The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 426: Hawat Tashun (2)

“D-Demon...?!”

Yurin Huygar stared in disbelief as Hagane stepped through the dimensional gate.

“How arrogant of you, human. You dare call me a mere demon? Clearly, you have no regard for your own life,” Hagane remarked with an indifferent expression. He then turned to Karyl.

“Shall I kill him?”

“...Wh-What did you just say?! Yurin growled, but before he could react, Hagane casually placed a hand on his forehead.

“...?!”

Ssssss...!!

Smoke rose from Yurin’s head as though he were being branded with a hot iron.

“Aaargh...!!”

Hagane then shoved him aside with a harsh glare in his eyes.

“Awaiting your command.”

“You... You fucking...!” Yurin barked, his forehead already blistered.

Though he had become a more cautious man following the empire’s fall, he had once been known as the Madman, and that wild instinct seemed to resurface now. He was gritting his teeth, frantically looking around for anything he could use as a weapon, seemingly ready to leap at Hagane’s throat.

“No way...”

Joey Johansel swallowed hard as he watched Yurin burning with fury. Yet in the presence of Hagane and Karyl, he looked more like a child on the verge of a tantrum.

The demon, indeed, was properly amused.

“P-Please, calm down!”

Joey hurriedly stepped in to restrain Yurin.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Unlike Yurin, who trembled with rage, Hagane stood unshaken, towering over the priest here on the sacred grounds of the Church.

“You... You seem to know a little about me.”

Joey gave a small nod.

“...I’ve read about you in ancient texts.”

“Is that so? Then tell me. Who am I?”

“...The Demon King.”

“...?!”

Hearing that, the color drained from Yurin Huygar’s face.

“No way... How? Heim is protected by the Church’s most powerful holy barrier!”

“Foolish priest. You think some barrier created by humans can stop me? Yula herself would have to empower that barrier for it to do anything against me.”

Hagane locked eyes with Yurin, looking at him with scorn.

“Human, if you interrupt us again, I’ll sear your lips instead of your forehead. Do you even understand who it is you stand before? This man is the master of the continent.”

Then Hagane turned, dropped to one knee, and offered Karyl the formal bow of a vassal.

“And as the ruler of the Demon Realm, I stand as his loyal servant. That means the Demon Realm, too, lies beneath his authority.”

The others in the room stood frozen in disbelief. The fact that the Demon King had appeared in Heim was shocking enough, but to see him kneel before a human... They simply couldn’t believe their eyes.

“...!!”

Tremendous mana surged from Hagane as he turned back to Yurin Huygar. The force radiating from the demon was overwhelming—so much so that no madman would dare oppose it.

“Hgh—!”

Suffocated by the sheer weight of that aura, Yurin staggered back.

“Hagane, I have a question for you. The demon Kalan over here made a deal with, what did it ask in return?”

Karyl’s voice was calm, unaffected by the tension that hung in the air.

“Hmm...” At Karyl’s command, Hagane turned to look at Kalan. “This scent is unmistakable. It belongs to Matun, one of the demons from the 32nd layer of the Demon Realm. He serves under Agares, one of the Four Demon Knights.”

“Is that so?”

“I regret to inform you, but yes. It was a demonic curse.”

“That’s ridiculous! You expect me to believe he became a hunchback because of demons? That condition is born from sin, from a lack of faith in Yula! Only Yula can inflict punishment.”

To everyone’s surprise, it was Joey Johansel who spoke up, rejecting Hagane’s explanation.

“But he says it is true.”

“That young priest has more guts than that giant oaf, I’ll give him that. The deformity of a hunchback may indeed be divine punishment, but it’s not tied to faith.”

Hagane gave Yurin a mocking look.

“If that were true, all demons would be crawling on the ground with twisted backs. But as you can see, we’re perfectly fine. And humans are no different. After all, not everyone in this world of yours worships Yula, do they?”

A low sizzle followed. Dark blood began to pool at Hagane’s feet, thick and viscous.

“So tell me. If I deliver destruction to your Church, will your god punish me? I should doubt that. And if not her, will any human do it? Will you?”

As the blood soaked into the ground and filled the floor of the hut, Yurin stared at Hagane with anxious eyes.

“Don’t waste your time.”

The moment Karyl spoke, the blood vanished without a trace

“Just answer the question. Did Kalan really make a deal with a demon?”

“Yes.”

“Do not believe him!”

At that, Karyl turned to face Kalan. The only thing fiercer than his frosty stare was the chill of his Freezing Talon.

“Demons? I may be an unlearned man who’s lived off scraps, but even I know a thing or two. Yula took pity on my ignorance and granted life to my son. In return, she asked that I devote myself to the Church for the rest of my life.”

[So it wasn’t Hawat you were referring to before leaving the Great Jungle... It’s this old man. He truly believes this twisted mess was some divine task laid before him...]

Allen Javius shook his head.

[Ignorance really is a terrifying thing.]

“That wasn’t Yula, just a demon pretending to be her. Why would she order someone to live their whole life in the Church as a hunchback? That’s beyond absurd.”

Karyl then turned to Hagane. “Are all demons like that? I bet that bastard couldn’t stop laughing once the pact was made. Probably couldn’t wait to watch this man suffer.”

“Demons are never benevolent, and our deals are steeped in trickery and deceit. And yet people go through with them anyway, because their desires usually outweigh what they stand to lose.”

“And if I said I don’t like their attitude?”

“Then I shall bring you their heads,” Hagane answered without hesitation.

“Don’t play games. You and I both know demons don’t die just because their heads are cut off. What’s with this foolish act?”

Hagane gave a faint, unreadable smile.

“Please do not misunderstand.” He shrugged. “I merely spoke from a human perspective.”

“You would’ve used that loophole if I hadn’t called you out. Watch yourself, Hagane.”

At that, Hagane gave a nod and vanished back into the dimensional gate. Once he was gone, Karyl turned to Kalan.

“You saw it yourself. That thing claims to serve me, but even now, it’s scheming. Demons are never to be trusted. They’ll gnaw away at you slowly until nothing is left.”

“If you’re trying to use my son by threatening me, you should give up now. I don’t care if you call yourself the master of this continent. That boy wouldn’t so much as hurt a fly.” Kalan spoke quietly but firmly, despite the fear.

“And how would you know that?” Karyl challenged. “Look at him. Look into those eyes. Do you really think keeping him locked away is what’s best for him? That it’s for his sake?”

“But...”

“I know better than anyone how cruel this world can be. I’ve faced that cruelty myself, as the son of an immigrant. I’ve lost count of the walls that were supposed to stop me.”

Karyl stole a glance at the scared boy before continuing with calm resolve, “But the continent has a new master, and the world is changing. I am changing it. I will not tolerate anyone being cast aside for having a crooked back or being larger than others. Of course, I am not so arrogant as to believe that everything will change simply because I order it.”

Hawat looked at Karyl with a fearful expression.

“That’s why it has to be you who changes it. There’s no path of roses waiting for you, Hawat. But don’t hand your life over to your father.”

“...”

Hawat felt a lump in his throat. All his life, he had borne the scorn and curses of others for the misfortune of his appearance. He had been forced to flee to Heim, to veil what others called a curse, an unmistakable mark of sin.

Hawat was terrified of the world, for the world had rejected him. And yet, a fanciful longing stirred within him—could he not, one day, wander the verdant valleys out there, and bask in the sun free of shame?

Perhaps his curse had not yet broken his spirit.

“I cannot force you to come out into the world, nor do I want to. But please remember this. The hearts of men are steeped in ignorance, and getting rid of that ignorance is a most arduous task. Hiding in fear won’t change their hearts, but bravery will.”

“...What should I do?”

“Become a hero, someone they can acknowledge and praise. Then, the world will see you differently.”

“...!”

Everyone in the hut was moved by Karyl’s words—Hawat Tashun most of all, and Yurin Huygar with him.

The boy who had spent his whole life confined in the dark, convinced he was meant to live and die in shame and bitter solitude, had just been told that he ought to become a hero for the whole world to see.

“I shall be the one to guide you. You only need to follow me.”

“Father...”

Hawat’s lips quivered as he looked at Kalan, who could not bring himself to turn away from those pleading eyes, or even speak.

“Strictly speaking, you did sin,” Karyl told Kalan. “You did turn away from Yula by making a pact with that demon.”

“T-That’s...”

“It’s hard to believe, I know. But after what you’ve seen, you will believe me now.”

It was then something dropped right in front of Kalan.

“...?!”

He flinched in shock as he realized what it was. It was a demon’s head.

“Human, this is the demon you made your deal with.”

Hagane had appeared again, standing beside Matun’s corpse.

“With this, the pact is broken.”

Woooooom...

A low hum resonated as black smoke rose from around Kalan, as though poison was being drained from within. Startled, he ran his hands across his body and realized something unbelievable.

His back had straightened.

“H-How is this possible...?”

“I’m not saying one should defend those who make deals with demons. But let me ask you something. Now that you know you were deceived, will you blame the demon for it? What did Yula do to help you?”

“I... I...”

“At the very least, the demon gave your son more time. Titan's blood is too powerful for a human body to endure. Without that pact, Hawat would have perished, thinking it was his just punishment.

Kalan turned his shaky eyes toward his son.

“You don’t have to hate your god for abandoning you either. Even if you were tricked, I’m sure your repentance was sincere.”

“...Then what should I do?”

“Nothing,” Karyl answered without hesitation.

Kalan looked at him in silence, unable to find the words.

“A father’s duty is to watch and let his child choose.”

With that, Karyl approached Hawat.

“The contract is broken, so you needn’t be afraid now. No matter the demon, they all kneel before me. I’ll protect you.”

Though Karyl stood a full head shorter, Hawat felt like he was facing a mountain. The weight of Karyl’s presence was undeniable.

“The sun... how does it feel?”

That question instantly drew tears from Hawat’s eyes.

“...It’s my first time,” he whispered, his voice choked by emotion.

“Hmm?” freewebnøvel.coɱ

Karyl looked at him.

“I’ve never basked in the sunlight before.”

“...”

Karyl made no response. He simply looked at the poor boy with a rueful smile.

“...Let’s go to the place where you’re meant to be,” he said, giving Hawat a light tap on the back.

“And don’t worry. I made sure the gates of the Free Nation’s capital are wide enough for you to walk in proudly, standing tall.”

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