186.2-2 Lee Do-hyeon vs. the Fallen Paladin

At the heart of the fortress—Swords clashed upon blood-stained stone, ringing out with sharp metallic echoes.

Lee Do-hyeon dropped to one knee, his breath ragged.Blood seeped from his hand, yet he gripped his sword with unwavering resolve.Before him stood Zebrah, the Fallen Paladin, unshaken and composed, gazing down at him with disdain.

"Is that all you've got?"

Zebrah sneered, leveling his blade.A dark crimson aura pulsed from the steel.

Do-hyeon clenched his teeth.His internal energy and swordsmanship were forged in the Murim, but the laws of this world—of Elysium—were different.He couldn't fully command mana, and without it, even the simplest counterattack became a struggle.

His sword felt heavier than ever.The techniques once second nature in the Murim faltered here.Unlike ki (氣), mana resisted him, obstructing his flow.

Zebrah, on the other hand, had fully adapted to the laws of this world.Every strike of his blade came with brutal, crushing weight.

Do-hyeon swung his sword in desperation—But his blade couldn't catch up.Zebrah's strike carved through the air—

Crash!

Too slow.

Do-hyeon was hurled backwards, slammed against the fortress wall.His vision blurred.

"…Is this how it ends?"

Blood dripped from his lips.Pain coursed through his body.

But he gritted his teeth and stood again.

"I want to see you crawl to the bitter end."

Zebrah raised his sword once more.Dark energy spiraled violently around the blade—ready to deliver the final blow.

And then—

"Wouldn't it be better to stop here?"

A voice, calm and melodic, drifted through the air.The frigid atmosphere quivered faintly.

A beautiful tone.

"What is… that…?"

In his fading consciousness, Do-hyeon raised his head.A gentle voice echoed from somewhere unseen.

"Seems like this is a time for music."

There he stood—a man in a black cloak.A bard, holding an elegant lira carved in an old style.

With a relaxed smile,he strummed its strings—

And shimmering blue light scattered through the air.

Song of Fortitude – "Melody of Courage."

"In battle, music is the sharpest weapon."

Soft, yet resonant, waves of sound wrapped around Do-hyeon.The weariness that clung to him began to fade.Strength surged back into his limbs.His once-heavy sword now felt weightless.His chaotic mind began to clear.Mana… was finally beginning to flow.

"This power…"

His eyes flashed.

The bard smiled.

"Your turn now, Wanderer."

Zebrah's expression hardened.He lowered his sword, glaring.

"You dare raise your morale with petty music?"

But Do-hyeon was no longer the same.

His stance had changed completely.

Strength had returned.

Do-hyeon swung his sword, aligning his mana.Finally, the flow answered his will.

His blade shimmered with a faint blue glow.Stepping forward, he spoke:

"Now, this will be a real fight."

A sword wreathed in mana.A sword steeped in darkness.

They clashed once again.

And this time—

Do-hyeon was ready to strike back.

***

Chapter : The Swordsmanship of Murim and That of This World

Lee Do-hyeon's blade began to sharpen with precision.The atmosphere of the battlefield shifted.He had been unstable at first, unable to handle mana properly—But now, he was gradually syncing with the flow of this world.

Swordsmanship of Murim.Not mere slashing and thrusting,but a refined flow honed over thousands of years.

Zebra's sword style, in contrast, was shaped by Elysium's power—A formless sword art infused with dark aura,fitting for one who had fallen.

But—

The depth of their swordsmanship could not be the same.Do-hyeon spun his sword lightly, adjusting the distance between them.While Zebra charged forward with brute force,Do-hyeon countered with a style that read and responded to the flow.

"You're a persistent one,"Zebra said, leveling his blade.Dark aura flared from its edge.

"Corrupted Strike."

As he stepped forward,a heavy darkness spread through the air.His blade sliced the space before him—And with a burst of crimson-black magic, the strike surged toward Do-hyeon.

Flame and Thunder Sword Dance.But Do-hyeon had already prepared.Flames and lightning flickered from his sword—A surge of heat and crackling energy rising together.The tip of his blade trembled with power.

"Your strength is great,"Do-hyeon said, raising his sword."But your swordsmanship—is nothing more than destruction."

He moved swiftly,His blade splitting the air into seven trailing arcs.

"Flame and Thunder Sword Dance."

The trails shook the air.Sparks scattered. Lightning afterimages carved across the battlefield.Do-hyeon's strikes clashed with Zebra's deadly blow.

Zebra's eyes widened in disbelief.He blocked it?!

Do-hyeon's eyes gleamed."It's easy to swing a sword," he said."But do you know how to win—without swinging it?"

His blade split the air once more,piercing straight through Zebra's opening.Fast, precise, and overwhelming.

"Khk—!"Zebra barely managed to defend,But the tide had already turned.

Do-hyeon's swordsmanship was nearing completion.At that moment,The sword in his hand trembled.

"I can feel your flow."

The Sword of Ego resonated.It had never shown its full power—Even in Murim.

But this was Elysium.A world where mana flowed freely.

The sword had begun to awaken—To return to its true self.

A blue glow surged from the blade,A deep resonance rippling through the air.

This is who I truly am.

A crack formed on Zebra's blade.His pupils shook.

Do-hyeon was no longer being pushed back.His sword came down like lightning across the battlefield.Flames and thunder burst from the tip.

Zebra raised his sword to block—But the flow had already shifted.

"It's over."

Do-hyeon struck the final blow.Zebra's blade shattered midair.

Zebra looked down at his broken weapon in disbelief."…Impossible."

He collapsed, gasping for breath.

Do-hyeon lowered his sword, catching his breath.The bard beside him looked at the blade and said,"You… really are something else."

Do-hyeon replied quietly,"Not yet."

His sword still shimmered with light.The battle was over—But his journey had only just begun.

**

Chapter : The History of Elysium – The Tale of Titans and Gods

Lee Do-hyeon sat in a room piled high with ancient tomes.Before him sat the Chronicler—a priest and historian—quietly opening a worn book.In the dim candlelight, he began to speak in a low voice.Beside him, Bard rested his chin on his hand, listening with a glint of curiosity.

"I love old legends," Bard murmured, tapping the edge of a bookshelf."This one's fascinating—Titans and gods clashing? Feels familiar, but not quite the same."

The Chronicler glanced at him and continued flipping pages.

"All things began in darkness," he said."They always do. In every legend, the beginning is swallowed in shadow."Bard muttered the words like a poem.

"Before the birth of the universe, there was only endless darkness and chaos.From within that void, a single streak of light split the dark—a colossal lifeform. We called them the Titans."

Lee Do-hyeon nodded."Titans… Were they gods from the start?"

The Chronicler shook his head."No. In the beginning, the Titans were not gods.They were creators—beings tasked with shaping order in the cosmos,forging stars, and breathing life into the void."

"But then…"

His voice grew heavier.

"One among the Titans saw the future.And in that future… they fell at the hands of their own descendants."

Bard let out a knowing chuckle."Figures. Creators always start off generous—until they get scared of losing power."

The Chronicler gave a small nod.

"The Titans ruled over life as its architects.But one among them grew fearful.He saw the rise of life as a threat to the Titans' supremacy.Soon, some among them argued that life must not be nurtured—but controlled."

"And the others cried, 'No, we must not!'"Bard snapped his fingers."And then the war began."

"Precisely," the Chronicler said with a faint smile."Eventually, they turned their blades upon each other.Thus began the War of the Titans."

Lee Do-hyeon turned a page."Then how did the gods come to be?"

The Chronicler answered softly.

"As the Titans waged war,the beings they had created—humans, elves, dragons—rose up in rebellion against their makers."

"Ah, now we're getting to the good part," Bard leaned back, amused."A full-blown uprising."

"And some of the younger Titans sided with them," the Chronicler continued."After an age of battle, the elder Titans—worn and weary—were finally defeated."

"The victorious young Titans, alongside their mortal allies, rose as the new gods."

"So, the gods are essentially the victors who overthrew the Titans,"Bard muttered, arms crossed.

Lee Do-hyeon nodded slowly."In other words, the gods now rule in place of the Titans."

The Chronicler offered a bitter smile."Yes. But they soon realized…that they, too, might one day meet the same fate."

"History repeats itself," Bard whistled under his breath.

"As the strength of humans, elves, and dragons continued to grow,the gods began to feel their own reign was under threat."

"Some gods called for the preservation of order—others fell to corruption, clinging to power."

"So even the gods were divided," Bard muttered, nodding.

The Chronicler raised a hand and pointed to a map on the wall.

"To concentrate their power, the gods created a separate dimension—Elysium.A sanctuary where divine power would be strongest."

"A final bastion," Bard mused, scratching his chin.

"Exactly. They used Elysium as a stronghold to suppress rebellion."

"But…"The Chronicler let out a long sigh."Even Elysium fractured from within."

"They really never stop fighting," Bard groaned, shrugging.

"And as the gods turned against one another,the remnants of the Titans—long sealed away—began to stir again."

"Seeking vengeance, the Titans moved to invade Elysium."

"Fallen gods versus vengeful Titans—now that's a clash."Bard scratched his head.

"In the end, Elysium stood on the brink of collapse…""And the war between Titans and gods began once more."

The Chronicler turned his gaze to Do-hyeon.

"And now, you have arrived in Elysium."

"Talk about timing."Bard winked."So, will you stand with the gods?Or side with the Titans?"

"Or…"The Chronicler's voice dropped lower.

"…will you abandon them both and carve a new path altogether?"

Do-hyeon closed the book.His eyes darkened with thought.

"Now that's a hero's epic," Bard grinned.

Do-hyeon silently drew his sword.

The war was over no longer.

His journey was only beginning.