The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 424: The Next Destination

“Alkar,” Karyl called out.

At once, the Verdant One stomped its hind leg onto the frozen surface of the Golden Spirit Lake, piercing a hole through the ice. The Divine Beast then dipped its head into the opening.

Blup blup...

Steam suddenly burst from the ice, which quickly melted away.

“Interesting...” Allen murmured. “This ice was created with mana. Unless the flow of mana is cut off, heat alone shouldn’t be able to melt it. But this... It’s behaving like natural ice.”

Looking at Alkar, he noticed something else—where there had been nothing before, the tiniest horn had begun to sprout.

“The Great Jungle is the land of the ancestral spirits, so the forces of nature here are especially potent. That means it’s deeply connected to elemental energy as well.”

“Even if the ancestral spirits are mere beasts, they’ve been around long enough to become powerful in their own right,” Ethereal remarked. “You could even say they’re close to us Spirit Kings. It seems the five spirits dwelling inside that girl are boosting Alkar’s power.”

Rasis looked pleased as she watched the Divine Beast, which shared the light attribute.

Humm...

The murky pond sparkled as Alkar’s power seeped into it. From the once-poisonous depths, a blinding light began to rise.

“...Wow.”

Halkata gasped in awe. The swamp that could kill people—even monsters—with a single touch was being purified at a rapid pace.

“This isn’t something a priest or a sorcerer could do. Only a spirit can alter the natural order of the world.”

Karyl dipped his hand into the now-clear water and scooped up a handful, drinking it in one gulp.

“...”

Halkata still wore a tense expression. Though it looked clean now, this was the same water that had been deadly to the touch just moments ago.

“Hmm...”

Karyl paused after drinking the water, seemingly pondering something. Then, with a nod, he asked, “Rasis, could you bless this pond?”

“I doubt it’s necessary if Alkar’s involved. The beast may be young, but it’s clearly strong enough to purge this kind of poison.”

“It’s not for that. It’s to help control the ancestral spirits.”

“Ah... I see.”

Rasis understood at once. With a faint nod, she circled the pond in the air, leaving a trail of glimmering light behind her.

Fwoooosh...!

A far more intense light burst from the swamp—brighter than what Alkar had previously conjured. Now that the water was clear, the glow surged with renewed brilliance.

“You understand what this means, right?” said Rasis. “If I grant this blessing, I won’t be able to use my power again for a while. When the Second Tarak appears, I won’t be able to help.”

“I know,” Karyl replied. “Going against that Tarak without your light is certainly a gamble... but the risk is worth it. With your blessing, Alkar will be able to establish his domain much more easily.”

He gazed out at the newly purified pond.

“This land will change, from a swampy jungle into a lush, thriving forest, with mountains rising high. It will become one of the strongholds we rely on in the battles to come.”

“Not to mention, you’ll have a much easier time managing the child of the spirits,” added Rasis. “Don’t think I don’t see through your scheming.”

Karyl flashed her a crooked smile in response.

“Fine. I shall grant the blessing.”

With that, Rasis began to recite words in a language no one understood—sacred, ancient sounds pouring from her like a chant.

[ᨁᚠᨃᛤ-ᨆᛞᨅᨄ......ᨔᨕᨇ......ᨈᨉ.]

It wasn’t a Runic tongue. Rather, they were ancient words spoken in the Spirit Language—something that wasn’t found even in the oldest of tomes.

If the Runes drew out the essence of magic, the Spirit Tongue acted as the medium that allowed one to access a spirit’s true power.

One might expect spirits to speak their own language, but with the Spirit Realm nearly vanished, using the power of those words now meant consuming the spirit’s life force.

“Ramine, can you bestow a blessing too?”

“No. Only the Two Powers can grant blessings. Us Elemental Spirit Kings manifest our strength directly through physical power.”

“Hmm, that’s unfortunate.”

“If we could, we would’ve tried that during the Great Spirit War.”

“But,” Ethereal cut in, “there is one among the Elemental Spirit Kings who can bestow blessings.”

“Who?”

“The Spirit King of Lightning, Thunder Lord Kungen.”

Hearing that, Ramine looked slightly troubled.

“It’s true he possesses both light and darkness, which gives him the ability to grant blessings... but like lightning itself, he’s wildly unpredictable. His blessings can swing drastically in effect. It’s not guaranteed to help,” Ramine cautioned.

“That’s even more fascinating. If what you’re saying is true, then there’s a chance the effect could far exceed expectations.”

“Or end up being a curse...”

Karyl was undeterred by the Blazing King’s warning. If anything, it only deepened his fascination with Kungen.

“If you intend to seek him out,” Ramine went on, “you’d do well to first gain the power of the Lord of Rocks. He’s the only Spirit King capable of suppressing Kungen.”

“Got it,” Karyl said with a nod.

“So that means... it’s time to open the gate to the Spirit Realm,” Rasis remarked, her voice tinged with anticipation.

Spiritualists had existed even in the Magical Era, but none had ever formed a contract with a Spirit King. As a result, the Spirit Realm remained essentially uncharted—a mystery even to the most ancient scholars.

Rasis looked positively thrilled at the prospect of exploring the unknown.

“The path is already laid out, so there’s no reason to hesitate. We just move forward,” Karyl murmured, more so to himself, as if to reaffirm his resolve.

He looked at Anchar, who had, in the meantime, passed out from the strain of continuously shapeshifting under the raging energy of the ancestral spirits—a power she couldn’t fully control.

Karyl gently cradled her in his arms and slowly lowered her into the purified waters of the pond.

“...!”

Halkata gasped as Anchar’s face was fully submerged in the water, unsure of what to say. He turned to Karyl with a wary expression.

“Don’t worry. This water has just been blessed by Rasis, the Spirit King of Light. By staying in the water, Anchar’s ancestral energy will stabilize, and she’ll begin to recover. With that being said, she still needs time to rest. Halkata, I want you to come here every day from now on. Look after her, and tend to Alkar too.”

“...Th-Thank you.”

“I’ll send someone. Once she’s recovered, have her sent to the Free Nation.”

Karyl glanced down at Anchar, asleep beneath the water’s surface. She would no longer be left alone in the Golden Spirit Lake.

Anchar, just endure a little longer, at least until the purification rite is complete. This time, things will be different. Halkata will be here to watch over you.

He slowly stood up.

This is the only peace I can offer you. The moment you open your eyes again, your days and nights will be consumed by endless battle.

Indeed, Anchar was destined to get trapped in a brutal war, regardless of her choices. And the one to thrust her into that hell was the one holding her.

I won’t let guilt gnaw at me. I remember well... how you loathed your own weakness more than anything else.

Karyl turned his head away.

You were never someone meant to sit on the sidelines, Anchar. You hated fighting, but you were born to stand on the battlefield. You might hate me for it now... but I’ll give you the strength to survive.

He then addressed Halkata behind him.

“While Anchar is recovering, I want you to build a sanctuary here for the Divine Beast. Let this pond be its home. The poison will eventually vanish entirely, and the pond will be filled with light. From now on, I want you and your people to serve and protect Alkar like one of the ancestral spirits.”

“Understood.”

“How many Wildlings still live in the Great Jungle?”

“Excluding women and children... there are at least a thousand warriors.”

“That’s a large tribe. Are you the biggest among the Wildlings?”

Halkata nodded.

“Yes. Among the tribes of the Great Jungle, ours is the largest. There are others, but they can’t properly use the power of the spirits. At most, they can receive minor blessings. After Anchar was born, our tribe gained much greater spiritual energy.”

“And yet, even with that power, you left her alone in this pond.”

“I respected her wish...” Halkata murmured with a bitter smile.

He was the tribe’s chief before he was a father, and there were times when duty demanded cruel measures.

Leaving his daughter here, alone in this pond, had weighed heavily on his heart. After all, what kind of father would want his daughter to live in isolation, with no one to care for her, no one to love her?

“A difference in blessings, huh. How fascinating,” Allen mused. “So even among spirits, there’s hierarchy in bloodlines?”

Don’t start with that crap.

[Heheh...]

Karyl shut Allen up before Halkata could hear him.

[Oh, come on. Look around you. The empire, the north, the south, and now even the Great Jungle. Every single bloodline of the continent is kneeling before you. Isn’t that something to smile about?]

I don’t divide people by blood. If I thought like the emperor, I never would’ve established a free country in the first place.

[Touchy, touchy... It was meant to be a compliment. Still, ever since you spoke to that brat, Olivurn, you get all serious every time the empire comes up.]

Allen clicked his tongue, somewhat sheepishly.

[Is it because of what he said before he vanished? Honestly, those might’ve just been empty words. Maybe he just wanted to deny his killer any rest.]

I hope that’s all it was.

Karyl couldn’t seem to shake off Olivurn’s last words in the royal tomb, about a so-called secret buried in his heart.

I can’t let the dead distract me. I need to focus on finishing what’s ahead of me.

“Mew...”

Alkar had curled up beside Anchar, as if guarding her. The Divine Beast dozed peacefully, and the girl’s breathing steadied—a sign that the spirits’ rampage was beginning to subside.

[So the Three Great Beasts and the ancestral spirits are similar... but not the same,] Allen observed. [The Great Beasts inherited power directly from the Spirit Kings, whereas the sacred spirits were just ordinary animals who eventually ascended to that spiritual state after centuries of worship. Naturally, their strength can’t compare.]

It sounded absurd, but in a way, even this came down to bloodlines.The Three Great Beasts had inherited purer, mightier spiritual energy from the Spirit Kings than the sacred spirits ever could. That much was obvious now.

[Even the lowliest of beings are divided by value. Can you see now how hard it is to create a world not bound by blood, but by will?]

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Allen, bound to Karyl by a soul contract, could understand his feelings somewhat.

[You’re right. It’s not impossible. Equality, freedom... even the death of the gods. The path you’re trying to walk is covered in thorns, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.]

Allen let out a dry chuckle.

[So, where to next?]

“Not far. We’ll probably find the last companion we need before the Second Tarak emerges. It’s just that... whether he’ll join us is another matter.”

[Huh? I thought the ones affected by the Tarak’s aftermath would be saved by you. I mean, that’s how it went with this girl, right?]

“That guy is convinced the suffering he’s going through is some divine trial, so he accepts it with humility.”

[Divine trial...? Don’t tell me...]

Allen grimaced as he realized what Karyl was referring to.

“Yeah. Our next destination is the Church.”

[You’re seriously going to ask one of Yula’s apostles to aid you in slaying the gods? You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, right?]

Karyl merely shrugged, as if to say that absurdity had never stopped him before, and it wouldn’t stop him now.

[Ugh... This is gonna be such a mess...]

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