The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 198

156. The Book of Trials (1)

“Everyone, clear the area.”

“Pardon? But…….”

“Please provide our guests with a place to stay, and it seems you and I need to have a longer conversation.”

Unlike Mikhail and Serika, who were anxiously watching the heated exchange, fearing a fight would break out at any moment, Nine Darhoon’s reaction was amicable.

“Please, have your discussion.”

At Nine Darhoon’s command, the hunchbacked man hurriedly descended the stairs.

Watching him leave, Caryl spoke as if addressing someone he had known intimately for a long time.

“If you have any Cotler mountain fruit wine, I’d like some. Could you bring it to the room?” (Cotler is a region known for its fruit wine.)

At Caryl’s words, the man stopped in his tracks.

“Cotler is a region in the north, isn’t it? There’s no way such a thing would be in Antihum…….”

“That’s a shame. If you don’t have it, there’s nothing to be done. I just had a feeling you might be able to find it.”

After exchanging those cryptic words, the man quickly hurried downstairs.

“You two, just stay here.”

“……?”

Nine Darhoon looked at Mikhail and Serika, who were standing behind Caryl, with a puzzled expression.

This was supposed to be a private meeting with Caryl, yet he hadn’t dismissed the two of them.

“The matter we’re about to discuss is of utmost importance. There’s no one in Antihum who knows about it.”

“So?”

Caryl interrupted Nine Darhoon.

“These two are needed to catch the Dust of Emptiness. It’s a secret within Antihum, but it’s none of our business anyway. If you don’t like it, we can’t make a deal.”

“You really are an arrogant one. What are you, a dragon? You’re always so high and mighty.”

“I’m not a dragon, but I’m going to hunt one after I leave here. If you’re interested, you can come along.”

“……Huh?”

Nine Darhoon chuckled in disbelief at Caryl’s words.

“A dragon? Are you trying to revive the dragon hunters who disappeared hundreds of years ago? Alright, which dragon are you going to catch? The Gold Dragon Enuma Elish? Or the Green Dragon Cruaach?”

“I’m going to the Platinum Dragon’s lair.”

“The leader of the dragons?”

Nine Darhoon sighed softly at his answer.

Considering his previous behavior, one would expect him to laugh or ignore Caryl, but surprisingly, his reaction was calm.

“It won’t be easy.”

“I have something I need to meet him about. Well, I need to resolve the matters here first, though.”

“I wasn’t talking about what you need to do there, but something else entirely……. Well, fine. I don’t necessarily need to tell you.”

Nine Darhoon pointed at Mikhail and Serika.

“So, are you two planning to take the library’s test as well? If you wish to speak with me, you must take the test.”

Whoooong…….

As soon as he finished speaking, the bookshelf behind him split open to both sides.

Inside the bookshelf was another bookshelf, and on it was a small book.

“The test is open to everyone. But if you don’t have the qualifications to access the library, you will pay the price.”

At his words, the two nodded with tense expressions.

‘Nine Darhoon lost his life in a series of events before the Holy War. If my guess is correct, it must be related to what he’s doing now.’

The Dust of Emptiness, even the explosion of an incomplete corruption, was enough to obliterate the village of Antihum, where hundreds lived.

He didn’t know to what extent he had reached, but if he lost his life experimenting with the refinement of corruption that Alun Zavius had failed to complete,

‘Meeting him now might present a possibility to save him in this life.’

The resurrection of Alun Zavius through the study of corruption.

Kaye Essir’s second companion.

The Spirit King Duat, sealed in the library.

And finally, even Nine Darhoon’s life.

“…….”

Caryl folded his fingers as if trying not to forget, adding him to the list of things he needed to obtain here.

“Do we really have to take that test? Even though we’re here to help you?”

“There’s no choice if you want to enter Antihum’s barrier. Outside the library is just an ordinary village, but if you don’t see the true form of the Great Library, it won’t be of any help anyway.”

At Nine Darhoon’s words, Caryl shrugged his shoulders as if disappointed.

“It seems even the owner of the library can’t do anything about it. I was hoping to take it a little easier, but there’s no helping it. Mikhail, Serika. Prepare for the test.”

“Pardon? Us too?”

“Of course. Why else would I have brought you here?”

At his words, Mikhail looked at the back of the library with a very nervous expression.

“Halgard’s swordsmanship won’t be too difficult. And make sure you don’t lose the magic wand I gave you.”

“My lord, I…….”

It was Mikhail who was worried, but Caryl paid more attention to Serika.

“I would have taught you some magic if we had time. But there’s no helping it. Still, with your personality, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“……What about my personality? That sounds like you’re being sarcastic.”

Caryl ruffled Serika’s hair and chuckled.

Even though he was younger than her, his touch felt like that of an older brother with a large age gap, and Serika looked at him with a flustered expression.

“You can infuse magic into your swordsmanship, right? Your father should have taught you the theory, at least.”

“How do you know that?”

Caryl grinned at her.

“Because you’re a mercenary. Mercenaries who talk a lot are knowledgeable about the theory, even if they can’t do it themselves.”

“……Hmph.”

Serika scoffed at his words.

She probably didn’t know that in her past life, she always talked about her father whenever she used Freezing Spear, the unique swordsmanship she had perfected.

‘Serika. You don’t have to worry about anything else. The only reason I’m having you take the test is this. Don’t learn Halgard, a third-rate swordsmanship, but master the Black Slash of the Sword King in Antihum.’

She was the best with third-rate swordsmanship.

If she could master dark power in Antihum, she could create swordsmanship that surpassed the Sword King.

‘Because Halgard’s swordsmanship lacked offensive power, she focused on defense. But with Black Slash, both offense and defense are top-notch.’

She might be able to create unprecedented swordsmanship that surpasses her past self.

“Um…… what about me?”

Mikhail said in a hurried voice, looking at the two people walking away.

“You…….”

Caryl turned his head slightly and looked at him for a while before saying,

“Well, it’ll work out somehow.”

“……Pardon?!”

With a strange smile, Caryl said to Nine Darhoon.

“I will take the library’s test.”

At his words, Nine Darhoon slightly raised the corners of his lips as if he had been waiting for it.

Kugugugugu……!!

With a sound like a monster roaring, the hidden bookshelf split open once again.

Inside was a black book bound tightly with chains.

‘Duat’s seal must be behind that.’

Although Lamine was asleep, he could still feel the aura of the spirits after his contract with the Flame Tyrant.

Caryl, who could feel the faint but definite scent of the Spirit King, was already focused only on the seal behind it, as if he didn’t care about the library’s test.

“The Book of Trials.”

Nine Darhoon said in a low voice. Then, the chains that were binding it were released, and a small book floated in the air above his palm.

[Kkirreuk…….]

The eyes embedded in the book’s cover, which seemed to be alive, spun around and looked at Caryl.

Nine Darhoon slowly turned the cover of the book and said in a low voice.

“By the authority of the creator, I grant permission to browse.”

* * *

“Hmm…….”

Caryl slowly opened his closed eyes.

As soon as the Book of Trials was opened, the entire room was filled with dazzling darkness, making it impossible to open his eyes.

He knew that the words ‘dazzling darkness’ were contradictory, but there was no other way to express it.

[Courage, Confrontation, Obstacle]

The three phrases slowly appeared in the darkness as if floating above the surface of the water.

The Great Library’s test was simple.

Pass the test that appears in the darkness.

Since he had already experienced it in his past life, there was nothing particularly surprising or to be done.

The only difference from then was that now there were three choices.

‘Hmm, is it because of the two people who were with me?’

The test he had taken in his past life was Confrontation. The remaining Courage and Obstacle were probably tests that appeared because of Mikhail and Serika.

“So, I can take a different test…….”

The moment he muttered, the two letters Courage and Obstacle faded away.

At the sight, Caryl let out a low breath with an ‘I knew it’ expression.

“It seems both of them have decided on their tests.”

He smiled faintly as if he could somewhat guess who had chosen which test.

Caryl placed his hand on the remaining word, Confrontation.

Then, as if the vision was reversed once again, a new landscape unfolded before his eyes.

An empty space with nothing.

There wasn’t even a signpost, so he didn’t know where to go, but Caryl strode forward.

‘Come to think of it, is this the first time since I regressed? To have the same experience as in my past life.’

Because he had overturned all of history so far, the history of this life was completely different from his past life.

But the library’s test was the same as before.

As if,

This test was not a history that could be changed, but rather a reflection of the fate he would have to face in the future.

Caryl continued to walk.

It had been a long time since he had lost his sense of direction, to the point where he wondered if he was just walking in place.

“…….”

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

He was getting thirsty and his whole body was starting to feel weak, but he continued to walk.

‘One step per second. It’s been over 600,000, so roughly…… is it about a week? It was ten days in my past life. I wonder how long it will take this time…….’

But he couldn’t give up because of the test that awaited him.

It wasn’t to prepare for the arduous trials.

Rather, Caryl put more strength into his steps as he thought of someone who would be waiting in front of the trials.

‘It was so hard that I almost died back then……. Compared to climbing Parell, this is nothing.’

Caryl smiled faintly.

“When I think about it now, this is neither a test nor a trial. Rather, there’s one thing about the Immortal Guild that I like.”

They reject death with the magic of necromancy, create darkness, and study hell with curse magic.

Death and creation, which can be said to be the absolute domain of God, are contradictory but clearly in the same context.

“The reason why the Immortal Guild is closed off, unlike the Dawn Society, even though it is one of the two major magic societies, is because it is suppressed by the Order.”

On the other hand, the Dawn Society only studied the magic of the five major attributes, and further studied the magic of light, which was a branch of the Order’s divine power, radiance.

Thanks to this, they received the full support of the Order, and the reason why Cardin Ruel was chosen as the imperial court mage of the Empire was also in the same context.

“The Immortal Guild has enough reason to remain in the world just for its attitude of rejecting the shitty God.”

Caryl chuckled coldly as if talking to someone.

Confrontation.

When he first heard the name of this test, Caryl interpreted it like this.

A cruel trial that asks whether he, who carries out the divine message, can dare to raise his sword against the God he believes in.

That’s what it was like in reality.

As the vanguard leading the Ten of the Divine Message, it was difficult for him to even draw his sword in this test.

But…….

Thud- Thud- Thud-

That was only true for his past self.

Caryl lightly drew a circle with the sword he had drawn as if preparing.

Coming to this place again, he felt like he knew the real meaning of what the name of this test was trying to say.

How long had he walked?

Paat-!

Kwaaaang……!!!!

He kicked off the ground with all his might as if he had been waiting for it. At the same time as the blurry afterimage disappeared as if being swallowed by the darkness, a powerful explosion erupted.

“Finally…….”

A woman waiting for him far away in the darkness.

Caryl grabbed the woman’s face as if to relieve all the frustration he had accumulated so far and pushed her with all his might.

The woman’s body floated up with a boong- sound, and her head was slammed into the ground as it was.

Kwaaang……!!

Bewildered eyes visible between his fingers.

“I’ve met you.”

The face of a delicate woman was visible.

Surprisingly, the figure resembled the huge statue erected in the center of Heim’s Square, the Order’s sacred ground.

“I thank you for giving me this test.”

Puk-

Without hesitation, Caryl plunged his sword into Yula’s neck, who had fallen to the ground.