Chapter 979
Episode 242: Elliott (Part 2)

“What did you say? You want to teach me?”

Elliott nodded.

For Luna, it was an absurd statement. She knew Elliott was a warrior of the Cheongmyeong tribe, but to suddenly offer to teach her—out of the blue—was baffling.

“That’s right, Luna Runcandel.”

A heavy silence fell.

Was it a refreshing shock? Or just sheer audacity? Luna couldn’t quite place her feelings as she stared at Elliott.

“Hmm… You’re incredibly confident. Well, you did say you’re from Changseong.”

“You don’t seem to trust me.”

“It’s not about trust. It’s just… a bit unexpected.”

“The world has changed, hasn’t it? The great Myeongwang tribe, and a blue warrior at that, offering to teach you directly—and you respond so lukewarmly. In ancient times, such a thing was unthinkable.”

Luna’s confusion only deepened. Jin found her reaction amusing and stayed silent.

“Do you know how many powerful warriors begged me for lessons back then? Of course not—you weren’t even born yet. I refused every single one. Why? Because they all fell short of my standards.”

“Oh, really? So that means I meet your standards?”

“You’re as arrogant as they come, and more reckless than a starving chicken.”

Jin nearly burst out laughing at that.

“What? Arrogant… like a starving chicken?”

“Of course, you still don’t meet my standards. Your martial skills are strong compared to those warriors of old, but I don’t feel it in you.”

Luna gritted her teeth, waiting patiently for Elliott to continue. After all, he was just recovering from illness…

“You’re probably wondering what I don’t feel.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You will be. It’s the kind of hatred and thirst for revenge only someone who’s been trampled on can have. You seem to have grown up quite sheltered. You have a strong, sharp will, but that’s all. You lack desperation.”

Luna wanted to argue, but Elliott had seen right through her recent struggles. Siron himself had said Luna needed a harsh defeat.

“So, you’re saying you’ll awaken that desperate spirit in me?”

“Exactly. And I’ll also refine your somewhat shallow swordsmanship. Your breathing is all wrong from the start.”

Elliott unleashed a barrage of harsh words Luna had never heard before.

Who could dare say that the swordsmanship of Runcandel’s first generation, the White Whale, lacked foundation? Even Siron had never put it that way. Some had called her arrogant or reckless, but they all paid the price and vanished from the world’s stage.

“Hmph, you’ve crossed the line. I get your point, Elliott. When I’m fully recovered, contact me. Let’s spar. I want to see if you can back up your words.”

Elliott scoffed and shook his head.

“Why wait? If there’s a suitable place, let’s go now.”

Luna’s forehead and neck veins bulged.

“Junior, did you hear that? I can’t hold back any longer. Would it be alright if I half-kill this guy again today?”

“More starving chicken nonsense. Jin Runcandel, don’t worry. I’ll keep it within reasonable limits.”

Luna’s entire body was already engulfed in a blazing aura.

“I can’t let such rude provocation slide. Sister, please proceed. But since it’s wartime, both of you must keep it clean. No killing each other in anger.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t worry.”

And so, the group suddenly headed to the underground training hall.

“Jin, I heard some of it. Mind if I come watch?”

“That goes for me too!”

It was Veradin and Dante from the neighboring ward. Lately, Dante had been visiting Veradin whenever he had free time.

Though they asked Jin, both Veradin and Dante hesitated, glancing at Luna. She strode ahead as if it didn’t matter.

To them, Luna was a more mysterious figure than Jin. Both had grown up hearing tales of the White Whale’s exploits and dignity.

Of course, objectively, Jin was now the stronger warrior as a Changseong. But to them, Jin was a friend. Naturally, seeing Luna’s swordsmanship firsthand was more exciting. Luna still felt somewhat distant to them.

“I didn’t expect to be greeted with provocation instead of a proper welcome.”

Elliott selected a suitable sword from the training hall’s armory. By normal standards, it was a fine blade, but it felt insufficient against Luna.

“My offer to teach you was my way of showing gratitude. It’s regrettable you found it unpleasant… Luna Runcandel, before we fight, let’s make a promise.”

“What is it?”

“The loser must unconditionally obey one wish of the winner.”

“Agreed.”

The aura and magic radiating from Luna stirred a fierce, scorching wind throughout the training hall.

Jin, standing between them, stepped back—a signal to begin.

Clang!

Luna struck first. She brought down her sword, Krantel, with lethal intent—not out of anger from the earlier provocation, but with calm, cold eyes. There was no reason to fall into Elliott’s pace.

“Ugh!”

Elliott coughed up a mouthful of blood as Luna’s assault landed. The internal injuries from his long confinement and recent outbursts flared up.

Still, even while spitting blood, he deftly parried or dodged most of Luna’s fierce strikes—a skill only a master could display.

“Rough, as expected, excessively rough.”

He said it not to provoke but because he knew Luna had shut out all distractions. She was fully immersed in the fight.

“Such a wild sword suits the desperate. Your sword should be more refined. Without balance, you can’t break through the wall.”

Jin listened closely to Elliott’s commentary, as if it were a play-by-play.

Somehow, he seemed to be making sense.

“Earlier, Elliott said your breathing was wrong from the start… Now I think I understand what he meant.”

For a warrior, breathing is a key indicator of their nature.

Luna always breathed like a beast without rivals—no need to hold her breath in fear or pause to deceive prey.

Her breathing was proof she had always been a dominant force, embodying the path of the strong.

Elliott was pointing out that in such a life without equals, Luna’s sword had unknowingly stagnated.

Crash! Luna surged into Elliott’s guard, raising Krantel. As Elliott was lifted into the air, she had already leapt behind him.

Lightning-fast, Krantel came down. Elliott barely turned in time to block with his sword, but his blade snapped in two.

“You missed it. That was your chance to end this.”

Luna didn’t respond, pressing the attack again. Elliott didn’t bother repairing his broken sword; he fought with the shortened blade.

Surprisingly, he handled Krantel’s flow more smoothly than before. With the shorter sword, he heightened his senses to compensate.

“A sword that can topple mountains with one strike is admirable. A sword as fast as light that easily takes lives is admirable too. But the finest sword resembles the wind.”

As Elliott spoke, a cool breeze suddenly swept through the training hall.

It was nothing like the fierce storms of sword energy Luna had summoned before. This wind didn’t scatter despite the raging aura around; it stayed centered in the hall.

Yet it wasn’t threatening. Luna tried a few times to disperse it but gave up and leapt over it, closing the distance again.

Unlike before, Elliott didn’t dodge Luna’s lightning strike.

Instead, just before Krantel could land, he thrust the broken sword into Luna’s neck with a half-beat faster move.

A deafening roar filled the air. The shockwave from Krantel shattered the training hall’s floor.

An accident…!

Gah, she must be dead!

Dante and Veradin gasped, eyes wide. To them, it looked like Krantel had cleaved Elliott in two.

Even Jin initially thought so. Even if Elliott had dodged at the last moment, the shockwave alone would have shredded his body.

“The match is over, Luna Runcandel.”

But Elliott remained frozen in place, sword still embedded.

Krantel hovered just before striking Elliott’s left shoulder. The shockwave that destroyed the floor erupted the moment the sword stopped.

Of course, Elliott’s left side was a wreck. His cheek was stained deep red with blood, and his shoulder, chest, and thigh were torn so badly the muscles showed.

But it couldn’t be called a fatal wound. That level of injury didn’t affect Elliott’s combat ability at all.

Luna was completely unscathed. The only thing was that the broken sword hovered just a hand’s length in front of her face. Had the sword remained intact, it would have easily pierced through her head.

For a long moment, Luna couldn’t take her eyes off the sword lying before her.

Of course, she knew it was broken—that was why it stopped. But Elliott’s counterattack in this manner was something Luna hadn’t anticipated.

“Even if the sword hadn’t broken… I could have dodged it,” she thought.

That much she was certain of. But what came after—that was another story.

“Still, my stance would have been seriously compromised. If Elliott had launched a counterattack in that opening, the tide of battle would have turned in an instant.”

Of course, neither Luna nor Elliott could say what would have happened if they had continued fighting to the very end. After all, this was a sparring match where neither was using their full strength.

Luna hadn’t unleashed her ultimate techniques—the decisive moves, the secret arts, or the crimson sword energy—because of Elliott’s condition and the purpose of their duel. And Elliott wasn’t in a state to display the full might of his prime.

Still, Luna accepted the fact that she had lost the sparring match. After all, she was the one who stopped her sword first.

“Hah, I lost. Elliott.”

“What!? Hey, Dante, Jin, how is it possible that Lady Baekgyeong lost? Look at Elliott—he’s bleeding all over the place.”

“I think I get the gist… but it’s complicated to explain. I’ll break it down for you later.”

“Alright, listen to Dante then.”

Meanwhile, Elliott shook his body like a dog, flicking off the blood, and then approached Luna.

“What did you say?”

“I said I lost.”

“Whaaaat—?!”

Elliott suddenly shouted, making Luna flinch and look at him.

“You brat! Since when does a disciple speak informally to their master? Show some respect and say it properly!”

Luna was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to respond.