Graduation — Part 4
Just as it had been in the game, imparting the Fourth Form of the Moonlight Sword Style would satisfy the conditions for my class quest.
And once that happened, my life here would inevitably draw to a close as well.
It was a bittersweet sensation—relieving on one hand, yet lingering with a quiet pang of sorrow on the other. Fulfilling the quest requirements had been the catalyst, of course, but throughout our time together, I had been genuinely, deeply invested in Sowol.
"Come on, Master, let's get started!"
Completely oblivious to the swirl of my inner thoughts, Sowol called out with boundless confidence.
Right. Let's do this.
After all, they say there is no greater joy in life than watching your own disciple grow into their own. I patted Sowol's head affectionately, then led her up toward the mountain.
The mountain that had served as our secluded training ground for nearly a full year now looked hardly different from a barren wasteland. That was simply how many trees had been cleaved and reduced to kindling over the grueling months of our practice.
Having warmed up in the all-too-familiar clearing, Sowol gripped the hilt of her blade and turned to face me. Not a single shadow of doubt or hesitation darkened her expression.
That was Sowol's greatest strength: monstrous, peerless talent, matched only by an equally towering pride. At times that pride made her thoughts completely transparent, but it was precisely that fierce self-regard that accelerated her growth at such an unbelievable pace.
She was about to inherit the Moonlight Sword Style, revered across the continent as one of the Three Great Styles. Considering the catastrophic power sleeping within the art, the pressure resting upon her shoulders should have been suffocating, yet she overflowed with serene self-assurance.
The sight filled me with immense satisfaction. Yes. That's my disciple for you.
"What I am about to impart to you now is the final form of the Moonlight Sword Style—and the technique that embodies the style in its entirety."
Because of what this moment meant, I shed my usual casual banter and spoke with utter solemnity. Sensing the profound weight in my voice, Sowol's expression sharpened into razor-keen focus. Desperate not to miss a single word or breath, she stared at me without daring to blink as I slowly drew my sword from its sheath.
Moonlight Slash
I raised my blade toward the heavens. In that instant, the Moonlight Sword began to unleash a terrifying might fully worthy of its fabled name.
As if to prove it—
"The sky...?" Sowol gasped.
The sky darkened.
It was a transcendent phenomenon: the sheer, overwhelming power of human will forcibly reshaping nature itself. As a bewildered Sowol looked around at the sudden descent of twilight, a radiant moon manifested high above—colder, sharper, and more brilliant than anything in the waking world.
BOOOOOOOOM!!
The pale, gentle glow cast down by the phantom moon surged outward, every single ray of light sharpening into deadly sword qi that seized total dominion over the earth. Just as it had functioned back in the game as a devastating wide-area ultimate, the Moonlight Slash manifested in reality as a cataclysmic tempest, obliterating everything across an immense radius.
Trees, boulders, the very soil beneath our feet—everything grazed by that luminous veil dissolved into nothingness.
"Pheeew..."
I slowly lowered my sword. With that breath, the nocturnal sky and the phantom moon vanished, restoring the warmth of broad daylight.
A deep chill and hollow emptiness washed through my limbs, stark proof of the staggering mana reservoir the strike had consumed. Turning around, I leveled the tip of my training sword toward Sowol, whose golden eyes were wide as saucers like a thoroughly startled rabbit, and offered a teasing grin.
"That is the final form of the Moonlight Sword Style. You watched closely, right? Now, you try."
"...Even if you tell me to 'just try'..."
Meeting that stare of pure awe laced with reverent terror filled my chest with boundless teacherly pride. See that? That's your master.
Gently stroking Sowol's pink hair, I carefully walked her through the intricate circulation of mana required for the art. Slowly, deliberately, meticulously. I reiterated every principle several times until I was certain she had fully internalized the theory, stepping back only after she nodded in complete comprehension.
"This... really isn't easy."
Well, obviously. You think they call it one of the Three Great Styles for nothing?
I chuckled softly as Sowol stood fidgeting with her grip, completely at a loss. Unlike every technique before, this was the one mountain she couldn't conquer on her very first try, and her lovely features scrunched up into an intense, frustrated pout.
Reaching out to pat her head once more, I softened my tone to be as encouraging as possible.
"Even for someone as exceptionally gifted as you, this won't come overnight. There's no need to rush. You understand, right?"
"Yes. Slowly... but surely."
"That's my girl. I believe in you. I know you'll master the Moonlight Slash."
My responsibilities at the Eastern Merchant Guild weren't limited to tutoring Sowol. At So Jung-yang's earnest request, I had also taken on the task of instructing the syndicate's martial guards.
Under normal circumstances, my daily routine involved drilling Sowol intensively throughout the morning, followed by gathering the guild's guards in the afternoon for collective training sessions.
Lately, however, the dynamic had shifted.
I had already taught Sowol every scrap of technique I possessed. The rest relied entirely on her own personal enlightenment. Because of that, I had been channeling more of my free hours into refining the guild's defensive roster.
"Master Lee! Could you critique my posture for a moment?"
Naturally, Lyla was among those eager for guidance. Although she was on the younger side compared to the grizzled veterans of the caravan escorts, in terms of sheer martial aptitude, she was easily the most gifted among the regular guards. True to that innate talent, her prowess sharpened noticeably with every passing day.
"Just a little more polish, and you'll be manifesting genuine sword qi."
"Really? Truly, Master?!"
"You've already attained Unity of Sword and Body, haven't you?"
Lyla beamed with an exuberant, boyish grin. The surrounding martial artists watched her with naked envy, though truth be told, all of them had grown incomparably stronger compared to their lackluster state before I arrived.
"Master Lee. Do you have a brief moment?"
As I was reviewing the guards' drills, So Jung-yang approached. Flanking him were several unfamiliar figures.
Taking a closer look, I recognized the clerical vestments of Church clergy. Priestesses, specifically—though considering my long-standing friendship with Serin Musmi, seeing high-ranking Church women wasn't particularly unusual.
Telling the guards lined up with questions that I would attend to them shortly, I walked over to the guests.
"It has been a long time, Brother Lee Hyun."
Huh? Have we met before?
The middle-aged priestess offered a reverent, impeccably polite greeting, but for the life of me, I had no clue who she was.
"I am Rerayla, High Priestess of the Church. We collaborated on an assignment in the past, did we not?"
"Ah. Ahhh, of course! What a pleasure it is to see you again! Hahaha!"
...Seriously, who the hell are you?
Still, when an esteemed figure greets you with such familiar warmth, you can hardly stand there playing dumb like a complete stranger. I feigned hearty recognition, and seemingly gratified by my enthusiastic welcome, she pressed her palms together in a brief, reverent prayer.
"By the boundless grace of the Lord, we received word that Brother Lee Hyun has been lodging with the Eastern Merchant Guild and successfully repelled the insidious machinations of the heinous Asura Cult."
Ah. So the Church dispatched reinforcements after all.
Still, why her? I was certain they'd assign Serin.
"Sister Serin is scheduled to arrive shortly with the rear detachment," she added smoothly, almost as if anticipating my unspoken question.
"Is that so? That is truly a blessing. With esteemed sisters stationed within the Eastern Merchant Guild, repelling any further scum from the Asura Cult will be well within our grasp."
"Let us pray that it proves so. But tell me... are you personally tutoring the brothers and sisters of the guild?"
"Haha, yes, indeed."
"And yet, when the Church repeatedly beseeched your instruction, you declined us so adamantly..."
Well, that was because the Church didn't have anyone with a shred of raw talent worth my time. A bunch of stiff, rigid dogmatists—no fun to train whatsoever. But voicing that aloud would only invite an endless theological lecture, so I decided to simply laugh it off.
"In any case, it is a virtuous endeavor," Rerayla continued, clearing her throat. "Furthermore, there is a matter of critical intelligence."
Intelligence? About what?
"Our scouts have obtained credible intelligence indicating that an Archbishop of the Asura Cult will soon target this compound directly."
"Oh... is that right?"
An Archbishop. That meant a named-grade, high-tier boss.
In the original storyline, monsters of that caliber were only supposed to show their faces during the grand religious war arc. Had our crushing victory during the previous ambush triggered an early retaliatory raid?
Well, whatever. It made little difference to me. They were all heretic bastards destined to be wiped out during the religious war event anyway. If anything, I just hoped this Archbishop dropped some godly loot suited for Sowol.
"To prepare for that eventuality, we intend to garrison our paladins and battle-priests within the guild grounds."
"That is magnificent news. We are exceedingly grateful for the Church's vigilance."
"May the Lord's divine grace watch over you... If you will excuse us, we shall inspect the surrounding defensive perimeter."
Exchanging brief bows of etiquette, the clergy departed. As I watched their retreating silhouettes, So Jung-yang stepped up beside me, lowering his voice with palpable unease.
"By the way, Master Lee... how has Sowol been faring lately?"
"Hmm. She's applying herself diligently."
Evidently, grasping the Fourth Form was proving far harder than she had anticipated, leaving Sowol considerably more high-strung than usual. Her immense pride refused to forgive herself for hitting a wall at the final hurdle.
Because of that, the entire guild estate had been on pins and needles. Every single night, she sat meditating beneath the moonlight, or swung her sword in the darkness like someone possessed; worse still, rumors circulated that yesterday she had burst into erratic, hysterical laughter for hours on end like she had completely snapped. Having caught wind of such gossip, it was only natural her doting father came looking for answers.
"It is merely the growing pains of a blooming master."
"If Master Lee says so... then I shall place my faith in your assessment."
I was glad to hear him say that, but judging by the profound, sweat-sheened worry etched across his face, I had my doubts he was entirely convinced.
"What matters most right now is fortifying ourselves against the impending Asura Cult raid. As the Guild Leader, please refrain from wandering around unescorted and keep your elite bodyguards close at all times."
"Understood."
Well, at least he was cooperative.
Offering him a reassuring smile, I turned and headed back toward my personal quarters. Somewhere along the line, the courtyard outside my pavilion had essentially transformed into Sowol's private training sanctuary.
Perched atop a wide garden boulder, staring blankly into the sky, Sowol didn't twitch an inch even as my footsteps approached.
A state of total selflessness—a complete void of stray thought.
Watching her intently, I drew my sword and launched a sudden, whistling slash toward her neck.
Without glancing in my direction, without shifting her gaze from the heavens, Sowol leaned her head by a mere fraction of an inch, letting the blade graze empty air while her focus remained utterly undisturbed.
Flawless unity between self and universe. Magnificent.
Completely detached from mundane distraction, sensing solely the harmonious currents of mana permeating the world, Sowol radiated an aura potent enough to send a sharp thrill of awe racing down my spine.
I've really created a monster, haven't I?
If she's grown this formidable, she'll undoubtedly be an invaluable pillar when the time comes to secure the True Ending.
"Haaah..."
How much time had trickled past? Just as the radiant afternoon gave way entirely to the velvety veil of night, Sowol broke her trance with a long, heavy exhale. Glancing toward me, she slowly raised her moonlight blade.
What was she trying to show me?
...Don't tell me she's already mastered the Moonlight Slash?
"Pheeew..."
With that measured, quiet breath, Sowol leveled her raised sword at the empty expanse before her. And in that very breath—
CLANG! CLANG! SHING!
CRRAAAAASH!
The distant thunder of breaking gates and clashing steel echoed violently from beyond the courtyard walls. Instinctively, my hand dropped toward my hilt to draw.
Before I could step forward, a slender hand caught my wrist, and Sowol turned to me with a faint, radiant smile.
"There is no need for Master to intervene."
"Oho. That's quite the confidence. Don't tell me you..."
"Yes."
Her smile was luminous, gleaming with the pristine brilliance of the full moon.
"Allow me to show you, Master. Just how completely I have transformed."