The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth
Chapter 387: Prelude to Annihilation (3)

Chapter 387: Prelude to Annihilation (3)

“So this is the place...” Karyl muttered softly as he glanced around, a trace of nostalgia in his voice. Last time, he had fled the capital as a fugitive alongside Randol; now, he stood here as a figure of authority, fully in command.

“Who would’ve thought there’s such a place in the capital?”

“It’s fascinating.”

“Hmph...”

Everyone had their own reactions.

“Has anyone ever entered here? Even if it’s abandoned, if it used to be a relic vault of the empire, it should have a caretaker at least.”

“He’s dead.”

The cold reply matched the eerie atmosphere.

Karyl turned to Kadin Luer, who had accompanied them. He seemed quite weary—he was the only one who had tended to Olivurn after the empire’s defeat, and the only duke to join Karyl’s administration.

Among Olivurn’s supporters, Kuwell MacGovern had returned to his territory after withdrawing from Tatur. As for Belin Vallention, the head of the Seven Knight Orders, who had been neutral before aligning with Olivurn, was now calmly reorganizing his knights.

Chancellor Bryn Ennik had abdicated his position after the empire’s defeat, likely overwhelmed by the consecutive deaths of the people he had served—Titan Shutean, Luon, and lastly Olivurn. He had relinquished most of his estates and retreated to a small fief in the south.

Honestly, Kadin Luer’s loyalty to Olivurn was somewhat surprising. It’s not bad having a Great Sorcerer on our side, but the fact that he was loyal to Olivurn... that’s concerning. I’ll have to keep an eye on him.

Karyl knew that the only reason Kadin had remained in the capital was to guard Olivurn.

“Dead? How?” Karyl asked.

“The caretaker of this tomb was none other than Bran Gamunt, as Your Majesty knows.”

“...”

Karyl’s expression hardened at the mention of that name.

“He was one of my pupils at the Academy and had a deep interest in ancient history. He showed a particular fascination for relics. While the emperor’s treasury within the palace allowed entry only to the sovereign, this place was different. He volunteered to be its caretaker.”

“For all intents and purposes, this palace was forsaken,” Kadin continued drily. “The children of the streets would sometimes wander in here, scavenging for scraps, but that’s about it.”

“About those children... Apparently, they spread some rumors that this wasn’t just a vault, but a tomb,” Karyl challenged. “There’s no way you wouldn’t know about that... And also, you were aware that this place was a dungeon, weren’t you?”

Kadin gave a bitter smile. “You’re not wrong. When you go inside, you’ll feel a potent malevolent energy, enough to call this place a tomb. Technically, it’s a dungeon, but not quite. If it were truly overrun with monsters, it would’ve been destroyed from the start.”

“How can you be so sure it’s not an actual dungeon?”

“Because before Bran Gamunt, I was the one tasked with overseeing this place.”

There was no trace of deception in Kadin’s words, though he wasn’t particularly thrilled to talk about this either. It seemed like he just wanted to return to his residence and collapse into his bed.

“...”

Karyl studied Kadin’s expression for a moment before looking away.

“This is the tomb built 250 years ago during the old empire, when Kaye Aesir hunted down the Flame Dragon Riseria and used her bones to create it.”

“And?”

Riseria was a Red Dragon, one of the most fearsome species of dragons. Following her death, Kaye Aesir was hailed as the first dragon hunter. But Karyl, who possessed her heart and had seen glimpses of her memories, couldn’t shake the feeling that something about their battle didn’t add up.

“Dragon bones are harder than Clear Distilled Water and possess greater resistance to mana,” Kadin explained. “Interestingly, they don’t just withstand magic; they can also absorb it, much like Clear Distilled Water.”

“I guess they serve to balance out the tremendous mana emitted by the heart. Otherwise, the dragon wouldn’t really be able to move.” Nain Darhon nodded thoughtfully. “Now I understand why it’s called a tomb. That place seals artifacts with such dense mana that they had to be contained within dragon bones.”

“But what exactly is inside?” Nain Darhon went on.

“I couldn’t say. That’s all I managed to learn. I wasn’t able to explore any further.”

“That’s it? So you’re telling me that as a Great Sorcerer, you couldn’t even go beyond the tomb’s entrance?” Nain Darhon frowned.

“You, as the head of the Immortal Council, should be quite familiar with the undead. Creatures born from dragon remains.”

“...Dragonfang Soldiers?”

“Precisely. The reason this place feels like a dungeon is because of those creatures, born in the tomb made from dragon bones.”

“This is going to be troublesome. Dragonfang Soldiers were draconic servants from the Magical Era... Anyone weaker than a Sword Master would struggle against them.”

“They’re particularly lethal to sorcerers. They possess mana resistance, the resilience of the undead, and they practically never tire, making them a nightmare for spellcasters.”

Listening to Kadin and Nain Darhon, Karyl glanced around at his assembled team, his gaze stopping briefly on each one in turn—Miliana, Nain Darhon, Aidan, Hashir, Hwarin, Kinu Mukari, Serica Lauren, and Mikhail.

Finally, he looked at Gordon Fabian and summarized his thoughts on the Dragon Bone Tomb with a simple statement.

“This should be straightforward.”

***

Crunch...! Crack...!

The shattering of skulls filled the air as Gordon Fabian, Miliana, and Hwarin smashed through the Dragonfang Soldiers at the front line, their expressions filled with glee.

“Hey, there’s another one here,” Gordon announced, grabbing a Dragonfang Soldier by the neck and hurling it with all his might.

“Kreeeek...!!”

The creature flailed through the air, letting out an unnatural screech.

Wham!

Hwarin delivered a vicious punch to the Dragonfang Soldier’s spine, bending its body into an arch. Without missing a beat, Gordon applied pressure in the opposite direction, snapping the creature’s neck.

“Nice.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Hwarin shook the dust off her hands and smirked. She stood as tall as Gordon.

“...I knew Gordon was a beast, but the others are just as monstrous,” Kadin Luer muttered in disbelief as he watched the three in action.

As an imperial, he had once looked down on the immigrant and barbarian tribes, but he now recognized their strength. Even though regret served no purpose after their defeat, Kadin couldn’t help but appreciate the raw physical potential of those without magic.

“Yeah, they’re all freakishly strong,” Allen remarked. “That woman, Hwarin, can transform into an actual monster.”

“Uh... What...?”

Kadin glanced down, curiosity flickering in his eyes. As a member of the Assembly of Seven Elders—and the one who had led the resurgence of magic, eventually hailed as the Original Sorcerer—Allen Javius was considered the teacher of all sorcerers. Merely being in his presence felt surreal.

“At the end of the day, distinguishing humans by their bloodline is foolish. You all have the same red blood coursing through your veins. Strength is all that matters.”

The shadowy Allen shrugged.

“I used to think like you, when I was alive. But shedding narrow perspectives will enrich your magic. You remember the Platinum Dragon’s dying words, don’t you? You still have room for growth.”

“How can I? Especially at my age...”

“Mana doesn’t decay with age, only flesh does. In this regard, sorcerers are far more blessed than knights, for they can prove themselves just with pure mana.”

Kadin nodded.

“You’re fortunate to be able to receive teachings directly from our master,” Nain Darhon said, lifting his nose slightly.

“Enough chatter. Continue practicing your basic spells,” Allen said, causing Nain to look at him with a disheartened expression, while Kadin chuckled.

Allem seemed rather pleased with this situation. And who could blame him? He was about to take in two Great Sorcerers under his command. It almost felt like welcoming new disciples.

“With this group, we should be able to clear this place quickly. An assault team made up of Sword Masters and Great Sorcerers... And we’re led by someone who could take us all on,” Kadin remarked with a faint smile.

“Don’t get too confident,” another voice cautioned.

“You worry too much. Have we even needed to use mana since entering? And yet, we’ve already gone much deeper than I managed on my own.”

Nain Darhon was certain this would be the easiest dungeon to clear—and it was all thanks to Karyl, who was walking behind them. He hadn’t even drawn his sword, and yet his presence alone seemed enough to dispel any fear.

He truly radiates the dignity of a king now...

When Karyl had first come to find him at the Grand Library of Antihum, he had been just an arrogant boy.

Of course, my doubts faded quickly after seeing his performance with the Immortal Council alongside our master...

Even so, Nain Darhon had never imagined that Karyl would truly unite the continent. Yet now, witnessing not only his strength but also his formidable leadership and commanding presence, Nain felt he was witnessing the rise of a king unlike any who had lived before—or any who would come after.

“Having Dragonfang Soldiers at the very entrance should dissuade anyone from venturing in... And yet the emperor specifically forbade anyone from entering.”

Kadin Luer held back some of his thoughts, but the implication was clear—if the empire had been determined, they could have conquered this place. As a lone investigator driven by mere curiosity, he had failed. But if the empire’s knights and magic brigades had thrown their full force at it, it certainly would have fallen.

Yet the emperor had chosen to keep it sealed and store relics here.

It wasn’t just the dungeon’s difficulty, Kadin surmised.

This wasn’t due to petty defiance against their new leader; rather, he wanted to see just how far Karyl, who had already slain the Platinum Dragon, could go.

“In any case, you’re not wrong, Nain. Even the empire’s knights would struggle to gather this much strength.” Kadin shrugged, closing his eyes briefly.

VOOSH—!

In that instant, his cheek burned as though seared by flame. Even if his eyes had been open, he wouldn’t have seen what had grazed him. He hadn’t even sensed it—and his magical barrier, once a dependable shield, had shattered completely.

“...”

Kadin turned around, his face frozen in shock.

Ssssss... sssshhhk...

Behind him, embers lingered on the scorched ground. A deep fissure marked the point of impact, still radiating heat.

“What’s this commotion? Who dares such insolence!? Where is the emperor?!”

A sharp voice, ringing with overwhelming power, echoed through the cave.

“Olivurn Shutean! How long has it been since you took the throne? Are you already breaking your promise to us?!”

Everyone snapped their gaze toward the source of the voice. An ominous, potent magic radiated from within the darkness.

“...What is this?”

“Who... Who are you?!”

Hwarin and Miliana, leading at the front, couldn’t hide their shock at having been caught off guard by the weapon that had flown toward them moments ago.

“...A demon?”

Nain Darhon, who had encountered Tarak before, wrinkled his nose slightly at the familiar scent of dark magic and carefully took his staff from within his robe.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

At his command, Mikhail, Serica, and the others immediately readied their weapons.

“Hold on.”

All eyes turned toward the back. The weapon, a sharp spear that glinted with each step, was in Karyl’s hand.

“Say that again. Olivurn? The throne has a new master, and yet you still seek him?”

“And who are you?”

“The ruler of the continent.”

At Karyl’s words, the eyes in the darkness thinned like a reptile’s.

“You’re insane. Bring me the emperor if you don’t want to die.”

“So Olivurn knew you were here all along and still kept it a secret from me...”

Despite the warning from the shadowy figure, Karyl kept walking forward, gripping the long spear tightly.

“Good. Having caught sight of you, I know exactly how I’m going to kill you.”

“...What?”

The demon stared at Karyl, dumbfounded.

In that instant, Karyl surged forward faster than the spear had hurtled at his allies. He slammed the spear straight into the demon’s face.

“Ghaaagh...!!”

The demon screamed in agony, his face crushed. He quickly tried to get up, but Karyl drove his foot into his shoulder, pinning him down.

“You bastard...!!”

“Prokel.”

Hearing Karyl call his name, the demon froze.

“That thing you had, was it the Garb of Lamentation? And if the Armor of Extremis is here too, that means Redshell, another one of the Four Knights, is also around here.”

“You... Who are you?”

It was only natural Karyl knew about these demons—they were the ones he had killed during his first trial as one of the Ten of the Oracle, tasked with retrieving the three relics.

Olivurn had known these demons were here all along. And when the Oracle had been given, he had deliberately scattered the relics far apart.

There was no mistake about it—Olivurn had been colluding with the demons.

“Who do you think I am? I’m the one who’s going to kill you all over again.”

Karyl flashed the demon a wicked smile.

Yula... If the Oracle from my past life was something you and Olivurn rigged together, then I’ll be watching closely to see how you play it this time.

Crunch...!

As that thought passed, Karyl pressed down harder on Prokel’s shoulder.

When you come to prophesize the next Oracle, I’ll be waiting... with all three relics you told me to find shoved right in your face.

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