Sword God in a World of Magic

The two contestants looked at each other. Contestant 12 had already drawn his weapons, while contestant 1 just stood there with a kind smile.

"Your smile sickens me," contestant 12 said.

Contestant 1's smile didn't change. "Is it because I am reminding you of someone?" he asked.

Contestant 12's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you two seem similar, but you couldn't be any more different. Teacher's smile was genuine. Yours isn't."

Contestant 1 only shook his head slightly. "I've told you many times. I don't want to kill you or stop you in your path. I do not intend to gain your trust with a mere smile."

"I want to push you," contestant 1 said. "I want to see how far you can go. I want to put you under more pressure so that you will one day grow stronger."

"Shut up!" contestant 12 shouted with a voice burning with fury. "Don't use the words of Teacher! You are not Teacher, no matter how much you try to copy him!"

Contestant 1 only slightly shook his head. "Why won't you let this matter rest? I've never tried to imitate him."

"I can't let this matter rest!" contestant 12 said with a dark voice. "Not while the public is singing your praises."

"Have you heard what they're saying?" contestant 12 asked with narrowed eyes.

"I don't listen to gossip," contestant 1 said with a chuckle.

"They want to bestow you the title of Warrior Saint!" contestant 12 said with disgust. "All because you came up with this barebones Diamond Body. They say that you opened up the way to the Fifth Realm, but in truth, you've doomed nearly a thousand warriors to mediocrity, and you will continue to doom many more!"

"The Diamond Body is a dead path! It leads to a dead end! Yet, the Warrior Council wants to make you the second Warrior Saint! They want to elevate you to the same position as the Progenitor Saint, the one that created the True Path Stage!"

"I have no problem with people imitating my late teacher. Many people aspire to be him."

lifted his spear and pointed it at

bestowed the title of Champion while you

the colosseum, and they were

a lot about the warrior paths. But hey,

finished with his tirade, contestant 1 only shook his

Teacher Mervin longer than you," contestant 1

in anger when he heard contestant 1 speak

been one of the very first to reach the True Path Stage, and his True Path

of the truly powerful warriors today had once been taught by

been an idol

in the end," contestant 1 said with a sigh. "He tried to find a different way to the Fifth Stage. I remember telling him many times that it would be easier to research a way

in the end, he died of old

soft voice. "I was so close to creating my

death

than help me in creating my

slowly shook his

finally reached

someone this stubborn ever possibly become

12 gnashed his

contestant 1 said. "So

you are constantly comparing me to this stubborn old

mule. You're idolizing your deceased teacher to the point of surrealism. Recognize that people have

1's

only one that's

eyes widened

He wouldn't dare!