*Clack—*.
On the dueling platform that had yet to be cleared, a man placed his hand upon his sword.
A single blade bound at his waist. It was his cherished sword, a martial treasure called Eun'ajeolgeom (恩娥晢劍), a famed blade forged by the Tang Clan in the past.
It was a sword beautiful enough to be counted on one hand, befitting its name.
The swordsmanship of the martial artist who wielded it was equally beautiful, earning him renowned fame.
*Shring—!*
The Eun'ajeolgeom slipped from its scabbard, its lovely blade revealed to the world.
“…Oh….”
“Wow….”
As if proving the fame was no lie, those watching expressed their admiration.
And what of his imposing aura?
“…So this is the Alliance’s Captain.”
Yeoltujeongeom, who had already descended beneath the dueling platform, let out a groan.
The fighting spirit of the swordsman who had drawn his blade dominated the surroundings.
The faint arrogance he had possessed according to his own realm instantly turned to humility.
Concealing cold sweat, Yeoltujeongeom looked at the man holding the sword.
‘A master.’
He himself possessed strength that would never cower anywhere, yet upon seeing his opponent, even that became meaningless.
He was one of the swordsmen leading the main force of the Martial Arts Alliance, a combat unit that fought demons—the Captain of the Iron Dragon Division, Eunranggeom.
When he raised his sword, the surroundings fell silent.
One of the Central Plains’ Hundred Great Masters. It was a position one could only enter after reaching a certain level, even within the Transcendent Realm, that supreme state.
Among the Righteous Faction’s captains, all except the late Captain of the Wind Dragon Division were included among the Hundred Great Masters.
Eunranggeom was no different.
The Hundred Great Masters was commonly evaluated as the dream all martial artists aspired to. A martial artist who reached that place gained absolute standing; it was a position everyone desired.
Moreover.
“…Hoo… h-his aura.”
“To think it could be this sharp…!!”
In the end, that position too could only be obtained through ability.
Eunranggeom atop the dueling platform was demonstrating this plainly. That he was the Captain of the Iron Dragon Division and a master who had ascended to the Transcendent Realm.
*Goooooh—!!!*
The chilling fighting spirit displayed by a captain-class martial artist devoured the entire dueling platform, which was by no means narrow.
The air grew heavy and sank, and those nearby furrowed their brows. A suffocating pressure gripped their entire bodies.
Watching this, Yeoltujeongeom swallowed dryly.
‘…Is this really going to be alright?’
Could this situation truly be alright? Yeoltujeongeom looked somewhere with trembling eyes.
The judges’ area, where the broken table had been cleared away earlier, leaving only a solitary chair. A young man was seen sitting quietly, watching the dueling platform.
‘Star King….’
Star King Guyangcheon. Yeoltujeongeom looked at the culprit who had created this situation and thought,
‘Do you truly have some purpose in this?’
It was an inner thought, so naturally no answer came.
******************
*Wuuuuuung.*
*Seeeee—!!*
At the thick, wailing sword cry and spreading energy—amidst the rough whirlwind created by their mixture, Eunranggeom slowly opened his eyes.
“…Hmph.”
The light sigh he exhaled carried clear displeasure.
That was right. Eunranggeom was quite displeased with this situation.
‘How truly irritating.’
Having come up onto the dueling platform under all these gazes. Having drawn his cherished blade, one he would never draw if he could help it. Moreover, even his opponent, who faced him by drawing her sword.
None of it pleased him.
With eyes laden with such displeasure, he looked straight ahead.
A woman stood before him.
A tremendous beauty with bluish-white hair and blue eyes, clad in a blue-green robe.
A visage so captivating that even Eunranggeom, who had weathered countless battlefields, couldn’t help but let his gaze linger.
Her nickname was Sword Dance Maiden, a young expert who had distinguished herself at a friendly martial arts tournament a few years ago.
They said she was called Sword Dance Maiden because her sword dance resembled an actual dance and her appearance was exceptionally outstanding.
Recalling this, Eunranggeom nodded.
‘Indeed.’
He had thought it wasn’t a nickname befitting a mere young expert, but seeing her changed his mind.
‘She is strong.’
He could tell at a glance.
The woman before him was considerably strong, even in Eunranggeom’s eyes.
Too strong to be called a young expert.
Perhaps.
‘I may be looking at the next Sword Queen.’
He could tell without even crossing swords.
A prime candidate to succeed the Plum Blossom Sword Queen and carry on the era.
In Eunranggeom’s eyes, Sword Dance Maiden held that much value.
It was truly absurd.
‘So this is the Comet Generation.’
The Divine Dragon was one thing, and the same went for Seomwolgeom, said to be the successor of the Sword Venerable. They were all excessively outstanding to be called young experts.
‘And the most bizarre existence among them.’
Eunranggeom turned his head to look to the side.
There sat the true monster called the representative of the Comet Generation, the very culprit who had created this absurd situation.
‘Star King.’
The Lord of Stars…
The youth acknowledged as the greatest among the deluge of geniuses.
Star King Guyangcheon.
He was looking at him.
*Click—!*
At that gaze, Eunranggeom gritted his teeth.
The eyes looking at him as if he were interesting were displeasing from the very start.
No matter how highly regarded he was, he was only the age of Eunranggeom’s child. A young brat. And he was among the youngest of the young experts called the Comet Generation.
‘A monstrous brat….’
Eunranggeom trembled looking at such a boy.
The youngest King. Such a title wasn’t important.
Many doubted the Star King’s strength, and Eunranggeom himself couldn’t quite believe it either. However, he wasn’t one to charge in disbelief like the Twin Demonic Swords.
It was said he had beaten the Blade King as if catching a mouse. That was the truth passed among hundreds of people. Eunranggeom could imagine it upon hearing this.
‘If it were me.’
Could he himself have beaten the Blade King like a mouse?
‘…’
Eunranggeom shook his head inwardly.
He had confidence regarding victory. Eunranggeom was confident he could defeat the Blade King. However, if one spoke of a perfect victory, that was a different matter.
This wasn’t just Eunranggeom. Even counting all the captains, there were only two who could overwhelmingly defeat the Blade King.
The Guardian Captain, the Sword Emperor, and the Blue Dragon Captain, Ilcheonggeom.
Only those two should have been capable of such a thing.
‘Yet the Star King did it.’
Which meant.
‘The Star King is at least on the level of Ilcheonggeom.’
It was unbelievable. That young brat was on the level of Ilcheonggeom, who was said to be not far from the Ten Great Masters? It was truly absurd.
‘…’
Nevertheless, Eunranggeom did not voice further denial.
That was reality. No matter how much he denied it, reality remained.
Eunranggeom surveyed the Star King with furrowed eyes.
The brat was looking this way quietly with his chin propped.
Even when trying to grasp his energy, he couldn’t see it clearly.
This meant he was at least on the same level as himself.
‘Damn it.’
Feeling this, Eunranggeom’s face twisted.
Some brat had appeared out of nowhere and sat in a captain’s seat, and on top of that was looking down on them and provoking them. From Eunranggeom’s position, anger was all that boiled up.
Even now it was the same.
‘To think I must do such a pointless act.’
He was spreading his aura and holding his sword, but it was truly unsatisfying. Furthermore, it was even laughable.
“Huu….”
That he himself.
Eunranggeom, Captain of the Iron Dragon Division.
Had drawn his sword because he was played for a fool in a mere brat’s prank.
“Shall we have a bet?”
The Star King said to Eunranggeom with a smile.
To have a bet with him.
If Eunranggeom won the bet, he would even give him the Star Dragon Division.
Moreover.
‘He said he would lick the top of my foot, didn’t he?’
It was an extremely vulgar proposal, yet an enticing one as well.
So that was why.
“…I shall hear you out.”
He said he would hear what kind of bet it was.
Eunranggeom had said so without realizing it.
“Oh? Really?”
The Star King smiled as if he had been waiting.
“Then please spar with her.”
“What?”
He gestured toward the dueling platform as he spoke.
Eunranggeom followed his gesture, looked at the spot, and had to scowl.
“Perhaps you mean Yeoltujeongeom…?”
Yeoltujeongeom.
One of the famous swordsmen, a master expected to reach the Transcendent Realm soon.
Was he saying he should spar with him as punishment?
Eunranggeom looked at the Star King with a strange expression.
“Huh? No. The one beside him.”
“…Beside…?”
No way.
“…You mean Sword Dance Maiden?”
“Yes.”
“Spar with Sword Dance Maiden,” the Star King said.
Upon hearing this, Eunranggeom’s face scrunched up immensely.
“Star King, are you in your right mind?”
“Why? Do you not wish to?”
“This is contempt toward me.”
To spar with a young expert beside him instead of Yeoltujeongeom.
Not to mention the Divine Dragon, confirmed to have reached the Transcendent Realm, and the successor of the Sword Venerable, Seomwolgeom, who was expected to do so.
To go so far as to fight Sword Dance Maiden instead of either of them.
This could only happen if he was being looked down upon.
So just as Eunranggeom was about to speak to the Star King, his face showing he felt insulted.
“So what. Do you not want to? Then don’t.”
“Star King.”
“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Did I simply tell you to fight? I am merely trying to show you.”
The Star King pointed at Sword Dance Maiden with a stern face.
“That your ignorant gaze, which judged her to be below the standard, is wrong. I intend to show you that, staking my pride on it.”
“…Hah.”
Eunranggeom finally realized.
That the Star King had created this situation because of what he himself had said.
“If you don’t like it, stop. Stop and just sit still with your mouth shut.”
“….”
Hearing this, Eunranggeom’s eyes softened slightly as he said,
“You will regret those words.”
“That is for me to worry about.”
“…I heard that woman is your fiancée. Will you still force this through?”
“You bring up amusing words. So, will you do it or not?”
“….”
Silence fell for a moment.
Countless thoughts arose, but in the end, what remained for Eunranggeom was the Star King’s mention of giving him the Star Dragon Division.
He didn’t truly believe he could obtain the Star Dragon Division.
However.
‘It is enough to serve as justification for something.’
The Star King’s words, and the situation that had unfolded.
The result he could gain from it.
No matter how he looked at it, there was no loss.
If only he won the bet.
“…By spar, surely you don’t simply mean I must win. What are the rules?”
“Do as you please.”
“Huh? Do as I please?”
“Does that mean I only need to win the spar?”
“That is up to you, senior.”
“….”
What in the world was his intention?
Could he truly believe Sword Dance Maiden could win?
If so, the Star King might be deluded into thinking others were monsters just like himself.
It didn’t matter.
If his opponent was consumed by arrogance, all the better.
However.
There was one thing he had yet to ask.
“Star King.”
“Yes.”
“I have heard everything. Then conversely, what do I lose if I lose the bet?”
Since it was a bet, both sides needed something to lose.
Since the Star King had wagered such things, he too must have something to lose.
It was with this in mind that he asked.
“Ah. That. About that.”
Hearing this, the Star King spoke with a smile.
“…”
Having heard that, Eunranggeom made his choice.
And the result of that choice was this.
“Young lady.”
“…?”
At the call, Namgung Bia raised her head and looked at Eunranggeom.
Truly beautiful eyes.
The thought crossed his mind involuntarily.
“I bear you no ill will. It is all the more so because I have ties with your father.”
Sword Dance Maiden’s father was the Sword King of the Namgung family.
Though they were not deeply connected, Eunranggeom knew him.
“Therefore, if even now you would—.”
*Shring—!*
“…!”
Eunranggeom’s eyes widened at the sound.
He had been telling her she could stop even now.
To those words filled with concern, Namgung Bia answered by drawing her sword.
Seeing this, Eunranggeom asked.
“Do you truly intend to spar with me…?”
“…”
“…The Star King is one thing, but are you saying that even you judge you have a chance of victory against me?”
Sword Dance Maiden was strong.
As he had thought earlier, she was on a level even Eunranggeom could recognize.
However, being strong did not mean she was stronger than him.
Eunranggeom had too clear a grasp of Sword Dance Maiden’s level.
It was an astonishing level, but that was where it ended.
She was still far from reaching him.
That was Eunranggeom’s judgment.
“What in the world is happening….”
Were this pair of man and woman looking down on him together in this situation?
*Crack—!!*
Eunranggeom clenched his fist violently.
“Fine.”
Very well, show me then.
He didn’t know what the Star King wished to show, but having come this far, he could not retreat.
Since it had come to this, he too would show them.
*Kieeeeeng.*
The Eun'ajeolgeom let out a low sword cry.
“I shall yield three moves before the spar.”
“…”
“Come.”
A courtesy of three moves.
With his aura lowered, Eunranggeom spoke.
At his words, everyone’s eyes lit up with intrigue.
Precisely three moves.
Eunranggeom intended to yield three moves and then strike with the fourth technique.
He was thinking to end this absurd spar thus, at that very moment.
“Three moves?”
Namgung Bia tilted her head and said.
“That’s right. Three….”
*Whik—!*
Suddenly Namgung Bia began to swing her sword.
One.
*Shik—!*
Two.
*Shik—!*
And three.
Having swung her sword a total of three times, Namgung Bia made her characteristic expression and looked at Eunranggeom.
“Three moves.”
At her flatly spoken words, all who watched covered their mouths.
“…Y-you…!!”
*Creak.*
In an instant, Eunranggeom’s face flushed red.
About to burst into a loud shout at the surging rage, but.
“Even if I were to show courtesy, to slight me so—!”
*Tuk.*
“…!?”
Such words from Eunranggeom couldn’t continue for long.
A cold sensation was felt at his neck.
A blade was touching his skin.
“Concession?”
Hearing the voice, Eunranggeom lowered his head.
The voice that had until just now sounded somewhat distant was now right before his nose.
A subtle floral scent wafted.
Silk-like white hair fluttered.
At the same time.
“…Who…?”
Namgung Bia whispered to Eunranggeom.