The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 50

44. Magic Competition (4)

“That’s not a competition!!”

Karrl’s battle was enough to cause an uproar in Azor with just one instance.

“It’s a desecration of sacred magic!!”

“A mage should only fight with magic!!”

The competitions so far had simply been about standing in place, waiting for the opponent to finish chanting their magic, and then clashing their magic together, with the winner being the one who prevailed.

That’s why stronger magic power and higher-class magic were needed.

Some of the mages who watched the first match criticized his method.

“Who is that kid?”

“Find out which affiliation he belongs to immediately! Who is his master, what is his lineage!”

And another group showed interest in him based solely on their first impression.

“What? Ulkas? Where is that? A third-rate guild I’ve never even heard of had such a prodigy? No matter the cost, recruit him to our side!”

“There must be something there! Search through all the Magic Council’s lists to find out who is backing that guy!”

The perspectives on Karrl varied, but it was a fact that he had made his name known in Azor in an instant, whatever the reason.

And at the same time, confusion as well.

‘It’s funny. It’s not like an enemy in battle will wait for you to finish chanting.’

After glancing at the noisy audience, Karrl nonchalantly left the arena.

‘True battle magic is about casting magic faster and dealing with enemies more efficiently.’

There was someone who excelled in that regard.

Karrl thought of the person he had remembered before going on stage.

‘Serika Loren.’

A comrade who, despite being a mage, fought with a spear with blades attached, which was hard to call a staff, and had an uncharacteristic fortitude.

‘Well, she insisted it was a staff until the end. But no one would call something that crude a staff.’

Karrl smiled lightly as he recalled her image.

She always said among the knights that mages were the most specialized beings for combat.

-Why is it that someone with enough magic power to reach the ranks of a mage and excellent swordsmanship is called a Sword Master, but there’s no name for someone who has reached the realm of a swordsman and has the magic power of a Great Mage?

When was it?

After the oracle was given.

On the battlefield, she looked at Karrl from atop a pile of ogre corpses she had destroyed and said.

-Isn’t that right? Magic power superior to a Sword Master, combat power equivalent to a Sword Master. I’m going to overturn the standards set by the continent. The idea that mages should only be in the rear is foolish.

-Interesting. What should we call you then?

She plunged her spear—no, her staff—into the ogre’s corpse and said to Karrl.

-Supreme.

‘That girl… she’s probably still washing dishes in a remote village.’

Although she had been a comrade for several years, he couldn’t imagine her wearing an apron and serving.

‘I’ll pave the way a little in advance for the path you couldn’t create in your past life.’

Silence filled the waiting room.

Karrl glanced over the chattering mages and slowly walked outside.

* * *

“Hahaha!! I thought you’d be great, but you’re a complete phenomenon!”

Bargo Sira, who had been waiting in front of the arena, ran towards Karrl with open arms.

Dodging his attempt to hug him, Karrl continued walking nonchalantly.

“Ha, haha.”

Bargo, his arms awkwardly hanging in the air, hurriedly followed him.

“How did you think of that? It was so satisfying. I’ve always wanted to smack those arrogant mages who always act so high and mighty.”

He said, chuckling.

“What are the payouts?”

“Huh?”

“I wish I had bet more… but I don’t think you would have listened to me. How much did I make with 100 gold?”

Karrl handed Bargo the staff he had wielded against the mage earlier, which had broken.

“I think I’ll need another staff.”

“Huh?”

He paused for a moment, looking at the shattered staff, then laughed heartily.

“Of course! This much is natural for the rising star of the Ulkas Guild!!”

Bargo said, throwing away the broken staff.

“Join our guild. I’ll introduce you to the guild members, and you can tell us what you need there.”

“I will.”

Karrl nodded.

‘I want to meet Mihail first… but he’s doing well, so I don’t need to worry. Besides, Aidan is with him.’

Neither of them had a history in Azor, but if it was Aidan, who had a quick mind, he would be doing well on his own even if he didn’t say anything.

‘Not only that, but he might have already placed bets in his name. Then, should I start by investigating the Ulkas Guild?’

One of the plans he had drawn.

‘I don’t care about them anyway. Bargo Sira’s clue to Wooden Cloud, hidden in the Ulkas Guild. That’s all I need to find.’

Karrl said with a light smile.

“Let’s go.”

* * *

There are numerous magic guilds in Azor.

Some of them were factions affiliated with the Magic Council, but most were guilds created by free mages who did mercenary work.

Ulkas Guild.

Despite being a newly established guild that had been founded for less than a year, it already had 30 guild members.

However, it was just one of the common guilds that had not received much attention due to a lack of notable achievements.

Until.

Just this morning.

Creak-

As the guild door opened, everyone focused their attention outside.

“He’s coming.”

The mage Rotten, who was sitting at the counter, woke up the people who were lounging around.

“You guys. I told you to take on requests or not to just hang around in the guild!”

Bargo Sira shouted at the guild members as soon as he entered. But for some reason, people didn’t seem nervous at his words, and he didn’t seem to care much either.

‘It’s the same here. Bargo Sira is not a mage. So even if he’s the guild master, the mages don’t really respect him.’

Most of the 30 guild members probably just think of him as a boss who gives them money.

‘In the first place, his main business is selling magic books. The reason why a non-mage opened a magic guild is obvious. It’s probably just to deceive people.’

Then, who is he trying to deceive?

Karrl intuitively felt that this guild, not the back alley shop, was related to Wooden Cloud.

“Making a big fuss over winning once in the Expert Competition. It’s not like anyone else has no experience. Kid, be careful. That old man will use you a few more times and then throw you away.”

A man sitting in the corner said to Karrl.

There were bottles of alcohol scattered around him.

‘What a mess.’

Laziness was a shortcut to ruin.

There must be some among them who have reached the ranks of mages. They must have been promising talents at one time.

‘Well… you can see it just by looking at Baron Beryl, who was once called a genius. That’s how mentally weak mages can be.’

Among those who have the brains to accumulate knowledge, the weakest thing is often that brain.

And when the mind collapses, the body collapses in an instant.

“Hey, Thompson. If you’re going to talk nonsense, do it at home, and if you’re not going to use that staff, why don’t you hand it over? It seems like it would be better for Karrl to use it than for it to be stuck in the corner for months.”

“Shut up, Bargo. Even a pile of firewood is too good to give to a guy like that.”

A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of the man who seemed to be drunk.

‘Oh….’

Karrl didn’t miss it. Then he looked at him with interest.

A hand that trembled lightly as if a spasm was occurring.

“…….”

Although it was not clearly visible because it was covered by a robe, the skin from the back of his hand was turning blue as if it were bruised.

Dark spots here and there.

“Hey, kid. Do you know why a mage uses a staff?”

Thud-

His steps stopped.

“A staff is like a mage’s life. Hitting it around like a club? Crazy……”

Thompson said, getting up.

“You’re far from becoming a mage, no, if you keep doing that, it’ll be impossible for the rest of your life.”

But unlike his words, he couldn’t properly support his staggering body, so he barely stood up, holding the staff like a cane.

“Hehe…….”

“Hehehe.”

The people in the guild laughed at the sight.

While being ridiculed, the man frowned and struggled to get up and walk.

When viewed up close, his pale skin, devoid of any color, showed blue blood vessels even on his face.

Dark spots here and there.

“…….”

Unlike those who were laughing, Karrl examined him without saying anything.

“Tsk.”

Karrl chuckled as he watched him turn around and spit.

“I see.”

* * *

“Oh, come on, he’s just saying nonsense. Don’t worry about it.”

“Who was that person just now?”

Bargo, who had come upstairs, waved his hand dismissively at Karrl’s question.

“Thompson Howard, a mid-level mage who just entered the 5th class [a ranking system for mages] a few years ago. He used to be a mage affiliated with the Empire… He’s the highest-class mage in our guild.”

“Hmm.”

“He has quite a bit of experience, so I invested a lot of money to recruit him. Well, thanks to that, he’s in charge of the vice guild master position, but what’s the point? He suddenly fell into alcoholism and became like that.”

Karrl nodded slowly at Bargo’s words.

“More than that, let’s talk about the future. From payouts to contract writing. It seems like there’s a lot to do.”

His gold teeth sparkled as he grinned.

“I was out of my mind before. A verbal contract is still a contract, but it would be better for both of us to leave a certificate [written agreement].”

However, Karrl, who seemed to be contemplating something, didn’t seem interested in the documents he handed over.

“Let’s talk about that when we get back.”

“What?”

“I’ll see you again at the inn tonight. You know where I’m staying, right? It’s the same inn as before.”

Bargo Sira shouted with a dumbfounded face as he watched him suddenly leave the room.

“Uh…?! W, wait! Hey!!”

* * *

“Damn it……”

The man, staggering through the damp alleyway, was not a drunkard, although he reeked of alcohol.

Even if he drank, his mind seemed to become clearer.

He couldn’t bear it unless he did this.

“Cough.”

The moment he coughed once.

The man trembled and sat down on the floor, gasping for breath.

“I see.”

“……!!”

Thompson hurriedly turned his head.

“You don’t know, but in the past… no, should I say the future. Well, anyway, there was a guy who shouted that in order to have high magic power, you also have to train your body.”

“W, who!!”

“Everyone laughed, but I agree with that. You may have the brain to acquire high magic power, but if your body is weak, it can’t accept it, and the magic power ends up consuming your body.”

A figure slowly walking towards him in the alley.

“Just like you.”

“You are…….”

Thompson’s face hardened.

“Thanks to that, it’s called the curse of genius. Besides, there’s no known cure yet.”

“You bastard……. Did you follow me to talk nonsense?”

Karrl said in a calm voice to him, who was glaring as if growling.

“You’re suffering from magic poisoning, aren’t you?”

Gulp-

Despite the loud noise of the square, the sound of his Adam’s apple moving seemed to be heard vividly.

“If you leave it like this, you’ll die soon. It’s amazing that you’ve lasted this long. If you hadn’t entered the ranks of the 5th class, it would have already been over.”

Karrl smiled lightly.

“Maybe the desire to live awakened your potential.”

“Get lost.”

Despite his words, Karrl lightly placed his hand on Thompson’s forehead.

“If it becomes known, it’s the end as a mage. But.”

Karrl slowly lowered his head.

“I think I can help you.”

At that moment.

Thompson felt as if he was suffocating without realizing it due to the magic power rushing towards him.

“Huff……!! Huff……!!”

But that was only for a moment, and soon his breathing began to ease.

“……Wh, what.”

Color returned to his pale face.

He looked at Karrl with a dazed look, not knowing what was going on.

“This is just a temporary measure. It will be a while before the cure is known… but fortunately, I know it.”

Thompson’s eyes shook at his words.

“How about it?”

At the sight, Karrl slowly lowered his waist and said to him.

“In return, there’s something I need you to do.”