CFZ

Drip.
Blood trickled from the part of his neck where the blade touched.
Holding his breath to avoid being cut, Silver Wolf Sword felt cold sweat mix with the flowing blood, his body stiffening.

How did it come to this?
Forcing his trembling gaze downward, he looked at the woman before him.
The woman pointing a sword at his throat—

Namgung Bi-ah, the Sword Dancer.
Silver Wolf Sword’s brow gradually furrowed as he stared at her.
‘How?’

How did this happen?
When had she come this close?
A moment ago, she had been far away. Yet, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the instant he realized her presence, she was already at his chest.
It made no sense.

‘...Did I fail to notice her approach?’
Had he truly failed to perceive her movements until she was right in front of him?
Could it mean that her level was that far above his?

‘No, that can’t be.’
He immediately dismissed the thought.
Nothing had changed. Silver Wolf Sword could still see Namgung Bi-ah’s level clearly.

She couldn’t defeat him.
And that’s exactly why failing to sense her approach didn’t make sense.
‘What trick did she use?’
It had to be a trick—anything else would be impossible.
Was it some kind of sinister sorcery?

Countless thoughts raced through Silver Wolf Sword’s mind.
Swish.
The blade against his neck slowly drew away.

Whoosh! Thud!
Namgung Bi-ah lowered her sword and took a slight step back.
Just far enough to return to the distance they had started with.

Exactly that much space, no more, no less.
Namgung Bi-ah looked at him with the same expression as before.
That emotionless face made Silver Wolf Sword bite his lip.

Clutching the wound on his neck with one hand, he infused it with Qi.
It was to stop the bleeding.
As his Qi seeped in, the flow of blood finally ceased.

Only then could Silver Wolf Sword allow himself to take a deeper breath.
At the same time, the once-silent surroundings gradually began to stir.
“W-what just…?”

“Did the Sword Dancer defeat Silver Wolf Sword?”
“It happened so fast I couldn’t even see…”
Their reactions were all the same—dumbfounded.

And who could blame them? Even witnessing it firsthand, it was difficult to believe what had just occurred.
It was over in an instant.
Not even enough to be called a duel—just a fleeting moment.

No one had registered any buildup or process. Only the result remained.
Silver Wolf Sword had yielded his opening to Namgung Bi-ah.
With a blade pressed to his neck, it was effectively over.

Even those unfamiliar with martial arts would understand this unspoken agreement.
Given the result, didn’t that mean Silver Wolf Sword had lost?
As this thought crossed everyone’s minds—

“...What…are you doing?”
Namgung Bi-ah suddenly spoke.
Her voice made Silver Wolf Sword frown.

“What did you say…?”
“...Finished?”
“...!”

Silver Wolf Sword’s eyes widened slightly.
Only then did he grasp what Namgung Bi-ah was asking.
Was this really the end?

Was he not going to continue the duel?
That’s what she meant.
“Hah…”

Hearing this, Silver Wolf Sword let out a hollow breath.
“You intend to continue?”
The result was already clear.

Whether it was due to carelessness or a trick, too many people had witnessed the outcome.
What would be the point of continuing?
As Silver Wolf Sword voiced this thought, Namgung Bi-ah immediately responded.

“…We haven’t…even started properly.”
“...”
The duel wasn’t over.

Hearing this, Silver Wolf Sword ran a hand through his hair.
Her insistence on continuing the duel felt strangely unsettling.
Hadn’t she already won?

Yet, despite himself, he couldn’t help but feel absurdly ridiculous.
The image of her swinging her sword three times and questioning why he was yielding replayed in his mind.
Eyes still fixed on him, sharp stares pierced through Silver Wolf Sword from all directions.

‘Damn it.’
Something was terribly wrong.
Realizing this, he raised his sword.

“Lady Namgung.”
Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head slightly in response.
“First, I must apologize. I underestimated you.”

Whatever method she had used, he had to accept the outcome.
He had underestimated the Sword Dancer and, as a result, exposed his neck.
And—

“…Furthermore, I thank you for the lesson and your generosity.”
Woo-woooong—!
Silver Wolf Sword’s treasured weapon began to hum softly.

“I humbly ask that you grant me one more chance.”
“...”
 

"I won’t let my guard down this time. Please, allow me one more duel."
Hearing the request, Namgung Bi-ah didn’t bother answering with words.
Srrrng.

Instead, she simply raised her sword and pointed it at the Silver Wolf Sword.
Watching her reaction, Silver Wolf Sword’s gaze shifted toward the Star King standing below the stage.
This duel had started with a wager. Asking for another chance was fine, but the Star King’s opinion also mattered.

Would he object to this?
Silver Wolf Sword sent a concerned look his way, but the Star King merely observed in silence, offering no remarks.
Seeing this, Silver Wolf Sword swallowed hard.

“...”
Was he really okay with continuing?
Did that mean it wouldn’t be an issue even if he fought with full focus this time?

‘No way…’
It couldn’t be.
At least, that’s what he wanted to believe.

But hesitation crept in.
What if things weren’t as they seemed?
Hadn’t that already been proven earlier?

Clang.
Gripping his sword tightly, Silver Wolf Sword braced himself.
“Hoo…”

He steadied his breathing.
Woooong—! Woooong—!!
With each breath, the hum of his blade grew louder.

Ssssss—!!
The moment Qi surged into the blade—
Boom!

Silver Wolf Sword lunged forward.
A flash of light sliced through the air—
A crescent-shaped sword arc.

“...”
Namgung Bi-ah lowered her body and tightened her grip on her sword.
Crackle!

Lightning Qi burst forth as she countered.
Crack-crack-crack—!! Boom!
Lightning and sword energy clashed, exploding in midair.

Fragments of energy scattered through the air, and amidst the chaos, Namgung Bi-ah advanced.
Woooong—!!
The hum of her sword grew louder—wild and unrestrained.

Her steps, enhanced by Lightning Qi, carried her forward with blinding speed.
Crackle!
As she swung her sword, streaks of blue light slashed toward Silver Wolf Sword in rapid succession—

Dozens of sharp lines rained down.
“...”
Silver Wolf Sword didn’t dodge.

He simply swung his blade to match the visible strikes.
Clang.
Silver Fang Sword Style.

Silver Flash Flow Technique.
His quick sword movements cleaved through the incoming streaks one by one.
Crackle! Crackle!!

Each strike carried lightning, sending sharp jolts through his body with every impact.
After cutting through the final strike, Silver Wolf Sword swiftly stepped back, increasing the distance.
But Namgung Bi-ah was already moving again, lowering her stance as if to pounce.

Her speed was incredible.
No, rather than speed—
Rumble—!!!

The sheer pressure radiating from her body seemed to pin Silver Wolf Sword in place.
‘Imperial Sword Formation!’
Recognizing the technique, Silver Wolf Sword’s eyes narrowed.

He hadn’t been certain earlier, but now it was clear.
The pressure binding his legs—it was the Imperial Sword Formation, a secret art of the Namgung family.
Namgung Bi-ah had deliberately drawn his focus upward with her attacks while activating the formation at a lower level, making it difficult to detect.

‘Ha.’
Impressive.
He couldn’t help but admire her skill.

He knew exactly how difficult the Imperial Sword Formation was to use.
It required immense Qi and the ability to sustain it.
Yet, not only was she maintaining it, but she was also controlling it so subtly that it went unnoticed.

‘And she doesn’t even rely on it as her main technique.’
The Namgung family typically focused on dominating with the Imperial Sword Formation while enhancing it with swordsmanship and lightning techniques.
But Namgung Bi-ah seemed to focus entirely on swordsmanship instead.

If that was a weakness—
‘...No, it’s overwhelming.’
It wasn’t a weakness at all.

Screeech—!!
Her blade scraped the ground and grazed the tip of Silver Wolf Sword’s nose.
Dodging, he quickly spun and countered with a slash.

Crackle!!
As he deflected her attack, lightning surged toward him from behind.
He couldn’t even tell when she had released it.

After cutting down the lightning,
“Hoo!”
Silver Wolf Sword took a deep breath and gripped his blade tighter.

His senses were already flooded with information.
Namgung Bi-ah refused to give him space.
Lightning streaked toward him from all directions, and the Imperial Sword Formation restrained his movements.

It was complete chaos.
But—
‘Still…’

Despite it all, Silver Wolf Sword became even more certain.
Namgung Bi-ah was strong.
Fighting her made it clear.

At this level, she was either nearing Hwagyeong or had already crossed into it.
It was an overwhelming display of skill—there was no denying it.
‘But not yet.’

Not yet. He was still stronger.
Crash—!!
As Namgung Bi-ah’s sword and lightning attacks closed in like a storm, Silver Wolf Sword suddenly drove his blade into the ground.

Rumble—!!!
A surge of Qi erupted, sweeping outward in all directions.
It was an immense force—clear proof of the sheer energy he had poured into it.

Like waves, the energy rippled outward, devouring the lightning and spreading as a mist that obscured visibility.
This was his domain.
A field created by Silver Wolf Sword.

Inside this mist-like Qi, he could sense everything clearly.
It veiled his opponent’s sight while giving him a distinct advantage—a martial technique honed after reaching Hwagyeong.
He hadn’t expected to reveal this art in front of so many people, but there was no other choice.

“...”
He immediately suppressed his presence.
In this state, Namgung Bi-ah wouldn’t be able to pinpoint his location.

Even though she couldn’t see through the mist, Silver Wolf Sword could perceive her perfectly.
She hadn’t moved an inch from her original spot.
Swoosh.

Gripping his sword, he shifted into a stance.
One strike.
He would end this duel with a single blow.

And—
‘This wager should be voided.’
No matter how things turned out, they couldn’t cling to a wager after a battle like this.

Namgung Bi-ah had let him go earlier, and now he’d do the same.
With that thought, Silver Wolf Sword summoned his blade’s aura.
Rumble—!!

The energy spiraled around his blade like a vortex,
not for slashing—this was preparation for a thrust.
Once his Qi had fully gathered, he raised the tip of his sword.
Thud!

Amid the stillness, he broke through the mist.
Whoosh—!!!
The sword surged forward, aimed directly at Namgung Bi-ah, who shouldn’t have been able to see it.

“…Huh?!”
Silver Wolf Sword gasped.
She shouldn’t have noticed.

‘How…?’
Yet Namgung Bi-ah suddenly turned her head—her blue eyes locking onto him.
There was no mistaking it.

She was looking right at him.
And, as if to confirm her awareness, she shifted her body and raised her sword to block the incoming strike.
Screech—!!

Their swords clashed, emitting a shrill, tearing sound.
‘How did she sense it?’
Questions flooded his mind, but this wasn’t the time to dwell on them.

‘The next move—!’
He had to press forward.
If he twisted his body and drove in with a follow-up strike—

Pause.
“...”
For some reason, Silver Wolf Sword froze.

His trembling eyes remained locked on Namgung Bi-ah.
Saaaah—!!
The mist began to fade, revealing the surroundings.

Namgung Bi-ah stood there, blocking his sword.
At a glance, it seemed like she had barely managed to stop the blow.
And yet—

“…I’ve lost.”
It wasn’t Namgung Bi-ah who declared defeat.
It was Silver Wolf Sword.

The duel wasn’t over.
So why had he admitted defeat?
As confusion spread among the spectators—

“…Lady Namgung, may I ask you one thing?”
With a deeply shaken expression, Silver Wolf Sword spoke up.
“Since when?”

“...”
There was no immediate answer.
But Silver Wolf Sword pressed her, his voice trembling.

“Since when…?”
He couldn’t keep his voice steady.
“Since when did you place a Heart Sword behind my neck?”

He couldn’t move.
Not even the slightest shift.
He had only just realized it—the sensation of an invisible blade lingering at the nape of his neck.

Feeling its presence, he asked the question.
And Namgung Bi-ah replied—
“…From the beginning.”

“...”
Her words stripped away his fighting spirit completely.