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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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After finishing swimming, I descended the mountain.
It was time to return. Although my next goal wasn’t firmly set, I was leaning towards something. I would continue hunting demons and aim for their cores.
By taking down the Baekpal Yokwae Gundo, the leaders of the miscellaneous demons, I would eventually be able to hunt the truly vicious, high-ranking demons of the Jungwon. And if I took their cores, I would become even stronger.
Anyway, I came down to the foot of the mountain while talking with the two of them.
“Geun-hyeop, how is your body feeling?”
“Great. Why do you ask?”
“Before we go back, I’d like to see your martial arts.”
“Oh! Great!”
“What? You’re going to demonstrate your martial arts? Show us. I want to watch it too.”
Ha-yeong sat down, and Serin stood as if ready to inspect.
“I’ll show you right now!”
I immediately took a stance.
And I performed the Daeryu Sword Technique.
Fwaash!
My sword cut through the air. I could feel how strong my sword force had become. Furthermore, my linking of movements and speed had also improved. Since I first learned it, I’d been steadily training and using it in actual combat, so I’d grown accustomed to it, and my proficiency had increased.
“Wow. You’re good.”
After I finished performing the movements, Ha-yeong gave me a small applause. I looked at Serin with a proud expression.
“Well done. It’s definitely improved since last time.”
“Khahaha! Of course!”
Her soft tone naturally made the corners of my mouth lift.
“But it’s lacking.”
“What?”
“Your skill has improved, but compared to your internal energy, it feels quite lacking. Perhaps it’s because you have more internal energy than your current level.”
I nodded involuntarily.
She was right.
“Geun-hyeop, I will spar with you. Come.”
“Okay. I’m coming. I’ll be serious, so receive it well.”
“Of course.”
There was nothing to worry about against a peak master.
Fwaash!
I performed the Daeryu Sword Technique once again and attacked Serin. Of course, Serin didn’t even blink, lightly stepping with footwork and deflecting all my attacks with her sword.
I could really feel what a peak master was. It felt like no matter how I attacked, it would all be blocked; she was deflecting all of my sword strikes.
“The force in your sword is decent. Good. Continue like this. Until you’re out of breath and can no longer swing your sword.”
Heup!
Utilizing the Rhyming Flow Movement Technique and Azure Wing Heart Technique to their fullest, I continued swinging my sword. Eventually, I ran out of breath and stopped my offensive.
“Puha!”
There were no effective hits.
Serin, sheathing her sword, spoke.
“Well done. Your combat endurance is quite long. As expected, it seems like it’s because of the large amount of internal energy you possess.”
“Hoo, hoo… Yeah. I think so too.”
Currently, I had too much internal energy compared to my level. Since I was using my internal energy while wielding my sword with Rhyming Flow Movement Technique and Azure Wing Heart Technique, I could fight longer.
“Ah, but you also mentioned sword force, right?”
“Yes. Geun-hyeop is in a rather unique situation. To put it frankly, your martial arts achievement is around second-rate, but your sword force and combat endurance are not inferior to the entry level of first-rate.”
Entry level of first-rate.
That’s embarrassing.
“Wow. That much?”
Serin nodded.
“Moreover, that’s not all, is it? Geun-hyeop can enhance his sword force by emitting demonic energy and explode it all at once for a very powerful strike. You are completely different from typical martial artists.”
“That’s right.”
“This is the first time I’ve encountered this kind of martial artist, so honestly, I don’t know what advice to give, but what you need to do is clear.”
What do I need to do?
I gulped and focused as Serin spoke.
“First of all, improving your martial arts proficiency is a given. So I’ll set that aside. Geun-hyeop, you need to learn how to control that demonic energy better.”
“Demonic energy. You’re right. If I have a special characteristic, I need to develop it.”
“Yes. So I think it would be good to properly define your martial arts.”
“Define?”
“To explore what kind of martial art this is and how it should be used.”
Hearing those words, something came to mind.
Instead of just thinking about it, I thought it would be good to write it down and create my own personal secret manual.
To do that, as Serin said, I needed to properly observe and define my martial arts.
“Right. I should do that.”
“To do that, you first need to name your martial art. Demon Fury Slash. That’s the name of a move included in the martial art. The martial art itself has no name, but the move has a name. This bizarre situation needs to be resolved quickly.”
“Oh, right.”
Alright.
Let’s name the martial art.
“What, what? Are we naming it? Then leave it to me! I’m the expert in this kind of thing!”
“No, Calamitous Fire Hibiscus, you’re a Taoist, not a martial artist. How can you possibly name a martial art?”
“I was the one who first named it ‘Demonic Energy’, wasn’t I?”
“Even so.”
“Besides, this martial art is different from those of martial artists, right? It uses internal energy, but when it’s released, it becomes a special power, like demon energy.”
Serin closed her mouth at Ha-yeong’s words.
“My Taoist arts are the same. I accumulate internal energy and manifest it in the form of Taoist arts. So I think the power that controls that demonic energy is closer to the Taoist side. Don’t you think so?”
“No, is that so?”
“Or would you like to refute me?”
“Det.”
I listened to Ha-yeong and thought about it.
Actually, wasn’t she right? Ha-yeong was a Taoist, and she consumed accumulated internal energy to conjure flames and other such wonders.
I was similar.
It was different in that I transformed accumulated internal energy into demonic energy, but I still used demonic energy to create more powerful forces.
Yes, that was it.
As a modern person, let’s think of it in terms of a game.
The martial arts used by martial artists were like passive skills. Swordsmanship could be considered a skill that strengthens basic attacks, and Rhyming Flow Movement a skill that strengthens the body. Azure Wing Heart Technique was a skill related to mana recovery.
But the demonic energy I used… was closer to an active skill than a passive skill.
It was like consuming mana to unleash a big skill with a Chooaaah!
Of course, this analogy wasn’t perfect, and considering things like sword energy, martial artists also had active skills.
But the nature of the demonic energy I possessed was closer to that.
Rather than slowly consuming accumulated internal energy while wielding a weapon and executing movements, it felt like consuming accumulated internal energy all at once to use a big skill.
That was my demonic energy.
“So the name is-”
“Ghost Soul Divine Arts.”
Before Ha-yeong could say anything, I named my martial art.
Ghost Soul Divine Art.
This was the name of the demon martial art that I wielded and would further develop to its limits. As the name suggested, it was a divine art that controlled the souls of ghosts, so there couldn’t be a better name.
“What? Ghost Soul Divine Art? You’re already calling it a divine art? You’re only second-rate!”
“It doesn’t matter that I’m second-rate.”
It didn’t matter at all.
“Because I will become an incredible master with this divine art.”
“Wow!”
Ha-yeong’s jaw dropped at my wild proclamation. I enjoyed her gaze and looked at Serin.
“Ghost Soul Divine Art… That’s a wonderful name.”
“Right?”
“However, the name of the divine art and the way it’s used… Please conceal both.”
“Conceal it?”
“There are two reasons. First, it’s Geun-hyeop’s secret technique. Secret techniques should naturally be hidden. Second… Geun-hyeop’s Ghost Soul Divine Art is different from typical martial arts. It has a kind of ominous feeling to it.”
“Ah. You mean it could be mistaken for sorcery.”
“Yes.”
Serin nodded heavily.
She was definitely right. Even I felt that the explosion of demonic energy was ominous and sinister. Then how would other people perceive it? They would naturally think it was sorcery, especially if it differed from common martial arts.
“Okay. I’ll hide it. But this is frustrating. It seems like sorcery, so I can’t reveal my achievements. This is such a shame.”
I said that with some regret.
Slide
Serin came and held my hand.
“Geun-hyeop.”
“Huh?”
“Geun-hyeop, you didn’t obtain that power through evil deeds. Rather, you obtained it through acts of chivalry, didn’t you?”
Her face was endlessly serious.
“Uh, yeah.”
“You gained that power and awakened it through your own training, so it is a righteous martial art. Just because you can’t reveal it doesn’t mean your efforts are diminished. So there’s no need to feel regret.”
“Ah.”
Her words were so kind.
It seemed Serin misunderstood my regret as doubt about the nature of my martial art and tried to comfort me.
She really had such a kind heart.
It would be a loss not to have Serin… Soon. If Serin seduces me, I’ll take the opportunity to make a move.
“Thanks for saying that. You’re right, this isn’t something strange. It’s proof of my hard work.”
“That’s exactly right, Geun-hyeop.”
Serin had a satisfied expression.
Looking at her face, I said,
“Then, about my Ghost Soul Divine Art, strictly speaking, could it be considered an Orthodox Martial Art?”
“Yes?”
“Orthodox Martial Art. Orthodox Martial Art.”
Orthodox Martial Art meant righteous martial art.
“Um. Um, um.”
Serin touched her lips and hummed.
“Yes. It seems to be an Orthodox Martial Art.”
“As expected!”
“Hey, from what I see, it looks closer to a Sapa martial art or demonic art than an Orthodox Martial Art.”
Interrupting with such a cold remark!
“You don’t know because you’re a Taoist! And this is my constitution, how can you say such evil things!”
“What are you talking about? Anyway, as Jade Flower Sword said, don’t show it to others.”
“I’m planning on that anyway.”
A conclusion had been reached.
“Alright. Then the definition of the martial art seems to be finished. Next is application. Geun-hyeop, Ghost Soul Divine Art is your unique martial art. However, from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem to be a martial art with specific movements.”
“That’s right. It feels like I use it suddenly by consuming my demonic energy.”
“Then, wouldn’t there be a synergistic effect if you integrated Ghost Soul Divine Art with existing martial arts?”
Huh?
“Oh! Is that so?”
“Yes. For instance, while performing the movements of Daeryu Sword Technique, you suddenly use demonic energy and switch to Demon Fury Slash.”
“Right, right! I think that would work!”
In other words, naturally incorporating Ghost Soul Divine Art into the sword techniques I’d learned!
This was incredible!
“Hehe, I think I understand a little about how to use Ghost Soul Divine Art. From now on, it would be good to learn a variety of sword techniques.”
“Oh…!”
I thought about Ghost Soul Divine Art integrated with all kinds of movements.
“Wait! Right now, I can use Demon Fury Slash with slashing movements, right?”
“Yes.”
“If I were to use it with a stabbing motion, I could call it something different, right?”
“That should work.”
“Great!”
I set my next goal.
I could now more or less use the slashing skill, Demon Fury Slash. Then, next, let’s try creating a stabbing skill.
“Serin! Quickly teach me some martial arts! Focus on stabbing movements!”
“Hehehe, seeing you so motivated is truly wonderful.”
Auntie, I may not have become a peak master, but I became a demonic swordsman!
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