The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 251

177. Internal War in the Duchy (16)

“Hah… One person?!”

The vice-commander could hardly believe his ears when he received the report.

“Just one person?!”

He briefly considered punishing the subordinate for spouting nonsense during such a critical situation, but now he began to doubt his own eyes.

A single figure was visible below, standing alone in the open.

What could one person possibly accomplish against thousands of advancing troops?

This wasn’t a narrow, easily defended valley, nor was it an army of poorly trained conscripts.

“This is insane…!!!”

Despite the seemingly impossible situation, the trees around the lone figure were ablaze, as if signaling their presence with a massive bonfire.

There was no need to guess who was responsible. It had to be Carryl.

[Krrr…!!!]

The wyverns circling overhead bared their sharp teeth, their eyes fixed on the ground below.

“We can’t waste time on such a pointless target! I don’t know what his scheme is, but whether it’s a trap or a diversion, it doesn’t matter. Burn him to ash and rejoin the main force!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood!”

The wyvern riders responded to the vice-commander’s order.

As the vice-commander raised his hand, ten wyverns plunged downwards in unison.

[Kuaaaaa!!!]

The leading rider pulled back on his drake’s reins, and a torrent of flames erupted from the red-eyed beast’s mouth.

Whoosh…!!

Bang!! Kwaaang!! Bang!! Bang!!!

Ten fireballs, each the size of a small boulder, rained down from the wyverns like a barrage of artillery shells.

“Hoo.”

Carryl calmly gathered his magic, watching the fiery projectiles descend like deadly raindrops.

As the magical energy surged from his mana core, the Ein Trigger [a magical artifact] embedded in the back of his right hand glowed crimson, and the snake-like pattern on his left wrist pulsed with power.

Swaang–!!

Carryl drew his Ice Claws and slashed them through the air.

Then, he stomped on the ground with all his might. A massive chunk of earth, cleanly sheared away as if cut by a giant blade, rose up from the ground at Carryl’s feet.

Crack… Crackle…!!

As the earth wall ascended, the roots of the embedded trees were ripped free, and dust billowed in all directions.

Kwagang!! Kwagagagagang—!!!

The flames spewed by the drakes collided with the rising earthen wall, detonating in a deafening explosion.

“…!!!”

The riders were stunned into silence.

No one had ever successfully blocked an attack from the wyvern unit like this before. Against ordinary soldiers, that single volley would have incinerated hundreds in an instant.

“Unbelievable…”

“How is that possible…?!!”

The wyvern unit, possessing a destructive capability equivalent to thousands, or even tens of thousands, of soldiers, was often more powerful than even a Sword Master, depending on the terrain. Especially on open plains, the drakes’ power was virtually unmatched.

Therefore, they had been confident of a swift victory.

Until just a moment ago.

Fussususu…

Carryl emerged from the cloud of dust. He was wielding a severed tree trunk from the shattered earthen wall – the remains of a giant tree that appeared to be three times his size.

“Hoo…!!”

With a grunt of exertion, Carryl hurled the massive tree trunk with all his strength, sending it spinning wildly through the air.

Suaaaang—!!

With a sound like a whistling gale, the tree trunk struck the lead drake squarely in the wing.

[Kyaaaak!!!]

With a piercing shriek, the drake flapped its wings frantically, but the gaping hole in its wing rendered it unable to maintain its balance. It spiraled downwards, out of control.

“Ugh, Uaaaagh!”

With the rider’s scream echoing in the air, the drake slammed into the ground and skidded across the surface.

Kwagagagagang…!!! Kwagang!!!

The drake was dragged for dozens of meters, its face grinding against the earth. The rider, however, had managed to jump clear just before the impact, and he was already drawing his sword, his eyes wary as he watched Carryl.

“Hmph, he got out of the way just in time? He’s definitely skilled.”

It had been a close call; he could have easily been crushed beneath the falling wyvern.

Carryl moved slowly, his gaze fixed on the mana-infused blade pointed in his direction.

“You bastard… Reveal your identity!”

The wyvern rider tore off his goggles, tossed them aside, and charged forward, slashing his sword at Carryl.

However, a counter-attack was his only response.

“Heok…!!”

The rider hurriedly blocked Carryl’s strike.

He detonated his mana blade with all his might, hoping to overwhelm Carryl’s defenses, but the energy dissipated harmlessly in the air.

“It’s a waste to kill you… But I have no choice.”

Considering the upcoming Holy War, the wyvern unit would be an invaluable asset against the corrupted.

Carryl clicked his tongue in annoyance, knowing that he couldn’t subdue Tulli while leaving the wyvern unit intact, even though he wished he could spare them.

Carryl spread his palm and grabbed the rider’s face, shoving him backwards.

Kwaaang—!!!

The rider’s feet left the ground, and the back of his head slammed violently into the earth.

“Keok… Keokeok!!”

Despite reinforcing his body with mana, the rider couldn’t withstand the force of the blow and vomited blood.

[Kaaaak!!!]

At that moment, another drake circled in the sky, then dove down like a raptor, its sharp teeth aimed at Carryl’s back.

Barely, Carryl braced himself against the ground and twisted his body.

Tak-! Taktak-!!

The drake’s teeth missed their target, snapping shut on empty air with a loud crack.

A huge shadow loomed over Carryl’s head.

“…!!!”

As the drake flapped its wings to gain altitude again, Carryl grabbed the fallen rider by the collar and hauled him to his feet.

An irresistible force.

Carryl lifted the rider’s body with one arm and hurled him into the air with all his might.

“Uaaaaagh!!!”

With a final, desperate scream, the rider’s body was sucked into the drake’s gaping maw, which had been snapping its teeth hungrily.

Kwaak…! Wajigeun!!

Wooduk—!!

A sickening sound of bones crunching echoed through the air, and pieces of flesh fell from between the drake’s teeth.

The scream abruptly ceased.

The remaining riders were speechless, watching in horror as their comrade became prey for the drake they had raised from birth.

“Kals!!!”

The rider shouted the name – seemingly the name of the man who had just been devoured.

Teok-

But his rage was short-lived. He looked up at Carryl, who was now perched casually on the head of the drake, its snout still stained with his comrade’s blood.

“You…!!”

He gnashed his teeth at Carryl.

But his futile resistance ended there.

Before the rider could even draw his sword, Carryl’s Ice Claws flashed, and his neck was neatly severed.

[Kereuk…!! Kereureureuk…!!]

Carryl kicked the rider’s corpse off the drake’s head and grabbed the reins, causing the beast to thrash wildly.

But the more it struggled, the more firmly Carryl placed his hand on the drake’s head, gripping it tightly.

The Ein Trigger embedded in the back of his hand glowed a fiery red, and intense heat radiated from his palm.

Chiiiik…!! Chijik…!!!

The sound of flesh searing filled the air as the drake’s tough scales began to melt.

[Kaaaaaak—!!]

The drake screamed in agony.

“…Impossible.”

The riders were at a loss for words. It took years of dedicated effort to tame a single drake.

Moreover, unlike ordinary wyverns, the 1st Wyvern Unit’s drakes were a particularly ferocious breed, created by synthesizing the blood of the legendary Flame Dragon. They could only be tamed through imprinting, a process that bonded them to their owner from the moment they hatched.

But now…

The drake that had just lost its master was obeying Carryl as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Kkwak-

As Carryl twisted the reins, the drake flapped its wings and changed direction.

“That’s right.”

He nodded in satisfaction and even released the reins he had been holding.

“…!!!!”

The riders were once again rendered speechless. Even they, who had spent years training and bonding with their drakes, couldn’t control them without reins and whips.

Even with wyverns they had known for years, a moment’s lapse in focus could result in a painful bite.

The drake that had just devoured their comrade was a stark reminder of that fact.

Ironically, for those who handled drakes, the reins and whips were like lifelines, protecting them from the beasts’ unpredictable nature.

Letting go of them was tantamount to suicide.

Even Terix, the commander of the 1st Wyvern Unit, wouldn’t dare to handle a wyvern in such a reckless manner.

Yet, before their very eyes, a young boy was calmly performing this impossible feat.

Tuktuk-

As Carryl tapped the drake’s head with his foot, the drake roared as if it understood his command.

[Kuaaaaa—!!]

With a piercing cry, the wyverns ridden by the remaining riders began to tremble.

The drake ridden by Carryl was not a particularly superior specimen compared to the others.

But suddenly, the drakes were overcome with fear, as if they had encountered a powerful predator.

“W, why is this happening?!”

“What’s going on?!”

The riders were bewildered by the sudden panic and desperately pulled on the reins, trying to regain control of their mounts.

However, the drakes, already beyond control, began to buck and thrash violently, attempting to throw off their riders.

“Uh, uh…?!!”

“Uaaaaaagh—!!”

The riders struggled to maintain their grip on the reins, but they were unable to subdue the rampaging wyverns.

Not only were they trying to dislodge their owners, but they were now snapping at each other, attempting to devour the riders on each other’s backs.

“Evacuate!!!”

“S, save me!!!”

Screams echoed through the air.

Trapped in the sky with nowhere to run, the riders were unable to escape the drakes’ frenzy and began to fall, abandoning their reins in desperation.

They didn’t realize the truth.

It wasn’t simply fear of the drake Carryl was riding that was affecting the wyverns. The roar he had unleashed, as if reading his thoughts, contained a warning.

A recognition of the absolute power of their origin.

The drake, having sensed the power flowing within Carryl’s body – the magic of the Flame Dragon Liselria – was communicating with its kin.

And as if to confirm this, the drakes, having recognized the magic Carryl was emitting, could no longer bring themselves to resist.

In their eyes, Carryl was the embodiment of the Flame Dragon itself.

Peodeok…! Peodeok…!

Saaaaak…!!

The riderless wyverns flapped their wings in unison and began to gather around Carryl.

It was only natural.

The drakes of the 1st Wyvern Unit were born from the power of the Flame Dragon, and they were instinctively compelled to obey that power.

“How can this be…”

The vice-commander, who was observing from a distance, was speechless at the unfolding scene.

“Hmm.”