The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 213

165. Iscariot (1)

Iscariot the Awl.

He was the least unique and yet the most distinctive of the Ten of the Oracle.

Beyond his large physique, what truly set him apart was his unusual calmness and indolence.

Sometimes, his presence was so faint that Serika Lauren said he was like a fog whenever she saw him.

-That guy? I can’t figure out what he’s thinking. It makes me feel uneasy sometimes when I look at him.

Serika, always with a clear-cut personality, assessed Iscariot, whom she couldn’t fathom, in this way.

Most people didn’t understand her cold assessment when they first heard it.

Even amidst the fierce Oracle War, he always had a book in his hand, reading.

The Black Sage.

Soldiers and many others called Iscariot that because of his appearance.

‘His outward appearance is like that. He is definitely a man who doesn’t suit war.’

Kahlil chuckled as he looked at him, bewildered by the spores in front of him.

At first, they were puzzled, but as time passed and they carried out the Oracle, all nine had no choice but to agree with Serika Lauren’s assessment.

With a little thought, one would notice the incongruity.

This man, who loved the peace of being buried in books more than war and battle, belonged to the Immortal Order, which dealt with curses and necromancy.

‘Moreover, the epithet attached to him is ironically Awl [a tool for piercing or making holes].’

Iscariot Kazvin.

He was as dualistic a man as the epithet given to him by God.

“Black spores.”

He was surprised by the sudden appearance of people, but after regaining his senses and seeing the spores Kahlil handed him, Iscariot answered without the slightest hesitation.

“You know about it?”

Nine Darhoon asked back, amazed.

Even he, a great mage, didn’t know much about the Demon Realm.

This wasn’t because his knowledge was lacking, but because research on the Demon Realm hadn’t been properly conducted.

It was natural to lose interest. The Demon Realm had been cut off during the Magic Era a thousand years ago.

All that remained were artifacts occasionally found in ruins, but even these couldn’t be said with certainty to be related to demons.

Including the Demon Realm, the Spirit Realm, the Celestial Realm, and even the Demon World.

At best, there were poems left by minstrels or a few lines written in one side of a history book.

“Yes. According to the writings in 『Dephna’s Hell』, the Demon Realm also cultivates crops like the Human Realm. The hierarchy of the Demon Realm includes the Demon King and the Four Horsemen beneath him, and many nobles like humans.”

“So?”

“The hierarchy of demons is mentioned in 『The Demon Realm’s Yearbook』, and among them, a high-ranking demon named ‘Zagan’ deals with plagues and is skilled in curses. These black spores are also one of the crops he grows.”

Iscariot took out the densely packed books and spoke in a slightly excited voice.

“And… according to my notes, black spores wither as soon as they are harvested, so Zagan’s mansion is said to be located with farmland on a small island in the southeast of the Demon Realm, where crops are grown separately.”

He continued, rummaging through the encyclopedia-like thick books.

“What are those?”

Nine Darhoon asked, curious about the books whose titles weren’t written on the covers.

“Ah, this is… I’ve extracted and compiled only the contents of the books here that are related to the Demon Realm and demons.”

“…Everything here?”

Nine chuckled in dismay at Iscariot’s answer.

“Yes. I’m also compiling information about the Celestial Realm and the Demon World.”

Stories that might have only a few lines, if any.

To do this compilation, one would have to read all the contents of the books first.

“Am I right?”

“…I guess so.”

Kahlil chuckled at Nine Darhoon’s agreement.

“But it’s strange. According to the literature, black spores cannot exist in the Human Realm. It’s written that they wither quickly after Zagan harvests the crops. They can’t come up to the Human Realm…”

Iscariot looked at the still-fresh black spores, puzzled.

“What if these didn’t come from the Demon Realm, but were cultivated in the Human Realm?”

“…What?”

Everyone looked at Kahlil, surprised by his question.

“Is that possible? You said they were crops from the Demon Realm. Where would you grow them here?”

“It’s not entirely… impossible.”

Iscariot raised his index finger with a stiff face, gesturing to wait a moment.

Whirr…!

Then, he rummaged through the piles of books and picked up a bundle of old papers.

“Of course, there are prerequisites. There must be a passage connected to the Demon Realm. Instead of transporting the harvested crops, you bring the seeds themselves.”

“So, first of all, whether there is a Demon Realm’s lair connected…”

“Shh.”

Kahlil also covered his mouth, dismissing Nine’s complaints.

“Continue.”

“Ah, yes. The leader is right. Once there is a connected passage, you can bring the seeds.”

“You can make a contract with a demon even without a passage. But crops wither the moment they cross over from the Demon Realm, as you said. It would be different if it were a finished product… This is the crop itself, so it doesn’t have any magical additives.”

Iscariot nodded.

“If you only bring the seeds… If you can create an environment similar to the Demon Realm in the Human Realm, it is not entirely impossible to grow crops. The basic environments of the Demon Realm and the Human Realm are similar. However, this is not an easy task… There is a decisive difference.”

There was a picture drawn on the paper he unfolded.

The land was teeming with strangely shaped monsters, and red rain was falling under the cloudy sky above them.

“The air in the Demon Realm is mixed with blood.”

The rain falling in the picture was not just blood-colored rain, but real blood.

“Demon Realm crops grow by eating blood. But you can’t just sprinkle blood on the ground. It has to be mixed in the air.”

“What, then? It’s impossible. Is this a picture of the Demon Realm? A climate where blood rains instead of rain? There’s no way such a terrible environment exists in the Human Realm.”

Nine Darhoon scoffed at Iscariot’s explanation.

“It exists.”

Kahlil felt a chill run down his spine at Iscariot’s words.

‘I didn’t even imagine that this would be connected in this way, even though I experienced a previous life.’

The environment most similar to the Demon Realm.

Moreover, the dormant lair that was used as the first passage connecting to the Demon Realm in his previous life.

“…Yes.”

Surprisingly, Iscariot nodded as if he had recognized Kahlil’s expectations.

The two said the name in unison.

“Blood Cave (鮮血洞窟).”

* * *

“Blood Cave… A lair near the Tramel Ancient Ruins?”

“That’s right. It’s a dormant lair that has stopped activity.”

Nine Darhoon wore a suspicious expression at Kahlil’s words.

“But the Empire and the Principality don’t do things haphazardly. Neither does the Magic Society, of course. All the dormant lairs on the continent have been investigated. There’s nothing in the Blood Cave.”

“That’s right. But the investigation of monsters is over, but they wouldn’t have investigated the air inside the lair.”

Kahlil nodded as if he had been waiting.

“If the air inside is still carrying the scent of blood, then it can’t be said to be a completely dormant lair. It’s evidence that the characteristics of the lair are being maintained.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Everyone couldn’t help but be surprised at Iscariot’s answer.

“If that hypothesis is correct… We may have to completely overturn the established theory we have held until now. Even if there are no monsters in the lair, if even one of the air, water, or particles inside still has the influence of the lair, then it means it hasn’t stopped.”

[Hmph, Celine Han. To create such a half-baked theory without proper investigation… You’re tarnishing the name of the Council of Seven. No wonder such a toad-like descendant was born.]

Alun clicked his tongue.

He was probably the only one who could say the name of Fashio Han, the lord of Azor and the only female mage among the Council of Seven, so casually.

“It’s too early to jump to conclusions. We have to check to know…”

Iscariot was startled by Alun’s words and mumbled.

But unlike Alun, whose pride was hurt, Kahlil couldn’t help but smile at Iscariot’s words.

‘To think I’d find the answer in this way…’

He was already convinced that his hypothesis was correct.

He knew that the Blood Cave was the first base for demons to cross over to the Human Realm.

But even in his previous life, not all dormant lairs were used as passages.

‘Ironically, even you in your previous life, who experienced the Oracle, failed to properly reveal the passage formation of the lair.’

Iscariot wouldn’t know.

That he, in his current life, who hasn’t even received the epithet of Awl yet, has achieved an accomplishment that surpasses his previous life.

‘Moreover, I don’t remember all the lairs that became passages to the Demon Realm either.’

And more lairs will become passages for demons in the future.

The lairs leading to the Demon Realm are divided into numerous branches like ant tunnels, so finding the entrance and then finding the passage is not easy.

‘But if this hypothesis is correct, it means we can find the passages that will be created in the future in advance.’

Counterattack (逆襲) [Revenge or retaliation].

Preparing for their attacks and rather returning the pain they suffered from the demons in the past.

“There are definitely many places among the existing lairs that still have these peculiarities, not just the Blood Cave. But this is a very small trace that even experts from the Empire, the Principality, and the Magic Society have not found.”

Kahlil looked at Iscariot.

“At this point, there’s probably no one who knows more about lairs than you do.”

“Me?”

“I believe you will be able to find that small difference.”

Swish…

The black spores finally lost their strength and began to shrivel. Kahlil looked at the spores that had turned to powder and spoke to Iscariot again.

“If a Demon Realm crop has appeared in the Human Realm and it’s being cultivated in a lair… It means there’s someone among humans who has joined hands with demons.”

“…”

“We need to investigate those places before it’s too late. And we’ll have to find the mastermind behind it as well. To do that, Iscariot, I need you.”

Gulp-

Iscariot swallowed hard without realizing it.

“Let’s go with me.”

He looked at Kahlil’s hand extended towards him.

“Hey, you’re trying to take a mage from the Immortal Order without any hesitation? Don’t you know that the Immortal Order only works for Antihum? It’s not like the Dawn Society, poking around everywhere.”

Nine Darhoon asked Kahlil, dumbfounded.

“Well, I was going to take him anyway, even if it wasn’t for this. I told you in advance?”

“…I didn’t give permission?”

“Then are you going to stand still even after seeing this situation? It’s possible that demons are interfering in the Human Realm. You have no humanity.”

Kahlil shook his head.

“Alun, the Council of Seven spread magic to benefit humanity, so is it okay to take in a guy like that as a disciple?”

Then he gestured to Alun and said.

[Well, there’s someone like you too.]

But Alun, who received the question, answered as if it were not a big deal.

[However, I also agree with Kahlil. Whether it turns out good or bad, the Human Realm belongs to humans. There have been those who made contracts with demons in the past, but they were all executed. So it should be the same in the future.]

“How did you do it?”

At Kahlil’s question, Alun Zaberius smirked and answered.

[In the way you do best.]