The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 223

171. Aidan Hamill’s Proof

Late at night.

The city of Azor lived up to its reputation as a magical city, illuminated as if it were daytime.

Kahlil enjoyed the refreshing night breeze as he looked down below.

He stood on the hill where he had practiced magic in the past.

The traces of fire or ice had disappeared, but the marks of the blackened tree trunks still remained, even after all this time.

“Aidan.”

Kahlil spoke into the empty darkness.

“Yes, Master. You’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. I’m getting nervous just being near you now.”

The answer came secretly, like a shadow.

Kahlil chuckled at his words.

“What about you? Was it called ‘Silent Step’? Your ability to erase your presence seems to have improved. It would be difficult to notice you until you’re within twenty steps.”

“Ha… Haha. Twenty steps?”

Aidan gave a bitter smile at Kahlil’s words, which sounded like a compliment but weren’t quite.

As an assassin, he shouldn’t be detected until the moment he struck, but being discovered from twenty steps away was embarrassing.

Aidan was aware of it, but Kahlil’s words made him realize the gap between them once again.

“The Lord’s manor is quite noisy.”

“Well, the birth of a 6th class high-level mage wouldn’t be a common occurrence for them either.”

Fortunately, Pasio smoothed over the commotion at the Lord’s manor caused by the lightning strike, concluding that it was an unusual natural disaster caused by the concentration of mana in the magical city, as before.

Many mages were suspicious, but no one opposed the decision of Pasio Han, the Lord and the highest-ranking mage of Azor.

“Even the existing archmages wouldn’t have caused such a huge storm when breaking through the 6th class barrier.”

Aidan shrugged his shoulders.

“Congratulations on your achievement.”

Then, he bowed his head and spoke. For a brief moment, envy seemed to flash across his face.

“You too. I’m glad we both had achievements. Time has passed. When I first saw you in the Port of Outlaws, who would have thought we would end up like this.”

“Indeed. But I somehow feel like you knew I would become your subordinate.”

Aidan chuckled.

“I heard roughly that an envoy from the Eastern Kingdom had come.”

“Yes, that’s why I came too. I heard you drove him away, unfortunately… Who was the envoy?”

“I couldn’t tell because his face was covered. Besides, his voice seemed to be altered with a secret technique.”

Aidan nodded at Kahlil’s words.

“That’s probably the case. It’s the rule of the Eastern Kingdom for envoys to hide their identities.”

“But he seemed to be quite skilled with needles? There were eighty-nine needles embedded in the belt he was wearing around his waist.”

“…You could see that?”

Aidan asked, dumbfounded by Kahlil’s ability to accurately count the number.

“Yeah.”

Seeing him answer so casually, Aidan shook his head with a hollow laugh, as if he wasn’t surprised.

In fact, counting the number of needles in that short amount of time was impossible.

Kahlil had simply guessed based on the shape of the belt the envoy was wearing.

He had some connection with the Eastern Kingdom in his past life as well.

In particular, his relationship with their master, Simon Coden, wasn’t very good, so he had crossed swords with him several times.

In the process, Kahlil inevitably had experience fighting against the assassins of the Dark Shadow.

In the first place, the envoys were also assassins from the Dark Shadow, an organization in the Eastern Kingdom, and thanks to that, Kahlil could predict the envoy’s skills and rank to some extent.

“If what you say is true… Eighty-nine needles would mean he’s likely a 3rd rank assassin in the Dark Shadow. There aren’t many of them even in the Dark Shadow.”

“How good is 3rd rank?”

“They’re quite high-ranking assassins in the Dark Shadow. At most, about ten people? The Dark Shadow is divided into a total of 7 ranks. And the position of the highest rank is passed down to only one person after going through all the ranks.”

“Hmm… So there are two more levels above that. He couldn’t unleash his full power, but his skills surpassed a Sword Expert.”

“He may have used the Super Roar Technique. If he’s 3rd rank, he’s likely at least initiated, if not at the 1st stage. But to unleash killing intent towards you with just a foot in the door… He’s lucky to be alive.”

“Super Roar Technique?”

Kahlil asked Aidan again.

His eyes seemed to be sparkling.

“It’s the Eastern Kingdom’s ultimate secret technique. You can be initiated from the 3rd rank, and you can exert power equivalent to a Sword Master just by learning the 1st stage.”

“Hmm…”

“Only the Dark Shadow’s successor is given the 2nd stage, and only the master of the Eastern Kingdom knows the final 3rd stage.”

“A technique that can unleash the power of a Sword Master… The Eastern Kingdom’s secret techniques are certainly interesting.”

Kahlil nodded slowly at his answer.

‘If you’re talking about the technique Simon Coden used, I think I know what it is. I struggled quite a bit against it. Aidan seems to want to acquire it.’

Kahlil could immediately understand his feelings.

Certainly, the Super Roar Technique, the strongest technique he knew as a member of the Dark Shadow, was an ability that others could not learn.

“Not just you, but Mikhail and that little girl also have different auras.”

“That’s right. They both broke through the wall in Antium. It will take time to master it, though.”

“I see…”

Kahlil carefully observed his expression.

Kahlil remembered Aidan’s reaction when he encountered Mikhail in the hallway.

Without having to ask, Aidan recognized Mikhail’s growth in Antium at a glance. But that made his expression even worse.

Aidan was feeling impatient because of the explosive growth of his companions, including Suan, whom he had met in the early days of Tatur.

‘How can an assassin not hide his expression? He seems quite troubled.’

And Kahlil knew that.

That’s why Kahlil quietly called Aidan before leaving for the Duchy.

“The reason I called you separately is this. I’m going to send an envoy to the Eastern Kingdom on behalf of the Tatur Free State.”

“Could it be…”

“How about you go?”

“It may be a pretext or an excuse, but the issue between you and the Dark Shadow will have to be resolved someday… Besides, I think it’s a waste for you to keep your skills to yourself.”

Aidan let out a hollow laugh.

When he was in Heim, he had asked if he was willing to teach his technique when he first asked about Silent Step.

“Are you telling me to teach someone again?”

He gave a bitter smile.

What he wanted now was not to become a teacher, but to grow himself.

“And if you go as Tatur’s envoy, Simon Coden won’t easily kill you.”

Aidan’s face hardened at Kahlil’s words.

It couldn’t be helped.

He was a traitor who had rejected the Dark Shadow’s orders and followed Kahlil. He thought that there would be no more involvement with the Eastern Kingdom unless it was on the battlefield.

“I’ll pass on the joke.”

“I’m not joking. We need to find out why the Eastern Kingdom contacted Azor first. Thanks to Aln, Azor will remain neutral for the time being. But if the Empire’s pressure intensifies, there’s no other way.”

“…War then.”

Kahlil nodded slowly.

“That’s right. The war with the Empire is an inevitable course of events, but we need to finish the Duchy’s affairs first. You must have heard the reason from Kamma.”

“Yes. I understand now. The reason why I have to go to the Eastern Kingdom. You want me to tell them to declare neutrality not only to Azor but also to the Eastern Kingdom?”

“Half right and half wrong.”

“Yes?”

Kahlil raised the corner of his mouth as he looked at Aidan’s face.

Gulp-

Both Mikhail and Aidan knew that when he made that expression, he was definitely going to cause trouble, so he swallowed hard without realizing it.

“It’s enough for Azor to just maintain a neutral stance. After all, the main force here is the Ulkas Guild. But the Eastern Kingdom is different.”

Kahlil slowly opened his mouth.

“Tell them to come under us. It would be good to say it’s an alliance on the surface. Tell them that after the Istria Three Kingdoms are unified, they will form an alliance with us as a new kingdom. And tell them that the Eastern Kingdom is also being given that opportunity.”

“Are you planning to leave the Three Kingdoms as kingdoms? Princess Viola and all… Everyone knows that the Three Kingdoms will belong to Tatur anyway.”

Despite Kahlil’s shocking words, Aidan was not surprised and instead asked in a calm voice.

“The sense of responsibility to fight for one’s country exerts a greater power than you think. Their existence and sense of belonging. Protecting the land where they were born and raised turns a crybaby into a warrior.”

Aidan tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled.

If he were asked whether it was better for the country to be divided or unified, he would think the latter.

“I will allow not only the Istria Three Kingdoms, but also the tribes of the Great Plains, the Five Great Families of the South, and even Digon and the northern barbarians to freely maintain their traditions without putting them under the name of Tatur. The land I rule is enough with Tatur. A city where all races can coexist uniquely in the continent.”

“Hmm…”

Despite Kahlil’s words, he still had an expression that he didn’t easily understand.

“You’ll find out soon.”

Kahlil nodded as if he understood his curiosity.

“Should I just watch and see?”

“Yes.”

Aidan chuckled at his words.

‘If it was just about unifying the continent, what you’re thinking is right. But real power can only be exerted when they voluntarily rise under one banner to protect themselves, not by order.’

As always, for Kahlil, the achievement of unifying the continent, which even the pioneers had not been able to achieve, was just a passing gateway.

“Will the master of the Eastern Kingdom follow your words?”

“You just need to convey my words. Oh, there’s one more condition to add.”

“Yes?”

“Tell them to hand over the Super Roar Technique as the price of the alliance. You’re going to learn it.”

“…”

Aidan’s face hardened at Kahlil’s words. Then, he asked back in a dumbfounded voice.

“Just tell me to go and die now.”

He was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even laugh.

“Are you going to make me say the same thing again? I’m not joking. Well, it would be good to have a fight with Simon Coden if possible. With your sharp eyes, you might be able to figure something out.”

“Then I’ll die.”

“Well, since you’re going as an envoy, you might get an arm cut off, but I don’t think they’ll kill you, right?”

“…Is that also a serious statement?”

“No, that’s a joke.”

Kahlil chuckled at Aidan’s serious expression.

“I’m trusting you. Do you think you’re someone who would die easily? If you were that kind of person, I wouldn’t have tried to get you in the first place.”

He said with a firm face.

“Like you said, I wanted to get you from the first time I saw you in the Port of Outlaws. And you didn’t disappoint. But you know it too. You’re just chasing after the backs of your companions who you thought were on the same starting line as you.”

“…”

“Who told you to become a teacher? If you have a deeper technique, Silent Step wouldn’t be a technique worth teaching to others, would it?”

Kahlil looked at him.

“Mikhail passed the Book of Challenges in Antium.”

Aidan bit his lip slightly.

“I just didn’t have the opportunity.”

“That’s right.”

As if he had been waiting for that answer, Kahlil looked at his face and said.

“So prove your worth. Then I’ll let you see the end of the realm that even Simon Coden couldn’t reach.”

“…!!!”

Aidan’s face hardened in surprise at Kahlil’s words.

‘The end of the Super Roar Technique…?’

It was something he hadn’t even thought about himself.

Super Roar Technique 3rd stage.

Certainly, this secret technique of the Eastern Kingdom is the most veiled ability on the continent.

But in the Holy War, Kahlil not only crossed swords with Simon Coden, but also saw him fight several times.

And there is one conclusion he came to.

‘Simon Coden, the master of the Eastern Kingdom, has not completed the Super Roar Technique. There is a stage beyond that.’

Ultimate 4th stage.

But unfortunately, there was no time to explore it in a situation where he was busy just trying to survive.

Kahlil has not been neglecting Aidan until now. It was quite the opposite.

His talent has already been proven in his past life.

“I’m giving you a chance.”

It was to arouse Aidan’s own competitiveness.

“Bring it back. Super Roar Technique. This is not a suggestion, but an order.”

“…”

At Kahlil’s words, he felt strength entering his clenched fist without realizing it.

The first mission given to him.

Aidan nodded slowly, and his figure disappeared back into the darkness.