KAAANG─!!
“…Huh?!”
A crackling sound echoed.
Feeling a sharp shock travel through her fingertips, Lucy, who was wandering through memories of the past, realized she was currently locked in a duel with Yoon Si-woo.
At the same time, a fierce attack was launched against her by Yoon Si-woo.
“During a fight, you shouldn’t let your mind wander to other places…!”
“…My bad!”
Regardless of the reason, focusing on something else during a duel was considered bad manners to the opponent.
Deflecting Yoon Si-woo’s sword, Lucy blurted out an apology, attempting to reestablish her slightly disordered stance due to the previous exchange.
However,
KAGAK─!
It seemed Yoon Si-woo wouldn’t let that opening slip away, unleashing a series of sharp attacks toward her as she tried to regain her posture.
In response to Yoon Si-woo’s actions, Lucy thought, that’s the way to go.
Holding onto an advantage once gained persistently was an essential quality for a strong fighter.
A battle between swordsmen of a certain caliber resembled a game of Go, with countless exchanges of moves where slight advantages might not seem significant for the whole game at first glance.
But just as a single drop of escaping water eventually forms a great river, the side pushed into a corner would accumulate slight disadvantages with every exchange and ultimately face defeat.
In that regard, for the side on the defensive to stage a comeback, they needed to have superior skills compared to their opponent.
Only a new hand that the opponent couldn’t predict or counter could turn the tide of the battle.
Thus, Lucy declared,
“…I’ll make my apology in this way!”
With the determination to take Yoon Si-woo’s attacks onto her body, she launched a decisive strike against him.
That attack, imbued with the fierce momentum of a fatal blow, was powerful enough that anyone would flinch.
It was an attack that couldn’t be ignored, but if Yoon Si-woo hesitated or paused in his offensive for even a moment to block it, Lucy would gain the time to realign her stance.
From Lucy’s perspective, it was the best move to disperse the advantage Yoon Si-woo had over her.
And perhaps he couldn’t ignore her move, as Yoon Si-woo met her blade with his.
Swoosh─
With that, he smoothly guided Lucy’s sword away, redirecting the force she had concentrated at the tip in a completely different direction.
Had he attempted to withstand strength with strength, Yoon Si-woo would have lost his advantage.
However, by using gentleness to control that strength, the meaning behind her decisive attack lost its effect.
It was a perfect counter that would have been impossible had Yoon Si-woo not fully reached her level.
In that brief moment, Lucy looked into the eyes of Yoon Si-woo, who was calmly staring at her amid the clash that produced not even a sound.
Those eyes seemed to say that he had already anticipated it up to that point.
“…Ha!”
Seeing this, Lucy burst into laughter.
This strike, if it had been Yoon Si-woo at the start of their duel, he would have never been able to counter this neatly.
Yet Yoon Si-woo managed to pull it off.
So it is.
As long as he has a reason to grow stronger, every day the ‘new’ will surpass the ‘old,’ and even in this moment of clashing swords, he can still get stronger.
Lucy admired Yoon Si-woo’s remarkable growth and quietly awaited his counterattack.
If Yoon Si-woo had reached the same level as her, then the moment her decisive strike became ineffective, it was practically confirmed that he had secured victory.
But despite Lucy waiting for it, there was no attack coming from Yoon Si-woo.
Lucy then asked him,
“…What are you thinking?”
Why was Yoon Si-woo standing still, waiting for her?
This was a perfect opportunity to decide the outcome of their duel, a hard-earned advantage.
Why would he give up all of it and wait for her to regain her stance?
“…Why did you stop? If you had continued, it would have been your victory. Did you forget that you were fighting me to find a way to revive that girl? You must be desperate for it, so why did you kick away the chance to defeat me?”
Yoon Si-woo replied to her question.
“…It’s true that I’m desperate. But Lucy, you said you wanted me to become stronger than anyone else.”
Staring at her with calm eyes.
“…I don’t know why you were distracted for a moment, but it doesn’t sit right with me to claim I’m stronger just because I won by capitalizing on your mistake.”
A swordsman can learn a lot through swords.
Perhaps during their clash, Yoon Si-woo felt something about her.
Her true feelings.
The longing wish for him to become stronger than anyone else.
Various complicated emotions swirled in Lucy’s heart, but,
“…Hahaha! How arrogant! Truly an arrogant response!”
In the end, what remained was satisfaction at Yoon Si-woo’s growth to such a degree.
Hearing his answer, Lucy gleefully exclaimed,
“But that makes it even better. Yes, if we are to truly discuss being the strongest, that sort of arrogance is necessary.”
As she had said, tenaciously holding onto an advantage once gained is a virtue that a strong fighter must possess.
However, if one dares to claim to be the strongest, they must be able to seize victory even if they have to forgo a gained advantage, allowing the opponent to have a favorable fight instead.
And so, Lucy addressed her student, truly qualified to become the strongest.
With a determination to regain her composure, Yoon Si-woo raised his sword with full readiness.
“If that’s what you mean, then come. Break my sword, and prove that you are worthy of being the strongest.”
Upon hearing this, Yoon Si-woo slowly raised his sword.
And in that moment, Lucy couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle at the scene before her.
The positions of herself with the sword and Yoon Si-woo before her were mirrored perfectly in the reflection.
Just like that fateful day when they fought against the swordsman they encountered in the cave.
“…Fate is truly cruel.”
Lucy whispered softly, slowly lowering her raised sword.
At the same time, Yoon Si-woo’s sword followed suit, descending in perfect sync.
And the collision of the two swords, having reached the highest level, was utterly serene and tranquil.
“…….”
“……”
Silence fell, as if the world had swallowed their sounds, and for a moment, stillness enveloped the surroundings.
Then, a soft sound of a tap resonated, one beat late.
“…I see.”
Lucy lowered the sword she was holding.
The moment she set down the sword, her jet-black hair, cleanly severed as if it had been that way all along, fluttered in the wind.
Gently caressing the cut end with her hand, Lucy slowly turned around.
Then she gazed up at the sky behind her, at the clouds that were neatly split in half, and murmured.
“Finally, you have surpassed me. You have become stronger than anyone in the world…”
How long had she wished for this?
Lucy felt a mix of satisfaction and relief.
But at the same time, there was a slight bitter feeling as well.
…Why the bitterness?
Wondering why she felt this way, Lucy was briefly perplexed, but soon she was able to comprehend her true feelings.
And she could only self-deprecate.
Because she realized the source of that bitterness was a sort of jealousy.
Lucy turned to face Yoon Si-woo.
He was gazing at her with fervent eyes.
Yet, Lucy knew.
The object of desire carried within that gaze was not her, but another presence that allowed him to become stronger than anyone else.
It had been the same the previous day.
Even that Man’s first loyalty had always belonged to a sword, not her.
Perhaps that’s why the lingering feeling remained, wishing that the first place in his heart would be her.
“…I really am such a fool.”
The past is the past, and the present is the present.
Grasping at what she couldn’t acquire back then, seeking it from someone else would only make herself the fool.
Shaking off the childish emotions that stirred within her chest, Lucy gazed at Yoon Si-woo with calm eyes.
It was now time to reward him for all the effort he had put forth to keep the promise he made to her.
With a relieved smile on her face, Lucy looked at Yoon Si-woo and said,
“…Si-woo, you have won. Since you defeated me, as promised, tell me how to bring that child back to life.”
“…Is there really a way?”
Was it truly hard to believe that there was a way after having just defeated her?
Yoon Si-woo asked anxiously.
At that, Lucy smiled softly and replied,
“Don’t worry about that. There really is a way to bring that child back.”
“…Then tell me quickly. Whatever method it is, I’ll go execute it right away.”
Yoon Si-woo muttered with a determined expression that he would immediately go revive Scarlet, no matter what she said.
However, Lucy shook her head at Yoon Si-woo.
“There’s no need for that. The method is something you already have, Si-woo.”
“…Me?”
Yoon Si-woo was taken aback by the claim that he already possessed the method to bring Scarlet back.
If he had such a method, wouldn’t he have used it already?
Then, addressing the stunned Yoon Si-woo, Lucy said,
“Si-woo, remember when I was teaching you about the powers of the Holy Swords, there was one Holy Sword whose abilities I intentionally didn’t explain?”
“…Yeah, there was for sure.”
Among the seven swords, there was one that had concealed its identity as the Holy Sword of Humility, including Lucy.
Lucy was the one who had taught Yoon Si-woo about the powers of the Holy Swords.
However, she hadn’t revealed all their abilities.
Because, unlike Gwanghui, Guiding, Truth, and Protection, there was one Holy Sword that required a significant cost to use.
“One of them is the Holy Sword of Indomitableness, which has the ability to restore the user’s body at the cost of their own lifespan. The reason I originally didn’t want to tell you about that sword’s abilities… You should understand without needing an explanation.”
“…Oh.”
Yoon Si-woo averted his gaze at Lucy’s cold tone.
Previously, when he had sacrificed too much of his lifespan to bring back Scarlet, who had been taken by the Witch of Wrath, he was almost destined to never awaken again.
Lucy was worried that if Yoon Si-woo discovered the sword’s capability, he would end up recklessly using it without caring for himself.
“There was another Holy Sword whose name I didn’t even tell you; the reason I didn’t disclose its abilities is the same. The cost of using that Holy Sword is even higher than that of the Indomitable Holy Sword.”
But now, she had no choice but to reveal it.
Because….
“That remaining Holy Sword’s ability is the only way to bring that child back to life.”
Feeling it was time, Lucy spoke to Yoon Si-woo.
“The name of the last Holy Sword you possess is Wish. Its ability is to grant one wish, however limited.”
“…!”
As Lucy revealed the sword’s ability, Yoon Si-woo’s eyes widened.
The ability to grant wishes was nothing short of a miracle.
If that power could bring Scarlet back….
Just as he was thinking of that, Lucy added one more thing.
“However, at the cost of the user’s life.”
At those words, Yoon Si-woo clenched his eyes shut.
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