Sword Slices the Fool

Zhao Cheng's gaze was calm. In his clear, springlike eyes was reflected the crazed man before him, so that he might remember what end awaited those consumed by obsession.

The swordsmanship system of the real world placed emphasis on intent. At the same time, that meant that once one strayed from the path, it might begin with no more than a single demonic thought. One could burrow into a dead end, and in the end, it could all brew into tragedy.

Zhao Cheng's spiritual will reflected the vast world, as well as every shift in Hachibe Koichi's emotions.

Did the other man truly not know that he was now being driven by obsessive thoughts?! Did he not know that he had no possibility of succeeding at all?!

Clearly, that was impossible. The man definitely knew something of it, yet the human heart was like this—always knowing it was wrong, yet refusing to change.

Like those gambling addicts, always believing the next round would surely be a win. But the result...

Even Saints—indeed, even myths—might seem transcendent and detached from the mundane, but they were still human. There was no such thing as being utterly flawless.

And when Hachibe Koichi cast aside every last trace of luck, leaving himself with only the choice of fighting to the death, his essence, energy, spirit, will, and thoughts became more concentrated than ever before. There was even a sense that he was about to surpass his limit and reach another summit.

But Zhao Cheng could see clearly that beyond that summit lay not transcendence, but the Absolute Abyss—an Absolute Abyss that led one toward self-destruction.

To achieve, yet be unable to hold!

Many Saints were like this when they made their final desperate stand before death. They tried to refine their Saint Souls into