The good days flow too quickly into the past.

Via, the hawk divine beast, suddenly had this thought.

"Lord! Lord! Look at this! The flower bloomed so beautifully!"

A young child came running over and hugged Via's leg.

Via smiled at the child who proudly showed her the plucked flower and said, "My, what a beautiful flower indeed."

Via took the flower from the child and held it up.

"Hehe..."

"But you shouldn't do this."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because flowers are precious living things too."

With those words, Via replanted the flower she was holding back into the ground. The replanted flower began to take root again and regain its vitality.

The child, watching this process, murmured with sparkling eyes, "Wow... That's amazing, Lord!"

"You see, everything is most beautiful when it's alive. Always remember that."

"Yes, Lord! I'll always remember that everything is most beautiful when it's alive!"

The child spoke with an expression that suggested they were deeply moved by Via's words.

"But, Lord."

"Yes?"

When Via turned to the child with a gentle expression, she saw Honwon standing there.

"If everything alive is beautiful, why did you leave us to die?"

"...Cough!"

Via, snapping out of her reverie, coughed up a handful of blood.

At the same time, she felt a burning sensation piercing her abdomen.

I see, that was just a flashback.

Honwon then swung his sword, throwing Via sideways. Her body spewed blood as it rolled across the ground.

Watching this scene, Baek Ye-a thought:

What's going on? Why is that divine beast fighting with Honwon?

But now wasn't the time to worry about such questions.

Right in front of her was Honwon, the great demon and the culprit behind this attack.

"It's been a while. Are you still in there, Baek Ye? And the one next to you..."

Honwon's gaze shifted to Jeong Yu-na standing beside Baek Ye-a.

"I see, looking at that hair, I understand. You're still adhering to those old traditions."

As Honwon spoke, he sheathed his sword, and seeing this, Baek Ye-a shouted:

"Here he comes! Everyone, defend!"

"Soul Destruction Style: Ten Thousand Cruel Deaths"

In an instant, something passed by as the wind swept through the area.

"Ugh!"

At the same time, blood spurted from Han Su-a's arm, but she gritted her teeth and suppressed the bleeding with her muscles.

"Su-a!"

Yeon Ho-jin called out Han Su-a's name, but she shouted back:

"I'm fine! Right now, let's focus on the enemy in front of us!"

"Indeed, even if the quality has declined, you're still exorcists of Yegak Academy, aren't you?"

Baek Ye-a didn't miss the opportunity while Honwon was being complacent and launched an attack.

"Baekri Divine Sword Style: Fourth Form - Unseen Flight, Unheard Sound"

Despite the sword strike that penetrated his stance in an instant, Honwon wasn't flustered at all.

Rather, as if he had anticipated such an attack, he parried the sword and then emanated a red energy flow from his blade, attempting to cut down Baek Ye-a.

"Kuk!"

But Baek Ye-a, who had been reading Honwon's attacks with her "Eyes," kicked Honwon's body with her foot.

"Baekri Divine Sword Style: First Form - Azure Sky Hawk Flight"

He easily parried the first clean strike with his sword.

"Baekri Divine Sword Style: Eighth Form - Feathers Sinking Ships"

And he effortlessly blocked the subsequent combo attacks.

Baek Ye-a continued with the best possible attacks during the brief moment when Honwon's stance was disrupted, but Honwon seemed to be finding his rhythm within Baek Ye-a's attacks.

And Baek Ye-a realized:

Honwon already "knew" which forms she would use to attack.

Therefore, if she continued using the Baekri Divine Sword Style and showed an opening, she would be the one to suffer.

Baek Ye-a had brought the children along because she had no excuse to leave them behind, but she had no intention of involving them in the fight. She wondered if the children would be able to defeat Honwon if she were to fall.

It's impossible. Given their current level, the children absolutely cannot defeat Honwon.

"Ye-a!"

As the other children tried to rush forward, Baek Ye-a, who was facing off against Honwon, shouted:

"No! Stay back!"

"But it's too much for you alone!"

"That's an order from your team leader. Fall back!"

"Do you have time to look away with me in front of you, Baek Ye-a?"

While she was turning around to stop the children, Honwon had already closed the distance.

"Kuk!"

Barely blocking Honwon's sword, Baek Ye-a began to face him based on pure skill.

Cut, evade, defend—a perfect sequence that, to an observer, would look like a choreographed sparring match. The three others didn't even dare to intervene in the fight.

A pure contest of strength without any forms or techniques.

But although it seemed even at first glance, Jeong Yu-na could tell:

Honwon was going easy on Baek Ye-a.

The moment Honwon decided to, the precariously maintained balance would tip in his favor, and it was all too clear that Baek Ye-a would suffer a fatal wound.

"..."

Jeong Yu-na readjusted her grip on the Blue Blossom Cudgel, looking for an opportunity to join the fight.

Without even a moment to assess the surrounding situation, Baek Ye-a struggled against Honwon while noticing similarities between Honwon's swordsmanship and Lee Hui-hyeon's.

This reminded Baek Ye-a of a previous encounter with Hui-hyeon.

<>

"Hui-hyeon, what technique do you use that makes you so strong?"

In response to Baek Ye-a's question, Lee Hui-hyeon said:

"I don't use any particular technique."

Hearing Lee Hui-hyeon's words, Baek Ye-a spoke as if she couldn't believe it:

"But you used the Yeonseong Sword Technique quite well back in Seoha Village."

"I needed to blend in back then. I didn't want to stand out unnecessarily."

"That sounds like a lie."

The reason Baek Ye-a couldn't believe Lee Hui-hyeon's words was because she was still trapped in her knowledge of the "game."

At least in the game, Lee Hui-hyeon started with the Yeonseong Sword Technique and gradually mastered various sword techniques to become stronger.

But now he was saying he didn't use any techniques? Baek Ye-a couldn't believe it.

"It's true. If you want, we can spar. I won't use any techniques, so you can use all the techniques you know against me. That should prove it."

"Alright, let's spar."

In the sparring that naturally followed their conversation, Baek Ye-a used all means at her disposal—the Baekri Divine Sword Style, the Baekri Sword Technique, sword techniques infused with the essence of the Destruction Divine Spear Style, and even a sword technique mimicking the Huye Clan's shooting arrows with a single thrust—but still experienced defeat.

In the end, Baek Ye-a, panting, had to say to Lee Hui-hyeon:

"Hui-hyeon, please, just let me hit your shoulder once. I need to feel better about this."

"Sure, here."

"I meant your arm!"

"Owww!"

When Lee Hui-hyeon offered his shoulder, Baek Ye-a immediately grabbed his arm and pinched it.

After the sparring ended, Baek Ye-a said to Lee Hui-hyeon:

"You really are strong. Even without using any techniques."

"There's a reason why I'm strong."

At Lee Hui-hyeon's words, Baek Ye-a turned to him.

"Is it a strength I can imitate?"

"No."

Lee Hui-hyeon responded definitively to Baek Ye-a's question.

Just as Baek Ye-a was about to resign herself to the impossibility, Lee Hui-hyeon continued:

"It's not just about imitation. You can definitely become like me. If you destroy 'false enlightenment' and look at your true self within, eventually everyone walks this path. 'Enlightenment will destroy demons.' All truth is contained in these words."

"That's quite difficult to understand."

"You're smart, so you'll definitely understand. Definitely."

Lee Hui-hyeon spoke to Baek Ye-a with certainty.

<>

I see. I suddenly realized.

If you destroy false enlightenment and face yourself within, eventually everyone walks the same path as Hui-hyeon.

Just like this Honwon before me.

After striking swords simultaneously with Honwon, I stepped back and looked at him.

Then Honwon briefly withdrew his sword, looked at me, and said:

"You seem to have gained some insight, Baek Ye-a."

"It seems so."

Honwon smirked and said to me:

"After all this, you're still the same stubborn person. Is that it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Honwon charged at me again.

<>

Parrying Honwon's sword again, Baek Ye-a began to match Honwon's swordplay evenly.

Baek Ye-a blocked as if she already knew where the sword would come from, while Honwon swung his sword trying to break through Baek Ye-a's defense.

The battle had become a contest between spear and shield, and just when Baek Ye-a herself saw a slight advantage—

"Cough!"

Dark red blood poured from Baek Ye-a's mouth, soaking Honwon's clothes.

"Ye-a!"

Jeong Yu-na called out Baek Ye-a's name, but she couldn't approach carelessly as Baek Ye-a convulsed with her body pierced.

Honwon brought his mouth close to Baek Ye-a's ear and said:

"Were you only focusing on the sword? Your level is commendable for your age, but still immature."

At the same time, Honwon twisted his hand that had penetrated Baek Ye-a's body.

"Argh!"

Jeong Yu-na, who had rushed in using a technique, struck at Honwon, but he easily blocked her Blue Blossom Cudgel with the handle of the sword he held in his other hand.

Then he struck Jeong Yu-na's head with the sword handle.

"Ugh!"

Seeing Jeong Yu-na kneeling down with a short cry, Baek Ye-a twisted her body while groaning in pain.

So I couldn't win after all.

She had seen a brief glimmer of hope, but the gap in years of experience was too great.

The distance between herself, who had just found a clue to enlightenment, and Honwon, who had continued to refine himself after gaining enlightenment, was this vast.

Honwon brought his ear close to Baek Ye-a, who was gasping for air.

"Do you have something to say?"

"You... bas..."

After Baek Ye-a unexpectedly bit Honwon's ear, he threw her to the ground and looked at Yeon Ho-jin and Han Su-a in front of him, saying:

"Well, will you come to me, or will you go?"

Despite Honwon's intimidating presence, Yeon Ho-jin and Han Su-a didn't cower at all.

Holding her sword in stance, Yeon Ho-jin said to Honwon:

"We are exorcists. Our duty is clear."

"Then die."

As the two charged at Honwon with battle cries, the sound of something being cut was heard.

"No... No!"

As her vision gradually darkened, Baek Ye-a desperately crawled along the ground.

This can't happen.

If things continue like this, everything will end again.

Everyone will die in the end.

She would break her promise to be a heroine who helps Lee Hui-hyeon in this life.

As Baek Ye-a was driven to despair, a voice began to echo within her:

'Do you want to save them?'