The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth

Chapter 87: Breaking the Wall

"Arcane mana...?" Karyl murmured as he looked at Allen.

[Even the sorcerers of the Assembly of Seven Elders, who drew their mana from the Wisdom of the Dragon, did not fully understand the true nature of my Arcane mana .]

Sparks crackled in Allen’s hand as he explained about his magic. A sphere of light flickered like summoned lightning in one hand, while a potent, unfathomable black magic radiated in the other.

[I told you, I can use two types of magic at once. Gustav thought my magic was a technique using lightning and flame. That in itself is remarkable. It involves different elements, after all.]

Suddenly, a burst of violet lightning enveloped the sphere as the two powers merged.

[Why are these sorcerers so closed-minded? Dragon magic is colorless magic. Having no color means it lacks properties. This means it can transcend the predetermined confines of properties.]

Indeed, Allen’s power was extraordinary.

[I've spoken before about the relationship between magic and spirits, right? The five fundamental elements of the world, Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Thunder are similar to the primeval objects of spirits.]

Even Karyl, who had no mana in his previous life, was aware of this ancient history.

The Blazing King, Ramine.

The Rocky Lord, Maktuun.

The Queen of Tides, Ethereal.

The Tempestuous Samiad.

The Thunder Lord, Kungen.

The elemental kings that had once shaped the world were gone, but their lore had endured, and although few, elemental sorcerers still existed.

[It's called the Tomb of Kungen because of the power emanating from the Fountain of Vision,] Allen continued.

Indeed, the Arcane mana he wielded seemed closest to lightning in color.

[But think about it. Have you ever seen me use thunder magic?]

Karyl recalled the first time they met at the Gray Training Ground. When Allen Javius decapitated the head of Wel Bahar, the magic he used was a 2nd Class Magic Arrow.

"No way..."

[Yes. Besides the five elements, there are two more powers.]

"Two powers...?"

[Light and darkness.] Allen spread his palms. [Even though these two clearly exist, the sorcerers have only established the five elements, and only a few lesser types of magic remain.]

"Are you saying the nature of the magic you use is not lightning and flame but light and darkness?"

[Exactly.] Allen’s lips curled into a smirk. [The Light of Lasis, the Darkness of Duart. How come the existence of these two elemental kings has vanished from the texts? It's because of the god you believe in, Yula.]

Karyl gulped. Even as he had been traveling back through the eons, he hadn’t forgotten that name.

[Light and darkness. That's the power of Yula." Allen floated lightly around Karyl in a circling motion. "This is not the elemental system concocted by mundane beings but a power close to that of a god. This is my Arcane mana.]

Boom!

As he clenched his fists, the Arcane mana in his palms exploded with a loud bang, disappearing in a blinding white light. Karyl, unprepared, turned his head away.

[And now, I will instill the knowledge you need to learn into your mind.]

Thunk. Allen's fingertip touched Karyl's forehead.

[Be grateful. This is a unique kind of magic, something that didn't exist a thousand years ago and won't exist a thousand years from now.]

Karyl had no time to react to the sudden touch.

[This is also possible with a soul contract.]

A flash brighter than any light filled Karyl’s vision, but it was not real—it occurred within his mind. It was a sensation he had never experienced before, unlike when he had read the memories of the Red Dragon Riseria after consuming the Dragon's Heart.

Formulas he had never learned, knowledge he had never seen, years of suffering, and nights of torment—now culminating in an epiphany.

"Gah... Aaghh...!"

The onslaught of knowledge crashed into Karyl's brain. Breathing felt nearly impossible, as if his heart would stop, and the world seemed to turn upside down.

If gaining a body capable of wielding magic from eating the Dragon's Heart was called a physical transformation, this was a transformation of the mind.

[Heh, this can truly be called an awakening.] Allen watched Karyl with a pleased smile.

Swish!

Karyl instinctively drew his sword. Lost in his subconscious, he began to swing wildly.

Boom! Boom!

The path of his sword erupted, light flashed, darkness swirled, flames burst forth intermittently, and the air froze.

"This can't be..." Hashir, witnessing this, felt his legs give out and collapsed helplessly.

*

"Hah... Hah..."

How long had he been swinging his sword?

Standing at the top of the ruined peak of the Abyssal Rock, Karyl gasped for breath. The dizzying pain had subsided, and with a pale face, he dropped the sword he had been holding to the ground.

"..."

Karyl closed his eyes. It seemed as if he was trying to slowly digest the knowledge that had surged into him from Allen Javius just moments ago.

[How do you feel? Now it can be said that you have reached the rank of a 4th Class sorcerer. Of course, the knowledge you've received from me goes beyond that, but you won't be able to use all of it to perfection just yet.]

Karyl slowly opened his eyes.

"You don't deserve the title of Great Sorcerer."

He realized that the knowledge he had gained was only a fraction of Allen's.

"You should be called a Sage."

[Hehehe... Have you now realized my greatness? You are indeed a lucky one.]

"It's because my vessel is excellent."

Karyl smirked with his dry lips.

[Seeing you joke like that, you must be feeling a bit better. To be honest, you were in a quite bad state.]

"What do you mean?”

[Take a look at yourself.]

Confused by Allen's words, Karyl raised his hands and looked down at his body.

"Hmm?"

He felt as though he had grown a bit more. It wasn't just his hands. The shoes he was wearing were worn out, and the tips had burst open. His clothes felt tight.

Have I... grown?

Had the Arcane mana changed his body on top of his mind? He had already been decently muscular from all the training with the sword, but now his muscles felt even more defined.

[The words of Narh Di Maug, saying that eating a dragon's heart would give you a chance to reshape yourself, weren't wrong. But think about it carefully. Without the relic left by Kaye Aesir, you would already be dead.]

"..."

[That was merely a temporary measure. It's fortunate that you had experience in your past life in growing a body that surpassed human limits, otherwise, even the Bracelet of Greed would have been meaningless.]

"What are you trying to say?"

[What happens if you keep pouring water into a small vessel? It overflows. Your body was overflowing with power, and the Bracelet of Greed was absorbing it for you.]

"I see."

[Do you think your body will stabilize just because two bloodlines become four? Logically, no. But everything about you is the opposite. It's like a dam that cracked, increasing from two to four.]

"What if, like now, an overwhelming power suddenly surged into me?" Karyl spoke in a low voice. "My limbs would shatter under the sheer pressure.”

He felt a chill down his spine. He had never worried about his physical state before. "Did Narh Di Maug lie to me?"

[No, the Platinum Dragon didn't lie. But he didn't tell you everything either.] Allen Javius laughed softly. [You're lucky. Well, I don’t like the word fate, but this must be a trick of fate. Perhaps even the being from your past life couldn't have imagined you'd meet me.]

Despite Allen's smile, Karyl's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

[I've said it repeatedly. Trusting him is your choice, but don't believe everything. Now that you have obtained Arcane mana instead of some other kind of magic, you'll be able to control the dragon's power to some extent.]

Then, Allen pointed to the Bracelet of Greed. [If necessary, you could unleash magic without dying now, although the backlash would be enormous." He emphasized his point. "Become stronger, and not just physically. If you're to overturn the fate of a god, you should be able to chew up a dragon, right?]

Karyl let out a low chuckle at Allen's words. Surprisingly, his mind, which had been tumultuous just moments before, was now settling down. He looked on coolly and thought rationally. It wasn't just the magic that had changed him; he had leaped over a wall within himself.

[With that being said...] Allen Javius looked at Karyl. [About those knights from earlier. Are you really going to leave them be?]

"What do you mean by that?"

[I get what you're thinking. As you said, it's not bad for the two brothers to keep fighting until you can bolster your influence in the South..." Allen trailed off. "But don't use that as an excuse.]

At that moment, Karyl's eyebrows twitched. "Isn't that too shallow? What was your resolve when you first stepped out of Einheri?" His voice echoed off the Abyssal Rock.

[Nareel is no longer an Oracle who will fight alongside you but an enemy who stands in your way. Do you perhaps have some leftover compassion for Olivurn, who tried to kill you?]

Karyl slowly lifted his head. Like the last chill before dawn gave way to sunrise, his mind cleared.

[If you want to be a hero, live as you did in your past life. But if you aspire to be a conqueror, you must break the mold of your thinking.]

At that moment, one of Allen Javius’s words resonated with Karyl.

[Whether it’s the first or the second prince, one of them will ultimately ascend as the emperor, and the Ryeo Knights you’ve sent will later become the emperor’s sword that will kill more of your soldiers.]

Allen grimaced. [There are countless reasons and excuses, but the truth is singular. Those who stand in your way, no matter who they are, are ultimately just enemies. Nothing more, nothing less.]

Crack—

Karyl gripped his sword tighter. He knew better than anyone.

[You use plausible excuses to convince me, but it's not the dead, like me, you need to convince. It's those who follow you.]

Allen sensed it was time for his final question. [Why do you fight?]

"To change the future." Karyl nodded slowly.

[That's enough.]

At that moment, Allen Javius's figure blurred. [Heh, heh... My dear, it seems I must say goodbye for a while. My work is done; teaching Mikhail is up to you now. You have my knowledge.]

"Goodbye? What do you mean?"

[Due to passing on the Arcane mana, I no longer have the strength to maintain my spirit form.]

Karyl quickly reached out toward the fading figure. "What...? You said that I could manifest you with my power!”

[Heh, heh... See? You're still naive. I'm like the Platinum Dragon. It's not a lie, but it's not the whole truth either. Maybe when you can properly wield this power...]

Allen Javius’s voice was fading as well. Stunned by the sudden departure, Karyl could only stare at where Allen’s figure had been moments ago.

[This was fun. And don't wait...]

"Allen...!!!" His final words lingered in Karyl's ears.

[Grow stronger and tougher, even if it means walking a path of blood. My only disciple, Karyl MacGovern...]