「However, the world is a cruel place. Daughter...」 Ma Feima stood a full body away from her. He trembled as he watched the girl stand up, supporting his knees with both hands without any surprise whatsoever

「Being energetic was a good thing, but she couldn't beat me.

Don't push yourself. You have a wonderful future ahead of you!」

 「I... won't lose.」

Blood dripped from the girl's nose.

Li Sushang looked up, her eyes unfocused.

 「I'm... *cough* ...」 「......」

How many times had Ma Feima seen such an expression on his face?

For twenty years, a large number of people had come after his life.

Many heroes, great men and excellent youngsters challenged him.

Most of them were like this.

Even without a slight chance of victory, he hadn’t given up until the very end—he was betting on that momentary possibility where life and death were separated.

 [em italic]（Struggling? ...Yeah, I guess so.）[/em]

However, Ma Feima did not dislike it.

On the contrary, she’d been enthralling him.

After all... in this mist-shrouded world, Ma Feima was alone.

Even if it was just a one-time connection, even though we would never meet again in the future—[\s]

Watching the challenger burn his own life and try to prove that he exists, it feels like I've been acknowledged by my world.

Ma Feima felt as if a mist in the shape of such people would envelop him—a feeling that he was alive.

That was why he’d always given his opponent an opportunity to fight.

That's why,[\s]

He had always hoped that he would be killed—

 In front of the girl, a fence fell without making any sound. 「Pick it up.」 Ma Feima said. 「Without a sword—you can’t fight me.」 「I won't go easy on you. This time, use all your strength to kill me! Understand? Pick it up!!」 Sushang slowly lowered its head. A drop of blood fell onto the old sword, making a small sound like phoenix cries 「You... Why are you the Sword God?」 She coughs up the blood in her mouth. At that point, she can finally speak clearly enough for me to understand what I'm saying... 「......?」 「Ha—Haha!」

「You think that's the Sword God? Haha, you overestimate me.

Daughter, do you have any idea how much of a boundary the Sword God has? Most martial arts practitioners can't even touch it for their entire lives.」

 「Only geniuses like Master Phoenix and Lingshuang Nee-san would be able to master such things as divine beings—daughter, my technique is not that of the Sword God; it’s sword will.」 「Take a look.」 He reached out his hand, and a greatsword red as flame suddenly appeared. 「This is my sword, 『Redsweord』.」 「The Henxuan Swords are held by our seven disciples one at a time. This sword is synchronized with the Void Blade, and it can use skillful techniques in response to changes of its will...」 「『Redsweord』 can control light. I'll be able to change this sight and invisibility with just my own feelings, so normally it doesn’t show much of anything but when the time comes you transmute your swordsmanship」 「Huh...?」

Sushang picked up the sword and stared at it.[\s]

If what Ma Feima said was true, then why didn't his own sword change?

 Could that absentmindedness be the true form of swordsmanship? 「M-My...」 「Yes... Your sword is still in its original form. In other words, you haven't mastered the will of your blade yet? If it learns how to wield a tsurugi that can change shape as well!」 「I see... So you haven't been able to do it yet.」

It was a little disappointing... But that must have been the truth.

I swallowed the bitter blood in my mouth. The sense of loss, embarrassment and frustration were all consumed by it together with sadness...

Don't worry. This is your second trial, right?

 Li Sushang straightened her back and held the sword in hand.

「You... have a sword, too.

That's... fair!」

Her body was still trembling. She couldn't stop—especially her legs, which were shaking all over the place[\s]

But her eyes... Her gaze is powerful. It's—

 They were the eyes common to those burning. 「Jizaimon... Li Sushang, please take care of him again.」 「This is...a trial!」 「―――」 Ma Feima stroked the red scar on his nose. He could feel a faint warmth in her fingertips [em italic]Yeah. This loneliness, this kind of firelight...[/em] He's still alive. 「Listen carefully.」 Ma Feima said. 「There's only one skill I can use: Open Sword Mountain Disintegration.」