The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth-Chapter 483: Final Act (6)

“Open the gates of the Demon Realm? What trickery are you trying to pull...?!” Yurin Huygar growled at Hagane.

In an instant, the priest shifted from a docile lamb before Miliana to the Madman, hoisting the Infernal Hammer off the ground.

“Wait.”

Miliana lifted her hand.

“If you cannot bring yourself to trust me, you could simply use the armor alone,” Hagane said with a faint smile, shrugging lightly. “As you know, we demons exist outside the divine domain. This means we possess some immunity to Divine Power. If your condition stems from the overuse of divine energy, the power of demons would be more helpful than a priest’s blessing.”

“What’s the catch?” Miliana narrowed her eyes.

“None, if you’re willing to trust me,” Hagane replied smoothly. “But even if you don’t, the efficacy of this armor is genuine. Besides, if I were to let you die, your lord wouldn’t spare me.”

His smirk widened.

“Perhaps he might even raze the Demon Realm itself.”

“You think Karyl can win this? If we don’t survive, it won’t matter if he destroys the Demon Realm or not.”

“Demonic deals are always balanced exchanges. We never take a loss. That’s why Kaye Aesir entrusted the Dimension Spiral to the Demon Realm in the first place.”

Hagane’s toothy grin revealed a hint of mischief as he added, “And my giving that fragment to the lord means I believe he has a chance to win.”

Miliana studied him silently for a moment.

“...Fine.”

“Miliana!” Yurin Huygar exclaimed in alarm.

“I will open the gates of the Demon Realm. I don’t know why you’re not doing it yourself, but it doesn’t matter. Even if there’s some scheme at play, I’ll handle it as I always do. If you betray me, I’ll pay you back double.”

“Haha, I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Godslayer who has already defeated three gods.”

“Two,” Miliana corrected. “The last one was finished by Allen.”

Hagane tilted his head indifferently.

“Do you think you’re stronger than the gods?” she asked, snatching the remaining relics from his hands. “If not, you’d better tread carefully. Allen is still by Karyl’s side.”

Hagane let out a dry chuckle, seemingly understanding her warning.

Clink.

Without hesitation, Miliana placed the Necklace of Revelation around her neck.

Whoosh!

“...!!”

Yurin Huygar and Hawat stared in disbelief as the crimson, scale-like layer enveloped Miliana. It pulsed with life before merging into the Armor of Extremis. As the scales shed like molted skin, the armor beneath gleamed with radiant brilliance.

Silence hung heavy as Miliana opened her eyes, a fiery resolve radiating from within.

* * *

“Arrrrgh...!!”

With a deafening scream, Yula called the black mist to her, drawing it back into her body.

Crack! Crackle!

Aidan desperately tried to pull his sword free from her neck, but the mist coiled tightly around it, holding it in place like a vice.

[Let it go. Yula is awakening.]

“But—!”

[Now!]

Kungen’s shout left Aidan no choice. Reluctantly, he let go of his twin blades.

As the mist receded, Yula’s form began to stabilize, her body glowing with malevolent energy. Meanwhile, Miliana, now clad in the Demon Realm’s relics, watched her intently.

The battle was far from over.

Boooooom...!!

Simultaneously, a searing blast erupted from Yula’s body, sending out a ferocious heatwave accompanied by a deafening explosion.

“Ugh!!”

As the intense black flames surged toward Aidan, the strings that had once been connected to Zarka’s puppet form coiled around his body and yanked him backward.

“This way!”

Whoosh!

Yula’s razor-sharp sword grazed dangerously close to Aidan, narrowly missing him.

Snap!

The black mist ate through the taunt strings, causing Aidan to helplessly plummet to the ground, like a kit with its strings severed.

“Guh...!”

He shuddered upon impact, dark blood spilling from his mouth,

Sizzle...!

The blood emitted smoke the moment it touched the ground. The veins across Aidan’s entire body turned jet-black.

[So soon...? He’s already succumbing to divine poisoning. No mortal should ever attempt to use two Dimension Spirals.]

The Thunder Lord gritted his teeth as he observed Aidan’s deteriorating condition.

[Hey, get a grip, you fool! That’s Black Blood Syndrome, caused by prolonged exposure to corruption from the Spirals. If you don’t stay conscious, the Divine Power will devour you!]

“Pfft...! Ugh...!!”

Despite the Thunder Lord’s warning, Aidan coughed violently, expelling blood like a fountain.

[...Unbelievable. You, the Golden Dragon, the elf—you lot weren’t just trying to create an opening. You actually intended to kill Yula yourselves.]

Kungen had finally put the pieces together, and he was dumbstruck.

[You even deceived your own master... just to save him?]

At Kungen’s remark, Aidan let out a bitter laugh.

[Listen, it’s going to hurt like hell, but stand up right now. She’s coming!]

“Shit...”

Thanks to the Dimension Spiral in his possession, Aidan could sense Yula’s ominous presence closing in on him.

“I’m in this state after one attempt... How pitiful.”

With trembling arms, he barely managed to lift his upper body as he muttered under his breath, “Suan.”

Crash!

Yula’s blade tore through the black mist, bearing down on Aidan, but a glowing blue gauntlet struck the ground before him just in time.

Thud! Crack!

A wall of stone pillars erupted from the earth, rising just in time to intercept Yula’s strike.

“Futile...!!”

However, as more power surged through her sword, Yula effortlessly shattered the massive stone barricade imbued with the strength of the Lord of Rocks.

[Hmph!]

The towering figure of the Lord of Rocks emerged, shielding Aidan as Kungen unleashed a torrent of crackling lightning to scatter the encroaching mist.

“Aidan.”

Behind the hulking Maktuun, Suan Hazar’s irritated voice cut through the chaos.

“Was this your plan? To charge in alone without even a word?”

His tone held a mix of bewilderment and resentment.

“If I’d told you, you would’ve gotten in my way.” 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

“You’re damn right I would’ve.”

Suan’s blunt retort drew a wry smile from Aidan.

“Hand it over.”

“...What?”

“Don’t play dumb. You’ve got it, don’t you?”

“What?”

“Toska’s fragment.”

Suan resolutely extended his hand, his intentions clear.

“Stop. Taking a Dimension Spiral means inevitable death. At least you should stay by our lord's side.”

“Are you seriously going to lecture me about that after absorbing two fragments, knowing full well what that entailed?” Suan Hazar snapped, ready to strike if provoked further.

“Our lord awaits you.”

“Crazy bastard...” Aidan grumbled and reluctantly he held out the fragment he had been clutching.

Suan, seeing this, nodded knowingly, as if affirming his suspicions.

“My strike weakened Yula somewhat, but that’s not going to be enough. To give our lord a proper opening, we need her attention elsewhere.”

Aidan handed the fragment to Suan, who clenched it tightly as it began merging into his body. The moment it disappeared into him, Suan seized Aidan’s wrist and yanked him close.

Swoosh!

Aidan’s own Dimension Spiral seemed to sense a new host, abandoning his battered body and flowing into Suan like a torrent of light.

“HEEEEY...!!!” Aidan roared in shock as his Divine Power was forcibly drained.

“Shut up, you dumbass!” Suan shouted back. “You think I didn’t know that keeping that Spiral would’ve killed you? I’m giving you time to say your goodbyes.”

“You bastard...” Aidan growled as Suan pushed him away with force.

“Thunder Lord, I entrust him to you. Please make sure he returns to our lord’s side.”

Now bearing the power of three Dimension Spirals, Suan radiated an overwhelming aura.

Thoom!

He clashed his gauntlets together, and the ensuing shockwave formed a protective barrier around him—but not just any barrier. This was a combination of Gordon Fabian’s Automata and Suan’s own magic and divine energy.

His display of power was unparalleled.

Voooom...!

Fragments of the stone pillars that Yula had shattered before floated around him, shifting and eventually forming a massive shield.

“Suan—!” Aidan called out, but Kungen promptly intervened, pulling him away from the battlefield.

All he could do now was watch Suan’s silhouette fade into the distance.

* * *

Karyl slowly opened his eyes.

As someone with Divine Power, he too could sense the movements of the Dimension Spiral. As such, he realized right away what the others were planning.

“Allen.”

Still, he did not move.

“Was it too much to hope for?” he murmured bitterly.

“Hoping for humans to live with dignity? No, that’s not being overambitious,” Allen replied softly. “We, the dead, sought to shoulder the burden ourselves, but alas, we lacked the strength, and in our weakness, we left you all to suffer. For that, I feel nothing but shame.”

Karyl remained silent.

“You’ve done so much to save others,” Allen went on, “often taking the most arduous path just to ensure that more lived. When you killed the two emperors, absorbed the Lurein Principality, and united the Three Kingdoms, you carried those burdens yourself.”

Allen’s voice was steeped in nostalgia.

“At times, it was frustrating to watch. You worried endlessly, exhausting yourself trying to save everyone. Those efforts brought misunderstanding and resentment. But now, it’s different. Standing by your side, I thought I understood your struggle, but...”

With that, he gently put his hand on Karyl’s shoulder.

“Only by walking this path myself do I truly comprehend it. Not everyone can embark on this mission. Taking the long, winding road... What a grueling quest that is...”

“Yeah... I chose that path out of my own selfishness, and it made things harder for everyone.”

“That’s not to say taking the easy path would’ve been the right choice,” Allen argued. “Why do you think the others are fighting so fiercely, consuming the Spirals themselves instead of letting you join the battle? It’s to keep you human, to ensure you remain one of them. It might’ve been easier to follow your original plan, to ascend to godhood and strike Yula down.”

Allen shook his head. “But what meaning would that have? What’s the point in achieving your goal if you lose yourself in the process? Just as you’re not wrong in wanting to protect them, their determination to keep you by their side isn’t selfish either.”

“But... I...”

“When I said the long path was arduous, I didn’t mean holding on to your humanity. The real challenge is not carrying all the burdens alone.”

Allen sighed softly. “How harsh your journey has been, my student...”

“...”

Karyl said nothing, torn between gratitude for their efforts to protect him and the unbearable thought of standing alone atop a mountain of sacrifices.

Crack...! Crackle...!

Lightning tore through the air as Kungen, battered and torn by the black mist, collapsed at Karyl’s feet, expending the last of his strength.

“Aidan...!” Karyl cried out, his voice barely audible amidst the howling storm.

“I’m sorry, my lord... I couldn’t... kill Yula,” Aidan gasped, collapsing into Karyl’s arms. He barely registered the physical pain—only the crushing frustration that brought tears to his cheeks.

“Suan... Suan is ahead...”

“You fools...”

“I’m sorry. Both Suan and I seem to have learned nothing but stubbornness from you, my lord,” Aidan murmured, his voice quavering with emotion.

Karyl saw it then—felt it. The Dimension Spiral had left Aidan and gone to Suan. The price for using Divine Power was evident as Aidan’s life force drained away at an alarming rate.

“I should thank Suan... It’s because of him... that I can see you again.”

[Such a foolish one. I was the one who brought you here, not him.]

Despite Kungen’s gruff words, Karyl could tell the Spirit King was trying to hide his own sorrow.

“This time... I wanted to achieve something for you, my lord... but in the end, I leave it in your hands again.”

“Enough,” Karyl murmured.

“But isn’t this the first time?” Aidan continued, his voice filled with a strange pride. “The first time we’ve cleared the path for you, instead of the other way around.”

Aidan’s smile was faint but heartfelt.

“I don’t fear death... but goodbyes... they’re unbearable.”

His voice grew weaker, his hand clutching Karyl’s.

“Lord Karyl, do not become a god.”

His hand went limp and fell to the ground.

“Please... remain human.”

Those were his final words.

“No... Aidan... Noooo...!!”

Karyl clung to him, his chest aching with uncontainable grief.

“No time for mourning,” a firm voice cut through the anguish.

Standing beside him, clad in crimson armor, was Miliana. Her gaze was a mixture of sorrow and resolve.

“Aidan... because you took my Dimension Spiral, I was able to survive,” she said, her voice thick with emotion as she caught her breath. “For that... I’m grateful.”

Miliana gently closed Aidan’s eyes, then said reverently, “Digon shall remember your name for eternity.”

“Miliana...” Karyl whispered.

“Remember his final wish,” she said firmly. “We’re fighting to prevent you from ascending. Grieve our deaths if you must, but don’t you dare discard your humanity in the name of stopping them.”

Her tone was resolute.

Even if I must forsake my own humanity... I will make sure you remain...

Vroooooom...!!

At that moment, the heavens split open as a massive gate materialized, and the Four Knights of the Demon Realm emerged, their presence radiating dark power.

“Demon Army...!” Miliana shouted out, firmly and with authority. Like a commander, she raised her hand. “Crush them.”

With that, countless demons and monstrous creatures poured forth, surging toward their enemies like a relentless tide.