The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 89

75. To the Center

“Is that him…?”

“The one who obtained the Thunder Lord’s power at the summit of Narak Rock?”

“He’s smaller than I thought.”

Kahlil, noticing the various gazes directed at him, spoke to Hasir.

“The Thunder Lord’s power, you say?”

“Well, I just gave them a little hint since everyone seemed curious.”

Hasir spoke as if it were nothing, but Kahlil couldn’t help but chuckle at his fox-like behavior.

It was obvious what he had done.

Even those with magical power in the Empire wouldn’t know about the secrets from a thousand years ago.

Let alone the southerners who lacked magic.

The quick-witted Hasir, while deploying his wolf-like men to search for the Chang family, subtly spread the word about what happened at Narak Rock to the southerners he encountered.

“Just the facts. I simply said that the purple lightning that fell from the sky was Kahlil’s power.”

Word of mouth.

The people of the Four Great Families, gathered at the Chang family’s secret location, couldn’t help but wonder who the chosen one from the Tomb of the Spirit King was.

“Besides, that’s the symbol of the Awakened King.”

“Were the masters of the hills creatures that could be tamed? I can’t deny that the four tribes of the Great Plains have truly gone under him…”

Low sighs were also heard.

Just seeing Tulu Chang, who could be considered the head of the Five Great Families, standing next to Kahlil, there was no disagreement.

“You’ve heard the stories—about the current situation of the Chang family, and about me.”

Kahlil turned his head.

Then, he spoke to a man standing among the people, his entire body covered in black tattoos like charcoal.

“You must be the chief of the Tashai tribe, right? What’s your name?”

“Ragun.”

The man nodded and said.

“Give me a report on the Digon tribe. Surely, the Tashai tribe didn’t come empty-handed.”

Ragun’s eyes flickered slightly.

Even though he had achieved much in a short time, they still saw him as a child.

Ragun was intrigued by Kahlil’s manner of speaking as if he knew the Five Great Families well.

The Tashai tribe, known as the Forest Clan among the Five Great Families, was the most secretive tribe in the South, excelling in stealth.

Ragun paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“The moment we received the report that the Chang family had been attacked, we sent some clansmen to the Digon and Imae tribes.”

“What? To our clan?”

Dunkai, the chief of the Imae tribe, twitched his thick eyebrows at Ragun’s words.

Living on the mountain ridges, they were famous for being larger and stronger than other tribes.

Especially.

Chief Dunkai was so large that he had to bend over in the tent.

“There’s no special meaning. These are the only two tribes with enough combat power to attack the Chang family.”

“Hmph…”

Dunkai crossed his arms and coughed, but he didn’t seem to dislike Ragun’s explanation.

“So? What’s the conclusion?”

“As you can see, the ones who attacked the Chang family were unexpected Imperial knights, and it’s true that they came through Digon territory.”

“I see… Did Digon collude with the Empire?”

“Damn it…! The name of the ruler of the South is wasted! Did you just open the door to let them stir up trouble in your own home?”

“I can’t believe it.”

The chiefs each voiced their opinions at Ragun’s words. Kahlil raised his hand towards them.

“Everyone, calm down. Keep talking. There’s no way Digon would open the door to the South for no reason. They must have wanted something.”

“The situation was so urgent that we couldn’t find out that far. But my subordinates in Digon are investigating, so we’ll be able to confirm it, even if it takes time.”

“You have spies in Digon? Tashai, you wouldn’t have planted them on our side, would you?”

“Of course not. The Enra tribe, the weakest of the Five Great Families, is outside our interest.”

“W-What?!”

“Hehehe.”

The chief of the Enra tribe blushed at Ragun’s words. Dunkai and Tulu Chang chuckled at the sight.

“Even if the Digon tribe is strong, they won’t be able to attack the Five Great Families alone now that the knights have retreated. There’s something you need to do in the meantime.”

As the situation calmed down, Kahlil brought up the words he had been contemplating.

“What is it?”

“From now on, you must always keep in mind the possibility that the Empire may invade this place again, not just Digon. That also means we must prepare for war with the Empire.”

At his words, the faces of those who had fought against the Lye Knights, including Tulu Chang, darkened.

“It’s not that there’s no chance of winning.”

*Swish*

Kahlil took out a small dagger from his chest.

Agnel, drawn from its sheath, emitted a sharp energy in front of them.

After cutting down the corruption at the Gray Church.

Strangely, Agnel’s blade had turned a light milky color.

Kahlil thrust the dagger into the hearth in the center with all his might. The blade sank so deeply that it was almost invisible, as if cutting through tofu without any resistance.

“This sword is made of Blue Phosphorus.”

“…!!”

“…!!”

The chiefs couldn’t help but be surprised at Kahlil’s words.

“Are you perhaps talking about the mineral of the gods?”

“It’s known that it can’t be obtained anymore…”

“That’s been the case until now. But from now on, it’s different. You must mine this Blue Phosphorus in preparation for the upcoming war.”

‘This is to prepare not only for the war between tribes and the war with the Empire, but also for the war with Corruption.’

The chiefs’ trembling eyes, which had been looking at Agnel, turned to Kahlil.

“Now that I will refill the Spring of Secrets, you must secretly gather Blue Phosphorus from there.”

“But we have no way to refine it.”

“Don’t worry about that. There are blacksmiths in Tatur who are far superior to humans.”

*Swish*

Kahlil said as he pulled out Agnel.

“Will you follow me?”

*Gulp*

The sound of an Adam’s apple moving was so loud that silence flowed for a moment at Kahlil’s words.

‘Soldiers armed with Blue Phosphorus…’

‘If that’s the case…’

Kahlil could guess what thoughts were running through their minds.

Also, Hasir’s expression next to him was as expected.

“Yes. This is the power I will give you to defeat the Empire.”

*Thud!!*

It was then.

“I already owe you my life. The Chang family’s life is yours. Master of Narak.”

It was Tulu Chang who broke the silence.

“Although there was an order from the Digon tribe, the Five Great Families have been tasked with guarding Narak Rock since the generation before the previous one, and the generation before that. It doesn’t matter whether what’s at the summit is the Tomb of the Spirit King or the Spring of Secrets.”

He knelt down and clasped his fists, as if telling the other chiefs, and put strength into his voice.

“You who have gained power at the summit of Narak have proven your strength to us.”

Tulu Chang took out a small fang that he was wearing on his waist.

It was similar to the symbol of the Awakened King that the tribes of the Great Plains had, but slightly different.

“I offer the Chang family’s symbol to you.”

*Thud-!! Thud-!!*

At that moment.

The chiefs of the remaining Four Great Families all knelt down in the same way as Tulu Chang and took out their respective symbols in front of Kahlil.

“The Imae, Tashai, Enra, and Bui tribes also have no objection to the Chang family’s opinion.”

The only goal they yearned for.

Kahlil, who presented a way to achieve it, and the loyalty of Tulu Chang, the head of the Five Great Families, were enough without any other explanation.

Kahlil nodded slowly as he looked at them.

‘That’s it. With this, I can be wary of the Digon tribe, but I can also obtain a weapon more powerful than anyone else.’

As he felt that he had finished the last thing he had to do in the South, Kahlil unknowingly clenched his fist.

“Light the beacon. Let all the clans know of the birth of the new head of the Five Great Families.”

*Whoosh…!!*

As the tent of the camp was pulled back with Tulu Chang’s cry, the soldiers who had been guarding the formation in front of him, who had felt so far away, all knelt down.

“It’s spectacular.”

Mihail exclaimed without realizing it.

The number of beacons starting to rise in the distance increased rapidly one by one.

Perhaps the people of the Five Great Families in hundreds and thousands of large and small villages that were not gathered here were swearing allegiance to Kahlil like the soldiers in front of them, watching the smoke from the beacons.

“It’s only half of the South.”

Kahlil said in a low voice, watching the center where the Empire was far away.

But Aedan looked at him and laughed in a low voice.

“I don’t know. I think differently. You have conquered half of the South, something even the Empire couldn’t do. Without shedding any blood.”

He looked at Hasir.

The Emperor, who had issued the Edict of Heresy Extermination, had thrown his hat into the ring for the Northern Conquest, just like Kahlil.

Only corpses and bloodstains remained where Kwell McGovern’s Azure Knights had passed.

“That’s right.”

Hasir nodded at Aedan’s words.

“Beikan, Kinu Mukari, Kaila Chang, Hasir. The four of you will come with me to the center from now on.”

“Me too?”

“Yes.”

Kaila, one of the four people named, was surprised as if she hadn’t expected it, but soon put her hands together and said.

“It is an honor to serve you.”

“There will be a lot to do. Be prepared.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Understood.”

Aedan said in a low voice as he looked at them swearing allegiance.

Then, he pointed to the tribesmen outside the camp.

“I told you when you united the tribes of the Great Plains, but there were only three of us when we came here.”

That’s right.

Something accomplished with only three people.

“But look. There are thousands of soldiers in front of Kahlil now.”

He continued, looking at the four people Kahlil had named.

“If three people have gained half of the South, wouldn’t it be possible to gain even the center if twice that force returns?”

Everyone laughed at his words.

It sounded like a ridiculous joke, but even that joke gave a strange sense of elation that Kahlil could make it a reality.

[Krrrrrrrr…!!!]

A roar of a monster that seemed to tear the ears echoed on Narak Rock like a trumpet sounding the departure.

A Sand Serpent, like a giant snake, burst through the crowd and bowed its head in front of Kahlil.

As he fearlessly walked up to the top of its head, the Serpent slowly raised its head.

‘The future has changed.’

It was different from the future he knew, and the situation was unpredictable.

But there is one thing that is different from his previous life.

‘But I won’t let it change as it pleases.’

Because he knew very well that he was at the center of the vortex.

‘History is written by me, not them.’

Kahlil said.

His voice, filled with magic, seemed to resonate directly in people’s minds.

“To the center.”