The battle between me and Sun was quick and decisive—a clash of Violet Mist Divine Art, a test of skill, strength, and mastery of the same techniques.
And I won.
Sun's swordsmanship was refined, his technique honed to near perfection, but Unity was something beyond mere mastery. His Sword Unity was strong, but mine was stronger. My Unity wasn't just an evolution of my swordsmanship—it was the culmination of everything I was.
For a moment, I considered continuing the fight, pushing him down even further, breaking him beyond repair.
But I didn't need to.
That was Mo's job now.
I stepped forward, towering over him as he knelt on one knee, panting heavily, his grip on his sword tight but trembling.
"Sun," I said, my voice calm but unyielding. His head snapped up, anger and frustration burning in his golden eyes.
"Try to hurt Seraphina," I continued, my tone growing colder, "and I'll crush you to nothing."
His jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
"In a few months, I'll reach Radiant-rank." My words weren't a threat. They were simply truth. "And then the gap between us will widen even more."
I sheathed my sword, my expression unwavering.
"Be a good boy and don't do anything stupid."
Sun's fingers twitched, as if itching to respond, but he stayed still. I turned my back to him and walked away, leaving him there—alone with his defeat.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Mo arrived shortly after, stepping into the battlefield where his adopted son still stood motionless, sword hanging limply at his side.
Sun didn't look at him.
"You lost," Mo said, his voice steady, betraying no emotion. It wasn't a question.
It was a fact.
Sun exhaled, a harsh breath, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade. He finally lifted his head, meeting the gaze of the man who had once plucked him from obscurity and raised him among legends.
"Are you… finally looking at me now?" Sun asked, his voice quiet, but there was a weight to it—resentment, sorrow, exhaustion.
Mo's expression shifted, his silver eyes softening, as if he had heard something he wasn't expecting.
"What are you talking about?" Mo asked.
"All these years," Sun said, his grip on his sword whitening his knuckles. "I tried everything. I became your best disciple, your strongest sword, the greatest warrior in Mount Hua."
His breath shook as he spoke, his voice raw, as if saying the words aloud made them more painful.
"And you never once looked at me like a son."
Mo stiffened, his brows drawing together.
"I just wanted to be more than a weapon for you," Sun whispered, his voice almost breaking. "But I was never enough for you, was I?"
Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.
Mo took a slow breath. When he spoke again, his voice was calm, quiet, but there was a heaviness in his tone that hadn't been there before.
"You're right."
Sun's eyes widened slightly, as if those two words were the last thing he had expected.
"I failed you," Mo admitted. "I saw Magnus ahead of me, and I… I lost sight of everything else. Even you."
His gaze fell to the ground, as if ashamed to meet Sun's eyes.
"I took you in, trained you, raised you… but I was never truly your father. Not the way I should have been."
Sun's fingers trembled, his grip on his sword loosening.
"You reached Radiant-rank, and I thought that was natural. That it was just the order of things. But I never considered that… you might have been fighting for something more than just strength."
Sun let out a bitter chuckle, but there was no amusement in it.
"Too little, too late," he muttered.
Mo nodded, accepting the words. "Maybe. But if you want me to truly see you now—then stop chasing my approval."
Sun exhaled sharply, his anger draining into exhaustion.
"Then what do I do?"
Mo placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping it firmly. "Find your own path."
For the first time in years, Sun wasn't sure what that meant.
__________________________________________________________________________________
"He's crazy," I muttered, staring at Sun, whose head still hung low. "He sent you to me?"
Sun exhaled slowly, lifting his gaze just enough to meet mine. "Yes. He said I should join Noctalis."
I raised a brow. "You don't seem too thrilled about it."
"I don't like the idea of being under you," he admitted, "but I suppose it won't hurt."
"Aren't you the heir to Mount Hua?" I asked, watching his reaction. "Seraphina's getting married to me, after all."
"I am," he said, his tone even. "This is temporary. Father is still young enough to lead Mount Hua for now."
I let out a long sigh. "Alright. How long is this supposed to last?"
"Unless circumstances change, three years."
I considered his words carefully.
Three years.
Three years where Sun Zenith, one of the ten Radiant-rankers, would be serving under me.
This was almost unfair.
I already had enough power, influence, and strength to maintain my grip over everything I had built. Now, with Sun working under me, that grip would only tighten further.
A thought crossed my mind.
"You must be smart, right? Since you're the heir and all," I mused, watching him carefully.
Sun's golden eyes flickered with suspicion. "...Why?"
My lips curled slightly. "Good. That means you're now my proxy as Guild Grandmaster."
He froze. "...Excuse me?"
I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Since I'm Rank 1 and a Marquis, the Council wants to put me on a leash with all the extra responsibilities. But now…"
I grinned.
"That's your job."
Sun scowled. "I didn't sign up for this."
I ignored him, already moving forward. "Let's go. Slatemark Empire awaits."
He muttered something under his breath but followed.
The world was moving forward.