Blue.

It was lighter than the deep blue sea that seemed to resemble the sky.

Too dark a color to call azure.

Just looking at it felt refreshing. It was probably right to say it looked exactly like Moon Eye. Yes. It was that kind of color.

And that color—

...What is that?

—was wrapped around Silver Moon Sword’s entire body. The more I looked, the stranger the aura felt. Not just the blue light clinging to his hair, either. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

His eyes are glowing?

Moon Eye was shining far more intensely than before.

The shape of the Sword Aura wound around the blade was odd as well.

Normally it covered the entire surface, but that—

Almost...

A vortex?

The energy was rotating as it wrapped around the sword.

It was subtle. Something about it, overall, was wrong.

...Isn’t that similar to Moonbolt?

It resembled the force I had created inside my own body.

“How is it? Surprised?”

Silver Moon Sword spoke with a smile.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to use it if I could help it. You aren’t supposed to throw around an incomplete technique.”

Silver Moon Sword glanced around as he spoke. At the same time, a murmur spread through the surroundings.

“What is that?”

“I don’t know what kind of martial art that is. Is that really an Azure Moon Sect art?”

“...I’ve never even heard of anything like that.”

Not only the disciples, but even the elders watching from the high seats were staring in shock.

“...Sect Leader. What is the meaning of this?”

One of the elders asked Moon Immortal Sword.

“I have never seen such a thing before. How did Silver Moon Sword possibly...”

“I taught him.”

“Wh...?”

Moon Immortal Sword answered the elder’s question calmly. His gaze said there was nothing more to ask.

“I made it.”

Moon Immortal Sword tilted his head slightly.

“My disciple learned it.”

“Y-you made it?”

“That?”

“Yes.”

Even amid the storm of shock, Moon Immortal Sword remained calm. His expression openly asked what the problem was.

“No, what do you mean you made a martial art? What kind of talk is that?”

“What is so strange about it?”

Moon Immortal Sword’s eyes turned to the elder.

“It is something the Sword Saint also did. I merely did the same.”

“...”

He said it as if it were nothing. Anyone who understood the meaning of those words had no choice but to fall silent.

The Sword Saint had done it, and he had done it as well. The attitude that there was nothing wrong with that meant—

—that he regarded himself as a being no different from the Sword Saint.

I read the pride in his eyes. Confidence would be the right word.

...Something Moon Immortal Sword made.

I focused on Silver Moon Sword’s state. What kind of effect was it? I couldn’t tell.

And then—

Are you just going to keep watching?

“...!”

A voice reached my ear.

This voice—

Heavenly Demon?

It was the Heavenly Demon’s voice. Where the hell had he popped out from all of a sudden? I wasn’t even holding the Divine Sword.

Do you think a sword like that could imprison me?

The voice was openly scornful.

This lunatic. Why was the man who had been inside the Divine Sword suddenly moving into my body?

Just as I was dumbfounded—

Focus. He’s coming.

“-!”

At the Heavenly Demon’s warning, I raised my sword.

Silver Moon Sword’s glowing eyes bored in right before my face.

KZZZZZT---!!!!

I activated Moonbolt. Time stopped for an instant. The air and sound flowing around me slowed.

My senses came alive. Inner qi surged through the meridians that made up the muscles of my body.

KRAAAK-!!!

The swords collided.

Completely different from before.

SCRRRAAPE-!!

My feet were driven back. Silver Moon Sword’s blade was absurdly heavy.

And on top of that—

...Barely.

I had only just managed to block it. If I hadn’t used Moonbolt, I would never have caught that speed.

“As expected—!”

Silver Moon Sword grinned at the sight of me.

“This is it!”

He looked genuinely pleased.

Watching that, I bit my lip.

This madman.

I had known he wasn’t normal, but he really was strange in the head.

And on top of that—

Not bad.

Why had the Heavenly Demon appeared again?

An excellent one has appeared. He suits the Azure Moon Sect well.

The Heavenly Demon was evaluating Silver Moon Sword.

He’s a monster.

“...”

It was the same way Yoo Cheongil had once evaluated Cheon Hyein.

At that assessment, I ground my teeth.

With a flick, I gripped my sword and rapidly closed the distance.

Half a step faster.

I accelerated.

“Oh!”

Silver Moon Sword let out a short laugh when he saw me charge in.

Seeing that, I tightened my body.

FWOOOOSH-!!

“...!!”

Moonlight.

Light burst from my body. For an instant, Silver Moon Sword’s view was obscured.

Then, just like that—

First.

I started Moon Wave. The pure-white crescent born from Moonbolt slashed toward Silver Moon Sword.

His eyes were still closed.

At this rate, it would hit.

Thinking that, I pushed my speed higher, but—

SKRREEK-!

“...What?”

In that instant, Silver Moon Sword raised his sword. He angled the blade and received Moon Wave—

THUNG-!!

KRAAAK-!!!

—and the crescent path of Moon Wave changed direction. It slammed into the ground.

KRRRRAAASH-!!!

The earth was crushed, and white Sword Aura burst out across the floor.

How?

I knew how he had redirected it, but how had he seen it?

My eyes widened. Unlike my head, my body had already moved.

SCRAPE.

The blades slid while pressed together.

BANG-!

Silver Moon Sword knocked my sword aside. The distance between us opened slightly.

At that moment, his eyes opened.

Blue light coiled through them.

Then Silver Moon Sword charged at me instead.

Lines appeared within Moon Eye.

This was—

...Three.

Three sword paths were driving in.

I thought two of them were feints.

But—

What is this?

The density of the lines was the same. They were too straight, too precise to identify.

Ridiculous.

Which one was it?

There was no time to judge.

The sword was already flying toward me.

Then—

All three are real.

The Heavenly Demon whispered.

All three are real?

At those words, my hand moved before I knew it.

KRAAAK-!! CLANG-!!

My hand moved as though trying to knock away all the lines. I struck the first incoming blade. Normally, the impact should have driven the hand upward, which meant the second attack should not have been able to follow from there, but—

...Something—

That line bothered me.

I swung first toward the second line.

BANG-!!

“...Huh?”

Something exploded against the sword I swung through empty air.

It was hard aura.

Hard aura had condensed in midair.

Seeing that, I immediately swung toward the other line.

BANG-!!

It exploded again. At the bursting force, Silver Moon Sword widened his eyes as if impressed.

“You noticed that?”

There was something here.

What?

I didn’t answer.

Attacking came first.

Don’t stop.

Don’t think and then move your body.

If I did, I would be late.

I recalled the realization that had been drilled into me over and over.

WHOOOOSH-!!

The light of Radiant Moon Flash Aura flared.

Again.

I unfolded another sword path.

I hadn’t prepared Great Moon.

I needed to see Silver Moon Sword’s condition first.

I committed to a frontal exchange.

Sword crashed against sword like madness.

CLANG-! SHRRK.

Sword Aura broke and regenerated over and over. Since the edges themselves were not striking directly, no sparks burst out.

As I moved, I looked at Silver Moon Sword’s feet.

Left. Half a step. Right, then left again.

I kept reading his movements and predicting the next action.

My muscles throbbed.

My palm around the hilt felt like it was on fire.

Faster.

Even so, I did not stop.

Silver Moon Sword was faster.

WHIIIIINE-!!!

Azure Moon Heart Art churned like madness. It reacted as though telling my body not to collapse, not to let the speed drop.

My head hurts.

My brain could no longer keep up with the speed. At this point, I had already stepped into bodily sensation.

It was possible because of Moonbolt.

Because it was a force that shoved me by compulsion into a state of complete absorption, I could lean entirely into the body’s senses.

KRAAAAAASH-!!!

A barrage.

As if neither of us would ever retreat, we launched into a flurry of blows.

“What is this!”

“The two of them... neither of them is giving even a single step...?”

Not one step.

Neither of us widened the distance at all.

It was a matter of pride.

“Hahaha—!”

Silver Moon Sword’s smile only deepened, as if he were enjoying himself more and more.

“Good. Yes. This is what it should have been from the start—!”

Mad bastard.

What was so enjoyable to him?

I couldn’t understand Silver Moon Sword, smiling in a situation this tense.

And then—

What about me?

I realized I was smiling too.

Fragments kept bursting out, tearing my cheek.

Drops of blood were already falling.

Heat surged up.

Heat was spreading through my whole body.

Not from emotion.

It was fighting spirit, beginning in the heart.

This is bad.

I never used to like sensations this barbaric.

But somehow—

it was fun.

That damned old man.

What the hell did you do to me?

You’ve stepped in.

The Heavenly Demon spoke.

You’re entering the domain.

The domain?

Once you pass the stage of swinging the sword like a madman, immerse your body in what you begin to feel.

Whatever it may be, that is better than merely watching the flow.

Even if your body is torn apart after getting swept away, throw yourself into it.

That suits “our kind” better.

The way he casually called it our kind was disgusting.

Who decided that?

The Heavenly Demon kept trying to create a sense that he and I were the same.

Nonsense.

I’m nothing like a greedy man like you.

The man who had appeared at the head of the Demonic Cult to seize the world.

I had no interest in that kind of thing.

All I had wanted was a modest ordinary life.

A modest ordinary life?

A laugh entered the Heavenly Demon’s voice at my thought.

An impossible wish.

What is inside you will never let you be driven into a corner.

No, it would rather shove you into the middle of the typhoon and make you grow larger.

You already know that, don’t you?

Child, you—

The Heavenly Demon’s voice dropped straight onto my crown.

You can never run from destiny.

Disgusting words.

CLANG-!!

I knocked away Silver Moon Sword’s blade.

Just a little longer.

I had long since exceeded the time limit for maintaining Moonbolt.

Just a little longer.

Which meant my muscles were already screaming.

Even then, Silver Moon Sword did not stop.

Did he have no limit?

No.

Sweat.

Beads of sweat were running down Silver Moon Sword’s cheek.

Don’t worry too much.

Even then, the Heavenly Demon’s voice kept speaking.

If you cannot run from destiny—

There was hunger in his voice.

—then you only have to devour it.

Devour it, my ass.

Grinding my teeth, I ignored him.

Focus.

I waited for the moment.

The swords beat against each other like drums while I waited, and waited.

If someone asked whether I had prepared nothing for this match—

that was not the case.

I did what I could, too.

Once I ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) knew Silver Moon Sword was strong, I had to make the preparations I could.

The martial art he was using was beyond expectation, but that didn’t matter.

Even so—

It doesn’t change anything.

Exactly once.

I had one chance to use it.

I had waited for that chance through the entire match.

SKRREEK.

There.

At Silver Moon Sword’s movement, I knew the moment had come.

The foot.

I shifted my sword to the left.

At that moment, Silver Moon Sword’s foot floated up just slightly.

An instant.

But it was enough.

I had been expecting it, so I could respond.

I targeted the emptied center of gravity.

BANG-!

Sword Aura burst, and Silver Moon Sword was shoved back.

This time, it was not a feint.

“Huh?”

Silver Moon Sword failed to understand what had just happened to him.

Again.

I took a step and activated Moon Wave.

This time—

It will work.

I’ll strike through the opening.

Making that judgment, I swung the sword—

SNAP-!

“...!!”

“Hm?”

The instant I moved the sword, Moonbolt was released.

Damn it...!

Had I run out of energy?

Damn it...!

My body slowed all at once.

At this rate, I lose.

Grinding my teeth, I put strength into my thigh.

And then—

No.

The Heavenly Demon spoke.

There is still something you haven’t done yet.

And together with those words—

FWOOOOOSH-!!!

“...Ghk!?”

Power surged up through my body.

The energy that had been falling away swelled back up, and Moonbolt activated again.

But then—

SHAAAAA-!!!

As my sword drove in, an eye suddenly burst out from Silver Moon Sword’s shadow.

As though it had reacted to something.

What?

Why was that thing coming out again?

Before I could even finish being startled—

It’s here.

The Heavenly Demon said to the eye.

THRUK-!

Huh?

A translucent hand that burst out from my body stabbed straight into the eye—

SLASH-!!

—and my sword carved straight across Silver Moon Sword’s chest.

“Cough...”

Blood burst out of Silver Moon Sword.