The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 246

Whoosh……!!

Serika Loren shivered, clutching the white-furred rabbit cloak tighter against the biting cold.

Although she was a mage specializing in ice magic, she had spent her entire life near Cove, located in the southern part of the Principality, and was not accustomed to such cold.

“Well… it’s better than when that idiot Mikhail dropped me in the water. At least I have a cloak.”

When Carryl had called out the members for the Principality expedition, she had chosen to follow Mikhail despite Carryl’s suggestion.

Was it because of their bond in Antium?

Or simply curiosity about his talent?

Thanks to that, she received envious glances from Suan, who wanted to go but couldn’t, but Carryl gave her a faint smile and said:

-No.

-……Why?

-Who do you think allowed you to learn magic in Antium? You’ve only just become somewhat useful, so you need to earn your keep.

-Wh, who are you saying helped who?

She had said it with quite a bit of resolve, but she stammered and shouted, seemingly flustered by Carryl’s firm refusal.

-What are you going to do following Mikhail?

-What… what else? I want to see what the magic of the Dawn Society is like. You should know better, right? The Dawn Society has more depth in combat-related magic. Of course, I’m interested.

-The Dawn Society’s combat magic? It doesn’t suit you. You’ll only be disappointed.

-How can you be so sure?

Serika Loren gave him a dubious look.

-Black Turtle Seven Forms of the Spear King.

Her face hardened at his words.

-You’ve already grasped the core points, haven’t you? Even though Nine Darhon, who kept those books, was a mage and didn’t realize their significance.

-What are you talking about…….

Carryl chuckled at her hesitant reply.

-From the stance to the breathing. It’s too concise for a mage. You’ve completely changed since leaving Antium. I can’t be fooled.

Carryl said as if he had been waiting for it.

-I might have considered it if you said you were following Mikhail because you liked him, but I can’t accept such a flimsy excuse about magic.

-Wh, what are you talking about?!

The one who seemed flustered by Carryl’s words was Mikhail, not Serika.

After all, she was just a child who hadn’t even come of age yet.

His words made the gazes towards Mikhail slightly cold, but Carryl said with a sly look, as if he were a sly old fox.

-Serika, the war is long. It won’t end in a year or two.

Mikhail and Serika looked at each other, not quite understanding what he meant, but Carryl simply chuckled as if he knew their future.

-Serika, you’re already creating your own swordsmanship, even if it’s not complete, right? Aren’t you curious about how far your skills can reach?

-Hmph…….

-And there’s an important reason why you need to go to the Principality.

-What is it?

Carryl said with a meaningful smile.

-You’ll see when you get there.

“That sly old fox…….”

Serika Loren’s lips twitched as she unconsciously thought of Carryl. Nevertheless, her eyes were colder than the swirling snow as she looked upwards.

“That’s the place.”

The Yoman Mountains, known as the Great Fortress, blocked the way like a giant curtain.

“If we get past there, we can go straight to White Bunker. Why are those Cove guys wasting their energy elsewhere, leaving such a shortcut?”

“That’s… it’s not easy. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say it’s the most difficult task in occupying the Principality.”

The soldier next to her said, taking off his goggles. The area around his eyebrows was frozen white as if a blizzard had swept through.

“Because there’s no one who can surpass the Gatekeeper of Yoman. He is the Principality’s number one knight.”

No one in the continent wouldn’t know his name.

Ganesh of the Halberd.

One of the five Sword Masters of the continent, who would later gain the infamous title of Ganesh the Betrayer after the Principality Civil War, but was now called by the moniker due to his use of a massive halberd.

The halberd, which had a long blade like a scythe, as if a greatsword had been attached to it, was definitely not something that an ordinary person could easily handle.

Moreover, its weight was so great that it took several knights to lift it.

Ganesh often complained about his moniker, feeling that using the name of a weapon before his name made it seem like he was relying on the power of the weapon rather than his own skill, but he was unaware of the even worse future that awaited him.

“The strongest in the Principality, huh.”

Serika, who had been guided by the Yoman invasion force under Anthem Howard’s orders, licked her lips slightly at the soldier’s words.

-The halberd that Ganesh uses has a unique shape, but its blade is even more unique. Qinglin [a rare and strong metal] is known as the best material for weapons on the continent, but it might surpass Qinglin.

-What is it?

-It’s a blade made of a special ore called Ultimatum. It naturally has a strong water attribute.

Carryl had told Serika the day before she was sent to the Great Fortress.

-Now that I think about it, Ganesh’s blade might be a relic of the Blader [ancient warriors]. I’ve never seen such a unique mineral since then. He may be unhappy with his moniker of Halberd, but there’s nothing quite like it.

-A Blader’s weapon? Like the sword you use?

-No, even older than that. A relic from the mythical era. It might surpass the sword I use. The Principality has far more relics than the Empire, as you can see from the golems and magical engineering.

She nodded at Carryl’s words.

-It’s a completely different type of mineral that can’t even be compared to the attribute stones you can get from the magic ore mine.

Carryl said.

-Serika, get it.

-Are you telling me to fight a Sword Master?

-Why? Are you scared?

-Hmph…….

Serika scoffed at his words, but facing a Sword Master when she hadn’t even broken through the 5th class wall yet. It was something that made no sense to anyone.

‘Although it was unfortunately lost during the Principality Civil War and could not be found… you can create a weapon that suits you better than anyone else, and at the same time, Ganesh may not have to bear the stigma of betrayal.’

Just before leaving, Carryl sensed that she would be the biggest variable in this Principality trip.

Coo Coo Coo…….

The snow piled up on the massive canyon called the Great Fortress fell in the fierce wind, echoing like the roar of a monster.

“Hoo.”

She exhaled as if she didn’t feel the cold, even though she was only wearing light leather armor over a revealing short outfit.

Flash-

Serika’s eyes sparkled.

Activating Eagle Eye, the distant fortress appeared clearly as if it were right in front of her.

Unlike ordinary mages, she had trained her body, and although it couldn’t compare to the Manhwan (卍環) [a state of heightened awareness and power] used by Sword Masters, she surpassed the magic level of her peers.

“…….”

It was then.

A knight in heavy armor, standing on the fortress like a giant statue, planted a huge scythe-like halberd on the ground like a flag and looked down.

There were no soldiers.

No,

It was as if he was saying they were not needed.

Unlike the thick full plate armor, he was not wearing a helmet, and despite the weather that seemed to freeze even if he stood still, there was no snow on his face.

Thick eyebrows, sharp features, he didn’t look as old as she thought, but a vertical scar across his left eye from his forehead to his cheek stood out.

There was no need to explain.

She could tell that the man was Ganesh.

Crack……!!

The moment his gaze met hers, Serika staggered back as if in burning pain.

He, too, had reached the realm of Manhwan (卍環) like Gordon Fabian.

The aura emanating from the body of the ultimate was so fierce and powerful that even his gaze felt like a sword blade.

“Ugh.”

Serika let out a low groan at the stinging pain as if burned, but she didn’t close her eyes, conscious of the knight on the fortress.

“That’s the one.”

She looked at the halberd Ganesh was holding.

Even without relying on the weapon, she could tell his strength just from his eyes.

“You’re telling me to fight a monster like that.”

Serika Loren muttered quietly.

“Why is such a monster here anyway?”

She felt more interest than pressure, even though she had a Sword Master in front of her.

“That guy always likes to make people work hard.”

Even she was surprised.

But soon she knew why.

Until now, there had always been a monster even greater than the Principality’s Sword Master by her side.

“Even if you take the blade off the halberd, it’ll be quite heavy to use as is. I wonder if it can be forged in Tatur?”

As if it were already hers, she slightly raised the corners of her lips and took out Hailstone from her waist.

Swish…….

Click-!!

When she pressed the button on the magic wand, both sides of the short Hailstone’s wand extended.

In Antium, she had used a magic wand connected to her old spear.

After returning to Tatur,

Carryl had further supplemented it and attached a new spear made of Qinglin to Hailstone.

It was not a wooden staff used by ordinary mages because it had no blade, but a form closer to the staff used by priests.

Paddeuk……!!

As she put strength into the hand holding Hailstone, magic gathered and a sharp blade of ice was created at the end of the long spear.

Four small ice blades surrounded the large ice blade like petals.

Swoosh…….

Serika aimed her spear at the fortress.

The Great Fortress, Yoman.

A natural barrier that existed even before the Principality was formed. And an impregnable fortress that has never been conquered.

“I wonder if I can break that.”

“……Pardon?”

The soldier next to her stared blankly at her casual words.

‘Using me as bait…? That’s a really bold story. I want to punch him for it.’

She thought of Carryl once again.

She knows his plan.

Millyana and herself will be bait to lure the northern barbarian forces and strike the rear of the Principality.

A truly admirable plan.

Of course,

No one had ever fought with the variable of the barbarians, so they hadn’t even thought of it.

Whether it was the Principality or the Empire, the barbarians were just opponents to be defeated, not beings who could fight together.

‘But that’s not enough. He said that this place is a stage to prove my worth, so I have to stand out more than anyone else.’

Serika smiled faintly.

Her eyes sparkled.

“There’s no time. It’s boring if we just follow orders. Not only me, but that woman will think so too.”

Then she muttered quietly.

“Maybe that’s what he was aiming for.”

Even if that were the case, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Because Carryl’s plans always exceeded her imagination.

‘I’ll conquer not only Ganesh but also Yoman. Carryl, I’ll welcome you at White Bunker.’

The Great Fortress, which had never been breached.

And the Principality’s only Sword Master.

These words from a fledgling mage who had just broken through the 4th class wall may seem like arrogance from mere recklessness.

Supreme Serika Loren.

To those who don’t know her existence.

Koo Woong……!!

She slammed her spear into the ground as if making a declaration.

This battlefield,

Was the first battle to announce the appearance of the only combat mage in her past life to the world.

* * *

Pwee Yut―――!

Pook!! Pook!! Pook―――!!!

“Damn it……!! Where is it!!”

“Find him!!”

Even the sound of the wind tearing through the night air could not be heard.

But multiple arrows were stuck in the corpse of the knight whose head had been completely blown off, as if the Grim Reaper was mocking him.

“Already… two commanders have been killed tonight alone.”

“Is that what you call a report!! You haven’t even found the enemy’s location!”

“Th, that’s… it’s sniping that hasn’t existed until now…….”

The barracks were trembling with anxiety, but no one could find a solution.

Since they didn’t even know the enemy’s location, the fear only deepened.

“Hmm. Easy.”

Millyana yawned as if bored.

“Did that Carryl put me in such a battlefield? Even if he told me to be bait, there’s a limit…….”

She took an arrow from Kinu Mukari’s quiver and imbued it with magic.

Then she threw it with all her might.

Swaaaa……!!!

Tearing through the wind, it pierced the neck of a sentry far away.

“Excellent.”

Millyana smiled bitterly at the voice behind her.

“Compared to your archery, this is child’s play. I know you came close to the enemy camp for me. It’s nothing new, but I’m feeling the greatness of the Bi-Gung tribe once again. Or… is it your greatness, Kinu Mukari?”

Millyana said, looking at him drawing his bow behind her. In fact, the current distance was too close for Kinu.

“If the knights of the Principality knew your range, they would really be terrified.”

Because the distance that Kinu’s fully powered bow could reach was a distance that was difficult to see even with her Manhwan (卍環) [a state of heightened awareness and power].

Nevertheless, Kinu Mukari accurately smashed the commander’s face with an arrow from that incredible distance.

Only two days after arriving in Brown Ant.

Having grasped the terrain of the swamp, he had already driven the enemies into terror on his own.

Kwaddeudeuk……!!

As the bowstring was pulled, the bow bent like a large circle.

Sweeik!!!

Watching the arrow tear through the wind, Millyana muttered in a low voice.

“Your arrow could reach there.”

“You flatter me.”

Kinu Mukari answered in a low voice, looking at the peak she was pointing to.

“I get it now. He must have deliberately placed us here to provoke me and the kid. The kid at the fortress probably thinks so too. He really has a nasty personality. The reason why he put you on my side is probably the same. If I’m stuck here, I’ll get the disgrace of being less reliable than a fifteen-year-old kid, the Empress of Digon.”

Millyana stood up from her seat.

“Kinu.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“This is not just a simple stalling tactic or bait to divert the enemy’s attention. It’s a competition to see who conquers White Bunker first and wins.”

Her eyes were already looking beyond the enemies in the swamp, as if they were not even in her eyes.

“We’ll clear this place in half a day. The goal is the twin peaks you see above. From now on, we are not bait.”

Millyana’s cloak fluttered.

“We are the first advance team to conquer White Bunker before anyone else.”