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Chapter 25

Sigh...

I would’ve held on to it if I’d known this was going to happen.

My weapon of choice was my fists, not a sword, but a sharp edge was definitely preferred when I needed to conserve my internal energy.

The baseline attack power of a sword was on a different level from a fist.

Since my external arts and body still weren’t good, I needed to use all of my internal energy to face these snake bastards.

If I fought them with just my body, my muscles would be ripped apart and my bones crushed in an instant.

If I hadn’t been hit by Osel’s poisoned dagger and been able to convert its extreme yang energy into my own internal energy, I would’ve died already.

...Thinking back on it, could I really say that was just a stroke of luck?

I suddenly had a useless thought. Maybe getting hit by that dagger was the start of an extraordinary fate or something.

But since it was a useless thought, I ignored it and focused on the battle.

...

...

My body felt hot.

As I kicked, punched, and ripped apart these small snakes that were swarming me, I suddenly wondered...

How many have I killed so far?

I couldn’t remember.

This was dangerous. It was proof that my cognitive ability was starting to be affected.

Even as I swung my fist imbued with fire ki, it felt like I was gradually getting colder... and soon, my breaths started to form mist.

This isn’t good.

In fact, it was really bad.

The reason I had been able to hold on this long wasn’t because I was amazing; it was because of the matchup.

The martial arts I had learned just happened to be of the extreme yang type.

On the other hand, the matchup was bad for Calzark. Against an enemy like this, it would be difficult for him to use even half of his total power.

I let out another hot breath. “Haa...” 

Thinking about it simply, fire would melt ice, but the melted ice would turn into water and the water would put out the fire.

Beyond the regular elemental interactions, this meant that the longer I fought, the more disadvantageous it would become for me.

If I had become strong enough to instantly vaporize all water with my fire, it wouldn’t matter how long the battle dragged on.

But unfortunately for me right now, my proficiency in both internal and external arts was terrible.

The biggest variable in the battle right now was definitely the children of the gem beast.

The cold ki they emitted naturally from their bodies saturated their surroundings, and it was affecting me as well.

“Haa...”

I let out another deep breath.

How many more enemies are there?

Their numbers didn’t seem to have changed from when I first saw them.

Slap!

My cheek was slapped by a tail while I was busy thinking such useless thoughts. If the hit had been any harder, my teeth might’ve fallen out.

“You bastard...”

For slapping me when even my mother never did, I personally reached out to that snake and ripped it to death.

Then, as I spat the blood out of my mouth, I had another thought:

I might die here today.

...

...

At some point, my consciousness felt like I was drifting in a dream.

Every part of my body hurt, especially my right arm. As I looked at it to check its condition, I saw quite a severe injury.

I had bled a lot, but what I was feeling right now was a little different from the light-headedness caused by excessive blood loss. It felt as if my mind was disjointed from my body.

Even while I continued to have useless thoughts, my arms and legs diligently destroyed my enemies.

I ended up remembering something my talkative third senior brother used to say.

—You get stronger the angrier you get? That’s like The Hulk.

—Rather than anger, I feel like I’m resonating more deeply with the Strongest Fire Technique. Also, what’s a hulk?

—Just something with green skin, a huge body, and great strength...

—An ogre?

—He looks similar, but... he’s completely different.

My third senior brother was known for how talkative he was, but nine out of ten things he said were useless. However, he occasionally said something helpful.

—Youngest, I heard that you were a mercenary before coming here.

—Ah, yes.

—Did you know? Everyone who walks the path of a mercenary comes to at least one situation where they must bet their life.

His words back then weren’t wrong. As a baseline for mercenary jobs, not even the most simple of missions was without the threat of death.

Honestly, even if they weren’t aware of that, most mercenaries truly put their life on the line in every situation.

—A few people think “putting their life on the line” is some grandiose thing, but it’s not like that. Even so, those situations are indeed opportunities for immense growth.

—Listen closely, youngest.

—Overcoming your limits and throwing away your life as if you’re betting with it, those are two completely different things. Because...

“...Spite and perseverance are two different things.”

In my previous life, I’d never truly understood what he meant by this.

I’d died on the battlefield without overcoming my limit.

I’d only realized it after I experienced death and arrived in a new place called Spirit Mountain.

* * * * *

* * * * *

...

...

My body still felt hot. My throat was burning up like I had swallowed a ball of fire, and my skull felt like lava was flowing through it.

Even so, my entire body was suffused with a sharp layer of cold ki.

It had gotten to the point where I didn’t even have the luxury of thinking useless thoughts.

I continued to fight.

Even the thought of victory started to fade at some point. My body began to move more on primal instinct.

Even until my internal energy bottomed out, to kill just one more...

I punched.

Tap.

...I definitely punched.

“...Uh.”

But my fist, which had been destroying these snakes all this time, only powerlessly tapped against a snake’s scales.

The snake also seemed to be shocked for a moment as it shrunk in on itself... but after realizing it felt no pain, it tilted its head to look at me.

Swish swish.

I looked at my fist in a daze. When I tried to squeeze my inner core, no energy poured out.

The confused snake immediately changed its attitude and lunged at me.

Kyaaaaak!

I could see the snake’s disgusting throat, its flashing white fangs, and the cold ki it was constantly emitting.

I was in a desperate and dangerous situation.

...

...

To put it another way...

This was the moment to exceed my limits.

***

—You’re a funny one.

Sometime in the past, Master said that to me.

—I have seen countless individuals who were all called geniuses. You have four senior brothers above you, and they all have unbelievable talent that one would have difficulty finding anywhere under the heavens. Like you, they also trained here.

He continued to talk in his monotonous voice.

—They needed to do whatever they could to survive on Spirit Mountain for a month.

I silently listened like I was a sinner being lectured.

—Every one of them experienced all sorts of dangers. Although those dangers weren’t guaranteed to lead to injury, they all faced death once or twice.

The words “once or twice” cut deeply into my soul.

Master looked directly at my face and observed my reaction.

—How many times have you nearly died on Spirit Mountain?

I didn’t know. I couldn’t count because it had happened too many times. 

I was too busy trying to survive.

—Twenty-seven times. Twenty-seven times in one month. You could say you nearly died once a day.

I became overcome with emotions.

—What... are you trying to say?

Compared to my senior brothers who were only in danger one or two times, I should’ve already died.

The unbelievable difference in our level made me feel miserable. I felt like a failure.

I expected to hear the words I had heard countless times in House Bednicker, the words I had never wanted to hear from my master.

—Well done.

As I looked up in surprise, I saw the face of a benevolent old man.

—You were in a lot of danger this past month. You were hurt a lot and suffered a lot. A person can never truly become insensitive to death. You spent a month wrestling with the biggest fear one can have, and you overcame it. You were able to truly train yourself.

Thinking about it now...

I’m pretty sure that’s the only time Master ever genuinely praised me.

—It seems the flame will suit you.

—Why is that?

It was an unexpected suggestion.

If I were able to fully personify the flame, I would become a very passionate and fiery individual. When I thought about it, that person was far too distant from me.

But despite my thoughts, I already knew it in my heart.

—The fire elemental technique of the Strongest Technique in History can only be embodied by one with the utmost tenacity.

In the world of martial arts, my master’s words were truth.

***

Was the gem beast a poisonous snake? And had its children inherited their mother’s poisonous fangs?

I would never be able to learn the answer to these questions because, right before its fangs could touch my arm, the swarm of snakes disappeared from my sight like dried leaves before a flame.

My head felt numb, and my vision went white.

Even though my body had been shivering until just a moment ago, it felt warm now.

...!

...!

Even though the baby snakes were screaming as they charged toward me, I couldn’t hear them properly.

My five senses felt extremely dull, but the movement of the snakes somehow felt very clear, as if I was touching them with my hands.

...I broke through.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Maybe my ears weren’t working anymore. I couldn’t even hear my own laughter.

But thanks to that, I was able to laugh as loudly as I could without caring about anyone who might hear me.

The snakes hesitated briefly, like they wanted to avoid me somewhat, but then one of them swung at me with its tail as if it were a whip.

It looked so slow that I nearly yawned.

I grabbed the snake’s tail and ripped it apart.

This was definitely easier than punching it with my fists, though it did have the downside of being messy.

I took a step forward.

Step.

Thinking about it, this was the first time... This was the first time in this battle that I had walked toward them.

While fighting the snakes, the one thing I’d worried most about was being surrounded. As a result, I’d taken a more defensive stance.

But there was no need to do that anymore. 

I now had a complete understanding of their numbers.

The remaining snakes...

There were only around fifteen left.

Maybe they thought I’d stepped into the jaws of death myself, but the snakes that had been hesitating started to attack me again.

Evidently these snakes would need a lot more time before they could inherit the title of “gem beast” from their mother.

Their attacks were all so simple. This group of snakes seemed to lack cunning.

In that case, right now, while my physical ability was at its maximum, it didn't matter if they numbered in the tens or hundreds.

Fwoosh.

The red flames suddenly changed color and became white.

The surroundings also looked like they were covered with white flames.

But, on closer inspection, it was because I was within the white flames myself.

...The reason only the most tenacious person can embody the Strongest Fire Technique.

This technique had the characteristic of becoming stronger and stronger the longer the battle went.

As time passed, the body would heat up, but in contrast, the practitioner would feel colder.

Their body would feel lethargic, their mind would seem faint, and the pain would become unbearable.

Due to these factors, one might have thoughts of death at every moment, but if one held on and didn’t give up, it would become even hotter.

Gradually, they would become stronger, burning until the moment of fading like a fire that burns without restraint.

The growth of the body would also reach its limit. In the end, when one broke through to the point of overheating, white flames would cover their entire body...

Master called this condition Flaming White.

Only real combat could let one see true growth.

A result that could never be achieved unless one overcame the valley of death... That was why I was thankful for this hardship, this battle, this day.

I snapped the neck of the last snake.

Crunch.

I took deep breaths and stood still.

I stood there in the flames, enjoying the feeling of being born anew.

The chill disappeared from my surroundings.

...

...

But then something completely unexpected happened.

[Truly amazing!]

[This dance of fists that you showed with your life on the line—I, Martial God, recognize it as an offering worthy of awakening me from my deep slumber.]

[Inheritor, you have the right to become my first follower.]

...What the hell was this?