The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 312

208. The Great Magic (1)

“The king of humans… Becoming the king of a country is no easy feat, so you’re talking about something truly remarkable.”

Even an elf who had lived for a thousand years since the Magic Era had never even considered such a life.

“As you said, becoming the king of a country isn’t easy. But I am the leader of Tatur, the Duchy, and the Istrian three kingdoms, as well as the barbarians. Now, all the northern tribes will follow me as well.”

Kahlil answered, his words carrying a hint of pride.

Altemann simply chuckled, his expression unchanged.

“What are you going to do about the seal?”

“Etheral said that the moment this seal is broken, their imprinted illusions will disappear. I’m curious what meaning is hidden in this scene, but I’ll wait a little longer.”

“Why?”

“One thing I’ve learned the hard way is that you shouldn’t make decisions based solely on one person’s word. If that blonde is related to Lacies, it would be better to break this seal after both Great Wildernesses have gathered. In a situation where we don’t know what scene will appear after the seal is broken, a perfect interpretation might be impossible.”

Altemann couldn’t help but admire Kahlil’s answer.

‘He looks like just a boy who is about to come of age… Yet he’s able to think this deeply. He’s not just outstanding in courage and knowledge, but he also possesses the wisdom of a sage.’

Kahlil asked Altemann, who was looking at him with a searching gaze.

“Altemann, if we can’t break the seal of the ice pillar, does that mean we can’t see the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship?”

“That’s not the case. If it were, this ice would have disappeared after I learned the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship.”

“I see…”

Kahlil nodded at Altemann’s answer.

“In fact, the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship doesn’t have any single, fixed form. In a way, it’s similar to the swordsmanship of the barbarians.”

“But you used my five stances of the sword, didn’t you?”

“Do you call them five stances? I don’t distinguish sword forms; I simply interpreted the swordsmanship you used myself.”

He gave Kahlil a faint smile.

“Because obtaining his swordsmanship is up to you. It can vary greatly depending on the interpretation. It can be third-rate swordsmanship to some, and supreme swordsmanship to others.”

With those words, Altemann led Kahlil to the wall behind the ice pillar.

Whoosh…!!

As if lifting a curtain, the cold mist that had been blocking the view behind the pillar parted to both sides at Altemann’s step.

A giant wall stretched out, seemingly without end.

Surprisingly, there was a huge mural intricately carved into it. To be precise, it wasn’t a painting but a relief, something made by carving the wall. The sculptures felt alive and vibrant, and Kahlil was overwhelmed by its grandeur.

“This is…”

Kahlil murmured, his voice hushed.

Huge dragons, large enough to cover the sky, were flapping their wings above, and below them, hazy figures were attacking humans.

Corruption (墮落) [Fallen beings corrupted by dark magic or negative energy].

Although it was not colored, Kahlil knew what they were at once.

Beams of light countered them, leaping towards the sky, and on the earth, monsters and countless humans were intertwined, fighting brutally.

The moment Kahlil saw this mural, he understood.

“The Holy War…”

Although he had not experienced it himself, he felt like he knew how great a war humanity had participated in just from the mural in front of him.

“You probably know too. The Holy War was a fight where the candidates tried to kill the current god.”

Kahlil nodded.

“Of course, the rebellion failed, and Yula still dominates the dimension. But she doesn’t like human rebellions either. Because gods are not unique either, but a position achieved through competition, just like Bladers [warriors chosen by the gods].”

“The four children of the first god. One of those children disappeared, and two of the three met and a new child was born. Those children competed for dimensions, and the one who survived among the seventeen gods is the current god, Yula.”

“You know it well. Did you even study the doctrine?”

“Not really.”

Altemann asked, slightly surprised, and Kahlil shrugged, keeping his thoughts to himself.

The first time he learned about this passage was to break Lamine’s seal in the Fire Dragon’s Lair.

The passage written on the seal stone was deciphered by the priests Joey Johannsel and Yurin Hugard, and then he realized that the passage was not only applied to gods.

Then, from the box obtained from the Gray School, he heard from Mael that the competition was the same as the process of obtaining the position of Blader in the mythological era.

‘The Blader’s Rift.’

The reason why the Holy War failed was because of that. From the guard protecting the god to the godslayer to kill the god, the rest would have remained as the guard protecting the god.

Blader and Judex [warriors who betrayed the gods].

The roots may have been the same at first, but as time went on, the two were divided, and the Bladers who remained as the god’s guard would have been newly recorded in history under the name of Judex.

This was the story Kahlil had inferred.

However, it remained to be seen whether the black-eyed man in the ice pillar, who he thought was his predecessor, was a true Blader or a traitor who deceived his comrades as Judex.

“This mural contains their war and is also a clue to finding the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship.”

“This mural?”

“Yes.”

Altemann quietly pointed to a man in the mural.

“Sword Demon. Although it is only fragmentary, you can see the swordsmanship he used in the war.”

Certainly, as he said, the man carved in the mural was the one he had seen in the ice pillar.

“I see why you said the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship could be third-rate. You have to infer his swordsmanship by looking at just one scene.”

“That’s right. It’s never easy, but you, who know the ultimate in swordsmanship, will be different. You have already done it, containing the countless swordsmanships that can be derived from one form.”

Kahlil gave a faint smile.

As he said, the five stances of the sword that he had created in Phare were not limited to just five.

“What I can show you is up to here. Now, I will pass on to you the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship that I have learned.”

Altemann pulled out a chain sword, like a belt, that was wrapped around his waist.

“I heard that fishermen can make special elixirs. Do you have any recovery potions?”

“Recovery potion? If it’s stamina, it’s possible with magic.”

“It’s not because I’m worried about consuming magic power. I heard that there are also potions among the fisherman’s elixirs that are related to mental strength and concentration.”

“Hmm… It’s not something that gives a big effect, but there is something that gives a little help.”

Altemann showed the inside of the vest he was wearing, revealing rows of small medicine bottles the size of a little finger. He took out one of the bottles containing a yellow liquid and gave it to Kahlil.

“Mental strength is not something that can be expressed as the same value as magic power, so I don’t know what it will be like, but it will clear your head and help you concentrate.”

“Thank you. This is something that can’t be done with magic.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re going to use everything you can? Not bad.”

Altemann said to Kahlil as if he were dealing with an admirable student.

“Thank you. Your help is enough.”

“Hmm?”

Altemann asked back, seemingly embarrassed, as Kahlil took the elixir and gestured.

“You can go back now. I know that the swordsmanship he left behind remains in this mural. I’ll take care of the rest from now on.”

“Take care of it? Don’t be ridiculous. Did you listen to my story in vain? The Sword Demon’s swordsmanship is so profound that it could only be learned with the help of the White Gold Dragon.”

“Yes. I know.”

“…But?”

Altemann said somewhat irritably, as if he was dumbfounded by Kahlil’s words.

“As you said, you only learned it superficially with the help of the White Gold Dragon. Are you going to teach me such incomplete swordsmanship?”

“…What?”

“It’s not that I’m ignoring your kindness, but that’s not teaching, it’s hindering. It means that it’s better to start from the beginning than to learn only what you know with a narrowed view.”

“…”

“Besides, the White Gold Dragon doesn’t know all of the Sword Demon’s swordsmanship either. He must have found out by looking at this mural. He taught you swordsmanship as he interpreted it, so maybe you missed the opportunity to learn better swordsmanship.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Just because.”

Altemann made a difficult expression at his ambiguous answer, but Aln and other beings who knew that he had regressed gave a faint smile.

“You should go back now and prepare for the meeting to give the title of Grand Warrior. I’ll start right after I get out of the cave.”

“…When is that?”

“It won’t take long. The sword form in the mural is similar to what I used, but the way of using magic power is definitely different. I need to do some research, but fortunately, there is someone here who is more knowledgeable about magic power than me.”

Kahlil said, pointing to Aln.

“Also, he seems to have used spirit power. Fortunately, I have beings who know more about spirits than anyone else.”

Then he said to the Spirit Kings.

“Altemann. You were taught by one master, but I will be helped by far more beings than that, so don’t worry.”

Altemann finally nodded.

* * *

[He’s gone.]

Lamine said quietly after Altemann disappeared.

[What are you going to do now?]

The ones who had been standing tall seemed a little embarrassed after he left, for some reason.

[Unlike what you confidently said, it’s a difficult situation.]

[That’s right. Kahlil, you would know. This mural contains magical mysteries that even I can’t understand.]

Aln finally spoke carefully.

[The same goes for spiritism. You have a contract with us, but you only borrow that power and don’t know the proper techniques. This contains mysterious spirit techniques.]

The Spirit Kings were the same as Aln.

Even if each technique was viewed separately, they were supreme, but fusing them into one was by no means easy.

Making their powers harmonize without repelling each other.

Aln, who created the Secret Power, knew better than anyone how difficult that was.

“I know. The same goes for swordsmanship. When I look at this picture, my sword form, which I created by cutting down so many monsters in Phare, feels embarrassingly lacking.”

Kahlil brought his hand to the mural and stroked it.

“But it’s not just because of the excellence of the sword form. Because you shouldn’t think of this as one thing. It’s not swordsmanship, magic, or spiritism.”

[Certainly…]

[That’s right.]

“If it were me in my previous life, I wouldn’t have known. Now that I have magic power and spirit power, I can feel the essence.”

[That’s why you refused Altemann’s help.]

Lamine said.

“That’s right. This is what you can call the ultimate. As soon as I saw this mural, I was convinced. I couldn’t reach it in my previous life, but I can do it now. That’s what you said when I first met you in the Fire Dragon’s Lair.”

Whoosh…!!

Whoosh…!

At Kahlil’s words, Lamine crossed her arms and puffed up her body, illuminating the dark cave.

[Yes.]

Kahlil murmured quietly.

“Great Magic.”

It is the power that can kill a god.