The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 478: Final Act (1)

“A human absorbing a Dimension Spiral... How hilarious. Are you so daft as to believe that any mortal can wield Divine Power? Or do you simply have a death wish?” Yula’s cold gaze pierced through Miliana.

“We won’t know until we try,” Miliana replied evenly, a surge of heat and energy radiating from her back.

Her overwhelming aura pressed down on the battlefield, leaving even the elite sorcerers drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe.

“She’s... incredible.”

“It feels different from Karyl’s presence. Could it be that her inherent draconic lineage allows her to absorb the shard faster?”

“She wields both sword and magic, but the way she uses them is entirely distinct from him.”

Nain Darhon and the other sorcerers whispered to each other, their focus momentarily diverted by Miliana’s power.

“What is there to try? Are you drunk on Divine Power already?” Yula shook her head as though feeling sorry for Miliana.

“You lot considered yourselves deity with just on shard, no? Creating worlds, playing creator, treating humanity like pawns,” Miliana retorted, unshaken. “You’re no better than me.”

Yula’s face stiffened, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“Ugh...! Aaaaahh...!!”

The woman with serpentine lips finally lost her wits and attempted to flee, screaming like she was mad.

Thwack—!!

But as she stepped forward, crimson vines burst from the ground, piercing her legs and pinning her in place like shackles.

“Gyah...! N-No, please... Spare me!!”

She desperately clawed at the earth, trying to move away from Yula.

Thud, thud, thud.

Her frantic efforts left deep trails in the dirt, but she hadn’t moved an inch. Her executioner was getting close, her steady footsteps ringing in her ears.

“Yes, even humans can wield a god’s fragment now. I suppose something as pitiful as you doesn’t deserve to be called a god anymore,” Yula murmured, her frosty gaze fixed on the condemned woman.

“P-Please... I beg you...” The Second God clasped her hands together, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded with Yula.

But the unyielding frost in Yula’s eyes made it clear that her fate was sealed.

SNRKK!

Yula’s blade pierced through the woman’s skull, splitting her head cleanly from the crown to the jaw.

“Urgh...”

Her mouth hung open, unable to scream. Her body twitched violently.

Yula twisted the blade, and the crimson vines coiled around the woman’s legs began to swell as if they were draining her blood.

Brrrrr....

The woman’s body jerked a few times before shriveling like a dried husk, leaving behind only an empty shell.

Schlick—

Yula withdrew her blade, and at its tip, the woman’s Dimension Spiral shimmered faintly.

“It seems that every time Yula takes a god’s power, she looks younger. Unlike you, it seems she can absorb the Dimension Spiral itself,” remarked Allen Javius, his keen gaze studying Yula as her appearance subtly transformed.

Karyl nodded in agreement. Though he had become the Lancepho—a god born of light and darkness—his essence remained fundamentally human. To wield both powers, he had relied on a fusion of magic and swordplay, a method that could be seen as a workaround.

In contrast, Yula had made the Divine Power entirely her own, without any intermediaries like Karyl’s reliance on magic and swordsmanship.

Miliana, now radiating both power and confidence, narrowed her eyes at Yula. “You’ve said your piece. Now let’s see if you can back it up.”

Yula’s expression darkened as she gripped her blade tightly, her stance shifting slightly.

This was the final confrontation.

“Miliana.”

The divine dagger in Karyl’s hand, forged with the power of Polsetia and resembling Agnel, glowed with a brilliant blue hue.

“Yeah?”

“I possess four Dimension Spirals in total, but excluding the one from the Lord, the remaining three are fused into me through magic. Strictly speaking, they’re not truly my power. As it stands, facing Yula, who has fully absorbed three Spirals, puts me at a disadvantage.”

“And?” Miliana asked curtly, narrowing her eyes. “Are you asking me to give you the Spiral I’ve absorbed? Sorry, not happening.”

Her tone was firm. “If I let go of this power, you’d end up sacrificing yourself, wouldn’t you?”

Karyl let out a faint, bitter smile. “It sounds like Toska ran his mouth for no reason.”

“For no reason? If he really hid that, then screw Digon’s blessing or whatever. I wouldn’t have let the Golden Dragon off the hook either.”

Miliana tightened her grip on her blade. Her disbelief at Karyl’s plan to sacrifice himself had yet to fade.

“Don’t try to carry everything alone. You might possess the power of the gods, but you’re still human.”

Her blade began to glow crimson, radiating the power of the First God. At the same time, veins bulged painfully along her arm as she drew upon the Divine Power.

“Ugh...”

She gritted her teeth, suppressing a groan as she endured the searing pain.

“And so am I,” she added, wielding the Divine Power before him as if to prove a point.

“You’re impossible,” Karyl remarked with a soft chuckle.

“When did you ever think you could control me?” Miliana shot back with a smirk.

Karyl sighed lightly with a trace of amusement in his expression. “I have a request.”

“What is it? As long as you’re not asking for my Spiral—”

“Kill the gods.”

“...What?”

Taken aback, Miliana turned to Karyl, though she didn’t let Yula out of her sight.

“As I said, my power alone isn’t enough to face Yula head-on. But with the power of the spirits, I can match her. Add the strength of the two Master Keys, and I can surpass her. But that full power can only last for an instant. At best, I’ll land a single blow.”

“And?”

“I need you to create that opening. Use your power to claim the Dimension Spiral from the remaining balance gods.”

“You can’t be serious...”

“You’ve gained the power of a god. I know you can do it.”

Miliana nodded firmly. “I’ll do it, but don’t think I’ll take my time. Five minutes. I’ll finish it in five minutes.”

The three remaining balance gods recoiled, their voices rising in indignation.

“F-Five minutes?! How dare you...!!”

“Such arrogance!”

Unfazed by their outrage, Miliana calmly turned, drawing a sharp arc in the air with her blades.

“Of course.”

Turning her gaze toward them, her twin swords crossed in a sharp, ringing motion.

“The Godslaying is reaching its final act.”

Whoosh!

As soon as she spoke, she and Karyl sprinted in opposite directions, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if rehearsed. The battlefield fell silent for a breath, then erupted as Miliana surged toward the gods, her twin blades ablaze.

“Haaaaaa...!!” Karyl let out a feral roar as he raised his blade high.

Swoosh...!!

The Ein Trigger on the back of his hand glowed crimson, releasing a blaze that the wind whipped into a roaring firestorm.

The inferno surged toward Yula.

Crack!

But Yula held her ground, her expression cold and unyielding. With a single swing, she split the flames apart with ease.

The shockwave unleashed by her blade crashed toward Karyl.

“Shield.”

He hastily conjured a magical shield, but Yula’s strike shattered it like glass.

Crash!

The impact flung Karyl into the air, but he twisted, using the momentum to his advantage.

Whoooosh...!!!

The air seemed to condense and spiral as he cupped his palm, forming a cone-shaped vortex. His wrist trembled violently under the strain, tendons threatening to snap.

Thunk—!!!

He spun midair, thrusting his hand forward, unleashing a serpent of blue energy that lunged toward Yula with its jaws wide open.

“Hmph...”

Yula exhaled faintly, as if unimpressed, and intercepted the attack with a single, decisive motion.

Smash! Clang! Crash!

In one fluid movement, she gripped the serpent’s face, slamming it into the ground. She then instantly dashed toward Karyl and swung her sword at him.

Slash!

Her blade moved with such tremendous speed that it seemed like the flow of time had slowed down.

“...!”

Karyl instinctively raised his blade, the Blade of Creation, to block, but the weapon shattered under Yula’s force. Shards of glowing blue crystal scattered like rain.

Karyl didn’t waver; he reached into the air once more, calling the shards back to him.

Whoooosh...!!

The wind howled as the shards coalesced back into the blade.

“Hah...!”

With renewed determination, Karyl charged at Yula once more, closing the distance.

“Dig.”

The ground beneath Yula’s feet collapsed. He had used a low-tier spell to throw her off balance.

“Hraaaah...!”

Seizing the opportunity, Karyl swung the dagger at her neck—but with only one arm, his range was limited and his movements predictable.

Yula deflected the Sword of Creation with a mere flick of her blade.

Clang!

Ssssss...!!

The clash sent sparks flying, and though Yula’s blade absorbed some of the impact, the Divine Power within Karyl’s blade left visible scorch marks on her weapon.

“You infuriating wretch!”

Yula shoved Karyl away and threw a punch, which connected with his leg.

Crack!

His shin bent at an unnatural angle with a sickening crack.

“Ghaaaaaa...!!!”

But instead of retreating, Karyl roared in defiance and thrust his blade into her thigh.

Thud! Crash!

“Hah... Hah...”

Both of them tumbled across the ground, each lying in their own blood. Karyl forced himself to his feet, breaths ragged as he glared at Yula.

“Cough...!”

Blood spilled from his lips. Yula’s strikes seemed to have taken a heavy toll on his body. At this point, each blow threatened to be fatal.

“This is the end,” Yula said with finality. “Even if you can wield Divine Power, your body remains human. As time drags on, the gap between us will only grow wider.”

“Feel the frailty of humanity before a god’s might,” she sneered.

“How funny,” a calm voice interjected. “It’s not us drunk on power. It’s you, Yula.”

It felt as though the battlefield had frozen over.

“Karyl, even without me, you mustn’t falter,” said Allen Javius. “Time is on our side.”

“...What do you mean?” Karyl asked, dazed, blood trickling down his face.

“Miliana kept her promise.”

“...!!”

Swoosh...!

A powerful gust of wind swept across the battlefield as Allen’s dark aura dispersed, revealing Miliana’s silhouette.

“Well done, child.”

“...I only did what had to be done,” Miliana replied in a ragged voice. .

Her body was battered beyond recognition—face swollen, clavicle shattered, arms and legs bearing countless cuts and scratches.

And despite her terrible state, she mustered the strength to show Yula her middle finger—a final gesture of defiance.

“Your body has reached its limits. It’s simply incredible that a human has achieved this much.”

“It’s not... over yet,” Miliana rasped, her voice laden with exhaustion.

Her protective dragon scales began to fade, revealing silver-white hair where once it had been dark.

“...?!”

The transformation shocked everyone present. Burning through every ounce of her power had irrevocably altered her body.

“I will be the one to sever the god’s... head...”

Thud!

Though her determination was unwavering, her body ultimately betrayed her. She collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.

“Damn it...”

She tried to push herself up, but her legs refused to move.

“I have to... create an opening...!”

She pounded her legs with her fists, but they remained numb and unresponsive.

“Come on...! Move...!”

“Child,” Allen said softly, stepping closer to her. Then, to her surprise, he reached out and brushed her hair.

“Wha... What are you doing?” she growled, staring at him in confusion.

“Take care of Karyl for me.”

“...What?”

“He may look young, but he’s lived far longer than either of us. That stubbornness of his won’t be tamed by anyone but someone like you.”

Allen bent down, picking up one of the fallen Dimension Spiral, and whispered into her ear, “Consider this your coming-of-age ceremony. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“Wh-What are you talking about...?” Miliana stammered, flustered by his unexpected levity amidst the chaos.

“Hahaha!”

Allen’s laughter was hearty, but also bittersweet. It carried a hint of sadness.

“How unfortunate that I won’t get to see your future. Funny, isn’t it? Only in death do I find regret for the life I’m leaving behind...”

His voice was quieter, as if subdued by the melancholy that welled up inside him.

“But that, too, is a selfish desire.”

Allen closed his eyes, clutching the Dimension Spiral tightly, and pressed it against his chest.

“What lies ahead belongs to you.”

Whooosh...!

Sharp, radiant energy erupted around Allen Javius as his spectral, shadowy form began to solidify. His body, once a faint wisp of smoke, transformed into the human form he had had in life.

Allen Javius, in the flesh and bones, stood tall and imposing, his robe fluttering in the wind.

“It falls to the dead to lay the foundation for the future of the living.” His voice rang out, sharp and resolute.

Reborn into his prime form—the legendary Great Sorcerer of the Magical Era, leader of the Assembly of Seven Elders—Allen Javius turned his piercing gaze on Yula, his restored power rippling across the battlefield.