The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 384

237. What the Defeated Must Do

“Push them! Victory is ours!!!”

Tiren shouted, gazing at the tottering main gate of Tatur.

“Hah…!”

On the battlefield, a horse galloped wildly through the chaos of intertwined enemies and allies. Soldiers of the Free League fell before it like leaves in the wind, screaming.

“Go.”

Nine Darhoon raised his staff, pointing at the brazen advance before him. At his command, the slaves around him surged forward at a rapid pace.

Crack…!

Crackle…!!!

The immortal soldiers, animated by his magic, slashed through the Imperial soldiers with movements that belied their undead nature.

“……?!”

But the advantage was fleeting. Nine Darhoon’s confident expression faltered as he watched his soldiers fall.

Thwack-!! Crunch-!!

With sickening sounds of breaking bones, the necks of the slaves who dared to attack the galloping horse snapped, their heads severed.

“Cut off their heads! They’re no different from hunting undead! The Azure Knights will hold the line, and the soldiers will burn the remaining corpses!”

Hiiiiiiing…!!

Nine Darhoon stared, dumbfounded, as the knight, without hesitation, crushed the head of a fallen slave beneath his horse’s hooves, shouting his orders.

“To smash my soldiers, whom even the Twilight Brigade [an elite military unit] couldn’t handle, with brute force…? He’s a monster.”

The knight, Kwell McGovern, relentlessly cut down the slaves before spurring his horse onward, swinging Yulston with all his might.

Kwaaaang…!!

This time, Digon’s soldiers raised large shields to meet his attack.

With a deafening crash, the anti-magic shield, held by three burly warriors, splintered in half.

“Cough…!!”

The soldiers behind the shattered shield collapsed, bearing grievous sword wounds.

“I thought we could seize victory because the White Gold Dragon [a powerful mythical creature] left… On the contrary. If it were a dragon, I would have acknowledged its strength from the beginning and fought accordingly, but the difference between humans is this great. Even if he is a Sword Master, it clearly shows the difference in class.”

Anthem Howard, once again recognizing Kwell’s strength, shook his head.

“The plan?”

Dushalla asked, watching him.

“It’s proceeding without a hitch.”

As if Kwell’s strength was accounted for, Anthem said, his gaze fixed on the charging knight.

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!”

Kwell slammed the mana-infused blade of Yulston down with all his might.

The locked rings shattered, and the gate burst open, flying backward along with the shattered door. Even the soldiers guarding it were unable to withstand the force and were scattered in all directions.

“The gate is open!!!”

“Everyone, follow Sir Kwell!!”

Waaaaaaaah—!!

Waaaaaah—!!!

“He really is a monster.”

Milliana, descending from the ramparts, grabbed the nape of a flying soldier and yanked him down, saying,

“But this is the end. The White Gold Dragon who protected you has left, and the rescue of Cruaach has failed. The best sword of the continent? Your individual skills may be outstanding, but in the end, you are only at that level.”

She drew her beloved swords, Arc and Gale, and stood in Kwell’s path.

“I’m saying you’re not great enough to turn the tide alone!!”

Clang!!

Clang! Clang!! Clang!!

Amidst the flurry of sword strikes, Kwell glanced at her.

“……!!”

But he only gave Milliana a moment’s attention before dismissing her. He no longer looked at Milliana.

Thwack-!!!

Kwell kicked Milliana in the abdomen with all his might.

Her waist bent at a sickening angle, and she groaned, sliding against the wall.

With a resounding crash, Milliana’s body slammed into the collapsed wall of Tatur.

“Stop!!!”

At that moment, Serica Loren’s ice spears and Mikhail’s wind blades hurtled towards him.

“Haaah!!!”

Serica’s sharp spear aimed at Kwell’s vitals in an erratic trajectory.

“Black Slash?”

Kwell frowned slightly at the familiar swordsmanship and looked at her.

Clang……!!

Kwell twisted his sword to block her attack and simultaneously turned the blade diagonally, pressing down on the spear as if drawing a circle. Then, with a whoosh!! sound, Serica’s light body floated upward along with the spear.

“……!!!”

The moment Mikhail’s overlapping wind blades flew towards Kwell, Kwell, as if anticipating it, deflected the sword blade and raised Serica’s body, still impaled on the spear, like a shield against the incoming magic.

“Kugh!!”

Just before the wind blade touched Serica’s neck, Mikhail hurriedly raised his hand, which had been concentrating magical power, upward.

Swoooosh……!!

Then, with a wind sound like a roar, the wind blade barely changed direction and soared upward, scattering.

“Cough……!!”

The veins on the back of Mikhail’s hand, which he used to cover his mouth as he spat blood from the backlash, swelled as if they would burst.

“Magic like Kaie Essir… Berch Blano was right. In another sense, you are also a talented person.”

Serga, who was following Kwell, passed the two and quickly entered Tatur Castle.

Zzzzzzzzz……!!

Kwagang!!

As he chanted the spell, the barrier protecting Tatur dissipated as if melting away.

“But that is just a blessing of birth, not a reward for effort. So you can only use simple magic.”

As he formed a hand seal, shimmering strings appeared on Mikhail’s arms and legs, binding him.

“Kugh?!”

Mikhail hurriedly tried to escape from his magic, but the tightly bound magic strings only tightened their grip.

“Karyl. Without that guy, you are just a rabble. Tatur is over now.”

Serga swept Mikhail with a cold gaze, as if looking at a dirty bug, and passed by.

“Now is the time!!!”

But rather, Mikhail shouted as if he had been waiting.

Chwaaaaaak……!!

Then, suddenly, sharp black stalks sprang up from under Serga’s feet and began to encircle his body.

“What is this……?!”

He looked around, bewildered that he hadn’t detected the magical trap.

“Where is this brat acting up? To discuss magic in front of me. You are 1000 years too early.”

“Nine Darhoon…….”

Serga looked at him with trembling eyes.

“But Mikhail. You need to be punished. You are worse than old Thomson over there. What did you learn at the Twilight Brigade?”

Nine Darhoon clicked his tongue, pointing to the scene where Thomson and the wizards of the Ulkas Guild were fighting.

“It seems you still lack resolve.”

“Kugh……!! How dare you!!”

Serga, lying face down as if pressed to the floor, shouted at him, growling.

Thwack-!

It was then.

Milliana stepped firmly on the back of Serga’s head, pressing his face into the dirt.

“Damn it.”

“Oob……! Oob……!!”

Serga struggled to get up, but the more he did, the more Milliana ground his face into the floor.

He tried desperately, but he couldn’t budge, as if crushed by an immense weight.

It wasn’t just a matter of brute force.

‘What kind of magic is this……!!’

He trembled more in bewilderment than in pain. He, who had risen to the ranks of the 7th class [a high level of magical ability] and was hailed as a great wizard, felt like he was being crushed to death by magic.

Thwack-!

She threw one of the two swords she was holding with all her might.

Whoosh—!!!

The sword, launched with a sharp tearing sound, cut across the space between Kwell and Serga, embedding itself in the wall.

“…….”

Kwell, who had been about to stab Serga on the ground, retracted his sword and turned his head.

“Everyone, fall back.”

Milliana sneered as she looked down at Serga, then clicked her tongue at Mikhail and the fallen Serga.

“Serga, and you too. I’ll deal with you two properly after the war is over. Fall back…….”

Then, she looked at Kwell standing at the door.

“It would have been better if you hadn’t gotten up. In my eyes, you and these kids aren’t that different. If you attack again, I’ll make sure you never get up again.”

“How amusing.”

Milliana replied to his words.

“Even if blood doesn’t run between us, I held back because you’re Carryl’s father. Otherwise…….”

Crack-!

Scales, like those of a dragon, sprouted on her arm.

“Cough……!! Keugh!!”

She grabbed Serga’s neck, whom she was stepping on, and said to Kwell.

“You wouldn’t have been any different from this guy.”

Thud-!!!

Milliana threw Serga away irritably and pointed to the sky, saying.

“And take a good look. The sun is rising.”

“……What?”

Kwell McGovern looked at her as if wondering what she was talking about.

“It means the day is over. It’s your defeat.”

“Nonsense.”

He replied, sounding dumbfounded.

“The city gates have been destroyed, and the Imperial Army is advancing. No matter how hard you try, Tatur cannot stop the Imperial Army anymore!”

Kwell said with a determined voice.

“Will you, really?”

It was then.

The movements of the Imperial Army, which should have been advancing, were strange. Not only that, but the movements at the distant main camp were somehow bustling, and Kwell sensed, with his long battlefield experience, that something was definitely wrong.

“I guess they already know in the rear. By now, Carryl will have taken the Imperial Capital.”

“Nonsense. ……How can you be so sure?”

“Because he is the king I follow.”

“……What?”

“Don’t you even have that much confidence? Well, I suppose so. Your king may be a fragile being to protect, but my king is different.”

Kwell’s face hardened at her words.

* * *

“That’s…… That’s impossible!! His Majesty…… passed away? What nonsense are you spouting!!”

Tiren grabbed the mage in charge of communications by the collar and shouted at the sudden report.

“B, but……! Now in the Imperial Capital……!! Cough!!”

“Shut up!!”

He shouted irritably.

“Commander, if this report is true……!”

“Tatur will fall soon. Ordering a retreat in this situation will only increase the chaos.”

“Then what should we do……?”

Tiren bit his nails and began to think at his deputy’s question.

The sound of his nails breaking echoed in the silence of the tent.

“No one knows about the news from the Imperial Capital yet. If we push through and win in Tatur as it is……. We can reorganize the Imperial Army and advance to the Imperial Capital. There’s a chance of victory.”

“……Excuse me?”

The deputy doubted his ears.

“It’s only been a day since the full-scale war began. If the supplies from the follow-up units arrive, there will be enough time to fight.”

“I don’t think so.”

It was then.

“Long time no see.”

“……!!!!”

Tiren stared in disbelief at Carryl, who opened the door of the tent and entered so casually.

“All the supplies will be inedible. Kamma has already taken care of it. There’s a poison that only the beggars in the back alleys use. If you mix the powder made by mixing and drying human feces and horse blood with the solution he has and sprinkle it on the food, you’ll get a stomachache the moment you eat it. You won’t be hearing from the follow-up unit carrying the supplies? They’ve all collapsed and are staggering around.”

“Th, that’s…….”

The deputy said with a pale face.

“You can check if you want. Well, I saw it myself, so it won’t be wrong.”

“Commander. If, if there are no supplies……. We can no longer fight.”

He lowered his head.

“……It’s our defeat.”

Tiren shouted, drawing the sword from his deputy’s waist at his words.

“Shut your mouth. How can you talk about defeat when there are still soldiers fighting on the battlefield?”

“That’s unexpected. Aren’t you a realist, not a loyal idealist? You should know that the game has already changed.”

“How can you be here when you’re supposed to be in the Imperial Capital?”

“As reported. The Imperial Capital has already fallen due to me, and they have sworn allegiance to me.”

“I can’t believe it! You destroyed the Imperial Capital and came back in just one day? It’s an impossible distance even with a teleportation magic circle. But you conquered the Imperial Capital? What you’re saying must be a lie……!”

“Indeed. Even in this situation, you try to ensure your safety by doubting and doubting. Just as I expect from you.”

“……What?”

“You’re right. Even a 7th class Archmage [a high level of magical ability] cannot use teleportation magic that crosses the continent. But that’s just talking about the level that remains in the human realm.”

“……You speak as if you have surpassed that realm.”

Carryl gave a faint smile at Tiren’s words.

Whoosh……!!

It was then.

Tiren felt a chilling wind brush past his cheeks, startling him.

“……!!!”

He looked down.

At the same time, he screamed, flailing his arms and legs in the air in shock.

“Aaaaaaah!!!”

Surprisingly, he, who had been inside the tent just a moment ago, was now floating in the sky.

Beneath his feet were broken ruins.

Among the familiar collapsed buildings, Tiren realized that the largest ruin was none other than the Sun Hall of the Imperial Palace.

‘T, this……. Could it be that we’re above the Imperial Capital?’

Carryl grabbed the back of Tiren’s neck, who was flailing. Then, he pulled him closer and said.

“It’s not the human realm.”

“……What?”

Swish……!!

Polsetia unfolded on Carryl’s hand, fluttering in the wind.

“I have even surpassed the realm of the dragon.”

“…….”

At Carryl’s words, Tiren looked down at the ruined Imperial Capital with trembling eyes.

“Tiren. I will give you a mission. Immediately order the Imperial Army to retreat and return. As a realist, you should know that it’s time to use your head in a different direction. And what else does the order to retreat mean?”

Gulp-

Instead of answering, he swallowed hard without realizing it.

“It means that you must gather all those who have rebelled against me and make them kneel before me.”

Carryl now spoke the end of this long, long war to those who needed to know it most.

“What you must do is not to admit defeat, but to offer defeat to me with both hands.”