The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 373: The Final Battle (4)

“Scapegoat of Yula!”

As Rael began chanting, Karyl lunged at her and clasped her face, trying to prevent her from speaking. However, her voice kept echoing directly within his mind.

[May your sins be judged!]

Thoom!

Light erupted from Rael, the powerful force knocking Karyl away.

Now free from Karyl’s grasp, Rael seized the opportunity to go on the offensive. She swung her staff, adorned with a large holy orb, first downward and then upward in a sweeping arc, tracing a triangle in the air.

“Atonement!”

As the orb at the tip of her staff glowed, a fierce lightning bolt struck down toward Karyl.

Crash...!!

The ceiling of the Sun Hall collapsed as the radiant energy surged—a power far beyond anything Kadin Luer had unleashed before.

Clang—!!

Karyl quickly swung Lakna upward to intercept the attack. The clash of his blade against Rael’s radiant power reverberated through the Sun Hall, like the toll of a great bell.

Previously unshaken by the spells unleashed at him, Karyl now staggered slightly.

“Fight, warriors of Yula! Let light guide our path! Extinction to the heretics!”

Rael’s powerful voice filled the hall. She was totally different from the emotionless girl Karyl had encountered in the lair of the Platinum Dragon.

Thud!! Crash...!!

As her command echoed, a massive rectangular shield fell between Allen and the priests he was battling.

“Ugh...?!”

Allen grimaced in pain as the walls glowing with Divine Power closed in on him.

Karyl recognized the Saint Barrier immediately. He was familiar with its power, having fought in wars and faced the Tarak under its blessing. It was one of the Church’s most potent blessings—a high-tier spell that only a bishop could cast.

The radiant shield repelled enemies while blessing allies passing through it. The priests touched by the Saints Barrier felt an overwhelming surge of strength and fervor.

“Oooooh...!”

“This is truly a blessing!”

“Victory for Yula’s faith!”

The priests raised their weapons, the fear instilled by Allen’s dark power having disappeared completely. Yurin Huygar, however, remained frozen in place, despite having received the same blessing. Some found this strange, but Allen only smirked at the sight.

Meanwhile, the fragments of Olivurn’s barrier converged around him, forming a smaller, more durable sphere for even more protection.

Boom!!

Karyl struck the sphere protecting Olivurn, but the impact sounded different from before—solid, impenetrable.

“...”

Although he could likely break it by concentrating his power, Karyl decided on a faster, more direct approach.

Flash—!!

He turned away from Olivurn and charged at Rael, who had summoned the barrier.

“Stop him!”

“May Yula’s judgment be upon you!”

With renewed courage, the battle priests charged at Karyl. He stomped hard on the floor with his right foot, sending shards of marble flying all around him.

Crash—!! Ratatatatat—!!

He then infused the shards with magic and hurled them forward, unleashing a storm of deadly projectiles at the priests.

“Aaargh!!”

“Guh... Argh!”

The shards pierced right through the armor of the priests and dug into their flesh. Karyl’s strength surpassed even the defensive magic of a 7th Class Great Sorcerer, so plain armor was nothing to him.

He lifted one of the shattered columns and hurled it at the priests with all his might. The massive pillar spun like a windmill as it flew toward the priests, crushing everything in its path.

“Aaaargh!!”

The priests’ valor quickly gave way to sheer terror as their ranks fell left and right.

“Small fish in a big pond...”

As if to make matters worse, Allen’s dark mist settled over the fallen priests, intensifying their agony as they writhed in torment.

“Hahaha...”

Ignoring Allen’s wicked laughter, Karyl swung his sword at Rael.

Annihilation Strike: First Cut

As she raised her hand to block his attack, the rings on her fingers glowed with brilliant colors.

Crash...!!

With a resounding blast, the ground beneath Rael shattered, collapsing into a deep crater. Her five fingers, which had absorbed the brunt of the impact, were now grotesquely twisted.

“Gah...!”

She knelt down, clutching her hand with a soft groan. The shock had been tremendous; her bloodshot eyes stared up at Karyl, veins bursting with fury.

“You’ve grown even weaker since last time. It’s repulsive. And frankly, it’s laughable hearing you spout praise for Yula, since I know who it is that you truly serve.”

Karyl slowly walked toward her as he spoke.

“You disgust me,” he spat.

“Brothers...!” Rael cried out defiantly, refusing to falter as the Church’s bishop.

“So you picked up the same worthless habits from the Platinum Dragon—just lies and more lies. If you’re going to act, at least make it convincing. Do you even have the right to invoke Yula?” Karyl sneered.

“Exordiar!”

In that instant, the Sun Hall was plunged into darkness. As his vision blurred, Karyl realized he was slipping into total blackness, completely cut off from his surroundings.

“...”

He couldn’t see or feel anything. He just kept falling into the abyss.

***

“Phew...” Rael heaved a sigh as she looked at the immobilized Karyl.

“You wench...! What have you done?!” Allen’s voice was filled with panic as he took in Karyl’s statue-like state.

“Huh? I merely purged heresy,” she sneered, picking up the fallen mace.

“Not a chance!!”

“Dear scapegoat of Yula.”

As Allen charged to stop her, rays of light shot from behind her, piercing his shadowy form.

“Graaah...!!” Allen was overcome with a searing pain, smoke bursting from the puncture wounds.

“It should’ve been like this from the start,” Rael muttered coldly as she watched the dark silhouette writhe. Then, she lifted the mace over her head, ready to strike Karyl down.

Crash...!

“My lord...!!”

Zigra smashed through the Sun Hall’s window, landing on the floor below with a loud crash.

Boom!!

He was drenched in blood, though none of it was his own. He had cut down countless foes to reach his lord, and the fire in his eyes still burned bright.

With a sharp inhale, he struck Rael’s wrist with precision, breaking her grip on the mace.

Crunch...!

Her hand trembled, her wrist twisted at an unnatural angle

“Argh!!”

She swung the mace toward Zigra in a desperate attempt, but he had already retreated, pulling Karyl with him as they fled.

“You miserable creatures...!!” Rael snarled as if she wanted to tear them apart.

“...What happened?” Zigra asked, his voice tense.

“I don’t know. She chanted a spell, and he just froze. I can’t tell what it is.”

“Can’t you undo it?”

“It ain’t exactly magic. It’s a priest’s invocation. The mechanisms are completely different, so not even I can break it.”

Allen’s expression twisted into a bitter scold as he announced, “The mission has failed... We need to retreat.”

Zigra clenched his teeth in frustration. They were right there, within reach of the emperor’s neck, and they were forced to flee with their lord unconscious.

In situations like this...

Zigra rose, brandishing his sword and fixing his gaze on Rael. His eyes, filled with lethal intent, betrayed his intentions.

Allen stepped forward, blocking his path.

“If you’re thinking of a suicide attack, don’t. You really think your lord would want that?”

“...”

Zigra’s face hardened, yet his gaze remained fixed ahead.

“Don’t be daft. No mortal can hope going against Yula. There’s no escape for those who are trapped within.”

“What trickery is this?!”

“As a priestess of the Church, I merely enact Yula divine will.”

Rael brushed her disheveled hair aside, and the priests behind her hurried to cast healing magic on her broken fingers.

“Don’t bullshit me! You’re saying you used Divine Power to trap Karyl? A so-called holy prison no one can break? Who would believe that when looking at him?”

“I’m not referring to Karyl’s physical prowess. This is a prison of the mind, something far beyond human strength. In any case, I have a message for you, Allen Javius.”

“You’ve got more nonsense to spout?”

Though Allen found her words worthless, he kept talking to Rael in order to buy time.

“The darkness within you is dangerous, but your knowledge is too valuable to discard. Join us. Once again, lend your strength to our cause,” Rael invited, her voice tinged with an eerie calm.

Allen scoffed. “Now I see it. Not one, but two...That platinum bastard isn’t just using humans to gain Rasis’s power. His greed truly knows no bounds. You yourself are nothing but a tool. One side was used to obtain the Spirit King of Light, and the other to seize Divine Power. That dragon wants it all. Seems I’m surrounded by madmen.”

Rael frowned at his words. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Allen then straightened up, smirking. “Well, if everyone’s crazy, I might as well side with the one who’s the craziest. Makes things more interesting.”

“...What?”

“Trying to gain Divine Power is just chasing after gods, and following behind someone isn’t enough for me. The one trying to kill a god? Now that’s the real lunatic.”

Allen looked at Karyl, who was still frozen like a statue.

“Whatever trickery made you a priestess of the Church, there’s no way you ever nurtured true faith. Divine Power depends on the depth of one’s belief, and someone as shallow as you couldn’t possibly be devoted to the Church.”

“What are you talking about...?”

“It means Karyl knows more about gods than you ever could. Trapping him with Divine Power? Don’t you realize how ridiculous that sounds?”

At that moment, the Sun Hall shook violently. Dust and debris erupted next to Zigra, who looked on in shock.

Boom...!!

“Guh... Aagh...!”

Amid the swirling dust, Rael’s scream rang out, her eyes wide with disbelief as Karyl’s hand seized her face and drove her downward.

“...My lord!!” Zigra gasped, staring at Karyl’s back in awe.

Karyl had moved so fast that not even Zigra had processed it.

“H-How... How are you moving?!” Rael muttered in disbelief, her cheek pinned beneath Karyl’s hand. The absurdity of it all overwhelmed her more than the pain.

“Yes, Allen, you were right. It was a long-forgotten feeling—a trial? Of course, I know that better than you,” Karyl replied, a cold smile spreading across his face as he tightened his grip on Rael’s face.

“Don’t pretend to understand something you’ve never experienced.”

“Haha...” Allen couldn’t help but chuckle. From the prophesied Oracle to the countless eons spent climbing Pharel to turn back time—everything had been a divine trial to Karyl, ordained by the gods themselves.

“Mmph...!”

Oblivious to his past, Rael stared up at Karyl in fear and confusion.

“You must be curious, aren’t you? Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you experience what a true trial feels like.”

Karyl drew his Freezing Talon, its chilling aura radiating fiercely, and he leaned closer to her.

“Go and deliver my regards to Yula.”