The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 363

231. White Gold Dragon Battle (2)

“You’re going to jump in there? Are you crazy……!!”

Alun shouted, dumbfounded by Mael’s words. But instead of answering his surprise, Carryl was already moving.

“Damn it……!! Duat! Lend me more power.”

Knowing he couldn’t stop him, Alun mustered as much magical power as he could.

As always, his job was to create an opening for Carryl.

Whoosh……!!!

Black mist spread like a curtain, attempting to block the White Gold Dragon’s magic.

“I don’t know how much this will help…….”

Crack……!! Crackle……!!

As the black mist touched the White Gold Dragon, dazzling sparks erupted. Black smoke billowed as if the curtain was burning, and the wall Alun created vanished instantly.

At most, one second.

No, it was a fleeting moment, perhaps even shorter.

Flash-!!!

But this was a battle outside the domain. Even a fleeting moment was enough to create an opening.

Thud, thud, thud……!!

Using the tall trees that surrounded the White Gold Dragon as stepping stones, Carryl leaped into the air and struck the dragon’s head with his elbow.

Thwack……!!

With a dull thud, the White Gold Dragon’s head staggered and bent.

Crash!!

Thud, thud, thud……!!!

Carryl didn’t stop, unleashing a flurry of attacks. He pressed down on the dragon’s shoulder with his right foot, jumped, and struck its face again while rotating horizontally.

After a backflip, landing on the ground, he charged forward even faster.

Colorless Energy Sword 2nd Form.

The White Gold Dragon flapped its wings and took a step back, swinging its tail. But Carryl bent backward to avoid the attack, then swept his palm across the ground and slid.

Whack!!!

Entering under the White Gold Dragon’s legs, he lifted his sword with all his might and slashed its thigh. Emerging from behind, Carryl jumped, using the hand that touched the floor as a pivot, and swung his sword again.

“Kuaaaaaaak!!!”

As the brilliantly shining scales shattered and fell, scattering like powder, red blood flowed from the wound.

Roaring, the White Gold Dragon opened its mouth and bared its teeth at Carryl.

Crack!!

At that moment, the surrounding trees were uprooted and hurled at the White Gold Dragon’s head.

The solid giant trees shattered upon impact, but after that, tree trunks rained down like bullets.

Bang! Bang!! Crash!!!

Each time Alun waved his hand, the sharpened tree trunks struck the White Gold Dragon’s body.

“How can this be…….”

Python, watching the battle, muttered in disbelief.

Although a young dragon who hadn’t participated in the Divine Spirit War [a legendary war between gods and dragons], he had lived for hundreds of years.

But he had never witnessed such a fierce battle. Even when he heard the story of his ancestor, Riceria, being hunted, he assumed it was just the end of an old dragon.

But seeing the White Gold Dragon fight, he realized he was witnessing something extraordinary.

‘But……. Then what is that human?’

Carryl wasn’t the only one surprised to learn that Niel Blanc, whom he assumed was Nar Di Maugh, was someone else.

Perhaps the other two dragons felt the same way.

The dragon magic power emanating from Niel Blanc was clearly the same as the White Gold Dragon’s.

‘Dragon magic power is unique, generated from the dragon’s heart. That means it’s impossible to possess it without a dragon’s heart…….’

Python stared at Niel Blanc, his face hardening.

‘To have the White Gold Dragon’s magic power, you need his heart, but how can both exist together?’

It defied logic.

Even setting aside Carryl’s knowledge of the White Gold Dragon’s face from his previous life, and the possibility that he killed Niel Blanc and assumed his identity, the fact that they could coexist was impossible.

“…….”

Python began to doubt the White Gold Dragon in a different way.

‘Could it be…….’

He trembled, startled by the thought that flashed through his mind.

His gaze remained fixed on Niel Blanc.

‘Is he not human?’

Crash, crash, crash, crash……!!!!

Crash……!!

Python hurriedly spread his wings and flew away as the White Gold Dragon roared fiercely.

The White Gold Dragon glared at Python, who disobeyed his orders and retreated, leaving Niel Blanc alone, but Python flew further into the sky without looking back.

“Python!! What are you doing……!”

“Aaaaaaah!!”

Niel Blanc, hiding in Nar Di Maugh’s arms, screamed and ran back.

Carryl didn’t miss the opportunity and swung his sword with all his might.

“Kaaaaaak!!”

Seeing this, Nar Di Maugh slammed the ground with his massive tail, separating the two.

“You moron……!!”

The ground shattered under the weight of the tail, and pebbles flew everywhere.

The impact lifted Niel Blanc off his feet, stopping him in mid-air just as he was about to fall.

“……!!!”

He looked ahead, surprised.

“This way.”

A handsome man with clear eyes spoke calmly, seemingly unfazed by the dragons.

“We will serve you. This place is dangerous, Sir Niel Blanc.”

His unique sky-blue hair was a rare sight. Wearing a robe with a swirl pattern symbolizing the Empire’s Academy [a prestigious magic academy], he placed his hand on his chest and greeted Niel Blanc.

Lefin Serga.

The Empire’s second Archmage, who reached the 7th class [a high rank for mages] despite his youth.

Unlike other nobles, the Serga family had a unique tradition of referring to the head of the family by their surname.

Usually, the surname was inherited after the head of the family died, but Huan Serga’s son reached the 7th class before inheriting the family title, so Huan exceptionally granted him the surname Serga.

After inheriting the surname, he used it as his alias.

In his previous life, he rose to the top seven of the Empire, and as his father wished, he spread the name Serga more widely across the continent than any other head of the family in history.

“…….”

He stared at Carryl fighting the White Gold Dragon with an indifferent expression.

‘That’s the one my teacher told me about. I wonder how many people on the continent can fight a dragon single-handedly……. I have reached the realm of 7th class, but my achievements are insignificant compared to that person.’

Until now, he had considered the mana blade used by knights to be a crude method of manipulating magic.

He believed that only magic could showcase the potential of the Empire’s magically gifted people.

Even if someone was a Sword Master [a master swordsman], he held the arrogant belief that they were inferior to a magician.

But that thought was shattered for the first time.

Watching Carryl’s battle, he wondered if he could replicate the same magic.

‘He is a swordsman, and even the magic power he exudes is above 7th class. I thought that swords and magic could never coexist……. There is no such thing as absolute, and there are always exceptions.’

He was an extraordinarily talented individual who had never found a worthy opponent. Ironically, a strange feeling stirred within him.

A desire to compete with Carryl.

‘But……. He’s going to die here anyway.’

He clicked his tongue and turned his head.

“Tell the rear unit. From now on, we will prioritize escaping the front lines. The goal is to rejoin the main unit as soon as possible, and all the Academy’s magic corps will focus on protecting supplies.”

“Yes!!”

“I understand.”

As Serga’s order was given, the magicians wearing the same colored robes bowed and responded.

“Let’s go.”

He cast a shield spell around Niel Blanc.

‘……Hmm?’

At that moment, he tilted his head slightly, as if surprised. But he didn’t show it and led Niel Blanc away.

As projection magic was cast alongside the protection magic, the figures of the two and the magicians disappeared without a trace.

‘Serga……. He was here after all.’

Carryl thought, sensing the traces of their disappearance. He felt uneasy about failing to kill Niel Blanc due to Nar Di Maugh’s interference. Moreover, Serga’s rescue was not a good sign.

Despite his handsome appearance, he was a sinister individual.

‘I can’t help it.’

But he didn’t have time to deal with them now.

Because the White Gold Dragon was still in front of him.

Carryl gripped his sword and increased his speed.

Swish-!!!

Raising his palm towards the sky, the blade of Lakna [Carryl’s sword] extended and rotated.

As he stirred the sword,

Flame powders scattered around Lakna like will-o’-the-wisps [ghostly lights often seen in folklore].

“Tch.”

Carryl spat out a blood clot and charged forward.

The floor where his feet touched scattered blue smoke, as if flames had burned and not yet subsided.

5th Spirale Serpent Posture.

Crash!!!

As if anticipating his move, the White Gold Dragon struck down with its massive foot.

The surrounding rocks and giant trees were crushed, leaving only charred black soil.

Thud, thud, thud……!!

Crash-!!!

The attack continued, and the ground exploded as if an earthquake had occurred, creating a large pit with a deafening roar.

“……!!”

Realizing that Carryl was no longer where he had attacked, the White Gold Dragon hurriedly raised its head.

Clack!!

Thud, thud, thud……!! Clack! Clack……!!

Stepping on the fragments of rocks that soared into the sky in a zigzag pattern, Carryl was already behind the White Gold Dragon.

“Hoo.”

Carryl took a breath and assumed a stance in the air. A blue snake wrapped around Lakna, and the blade turned blue as if dripping with poison, covered in a sticky liquid.

[Yes, that’s it. I have always regretted not being able to pierce the neck of you who betrayed me in the Divine Spirit War.]

Mael murmured, as if enjoying the sight.

Slash—!!!

Carryl thrust Lakna into the White Gold Dragon’s nape with all his might.

“Kuaaaaaaaa!!!!!”

A scream of pain, not a roar, burst from the White Gold Dragon’s mouth.

At that moment,

A pure white light enveloped the White Gold Dragon’s body, and dozens of magic circles appeared around him, as if to protect him.

“……You.”

Carryl’s expression hardened as he sensed the foreign power.

“It’s as expected.”

He said, looking at the White Gold Dragon, who shook his body with a sneer, as if he had been waiting for this moment.