The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 78

65. Sand Serpent

“Alright!!”

Bekan, who had been maintaining his composure, clenched his fist and shouted without realizing it.

[Kreeeeeeeak—!!!]

The Sand Serpent’s scream echoed loudly from the top of the hill.

The more intense its roar became, the more the surrounding monsters were afraid to approach.

‘Thanks to that, I can concentrate on hunting, but…….’

Kahlil sensed the energy of several monsters crouching, as if waiting for the Serpent’s death, and thought.

‘It seems the hill’s owner doesn’t have it easy either.’

Thud-!! Kwaaaang—!!

Kwaga-ga-gang—!!

The Sand Serpent, which had fallen from the sky as if in agony from the arrow stuck in its reverse scale, thrashed about, shaking the ground as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Finish it off quickly……!!”

“Not yet. It’s just entering Phase 2.”

“Pardon?”

“Good job. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d hit the reverse scale. You saved me the trouble of digging in to attack. How about switching to the Bi Gung Clan [a powerful warrior clan]?”

“What…….”

Bekan stared at Kahlil with a dumbfounded look, seeing him making pointless jokes in this situation.

“When you touch the reverse scale, all of its scales rise up. It’s proof that it’s angry, but it also weakens its defense that much. Now you can cut its neck.”

“In that case, I too…….”

Whooooong…….

At that moment.

Magical power began to surge around Kahlil.

Bekan took a step back without realizing it, feeling as if the hair on his entire body was standing on end.

“You’ve done your part enough. It doesn’t matter if you participate in the hunt, but take a breather for a moment.”

“…….”

Bekan didn’t respond to Kahlil’s words. But instinctively, he sensed that there was no room for him to intervene in the clash between him and the Serpent.

‘What is it? He’s like a completely different person.’

Bekan was overwhelmed by the look in the eyes of the little boy, who only came up to his chest, like a seasoned hunter.

“The Great Hunt is still in progress, after all.”

Whoosh-!!

Kahlil’s body disappeared before his eyes.

“……!!”

In a short time of only a few seconds, he was already sprinting under the Serpent’s belly.

Quad-deu-deu-deuk……!!

The area where the Sand Serpent passed was dug up like a ditch, and debris scattered everywhere.

His sword moved quickly towards the Serpent, which was rubbing its body against the pillars rising on the hill and thrashing about.

‘The speed of the Serpent with its reverse scale cut is almost more than doubled. It looks like it’s enraged, but rather, this is the turning point.’

Baring its sharp teeth, it leaped up at Kahlil with an angry roar.

[Keu-ra-ra-ra-ra—-!!!]

As the gills-like scales on both sides of the Serpent opened, blue smoke poured out from within.

At that moment.

Kahlil’s eyes lit up.

A ring of poison was created at its center.

Smoke soared from the center of the hill with tremendous wind pressure.

But Kahlil was not there.

“This is it.”

As if he had been waiting.

Kahlil, who had dug inside just before the poison was spewed out, thrust his sword under the Sand Serpent’s jaw.

[Keu-ra-rak……!!]

It hurriedly tried to avoid his sword, but as its speed increased, the Serpent was unable to control its body properly.

Five Sword Step.

Second, Unicorn Posture.

Just before the sword pierced its neck while digging downwards, Kahlil focused the tip of the Ice Claw and changed its trajectory.

Colorless Sword Energy-Form 4

At the same time, magical power concentrated on the blade of the Ice Claw, and a powerful explosion occurred from the blade that barely grazed its cheek.

Kwaaaang……!!!

‘The Serpent’s movement is slowed down for a moment when using the ring of poison. If you attack at that moment, it won’t be able to move properly in the state of shock from the reverse scale.’

It looked simple in theory, but it was by no means easy.

It was a method that could never be done unless one had the courage to jump into the Serpent’s mouth from avoiding the poison.

“…….”

Bekan couldn’t close his mouth as if he had lost his soul, watching Kahlil’s figure.

‘If I had to fight like that, there’s no way I could do it…….’

He looked at his palms, which were unknowingly covered in sweat. A fight that made him nervous just by watching.

He felt a strange interest in the fact that a mere 12-year-old boy was fighting a battle in which he would risk his life by a hair’s breadth.

“Hoo…….”

Unlike Bekan, Kahlil looked at the fallen Sand Serpent and smiled bitterly as he thought of Quell McGovern.

‘I’m using the hunting method you taught me like this again.’

The first time he hunted a Serpent was in the Fire Demon Mountain in the northeast.

At that time, the Emperor directly created the Flame Serpent subjugation team, and the Blue Knights, led by Quell McGovern, took on the task.

Kahlil was the only one from the McGovern family who followed him on the hunt.

The swordsmanship that Quell taught him.

The body that Quell had trained.

He couldn’t deny that he wouldn’t have been able to return to the past without it.

There was no problem when he met Oliven in his previous life and fought for him.

But it’s different now.

The sword aimed at the Empire eventually has the possibility that he may be in conflict with Quell someday.

With a very high probability.

[Keureu…… Keureureu…….]

The Sand Serpent’s low breathing was heard in Kahlil’s ear. Despite the pain, it still showed sharp teeth as if it would pounce on him.

“Finish it off.”

Bekan took out the hand ax from his waist.

“Use this. It seems like a waste of your sword to use it for butchering.”

[Hoo…….]

Aln Zabiuss looked at Bekan with interest.

[It seems like he’s really opened his heart to you. It’s amazing. How can a person change so much in just this kind of hunt.]

‘It’s not just a hunt. This is the Great Hunt. It’s a matter of honor and tradition.’

[It’s just subjugating a monster.]

Kahlil smiled faintly at Aln’s words.

Even a great wizard who has lived for over a thousand years doesn’t know everything.

‘It’s natural that you don’t understand.’

For Aln, the lives of ethnic minorities and barbarians were not something to be interested in at all, and there was no need to know.

‘The environment you grow up in is scary. The ideals that the Imperials admire and what they dream of are different. It looks uncivilized, but there are rules in its own way.’

He already knows that the look in Bekan’s eyes looking at him has changed.

[You know it well.]

‘I’m also an ethnic minority.’

At that moment.

Aln Zabiuss opened his eyes wide, hesitated, and then let out a low sigh.

[That’s right. I forgot. I forget when I see you sometimes.]

Kahlil smiled bitterly as he listened to Aln’s words.

[Keureureureu…….]

Then, he lightly patted the neck of the fallen Sand Serpent and handed the ax that Bekan had given him.

“I’m not going to kill this guy.”

“Pardon?”

“Look at it succumbing to power. This guy is just a mere monster. He’s never lost to anyone since he was born, and now he’s felt defeat. How do you think he feels?”

“…….”

Bekan couldn’t answer.

Because it seemed like the Sand Serpent was exactly like him.

“That’s why you can have absolute loyalty. Isn’t that right?”

“……That’s right.”

Bekan said in a low voice.

The victory or defeat had already been decided.

In a situation where the Sand Serpent was bowing its head in front of Kahlil, he could have insisted that it had to be killed unconditionally.

Because the Great Hunt has meaning when the prey is hunted.

‘But…….’

Bekan is not such a fool.

Besides, the moment he saw Kahlil’s battle, he could already see that it was beyond his ability to do anything.

Rather, he could further enhance his prestige by capturing it alive. What he’s worried about is not that he couldn’t kill the prey.

‘If I hear the news that the Sand Serpent has been tamed, not only the tribes of the Great Plains but also the five great families of Narak Rock will all pay attention to Kahlil.’

Because pure strength is considered the most noble thing, if they see Kahlil’s appearance, the tribes of the Great Plains will eventually follow him, although there will be some opposition.

‘The five great families may not be much different either.’

Right.

That was the problem.

The reason why Southerners are called barbarians is because they worship the tradition of following the old logic of power.

The person with the strongest power in this place.

Miliana of the Digon clan.

‘If she, who is called the Overlord of the South, would not readily acknowledge Kahlil.’

The tribes of the Great Plains and the five great families of Narak Rock are certainly strong forces in the South, but even if they all gather, they are no match for Digon.

‘If we were to have a battle with the Digon clan…….’

The victory or defeat was obvious.

“Don’t worry.”

It was then.

“If you get Narak Rock, they will be solved naturally. Rather, it will be more difficult to get the Great Plains.”

“……?”

Unlike Kahlil, who spoke with a meaningful expression, Bekan had an expression that he couldn’t understand his words.

“……!!!”

Kahlil, who was stuffing all the remaining chunks of meat into the Sand Serpent’s mouth, said indifferently without even looking at him.

“Remember? I said I had something in mind.”

“Yes? Ah……. Yes.”

For a moment, he was so surprised that his spine tingled.

As if Kahlil had read his mind, Bekan was flustered and the honorifics came out without him realizing it.

“Shall we go back for now? It will be enough to ride this guy in half a day.”

[Keureureureureu…….]

When Kahlil lightly patted around the Sand Serpent’s eyelids with his palm, it laughed as if it felt good.

“…….”

However.

Looking at the fangs that had mercilessly bitten his thigh, Bekan looked at him with a strange expression, wondering what to say.

* * *

“Is this……. real.”

“That’s what you see.”

I expected it, but the chiefs’ expressions were truly amazing.

‘It’s a pity to see it alone.’

Kahlil looked at them, unable to close their mouths, and thought of Mikhail and Aidan, who were waiting outside the camp.

“Heo…….”

“No way.”

“But it’s definitely a Sand Serpent. According to the rules of the Great Hunt, it must be killed, but it will also be honorable for a hunter to take in a submissive beast.”

“Bekan!! How could you do that…….”

The chief of the Tu tribe shouted at him, spewing anger.

“Hmm.”

Kahlil nodded slowly and said in a low voice.

“It seems like a meeting is needed. Bekan, I’ll wait, so try to persuade the chiefs.”

“I understand.”

Kahlil didn’t hide it.

And Bekan also announced that he was following Kahlil by bowing his head to his words.

‘If it’s Kargon of the Bi Gung Clan, it won’t take long to cross the Great Plains. Although the opposition from the chief of the Tu tribe is strong, if the Bi Gung Clan joins, it’s only a matter of time before the situation is reversed. The rest…….’

Although he succeeded in the Great Hunt, Kahlil didn’t expect them to open their hearts easily.

It’s called the tradition of hunters, but in fact, the Great Hunt was like a ceremony to determine the chief.

The tribe, which has been going on for hundreds of years, cannot easily entrust their fate to the winner of the hunt.

In that sense, Kahlil was not in a hurry.

‘I made a ripple. There’s no point in throwing stones anymore. Anyway, the rest has to be shaken in the lake [stirred up to see what emerges].’

Sreureuk-

Kahlil walked through the tent of the camp and said in a low voice.

“I won’t say much. But chiefs. Think carefully. Why the clan’s best warrior wants to follow me.”

“…….”

“…….”

The chiefs realized that they could no longer turn back at the sight of Bekan, who was lightly greeting with his hands clasped behind him as he left the camp.

* * *

“What happened?”

“What?”

“I’m talking about the way you captured the heart of that big guy [Bekan]. Just a few days ago, the person who was looking at you as if he was going to kill you is now looking at Kahlil with sparkling eyes like a pervert.”

Aidan ran to Kahlil’s side as soon as he came out of the camp, as if he had been waiting, and asked in a low voice.

Kahlil smiled at him.

“You know that well.”

“……Yes?”

“You’re like that too.”

At that moment, Aidan lost his words and looked at Kahlil.

“What, what are you talking about? Geez…….”

“Keu-heuk.”

Only Mikhail’s faint laughter was heard quietly.