenerate so quickly even after being destroyed that even I was almost fooled. Necromancy restores the power of the undead from their past lives, unlike black magic, which simply controls them.”

[You…]

Zarka Hoch’s eyes flickered slightly at Caryll’s words.

“I thought it was the abilities of the adventurers who found the City of the Dead. But upon closer inspection, there are few among the undead here who are skilled in combat.”

Except for the swordsman who fought Milliana at the start of the battle and a few other undead, most were destroyed in one blow.

Gordon’s skill was great, but even so, it was too easy.

“And just once, you dodged Gordon’s attack.”

Thwack…! Crack!!

Caryll used his sword to blow away the head of an undead blocking Zarka Hoch.

He grabbed the severed skull that was spinning into the air and said,

“The reason these guys are strong is different. It’s not because they were strong humans in their past lives, but because they have the unique movements of elves.”

As he finished speaking, he crushed the skull he was holding and took another step closer to him.

“Hey!!! Is that how you’re going to take him down? What does it matter if the corpses piled up here are elves or humans?”

Gordon shouted, looking at Caryll.

“It’s not how I’m going to take him down. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get to him until now.”

“…What?”

Caryll answered calmly amidst the fierce battle and nonchalantly placed his hand on Zarka Hoch’s magic barrier.

Whoo-oong….

Then the barrier rippled.

“A thousand years of magic power…”

The magic power flowing from his hand slowly began to envelop Zarka’s barrier.

“You want to have a magic power fight? If you want, I’ll give it to you.”

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang…!!!

Kwa-ga-gang…!!

At that moment,

HOT flames flickered over Zarka Hoch’s magic barrier and began to burn as if to melt it away.

[Th-this…?!]

Zarka, who had been looking down on them as if ignoring them, shouted with a bewildered expression for the first time.

It was then.

A low voice was heard in Caryll’s head.

[Dragon magic power is a cheat? Then what are you, with dragon magic power and my power?]”

He smirked at the words of the Flame King.