Chapter 308: The Master of the North (3)

“How do you know that?”

Even as everyone kneeled and worshiped Karyl, Alteman alone spoke up in a calm voice.

“When you get old, you tend to get more sentimental. It’s only natural they’re moved by nice words.”

The immigrants are not heretics; they represent free will.

Indeed, the elders were moved by the words they had always longed to hear. However, Alteman rebuked Karyl’s speech, suspecting it might be flattery, and tried to warn the elders to be cautious.

“In the ruins of the Assembly of Seven Elders, known as the Gray Training Ground, I found a box. Inside was the Bladers’ artifact—not the work of the artisans from the Magical Era, but the true Bladers from the Mythical Era, the very ones the Spirit Kings just mentioned. They can testify to that as well.”

Karyl pointed to the three Spirit Kings standing behind him.

“You need confirmation?”

“No way...”

“N-No, we’re good.”

Despite Alteman’s retort, the elders had already accepted Karyl as their leader. That had been decided the moment he was named Great Warrior, but after seeing him wield Lakna and command the power of the Spirit Kings, the elders had no further reason to distrust or resist Karyl.

“That box held a weapon used by our ancestors, the Bladers, during the Mythical Era. That weapon was truly special.”

Karyl looked at Alteman.

“Yes, it’s something like the Lycan’s Will that Hwarin now possesses. Did you know that this was the Blader’s artifact?”

At his question, Alteman gave a faint smile and nodded.

“Well, that explains the elders’ strong reaction to my words. And they saw with their own eyes that I wielded the Master Key with more proficiency than Hwarin...”

Swish...!

A blue serpent slithered up Karyl’s wrist, showing its form briefly before disappearing.

“That was quite the act. All that talk of not acknowledging me was nothing more than your final show of dignity as elders before your leader.”

The elders wore awkward expressions at his remark.

“The fact that she possesses the Lycan’s Will is proof that our predecessors were Bladers, but no one could prove it. Alteman, as the Master of the North, you must have been waiting for me.”

“You see through everything, don’t you? Yes, the immigrant tribes need one true leader who can unite them. I have been waiting for that.”

“Was Karliak not good enough?"

At Karyl’s question, Alteman gave a bitter smile.

“Unfortunately, no. Even Hwarin, who can wield the Lycan’s Will, can’t serve as the leader of the immigrant tribes. Unlike us who know the full story, the rest of the tribespeople need a clear example.”

“That’s Lakna, I see.”

“Indeed. The one who can use the long-lost artifact of the Great Warrior will undoubtedly be accepted by the tribes as their leader.”

“And there’s one more reason, isn’t there?”

Alteman’s face stiffened slightly at Karyl's words.

“Didn’t you realize that the blue jewel sealing the Lycan’s Will contains the power of the Wind Spirit King, known as Psammead or the Raging Gale?”

“I didn’t think you knew that much.”

“It’s not hard to figure out if you have the spirit power. And of course, Hwarin wouldn’t have been able to use that power."

[After the defeat in the Great War of the Spirits and Gods, it’s not uncommon for spirits to be used as a means of sealing things, but...]

[Honestly, it’s quite humiliating.]

Duaat and Ramine crossed their arms and shook their heads slightly as they spoke, casting subtle glances at Ethereal. After all, her freezing abilities had often been used as a form of sealing.

“Well, it’s not bad. If I can obtain two powers at once, it means I won’t have to search for them separately.”

[You speak so casually about encountering the Wind Spirit King.]

Out of consideration for the Queen of Tides, or perhaps because it was fortunate for him, Karyl spoke as if things had worked out well.

“If Hwarin had been able to control the Wind Spirit, things would have turned out differently. Not only would she be able to wield Lakna, but she would have learned about the Bladers through Psammead.”

“There were suspicions, but no concrete proof. For tens... no, hundreds of years.”

“That’s why Hwarin sent Lilliana, unlike the other leaders. Even though the first encounter with the Jannabi tribe was at the imperial palace, she would have noticed Psammead’s presence, even if she didn’t know about the Master Key at the time.”

“That’s right.”

“Was that also your idea?”

“The Jannabi tribe has guarded that necklace for generations. Even if they didn’t know it was the Master Key, Hwarin agreed that it was best not to show the necklace too easily.”

Alteman shrugged slightly as he answered Karyl’s question.

“I see. Then let me ask one last thing.”

“What is it?”

“If you care this much for the immigrant tribes, why didn’t you become their leader?”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

“They might not know, but you can’t fool me. If they were waiting for a leader with mana... Why didn’t you, who has earned the respect of the immigrant tribes for many years as the Master of the North, step into the spotlight?” Karyl asked sharply.

“After all, you also possess mana.”

“...!!!”

“...!!!”

With that single statement, the air in the cave instantly grew heavy, yet Alteman remained composed, calmly waiting for Karyl to continue.

“Before I receive the title of Great Warrior, I think we need some explanations. Should I call in the other leaders waiting outside? I’m sure things will get noisy enough.”

“Ha... Hahaha...”

Alteman shook his head as if to concede.

“You’ve done a good job deceiving everyone until now. Since the immigrants don’t have mana, they wouldn’t know whether someone else does.”

Swoosh—

Karyl raised Lakna and pointed it at Alteman.

Bang...! Fwoosh...!

Clank—

As the three Spirit Kings who had been standing behind him vanished, Lakna’s blade extended, gleaming with a violet hue, similar to an Arcane Blade. Lightning flickered around Karyl.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

“This... is incredible. To draw power from the spirits so quickly? It's not perfect, but using Lakna as a medium and shaping it into a simple blade is more than enough. No, not even that would explain it. You’re nothing short of a genius, Karyl.”

Alteman didn’t seem particularly surprised, even after seeing Karyl’s visionary sword.

“Shut up and answer my question,” Karyl demanded, not taking his eyes off Alteman. “Who are you, really?”

Schraaaack—!!

At that moment, Alteman pulled the belt from his waist, and to Karyl’s surprise, the seemingly flexible belt transformed into a sharp blade.

Karyl laughed drily at the sight.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

Alteman slowly raised his soft sword above his head and assumed a stance.

“...”

Karyl’s face hardened.

“...!!”

Then, the aura of mana that had been calmly flowing within him suddenly surged with intensity.

Thoooom—! Crash!!

The clash between Karyl’s Lakna and Alteman’s soft sword was so fierce that it shook the entire cave. Alteman’s previously straight sword suddenly curved, wrapping around Lakna to alter the trajectory of the swing.

Clank—! Bang!!

As Karyl’s balance wavered, Alteman’s soft sword straightened again and aimed for Karyl’s back.

Whoosh—! Clang!!

But Karyl, as if he had anticipated the strike, swiftly raised Lakna to parry. At the same time, he gripped the Freezing Talon with his other hand and slashed horizontally.

Crack!! Craaaaash...!!

The fierce energy scraped the cave walls, sending dust and debris falling as the elders quickly retreated.

“...How do you know that?” Karyl demanded, brushing off his sword, his eyes locked on Alteman, who leaned against the wall.

Unlike Karyl, Alteman wore a faint smile. The sword posture he had just displayed was, astonishingly, the Crown Posture—the first of the Five Sword Stances Karyl had created himself.

“It’s not easy. There are countless variations hidden within a single posture. To an average person, it would seem like basic continental swordsmanship,” Alteman explained as he retracted his soft sword.

“I only tried to mimic what I saw during the Sword Festival. If you’re the one who created it, your talent is truly remarkable.”

“You’re saying you copied my sword technique just by watching me at the Sword Festival?” Karyl asked, staring at Alteman in disbelief

The Five Sword Stances were no ordinary swordsmanship. They were the culmination of countless years of honing his sword skills, perfected over what felt like eons within the depths of Pharel.

Not even Kuwell MacGovern, the Continent’s Greatest Swordsman, would be able to replicate those stances after seeing them just once.

He may have sheathed his sword, but it wasn’t an amateur attempt. He grasped the meaning embedded within the posture.

“You... Are you perhaps an elf?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Because that’s the only explanation that makes sense. Unless you’ve dedicated an elven lifespan to mastering the sword, you wouldn’t be able to understand this advanced technique.”

“You’re quite proud of your swordsmanship, huh?”

“I used to think the rumors about you being older than the elders, about the Master of the North having been around since the first tribes, were just stories adults told to impress children.”

“And now?”

“Now, after seeing this, I’m starting to believe those stories might actually be true...”

Alteman chuckled at Karyl’s remark.

“You claim you mimicked my swordsmanship from the Sword Festival? Fine, let’s say the Master of the North is skilled enough to do so, but the Crown Posture is a different matter.”

Unlike Alteman’s smile, Karyl’s gaze was cold, sharp as if he were about to strike.

“Heh, I’m just messing around, teasing you.”

Swoosh!

Karyl raised his sword.

“I never used the Crown Posture at the Sword Festival. Tell me the truth. Who are you really?”

[Karyl.]

At that moment, Allen’s voice echoed in his head. He seemed weirdly uneasy.

[Now I understand.]

Understand what?

[The reason I thought something was strange when I first saw your swordsmanship.]

What are you talking about?

[You might not remember, but do you recall the demonic creature you first encountered in the nest of the Twin-Headed Eagle?]

Agma?

[Yes, when you killed that creature, you first assumed the Five Sword Stance. I asked you then if you truly created that sword style.]

Karyl searched his memory. Back then, he hadn’t given the question much thought, brushing it off as unimportant.

That's right... You did seem unsettled back then. Why was that?

[The reason I asked you then was because I felt like I had seen your sword technique somewhere before.]

Allen’s voice became more intense.

You have...?

[Yes, during the Magical Era, when you were not yet around.]

“...”

Karyl’s face hardened at Allen Javius’ words.

[How could I overlook this? Now I finally remember. Even in the Magical Era, that figure was only a faint, blurred memory... His name was...]

As if sighing, Allen whispered the name.

[...The Sword Demon.]