"Wait, wait!"
"Who was the punk that said he wanted a taste of pain?"
"That was just a formality, wasn't it?"
"No such thing as that."
No matter how much Yuri had grown, he couldn't last long against Moyong Chan.
While dodging the attacks, he kept rolling across the floor of the sparring arena.
Even Ena, who had been watching, was disappointed.
"I heard the rumors and got my hopes up, but Prince, you're quite the letdown."
"This guy's one of the Ten Strongest, I'm telling you."
"Still, how can you just keep getting hit?"
"Don't talk to me."
Panting, Yuri raised Guilty.
"Haa, haa..."
He furrowed his brow.
"You want a real conclusion, huh."
"If you can give one, go ahead."
"I'm telling Dad everything."
Moyong Chan shook his head when he heard Yuri's muttering.
"To think I took in a brat like this as a student…"
Refusing to back down, Yuri swung his sword and shouted.
"To think I took such a ruthless guy as a teacher, ugh!"
Above Guilty, the sword aura of Heart-Soul Slash flickered like flames. The white aura formed a swirling pattern, rotating again and again.
It was a secret technique he had created himself—the Whirling Vortex Sword.
The infinitely repeating fractal pattern faintly surfaced over Guilty.
Moyong Chan's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"So the kid has some skills."
Even as the swirling energy flew toward him, he didn't move.
A foreign tongue from the East spilled from his mouth.
[You've already grasped the cycle of history, the endless loop of downfall and rebirth? You're not like a mere child.]
It was praise.
But Yuri, not understanding the foreign language, took it the wrong way.
"How dare you mock your disciple!"
"This little punk…"
It was indeed a profound technique, but it didn't work on Moyong Chan.
He lightly raised his sword and resisted Yuri's swirl.
Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique
Reverse Flow
It didn't take much. He stabbed his sword into a single part of the infinite trajectory, and like gears in a machine going out of sync, the entire swirl trembled.
"You're too straightforward. Still got a long way to go."
Yuri's swirling attack was all connected.
That gave it great synergy, but if a reverse flow was induced at the focal point where the power condensed, the entire vortex would collapse.
"This can't be…"
"You brat."
"Damn it…"
As Moyong Chan sneered, Yuri clenched his teeth, watching his Whirling Vortex Sword fall apart.
"If the teeth don't work, I'll use the gums."
There was one thing Moyong Chan got wrong.
Yuri wasn't just a well-bred prince—he was a man on his second life, who had lost everything and fallen to the bottom as a low-ranking mercenary.
If both legs were cut off, he'd crawl just to stab a blade into the enemy's back.
"Die!"
Yuri didn't abandon the distorting, twisting vortex—he hurled it at Moyong Chan.
As the Whirling Vortex Sword turned into chaos, an even more intense energy erupted.
Moyong Chan was taken aback.
He had thought that once the technique was disrupted, it would stop. But here was Yuri, mangled and broken, instead carrying a power too destructive to handle, charging in like he meant to die together.
Before he knew it, he muttered once more in the Eastern tongue.
[So all that talk about cycles of history was nonsense. This guy's just a goddamn lunatic.]
Again, Yuri misinterpreted it.
"It's too late for praise now!"
As the structure collapsed and his sword aura transformed completely into chaos, Yuri's blade shot straight for Moyong Chan's crown.
In that chaotic aura, Moyong Chan suddenly saw something.
Flutter.
Flutter.
A butterfly was flapping its wings.
In that instant, it was like he'd been struck by lightning.
Why was there a butterfly flying inside that? And how could that minuscule creature's wingbeats be pushing forward with unprecedented force?
Suddenly, a sentence flashed through his mind.
"The flutter of a butterfly's wings passes through chaos and becomes a fierce storm."
Moyong Chan let out a lion's roar.
"Break!"
Fierce internal energy burst from his body.
Two immense pressures clashed head-on.
To counter Yuri's unpredictable sword aura, Moyong Chan unleashed a massive net-patterned sword aura.
Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique
Heavenly Net
Moyong Chan's bluish sword aura coiled around the chaotic energy born of the Whirling Vortex Sword.
As chaos tried to leak through the net's holes, he tightened the sword aura even more.
"Hoo…"
A bead of sweat trickled down Moyong Chan's cheek.
Twisting his lips, he muttered low in the Eastern tongue.
[You're dead today, you little bastard.]
Yuri didn't know what it meant, but he struck a proud pose anyway.
"That's how good I am."
"Shut up, you brat."
"That pronunciation felt intentional this time…"
Fixing the net in place, Moyong Chan swung his sword again atop it.
As the bluish energy sliced through the air, the chaos split in half and scattered like shards.
Moyong Chan caught his breath.
"How do you feel?"
"Prepare to die today."
"Oh, your pronunciation has improved. You only speak properly when serious. Don't tell me I actually got to you?"
As he kept talking, Yuri fell silent when Moyong Chan began striding toward him.
"Hmm…"
He sensed inescapable fate approaching.
Even talent was a crime.
Because his teacher underestimated him, he had pushed past his limits and succeeded in an unknown technique—and rather than praise, he was being rewarded with a beating.
Placing his hands on his hips, Yuri looked up at the sky and lamented.
"Beautiful things die young…"
"Where'd you even learn a line like that?"
"I saw it in a book."
Though, in truth, a mercenary comrade from the East in his past life had taught him that.
Either way, he couldn't just take the hit.
The moment Moyong Chan drew close, Yuri launched a lightning-quick surprise attack.
Their swords clashed.
Their bodies accelerated.
They exchanged blows so fast, they were nearly invisible. Though Yuri was pushed back with every clash, he still managed minimal resistance.
"Wow!"
Ena, watching from the side, opened her mouth in awe.
Yuri exhaled heavily. Using Heart-Soul Slash repeatedly had made even his heart ache.
Moyong Chan gave him no opening and attacked only the precise points where the flow of Heart-Soul Slash didn't reach.
Yuri could do nothing but defend.
"Ugh…"
He knew Moyong Chan was holding back.
He was driving him just hard enough to avoid seriously hurting him, forcing Yuri to drain every last drop of energy and reach the brink of collapse.
Bloodshot eyes.
Yuri hated nothing more than being swept along by his opponent's rhythm.
He was at his limit, but forced out mana anyway. He felt every single strand of mana circulating through his body.
He expanded his senses.
He became aware of countless tiny strands making up even a single thread of mana.
Through his sparring with Laurent, Yuri had attained full control over mana, and from it, he intuited the sword path he must take.
In the world of the tiniest things, anything was possible.
"Hah!"
Yuri let out a sharp shout and deflected Guilty upward.
Moyong Chan's sword flew skyward, spinning.
"Wow…"
Yuri stared up at its arc, stunned for a moment.
It was beautiful.
Not the flying sword—but the process that had led to this moment was beautiful.
And the fact that the rotation at the end formed exactly that pattern—how wondrous it was.
The sword soared through the sky, spun once more as it descended, and landed perfectly back in Moyong Chan's hand.
Then struck with its pommel.
"Gah!"
Yuri barely managed to block it with both arms.
But Moyong Chan didn't stop.
A turning side kick exploded into Yuri's chest.
Yuri flew through the air like a paper doll and collapsed in the arena.
Moyong Chan approached.
"Ugh…"
Yuri raised Guilty toward him from the ground.
"It's not over yet…"
Moyong Chan swatted the sword aside.
Yuri tried to crawl toward the distant Guilty, but Moyong Chan brought his sword down to block the path.
"Master."
"What?"
"Will surrender do?"
"Hmm…"
Moyong Chan hesitated for a moment, then struck Yuri on the head with his sword.
"Ow!"
As Yuri clutched his head, only then did Moyong Chan nod.
"Surrender accepted."
Ena rushed over and examined Yuri's head. There was no bleeding, but a small bump had formed.
When she tried to wrap his head with a bandage, Yuri shook his head to refuse.
"Still, I think you should."
"There's no blood."
"It just looks funny."
"..."
"Your expression looks a little funny too."
"Just bring me some water."
"Okay."
Yuri looked up at Moyong Chan with a sulky expression.
"Is this why you asked to spar?"
When he pushed Yuri to the edge, Yuri had ended up using a strange technique.
Part of it came from his own realization, but it was also the mystical nature of Heart-Soul Slash.
"That wasn't the main reason, but it's close."
Moyong Chan looked down at Yuri as he spoke.
"Now you understand."
"My outstanding talent?"
"How the martial art called Heart-Soul Slash was created."
"But that was our ancestor…"
"The Heaven-Conquering Sword Saint fused the mana method of the West with the internal energy method of the East and created a new divine art."
"Ooh…"
"And also."
Moyong Chan's eyes sharpened.
As his internal energy flared, his robes fluttered.
Looking down at the dazed Yuri, he muttered in the Eastern tongue.
[Even the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon were contained within.]
***
Yuri strolled through the palace garden, recalling the conversation they had after the duel.
Moyong Chan had brushed off the topic of the Heavenly Demon, but his expression hadn't been pleasant.
Yuri guessed to himself.
"Maybe he was a master from a rival sect that almost wiped out the Qingcheng Sect. Our ancestor probably didn't care about that and just absorbed any strong martial arts he could find."
He was surprisingly close to the truth.
"Or maybe the Qingcheng Sect branded the Heavenly Demon's martial arts as heretical and rejected them? But our open-minded ancestor saw the potential within them and immediately incorporated it into Heart-Soul Slash?"
That too, was close to the truth.
But there was no one to answer Yuri's speculation.
"Whatever."
He enjoyed the rare time alone.
Sometimes rest was necessary.
If he'd learned anything from his days fighting on death's edge as a mercenary, it was that a person's body and mind wear down. Those who ran endlessly without pause eventually broke down.
"Hmm…"
Yuri lay back on the grass and blankly gazed up at the sky.
Suddenly, a face popped into view beside him.
"Yuri."
"Elder brother?"
Yuri sat up.
"What are you doing here?"
He'd sensed someone approaching, but he hadn't expected it to be Cedric.
"Just passing by and saw you lying here."
Cedric squinted and smiled.
Though the Allied Army had only existed for less than a year, Cedric hadn't changed at all.
He set the books he'd been carrying down and sat beside Yuri.
"I heard a lot. They say you did amazing things?"
"Well, you know…"
"Really impressive. Are you really my little brother?"
Cedric tousled Yuri's hair. Yuri just laughed.
He was good at praising himself, but in front of Cedric, he felt shy. Being with him made it feel less like he was living a second life and more like he'd gone back to his boyhood.
"It's the only thing I can do, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll take care of everything else, so I should at least swing a sword and protect Briol."
"You're making my shoulders feel heavy all of a sudden."
"That's the crown prince's fate. How's the palace been?"
"Same as always. Except Joshua's been strutting around everywhere."
"He's been causing trouble again?"
"It was trouble, yeah, but his intentions were good. He's been trying to change things in his own way."
"Change?"
"For example, he's been attending meetings and proposing things like improving the roads or encouraging commerce."
"Second brother?"
Yuri's eyes widened.
He knew he'd had some influence, but he hadn't expected Joshua to use that brilliant mind of his in a positive direction.
Cedric placed a hand on Yuri's shoulder.
"That's reassuring. My brothers are both amazing."
"You're the most amazing. I'm really glad you're the eldest."
In his past life and this one, Yuri had never met another person as upright as Cedric. He never scolded or raised his voice at anyone.
His leadership was exceptional too. He always made the right decisions, mediated conflicts, and could be firm when needed.
On top of that, he was skilled in both swordsmanship and academics—he was the perfect person.
If the Empire hadn't invaded, Briol would have developed greatly.
Cedric's presence gave Yuri strength. With him around, Yuri didn't have to think too hard—he just needed to stop the Empire, and Cedric would take care of the rest.
"By the way, I heard you're going to the Empire?"
"Yeah."
"The Empire's a rough place, so be careful."
"Don't worry. No imperial bastard can be worse than an orc."
"Hahaha, maybe you're right."
Cedric burst into laughter and continued.
"If anything happens, send a letter. Just use a carrier pigeon. I'll help however I can."
"Got it."
"And there's something I wanted to tell you…"
"What is it?"
"It's a secret."
"I'm good at keeping those."
"You absolutely can't tell anyone."
"Alright."
Cedric adjusted his glasses and looked around.
Then whispered.
"I'm in love."
Yuri's eyes widened in surprise.
"With who?"
After some hesitation, Cedric answered.
"From the Empire…"
"From the Empire?"
"Ekaterina."
"What?"
Yuri's eyes grew even wider.
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]