NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 252: The Civil War in the Principality (17)
Chapter 252: The Civil War in the Principality (17)
“P-Please spare me!!”
The deputy commander’s desperate scream echoed through the air. He looked on in disbelief at the wyvern that had abandoned him, his face covered in grime.
“...”
Karyl, watching him with a blank expression, swung his sword across the man’s neck without hesitation.
Schk—
The icy edge of the Freezing Talon sliced through his neck cleanly, freezing the blood before it could even spill, leaving the deputy commander’s head to shatter into pieces like fragile ice.
“Roar..!!”
“Groaaar...!!”
Even though these knights had cared for them since birth, the wyverns seemed to roar in approval at the death of their former masters.
A wyvern submitting to an enemy as its master—such a phenomenon was unprecedented, not only in the history of the principality but across the entire continent.
“Hmm...” Karyl exhaled lightly, surveying the surroundings. Behind him, all but one of the nineteen wyverns that had survived the initial attack had their heads bowed toward him.
[A human to whom wyverns bow in submission...]
Ramine, observing the scene, couldn’t help but be impressed.
[If Duaat could see this, he’d be thrilled. He was once devoured whole by drakes under Riseria’s command, and these creatures, born from that bloodline, now submit to you.]
Ramine recalled Duaat, now alongside Allen Javius.
“Riseria, too, was slain by a human. These descendants of hers mean little to me, but if you wish, summoning Duaat here wouldn’t be difficult.”
At Karyl’s words, Ramine’s flame flickered slightly before subsiding.
[No need. It was just a thought.]
Duaat’s contract was with Allen, not Karyl, so there was no reason for him to follow Karyl.
Ironically, because Allen had previously formed a soul contract with Karyl, it created a sort of food chain where Karyl was above Allen. Thus, Karyl could summon Duaat, but Duaat couldn’t freely appear before Karyl as Ramine could.
[In any case, there’s likely no human left on this continent who can defeat you.]
Ramine’s tone was one of reluctant acknowledgment.
“Human? Does that mean even a dragon wouldn’t be a match?”
[Who knows? Their strength varies depending on their lifespan and the blood running through their veins. But if you’re planning to fight one, make sure to end it within twenty moves.]
“Why’s that?”
[Because as a human, you have inherent physical limitations. Even if you possess the strength of a dragon, your body is still that of a human.]
“So, you’re saying that even after the transformation, I can’t surpass a dragon physically?”
[Are you referring to consuming a dragon’s heart? That transformation is better understood as the alteration of your internal organs rather than muscles and bones. It’s merely the creation of a vessel within your body that can contain mana, something a normal human body could never do.]
“Hmm...”
Karyl frowned slightly at Ramine's explanation.
“But Kaye Aesir did hunt down Riseria.”
“He’s different.”
“What do you mean?”
“...”
When Ramine fell silent again, Karyl shook his head in resignation.
“You always keep certain things to yourself, even when it’s not something from the Mythical Era. Has that become a habit now?”
[Kaye Aesir’s defeat of Riseria was also a quick battle. That’s all I can tell you for now.]
“Hmm...”
Karyl nodded in understanding.
However, when he had glimpsed the Flame Dragon’s memories in the Einheri library at the MacGovern mansion, Karyl had sensed that there was something more complex in the relationship between Kaye Aesir and Riseria.
Did Riseria really fight Kaye Aesir with all her might?
The thought crossed his mind that perhaps their battle had not occurred under normal circumstances.
“Well, I’ll find out when the time comes...” Karyl murmured softly, thinking of a certain dragon—the Platinum Dragon. He wasn’t sure how much stronger he would be compared to the Flame Dragon, but as Allen Javius had said, to drive a dagger into him, the blade had to be sharpened to perfection.
[Still, you can’t say that the dragon's heart has had no effect on your body. Your body is naturally adapting to accept dragon mana, a transformation you must have felt yourself,] Ramine said quietly.
[You could call this evolution.]
Karyl nudged the deputy commander’s corpse aside with his foot and slowly walked forward.
“Evolution? Is that the best advice a Spirit King can offer me? No, as long as I remain within the realm of humans, it’s not evolution but mere growth.”
“...”
Karyl then raised his hand.
“Mael.”
At his call, the serpent tattoo on Karyl’s left arm began to writhe.
“How about you? I’m not satisfied with that. Can you become my dagger?”
[This is honestly...]
Mael chuckled at Karyl’s words.
“I’m still not sure if you’ll be a poison that harms me, but it’s worth seeing if you can be of use. You told me to use you back in the tent, right? Let’s see if you can put your money where your mouth is.”
The blue serpent tattoo slowly took on a more defined shape, forming a complete serpent that extended up to Karyl’s shoulder. Its fangs, sharp and menacing, became prominent on his left hand, as if ready to strike.
The Freezing Talon in his grip quivered slightly, as if even Zarka Hochi, the spirit within, was trembling in fear.
[This won’t prove much, but those four thousand humans over there...]
Karyl’s gaze fixed on the rising dust clouds in the distance. The Wyvern Squadron had been decimated, but the enemy’s main force was still charging toward him.
The cries of the approaching army filled the air.
[...I shall handle them within five minutes,] Mael whispered.
***
“The wyverns have suddenly settled down.”
“That’s strange... They were causing such a ruckus just a moment ago," Lilliana remarked, curiously glancing at the subdued beasts.
“We’ve used up all the flu powder. It seems like we’ve used even more than what we used at Moon Aether.”
Lilliana nodded at her subordinate’s report.
“Even though they’re subspecies, they definitely carry the blood of dragons. We’ve barely managed to slow them down, but it didn't work completely.”
“But how could this happen?”
“I wonder...”
Lilliana tilted her head, observing the wyverns that were now crouching on the ground, their heads lowered like chastised dogs.
“Of course, this is all thanks to our lord. Now I understand why he told us to hold them off for a bit. If our lord unleashed his energy to subdue these creatures, the wyverns approaching us would have likely turned tail before even getting here.”
Hashir clicked his tongue as he spoke. Scouts from the Wolf-Fox tribe had returned to report on the situation at the front lines, and he was the first to hear any news about Karyl.
“It seems our lord deliberately went out to meet the enemy, worried they might flee...” Even as he said this, Hashir found it absurd. The idea that someone facing down an army of wyverns and thousands of soldiers would be concerned about the enemy running away was unbelievable.
They say a Sword Master has the power of an entire army, but our lord... he could be called a walking kingdom, with armies gathered around him.
Hashir felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn’t help but think that the elders of the immigrant tribes needed to see this for themselves.
“If the elders saw this, they’d be speechless.”
“He’s not just proving himself worthy of the title of Great Warrior; he’s achieving feats that no Great Warrior before him ever could.”
“Turns out following him was the right call. Or rather, it was your keen judgment that led us here, Hashir.”
Lilliana and the other young tribe leaders spoke reverently as they took in the scene before them.
“With results like this, even the Jannabi tribe should fully open their hearts to our lord, right?”
“We decided to follow him when he brought Agnel back to the north. Especially after you, Hashir, recognized him as the rightful owner of Agnel. Honestly, when you, the leader of the Wolf-Fox tribe, called him our lord, everyone was surprised.”
Hashir smiled bitterly at her words. By now, nothing about this situation surprised him. The most shocking moment for him had been during their first encounter at the Abyssal Rock when Karyl had grasped the Arcane mana. That memory was still vivid in his mind.
“The elders may be past their prime, but they still hold significant influence among the immigrant tribes. We merely stepped back out of respect for them.”
As Lilliana said, among the gathered tribes, the Jannabi tribe was the only one whose leader had not taken direct action. However, the fact that their second-in-command, who possessed strength comparable to the leader, had taken part, showed their stance toward Karyl.
“His strength speaks for itself, but the elders’ stubbornness isn’t without reason. None of the leaders here fully understand the true significance of that dagger.”
“The true significance?” Patun asked, feeling slightly offended at the implication that his experience as a chief was being disregarded.
“Well... I don’t really know either. It’s just an old legend. They say only the one who inherits Agnel can achieve it.”
“Hmm...”
“The title of Great Warrior isn't just about being strong in battle or proving individual prowess. It’s about proving that one is the true master of Agnel. The elders likely want to see that for themselves.”
Everyone nodded in agreement at Lilliana’s words.
“That’s why the chief sent me here. To see if he intends to take on the north’s trials.”
Kuntai nodded and asked in a loud tone, “Hmph, what could it be? It would probably be just another old-fashioned ritual. The old folks are always obsessed with that kind of thing. We left because we hated those traditions and wanted to choose our own leader.”
“It might not be just a ritual.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I don’t really know the answer to that myself. After all, none of us here have ever served under a chieftain with the title of Great Warrior. Perhaps the Black-Eyed folks would know more about it,” Lilliana replied, shrugging as she thought about those elusive figures.
“Maybe it’s precisely because we don’t know that we can be so bold.”
“In the end, we’ll have to go to the north at some point if we want to unite all the immigrant tribes under him.”
“So he’s still only halfway there, then.”
“Seems like there’s still a long road ahead.”
Just then, Hashir, who had been listening to everyone’s chatter, silenced them all with just three words.
“Look over there.”
His eyes, fixed on the horizon, were filled with certainty. The others followed his gaze and fell silent, their idle speculation about Karyl suddenly rendered irrelevant.
Hashir’s conviction hadn’t wavered, and now, as if to reaffirm his faith, he announced in a voice full of confidence, “Our lord is coming.”
Swish—
In that moment, the air was filled with a sudden, powerful sound.
“Grrrrrrrr—!!”
“Kaaaah—!!”
The previously quiet wyverns suddenly spread their wings wide and let out triumphant roars, as if celebrating his return, lifting their heads toward the sky.
“Am I dreaming?” Lilliana murmured to herself, letting out a faint, incredulous laugh as she gazed ahead.
“I was the one talking nonsense about how far we still had to go...”
“And I claimed he was only halfway there?”
Kuntai and Patun seemed to agree with Lilliana, their lips twitching in disbelief.
Overhead, multiple wyverns soared in the sky, but it was the figure at the forefront, standing tall on the lead creature, that drew everyone's attention.
Thud—
As Karyl approached, Hashir knelt down on one knee. Without hesitation, the others followed suit, bowing their heads in reverence.
In that moment, any lingering doubts vanished completely. Now, all that was left was to follow him.