The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 383

236. The Final Battle (14)

Kahlil closed his eyes.

It wasn’t out of leisure that Kahlil was taking his time in this dangerous situation, with Nar Di Maugh, consumed by corruption, bearing down on him.

“……Hoo.”

He exhaled.

As the powers of Duat [the Egyptian underworld] and Larciss intertwined, the blood flowing through his veins sometimes burned fiercely and other times chilled him to the bone, enveloping his entire body.

Thump… Thump! Thump… Thump!!

His heart rate accelerated rapidly.

The energies that seemed to be swirling within him gathered quickly inside the mana circuits and began to rotate even faster.

Light and darkness.

The moment he condensed these opposing forces into one, Kahlil opened his eyes and drew Falsetia’s sword.

Swoosh-

His swordsmanship was simple.

Even the sound seemed to echo that simplicity, remaining quiet.

To someone unfamiliar with swords, it might have looked like the clumsy movements of a beginner. No, they might have seen him as simply standing still.

He felt the sensation he had first experienced when he gained divine power, a sensation that had seemed so close yet remained just out of reach. Since then, he had obtained Falsetia’s magic and found a clue to that sensation, and now he was opening the door from the Second Wilderness.

The sixth stance of the sword – Boundary Severance.

It felt as if time had stopped. Kahlil felt as if the platinum dragon rushing toward him was frozen in place.

As if tearing a photograph, Kahlil slashed diagonally through Nar Di Maugh, cleaving through the very space in front of him.

Whoosh……!!!

In that instant, a red line appeared diagonally across the platinum dragon’s neck, extending to its shoulder. The frozen time seemed to thaw as the platinum dragon tumbled past Kahlil and crashed to the ground.

[Krrk……!! Krrrkk!!!]

Nar Di Maugh writhed in pain.

[To cleave through space itself… Truly, only you could accomplish such a feat. No, perhaps even you couldn’t find the method at first because it was something you had never experienced before.]

Alun muttered in a low voice as he watched the scene unfold.

[It’s truly the realm of the gods.]

Kahlil gave a faint smile at his words.

“No!!”

It was then.

Kay Rothschild screamed as he saw a claw from the platinum dragon, severed by Kahlil’s strike, bounce away and head toward the fallen Ziegra.

Ziegra tried to dodge, but the platinum dragon’s sharp claw fell faster, as if trying to crush him.

Crack……!!

Ziegra collapsed, covering his face.

It was then.

“……!!”

Something astonishing happened.

“Shit…….”

Yurin Huggard swore as he blocked the platinum dragon’s claw instead.

“…What are you thinking?”

Ziegra asked, looking up at him.

“I don’t know either. What is what, what is truth, and what is justice? I don’t even know why I’m doing this.”

“What are you talking about?”

He shouted, as if exploding with pent-up frustration.

“I don’t know who I should follow anymore. Saving the demi-humans with my own hands… Haha… I must be crazy.”

He was the only priest in the Order who had witnessed Kahlil’s power with his own eyes.

“The bishop I trusted is dead… And not only was that bishop a subordinate of the platinum dragon, but he was also harboring corruption within him? Then what is the Order I believed in? What am I fighting for……!!”

“Yurin Huggard.”

Kahlil called out his name as he walked toward the two of them, looking at the platinum dragon collapsed on the ground.

“What does it matter? You’re a priest of the Order, but you also sided with the former emperor. Are you talking about honor now? That’s like that guy who was talking about the honor of a dragon ending up like that.”

“I am… a priest.”

He spat out the words as if atoning, despite Kahlil’s cynicism. The platinum dragon’s sharp claw had pierced his abdomen, and his robe was soaked with red blood.

“It’s not right for those with power, whether it’s the Empire or the Order, to rule the world. But I can’t allow corruption to… defile this world.”

“It’s right for those with power to rule the world? That’s certainly something a man with the nickname ‘Madman’ would say.”

Clang-!!!!

Kahlil used his sword to cut off the claw that had pierced Yurin’s abdomen.

“I can’t agree with that, but at least the human world should be shaped by the will of humans.”

“Cough……!! Ugh!!!!”

Then, without hesitation, he pulled it out, causing a waterfall of red blood to pour from Yurin’s waist along with a scream.

“Don’t make a fuss. You won’t die from this. You’re a priest, so you can heal yourself, right?”

“Crazy…….”

Yurin said, clutching his side, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Your words that those with power can rule the world can be understood as surrendering to those with power. It’s not bad to have someone with such firm standards as you. We’ll need someone to rule the Order anyway.”

“What?”

“The balance of power has shifted. Not to the Empire, but to me. So watch closely. See what it means to be someone with power.”

Yurin felt a chill run down his spine at his words. If anyone else had said that, he would have dismissed it as mere bluster and immediately swung his mace, but he knew Kahlil better than anyone else and could imagine what Kahlil would do next.

“It’s up to you to decide which side to stand on.”

Whoosh……!!

It was then.

The platinum dragon’s massive claw slashed sharply through the spot where Kahlil had been standing a moment before, just as Kahlil leaped into the air. But Kahlil had already moved, and Nar Di Maugh, unable to control his speed, slid along the ground, scraping the floor.

[Kuaaaaa!!]

Nar Di Maugh shook his head, violently shaking off the shattered debris.

Thud-

In that instant, Kahlil landed on Nar Di Maugh’s nape and placed one leg on the back of his head.

“Hmph!”

Then, he plunged his sword into his forehead and tilted his head back.

Snap……!!

With the sound of breaking neck bones, the platinum dragon’s face snapped backward!

[Krrk!! Krrkkkkrrk!!!]

“Nar Di Maugh. You’re just a being rotting away with corruption, pretending to still be alive. Feeling pain is the privilege and weakness of the living. All that’s left for you is annihilation.”

[You… You bastard……!!]

“Corruption and Duat. Your mistake was that you were so afraid of the gods that you couldn’t focus on either the divine or the spiritual, leaving yourself vulnerable.”

Nar Di Maugh managed to pull his neck forward with difficulty, despite it being bent to the point of breaking, and shouted at Kahlil.

“Gods and spirits are clearly different beings, but you filled the other side of light with the power of spirits and the other side of darkness with the power of gods. You’ve become nothing more than a monster, with the powers of gods and spirits intertwined within you.”

[Krr……!! Kuaaaa!!!]

In his past life, Nar Di Maugh must have known that his body would be destroyed if he used the power of corruption.

That’s why he didn’t use that power, even though he had obtained it. But unlike his past life, now that his life was in danger, his body, against his will, ended up using the power of corruption to survive.

‘Ultimately, that became poison. He’s become the worst kind of monster that has ever existed.’

Kahlil looked at Nar Di Maugh’s neck.

Although he had become a monster tainted by corruption, he still had the weaknesses of a dragon.

A single scale growing upside down beneath his neck.

The Reverse Scale.

If he cut through the inside of that, the dragon’s life would end.

‘Just like with Olivon, the only mercy I can show you is to kill you as quickly as possible.’

It made his blood boil that he thought of humans as tools and used them for his experiments, but Nar Di Maugh was, after all, the one who had given him a chance.

“A chance to kill you.”

Kahlil’s voice sounded like a chilling dagger piercing Nar Di Maugh’s empty heart.

“Please, rest.”

“……I’m fine.”

Ziegra approached Yurin last, after moving the injured. But he shook his head. The blood he had shed had already clotted, leaving only hardened bloodstains on his robe.

Ironically, although they had been under the corrupted bishop, the priests’ divine power still seemed to be maintained.

Yurin Huggard didn’t know why, but he felt like he had to watch the outcome of this battle to the very end with his own eyes.

“Then, this.”

Ziegra took something out of his pocket. It was dried grass, a medicinal herb used by the demi-humans.

“…….”

Yurin stared at it blankly, then grabbed a handful, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed.

“Ugh……!!”

Yurin gagged at the rush of bitterness, but he barely swallowed it down, as if enduring with sheer willpower. In the past, he would have never even looked at such a lowly demi-human practice as an imperial citizen, but Yurin didn’t refuse.

Treatment was sufficient with recovery magic, so that wasn’t the reason.

Ziegra smiled wryly at the sight.

Perhaps it was a mischievous act.

Ironically, he wanted to confirm that Yurin, an imperial citizen, and he, a demi-human, had grown closer to each other thanks to this situation.

Boom—!!!

Ziegra and Yurin hurriedly turned their heads at the loud noise.

But by the time they turned their heads, the source of the sound was gone.

Bang!!

Bang bang bang bang bang!!!

With a speed that surpassed even sound, the two struggled to find Kahlil and Nar Di Maugh, looking around frantically.

“There……!!”

Ziegra hurriedly pointed to the sky.

A blurry afterimage appeared and disappeared, followed by a thunderous roar, and before the roar could fade, another burst of flames erupted.

[Krrrk……!!]

Shoulder, leg, chest, head.

The platinum dragon’s body staggered violently, and each time Kahlil’s sword passed, his bones and flesh shattered.

[Kuaaaaa!!!]

Screaming in agony, Nar Di Maugh swung his half-broken claws wildly.

[Insignificant. The outcome has already been decided.]

Alun said in a pitiful voice as he watched the scene.

[It’s over.]

As if answering his words, Kahlil’s sword moved.

“……Thank you.”

Kahlil drew his sword with the utmost effort for the one who had helped him take a step into a higher realm.

There was no escape.

Nar Di Maugh sensed it.

The fluid swordsmanship seemed slow yet was fast, and even though he was aware of it, he couldn’t perceive it. Even he, who had lived since the age of myths, had never seen such swordsmanship.

Swoosh-

The trajectory of the sword continued in a clean, crescent-shaped arc, as if it hadn’t cut through Nar Di Maugh’s heavy flesh at all.

Crack…….

But at that moment, a single line was drawn from the crown of the platinum dragon’s head, down its forehead, with perfect precision.

[Kuaaaaaaa……!!!!]

A scream of agony.

Following the trail of the sword blade that stretched from his head to his stomach, the aura of corruption flowed out like a thick liquid, and the platinum dragon’s body collapsed.

“……Is this the end for me?”

It felt like all the bones in his body were crushed.

His whole body screamed even with the slightest movement. Blood continued to flow from his severed wrist, but that didn’t matter.

He could no longer maintain the form of a dragon, and when he became a human, his waist had already been cut in half by Kahlil’s sword.

Below his lower body, his legs were gone, and blood and the remnants of corruption were scattered on the floor.

“…….”

Nevertheless, he swallowed his pain and continued to speak with a calm expression.

“Your victory.”

It was as if he couldn’t accept himself for fearing death.

“Spare the knights of the Empire. You’ll find them useful. Especially Kadin Ruer. He still has a chance to grow. And Quell McGovern… I hope you’ll teach him your swordsmanship. He’s another one I’ve seen among humans who still has a chance to grow. He’s weaker than the Golden Dragon Tosca, but I shared my dragon mana with him because of that potential.”

As if,

He was leaving a will to Kahlil.

“You’ll now be on the true throne. When that time comes, useful talents will always be lacking. I hope you’ll show them mercy.”

“Crazy bastard.”

But Kahlil laughed coldly at his words.

“You still have that habit of looking for potential in humans. To say such things even as you’re dying. Is that all you have to say? Don’t pretend to be nice now. I’ll take care of that myself.”

“……What?”

“I’m talking about you. Not about others, but about you. If there’s anything you want to say before you die…….”

Kahlil said, looking at Nar Di Maugh.

“I’ll listen.”

At those words, Nar Di Maugh let out a faint laugh, as if all his strength had left him.

“……Perhaps the goal was the same as yours. But in the end, the world chose me. That’s all. The loser has nothing to say.”

Kahlil looked at him as if he understood everything with those words.

Perhaps he had foreseen this future in his past life? He knew that Kahlil would kill him if he learned all his secrets.

Sending himself back to the past to change his destiny was his last gamble.

Even if it meant taking his own life.

But even so, the evil deeds he had committed could not be justified, and whatever the case, he had to bear the consequences of his actions.

“Kill me.”

Nar Di Maugh slowly closed his eyes.

Even if his methods were wrong, his will to rebel against the gods was right. But he didn’t offer any comfort that didn’t suit him now.

Even if their intentions were the same, not everyone could be justice.

“I am not justice.”

That was the same for Kahlil himself.

Slash—!!

Without hesitation, Kahlil’s sword slashed diagonally.

“So I will be the victor.”

Nar Di Maugh’s head fell to the ground, and his blood splattered everywhere.

Silence flowed.

The sunlight shining down on Kahlil, standing on the corpse.

Some were shedding tears in the face of defeat, some were angry, and some were surprisingly accepting.

“Proclaim to everyone.”

But now was not the time to examine their hearts one by one.

Standing above meant becoming someone who announced a greater future.

And to announce that future, one had to speak the truth. The one truth they had to remember now,

“We have won.”

Kahlil tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and slowly closed his eyes. It was only natural, but there was no cry of victory in the enemy camp. In the smoky haze and intense heat, he took a deep breath for the first time.

It was then.

Thump-

A sound that shook the ground was heard.

……!!!!

Everyone couldn’t help but be surprised by that sound.

Thump……!

Thump-!! Thump-!

Starting with the first reverberation, dozens, hundreds of imperial knights knelt down and raised their swords upside down toward Kahlil.

To welcome a new king.

Although there was no cry of victory, there was an acknowledgment of defeat. Kahlil slowly nodded to them.