Published at 18th of March 2026 6:28 am

Chapter 409

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Chun Hye-in was defeated by Yu Yul. And it was an overwhelming defeat.

The prodigy once called a member of the Seven Geniuses was utterly powerless in her loss, so those watching couldn't contain their shock any longer.

"... Lady Chun lost."

"She lost that easily?"

There wasn't even much of an exchange. Yu Yul barely moved, and the only one who actively did anything was Chun Hye-in.

She was beautiful. Her sword was undoubtedly elegant, and she wielded it with such intensity that it demanded attention.

'But in the end, it didn't reach him.'

The tip of her sword simply never touched Yu Yul.

'What did I just witness?'

I fixed my gaze on Yu Yul. I watched him closely with my Moon Eye activated to see how he wielded his sword.

'... There are so few lines.'

The number of sword paths visible to the Moon Eye was strikingly small. It wasn't like Virtuous Moon Sword, where only a single path exists, but still

'At most, four or five.'

While other martial artists kept dozens of options open for attack routes

'Those who reach a higher realm of swordsmanship aren't like that.'

On the contrary, martial artists who have reached great heights have far fewer possible sword paths.

Maybe a single sword is enough for them.

Or

'Perhaps the more you realize, the more you know it's meaningless.'

Could it be that a few proper strikes are better than swinging wildly?

That much the best had in common.

So, does that mean

'Yu Yul too.'

Is this Yu Yul also someone who has achieved that level of realization? I couldn't tell yet.

There was one thing I could say for certain.

'Ugh, that damn eye.'

That eye that keeps popping out and floating around, drifting with some unsettling energyit was bothering me.

'What is it searching for?'

It was obvious that eye wasn't just circulating Yu Yul's body.

It was directed. And regardless of what direction that aim was

'I need to figure out whose will they follow.'

Whose intent does that belong to? I wanted to figure that out.

But that meant I'd have to approach Yu Yul directly.

'Hmm.'

Just then, Yu Yul looked over at me and smiled. An uncomfortable person. Get closer to this guy?

'... I'm not interested.'

I had zero desire to do that.

***

After the second duel of the Blue Moon Festival was over, I had a short break.

This was the time set for the duelists to rest, and during that break, I met Do Hyung.

"Senior, are you alright?"

Do Hyung nodded at my question. He was wrapped in bandages, likely from injuries he'd gotten during his duel with Chun Hye-in yesterday.

They probably weren't too serious.

"Why did you quit midway, anyway? What a waste."

Even when I mentioned his forfeiting, Do Hyung's expression didn't change. He didn't seem bothered at all.

I didn't press him further, since that wasn't why I came.

"Lady Chun lost. Did you hear?"

Do Hyung looked at me. He seemed to have no idea and didn't even care.

He really never changes.

How can a person be so uninterested in others? Not that I'm much different, of course.

'So that's why.'

Maybe that's why I find Do Hyung so comfortable.

People like him put me at ease. Chief Baek was like that too.

'There is something that nags at me, though...'

Wuuuung.

The Guardian Spirit still whirled quietly around Do Hyung. That kept bothering me.

'I thought it was awfully quiet for a Guardian Spirit...'

After what I witnessed during the duel with Chun Hye-in, I realized it was different. The Guardian Spirit was reacting to something.

'It didn't seem to have a huge effect, though.'

Is there even a Guardian Spirit with so little influence? At least I'd never seen one like that before.

'But it's not weak, either.'

From how it reacted on the arena, it's definitely not just lacking power. It's a mountain god rank Guardian Spirit, after allit can't be powerless.

'It's just not using its power, not lacking it.'

What's the intention? Even when Do Hyung's life was at risk, it didn't react

'But it responded during the duel.'

No telling what the Guardian Spirit is thinking.

'If I could'

I'd love to dig into the Guardian Spirit and see what's inside.

'But that's not happening.'

I shook my head right away. If I did, I'd get myself entangled. Unnecessary curiosity is often fatal.

A Guardian Spirit is a benevolent spirit only for whom it must protect.

If I rashly meddled with that situation

'I might end up bringing harm to myself.'

Knowing that kept me from ever getting involved with one.

"How long are you supposed to rest?"

"I won't be resting."

"You won't?"

Pretty sure the physician didn't tell you that... I asked, puzzled, but Do Hyung just replied calmly.

"I need to go train."

"... With that chest injury?"

"What does it matter?"

"Hah."

Isn't getting hit in the chest a big deal? This guy was truly something else.

"The Blue Moon Festival will resume soon. Aren't you going to watch?"

The third duel of the Blue Moon Festival. We were nearing the end.

The fourth would be the last, but regardless, it's at a crucial point.

"I'm not particularly curious."

Do Hyung replied indifferently. I laughed at that.

"What's this? Even though your junior's fighting, don't you want to know if I win or lose?"

At my semi-joking question, Do Hyung looked at me with an odd expression. Hard to read anything in his eyes.

"Planning to lose?"

"What?"

I flinched at that. Was I planning to lose?

"... What do you mean?"

"I asked if you're planning to lose the duel."

"I'm not planning to lose."

I never go on stage expecting defeat. I know I might lose, but I don't fight intending to.

"Then are you going to win?"

"..."

I paused, wondering what he meant by that. Was he asking if I intended to win?

'Silver Moon Sword.'

Thinking of him, I replied.

"I have to win."

"..."

Suppressing emotion as much as I could, I said that. Do Hyung nodded shortly.

"That's enough, thn. No need to watch."

He seemed satisfied, getting to his feet.

"I'm off."

Apparently to go train. He moved off right away.

Really a man without attachments.

'That's enough, huh.'

He meant that if I intended to win, then there was no problem. Hearing that, I clicked my tongue inside.

'Where does that kind of confidence even come from?'

He seemed to trust me, even though I didn't trust myself.

It's funny.

'This whole situation is.'

And knowing he had that trust in me

"Kkuhng."

I stretched lightly and smiled faintly afterward.

'So this is why I came.'

Why did I come to see Do Hyung? Now I get itit was for this.

'Smart move.'

Maybe I already knew that he believed in me. Maybe I needed some reassurance, and that's why I sought him out.

I hadn't realized it, but it seems that's what happened.

What a narrow-minded creature I am.

"Whew."

Awareness always weighs heavy. I straightened my stiff neck and headed out.

Once outside, Yu Yun was waiting for me.

"Why are you here?"

"..."

No answer. Seems like everyone around me talks little.

But

"Were you waiting for me?"

"..."

Even with few words, she kept making her meaning clear.

I walked ahead, looking into Yu Yun's blank eyes. She naturally followed.

"Hey."

I asked Yu Yun.

"Can I win?"

An unqualified question.

What could I win against? It wasn't just about the Silver Moon Sword.

Yu Yun simply nodded.

"... How can you nod so fast when you don't even know what I'm talking about?"

Her lack of hesitation made me laugh in spite of myself.

Maybe because I smiled, Yu Yun grinned faintly right back.

Her lips curled up; her eyes slanted with amusement.

That made me pause.

'Wow.'

She is really pretty.

I quickly banished the thought.

"Right, if you think I can win, then I'll have to win."

Anyway, she believes in me.

I nodded as I walked on. My destination: the duel arena.

The third Martial Tournament of the Blue Moon Festival was about to begin. Only four contestants remained. You could call this the semifinals.

'Hmm.'

Some have been excluded up to this point, sure, but making it this far is still meaningful to me.

'... All that training under Yu Chun-gil really was worth it.'

Transcendent realm.

That level was once something I could never even dream of. Now, even after reaching it, there had been so many strong people that I barely felt much different.

'Now, at least, I can feel it.'

I actually feel stronger.

That sensation is now real to me. With so many monsters around, I hadn't been able to telluntil now.

'... Though, maybe it's a bit late?'

Strictly speaking, I'm late. Only after reaching Transcendence and undergoing rebirth did I sense it.

Just as I realized that, I also vaguely sensed Yu Chun-gil's intention.

'It's like he purposely kept me from noticing.'

That I'd gotten stronger.

It felt like Yu Chun-gil intentionally kept me from realizing that I'd become an expert.

'Through the Mind Realm or just the feel of interacting with top experts...'

Except for those beings I could never defeat, Yu Chun-gil rarely intervened directly.

Sometimes, he actually made me face masters head-on.

'... Now it's obvious.'

Looking back, it's clear. That old man deliberately kept me in the dark.

'But why?'

Why would he go out of his way to do that? I wondered, but couldn't say. Not that I ever knew before.

'He's never once actually taught me anything himself.'

Never told me anything directly. Whatever his intentions, he kept them secretI'm sure it's the same this time.

He must have his own reasons.

At least, I doubt it's anything that'll harm me.

That's all there is to it.

Clang.

I climbed onto the duel stage and drew my sword.

A sharp blade gleamed in the world. I saw my opponent.

'That guy...'

Did they call him Do Kyung?

He was deputy-division leader of the Small Moon Division, known by the title Blue Wolf Sword.

Originally, Seo Seon was the deputy-division leader, but for some reason, he'd handed the position over to Do Kyung.

He looked at me with discomfort.

It wasn't the first time I'd received looks like that, so I ignored him and looked at someone else.

Silver Moon Sword was watching me leisurely from below the stage.

'Hmm.'

So relaxed.

That attitude gets under my skin, even ignoring the aura he's radiating.

'Will I win?'

Do Hyung's voice ran through my head.

'I have to win.'

My answer echoed right after.

"Duel..."

I heard the referee's voice pass by.

"Begin"

Sreung.

I felt Do Kyung make his move and heated up my body in response.

Fzzzt.

A short burst.

"... Huh?"

Do Kyung flinched, looking at me.

Crackle.

Light flashed, and I appeared right before Do Kyung.

Shrrk.

In an instant, my sword was at his neck.

"Uh...?"

"Huh... what the...."

Moon Heaven.

With a body that contained the moon, I subdued Do Kyung.

While everyone gasped at how quickly it ended,

my eyes were fixed on Silver Moon Sword.

'I showed him once.'

I used a brute-force method, not my usual style.

A warning: don't let your guard down the next round.

Maybe he picked up on that.

"Hahaha."

Silver Moon Sword laughed, looking satisfied.

And then

"As expected, this is fun."

In his eyes, I could see a fighting spirit that hadn't been there before.

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