Chapter 305: The Sword Festival (3)
Karyl looked at the transformed Hwarin with a look of disbelief.
“I never thought I’d see a War Wolf, a supposedly extinct monster, here.”
[How dare you compare a Lycanthrope to a mere War Wolf? The Lycanthropes of the Mythical Era were on a completely different level from such lower creatures,] Mael retorted while sounding his pride clearly hurt.
[Remember, she wields a Master Key just like you. She’s not to be taken lightly,] the snake added.
“Krrrrr...”
[Still, she’s nothing more than a beast now. Look at her—she’s lost her mind. Just like in the Mythical Era, wielding a Master Key turns its user into a monster.]
Mael’s cold tongue flicked out as he eyed the now beastly Hwarin.
Karyl ignored Mael’s commentary and focused his Arcane Blade on the Freezing Talon. Unlike when he had faced the other tribal leaders, the mana he had concentrated now in his blade was of an entirely different caliber.
Crackle... Zzzt—!!
The blade of the Freezing Talon hummed with electricity, growling at Hwarin as though issuing her a warning.
“Grrrrrr...!!”
But instead of being intimidated, Hwarin only seemed to grow more aggressive, her bloodlust palpable.
Her aura is incredible... I might actually have to use this for the first time, Karyl thought.
His eyes fell on the red ring on his finger, a relic he had obtained in the black markets of Tatur—the Four Canines.
This ring, acclaimed as the masterpiece of gnome artisan Calypson, continuously siphoned its wearer’s mana to generate a powerful barrier. Karyl had saved it for a confrontation with the gods, but now, in the face of Hwarin’s overwhelming presence, he was tempted to use it.
Whoosh—!
Both fighters moved simultaneously without a word, Hwarin initiating the assault with a sweeping strike of her sharp claws.
Voosh—!
Karyl ducked, narrowly avoiding the attack, though a few strands of his hair were still cut off, drifting away in the wind.
Clang... Clang! Clang!
Karyl unleashed his full strength, his blade flashing as he struck. The concentrated Arcane Blade burst forth, extending the energy surrounding the Freezing Talon into a massive greatsword.
The Fourth Stance: Riffle Posture.
Even amid Hwarin’s relentless attacks, Karyl not only matched her speed but pushed himself even faster. His blade pierced toward Hwarin’s side, but she responded by throwing a powerful punch, completely unbothered by the enormous blade.
When their weapons collided, the snow around them erupted into the air, disintegrating into powder as if a fierce wind blew around them.
“Kaahhh!” Hwarin bared her fangs at Karyl, roaring at him.
The snow cleared, but Karyl had vanished. He was above her, descending with a vicious slash of his sword.
Hwarin instinctively raised her arms to block the overhead attack.
The Fifth Stance: Spirale Serpent Posture.
At the last moment, Karyl retracted his strike, narrowly missing Hwarin by a hair’s breadth.
He dropped low, almost grazing the ground, and then slid into her range while thrusting his blade forward. Dropping low, he nearly skimmed the ground before sliding into her range, driving his blade forward in a sharp thrust.
CRASH!
As Karyl’s sword cut into Hwarin’s side, a deafening explosion rang out, followed by the sound of grinding metal.
“...!!”
Amazingly, when Karyl tried to withdraw his sword, Hwarin didn't seem to feel any pain. Instead, she grabbed the blade of Freezing Talon with her hand, the very blade that had just cut through her side.
Hwarin forcefully pulled Karyl toward her before swinging a punch at him.
Thud...!!
Crack...!!
With a dull sound, Hwarin's punch sent Karyl's head snapping back. The force of the blow hurled him across the snow, where he tumbled several times before finally coming to a stop.
“Lord!!” Aidan cried out in shock at the sight.
“...Tsk.”
Karyl spat out blood, wiped his mouth, and stood up.
“That’s some monstrous strength.”
He had twisted just enough to avoid a fatal blow, but pain still surged through his jaw, the impact leaving his head ringing.
Crack...
Rumble...
The wound Karyl had inflicted on Hwarin’s side was already healing. Her muscles knitted together stopping the bleeding and leaving no trace of the injury.
“Damn it...” Karyl muttered through clenched teeth.
[The Master Key holds the power of a god’s contender, capable of killing a god. That power is nothing short of divine, far beyond what any mortal force can hope to handle.]
There was a trace of both amusement and exhilaration in Mael’s voice, sparked by Karyl’s struggle and the presence of another Master Key.
The Bladers were human, while the power within me isn’t human, but draconic, Karyl responded.
[I’m not belittling human strength. I’m just saying that this monster’s power is formidable. Her Master Key holds the Lycanthrope’s ability, which is instant regeneration. It’s nearly impossible to inflict lasting wounds on her because of her almost infinite healing capabilities,] Mael explained as he crawled up Karyl’s arm.
Then how do I land a decisive blow? Karyl asked.
[Fortunately, that woman isn’t a Blader. She’s not wielding the Will of the Lycan; she’s controlled by it. That means she can’t fully harness the instant regeneration.]
Mael’s voice dripped with a hint of satisfaction.
[Use my power.]
The same sweet, tempting voice from the days in the principality whispered in Karyl’s ear.
[Remember, I was the victor in the contest for the Unchanging Seat, and I even defeated the Lycanthrope. The one who overcame that monster is right here by your side,] Mael whispered, and he almost sounded hungry.
[There are plenty of ways to kill her. Regeneration isn’t the same as immortality.]
With a sinister chuckle, Mael slithered down Karyl’s arm and into the blade of the Freezing Talon.
[Ethereal. I’ll be borrowing this blade for a while. I’ll also need your power. You're the only one who can withstand my poison,] Mael said as he addressed the other entities within Karyl's weapons.
[Ramine. I’ll need your flames to burn away my poison,] the snake added as he licked the Ein Trigger embedded in Karyl’s hand.
Suddenly, Mael's form split into two distinct hues—red and blue. The colors swirled together, merging into a vivid shade of violet. With that, Mael’s form swelled briefly before returning to its original blue.
“...”
Witnessing the transformation, Karyl felt like this violet energy was Mael’s version of Arcane Mana.
[That’s it,] Mael concluded in a satisfied tone. [Yes, this is much more fitting than becoming like a wolf.]
With a sneer, Mael turned back toward Hwarin.
[You want to know how to defeat her? It’s simple. Sink this blade into her neck.]
Sizzle...
The Freezing Talon quivered as if in pain. Ironically, while its blade radiated a fierce frost aura, an intense heat swirled within its core. Alongside that, Karyl could feel a deadly poison radiating from the sword, so potent it felt like the blade might shatter at any moment.
“...”
Having absorbed a dragon’s heart and acquired draconic resilience, Karyl had never feared poison before. But this time, he felt like Mael’s poison was something he couldn’t handle on his own.
You really are dangerous. I finally understand why you’re the only one among the Godslayers who was separately sealed. Your poison is potent enough to kill even your own wielder, Karyl remarked as he warily eyed the poisonous blade.
[Heh... Isn’t this what you wanted, to defeat that wolf? You can back down if you want, but the Karyl I know wouldn’t do something so cowardly,] Mael taunted.
You’re right. There are some powers you can only gain by taking risks, Karyl agreed, preparing himself. But don’t try to provoke me with words like “cowardly,” and don’t get cocky. Handling you isn’t a challenge or a risk for me.
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[...]
Mael fell silent at Karyl's sharp retort.
Karyl had traveled through time, living in an era beyond the myths and legends, spending eons within Pharel. Not even a Blader of the Mythical Era could grasp what Karyl had endured in that god-forsaken tower.
“Raaahh...!!”
Sensing the danger posed by Karyl, Hwarin lunged at him with a predatory instinct. Her massive frame soared into the air before plummeting down with immense force.
Boom!!
Her claws tore into the ground, sending soil and stone flying in every direction. Without hesitation, she drew her left arm back and swung it toward Karyl’s side.
CRASH!
The impact unleashed a deafening boom as her claws tore into the spot Karyl had occupied. Seizing the opportunity, Karyl moved to strike from behind, but Hwarin instinctively raised her arm to block his sword, narrowly avoiding the blade.
Slash!
They exchanged dozens, then hundreds of blows in mere moments. Although brief, their fierce clash kept onlookers riveted.
Whoosh—!!
Karyl’s sword narrowly missed Hwarin’s shoulder, grazing past it.
Sizzle...!!
Mael's poison seared Hwarin's skin on contact, sending up dark, acrid smoke as her flesh sizzled.
“Kaaaah!!” Hwarin let out a sharp, guttural scream, her fur standing on end.
At that moment, a sharp wind whirled around her.
Whoosh!!!
The small vortex split into two, then into four, surrounding Karyl.
Boom!!
Just before the four vortices could converge on him, Karyl positioned the Freezing Talon horizontally, readying his stance.
The Fifth Stance: Spirale Serpent Posture.
He braced himself, preparing to slash through the incoming whirlwinds with all his might.
Kaang! Crrrnnnk...!!
The vortex struck the blade of the Freezing Talon with a sharp metallic clang, followed by a grating sound like gears grinding together.
“Ugh?!”
The force wasn’t entirely intangible. The unexpected solidity of the vortex caused Karyl to stagger, leaving him vulnerable to the sharp winds that targeted him.
“Grrrrr...!!”
Hwarin leaped into the vortex, her massive claws descending upon Karyl with ferocious intent.
Slash!
Mael flicked his tongue at Karyl, as if urging him to hand over control already.
[Karyl, focus more on your mana. You possess the powers of a Spirit King and a divine being, but that doesn’t mean you’re either of those. No matter the power, the principle of imbuing mana into a sword remains the same.]
It was Allen’s voice that echoed in his mind.
[Don't be swayed by what that snakehead says.]
Karyl’s hands swept through the air, leaving fleeting symbols in the dark smoke as it dispersed.
[You have your own way of wielding them—an entirely human way.]
Even in this perilous moment, Karyl couldn’t help but chuckle at Allen’s words.
[Don’t get cocky. You’re not yet at my level of the 7th Class. There are still countless paths for you to explore in mastering mana.]
I know, Karyl thought as he closed his eyes.
Instead of reacting to Hwarin’s imminent attack, Karyl visualized the next second, then acted a second before that.
Whoosh—!!
Crack—!!
Karyl’s sword moved in a strange, twisted manner, as if manifesting his intentions into reality. It was a technique he had developed while cutting down countless Tarak within Pharel, but something was different this time. A new, unfamiliar warmth surged within him, spreading from his mana veins throughout his body.
At that moment, as he dodged Hwarin’s descending fist, Karyl felt something he had never experienced before.
He had spent eons perfecting his five stances, believing them to be the epitome of swordsmanship. But in that fleeting moment, Karyl wondered if, like the assassins of the Eastern Land, he too had been overconfident in his own sword techniques.
The stances he had perfected at Pharel were shaped entirely by his own experiences, but the Karyl of this timeline was different. With mana now coursing through him, he might forge a new pinnacle of magic swordsmanship, something his past self couldn’t have imagined.
“...”
But before he could fully grasp that elusive feeling, the battle with Hwarin reached its conclusion.
Woosh! Shlick—!
Karyl’s sword carved a graceful arc through the air, cutting cleanly through Hwarin.
“Gah...! Ugh...!”
As the blade pierced her neck, Mael’s deadly poison instantly spread through Hwarin’s, causing her entire body to swell as if her blood vessels were about to burst. Her skin, now tinged with a sickly blue, seemed to pulse with the venom.
“Cough!!”
She spat out a mouthful of blood before collapsing to her knees, her monstrous form reverting to that of a human.
“The elders are likely watching this from somewhere.”
“If they refuse to acknowledge what they’ve seen here, I’ll personally drag them by the collar.”
“Of course. There’s no room for argument.”
The young chiefs, having witnessed Karyl’s prowess, spoke with expressions of disbelief.
Hashir stepped forward, removing his cloak to cover Hwarin’s fallen form.
[I’m sure you felt it too, the new power within your mana veins. That’s a force beyond mana itself.]
As Karyl slowly opened his eyes, savoring the sensation he had just experienced, Mael’s voice echoed in his mind.
Was that your doing?
[Of course. For a brief moment, you were connected to my power. It’s a different form of divine transformation than the one the woman underwent.]
Hmm... Karyl mused while clenching and unclenching his fist.
[That is divine power,] Mael revealed with a firm expression, his voice barely above a whisper.
[Divine power, my foot. Just because you have mana doesn’t mean everyone becomes a sorcerer. That’s your own strength, the evolution of the swordsmanship you’ve created yourself.]
Karyl smiled faintly at Allen’s words.
Both of you are too chatty.
But soon, the side effects of that power became clear. It felt as if his mana veins had been drained completely, leaving him with a crippling thirst and deep exhaustion. Karyl staggered, as though every ounce of his energy had been drained.
“Lord...!!”
Aidan rushed forward to support him, but Karyl promptly waved him off, signaling that he was fine. In that moment, more than ever, he couldn’t afford to appear weak or lean on anyone for support.
“Hwarin, I don’t believe you’ll die from this. Even before you used that artifact, you were already a warrior of monstrous strength.”
“Ha... Haha...”
Sprawled on the floor and completely unable to move, Hwarin could only laugh weakly in response to Karyl’s words.
“Bring the festival to its end.”
“...”
At that, Hwarin gazed up at the sky.
“People of the north...!”
Her voice rang out across the landscape.
“Waaaaaaah...!!”
“Hoaaaahhh...!!”
In that split second, hundreds, if not thousands, of tribespeople on the hilltop lifted their weapons to the heavens, shouting their battle cries and cheering in unison.
The chiefs kneeled, the pain of the wounds inflicted by Karyl overshadowing the chill of the snow. But more than that, they felt the thunderous cheers resonating deep within their chests, stirring them to the core.
In a low voice, Hwarin declared, “Announce the birth of the new Great Warrior.”