Chapter 399: Force (2)

That’s how my past life was.

Only a few years were enough for the Heavenly Demon to destroy the world.

I wondered how many years I had until that time came in this timeline.

At the very least, I knew I didn’t have much time.

Thanks to the Celestial Sword and her army, it was possible to overcome the calamity back then, but I knew it was impossible for me to achieve the same thing she did.

If I really wanted to replace Wi Seol-Ah’s position, I needed strength and a force as strong as the one the Celestial Sword had.

The Celestial Sword’s strength was one thing.

But a force huh.

She also had many people on her side. It was impossible for me to gather people the way she did because I lacked the status and kindness she possessed.

Because of my personality, I had zero experience in treating people with kindness.

It wasn’t a method that suited me, and it was pointless for me to try in the first place. I had to find my own way.

My own way hmm…?

I wasn’t completely void of options.

I knew the easiest path I could take. And that was…

Demonification.

Like I did with Namgung Cheonjun, I had learned that I am able to turn others into Demons.

Therefore, it was possible for me to turn people into Demonic Humans and use them as slaves.

That would be the easiest and the most suitable method for me if I wanted to form an alliance of my own.

I didn’t see any better option, as I was able to turn even those I didn’t trust into my own.

However.

Was that really the right thing to do? I felt conflicted.

I hesitated many times because I didn’t want to live that way.

I was working hard so that I didn’t live the same life I did in my past life. If I choose this method, then…

How am I different from the Heavenly Demon?

Even if I chose this method to stop the Demonic Cult…

I would just be making my own version of the Demonic Cult.

The thought filled my mind. But then…

…Do I even have any other choice?

I wasn’t even in the position to be hesitating. Even if my method was morally wrong, I wasn’t in a situation where I could afford to be picky about my options.

I knew that already, which was why I drew the line while thinking of a roster. Those who would still be fine even after I turn them into Demonic Humans.

I thought about people who would be better off dying as Demonic Humans.

That was the last excuse for myself.

Even if my method isn’t right, I’ll have to deal with it.

I had no other choice if I wanted to replace the Celestial Sword.

I knew that already. I didn’t have the vessel to get as big as her.

Because of that, I had to use everything I could to do the things she was able to do.

Guilt?

Regret?

Hesitation?

I’ll say it again, but I was only able to worry about those things if I had any other options.

This meant that I had no other choice right now.

I had no time to think. I had to execute my plan as soon as possible, and the time was ripe now for me to do so.

Craaack-!

I strengthened my fist further to increase my pace.

Slam-!

As soon as my fist made contact with the wall, it shattered and collapsed due to the impact. Even with this small movement, pain swept through my body.

However, this much only made my eyebrow flinch because I was so used to pain by this point.

Should I be happy now that I’m used to pain? I was starting that there was something wrong with me, for being happy about this.

I also noticed a difference compared to before.

My movement has changed.

It was very slightly noticeable, but my fist striking outwards changed a tiny bit. How should I say this? It looked cleaner?

If that wasn’t it, it felt as if something that bothered me went away.

I thought about it for a moment, as I didn’t know how to describe it. Then, I found a word that was the most fitting.

Fluidity.

My movement now felt more fluid.

It felt like my fist packed more strength thanks to the improved fluidity.

No, it’s not just a feeling.

I was almost certain. My body must have changed after I trained the Heaven Destruction Art for a while.

Was this what the Dishonored Venerable meant by changing the frame of the body?

It leaves me speechless.

Something I wasn’t able to achieve after an eternity of training was merely solved by me learning another Mind Art.

…Well, I guess I can’t say merely.

Even breathing felt painful, which was a massive problem.

No one would be able to argue that this was the most powerful martial art, as long as one was able to endure the pain.

They would know just how difficult the Heaven Destruction Art was to learn if they experienced the pain for themselves.

I continued to move my body without resting. I was drenched in sweat and was fully exhausted, as I had been training while barely sleeping for the past few days.

Despite this, I continued training without hesitation.

I was determined to go on until I reached my limit and passed out. It had been a few days already.

I’ve been feeling something strange recently. Was it because I was too focused? My body moved around.

To be more specific, my body was shaking.

It was moving on by itself as if it had a will of its own.

Despite my body moving on its own, I didn’t force myself to take control of it. The little instinct I had remaining told me that I shouldn’t try to stop this.

I took one step forward, and I felt great pain from it.

Whether it was my knees or waist, my body wasn’t in good condition.

I endlessly continued using Heaven Destruction Art from my Dantian.

I had an overflowing amount of Qi, so I was able to use it endlessly for multiple days. I was only moving my body around while focusing on a Mind Art, so there was no way that this was going to deplete my Qi.

However, my vision looked blurry. Should I focus and clear up my vision?

There was no need for it.

My body was moving on its own will. The pain gradually went away.

Was this the state of selflessness I achieved from being too exhausted? I knew that such a state wasn’t that easy to achieve, so I smirked at myself.

Whatever, it doesn’t matter.

For now…

A little more.

I wanted to soak in this sensation for a little longer. I couldn’t explain this discomfort. I knew that this strange sensation would go away if I focused even a little, so I had to purposely try to loosen my mind.

Was this a form of enlightenment? I was curious about what would happen if I let go of this sensation.

Then, suddenly.

Snap-

Ugh, fuck.

Was it because of my thought just now?

My mind started to become clearer. The faint sensation went away and I was starting to regain my consciousness.

Should I try to get it back? Right as I had that thought…

“Stop right there.”

Someone appeared and forcibly stopped me.

“…Ha…”

Then, my strength, that was holding up my body, loosened in an instant, and I fell to the ground.

“Huff… Huff…”

I barely held myself up using my hand as support. Was I this exhausted? Sweat fell down from my face and drenched the ground.

Then, I was able to notice that my hands were shaking. I hadn’t noticed before, but it seemed like my body had been at its limit for some time.

As I continued to breathe heavily, someone behind me spoke. It was the Dishonored Venerable.

“I was wondering how long you were going to do this for, but it’s already sunrise.”

“…Huh…?”

I opened my eyes wide after hearing the Dishonored Venerable.

It has already been that long…?

The Dishonored Venerable spoke with a smirk after checking my expression.

“You don’t even seem to know how long it’s been.”

I could’ve sworn the Dishonored Venerable appeared just now. When did he appear, and how long had it been ever since he came? I had no memory of it.

Has it really been that long ever since I let that strange, faint sensation take control over my body?

“…” When I stared at the Dishonored Venerable in silence, he smiled in response.

“Are you disappointed?”

“…No.”

“Stop lying. Your face is filled with disappointment.”

Is that really the case?

I didn’t think I was, but I guess my face was telling a different story.

“Also, don’t take this as me interfering with your training. It would’ve been bad if I didn’t stop you there.”

“I didn’t think that way at all.” I was able to know just by looking at my body. It would’ve been problematic if I continued at this state.

My body was at its limit.

The state of selflessness may have been important, but the Dishonored Venerable saved me to prevent my body from being damaged permanently.

I knew that as well, which was why I didn’t complain to him.

However, the Dishonored Venerable stuck his lips out, as if he wasn’t satisfied with my response.

“…What a lame answer.”

“What do you want me to—“

Right as I was about to say something, the Dishonored Venerable flung something at me.

I used my exhausted arm to catch it, and it was a gourd. Judging by the weight and a waviness sensation, it seemed like there was something inside.

“Quench your thirst first. Tsk, tsk… For me to bring a drink to a kid at this age.”

“…Thank you.”

I was very thirsty, so I proceeded to gulp it all down after thanking him. A mere drink was able to get my energy back up a little.

As I continued drinking, the Dishonored Venerable asked me a question.

“How did it feel, when you reached that state?”

After taking a few more sips, I asked the Dishonored Venerable in a curious tone.

“That state?”

“The sensation you experienced just earlier.”

“…”

“The faint sensation you didn’t want to let go of. Did you not feel nervous that you were going to lose it even by making the smallest mistake?”

“…That’s—“

“Don’t think of it as anything strange, as you were doing the right thing.”

I started to wonder after hearing the Dishonored Venerable.

At first, I believed it to be a type of enlightenment, but it sounded like it was something different, judging by the Dishonored Venerable’s explanation.

“I told you not to be disappointed as it’s a state you’ll have to reach one day anyway.”

“I’ll have to reach it one day?”

“Have you heard of state of selflessness?”

“Yes.”

The sensation of losing yourself and becoming one with your own movement. This was the state that martial artists achieved from time to time after certain enlightenment. It was a dream for many martial artists.

“What you experienced just now was a form of that state.”

In the end, doesn’t that mean that I gained an enlightenment just now?

However, that didn’t really make sense with the Dishonored Venerable’s explanation.

Right as I started to wonder, the Dishonored Venerable spoke.

“To be more accurate… It’s the Heaven Destruction Art’s form of state of selflessness.”

“…Huh?”

I opened my eyes wide in shock. The state of selflessness made by the Heaven Destruction Art?

“The Heaven Destruction Art makes its own state of selflessness?”

When I questioned him with a confused expression, I saw him smile a little.

“I didn’t think I would need to explain this so soon, but you achieved it much faster than I expected.”

“…”

“My martial art was created solely for my own greed, I’m sure you heard that as well.”

“Yes.”

The martial art created by the Dishonored Venerable to become a stronger martial artist. That was what the Heaven Destruction Art was.

“To be more accurate, I wanted to surpass the limit of a human.”

“…Limit… you say?”

“Yes, that was why I created this martial art.”

Human’s limit, huh? Hah, did he want to become a God or something?