The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

Cheon Seong could not understand this situation.

Cheon Myeong, who was aiming his sword at him.

No matter how one looked at it, that appearance could only be seen as wanting to fight him with a sword now.

'He wants to settle this with me with a sword?'

The fact that Cheon Myeong had lost all his strength due to Qi Deviation was a fact that most people in the main headquarters knew.

Of course, Cheon Seong also knew that fact, and that's why he could not understand with what guts Cheon Myeong was requesting a duel with him.

"Are you seriously asking for a duel with me?"

"A duel? Well, I guess so."

"..."

Cheon Seong looked at Cheon Myeong without a word for a while.

And.

"I won't."

He said as if it were trivial.

"There's no meaning in beating you in a duel where the result is obvious anyway."

"You'll know when you try."

"No, I know without even trying."

Cheon Seong said firmly.

To be honest, if one were to think about it a little, everyone would think the same as Cheon Seong.

If it were in the past, Cheon Myeong would have been stronger than Cheon Seong, but with what guts was Cheon Myeong, who had lost all his strength due to Qi Deviation, saying that to him?

If he had trained desperately like him after that, it might be different, but Cheon Myeong was a person who had run away from the main headquarters because he hated that training.

That's why Cheon Seong could say with certainty that Cheon Myeong could never beat him.

"Go back now before you get hurt."

Saying that, Cheon Seong turned around.

However, Cheon Myeong still did not lower the sword he was holding.

"Are you scared?"

Flinch-.

What on earth did this damn brother just say to him?

Cheon Seong turned around with a fierce face and glared at Cheon Myeong.

"...You think I'm scared?"

"Yes, isn't that why you keep avoiding me?"

"You're talking nonsense."

"Then pick up your sword and have a duel with me. Why? Are you not skilled enough to control your killing intent yet?"

Crack-.

"It's okay. I'll take care of that myself, so don't worry and come at me with all your strength."

It seemed that their positions had been completely reversed now.

If Cheon Seong had been provoking Cheon Myeong before, now Cheon Myeong was provoking Cheon Seong.

And the effect of the provocation was very outstanding.

Since the person he had thought was a coward and a loser until now was provoking him like this, of course the effect would be outstanding.

Cheon Seong could endure other things. But he didn't think he could stand by and watch Cheon Myeong blabbering with a sword in front of him like that.

"...Don't regret it."

Saying that, Cheon Seong finally aimed his sword.

Seeing this, the corners of Cheon Myeong's mouth went up slightly.

'I should have done this from the beginning.'

As expected, it seemed that for martial artists, the body was the answer rather than words.

In fact, the reason why he couldn't do that readily was because he had been in a position of hiding his strength until now, but come to think of it, weren't there only him and Cheon Seong in this training ground now?

If so, it would be okay if he had a duel with the thought of showing only Cheon Seong a little of his strength.

'In order to draw Cheon Seong to my side anyway, I need to show him a moderate amount of strength.'

The reason why Cheon Seong disliked him was not only because he had run away, leaving him behind in the past, but the biggest reason was probably that he had ignored the destiny of being the leader's son and had completely given up on martial arts.

If so, to think simply, wouldn't it be a problem that would be solved if he showed him that he had not given up on martial arts until now?

And that too, if he showed him an achievement that would surprise Cheon Seong in front of his eyes, it was a problem that would be surely solved.

'To show him that, having a duel directly is the best way.'

On this occasion, he should also regain the dignity of an older brother that he had lost through this duel.

Come to think of it, his attitude towards his brother until now had been quite terrible.

Including that, he would have to fix his habits firmly.

Of course, since this was, after all, a duel, it would not be a particular problem if the opponent was slightly injured.

Don't worry. But still, he is his beloved younger brother, so would he kill him? He would just give him a little loving punishment.

"Then shall we have a simple bet before the duel?"

"...?"

"If I win, from then on, you will treat me respectfully as your older brother."

There was no possibility that Cheon Myeong would win anyway.

Cheon Seong thought so and decided to accept that bet.

"Okay. Then if I win?"

"I'll do whatever you want."

"Then... don't appear in front of me from then on."

"Okay."

Their respective demands, which were decided in a flash.

Since the bet was established with their mutual consent, now all that was left was to start the duel.

"Come at me."

"..."

"Shall I see how much stronger you've become until now?"

Cheon Myeong said with a relaxed face.

That attitude, as if he thought he was far superior.

Cheon Seong was so dumbfounded that he wasn't even angry.

'I'll finish you quickly!'

Even if Cheon Myeong hadn't said that, Cheon Seong had been planning to attack first.

Although he felt a little bad because it seemed that he was acting according to Cheon Myeong's words, since he had no intention of dragging out this ridiculous duel, Cheon Seong ended up choosing to attack first.

Thump-.

Cheon Seong stepped forward. Accordingly, a rather nimble figure that was heading towards Cheon Myeong.

As soon as the distance narrowed, Cheon Seong swung his sword straight ahead.

'Gotcha!'

Cheon Seong was certain of that, seeing his sword falling on Cheon Myeong's head.

But at that moment.

As Cheon Myeong's figure suddenly disappeared from his sight in an instant, Cheon Seong's sword, like a kite that had lost its direction, did not know where to go.

"..."

At the same time, a staggering figure.

Since he had swung his sword widely but the target had suddenly disappeared from in front of him, it had become difficult to maintain his balance.

"Kuh...!"

Although Cheon Seong was barely able to avoid the unsightly appearance of falling forward, he could not deny the fact that his sword had completely missed.

And a sound of clicking his tongue was heard from somewhere towards such a Cheon Seong.

"Tsk, tsk, if you rush in so thoughtlessly, you won't even be able to catch a rabbit."

"..."

Cheon Seong hurriedly turned his head to where the voice had come from.

Then, there, Cheon Myeong was looking at Cheon Seong with a relaxed appearance.

"You didn't even check your opponent's strength, so what did you trust to attack with such a move from the beginning?"

"..."

"And your lower body is still weak. That's why you're trying so hard not to fall even in such a trivial situation."

A flood of advice.

Normally, Cheon Seong would have been offended after hearing such words, but now, he was so agitated inwardly that he couldn't even think of that fact.

'When did he go there?'

He had surely thought that he had caught Cheon Myeong.

But when he came to his senses, not only had his attack missed, but wasn't Cheon Myeong standing in a place he had not predicted at all?

Cheon Seong could not yet properly understand what on earth had happened in that short moment.

'Could it be... no, that's impossible!'

It was just a coincidence that this situation had occurred.

It must have been because he had underestimated Cheon Myeong too much that his attack had missed so poorly.

Cheon Seong thought so and maintained his composure.

"Is that all?"

"..."

"Come at me again."

Cheon Myeong was provoking him again like before.

Although he had not felt anything when he had heard those words before, this time, he felt a little different.

'I won't be careless this time!'

If he were to show such an appearance in succession, that would be as humiliating as losing to Cheon Myeong.

Cheon Seong thought so and swung his sword much more carefully than before this time.

Whoosh-.

Perhaps because he had completely missed Cheon Myeong's movement once, Cheon Seong's sword strike was not so big now.

A sword strike that showed the will to grasp the opponent's movement and to hit the attack somehow, rather than a sword strike that aimed for a one-hit kill.

As much as he had reduced his strength, it seemed to be more convenient to deal with various situations.

Whoosh-.

"..."

Whoosh-.

'Why...'

Whoosh-.

'Why can't my attack... even graze him?'

If he had at least blocked it with a sword, he would have understood to some extent.

However, Cheon Seong's sword strike had been cutting through the air since the duel had started.

That meant that Cheon Myeong had been dodging all of Cheon Seong's attacks without even using a sword until now.

From Cheon Seong's point of view, who was swinging the sword, it was a truly bizarre thing.

"Where are you looking?"

"..."

"That's because you're trying to follow your opponent with your eyes."

"A little..."

"Feel your opponent with your ki sense, not your eyes."

"Be quiet!"

Even during the duel, Cheon Myeong's advice was constantly ringing in Cheon Seong's ears.

In the end, Cheon Seong, who couldn't stand it anymore, shouted.

Then, Cheon Myeong clicked his tongue from a little distance and said.

"Tsk, tsk, no matter what your enemy says, it's good to learn if there's something to learn."

"..."

"That's one way to advance as a martial artist."

Was his brother always so talkative in the past?

Even if he shouted at him to be quiet, words were flowing out of him like a mynah bird without a break since a while ago.

Wait... a mynah bird?

"..."

Realizing something, Cheon Seong's expression contorted.

The cause was Baekjo, which was sitting on Cheon Myeong's shoulder.

When had the duel started, but Baekjo was still sitting on Cheon Myeong's shoulder.

'He had that much leisure until now...?'

Did Cheon Myeong have the leisure to have a duel with a bird on his shoulder?

In fact, unlike him, whose breathing had become ragged, Cheon Myeong's breathing was as stable as usual.

But even so, to have a duel with him with a bird on his shoulder...

As soon as he realized that fact, a tremendous sense of humiliation surged up like a wave.

'I admit it.'

At least, it seemed that Cheon Myeong's skill in dodging attacks was superior to his.

If so, he could take out that move without any burden.

Until now, he had just been swinging his sword normally, but from now on, he would use a sword technique.

Thump-.

Cheon Seong took a stance.

Seeing this, Cheon Myeong's gaze changed slightly.

'It seems he's planning to take out the Mad Dragon Demon Blade.'

Since he had also learned the Mad Dragon Demon Blade, he could immediately know that fact just by looking at the stance.

Although he had been having a duel in a rather playful manner until now, if the other side were to perform the Mad Dragon Demon Blade, he might also need to have a duel a little more seriously.

"Baekjo."

"Peep-?"

"It might be a little dangerous now, so go far away."

"Peep-"

As Cheon Myeong said that, Baekjo flew from Cheon Myeong's shoulder.

And at that moment, Cheon Seong, who had been taking a low stance, instantly dug into Cheon Myeong's bosom.

'Is it the Gwang-ryong-dan-gong-cham?'

Looking at Cheon Seong, who had dug into his bosom, Cheon Myeong was able to immediately grasp that move.

Although the form seemed to be quite well-formed.

That was all.

If the inside was empty, no matter what it was, it would be easily broken with just a weak external shock.

Just like this.

Bang-!

"..."

Cheon Seong's sword, which had been heading for Cheon Myeong's chest, was instantly flicked upwards with his hand.

Cheon Seong's move, which was broken with a single sword strike.

Since he had thought that it was a move of a different class from until now, Cheon Seong's shock was considerable.

'My Gwang-ryong-dan-gong-cham...'

He didn't even know how it had been broken.

But before he could figure that out, a fact that he had to worry about first.

Now, he was in a state where he was so defenseless that he could not deal with anyone's attack.

"..."

As soon as he realized that fact, the sword that Cheon Myeong was holding came into Cheon Seong's two eyes.

Cheon Myeong's sword, which was held exactly above his head.

No, it was not just held.

Seeing the sword getting closer and closer, Cheon Seong belatedly realized that the sword strike was heading for him.

(End of Chapter)