WHACK—!!

The sword tore through the air. A surging flash and a chilling sound rang out everywhere.

PSHUK—!

DRIP—!!!

A sword wound opened across Sword Demon’s chest, and blood sprayed in every direction.

“...!”

Sword Demon’s face twisted as he jumped back. With one arm, he couldn’t even clutch his chest.

Luckily, the cut wasn’t deep. In that brief instant, he’d wrapped himself in hardened protective qi and poured every shred of focus into evasion.

But—

Drip.

“...”

The blood flowing from the wound wasn’t normal.

Even though the strike had come in shallow, something was wrong.

Pain, sure—but even with inner power layered over it, the bleeding wouldn’t stop properly.

‘This is...’

Sword Demon, face set hard, stared at the one who’d wounded him—Little Sword Saint Bang Sungyeon.

“That disgusting light.”

Back in the Orthodox-Demonic War, the light Yoo Cheongil used to massacre demon men.

That light wrapped around the Little Sword Saint’s hand right now—that was it.

WHIRR—!!

Then, after spinning his sword a few times, Bang Sungyeon clicked his tongue.

“Tch... too shallow.”

As he spoke, he clenched and unclenched his fist a few times.

His face made it obvious he wasn’t satisfied.

“You nasty bastard. If you’re going to do it, do it right. You were short by a hair.”

He spat out that inexplicable mutter, then looked back at Sword Demon. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“...”

“Why are you doing that.”

TAP.

With the sword resting on his shoulder, Sword Demon’s eyes narrowed to slits. A familiar pose.

Yoo Cheongil.

It was a perfect copy of that monster’s behavior.

So the talk about the Sword Saint’s return wasn’t a lie?

‘He doesn’t look anything like him.’

From head to toe, there wasn’t even a speck of resemblance.

But watching him kept dragging Yoo Cheongil into my head.

The way he spoke. Those ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) eyes filled with madness. Or—

‘His skill.’

Press.

Sword Demon pressed down on the bleeding and spoke to Bang Sungyeon.

“How did you know.”

At the question, Bang Sungyeon tilted his head.

“Know what?”

“That I can’t kill people.”

“Ah. That.”

Heh heh heh.

Bang Sungyeon laughed low. The sound scraped at my ear like it was clawing me raw.

“How would I not know... I can see it. That’s why.”

WHIRR—! He rotated his sword again, and Sword Demon tensed.

That instant—

WHACK—!!

Bang Sungyeon closed in on Sword Demon.

And—

“...Grit.”

Sword Demon ground his teeth as he watched him fly in.

His upper body was wide open. Every vital point was exposed.

If Sword Demon just cut with his blade, he could kill Bang Sungyeon in a single strike right there.

But—

CLANG—!!

Sword Demon didn’t aim for the vital points. He aimed for Bang Sungyeon’s sword.

The exchange exploded again at blistering speed.

CLANG—! CLANG CLANG CLANG—!! A fight whipping nonstop.

It was only a moment, but dozens of exchanges happened—

BOOM—!!

With a violent grind, distance opened again.

“...Nasty bastard.”

The instant they separated, Sword Demon looked at Bang Sungyeon and spoke.

“You’re a cunning one.”

“You keep complimenting me—I don’t know what to do with myself.”

Bang Sungyeon gave a small laugh. Even that smile made Sword Demon’s skin crawl.

‘What the hell is he?’

He’d realized Sword Demon’s secret.

The “debt” that had allowed him to be here.

The golden seal placed on his body.

That was—

‘I can’t kill humans.’

Sword Demon couldn’t kill people.

The moment he even thought about killing—vital points included—the golden seal activated.

That was why he couldn’t aim for Bang Sungyeon’s vitals.

The problem was—

‘He knows it exactly.’

Bang Sungyeon had grasped Sword Demon’s condition—and started using it.

That was the problem.

And it wasn’t even just “using it.”

‘Not being able to aim for vitals doesn’t mean I can’t attack.’

Wounding him was always possible. What bound Sword Demon was “don’t kill,” and things like subduing were still allowed.

So even if Bang Sungyeon exposed his vitals, Sword Demon could’ve just responded accordingly—

‘That cunning bastard...!’

But Sword Demon couldn’t.

The reason was simple.

Bang Sungyeon wasn’t just exposing his vitals.

‘He’s exposing only his vitals.’

Only the vitals where even a graze could accidentally kill.

Everything else was locked down into defense.

And the moment you recognized, clearly, that touching wrong could kill—

Sword Demon couldn’t touch those vitals.

And if he couldn’t touch the vitals, he had no option but to keep meeting the blade.

‘...A monster.’

While making that judgment, Sword Demon almost laughed without meaning to.

This wasn’t something you could do just because you’d noticed his secret.

Expose only vitals, and defend everything else completely.

And still attack—with no gaps in the space you’d sealed off?

It required perfect bodily control and total command of the flow of a fight.

‘A kid not even fourteen yet.’

At most, barely fourteen. Maybe not even of age.

And at that age, he could use a response method like this against Sword Demon?

Absurd.

“Yoo Cheongil....”

CRUNCH.

Sword Demon ground his teeth harder than before.

Even dead, you still interfere.

Clenching down on that fact, he swung his blade.

CLANG—!!

“Hahahaha—!!! What’s wrong?”

Bang Sungyeon flashed him a bright smile.

“Aren’t you more pathetic than before?”

“...”

Sword Demon’s face twisted. He’d never imagined he’d be judged like this by that brat.

‘No matter...’

No matter that his right arm was severed and he’d become a one-armed swordsman.

No matter that the golden seal meant he couldn’t even bring out three tenths of his skill.

This was still too unbelievable.

Sword Demon shifted his gaze. The fight was still going on, but—

‘I’m getting pushed.’

He could see his forces dwindling.

Of course. This intervention fight’s purpose had been killing Jegal Jin and leaving.

For that, they’d split their forces, and as expected, only two commander-level martial artists were left attached to Jegal Jin.

The abnormality was—

‘One is missing.’

The spy HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE supposedly planted—he’d heard there was definitely a commander-level martial artist.

‘Did they deal with him?’

Normally, with Sword Demon’s appearance, that commander should’ve already taken Jegal Jin’s head.

Then, using the chaos, the plan had been to kill everyone else, too.

‘He’s not here.’

Something had gone wrong somewhere.

KRRRK—!!

Sword Demon poured strength in.

Hardened qi slammed against hardened qi again—

CLANG—!!

And in the force that bounced back, Sword Demon realized something.

‘This bastard...’

Bang Sungyeon’s strength was growing.

Like he wasn’t getting tired at all—his speed and the power he used to knock away blades both kept getting stronger.

‘What the...’

What kind of ridiculous bastard was this?

And in the instant he was questioning it—

WHACK—!!

“...!”

A sword brushed Sword Demon’s cheek. If he’d been a beat slower, his throat would’ve been cut.

“What a shame.”

Bang Sungyeon smacked his lips like he genuinely meant it.

“There won’t be a third time.”

Then he smiled wide again and charged.

Sword Demon bled the rushing offense off by a hair and glanced behind him.

‘Dangerous.’

He judged it rationally. With two commander-level guards there, he couldn’t complete the mission with his current strength.

And could he kill Bang Sungyeon or Jegal Jin?

That was uncertain too.

Bang Sungyeon’s strength itself was unexpected.

And the disappearance of the spy they’d planted was unexpected as well.

Dragging time out here wouldn’t help.

‘...No choice.’

A martial artist’s pride shattered.

Being obstructed like this by that brat in front of him.

And the misery of not being able to cut down a body that would’ve fallen to one sword in his prime.

But—

‘What matters is...’

Everything was for the sky. Pride like this meant nothing.

With that judgment, sparks flew in Sword Demon’s eyes.

‘Even with the golden seal...’

Even with this damned golden seal—

‘Once is possible.’

Even if it meant dying, he could still take someone with him.

Sword Demon immediately located his target.

At that moment, Bang Sungyeon’s sword flew in again.

A blade wrapped in light, descending in the shape of night—

“Hup!”

Sword Demon opened everything and struck.

CLANG—!!

He stuffed a massive amount of energy into a single blow and swung.

CLANG—!

With a piercing sound, Bang Sungyeon’s sword shot upward.

A vital point showed. If he ignored the golden seal, he could drive through Bang Sungyeon’s heart right now.

But—

BOOM—!!

Sword Demon chose something else.

He lunged into someone with all his power.

“Strategist—!!”

“Protect the Strategist!”

Straight at Jegal Jin.

The guards moved in a panic, but—

They couldn’t stop Sword Demon’s full force.

BANG BANG—!!

THUD—!

In an instant, he knocked their guarding blades away.

They blocked two strikes, but the third pierced a shoulder.

It didn’t matter. Right now—

‘Cut his head.’

Killing Jegal Jin. Sword Demon made that his purpose.

So he succeeded in closing distance and raised his sword to swing—

‘What?’

Sword Demon felt something off.

Because Jegal Jin’s face was blank.

Those eyes—like he’d known this was coming.

That calm, peaceful look shook Sword Demon’s insides.

What is this disgusting feeling? Why is he looking at me with that face?

He couldn’t understand, but he couldn’t stop.

He’d already decided, and turning back wasn’t an option.

Sword Demon’s sword split the space.

Just as purple sword force whipped out, fast, aiming for Jegal Jin’s throat—

“WHOOOOSH—!!!”

Something suddenly appeared and blocked Sword Demon’s sword.

“—!”

A huge young man.

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojun.

Peng Dojun stepped in front of Sword Demon and took the blade head-on.

CLANG—!!

“Kuh—huck!!!”

Peng Dojun spat blood and got thrown back.

When his body stopped after rolling across the floor—

“Well done.”

A voice came from behind. Sword Demon turned.

“A man’s got to have guts like that. Right?”

Bang Sungyeon.

He was the same. The same as Jegal Jin’s face.

Like he’d been sure Sword Demon would pick this method.

That certainty was stamped all over him.

‘...Ha.’

Only then did Sword Demon realize.

It had been a trap from the start.

‘Since when?’

Since when had they laid a trap like this?

He wanted to know, but Sword Demon would never get the answer.

WHACK—!!

With the next stroke of light, Sword Demon’s neck was cut.

TAP! ROLL ROLL ROLL!

His severed head, cut by Third Form: Radiant Moon Annihilation-Overturn, rolled across the floor.

PSHUK—!!

Blood burst out, and Sword Demon’s old body dropped to its knees.

“...Hoo.”

Bang Sungyeon exhaled as he stared at the floor darkening with blood.

Then he shoved the sword back into his waist—

“Ah, that hits the spot.”

Like he was truly satisfied, he wiped his forehead.

His face was drenched in Sword Demon’s blood, but unlike that, his expression was clean and refreshed.