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Chapter 233: Each’s Choice (2)

Chapter 233: Each’s Choice (2)

The technique “Shadow Extreme Kill” is fundamentally a high-speed movement skill utilizing shadows. It produces barely any sound or presence, and with its ability to move short distances through space, it becomes an exceedingly troublesome technique to face. Furthermore, when combined with the Moon Shadow Sect’s unique “Silent Step”…

The sharpness doubles.

Clang!

It was impossible to discern how many clashes occurred within a second.

Bright sparks flew, and then…

Crash!

A flurry of sword strikes followed immediately.

“Kuk!”

Nangong Cheon took a deep breath.

The Moon Shadow who was just in front of him a moment ago had unexpectedly launched a surprise attack from a shadow behind him. He dodged by the skin of his teeth, but it was a narrow escape.

Had his reaction been even slightly delayed, he would have lost his life on the spot.

[Nangong Cheon activates Lv10 ‘Sky Piercing Boundless Sword Technique’!]

Despite being simple, this unique technique of the Nangong Clan contained the essence of all sword techniques.

Shwish, shwish, shwish!

The light and lively sword swept through the spot where Moon Shadow had just stood.

However,

Moon Shadow had already read through the trajectory of that sword.

Swish…

Moon Shadow, having moved through the shadows, regrouped to attack once again.

Even if Nangong Cheon had directly inherited the sword from the Nangong Clan’s patriarch, overcoming Moon Shadow in such a short time was an insurmountable task.

“Damn it! Cheon Yuseong!”

Eventually, Nangong Cheon made a decision.

“Don’t just stand there gawking, help me now!”

Although it was regrettable not to be able to kill everyone alone, it couldn’t be helped.

In this situation, he had no choice but to borrow someone else’s strength.

However, for some reason, Cheon Yuseong did not easily budge from his spot.

“What are you doing! If we continue like this, we’ll all die!”

Nangong Cheon urged him again, but Cheon Yuseong only stared intently at Moon Shadow.

A brief silence ensued.

Then, Cheon Yuseong slowly began to speak.

“Why… why do you trust that guy so much?”

“I should be the one asking you. I’ve heard that you have been with our lord for a long time. So why can’t you trust our lord?”

There was a subtle change in Cheon Yuseong’s expression.

However, that change quickly disappeared.

“That guy and I aren’t in trust with each other. He’s just an enemy to be defeated with my sword, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Really? The lord has mentioned you several times… Cold and curt, but not a bad guy, he said.”

“…”

“Cheon Yuseong! Don’t be swayed by such words and pursue him now. Wasn’t that the reason you joined us!”

As the atmosphere started to get strange, Nangong Cheon raised his voice even more.

“Don’t forget the day you first came to us. Remember what you threw everything away for to join forces with the martial world!”

Purpose.

That’s right.

Joining forces with the martial world was by no means a light decision.

Cheon Yuseong slowly reflected on that cold determination.

“…I understand.”

The conversation was over.

Boom!

Turning his back, Cheon Yuseong stomped towards the place where Jinhyuk was.

＊＊＊

Perhaps it was due to the fiery skeletons causing a blaze?

The window was particularly stained red.

And among the dazzling light pouring in through the window, Jinhyuk awaited Cheon Yuseong.

“Finally here. Well, I expected this, but isn’t the timing a bit unfortunate?”

Jinhyuk shrugged his shoulders.

The current fortress was in a situation reminiscent of an apocalypse.

Even at this very moment, people from the empire and the martial world were risking their lives battling hordes emerging from the abyss.

However,

“I had hoped for a better stage than this. But not everything goes as one wishes.”

For Cheon Yuseong, this battle was far more important than the potential end of the world.

True to his nature.

Standing at the top and bottom of the staircase,

The two men faced each other.

…silence lingered.

Knowing each other too well,

Neither drew their swords hurriedly.

That’s when.

Boom!

The ceiling collapsed, and a marble fragment fell between them.

The transient gap created by the falling stone…

[Cheon Yuseong activates his unique ability ‘Sword’s Song’!]

A sword flashed like lightning, neatly slicing the fragment.

Crash, crash, crash!

Through the severed pieces, Jinhyuk held his dagger “Fang” in a reverse grip, its blade enflamed by ‘Sword’s Grave’.

Cheon Yuseong clenched his teeth.

‘Now it’s crucial.’

He had fought countless, mountain-like skilled opponents.

He had lost—bitterly—many times, but all those experiences were not without meaning.

Crack, crack, crack!

While it seemed Cheon Yuseong was about to engage in a head-on collision, in an instant, he shifted his sword energy downwards.

The sliding sword aimed for Jinhyuk’s instep.

“…!”

Jinhyuk quickly altered his trajectory, but Cheon Yuseong had already predicted his move.

“That’s right. You always tend to shift your weight to the right when you are struck at your weak point.”

The sword moved like a serpent at an odd angle.

Even the slightest timing error could result in getting caught by Fang first.

But Cheon Yuseong was not one to make such a mistake.

Boom!

Jinhyuk’s body staggered significantly.

His right thigh, which should have been a support, trembled weakly.

Now was the time.

‘This time, I will win.’

A sole opportunity.

Cheon Yuseong released all the magic power he had built up.

Blue energy manifested through the sword.

Boom!

An overwhelming sword strike burst forth, and Jinhyuk wildly swung his dagger in defence.

Crash! Bang!

Sweat trickled, and breaths became erratic.

In contrast, Cheon Yuseong, who had seized the upper hand, was even more ferocious.

And finally,

At the moment when there was no room to retreat,

[Cheon Yuseong activates Lv14 ‘Battlefield Choice’!]

[Cheon Yuseong activates Lv14 ‘Duel’!]

Both skills were cast simultaneously.

‘Battlefield Choice’ allowed him to choose the most advantageous battlefield.

The ‘Duel’ skill exhibited the highest efficiency in a one-on-one fight.

Both were skills honed to the extreme for this duel.

[A plane of plain color unfolds.]

The world turned monochrome.

The raging flames and the frenzied horde disappeared.

Jinhyuk clicked his tongue, looking at the spooky space.

“Do you not know the phrase ‘keep your cards close to your chest’? If we get carried away like this, we’ll end up with dislocated joints.”

“Even though you’re being completely outplayed, you still quip as usual. Do you understand? Even you can’t win against me with an injured leg.”

“Maybe. Indeed, this time might be a bit troublesome.”

“Trouble…. just a bit of trouble? Is that all you can say?”

“Yeah.”

Jinhyuk nodded.

“…I see. That unshakeable confidence, regardless of the situation. That’s precisely why you’ll lose to me today.”

Cheon Yuseong extended his sword forward.

Sss…

The atmosphere changed abruptly.

The heat felt on the skin was different from any sword Cheon Yuseong had ever wielded.

It had to be—it wasn’t just his sword.

‘Surely…’

Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.

‘Retrieval Sword Dance (추혼검무)’

The founder of the Retrieval Sword, the ‘Ghostly Shadow Sword Sage.’

No doubt about it.

‘The 10th Form (제10식)’

The essence of numerous maneuvers within the Retrieval Sword technique is said to be contained in the 10th form.

Certainly, it wasn’t a perfect form.

Even so,

Cheon Yuseong replicated a fragment of that sword attack.

‘Thunder Fury Slash (천뢰광폭참)’!

Boom, boom, boom!

Dozens of lightning bolts plummeting from the sky scraped the earth bare.

The ‘Battlefield Choice’ barrier even developed a few holes due to the ferocity of the attack.

“Pant… Pant. Hah.”

Cheon Yuseong gasped for air.

That’s it.

With this attack, even that damned man wouldn’t emerge unscathed.

‘My… victory!’

The long battle was finally concluded.

But then,

“Thunder Fury Slash is great, but if it’s not mastered beyond level 6, the pattern becomes simplistic. It would’ve been better to use a lower form but with higher completion.”

From the rising smoke, a familiar voice emerged.

It was too calm.

As if there was no damage inflicted at all.

Even the previous rough breaths and groans had vanished.

“Is it possible… Have you read even the movement of the lightning, all of it?”

“To be honest, I was slightly surprised. You must have trained very hard.”

That was sincere.

He had never imagined he would see the Retrieval Sword’s 10th form here.

Gnash!

“Don’t… Don’t pity me! I don’t need such words!”

Cheon Yuseong swung his sword again.

But with all his magic power spent on the previous attack, there was no strength or speed left in his body.

The sword slashed air.

“Thousands of times.”

Whoosh!

“Tens of thousands of times! I have wielded a sword. I did not neglect my training, even when my hands bled.”

Cheon Yuseong let out a near wail.

It was a shout that seemed to combine all his frustration and fatigue, exploding at once.

“Why still… Why every time… does it end up like this…”

The sword’s edge wavered.

Thunk!

The drained sword stabbed into the ground.

“I don’t know… how to win anymore. Really… I just don’t know.”

Cheon Yuseong’s body quivered slightly.

Talented and hardworking,

Despite possessing it all… an insurmountable wall.

The despair was like shackles denying his very existence.

Jinhyuk watched silently for a moment, then spoke.

“You were the most persistent one in the tower, always clashing with me.”

When everyone else left,

Cheon Yuseong was the last one stubbornly fighting.

At first, it was merely an annoyance…

But after everyone else had left the tower, he realized he even missed that irritation.

Of course, that was because there was no one else left around an old hand.

“Talent and effort. Despite having it all, the reason you keep losing is because you’re too impatient.”

“Impatient…?”

“Yes. I understand you’re anxious, but don’t try to end everything at once.”

The tower always remains here.

And…

“I will always be here, too.”

Now and in the future.

There was plenty of time left until once again reaching the tower’s summit.

“Are you saying you’ll keep fighting me?”

“Yes. So stop crying. Why is someone once called the Sword Saint crying? It’s unbecoming.”

“Who, who cried!”

Cheon Yuseong hurriedly wiped away tears from his eyes.

If he was so upset to reveal such an expression, he must have been very frustrated indeed.

“Ashamed to show such a sight, I apologize. Perhaps… I’ve lost my original purpose.”

Cheon Yuseong wore a bitter smile.

Those days when the mere challenge offered enough motivation.

How ingeniously and innovatively to attack the opponent, and whether it would work.

He remembered when he was filled with anticipation.

“I owe you for this. Really…”

He stopped, unable to complete his sentence, and silence followed.

But for only a moment.

“…Thank you.”

＊＊＊

‘I suppose I’ve done enough for now.’

Consoling a crying, tantrum-throwing child is no trivial task.

Pretending to struggle in a power contest was even harder.

But thanks to his earnest efforts, the first condition was met.

That is,

The condition to acquire a new skill.

Jinhyuk reconfirmed the information he received through ‘Greed’s Eyes.’

Name: Cheon Yuseong

Gender: Male

Age: 28

Level: 62

Strength 55 Agility 71 Vitality 45 Magic Power 20 Dark Obsession 90

Available Stat Points: 0

Coins: 16,540

Class: Swordsman

Unique Ability: Sword’s Song

Skills: ‘Retrieval Sword (追魂劍氣)’ Lv15, ‘Sage’s Eyes’ Lv14, ‘Duel (一騎討)’ Lv14, ‘Protective Aura’ Lv14, ‘Battlefield Choice’ Lv14, ‘Retrieval Sword Dance (追魂劍舞)’ Lv17, ‘Dark Barrier’ Lv13, ‘Endurance’ Lv13, ‘Obsession’ Lv13…

[Copy Condition: You can now copy a skill from the same target a second time. A Sword Saint who has lived with the sole goal of defeating you. If you can briefly make him forget his goal and reach out to you, one of the skills Cheon Yuseong has can be copied.]

[Additional Clause (Request from a Higher Deity): If you can get the Sword Saint to wear a maid outfit, you will be able to copy one of the skills he will acquire in the future.]

Two skills copied.

That was something he simply couldn’t give up.

‘One is done, now only one more to go.’

And with Moon Shadow’s choice yielding ‘Shadow Extreme Kill’ for copying, he had secured 3 new skills from this fight.

Jinhyuk’s lips curled upwards.

“You said you owed me, didn’t you?”

“Uh?”

“Why do you pretend not to know? You just said you owed me.”

“That, I may have said but…”

Then it was time to repay that debt.

Right now.

[Subspace Inventory opens.]

[You have selected a high-quality French lace maid outfit.]

Cheon Yuseong’s face, which had been filled with emotion, suddenly went blank.

The only things left were deep, dark despair and regret.