Chapter 317: The Determination of the North

[You did well to hold back your sword.]

Watching the northern immigrants busily reorganize their defenses after the recent attack, Karyl gave a faint smile at Allen’s words.

“I wasn’t the only one who held back. You did too, didn’t you?”

[Hmph...]

“So, how does it feel to finally see the Platinum Dragon after a thousand years?”

[How do I feel? I don’t have much to tell you. I’m just curious about what that creature’s real plan is. It may sound ridiculous, but ever since I’ve been with you, I’ve felt more curiosity than anger over my revenge. What exactly was he trying to achieve? Did our deaths play a part in it?]

Allen’s voice dropped to almost a whisper.

[In my time, a thousand years ago, during the Magical Era, he taught us—the Assembly of Seven Elders—and then he killed us as well.]

Karyl listened in silence before saying drily, “It was your comrades who killed you, wasn’t it? It wasn’t exactly the Platinum Dragon who killed you, but your fellow elders.”

[...]

Allen’s expression soured, making Karyl chuckle lightly.

“Sure, they were manipulated by Narh Di Maug, but they themselves dealt the blow.”

[Hmph... Anyway, we now know what he was hiding—Mael, the Master Key sealed within that chest. And after seeing Alteman, I think I have a better idea of what his plan was.]

“Let’s hear it, then.”

[After some thought, I concluded that he was conducting an experiment on us.]

“An experiment?”

[He was testing the weaknesses of different races, and by compensating for those weaknesses, he was trying to confirm something.]

“Hmm...”

[He didn’t just teach us; he also taught Alteman, that elf, swordsmanship. He taught magic to humans, who excel in physical prowess, and swordsmanship to elves, who excel in mana. Logically, it should have been the other way around.]

Karyl could sense the faint anger in Allen’s voice.

[Thanks to him, we ended up creating many things, from the Original Magic to magic swordsmanship, which have benefited humanity greatly. But do you really think he was purely trying to help by teaching magic to humans and swordsmanship to elves? I don’t believe so.]

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

“So you’re saying you have an idea as to what Narh Di Maug was trying to confirm?”

[Yes. It was the potential of each race.]

“Huh? What do you mean?”

[It’s merely a speculation for now, but I suspect he was experimenting on other races by testing the fusion of mana and swordsmanship. As expected of a dragon...]

[Merging mana and swordsmanship...] Ramine chimed in. [It’s almost like the Great Magic that the Judex once used, excluding the element of spirits. It’s only natural that as the Spirit Realm faded, the ability to use spirit power was lost as well.]

[That’s exactly it.] Allen nodded in agreement.

[The Bladers of the Mythical Era are nothing more than hidden figures in ancient texts, only known to those like us who study ancient lore. But the magic they used, the Great Magic, is a concept that still exists today, even if it means something different now. Karyl, you remember that there are still those who seek the Great Magic.]

“No way...”

[Of course, the Great Magic they chase is different from the one remembered by the Spirit Kings. They’re the ones who witnessed the true Great Magic.]

“The Golden Magic Society.”

Karyl bit his lip slightly.

[That’s right. The principality has always been obsessed with chasing after Polsetia, the so-called Grand Magical Text. Even I know of it, but during the Magical Era, a thousand years ago, it was little more than a rumor. I never gave it much thought...]

“Does it really exist? I’ve never seen it.”

[Well, the Sword Demon was also just a rumor at first, wasn’t he? In your past life, you thought neither the Mythical Era nor the Sword Demon existed, yet now, you have proof.]

Karyl clenched his fist.

Wooooooom...

A soft silver light spread from his hand in the darkness, then faded away.

“It’s not perfect yet.”

[Indeed, it’s not perfect.] Allen nodded. [That imperfection lies at the core of the questions I’ve been pondering. What if... the Great Magic used by Judex, the Blader of the Mythical Era, was passed down through the ages, but divided into swordsmanship and magic?]

“You mean to say that Polsetia might be part of the Great Magic itself?”

[Exactly. And if the Platinum Dragon has been conducting experiments with Alteman and us to revive that power...]

Allen’s voice rose slightly, tinged with excitement as though a revelation was within reach.

[You’ve not only mastered dragon mana, but also learned Arcane Mana—a fusion of light and darkness—from me, and now you’ve grasped the swordsmanship from the Thousand-Year Ice Cave... You’re closer to the Great Magic than anyone else in human history.]

“So, Arcane Mana might hold the key to finding Polsetia?”

[Perhaps, though its exact location remains a mystery.]

“I’ll have to meet the Golden Magic Society,” Karyl sighed as if realizing something, and Allen chuckled at his reaction.

[Why would Narh Di Maug want to revive the power of the Bladers?]

“Well, your theory is plausible, but you’re overlooking one thing.”

[What is that?] This time, it was Allen who questioned him.

“Narh Di Maug isn’t only involved with the power of the Bladers. He’s deeply tied to the Church as well.”

[That’s true... which makes it even more perplexing. My curiosity stems from that. I’ve glimpsed into the future you know, from your past life. Not all of it, but enough to understand the horrors of the war to come. I understand a bit of your concern.]

Karyl nodded in agreement.

[That’s why I’m curious about what the Platinum Dragon has been planning all this time.]

Allen’s voice sank.

[At the very least... we know he’s been preparing for centuries for

something

.]

“Hmm...”

[Do you remember what I told you when we first met?]

“Not to trust him?”

[Exactly. In this uncertain situation, you must always remain suspicious. If there was any goodwill in his plan, he wouldn’t have involved the other council to imprison me. He didn’t want me to get anywhere near the chest hidden within the Gray Training Ground. I was the only one among the Assembly of Seven Elders with the potential to unlock it.]

“You’re saying Narh Di Maug prevented you from obtaining the Master Key... But why?”

[Who knows? While I may not have fully mastered dragon mana, I came closer to it than any human ever has. Maybe it’s just the whims of a dragon.]

Karyl cocked his head, contemplating. Given everything the Platinum Dragon had orchestrated, it was hard to believe that this was all some trivial amusement.

It was then that a voice echoed from within the watchtower.

“Perhaps he didn’t want you to obtain the Master Key in your imperfect state. After all, neither you nor I have fully grasped the potential he envisions, unlike Karyl.”

Karyl and Allen didn’t react with surprise, as though they already knew who was approaching them.

“Do excuse me... I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I was looking for you and happened to overhear.”

“It’s fine, Alteman.” Karyl turned to face the elf.

The reason Karyl knew this enigmatic name of the First Fisherman was because, in his previous life, it had suddenly spread across the continent, as the elf had played a crucial role in stopping the Ten Disasters—powerful Tarak that had taken countless lives.

“...”

Back then, Karyl had heard stories of the north’s teacher in his past life, but he hadn’t known that Alteman was an elf from the Magical Era, nor that he had inherited the swordsmanship of the Sword Demon.

The first Tarak, Blood, had claimed the lives of many soldiers.

[Slaying the heart.]

Though simple in theory, reaching the heart was anything but easy. During the hunt, the creature’s heart exploded, instantly killing tens of thousands of soldiers on the spot—erasing them without a trace.

Afterward, the imperial soldiers lost all will to fight the Tarak. Then came the second disaster.

Monstrous beings with frog-like faces emerged by the thousands, sweeping across the continent. Leading them was the Hekhet, against whom the empire and the Ten of the Oracle struggled just to defend themselves.

That was when Alteman appeared.

Introducing himself as a fisherman, someone who drew hidden secrets to the surface from across the world, he was initially seen as eccentric. But when he eventually uncovered a way to defeat the tenth and final disaster, leading humanity to victory, he revealed himself as the master of the north.

By then, most of the immigrant tribes had already perished, so it hardly mattered...

Karyl gazed at Alteman.

Looking back now, it’s no surprise he knew how to hunt the Tarak, given his connection to the Platinum Dragon.

The Platinum Dragon had already fought these creatures during the Oracle War, making it the only entity with that experience.

You vanished afterward, and I never saw you again... I wonder if, like Allen, you were caught up in the Platinum Dragon’s schemes.

Cautious by nature, Karyl was reminded once again of the importance of etching every detail into his mind. So much was tangled like a web, and in a situation where everything seemed intertwined, missing one piece of information could lead to catastrophic consequences.

“Are you suggesting the Platinum Dragon rejected us but granted Karyl the Master Key?” Allen prompted.

“That’s one possibility. Everyone knows by now that the Gray Training Ground, where the Assembly of Seven Elders were entombed, was breached. The leader of the Magic City of Azor announced it to the continent long ago.”

[Hmph... Foolish descendant of Celine Han.]

Allen clicked his tongue, recalling the lord Fasio.

“Narh Di Maug must have known as well. He’s aware that the chest containing the Master Key is missing. Yet, he’s done nothing about it, perhaps because Karyl is the one who fits his criteria.”

“The thought of playing into his hands is infuriating, but we’ve been moving according to our will, and we shall continue to do so,” Allen concluded.

“He’s right. No matter how much Narh Di Maug knows, it’s the victor at the end who matters.”

Karyl’s words brought a faint smile to Alteman’s face.

“Well, fair enough. It’s that side of you that convinced me to show you the Thousand-Year Ice Cave. In that spirit...”

Alteman handed him a pendant.

“This is the will of the Lycanthrope, which Hwarin asked me to pass to you. The power of the Wind Spirit King lies within. I assume you’ll find it useful?”

Karyl glanced at the pendant.

Wuuuuung...

It quivered softly, as if in response, and a swirl of green light flashed briefly before fading.

“She’s made a big decision. Giving this to me means she’s giving up her strength.”

“No matter what anyone says, you’re the war chief of the immigrant tribes. The weight of that title carries enormous significance for them.”

At that, Karyl gave a chuckle.

“I’ll need the power to open the gates to the Spirit Realm eventually, but not yet. If I take the power of the Wild Wind now, it will break the seal on the Master Key. She’s already struggling to control the strength of the Lycanthrope. If the seal breaks, Hwarin won’t be able to handle it.”

Karyl handed the pendant back to Alteman.

“She’s a critical asset in the war against the empire, and in the battles to come.”

“Hmm.”

“Tell her this: I’ll give her a chance. She can keep it for a short while, but she must adapt to the Master Key or die trying. I don’t need a monster who goes berserk and can’t distinguish friend from foe.”

“I’ll pass on your message.”

Alteman tucked the pendant back into his robe with a bitter smile.

“Aidan.”

“Yes, my lord.”

At Karyl’s call, Aidan stepped out from the shadows, his presence as silent as ever.

“Return first and prepare the assassins from the Eastern Lands. There’s no better force for raiding the Platinum Dragon’s lair in secret, is there?”

“I’ve already sent word through Israphil’s Superior Vision. The Snakel assassins from the Eastern Lands are getting ready as we speak.”

These assassins were formerly under the direct command of Simon Coden, chosen from among the best of the Burning Darkness.

“Good.”

Karyl nodded in satisfaction.

“I’ll miss this view,” he sighed, his tone laced with nostalgia.

“You can always return, can’t you?” Allen proposed. “Every journey comes to an end eventually, but

ours

has only just begun.”

“Indeed.”

Karyl then pulled Agnel from his chest.

“Although I’ll need to keep using what I’ve borrowed for a little longer, once everything is finished...”

He glanced up at the rising sun as if making a vow.

“...I will return this dagger to Karliak’s tomb.”