The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth
Chapter 443: The Spirit Realm (3)

Chapter 443: The Spirit Realm (3)

“Haha....”

A faint chuckle escaped Yula’s lips. She slowly closed her eyes, shaking her head lightly.

Zzzzzzt....

Karyl’s sword hovered mere millimeters from her cheek. He desperately wanted to cut her down right then and there, but his blade wouldn’t move another inch.

“This sword... You possess Toska’s Grand Grimoire? I never would have expected this, even with divine providence. You have surpassed my expectations in every way, Karyl MacGovern. The Spirit Kings weren’t enough for you.”

Yula narrowed her eyes. “You’ve acquired two dragon hearts and even the Golden Dragon’s magic. Last but not least, the blood of the Bladers flows through your veins.”

Then, with a faint smile, she asked, “Can all of this really be explained as mere coincidence?”

She lightly waved her hand, and an invisible force knocked Karyl back.

“I told you I wish to talk to you, and you resort to your sword instead of words.”

“Talk? You think I’d waste my breath listening to you?!”

“Karyl MacGovern, are you truly intent on repeating the mistakes of those who came before you?”

She looked at him with something that resembled pity.

“Didn’t your kind vow never to unsheath the blade of vengeance unless absolutely necessary?”

With that, Yula snapped her fingers, and Karyl’s body twisted violently in midair. Dark smoke poured from him and scattered.

“Gah...?!”

The smoke coalesced into Allen Javius’s form. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest.

“Even the Great Sorcerer of the Magical Era stands at your side, Karyl. Now I’m even more eager to face you.”

Yula’s tone was calm, but it was clear she fully understood Karyl’s plans and intentions. Even so, she didn’t see him as a threat. And why would she? No matter how extraordinary he was, no human could ever hope to stand tall before a god.

“...”

This time, Karyl remained silent.

“At first, no one paid you any heed. But as time passed, some gods began to watch you. And then, when you rejected the Oracle and killed the Nephilim, a few gods started to take interest.”

She slowly walked toward Karyl, her light steps echoing in the tense silence.

“But... why does this keep happening in my domain? Not once, but twice now.”

“Maybe because you manage it like shit!” Karyl growled.

He then spat in her face.

“...”

Surprisingly, though his sword had failed to touch her, the spit landed squarely on Yula’s cheek, trickling down her face.

Yula closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, as though to suppress her anger. She wiped her face with the back of her hand. Though her expression was composed, there was a deadly sharpness to her aura.

“Indeed, the gods laughed at me. They couldn’t believe these beings would dare defy their creator. But do you know why the Oracle War began? Do you know why Pharel emerged on the continent?”

Her calm tone belied her murderous intent.

“It’s because the ruler of the Divine Throne vanished. Even I didn’t know at first. Who would have thought that the tower of Xeck-Mut, the King of Gods, was here, in this realm? After he abandoned his seat, the gods of the dimensions began to compete for it.”

Shiiing... CRACK!

A ripple of energy burst forth as her presence intensified, shaking the ground beneath them.

Yula extended her hand, and an image of Pharel materialized in the air. With a second gesture, the tower’s projection split vertically, its sections breaking apart into individual floors.

“Dimensions are like this Pharel you see. Each floor is separate, overseen by its own god. At the pinnacle sits Xeck-Mut, the supreme god. Yet, for reasons unknown, he vanished, leaving the throne vacant.”

With a flick of her fingers, one of Pharel’s floors slid out as if carved by magic, unfolding into a glowing map before their eyes.

Karyl instantly recognized the terrain.

“It just so happens that Xeck-Mut’s Pharel exists within my dimension, which turned my world into a battlefield for the gods.”

“So that’s why Pharel appeared?”

“Tarak exists outside the dimensions, while Pharel is a construct of the gods—a microcosm of dimensions. Within it reside the creations of other dimensional gods. They are their pawns.”

“Pawns?”

Yula chuckled lightly at Karyl’s question.

“Like gladiators fighting in their masters’ stead. Should one of those monsters conquer my dimension, its master would claim the throne.”

At that, Karyl’s expression hardened.

“The Oracle to stop the Tarak wasn’t just about preventing your extinction. If the human world falls, I lose my dimension as well.”

Yula’s lips curled into a bitter smile—a surprisingly human expression, uncanny on a god’s face.

“That’s why... I used the Nephilim to strengthen your forces.”

“Strengthen us? You merely used us as tools.”

“It may seem that way from your perspective, but to me, humans and Nephilim are merely creations. Still, I admit my mistake. Although the gods mocked me for failing to control my creations, I nevertheless saw potential in you—real potential, the kind that sets you apart from the worthless creatures in Pharel. A decisive piece in securing my victory.”

Yula pointed her finger directly at Karyl.

“You... You have the power to truly bring down Pharel.”

Her eyes glimmered with satisfaction, her tone brimming with conviction.

“Stop the Calamities. Destroy Pharel. If you survive where others fall, it will prove the might of my world.”

“Enough of your nonsense,” Karyl growled, his simmering rage breaking through. “You’ve just admitted that my land, my home, is just a game board to you. You want me to fight your battles? Screw you! I’m not fighting for you. I’m fighting for your head!”

Despite Karyl’s scathing words, Yula remained composed. If anything, her eyes carried a hint of sorrow and tenderness, as though she pitied him.

To an outsider, Karyl would likely appear the villain—boiling with anger, sword raised against a gentle-looking woman.

“This is no game. It’s a war, one your mortal mind cannot comprehend.”

“Yeah? Then fight it yourself.”

Karyl’s defiance didn’t waver in the slightest. Yula approached him, her movements slow and deliberate. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Your enmity toward me is of little consequence. In the end, you will have to destroy Pharel in order to avoid destruction yourself.”

She gently placed Maktuun’s heart into Karyl’s hand.

“I came here to help you, nothing more. Maktuun is a stubborn soul. Obtaining the power of a spirit doesn’t always require a contract.”

“...What?”

“If you crush his heart, his power will flow directly into you. Absorbing his power directly would be far easier than forming a pact.”

She glanced at the other Spirit Kings surrounding Karyl.

“The same applies to those creatures. It would be better to erase them. You have no need for a heap of trash. Strength is found in singularity, not numbers. I acknowledge you, Karyl MacGovern, because you are strong.”

Her lips brushed close to his ear, her voice sweet, almost seductive.

“If you truly wish to fight me, I’ll accept your challenge. But perhaps you’ll find that fighting alone gives you better odds.”

“Urgh...!”

“Yula...!”

“Shut your mouth!”

The Spirit Kings seethed with rage, but none dared challenge Yula. The memories of their past defeat lingered too vividly, holding them in place.

Crunch—!!

Yula gripped Polsetia’s sword in Karyl’s hand. Toska’s enchanted steel emitted black smoke, as if being scorched—yet Yula paid it no mind. Her expression remained composed as she spoke.

“Don’t trust the blue serpent hiding in your arm. All it can do is wag its silver tongue and lust after your body. The Master Key may seem special, but have you wondered why the Blader who wielded it fell to me? The aftermath says it all. They were incompetent.”

“You talk too much. Do all gods ramble like this, or is it just you, the useless one?”

“Ha... It seems you’re the one with the silver tongue.”

“Fuck off.”

Yula responded to Karyl’s defiance with an amused chuckle. She reached out and lightly brushed her fingers along his jaw, as if handling a pet.

“It doesn’t matter what you think of me. One thing is certain. You must destroy Pharel. Your hatred will lift me higher.”

“It’s not like I have a choice,” Karyl murmured, his eyes blazing with resolve. “Regardless of your orders, the Tarak will destroy the continent if I don’t stop them.”

He tightened his grip on the sword.

“I will destroy Pharel.”

“Good. You’re not like the other fools.”

Yula handed Maktuun’s heart to him, her tone light yet edged with satisfaction.

“Struggle for me. When we meet again, you’ll bring me victory... along with your heart.”

Whoooosh...!

A sudden gust swirled around her, and the crimson-streaked sky returned to its original hue. Only after she disappeared did Karyl let out the breath he had been holding.

“...”

“How was that?” Karyl asked as he brushed the dust from his clothes, his voice calm.

“You went a little overboard. Watching you recklessly charge in had me on edge. Given how you’ve handled things so far, I expected more composure. Picking a fight from the start?”

“It was mostly genuine,” Karyl admitted.

“Whether she really bought that or not, everything seems to be going as planned.”

His conversation with the others took on a conspiratorial tone, as though they had anticipated this encounter. Their expressions betrayed no hesitation, only confidence.

“Damn it, Karyl. You told me to stay quiet, but seriously? Just wagging my tongue? Next time, I’ll rip that smug face of yours apart!” Mael hissed indignantly.

Karyl merely smirked. “I learned more than I expected. Yula likely doesn’t realize it, but she gave me answers to the questions I’ve been pondering.”

“So, Pharel truly is a battleground for the gods’ throne. And it seems she’s unaware that you possess the Dimension Spiral.”

“Exactly. That’s what I needed to confirm, that the gods aren’t absolute. If Yula wanted to meet me, she had plenty of chances before. Even if gods can’t descend directly into the human realm due to the Oracle War, there’s always the Demon Realm.”

“That means she lacks influence outside the Spirit Realm despite having created it herself.”

“Which is likely why Kaye Aesir hid what we’re searching for in the Demon Realm.”

Karyl’s eyes gleamed with determination.

“The fact that there’s a place Yula can’t reach is a huge discovery. There’s a crack in their armor, and we’re going to exploit it.”

“Just as we planned.”

Karyl glanced at the now-clear sky, his eyes burning with fierce determination.

“You’re the one who doesn’t know, Yula. I’m not destroying Pharel for you. The moment Pharel falls... so will you.”

He tightened his grip on the heart of stone, reaffirming his resolve.

“Hey, are you just going to sit there in silence? Sure, you’ve been branded as a coward hiding in the Spirit Realm, but leaving your strength in Kalduan’s gauntlets proves you haven’t given up entirely. Isn’t that right, Lord of Rocks?”

The heart vibrated faintly in his palm.

“If you want to see what I’ll do next, then claw your way back to me. I’ll leave the dimensional gate to the Spirit Realm open for you, but bring your will to fight when you come.”

Karyl placed the heart atop the jagged stone remains.

“My plans haven’t even begun yet.”