Could my eldest brother really win against the Sword King in a formal duel? And so what if he lost? What would we gain from this duel? One thing was certain—no matter how great the Sword King, a fight against the Sword Demon would never be an easy one. A man who earned the title of king through the sword within the White Path. And a man who, having survived with the sword within the Demonic Path, uses the nickname Sword Demon in place of a name. The two of them examined their wooden swords, then looked at each other. Without any warm greetings or polite words, a simple nod from each signaled the beginning of the duel. A martial artist’s body emits a presence far stronger than that of an ordinary person. The stronger the practitioner, the more that presence takes the form of qi—allowing martial artists to roughly gauge each other’s level. As the Sword Demon and the Sword King faced off, their qi was shifting. Though they exchanged no words, the fact that they waited for one another was already respectful enough. The Sword Demon lunged in, the wooden swords clashed first, followed by a strike from the left palm, and their internal energy collided. The sharp crack was accompanied by a booming resonance, then the sound of the wooden swords clashing again crushed the surrounding air. The fight had just begun... And the butterfly that had been flitting about the stage had vanished entirely. With a few stomps, dust kicked up everywhere, but the slicing wind from the wooden swords blew it all away like nothing. Were they always this aggressive? In that first collision, they had only switched positions, but neither had been pushed back—not even once. They exchanged rapid techniques at terrifying speed. The Sword King only let out battle cries with each strike, and the Sword Demon responded with sharp, controlled breaths. They were men brimming with murderous resolve... It was like two generals meeting on the battlefield with their armies behind them, deciding to settle things in the middle of a vast plain. If the White-Robed Scholar had displayed a duel that resembled the final form of light footwork... These two were waging a completely different kind of war. And to my eyes, my eldest brother was fighting incredibly well today. People around us stood to watch, and I, along with the Lecher, stood up too. Even the Martial Alliance members waiting nearby tiptoed forward to get a better view of the two. It was a match where you didn’t want to miss even a moment of offense or defense. But somehow, I found myself looking at Im Sobaek, who had once dueled with the Sword Demon. Im Sobaek watched calmly, without a hint of excitement. To me, this entire scene felt perfectly suited to a duel of the White Path. Startled by a sudden loud crack, I quickly turned my eyes back to the duel stage. After an intense clash, the two had finally created some distance between them. The Sword King rolled his shoulders and walked casually. The Sword Demon let out a long breath and walked in the opposite direction. The Sword King nodded a few times while staring at the ground. The Sword Demon lifted his head slightly and rolled his wrist. They were like rare, evenly matched rivals who had met again after a long time apart—fighting fiercely, yet still not saying a word. It looked like they had completely entered a state of egoless focus, immersed entirely in the match. If that’s the case... Then even now, in this very moment, both of them might be growing—little by little. Suddenly, the Sword Demon stopped walking, completely defenseless, and with his left hand pressed to his forehead, gazed up at the clear sky where white clouds slowly drifted by. Seeing ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the Sword Demon staring at the sky without a guard up, the Sword King lowered his wooden sword to his lower right and said, “Sword Demon, what are you looking at?” The Sword Demon blinked and lowered his gaze as if startled. “The weather’s nice. I was just looking for a moment.” The Sword King nodded. With a single nod from the Sword Demon indicating he was ready, this time it was the Sword King who charged first. He was faster than before. The Sword Demon stepped back repeatedly, dodging, before smacking away the Sword King’s wooden sword. Then, all of a sudden, the Sword Demon leapt backward to widen the gap— And launched another offensive that, to my eyes, clearly resembled Dokgo Heavy Sword. It was a purely offensive sword style focused on charging forward. The Sword King blocked low, then high, deflected spinning strikes, parried thrusts from the Sword Demon, and finally blocked a vertically falling blade while countering with a palm strike infused with internal energy. The Sword Demon knocked the energy aside with his wooden sword and launched another series of attacks. To me, it looked like he had gained a new insight, now linking Dokgo Heavy Sword more fluidly than before. Only then did my eldest brother finally look like a proper swordsman of the White Path. Just how far had the Sword Demon come to become a swordsman? And his opponent was the Sword King of the White Path. But my brother’s skills lacked nothing. Only after realizing this... Did I understand why the Sword Demon had looked up at the sky. He must have felt deeply satisfied with this fierce exchange, free of demonic arts, against the Sword King. The sky must have looked especially beautiful in that moment. Even though it was the Sword Demon fighting... Something difficult to put into words was stirring inside me. It hadn’t been easy dragging the Sword Demon around all this time. But watching him now—dueling so evenly with the Sword King—I realized I’d made the right decision not to leave him alone. Suddenly, I glanced at the Lecher beside me in surprise. Despite standing there with arms crossed, he was watching the duel with a face that looked like he was about to cry. ‘This crazy bastard...’ Not that I couldn’t understand. Watching so far, it was clear—overcoming the Sword King with the White Path’s methods wasn’t going to be easy. I’m not sure how else to put it, but... The Sword King seemed to know all there was to know about the sword. He knew how to reverse offense and defense, how to launch efficient counters from solid defense, how to slip past the fierce momentum of a charging general... In terms of swordsmanship, the man lacked nothing. In fact, stripped of inner energy and demonic arts, the Sword King seemed even more solid. And yet the reason they were clashing so fiercely... Was that the Sword Demon had an entirely different understanding of the sword. He had learned demonic arts from a demonic master, but had mastered the sword on his own. And he now wielded a clearly improved Dokgo Heavy Sword. At this point, even Im Sobaek couldn’t predict the outcome of this duel. It looked like a duel between Sword Kings. And also like a duel between Sword Demons. And it was consistently as brutal as a battle between generals. I never thought I’d find myself wishing for a duel to end in a draw. But the ones fighting likely didn’t feel that way. The winner would soon be decided. In the hearts of those who seek to win, there's always a gamble prepared. That urge to gamble is what fuels the will to win—so these two would test their luck in a decisive instant. Which is why, in truth, luck is part of skill. Without skill, you wouldn’t even get the chance to try your luck. Now, the Sword Demon was using techniques the Sword King had shown, and the Sword King was copying the Sword Demon’s moves in return. In the wake of all the intentions and tricks... Their wooden swords collided midair in the shape of an X. A loud crack sounded, and their palms struck together in a clash of energy. Would it end in a battle of internal force? So far, they had only fought with swords—not inner energy. So I didn’t expect this fight to end with a palm force clash. Still, the unspoken exchange was clear in their eyes... For a moment, both of their faces twitched subtly. Then, in an explosive release of energy, they pushed each other back—and each launched a final, lightning-fast sword strike. ‘Shit, don’t die in a duel.’ Crack! A sharp sound echoed as both wooden swords shattered in midair. The Sword Demon had struck the Sword King’s shoulder. The Sword King had slashed the Sword Demon’s side. I snapped back to reality. The moment the duel ended, I locked eyes with the Lecher. He seemed to be thinking the same thing I was. “Did Master strike his left shoulder?” I quickly covered my mouth with my finger. The Lecher nodded and turned his eyes back to the stage. The Sword King and the Sword Demon each looked down at the broken hilts in their hands, then gazed at each other in silence. The truth was—after the Sword Demon fought the Number One of the Evil Path and suffered internal deviation, his left arm, shoulder, and neck became virtually impervious to blades. He had clearly sacrificed his left side to strike the Sword King’s shoulder. Of course, both their shoulders were intact. They had likely infused their bodies with internal energy for protection. Only we, the Four Great Villains, clearly understood that the Sword Demon had won. Who else would know that his left side was practically blade-proof? The Sword King spoke first. “Sword Demon, are you satisfied?” My brother let out a small sigh, then tilted his head. “It’s a bit of a shame... must be because it was a wooden sword.” The Sword King tapped his shoulder lightly and replied. “It’s aching quite a bit. Once I feel better, let’s go another round. How’s your arm?” I held my breath, waiting for the Sword Demon’s answer. He spoke in a calm, relaxed tone. “......It’s probably not broken, but I’ll need some medicine.” The Sword King turned to Im Sobaek. “Alliance Leader Im, let’s end our public duel here. There’s something a bit unclear—if we were scoring like Strategist Gongson said, I suppose I lost. What do you think?” Im Sobaek rose from his seat. “Sword King, who would watch this and say you lost? Some duels end clearly. Others—even if you scored them—don’t yield a clear winner. That’s the nature of a duel. And even if you tried to hand over the title of Sword King, I doubt the Sword Demon would accept. Isn’t that right, Sword Demon?” “The Sword King lacked nothing. It would be unthinkable to take his title. All I’ve done is confirm that he is indeed the Sword King.” I stood beside the Four Great Villains, smiling as I looked at my brother standing on the stage. The Sword Demon had in fact won—but it didn’t matter if we were the only ones who knew. In fact, as the Sword King himself said... They might meet again and exchange sword techniques—and that outcome might be more valuable than the duel itself. Their swordplay was exceptional, but their mindset was just as admirable. “......The junior swordsmen who watched today will remember every breath, every movement of you two. You both did well.” Im Sobaek extended his hand, and the Sword King stepped down from the stage. Judging by his aching shoulder, he didn’t seem fit for another match today. But even after the Sword King disappeared from the stage... The Sword Demon remained standing there, staring at us with a strangely distant look. The Lecher, startled, called out to him. What could this dark, grim man possibly be thinking? The Sword Demon slowly looked around, then opened his mouth. “......Swordsmen of the White Path.” “I am a man who escaped the Demonic Cult. I do not remember my real name. I suppose it’s because I spent more time being called Thirteen than by any name... Even when others, dragged in like me, trembled in fear—I, for some reason, did not. The ones who dragged us there quickly explained what they wanted. Kill each other however you like. The one who survives becomes a disciple. And so, we began to fight. The hesitant ones—had their heads roll to the floor. Back then, what I believed in...” The Sword Demon raised the broken wooden sword and showed it to the crowd. “Back then, this wooden sword was all I had. After witnessing countless meaningless deaths, I survived to the end—and the name I was given was Sword Demon. The title of Sword King should go to someone who works to ensure people like me never exist again. Today, I thank you, Alliance Leader Im—for inviting a runaway from the Demonic Cult into the Martial Alliance without hesitation, and even arranging this duel.” The Sword Demon looked at Im Sobaek. Im Sobaek rose from his seat and gave a broad, clear smile. “You’ve left the Demonic Path, but there’s no need to force yourself into the White Path. I simply see you as a brilliant swordsman. And that’s enough. After all, we are not the kind who kill recklessly just because we are strong.” There are plenty of crazy bastards in the White Path, too. But Im Sobaek defined the White Path as those who don’t kill without reason. And to my eyes, the Sword Demon wasn’t the kind to kill needlessly either. Looking at it this way... My eldest brother had formed a spiritual alliance with Im Sobaek, and forged a bond of the sword with the Sword King. All of this would likely even impact the twisted inner world of the White-Robed Scholar, who had shown up like a sneaky rat to watch. In that case, this truly had been a magnificent duel. Without a word, I stood with the Four Great Villains and welcomed the Sword Demon as he returned from the stage.