The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 203

Swaaaaaash—!!

Before Nine Darhon could say anything, the seal on the Book of Nightmares was torn off.

The 7th class sealing magic was torn off without any restraint, as if tearing open a letter envelope.

“You crazy bastard!!”

“Don’t be surprised. I’m not a good enough magician to break your seal. The choice is his.”

Darkness fell in an instant.

Was it because darkness was what consumed him during the ‘Book of Challenges’? Or was it because of the nature of the corruption he had been hunting even before that?

Cahill sighed as if he was bored.

“Hmm, it seems like he’s willing to meet us.”

“Wh-where is this……”

Nine Darhon looked around, trembling.

“But what should I do? I was going to handle it alone… It seems like Duart wants to invite you to his space as well.”

Cahill chuckled and poked him on the shoulder.

“When we get out of here, you have to teach those two guys. Originally, I was going to solve this while you were in charge of them.”

“You’re so carefree……”

Nine Darhon scoffed at his words.

“We’ve entered a barrier created by the Spirit King. In a situation where we don’t know if we can ever get out or if we’ll be trapped forever, you’re worried about teaching those kids outside?”

“Yeah. It’s very important. It’s a matter of humanity’s fate. So please teach them with all your heart. At least it’s easier than this, right?”

“……What?”

Cahill smirked as if enjoying Nine Darhon’s expression.

“The day will come when you understand my words. Even if you live for dozens, no, hundreds of years, you won’t know everything. Isn’t that right?”

“I can’t figure him out at all……”

Nine Darhon shook his head as if giving up and muttered.

“Don’t worry too much. The fact that I can tear the seal even though I didn’t break your seal means that Duart has allowed me to meet him. If he had wanted to, he could have broken the seal and come out on his own at any time.”

“……”

“Besides, the fact that he brought you into his space means that there’s room for conversation, right?”

Nine Darhon gave a bitter smile at Cahill’s words.

“That’s an optimistic thought. Isn’t it possible that it’s the opposite? To perfectly kill the two who could be a threat to him.”

“Ah.”

Cahill nodded.

“Then we have to kick the Spirit King’s ass.”

“……”

“Isn’t that right?”

“Listening to your nonsense makes it sound like the truth……”

Nine Darhon chuckled at Cahill’s words. But his words were cut short.

Because he realized that Cahill’s last question was not directed at him.

He slowly turned his head towards the direction Cahill was looking at.

“……!!!”

At that moment,

A tremendous pressure, as if weighing down his shoulders, covered Nine Darhon.

“Cough, cough!”

He hurriedly pulled up his magic power.

A translucent round barrier was created, enveloping his body.

“Are you going to be cheap and do it alone?”

Cahill asked indifferently, looking at him casting a magical shield.

“Your life is your responsibility.”

“Well, I will.”

The black space was instantly engulfed in blue flames, reminiscent of a battlefield.

Even though they knew it was an illusion and not real fire, the two intuitively felt that this sight was more terrible than any human-made battlefield.

‘This is…….’

But there were no corpses and no enemies.

However, the smell of death strongly filled the space.

Cahill looked ahead.

There, a man stood like a mummy wrapped in bandages all over his body.

“It’s as damp as if he came from the underworld… I like it. You have to be this good to have the qualifications to stick a sword in God’s neck.”

Cahill raised the corners of his lips as he looked at him.

The tingling sensation that pricked his skin was not any power, but simply the pure force he exuded.

On both arms of the man standing blankly, there were weapons with sword blades similar to Jamadhar [a type of Indian dagger with a handgrip].

Two more small blades protruded from either side of the large blade protruding from the back of his hand.

The bandages wrapped around his whole body fluttered.

The purple light flashing between them made Cahill instinctively reach for the handle of Ice Claw.

“Certainly… It’s different from your time. Isn’t that right? Lamine.”

Cahill roughly released the Bracelet of Greed.

Then his eyes turned red as if they contained burning flames.

Whoosh……!!!

Red flames flickered on the arm where the Ain Trigger was embedded, and at the end, a faint image of the 폭염왕 [Flame King] appeared and disappeared, absorbed into Cahill’s body.

“Hoo……”

As he let out a low breath, black smoke flowed out.

The red energy flowing from Cahill’s whole body flickered, pushing back the darkness created by Duart.

[A familiar sight.]

“Is that so?”

The image of a flame giant faintly appeared behind Cahill.

[Duart. Have you not forgotten the Godly Spirit War? We lost at that time.]

Despite Lamine’s words, Duart’s voice was not heard. Instead, the black pupils in his purple eyes narrowed and glared at him.

“I know why there are no corpses even though I can feel the breath of the battlefield. This scenery is the end of the battle between gods and spirits.”

[Lamine.]

A gloomy and heavy voice echoed.

[Have you sided with humans?]

Each time his mouth moved between the bandages, the stitched thread strongly pulled Duart’s lips, as if they were sewn together.

Kwaaaaaang……!!

Kwagang……!!!

At the same time Duart finished speaking, flames burst out in all directions.

“That’s a rough greeting.”

Just before crossing the Jamadars on both arms in an X shape to draw his sword, Cahill thrust Ice Claw between them, blocking the attack.

“I guess you’re right, Nine Darhon.”

“What are you talking about……”

Nine Darhon frowned at Cahill’s words.

“I think he’s planning to kill us together.”

“Are you saying that so calmly right now!”

He was barely able to stand by unfolding his shield, but he was standing up straight without any protective magic and speaking as if nothing was wrong.

‘What kind of human is he? How can he not change his expression even in this situation?’

He had reached the rank of Archmage and researched the 균열 [gyunyeol – rifts or tears in space], thinking that there was no higher realm.

But it was arrogance.

The highest realm that humans can reach.

Looking at the boy in front of him, it was clear that he had not even reached the edge of that realm.

“Then why don’t you help? Surely your limit isn’t just crouching down and watching other people’s fights, is it?”

“……Kugh!!”

Nine Darhon bit his lip slightly at Cahill’s words.

If intense attacks and concentration of power symbolized Lamine, Duart was fast and sharp, the opposite of him.

Clang!! Kaang-!! Kakakakak—!!

Cahill twisted Ice Claw and raised it from below. Then Duart’s Jamadar bounced off and his arms stretched upwards as if he were raising his hands in surrender.

Kwaang……!!

Not missing the gap, Cahill struck down with his sword with all his might towards the faltering Duart.

A blow with weight.

The veins on Cahill’s arms, who held the sword with both hands, stood out clearly.

Musaek Gigeom (無色氣劍) [Colorless Energy Sword] Variation 5, 2nd Unicorn Posture.

The Unicorn Posture of one-point attack was unfolded simultaneously with the five styles of sword strikes in succession.

The hidden one point was accurately spewed towards Duart’s neck through the sword rain that was scattered in all directions.

Swaaaaaash-!!

The bandages covering his face were cut off by the blade and floated in the air.

‘Was I a little shallow.’

Cahill frowned slightly.

It felt good, but it didn’t damage the main body inside the bandage.

Quickly retrieving his sword, he held the sword vertically to defend against possible attacks.

3rd Long Weeping Posture.

Behind the blade, he carefully looked ahead. But unlike the sword strikes that had been pouring down like a flood a moment ago, Duart was surprisingly standing blankly and looking at Cahill.

“……?”

He was just as clueless.

A moment of silence flowed, and Cahill released his defensive stance and looked at Duart.

[It’s the first time.]

“What is?”

[Unlike other Spirit Kings, Duart is an assassin who lives in the darkness. But he met a human who avoided his attacks and counterattacked.]

Cahill snorted as if he was dumbfounded at Lamine’s words.

“That’s the same for me, you know?”

This was also the first time his attack had failed like this since his regression.

“My pride is hurt……”

Paat-!!!

“Me.”

Cahill narrowed the distance in an instant.

At an incredible speed that could not be followed with the eyes, only Lamine’s flames remained as a long afterimage, drawing his movements.

In an instant, Cahill and Duart were stuck together.

A fierce battle ensued, and sharp blades flashed in the darkness.

“Oh my god…… Is that a person?”

Nine Darhon muttered to himself, dumbfounded by the echoes of hundreds of sword strikes going from the ground to the air and back from the air to the ground in a fleeting moment of less than a second.

“……It wasn’t a lie.”

He felt that if it was really that level, he might be able to cut down the Spirit King.

Gritting-.

He gritted his teeth without realizing it.

Cahill’s words were true.

It was a shame for someone with the title of Archmage to just stand by and watch.

What should I do?

He was the one who had devoted his life to researching darkness and 균열 [gyunyeol – rifts or tears in space] more than anyone else until now.

‘……!!!’

At that moment,

Nine Darhon’s eyes widened as if something had come to mind.

Swoosh……!!

The sound of cutting through the air echoed on the battlefield.

Cahill narrowly avoided Duart’s sword in the darkness. But the movement of the sword did not end there and continued to rush towards him.

The arm that had been firmly fixed with bandages was bent abnormally as if it had no bones.

The Jamadar that suddenly changed direction from the upper left and aimed for the back.

Kaang-!! Clang! Clang!!

Cahill instinctively turned Ice Claw behind his back, blocking Duart’s attack.

Stab.

At that moment,

Another Jamadar on the opposite arm was accurately embedded under Cahill’s collarbone.

[…….]

Duart’s cold purple eyes shone and he put strength into the foot that was stepping on Cahill’s shoulder.

Kwaaaaaang—!!

Cahill’s body was pushed away as if it had been bounced off, rolling hundreds of meters away.

The blue flames created by the spirits of the dead spirits here and there wavered precariously in the place where Cahill had passed.

[Lamine. Are you asking if I have forgotten the Godly Spirit War? Of course, I haven’t. You know better than anyone that the defeat was because of humans.]

The silent Duart spoke for the first time, growling.

[You will see the end of siding with humans. This traitor (變節者) [byeonjeolja – betrayer].]

[Well. You’ll regret those words.]

[…….]

But despite his menacing words, Lamine replied in a calm tone.

[He’s not human.]

Rustle…….

The fallen Cahill slowly raised his body.

“……That hurt like hell.”

Holding the Ice Claw that had fallen on the floor, Cahill rubbed the back of his neck and slowly walked forward.

The corners of Lamine’s lips went up.

[He’s a monster.]