Published at 25th of February 2026 7:49 am

Chapter 402

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"What are you doing...?!"

Chun Hye-In's voice rose in pitch. The mask she'd barely kept on shattered to pieces as she shouted.

"Pick up your sword, now! What do you think you're doing right now?"

Frost laced her voice, so dense that the air seemed to chill.

Carried away by her emotions, an icy energy bled into her words, making them ring out even louder.

But even at Chun Hye-In's response, Do Hyung simply lowered the sword he was holding.

"Hey–!"

Chun Hye-In tried again, raising her temper at that sight.

"I forfeit."

But Do Hyung's answer didn't change. There was no hesitation in that quiet, resolute statement.

Everyone was puzzled.

"What's going on? Why?"

"... He was clearly ahead, so why?"

Even those who weren't very well-trained could see that Chun Hye-In had been losing.

Did Do Hyung really need to give up in that kind of situation?

No one could understand it.

"... You truly mean to forfeit?"

He'd already made his decision. At the referee's words, Do Hyung nodded.

With that, there was only one thing left for the referee to do.

"Match over... Chun Hye-In wins."

He raised his hand and declared the result. At those words, Chun Hye-In's face twisted with fury.

"Don't be ridiculous...!"

Wooong–!

Blue sword aura surged. Chun Hye-In, grinding her teeth, was just about to launch her sword—

『Stop–』

"...!"

Virtuous Moon Sword's languid gaze pressed down on Chun Hye-In.

No, it couldn't really be called suppression; he simply uttered a single word.

Yet that alone made Chun Hye-In freeze in place.

『That's enough. The match is over. Step down.』

"...."

Grit.

Chun Hye-In clenched her teeth and sharply turned her back.

'Huh.'

Watching that, I cocked my head. Why did he really stop the match?

'Why go that far?'

Was he out of energy? Or was there a problem?

I couldn't understand why Do Hyung had chosen to stop.

'Hmm.'

I stared at Do Hyung, who was gasping for breath. His breathing was rough, but not so bad.

That meant he could've continued. So why did he admit defeat? As I stared in confusion—

Tug.

"Hm?"

Someone tugged at my sleeve.

I looked to the side.

"... What is it?"

A beauty with a delicate face, looking somewhat tired.

The Mount Hua Sect's Sword Phoenix, Yu Yun, stood beside me.

"... How did you get here?"

Are outsiders allowed in the Blue Moon Festival? The moment I frowned, puzzled about Yu Yun's presence—

Swoosh.

Yu Yun pointed a finger somewhere. At Virtuous Moon Sword.

"What is it? Did you... don't tell me, did you get permission from the sect leader?"

At my question, Yu Yun nodded.

Huh.

'Aren't outsiders banned from entering?'

There's no way she could just waltz right in.

'... Virtuous Moon Sword approved this, huh.'

Strange, but I guess it'll do? Maybe so.

Not that it was especially important.

So then.

"What."

Why are you grabbing me? When I asked, Yu Yun pointed at Do Hyung again.

"What about him."

Did Do Hyung do something? I couldn't understand.

"...."

Seeming frustrated I didn't get it, Yu Yun hurriedly pulled something out. To my surprise, it was a stick she drew from her clothes.

Just an ordinary, clean-looking branch.

What was she planning to do with that?

Swish swish—!

Yu Yun suddenly swung the stick in the air. What was she doing?

'... What in the world?'

I stared blankly, confused.

'Oh.'

She wasn't just randomly waving it. This was—

'Sword path.'

It was a sword path. Yu Yun was demonstrating sword path. I continued to watch, wondering why.

Suddenly—

Thud–!

Mid-motion, Yu Yun stopped her movements in the air.

"Why'd you stop?"

She was doing fine, so why stop? At my question, Yu Yun scribbled something on the ground.

She wrote 'failure.'

'Failure?'

I paused to think—and then it hit me.

"Ah."

Could it be—

"... Are you saying that senior failed the sword path just now?"

Yu Yun nodded at my words.

'He failed the sword path?'

It looked like he was doing fine, but he'd failed to maintain the sword path?

'So that's why he admitted defeat in the match?'

On the surface, it seemed like he was completely overwhelming Chun Hye-In.

'... Where did she see that?'

How did Yu Yun catch it?

Not just me—the others nearby hadn't noticed either.

'A difference in vision.'

The very difference in talent that Yu Chun-gil once mentioned.

The eyes possessed by the Young cult leader and Yu Yun—Tu-an or whatever that sight was called.

Even though I awakened the Moon Eye, was there still a difference here?

Or perhaps...

'Was it the difference of the Heaven-Slaying Star?'

Both Yu Yun and that guy possessed Heaven-Slaying Star. Maybe that was the difference. In any case—

'She saw it, and I didn't.'

If it matters, maybe that's important.

'Hmm.'

Anyway—

The match finally concluded. Chun Hye-In and Do Hyung—though not seriously hurt—left to receive treatment.

In the end, Chun Hye-In won the match.

Though she didn't seem satisfied at all.

"It's the first time I've ever seen Lady Chun so angry."

"Maybe she really didn't like how the duel went?"

"She's shouting just because she's displeased? That's not like her..."

Warriors whispered because Chun Hye-In's mask had broken. They seemed quite startled.

'That was nothing, though.'

Knowing Chun Hye-In's true nature, I wasn't surprised at all.

Meanwhile—

"I didn't expect Do Hyung to push so hard. Was he always that strong?"

"I heard he received a title... at this level..."

"He's clearly surpassed a mere foot soldier."

"Same for Moon Hero... every member of Small Moon Division..."

They seemed more surprised at Do Hyung's new display than at Chun Hye-In's attitude.

'... Yeah.'

Do Hyung had gotten stronger. That was expected for his recent day's work.

'The odd part is...'

Do Hyung didn't really seem to care about the match at all.

'No interest, no passion.'

Neither against Chun Hye-In nor the Blue Moon Festival's match itself.

'Why is that?'

It seemed like Do Hyung had no interest. As if all he lived for was swinging his sword.

'Honestly, he's the least fitting person for Blue Moon Sect.'

Except for me.

'With a bunch of battle maniacs, how'd a wooden block like that fit in here?'

I wondered how Do Hyung came to join the Blue Moon Sect. And also—

'That Guardian Spirit.'

The Guardian Spirit that had spun wildly around Do Hyung.

Why was it thrashing so much this time?

'It always used to stay so docile.'

That Guardian Spirit stayed calm, even through crises.

'Why?'

I couldn't understand why it suddenly went berserk during the match.

'... For it to be a mountain-god level even among generals.'

Honestly, it bothered me.

'A Guardian Spirit at that level—if it rampaged...'

Something very bad could happen.

And sometimes. Rarely, but still—

'There are cases where a Guardian Spirit falls.'

A Guardian Spirit sometimes descends into an evil god.

Usually, that's when—

'The one they're protecting dies.'

A Guardian Spirit remains in this realm to protect a cherished one.

So when their protected one dies, beyond what even the Guardian Spirit can handle—

'They become an evil god.'

There are cases where they become corrupted and go on rampages.

'... That's even more of a headache.'

When those with nothing left to protect fall, their rampages are fiercer than other evil gods.

I knew from direct experience.

'Ugh, thinking about it makes me want to puke.'

I actually started sweating. That's how wretched those memories were.

'... Guardian Spirits are great, but...'

In every way, they're double-edged swords.

'Especially his Guardian Spirit is weird.'

It bothered me even more, since I'd never seen one like it.

"I give up."

I stopped thinking about it. Do Hyung clearly had his own reasons.

'If I dig deeper...'

There was already too much on my plate.

Clang–!!!

The sound of swords clashing rang out. The third match of the Blue Moon Festival began.

Once more, blue lines lazily connected across the ring.

At that moment—

"...."

Sensing a gaze, I looked forward.

The man with narrow eyes.

Silver Moon Sword was waving at me.

"...."

There was a chilling aura radiating from behind him.

Seeing someone else's energy, I paused for a moment.

Even now—

'He's just... uncomfortable.'

For some reason, he always made me uneasy.

* * *

Clang–! Clatter—!

A sword clashed and fell to the ground.

"Guh..."

The owner of the sword groaned. At this, the referee immediately stopped the match.

"Bi Yun! Victory!"

Bi Yun, fourth in line of the Small Moon Division, claimed victory. He wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed.

With that, the match ended. At last, it was time for the final duel.

"... Silver Moon Sword."

"He just returned from a mission after three years, right? I wonder how much he's changed."

"I heard there was a dust-up with Moon Hero?"

"Oh, I heard about that."

While chatting, they glanced my way. Trying to gauge my reaction.

I pretended not to notice, staring straight ahead.

"Senior... Um, I-I mean, I've just been wondering—how strong is Senior Yu Yul, really?"

The 3rd-generation disciple asked his senior. At that, the youth nodded slightly.

"... He's strong."

He didn't sound entirely certain.

"I'm sure he is. If he's the sect leader's disciple, he must be. But I've never actually seen it."

"Huh?"

"Senior never fought a proper match, not even once."

"... What do you mean?"

I perked my ears at their conversation.

'He's never fought a proper match?'

While in Blue Moon Sect, he's never participated in a true duel?

But then—

'He's part of the Small Moon Division.'

To join, you have to defeat a member and be acknowledged.

If Silver Moon Sword is a member, then his skills have been verified.

'Besides that, he's never fought?'

Is that possible?

Does he just lack any fighting spirit?

'But then why did he come after me?'

I recalled the incident where he'd approached me for a fight.

'What's up with him?'

From the start, I didn't like his narrow eyes, and not knowing what he was up to didn't help.

'What is his aim?'

Chun Hye-In claims he's an agent for Bow Ghost and the Death King.

The ominous spiritual ki clinging to him gives those words some weight.

"Prepare for the match."

At the referee's words, the two gripped their swords. The opponent—

'Second in line of the Small Moon Division.'

He was the one stationed right behind the man I'd faced earlier.

A man with a massive frame and rugged features.

I think his name was—

'Cheon So-woo, maybe.'

That was it.

"Hoo–!"

Fighting spirit erupted. Air tinged with deadly energy with Cheon So-woo's breath.

'Strong.'

He was strong. I could tell just by the pressure of his energy.

But—

'I feel nothing.'

Silver Moon Sword just stared at Cheon So-woo with a smile. No presence to be felt.

Just as I thought that—

Ssss—

'Hm?'

Suddenly, spiritual ki stirred behind Silver Moon Sword.

It crept up like a shadow.

Sliiide—!

"...!"

And then, an eye appeared.

A single eye peeled open, surveying the surroundings.

'Shit.'

I cursed inwardly as I saw that.

As I stared at the eye in shock—

Sliiide—!

The pupil turned toward me. Our gazes locked, eye to eye.

Gramps' Notes:

Opp, trouble?

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