Until the Sword Leaves Your Grip
Jin A-rin pressed Seo-ah with relentless ferocity. Even with the restriction of internal energy limited to half a gapja, a First-Class expert was still a First-Class expert. For Seo-ah, who was still hovering somewhere between the Second-Class and First-Class realms, there was little she could do but struggle.
'I am sorry to my benefactor... but I cannot afford to lose this easily.'
Jin A-rin felt genuine gratitude toward Seo-ah. It wasn't just empty flattery; she was truly thankful that Seo-ah had spared the Swift Sword Sect from retribution and saved her father’s life. If it were up to her heart, she would have gladly thrown this duel.
But she couldn't. It wasn't a matter of honor as a martial artist. After her father was forced to step down as the Swift Sword Sect Leader, the sect elders had pressured her to forfeit this duel—all to avoid drawing the ire of the Sword Demon. She had agreed to their demands, but she didn't know what was going through Seo-ah’s mind. He had insisted on the duel.
If she were to lose easily to her benefactor in front of everyone—given her father’s ousting and her own precarious position as the Young Sect Master—the elders would surely conclude that her skills had rusted and move to strip her of her title. Therefore, even if she were to lose, she had to prove that her sword was not dull. She had to show that her blade was sharper and faster than any other rising star in the main sect.
Of course, that wasn't all. There was a hint of personal sentiment involved as well. 'I must see with my own eyes why... the Sword Demon chose you over me.'
She had lived her entire life with a sword in her hand. She had reached the First-Class realm at the age of fifteen. Despite the vast, insurmountable gap in their experience and the time they had spent training, why had the Sword Demon chosen the benefactor instead of her?
In truth, Seo-ah was currently wearing a strained expression, busy doing nothing but blocking Jin A-rin’s strikes. It was a sight one would hardly expect from a disciple of the Sword Demon, who hailed from the Tyrant Sword Sect. Yet, Jin A-rin was impressed. Seo-ah was blocking the high-level techniques of a top-tier martial arts sect using nothing but the Seven Demonic Swords—the basic, foundational martial art taught to every member of the Extreme Demonic Sword Family.
'But... if that were all there was to it, I should have been more than qualified to be the Sword Demon’s disciple. I wish you would show me more of your sword.'
Yes, Seo-ah’s talent was superior to hers. But was that the only reason he could become the Sword Demon’s disciple? She, who had dreamed of becoming a disciple by the Sword Demon’s side since childhood, had never lacked talent compared to others. There had to be something more.
In reality, Seo-ah’s expression wasn't that of someone cornered; a faint, relaxed smile was playing on her lips. Was she finding pleasure in receiving the sword strikes of a First-Class expert? Or was this a provocation directed at her?
'Or perhaps... you really are that relaxed.'
Jin A-rin even had such an absurd thought. Of course, that couldn't be true. But it wasn't a pleasant feeling. The very fact that he could afford to be relaxed in front of her—Jin A-rin was, after all, a martial artist of the demonic path, brimming with competitive spirit.
'I’ll see how long you can keep that smile on your face.'
Jin A-rin tightened her grip on her sword.
'Hmm... there’s no spirit worthy of the Tyrant Sword Sect.'
Jin Yu-seong, the son of the Sword Demon and the head of the Sword Family, could not hide his disappointment as he watched Seo-ah, who was doing nothing but desperately blocking strikes. Of course, he hadn't expected her to win, but he had at least hoped to see her inherit his father’s insights or display the true sword of the Tyrant Sword Sect.
'No... I must be losing my mind. Expecting a child who only started learning martial arts three months ago to push a First-Class expert even for a moment...'
It seemed that the astonishing sight of her cutting down Jin Mu-ung the other day had made him forget how little time she had actually spent training. It usually took five to ten Second-Class martial artists to face a single First-Class expert. Yet, wasn't Jin Seo-ah successfully blocking Jin A-rin’s sword? This, too, was an astonishing feat.
Jin Yu-seong looked around.
— "Incredible. To think she could endure the Swift Sword Sect Young Sect Master’s onslaught like that."
— "But... she does look a bit strained, doesn't she?"
— "Ahem. My friend, you never know until the very end."
— "Ah... ahem. That’s true. By the way, the Sword Demon’s disciple is truly remarkable."
He could hear the elders whispering. Their thoughts didn't seem much different from his own, though they had quickly changed their tune to avoid the wrath of his father, who had been furious just a short while ago.
'Tsk. Father isn't the type to scold someone for such a simple assessment.'
Though Jin Yu-seong thought this, he couldn't stop his gaze from drifting toward his father. His father surely hadn't expected her to win this duel either. He had likely just pushed for the duel, thinking it would be a good opportunity. But contrary to his expectations, his father was watching the duel with an extremely serious expression—a look identical to the one he wore when he held a sword in his own hand.
Jin Yu-seong felt his heart sink. 'Surely he wouldn't scold those who speak of her defeat, would he?'
Normally... that would be the right thing to do. But seeing his father’s serious expression, Jin Yu-seong felt his certainty waver. He stealthily approached his father and tossed out a casual remark, as was his habit.
"Ahem... Father, are you alright?"
"Hmm? What is there to not be alright about?"
At his father’s annoyed tone, Jin Yu-seong broke into a cold sweat and continued. 'Is this... not it?'
He cleared his throat and pressed on. "You’ve taken on a truly excellent disciple. Honestly, it’s not easy to withstand the onslaught of a First-Class expert, is it?"
"Hmm... that is true. Even in my eyes, having such a disciple is a stroke of heaven’s luck."
"So, what I mean is, please don't be too disappointed..."
His father’s brow furrowed. Jin Yu-seong had lived as if married to his sword, never marrying and having no children, so he had always been clumsy in human relationships. His father spoke.
"Tsk tsk. The head of the Sword Family, already jumping to conclusions about the result."
"Ahem... I apologize."
"Quiet. Focus and watch carefully. Until the sword leaves your grip, the outcome is never certain. My disciple’s counterattack hasn't even begun yet."
The elders, who had overheard the conversation between the Family Head and the Sword Demon, began to peer intently at the dueling platform, wondering if they had missed some aspect of the battle after having prematurely decided the outcome. Jin Yu-seong did the same. Of course, deep down, none of them truly believed Seo-ah would win. And then, the anomaly occurred.
Jin A-rin was impressed by Seo-ah’s defensive strategy, which was uncharacteristic of the Tyrant Sword Sect, and swung her sword. It seemed she intended to take a defensive stance and strike at a gap when Jin A-rin let her guard down, but Jin A-rin was not one to fall for such a trick. Instead of throwing a fatal strike, Jin A-rin slowly whittled Seo-ah down with impressive, swift sword strikes.
'I can see her strength fading.'
Jin A-rin noticed that the strength was draining from Seo-ah’s grip. Honestly, it was a miracle she had lasted this long. Jin A-rin had swung her sword with all her might to show an overwhelming performance. This was not a level of skill a Second-Class expert could endure.
'But... it seems this is where it ends.'
As the benefactor began to struggle to block the sword, gaps began to appear. Jin A-rin sensed that it was time to finish it. She launched a strike with all her might, turning her usual whittling attack into a swift, sweeping blow aimed at Seo-ah’s abdomen. If this attack succeeded, there would be no danger to her life, but she would be bedridden for a while. However, in a duel of the demonic path, such things were common, so no one would blame her.
'But it is a pity. I still... haven't seen the reason why you became the Sword Demon’s disciple. However... I will assume I can see it in the future.'
It seemed not enough time had passed for her and her benefactor to face each other as equals. Perhaps in a year or two, they could have a better match than this. With that, Jin A-rin prepared to end it, promising herself a rematch in the future. And then...
Seo-ah, breaking from her defensive stance, responded with her first counterattack.
— Clang!
With the sound of clashing steel, Jin A-rin was pushed back. Her sword had been parried. Everyone gasped. The initiative had shifted to Seo-ah.
Seo-ah’s sword began to press Jin A-rin, using mainly the Seven Demonic Swords and simple, unremarkable horizontal and vertical slashes. Her honest and rigid sword was closer to the essence of Ba ( - Tyranny) than anything else. Even though Jin A-rin could see through the simple sword paths, she couldn't easily reclaim the initiative. Because it was simple, she couldn't find the gaps.
At Seo-ah’s counterattack, cheers erupted from the crowd below the platform.
"Waaaaaah!!!"
But Jin A-rin was on a different level from the low-level martial artists Seo-ah had met before, or those like Jin Geuk who were blinded by arrogance and pride. Ignoring the roaring cheers, Jin A-rin steadied herself and, as a First-Class expert, reclaimed the initiative. Her sword erupted with the Soul-Stealing Shadow Demon Sword. True to its name, countless sword shadows poured toward Seo-ah, as if to snatch away her soul with a flash of darkness. But once again, Seo-ah took a defensive stance and blocked every single strike, as if she already knew every path of the complex Soul-Stealing Shadow Demon Sword. The initiative returned to Jin A-rin once more.
The sudden shift in the battle’s flow heated up the arena. The cheers of those who had been watching with bated breath echoed in her ears. The elders began to focus even more intently on the duel between the two rising stars, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Even though Jin A-rin had clearly reclaimed the initiative, she could not feel at ease. 'Just now... what was that?'
Jin A-rin began to break into a cold sweat at Seo-ah’s sword art, which seemed to pierce through all of her own techniques. She met Seo-ah’s eyes. Seo-ah’s gaze seemed to say:
Until the sword leaves your grip, nothing is decided.
With that, Jin A-rin began to whittle Seo-ah down again, a strange sense of unease creeping into her heart.