The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 323

Whoosh…!!

The blade of light erupting from Carryl’s Lakna flashed, crackling with purple electricity.

The magical blade, descending with incredible speed, bent and cleaved through Rael.
The Arcane Blade unleashed by Rael slammed into the corridor wall, creating a deafening boom—!!

“…….”

But Carryl’s assault didn’t end there. He spun, and two more slashes arced diagonally from below, the purple energy of Lakna’s blade transforming into crimson flames.

Whirr…!!

Instantly, the torches lining the lair’s walls sputtered. The flames engulfed the corridor in an explosion, and the ceiling, magically reinforced, seemed to strain under the force of Carryl’s attack, turning black.

“Hiss!”

Carryl retracted the sword, now at its apex, and reversed the motion, plunging it into Rael’s side.
The heated red blade instantly morphed into a blue-tinged blade of ice, piercing Rael’s body.

Crack… Crack, crack…!

The ice blade, extending like a spear from Lakna’s hilt, impaled Rael and embedded itself in the wall.

“It’s useless.”

Surprisingly, even after enduring Carryl’s relentless attacks, Rael spoke calmly.

Buzz….

Ignoring her warning, Carryl channeled even more magic.

The blade began to shimmer with a silver-gray hue, the same Sword Demon magic that had bisected the Chimera earlier.

“My real body isn’t here. I’m merely an illusion, a memory left behind by the Order [a secretive organization]. Attacking an illusion can’t harm the real me.”

“I know. But to leave a memory, you must leave behind your magic. And that magic is connected to the caster.”

Rael remained impassive, her expression unreadable.

“I might not be able to kill you directly, but if I inflict damage beyond the allowed range, it will affect you, the caster.”

She countered.

“Are you saying you’ll trace the faint echoes of impact like threads to find me somewhere on the continent? Even a great mage couldn’t do that.”

“I might not pinpoint your exact location, but I can at least find the traces.”

Kwaaaang!!!!

With that, Carryl brought his sword down with all his might.
The lair walls shuddered violently as a massive X-shaped gash tore through them.

“…….”

Rael’s body flickered faintly, more noticeably than before.

“How is it? Feeling a little shock?”

“That can’t be…….”

She answered confidently, but her reaction betrayed her composure.

“Shall we take a look now? Fortunately, we can use magic that even great mages can’t.”

Clack.

Carryl snapped his fingers, and the space before him swirled into a vortex, splitting into currents and revealing an eye.
Milliana recognized it as the Mirror of the Superior Eye, an ancient magic.
A familiar landscape materialized within.

“Heim, is it.”

Carryl said, looking at Rael.

“The fact that the traces of your magic are most concentrated in the Order suggests you’re connected to them.”

“…….”

“I don’t know your relationship with the Platinum Dragon, or what he’s thinking by harboring you, but this proves the Order is in league with him.”
A subtle tremor flickered across her face, which had been consistently cold.

“Well, it’s not surprising. I already confirmed in the north that he’s aiding the Empire, so he might as well join forces with the Order, which has supported the Empire from the start.”

Carryl withdrew the sword he had plunged into Rael’s illusion.

“But if you’re with the Order, things change. I heard about you from Nine Darhoon. Your presence here confirms the Order is connected to Wooden Cloud [likely a reference to a dangerous group or organization].”

“……Nonsense.”

“That reaction only makes it more believable.”

Carryl aimed Lakna at Rael’s neck and growled.

“I don’t care if you’re the Platinum Dragon’s henchman or just one of his toys, but choose.”

Carryl’s voice was icy.

“Either hold your breath and hide, or come out to the battlefield to kill me. I’ll even forgive you for hiding under Nar Di Maugh’s [likely a powerful figure] wings.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up.

“Because I’m going to end you all anyway.”

“That’s an absurd threat. Do you think such words will work on me?”

“Whether you believe it or not is your business. But if he was sure I couldn’t find the traces, the Platinum Dragon would have left his own memory himself. Why bother using you instead?”

Carryl said coldly.

“It’s to avoid revealing his location. He knew about the Superior Eye that existed in the Magic Era, which you don’t.”

“…….”

Rael’s face hardened slightly at Carryl’s words.

“So get lost.”

Whoosh….

The torches in the corridor flickered at his roar.
Rael glared at him.

Buzz—!

Carryl swung Lakna.
Rael’s figure slowly dissipated like smoke, without another word.

‘To think that someone I couldn’t find in my past life would show up on their own two feet.’

Carryl couldn’t help but be surprised that the cult leader he had never seen was just such a young girl, though he didn’t show it.
But the look in her eyes before she disappeared…
Those ice-cold eyes were definitely not those of a child. Carryl realized that, unlike before, his sword had instinctively gone out without him even realizing it.

‘A woman with the blood of Nephilim [a race of giants in the Bible] and Elves. She may look young, but she may be much older.’

Carryl vowed not to be fooled by appearances.

Oliven’s smile and the Platinum Dragon’s actions.
Didn’t he believe all of that in his past life?

But in this life, after regression, that belief no longer remained.

“When did you learn such magic? To attack an illusion and find traces of magic connected to the caster…….”

“Actually, it’s a lie.”

“……What?”

Milliana looked at the spot where Rael had disappeared like smoke, then turned her head towards Carryl.

“Ancient magic is just a magic that allows you to check multiple places simultaneously through multiple Familiars [magical creatures bound to a mage], not to trace back the traces of magic. Besides, I haven’t even properly learned ancient magic. I’m just peeking through Israfil [likely a powerful magical artifact or being].”

“Then what was that just now…….”

Carryl lightly snapped his fingers at her words.

“It’s nothing special. It’s a 4th class Illusion. I used it to create a Mirror and showed the scenery of Heim. Fortunately, I had been there before.”

“What if she wasn’t related to the Order?”

“I was already catching some of the circumstances.”

He shrugged as if it were nothing.

“What if she had noticed?”

“It was a carefully decided matter. If she was the real body, she wouldn’t be able to properly check whether this was a real Mirror or an Illusion. I thought it was an opportunity and threw a number. Fortunately, it seems to have worked.”

“Seriously…….”

Milliana let out a hollow laugh as if she was dumbfounded.

He had nonchalantly taken a gamble that could have easily turned into poison.
No, she couldn’t help but be newly surprised by Carryl’s extraordinary ability to come up with such thoughts in the short moment of swinging his sword.

‘That’s a bit unexpected.’

Carryl thought, leaving her behind.

He had somewhat expected the relationship between the Platinum Dragon and Wooden Cloud, but Carryl had not anticipated that the existence of Rael in Wooden Cloud would have a direct relationship with the Platinum Dragon.

‘How did this happen? Could it be that she is a child raised by the Platinum Dragon? If so, then the Blue Lore cult that existed in the past life could also be seen as being involved by the Platinum Dragon……. Why did he leave those who caused so much bloodshed alive?’

Carryl’s face hardened.

‘Could it be the opposite?’

What if the mastermind behind creating them was actually Nar Di Maugh, not leaving them alone……?

‘Many people died due to corruption, but at least they could have the honor of protecting the continent. But those who were indiscriminately killed by fanatics…….’

Clench—

Carryl clenched his fist without realizing it.

Fanatics.

As the name suggests, they were crazy, and they chose humans as sacrifices to offer to their god for their salvation, and they cruelly killed people in their own ways, such as cutting off their limbs, burning them at the stake, or throwing them as food for monsters.

‘Nar Di Maugh. If you are really behind it, then in this life, you will have to bear the resentment of those who died without even having the chance to die honorably.’

Milliana looked at him, emitting a faint murderous aura, and asked cautiously.

“Then what are you going to do now? Are you going back?”

“No. Now that I’m here, I should go further inside.”

“You said there was nothing?”

Carryl smiled coldly at her words.

“Do you believe his words?”

“……Huh?”

“To my eyes, it looks like there’s something more important inside that he absolutely doesn’t want to be discovered.”

He looked at the wall that had collapsed with the sword a moment ago.
The coffins that had been densely stacked were broken, and behind them was a passage with unknown letters engraved on it.
It was the place where the Chimera and Rael had entered a moment ago.
Carryl walked into it without delay.

“Wa, wait a minute!”

Following him, Milliana also hurried her steps.

* * *

“……It’s not here. It’s not here. No matter how much I look, it’s an empty house.”

Milliana said, knocking on the solid cave walls, looking a little tired.

“Surely a dragon wouldn’t lie, would he? He’s a being who can use that much magic, so he must have taken everything. Right?”

“I don’t know.”

How much time had passed?
No matter how long they searched the lair, there was nothing to be seen.
As Rael had said a moment ago, behind the laboratory was just a large cavity.

[I also agree with not trusting dragons, but this time you may have been barking up the wrong tree. Would the Platinum Dragon have handled things carelessly?]

Alrn revealed himself.

[As Milliana said, with the magic of a dragon, it wouldn’t be impossible to move the entire lair. They are the owners of the 9th class, surpassing the human realm.]

Swish—

As he spread his hand and swept the wall once, black smoke rose as if reacting.

[To be honest, I thought you were trying to hit the jackpot with the dragon’s weapons in the lair. That’s why I came with a slightly lighter heart.]

Alrn said, clenching and unclenching his palm.

[Or even jewels to use for military funds. Dragons are greedy, so they say there are piles of jewels in their lairs. Well, I thought that would be enough to give him a punch.]

He said quietly.

[But I never thought I would see such an absurd situation.]

Carryl smiled bitterly at his words.

“That’s right. I was thinking of doing that too. And that sly lizard guy noticed it and had already taken everything long ago. Leaving only his messenger behind.”

[Not only that, but he even set up a guardian to kill intruders.]

“Yeah.”

[Knowing that, I don’t know why you’re so obsessed with an empty house. Conversely, doesn’t that mean that Nar Di Maugh was already expecting it? Would a guy who openly left corpses and coffins leave behind something that could be his weakness?]

“Do you think so too? That the Platinum Dragon really didn’t leave anything behind.”

[……Hmm? You. You seem to know something.]

Alrn asked, puzzled by Carryl’s appearance, still carefully searching the wall.

[I am the same as him. Unlike you humans, we were on the same battlefield as the Platinum Dragon. I know his personality. At least he’s not a guy who hides or conceals.]

[We saw Nar Di Maugh directly and faced him on the battlefield. Alrn as well.]

“You know him well because you’ve experienced it?”

Carryl smirked at Laminu and Duat’s words and replied.

“If so, then I know him best.”

He said, sweeping the wall where Alrn had touched the black smoke a moment ago.

“I need to check. Mael, send divine power into this wall.”