The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 325: The Imperial War (1)

“My lord!”

Karyl was greeted by Aidan’s voice as he emerged from the lair.

“You’ve returned safely, my lord. Was there any gain?”

“More or less.”

Karyl glanced at Aidan, who was covered head-to-toe in what appeared to be monster slime or blood.

“Looks like you haven’t been idle either.”

“Haha...”

Aidan chuckled awkwardly.

“Any casualties?”

“None.”

Aidan’s reply was filled with confidence. In the short time they had spent here, the Snakel unit had become remarkably adept at handling the monsters.

“Impressive.”

“We fumbled at first, but thanks to Alteman, we were able to get a grip on the situation.”

At Aidan’s words, Alteman just shrugged. The elite assassin unit stood disheveled and battle-worn, while he remained spotless and composed—a stark reminder of the difference between him and the others.

“So, how was the lair?”

“Empty.”

“Hmm? You mentioned there was gain.”

“There was a discovery, but nothing of value left.”

Alteman looked at Karyl, puzzled by his cryptic response.

“All the items within the lair had already been taken by the Platinum Dragon. All I found were traces of him.”

“And it seems you’re not inclined to share what those traces were.”

“You catch on quickly.”

Alteman smiled bitterly at Karyl’s candid response.

“Don’t take it personally. Even though you shared the secrets of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave, I can’t fully trust you yet. You’re still connected to the Platinum Dragon, and I need to be cautious.”

“I understand completely. No offense taken.”

“Good. Now, it’s time to head back. Unfortunately, we won’t be carrying any treasures with us, but this trip has helped solidify the justification for the upcoming battle.”

“I’ll prepare everything.”

“No. You and the others will stay here.”

“...Sorry?”

“I’m giving you a week. Conquer this island completely and then return. Make sure you don’t miss the start of the war. While we didn’t collect immediate gains, we need to ensure we reap the long-term rewards.”

Karyl gestured toward Aidan.

“Sharpen your skills. The creatures you’ve been fighting were merely the middle of the pack. Aren’t you excited to hunt the real monsters?”

Aidan, Zouk De Holde, and the rest of the Snakel unit stared in shock at Karyl’s words. As Miliana stepped forward, her blue-scaled wyvern approached with its wings outstretched.

“Sounds fun. Do try to survive and meet us again,” she said with a smirk, raising her hand in a mock farewell before mounting the wyvern.

“...”

As the two took off, those who remained glanced with uncertainty at Alteman.

“Hah... we’ve been had.”

Alteman chuckled at the sight of Karyl and Miliana departing in silence.

“Prepare yourselves. The following week will be grueling.”

At his words, the Snakel assassins tensed up, gripping their weapons.

“One thing’s for sure—when you return, not even a Sword Master will be able to defeat you.”

With that, the Snakel unit silently readied their gear, steeling themselves for the arduous training ahead.

***

Karyl turned his steed at the Promised Land and immediately headed for Tatur. Then switching to the Sand Serpent that was waiting for him in the south, he ordered Miliana to head north with Viola’s troops and embarked on a non-stop journey, traveling day and night.

Though Miliana marveled at his seemingly inexhaustible stamina, Karyl knew that with the impending Oracle War, every day that passed without concluding the war with the empire was a missed opportunity.

Also, in this life, the fight against the Tarak wouldn't be easy, especially since one of his greatest allies in the past, the Platinum Dragon, could potentially turn into an enemy this time around.

Whoosh!

As Karyl’s Sand Serpent appeared over Tatur, the wyverns patrolling the skies circled him warily. Despite the appearance of such a massive creature, the people of Tatur weren’t alarmed. Instead, they warmly welcomed their master.

“Lord!”

Dushala ran to the plaza, having already been notified of his arrival. Although her face was still hidden behind a black veil, her fragrance was more alluring than ever, Karyl thought.

“Has everything been quiet in my absence?”

“Quiet? No, quite the opposite. You wouldn’t believe it,” she replied.

“Why?”

“The empire has declared war and is amassing forces across its territories. Their numbers have already surpassed one million.”

At that, Karyl merely shrugged.

“Well, the same goes for us. I’ve heard we’ve sent official notices to all key locations,” he remarked.

Dushala, seeing his calm demeanor in the face of a million-strong army, responded with a knowing look.

“The golem troops and wyvern units are in their final preparations, and Lady Viola’s forces are ready to move north. The Digon and some of the southern tribes have already joined forces with the immigrants, so at this point, we’ve surrounded the empire on three fronts.”

Karyl nodded.

“Still, we can’t be complacent. This battle will sweep across the entire continent, and unforeseen events are bound to happen,” he cautioned.

“Indeed. Actually, something unexpected might have already occurred,” said Dushala.

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“The empress has launched a rebellion, almost as if she had been waiting for the empire to declare war. It’s a mess, apparently.”

“A rebellion? Ah, of course...”

Even at this news, Karyl simply nodded, unsurprised. Dushala gazed at him, slightly taken aback by his calm response.

The timing is a bit different, but after Olivurn ascended the throne in my past life, something similar happened.

The deaths of Titan and Luon Shutean echoed the events of Karyl’s past life. Left devastated by the loss of both the emperor and Luon, the empress had resorted to rebellion from her own territory. It was a futile gesture, likely driven by the realization that continuing to live this way was even more unbearable than death.

“The empress is hastening her demise,” Karyl concluded.

“Indeed. It will force the empire to divert some of their forces. They’ll probably wait until after a skirmish to take her out. As much as they despise her, they can’t kill her immediately. She’s the last remaining member of the imperial family, so they’ll need to fabricate something to justify it,” Dushala explained.

“Exactly.”

“Which makes it the perfect opportunity for us to strike the empire.”

Though Dushala had described it as a mess, it was clear from her eyes that she saw the empress’s rebellion as an opportunity, and Karyl shared that sentiment.

“Additionally, someone has been waiting for you. I’ve given him a private room for now, but he refuses to tell us anything and insists on speaking to you directly.”

“Who’s that brazen individual?”

“Who else could it be? It’s me,” a voice interjected.

Whoosh!

At that moment, thick, dark smoke erupted from the ground, swirling around Karyl as he approached the hall.

“...”

The air grew heavy with dense mana, almost suffocating.

“You’re so dramatic,” Karyl said indifferently, waving his hand through the swirling smoke.

“Nain Darhon.”

“Haha... Long time no see. You’ve changed a lot,” a voice came from behind the black smoke.

As it cleared, a strikingly handsome man with pale skin emerged, his red lips curling in amusement. The smoke dissipated as if it had never existed.

“You seem taller too,” Nain Darhon teased, playfully measuring their heights with his hand. “Your mana has evolved again. Have you reached the 7th Class?” he asked, impressed.

What?! The 7th Class...?!

Stunned, Dushala turned to look at Karyl. She hadn’t sensed any changes in him, given that her abilities paled in comparison to those of a Great Sorcerer. After all, the 7th Class was utterly beyond her comprehension.

She looked at Karyl with newfound respect, but he remained nonchalant.

“Just as I expected... A Great Sorcerer can see through everything, huh? Even tricked one of Kaye Aesir’s companions,” Karyl remarked.

“One of Kaye Aesir’s companions? Surely, you jest. No one from 250 years ago could still be alive.”

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“That monster was around a thousand years ago, and you’ll see him soon enough.”

Nain Darhon furrowed his brow at Karyl’s words.

“I’m not sure if they were fooled or merely played along. Either way, a new Great Sorcerer has emerged, yet the continent remains oddly quiet.”

“With the empire about to vanish, my ascension to the 7th Class is nothing.”

“Haha... You’ve become a Sword Master and a Great Sorcerer, and yet you act like achieving both those things in one lifetime is nothing remarkable,” Nain Darhon chuckled.

“And you’ve made progress too. Are you nearing the 8th Class?” Karyl asked.

It was then that a voice capable of reprimanding even the mighty Nain Darhon echoed, “The 8th Class? Hardly. That brat still has a long way to go.”

“Ma-Master...” Nain Darhon immediately lowered his head in deference as Allen appeared.

“Hmm. You’ve kept up with your mana circulation, I see. Your mana has become more refined since the last time I checked.”

“I am forever thankful for your teachings, Master.”

“But you still have a long way to go. In the days of the Magical Era, you’d only just now be able to make a living with that level of power.”

Although Alen seemed to be downplaying Nain Darhon’s accomplishments, Karyl knew better. Of all the sorcerers he had encountered, Nain Darhon was the only one Allen had ever acknowledged. While others like Serica, Israphil, and Mikhail possessed magical talent, they were nothing more than novices in Allen’s eyes.

“So it was you who came to find me. Why has the head of the Immortal Council moved personally? Did you leave the others behind?”

“What other reason could there be? You’re starting a war! What could be more thrilling?”

Nain gestured toward Dushala, who took the cue.

“I have a report to make,” she said. “Thompson has reached the 6th Class, and the Ulkas Guild, which has been integrated into the Free Army, now has 150 members who have advanced to the 5th Class. Another 180 members are at the 4th Class.”

“All those Ulkas novices were trained using the methods of the Immortal Council. That’s why they advanced so quickly,” Nain Darhon added, proudly shrugging his shoulders.

“Moving the sorcerers under Baron Beryl to the Immortal Council in advance was a wise move.”

“That man was too greedy for his own good. I knew this would happen,” Nain commented smugly.

“The Imperial Academy has 350 sorcerers,” Dushala continued, “but fewer than a quarter have reached the 5th Class. In terms of quality, our army is far superior. We should be more than capable of matching their magical firepower.”

“...”

“Don’t underestimate them. They have the Dawn Council from the Ivory Tower. Over 400 sorcerers are in the Assembly,” Karyl warned.

“In that case, we have the Immortal Council,” Dushala responded confidently, turning to Nain Darhon and seeking confirmation with her gaze.”

“Exactly. That’s why I’m here in person.”

“What do you mean?" Karyl asked, sensing something significant.

“You remember the research I’ve been conducting on the Dust of the Void?” Nain’s voice brimmed with anticipation.

“Of course. Thanks to that, I provided you with nearly ninety-percent of the adamantite from the Mana Mine.”

“Don’t make too big of a deal out of it. Those are just leftover mining scraps with little utility.”

“Little utility? Combined with blue scales, that adamantite can be used to craft mana-absorbing equipment, which is especially useful against knights. Do you even realize what I supported you with?”

Nain Darhon smirked, curling his lips, dismissing Karyl’s reprimand. “What? So you can make a few arrows to take down some knights? You should be glad you invested the adamantite in me instead.”

“So there has been progress,” Karyl quickly deduced, sensing the direction of Nain’s words.

“Indeed.” Nain nodded. “I’ve devised a new way to manipulate the Dust Speck I’ve been researching. Using the high-purity adamantite you sent as the core, I’ve created something rather... interesting.”

An ambiguous smile spread across Karyl’s face.

Just as I thought...

The Dust Speck that Nain Darhon spoke of was linked to the Tarak, a remnant of the past tied to the Assembly of Seven Elders. With them gone, Nain Darhon was likely the only one left on the continent capable of handling such dangerous matter.

Though the Immortal Council hadn’t participated in the Great Continental War in his previous life, Karyl could now feel a sense of excitement, anticipating the extent of their achievements.

“I heard that young one’s at the Dawn Council,” Nain continued.

“Mikhail? Yes, he’s there to take their trials,” Karyl confirmed.

“Take their trials? If that geezer Berchi Blano is involved, he’ll just keep stalling and playing word games to buy time.”

“And what about that cocky kid?”

“Serica? She’s currently in the principality. Well, since the Ivory Tower is in the north of the principality, they’re not far apart."

“Perfect. I’ll be borrowing them for a while. As for those ridiculous trials, I’ll end them myself. In return, deliver a message to the Dawn Council.”

“What kind of message?”

Nain Darhon gave a somewhat sinister chuckle as he spread his fingers like sharp claws, mimicking a predator ready to strike.

“Tell them... the Undying Legion is coming to sink its teeth into the Dawn.”