The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 287: The Greatest Swordsman

“...What?! How dare you...!!”

The emperor’s voice echoed through the chamber as he slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. However, his strength was all but spent, making him look more pitiful than menacing.

“You shouldn’t overexert yourself. If you collapsed from exhaustion, who would benefit from that? Your sons are probably already praying for your demise,” Karyl sneered.

“Silence!!”

It was then that a light emanated from beneath Karyl’s feet, activating a massive sigil inscribed on the floor.

Swish...!!

Golden ropes shot up from the ground, binding Karyl.

Boom—!!

At the same moment, a group of priests burst through the doors. According to the armbands they wore, they were all 1st Class combat priests. Seeing the man leading them, Karyl smiled as though greeting an old friend.

It was the Madman of the Battlefield, Yurin Huygar. However, contrary to his fearsome reputation, Yurin’s face was tense as he looked at Karyl.

“It’s been a while. I thought you’d be serving the empire by now, but it seems you’re still with the Church. Or are you here just because of the emperor?” Karyl asked, a hint of mockery in his tone.

“May Yula’s blessing be upon you, Agnus,” Yurin replied, ignoring Karyl’s remark. He brought his mace to his chest in a gesture of blessing, and a soft, milky light enveloped him.

The combat priests behind him also released their aura.

“You think a simple blessing spell will get the job done? Take your time. I’ll wait. Prepare as much as you can,” Karyl said in a low voice. “If you don’t, you’ll die.”

“...Nonsense! This is the Church’s highest-level sealing formation!” one of the priests shot back, clearly more confident than Yurin. “Not even a king can escape punishment for stirring chaos in the Holy City! Restrain him!!”

Crack... Crack...!!

But just then, Karyl exerted his strength, and the sigil on the floor began to crack.

Boom!!

With a loud crash, the golden bindings around Karyl’s arms shattered into pieces, and the sigil on the floor split in half.

“I-Impossible...”

The priests, now visibly shaken, could only watch in disbelief as their formidable sealing spell crumbled to dust.

Step, step...

Karyl brushed the remains of the shattered sigil off his shoulders and began to walk forward. The combat priests, tense and on high alert, kept their weapons ready, but Karyl paid them no heed as he passed by.

“Yurin Huygar,” Karyl began, lightly patting Yurin on the shoulder.

Ssss...!!

Suddenly, smoke rose from Yurin’s shoulder; his robe sizzled, leaving a charred hole.

“Argh...!” Yurin winced in pain.

“You don’t actually think you can fight me, do you?” Karyl’s voice was calm, but the threat was clear.

The memories of the overwhelming power he had felt in the Flame Dragon’s lair resurfaced in Yurin’s mind, causing him to tremble.

“What’s Jake’s condition?” Karyl asked, his tone firm.

"...The fifth son of the MacGovern family is safe,” Yurin replied in a voice that barely registered above a whisper.

“So there’s no danger to him as a hostage,” Karyl said, more a statement than a question.

Yurin nodded in response, but the emperor, still trying to grasp the situation, shouted in disbelief, “Wh-What are you saying? What is happening here?!”

Disregarding his outburst, Karyl turned to Titan Shutean, who was now visibly shaken.

“Emperor,” Karyl began, his tone cold and unyielding.

“...!!”

The emperor stiffened as Karyl loomed over him.

“Are you sure you’re not out of cards to play? If you really thought you could take me on with just a few combat priests and a hostage, you’d better start thinking of a new plan right now.”

“You...!”

It was then that a thunderous roar filled the room.

“Karyl!!”

BOOOOOM―!!!

The sound was deafening, and for the first time during this exchange, Karyl flinched slightly.

“What in the world do you think you’re doing?!”

The voice, filled with such force it seemed to shake the very foundation of the room, caused those present to drop their weapons in fear.

Kuwell MacGovern had arrived.

His presence alone was a testament to his being the greatest swordsman on the continent, but what was even more shocking was that Karyl, who had taken the full brunt of Kuwell’s attack, stood there without a scratch.

“I was merely inquiring about Jake’s safety,” Karyl said calmly.

“And you think... that’s something to be discussed right now?! You’ve drawn your sword against His Majesty! You think you’ll walk away from this unscathed?"

“And what if I don’t?” Karyl retorted. “I’ve handled family matters as you desired, Father, but now it’s time to decide. Are you Sir Kuwell MacGovern of the empire, or are you the head of the MacGovern family?"

Kuwell felt the weight of Karyl’s question like a dagger aimed directly at his heart. He knew he couldn’t remain indecisive any longer, not with his disciples watching and Karyl having already declared his stance.

“I am...” Kuwell began, his face hardening as he locked eyes with Karyl. “I am a knight of the empire!”

Swish—!

Kuwell’s sword cut through the air with such tremendous speed that it seemed to vanish outright. Even the most skilled knights would struggle to track his movements.

BOOOOOM―!!

But Karyl was ready. He blocked Kuwell’s strike aimed directly at his chest, the force of the blow sending a numbing sensation through his wrist.

He’s faster than he was at the peak of his power in my past life.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

As the future had shifted, it seemed something within Kuwell had changed as well, making him even stronger than before.

What could have happened?

Karyl could feel that Kuwell’s sword had become heavier, more refined, as if the completion of a swordsmanship that had once seemed just out of reach in his previous life might now be within grasp.

“I never imagined I’d draw my sword against you except to teach you,” Kuwell said, leveling his beloved sword, Yulstern, at Karyl.

Passed down through generations of the MacGovern family, the sword glowed with a soft jade light as Kuwell infused it with his fire-based mana. The blade’s brilliance intensified, shimmering like a radiant emerald—a weapon worthy of its reputation, rivaling even the five great blades of Blader.

“Huuup...”

As Kuwell inhaled deeply, Yulstern’s blade pulsed with even more powerful mana, the air around it seeming to hum with energy.

He’s a 6th Class swordsman...

Karyl immediately recognized the power being condensed in Kuwell’s sword. Although not as potent as Karyl’s dragon mana, Kuwell’s mana was just as pure—if not purer.

“Congratulations on your achievement,” Karyl said, genuinely impressed. “You’ve grown even more formidable since I last saw you in the capital. Breaking through the wall of the 5th Class is no small feat... Truly remarkable.”

Despite the tension of their blades poised against one another, Karyl couldn’t help but admire Kuwell’s strength. Having reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship in his previous life and honing his skills further in the endless time within the Pharel tower, Karyl knew better than anyone how difficult it was to surpass the boundaries of mana.

Even with the vast knowledge left behind by the Great Sorcerer Allen Javius, Karyl understood that crossing the barrier between classes wasn’t simply a matter of accumulating power—it required extraordinary talent, something Kuwell clearly possessed.

“It was a stroke of luck,” Kuwell replied, his tone grave. “I doubt I would have reached this level on my own. But to think I’d have to use this achievement to stand against you...”

...A stroke of luck? Karyl’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“It was just a whim. I wondered who among the continent's three strongest could truly claim the top. Of course, political games prevent them from directly clashing, so I sought them out myself,” Narh Di Maug’s voice echoed in Karyl’s mind.

Karyl recalled his first encounter with Narh Di Maug in his past life. What had shocked him more than meeting a dragon was learning that Narh Di Maug had once visited the MacGovern mansion.

“And what did you find?” Karyl asked.

“Honestly? It was disappointing. They said he was the pinnacle among the five Sword Masters, but...”

Narh Di Maug’s evaluation was cutting.

“Was he lacking that much?”

“Age was his downfall. He seemed perfect, but in truth, his swordsmanship was incomplete. Had he been younger, his achievements might have been different.”

That conversation had led Karyl to discover that the dragon’s heart was sealed within Einheri, allowing him to acquire dragon mana after his return. However, since he had left the mansion after that, he had missed Narh Di Maug’s visit.

“...”

In his previous life, Karyl had spent most of his time at the mansion confined to his room, and so, he hadn’t expected much to come of a meeting between Kuwell and the Platinum Dragon, whether he was there or not.

Could it be...? Karyl shook his head, dismissing the thought.

For his suspicion to be true, too many unlikely factors would have to align. It seemed far-fetched, even to him. But then again, everything that had happened up to this point was beyond anyone’s imagination.

“If I asked about this stroke of luck, you wouldn’t tell me, would you?” Karyl shrugged, knowing full well this wasn’t the time for a leisurely conversation about swordsmanship.

Two warriors stood face to face, both having reached the realm of the Grand Master.

Thud... Thud!!!

With each step Kuwell took, the shattered floor sank under the pressure, as if it were soft clay.

He’s incredible...

The three disciples who had followed Kuwell were stunned, never having seen their master exert himself fully. Naturally, they couldn’t help being astonished.

But Karyl, unlike the others, was certain the moment he faced Kuwell. Even among Sword Masters, Kuwell was different. Karyl hadn’t felt such a tremor in his heart even when facing Gordon Fabian or Ganeth Avelant.

“You are truly remarkable,” Karyl said earnestly. “I once told the empress of the south...”

“...?”

Kuwell's attention remained fixed on Karyl, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected statement.

“The position of the Sword Masters has remained stagnant for far too long,” Karyl went on.

“That structure has already been broken. You have ascended to the rank of Sword Master, have you not?” Kuwell responded, still processing Karyl’s words.

“Not just me. She has also reached the rank of Sword Master.”

Kuwell’s face hardened at this revelation, knowing Karyl’s connection to the south. With only five Sword Masters on the continent, even the emergence of one more was a significant gain. However, Karyl had just implied that his faction alone had two Sword Masters.

“And there will be more to come,” Karyl added, glancing meaningfully at the three figures standing behind Kuwell.

“Indeed,” Kuwell replied, trying to shake off the unease growing within him. He knew the three he had chosen would become a formidable force, potentially making the empire the holder of the most Sword Masters.

What he didn’t know was that Karyl had already identified others—Suan Hazer, Aidan, and Greys Fanpinel of the Three Kingdoms of Istria—who had the potential to join the ranks of Sword Masters under his guidance.

“But why mention this now?” Kuwell asked, his suspicion growing.

Karyl smiled lightly at the question.

“The fact that the number of Sword Masters has increased means that the hierarchy among the strong can also change.”

“...What?”

Clink—

Karyl drew his Freezing Talon.

Whirrrrr...!!

As the blade vibrated with a resonant hum, a fierce white frost emanated from it, accompanied by searing flames that surged from behind Karyl.

Crunch—

Karyl gripped the hilt tightly, and the cold and heat seemed to be drawn into the blade, condensing into a single, concentrated force.

Sizzle... Sssss...!!

The power of the Blazing King and the Queen of Tides fused with his Arcane mana, producing a ferocious Arcane Blade that crackled with energy.

“Have you not held that title for too long?” Karyl asked, his voice filled with a quiet intensity.

Kuwell, who had never seen such a display of sword energy before, stared at Karyl with a tense expression.

“That moniker you go by, the Greatest Swordsman,” Karyl said in a low voice, his eyes locked onto Kuwell’s.

“It’s time to renounce it.”