I’m Here to End This Fight

Chapter 209: Finals (4)

Gunther raised his sword with formidable momentum.

Simultaneously, black energy extended thinly from his heart.

Sssss—.

The black energy traveled through his chest, shoulders, arms… and finally climbed up his sword.

As it met the pitch-black holy sword, it began to swell violently, branching out in all directions like the limbs of a tree.

Then, at last.

Gooo—.

A towering, tree-like figure that seemed to pierce the sky was completed.

Rumble—.

Gunther had created a colossal black tree.

As the presence of this creation filled the air, the audience swallowed hard.

‘Incredible.’

‘Is there anyone who can withstand that?’

Even from afar, the pressure was palpable.

No one seated in the audience could fathom the thought of enduring Gunther’s technique.

Meanwhile, having created the black tree, Gunther swallowed the blood that rose in his throat.

‘It’s finally… completed.’

If he hadn’t been able to create the holy sword, and if his mastery of the Black Blood had not reached its current level, he wouldn’t have been able to perform this technique at all.

And the reason he could use it now was solely thanks to his father, the Sword Master.

‘Father… wishes for my victory.’

The wisdom his father conveyed through the Black Sword Corps Commander.

For a moment, Gunther was at a loss for words.

It was none other than his father, the Sword Master…

Even if only partially, he had shared a secret technique that he had never passed on to his other siblings or anyone else.

This fact alone filled Gunther with overwhelming gratitude.

Therefore, he could not lose.

He had to live up to the first display of interest and expectation his father had shown him.

‘Not completely overwhelming Yuri Holland is deeply displeasing…’

But if it were this.

If it were this technique, which he could execute thanks to the wisdom his father bestowed upon him… he could secure a definitive victory that would dispel all his displeasure.

‘So…’

Gunther swung his skyward blade down toward Yuri.

Ryder Family’s secret martial technique.

**Black Tree**.

The black tree that soared into the sky fell towards Yuri on the ground.

Rumble—.

The sight of the massive tree descending with terrifying momentum was undeniably threatening.

However, Yuri remained remarkably calm even as the tree crashed toward him.

As if the life-threatening danger was someone else’s concern, his face was expressionless.

In that moment, when the image of the giant black tree reflected in Yuri’s golden pupils—

Ssshhh—.

The branches of the colossal tree, which had extended in all directions, suddenly began to move.

The stiff and hard-looking branches suddenly became limp and flowed down, like tentacles, aiming at Yuri.

Ssssshh—.

The sharp black energy, flying toward him like fiercely thrown spears, numbered in the dozens.

Swish—.

A menacing bombardment.

“Ah…”

“What the—?!”

Though it wasn’t happening to them, low groans escaped from the audience as the black branches poured down like rain.

And at that moment—

Swish—.

Yuri finally began to move.

Tap—

It started with a light step.

And then—

Crack—.

Surrounded by lightning, Yuri weaved through the barrage of black spears that rained down upon him.

As a result, the black spears merely stirred up the ground, scattering dust.

But as if anticipated, the barrage of black spears continued without pause.

In fact, it became even more numerous and aggressive than before.

As if the initial onslaught had just been a taste.

Swish, swish, swish—.

The black tendrils fell from the sky, targeting Yuri as if a downpour of black rain was descending.

Amidst the onslaught of black rain, Yuri’s sword began to move slowly.

Ssshhhh—.

It was almost like a reenactment of that day.

Not too long ago.

When Johan first demonstrated the Magic Flow to Yuri, performing a sword dance in the rain.

Swish—.

Yuri’s sword swam silently between the downpour.

At that moment, Yuri recalled what Johan had said when he first entered the Cradle.

[I’ll give you two tasks.]

The two tasks Johan had given Yuri to complete before the year was out.

The completion of the Demon Sword, one of the tasks, had been achieved with excellence long ago.

Then there was the second task.

[Complete the Magic Flow – Capture.]

Yuri immediately dedicated himself to completing the Magic Flow – Capture.

However, while he managed to imitate the essence of Chwisung, a crucial element of completing it, the process beyond that was immensely difficult.

No matter how much he pondered and strained his thoughts, the answer didn’t reveal itself.

The more he worried, the less progress he made, and instead, he became mired in confusion.

Then, at a moment’s notice, Johan prohibited Yuri from researching further.

[If you bury your nose in a big picture, will you be able to see it? Sometimes, things can only be seen from afar without immersing yourself too deeply.]

Yuri understood what Johan meant in his mind.

But it was not easy to accept it in his heart.

Still, with no other methods in sight, Yuri decided to follow Johan’s advice and forget about the Magic Flow – Capture for a while.

Instead, he focused on refining his fundamentals.

And how long had it been?

It was likely a day in November.

He had forgotten all about the Magic Flow – Capture.

He hadn’t thought of it even once.

But that day, strangely, thoughts of the Magic Flow – Capture suddenly surfaced.

‘Why is it called Capture? Is this really Capture?’

An unexpected question.

And from that question, a series of doubts began to unravel, allowing him to see things that had previously been hidden.

Things that were invisible when he had been immersed and looking closely.

Because he had set it aside, as Johan had advised, they now appeared more clearly.

As a result, the information he had accumulated burst forth like a dam, granting Yuri a profound inspiration.

That inspiration led to the creation of a tangible result.

Ssssshh—.

The black rain began to flow identically to Yuri’s sword.

‘…?!’

Gunther’s eyes widened in surprise as his own power began to slip out of his control.

But as time passed, the energy escaping his control increased, while the black aura moving in sync with Yuri’s sword also grew.

Redner Family’s secret martial technique.

**Magic Flow**.

The silver blade that guided the black energy.

It was so similar to that moment when Johan first demonstrated the Magic Flow.

This was the Magic Flow Johan had laid the foundation for.

‘It’s not Capture…’

With the structure Johan built, Yuri added his own touch.

‘This is… containing the flow. Gathering the flow this way.’

Ssssshh—.

Finally, the previously incomplete third form of the Magic Flow had fully manifested.

Yuri then named his new creation not as “Capture,” but as his own.

Redner Family’s secret martial technique.

**Magic Flow – Containment**.

Ssssshhh—.

The black energy that had been following Yuri’s sword.

Simultaneously, the barrage of spears that had been raining down on Yuri halted.

As if time had stopped.

Gunther, steadily losing control of his power, found the inexplicable phenomenon unfolding.

His desperation erupted.

“What… What the hell did you do?!”

With a loud shout, Gunther stripped away the out-of-control branches from the black tree.

Only the trunk remained, now resembling a wooden sword as it condensed its remaining power and charged at Yuri.

Whoosh—.

Radiating an overwhelming aura, the massive form approached, and Yuri’s sword met it head-on.

‘You can’t hold the accumulated flow forever by blocking the path.’

If you merely block the flow, unable to withstand the pressure, the dam will inevitably burst.

So, if you burst the dam intentionally before it fails.

And if you create a path for the flow before breaking the dam.

‘Then I can release the accumulated flow all at once, in the direction I desire.’

Shwing—.

As the silver sword dance reached its peak, the halted black energy began to converge in one place.

‘Go.’

Then it started to pour, directed by the tip of Yuri’s sword.

Rumble—.

The concentrated, massive flow engulfed the wooden-sword-shaped trunk advancing towards Yuri.

The black torrent shattered the trunk, which was desperately trying to withstand, and surged toward its final destination.

And at the end of that torrent stood Gunther.

‘How… did it come to this?’

His own power, instead of attacking his opponent, had turned against him.

Gunther couldn’t comprehend what had happened… not in the slightest.

And that remained true.

Crash—.

Even as he was completely swallowed by the black torrent.

* * *

Dragon’s Cradle, Southern Island.

Drip, drip—.

A small pond where clear water gathered near an elegant gazebo.

Sip—.

The Sword Master briefly sipped his tea, his gaze turned to one side.

“……”

His inscrutable, pitch-black eyes stared northward toward the arena for a moment before returning to his teacup.

Sip—.

Another brief sip of tea.

Behind the teacup, the Sword Master’s lips curled into a faint arc.

* * *

High in the sky.

Johan lay on the clouds like a bed, sipping his drink.

When he saw the black torrent sweeping the arena, he spat out his drink and sat up abruptly.

Pfft!

“That bastard?! When did he—?!”

His eyes, wide with astonishment, analyzed the black torrent.

He recognized the power within.

It was similar to Magic Flow – Capture, though slightly different from his vision.

Realizing this, Johan let out a hollow laugh.

“Haha, Magic

Flow – Capture in just one year…”

As he mumbled, Johan’s expression stiffened.

“…Wait, don’t tell me?!”

Johan thought hard.

When he had given Yuri his tasks, he’d set a short-term goal of completing the Demon Sword within a year.

And then…

‘When did I say to complete the Capture?’

[I’ll give you two tasks.]

[First, complete the Demon Sword within a year.]

[Second task, complete the Magic Flow – Capture.]

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t remember setting a deadline for the second task.

He had just told Yuri to complete the Magic Flow – Capture.

However, that could easily be misinterpreted to mean that it, like the Demon Sword, was to be completed within a year.

Understanding this, Johan’s eyes widened in shock.

‘No wonder the kid was pushing himself so hard, like he was racing against time…!’

He thought it was because he believed the task’s deadline was by the end of the year?!

Unaware of this, he had told Yuri not to get too close to the problem, to take a step back and clear his head.

It wasn’t a particularly deep suggestion—just to take it easy.

That was all it was supposed to be…

“That kid… actually did it?”

He had truly completed the Magic Flow – Capture within a year.

“I knew it all along, but that kid is definitely crazy.”

Yuri was certainly mad.

In many ways.

Thinking this, Johan clicked his tongue in amazement.

Then, he recalled the black torrent Yuri had created.

“Well… it’s good enough.”

Although he spoke dismissively, a satisfied smile formed on Johan’s lips.

He had to acknowledge it, whether he liked it or not.

The Magic Flow – Capture that Yuri presented… no, the creation built upon the structure Johan had designed was truly remarkable.

‘…He’s almost there.’

The Magic Flow had been developed with the singular goal of returning a destructive force to its origin.

In the recent match, Yuri’s demonstration of it seemed to be approaching the ideal that Johan had envisioned.

‘The question is whether this will work not just on the Sword Master’s son, but on the Sword Master himself…’

Even if it wouldn’t work yet, the scene from moments ago had lit a small beacon of hope for Johan, who had navigated the darkness alone for so long.

A beacon of hope that what he had been doing was not in vain.

And holding that beacon…

‘That little monster.’

Perhaps his greatest fortune in his later years was having met and allied with the little monster at the northernmost end, in the Dragon’s Maw.

Reflecting on this, Johan poured more alcohol into his mouth.

Gulp, gulp—

And behind the bottle, Johan’s smile was broader and more joyful than ever.

* * *

The aftermath of the black torrent.

Amidst the suffocating silence.

Thud—.

The severely battered Gunther collapsed, his eyes rolling back in his head.

Broken arms and legs.

A body and face covered in blood.

Gunther’s condition was so dire that it was a wonder he was still alive, his breaths weak and shallow.

It was clear that he would never be able to stand again.

And everyone thought the same thing.

‘Gunther… lost.’

The ruler of the Cradle had changed.