The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 244

177. Civil War in the Duchy (9)

[Concentrate.]

A purple crest flashed on his forehead.

As he cast the Superior Eye, a primeval magic, his vision split as if divided into sections, first into two, then four, and finally eight.

Swoosh───!!!

Swoosh──!!

The scenery vanished as if rapidly receding.

Looking down, he felt a dizzying sensation at the height, but Israfil, as if accustomed to it, reminded himself that the scenery in his sight was not him, but merely something he was observing.

However, the vividly felt wind, even if understood intellectually, couldn’t stop his body from trembling.

Flap… Flap…!

The hawk, flapping its wings a few times as if rowing, began to glide, flying even faster through the sky.

“Hoo…….”

Israfil took a deep, ragged breath.

The scenery he was currently seeing was through the eyes of hawks specially bred by the Bi-gung tribe of the Great Plains.

Although not familiars bound by a magical contract, the Bi-gung tribe’s hawks were superior to familiars [magical creatures bonded to a mage].

However, Israfil was simultaneously casting the Superior Eye, a magic that was difficult even when sharing the vision of one creature, on as many as eight hawks.

The concentration of magic was inevitably high.

Even just sitting still, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

[Stop! Step back.]

Alun said as the maid standing next to him reached out with a towel to wipe away the sweat.

[Do not touch him under any circumstances until I permit it. Unless you wish to kill him. The magical power could backfire.]

“……I, I apologize!”

The maid hurriedly stepped back, kneeling and bowing with her head to the floor as if she had committed a capital crime.

[…….]

Alun glanced at the maid’s reaction as if accustomed to it, then turned his head.

It was then.

“You don’t need to be so surprised. Right now, Master is speaking more gently than ever.”

Israfil opened his eyes, which had been closed, and smiled.

The rough breathing had also become steady.

“And as I’ve said before… there’s no need for you to attend to me. It’s alright, you can go about your other duties. Please convey this to the head butler once again.”

He said, picking up the towel that the servant had dropped in surprise a moment ago and wiping away the sweat.

As he blinked, the pupils visible within his eyes were split into dozens, like those of a reptile.

Although not visible to the naked eye, Israfil was seeing a different scene in each divided section.

[Hmm, it has become possible to perfectly cast the Superior Eye in less than 30 minutes. You seem to be quite accustomed to it now. With your magical power, you will be able to operate up to twice as much as you do now after becoming a little more proficient. It won’t be easy, though.]

“It’s all thanks to Great Master’s teachings.”

Israfil nodded.

He seemed somewhat unaccustomed to the title of Great Master, moving his lips a few times.

After receiving primeval magic from Alun, he realized the need to change the title by which he called him.

Although he had learned magic from Alun, he was from Anti-Hum and had inherently served Nine Darhon as a master, being a mage of the Immortal Order.

Nine also called Alun master, so Israfil decided to call Alun Great Master on the grounds that he could not be of the same rank as him.

Alun seemed uninterested in such worldly rules and told him to call him whatever he wanted, but he seemed somewhat pleased with Israfil’s thoughtfulness, and his attitude towards him had definitely softened since coming to Tatur.

“Are you perhaps feeling regretful?”

Israfil reached out into the air, moving his hands around as if playing an instrument.

[About what?]

“Because of me, Great Master couldn’t go with Khalil, could he?”

[You should be glad. If I hadn’t been able to possess a physical body and had remained in the spirit body as before, I wouldn’t have been able to separate from that guy. Then you might have had to find a Mana Nest in the middle of the battlefield right now.]

“Haha… I suppose so.”

Israfil nodded, feeling a bit awkward at Alun’s words. Alun, who had gained a new body with the power of Duat, was now free to move without Khalil.

Of course,

since his magical power itself was based on a soul contract with Khalil, he was bound to be restricted when using his magical power, but fortunately, Duat had freed him from those restrictions to some extent.

[Rather, it would be the King of Darkness who would be disappointed. He seems to want to see something in the Duchy.]

Alun, who had a contract with Duat, could instinctively sense Duat’s emotions to some extent.

Since he had to wield dark power, Duat was also inherent within Alun’s separated body.

He didn’t say anything, but somehow he felt that whenever Duat talked about the Duchy, he seemed to be thinking of a being he missed very much.

[And I also have things to do here. I wouldn’t have been able to go to the Duchy anyway. Khalil asked me to do one thing before he left.]

Alun chuckled lightly.

There was one fact that people had overlooked because he had joined so naturally.

That his presence meant that one thing that Tatur had lacked until now had been filled.

That is,

the absence of a Great Mage.

There were many talented people in Tatur, but the level of growth in magic-related areas was lower compared to other kingdoms.

Of course, Serica Loren and Mikhail were there, but it would take time for them to grow.

If he were simply a spirit body, it would have been impossible, but now that he could move freely, Alun, as a mage, could become a major pillar of Tatur.

[The mages of Azor that he raised will gather in Tatur after completing their training in Anti-Hum. And I will teach them.]

“Great Master himself?”

Israfil asked back in a trembling voice.

He knew too well what kind of being Alun Zabis was, so he couldn’t help but wonder what the mages raised by Alun’s hands would look like.

[Not just me, but you too. Khalil is already preparing for the next war. So hurry and concentrate. We need to finish finding the Mana Nest so that when he returns, he can decide for sure whether the next opponent is the Empire or Wooden Cloud. Well, whatever it is, crushing them is the same.]

“Understood.”

Israfil nodded at Alun’s words.

“…Huh?”

It was then.

“That person is going there…”

One of the eight views.

The figure of a person who had entered the Mana Nest was captured. Israfil’s voice unknowingly gained a bit of strength.

“…Why?”

But that surprise turned into a question, and the voice that had gained strength muttered low as if unable to understand.

[Hmm…….]

Alun, who could see the scene that Israfil was seeing together, paused for a moment, made a strange expression, and then said with a cold sneer.

[Look at this? This is getting interesting, isn’t it?]

* * *

“…Hiss!”

As soon as Patun arrived at the fortress wall, he drew the sword he was wearing at his waist. The moment he tried to insert the sword into the gap he had identified in advance,

Kwaaaaaang……!!

A huge square shield flew with a whoosh―! sound and slammed into the fortress wall.

Fragments scattered in all directions, centered on the shield that had been embedded in the fortress wall with its heavy weight.

It wasn’t just one.

Thud―! Thud──! Kwaaaang───!!

The successive shields flying like boomerangs were embedded in the fortress wall in a zigzag pattern.

“…….”

Patun’s face, which had been holding onto the fortress wall, crumpled.

If he had been off by even a little, the huge shield would have smashed the back of Patun’s head.

“That bastard…….”

Patun growled and muttered as he turned around.

“Who knows when you’ll climb up with a dagger. This is a gift.”

It was none other than the shield thrown by Kuntai, who was standing far behind.

“…….”

Looking at the shields embedded in the wall like stairs, Patun grit his teeth slightly and climbed onto them.

Following him, the warriors of the Red Moon tribe quickly began to climb the fortress wall.

“St…… Stop them!!”

A shout from someone.

However, the archers on the fortress wall, who had already lost their commander, were in disarray, and before they could pour out boiling oil and rocks, Patun was the first to climb onto the fortress wall.

Swish……!!

He drew the two swords he was wearing behind his waist. The twin swords used by the Red Moon tribe were uniquely different in shape.

One had a curved blade in the shape of a crescent moon, appearing to be a type of harpe [a curved sword], and the other was a round circle, similar to a chakram [a throwing ring weapon].

There are many tribes on the continent that use similar swords.

However, the only warriors who simultaneously use two completely different twin swords called Gakwol (卻月) and Manwol (滿月) are the Red Moon tribe.

“……!!”

Patun put the head of a soldier on the fortress wall into the round groove of Manwol and twisted and slashed the handle of the opposite Gakwol, and the soldier was beheaded without even screaming.

Chwaaaaa……!!

With a skillful posture, he threw the blood-soaked Manwol with all his might, and the sword that flew in a straight line pierced through four soldiers next to him and returned to his hand.

Blood splattering in all directions.

Patun smeared the blood that flowed from the corpse of the soldier who had fallen in front of him a moment ago and soaked the floor on his five fingers and drew it diagonally from his forehead to his cheeks like a tattoo.

The soldiers froze as if terrified by the appearance of a demon.

“Only insignificant guys.”

Clang―! Clatter──!

Behind him, the warriors of the Red Moon landed on the fortress wall, licking their tongues at the soldiers as if looking at prey.

“Kaaaaaa……!!!”

“Krara……!!”

The warriors, centered on the stronghold created by Patun, began to ravage the soldiers all at once, as if beasts were rushing in.

Thud───!!

Kwaaaang───!!

As one place began to collapse, the fortress wall began to be filled with red at an unstoppable speed.

The tension of the battlefield was nowhere to be seen.

It was as if,

Moon Eter was a stage for the foreigners to show off their skills to Khalil.

“Still young.”

However, Hashir looked at them and muttered in a low voice as if dissatisfied.

They were all warriors who led and represented their tribes.

However, it was certain that their ages were still young compared to the tribes remaining in the north.

They had the skills, but lacked experience.

And he knew well that it would manifest as a mistake in some form.

“Hmm.”

Unlike the rampaging Hopyo and Red Moon, the Jannabi tribe had not yet advanced towards Moon Eter, as if reading Hashir’s thoughts.

Kwaaaang……!!!!

“The fortress gate has opened!!”

But at that moment, Kuntai of the Hopyo tribe shouted. They attacked the gate by setting up a huge shield vertically like a battering ram.

First, second, third…….

The fortress gate eventually shook under the wave-like shield offensive, and the latch of Moon Eter, which had been firmly closed, was opened.

They were truly conquering the fortress perfectly without any siege equipment as they had foretold.

“Hahaha!!! We are the first!! There’s no need to leave it to the Red Moon bastards. Taking the leader’s head is our Hopyo!!”

“Waaaaaaa───!!!”

“Waaaaa──!!”

It seemed that Kuntai’s voice could be heard all the way to the main camp in the distance. Following him, who was running at the head, the warriors of Hopyo entered the fortress gate all at once.

“…….”

Hashir sheathed his bow as he watched the fortress gate of Moon Eter open.

Perhaps his anxiety was just a groundless fear.

Even though the young warriors may be uneasy, they create results that overwhelm even the elements of unease with their passion.

As he slowly nodded,

“Ugh……!!”

“Agh……!!”

The soldiers and mages standing on the battlement who were about to attack the Hopyo tribe passing through the fortress gate screamed and fell, spraying blood.

Assassins wearing cloaks in the shadows.

In order to minimize any possible risks, the Wolf Foxes carried out their assigned tasks.

“Since when…….”

Kuntai and Patun’s eyes shook.

Looking at the Wolf Foxes who had climbed onto the battlement so quickly that even they couldn’t notice, they couldn’t help but admit that they were at the forefront.

“Charge!!”

“Don’t let them take the lead!!”

The two shouted with scowls on their faces.

“Too easy.”

Looking at the two advancing into the fortress, Khalil muttered in a low voice.

“Ah, yes. As the lord said, it seems it won’t take even a day.”

Hashir hurriedly nodded and replied.

However, Khalil shook his head as if dissatisfied with his answer.

“That’s not it.”

“……Yes?”

“There are too few casualties. The fortress gate opened too easily. I’m not ignoring the Hopyo tribe’s shield techniques, but the Duchy’s fortress gates are famous for being sturdy. They’re not at a level where they can be broken open with brute force.”

At those words, Hashir hurriedly looked at the Red Moon tribe climbing the fortress wall and the Hopyo tribe passing through the fortress gate.

“Could it be…….”

“That’s right. It’s a trap. It’s not that the fortress gate opened, but that they opened it on purpose. Look closely, the fortress wall of Moon Eter is double-layered. Even if the outer wall is opened, it’s not a big problem. Rather, they’ve made the inside of the fortress the battlefield.”

Khalil said in a calm voice.

It was then.

Clank―!! Rumble───!!

“You stupid foreign bastards……. We’ll burn you all to death.”

Along with the sound of the mechanism moving, thousands of soldiers inside the fortress gate manipulated the handles, and hundreds of black gun barrels were aimed at the fortress gate.

“Magic Artillery……!!”

Hashir realized that the anxiety he had felt was not a groundless fear.

Woo woowoong……!!

Woong……!!

The sound of magic being charged, like the growl of a beast aiming for its prey, rang out as the loaded artillery glowed red.

“Da, dangerous……!!”

Hashir raised his hand to urgently order the tribe’s combatants on the battlement. But he knew that the speed at which the artillery would operate would be faster than them running from the battlement.

Just before the artillery was about to begin firing at the Hopyo tribe, who had nowhere to escape,

“Wait.”

For some reason, Khalil gestured to Hashir, who was looking at Moon Eter with anxious eyes, with a calm expression.

“The fact that conquering Moon Eter will be enough in a day hasn’t changed even now. It seems I’m not the only one who noticed the trap.”

“Fire……!!!”

Even before the artillery commander’s shout, screaming at the top of his lungs, could ring out,

Swoosh―

Along with an eerie sound, the commander’s body was cut in half vertically from the crown of his head.

Crack…… Crack……!

The eyes visible between the divided corpses of the artillery commander, still holding the baton without even realizing his own death.

Flash―!!

As the shadows disappeared in an instant, the necks of the magic artillery gunners began to be cut off all at once.

Since when was it?

Hashir let out a low exclamation as he looked at them, who had climbed the fortress wall of Moon Eter even before the Wolf Foxes and may have been waiting for them.

“The Black Eye Clan…….”