Chapter 296

“Look at him. His movements—they’re steadily improving.”

Indeed.

In a situation where each strike of the sword could mean death,

he was now barely able to block them.

And again, though still difficult, he could fend them off.

Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“How is this possible?”

The reason was simple.

Chris’s swordsmanship was improving in real time.

“The Demon Sword King’s strikes are priceless lessons you couldn’t buy anywhere.”

Chris’s eyes devoured every arc of the Demon Sword King’s blade flying toward him as he thought.

There were many powerful knights and demons.

But few had mastered swordsmanship to such an extreme.

As Chris’s case showed, beyond a certain level, the power of ‘will’ becomes more important than mere technique.

Of course, a strong foundation in swordsmanship is necessary to strengthen one’s will, but most high-ranking knights or demons eventually focus more on honing their will than perfecting their swordplay itself.

“Of course, just watching the Demon Sword King’s blade won’t instantly make me his equal—that’s impossible even for me.”

Still, the noticeable change was simple to explain.

Chris was beginning to ‘adapt’ to the Demon Sword King’s sword.

“After all, I was already familiar with his blade.”

In his previous life, the Demon Sword King was one of the Union’s greatest enemies.

Many knights had analyzed his swordsmanship.

Chris had even studied the Demon Sword King’s techniques alongside the hero’s party.

“Based on that analysis, I practiced virtual duels in my mind during training.”

When training to become a sword master, it wasn’t just about swinging the sword.

He also engaged in mental sparring, using the Demon Sword King as his opponent.

Thanks to that direct experience, he could adapt quickly.

“Still, that doesn’t mean I’m anywhere near good enough.”

It was only a slight improvement.

Every split second was still a life-or-death crisis.

Slash!

The Demon Sword King’s blade sliced through the air.

It had long since transcended any recognizable form; it was impossible to even guess the style.

An extreme pleasure.

Reacting by sight was too late.

Chris had to predict the attack’s direction from subtle bodily cues before the strike and dodge accordingly.

But even that was twisted by the Demon Sword King.

One beam of light split into countless branches.

No reaction or prediction could help.

Chris instinctively drew his sword and moved with dazzling skill, sweeping away the scattering light.

“Whoa!!”

The spectators gasped in admiration.

He barely blocked the strike, but the danger was far from over.

The Demon Sword King showed no change in expression—no fatigue, not even a drop of sweat.

That was the crucial difference between them.

Each move was a life-threatening crisis for Chris, but for the Demon Sword King, it was nothing more than a casual flick of the blade.

Then, suddenly, the Demon Sword King stopped his sword and spoke unexpectedly.

“I take back what I said earlier. You’re not as bad as I thought. A sword worthy of being called a hero’s.”

It was a compliment.

But not a kind one.

“You’re just the right kind of prey for my Demon Sword. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted blood.”

The Demon Sword King smiled with a grimace.

It was a chilling smile, as if he took pleasure in cutting down the strong.

‘Is he another Sherard? What a madman.’

Chris steadied his breath.

The Demon Sword King’s mood had shifted.

Until now, it felt like he was just warming up, but now he seemed serious.

Slash!

Chris twisted his body sharply to the side.

There was no warning—just instinct.

That choice saved his life.

A single streak of light shot through the air, and after a brief silence, a fierce wind roared.

The Demon Sword King’s blade twisted space itself, generating a powerful gust.

‘He didn’t even channel his demonic energy and still caused that.’

The attack failed, but the Demon Sword King laughed joyfully.

“Heh heh. This is good. It’s been so long since I’ve had this much fun. Struggle all you want—it only makes me happier.”

His voice was like a cat toying with a cornered mouse.

But Chris responded unexpectedly.

“How about wiping your own blood first?”

“What?”

The Demon Sword King’s eyes widened.

A thin line of blood dripped down the back of his hand gripping the sword!

Chris had seized the brief moment when the blade was thrust and retracted to land a hit.

“…You.”

“I expected more from the Demon Sword King, but you’re nothing special. Don’t tell me you think you can just show off your strength without even landing a hit?”

“!!”

He mocked the Demon Sword King for failing to even scratch him despite all those threatening attacks.

And he didn’t stop there.

“I’ve heard the head of the noble magic family’s strongest magic swordsman is Nordian of the Dark Magic House. Seems like that’s true. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have challenged you to a duel.”

“You brat…!”

The Demon Sword King, who had maintained his composure until now, finally showed anger.

For reference, among the heads of the noble magic families—excluding the transcendent Saryeong and Shinbi—the four strongest were:

The Wraith of the Curse Magic House,

The Obsidian King of the Obsidian Magic House,

And the Demon Sword King and Nordian.

The Demon Sword King and Nordian were often compared as rival magic swordsmen.

‘I fought him once, and my grandfather won.’

Because of that, the Demon Sword King ground his teeth at the mention of Nordian.

Meanwhile, Nordian ignored him completely, which only stung the Demon Sword King’s pride more.

And now that Nordian had become the Soma King, an opponent beyond his reach, the Demon Sword King’s frustration was even greater.

“You’ll regret your careless tongue.”

Still, the Demon Sword King suppressed his anger and launched a calm counterattack.

But there was a clear difference from before.

‘His killing intent has deepened.’

Not excitement, but the intensity of his attacks had grown fiercer.

“D-Danger!!”

A terrifyingly close call unfolded, and it seemed Chris would collapse at any moment, blood spilling everywhere.

Then, as a series of strikes targeted his legs, chest, and neck barely grazing him,

something unbelievable happened again.

Slash!

Blood splattered from the back of the Demon Sword King’s hand once more.

Chris had succeeded in counterattacking again in this desperate moment.

The Demon Sword King’s eyes hardened.

“Tricks.”

He pressed Chris harder, but another unexpected event occurred.

Though Chris was being pushed back like a fragile branch caught in a storm, he managed to wound the Demon Sword King again.

This time, deliberately, at a right angle to the previous wound.

‘Don’t underestimate me—I’ve reached the level of a sword master.’

When he first lightly probed with his sword, there was no opening.

But now, attacking with full force, even the Demon Sword King showed a weakness.

Though still far inferior to the Demon Sword King, Chris’s swordsmanship had reached mastery.

Combined with his innate talent, he could find a way to exploit openings.

‘Of course, causing only minor wounds is my limit.’

But that was fine.

Chris’s true counterattack was just beginning.

“…Even a cornered rat bites. This is getting interesting.”

“Still have time to show off, huh? Hey, old man, your joints must be aching. Why not just go to purgatory and rest easy? I’ll treat you well.”

Dropping all respect, Chris taunted, and the Demon Sword King’s face turned icy cold.

“Arrogant brat. The game is over. This next move will cut your head off.”

The Demon Sword King’s sword seemed to grow enormous as it descended toward Chris.

It wasn’t actually larger—the overwhelming force behind the blade created an illusion.

It was like a mountain crashing down.

The Great Mountain Sword.

The Demon Sword King’s powerful finishing move.

Its sword energy covered all directions, making it impossible to evade if caught within its range.

“Th-This…!”

“No!!”

The spectators held their breath, certain Chris would be crushed mercilessly.

Even Evan placed his hand on his sword.

‘I have to stop this!’

Sacred duel? None of that mattered.

Saving Chris was the priority.

But Evan suddenly stopped.

He saw the smile on Chris’s lips.

A surprising smile—the smile of victory.

‘Got you.’

Chris thought to himself.

A question now:

Why had Chris learned swordsmanship from Evan?

Was it just because Evan was a great swordsman? There was a more decisive reason.

He recalled the past.

“Evan, there’s only one way to beat the Demon Sword King. You have to make him unleash the Great Mountain Sword.”

In his previous life, the Demon Sword King had spilled blood across the Union for a long time.

Many knights challenged him, but all became prey to the Demon Sword.

“Especially back then, the Demon Sword King had the power of a demon, making him even stronger than now.”

So the hero’s party devised a plan.

Using Lanya’s ability, they created a magic circle that sealed all mana, demonic energy, and divine power, forcing a pure one-on-one sword duel between Evan and the Demon Sword King—just like Chris was doing now.

“That alone wasn’t enough. Evan’s swordsmanship wasn’t enough to beat the Demon Sword King then.”

It was Chris, the beacon of the hero’s party, who helped Evan find the answer to defeat the Demon Sword King.

Chris mirrored the exact stance Evan had taken during their duel before the regression.

Just as he had taught him back then.

He stepped his right foot back and angled his sword diagonally.

The famous rider’s stance.

“That’s—?”

“No way, from the renowned swordsmanship school?!”

The Dead Sea Flash.

The strength of this technique lay in its ability to unleash a powerful effect even without mana, depending on how it was executed.

‘Right on target.’

A brilliant streak of light sliced through the Dead Sea, piercing straight through the heart of the massive mountain.

“!!”

The force was so overwhelming it seemed to shake the very heavens and earth.

But Chris didn’t stop.

Instead, he advanced, repeatedly unleashing the Dead Sea Flash.

All aimed precisely at the same core.

Like a spear breaking through a barrier of evil.

Then, a wave of energy burst forth!

The Taesan Sword was neutralized.

But there was no time to celebrate.

The Sword King had merely withdrawn the Taesan Sword—it hadn’t taken any real damage.

On the contrary—

“Pathetic.”

Whoosh!

Like a crashing wave, a sword stroke came down.

It was the Sword King’s other signature move: the Wave Sword.

At that moment, memories from the past surged back.

—After the Taesan Sword is neutralized, the Sword King’s reaction is crucial. If he steps back or tries to keep you at bay, it’s over. Don’t look back—just run.

Chris had deliberately positioned Evan within the Sword King’s striking range.

Exactly at the perfect distance to provoke the Wave Sword.

—You have to bait the Sword King into using the Wave Sword.

It had been a gamble.

There was no guarantee the Sword King would definitely use the Wave Sword.

But at the time, stopping the Sword King was a risk Chris had to take.

Now, Chris was different.

He had set the stage so the Sword King would have no choice but to use the Wave Sword.

‘I even deliberately wounded his hand earlier.’

Considering the current distance and angle between Chris and the Sword King, as well as the posture of his arm, shoulder, and body, the possible sword techniques he could use were limited.

And because of the slight restriction caused by the injury Chris had inflicted, the most effective move for the Sword King right now was the Wave Sword.

—If the Sword King uses the Wave Sword, you win.

Back then, Chris had smiled and said:

—Show that damn bastard you’re the hero.

Being a hero wasn’t about radiant mana or blessings from the constellations.

The true symbol of a hero was the miracle that made the impossible possible.

Just like what Chris was doing now.

Chris’s sword surged forward, directly confronting the Wave Sword.