The mountain ridgeline shimmered faintly under the starlight of a deep night.Lee Do-hyeon walked slowly along the narrow mountain path, his sword resting gently in his hand.He had sensed it—today was the day.Though he didn't know when or where she would appear, his instincts were certain: the Heavenly Sword Demon Queen would come.
A sudden shift in the wind brushed through the trees, altering the air with a subtle tension.Do-hyeon stopped in his tracks and looked up.
From the shadows, her silhouette emerged—elegant, poised, unmistakable.The Heavenly Sword Demon Queen stepped forward with that same commanding charisma she always carried.
"It's been a while, Lee Do-hyeon," she said, her voice soft but piercing.Her demeanor was calm, even casual, but her eyes—those sharp, piercing eyes—had not dulled in the slightest.
"Demon Queen," Do-hyeon replied, lowering his sword."To what do I owe this visit? Was our last battle not enough for you?"
She smiled faintly. "Last time was merely a test—to see your potential. But now, I believe it's time for something more meaningful."
Do-hyeon frowned slightly."Meaningful? I hope you're not planning to start another fight."
She shook her head and walked slowly toward him until they stood within arm's reach.
"You want to go back, don't you? To your world. Don't you want to know how?"
The question struck him like lightning."…What do you mean by that? Are you saying you know the way back?"
"I've spent years studying forbidden rituals and ancient summoning arts," she said calmly."And I've come to realize—your power, and that sword of yours, they're the key to it all."
Do-hyeon gripped his sword tighter."Then why share this with me? What is it that you want?"
The Demon Queen looked at him, her tone finally shedding its softness."What I want… is to understand. To know where your power comes from, and what it truly means. I may stand at the peak of Murim, but that's not enough. I need to go higher. And you—your power—is the doorway."
Do-hyeon heard both truth and danger in her words."Then it seems we have different goals. But I suppose I need to know what I mean to you—and what you're willing to do in return."
She nodded slowly. "Very well. Then let's find out. Let's see how far I can push your potential. And whether you can answer the question I've yet to solve."
The Heavenly Sword Demon Queen unsheathed her blade, her stance graceful, lethal.
"Show me what you've become, Lee Do-hyeon. Don't disappoint me."
Do-hyeon raised the Ego's Sword, its edge glowing faintly as mana and inner energy surged together."I'll show you everything I've got. And I'll get my answer—no matter what it takes."
Their third clash—an intersection of ambition and fate—began.
With a soft step, the Demon Queen raised her sword. A razor wind tore through the stillness.
"Black Moon Blade Slash."
A wave of dark lunar energy surged from her sword, roaring toward him.Do-hyeon didn't hesitate. He countered.
"Dance of the Abyss Blade."
A swirling vortex of darkness erupted from the Ego's Sword, colliding with the Demon Queen's strike. The impact fractured the air, cracking the earth beneath them.
"Not bad," she said with a hint of satisfaction."You haven't disappointed me yet."
Without pause, Do-hyeon adjusted his stance and launched a counterattack."Flame and Thunder Slash!"
Flames and lightning burst from his blade in an arcing assault, but the Demon Queen calmly deflected the energy with a subtle shift of her sword.
"You're trying to test me with that? You're still lacking."
She spun with fluid elegance—her movement more like art than combat.
Do-hyeon, briefly overwhelmed, adapted quickly.He flowed into another form:"Flowing Blade Technique—Clear Water Grace."
His sword moved like water, soft yet unrelenting, targeting gaps in her defense.The Demon Queen's eyes gleamed.
'Impressive… He's grown far more than I expected.'
Their swords met again and again—steel clashing with steel in a storm of power and precision. Though she held the upper hand, Do-hyeon's relentless adaptation kept her on edge.
"You didn't make it this far by luck," she said, tightening her grip."But you're still not at my level."
Do-hyeon caught his breath."I may not stand atop Murim like you, but I've forged my own path. I'll prove it's just as valid."
"Then show me how solid that path really is."
Their blades danced—fire against shadow, speed against force.
Do-hyeon pushed himself harder, calling upon everything he'd learned.
"Dance of the Abyss Blade!"
Dark energy whirled again, this time carrying his will—his soul—with it.
The Demon Queen's expression shifted. For a moment, she grew solemn.She spun mid-air and cleaved through the darkness with a single strike.Not a trace remained.
"Impressive. You've reached the edge of the Flame Realm," she admitted."But I haven't even used the Seven Sword Dance yet. You'll see it—when you're ready."
Do-hyeon's breath caught.The Seven Sword Dance… her ultimate technique. She hasn't even drawn it yet?
"You're testing me. But why?"
His voice wasn't angry—it was simply searching.
She didn't answer.Instead, she sheathed her sword and smiled.
"You'll find out, when you're ready to understand."
Her confidence was unwavering, and Do-hyeon clenched his jaw.
"Then I won't stop until I do. I'll break through the wall you showed me today."
She raised her blade once more and sliced the air.
"Do that. And when you're ready—come find me again."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Do-hyeon didn't stop her.
She was a mountain he couldn't yet climb—but one he now aspired to conquer.
When she disappeared into the darkness, the Ego's Sword shimmered softly in his hand, vibrating with a quiet whisper:
"Do-hyeon. If you're ready to face that wall—I will stand with you."
He looked down at the blade and let out a long breath."…Next time, I'll be ready."
**
Chapter : The Realm of the Martial God and a New Hunger
Even after her duel with Lee Do-hyeon ended, the Heavenly Sword Demon didn't leave immediately. She stood there for a long while, her sword lowered, quietly reflecting on the battle. His techniques, his unshakable will—and more than anything else, the new energy he wielded, mana—lingered vividly in her mind.
"It's not like inner energy... but perhaps, at its core, it's the same."The Heavenly Sword Demon continued analyzing it in her own way. As one who stood at the peak of Murim, her understanding of martial arts had already transcended boundaries. And yet, the force Lee Do-hyeon had demonstrated was something even she could not clearly define.
What particularly unsettled her thoughts was the sword he wielded—the Ego's Sword."That sword… it isn't merely a legendary weapon. It has a will of its own. No—it's a remnant of another world."
She was certain now: the energy and intent she sensed from the Ego's Sword did not belong to Murim. And with that, a sliver of hope sparked within her—perhaps through this sword, she could grasp a clue to a world beyond.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she murmured to herself,"I may stand at the summit of Murim… but the power I felt from him—that came from somewhere far beyond. The world is far vaster and deeper than I believed."
She had believed herself to be nearing the realm of the Martial God, yet now, she recognized a thirst within herself that had not been quenched."Those who approach the realm of the Martial God no longer pursue mere strength. I am already powerful. What I seek now is understanding—the truth behind all forces in this world."
The further she advanced toward transcendence, the more she realized: all forms of power were connected. Inner energy. Mana. And other, still unknown forces.
Silently gripping her sword once more, she made a resolution."Lee Do-hyeon must become my key. Not just to be used—but to open the door to a world I have never seen."
She summoned no aides. Instead, alone in the quiet night, she sheathed her sword with new determination."There is no reason for me to remain idle atop Murim. If I am to surpass even this summit, I must seek the truth within him and his blade."
A plan began to form—one that would allow her to support Lee Do-hyeon's growth without revealing her true motives. Yes, part of her intended to use him. But another part was genuinely intrigued by the limitless potential he displayed.
"The stronger he grows, the more I will learn. And at the end of that path… may lie the true peak of Murim."
With a slight smile, she slid her sword fully into its scabbard."Lee Do-hyeon… let's see how far you'll go. And when the time comes, I will find the answer I've been seeking."
Her thirst—her curiosity—was evolving into something far greater.Lee Do-hyeon, his sword, and the unfamiliar power he wielded…To the Heavenly Sword Demon, they had become a new objective.A new obsession.A new destiny.