The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 362

231. Platinum Dragon Battle (1)

[What’s the plan?]

‘To fight him until he uses his full power.’

[……Succinct.]

Aln replied in a reluctant voice to Carryl’s answer.

[That’s a perfect way to die.]

But unlike his sarcastic retort, he was already borrowing the power of Duat [an ancient Egyptian underworld] to maintain his form. As he gathered his hands, a long staff appeared before him.

Tilting his hand in the opposite direction, the black staff’s smoky form blurred, and the image of the Ice Claw appeared and disappeared within it.

“φχ-stϪϪχκ.”

Aln began to chant in runic [an ancient alphabet used for magical inscriptions].

The ancient language, the source of magic, could unleash far greater power than ordinary spells. When his arcane power was added to the ancient magic, blue lightning flashed beneath his feet.

Kwaaaaaaang—!!

Sharp lightning poured toward Narr Di Maugh. At the same time as Aln’s lightning roared, Paat……!! Carryl’s body exploded into motion, leaping above Aln’s head.

Clang-

Carryl adjusted his posture in mid-air.

A sharp strike of Larcna, slashing horizontally with wind pressure, tore through the air.

Following this, Agnel unleashed a two-pronged Arcane Blague, which, combined with Aln’s arcane lightning, flashed like a crescent moon.

[Kyahhhhh—!!]

As the sharp sword energy grazed the Platinum Dragon, a red wound was etched beneath his hard scales.

Narr Di Maugh roared, showing his long fangs as if he was more dumbfounded than in pain.

Puk-!!

But only for a moment. Carryl, spinning in the air and landing on the ground, jumped once more from under the Platinum Dragon’s belly, plunging his sword into his lower jaw.

[Keokeok!! Keulkeok……!!!]

With the impact, the mouth that was roaring shut roughly, and a dull sound of teeth colliding was heard.

[You……!!]

The Platinum Dragon shook his head violently at the stinging pain, filling his mouth with breath.

“Hoo!!!”

But Carryl bit down on Agnel in his mouth, grabbed Larcna stuck in his jaw with both hands, and pushed it in even deeper.

Seueueueueup……!!!

However, the surroundings swirled as if air was being sucked in. As if becoming a vacuum, even the heat of the breath Narr Di Maugh was about to exhale seemed to be absorbed into it.

The condensed vortex gathered on Larcna’s blade, and the magic-made blade turned as red as if looking at a furnace.

Jeujeujeujeuk…… Jeujeujeujeuk……!!!

Carryl grabbed Agnel, which he had been holding in his mouth, with his other hand. Then, the dagger shone pure white, emitting a silver-gray blade.

Without hesitation, he pressed Agnel against Larcna, which was embedded in the Platinum Dragon’s lower jaw.

Annihilation Strike (殲擊) – First Annihilation (殲) [These are martial arts techniques.]

Kwaaaaaaang—!!!

Kwaaaang–!!

A fierce explosion occurred with a roar directly above Carryl’s head.

All of this happened in just a few seconds.

Before the imperial soldiers around could even sense their exchange, they could only watch the pure white explosion engulfing the area.

“Ugh…… Uwaaaagh!!!!”

“Aaaagh!!”

Along with the explosion, the soldiers’ screams echoed everywhere. In the meantime, Narr Di Maugh wrapped his wings around Neil Blanc to protect him, who was caught closest to the explosion.

“…….”

Carryl did not miss that sight.

Cheujeujeujeujeujeu…….

The area was instantly turned into ruins.

The forest, burned black, ironically did not even emit smoke because everything had already turned to ashes.

[For a human to be able to use divine power. Mael. Are you really breaking your promise with God and repeating your mistakes again?]

“That’s your weakness.”

But as if he didn’t even hear Narr Di Maugh’s words, Carryl muttered lowly, as if only seeking a way to attack him.

Seuaaaaaaang—!!!

A sharp tearing sound cutting through the air.

Carryl bent his back and then leaned forward, entering the Platinum Dragon’s range one tempo faster.

But it was different from before.

The target was now Neil Blanc, who was being protected in his arms, not the Platinum Dragon.

“Hueueup.”

Faint smoke flowed from his mouth as he inhaled. It was because his body felt as if all its organs were being pushed to their absolute limit.

“Uaaagh!!”

At that moment, Neil Blanc screamed and sat back. Narr Di Maugh once again protected him with his wings as he crawled back in an awkward posture.

[What is it? He’s absurdly weak? Even though his magic power is so strong. Something is strange.]

Aln looked at Neil Blanc’s retreating figure in a hurry and asked, his voice laced with confusion.

‘He acted like he couldn’t fight even in the Imperial Palace, but that was definitely acting back then. But……. Hmm, it’s like a different person.’

Carryl also felt a sense of incongruity in his appearance.

Puk!!!

The sword blade aimed at Neil Blanc was embedded in the Platinum Dragon’s wing.

[…….]

There was no scream of pain, but unlike before, the Platinum Dragon looked at him with eyes filled with anger before turning his head to the sky.

[Python. How long are you going to just watch?]

He said, growling, towards the Red Dragon flying in the sky in the distance.

[I, I’m sorry.]

Python lowered his head as if he didn’t know what to do at Narr Di Maugh’s words.

[I know you were the first of the dragons to fly to end this war. I think I need an explanation of what you’re doing now.]

[The Riseria Covenant is a matter directly related to all Red Dragons. The Flame Dragon’s blood is like the lineage of the race, so following the one with his power is the rule of the race.]

[Are you saying you’ll surrender to humans?]

[No, of course! That’s an absurd thing to say. Surrender to humans……. That can’t be. Didn’t you see? Me refusing his orders.]

[But you don’t listen to me either. Is my authority in front of me more trivial than the blood of the dead Flame Dragon?]

[……Yes?]

Kwaaaang–!!!!

Narr Di Maugh nervously raised his forefoot and mercilessly pressed Python’s head to the ground.

[Keok……!! Keoeok!!]

Python’s crumpled face was placed under his feet.

[Take Neil Blanc and leave. He’s my messenger. I won’t force you to participate in the battle. But you must protect the order I have given now, no matter what.]

[……I, I will keep that in mind.]

Python answered with difficulty, his face pressed against the Platinum Dragon’s forefoot.

“That’s nasty.”

Carryl said with an indifferent expression, looking at his appearance.

[I’ll make you realize how insignificant humans can be.]

“I’m the one who made even dragons surrender. Do you think you’ll be any different?”

[You lowly thing…….]

At Narr Di Maugh’s words, Carryl wondered if he was really the same person he remembered.

The Platinum Dragon, who remained in his memories of his past life, was an existence that protected humans.

A sublime and dignified being with just one word.

Carryl sincerely respected him and was grateful when he told him how he could change the future.

But now, the Platinum Dragon was no different from any other dragon who looked down on humans.

“This is your true self.”

He said with a bitter smile.

He knew that the image of the Platinum Dragon that he had imagined since his regression had been shattered, but seeing it in front of his eyes made it even harder to hide his bitter heart.

‘Did you tell me to go back in time to show me this? Why did you tell me the path of Pharell?’

To show what?

Was it to show his dirty appearance of using humans as tools and looking down on them that he, who he thought was a comrade, told him how to return to the past?

He who told him about Oliver’s plan to kill him first and saved him.

‘I know that appearance is all a lie now. You’re a guy who thinks of humans as tools and materials. But why are you fighting for the Empire? Is it really because of the oath of the Guardian Dragon? Or to protect the traitors who stood on God’s side and preserved their magic power in return……? Or…….’

To use even them?

All sorts of thoughts and questions began to tangle in Carryl’s head.

[We have to find out.]

Aln said in a low voice, as if he had read his thoughts.

[What he betrayed the Blader for in the mythological era and tried to keep, and what the possibility was that he experimented with us and Altemann. Finally, why it was you, not Oliver, who was sent to the past.]

‘Not Oliver, but me……?’

[Yes. There must be a reason. Looking at his current appearance, he doesn’t have much affection for the aliens. Rather, the Empire’s brat follows him. But he makes those who follow him kill themselves and sends you back to the past.]

That’s definitely true.

Oliver is one of those who serve the Platinum Dragon.

There would have been more things he could do by sending Oliver, who would ascend to the throne, to the past than himself, who had to start from the bottom without anything.

[The reason for going back to the past is not simply to tell you a way to escape the blame for the murder of the emperor who wanted to kill you. It’s even less for the future of the aliens.]

Carryl nodded.

[There must be a reason. A future that only you, an alien, can change. And……. Even the reason why he abandoned Oliver in his past life.]

At that moment,

Carryl lightly trembled as he felt a cold sensation running down his spine without him even realizing it.

He had been enduring with only the emotion of revenge, so his vision had become narrower.

But now that he knew that the Platinum Dragon he believed in was not the person he thought he was, Oliver’s death was also a matter that could be questioned.

“Then I’ll need more to do that. The power to surpass him.”

[Then.]

Carryl gripped his sword again.

It was then.

Kugeugeugeugeugeugeu……!!

Kugeugeugeu……!!

As the Platinum Dragon opened his huge mouth, dozens of magic circles unfolded around him.

[Dragon Language Magic……!!!]

The moment Aln saw it, he sensed danger.

The fifteen magic circles were connected as if they were one, with fourteen magic circles on each side like branches from the center, with dozens of strands extending.

[I can’t believe it. How many magic systems are tangled up?]!

Even Aln, who instantly analyzed and dispelled Cardin Ruer’s large-scale magic circle, Vermilion Majesty (朱色) of Might (威光) [a powerful spell], shouted as if he couldn’t believe it when he saw the Platinum Dragon’s magic.

[I know that the magic of dragons is beyond imagination……. But this is a power that wasn’t even seen during the Magic Era.]

It seemed that even in those days when he taught the Seven Elders, Narr Di Maugh had not shown them all of his power.

[Carryl, the plan has failed. That’s not something that can be analyzed! Get out of there quickly!!]

The lines merged into the center as if pulling the magic circles, and the moment the fifteen magic circles became one, pure white light poured out.

Dragon Language Magic.

The realm of the 9th class that only dragons can use.

But the Platinum Dragon’s breath was created by combining the power of magic with the power of a dragon, which was different from their usual breath.

Rather, Carryl watched it as if he had been waiting for it, trying not to miss anything from the process of the Platinum Dragon’s magic circle forming to the result of the synthesis.

‘Well. I don’t think so. Aln. It’s impossible because you’re trying to solve the formula with a formula. Surprisingly, the answer is simple.’

[What are you talking about! Now is not the time to be so relaxed!!!]

‘Truly overwhelming amount of magic power. I wouldn’t be able to follow it with my current self. But…….’

Carryl stacked Agnel on top of the handle he was holding Larcna. He, who was holding two swords at the same time, said quietly.

“Did you see it? Mael.”

[Yes. I saw it clearly.]

“What’s the method?”

[You’ll know if you eat it. I told you before? Just once. Anyone can bite that guy’s nape.]

Carryl jumped towards the light pouring down on him.

[You just stick this sword into him.]