As I was heading to the arena surrounded by colorful flowers, I ran into Sir Fluffy, who was leaving the arena.

"You look bright. Did you have a realization?"

Fluffy nodded with a bright expression.

"I learned a lot."

I smiled with satisfaction.

"That's good. It makes it worthwhile to have brought you."

Sir Fluffy pushed Vlad's hilt slightly with his thumb and asked.

"Do you need it?"

I shook my head.

"Good luck."

We passed each other as if crossing paths.

I entered the arena, passing through the flower path that bloomed cheerfully on both sides. The wide open space was surrounded by flowers in full bloom. It was a truly pleasing sight to the eyes.

I looked at the cold, blue ice flower that had bloomed in the center. Just by making eye contact, I felt the temperature drop several degrees.

"Flowers should be buried in the flowerbed."

"What are you talking about?"

I said to Frost.

"Give me that wooden sword."

Frost threw the wooden sword he was holding.

Thump.

I caught it and examined it. It was just an ordinary wooden sword.

"Hmm."

Despite Vlad's onslaught, which cut through iron like thick cloth, it was perfectly fine without a single cut or crack. At most, it had a few scratches.

I lightly swung the wooden sword here and there and looked at Frost.

"But why aren't you using a real sword?"

"This is a sparring match."

It meant that since it wasn't a real sword fight to kill or harm the opponent, he was using a wooden sword. Of course, wooden swords are often used for training. But that's only when you're an inexperienced brat. Once the sword is somewhat familiar in your hand, there is no hesitation in fighting with a real sword. You just have to stop at the last moment.

Not to mention that a real sword is better for real combat than a wooden sword. So Frost, who was stubbornly sticking to a wooden sword, seemed a bit suspicious. It seemed there was another reason, but it wasn't important, so I let it go.

A real sword or a wooden sword. It doesn't matter. Beating him up is what's important.

Frost picked up a new wooden sword that was lying on one side of the open space and asked.

"Are you going to use a wooden sword?"

I stared at him.

"You're using a wooden sword?"

Frost nodded.

"You can use a real sword if you want."

"No."

I untied the scabbard from my waist and threw it to one side, saying.

"I'll use a wooden sword too."

"As you wish."

We stared at each other, holding our wooden swords.

"...."

It was strange. Holding a wooden sword, he felt stronger than when he was holding the blue sword. Why?

I observed Frost's stance with a single question in my mind. He just seemed to be standing loosely without anything special, but I couldn't see any openings. It was strange.

[His shoulders are a bit more relaxed.]

The Heavenly Demon muttered with satisfaction.

'His shoulders are more relaxed?'

Then was he stiff before? Looking at it that way, he seemed a bit softer than before, and I even felt a strange sense of leisure.

"Devil."

When I looked, Frost looked around once and said to me.

"How about we fight without using mana?"

"At all?"

Frost nodded.

"Not a single bit."

"The reason?"

"If I use mana, the cold air will leak out and the flowers will wither. I can't go easy on you like I did with Sir Roetgel."

I tilted my head.

"That's none of my business."

"...."

Frost's eyes sharpened slightly.

I quickly corrected myself.

"Actually, I'm a man who loves nature very much. Flowers are no exception."

"Is that so."

Frost's gaze softened like a spring breeze.

It was an unexpected proposal, but it was actually good. Doesn't it mean we're going to have a match with pure swordsmanship? It hasn't been long since I accepted ki and started accumulating internal energy. On the other hand, he has been accumulating mana for decades. If we were to compare them simply by quantity, there would be no match. Therefore, this is a battlefield that is advantageous to me.

For a moment, I had the wicked thought that since internal energy is not mana, I could use it secretly, but I soon shook my head and scattered the thought. The opportunity to spar with the strongest knight of Blake is not common. I can't ruin such a precious opportunity by being caught up in a mere desire to win. I refuse to use such petty tricks.

I am a man who looks far ahead. I am also a man who grows endlessly, and especially a man who is strong in real combat. Anyway, that's how it is.

I don't want to take a meaningless victory with dirty tricks even in a sparring match that is not life-threatening. Practice like it's real, and real combat like it's practice.

"Alright."

Frost, from his standing position, quietly raised his sword and aimed it at me. I also took a deep breath, then took a stance as my heart desired. I didn't look straight ahead, but turned my body slightly, then raised the sword so that the blade fell diagonally in front of my face. When I looked at Frost in that state, the blurry blade was cutting him diagonally.

"...."

"...."

We stared at each other in that state for a moment, gathering our energy. He, having organized his mana, was like a single, well-tempered blade, quiet and cold.

I glared at his deep blue eyes, then opened my mouth.

"Hey."

"What is it."

"If I win, can I hold the sword once?"

Frost nodded.

"If you win."

Simultaneously, we rushed at each other.

***

I had such a thought. Wasn't Frost so monstrously strong because of the famed sword of Oposis? Wouldn't it be manageable without the blue sword, Frostfang?

That was a misconception.

Thwack!

After clashing swords once, I quickly twisted my body to dodge the sword strike that came flying diagonally.

Whoosh!

A fierce sword strike cut through the air. My blood ran cold. It was still a mercilessly driving sword strike. But I am not the me of the past either.

I continued to rotate my body in the direction I had turned, creating distance and swinging my sword.

Thwack!

Of course, Frost blocked it lightly. He lightly brushed my sword aside and then immediately threw a kick. I blocked it with my shoulder.

Thwack!

Crazy. Is he really not using mana? The force was enough to make my body lift slightly.

Simultaneously, I instinctively kicked off the ground. Instead, I used that force to lightly lift my body into the air, then spun and brought my sword down with all my might.

Thwack!

Frost blocked it head-on. A jolt ran through the hand holding the hilt.

"...."

Frost looked at me with his characteristic cold, ice-like eyes. Even though he had moved so violently, his gaze remained the same.

Frost asked, "Are you sure you're not using mana?"

"I am. I'm being conscientious."

"I see."

Tat!

We created distance, then swung our swords like lightning again.

Whoosh!

I lowered my stance to dodge the incoming attack, then quickly entered Frost's range and stepped on his foot.

Stomp!

They say it's bad manners to step on someone's foot when dancing. Is it the same in a sparring match?

"...."

Looking at Frost's gaze, I thought I knew the answer.

I had sealed his movement for a moment by stepping on his foot, but since that meant my movement was also restricted, I couldn't maintain it for long. I swung my sword with all my heart, with the mindset of ending the match right here.

Frost also fought back without losing.

Tadadadadak!

We exchanged sword strikes without backing down a single step, like men with a cliff right behind them.

Then at some point, Frost brushed my sword strike to one side, then stepped forward with his back foot and pushed his shoulder into my chest.

Thwack!

"Keok!"

Tumble!

I rolled on the ground. It was soft dirt, so it didn't hurt that much to roll. Instead, my chest, which had been hit by an ice-like shoulder, just hurt like hell.

I shot up from my roll and took a stance, glaring at Frost.

"Heok... heok..."

Frost just quietly raised his sword and aimed it at me. Just like when we first started the sparring match. His breathing and movements were not disturbed at all.

"Hoo..."

I caught my breath and glared at Frost. I can't defeat that monster like this. Then, what should I do? How can I break down the wall between me and that monster?

[Think.]

The scenes of my training so far flashed through my mind like a panorama.

[Martial arts is not just about how to use internal energy.]

Night Sky Star Moon Art. The night sky, the stars, and the moon.

[You used to compare martial arts to magic. But martial arts is not magic.]

Floating Step. A whirlwind. A gale.

[Martial arts is a martial study that constantly advances through countless contemplations.]

The ultimate skills created by combining them.

[Every martial art has its own mystery. The core is within it.]

Energy Circulation Breathing. The breathing like a calm lake.

[Unfold that mystery without the help of internal energy.]

The sword dance under the moonlight.

[Put your will and principles into your body, into your movements.]

The realization that finally came. The feeling of breaking through a wall.

[The body is the vessel of ki.]

Tat!

I rushed at Frost again with a changed mindset. The wind guided my path. I ran like a gale, and then swung my sword like the night sky slowly casting its darkness.

Tadang! Thwack!

I let the returning sword strike flow away, containing the wriggling night sky.

Drrrk!

I immediately launched a counterattack. I hung a sparkling starlight on the tip of my sword and thrust with all my might.

Thwack!

The attack was blocked, but I had taken the flow. I rode the momentum and continued my attack. This time, I swung my sword gently, like the moonlight.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

It wasn't as fast a sword as before, but for some reason, it was easier. Frost's reaction was getting a little slower. I could feel that he was having a hard time receiving it.

I didn't put any internal energy into it. I just mixed that mystery into my sword strikes, but I felt like my eyes were opening. It felt like each attack had gained a meaning.

Frost's gaze changed, and his movements also began to change. Ironically, we began to swing our swords more and more slowly. If before, sword strikes had come and gone like lightning, now they were as slow as floating clouds.

I slowly exchanged swords with Frost, as if dancing in a circle. And it didn't stop there.

I subdivided the moonlight and put it into my sword. The moonlight has various meanings and personalities.

The Waning Moon was gentle.

The Crescent Moon was as if it would tear apart coldly.

The Half-Moon embraced warmly.

I would swing my sword quietly without a sound.

I would scatter my sword coldly without mercy.

I would let the attacks flow away gently.

Then what about the Full Moon?

As I imagined the round moon in the night sky, the powerful enemies I had defeated came to mind one by one.

The ferocious Gustav.

The baron's knights.

The Grim Reaper brothers.

The piper magician.

Shushruta's fellow disciples.

Mad Linda.

The Nightwalker assassin.

The demons floundering in the playground.

The Second Prince's knights.

Wolfgang, consumed by the demon sword.

The Silent Victor.

Van Dyke of the Iron Spear.

And, back again to the Knight of Frost.

'The body is the vessel of ki.'

I felt the full moonlight seeping into my body. An unknown ecstasy heated my entire body.

"Hehe."

I raised my sword above my head.

Frost's eyes widened for a moment, and he hurriedly raised his mana.

Above Frost's head, the Full Moon fell without a sound.

(End of Chapter)