Kaang─!!

“…Huh?!”

A sharp sound echoed.

Lost in memories of the past due to the tingling shock along her fingertips, Lucy suddenly realized that she was currently clashing swords with Yoon Si-woo.

At the same time, Yoon Si-woo’s piercing shout came flying at her.

“In the midst of a fight, you can’t let your mind wander like that…!”

“…I’m sorry about this!”

Regardless of the reasons, focusing on something else while engaged in a duel is simply disrespectful to the opponent.

Lucy, having parried Yoon Si-woo’s sword, immediately apologized for her mistake, trying to regain her composure after being slightly thrown off by the last exchange.

However,

Ka-ga-gak─!

Yoon Si-woo’s sharp flurry of attacks poured relentlessly toward her, as if he wouldn’t let her take advantage of the opening she had revealed.

In response to Yoon Si-woo’s actions, Lucy thought, “Exactly.”

Persistently holding onto a gained advantage is a necessary virtue for one who is strong.

When swordsmen reach a certain level, their battles become akin to a game of Go.

The countless exchanges of moves may seem to have little impact on the overall game at first glance.

But just as a single drop of escaping water can ultimately form a large river, the side that finds itself on the defensive gradually accumulates small losses with each exchange, leading to inevitable defeat.

In that regard, the side that has fallen on the defensive must possess skills superior to the opponent to turn the tide.

Only an unforeseen new move that the opponent cannot predict or counter can overturn the situation.

Thus, Lucy declared,

“…I’ll make amends with this!”

With her resolve to take Yoon Si-woo’s barrage with her body, she launched a decisive strike against him.

Her blow, infused with the momentum of a fierce attack, was so powerful that anyone would flinch at its force.

It was an unpreventable attack, but if Yoon Si-woo paused his offensive even for a moment to deflect it, Lucy could buy herself time to stabilize her stance.

For Lucy, this was the best move she could make to throw away Yoon Si-woo’s established advantage, whether he chose to ignore or defend against her blow.

And he couldn’t afford to ignore Lucy’s attack. Their swords crossed,

Sruuk─

Redirecting her sword with a soft motion, Yoon Si-woo diverted the force meant to pierce through her blade completely in another direction.

Had he attempted to meet strength with strength, Yoon Si-woo would have lost his advantage.

But utilizing gentleness to overcome strength would inevitably render Lucy’s decisive strike ineffective.

A perfect response that would have been impossible had Yoon Si-woo not reached her level yet.

In that fleeting moment, Lucy saw Yoon Si-woo’s eyes, calmly meeting her in the midst of the clash that had yielded no sound.

Those eyes told her that he had already predicted this far.

“…Ha!”

Seeing this, Lucy burst into laughter.

This strike, if it had been the Yoon Si-woo from when the sparring began, he would have never responded so cleanly.

Yet he had achieved it.

As expected.

If there’s a reason to grow stronger, then through daily improvement, one can become stronger even in this very moment of clashing swords.

Lucy admired Yoon Si-woo’s remarkable growth and quietly awaited his counterattack.

If Yoon Si-woo had attained a level comparable to hers, then at the moment her decisive strike had returned with no effect, he would practically have sealed his victory by already holding the advantage.

However, despite Lucy’s anticipation, no attack came from Yoon Si-woo.

She questioned him.

“…What are you thinking?”

She looked at Yoon Si-woo, who stood silently, waiting for her.

A golden opportunity to decide the outcome of the duel, the advantage she had just grasped.

He was giving all of that up, waiting for her to regain her stance.

“…Why did you stop? If you had gone through with it, you would have won. Didn’t you forget that you were fighting me to find a way to bring that girl back? You must be desperate to do so; why did you kick away the chance to beat me?”

Yoon Si-woo answered her questions.

“…It’s true that I want it badly. But Lucy, you’ve said you wanted me to become stronger than anyone else.”

With calm eyes, he continued.

“…I don’t know what distracted you in the middle, but I don’t think I can proudly say I’ve become stronger than you if I win just because you’ve made a mistake.”

A swordsman can learn a lot through combat.

Perhaps Yoon Si-woo felt her true intentions while clashing their swords.

Her heartfelt desire.

An enduring wish that he become stronger than anyone else.

As various complicated emotions swirled in Lucy’s heart,

“…Ahaha! How arrogant! Truly an arrogant response!”

In the end, what remained was satisfaction towards Yoon Si-woo, who had grown enough to express that.

Lucy, hearing Yoon Si-woo’s answer, gleefully laughed and said,

“But that’s exactly what makes it better. Yes, to truly discuss being the strongest, one must be arrogant.”

Wasn’t it said that tenaciously holding onto a gained advantage is a virtue a strong person should have?

However, to claim oneself as the strongest requires being able to seize victory, even if that means sacrificing whatever advantage one has or, even when the opponent holds the improved circumstances.

Thus, Lucy spoke to her disciple, who was truly deserving of being called the strongest.

As Yoon Si-woo steadied his stance and raised his sword, just as he wished.

“If that’s your intent, then come. Prove with your sword that you deserve to be called the strongest.”

Upon hearing those words, Yoon Si-woo slowly lifted his sword.

And at that moment, Lucy couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the sight before her.

The stance of Yoon Si-woo before her, holding a sword, mirrored her own, like a reflection in a mirror.

Just like the day they battled that certain swordsman in the cave.

“…Fate is quite mischievous.”

Lucy murmured softly, slowly lowering her raised sword.

At the same time, Yoon Si-woo’s sword followed suit, descending precisely along the same path without a moment’s error.

And the clash of their swords, reaching the pinnacle of skill, was utterly tranquil.

“…….”
“…….”

It felt as though silence itself swelled around them, swallowing the sounds of the world for a brief moment.

Then, a small sound echoed softly, a step behind the moment.

“…I see.”

Lucy lowered the sword she had been holding.

At the very moment she set the sword down, a portion of her ebony hair was neatly severed and blew in the wind, as if it had always been that way.

Gently running her hand along the cut edge, Lucy slowly turned around.

Then she looked up to the sky behind her, glancing at the sword mark etched into the clouds which had split neatly in half.

“At last, you have surpassed me. You have become stronger than anyone in the world….”

How long had she waited for this?

Lucy felt a sense of satisfaction mingled with relief.

And at the same time, a slight tinge of regret.

…Regret? Why?

She couldn’t quite understand why she felt that way.

Lucy was momentarily taken aback, but before long, she came to recognize her true feelings.

And she couldn’t help but feel self-deprecating.

Because she realized that the source of that regret was a kind of jealousy.

Lucy turned towards Yoon Si-woo.

He was gazing at her with fervent eyes.

But Lucy knew.

The object of yearning in those eyes, the reason he could become stronger than anyone else, was not herself but another being.

The same had been true the day before.

The first place in his heart had always been the sword, not her.

Perhaps that’s why an ancient wish lingered in her heart, wishing to be the first place in his affections.

“…I really am foolish.”

The past is the past; the present is the present.

There’s no point in yearning for something one couldn’t have in the past; it only makes a fool of oneself.

Quickly shaking off those childish emotions that had caused turbulence in her chest, Lucy looked at Yoon Si-woo with a calmer gaze.

It was now time to reward him for keeping the promise he had worked hard to fulfill.

With a relieved smile gracing her lips, Lucy spoke to Yoon Si-woo.

“…Si-woo, you’re the victor. Having defeated me, tell me how to bring that child back, as promised.”

“…Is there really a way?”

Having just defeated her, was it too hard to believe that a method existed?

Yoon Si-woo asked, his expression tinged with anxiety.

To him, Lucy chuckled lightly and replied.

“Don’t worry about that. There is indeed a way to bring that child back.”

“…Then tell me quickly. Whatever it is, I’ll go and do it right away.”

Yoon Si-woo muttered with a resolute expression, eager to rush off to bring Scarlet back, regardless of what Lucy might say.

But Lucy shook her head at him.

“No need for that. You already possess the method, Si-woo.”

“…Me?”

Yoon Si-woo was taken aback to realize that he already had the means to resurrect Scarlet.

If he had such a method, he would have used it long ago.

Then, turning to the bewildered Yoon Si-woo, Lucy explained.

“Si-woo, remember when I taught you about the abilities of the Holy Swords, and deliberately withheld one sword’s abilities from you?”

“…Yes, I do remember.”

Among the swords Yoon Si-woo possessed, one was known as the Holy Sword of Humility, hiding its true identity, and there were a total of seven swords.

It was indeed Lucy who had informed Yoon Si-woo about the abilities of the Holy Swords.

However, she hadn’t revealed all their capabilities.

Unlike the Holy Swords of Radiance, Guidance, Truth, and Protection, there were some which required a heavy toll each time they were used.

“One of those is the Unyielding Holy Sword, which can restore the user’s body at the cost of their lifespan. The reason I initially wanted to keep the ability of that sword from you… I believe you can understand without further explanation.”

“…Oh.”

Yoon Si-woo averted his gaze at Lucy’s cold voice.

Previously, he had almost sacrificed his life to restore Scarlet, who had been caught in the grasp of the Witch of Rage, Evangeline, giving up far too much of his lifespan.

Lucy had been worried that if Yoon Si-woo learned about the sword’s abilities, he might misuse it again, neglecting his own well-being.

“Another Holy Sword whose name I never revealed to you was also withheld for that same reason. The cost of using its abilities is even heavier than that of the Unyielding Holy Sword.”

But now, it was time to reveal it.

Because….

“That last sword you possess holds the ability to be the only way to bring that child back.”

Sensing the pivotal moment had arrived, Lucy said to Yoon Si-woo.

“The name of the last Holy Sword you possess is Desire. Its ability is to grant one wish, albeit in a limited manner.”

“…!”

As Lucy revealed the abilities of the Holy Sword, Yoon Si-woo’s eyes widened in shock.

The ability to grant a wish was nothing short of a miracle.

If so, then maybe he could use that ability to bring Scarlet back….

Just as he started to contemplate this, Lucy added one crucial note.

“However, it comes at the cost of the user’s life.”

At her words, Yoon Si-woo shut his eyes tightly.