Chapter 1045

“You….”

Raon let out a hollow breath as he looked at Darkhan’s face.

“How are your eyes…?”

Unlike before, Darkhan was blinking with both eyes fully visible, no longer covered by an eyepatch.

“This place is my Mental World.”

Darkhan pointed at the gray ground with his finger, curling his lips upward.

“It’s a space that reflects the soul, not the physical body. So it’s not strange for my eyes to be like this here.”

“Mental World….”

Raon frowned as he surveyed the space where only gray ground was visible.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to get revenge for that time.”

Darkhan had once tested him at the Holy Sword Alliance’s sacred grounds and ended up touching Wrath’s soul, getting dragged into that guy’s Mental World.

Raon thought Darkhan had pulled him into his own Mental World to get revenge for that incident.

“No.”

Darkhan shook his head firmly.

“Didn’t I tell you? I intend to repay the debt I owe you for your help. And besides….”

He looked at Raon and drew a small smile.

“Why would I seek revenge for that? It was a great help to me.”

“A great help?”

“Yes. Thanks to that experience, I was able to grasp a clue to achieving my own Heart Sword.”

Darkhan laughed, saying he actually wanted to thank Wrath.

“What do you mean by ‘my own Heart Sword’?”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Darkhan’s relaxed expression.

“Isn’t the Heart Sword just a martial art that severs an enemy’s soul?”

“I thought so too.”

Darkhan calmly stroked his chin.

“Your Grandfather’s Heart Sword is the ultimate embodiment of that image. If he hadn’t tried to cut down multiple people at once, I wouldn’t exist in this world anymore.”

He let out a hollow breath, saying Glenn’s Heart Sword was beyond the instant-death magic found in myths.

“That was the only Heart Sword I had seen, so at first, I tried to walk that path as well. But….”

Darkhan stroked his neatly trimmed chin.

“It’s not fun.”

“What?”

Raon blinked as he watched Darkhan lower his hand.

“What do you mean it’s not fun…?”

“Exactly as I said. Learning the Heart Sword is enjoyable above all else, but the moment you actually wield it to sever a person’s soul is so fleeting that it feels empty.”

Darkhan clicked his tongue, saying it didn’t suit his disposition.

“I’m different from your Grandfather. My goal isn’t to perfectly kill an enemy. I want to see what swordsmanship they’ve learned and how. I want to witness the pinnacle of the sword that swordsman has built.”

A red fervor ignited in his pupils.

“So, after being defeated by the Blue King inside you, I conceived my own Heart Sword.”

“Don’t tell me this is….”

Raon muttered as if he finally understood, lowering his gaze to the gray earth.

“That’s right. My Heart Sword doesn’t sever the enemy’s soul; it pulls the enemy’s soul into my Mental World.”

Darkhan nodded, saying that thanks to his experience with Wrath, he was able to create this kind of Heart Sword.

“In this world, we clash sword against sword and soul against soul.”

He curled his lips, saying it was no different from heaven.

“How about it? Doesn’t it sound blissful?”

“Ha!”

Raon let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Darkhan, who was smiling without a speck of dust.

“Madman….”

The only word that came to mind was that he was truly insane.

The Heart Sword was the ultimate stage of swordsmanship, where one tempered their own soul to cleave the enemy’s soul in an instant. That was true for Glenn, and it was the direction he himself pursued.

But Darkhan had created this absurd Heart Sword not to kill his enemy, but to more perfectly taste and feel their swordsmanship.

In a way, it felt less like a Heart Sword and more like Sword Field Creation.

“Of course, this Heart Sword doesn’t always succeed.”

Darkhan continued, stroking the bridge of his nose.

“You need at least a Transcendent-level soul to summon someone to this world. Souls below that level are too weak and die before I can pull them in.”

He smiled thinly, saying that was why he never considered summoning Raon here from the start.

“I see….”

Raon felt a throbbing in his temples as he massaged them.

“It’s a Heart Sword that truly suits you.”

If Wrath heard this, he would spit out curses about how insane it was, but from Raon’s perspective, it fit Darkhan all too well.

“By the way, your Mental World is rather sparse. Aside from the peculiar color of the floor, there’s nothing here.”

Raon lowered his eyebrows as he scanned the world where only gray stretched out.

“What are you talking about?”

Darkhan shook his head as if Raon was seeing it wrong.

“What you’re stepping on isn’t ground; it’s a sword.”

“A-a sword?”

Raon’s eyes widened as he looked at the gray ground again.

“Follow me.”

Darkhan wiggled his finger as if to show him directly and floated up into the air.

“Hm….”

Raon clicked his tongue and followed Darkhan into the sky.

“This should be enough. Look down.”

After ascending for a while, Darkhan lowered his hand, telling Raon to look below.

Following his words, when Raon lowered his gaze, the earth that had only looked like ground was taking the shape of a gigantic sword.

“Insane….”

Raon let out a gasp of astonishment without realizing it.

‘It really was a sword?’

As Darkhan said, what he had been stepping on wasn’t ground but a gigantic sword honed to sharpness. He finally understood why the floor had been gray.

‘This goes beyond being obsessed with the sword.’

Raon had entered others’ Mental Worlds a few times, but this was the first time he had seen a human who thought of only one thing to this extent. It didn’t feel like looking at a person, but at a beast.

“You….”

Raon looked at Darkhan, letting out a hollow breath.

“Do you like the sword that much?”

He had also been called obsessed with the sword many times, but not to Darkhan’s degree.

‘No, this question is unnecessary.’

Darkhan was a top-tier powerhouse on the continent, yet to elevate his swordsmanship realm, he had endured being slapped and even learned to act like a beggar.

And he had created a Heart Sword not to kill enemies, but to see more swordsmanship.

It was clear he was obsessed with the sword to a degree Raon couldn’t possibly match.

“Yes. All my interest and passion lie with the sword.”

Darkhan twisted his lips, saying his hobby and specialty were both swordsmanship.

“If I can unfold the ultimate sword with my own hands, I’d be content to die right here, right now.”

He wore a serene smile as he looked at the gigantic sword he had personally honed.

‘The phrase “obsessed with the sword” isn’t enough. But….’

Raon clicked his tongue as he looked at Darkhan’s eyes, burning with fervor.

‘Thinking about it, I’m somewhat similar.’

If Darkhan had created his Mental World with one gigantic sword, Raon had filled his Mental World with countless swords and swordsmanship techniques. Their textures were different, but the ideals they pursued were similar.

‘If my goal wasn’t revenge against Derus Robert, perhaps my aim, like Darkhan’s, would have been the ultimate sword.’

Because training with the sword was more fun and joyful than it was difficult or tedious, he could understand Darkhan’s emotions now.

Since he had a mission to accomplish even if it meant dying twice, he had postponed it, but if he had lived an ordinary life, he might have thought only of the sword, just like Darkhan.

“I’ve seen all of your Mental World, so let’s begin now.”

Raon looked at Darkhan and placed his hand on Heavenly Drive.

“There’s no need for lengthy words with you. I truly like that.”

Darkhan laughed and nodded.

“What you need to do is simple. Spar with me in swordsmanship until you leave this world.”

He waved his hand as if the mere thought was delightful.

“Good.”

Raon smiled and drew Heavenly Drive from his waist.

“Since I’ve come this far, I should display all the swordsmanship I possess.”

“I thought you would be able to understand me.”

Darkhan nodded as he summoned a black sword in midair.

“Then let’s begin.”

As Darkhan’s voice settled, his aura—no, the grade of his soul—swelled to a terrifying degree.

Rumble…!

An overwhelming energy wave that shook the gigantic Mental World. The man who had debated beggars with him no longer existed.

The Dark Sword Saint Darkhan, whose mere presence made one’s bones and flesh tremble, stood before his eyes.

“I’ll go first.”

Darkhan raised the black sword in his right hand and drew a chilling smile. It was a firm tone, refusing to yield as the sunbae, but it suited him all too well.

Whoosh!

As if intending to fight seriously from the start, Darkhan kicked off the air and vanished. The next moment, his presence pressed down on Raon’s right side.

“Since things have come to this….”

Raon twisted his lips upward as he deflected Darkhan’s sword, which shot out from the right, with a foot sword technique.

“Let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

===

Clang!

Raon exhaled a heavy breath as he clashed swords head-on with Darkhan.

‘How much time has passed?’

He didn’t know if it had been hours. No, days.

He had sparred with Darkhan without caring about time, so he had no sense of how long he had been here.

“I’ve learned for the first time that even a soul can tire.”

Perhaps his time in this world was running out. His vision wavered, and his body—formed of soul—wouldn’t move properly.

Even though Darkhan had adjusted his strength and fought considerately, it had come to this. If they had fought seriously, it would have ended long ago.

“It seems you’ve reached your limit.”

Darkhan lowered his sword and clicked his tongue.

“Well, it’s understandable you’d be tired. No one has lasted as long as you in this world.”

He let out an admiring sigh, saying it was surprising Raon had stayed in this world for so long.

“It’s miraculous. How can a youngster who hasn’t even passed twenty years of age possess a soul larger than even his martial power?”

Darkhan let out a hollow breath, saying the grade of Raon’s soul was astonishing compared to his martial power.

“For you, refining that soul will be more beneficial than swordsmanship from now on….”

“Hey.”

Raon exhaled a short breath and called out to Darkhan.

“As you said, there isn’t much time left. You’re not going to end this with mere chatter, are you?”

He raised Heavenly Drive toward Darkhan and jerked his chin.

“I still have one last sword left.”

He had displayed all the swordsmanship he had learned while dueling Darkhan here, but he hadn’t shown one final technique. Only after pouring that out would he feel satisfied.

“Ha! Kuhahahahaha!”

Darkhan grabbed his forehead and burst into laughter loud enough to shake the space.

“There was someone even more obsessed with the sword than me!”

He wasn’t angry. He nodded as if delighted.

“Good. Come.”

Darkhan spread both arms as if to accept everything.

“You’d better be careful.”

Raon curled Heavenly Drive in both hands and bit his lip.

“This time will be different.”

Over the sword saint before his eyes, he poured out all the swordsmanship he had learned so far and the emotions he had felt while learning them.

Sword Field Creation: Genesis Blade.

A brilliant golden radiance bloomed over the silver sword saint.

The light of the Sword Field majestically stretched out, claiming Darkhan’s Mental World, filled with gray, as its own.

“It exceeds my expectations!”

Darkhan laughed, baring his teeth in excitement.

“I’ll receive it!”

He slammed the black sword down toward Raon’s endlessly rising Sword Field. The desire and will of a swordsman who had walked only one path his entire life fell like black flames.

KABOOOM!

Golden flashes and black brilliance collided, shattering Darkhan’s Mental World, made solely of swords, into thousands of fragments.

Zzzzt!

Feeling his soul twist, Raon opened his eyes to see Darkhan with his eyes covered by an eyepatch.

“Kuhuk!”

Raon clutched his chest and knelt on the floor where debris rolled about.

‘Did I return?’

It seemed he had been shocked in Darkhan’s Mental World and returned to reality.

“Raon!”

Sword Demon Rektor, who had been watching the spar, ran over and helped him up.

“What happened?!”

He looked at Raon with worried eyes, biting his lip.

>> You. Where have you been?!

Wrath struck Raon’s shoulder.

>> Your soul disappeared from this world for about a minute!

Wrath frowned, saying if Raon had been any later, he would have devoured his body.

“I went into Darkhan’s Mental World and came back.”

>> Mental World?

“M-Mental World?”

“Actually….”

Raon told Sword Demon Rektor and Wrath what had happened in Darkhan’s Mental World.

“Huh….”

Sword Demon Rektor let out a hollow breath, as if he had never imagined such a thing.

>> Insane… The only words that come to mind are truly insane!

Wrath panted, finding it absurd that Darkhan’s Heart Sword had changed because of him.

>> The perfect madman for you has finally appeared!

Wrath gritted his teeth, saying he and Darkhan were on the same level.

“It was a magnificent sword.”

Darkhan nodded calmly, as if satisfied.

“The only regret is that I saw it before it was completed.”

He clicked his tongue briefly, as if realizing that Genesis Blade was not yet a completed sword.

“Let me give you one piece of advice. Your final sword lacked a Heart Sword. If you harmonize a Heart Sword into it, it will become another sword entirely.”

Darkhan gave him advice on what Genesis Blade needed to grow and wiggled his hand.

“Heart Sword….”

Raon lowered his eyebrows as he looked at Darkhan’s smile.

‘Indeed, I didn’t have the leeway for that.’

Since he hadn’t yet achieved a Heart Sword with his own power, he hadn’t even considered infusing Genesis Blade with the flow of a Heart Sword.

If he improved that aspect, it seemed another Genesis Blade would be born, just as Darkhan said.

“I appreciate the advice. However….”

Raon jerked his chin at Darkhan.

“Genesis Blade has no end. It’s a sword that will rise higher than completion.”

“A sword that rises higher than completion….”

Darkhan wore a joyful smile, as if recalling the Genesis Blade he had seen at the end.

“That’s remarkable confidence. But it’s not a wrong statement.”

He nodded, as if looking forward to that day.

“And you said you would teach me, but it seems you enjoyed it more, didn’t you?”

“Perhaps.”

Darkhan chuckled without shame.

“In return, I’ll definitely keep my other promise.”

He jerked his chin at Raon.

“Derus Robert. I’ll stop that guy.”

Darkhan said he would keep that promise and clicked his tongue, as if looking forward to Derus’s swordsmanship.

“I’ll trust you.”

Raon took out a transparent orb from his subspace pouch and tossed it to Darkhan.

“Once the plan is set, I’ll contact you through that, so keep it on you.”

“Well, since I have to leave this place, I suppose it will be necessary.”

Darkhan said it was a good idea and put the orb in his pocket.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, I gained enlightenment as a beggar, so now I must seek another path.”

Even though not much time had passed since gaining enlightenment, he was already trying to find a new path.

“What do you plan to do next?”

“Hm? I’ve been a king and a beggar, so perhaps I’ll try building an ordinary family now?”

Darkhan smiled faintly as he looked at the houses around him.

“One of the reasons your Grandfather reached his current state seems to be because of you.”

He waved his hand, saying that creating a family for that purpose might not be a bad idea.

“If you’re going to do it, do it properly. If not, then don’t.”

Raon shook his head firmly.

“A family isn’t something you achieve alone. If you can’t be sincere with others, you’ll make the same mistake you made when you were pretending to be a shabby beggar.”

He lowered his eyebrows, telling Darkhan to think of responsibility first if he intended to build a family.

“I know. I learned from you.”

Darkhan nodded as if telling him not to worry.

“Well then.”

He waved his hand in farewell and disappeared into a dark alley.

The way he left without lingering attachment suited the epithet “Dark Sword Saint” all too well. Of course, he was still dressed in tattered beggar’s rags.

“Anyway, it seems to have ended well.”

Sword Demon Rektor let out a sigh of relief.

“Yes. Actually, I thought just succeeding in persuading him would be a great gain, but I gained additional benefits too.”

Raon smiled and nodded.

“Additional benefits?”

“Yes. As I mentioned, being dragged into Darkhan’s Mental World allowed my swordsmanship to improve greatly.”

Darkhan had summoned him to his Mental World for his own enjoyment, but Raon had also been able to elevate the realm of his Thousands Sword by exchanging swords with a top-tier Transcendent.

>> Hmph. Even so, it’s not of great significance. It’s not enlightenment, nor did you gain a trait….

Just as Wrath snorted and shook his head:

[You have engaged in a soul contest with a powerhouse who touches the heavens.]

[All stats increase by 20 points.]

[The grade of your soul rises significantly.]

[The realm of Thousands Sword rises greatly.]

[The grade of the trait ‘Heart Sword (Spirit)’ rises.]

As if mocking Wrath, the rewards for this incident came scrolling up.

>>Huh? Wha—! Wh-why is this suddenly…?

Wrath stared at the message with wide, disbelieving eyes.

‘As expected of Wrath, always giving generously.’

Raon smiled as he watched Wrath’s trembling lips.

‘Your mouth is my fortune. Thank you.’

>>This isn’t what I wanted!

As if commemorating his new connection with Darkhan, Wrath’s scream echoed through the back alleys of the Royal Capital.

Gyaaaaaaaaaah!