The Price of Victory

No, Senior Brother. You said you could win…."

"How can I overcome what I am not ruthless enough to wield?"

Marcus quietly looked at Vera, who sat beside Aiden.

And Vera… was smiling.

"Look, Ethan, Noah."

"At what?"

"Look at her. Vera is smiling."

Both Noah and Ethan turned to see the same smile.

Those dark, empty eyes no longer seemed as hollow.

"That's enough," said Marcus softly.

If he had used a Killing Strike to win, would that girl still smile at him like this?

If he had injured him using a strike meant to kill...

As a martial artist, it might have been a victory worth boasting of.

But as the Senior Brother of the Mount Suncrest Sect, it would have been a loss far greater than the battle.

Even if he earned recognition from the martial artist Vera, he would not have been able to face her as Junior Sister Vera without shame.

In his final move, Marcus chose his true identity.