Lee Dohyun took a deep breath as he prepared for the duel with Heukyeom. In his hand, he held the Ego Blade—still unfamiliar, yet pulsing with a powerful force. For the past few days, Dohyun had begun to sense a deeper connection with it. It was as if the blade could read his thoughts, as if it had begun to accept his will.
"Are you truly worthy to wield me?"
A voice echoed within his mind. At first, Dohyun had dismissed it as an illusion. But ever since he'd learned that the Ego Blade possessed its own consciousness, he realized this voice belonged to the sword itself.
"Worthy? I'm not sure… But I will fight with everything I have."
The Ego Blade vibrated faintly in response. It was no mere tool—it was a living being, responding to his conviction.
As he stood before Heukyeom, Dohyun became increasingly aware of the transformation in his body. Through countless battles with martial masters, he had come to understand the principles of martial arts and the flow of mana. But after accepting the Ego Blade, his inner energy—naegong—and mana had begun to harmonize in a new way, bringing him to a higher state of balance. Naegong grounded his martial foundations, while mana invigorated his every movement.
"I've grown stronger. But compared to Heukyeom, who has mastered the path of slaughter, I'm still lacking."
Heukyeom stood proudly, eyes gleaming with scorn and confidence.
"You call yourself Heukwoon-geom? Let's see if you deserve the title."
The moment he finished speaking, Heukyeom launched forward like lightning. His blade sliced through the air like a shadow, swift and precise, bearing down on Dohyun.
Dohyun raised his blade to parry, but Heukyeom's strikes were more than just physical. Every movement radiated the weight of death honed on real battlefields—something Dohyun had never truly experienced.
"If I'm going to exploit that left shoulder weakness Cheong Unjin mentioned, I need to force an opening."
Dohyun focused on Heukyeom's left side, but his opponent was craftier than expected, giving him no such chance.
"You're trying to exploit my weakness? Ridiculous."
Heukyeom's scornful laugh rang out as his sword pressed harder.
At that moment, the Ego Blade responded—subtly adjusting, almost as if it could sense Dohyun's intent and fill the gaps in his technique. It flowed with him, redirecting the attack and opening up space for a counter.
"It's helping me..."
But Heukyeom was no ordinary master—he was a member of the Ma-gyo's elite, hardened in countless life-and-death battles. His skills were forged not through theory, but through the cold logic of survival.
"A sword is made not only by strength, but by experience. You think you can best me?"
Heukyeom began to read Dohyun's patterns, aiming for a critical opening. His blade shot toward Dohyun's throat—and the Ego Blade twisted, just barely in time to deflect the strike.
In that moment, Dohyun realized what he lacked: not power, but experience. His harmony of mana and inner energy was impressive, but it could not match Heukyeom's depth of battlefield intuition.
Still, he gripped the Ego Blade tighter and pushed himself beyond his limits. His energy surged. Though Heukyeom's presence was overwhelming, Dohyun's resolve remained unshaken.
Heukyeom now unleashed his signature technique: Black Dragon Slash (흑룡참). His sword energy condensed into the form of a massive black dragon, crashing down toward Dohyun.
Just evading the dragon's might was a feat—but Heukyeom followed with Killing Star Blade Wave (살성검파), a deadly linear strike that flashed like a shooting star, forcing Dohyun once again onto the defensive.
Lee Dohyun weathered Heukyeom's fierce assault and began preparing his counter. He poured his mana into the Ego Blade, attempting to awaken a new form of technique.
"I need to draw out this blade's true power."
The sword responded with a subtle pulse. Lightning surged around Dohyun's hand, and flame followed, coiling around the blade. He unleashed a technique—Flame and Thunder Sword Dance (염뢰검무)—a breathtaking fusion of fire and lightning that shimmered with raw elemental energy.
But the technique was not yet fully his. He couldn't completely control the volatile forces within the Ego Blade, and the balance between flame and lightning was still imperfect. It was powerful, but not enough to overwhelm Heukyeom.
Heukyeom narrowed his eyes with a cold smile.
"Your techniques are impressive—beautiful, even. But beauty doesn't win battles. You lack true killing intent."
From the sidelines, Cheong Unjin observed carefully, then shouted:
"Dohyun! His technique is powerful, but he's unbalanced—he's putting everything on his right side! His left shoulder drops when he attacks—there's your chance!"
He added with a grin, "And come on, your beloved comrades are watching. You might want to impress them."
Dohyun allowed himself the faintest smile, even in the heat of battle. Somehow, Cheong Unjin's dry wit eased the weight in his chest. With calm resolve, he whispered to himself:
"It's like reading a boss pattern in a game…"
With renewed focus, he adjusted his stance, aligning his breathing and mana. He activated a Haste enchantment, enhancing his speed and reflexes, and began moving to exploit the weakness in Heukyeom's form.
But Heukyeom, veteran that he was, sensed the change and parried swiftly.
"A fledgling like you dares try to outplay me?"
Just then, the Ego Blade pulsed again—this time with greater force. A new voice echoed faintly:
"I will grant you access… to one of my former master's techniques."
Mana surged through the sword, wreathed in fire and lightning. Dohyun executed Flame-Thunder Cleave (화뢰참)—a devastating hybrid technique, his blade erupting in a shockwave of fire and storm, crashing toward Heukyeom.
Caught off guard, Heukyeom staggered. He raised his blade, barely deflecting the blow, and the air trembled from the explosion of force. Smoke and heat rippled across the training ground.
Panting slightly, Heukyeom muttered, "Had you mastered that technique fully, I wouldn't still be standing."
But in doing so, he made a mistake—his left shoulder dropped.
From the sidelines, Cheong Unjin shouted again, "Now, Dohyun! Hit his left!"
Dohyun surged forward. With another burst of haste magic, he accelerated and drove his blade straight into the exposed gap at Heukyeom's shoulder.
The strike landed deep.
Heukyeom gritted his teeth and staggered back, blood trailing from his shoulder.
"You… Heukwoon-geom… You're more persistent than I expected. But don't think this is over."
He slowly retreated, unwilling to admit defeat, eyes still burning with resolve.
Watching from a distance, Dokyeon—the other infiltrator from Ma-gyo's elite—smirked.
"Classic Heukyeom. Brute strength alone can't break Heukwoon-gwan. I'll take a different route. I'll rot them from within."
Dohyun watched Heukyeom disappear into the distance, slowly lowering his sword. The Ego Blade continued to vibrate faintly, resonating with him.
"I won this time… but it wasn't because I was stronger. It was chance. If he'd remained focused to the end…"
He gripped the blade tighter, eyes calm.
"I still have far to go. I can't let this victory inflate me. I need to grow stronger—for Heukwoon-gwan, and for the ideals I believe in."
There, in the quiet aftermath, his resolve deepened. As the true Heukwoon-geom, his journey was only just beginning.