The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 381

236. The Final Battle (12)

Kugugugugu……!!!

As if a massive pillar was rising, Kiryl lifted Ascalon with all his might.

The greatsword, facing the sky with its sharp edge, blazed…!! A thick Arcane Blade swirled around the blade.

[……Crazy.]

Nar Di Maugh muttered as he involuntarily stared at the sword.

Thwack-!!

Kiryl rotated the greatsword, using its broad side to strike Nar Di Maugh’s head with full force.

With a dull sound like rocks shattering, the platinum dragon’s head snapped sideways.

The massive dragon’s body shuddered, and he staggered backward from the impact.

“Second Severance (殲) [A technique focused on cutting and separating].”

However, Kiryl did not allow the retreating dragon any distance.

Kwaddeudeuk……!!

The veins in Kiryl’s arm, which gripped Ascalon, bulged.

Boooom-!!

Simultaneously, with a roar that seemed to cut through the wind, the greatsword fell like a guillotine upon the retreating platinum dragon, striking his shoulder.

Thwack-!! Kwajijik—!!!

As if butchering, the sound of bone and blade colliding echoed, and the platinum dragon’s shoulder faltered from the impact.

[Kuaaaaaaaa!!!]

Since the barrier had been broken by the first strike, Nar Di Maugh could not block Ascalon, which was enveloped in the Arcane Blade.

As the arcane magic poured into his body, piercing his heart, Nar Di Maugh shuddered from the stinging pain as if struck by lightning.

Paat-!!

Kiryl placed the hilt of the greatsword on the ground and began to run towards the platinum dragon’s shoulder, where the sword was embedded, stepping on the blade as if it were a staircase.

“Don’t act tough. The Severing Strike hasn’t even started yet.”

Kiryl leaped from the end of the greatsword.

In mid-air, he gripped Falsetia’s sword and swung it with all his might, aiming for the embedded greatsword.

Severing Strike (殲擊) [A powerful sword technique] – Second Severance (殲) [The second application of the technique].

Kwagagagagagang—!!!

Kwagagang–!!

Ujiggeun……!!!

After a tremendous roar, the sound of something breaking and snapping was heard. Simultaneously, a dust storm obscured the two, but people instinctively knew that the strike had crushed the platinum dragon’s shoulder, severing bone and flesh.

[Kyak!! Kuaaaaak!!!]

Nar Di Maugh’s scream echoed from within the dust. Large chunks of severed flesh and blood rained down from the sky as if a flood had occurred.

Kuuung……!

[To dare……!! A mere human’s insignificant swordsmanship dares to……!!]

The staggering footsteps of the platinum dragon could be heard.

‘This sensation…….’

[No matter what you do, you have failed. Soon, Falsetia will completely deplete your magic.]

The people in the Imperial City covered their ears at Nar Di Maugh’s resounding cry.

[I will laugh as I watch you wither away, a mere husk like a mummy……!!]

However, Kiryl, as if unconcerned with his outburst, closed his eyes to recall the sensation from just now.

‘I see.’

Falsetia’s magic enveloped his entire body.

Was it a trick of fate?

Kiryl felt that in this life-or-death struggle, he had finally taken the last step he could not reach during the Great Warrior’s trial, stepping into the domain.

“What are you so afraid of?”

However, Kiryl put strength into Ascalon, which he was stepping on, and pushed it further into the platinum dragon’s shoulder.

[Kuaaaaaaaa……!!!]

“A dragon who taught me swordsmanship once told me. I have never once beaten him.”

[……What?]

Kiryl slowly turned his head and looked at Nar Di Maugh.

“You cannot win a fight by avoiding it.”

Slowly, he raised his hand. On his palm, a bright red mass of flesh was wriggling.

“Do you really think that my body being depleted and you enduring my attacks is what determines the outcome of this fight?”

Kiryl slowly walked up Ascalon, which was half-embedded in the shoulder, placed one foot on Nar Di Maugh’s forehead, and pointed Falsetia’s sword at his large eye, saying,

“If you think that, you’ve already lost.”

[…….]

It was then.

[Kuaaaaaaaaaa—!!!]

Nar Di Maugh pushed Ascalon out of his shoulder and opened his massive mouth towards Kiryl.

Kiryl’s sword clashed.

Kwagang……!!

Kwagagagagang……!!!

With a fierce explosion, another explosion erupted, and the dozens of magic circles created around Nar Di Maugh simultaneously emitted light.

Kiryl dodged the magic pouring down on him from the air, leaping in a zigzag pattern.

With sounds like air exploding beneath his feet, he sprinted through the sky, and Nar Di Maugh began to glide, spreading his massive wings wide to chase after him.

[Youuuu……!!!]

Nar Di Maugh chased after him with all his might, soaring through the clouds.

Paat-!!

Kiryl changed direction in mid-air, diving downwards and raising his sword.

[You can no longer use that precious Severing Strike……!!!]

The moment the two were about to collide, the space beneath Kiryl’s feet distorted, and he changed direction as if stepping on a wall, digging into Nar Di Maugh’s inner side at a right angle.

“I don’t need it anymore.”

50m, 30m, 10m…… 1m……!!!

The distance, which was rapidly closing, was now close enough to touch with a sword if he stretched out his arm.

Kiryl’s hair swept back and fluttered violently, showing his speed.

Second Unicorn Posture [A sword stance focused on speed and agility].

Bang!!! Kwabang—!!!

Kwagagagagagagang—!!!!!

First Crown Posture [A sword stance focused on direct, powerful strikes].

Dozens, hundreds of sword strikes poured down like a rainstorm.

[This is…….]

In the midst of the fierce explosions, Alun’s voice could be heard trying to say something to Kiryl, but that sound was soon buried in the explosions.

[Kuaaaaaaaa!!!]

As Nar Di Maugh roared and charged at Kiryl, he waited and took his stance again.

Fourth Riffle Posture [A sword stance focused on rapid, precise attacks].

Third Long Weeping Posture [A sword stance focused on sustained, flowing movements].

Counterattacking Nar Di Maugh with the speed following the Riffle Posture, Kiryl took the final Fifth Spirale Serpent Posture [A sword stance focused on twisting, unpredictable strikes] and unleashed his sword.

[……!!]

Sssssss…….

How much time had passed?

The clashes, which could not be followed by the eye and could only be found by sound, proved the fierce battle. The area where the two stood was beyond ruins, and the surroundings were pulverized, looking like a flat plain.

“…….”

“…….”

The people who watched the scene were speechless, simply staring at the two with blank expressions.

Passseuseuseuk…….

At that moment, the sword of Falsetia in his hand crumbled and disappeared. Kiryl looked at his empty hands and turned his head.

[In the end, he concluded with his own swordsmanship, not the Blader’s. Is it because it’s someone else’s swordsmanship? Is it stubbornness or pride…….]

Alun could tell that the sword strikes Kiryl unleashed on Nar Di Maugh were the Five Postures of the Sword.

The Five Postures of the Sword were similar to Altemann’s swordsmanship, which influenced the McGovern family, and although it originated from Judex, the first Blader, it was not exactly the same.

The swordsmanship Kiryl himself created.

He unleashed dozens, hundreds of strikes, not the Severing Strike that required two swords, as if proving that his swordsmanship surpassed that of the Blader’s.

[But the last…….]

A change that only Alun, who was connected to Kiryl through a soul contract, could notice.

[The one that pierced his chest was the sixth posture, which didn’t exist until now.]

Kiryl nodded at his words.

“Cough…….”

Nar Di Maugh, who had been a dragon, had returned to his human form.

He looked at Kiryl with disbelief, and red blood flowed down his lips.

“How…….”

His gaze stopped at something on Kiryl’s palm, where Falsetia’s sword had disappeared and should have been empty.

“I’ve told you many times. It’s a waste to cut you down and kill you.”

Thump…… Thump…… Thump…….

Nar Di Maugh realized that it was a heart that was still beating.

Kiryl cupped the throbbing heart with both hands and pressed it firmly with his palms.

Nar Di Maugh’s head slowly drooped.

Gulp-

Involuntarily swallowing dry saliva, what he looked at was none other than the inside of his own chest.

A single empty hole.

He was standing there blankly, not even realizing he was dead.

“N, no way!!!”

Nar Di Maugh hurriedly reached out his hand towards Kiryl and took a step. But his legs, which had been moving just a moment ago, had lost their sensation and stood like dead trees.

“Th, this is…… Why…… Reco…… Recovery.”

He stammered as if he himself did not know what he was saying. He continued to mutter something, grabbing his legs with trembling hands.

But the light that occurred when casting magic was not visible, and rather, he only felt his strength draining away.

[In the end, you only have one life. Even a dragon will eventually die if it loses its heart.]

“Hiss……!!”

Kiryl crushed the heart he was holding in both hands.

“Uwaaaaaaak……!!!! St, stop!!!!!”

But unlike his scream, the remains of the burst heart scattered in all directions.

[Slurp……!!]

At that moment, Mael leaped forward, wrapping his arm around Kiryl as if embracing him, baring his sharp teeth and devouring all the remains of Nar Di Maugh’s heart without leaving a single piece.

Uuuuuung……!!

Mael’s blue scales turned pure white the moment he ate the dragon’s heart, and the scales above trembled and stood up as if feeling good.

As if feeling good, he licked even the remnants of the heart on his scales, flicking his long tongue.

[The taste isn’t great.]

Unlike his words, he licked around his mouth with his tongue, licking up even the remaining magic.

“Ah…… Ah…….”

Nar Di Maugh reached out with trembling hands, trying to say something, but even his voice no longer came out.

Thud-

“Now I’ll say those words back to you.”

The moment his legs, which had been standing like stiff pillars, touched the ground, Nar Di Maugh’s head fell weakly downwards.

“Your plan has failed.”

Kiryl’s words felt as if they were stabbing into Nar Di Maugh’s hollow heart like a dagger.

Squeak……!!!

But at that moment, the area around Nar Di Maugh’s pierced heart began to turn black.

“Don’t be ridiculous……. You……. To dare to arbitrarily judge my will and purpose that has been passed down since the Mythical Era!!!”

“Will and purpose? Is that justice?”

Kiryl looked at him and coldly asked.

“Then……!! Are you saying you are justice!!”

“No.”

He looked at him with a calm face at Nar Di Maugh’s cry.

“Who cares.”

“…….”

“You just lost to me. That’s all that’s left. Whether I’m right or you’re wrong doesn’t matter. I’m just the winner, and you’re the loser.”

[As expected…….]

Alun simply clicked his tongue and laughed at his answer.

“The loser should just shrivel up.”

Kiryl grabbed Lakna, which had fallen to the ground. Then, he lightly turned it, placed the handle against his neck, and said, drawing it horizontally.

“Kuh……!!! Keueuaaaaaaaa!!!”

It was then.

The black energy that had risen from Nar Di Maugh’s heart swelled up like spores, and his blood vessels began to be filled with black as if black blood had been injected into his body.

[Kiryl.]

“Yeah, I know.”

Kiryl nodded at Alun’s words.

“Corruption (墮落) [A dark, destructive energy]. All the experiments Nar Di Maugh did in the lair were to find a way to control Corruption.”

Ironically, Corruption was the true power of God.

“I felt it the moment I ate his heart. I know why he was trying to obtain this power.”

Kiryl knew the fight wasn’t over yet.

“The reason he killed Rael is probably the same. Because she was incomplete. The power needed to control Corruption is only the power of light that God and he possess.”

At that moment, a pure white light appeared on the back of his hand as if it were solidifying.

“The reason Nar Di Maugh sealed him in his heart is because he too is incomplete without that power. Isn’t that right? Now, show yourself.”

Kiryl said, looking at the cluster of light.

“Rasis, the Spirit King of Light.”