The Radiant Moon's Descent
Afraid?
Palduyeok gnashed his teeth at the thought that had unbiddenly crossed his mind.
Fear? For him to feel fear toward a mere greenhorn?
It was utterly absurd.
Drip.
Blood trickled down his chest.
The wound wasn't particularly deep, but the throbbing pain was irritating.
Palduyeok wiped his chest with his hand.
He stared at the wet blood on his fingers.
...I was cut.
When did it happen? Palduyeok hadn't even noticed the moment it occurred.
When, and how?
With a distorted face, Palduyeok looked ahead.
There stood the handsome young man, facing him with a greatsword in hand.
He had black hair with a slight brown tint, fair skin for a man, and a relatively average build.
His gentle eyes and delicate features made it clear he was quite handsome, but...
Unlike his soft appearance, the gaze he held was far more intense.
That weapon was clearly heavy.
And he had swung it without him even noticing?
Furthermore...
...That bastard.
Was he always surrounded by this kind of atmosphere?
Palduyeok swallowed hard at the sudden shift in Bang Seong-yeon's presence.
Something had changed.
Nothing had physically changed, yet everything felt different.
Palduyeok's instincts were screaming it.
What is it?
What had changed? He narrowed his eyes to look, but nothing was immediately visible.
However...
"...You. Have you been hiding your strength?"
Since appearances weren't everything, Palduyeok demanded an answer.
Hearing this, Bang Seong-yeon smirked.
"You're quite perceptive for someone of your brutish appearance."
"..."
Palduyeok's brow furrowed. It was an admission.
So he really had been hiding his strength?
...How?
He couldn't understand it. Even now.
To say he was hiding his realm...
Nothing had changed. The boy was still stuck in the First-rate realm.
Palduyeok could see that clear as day.
But to take it at face value...
The boy's actions up until now bother me.
He recalled how the boy had fought just moments ago.
Most of his combat maneuvers had been acts and feints.
Then...
Are his words and attitude right now also an act?
If it's an act...
Which one is it...?
Is he acting like he was hiding his strength?
Or is he pretending to have hidden strength to bluff?
It was confusing. The boy's state was too ambiguous to believe anything for certain.
Just then.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind."
Bang Seong-yeon said, brushing back his hair. As his hand swept over his forehead, he wiped away the blood trickling down.
"Well, should I give you more time to think?"
"...You bastard..."
Blatant sarcasm. A vein popped on Palduyeok's forehead upon hearing it.
"Do you think you've won just because you hid a single trick up your sleeve?"
Screeech!
Palduyeok's spear swept across the ground.
A fierce momentum radiated from the tip of the spear as it moved.
Whoosh!
A violent wind pressure filled the surroundings, blending with Palduyeok's battle spirit.
"It was clever of you to catch me off guard and land a blow, but since even that failed, you no longer have a future."
He was referring to the wound on his chest.
No matter what the boy was hiding, nothing would change.
"I will pierce your throat immediately and erase those pests behind you as well."
He expanded his muscles to their limit, drawing out his strength.
Energy gradually permeated his massive frame.
"Your little tricks end here. Let's see you struggle to your heart's content..."
"Honestly."
At that moment, Bang Seong-yeon cut Palduyeok off.
His expression was one of sheer exasperation.
"It's always the weak ones who talk the most. Does your strength not rise unless you flap your gums? If you had spent the time you used opening your mouth to swing your spear instead, you would have been the World's Greatest."
"..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's always the mediocre ones who act like this. In the old days, I would have just ripped your tongue out. I must have grown soft in my old age."
Palduyeok was temporarily left speechless by the boy shaking his head and sighing.
What on earth was this bastard babbling about?
It was absurd. Truly absurd, but...
...Why?
Why was he just standing there listening? The moment he realized this...
Whoosh!
Palduyeok tightened his grip on his spear.
He pulled himself together.
To be swayed by such cheap tricks.
It was a petty provocation.
A desperate struggle from someone pushed to the edge.
No matter what trick he had hidden, it would be meaningless.
"Did you call it the sword that cut the heavens?"
That his sword had cut the heavens.
So he should be grateful.
Those were the words a wet-behind-the-ears brat had dared to say to him.
How arrogant.
Had being praised as the successor of the Sword Saint made him this conceited?
Or was he just born with this nature?
Whatever the case...
He resembles his master quite a bit.
An strangely familiar scent of Yoo Chun-gil, that monster, drifted from the boy.
Especially his gaze.
Eyes that showed absolutely no trace of anxiety or fear.
Though he should be looking up due to their height difference...
His presence made it feel as though he was looking down on Palduyeok.
The World's Greatest.
The Greatest of All Time.
The Supreme Ruler of the Central Plains.
Palduyeok had once crossed paths with him briefly.
And he had never forgotten that fleeting moment.
Could that being even be called human?
No.
He was not human.
It was more accurate to say a god had descended.
When rumors of his death spread, Palduyeok couldn't bring himself to believe it for a long time.
He was that kind of existence.
Yet, from this boy...
Why did he smell of that monster?
The scent of an absolute master.
A scent that should never be felt from a boy who hadn't even reached adulthood.
Yet, it was unmistakably radiating from him.
Could it be...
Because of that sword?
An strangely wild and fierce sword.
Now that he looked closely, he realized.
That was...
The sword that monster used to wield. Had the disciple found it and taken it up?
Palduyeok tightened his grip on the spear.
He channeled strength into it.
I must kill him.
He had to die here.
This boy would undoubtedly become a poison to the Palace Lord.
Even if I am punished by the Palace Lord for this...
He had to kill him, no matter what.
"Show me what you've got."
Palduyeok gritted his teeth and took a step forward.
At that moment.
Boom!
The ground cracked as Palduyeok lunged at Bang Seong-yeon.
His massive body tore through the air as he closed the distance.
Normally, he would have offered the first move or said something arrogant.
But Palduyeok did not.
An inexplicable anxiety rising within him prevented it.
Thus, he thrust his spear to test the waters first.
Clang! Clang!
"...!?"
Suddenly, the angle of Palduyeok's spearhead shifted.
What was meant to be a straight thrust deflected smoothly and plunged into the ground.
"You have decent strength."
A voice echoed. By then, Palduyeok's lower body was already in motion.
Using the spear as a lever, he utilized the recoil.
He infused internal energy into his foot and kicked toward Bang Seong-yeon.
Whoosh!
Only the sound of tearing wind echoed.
Bang Seong-yeon was no longer there.
Where did he go? There was no need to look.
Hummm!
A heavy energy was already felt from his side.
He ripped his spear out of the ground and swung it toward the source of the energy.
However...
Whoosh!
Once again, there was nothing.
Damn it.
Then how had he felt that energy? The question was answered immediately.
Something was floating in the air. It was a blue orb made of pure energy.
"This bastard...!"
Did he use a cheap trick to distract me?
If so...
Where is he?
Where did he go?
Just as Palduyeok frowned and tried to turn his head...
Swish!
He heard a sound.
His body reacted instantly.
Clang!
He blocked it with his spear. The boy had swung his sword from the left.
Energy exploded from the clash. Palduyeok's body shook as he was pushed back.
What kind of strength is this...!
This was the strength of a First-rate martial artist? Palduyeok gritted his teeth.
Did he suppress his presence to approach?
He had drawn attention with the energy orb while completely erasing his presence to close in.
That was why Palduyeok had lost track of him, but...
To do that in an instant?
It required an astronomical level of energy control.
Energy shimmered like a haze.
Spin!
His spear spun rapidly. He infused internal energy into the momentum generated by the acceleration.
The Dance of the Ocean's Return, Palduyeok's signature technique, was about to unfold like a disaster—
Screeech!
But just as it began, Bang Seong-yeon wedged his sword into the gap of the spear's rotation.
Thud!
The energy warped, throwing the movement off balance.
Crack!
The sound of something collapsing echoed.
"Huh...?"
Palduyeok gasped at the sight that unfolded next.
His offensive had completely crumbled.
The flow of his technique was severed before it could even manifest, and the recoil threw his posture into disarray.
And then.
Swish!
The sword lunged forward.
"Ugh!"
Palduyeok forced his body to move.
Putting excessive force into his lower body to anchor his center of gravity, he swung his spear.
Clang!
A harsh metallic sound rang out as the weapons clashed.
"Hmm."
Seeing this, Bang Seong-yeon narrowed his eyes.
Immediately after blocking the attack, Palduyeok executed a footwork technique to widen the distance.
Bang Seong-yeon did not pursue him.
Instead...
"How disappointing."
He merely tilted his head from a distance, looking dissatisfied with something.
"Normally, I should have taken one of your arms just now. But this pathetic body couldn't even manage that."
"What...?"
What was he talking about? Palduyeok's face contorted.
Even so, Bang Seong-yeon kept talking.
"Kid, did you see that? Using feints is all well and good, but if everything is a lie, it loses its meaning. The method itself isn't wrong, but..."
What on earth was he saying?
"Every technique has a gap. What you must look for in battle is ultimately finding that gap, and how to exploit it..."
"What the hell are you doing right now?"
"Ah."
When Palduyeok barked in anger, only then did Bang Seong-yeon blink in realization.
"Ah, my apologies. I had a few things I needed to teach."
"...Who are you talking to?"
"Someone. A fellow who is smart yet foolish at the same time."
He chuckled softly.
The way he chuckled was incredibly grating.
He was speaking, but it was clearly not directed at Palduyeok.
Then who on earth was he talking to?
Or...
"Are you trying to make a fool out of me?"
Was he just mocking him?
When Palduyeok spat out the question...
"Hmm?"
Bang Seong-yeon replied with a look of genuine puzzlement.
"Make a fool of you? What an amusing thought."
"What's so funny?"
"No, what difference would it make even if I did? After all..."
Shhhk.
Bang Seong-yeon lightly flicked the tip of his sword.
"No matter what you do, you will never be able to reach me."
"...!"
At Bang Seong-yeon's words, the veins on Palduyeok's forehead bulged violently.
"You little bastard—"
At the same time, his lips curled into a savage, tearing grin.
And then...
Rumble!
He unleashed his internal energy, letting it explode from his entire body.
It was so fierce that the surrounding area shook under the sheer pressure of his energy.
"Fine then."
Rumble!
Gradually, Palduyeok's spear was enveloped in energy.
It looked as if the spear itself was swelling in volume.
A massive pillar.
Palduyeok gripped it tightly and moved.
This was enough.
What the boy possessed...
Or what tricks he had left...
None of it mattered anymore.
I will kill him.
Palduyeok was left with only that single purpose.
He could not rest until he pierced the skull of this insolent brat.
With that thought, he poured his energy and killing intent into the tip of his spear.
Then...
Creak!
The energy gradually intensified and began to take physical shape.
It was Astral Qi.
Going beyond simply wrapping the weapon in energy, it took on a solid form.
It was the ultimate refinement of energy that most martial artists dreamed of and aimed for.
This was also the primary reason why a First-rate martial artist could never defeat an Expert.
Even if you defeated the Small Azure Sword...
He was just a greenhorn who probably couldn't even manifest Astral Qi properly.
He was certain that if the Small Azure Sword had known how to use Astral Qi properly, Bang Seong-yeon would never have won.
And for good reason.
Astral Qi can only be shattered by Astral Qi.
A martial artist who could not wield Astral Qi could never defeat one who could.
This was the common sense of the current Central Plains.
You die here.
It was self-evident that Bang Seong-yeon, a mere First-rate, could not defeat Palduyeok.
With that in mind, Palduyeok moved his spear, now laden with Astral Qi.
And...
"Hmm."
Seeing this, Bang Seong-yeon's eyes curved into a smile.
Seeing that smile, Palduyeok's angry eyes flashed.
"You're smiling? Even that won't work anymore."
His ability to disturb one's composure was impressive, but...
Now that things had reached this point, it was too late.
"Try and block this if you can."
Boom! Palduyeok shattered the ground as he lunged forward once more.
His speed was on a completely different level than before.
By the time Palduyeok reached Bang Seong-yeon, the sound of his movement only just caught up.
"Hup!"
Palduyeok thrust his spear with all his might.
At this force, the boy wouldn't just be pierced—he would be crushed to pieces.
The tip of the spear shot toward Bang Seong-yeon's head.
At that moment.
"Kid. Do not miss a single moment."
Crack!
Along with Bang Seong-yeon's words, something shattered.
"Huh?"
Palduyeok let out a dazed gasp.
What?
Why?
Why was his spearhead flying in front of him?
This...
Did the spear break?
Palduyeok's gaze drifted slightly downward.
It had.
The tip of the spear had been cleanly severed.
The severed spearhead was spinning through the air.
What on earth was happening?
...What...
He couldn't comprehend it.
How could a spear wrapped in Astral Qi be cut so easily?
While his thoughts ground to a halt in confusion...
"It has always been the case since ancient times."
Hum!
From somewhere...
"How narrow-minded and trivial entrenched common sense is. Yet, people fail to realize it."
Vrrr!
A vibration resonated.
"A martial artist is one who pursues greater heights and carves out their own path. And yet..."
Palduyeok's eyes moved once more.
"How pitiful it is when one is blinded by trivial common sense and fails to see what truly matters."
The direction he looked was toward Bang Seong-yeon's sword.
That...!
Palduyeok's eyes widened.
He had no choice. On Bang Seong-yeon's sword right now...
Astral Qi...?
Indeed, Astral Qi was wrapped around it.
How could a First-rate martial artist wield Astral Qi?
Could he have hidden his realm as well?
Had he reached the Expert realm? No. Even looking at him now, Bang Seong-yeon's realm was definitely First-rate.
Then how was he using Astral Qi?
Furthermore...
What is that?
It wasn't just ordinary Astral Qi.
It wasn't merely wrapped around the blade.
It is glowing.
The energy was emitting a brilliant light.
The light was so beautiful...
That for a split second, Palduyeok was completely captivated by it.
That was why.
"First is to conjure the moon."
Bang Seong-yeon's words.
"Second is to create the night for the risen moon."
His subtle movements.
"What then, is the third?"
The reason Palduyeok could only watch, unable to move a muscle.
"Naturally, the moon must shine."
The tip of Bang Seong-yeon's sword moved.
"This is the third form I shall show you."
Third Form: Gwangwolseomgyeong
Flash!
The blue moon rising from the sword overturned the world.