808 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Wi Seolah and Namgung Bia are engaged in a duel. It's not an entirely unusual occurrence. Even in their current lives, they occasionally sparred. It wasn't something that happened frequently, but the two would often engage in practice fights. The outcome was always indeterminate. It wasn't about establishing a clear winner or loser; it was more about clashing swords, so neither was truly serious. A light exchange of swords. That was the extent of their sparring. So, no one thought much of it. But this time, it was different. Screech-!! Crackle---!! "..." Something had gone terribly wrong. As the fight progressed, this thought lingered in everyone's mind. They held their breath amidst the fierce exchange of techniques. Kiiiiiii--!! The deafening noise from their speed felt as if it could tear the space apart. Golden fragments fell lightly where their sword energies clashed. It was a sight that, at a glance, seemed beautiful. But witnessing the deluge of sword energy, it was difficult to call it truly beautiful. Countless flashes of light illuminated the sky. A crescent moon engulfed in energy repeatedly filled the space above. The intensity and destructive force were too severe to merely call it swordplay. Each release consumed a significant amount of energy, that was certain. 'Even now, Wi Seolah's energy reserves are exceptional.' Though she might have been overpowered in terms of skill or stamina during duels, her energy capacity never seemed to diminish. This indicated a vast dantian and exceptional capability. While she unleashed significant power based on her large reserves, the important part was. 'Apart from the explosive power, her control is also impressive.' Amidst the energies unleashed, the ethereal sword continued to rotate. It served as a means of containment while simultaneously introducing an element of surprise. Even while unleashing sword energy, she managed to control the ethereal sword. That process was incredibly difficult and nigh impossible, as evident from the observers' expressions. How could such explosive power and control emerge from that small, delicate body? It defied the common sense of an ordinary martial artist. The fact that she possessed such strength at such a young age. Controlling it perfectly without attributing it to mere fortune. Wi Seolah was an existence that defied ordinary logic. Naturally, all who witnessed were astonished. Crack-! Astoundingly, Crackle---!!! This wasn't the case for only Wi Seolah but her opponent as well. Crackle-! From her foot, a burst of electric energy revealed an immense presence. An energy stream not to be underestimated. It split into numerous branches, quickly heading towards the sword energies. Boom-! Crash-!! When sword energy met the electric energy, an enormous shockwave exploded. It wasn't just a single occurrence. The branched electric energy was numerous. It didn't relent for a moment, attacking all the sword energies. Boom-! Boom Boom-! The sword energies filling the sky all exploded in succession. Even after blocking the sword energy, the electric energy rained down on the revolving ethereal sword as if protecting it. This was no coincidence. Would it make sense for such numerous electric energies to succeed by mere chance? It was right to see it as a perfectly calculated attack. Just as Wi Seolah showed immense power and control, Namgung Bia, the owner of the electric energy, was the same. Flash--- The aftermath of their energy clash resembled stars appearing at midday. Blue and golden particles mixed and scattered. The sight was as beautiful as a descending Milky Way. Clang-! Screeeeeech-! Yet there was no time for admiration as their sword blades met and ground against one another on the ground below. As soon as the energy battle ended, they were in close combat. Neither of them seemed to have any intention of retreating, an intense spirit filled the air. Crash-! Screeek-! Their unique sword paths continued. Not just in the positioning of their feet, Even without wavering among the violent impacts, their movements were akin to art. Clang-! Clang-! Clang- Clang-! The sound of their blades meeting was dull, revealing the weight behind each strike. Swish--!! In the thick hectivity between exchanges, the battle was dizzying. Feigning a high attack while aiming low, or deceiving to the right only to strike from the left. Moments where a split-second lapse could decide the fight's end. They repeated such moments hundreds of times. ‘…Ha. Ha.’ The fight was on an exceedingly high level. Watching it, all he could do was let out a breathless laugh. 'Amazing...' He knew the two of them were endlessly growing stronger. But he hadn't dared to imagine they would develop this much. Understanding their respective realms and capabilities perfectly. These were moves that came from an objective recognition. It was as if. 'It feels like watching their past lives.' It was reminiscent of their previous lives, not their current selves. Referring to the time they were called the Demonic Swordswoman and Little Sword Saint. The Demonic Swordswoman was as ruthless as the Demon Lord, and the Little Sword Saint was gradually eradicating the demonic beings, building fame. The current battle reflected those two from that era. With some differences. ‘The completion level was much higher with the Demonic Swordswoman and Little Sword Saint...' And that there was no intent to kill behind the swords they wielded now. When was it... There was a time when the Demonic Swordswoman and Little Sword Saint clashed wholeheartedly. There was some disparity in their strength then. The mission was to delay the Little Sword Saint from entering because the Demonic Swordswoman was more suited to mass destruction. At that time, the Little Sword Saint was enveloped in the power of the slayer, fatal to demonic beings. Yet the Demonic Swordswoman, despite the nickname ‘Demon,’ was not a demonic being. Thus the plan was for her to withstand and damage the forces until she could join the Demonic Swordswoman. ‘I was late.’ Due to complications in the process, arrival was delayed beyond the plan. Anxiously fearing any problems, he rushed to the site. What he saw then remains etched in his mind. ‘…It was too overwhelming to forget.’ The sight of the two women clashing with murderous intent was spine-chilling. The surroundings were already destroyed, horrifically so, and both seemed injured, covered in blood. They looked as though they could collapse from exhaustion at any moment, yet neither Wi Seolah nor Namgung Bia seemed willing to retreat. It was best described as a desperate battle. Yes, it was truly desperate. As if driven by some unfathomable wrath, they seemed hell-bent on fighting to the death. Had they exchanged harsh words just before the fight? Given that the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Martial Alliance stood as adversaries, such fierce fighting wasn't entirely odd. However, recalling those days, it did feel somewhat peculiar. It was not just a battle between enemies; something was different. It was a blood fight. A blood duel in which both seemed sworn not to concede. As if losing would mean forfeiting something crucial, both fought fiercely. Ultimately, the fight ended without a winner. Because I intervened before it could reach a decisive conclusion. Had I let them be, one of them would surely have died, and I had no desire to witness that. This intervention ultimately brought the fight to a halt. Right after, I asked the Demonic Swordswoman, Didn’t we agree just to buy some time? Why, then, did you fight so fervently? The Demonic Swordswoman replied, -Because there are things... I cannot yield. A cryptic and puzzling response. It seemed as if she simply couldn't let go. ‘Had they continued fighting.’ In the end, the Demonic Swordswoman would have lost. This much was certain. In reality, the Demonic Swordswoman bore more wounds and had even sustained injuries close to vital spots. From the amount of bloodshed, it was clear she would not last much longer. Perhaps using her trump card would have altered the outcome somewhat. ‘The same applies to the Little Sword Saint.’ The Little Sword Saint hadn't used her full strength either, so ultimately, the Demonic Swordswoman would have been the one to fall. That was certainly the case back then. However, Thud! Things seemed a bit different now. "Ugh!" With a rough sound, Wi Seolah was pushed back. 'Damn.' In my distracted state, I hadn't seen what struck her. From the sound, it wasn’t a sword. Scrunch--!! To stop her backward momentum, Wi Seolah drove her sword into the ground. The backlash stopped immediately. Crackle-!! "...Ugh!" Namgung Bia had already closed the distance and was swinging her sword right in front of Wi Seolah. Wi Seolah was in a poor position to block with her sword. She knew this, so Wi Seolah opted for a single method. Thud-! She released her grip on her sword. Then, "Hmph!" Drawing power into her fist, she drove it into the ground. Boom-!! Crash-!! The ground shattered from the impact, and debris flew into the air. Her view was obstructed. However, Namgung Bia, unfazed, maintained her focus. The only change was the trajectory of her sword. Swoosh-! From a straight line to a diagonal. With the falling debris, the tip of the sword sailed through. Clang-! "Ouch!" It finally connected with Wi Seolah. Though the sound was strange, suggesting it hadn’t directly hit her body. The success wasn't complete. Turning the sword may have slowed it, yet the brief gap was enough for Wi Seolah. Successfully defending, a sword appeared in Wi Seolah's hand. Not the iron sword she had been using, but a sword formed from energy, created by her ethereal control. Naturally, the durability was lacking, and it shattered as soon as it blocked the blow. Crackle-!! Electric energy shot forward. Simultaneously, Wi Seolah reached out. Hiss-!! Reaching out faster than the oncoming electricity, she retrieved her sword. Swish-!! Slash Slash Slash-!! Wi Seolah's immense speed sliced through the electric energy. "..." It was intense. There was barely any time to breathe. Just watching it made one break out in a cold sweat. Even those who initially screamed in fear of their chi were now holding their breath, fixated on the two warriors. 'No way...' Was the position of the division head so significant that they were fighting so fiercely for it? 'Weren't they always on good terms?' They seemed to get along well enough; what drove them to such a terrifying fight? Watching them made one involuntarily swallow their fear. Was it because of such thoughts? The words Shin Ui had once told me came to mind. -Who says those two are close? Haha, even a passing dog would laugh at that. I had remarked on how friendly they seemed playing air together. Hearing me, Shin Ui retorted, -That's not what you call a friendly relationship. I couldn't understand. To anyone observing, they appeared extremely close. Contrary to what I recalled from their past selves, I was watching them comfortably.... -Then, what is it? I asked, curiosity brimming. Shin Ui elaborated, -They're merely predators watching each other over a shared prey. -Eh? -Engaging prematurely would harm both, and the prey they've managed to capture might escape, so they've allied. It's better than letting it run off, after all. -What kind of nonsensical talk is that? Where is this prey you speak of, anyway? Predators, prey—what did he mean by those terms? Unable to wrap my head around it, I questioned Shin Ui, but his response was only. -…. He looked at me with evident disapproval and said, -You just keep living your life like that. It seems it's best that way for you. -…? Another response as if he had given up on explaining further, shaking his head in surrender. I tried asking more after that, but he provided no further answers, leaving me with an unsettling conclusion. My thoughts remain unchanged. ‘What predators?’ They were like a puppy and kitten at most, yet speaking of predators seemed absurd. It must just be the importance of the division head position driving them to fight like this. With that thought, I let out a sigh. “…Hoo.” I was told absolutely not to interfere, thus barely holding back, but that patience was nearing its limit. ‘This is really getting dangerous.’ Right now, it's just minor bruises, but it's clear they're both depleting their stamina. As things become more challenging, that's a sign the end is approaching, increasing the likelihood of significant incidents. On top of that, ‘Reaching their limits means they might use their hidden trump cards.’ Though they seem to be holding back for now. No one can predict how long that will last. So, I watched the situation closely, frowning deeply. Ready to step in at a moment’s notice. As I suppressed my thoughts and continued to observe the two... Swoosh-! Clang!! "Heh!" Wi Seolah's right arm rose, and she let out a gasp. Wi Seolah, unable to maintain her stance, failed to properly defend against Namgung Bia's advance. Her sword lifted high, her disturbed posture left her wide open. It was the perfect scenario for an attack. Namgung Bia was well aware of this. Thunk-!! She immediately stomped the ground with force and crouched low. Crackle---!!! In an instant, electric energy condensed powerfully. A fierce determination to end it in one strike was evident. Given the current circumstances, avoiding it would be impossible. Thus, Whoosh-! Wi Seolah made a decision. "Damn it." Faced with an unavoidable situation, she resolved to create a way to dodge it. A shift touched Wi Seolah’s golden aura entwining her body. A subtle hint of white mingled with the golden light. Though not yet prominent, it was expected to spread rapidly. It was dangerous. That was dangerous. ‘Damn it.’ I immediately gathered strength in my body upon seeing it. I had intended to stop this calamity before it happened. Crack. My feet dug into the ground, preparing for a leap at maximum speed. Crackle-! Muscles tensed and swelled vigorously. I was ready to intervene swiftly and stop them both... "...Huh?" Halt-! …But instead, I froze in place. I needed to rush over immediately, but I couldn’t. And the reason was clear. Thud-! Thump Thump-! "Uh!?" "Ah...." Both ready to land their final blows suddenly collapsed onto the ground. The reason was simple. Just as they were poised to strike, both were simultaneously struck on their chins. Whatever hit them directly knocked them unconscious, and they lay sprawled on the ground. And at the center of it all stood the one responsible for halting the fight. A petite figure with soft, verdant hair. "Phew!" The daughter of the Tang clan. Tang Sohyeol. She gazed at the unconscious pair, hands on her hips, with a thoroughly triumphant expression. "I did it!" "...." She looked genuinely proud of herself.