The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 484

283. Finale (7)

“Break through.”

KWAHHHHHHHH—!!!

KWANG—!!!

As soon as Miliana’s command was given, the demons pouring from the sky rushed toward the black mist all at once.

“To have to follow the orders of a human…”

“I don’t know what the Demon King is thinking.”

“I can taste blood.”

“…”

The four demon knights landed and swung their weapons.

The demons’ magical energy split the black mist, and the corrupted monsters hidden within screamed.

“Gargoyles in the upper front!”

“Prokel, lead the Agma [a type of demon knight] and stop them.”

Agares said, watching the gray monsters emerge from the black mist.

Prokel raised his spear, and the faceless knights behind him followed.

“Hoo-eup…!!”

Hong-gak clenched his fists, inhaled deeply, and his entire body turned red.

“Kahak!!!!”

As he exhaled, hot flames spewed from his mouth, and the black mist emitted a pungent smoke, beginning to burn.

Hwaaaaak……!!!

The black mists were pushed back, and a clean wind rushed into the burned area, revealing Su-an’s back for a moment, as if a path had been cleared.

“There.”

Agares stabbed his sword into the ground. As his power, which controlled the plants of the demon world, was absorbed into the earth, the ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

[Kyaaaaaaaa—!!!!]

[Krrr—!!]

Huge stems grew rapidly from the cracked ground, and man-eating flowers with sharp teeth burst forth.

[Kyak! Kyaak!!]

[Kyagaga……!!!]

Gray-skinned goblins popped out from between the gaps in the mist.

The goblins’ skin seemed to be melting in places, as if they had been injured by Hong-gak’s flames, but they fearlessly rushed toward the man-eating flowers.

Tteojuk-! Tteok-!!! Kwagagagang—!!

The man-eating flowers and goblins began to fight in a tangled mess, and the sound of monsters’ flesh being torn off echoed.

“Miliana.”

At Karil’s call, her shoulders, as she rode the wyvern, trembled slightly.

“You made a contract with Hagane, didn’t you?”

She, who had been on the verge of death as the price for using the power of fragments until recently, now had a vibrant face.

Karil immediately understood the reason, seeing the red armor that seemed to be made of her life force.

“Demon world relics… I thought he had ulterior motives, but I didn’t know he would recreate these.”

“Lies.”

She glared sharply at Karil’s words.

“You really didn’t know?”

“…what?”

“The contract with the demons. I think if it wasn’t me, you would have done it.”

“…”

Karil couldn’t answer and closed his mouth at her unexpected words.

“You wanted to kill God. But only God can kill God. For the perfect God-slaying, you needed someone to kill you when you ascended to the throne yourself.”

Miliana gripped the wyvern’s reins tightly.

The red scales creaked and groaned as if in pain from the energy emanating from her.

“But we can’t move according to your plans. To have us kill you with our own hands… Don’t you think it’s a stupid plan, even if you consider it?”

Karil smiled bitterly at her words.

“What God-slaying? To pick us with that in mind, I want to beat you up enough not to die, but… We wouldn’t just stand by and watch you ascend to the throne.”

“It was the best.”

“Yes. It’s a sad way to try to shoulder it alone. Besides, you left Hagane as a variable, anticipating that we wouldn’t participate in the God-slaying plan like now.”

“…”

“No matter how shady the Demon King is, he can’t plot with you, who has the power of God. You were even thinking of succeeding the Demon King’s lineage? If the gate to the demon world opens and the demons invade the world, humans will eventually have to fight against them. In the end, you were going to make us kill you no matter what.”

“Miliana…”

“How can you not know the hearts of those who follow you so much?”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

It was something unimaginable from her, who had always been endlessly confident, even before God.

“No one wants to die. The weight of life is equally heavy for everyone.”

Miliana grabbed Karil by the collar.

“Do you understand? It’s not that Aedan’s life is lighter than yours. It’s not that the lives of the knights who jumped into the mist knowing they would die are not more important than you! It’s not that the soldiers of the golem unit who became walls themselves to stop the pouring monsters are insignificant!!”

Her hand trembled.

“The sacrifice to leave you as a human, even while sacrificing that precious life, is…”

Whack-

Miliana hugged Karil.

“It’s because you showed us the future of humanity. How can we make you give up being human?”

A tear flowed down her cheek and fell on Karil’s shoulder.

Ironically, the spot where the tear fell was as hot as if it had been burned. Karil unknowingly let out a sigh.

“Sorry…”

Miliana smiled at his words and wiped the tears from her reddened cheeks.

“There’s even a day when words of apology come out of your mouth. I’ll be able to tease you for a long time.”

Karil gave a bitter smile at her words.

“I hope that day will come.”

Hagane appeared as if waiting for their conversation to end.

“If Yula dominates the world, the first thing she will do is destroy the human realm and annihilate the demon realm.”

He gave a strange smile to Miliana.

“In the end, you gave me this relic to save your own life.”

“Even if the lord gets the power of the Demon King, it’s still a problem after Yula’s annihilation. I’m supporting someone who can achieve God-slaying more reliably.”

“I’ll make you regret giving me this power. I’ll make sure you don’t do anything stupid in the human realm in the future.”

“That wouldn’t be bad either. Isn’t it a better future than annihilation, at least?”

“Yes. A king should be like that. You have to know how to cherish your own life. You’re better than someone.”

Hagane gave a faint smile at her words.

“There is Su-an Hazar. Thanks to him suppressing Yula’s power, we were able to open the way.”

He continued.

“However, the power of the Giant Rock Lord seems to be exhausted now. He ate three fragments of God. If it weren’t for Maktun, it wouldn’t be strange if he had already returned to nothingness.”

Karil closed his eyes for a moment at his words.

Aedan Hamill and Su-an Hazar.

The two of them were the ones he had spent the most time with in his present life. Losing them was the saddest thing of all.

“Don’t blame yourself. If you have time to bow your head, think about how to kill God first. That is the duty you must do as the leader of the dead.”

Karil nodded at her words.

It was a future he was trying to change by sacrificing himself. But his too loyal subordinates were holding onto him rather than the future, not letting him go.

Even if it meant giving up their own lives.

“There’s only one way. In the end, Yula can’t be killed without the power of God. The fragments I have now are not enough to overwhelm Yula. The only thing left is to absorb the three Dimension Spirals that Su-an has.”

Miliana nodded.

KWAHHHHHHHH—!

Kwagagagang—!!

Shelling and bombing poured down from everywhere.

Golems, wyverns, and demon monsters were fighting against Yula’s monsters in the black mist.

Miliana pulled on the wyvern’s reins and quickly flew into the fray.

“The only people who can block Yula’s attacks are me, Hagane, and Aln. Even that would only be once at best…”

“That means there are at least three chances.”

Hagane said as if it were nothing, but all those chances were ultimately opportunities created in exchange for their lives, which also meant that the price of failure was death.

[Then I should do it first.]

Aln Zavius tilted his head lightly and said.

“No. I…”

[Demons are beings that harm the human realm, so they must disappear, but even that is one of the components in terms of dimension. But I, the dead, am not.]

Aln snorted at Hagane’s words.

[Even if I am an existence that will be erased by Karil if I have any foolish thoughts.]

He was the very image of an arrogant archmage. Rather, he seemed to be offended that he had to remain among the spirits until now.

[So everyone step back. At least I can’t waste the path that that big guy made.]

Uuuuuung……!!

[Karil.]

At his call, Karil turned around.

[This makes it clear. I cannot die. No, it would be more accurate to say that I cannot be annihilated. In that sense, I don’t think I can give you the Dimension Spiral I have.]

Karil nodded as if he understood.

“I’m still getting help from you until the end…”

[Keu keu keu… That’s what a teacher is originally.]

Aln shrugged lightly. Then he grabbed his staff and said.

[I’ll be looking down on you from above. Please live a human life.]

Aln threw himself off the wyvern and unleashed his magic power. Then, countless spheres of arcane energy flew around him.

Kwang-! Kwang-!! Kwagagagagang—!!

The arcane spheres swirled at a rapid speed and began to push back the wall of black mist that was about to cover them again, creating a path.

Kagagagagagaga……!!

With a loud explosion, the wyvern carrying Karil passed through the wall of black mist through the purple flames.

“Go……!!!!!”

His voice, which had only been ringing in his head, miraculously seemed to be heard aloud at that moment.

Kkwak-

Karil didn’t look back.

Instead, he moved forward as they had instructed.

“Get out of the way…! I said get out of the way!! How dare this trashy guy…!!!”

Kwang! Kwang!!! Kwagagagang—!

Tadang-! Kagang-!!!

Along with a sharp cry, Yula’s sword struck the shield as hard as a rock. But surprisingly, her sword, which had been cutting through anything without hesitation until now, bounced off.

The shield was firmly embedded in the ground, and it was not simply blocking her, but the rock walls that sprouted from the shield like roots were holding her two legs as if to imprison her and surrounding her.

It was holding her legs so desperately, showing its will not to let her go no matter what.

“Uaaaaaaaaaaaa—!!!!”

She screamed like crazy and swung her sword.

[Yula, to see you in this early state. Indeed… The time I’ve been waiting for hasn’t been in vain.]

“Shut up!! You useless thing…!!! Don’t pretend to be so great when you can’t do anything but parasitize humans!!”

Yula screamed even more madly when she heard Maktun’s voice. It was because she knew that all the rock walls surrounding her were the Giant Rock Lord’s barrier.

[Yes. If it weren’t for humans, I wouldn’t have been able to drive you this far. But what does that matter? Humans are not insignificant tools, but comrades and contractors who fight together.]

“Shut up and release this…! If you don’t want to end up in a state where you can’t be revived or die forever!”

[What if I don’t?]

“I’m giving you a chance. The only reason you can stop me is because of the power of God. But how much longer can a human who has absorbed three Dimension Spirals last?”

Kaaang—!!

It was then.

The rock wall, which had been holding her firmly until now, cracked for the first time with a cracking sound.

“It’s amazing that you’re enduring the pain of your internal organs burning, but in the end, it’s just one human life. Can that really be a vessel to accept God!”

Kaang-!! Kkang-!!!

Yula struck the cracked rock wall again and again.

Then, the cracked gap quickly grew and the entire rock wall shook.

KWAHHHHHHHH—!!!

As the rock wall shattered into pieces with a roar, Yula pointed her sword at the huge rock blocking her way and said.

“Now you’ve lost that chance too.”

Su-an, who was gathering his hands on his chest inside the rock and concentrating all his energy to unfold the Automata [a powerful magical construct], looked as if he was asleep inside an egg.

He didn’t seem to know that Yula was approaching.

“…already dead.”

She said coldly, looking at him inside the rock.

“I’ll praise you for holding onto me. Humans have done what elves and dragons couldn’t do.”

Chajajajang……! Kang!!!

As the tip of the sword was pushed into the rock, the Automata shattered into pieces like the shell of an egg.

“A shield that combines divine power, human technology, and the power of spirits… It was a power that broke my expectations, but in the end, human lifespan is a pity.”

Uuuung……!!!

At that moment, the Giant Rock Lord appeared behind Su-an and wrapped his arms around him as if to protect him.

[Is that so? It is enough for us just to hold you.]

“Are you trying to rationalize your defeat now? You’re going to die anyway. Shut up and wait.”

Yula said, growling.

[Do you think that those who have blocked you until now were sure that they could kill you? No.]

But Maktun said in a low voice, as if mocking her pressure.

[We were waiting. To prevent you from going to him and for him to become sincere to you.]

“Sincere…?”

[The one who will kill you is already decided. But what we want is your death, not his. It was quite difficult to break his stubbornness… These sacrifices are by no means in vain.]

“You…”

[There is nothing lacking. I am just grateful to have met a good contractor.]

Maktun stood in front of Su-an Hazar.

“You’re rushing to die.”

But even his determination seemed to Yula to be just a futile struggle.

Suaaaaaaaaaang—!!!!

A red current spewed out from her sword blade. The Dimension Spiral she had absorbed now seemed to be completely hers without hesitation.

The fierce divine current gave off an enormous sense of pressure in itself, and even the spirit king Maktun trembled.

“You guys have always been like that. That’s why you’re half-wits who were born from the same crack but couldn’t become gods.”

Cheolkeok-

As she bent the hand holding the sword, the sound of metal from the sword blade was heard sharply. Maktun closed his eyes as if sensing his end.

“……!!”

It was then.

A shadow fell over Yula’s head, and in that fleeting moment, a gust of wind that blew sharply passed by Yula’s side as if brushing against her.

Pit-!!

A few drops of red blood flowed down from Yula’s collarbone as if splattering. Her face hardened.

“…I thought she was an infinitely light girl, but she was a man.”

Miliana said in a low voice, holding the blade of the broken dagger.

“They fought to the end even after death.”

And Hagane, another wind that had brushed past Yula, laid Su-an Hazar’s corpse on the floor.

“Yes.”

Looking at Su-an in the arms of the Demon King, Karil murmured in a low voice as if speaking to the living.

“…You’ve worked hard.”

He slowly stroked Su-an’s face. As his eyes closed, Karil finally let out a sigh he had been holding back.

“You finally came.”

The wound on Yula’s collarbone, where Aedan’s sword blade had been stuck, had healed as if washed away.

But the faint wound rather seemed to provoke her anger, and the feeling of being suffocated by her appearance, which had turned into a demon, was overwhelming.

“Truly a god…”

Hagane said, twitching his lips at the sense of pressure. Yula tilted her head and slowly looked ahead. Every time her gaze landed, he felt a chill down his spine.

“Yula.”

But Karil, who was looking at her, shifting his gaze from Su-an, who was closing his eyes as if asleep, somehow did not feel any sense of pressure.

He was rather detached, even in front of God.

“It’s truly ridiculous. I was the one who fought alone like that… So I thought it was too natural. That ending it alone was the only way. But it seems like they’re not going to give me a chance to be a hero…”

“I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about.”

Yula said sharply, twitching her lips at Karil.

“Yes. You, a god, will never know. But now it’s clear.”

Karil gave a faint smile.

“I will live as a human.”

Ossaak-

Ironically, Yula, who had not felt fear in any attack, felt fear without realizing it for the first time in just a smile.