Journey to Become the Zenith

The Sword Master and His Disciple

”Yes!”

There wasn’t even a trace of hesitation.

Victor studied her for a moment.

”But you already have your own way of the sword. Are you willing to discard all that to learn my own way of the sword?”

The question wasn’t merely about technique.

To discard one’s sword path was to discard years of experience.

For someone like Evelyne, who had cultivated her swordsmanship for so long, doing so would be almost like tearing down a part of herself.

Victor wanted to know whether her determination was genuine.

Evelyne didn’t hesitate.

”YES!”

The answer came even faster than the first.

Her voice echoed through the cave.

Victor’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.

He had expected resistance.

There was none.

Evelyne’s hands curled into fists against her knees.

She understood what Victor was asking.

And her answer remained unchanged.

If she had to abandon everything she had learned in order to walk toward a higher summit, then she would do it.

She would rather start again from nothing than remain trapped beneath a ceiling she now knew existed.

Victor fell silent.

’Hmm... Should I teach her my swordsmanship? I bet what she wants to learn is the original’s swordsmanship. Also, do I really want to teach someone else my swordsmanship? The only reason I thought Videl was because of her status as my childhood sweetheart, the same goes for Lane and Skyla.’

Victor’s thoughts turned briefly toward the people he had already allowed close enough to learn from him.

Teaching someone his swordsmanship wasn’t something he did casually.

A sword path wasn’t merely a collection of movements.

It carried the understanding of its creator.

To teach it was to hand another person a piece of one’s own path.

His gaze returned to Evelyne.

She remained kneeling.

She hadn’t moved.

Not even once.

Victor finally spoke.

”I’m going to be straight forward with you, even if I do teach you, you will never be able to do the sword strike that was used at the end of our fight.”

Evelyne lowered her gaze.

She had already known that.

That final strike was too far beyond her current understanding.

But her determination didn’t weaken.

”It doesn’t matter, even without that final strike I know how much more superior your swordsmanship is compared to mine. I may have a lot of pride but I am not blind to see the discrepancy.”

Her voice was quiet, but there wasn’t even a trace of shame in it.

That answer made Victor pause.

She wasn’t chasing the impossible merely because she wanted the strongest technique.

She genuinely wanted to understand the path.

That was different.

Victor looked at her for a moment longer.

”So you really wish to learn my way of the sword?”

Evelyne immediately answered.

”YES!”

Victor stared at her.

Then he sighed.

’This woman was pretty beautiful and powerful, and she wasn’t all that stupid. Also, her family and prestige are something I can use.’

There was value in teaching her.

Evelyne possessed strength.

She possessed talent.

And, more importantly, she possessed influence.

Victor wasn’t naive enough to ignore the advantages that came with having someone like her standing on his side.

He finally made his decision.

”Fine, I shall teach you my way of the sword, under one condition.”

Evelyne’s body stiffened.

Her eyes slowly widened.

She had expected some kind of demand.

She simply hadn’t expected Victor to agree so easily.

”Anything!”

For the first time since she had knelt down, Evelyne raised her head completely.

Her purple eyes were filled with resolve.

Victor looked directly into them.

”Once I teach you my way of the sword, you will become my disciple, and with that title I want you to swear one thing, never betray me. Betrayal will be punishable by a fate worse than death itself.”

The atmosphere changed.

The warmth that had briefly appeared in the cave disappeared.

Victor’s voice remained calm, but the meaning behind those words was unmistakable.

He wasn’t threatening her for the sake of intimidation.

He was establishing a rule.

A disciple could fail.

A disciple could become weak.

A disciple could even disappoint him.

But betrayal was something else.

Evelyne understood that immediately.

She placed one hand against her chest.

Her expression became solemn.

”I promise to never betray you, my master!”

The words came from the heart.

Victor watched her quietly.

He didn’t immediately respond.

Promises were easy to make.

Time was what gave them meaning.

Eventually, he shrugged.

”We shall see... Well, it doesn’t really matter to me, since the only one who loses out with your betrayal is you alone.”

With that, Victor turned around.

He didn’t wait for another response.

He simply headed toward the cave’s exit, his golden jacket moving lightly with each step.

Behind him, Evelyne remained kneeling for a moment.

Her eyes followed his retreating figure.

Then she slowly lowered her head again.

A strange feeling settled in her chest.

She had entered this place believing she was already walking a respectable path.

Now she had willingly become a disciple.

Yet strangely...

She didn’t regret it.

Not even a little.

Outside, the night wind swept across the mountains.

Victor walked ahead without looking back.

Evelyne finally rose and followed.

The distance between master and disciple had only just begun to form.

And neither of them yet knew how far this single decision would carry them.

Victor shrugged his shoulders, as he headed out of the cave.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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