The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 427: The Power of the Sun (1)

[You’re quite good at exploiting your memories.]

Allen Javius spoke from inside the carriage on the way back from Kalan’s cabin.

Karyl, gazing out the window, didn’t respond to his comment.

[Not only did you change the minds of Hawat and his father, but you also made sure that the Demon King can’t make a move. He’ll have to be even more cautious from now on.]

It’s not over yet.

[True. One can’t be too cautious when it comes to demons. The more we force them to be careful, the less they can scheme.]

I’m not talking about Hagane. I didn’t do this to restrain him. I hardly care about what a demon like him is thinking. He’s not considering anything that would benefit me, anyway.

[Then...?]

It’s the same as with Anchar. I wanted to free Hawat from any emotional burdens.

[Emotional burdens?]

Yeah. In his past life, Hawat lost his father in this incident, just like Anchar.

Their sorrows had been similar, and yet they had handled them completely differently.

They realized their powers only after the Tarak emerged. The blood of Titan flowing through Hawat is purely his own. It’s got nothing to do with Tarak.

[Hmm...]

Granted, that blood does play a role for Bladers in the war against the Tarak, but the awakening of his power had a different cause.

Anchar had lost his family during the Tarak’s invasion of the continent because of her own weakness, whereas Hawat ended up killing his father with his own hands.

[That’s unbelievable. That meek oaf... killed his own father?]

Allen looked at Karyl in surprise.

[Wait... does this have something to do with the demons?]

As Allen recalled Kalan’s pact with that demon, Karyl gave a faint smile in response. He hadn’t expected anything less from the genius of the Magical Era.

That’s right. And thanks to that, they were able to fend off the demons that invaded the continent.

When the Oracle War had broken out in the previous timeline, the demons had invaded the continent alongside the Tarak. Disguising themselves as loved ones, or even gods, they lured and tormented humans.

Kalan wasn’t the only victim, as the demons had already spread their influence across the continent long before the war.

Once the war erupted, those people were used as sacrifices by the demons. Kalan was no exception.

[I see... I suppose one doesn’t simply make a pact with a demon and go on living as if nothing happened. You cleverly used your memories to save Hawat and his father, without anyone suspecting a thing.]

Sure, but there’s something you’re missing.

[...What?]

Do you know what moniker Hawat earned after his father’s death?”

[What?]

Karyl smirked.

The Demon Hunter. freewebnoveℓ.com

[What?!]

Allen was caught off guard.

[The Demon Hunter...? That’s ridiculous. What kind of power did he gain? Did he somehow get stronger every time he encountered a demon?]

Allen’s shock quickly gave way to a smirk.

That’s right, a demon-slaying power. At one point, Hawat’s mere presence was enough to scorch those demons.

[Hah...!]

Despite Allen’s astonishment, Karyl’s expression remained unchanged.

[Wait... are you saying he possesses the power of the sun?] Ramine interjected.

[So you all know.]

The Spirit Kings found themselves intrigued.

[I can’t believe it. That power isn’t something one can be born with... and Yula wouldn’t allow humans to wield that.]

[Well, it’s not entirely impossible. Titan, the Blader, definitely possessed the power of the sun, so if this boy inherited his blood, it makes sense that he can also wield that power.]

[...A terrifying force for the demons, without a doubt.]

Karyl frowned slightly, as if anticipating the response from the spirits.

[Yet, the mystery remains. How come Titan’s blood hasn’t vanished?]

[It’s also puzzling that Yula allowed this power to exist. The power of the sun is different from that of light. To leave a force that could threaten even herself... Why?]

Even as these questions trailed one after another, Karyl offered no answers.

[But according to you, hasn’t Hawat now lost the chance to awaken his power? Since his ties with the demons have been cut,] Allen challenged.

No. The enmity hasn’t disappeared.

[What do you mean?]

Karyl’s eyes glinted coldly.

The demons have always schemed to invade the human realm. The Wooden Cloud was the gateway they used. Although the Tarak had followers who worshiped them, it was the demons who supported them directly.

[Right. They even allowed them to cultivate plants unique to the Demon Realm. Their ambition to invade the human world isn’t new.]

This was precisely why Karyl had ordered the extermination of the Wooden Cloud as soon as he had brought Hagane under his command.

The Wooden Cloud was the remnant of the demons’ influence on the continent. Before, the Demon King sided with Yula, but in this life, he has placed his bets on me.

Karyl had never assumed that Hagane’s support was due to the brilliance of his own plans. He always reminded himself that demons, ever unpredictable, could betray either Yula or him at any moment.

But at least not this time.

[What do you mean...?]

As the spirits asked, why did Yula leave Hawat’s Giant powers untouched? Kalan, his father, is an ordinary human. Is he Hawat’s real father? Remember how the Platinum Dragon created the Chimera.

[Are you saying... that she was a created human?]

Something like that. There’s no need to overthink it. Yula granted Hawat his power. She purposefully allowed him to use Titan’s strength. Naturally, Yula would want to see the power she bestowed being used.

[That’s impossible. Didn’t you say Kalan made a pact with a demon?!]

When Yula gathered us for the Divine Oracle in the past life, she said as much. Naturally, we believed her.

[...!]

Allen was rendered silent by Karyl’s revelation.

But now I learned from Hagane that that’s not true. By relieving Hawat of his burdens, I was preventing him from being deceived by Yula. In our past lives, us Ten of the Oracle were mere tools for Yula. And I shared this truth with Hagane. We were only acting out a play, according to Yula’s designs.

[Hah...]

Hagane agreed to join in this play. After all, he also recognized that Yula blessed Hawat with Titan’s blood for the purpose of eradicating demons.

[Unbelievable. It seemed like the demons were aiming to harm humanity, but in reality, it was a scheme crafted by Yula? And you’re leveraging that? How many layers of schemes are intertwined in this...?]

Allen Javius couldn’t hide his amazement at the sheer depth of the deceit, and at the possibility that this might not even be the end of it.

[Did the Demon King really believe you about your past life?]

He likely suspected it from the moment he handed over Kaye Aesir’s essence. Though he hasn’t openly acknowledged it, he had no choice but to follow me once he sided with me. Of course, he’ll try to scheme from the shadows to extract the memories of my past life, but...

[Enemies both front and back, huh.]

When was it ever any different?

A wry smile strayed on Karyl’s face as he gazed at Heim in the horizon.

[Then how are you going to draw out Hawat’s hidden power? By getting rid of the Nephilim, you nullified the Oracle. Yula won’t appear anymore.]

Who do you think I am? I might not be an expert in magic, but after spending eons in Pharel, I learned far more than you, Allen.

Indeed, it was easy to forget that although Karyl possessed the body of a teenager, his mind was sharper and wiser than anyone around him.

“Yurin,” Karyl called.

“...Yes, what is it?” Yurin replied nervously.

“How many holy relics are currently at the Church?”

“Sorry?”

“I’m talking about the sacred relics, not the lower-grade ones used by ordinary priests, but those only the bishop and saints can use. Like the staff Rael Stallen used against me.”

“Ah... Yes.”

Yurin Hyugar seemed flustered by Karyl’s sudden inquiry.

What is he planning now...?

After the empire fell, Yurin moved swiftly to meet Karyl’s expectations. He had once held close ties to Titan Shutean’s empire, but he had quickly adapted to the new regime. So far, he had not disappointed Karyl, having quietly purged the priests connected to the Wooden Cloud.

However, compared to the Church’s golden age thirty years ago, Heim’s clergy had now been reduced to half.

“Well...”

Many of the purged ones had been responsible for managing those sacred relics. Naturally, the Wooden Cloud had been careful with the Church’s treasures and weapons, making sure not to entrust them to just anyone.

“I won’t ask you for anything else, as you’ve already exceeded my expectations. You used to store the relics in the western shrine, right? Now that you’ve eliminated so many of the Wooden Cloud’s pawns, I imagine quite a few of the relics are unclaimed. Am I wrong?”

“...How do you know about that?”

“You’ll understand when we reach the shrine. Let’s head there.”

Karyl folded his arms and closed his eyes, signaling that he didn’t wish to be disturbed further.

Yurin, unable to make sense of his intentions, sighed and nodded.

I’ll need to craft a gift for Hawat before I bring him along.

[So that’s the real reason you returned to the Church.]

That’s right. This time, I’ll enable him to awaken the power of the sun on his own, not through a false Oracle. And for that, I need a relic.

When the Oracle had been prophesied before, Yula had instructed the Nephilim to retrieve the portion of her power slumbering within the Church and use it to combat the Tarak.

The memory etched a cold smile onto Karyl’s face.

Yula’s power is still kept beneath the Church, but there are no Nephilim left to wield it.

As he slowly opened his eyes, Yurin felt a chill down his spine, swallowing nervously.

“Then we’ll have to use it...” Karyl murmured to himself.

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