Absolute Regression

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was startled by her sudden appearance. He hadn’t been informed that the One-Slash Sword Supreme would be visiting today.

“Welcome, senior. Please, have a seat.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme also seemed surprised to find the Blood Heaven Blade Demon here. As she stood with a hardened expression, I spoke calmly to her, who looked like she might leave at any moment.

“Today is Elder Blade Demon’s birthday. I was taught to celebrate birthdays, even of those we dislike.”

With such a remark, she couldn’t just leave, so she reluctantly took a seat.

As she joined, the atmosphere grew quite chilly.

“Why did you call me here?”

It seemed she had misunderstood the invitation to drink later at the Flowing Wind Tavern as an invitation for just the two of us.

“I called you to celebrate this good day together.”

As she tried to rise from her seat, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon threw out a casual remark.

“What exactly is your problem?”

It was a moment when long-held grievances, who rotted like festered wounds, burst forth.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme also flared up and retorted.

“What did you say? What’s my problem? Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

Her emotions were drawn faster than her sword.

“Yes, I’m asking because I don’t know. What exactly are you so angry about?”

“You! It’s you!”

“What about me? What did I do wrong back then…?”

“Shut up! Just shut up!”

She was tense, fearing their past might be brought up. Her anger and tension were palpable.

“You’re a selfish idiot.”

“What did you say?”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon stood up abruptly.

“Are you going to swing that ignorant blade of yours like you always do? Go ahead, do it. Speak your drunken nonsense again!”

The Heaven-Extinguishing Saber in his hand trembled.

I didn’t intervene.

I knew they wouldn’t actually fight.

There was a strict rule among the Demonic Supremes never to fight each other. They might argue, gossip, and have all sorts of internal conflicts, but they never engaged in life-or-death battles.

This was a survival principle that had been upheld for a very long time and was the most crucial reason the Eight Demonic Supremes still existed today.

“There’s still some time before midnight, so please calm down.”

Then, the One-Slash Sword Supreme raised her voice in a sharp tone.

“Second Young Master! What do you think you’re doing? How much do you despise me to pull a stunt like this?”

It was the moment her usual calm demeanor, always respectful, shattered.

“Calm down.”

“I can’t calm down.”

“I’ll explain why I brought you here, Sword Supreme. Frankly, I need you, senior. So, I hoped that today you two would reconcile. I don’t know what makes you hate each other so much.”

With a long sigh, the One-Slash Sword Supreme tried to regain her usual composure.

“If we could have reconciled over a drink, why would we have been on bad terms until now?”

“Then you need to meet and keep meeting until it’s resolved. Argue, pull each other’s hair, keep fighting until it’s all out.”

“Second Young Master, you’re being too greedy. I told you on the first day, I cannot work with him.”

“Then, do you think you can make me your successor alone?”

“I’m confident.”

“I can’t trust that. If your animosity towards each other was for public reasons, I would have known. But no one in the cult knows. It must be a very personal reason. How can I entrust my life to you if you can’t put aside your personal feelings for the greater good?”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme’s face contorted. She seemed ready to say something, but instead, she gave me and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon a fierce glare before abruptly leaving.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon drained his glass and then stood up.

“Thanks for the congratulations, you bastard!”

Bang!

Once again, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon left after breaking an innocent table.

I left money for the table on the next one over and smiled at Jo Chunbae, who stood in front of the kitchen.

“We should start by fixing that habit of breaking things, shouldn’t we?”

Jo Chunbae awkwardly smiled and made a joking remark.

“These days, it seems like I’d make more money if I became a carpenter.”

I laughed joyfully and left the inn.

I had expected it to turn out like this when they met.

I need to keep bringing them out. They need to dig up and confront their buried emotions, argue, and fight. Eventually, when they look back, they’ll realize that the ancient grudges consuming them were insignificant.

I think it’s possible. They’ve already lived far too many years.

Reconciliation takes time, but the One-Slash Sword Supreme wasn’t willing to wait even a single day.

* * *

That night, I woke up from my sleep.

What woke me was the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique. Sensing an energy from outside, I got up from my bed, strapped on the Black Demon Sword, and went outside.

The person who woke me was standing in the middle of the yard.

It was the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

“As expected. You’re no ordinary talent.”

Even though she hadn’t revealed her presence, she seemed surprised that I had awakened.

“I don’t sleep deeply.”

“Second Young Master.”

“Yes, senior.”

She spoke with her back turned to me.

“Because of you, Second Young Master, there are ripples spreading in the calm lake.”

Did she mean the cult, or did she mean her own heart?

“Since I’m still young, I yearn for a stormy sea rather than a calm lake.”

“You once told me this, didn’t you? That you despise people who try to win their subordinates’ hearts with dreams or ideals.”

“Yes.”

“I despise someone too.”

“Who is that?”

“A person whose words are flashy but lacks the skill to back them up.”

“Are you saying I’m that kind of person?”

“Shall we see if you are?”

With her back still turned, the One-Slash Sword Supreme slowly drew her sword. It was a perfect draw. Even though she was facing away, I could feel no opening in her defense.

Despite this, I spoke coldly to her.

“There’s another type of person I dislike.”

“Who is that?”

She asked without turning around.

“A person who is strong but lacks consideration. I despise those who use their strength to force relationships in their favor. I can’t stand to see people hurt by such poor imagination.”

The demonic energy from her body exploded.

“Shut up! You’ve grown too arrogant from all the praise.”

She turned to face me, her eyes blazing with a fierce demonic energy.

“If I win, what will you do?”

Seeing her come to me immediately after our conflict, I realized that the only way to make her mine was to overwhelm her with my strength.

This was a situation where a single demonstration of skill was more effective than a hundred political maneuvers. My relationship with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was a matter for another time.

At that moment, Sword Supreme looked incredulous.

“Did you say you’d win now?”

“Yes.”

“If you defeat me, I’ll do whatever you want. If you tell me to die, I will.”

She staked her life on it. She was absolutely confident she wouldn’t lose.

“Very well.”

“If you lose, what will you do?”

“I’ll also do as you wish, senior.”

“What I want is simple. Cut the Blood Heaven Blade Demon out of your life.”

Her confidence was understandable. She was second only to father in martial prowess.

“Aren’t you curious about what I want?”

“Not at all. It’s something I’ll never need to hear.”

I slowly drew the Black Demon Sword.

“Then today, you’ll find out what I want.”

With our swords drawn, we silently faced each other.

I knew well how fast a martial master of the Demonic Supreme level could be. You can’t block their attacks by seeing them; if your trained instincts don’t function properly, you’re dead.

It’s the same for those who can’t block my attacks and die. My sword is invisible to them.

Whoosh.

A gust of wind blew from somewhere, causing the Sword Supreme’s hair to sway.

She slightly twisted the tip of her lowered sword. Just that subtle movement changed the entire atmosphere.

It had been a long time since I’d felt such tension.

“Young Master, although I won’t kill you, you should be careful. You might get seriously injured.”

If this duel were a life-or-death battle with an enemy I had to kill, I would have attacked and ended it the moment she uttered “be careful.” Those words stemmed from arrogance and disdain, providing a perfect opportunity for a strike.

Of course, since this wasn’t a life-or-death battle, we had the luxury of calmly conversing.

“Yes, I’ll be careful. However, my sword is the Black Demon Sword, so your sword might get damaged.”

She ignored my concern and even added more to it.

“I’ll give you three moves.”

In the past, seniors would give three moves when facing juniors. The ancients did so, but you rarely see such gestures these days. In that sense, Sword Supreme was a person with a sense of romance.

“Thank you for the concession. Now, let this junior begin.”

I didn’t let arrogance get the best of me, but I did decide to withhold one skill.

I would not use the Wind God’s Four Steps against her. A hidden trump card should always remain concealed. I assumed she also had her hidden techniques.

My strategy was simple.

‘End it within the three moves she conceded.’

I skipped any preliminary probing and immediately executed the perfected Soaring Sword Art.

The First Form, Balancing the Heavens, unfolded.

Swoosh!

A streak of sword light seemed to cut her in half horizontally.

Clang!

The swords clashed in front of her chest. Her surprise was conveyed through the sword. The internal power contained in my attack was beyond what she had expected, and the crisis of facing a true rival would have caused the hairs on her body to stand on end.

The second attack followed in quick succession.

The Second Form, Transforming Heavens Style scattered brilliant sword light. The sword made twelve changes in front of her eyes, and the One-Slash Sword Supreme retreated, parrying each attack.

But she broke her promise on the ninth change.

Swoosh!

Clang.

Her sword flew towards my chest, and twisting my body, I deflected the attack with the Black Demon Sword.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme had broken the promise to concede three moves and launched an attack. She had no choice. She couldn’t block the continuous changes of the Transforming Heavens Style with just defense and ultimately used an attack to defend.

“Damn.”

As she was about to make an excuse, looking distressed.

I was already launching the third attack. This was my chance. Her mind was greatly shaken, and she was even about to speak.

The Third Form, Profound Heavens Style, flew in.

Swoosh!

Clang!

The sound of the swords clashing was accompanied by a shout, words that should never have come from the mouth of the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

“Not the face!”

Then came the ensuing silence.

My sword had stopped in front of the One-Slash Sword Supreme’s face. In fact, the sword had stopped before her outcry. My sword was faster than her eyes.

In contrast, her One-Slash Sword had left her hand and was floating in the air.

Our gazes turned towards the One-Slash Sword. The sword traced a parabola as it fell to the ground. Perhaps the One-Slash Sword Supreme wished it would never hit the ground.

Thud.

The One-Slash Sword stuck into the floor. The trembling sword, with its white hilt, seemed like a white flag waving.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme, staring blankly at the scene, slowly turned her gaze towards me. Her eyes showed disbelief at the situation.

I sincerely wished.

That her first words would be a string of curses.

That a stone from the dam of her built-up dignity would come loose. That through that hole, I could glimpse her wounds…

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