The 9th Class Swordmaster: Blade of Truth C.110: The King of Blazing Heat (1)

"Wow... this was where the Red Dragon lived," Joey Johansel remarked.

He was looking around the lair like a child in a candy store. His excitement explained why he had always been the one assigned to explore ruins. The volcanic lair, which seemed formidable even from a distance, proved even more impressive from within.

Since Kaye Aesir had hunted down Riseria two hundred and fifty years ago, the monsters here had been subdued by the empire's soldiers.

"It feels like we're on a tour, doesn't it? The traps have been disarmed, and the lair is empty. We just need to find that Razorthorn, right?" Joey commented lightly.

"That's right. It should be deeper inside the lair," Karyl responded, patting the pouch containing Razorthorn leaves he had secretly collected at the entrance.

The Flamegrass growing beneath the volcano was indistinguishable from ordinary weeds to people of this era, who were unaware of its potent effects.

I've already secured the antidote herbs, and your job is to accompany me to the deepest level to unlock Riseria's seal, thought Karyl, smiling at Joey and Yurin.

"How do you know it's inside? Only a few nobles from the empire are privy to that information," Yurin inquired, and his face marked with skepticism.

"Our guild member, Kamma, was a noble of the principality. Though this place was part of the empire's territory during Kaye Aesir's era, it is now under the principality. The principality also holds information about the Flame Dragon's dwelling," Karyl explained.

"Hmm..."

Despite the explanation, Yurin still seemed unconvinced.

"But it’s mostly thanks to the black market in Tatur,” Karyl continued. “You know the saying, if you can't find what you’re looking for on the black market, not even the emperor can get it.”

"That means that even secrets are bought and sold," muttered Yurin. His face was twisting in displeasure. Given his deep connections with the imperial nobility, it was likely he was also a noble.

"Ha, there’s always someone like Kamma Povil around. But I do like him. From my perspective, he's one of the capable administrators," Karyl said without a tremor in his voice, completely calm.

"Still, there are treasures left in the Flame Dragon’s lair that could be of aid to His Majesty. It may be hard to believe, but isn’t it worth investigating?" Karyl suggested.

"That’s why we came all this way. But be prepared for the consequences if we find nothing," Yurin warned.

Karyl only chuckled in response. That won’t happen.

The interior of the Flame Dragon's lair resembled a vast temple, descending hundreds of steps into the earth.

"..."

Joey Johansel, initially excited upon entry, gradually fell silent, and his breathing became labored as they descended further.

"This is incredibly challenging."

As they descended further underground, it became increasingly hot, causing them to sweat profusely even while standing still. After descending as far as they had already come, Joey finally gave in to exhaustion and collapsed.

"Huah...!" Joey threw off his sweat-drenched robe. His legs were trembling due to the sheer physical exertion. "Can we take a short break?"

Karyl nodded and passed him a water bottle, which Joey chugged eagerly, finally looking relieved.

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"It's massive here. Feels like we've been going down for half a day," Joey remarked briefly, noting the eerie silence of the lair, now only inhabited by the wisps of spirits.

"The imperial expedition took decades to explore this place. Just imagine, the part we’ve passed through was once teeming with monsters.”

"...That’s horrifying," Joey murmured, shaking his head as he looked around.

Indeed, a dragon’s lair was incredible. It wasn’t a place that could be conquered in a day or two. Given that Riseria’s lair was this daunting, it was clear that tackling Narh Di Maug's active lair would be an immense challenge.

They stopped in a large underground chamber. Unlike before, the space had five entrances leading downward. In front of each entrance was an inscription in ancient script.

As Joey Johansel approached one of the five entrances, the stone monument in front of it emitted a faint light, as if responding to his presence. Startled, he hesitated at first, but he eventually took a closer look and read the inscription.

"Five become one, then split into two again?”

"You can read that? Have you studied ancient languages?" Yurin asked, surprised.

"Yes... a little. Most relics from the Magical Era have ancient scripts. I studied ancient languages a bit for exploration purposes, but..." Joey trailed off, still looking uncertain as he glanced at the inscription on the monument next to the entrance.

Whoosh—

Like before, another light flashed, and Joey read the next inscription.

"Four become three, then turn into seven."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure, but..." After reading the ancient text, Joey Johansel's expression twitched as he spoke. "Um... I'm not that good at reading ancient languages."

"What are you talking about?" Yurin looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Wait... How am I able to read these ancient scripts so well?”

"..."

Yurin looked at Joey as if he wanted to hit him, but Joey seemed genuinely serious.

"Maybe it's not you reading the text, but rather the text being conveyed to you? Like it's echoing in your mind or... lingering in your mouth."

Just like before, the stone lit up again, and he read the inscription aloud.

"Exactly! That's it!" Joey nodded vigorously at Karyl's words.

"That's fascinating. What does it mean... Can you read the others as well?"

"Sure."

Joey quickly activated the remaining stones at Karyl's request.

Of course you can read it. You're a priest. One of the seals Riseria created reacts to divine power in these stones.

Thanks to Joey’s curiosity, things were going more smoothly than expected.

"Well... I've read them all."

"What do they say?"

"Seven gain ten more, but originally there was one."

Joey read the inscriptions one by one.

"Of the seventeen, five are vacant, but two remain forever unchanged.”

"If there are those who look upward, there are also those who look downward...” Yurin read the last inscription, then shrugged and nodded at Joey.

"It really is like you’ve said. Even I can read these inscriptions, and I haven’t studied ancient languages at all.” Yurin’s expression was full of confusion, not realizing that it was his divine power doing the work. "This is the story of the gods."

"What?"

"Joey, think about the first passage of the doctrine. In the beginning, there was a god, and this god had four children."

"Ah...! The four competed across dimensions, one disappeared, and of the remaining three, two met and a new child was born. And..." Yurin nodded at Joey's words.

"Right. The gods in myths aren't much different from humans. Yula, whom we worship, is one of the last remaining gods out of the seventeen. Five are vacant, and two remain unchanged forever. This must refer to the five of the seventeen gods who have perished."

"And the two must refer to the two gods who bore the seventeen."

"Exactly."

Karyl listened to their conversation, thinking to himself, It's terrifying to think there are so many gods besides Yula. We'll have to deal with all of them.

He gritted his teeth without realizing it. Of all people, he knew the most about the gods.

"But the other gods only appear in books. Yula is the only one who governs the continent," Joey explained as he made the sign of the cross.

That's what everyone believed.

They didn’t know about the divine Oracle that would be prophesized after the Imperial War. Pharel, the giant tower that spewed monsters called Tarak during the Oracle War, bringing humanity on the brink of extinction, had not been summoned by Yula.

And demons and devils... as much as I hate to admit it, all of them are creations of the gods.

Maybe... Perhaps Riseria, who had died two hundred and fifty years ago, had foreseen the Oracle War.

Dragons must’ve known that other gods existed as well.

As much as Karyl didn't want to think about it, if that was true, then Narh di Maug, another dragon, might also be aware of it.

I'll find out once we meet.

Karyl shook his head vigorously, as if to shake off his doubts.

"Hearing ancient languages in your head... Does that mean the lair's mana is still active? But why would the doctrine of the Church be inscribed in a dragon's lair?"

"Maybe it's because dragons existed long before the Magical Era."

"You can say that because you haven't seen a dragon. They’re so arrogant that they scoff at nobles. They think they’re the best."

Yurin wasn’t wrong. It was definitely strange for such beings to inscribe stories of other entities in their own space.

But it has to be that way. The items inside are related not only to dragons but also to gods.

The greatest treasure found in the Fire Dragon's lair wasn't an item inside the lair. It was a sword said to be made from Riseria's bones, the Eternal Frame. Forged by Kaye Aesir, this sword was not made of Clear Distilled Water, but it was more valuable than artifacts from the Magic Era.

It was said to be one of the few treasures superior to the weapons left by the Blader.

Thinking back, Karyl realized that the sword resembled the Freed Flame used by Randol.

Kaye Aesir might have used that sword as a motif.

He even wondered if Kaye Aesir had been a member of the Blader or someone who had inherited their will.

But that's not important now. I'm intrigued by the Blader, but the priority is to obtain the Flame Dragon's essence.

After the oracle was prophesized, one of the treasures Narh di Maug offered to Olivurn by breaking the lair's seal was the Ein Trigger.

"So, where do we go now?"

Joey looked at Karyl with a puzzled expression, unsure of which entrance to choose, as the five stone monuments emitted light and then vanished. He wouldn't know that they had just broken the first seal of Riseria. And after the seal was broken...

The previous expeditions must have just descended through the five entrances.

Descending the stairs was a trap, as they would find nothing but an empty clearing. Only one of the five entrances led to a storage room containing Orichalcum weapons, but because of the spell inscribed on the barrier, it would take years to break it.

It will take time for the court sorcerer Kadin Luer to decode the barrier on the weapons... We just need to have people move them before that.

Karyl approached one of the standing stones.

"If there are those who look upward, there are also those who look downward."

There are no more entrances because this is where Riseria's seal is.

He slowly gathered his magic power. The words "up" and "down" on the stone glowed red in response to Karyl's draconic mana.

[Step back.]

It was then that he heard an unearthly voice, not human, resonating in his mind. Karyl placed his hand on his Freezing Talon, and his eyes glinted.

It's here.