Chapter 254
Chapter 254
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 254
>Chapter Title: The Fourth Step
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>Boom—!
Gerhard winced at the shockwave that swept through the training hall and shouted.
-What the hell was that?
-Liza!
“The match isn’t over yet, is it?”
-I think the same.
Astr casually chimed in from beside Gerhard, with Charlie agreeing.
They had been watching separately, but at some point, they found themselves united in spectating.
It was that intense of a duel.
And the end of that duel had yet to be decided.
Neither silhouette visible through the thick cloud of dust had fallen.
“Still, it looks like the tide has turned.”
“Yeah.”
But it seemed like it would be settled soon.
As the dust cleared, it revealed a blizzard split in half by the Sword Saint’s blade, and within it, the white lion collapsing, gasping for breath.
And staggering behind it was Do-hyun.
The space-severing strike had cleaved both the white lion and him, inflicting a fatal wound.
-Does that even make sense!?
-L-Liza….
To call that mere swordsmanship.
Gerhard and Eliza gaped at the unprecedented sight, prompting Astr beside them to smirk.
“You guys are seeing this for the first time, huh. That’s what happens when you hone swordsmanship to its limit. And among those, that guy’s quick-draw is insane. It slices through magic and everything.”
-……Is that even possible?
Astr shrugged nonchalantly at Charlie’s question.
“Nothing’s impossible. They’re signature sword techniques, after all. The crazy part is that he created four of them himself.”
-Indeed…… They’re the lord’s comrades. Impressive.
The Sword Saint was an unprecedented user who filled most of her skill slots with swordsmanship.
It was common knowledge that four of them were signature techniques she’d created herself.
And she had honed every single one to the absolute limit.
Not satisfied with that, she sought new sword arts—if they couldn’t be obtained as signatures, she mastered them with her body alone.
The result of her obsessive pursuit was a position where no one could rival her with the sword.
“That’s no longer just a concept. He’s the real deal, chasing the pinnacle of the sword.”
“……Though there’ve been times I wondered if the packaging fits. Meditating cross-legged under a waterfall? Technique names like Tyrant’s Severing Strike or Quick-Draw…… Sigh, it’s all wuxia addiction.”
“Ahem. Quiet down. Gotta keep some dignity in front of these kids.”
“They can’t hear. No way their ears are that good.”
-……We can hear everything. But let’s pretend we didn’t, Eliza.
-Liza Liza.
Gerhard’s group played it off wisely, though they were undeniably shocked.
They’d expected the lord’s comrades to be impressive, but seeing it firsthand exceeded expectations.
Still, it was too early to judge.
“Speaking of which…… I felt it during the raid too, but Kaiser’s swordsmanship isn’t half bad. He couldn’t cut through that.”
“Yeah. It’s not magic, so is that pure physical power?”
“Where’d he pick up another weird trick? How much stronger does he plan to get?”
And rightly so—the Sword Saint’s quick-draw hadn’t withstood Do-hyun’s strike, its traces laid bare without filter.
Crunch.
Do-hyun barely regained his balance, staring at the floor and walls shattered like a bomb had detonated right in front of him.
The aftermath of Reverse Heaven Art’s Second Form: Break.
A skill that reigned as the ultimate damage dealer, boasting overwhelming power, yet Do-hyun’s eyes narrowed in dissatisfaction.
“Splendid swordsmanship, Sword Saint. To think such a technique existed…… The world of the sword truly is vast and endless.”
“……You didn’t even hit.”
“No one would stand there with eyes open for a technique with such a long wind-up. It would’ve been dangerous if it landed.”
In truth, that explosive power hadn’t so much as grazed the Sword Saint.
‘As expected, without a bind, it’s useless.’
A cheat-like technique that shattered everything in its path unless the gap in prowess was vast.
Exceptional damage, but its hit difficulty was hellish.
Like with the guardian, it required the opponent to take it head-on or be forced into a situation where they had no choice.
“It’s about time to wrap this up. It was a fine duel, Sword Saint.”
She meant it as she approached.
She’d properly experienced the new technique’s true nature, and the duel had been more thrilling than expected.
Impossible not to be satisfied.
But that was her perspective. Do-hyun wasn’t satisfied yet.
His health was already bottoming out, and he had no more trump card techniques left.
‘End it like this? Who decides that?’
He’d fully grasped the Second Form: Break’s weakness.
He needed to find even a hint of a way to overcome it.
No—at the very least, he had to land one solid hit to salve his pride. Getting utterly thrashed like this was embarrassing.
Step. Slash—
As Do-hyun stepped forward again and circulated his energy, the Sword Saint swung her sword.
That alone halted his advance.
The second flaw of the Second Form: Break.
“A form that circulates the mountain-like energy built by chaining steps from the prior form and detonates it in one spot.”
“…….”
“Impressive, no doubt, but useless if you prevent the chaining. It’s over, Kaiser.”
True to the Sword Saint, she’d analyzed the technique’s principle after seeing it once and countered accordingly.
Anyone else might falter, but not her. Reverse Heaven Art wouldn’t work anymore.
Her domain was absolute.
[Reverse Heaven Art]
[First Form: Beginning is activated.]
Yet Do-hyun stepped forward again.
It wasn’t mere stubbornness.
Because she was the Sword Saint, he could research ways to shore up the weakness.
If it worked on her, it’d work on most others.
Slash—swoosh—
Swipe—
She swung, thrust, and shifted her footwork.
No matter how she interfered to stop his steps, Do-hyun steadfastly advanced.
Using parries and his signature distance control, he pushed on, gradually increasing the frequency of energy stacking.
Step. Thud.
But the third was the limit.
The energy scattered pointlessly, yet Do-hyun started over from scratch without a care.
Even the Sword Saint watching him clicked her tongue in amazement.
‘Incredible focus…… That’s not just grit or stubbornness.’
He was clearly attempting something.
It was the gaze of one who saw nothing but the sword and himself in the world.
Perhaps that was why. The Sword Saint could see it.
Swish.
Do-hyun’s posture stabilizing bit by bit.
Step.
The width of his stride, his sword grip, even his inhalations and exhalations.
Everything was falling into an impeccably perfect system.
No flaws whatsoever—yet the next step birthed an even more flawless footwork.
Minute differences accumulating into massive results.
“That monster. He’s growing even now.”
“Damn…… Making my body itch again. Gotta spar after this. Something’s coming.”
“Sigh, talent freaks as always. Us normies can’t catch a break.”
Even Astr, a layman in this field, marveled, as the Empress cracked her knuckles.
Her brown eyes gradually reddened.
Her body trembled with excitement, screaming her desire to jump in.
Oblivious, Do-hyun was in a trance.
Step, slash—
Whirl.
When had it started?
Amid repeated failures, refusing to give up and readjusting over and over, a message appeared before his eyes.
[Your strong will to overcome resonates with Tenacity.]
[Dormant Tenacity activates.]
[As long as you don’t give up, Tenacity will empower your will.]
‘Tenacity……’
The enhanced reward from the guardian.
An effect that hadn’t triggered once since then finally awakened.
At the same time, an odd sensation washed over him.
Drip.
A water drop falling deep within echoed, infusing his limit-reached body with faint clarity.
Like a ring-weary fighter enduring on mental fortitude, granted strength for one more punch.
Or like one on the verge of collapse from thirst, given a sip to cross the desert.
“……!”
The final handful to press onward.
That handful he couldn’t reach despite desperate effort now pushed from behind.
It was the handful that shattered limits.
And people grow by breaking limits.
Step.
“The fourth step……!”
The moment he succeeded at the step that had always failed.
The Sword Saint’s eyes widened as she swiftly lowered her stance and lunged.
Instinctive judgment. And a very apt one.
His impeccably perfect step could no longer be blocked by a casual swing.
But.
[Breaking the limit opens the path to the next form.]
[You glimpse a part of the next realm.]
[The image of the Third Form faintly appears.]
‘Ah. This is……?’
His swordsmanship was already completing itself.
Through the misty haze, something flickered. A new realm unlike any before.
Before his mind grasped it, his body reacted first.
Shhh—
Eyes half-unfocused.
Back slack.
Yet the chilling aura proportional to it startled the lunging Sword Saint, widening her eyes.
Leap!
By the time she snapped to, she’d leaped far back.
‘……Why did I……?’
She couldn’t understand her own retreat.
Pure instinct. Her senses screamed: advance further, and it’s dangerous.
Unbelievable, even to her.
The spec gap with Kaiser now couldn’t be overturned by skill alone.
Especially in a pure sword duel.
‘Yet I felt danger.’
She’d dueled Kaiser countless times in Delmrock, but this sensation was a first.
An astonishing event unfolding.
She was certain.
Her longtime comrade was breaking his mold and evolving.
‘Fun, Kaiser.’
The Sword Saint’s lips curved instead.
Kaiser’s growth intrigued her, but the anticipation of what sword art he’d unveil next was exhilarating.
“Guess I’ll have to get serious too.”
Feeling her chest heat up, the Sword Saint assumed her stance.
Among the four signature techniques she’d created, the final one—her ultimate ace.
One she rarely unsheathed due to poor power control, but she intended to draw it now after so long.
Shhh—
Sword ready, she regulated her breathing.
She became one with the blade.
Utterly calm and still, yet meeting her eyes chilled the throat.
Like an executioner gazing coldly at the condemned on the block. As she slowly leaned forward—
“Enough. Do you plan to demolish your old master’s training hall?”
A heavy voice pierced the tense aura.
Kind yet authoritative. At its sound, the Sword Saint’s eyes returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
Do-hyun was the same.
Focus sharpened in his hazy eyes, his slack back straightened.
“……Whoa.”
“Crazy.”
Snapping out of it, he heard the Empress and Astr’s stunned reactions—which made perfect sense the instant he turned.
At the training hall door stood an elderly man with white hair, wrinkled face, and benevolent expression.
His beard, white as his hair, grown long—Do-hyun knew him well.
“……Sword Emperor.”
The Sword of the Seven Rivers.
The continent’s greatest swordsman, Sword Emperor Garfield Drew.
The legendary figure locked eyes with them all, overlooking the scene.