Darkan and Rector's swords clashed in the center of the banquet hall, creating a powerful shockwave. Tables crumbled, and the food and dishes on them were pulverized and scattered.
Darkan and Rector stood their ground amidst the massive wave, their swords locked as they aimed for each other's throats.
"Huff."
Rector forcefully pushed away Darkan's sword and spat out a puff of air.
'I need to draw out his Sword Control.'
Darkan holding the sword in his hand means he's at ease. To win this fight, I need to draw out his full power as quickly as possible. Rector leaned his upper body forward with a powerful stance. His sword became a blue flash as it advanced towards Rector's heart.
"Not bad."
Darkan nodded with satisfaction and blocked Rector's sword strike with one hand.
"Not yet."
Anticipating Darkan's defense, Rector swung his sword diagonally downward from the left. A heavy weight settled on the blade, creating a blue trajectory. Rector's slash began to press down on Darkan's sword as if it would shatter it.
'I can't stop here.'
To push Darkan, he had to go further. Rector's sword changed once again. With the weight of a mountain, it bent sharply towards Darkan's neck, filled with sharpness and variability.
"What excellent killing intent!"
Darkan briefly licked his lips as he flexibly received Rector's diverse sword attacks. His blade trembled from the intensity of the killing intent behind the strikes.
"Now, let me return the favor."
Darkan thrust his sword straight at Rector with a deep smile. His blade flashed black, and in an instant, it was touching Rector's left chest. It was a thrust honed to the extreme.
"Hmm!"
Even in this urgent situation, Rector remained calm and lowered his blade. With a quietly falling sword, he smoothly deflected Darkan's thrust. Darkan's sword pierced the air instead of Rector's heart, bursting through a cloud in the night sky.
'Now!'
Rector didn't miss the moment when Darkan's sword pointed towards the empty space and twisted his wrist. His blade flickered with blue light and fell like a meteor. It was the trajectory of the Ten Thousand Swords, binding various sword techniques with grandeur.
"Hmm!"
A vein bulged on Darkan's forehead. Realizing he couldn't properly block this sword, he released the hand holding his sword and extended only his index and middle fingers. Darkan's sword rose in the air, spinning like lightning to split Rector's downward slash. It was the manifestation of Sword Control.
"You block well for someone without eyes."
Rector stepped back from the wave caused by the Sword Control, a distorted smile on his face.
"Eyes aren't important for a swordsman."
Darkan laughed, saying that the world he sees is different from others.
"But you're quite impressive too."
He nodded slightly while looking at Rector.
"I was planning to end this quickly if I wasn't satisfied, but you've far exceeded my expectations."
Darkan smacked his lips, seemingly excited.
"To be satisfied with just this much..."
Rector straightened his back and furrowed his brow.
"Aren't you underestimating me too much?"
"I apologize."
Darkan bowed his head, reading the fighting spirit emanating from Rector's entire body.
"Then shall we raise the level a bit?"
As he lowered his finger, the Sword Control fell towards Rector's shoulder with a terrifying vibration. It wasn't just vibration; blades of vacuum condensed in the air flew in as well.
Rector unleashed the extreme technique of the Heavy Sword. He dominated the space, striking away the incoming Sword Control and crushing all the vacuum blades.
Not satisfied with just that, Rector advanced forward and raised his sword. The heavy blade curved towards Darkan's neck with a fluidity like flowing water.
"Ha!"
As Darkan let out an exclamation and flicked his finger, his Sword Control sprang out like an awl and deflected his own slash.
'As expected, this level isn't enough.'
Rector clicked his tongue briefly and tightened his grip on the sword. Ocean Sword Style. A blue sword strike resembling the sky and sea poured down on Darkan.
"A battle of strength, is it!"
Darkan threw himself at Rector's slash with a refreshing laugh. His Sword Control sprang out in front of his chest, emitting a grand light. As Rector's slash and Darkan's Sword Control collided head-on, the ground flipped over, and the mansion and surrounding buildings collapsed.
Amidst the shockwave, Rector and Darkan clashed swords repeatedly, aiming for each other's vitals. Countless slashes scattered in all directions, and a blue-black whirlwind rose up, beginning to collapse the entire Holy Sword Alliance.
"Urghh!"
"My, my ears..."
"It's hard to endure!"
The battle between the two Transcendent Warriors was so intense that blood flowed from the eyes and ears of the swordsmen who were far away. However, true to their nature as members of the sword-worshipping Holy Sword Alliance, not a single one left the battlefield. Instead, swordsmen scattered here and there gathered, becoming a much larger number than at the start.
"Now that we have a full audience, shall we get serious?"
Darkan nodded at Rector.
"Let's see what kind of sword the current Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance possesses."
His Sword Control began to move with even more freedom, as if unleashed from a leash.
"Even if you didn't say that..."
Rector exhaled calmly and raised his sword. His eyes flashed as fiercely as his blade.
"You'll find out."
* * *
Raon bit his lip as he watched Darkan's Sword Control rise silently.
'This is where it really begins.'
Darkan's signature technique is Sword Control. If they couldn't block that mysterious sword, the outcome was as clear as day.
'Grandfather...'
Raon swallowed dryly and observed Rector. He too was maintaining his tension, knowing that the real fight was about to begin. However, Rector didn't seem to fear the duel with Darkan, but rather seemed to rejoice in it. He was, after all, a swordsman of the Holy Sword Alliance.
Darkan's sword shot towards Rector at the same angle it had risen.
With a speed that seemed to compress the air as it moved. Before Raon could even blink, the Sword Control had already reached Rector's neck. Rector, seemingly at the peak of his concentration, easily deflected Darkan's Sword Control.
But no sooner had Darkan's sword been deflected than it whirled around, aiming for Rector's shoulder.
This was the characteristic of Sword Control, moving freely beyond human hands.
"That level won't do."
Rector rotated his wrist as if he had anticipated Darkan's Sword Control would return. His sword drew a semicircle, blocking Darkan's slash once again.
"This is just the beginning."
As Darkan's lips curled up, his sword bent at a bizarre angle and surged towards Rector's waist.
'Gradually...'
Raon gritted his molars as he watched the contest between Rector and the Sword Control.
'It's getting stronger.'
Darkan's Sword Control added speed and power each time Rector blocked it, and its attacks became increasingly bizarre. It was as if the sword itself had gained life. However, Rector too, as if this wasn't his limit, raised the techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords and his aura to block Darkan's Sword Control.
Quick Sword, Heavy Sword, Strong Sword, Light Sword, Breaking Sword, Evil Sword, Void Sword. Numerous sword techniques bloomed from his blade, reversing and consuming the offensive of the Sword Control.
'That is...'
Raon's fingertips trembled as he watched Rector's stable swordsmanship.
'Is that Grandfather's Ten Thousand Swords?'
Unlike himself, Rector hadn't mastered all sword techniques, but by focusing on the harmony of swordsmanship, he was perfectly blocking the Sword Control.
'Strangely, I can see it clearly.'
Not just Grandfather's, but even Darkan's Sword Control. Even if he had reached the peak of Grandmaster, there was still a world of difference between him and the higher Transcendent Warriors like Rector and Darkan. Yet, strangely, the swordsmanship of both men naturally came into view.
Darkan's Sword Control and Rector's Ten Thousand Swords. Though he couldn't read them perfectly, he could feel the flow of their swordsmanship on his skin.
'Is it because I've been training only swordsmanship all this time?'
Thanks to honing the Ten Thousand Swords for two months, his eye for swordsmanship seemed to have improved.
It was like a performance to study for him.
-It's not just that.
Wrath shook his head heavily.
-That old geezer is showing you. His own fight.
His clear eyes turned towards Rector.
'No way, that's...'
-That's right. He's teaching you while thinking he might die.
Wrath pressed his lips tightly, telling Raon to watch Rector until the end.
'Grandfather.'
Raon clenched his fist with trembling hands. As Wrath said, Rector's sword seemed to be telling him to watch everything.
'Wrath. The result of this battle...'
Raon turned his gaze to Wrath, with a small glimmer of hope.
-You know better than anyone.
Wrath briefly smacked his lips.
-Your old man has gotten stronger. He seems to have prepared something, and if that firefly was at his previous level, he could have easily matched him. But not now.
He shook his head, saying it was as good as a fight with a predetermined outcome.
-You'd better think about how to escape after this fight is over.
'I won't run away.'
Raon bit his lip and straightened his back. Watching Rector unfold his own sword even amidst Darkan's powerful Sword Control, he placed his hand on the sword hilt.
'The result of Grandfather dying...'
I absolutely won't let that happen.
* * *
"Phew."
Rector exhaled softly as he deflected Darkan's Sword Control.
'It's working.'
Thinking he might have to fight Darkan someday, he had prepared countermeasures against the Sword Control, and fortunately, they were working. Darkan's Sword Control flew in, twisting with a bizarre trajectory. The aura imbued in the sword was so powerful and sharp it seemed it could split the sky itself.
Rector swung his sword down, infusing it with the extreme techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords. The blue wave imbued in his sword billowed like a victory flag as it collided head-on with Darkan's Sword Control. An enormous explosion erupted as Rector's Ten Thousand Swords and Darkan's Sword Control clashed in the pitch-black sky.
The clouds were erased, and the moonlight seemed to warp as if in fear.
"Hahahaha!"
Darkan let out a joyous laugh as he spread his fingers. Following his gesture, the sword that had been falling powerlessly surged up again, shooting towards Rector's heart. It was the fastest and most intense Sword Control yet, as if piercing through space itself.
Rector planted his feet into the ground as if rooting like a tree, and held his sword at mid-level.
'This is where the final act begins.'
He swung his sword, held with both hands, down towards Darkan's oncoming Sword Control. The path of the Ten Thousand Swords naturally bloomed. As if Raon's passion for swordsmanship had influenced him, his swordsmanship achievement was rising at this moment.
Darkan's Sword Control targeted his heart with powerful aura, speed, and a trajectory beyond comprehension, but the sword imbued with the true meaning of the Ten Thousand Swords perfectly nullified all of it.
In the end, Darkan's Sword Control couldn't penetrate Rector's defense and bounced off into empty space. Not content with just defending, Rector stomped the ground fiercely. He leaped towards Darkan's left side, raising his sword filled with the techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords.
"As expected, you came."
Just before thrusting his sword, Darkan smiled deeply. As if he had been waiting for this, he spread his hand, and the distant Sword Control cut through space, descending towards his own head.
'A trap!'
...he knew it was. He had anticipated this situation from the moment he charged, knowing Darkan wouldn't fall so easily. He stretched his left foot forward. Causing a violent tremor in the ground, he extended the hand holding his sword. The blue aura imbued in the sword blade twinkled like starlight, drawing a grand line connecting the sky.
"Hmm!"
Darkan's lips tightened for the first time. Following his urgent gesture, the Sword Control absorbed an intense light as if about to explode.
"It's already too late."
Rector gritted his teeth and unleashed his sword filled with the ultimate meaning of the Ten Thousand Swords. In his aged eyes, the image of his grandson watching this fight was reflected.
'It's thanks to you.'
The incomplete swordsmanship that he had spent a lifetime learning but never perfected had found its own color and form upon meeting the family he had lost. A new constellation drawn by his sword poured down on Darkan's entire body.
"Magnificent!"
Darkan applauded Rector's mysterious swordsmanship as he shot out his Sword Control, flickering with black light. As Rector's Ten Thousand Swords, containing all his power, collided with Darkan's Sword Control, a blue-black storm swept across the heavens and earth.
"Phew..."
Rector stood in place, clutching his chest. He looked exhausted, but there was still strength in the hand gripping his sword, as if he could still fight.
"Ugh..."
On the other hand, Darkan was bending his upper body, black blood trickling from his mouth. He was clearly wounded, yet a delighted smile bloomed on his lips.
"Excellent."
Darkan slowly raised his chin and looked at Rector.
"Indeed, one must experience a sword firsthand to truly understand it."
He curled his lips, expressing satisfaction with Rector's sword.
"Hmm..."
Rector furrowed his brow as he looked at Darkan, who remained strong despite bleeding.
"Astonishing. Your martial prowess is beyond any realm."
Darkan nodded, not even bothering to look for his sword that had flown off somewhere.
"At this level, you'd be worth fighting against the other leaders of the Five Demons."
"Having taken charge of the Alliance in your place, I suppose I should be at least this capable."
Rector rubbed his chin, not relaxing his tension.
"Indeed. You've always been responsible."
Darkan revealed a gentle smile.
"It's been a satisfying fight. For you who have grown this much, I should show you my true sincerity."
"Hmm..."
Rector spread his aura perception in all directions, ready to counter any attack that might come.
'Is it really the Soul Sword...'
Darkan had said he learned a bit about the Soul Sword after plucking out his eyes. Whether that meant he had mastered the Soul Sword or realized something else, Rector had to be prepared for anything.
'No, not preparation. I'll end it here.'
Whether it's the Soul Sword or another ultimate technique, there's always a recoil to such powerful skills. If he could just endure, it would be his chance to take down Darkan.
"Well then."
Darkan extended his empty hand forward with a small smile. From his grasp, a pitch-black sword of light, as if containing darkness itself, surged forth.
'What is that?'
He couldn't sense any aura, energy, or sword technique from that blade, yet strangely, it sent chills down his spine.
"If you withstand this, I'll declare your victory."
The Light Sword Darkan held advanced, shrouded in darkness. Its trajectory seemed to crush life along with the night. Facing the beautiful yet noble trajectory of the sword, Rector's firmly held resolve began to crack, and the mental image of victory crumbled.
It didn't just cut the heart and soul, it completely crushed them. It was a Soul Sword of overwhelming power that erased fighting spirit.
"Gah!"
Rector coughed up black blood and collapsed on the spot. For the first time as a swordsman, he knelt, dropping his sword.
"Shall I tell you something interesting?"
Darkan shook his head as he dismissed the Sword of Darkness.
"If I were to unfold this Soul Sword perfectly, I would cease to exist in this world."
He smacked his lips regretfully as he watched the Sword of Light disappear. (E/N: author does call it sometimes 'dark blade' and sometimes 'light blade')
"Perhaps that's why Glenn Zieghart never unleashed a perfect Soul Sword either."
"Ugh..."
While Darkan was muttering, Rector tried to grasp his sword again, but his fingers wouldn't move, as if his heart was rejecting the fight.
"It's already over. I've cut your will, so this is as far as it goes."
Darkan approached Rector, emitting a chilling killing intent.
"It wasn't as good as Glenn, but it was a meaningful duel."
As he was about to swing his sword down, remembering his old rival, eyes of the same color as Glenn's appeared.
"Raon Zieghart."
Darkan twisted his lips as he looked at Raon standing in front of Rector.
"I would have come for you anyway, there's no need to be in such a hurry."
"From now on..."
Raon nodded slightly while standing in front of Rector.
"I will receive your swordsmanship."