In the westernmost part of Henan Province, where the Shaolin Temple is located, lies Sanmun Hyop, nestled between the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi.
In a secluded corner of the mountains, there stood a solitary house.
For some reason, it had become a silent sanctuary, devoid of bandits who lived by thievery on the mountain paths or common folk who had sought refuge from calamity in the woods.
Inside, an elderly man, appearing almost like an immortal, slowly stroked his long white beard and spoke.
“…Hoo, say it again.”
“Respectful name.”
Then, a man in his late thirties, who sat kneeling before him with a ghostly presence, repeated his earlier statement in a flat tone.
“The Correct Faction, the Regulation Hall, Suramun, and even Heuksobang in the southern part of Henan Province have all been destroyed. Local powers have begun to distance themselves in response to this sudden situation, leading to a temporary halt in regional unrest.”
As soon as the man finished speaking, the old man, who had paused stroking his beard, closed his eyes and fell deep into thought.
This region of Henan was a stronghold of the Shaolin Temple, a powerful force among the Correct Faction.
Thus, to check their influence and stir chaos, he had been particularly attentive, inciting various factions, some of which were outside the realm of official authority…
‘For now, it’s just a few sects in southern Henan. This isn’t substantial enough to disrupt my plan… Hmm, something still weighs on my mind.’
However, the unexpected variable that disrupted the smoothly flowing situation—
The unidentified monster had continuously provoked the old man’s desire for perfection.
“What of the outlaw?”
“After slaughtering the members of Suramun and decimating Heuksobang, he has vanished.”
“Have you identified who he is?”
“His appearance is so striking that witnesses have struggled to provide detailed accounts of his features. As far as his disguise goes, it seems likely he hails from the southern regions, but it’s also possible he has intentionally disguised himself to hide his true appearance.”
“Hoo…”
Considering how few had the audacity to confront someone that powerful directly, even the remaining witnesses’ impressions were limited to a few distinctive traits.
Currently, there was absolutely no information to form a basis for predicting the opponent.
‘Recently, the mysterious expert who reportedly wiped out the forces around Dongjeong Lake and the Yangtze River, and now this. What on earth is happening?’
After a long period of chaos, it was expected that hidden talents would no longer emerge.
At the very least, those left in this world were just settlers who had given up their special abilities and settled down.
“However, there is one noteworthy detail…”
Just as the old man sank quietly into thought.
The man still kneeling spoke up again.
“He referred to himself as the ‘Mad Demon.’”
“…Oh? The Mad Demon?”
The old man’s voice was tinged with curiosity as he challenged.
The Mad Demon was already a well-known expert to him.
To wander solo in such a chaotic world was to possess exceptional skill, characterized by an aggressive demeanor that seemed to reflect the nature of a demon.
Yet, he had outright rejected any proposals for incorporation and instead displayed hostility toward them.
For him to self-identify in that way—
“Of course, it’s certain that he’s not the real one. It has already been confirmed that the Mad Demon had been clashing with someone in Hebei until recently.”
In the end, it indicated an impersonation.
Or perhaps, he was a true lunatic who didn’t care a whit about the real Mad Demon or the world’s focus.
Slowly, the man stroked his beard, nodding his head slightly while lifting the corners of his mouth.
“Perfect. We can use this to our advantage. Whisper this to the real Mad Demon in Hebei quietly. Given his nature, he will certainly not stand idly by if he learns that someone is impersonating him.”
“I will do just that.”
“There’s no need for us to step forward right from the start. The more information we have, the better.”
Thus, through their invisible scheming, a big match between the ‘self-proclaimed Mad Demon’ and the ‘current Mad Demon’ had become a reality.
An epic title match was set to establish whose true title would reign supreme.
“It seems the timing of the upcoming event is also lined up perfectly. Has the target location been selected? What about the candidates for the sacrificial offerings…?”
“Yes. Among them, the ones to watch out for are indeed…”
The two began a suspicious conversation again.
The dark scheme that had emerged from the Ganghwan Realm began to grow at a terrifying speed.
*
After the Zhuge Family and Mount Wu Sect had joined forces.
The period during which their coalition could transit their territories without any significant disturbance was quite short.
“Strike! This is the perfect opportunity to break the spirit of the Correct Faction! Kill all those fools who dare enter our domain!”
“Uwaaaa! Aaack!”
“Don’t know your place, coming at us like moths to a flame! Fine, I’ll purify you all!”
Following the launch of the attack, the delayed assault resumed.
Having learned that they had formed an alliance, the various masked warriors clad in diverse outfits rushed in forcefully.
“Hoo, even after this, those reckless thugs still haven’t come to their senses. I shall personally guide them to the Xuantian Shangdi.”
“Unleash Taeul Yeonhwan Jin! Show these foolish ones the might of the Zhuge Family!”
In response, Woon Hyun Jin from Mount Wu Sect and Elder Zhuge Qi from the Zhuge Family stepped forward with solemn exclamations.
As chaos erupted again, Hugo moved along with the others while meaningfully shining his eyes.
In fact, this situation was something he had intentionally orchestrated, so there was no reason for him to panic now.
‘…Finally, I get to see the actual combat techniques of Mount Wu Sect.’
In addition to being a martial arts faction, Mount Wu Sect aspired to fundamental softness, harmony, and balance.
This philosophy naturally infused the martial arts they practiced, making the martial arts of Mount Wu Sect predominantly characterized by yielding to overpower.
Of course, there would always be exceptions.
‘But now’s not the time to think that far. Let’s take things step by step from the beginning.’
However, he couldn’t afford to just stand by and watch while everyone else was busy.
To avoid later complications, he needed to dive into the fray and lend a hand.
‘Well, multitasking is something I’m accustomed to.’
Perhaps doing so would even be more beneficial for his practice.
Shuuuuu—
Energy derived from the Heavenly Body Technique surged around Hugo’s body like a whirlwind birthed from Energy Martial Arts, gradually accelerating his thoughts as the surroundings began to slow down.
With a firm grip on the hilt of his sword, he slightly bent at the waist while taking a heavy step forward, as if cutting through the world, as if it were water.
Boom—
“…!”
Simultaneously, the face of a distant martial artist suddenly swooped in close.
Seemingly startled by the sudden event, their pupils dilated, and their mouth began to open.
But before any words could escape their lips, Hugo’s sword had already swept past their neck.
Gurgle…!
As he left behind the collapsing foe spewing blood, his gaze swept across the wide battlefield.
‘This is my best for now. I’m still lacking.’
Amidst the chaos, those caught in the formidable spells of the Zhuge Family were floundering and perishing, while Woon Hyun Jin pressed the attack, launching assaults that even he found difficult to comprehend.
Additionally, there were disciples from Mount Wu employing high-caliber sword techniques worthy of a prestigious school.
‘Seven of them… Is that the legendary Seven Star Sword Formation?’
Though he was briefly captivated by the dynamic formation, it was only a moment.
No matter how excellent the Formation was, if it was designed for humans facing humans, it simply wouldn’t suit him.
Besides, that formation likely wasn’t designed for dealing with winged foes, was it?
‘Of course, I could refer to it and create something new, but more importantly… it’s vital to focus on building a solid foundation first.’
Clang! Clang!
“Cough, this brat…! What kind of power is this…?”
Even while analyzing his surroundings and lost in thought, Hugo continuously moved.
He repeatedly clashed swords with opponents while taking deep, consistent breaths.
Yet even while fighting, his gaze was absorbed by an entirely different realm.
‘I see.’
With the acquisition of Heavenly Body Technique, his senses had become sharper. Combined with skills like Neural Sensitivity and Insight, he swiftly absorbed the surrounding information.
Surely, if it had been limited to just that, it would have lacked the vital comprehension needed to activate Imitation.
‘But I’m not alone.’
The wisdom of Hans, the intuition of Heinz II, the skills of Heinrich, the instincts of Harley, the experiences of Harris…
And even Hubert’s Analysis and Horus’s Mystical Seeker converged to—
‘Indeed, I think I’ve finally grasped how this works.’
Most forms captured in his view immediately broke down and deconstructed themselves, transformed into necessary elements he could apply for himself.
Throb—
Amidst that, the linkage with multiple avatars began causing an overload in the brain at Hugo’s center, but this level of pain and heat was nothing compared to the durability enhanced by massive karma.
‘There’s no need to clone everything perfectly.’
While it wasn’t impossible if he tried, that would be highly inefficient and potentially lead to troublesome situations later on.
Perhaps once he’s stronger, that would be a different story, but for now, it would be wise to keep an escape route open.
‘After all, what matters is the essence contained within, so I’ll reshape the form to fit my body and take only what I need.’
In that light, the martial arts of Mount Wu Sect held the very elements most necessary for him right now.
The fundamental softness, which was exactly the opposite of the hard-hitting techniques he had grown accustomed to in the realm of Auterica.
‘In Auterica, to face monsters that can shrug off any normal attack, there was no choice but to prioritize destructive power.’
There might be martial arts out there with entirely different approaches, but he had never encountered any.
From the very beginning, the ‘Aura’ that warriors used was specialized for explosive energy release.
‘But my foundational energy built through the path of Qi is different. To reach the level of a martial artist in this world, it’s a crucial process.’
It’s not for nothing that warriors from the martial arts world are renowned for being specialists in individual combat.
When conditions are similar, the unchangeable principles of inner mastery and combat techniques optimized for killing provide an overwhelming advantage.
‘Of course, that also means they tend to fare poorly against foreign beings.’
Just as the Thousand Death Demon had shown a weaker side against Hans upon recently returning from the Ganghwan Realm.
As time passed, subtle changes began to appear in Hugo’s movements.
His steps, which had initially been heavy and emphasized groundedness, gradually became lighter.
The sword, prioritized for strength and swiftness, now mixed in softness and curved fluidly.
‘What I lack is merely understanding the mysteries of martial arts and inner energy. In combat terms, I certainly won’t lose.’
However shallow his theoretical knowledge of martial arts was in this realm, they were specialists who had nurtured many transcendent beings.
The rhythm of Hugo’s breathing, which had been monotonous, began to evolve gradually.
At first glance, it might’ve seemed he was breathing similarly to the disciples of Mount Wu, including Woon Hyun Jin, but if one were to feel it, a distinct difference was evident in his breathing method.
‘It’s done. This is enough…’
With that, Hugo offered a faint smile to the demonstrators who had imparted their teachings and insights, and slowly began to regulate his breath.
Thanks to this, he could now clearly discern the essence and harmonious meaning behind their martial arts, along with how to incorporate that into combat.
And in celebration of that realization—
《The entity has achieved the conditions for evolution. Skill “Energy Martial Arts” evolves into the special skill “Nameless Skill.”》
A new message window appeared before his eyes.
