The Cunning Treasure Hunter

The dawn was still far off.

The sun had yet to even consider rising.

Judging by the angles and movements of the stars and moon, there were still at least two Hour before sunrise.

"...Impressive, White Cherry Scholar."

"You sure talk a lot for an assassin. What if I remember your voice later?"

"I know your disciple is a Supreme Expert already."

The assassin raised their sword again.

Their clothes were in tatters, both sides bearing shallow scars across their skin.

The Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword of Mount Suncrest was a martial art known for its brilliant blend of speed and illusion.

It was no less than a match for the Soul Slaughter Sword of the Night Shadows.

"So, what difference does that make?"

"A Supreme Expert who has consumed a Jade Elixir requires an entire night to process it fully, don't they?"

Aiden narrowed his eyes.

Dragging out time was advantageous to him—not the other side.

So why was the assassin...

"Let's see you block this, then."

Suddenly, the assassin threw something.

To cut it was the worst choice.

To block it was the second worst.

What he had to do instead was...

Redirect it.

Aiden took a sharp breath, drawing his focus inward.

He concentrated his internal energy into his eyes and tensed his body.

The fleeting moment stretched into an eternity in his mind.

The object was a fragile orb, filled with something sinister.

Poison from the Crimson Serpent Clan, perhaps?

In any case, letting it land was not an option.

Easing his grip slightly on his sword, Aiden prepared to use the Harmonious Redirection.

With a deft movement, he allowed the edge of his blade to catch the orb gently, redirecting its trajectory.

Clink.

The sound of the orb brushing against metal rang out like a clear jewel rolling on a silver plate.

Aiden, his focus entirely on his sword, turned half a rotation.

In the stretched-out eternity before him, he saw Vera's small back.

She was exhaling a blackened breath, the remnants of her purification process.

This fragile Black dragon disciple of his... she was the one who would fulfill his grand dream.

She must be protected.

She must absolutely be protected.

Aiden performed a perfect redirection, returning the poisonous orb to its sender.

The problem was that the assassin had already closed the distance.

"I told you—let's see you block this!"

The strike wasn't even the Soul Slaughter Sword.

It was a straightforward thrust, pouring all of his internal energy into raw speed.

It was no different from the final move of the Three Calamities Sword, an attack of pure, destructive simplicity.

Under normal circumstances, Aiden could have deflected it easily.

But now, his stance was broken, his balance off.

The blade aimed directly for his chest.

He twisted his body, but it was too late to fully evade.

In a fight to the death between equals, protecting someone else was always a disadvantage.

But at that moment—

Someone deflected the assassin's blade.

Clang!

A flash of black hair scattered into his vision.

Delicate shoulders and a slender neck.

And from her lips came a trail of black smoke.

"...Master was right after all."

It was Vera.

She exhaled the last wisp of the tainted breath, dispersing it, and gathered her internal energy.

A radiant sword light enveloped her blade.

The Falling Blossom Sword—a treasured weapon.

In the hands of someone who had touched the wall of Supreme Mastery, its radiance rivaled the sharpness of Sword energy itself.

The assassin, immediately recognizing the threat, retreated ten paces.

"Ha. Incredible. I thought it'd take you all night."

"I've had some fortuitous encounters."

Shadow Veil Step.

The assassin's figure blurred momentarily, and Vera furrowed her brows.

But now that his presence was detected, he could no longer fully conceal himself.

"He's using the martial arts of the Night Shadows, Vera."

"Is he a killer?"

"No. But he has deep knowledge of the sword."

Assassins rarely pursued swordsmanship in depth.

The Soul Slaughter Sword wasn't particularly advanced.

It was a killing technique that chased nothing but speed and illusion—a blade meant to kill with overwhelming quickness.

It held no profound principles, no deeper truths.

It was simply a method to deliver death with absolute efficiency.

And yet, the assassin had managed to match the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword of Mount Suncrest.

There were two reasons for this.

First, despite using the Soul Slaughter Sword, the assassin was an inherently skilled swordsman.

As the Deputy Pavilion Master of the Night Shadows, standing on the verge of mastering the Boundless Sky Sword, such skill was expected.

Second, Aiden had been at a disadvantage, fighting to protect his young disciple.

"Now that you're awake, it's enough. Vera, tend to your body first."

"But, Master..."

"It's fine now. There's no chance of me losing to someone who's only learned half-baked martial arts and resorts to shouting."

Aiden's aura changed.

He was no longer on the defensive.

Now, with no need to worry about Vera, he could give his all.

"Shall we dance again?"

"Really? You only use fancy words in front of your disciple."

"I told you, the title of 'Master' only applies when I'm with them."

With a casual swing of his Cherry Blossom Sword, red Cherry blossoms began to bloom all around him.

Though he hadn't assumed any formal stance, the area was already his domain.

The air itself was filled with the image of a mountain covered in blooming crimson Cherry blossoms.

This was the true essence of the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword.

The Deputy Pavilion Master frowned. This was troublesome.

The ultimate move of a peerless martial artist wielding their supreme technique...

To counter it, he would have to unveil his own ultimate skill.

However, that would mean using the Boundless Sky Sword,

a signature technique of the Akrest Clan, the family of the Sword Sovereign.

It was far too famous, a technique that no one in the martial world wouldn't recognize.

'...If I use it, my identity will be exposed. In that case...'

Winning wasn't the goal.

Helping his lord, the Clan Leader Ebon Akrest, was his sole objective.

If he couldn't accomplish that...

At the very least, he must not become a liability.

"Tch. I've failed."

As soon as Aiden heard those words, he charged forward.

His steps shook the ground, and the blade in his hand extended forward.

The Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword, second technique—

Unyielding Snow Cherry Branch.

A branch of Cherry blossoms that not even a blizzard could break.

The assassin retreated, swinging the Soul Slaughter Sword to deflect Aiden's strike.

But it wasn't enough.

Slash!

The tip of Aiden's sword grazed the assassin's shoulder, slicing through it.

The rotating force of the Cherry blossom energy on the blade shredded the flesh.

Blood sprayed into the air, falling in crimson droplets to the ground.

Even so, Aiden didn't achieve his goal.

He hadn't killed or subdued his opponent.

Clutching his wounded shoulder, the Deputy Pavilion Master threw himself off the cliff, vanishing into the void below.

"...He escaped."

A master at the peak of Supreme Expertise wouldn't die or even sustain severe injuries from a fall like that.

He was sure the assassin would survive.

Aiden flicked his sword, shaking off the blood, before sheathing it.

Then, he turned to Vera, crouching to meet her eye level and checking for injuries.

"Are you alright? You weren't too scared, were you?"

"Thanks to your warning, Master, I wasn't scared at all."

Aiden's eyes widened slightly.

No matter how prepared someone was, it was natural to flinch in fear when a blade swung before them.

"You can be honest with me."

"...I wasn't scared because someone came to harm me."

"Then, what startled you?"

"I was startled that you got hurt protecting me, Master."

Vera's gaze flickered with discomfort and guilt as she glanced at the shallow wounds on her master's body.

Aiden chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's what being a guardian means. When someone comes, I protect you. It's that simple."

"Then, when the time comes for you to need a guardian, Master, I will take that place."

Without hesitation, Vera declared her intent to repay the favor.

Just as she would not hesitate to take revenge, she would not forget a debt of gratitude.

Aiden laughed heartily, recognizing her resolute nature.

"Good. Then strive to become a protector capable of guarding even me."

"Don't worry. I will."

Vera clenched her small fist tightly.

Aiden gently took her hand, opened it, and patted it softly.

"For now, focus on growing stronger."

"...Yes, Master."

"So, how effective was the Jade Elixir?"

Vera didn't answer immediately but instead summoned her internal energy.

The majestic aura of the Black dragon surged through her body.

Aiden placed his hand near her forehead, inspecting her energy channels.

"...It's grown."

"A little, but it's definite."

The amount of internal energy she possessed hadn't skyrocketed, but the Jade Elixir had condensed and strengthened her foundations.

What would have taken five years of cultivation had been condensed into a week.

In the world of martial arts, staying ahead of others was everything.

"You have a sparring match with the Young Lord of Akrest soon. Will you be ready?"

"I've already completed my preparations."

"Good. Then there's nothing to worry about."

Vera nodded, returning her sword to its scabbard.

She hadn't wielded the Falling Blossom Sword for long, but it felt as though the weapon was made for her.

Even its slightly slender and elongated blade seemed to fit her perfectly.

"...Master."

"What is it, Vera?"

"In your opinion, what are my chances against the Young Lord of Akrest?"

The question was uncharacteristic of Vera.

It wasn't exactly murderous intent, but there was a clear determination to win.

'Vera... wanting to win so badly.'

A monster viewing a human not just as prey but as a rival.

Someone they acknowledged as a possible equal.

After a moment of thought, Aiden replied.

"To my knowledge, the Young Lord of Akrest has not yet reached the peak of Supreme Expertise."

"I see."

"So, out of ten matches, you would win eight."

Aiden's assessment was precise.