Chapter 355: The Battle of Fonein (3)

“Karyl,” Kuwell called out, lowering Yulstern.

It had been quite some time since their last encounter, and it seemed that their reunions were never peaceful.

“You know the empire is under the protection of dragons, yet you still refuse to lower your blade. Are you really that confident?”

“I wouldn’t have started this if I wasn’t.” Karyl gestured upward, pointing to Python in the sky. “The Platinum Dragon will submit to me as well.”

CLANG!

Their swords clashed in the blink of an eye, sparks flying from the collision.

“Many will perish,” Kuwell warned.

“I don’t seek to justify it. However, war can save more than it costs in blood,” Karyl replied, driving his Freezing Talon down with all his might.

Kuwell parried the strike, turning his body and deflecting the icy attack.

Clash!

The force of the blow lifted the ground beneath their feet, and Karyl stumbled momentarily as Kuwell’s sword sent his Freezing Talon flying.

“Hmph!”

Landing back on solid ground, Karyl drew Lakna from his waist and slashed horizontally.

MacGovern Family Sword Technique: Second Style – Scarlet Arc Blade.

Kuwell’s Yulstern blocked the strike, but his sword seemed to bend, curving toward Karyl’s neck. The unpredictable trajectory of Kuwell’s assault forced Karyl to bite his lip in concentration. He reached into his coat, drawing Agnel to counter.

Annihilation Strike: First Cut

A scorching wave of heat erupted as Lakna and Agnel collided with Yulstern, enveloping the battlefield in flames.

“Ugh!!”

“Aaagh...!!”

The soldiers near them quickly retreated, but even so, many were caught in the blaze, their screams filling the air.

But Karyl wasn’t finished.

The Fourth Stance: Riffle Posture

Karyl pulled the two blades close to his chest and leaned forward, accelerating beyond human speed.

The Second Stance: Unicorn Posture

Seamlessly transitioning from the Riffle Posture, Karyl’s speed surged to inhumane levels.

“Ugh?!”

Kuwell desperately stepped back, trying to deflect Karyl’s strike, but he was too slow. Karyl closed the distance in a flash, slipping in between Kuwell’s blades. It was a risky maneuver, but ironically, these fleeting moments were when the two could speak most freely.

“What did you see in the north?” Karyl demanded, his voice low.

Kuwell responded with a silent strike, knocking Karyl’s blade aside. However, his pale countenance gave Karyl all the confirmation he needed.

In your past life, you must have seen both those caves. And you gave me the location of one of them. But why did you hide the other from me?

Thanks to Kuwell, Karyl had discovered in his past life that his people—the so-called immigrants—were the true descendants of the Bladers, not the imperial citizens. It was the immigrants who had fought for humanity.

But after going back in time, Karyl was faced with mysteries that surpassed even those revelations. He had uncovered greater secrets.

The first revelation was the man with blonde hair, lying beside the ice pillar of Judex, the first Blader. The second was the other cave known by both Gordon and Kuwell, a mystery Karyl hadn’t fully unraveled yet.

Despite his strong desire to investigate the caves, he couldn’t just disappear at such a critical time—in the midst of war—especially when he hadn’t the faintest idea what lay within.

The only way forward is to end this war as quickly as possible.

Just like the void within the chest he had found Mael in, Karyl feared he might get trapped in the cave, cut off from the world. And without him, the tides of war would surely turn in the empire’s favor.

“Hup!”

Seeing an opening, Kuwell charged again, twisting his sword as he unleashed a powerful strike.

MacGovern Family Sword Technique: Third Style – Thunderfire Blade.

He’s fast.

Karyl narrowed his eyes as he watched Kuwell’s sword. He had seen this technique before, during their battle in Heim. Back then, Kuwell’s muscles would swell as he prepared to unleash the full force of the technique.

But now, Kuwell’s body was conditioned to the point where he could reach that explosive point without any preparation at all. The flow of his mana was seamless, and Karyl understood why.

Dragon mana has completely fused with his body. His mana point has strengthened beyond what it was. He hasn’t consumed a dragon’s heart, so how is his mana still increasing?

Back in Heim, Kuwell’s mana had been at the 6th Class, but now it seemed he had surpassed even that. Karyl suspected Kuwell might have reached the 7th Class, the same as him.

But the decisive difference between him and Kuwell lay in one thing—Divine Power.

As Kuwell's Yulstern came crashing down, Karyl crossed his twin blades to parry the strike. The silver-gray aura of their blades clashed with a thunderous roar.

Annihilation Strike: Second Cut

Fwoosh!

Behind Karyl, the forms of the three Spirit Kings—Ramine, Ethereal, and Duaat—appeared like a fan of light.

The second difference between Karyl and Kuwell was spirit power.

“Kraa!!”

Ramine, who had taken the center position among the Spirit Kings, clenched his fists and brought them crashing down with all his might.

“Ugh?!”

Kuwell, sensing the danger, quickly withdrew his sword and dodged to the side, but as he moved, a hail of icy spikes from Ethereal rained down on him from above. At the same time, Duaat’s arms extended into long, blade-like forms, slashing at Kuwell’s neck from behind.

Shhhk—!!

“Father...!!”

The MacGovern brothers cried out in unison, watching as the deadly attacks converged on their father.

[How impressive...] Ramine withdrew his hand, speaking with admiration. [He truly deserves to be considered the strongest—or rather, the strongest after you. It’s not just a matter of raw power. It takes some real talent to pull off something like that.]

[Indeed,] Ethereal agreed.

Remarkably, when the steam cleared, Kuwell stood unharmed, having successfully deflected the Spirit Kings’ combined onslaught.

Narh Di Maug once said that Father could have reached even greater heights but was held back by his age.

But in this lifetime, things were different. Whether it was due to Karyl’s influence or something else, the Platinum Dragon’s guidance had shaped Kuwell’s growth.

Karyl could see that the sword techniques Kuwell now used were closely aligned with the ancient Blader’s techniques. It made sense, as the Platinum Dragon had taught these techniques to Alteman. Though it was a half-complete style, it had earned the name of the Sword Demon.

It was no wonder that the MacGovern family’s swordsmanship, derived from the Sword Demon’s techniques, had flourished under the Platinum Dragon’s tutelage.

“Indeed... I cannot defeat you with my current strength,” Kuwell admitted. “In an era where dragons and Spirit Kings exist, for any human to claim to be the strongest on the continent is absurd. But you, Karyl, are undoubtedly the strongest among humans.”

Murmur... Murmur...

As Kuwell acknowledged Karyl’s strength, murmurs spread through the ranks of the imperial army. If even the greatest knight of the empire admitted he couldn’t win, it meant that no one among them could possibly stand against Karyl.

“But...”

While the soldiers were shaken, Kuwell’s voice remained calm.

“A war is never fought alone.”

Ssshh—!!!

Raising his sword, he shouted, “All units, prepare for battle! Today, we will capture the enemy’s leader! This is something no one has accomplished before. Today, you will become legends alongside me!”

Karyl, even though he stood surrounded by enemies, felt a strange sense of excitement welling up in his chest. It was an inexplicable feeling, as if his heart burned with an old fire from his previous life.

In that life, Karyl had fought with all his might in the war against Tarak, spurred by that very same voice.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, reliving the memories.

***

“Are you still mourning the loss of that Bran fellow? I know you had a connection with him in your past life, but even you must have realized this—even if you become king, not everyone will accept you.”

It was the night after they had claimed the marquisate. Karyl stood on the ramparts, overseeing the recovery of Bran’s body when Allen approached him with a question.

“If you’re so bothered by it, you could always use Zarka Hochi to resurrect him as an undead. Unlike Nain Darhon’s undead legion, which is filled with mindless warriors cursed by Tarak, Zarka Hochi can restore him as a lich with his consciousness intact. Or maybe you could use that doll trick from the little one, Kay, to bind his soul to one of those puppets.”

Karyl let out a bitter smile, shaking his head. “You know I won’t do that.”

At that, Allen let out a hearty laugh, his sharp voice cutting through the quiet night.

“Of course. You’re not a god. As a human, you can’t make everything perfect. But because of the future you’ve changed, there are those who have died... and others who can now live.”

Karyl remained silent, his gaze distant.

“And that also means you've gained strength in this life that you didn’t have before. Isn’t that right?”

Allen’s words echoed in Karyl’s mind. They were a reminder that, although he had changed the fate of many, the weight of those choices still hung over him. There was power in that—both a burden and a gift.

***

Karyl slowly opened his eyes.

“That’s right. War isn’t fought alone.”

At that moment, a masked man suddenly leaped in front of Karyl, standing between him and the advancing imperial forces.

Before anyone could react, Ganeth stepped up as well, halberd raised, protecting Karyl from the empire’s soldiers.

“Randol...?”

Kuwell’s eyes widened in disbelief as he recognized the stance and the piercing gaze of the masked man holding the sword against him. Even with his face hidden, Kuwell knew who it was. There was no mistake about it.

Randol and Ganeth were also powers Karyl hadn’t been able to claim in his past life.

“What the hell are you doing?!?” Tiren bellowed, his furious shout echoing across the tense battlefield.

The next instant, dark figures emerged from the shadows surrounding Tiren, blades pointed directly at his throat.

“...!!!”

This was another power Karyl had gained in this life—one he hadn’t possessed before.

Four black blades were positioned with perfect precision, forming a deadly square around Tiren’s neck. The cold glint of steel reflected in the eyes of the masked assassins as they gazed at their target.

The imperial knights surrounding Tiren stood frozen, unable to comprehend how these shadowy figures had taken him hostage so swiftly and without a sound.

“Nobody moves, or he dies,” growled Zigra from the Black-Eyed tribe. His voice was low and feral like the snarl of a predator ready to strike.

Karyl turned his head slightly, meeting Zigra’s eyes. The assassins, loyal to his command, awaited his next order.

“I thought I made myself clear,” Karyl said coldly, addressing the imperial forces that had dared to rush him.

His voice cut through the air, sharper than any blade.

“You’re no match for me.”