The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 336

220. Neil Blanc (1)

“Evade…!! Get out of the way!”

“Run away!!”

The Imperial Palace instantly descended into chaos.

Ironically, with the Black Knights, primarily responsible for defending the capital, stationed at Fort Nine’s defenses, the Empire’s capital was now one of its most vulnerable points.

However, no one had imagined it would be raided like this.

No, no one even dared to entertain such a thought.

Who would conceive a plan to strike directly at the heart of the enemy, possessing an enormous army of a million soldiers?

And to do it single-handedly.

Checkmate.

Ultimately, the most crucial aspect of any war is capturing the king. The king is powerful but also needs protection.

But there was one exception.

At the moment when everyone thought the main forces of each side should clash, Karyl thought the opposite.

Even though it was a great war with a million soldiers colliding, the commander on the battlefield was ultimately a knight, not a king.

In the end, even if all million soldiers were exhausted, the war would not end.

He seemed to be free from the burden of being a king.

In some ways, he might be a completely different kind of king from what they were used to: a king who stood at the forefront of the most dangerous battlefield.

Clang―!!

Karyl raised his sword.

Although it was a sudden and unexpected attack, with his magic power maximized, it felt as if he were observing everything with perfect clarity.

“Hmm.”

The knights surrounded him.

The color of their armor was gold, and each knight emanated a subtle aura, immediately indicating that they were top-tier Sword Experts approaching the level of Sword Masters [highly skilled swordsmen].

“Long time no see.”

Karyl scanned them, a strange emotion filling him.

Among them were familiar faces.

The Emperor’s personal guard, composed of the most skilled individuals in the Empire. In his past life, many of these knights had died in the war against corruption.

For Karyl to remember them meant they were skilled enough and had been entrusted with guarding his back before.

The Gold Knights.

“How dare you…!! Do you know where you are?!”

With a roar-like shout, the man brandishing a massive greatsword was none other than the Chief Knight Commander, Belin Valentiun.

“Prepare the barrier.”

Whoo-oong….

The magic circle on the floor of the Sun Palace began to form.

The magic circle, initially one large circle, overlapped into two, then four, and then disappeared, drawing dozens of circles in an instant.

[Be careful. It’s a multi-layered sealing formation similar to a Dragon’s mixed-element barrier. They’ve put quite a bit of effort into it. Even a great mage wouldn’t be able to break it easily.]

Listening to Aln’s words, Karyl raised his head.

A refined staff adorned with sky-blue feather-shaped ornaments swayed gently each time magic power was condensed.

Court mage Cardin Ruel, standing next to Belin Valentiun, activated the Sun Palace’s barrier.

Behind him, dozens of mages, who seemed to be Cardin’s direct subordinates, were focused on activating the barrier formation.

“That bastard has guts coming here!! Behead him!!”

Despite Belin Valentiun’s shout, the knights hesitated to approach.

That was because, as top-tier knights, they were acutely aware of the difference in skill between themselves and Karyl.

“Calm yourself.”

Cardin stopped him.

“The enemy before us is a Sword Master. We must be cautious. Once the barrier encompassing the entire Sun Palace is complete, even he won’t be able to move easily.”

But unlike Cardin, Belin was still shouting, his face flushed red.

“How can I stand still? An enemy infiltrating the Imperial Palace is the greatest disgrace as a knight…! For such a thing to happen while I am here…! What are you all doing?!”

Karyl looked at him and raised the corner of his mouth.

“If you’re so confident, why don’t you come here yourself? If I kill the Empire’s Knight Commander and Court Mage here, I’ll at least reap some minimal gains from coming here.”

“Wh-What!”

“Or I can come to you.”

At that moment, dozens of knights hurriedly moved to block Karyl.

Boo-oong―!!

Starting with the sword blade descending from above, dozens of sword nets surrounded him like a web.

But surprisingly, all the knights’ swords futilely brushed through the air, losing their target and scattering.

“……!!”

The knights, looking around with bewildered faces, couldn’t help but be astonished.

Crack―!

Powder…….

The swords they were holding instantly turned into black powder and scattered.

‘That is…….’

Cardin Ruel swallowed hard without realizing it as he watched the scene.

“Perhaps… it may be that he has reached the ranks of a great mage.”

“Wh, what does that mean…….”

Since they were knights who had barely reached the 4th class, they couldn’t properly gauge Karyl’s magic power.

But Cardin Ruel, who was well-versed in magic power, was different. He had seen through the fact that the magic power Karyl had unleashed on the knights’ swords in an instant was not a simple mana blade but magic.

“Are you saying he has reached the 7th class? A Sword Master in the realm of a great mage……?! Nonsense!”

Belin Valentiun stared at Karyl with a horrified expression. But instead of answering his surprise, Karyl simply smiled coldly.

Step― Step― Step―

Only Karyl’s footsteps echoed in the hall.

Just like when he first stepped into this place, everyone was focused on him, and no one could block his path.

“The Empire… brought to this by just one man…….”

Belin Valentiun could only lament that Kwell McGovern was not here at this moment.

After the incident at Heim, he had received orders from Olivon to stay at his residence.

It was puzzling that the Empire’s top knight was not participating in the war ahead.

However, Kwell followed his orders, and his disciples also returned without any resistance.

The pretext was that he was the father of Karyl, the king of the enemy nation, but in reality, it may have been that Olivon was hiding those who had seen him kill the Emperor with his own hands.

Whatever the reason, the result was that the only strongman called the best sword in the continent was not here now, and no one could stop Karyl.

“How rude.”

It was then.

The man who had been quietly watching from behind the throne slowly revealed himself and spoke to Karyl.

“Even though it is a war where we are crossing swords, it is a solemn matter involving the honor of the nation. At least we should observe etiquette towards the opponent. To try to resolve things in this way…”

It was a low, sonorous voice.

Unlike Olivon’s words of power, there was a different kind of strength felt, and the anxiety that had enveloped the hall due to Karyl seemed to dissipate.

“……!!!”

At that moment,

Karyl’s eyes widened as if he had been shocked when he looked at his face.

[Who is that?]

[To think that someone with such magic power exists…….]

The man with rare silver hair looked at Karyl with a rather gentle smile.

The spirit kings were confused as they looked at him. He couldn’t possibly hear their conversation, but somehow he seemed to be wearing a relaxed smile.

“I am called Neil Blanc.”

The last of the Empire’s four dukes.

Karyl slightly frowned at his appearance, which had been veiled in mystery and whose identity was unknown.

“……Neil Blanc?”

Unlike Karyl, who asked back his name as if he was dumbfounded, he nodded nonchalantly.

[That’s the one called the Empire’s last mastermind.]

Aln also watched him closely.

[How fascinating. Such pure magic power. It’s no wonder the spirit kings are surprised. Even in the Magic Era, there was no one like him…….]

Leaving behind the murmuring voices, Karyl stared silently at Neil Blanc.

Hiding the surprised look from a moment ago.

“To dare discuss etiquette with me, a mere duke? You, who have never wallowed in the mud to survive, have no right to speak of the weight of life.”

Karyl glared at him and said.

“What is etiquette in a war of killing and being killed? 300,000 are marching to attack Tatur [a city or region]. Is using your glib tongue and light fingers to take the lives of 300,000 what you call the etiquette of war?”

Tszeuk……!! Tszeu-jeu-jeu-tszeuk……!!

Rakna, held in Karyl’s hand, roared as if growling, emitting electricity.

‘How’s the barrier formation?’

‘Preparation complete.’

‘Good. Activate it immediately when I give the order.’

Cardin Ruel carefully nodded at his subordinate’s words and watched Karyl.

“If you want to have a conversation with me, the Emperor of the Empire should come out himself. At least someone who knows etiquette would do that when the king of an enemy nation has come in person.”

“If it were a meeting for reconciliation, it would be welcome at any time, but this kind of meeting seems to be nothing more than an attack, so how could the Emperor of the Empire meet you?”

Despite Karyl’s words, Neil Blanc still replied with a relaxed expression.

“The reason I came out despite creating such a commotion is one thing. His Majesty Olivon is still uneasy about the war with Tatur. I feel the same way. I am probably one of the few ministers who oppose the war.”

“So?”

“War is ultimately waged for the gains that must be taken. But if, as you say, there is more blood to be shed than gains to be made, we may be able to find a compromise. Don’t you think?”

“What are you saying! Peace with someone who has invaded the Imperial capital!”

Belin Valentiun shouted as if he was dumbfounded at Neil Blanc’s words.

Karyl snorted at his words.

“Are those who hold their noses high, calling themselves the Empire, reluctant to fight me?”

“That’s because they know there will be a lot of damage to the continent.”

“No. I think differently.”

At that moment, Neil Blanc’s expression darkened.

“You, no, you guys.”

Karyl looked at him.

“What are you doing in Wooden Cloud [likely a location or organization]? What are you trying to gain from this war?”

“……I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Faces can be changed at any time.

From the Mythical Era to the Magic Era.

Nowhere was it recorded that a dragon lived with one face.

The aura they exude is the same.

With the abilities of a dragon, even Aln, who possesses the power of the spirit kings and hidden power, would not be able to easily find the difference.

The spirit kings who met the Platinum Dragon in the Mythical Era and the great mages who were taught in the Magic Era all know his face.

But that is only the past.

“The spirit kings and the great mages who lived in the Magic Era may be deceived, but I am different.”

Karyl looked at Neil Blanc and smiled coldly.

Even if faces and auras can be hidden, there is something only he knows.

‘Only I, who came from the future, know. What face you will live with in this era. But I didn’t expect to meet you like this. I’m finally seeing a face I’ve missed.’

“You didn’t come for the oracle…….”

Karyl muttered in a small voice that no one could hear.

‘You were on Olivon’s side from the beginning. But why did you let him die?’

Then, he slowly raised his sword and pointed it at Neil Blanc, no, Nardie Maugré.

“Where are you trying to sell drugs? You dragon bastard.”