The Moon Immortal Sword’s blue eyes looked down at me.

That uniquely cold, chilling gaze made it feel as though my body might freeze up, but—

I could also clearly feel what was different from before.

The height of his gaze is different.

It was no longer the kind of gaze that completely looked down on me.

Now, the gap did not feel nearly as steep.

“...”

There was no way the Moon Immortal Sword would fail to notice something like that, so he was staring at me with a level of surprise that was rare for him.

After a brief silence—

“What happened?”

He asked what had occurred.

Normally, he was not the sort of person who would even ask this much.

It seemed he had decided this, at least, was something he needed to ask about.

“...”

I closed my mouth for a moment.

What was I supposed to say?

I had moved in such a hurry that I had not prepared any answer in advance.

I had not even prepared an excuse.

What excuse could I even make in the first place?

My body changed like this.

It was not some minor thing.

My physical body itself had changed.

There was nothing to hide here.

“I had a fortuitous encounter.”

So I answered honestly.

“A fortuitous encounter.”

Blue eyes swept over me. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

“It must have been quite a significant one.”

“...Yes.”

There was no way it was small.

If anything, it was enormous.

“You achieved rebirth.”

At the Moon Immortal Sword’s words, I nodded.

As expected, he noticed it immediately.

“I was lucky.”

“Lucky?”

At that, the Moon Immortal Sword smiled faintly.

“Rebirth is not something that can be achieved through mere luck.”

Among martial artists, it was called a miracle, but it was not something that could simply be dismissed as luck.

Both he and I knew that.

“What did you take?”

Persistent.

No, objectively speaking, it was not such an unreasonable question, but considering the Moon Immortal Sword I knew, he was not the sort of man who would ask this far.

“...I consumed a Moonlit Night Herb.”

“A Moonlit Night Herb?”

At my honest answer, the Moon Immortal Sword’s eyes narrowed.

“It was a preparation my master left for me.”

“The Sword Saint left behind a Moonlit Night Herb?”

“Yes. He told me to take it when the time came. I thought that time was now.”

“...”

It was not wrong.

Yucheon Gil really had prepared the Moonlit Night Herb, and he really had told me to consume it.

“So, after consuming the Moonlit Night Herb, you achieved rebirth?”

“...It was not as though I took it specifically for the sake of rebirth, but I was truly fortunate.”

It could not really be called luck.

Even this rebirth was, in the end, something Yucheon Gil had practically spoon-fed me.

“...”

At my answer, the Moon Immortal Sword merely continued staring at me in silence.

Then—

“Follow me.”

He turned and began walking away.

At dawn, I carefully moved to follow him.

*****

After following the Moon Immortal Sword for a while, the place we reached was a small training ground behind the Sect Leader’s quarters.

Judging by the lack of any signs of use, it seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time.

The Sect Leader’s personal training ground?

For something like that, it was rather small.

Why had this place been left untouched?

Just as I was wondering—

shhk.

The Moon Immortal Sword pulled out a sword from behind him.

It was a somewhat worn-looking blade.

“I will ask you one thing.”

As he drew the sword, the Moon Immortal Sword spoke.

“Soon, the contest for Young Sect Leader will begin. Are you interested?”

The contest for Young Sect Leader.

That was something I had heard about before.

“It is not that I have no interest at all, but...”

Young Sect Leader.

I recalled that the Moon Immortal Sword had told me from the beginning to become Sect Leader.

“I do wonder whether it is something that carries any real meaning.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if I become Young Sect Leader, that does not mean I am any closer to the position of Sect Leader. In the first place...”

Looking at the sword the Moon Immortal Sword had drawn, I too lowered my hand to the sword at my waist.

“Wouldn’t I have to kill you, Sect Leader, before I could ever rise to become the Azure Moon Sect Leader?”

Under special circumstances—

unless, like Yucheon Gil, it happened because of outside circumstances, or unless he died of natural causes—

it was something I would absolutely have to do if I wanted to rise to the seat of Sect Leader.

“That is an interesting thing to say.”

At that, the Moon Immortal Sword let out a soft laugh.

“You intend to kill me?”

“...Mm.”

I lowered my gaze.

I thought about how to answer that.

Not what I would say—

but what Yucheon Gil would have said.

That question did not take long to answer.

That old man would have been simple.

“Yes.”

Kill the Moon Immortal Sword.

And then rise to become the Azure Moon Sect Leader.

If one was a martial artist of the Azure Moon Sect, then that was something one should have in mind.

“Haha.”

At my answer, the Moon Immortal Sword laughed.

Did he like the answer?

“Good.”

Apparently, he did.

“I like those words.”

“Thank you. But...”

I lowered my gaze to the sword in the Moon Immortal Sword’s hand.

“...Why are you holding a sword?”

“Do you not already know? That is why you reached for yours as well.”

“...Are you about to kill me all of a sudden? I am not prepared for that yet.”

If I intended to become Sect Leader someday, then yes, it was a process I would have to go through.

That did not mean I wanted to do it right now.

“Congratulations on obtaining your fortuitous encounter. In honor of that, I will give you instruction.”

“...What about my opinion?”

Instruction was all well and good, but what about whether I wanted it?

That did not seem to matter at all.

Gulp.

I swallowed my dry saliva and asked.

“If you do not want it, then you may give up. I do not mind.”

The Moon Immortal Sword said it flatly.

He truly sounded as though he did not care either way.

...Hm.

I narrowed my ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) brows.

Instruction from the Moon Immortal Sword.

I was curious.

Just how...

How strong was the current Azure Moon Sect Leader?

Would I not be able to understand a little now?

I’ve even undergone rebirth.

My energy had grown denser.

This was a moment where I could see just how much I had changed.

“...”

After thinking that far, I drew the Divine Sword.

Shrrng.

“I ask for your guidance.”

Instead of answering, the Moon Immortal Sword pointed his sword at me.

“Come.”

Would it really be fine for him to use such a worn-out sword?

Should I tell him to use a proper blade instead?

I cast aside such pointless concern.

Who was worrying about whom?

The opponent before me was one of the absolute masters recognized across the Central Plains.

Just because I had reached the transcendent peak, did that mean I could lose sight of my place?

No.

That would not do.

I need to know my place.

The fuller the grain ripens, the lower it bows.

That was the kind of proverb I needed to keep in my head.

This was a world where the slightest arrogance could get your head cut off.

Creak.

I tightened my grip on the sword.

Even the degree of pressure I could put into it felt different from before.

Ssssss.

I released my energy through my body.

A pure white force swelled up in an instant.

RUMBLE—!!

The air trembled as light burst forth.

CRACKLE—!!!

Thunder exploded.

I used Moonbolt.

The Radiant Moon Flash Aura wrapped around my entire body.

Haa.

That peculiar exhilaration made me feel light.

“...”

The Moon Immortal Sword looked at me with interest.

My awakened Moon Eye glared at him.

I still could not see his sword path.

Thud.

I stomped as though to shatter the ground and charged straight at the Moon Immortal Sword.

The distance closed abruptly.

The speed was different.

Fast.

Even I was surprised after taking the step myself.

Could my speed really differ this much?

But despite my surprise, my posture did not crumble.

Holding the sword at an angle, I immediately unleashed Great Moon.

The first sword path.

A blue line carved through the air toward him.

But then—

SKREEE—!

What?

The Moon Immortal Sword blocked my attack with ease.

And not only that—

...The end of the hilt?

He did it not with the blade, but with the end of the hilt.

He blocked it and twisted casually.

My sword path wavered.

I put more strength into my lower body.

I could not let it be broken like this.

CLANG—!

Forcing it, I poured in more strength and swung upward.

Fortunately, the sword rose high.

It was not for the sake of attack, but the sword path had been fulfilled.

Night Moon.

I slashed down the night.

The Moon Immortal Sword moved half a step and avoided the sword once more.

What is this?

He was not even moving that fast.

If anything, his footwork looked relaxed.

And yet he avoided it all so effortlessly.

Crunch—!

The tip of my sword struck the ground, sending debris flying.

Not yet.

The fourth.

I strengthened the Radiant Moon Flash Aura.

I drove the energy created by Moonbolt even deeper into it.

SHHHH—!!!

A faster sword than before brushed past the Moon Immortal Sword.

Yes, brushed past him.

I saw the edge of his collar get cut slightly.

“Mm.”

The Moon Immortal Sword’s eyes widened as though even he was surprised by his severed collar.

Just like that, two steps.

Using the recoil, I widened the distance.

The fifth.

I prepared Great Moon.

KRAAAAAAASH—!!!

Energy gathered into a single point.

The Sword Aura held a firm, stable shape.

It’s different.

It was definitely different.

This Great Moon was on an entirely different level from the one I had used against the Tyrant.

The force gathering within it.

The energy being applied.

And beyond that, even the gaze facing me.

All of it was different.

With this...

Could it work?

That thought flashed through my mind, and at that moment—

“Good.”

The Moon Immortal Sword spoke.

Sss.

At the same time, his sword rose.

Then—

“...!”

A sword path from the Moon Immortal Sword appeared within my Moon Eye.

A single line.

Unlike with others, where I saw dozens, hundreds of sword paths, I saw only one from him.

What is this?

This was the first time.

Only one sword path?

I was thrown into confusion.

Why only one?

And while I was still puzzled—

CRACKLE—!!!

Sword Aura rose upon the Moon Immortal Sword’s blade.

It was not the Radiant Moon Flash Aura.

That was a secret art created by Yucheon Gil.

What the Moon Immortal Sword used was the Sword Aura of the Azure Moon Sect.

But—

...Dense.

The Sword Aura was like the deep sea.

It was not merely blue.

It was dark and still.

It was clearly blue light, yet somehow it felt as though it contained the night.

The moment that Sword Aura appeared, it felt as though the air itself had changed.

And what of his presence?

Heavy.

It felt as though the very existence of the Moon Immortal Sword was pressing down on my shoulders.

My breath caught in my throat.

My breathing locked up, and it felt as though my body might stiffen on its own.

This is insane.

Just one sword path.

And the existence called the Moon Immortal Sword.

Just those two things alone were enough to bring me to this state?

...I can definitely feel it now.

Because of that, I understood.

He’s a monster.

The one standing in front of me was the strongest monster among all the martial artists I had encountered so far.

Right.

He was not the Azure Moon Sect Leader for nothing.

What do I do?

While preparing Great Moon, I looked at the sword path the Moon Immortal Sword had shown me.

Should I avoid it and search for another route?

Or—

Should I crash into it?

Should I stop dodging and clash with it directly for once?

I did not have long to hesitate.

The Moon Immortal Sword was looking at me with his Sword Aura already formed.

I read his gaze.

Go on. Show me.

That was the look in his eyes.

“...”

Creak.

I was not exactly a man who cared much for pride, but when he had laid the stage out for me this much, it felt wrong not to take it.

I ground my teeth and made my decision.

I’ll take it.

I would not dodge.

I would receive it head-on.

I steeled my heart.

What would Yucheon Gil have said here?

—Do as you please.

He would definitely have said that.

BOOM—!!

With all my strength, I unleashed Great Moon.

The moon gathered at the tip of my sword opened the path.

The Moon Immortal Sword moved along the path I had created.

The line shown by my Moon Eye.

Following it, the Moon Immortal Sword traced his sword along that same line.

And I did the same.

I lightly set my blade upon the path my sword path had opened.

Then the two swords collided.

CLANG—! SKRREEE—!!!

BOOM—!!!

Inner qi exploded.

The shockwave burst out in all directions.

My muscles screamed beneath the whirling sword strike.

I endured.

And endured again.

Then—

BANG—!!

“Urk!”

My arm, unable to withstand the pressure, was knocked aside, and my sword flew from my grasp.

Clang!

The Divine Sword fell to the ground.

I staggered and dropped to one knee.

“...Hah... haaah.”

Both my hands trembled violently.

I lifted my head and looked upward.

I saw the Moon Immortal Sword.

He was retrieving his sword while looking at me.

But then—

“...Mm.”

On his face—

“Well done. Very well done.”

a bright smile had spread, as though something had pleased him immensely.

So much so that, somehow, it felt frightening.