C806
The swords of Darkan and the Rector clashed in the center of the banquet hall, creating a powerful shockwave. The tables crumbled and the food and dishes on them were pulverized and scattered.
Darkan and the Rector stood firm amid the massive wave, their swords intertwined as they aimed at each other’s throats.
“Huff.”
The Rector forcefully pushed Darkan’s sword away and let out a breath.
'I need to draw out his Sword Control.'
Darkan held the sword in his hand, which meant he was calm. To win this fight, I need to extract all of his power as quickly as possible. The Rector leaned his upper body forward in a powerful stance. His sword turned into a blue flash as he advanced towards Darkan’s heart.
“Not bad.”
Darkan nodded in satisfaction and blocked the Rector’s sword strike with one hand.
“Not yet.”
Anticipating Darkan’s defense, the Rector swung his sword diagonally downward from the left. A great weight settled on the blade, creating a blue trajectory. The Rector's cut began to press against Darkan's sword as if it would shatter it.
“I can’t stop here.”
To push Darkan back, he had to go further. The Rector's sword changed once more. With the weight of a mountain, it bent sharply towards Darkan's neck, full of sharpness and variability.
“What excellent killing intent!”
Darkan briefly licked his lips as he flexibly received the various sword attacks from the Rector. His sword trembled from the intensity of the murderous intent behind the strikes.
“Now let me return the favor.”
Darkan attacked the Rector with his sword, a deep smile on his face. His blade flashed black, and in an instant, it touched the left chest of the Rector. It was a perfectly honed thrust.
“Mmm!”
Even in this urgent situation, the Rector remained calm and lowered his sword. With a silently falling sword, he gently deflected Darkan’s thrust. Darkan’s sword cut through the air instead of the Rector’s heart, piercing a cloud in the night sky.
'Now!'
The Rector didn’t miss the moment when Darkan’s sword pointed toward the empty space and twisted his wrist. His sword shone with a blue light and fell like a meteor. It was the trajectory of the Ten Thousand Swords, which united various sword techniques with grandeur.
“Mmm!”
A vein bulged on Darkan's forehead. Realizing he couldn’t properly block this sword, he released the hand holding his sword and extended only his index and middle fingers. Darkan’s sword soared in the air, spinning like lightning to split the descending cut of the Rector. It was the manifestation of Sword Control.
“You block well for someone who has no eyes.”
The Rector stepped back from the wave caused by the Sword Control, a distorted smile on his face.
“Eyes aren’t important for a swordsman.”
Darkan laughed and said that the world he sees is different from others.
“But you’re quite impressive too.”
He nodded slightly while looking at the Rector.
“I was planning to finish this quickly if I wasn’t satisfied, but you have far exceeded my expectations.”
Darkan clicked his tongue, apparently excited.
“To settle for just this…”
The Rector straightened his back and frowned.
- Are you underestimating me too much?
“I apologize.”
Darkan lowered his head, reading the fighting spirit emanating from the Rector’s entire body.
“Then shall we raise the level a bit?”
As he lowered his finger, the Sword Control fell toward the Rector’s shoulder with a terrifying vibration. It wasn't just a vibration; blades of condensed void flew in the air as well.
The Rector unleashed the extreme technique of the Heavy Sword. He dominated the space, deflecting the incoming Sword Control and crushing all the blades of void.
Not satisfied with that, the Rector advanced and lifted his sword. The heavy blade curved toward Darkan’s neck with a fluidity like flowing water.
“Ha!”
When Darkan let out an exclamation and moved his finger, his Sword Control jumped like a thrust and deflected his own cut.
“As expected, this level isn’t enough.”
The Rector clicked his tongue briefly and tightened his grip on the sword. Ocean Sword Style. A blue sword strike resembling the sky and sea fell upon Darkan.
“A battle of strength!”
Darkan threw himself at the Rector’s attack with a refreshing laugh. His sword control emerged in front of his chest, emitting a great light. When the Rector’s attack and Darkan’s sword control clashed head-on, the ground overturned, and the mansion and surrounding buildings collapsed.
Amid the shockwave, the Rector and Darkan clashed swords repeatedly, aiming for each other's vital organs. Countless cuts scattered in all directions, and a blue-black whirlwind rose, beginning to collapse the entire Holy Sword Alliance.
“Urghh!”
“My, my ears…”
“It’s hard to bear!”
The battle between the two Transcendent Warriors was so intense that blood flowed from the eyes and ears of swordsmen who were far away. However, true to their nature as members of the Holy Sword Alliance that revered the sword, not a single one abandoned the battlefield. Instead, the swordsmen dispersed here and there and gathered, becoming a much larger number than at the start.
“Now that we have a full audience, shall we get serious?”
Darkan nodded toward the Rector.
“Let’s see what kind of sword the current leader of the Holy Sword Alliance possesses.”
His Sword Control began to move with even more freedom, as if it were released from a leash.
“Although you didn’t say that…”
The Rector exhaled calmly and raised his sword. His eyes shone with as much fierceness as his sword.
“You’ll find out.”
* * *
Raon bit his lip as he watched Darkan’s Sword Control silently rise.
“This is where it truly begins.”
Darkan's signature technique is Sword Control. If they couldn’t block that mysterious sword, the outcome would be as clear as day.
'Grandpa...'
Raon swallowed hard and observed the Rector. He too held the tension, knowing that the real fight was about to begin. However, the Rector didn’t seem to fear the duel with Darkan; instead, he seemed to revel in it. After all, he was a swordsman of the Holy Sword Alliance.
Darkan’s sword shot towards the Rector at the same angle it had risen.
With a speed that seemed to compress the air as it moved. Before Raon could even blink, the Sword Control had already reached the Rector's neck. The Rector, apparently at the peak of his concentration, easily deflected Darkan’s Sword Control.
But as soon as Darkan’s sword was deflected, it spun and aimed for the Rector’s shoulder.
This was the characteristic of Sword Control, moving freely beyond human hands.
“That level won’t do.”
The Rector twisted his wrist as if he had anticipated Darkan regaining control of the sword. His sword traced a semicircle and blocked Darkan’s attack once again.
“This is just the beginning.”
When Darkan's lips curved, his sword bent at an odd angle and headed towards the Rector’s waist.
'Gradually...'
Raon gritted his teeth as he watched the contest between the Rector and the Sword Control.
“He’s getting stronger.”
Darkan’s Sword Control added speed and power every time the Rector blocked it, and his attacks became increasingly strange. It was as if the sword itself had come to life. However, the Rector too, as if this wasn’t his limit, increased the techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords and his aura to block Darkan’s Sword Control.
Quick Sword, Heavy Sword, Strong Sword, Light Sword, Destructive Sword, Evil Sword, Void Sword. Numerous sword techniques blossomed from his sword, reversing and consuming the offensive of the Sword Control.
'That’s...'
Raon’s fingertips trembled as he observed the stable swordsmanship of the Rector.
'Are those the Ten Thousand Swords of Grandpa?'
Unlike himself, the Rector hadn’t mastered all the sword techniques, but by focusing on the harmony of sword handling, he was perfectly blocking the Sword Control.
“Interestingly, I can see it clearly.”
Not only the Control of the Sword of his grandfather, but also Darkan’s. Even if he had reached the peak of the Grand Master, there was still a world of difference between him and the higher Transcendent Warriors like the Rector and Darkan. However, strangely, the swordsmanship of both men appeared naturally in his sight.
Darkan's Sword Control and the Ten Thousand Swords of the Rector. Though he couldn’t read them perfectly, he could feel the flow of their swordsmanship on his skin.
'Is it because I’ve been training only swordsmanship all this time?'
Thanks to perfecting the Ten Thousand Swords for two months, his eye for sword handling seemed to have improved.
It was like a performance for him to study.
- It’s not just that.
Wrath shook his head heavily.
- That old man is showing you his own fight.
His clear eyes turned towards the Rector.
'No way, that’s...'
- That’s right. He’s teaching you while thinking he might die.
Wrath pressed his lips tightly, telling Raon to watch the Rector until the end.
'Grandpa.'
Raon clenched his fist with trembling hands. As Wrath said, the Rector’s sword seemed to tell him to watch everything.
'Wrath. The outcome of this battle...'
Raon turned his gaze to Wrath, with a small glimmer of hope.
- You know better than anyone.
Wrath clicked his tongue briefly.
- Your old man has become stronger. It seems he has prepared something, and if that firefly were at his previous level, he could have easily matched him. But not now.
He shook his head and said it was like a fight with a predetermined outcome.
- You better think about how to escape after this fight ends.
“I won’t flee.”
Raon bit his lip and straightened his back. Seeing the Rector deploying his own sword even amid Darkan’s powerful Sword Control, he placed his hand on the sword hilt.
'The outcome of Grandpa’s death...'
I won’t let that happen no matter what.
* * *
“Uf.”
The Rector exhaled softly as he deflected Darkan’s Sword Control.
'It’s working.'
Thinking that someday he would have to fight Darkan, he had prepared countermeasures against the Sword Control, and fortunately, they were working. Darkan’s Sword Control flew, spinning with a strange trajectory. The aura imbued in the sword was so powerful and sharp that it seemed capable of splitting the sky.
The Rector swung his sword downward, imbuing it with the extreme techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords. The blue wave imbued in his sword waved like a victory banner as it clashed head-on with Darkan’s Sword Control. A huge explosion erupted when the Ten Thousand Swords of the Rector and Darkan’s Sword Control clashed in the completely black sky.
The clouds vanished, and the moonlight seemed to warp as if it were afraid.
“Ha ha ha!”
Darkan let out a joyful laugh as he extended his fingers. Following his gesture, the sword that had been falling helplessly rose again, shooting towards the Rector’s heart. It was the fastest and most intense sword control yet, as if it were cutting through space itself.
The Rector planted his feet on the ground as if rooting a tree and held his sword at half height.
“Here is where the final act begins.”
He swung his sword, held with both hands, downward toward Darkan’s approaching Sword Control. The path of the Ten Thousand Swords blossomed naturally. As if Raon’s passion for swordsmanship had influenced him, his achievement in swordsmanship was increasing at that moment.
Darkan's Sword Control aimed at his heart with a powerful aura, speed, and a trajectory beyond comprehension, but the sword imbued with the true meaning of the Ten Thousand Swords perfectly nullified it all.
In the end, Darkan's Sword Control could not penetrate the Rector's defense and rebounded into empty space. Not content with just defending, the Rector stomped fiercely on the ground. He leaped to Darkan’s left side, raising his sword filled with the techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords.
“As expected, you came.”
Just before plunging his sword, Darkan smiled deeply. As if he had been waiting for this, he extended his hand, and the distant Sword Control cut through the space, descending toward his own head.
'A trap!'
...he knew it was. He had foreseen this situation from the moment he attacked, knowing that Darkan wouldn’t fall so easily. He stretched his left foot forward. Provoking a violent tremor in the ground, he extended the hand holding his sword. The blue aura imbued in the sword blade sparkled like the light of stars, drawing a great line connecting the sky.
“Mmm!”
Darkan’s lips tightened for the first time. Following his urgent gesture, the Sword Control absorbed an intense light as if it were about to explode.
“It’s already too late.”
The Rector gritted his teeth and unsheathed his sword, filled with the supreme meaning of the Ten Thousand Swords. In his aged eyes reflected the image of his grandson watching this fight.
“It’s thanks to you.”
The incomplete sword skill he had spent his entire life learning but never perfected had found its own color and shape upon encountering the family he had lost. A new constellation drawn by his sword spilled over Darkan’s entire body.
“Magnificent!”
Darkan applauded the mysterious sword skill of the Rector as he shot forth his Sword Control, which emitted a flickering black light. When the Ten Thousand Swords of the Rector, containing all his power, clashed with Darkan’s Sword Control, a blue-black storm swept across the skies and the earth.
“Uf…”
The Rector remained in place, clutching his chest. He appeared exhausted, but still had strength in the hand holding his sword, as if he could still fight.
“Ugh…”
On the other hand, Darkan was hunched over, black blood oozing from his mouth. He was clearly injured, but a smile of joy bloomed on his lips.
“Excellent.”
Darkan slowly raised his chin and looked at the Rector.
“Indeed, one must experience a sword firsthand to truly understand it.”
He curved his lips, expressing satisfaction with the Rector's sword.
“Mmm…”
The Rector frowned as he looked at Darkan, who remained strong despite bleeding.
“Amazing. Your martial skill is beyond any realm.”
Darkan nodded, not even bothering to search for the sword that had flown away somewhere.
“At this level, it would be worth fighting against the other leaders of the Five Demons.”
“Having taken over the Alliance in your place, I suppose I should at least be this capable.”
The Rector rubbed his chin, not relaxing the tension.
“Indeed. You have always been responsible.”
Darkan revealed a kind smile.
“It has been a satisfying fight. For you who have grown so much, I must show you my true sincerity.”
“Mmm…”
The Rector extended his aura perception in all directions, ready to counter any attack that might come.
‘Is it really the Soul Weapon...?'
Darkan had said he learned something about the Soul Weapon after gouging out his eyes. Whether that meant he had mastered the Soul Weapon or discovered something else, the Rector had to be prepared for anything.
- No, it’s not a preparation. I will end it here.
Whether it be the Soul Weapon or another ultimate technique, there is always a setback against such powerful abilities. If he could withstand it, it would be his opportunity to defeat Darkan.
“Well then.”
Darkan extended his empty hand forward with a small smile. From his grip emerged a completely black sword of light, as if it contained the darkness itself.
‘What is that?’
He couldn’t sense any aura, energy, or sword technique from that sword, but strangely, it sent chills down his spine.
“If you withstand this, I will declare your victory.”
The Light Sword that Darkan held advanced, wrapped in darkness. Its trajectory seemed to crush life along with the night. Before the beautiful and noble trajectory of the sword, the Rector's firm resolve began to crack, and the mental image of victory crumbled.
It didn’t just cut the heart and soul; it completely crushed them. It was a soul sword of overwhelming power that erased the fighting spirit.
“Ah!”
The Rector coughed up black blood and collapsed in place. For the first time as a swordsman, he knelt and let his sword drop.
“Shall I tell you something interesting?”
Darkan shook his head as he dismissed the Dark Sword.
“If I were to perfectly deploy this Soul Weapon, I would cease to exist in this world.”
He clicked his tongue with regret as he watched the Light Sword disappear.
“Perhaps that’s why Glenn Zieghart also never used a perfect Soul Weapon.”
“Ugh…”
As Darkan murmured, the Rector tried to grab his sword again, but his fingers wouldn’t move, as if his heart rejected the fight.
“It’s over. I have cut your will, so this is as far as we can go.”
Darkan approached the Rector, emitting a chilling murderous intent.
“It wasn’t as good as Glenn’s, but it was a meaningful duel.”
As he was about to swing his sword, reminiscing about his old rival, eyes of the same color as Glenn’s appeared.
“Raon Zieghart.”
Darkan twisted his lips as he looked at Raon standing in front of the Rector.
“I would have come for you anyway, no need to be in such a hurry.”
“From here on out…”
Raon nodded slightly as he stood in front of the Rector.
“I will receive your sword skill.”
-
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