ocean-life Chapter 287: The Greatest Swordsman
Chapter 287: The Greatest Swordsman
Chapter 287: The Greatest Swordsman
“...What?! How dare you...!!”
The emperor’s voice echoed through the chamber as he slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair. However, his strength was all but spent, making him look more pitiful than menacing.
“You shouldn’t overexert yourself. If you collapsed from exhaustion, who would benefit from that? Your sons are probably already praying for your demise,” Karyl sneered.
“Silence!!”
It was then that a light emanated from beneath Karyl’s feet, activating a massive sigil inscribed on the floor.
Swish...!!
Golden ropes shot up from the ground, binding Karyl.
Boom—!!
At the same moment, a group of priests burst through the doors. According to the armbands they wore, they were all 1st Class combat priests. Seeing the man leading them, Karyl smiled as though greeting an old friend.
It was the Madman of the Battlefield, Yurin Huygar. However, contrary to his fearsome reputation, Yurin’s face was tense as he looked at Karyl.
“It’s been a while. I thought you’d be serving the empire by now, but it seems you’re still with the Church. Or are you here just because of the emperor?” Karyl asked, a hint of mockery in his tone.
“May Yula’s blessing be upon you, Agnus,” Yurin replied, ignoring Karyl’s remark. He brought his mace to his chest in a gesture of blessing, and a soft, milky light enveloped him.
The combat priests behind him also released their aura.
“You think a simple blessing spell will get the job done? Take your time. I’ll wait. Prepare as much as you can,” Karyl said in a low voice. “If you don’t, you’ll die.”
“...Nonsense! This is the Church’s highest-level sealing formation!” one of the priests shot back, clearly more confident than Yurin. “Not even a king can escape punishment for stirring chaos in the Holy City! Restrain him!!”
Crack... Crack...!!
But just then, Karyl exerted his strength, and the sigil on the floor began to crack.
Boom!!
With a loud crash, the golden bindings around Karyl’s arms shattered into pieces, and the sigil on the floor split in half.
“I-Impossible...”
The priests, now visibly shaken, could only watch in disbelief as their formidable sealing spell crumbled to dust.
Step, step...
Karyl brushed the remains of the shattered sigil off his shoulders and began to walk forward. The combat priests, tense and on high alert, kept their weapons ready, but Karyl paid them no heed as he passed by.
“Yurin Huygar,” Karyl began, lightly patting Yurin on the shoulder.
Ssss...!!
Suddenly, smoke rose from Yurin’s shoulder; his robe sizzled, leaving a charred hole.
“Argh...!” Yurin winced in pain.
“You don’t actually think you can fight me, do you?” Karyl’s voice was calm, but the threat was clear.
The memories of the overwhelming power he had felt in the Flame Dragon’s lair resurfaced in Yurin’s mind, causing him to tremble.
“What’s Jake’s condition?” Karyl asked, his tone firm.
"...The fifth son of the MacGovern family is safe,” Yurin replied in a voice that barely registered above a whisper.
“So there’s no danger to him as a hostage,” Karyl said, more a statement than a question.
Yurin nodded in response, but the emperor, still trying to grasp the situation, shouted in disbelief, “Wh-What are you saying? What is happening here?!”
Disregarding his outburst, Karyl turned to Titan Shutean, who was now visibly shaken.
“Emperor,” Karyl began, his tone cold and unyielding.
“...!!”
The emperor stiffened as Karyl loomed over him.
“Are you sure you’re not out of cards to play? If you really thought you could take me on with just a few combat priests and a hostage, you’d better start thinking of a new plan right now.”
“Age was his downfall. He seemed perfect, but in truth, his swordsmanship was incomplete. Had he been younger, his achievements might have been different.”
That conversation had led Karyl to discover that the dragon’s heart was sealed within Einheri, allowing him to acquire dragon mana after his return. However, since he had left the mansion after that, he had missed Narh Di Maug’s visit.
“...”
In his previous life, Karyl had spent most of his time at the mansion confined to his room, and so, he hadn’t expected much to come of a meeting between Kuwell and the Platinum Dragon, whether he was there or not.
Could it be...? Karyl shook his head, dismissing the thought.
For his suspicion to be true, too many unlikely factors would have to align. It seemed far-fetched, even to him. But then again, everything that had happened up to this point was beyond anyone’s imagination.
“If I asked about this stroke of luck, you wouldn’t tell me, would you?” Karyl shrugged, knowing full well this wasn’t the time for a leisurely conversation about swordsmanship.
Two warriors stood face to face, both having reached the realm of the Grand Master.
Thud... Thud!!!
With each step Kuwell took, the shattered floor sank under the pressure, as if it were soft clay.
He’s incredible...
The three disciples who had followed Kuwell were stunned, never having seen their master exert himself fully. Naturally, they couldn’t help being astonished.
But Karyl, unlike the others, was certain the moment he faced Kuwell. Even among Sword Masters, Kuwell was different. Karyl hadn’t felt such a tremor in his heart even when facing Gordon Fabian or Ganeth Avelant.
“You are truly remarkable,” Karyl said earnestly. “I once told the empress of the south...”
“...?”
Kuwell's attention remained fixed on Karyl, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected statement.
“The position of the Sword Masters has remained stagnant for far too long,” Karyl went on.
“That structure has already been broken. You have ascended to the rank of Sword Master, have you not?” Kuwell responded, still processing Karyl’s words.
“Not just me. She has also reached the rank of Sword Master.”
Kuwell’s face hardened at this revelation, knowing Karyl’s connection to the south. With only five Sword Masters on the continent, even the emergence of one more was a significant gain. However, Karyl had just implied that his faction alone had two Sword Masters.
“And there will be more to come,” Karyl added, glancing meaningfully at the three figures standing behind Kuwell.
“Indeed,” Kuwell replied, trying to shake off the unease growing within him. He knew the three he had chosen would become a formidable force, potentially making the empire the holder of the most Sword Masters.
What he didn’t know was that Karyl had already identified others—Suan Hazer, Aidan, and Greys Fanpinel of the Three Kingdoms of Istria—who had the potential to join the ranks of Sword Masters under his guidance.
“But why mention this now?” Kuwell asked, his suspicion growing.
Karyl smiled lightly at the question.
“The fact that the number of Sword Masters has increased means that the hierarchy among the strong can also change.”
“...What?”
Clink—
Karyl drew his Freezing Talon.
Whirrrrr...!!
As the blade vibrated with a resonant hum, a fierce white frost emanated from it, accompanied by searing flames that surged from behind Karyl.
Crunch—
Karyl gripped the hilt tightly, and the cold and heat seemed to be drawn into the blade, condensing into a single, concentrated force.
Sizzle... Sssss...!!
The power of the Blazing King and the Queen of Tides fused with his Arcane mana, producing a ferocious Arcane Blade that crackled with energy.
“Have you not held that title for too long?” Karyl asked, his voice filled with a quiet intensity.
Kuwell, who had never seen such a display of sword energy before, stared at Karyl with a tense expression.
“That moniker you go by, the Greatest Swordsman,” Karyl said in a low voice, his eyes locked onto Kuwell’s.
“It’s time to renounce it.”