While Lee Do-hyeon, Reina, and the bard Arknan were poring over ancient records in the Elven Sanctum, a new tension was rising outside.
Unlike the cooperative attitude of Silverion, some of the younger elves were openly displeased with the presence of outsiders. Their resentment stemmed mostly from the fact that humans—beings they considered impulsive and short-lived—had been granted access to the sacred repository of Elven knowledge.
Elves, who live for centuries, have long cultivated their own culture and wisdom. Now, these very traditions were being studied by humans who, in the eyes of the younger generation, had not earned the right.
One by one, discontented young elves began to gather.
"How dare they step foot in our sanctum?"
"This is unacceptable!"
"We've preserved our wisdom for generations, and now these hasty humans think they can just take it?"
As night deepened, a crowd of disgruntled elves gathered in front of the residence Silverion had prepared for the visitors. Their eyes gleamed with unmistakable hostility.
One elf stepped forward.
His name was Kailos, a promising warrior and close aide to Silverion. Gripping his spear tightly, he gazed coldly at the residence.
"The outsiders have no right to be here."
"Our history belongs to the elves. Our power is ours alone."
His words stirred murmurs of agreement among the gathered elves.
"Silverion is being too lenient."
"Indeed! Humans are not meant to walk beside us!"
Their voices grew louder, until they could be clearly heard from within.
Hearing the noise, Lee Do-hyeon closed the book in his hands and stood up.
"As expected," he murmured.
Reina crossed her arms and looked toward the door.
"Didn't think the elves would react this openly."
Arknan sighed, his face weary.
"Elves tend to look down on humans. And now we're digging through the heart of their sanctum... It's no surprise they're upset."
Do-hyeon stepped outside, followed by Reina and Arknan.
The moment they appeared, the elves' expressions turned sharper. Kailos stepped forward and spoke in a low voice.
"Outsiders, you must leave this place."
Do-hyeon responded calmly.
"We didn't come here to fight. We're searching for a way to stop the Titan."
But Kailos sneered and shook his head.
"The Titan? You humans always have a noble excuse."
"And now you want to exploit our knowledge?"
The younger elves glared at Do-hyeon, not just out of anger, but because their pride was on the line.
"We've lived for centuries. We are not like you short-lived, impatient humans!"
"If you truly seek our knowledge, then prove that you deserve it!"
Do-hyeon looked into their faces and remained silent. Persuasion alone wouldn't be enough.
At that moment, Reina stepped forward.
"Then let us prove ourselves."
Kailos narrowed his eyes.
"And what could you possibly prove?"
Reina smiled and drew her sword.
"In the Murim, we have a clear way of proving one's worth."
"Through strength."
Kailos's gaze turned icy.
"You'd challenge an elven warrior, outsider?"
"What? Are you afraid?" she teased.
The elves stirred, murmuring among themselves. Though known for archery and magic, elves were not necessarily superior in close combat.
Kailos clenched his jaw and readied his spear.
"Very well. If you wish to claim our knowledge, you must pass our trial."
Following elven tradition, Kailos proposed a Duel of Worth, a sacred rite used to determine whether an outsider could be trusted with elven wisdom.
"Choose one among you to face me. If you win, we will recognize you."
Reina twirled her sword playfully.
"Fine. I'll take you on."
But Do-hyeon stepped in front of her.
"I'll do it."
Reina looked at him, puzzled.
"You think you're more suited than I am?"
Do-hyeon gazed steadily at Kailos.
"This isn't just about winning a fight. It's about earning their trust."
"That's why it has to be me."
Kailos nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"Very well. Then we shall fight according to the ways of the Elven warriors."
The elven duel was not just a contest of skill—it was a ritual that continued until one's strength and character were acknowledged.
Rules of the Duel:
Choose either a spear or a sword.
Lethal attacks are forbidden; victory is earned through subduing the opponent.
Defeat means permanent banishment from the Elven sanctum.
Kailos twirled his spear and said,
"I choose the spear. Will you take the sword?"
Do-hyeon drew his blade.
"Yes. The sword is all I need."
The dueling ground was prepared, with elven warriors and spectators forming a tense circle.
Silverion did not intervene. Watching silently, he waited to see what impression Do-hyeon would leave on the elven people.
"Let's begin," Kailos said, planting his spear in the ground and lowering his stance.
Do-hyeon raised his sword and assumed his position.
Now, the trial began—to determine whether Lee Do-hyeon would be acknowledged by the elves.
*****
Episode : Sword and Spear – The Elven Trial
The duel between Lee Do-hyeon and the elven warrior Kailos had begun.Young elves watched with barely concealed resentment, while Silverion and the elder elves observed in silence.
Reina crossed her arms, eyes fixed on Do-hyeon.Raised in the Murim where only the strong survived, she understood this was no mere duel.This was Do-hyeon's chance to be truly recognized in this new world.
Kailos gripped his spear tightly and assumed a firm stance.Elven spear techniques were known for their speed and precision.A faint glimmer of mana flickered at the tip of his weapon.
"I will see for myself whether you are worthy of our respect."
Do-hyeon held his sword loosely, settling into a natural stance.His gaze was calm, unwavering.
Kailos moved first.His spear shot forward like lightning.
But—
Whoosh!
Do-hyeon stepped back lightly.His movement was elegant, flowing like water.
The elves gasped, whispering among themselves.He hadn't merely dodged—it was as if he already knew the spear's path.
Kailos struck again, this time with a flurry of rapid attacks.
Yet Do-hyeon weaved through them effortlessly, as though riding the wind.His Gyeonggong was precise and graceful.
Reina smirked faintly and murmured,"Good… his technique's getting sharper."
Then Do-hyeon rose into the air, his foot brushing gently against the tip of the spear.
Kailos's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?! Is that even possible?"
The observing elves stirred in shock.
"A human… moving like that?""He's standing on the tip of an elven spear…"
Kailos jerked the spear in reflex, but Do-hyeon had already kicked off and soared back.
And then—
Swish.
The tip of Do-hyeon's sword touched Kailos's throat lightly.
"One."
Kailos froze on the spot.But Do-hyeon did not strike.
The elves murmured again, this time with a different tone.
Kailos raised his spear once more, now in a more guarded posture.
"Then… how about this!"
He channeled his mana into the spear.A bright light flared, and a powerful force surged forth.
With a cry, Kailos slashed through the air like thunder.The strike tore through space, swift and heavy.
Yet—
Do-hyeon merely shifted his foot to the side, smiling.
His body flowed like water, anticipating the strike even before it came.He evaded it with preternatural grace.
Kailos unleashed a barrage of follow-up attacks—
But Do-hyeon's blade deflected each blow with subtle, fluid motions.
Parries. Counters. A dance that bent the flow itself.
And then—
Swish.
Once again, his sword touched Kailos's neck.
"Two."
Kailos breathed heavily, sweat beginning to bead.The watching elves murmured louder now.
Reina's eyes gleamed.Do-hyeon wasn't merely wielding a sword—he was mastering the battlefield.
Kailos tightened his grip and readied for one final strike.
But—
Do-hyeon vanished before he could move.
Whoosh!
He moved so fast, his form blurred from sight.
Kailos instinctively swung his spear—But it was already too late.
The tip of Do-hyeon's blade grazed his throat once more.
"Three."
Do-hyeon stepped back, creating distance.He was still composed, still calm.
Kailos panted, then slowly lowered his spear.
"…I have no choice but to acknowledge you."
Silverion rose to his feet.
"Now I see it clearly. You are truly one who walks the path of the Murim."
Reina smiled."Looks like we've officially earned access to the elves' knowledge."
Silverion made his declaration.
"From this moment on, Lee Do-hyeon and his companions are permitted access to all elven knowledge.No one shall interfere with them again."
The elven warriors quietly bowed their heads.
Do-hyeon turned once more toward the Sanctum.This time, no one stood in his way.
This was no mere contest of strength.He had shown that the martial arts of the Murim were unlike anything the elves had seen—And in doing so, he had laid the foundation of their trust.
***
Chapter : A Silent Whisper – Two Paths
Lee Do-hyeon and Reina (the Heavenly Sword Demon King) were poring over the ancient records of the elves, seeking clues about the dimensional rift.In the stillness of the library, flickering candlelight illuminated the rows of bookshelves.
Meanwhile...
Aknan was quietly scanning through another set of documents.A subtle tremor stirred behind his eyes.
Reina opened a page covered with faded symbols.An old magic circle was drawn alongside a written warning:
"The dimensional rift does exist.But the fissure was tampered with by the gods.If one cannot control the flow,the unleashed force will surge back—devouring the one who dared to open it."
Do-hyeon muttered grimly,"So it's not just about opening a portal…If we fail to control it, the whole structure might collapse."
Reina closed the book with a firm gesture."Exactly. You don't need brute strength to use a rift.You need to guide its current."
Do-hyeon nodded slowly."That must be why the gods sealed it.If mishandled, the world itself could be twisted beyond repair."
Just then, Aknan, who had been quietly turning pages, suddenly stopped.A line on one scroll caught his eye.
"Beneath the Valley of Twilight lies a sealed gate.It is not a mere rift—but a path meant for complete passage."
Aknan traced the line with a trembling finger and murmured,"…Not a rift, but a path?"
And in that moment—
A voice, uninvited and foreign, echoed deep within his mind.
❝You already know…that all paths began here.❞
His hand trembled.He slowly looked up.The room remained silent.
❝You seek to awaken us…Or do you mean to stop us?❞
Before him, a hazy figure began to take shape.It was something caught between light and darkness—undefined, yet unmistakably watching him.
Aknan clenched his jaw, forcing his mind into focus.
'…Is this the whisper of the Titan?'
He shut the scroll quickly, breath uneven.When had the whispering started?He once brushed it off as delusion.Now, he was certain.
The Titan's power was seeping into his consciousness.
❝You already know the truth…What you seek is not a gate, but a reckoning.Once unsealed, everything will fall apart…❞
Aknan rose to his feet, jaw clenched.'I didn't ask for this.But… I need to know where this truth leads.'
Do-hyeon and Reina remained focused on deciphering how to manipulate the rift.
Reina commented as she skimmed another page."According to this, the elves once tried to harness the rift left by the gods.But they lacked the power to control it, and abandoned the research."
Do-hyeon flipped through a few more pages and nodded."Which means if we fail to find a way to control it,we'll end up the same."
He pointed to the bottom of the page."Here—it mentions a place where the rift can be directly observed.The 'Valley of Twilight' recorded by the elves."
Reina folded her arms."Then we know where we're headed."
Do-hyeon nodded."We'll verify the rift at the Valley of Twilightand see if there's a way to safely interact with it."
Aknan listened quietly—but his eyes were already looking elsewhere.
He recalled the line he'd just read.
"Beneath the Valley of Twilight lies a sealed gate."
They were chasing the dimensional rift.But perhaps, what lay below… was something else entirely.
Not just a gate,but another path.
If opened—what would emerge?Was it the path the Titan desired?Or a hidden truth the gods had desperately sealed away?
Aknan knew he had to make a choice.Should he reveal this to Do-hyeon and Reina,or pursue it alone?
But even now…
❝Can you truly bear this truth…?❞
Aknan smiled faintly and whispered,"…That's not for you to decide."