The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 333: The Talk with Gordon (1)

“Bullshit,” Karyl spat, distancing himself from Gordon.

“It’s up to you whether you believe it.”

Swoosh―!!

A gust of wind ruffled Gordon’s hair. Unlike when they first met, his overgrown beard and unkempt hair made him look like a wild beast.

How could this be Gordon...?

In his previous life, the one who had revealed the secret of the Thousand-Year Ice Cave was Kuwell MacGovern.

However, it was completely impossible for Gordon to be involved in this. After all, was closer to Kuwell than any other Sword Master. Given his dealings with the former emperor, Titan Shutean, he had naturally come into contact with the famed knight as well.

But since when? Even if there had been contact, it was crucial for Karyl to determine exactly when it had happened—a time he was unaware of.

“Is that why you sided with Olivurn?”

At that, Gordon merely shrugged.

Irritated by his nonchalant attitude, Karyl thrust the blade of Lakna into the deck of the airship.

Rumble...

The airship emitted black smoke and shook.

[You’re not seriously thinking of crashing this thing, are you?] Allen asked cautiously, his voice tinged with worry.

“I don’t know what you saw in the north, but Gordon, you’ve picked the wrong side. The north is our land. Whatever secrets you uncovered there should have been shared with me, not with the empire.”

“So you’re one of those who divides people based on bloodlines,” Gordon remarked with a bitter smile. Imperials and outsiders, huh?”

There’s no way...

Karyl wondered if Gordon had really seen the ice pillar inside the Thousand-Year Ice Cave.

The first Bladers were descendants of those who had lost their mana in their rebellion against the gods. On the other hand, the Bladers who had sided with the gods retained their mana and became the ancestors of the empire.

Though they shared the same lineage as Bladers, their fates diverged completely. During the Mythical Era, there were no such divisions, but in this era, no one thought it was possible for them to coexist. Even in the Oracle war, humans and gods took opposing sides.

He did say “we.” Could he have really gone to the Thousand-Year Ice Cave with Kuwell?

Karyl gripped his sword tighter.

“Even so, that doesn’t justify siding with Olivurn. Whatever you saw, what I gained in the north is the conviction to carry out my will.”

“That’s just like you.”

“So we remain enemies.”

Tat tat tat!

Karyl sprinted lightly across the deck. In an instant, the distance between them shrank, and his speed continued to increase. He twisted just before reaching Gordon, then vanished in a blur.

Swish!!

Leaping to the side, Karyl angled his sword downward.

The Second Stance: Unicorn Posture.

The silver-gray blade of Lakna aimed for Gordon’s nape from the upper right.

“Hup!”

Gordon quickly bent and raised his hammer, Martyr. Predicting the move, Karyl stepped on the rising hammer, flipping midair. He soared above Gordon, reversing his grip on Agnel’s hilt and pressing down on the dagger’s handle with his palm.

The First Stance: Crown Posture.

As if using the force from Gordon's fierce attack to his advantage, Karyl’s sword cleaved through the air, repelling the wind pressure from the hammer.

Swish―!

Lakna’s blade grazed Gordon’s side, leaving a trail of crimson droplets that splattered onto Karyl’s cheek.

Bzzzz......!!

But Gordon seemed unfazed, instead swinging Martyr with all his strength.

“Hyaaah...!!”

Gordon’s arms bulged as if they were about to burst.

Boom―!!

The ceiling of the airship shook loudly, and the surrounding shields flickered with a translucent, milky light before vanishing.

“Everyone focus!! Don’t lose balance!! If we fall here, we’re screwed!”

Debris fell as the deck ceiling collapsed. Clutching the control panel, Jaygun muttered in a low voice. “Damn it! Is the captain really planning to destroy the entire airship? At this rate, we'll crash before any aerial assault even happens."

It was then—

“Vice-captain!! The entrance to the Carton Canyon is in sight! We need to increase altitude!” a subordinate shouted.

“We’re here already...”

Jaygun swallowed nervously as he gazed at the countless towering mountains that seemed to pierce the sky like massive pillars.

The gaps between the canyon walls were incredibly intricate, and with the relentless blizzard, it seemed like a spider’s web, threatening to trap anything trying to pass through. For that reason, people referred to the Carton Canyon as the Sky Spider’s Web, saying that only dragons could pass through this natural trap.

“Phew...”

Jaygun exhaled, trying to calm his racing heart as he pushed the airship to its maximum speed. The canyon’s end led westward from the northern region toward the strait.

Once they reached the strait, the plan was to circle around, pass through Tramel, and launch a surprise attack on Tatur with the airship, which was the primary objective of the Guidance Mercenary Gang.

To pass through the canyon, they needed to rise above the clouds, where the blizzard wouldn’t reach them. At that altitude, the air would be thinner. Only the Guidance Mercenary Gang, equipped with an airship capable of flying higher than even dragon units could reach, could execute this mission.

“We’ll break through.”

“What?!”

“If we ascend any higher, there won’t be enough oxygen. No matter how insanely strong the captain is, he’s still human. Without air, he’ll die.”

“B-But...”

The subordinates glanced at the canyon nervously, their eyes widening. They knew that even with an airship, passing through the canyon directly was incredibly dangerous.

“Are you scared? Hey, you cowards! Are you planning to get the captain killed?!”

Crunch―

At Jaygun’s sharp reprimand, all crew members quickly turned their heads back to the front.

“Buckle up!”

Jaygun looked at the relentless blizzard pouring into the canyon like hail.

“Anyone who wets his pants will be a laughingstock for the rest of their life after the war!”

Though they were heading into the darkness of the endless canyon, Jaygun spoke not of death but of survival. Ironically, as the vice-captain of the Guidance Mercenary Gang, he seemed to finally understand Gordon’s perspective.

Perhaps, just a little, he shared the captain's mindset.

Rumble...!!

The airship roared as it plunged into the depths of the canyon.

***

Boom―!!

Marty’s head tore through the snowstorm as it hurtled toward Karyl.

[Use Destruction Strike,] Allen’s voice followed.

“...”

But Karyl hesitated, his grip on Lakna faltering.

I can win without using it.

[Is it because you’re worried about the airship breaking?]

This is the only tool that can fly. It will be crucial in the Oracle War.

As Martyr passed just above his head, Karyl twisted Agnel’s blade to deflect the attack.

“Tsk!”

The brief impact caused Gordon to stagger, and Martyr wobbled, veering dangerously toward the airship’s wings. Just as Karyl predicted, Gordon barely managed to redirect Martyr before it struck the airship.

However, Gordon’s massive arms absorbed the recoil entirely, his muscles twisting with a sickening crunch.

Gordon has his own restrictions, just like me.

Karyl clicked his tongue as he watched, confirming his suspicions. Despite the relentless clash, Gordon had yet to land a single hit on him. And now, Karyl understood why.

As Martyr came to a halt, Karyl sprang onto the hammer’s head, forcing it deeper into the ship.

“...”

“It seems you’re worried about the airship. You can’t swing your hammer vertically because you’re afraid of damaging the deck. No matter how strong your attacks are, if the trajectory is predictable, they pose no real threat.”

But the reply came from elsewhere.

[It’s not about the people inside? Sure, you might argue that the big brute is concerned about his subordinates, but your explanation doesn’t make sense.]

Karyl hid his expression.

[You’re unexpectedly soft-hearted. Perhaps it’s because of the loneliness of your past life, but as I’ve warned you repeatedly, that softness will be your downfall.]

Allen’s voice was stern, like a warning.

[Cut off Gordon’s head right now.]

It was then...

Crack―

Karyl gripped Lakna’s hilt tighter, as though steeling himself.

The mercenaries watching through the control room’s screen shouted in shock, “Vice-captain!!”

Jaygun turned pale, grinding his teeth.

“Damn it!!”

He violently jerked the control lever in the opposite direction.

“Hold on tight!”

Suddenly, the airship’s left wing tilted sharply upward, almost flipping over.

“Argh!”

“Ahhh!”

The subordinates screamed as they clung to their armrests, but several of them were thrown to the floor, rolling around.

Boom!

The sudden turbulence forced Karyl to pause. He tried to regain his balance before drawing his sword on Gordon.

“Crazy bastards... Now that’s the Guidance Mercenary Gang for you.”

Even as the airship wobbled, with one of its wings broken, Gordon smirked. Then, as if waiting for the perfect moment, he reached out and grabbed Karyl by the collar, yanking him hard.

“Thinking about something else in the middle of a fight? You’re right, this place isn’t ideal for battle.”

The massive Gordon pulled Karyl into a tight embrace.

“In that case, we should go somewhere more suited for fighting.”

Karyl hastily thrust Agnel into Gordon’s abdomen to break free.

Clang!!

But Agnel failed to pierce, instead bouncing off with a reverberating clang.

Automata...!

It was Gordon Fabian’s ultimate defense technique, based on earth-element magic. The solid earthen armor encasing his body began to shift, enveloping Karyl as if to devour him.

“My subordinates are risking their lives, so as their captain, I can’t afford to hold back. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Damn it!!”

Karyl quickly gathered his mana.

Crack!!

He bent his arms and drove both elbows out, shattering the earthen barrier that held him, sending dirt flying in every direction. For a moment, he staggered as the crumbling wall turned silvery and scattered like dust in the wind.

“Trying to break free like that will only get you hurt. I put every ounce of my power into this. Despite how I may seem, my magic reserves aren’t inferior to other Sword Masters.”

As Karyl attempted to push Gordon away and escape his grasp, the momentary stumble allowed Gordon to grip him even tighter.

“The earth element has a unique trait—it absorbs magic. Automata became an ultimate defense technique because it can absorb the magic attacks of enemies.”

Gordon’s arms, holding Karyl in a vice grip, felt stronger than ever.

“The harder you struggle, the stronger I become.”

Crunch...

To Karyl’s shock, Gordon’s arms glimmered with a faint silvery light, only for a moment.

[Could it be that he can absorb even magic infused with Divine Power?? No matter how powerful the earth element is, that should be impossible... This ability doesn’t make sense. Something’s off.]

Allen seemed genuinely astonished, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on questions.

“Ugh?!”

Trapped as if pinned by a stone pillar, Karyl tried to pry Gordon’s arms free, but it was futile. He struggled desperately, never anticipating that Gordon would use defensive magic like this.

As proof of his complete commitment, Gordon allowed his earthen armor to fully envelop Karyl, leaving himself unprotected.

“You’re thinking of falling from this height with just your body? Even you can’t survive that.”

“Heheh... That’s the life of a mercenary. We always carry death right around our necks.”

Ignoring the peril, Gordon strode confidently toward the edge of the airship.

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“Gordon...!!”

The height was dizzying, and the sharp canyon rocks jutted up like spikes.

“Hraaahhhhh...!!”

Without a second thought, Gordon leaped off the airship, dragging Karyl with him into the abyss below.