The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 305

204. Sword Festival (3)

Kahlil looked at the transformed Hwa-rin with disbelief.

“I never thought I’d see a werewolf—a supposedly extinct monster—here.”

Mael bristled. [Comparing a Lycanthrope to a mere werewolf is insulting. The Lycanthropes of the Mythic Age are far superior to those low-level creatures.]

[That one was also a Master Key, vying for an unshakeable top position. Not an opponent to underestimate.]

“Krrr…”

Mael scoffed. [Even so, it’s still a trivial being. Look at that form. Even its ego is gone. Turning its user into a monster—whether in the Mythic Age or now—is still the same.]

Mael coldly flicked his tongue, observing Hwa-rin’s bestial form, which no longer resembled a human.

Kahlil ignored him and focused his Dragon Mana into Ice Claw.

The mana condensing on the blade was qualitatively different from when he had faced the foreign tribe leaders earlier.

Zzzt…! Zzzt…!

The edge of Ice Claw crackled with electricity, roaring as if snarling at Hwa-rin.

“Krrr…!!”

She didn’t flinch from Kahlil’s mana; instead, she exuded even more hostility, completely unfazed.

‘An immense pressure. Perhaps it’s time to use that for the first time.’

Kahlil swallowed hard, eyeing the red ring on his finger—the one he’d obtained from the Taturu black market.

Four Canines.

The ring, a magical artifact crafted by the Gnomish artisan Callison, continuously absorbed the user’s mana to create a powerful barrier.

His Dragon Mana had grown stronger, and the amount of mana the ring had absorbed would be immense.

The aura emanating from Hwa-rin was so overwhelming that it reminded him of the artifact he had saved for the battle against the gods.

Whoosh—!!

Without a word, the two figures moved. Hwa-rin attacked first, slashing horizontally with her sharp claws.

Slice.

Kahlil ducked, and a few strands of his hair were cleanly severed by her claws, scattering in the wind.

Clang…! Clang! Clang!!

Kahlil unleashed a flurry of sword strikes with all his might.

The concentrated Arcane Blade exploded momentarily, and the mana blade surrounding Ice Claw surged out like a massive katana.

Fourth Riffle Posture.

Even amidst Hwa-rin’s relentless attacks, Kahlil not only kept up with her speed but even increased it further.

His sword aimed for Hwa-rin’s flank, thrusting in. Unfazed, Hwa-rin threw a punch.

When the sword and fist collided, the accumulated snow around them burst upwards as if exploding, and a fierce wind stirred the powder around them.

“Kaaak!”

Hwa-rin bared her fangs and roared at Kahlil. But when the scattering snowflakes cleared, he was nowhere to be seen.

Having leaped above her head during the previous clash, Kahlil now gripped the sword with both hands and swung down.

Hwa-rin tried to block his attack by raising her arms above her head in a cross.

Fifth Spirale Serpent Posture.

At that moment, Kahlil retracted his sword, and the two separated, barely missing each other by a hair’s breadth. He lowered his body almost to the ground, pushing his sword from within her range.

KWA-AAAAANG―――!!!

As he slashed Hwa-rin’s flank, a thunderous roar like an explosion erupted, along with the sound of metal grinding.

“……!!!”

Surprisingly, as he tried to pull back the sword, Hwa-rin, seemingly feeling no pain, grabbed the blade of Ice Claw that had cut through her flank.

Instead, Kahlil’s body, which was holding the sword, staggered and was pulled toward her. Hwa-rin then threw a punch at Kahlil.

Thwack…!!

Crackkk…!!

With a sickening thud, Kahlil’s head snapped back from Hwa-rin’s punch, and he was thrown back by the impact, tumbling several times in the snow before barely managing to stop.

“Master!!!!”

Aiden shouted in surprise.

“……Ptooey.”

Kahlil stood up, spat out blood-mixed saliva, and wiped his mouth.

“Tremendous power.”

In that short moment, he had instinctively twisted his body to avoid a fatal blow, but the shock that made his jaw tingle made his head spin.

Crack….

Creak―

Around the wound on Hwa-rin’s flank where Ice Claw had slashed, muscles gathered, stopping the bleeding and healing the wound as if it had never happened.

“This is insane.”

Kahlil clicked his tongue in disgust.

Mael spoke with a hint of glee, either enjoying Kahlil’s suffering or impressed by the encounter with another Master Key. [The fifteenth Master Key is a candidate for God and the only one who can kill God. That means its power is comparable to facing a god. There’s nothing that can be done with the power that exists in the human realm.]

‘Blader was also human. And the mana inside me is not human but dragon’s.’

Kahlil replied firmly.

Mael said, [I’m not trying to belittle human strength. It’s just that the power of that monster as a Master Key is that great. The ability of the Lycanthrope, one of the fifteenth Master Keys, is Instant Regeneration. With almost infinite recovery ability, it’s almost impossible to inflict damage.]

‘Then how do I damage her?’

Mael climbed up Kahlil’s arm. [Fortunately, the woman using the Master Key isn’t Blader. It’s more accurate to say that she’s being dragged along rather than controlling the will of the Lycanthrope. That means she can’t perfectly use the Lycanthrope’s Instant Regeneration.]

[Use my power.]

The seductive voice echoed in his ear, just like in the Duchy.

[Have you forgotten? I am the victor of the competition called the immutable top spot. The one who defeated the Lycanthrope is right next to you.]

Mael whispered to Kahlil as if he had been waiting for this.

[There are plenty of ways to kill. Regeneration isn’t immortality.]

Mael smirked and wrapped around his arm, seeping into Ice Claw.

[Etheral. Lend me this sword for a moment. And your strength too. You’re the only one who can withstand my venom.]

Then he added,

[Lamine, lend me your power too. I need your flames to burn away my venom.]

Mael, now inside Ice Claw, licked the Ein Trigger [a magical device] embedded in the back of Kahlil’s hand on the opposite shoulder.

Then his body split exactly in half, turning red and blue.

As the colors merged again, Mael’s entire body was dyed purple, then swelled up as if absorbing power, before returning to its original blue color with a gulp.

“…….”

Kahlil watched his transformation, feeling as if the purple power he felt from his body was like Arcane Power.

[That’s it.]

Mael said with satisfaction.

[Yes, you shouldn’t compare me to a mere wolf.]

Then he looked at Hwa-rin.

[How to beat that thing? It’s very simple. Just once. All you have to do is bite its neck. You just need to drive this sword in.]

Screech―――

Ice Claw trembled as if in agony.

Ironically, a terrible chill emanated from the outside of the blade, and an insane heat was condensed in the core, filled with so much venom that even Kahlil, who was holding the sword, could feel it about to burst.

“…….”

Kahlil, who had absorbed the Dragon Heart, had a resistance like a dragon and had never been afraid of poison. But for the first time, he intuitively knew that he could not handle Mael’s venom himself.

‘You’re a dangerous guy after all. I see why you’re the only one sealed separately from the other Godslayers. Your venom seems like it would kill even the user.’

Kahlil said, looking at Mael’s venomous sword.

[Kuh… Kuk. Isn’t defeating that wolf what you wanted? You can back down if you don’t like it. But the you I know isn’t soft or cowardly enough to do that.]

‘Yeah. As you said, there are powers you can’t get without taking risks.’

Kahlil took a stance.

‘But don’t try to provoke me with words like coward. And don’t be arrogant. For me, dealing with you isn’t even something I’d call an adventure.’

[…….]

Mael fell silent.

He was the one who had traveled back in time.

Even Blader, who lived in the gap of time that didn’t exist in the history of thousands of years ago called the Mythic Age, had spent countless eons in the Tower of Pharos, never falling behind.

“Kuaaaaaak!!!”

Hwa-rin instinctively sensed the danger and launched a preemptive strike against Kahlil.

With the sound of heavy feet stomping, her body leaped into the air and plummeted.

KWA-AAAAANG―――!!

As she raised her arms and scraped the ground, clods of dirt were dug up and scattered in all directions. Hwa-rin didn’t stop and aimed for Kahlil’s flank, pulling her left arm back.

Bang!! Kwakwang……!!!!

Kuh-ah-ah-ah-ahk……!!

Along with a sharp sonic boom that seemed to tear the eardrums, the aura that burst out between her claws like awls was embedded in the spot where Kahlil had been standing a moment ago.

Taking advantage of the gap, Kahlil stabbed Hwa-rin from behind. Hwa-rin reflexively raised her arm to block his sword but hastily dodged.

As if performing a feat, she barely deflected the edge of Ice Claw with only her claws.

Dozens, hundreds of sword strikes poured down like a rainstorm.

It was a fleeting moment of less than a few seconds, but people couldn’t take their eyes off the sight of the two fiercely clashing.

Whoosh―!!

Kahlil’s blade barely missed, passing over her shoulder.

Screech……!!

Mael’s venom, which had fallen from the blade, touched Hwa-rin’s skin, and black smoke rose as it burned away.

“Kaaak!!!”

Hwa-rin raised her fur, letting out an unknown, sharp scream.

It was then.

A sharp wind rotated around her.

Whoosh!!!

Swish!!

As the small vortexes increased from one to two, from two to four, and raised her hand from below, they surrounded her, encircling Kahlil as if to trap him.

Boom!!

Just before the four vortexes were about to engulf Kahlil, he laid Ice Claw horizontally and took a stance.

Fifth Spirale Serpent Posture.

He swung his sword with all his might to cut through the vortexes flying towards him.

Kaa-aaa-aang!! Kagagak! Kak!!

With a hard sound as if striking metal, the vortexes collided with the edge of Ice Claw like gears, making a grinding noise.

“Kuk?!

It wasn’t an intangible force.

His body staggered from the impact of the unexpectedly solid vortexes, and the remaining winds sharply targeted him.

“Krrrruk……!!”

Hwa-rin jumped into the vortex. Her massive claws fell as if to tear Kahlil apart.

Swish!

Mael looked at Kahlil, sticking out his tongue as if telling him to leave it to him quickly.

[Kahlil, concentrate your mana a little more. You have the power of the Spirit King and the Divine Spirit, but that doesn’t mean you become the Spirit King and the Divine Spirit. No matter what power it is, the principle of honing mana into a sword is the same.]

Aln’s words echoed in his ear.

[Don’t be fooled by what the snake head says.]

As he waved his hand, black smoke appeared and disappeared, showing some kind of pattern.

[You just need to have them your way. In a human way.]

At his words, Kahlil couldn’t help but chuckle even in this dangerous moment.

[Don’t be arrogant. You haven’t even reached the 7th class that I’ve experienced yet. There are still countless paths you don’t know when it comes to handling mana.]

‘I know.’

Kahlil closed his eyes.

He imagines the reality of her attacking him one second before, and performs the action one second before that imagination.

Whoosh―!!

Kwa-zzz-zzz-zzz―――!!!

Kahlil’s sword bent and entered in a strange direction.

A kind of manifestation.

It was the method Kahlil used when he created the sword stance in his head while cutting down countless corruptions inside Pharos.

But the difference was that a hot energy that he had never felt before filled his entire body through the mana channels inside him.

It was then.

‘This is…….’

Dodging Hwa-rin’s fist falling above his head, Kahlil felt something different than before.

The five stances completed over countless eons.

He thought there was nothing more perfect in handling the sword.

But in a fleeting moment, Kahlil wondered if he, like the assassins of the Eastern country, might have been complacent about his swordsmanship.

The sword stance he had completed in Pharos was ultimately created within himself.

And his past self and his present self are different.

The presence or absence of mana.

The swordsmanship that his past self could not create might be possible for him now.

Perhaps he could reach another pinnacle of magical swordsmanship that transcends the five sword stances.

“…….”

But before he could perfectly find out what that elusive feeling was, the battle with Hwa-rin came to an end.

Thwack! Slice――!!

Swaaaa―!!

Kahlil’s blade drew a smooth curve like flowing water, passing by Hwa-rin.

“Cough…… Keuk cough…….”

Hwa-rin, whose neck was cut by the sword, had the blood vessels in her entire body swell up as if about to burst from Mael’s venom in an instant.

The blood vessels all over her body turned blue as if filled with viper’s blood, then disappeared.

“Cough!!”

She coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground on her knees.

From the monstrous form she had been in just a moment ago, she returned to her human form.

“The elders must be watching from somewhere.”

“If they don’t acknowledge it even after seeing that, I’ll grab them by the collar.”

“Of course. There’s no room for rebuttal.”

The young leaders looked at Kahlil’s martial prowess with dazed expressions.

Hashir moved and took off his cloak, covering Hwa-rin’s body.

Mael’s voice was heard as Kahlil slowly opened his eyes, which he had closed as if savoring the feeling a moment ago. [You probably felt it. That new power in your mana channels. That’s a power beyond mana.]

‘Was that you?’

[That’s right. It was connected to my power for a very short time. You could call it a different form of Divine Transformation than the Lycanthrope you fought earlier.]

‘Hmm…….’

Kahlil clenched and unclenched his hand.

[That’s Divine Power.]

Mael said with a firm face, looking at Kahlil, who was recalling the feeling a moment ago.

[I’ve been waiting for you to come to the North.]

Mael whispered softly.

[Divine Power, my foot. Do you think everyone with mana becomes a mage? That’s your power. It’s just the evolution of the swordsmanship you created yourself.]

Kahlil slightly raised the corners of his lips at Aln’s words.

‘You’re both talkative.’

But soon, was it a side effect of Divine Power?

His mana channels felt empty, as if he had poured out all his mana. Kahlil staggered, feeling a burning thirst and a loss of energy throughout his body.

“Master!!!!”

Aiden rushed to support Kahlil, who was collapsing. But Kahlil waved him off, indicating he was okay.

At this moment,

At least he shouldn’t be standing supported by someone.

“Hwa-rin. I don’t think you’ll die from this much. You were already a monster-like warrior even before using that artifact.”

“Kuh…… Keuk.”

“Finish the festival.”

Hwa-rin, lying sprawled on the ground, could only heave her body and laugh at Kahlil’s words, as if she didn’t have the strength to move.

“The North.”

Hwa-rin shouted, looking at the sky while lying down.

Waaaaaaa―――!!

Waaaaaaa―――!

It was then.

Hundreds, thousands of foreigners on the hill raised their weapons to the sky and began to shout their respective tribal slogans.

The leaders of the foreign tribes knew that the chill of the accumulated snow felt while kneeling and the pain of the wounds inflicted by Kahlil were less than the thrill of these shouts that resonated in their hearts.

Hwa-rin said quietly.

“Announce the birth of a new Great Warrior.”