The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth C.50: The Magic Competition (4)

"This isn't a competition!"

Karyl's battle had caused quite a commotion in Azor with just one fight.

"This is a desecration of sacred magic!"

"A sorcerer should only fight with magic!"

The competitions up till now had been about standing in place, waiting for the opponent to finish chanting their spell, and then clashing with each other's magic to determine the winner. As a result, stronger mana and higher-class magic were the deciding factor.

Some of the sorcerers who witnessed the first match criticized his method.

"What's the deal with that kid?"

"Find out which guild he belongs to immediately! Who is his master, what's his lineage?"

Meanwhile, another group became intrigued by him from their very first impression.

"What? Ulkas? Where's that? A third-rate guild has such a prodigy? No matter the cost, we must recruit him to our side!"

"There must be someone! We'll scour the Magic Council's records to find out who's behind this kid!"

Opinions about Karyl were divided, but there was no denying that he had made a name for himself in Azor, almost overnight. And with that, chaos ensued.

This is ridiculous. In a real battle, no one waits for the enemy to finish chanting.

Glancing at the noisy crowd, Karyl casually descended from the arena. True battle magic means casting spells faster and dealing with the enemy more efficiently.

In that regard, there was someone exceptional that he remembered. Her name was Serica Lauren. She was a comrade who, despite being a sorcerer, fought with a spear that could be hardly described as a staff, and showed a determination uncommon for a woman.

Well, although she insisted it was a staff till the end, no one else would call such a brute thing a staff. Karyl smiled softly as he thought of her.

She always said that among the knights, sorcerers were the ones truly specialized for battles.

"Why is it that someone with enough mana to be considered a sorcerer and excellent swordsmanship is called a Sword Master, but there's no name for someone who has reached the height of swordsmanship and possesses the mana of a Grand Sorcerer?"

It was some time after the descent of the Oracles. Standing atop a mound of ogre corpses on the battlefield, she replied, "Right? Superior mana and the combat prowess of a Sword Master. I'm going to overturn the standards set by the continent. The notion that sorcerers should always stay at the back is just stupid."

"Interesting. Then what should we call you?"

Thrusting her spear, or rather, her staff, into an ogre corpse, she said, "Supreme."

That girl... she's probably still washing dishes in some remote village. Even after spending years together, he couldn't imagine her wearing an apron and serving tables. In this life, I'll pave the way a bit earlier for the path you couldn't create in the past.

The waiting room fell into silence. Karyl cast one last glance at the chattering sorcerers and slowly stepped outside.

***

"Hahaha!! This is it, I thought you would make a grand entrance, but this... This is truly impressive!"

Bargo Sira, waiting in front of the arena, rushed towards Karyl with open arms. But Karyl deftly dodged the attempted embrace and walked on nonchalantly.

"Ha, haha." Having missed his embrace, Bargo hastily followed behind him. "How did you even come up with that? You really know how to make an entrance. I've always wanted to put those pompous sorcerers in their place." He laughed heartily.

"What's the payout?"

"Hmm?"

"I would have liked to bet more... but I guess you didn't listen to me. How much did we make with that hundred gold?" Karyl handed over the shattered staff he used to strike down the sorcerer earlier. "Looks like I'll need another staff."

"Hmm?" Bargo glanced at the broken staff, then burst into hearty laughter. "Of course! For the rising star of the Ulkas Guild, this is the least we can do!"

Throwing away the broken staff, Bargo said, "Join our guild. I'll introduce you to the other guild members and you can get whatever equipment you need from there."

"Sure." Karyl nodded. I wanted to meet Mikhail first... but he must be doing fine, no need to worry. Aidan is with him as well.

Neither of them had been in Azor long, but the quick-witted Aidan was likely managing well even without Karyl having to say anything. Besides, he might have already placed bets in my name.

Maybe it's time to start investigating the Ulkas Guild. It was one of my goals anyway. I have no interest in these guys anyway. I’m only after any clues about the Wooden Cloud that Bargo Sira might have hidden in the Ulkas Guild. That's all.

With a faint smile, Karyl replied, "Let's go."

***

There are countless magic guilds in Azor. Some of them belong to factions associated with the Magic Council, but most are formed by freelance sorcerers who take on mercenary work.

The Ulkas Guild, despite being a newly founded guild established less than a year ago, already had thirty members. Unfortunately, like most of the other guilds, it had yet to achieve notable accomplishments that would draw attention. Well, until this morning, that is.

With a creak, the door to the guild opened, and everyone's attention turned outside.

"Here they come," said Lawton, a sorcerer sitting at the counter, waking up the people who were lounging off.

"You lot, either bring in some work or get out. Don't just loiter around inside the guild!" Bargo shouted at the guild members as soon as he entered.

However, for some reason, people didn't seem tense at his words, and he didn't seem to care much either. It's the same old story. Bargo is not a sorcerer, that’s why, even though he’s the guild master, the sorcerers don't really respect him.

Most of the thirty guild members likely just saw him as a boss who paid them. After all, his main business is selling magic books. It's obvious why someone who isn't a sorcerer would open a magic guild—it's all just an act.

But, who is he trying to deceive? Karyl couldn’t shake the feeling that this guild, rather than being just another back alley shop, was somehow related to Wooden Cloud.

"You’re making quite a fuss over winning your bet at the Expert competition. Be careful, kid, you’re still inexperienced. That old man will use you a few times and then throw you away." a man sitting in the corner interjected, his surroundings littered with empty alcohol bottles.

What a mess. Laziness was a fast track to ruin.

Among them, some were regarded as promising talents, having reached the rank of sorcerer. Well... Just look at Baron Beryl, who was praised as a genius. It goes to show how fragile the minds of sorcerers can be.

Surprisingly, it is often those who possess great intellectual capacity for accumulating knowledge, that have the weakest minds. And once the mind shatters, the body's collapse is but a fleeting moment away.

"Hey, Thomson. If you're going to spout nonsense, do it at home. And if you're not going to use that staff, why not pass it on? Karyl might put it to better use than letting it gather dust in a corner for months."

"Shut up, Bargo. Even a pile of firewood is too good for that sort," the seemingly drunk man retorted, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Hmm... Karyl didn't miss that look and watched him with interest. His hands trembled slightly as if seized by spasms. Hidden beneath his robe, the back of his hands bore bruises, his skin turning purplish.

"Hey, kid. Do you know why sorcerers use staffs?"

Karyl halted.

"A staff is as vital to a sorcerer as life itself. To swing it around like a club? Insane..."

Thomson stood up and continued, "You're far from becoming a sorcerer, no, with that attitude, it's impossible in a lifetime."

Yet, despite his words, he struggled to stand upright, barely managing to stand up using the staff as a makeshift cane.

"Hehe..."

"Kekeke."

The guild members laughed derisively at his appearance. As the man grimaced under their ridicule and attempted to walk away. His pale skin, devoid of any color, was marred with dark spots, the veins on his face bulging.

While others laughed, Karyl silently observed the man.

"Tch." The man spat and turned away.

Karyl smirked faintly. "I see."

***

"Ah, that’s just nonsense. Don't mind it."

"Who was that person just now?"

Bargo entered the upstairs room and responded with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Thomson Howard, a mid-level sorcerer who reached Class 5 a few years ago. He used to be affiliated with the Empire... He's the highest-class sorcerer in our guild."

"Hmm."

"We paid a hefty sum to recruit him because of his experience, but look at him now. He's fallen into alcoholism, and now he's like that."

Karyl nodded again.

"Now let's talk about the important stuff, from the payout to drafting the contract. Seems like we have a lot to do." His gold tooth gleamed as he smirked. "It was all so hectic before. A verbal agreement is still an agreement, but it's better for both parties to have something in writing, don't you think?"

However, Karyl seemed to be occupied with other thoughts. He disregarded the documents Bargo offered him and said, "Let's talk about that later."

"What?"

"We'll meet again tonight at the inn. You know where I'm staying, right? The same one as before."

As Karyl abruptly left, Bargo called after him with a bewildered expression. "Huh...?! Wait, hold on! Hey!!"

***

"Damn it..."

Thompson muttered, his unsteady steps echoing in the damp alleyway. The stench of alcohol clung to him, but he wasn't drunk. If anything, the drink seemed to sharpen his mind. It was the only way he could bear it.

"Cough." Thompson slumped to the ground, gasping for air.

"As expected..."

Startled, Thomson quickly turned his head.

"You wouldn't know, but in the past... or should I say the future? Well, regardless, there was someone who always shouted that to possess high mana, one needed to train their body as well."

"Who, who’s there?!"

"Most people laughed at his words, but I agree with it. You might have the intellect to harness a lot of mana, but without a strong body to contain it, the mana will consume you instead."

A figure slowly approached him down the alley.

"Just like you."

"Y-You are..." Thomson's face stiffened.

"Thanks to that, it's called the curse of the gifted. And there’s still no known cure."

"You son of a... You followed me all this way just to spout nonsense?" he growled menacingly.

Yet, Karyl, spoke to him in a calm voice. "You have mana poisoning, don't you?"

Thomas swallowed audibly, the sound reverberating in the noisy square. "If left untreated, you'll die soon. You've done well to survive this long. If you hadn't reached Class 5, you would be done for already." Karyl chuckled lightly. "Perhaps the desire to live awakened your potential."

"Get lost." Despite Thompson’s words, Karyl gently placed a hand on his forehead. "If it becomes known, it's the end for you as a sorcerer. But," Karyl leaned in closer. "I think I may be able to help you."

Suddenly, Thomson felt overwhelmed by the surge of mana flowing into him, as if his very breath was being choked off.

"Huff...!! Huff...!!" But that sensation was fleeting, and soon his breathing eased. "...What, what?"

Slowly, his pale face regained color, and he looked at Karyl with a dazed expression.

"This is just a temporary solution. The cure will be known later... Fortunately, I know it."

Thomson's eyes wavered at his words.

"How’s it?" Karyl, seeing his reaction, leaned down and whispered, "But in return, there's something you need to do for me."