The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth C.32: Battle of the Lawless Harbor (1)

"You cursed rat!" Curan clutched his wounded shoulder, his voice filled with anger.

The muscles from his traps to his shoulder made eerie, crunching sounds as if they were alive. Although the wounds, inflicted by the sharp Agnel, appeared to heal, it was actually his robust muscles tightening around the skin, preventing the cuts from opening further.

A fierce waterspout erupted around Curan, swiftly dissipating the smoke that filled the building. "Stop making a fuss. It's not like the building is on fire."

"Everyone, get lost." As if the heat was being expelled from outside, white steam rose from the floor.

At Curan's command, his underlings scrambled to their feet and hurriedly fled through the door.

"Tch." Spitting out phlegm from his throat, he slowly surveyed his surroundings. "Finally showing your arrogant face, huh? Was it you?"

With a burst, Karyl's body sprung from the ground, changing trajectory by 90° in mid-air as if stepping on the air itself. Accelerating his fall, Karyl aimed his dagger sharply at Curan.

He is persistently aiming for the same spot.

It was precisely, his neck.

The shoulder previously cut by the dagger throbbed with pain.

This can’t be his first time. He seems to know how to kill with a dagger. Is this why those guys haven't come back? Because of him? Curan thought as he parried Karyl's attacks. What the hell is he?

This unexpected kid had not only set fire to the lawless harbor but was also attacking Curan.

Having been the harbor's master for decades, this was the first time he encountered such a preposterous situation.

Curan deflected Karyl's sword with all his might causing the blade to get ruined. Each time he blocked an attack, the blade chipped, sending fragments flying.

What's with that sword? He threw his sword away in irritation.

"What a fucking mess this is."

Curan grabbed the massive long sword that stood next to the chair he had been sitting on. The sound it made as it scraped the ground was like a growl, as if the sword itself was crying.

Concentrating his power, three streams of blue water wrapped around the blade of the long sword, giving the impression that Curan was holding a giant column of water.

It was the Sword of Sea Vortex.

Karyl looked at the crude swordmanship. Curan's swordsmanship seemed to be more about crushing than slicing.

"Kid, I don't know where you popped out from, but you're done for. You'll fully pay for what you've done up until now."

Curan tightened, his grip on the hilt of the long sword. "Among the nobility, there are those with strange hobbies. The heart of a child under fifteen goes for ten gold, the liver and lungs for seven gold, the arms and legs for three gold, and the eyes for two gold," said Curan, his sneering laughter echoing behind Karyl.

"But do you know what's the most valuable?" A chill settled in the air. "The skin of a child who’s not yet an adult. It goes for a whopping twenty gold. The church would be in an uproar if they knew. Those imperial pieces of trash who pretend to be all pious and believe in God, in my eyes, there's nothing filthier than them."

"I agree. I think so too." Karyl stopped walking. "Also you talk too much." 𝑓𝘳ℯℯ𝔀ℯ𝓫𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓵.𝘤𝘰𝓶

"What?" Curan's face contorted.

"You bastard... I don't know who you are, but you've messed with the wrong person. I'll show you exactly who I am."

Karyl maintained his calm demeanor. "I know who you are, Curan Majid."

Curan’s eyes couldn’t help but tremble at Karyl’s words. His family's name, a closely guarded secret, was mentioned by the kid before him, it unsettled him deeply.

Curan was taken aback, Karyl’s cold smile sending shivers down his spine. "Your father was Lopez Majid, a navy commander who was falsely accused of treason during the current emperor's ascension. And your mother... she was just one of the many maids from a common family. You are a bastard of the Majid family."

Curan's face twisted in anger, and he couldn’t hold back his words, "You bastard...!"

"Struck by tragedy, your father went mad, leading to the downfall of your noble house. Your mother met her end at his hands, and you, left with nothing but resentment, turned your back on the empire, leading a pitiful and bitter life."

"Shut up...!!!"

As Curan’s rage surged, the long sword infused with the power of water fell from above. The elongated column of water sliced through the ceiling, splitting the building in two and sending it crashing down toward Karyl.

The Sword of the Sea Vortex, a unique sword technique of the Majid family, was named after the very sword itself. It crushed the enemies by harnessing the force of a whirlpool, concentrating water magic to mimic the swirling vortexes of the sea.

This technique was exclusive to those with the blood of the Majid family flowing through their veins.

Lopez even taught his sword technique to his bastard child. Such a man couldn't possibly be a traitor. Karyl thought to himself while maintaining a calm demeanor, as he looked up at the sword descended towards him.

Was Lopez a victim or a sacrifice? Karyl pondered. Perhaps that’s why the current Emperor, Titan Shutean, hasn't yet designated a successor.

Even he himself wasn't the first prince, after all. During the battle for the throne, countless inexplicable events had occurred. Loyalists turned traitors and traitors became loyalists. Such occurrences were all too common.

Only the Emperor would know the truth.

With lightning speed, Karyl ducked low, almost touching the ground as he sprang forward. Though I'd like to use Aura Blade, he hasn't shown all his cards yet...

Until the very end, the final move must be kept hidden. Because I know there are eyes watching.

With a thunderous roar, the two adversaries collided. Upon impact, razor-sharp jets of water burst forth from the long sword, aimed at Karyl's back.

Twisting his body, Karyl deflected the water streams aimed at his waist with his dagger. Yet, the tremendous force proved too much for Karly, and he was sent spiraling through the air with a loud noise.

The attacks from the water streams were like annoying tentacles, they didn't stop at one and persistently chased him as he landed. Each time Karyl tumbled backward, the streams struck the ground where he had previously been.

"You rat!" Curan swung his long sword with all his might. A sharp blade of energy surged forsyth, sweeping towards Karyl. "There's nowhere left to run now!"

Karyl positioned his dagger vertically to shield his face, while lifting the side of the long sword. The long weighty sword, could not be easily deflected by a dagger. Moreover, the weight difference between Karyl and Curan was more than threefold.

To face his attack head-on, given the severe disparity in their weights, was logically impossible.

Karyl was sent hurtling away, crashing into the ground. He couldn't resist the momentum, and like a ball, he was flung against a wall, shattering it with a resounding crash as he was sent flying tens of meters.

Aidan and Suan, who had come from the ship to the building in the harbor, could only gaze in astonishment at the scene unfolding before them. The smoke from the burning ships mingled with the dust from the ground, creating a hazy veil. While the onlookers stood in shock, Karyl, despite the impact he had taken, remained eerily composed.