Do you believe in ghosts?
At the very least, I didn’t.
I was someone who believed they couldn’t possibly exist in this world.
That was why I was even more startled.
- It turns out it is possible. To place a soul within a sword.
A voice had suddenly spoken.
“Aargh! You scared me!”
My heart raced as tension and wariness surged through me.
I was currently inside a training room at a private training center.
I was the only person here…… so who the hell had spoken?
“……Who are you?”
I swallowed hard as I spoke.
At the same time, I tightened my grip on the Limitless Sword.
- The owner of the sword you’re holding. That should be explanation enough, shouldn’t it?
The voice spoke again.
Goosebumps rose across my forearms.
“Aargh! What the hell?! I asked who you are!”
Although I shouted in surprise...
The voice’s words continued to echo in my ears.
‘The sword’s owner? Then…… the Martial God?’
Trying to remain calm...
I questioned the owner of the voice.
“If you’re the owner of this sword…… are you Master Jin Cheon-woo, the Martial God?”
I remained respectful.
Anyone powerful enough to be called the Martial God was undoubtedly much older than me.
- Hoho, you’re a young man who knows his manners. That’s right. I am the man who was once called the Martial God.
The voice coming from empty air became noticeably gentler.
It seemed my judgment had been correct.
“Then are you currently inside the Limitless Sword?”
- Hmm…… A detailed explanation would be complicated, so you may think of it that way. But…… how do you know the name Limitless Sword?
“I viewed the sword’s information.”
- You viewed the sword’s information……? Is such a thing possible?
Jin Cheon-woo, the Martial God, seemed unable to understand what I meant.
The ability to view an Item’s information belonged to those who had awakened Traits.
Explaining everything would take too long, so I gave him only a brief explanation.
I told him that I possessed the ability to view information about objects.
- If that is true, it is an astonishing ability. Since you discovered the Limitless Sword’s name, I can hardly refuse to believe you.
After we exchanged a few more words, I managed to calm down.
However, I was still fascinated.
The person speaking with me was the man who had once been called the Martial God!
‘Maybe…… ghosts really do exist in this world?’
Quickly dismissing that pointless thought...
I asked Jin Cheon-woo another question.
“Would it be all right…… if I used your sword and armor, Master Jin?”
- Hoho, it seems to me that you’re already using them quite well.
“…….”
He was right, so I had nothing to say.
I had certainly used them quite a lot while fighting the Kiraks.
The armor had also blocked the Kiraks’ attacks several times.
- There’s no need to feel uncomfortable. This Jin Cheon-woo is already dead. If you’re willing to take in the ownerless Limitless Sword and Limitless Armor, I should be grateful instead.
That was a relief.
He didn’t seem like a bad person.
“Thank you.”
After expressing my gratitude...
I asked him something else.
“Master Jin, would it also be all right for me to learn the Limitless Mind Method, Limitless Sword Method, and Limitless Footwork?”
However...
His response was different this time.
- Hoho! Hohohoho!
Jin Cheon-woo began laughing.
Why was he suddenly acting like that?
- Hahahaha!
“Why are you laughing?”
- Ah, forgive me. I couldn’t help myself. This time, allow me to ask you a question. Were you serious?
“Yes. I asked because I sincerely want to learn the Limitless Mind Method, Limitless Sword Method, and Limitless Footwork.”
- You intend to learn my martial arts……? Hmm…… Would that even be possible? No, it would be impossible. That is……
Jin Cheon-woo continued muttering to himself.
The atmosphere grew serious.
After a while, he spoke in a regretful tone.
- Those martial arts aren’t something one can learn merely through desire. You would need to possess an extraordinarily rare talent just to imitate them.
“……They’re that difficult?”
- They are. That is also why I was unable to take even a single disciple.
It seemed that Jin Cheon-woo’s martial arts were exceptionally difficult to learn.
If he had been powerful enough to be called the Martial God, he must have lived for quite a long time.
Yet even throughout all those years, he hadn’t been able to take a single disciple.
- To be blunt for your own sake…… it will be difficult. I recommend abandoning that futile hope and giving up as soon as possible.
Since those words came from a man once known as the Martial God, I tried to accept them.
However, the longer I listened, the less sense they made.
‘I’m pretty sure I’ve already learned them.’
I had clearly seen the Messages a short while ago.
They had stated that I had awakened the Limitless Mind Method, Limitless Sword Method, and Limitless Footwork.
Hadn’t I also endured horrific pain in the process?
To confirm it, I opened my Status Window.
***
【Name】Yu-gwon
【Trait】Martial God’s Successor (SSSSS)
【Vitality】E[63] 【Inner Arts】E[50]
【Attack Power】E[61] 【Defense】E[61]
【Evasion】E[62] 【Magic Resistance】E[58]
【Skills】[Limitless Mind Method (SSSSS)][Limitless Sword Method (SSSSS)][Limitless Footwork (SSSSS)][Swing (F)][Thrust (F)]
【Achievements】[Special Beginner]
The Martial God’s martial arts were clearly listed in the Skills section.
There was no doubt that I had learned them.
However, I would probably need to train separately before I could actually use or apply them.
- Are you listening to me? It would be more efficient to abandon the idea of learning my martial arts and search for different martial arts……
“I’m not giving up.”
- What……?
“I said I’m not giving up.”
- Even though you may end up wasting your time?
“I think I’ll have to try before I can know that.”
Jin Cheon-woo still doubted me.
His attitude only made me want to show him even more.
I wanted to prove that I could do it.
‘I should start by circulating the Mind Method.’
First, I took out my smartphone and searched YouTube.
I looked for information on how to practice a Mind Method.
“Sit down…… and assume the lotus position? The lotus position is…… Ah, so this is how I do it? Then I need to sense the Inner Arts within my Dantian, and the Dantian is somewhere behind the navel…….”
While watching a YouTube video about ‘how to circulate a Mind Method,’ I gradually adjusted my posture.
It was difficult to follow everything correctly on my first attempt, but watching the video helped me slowly understand what to do.
However, Jin Cheon-woo appeared to find my actions strange.
- What are you doing? And what is that…… mirror-like object?
“I’m watching a video about how to circulate a Mind Method. This is a smartphone.”
- You’re watching how to circulate a Mind Method? A smartphone? Hoho…… You’re saying many things I find difficult to understand.
That brief exchange told me something.
Jin Cheon-woo was someone who had lived apart from modern civilization.
‘Let’s keep going.’
After watching the video attentively...
I assumed the lotus position and tried to sense my Inner Arts.
‘They said it was in the Dantian. The Dantian is somewhere behind my navel…… Oh! Is this it?’
As I concentrated my senses around my navel, I felt something writhing.
In truth, it wasn’t particularly surprising.
My Inner Arts stat displayed on the Status Window was an astonishing 50.
I had simply never sensed it before. I already possessed a considerable amount of Inner Arts.
HUM—! HMMMM—!
The writhing movement intensified before whatever it was began to vibrate.
I realized that it was my Inner Arts.
‘It’s about the size of my thumbnail. If my Inner Arts stat increases, it’ll grow larger than this, right?’
The mass of Inner Arts was slightly larger than my thumbnail.
Hunters who had just awakened martial arts-related Traits supposedly possessed Inner Arts around the size of their little fingernails on average.
Mine was much larger.
Perhaps awakening an SSSSS-grade Trait meant that my starting point was fundamentally different.
- Oh! You’re able to sense your Inner Arts.
Jin Cheon-woo gave a small exclamation of admiration.
I couldn’t respond.
I was already overwhelmed simply trying to move my Inner Arts.
‘This is quite difficult……!’
Whenever my concentration faltered for even a moment, my Inner Arts tried to return to its original position.
It had already happened several times, and each failure increased my fatigue.
For the sake of efficiency, I needed to reduce such mistakes.
That was why I worked hard to maintain my concentration.
HMMMM—! HMMMMM—!
Fortunately, I didn’t have to wonder where I should move my Inner Arts.
My senses could perceive the path I needed to follow as a distinct ‘line.’
‘This line must be visible because I learned the Limitless Mind Method, right?’
It was a line that showed me the path for my Inner Arts, much like driving with a navigation system.
Taking care not to stray from that line in the slightest, I moved my Inner Arts along it.
HMMMMM—! HMMMM—!
Starting from the Dantian behind my navel, my Inner Arts circulated throughout my entire body before returning to the Dantian.
At that moment, something changed.
FLASH—!
Light burst from my entire body.
A pure-white radiance enveloped me, and the sensation was remarkably pleasant.
It felt warm and soothing.
My mind also became clear.
It was as though I had awakened after a long and restful sleep.
And then...
[Inner Arts has increased +1]
A Message appeared before my eyes.
It was the first time I had seen a Message announcing an increase to my Inner Arts.
【Inner Arts】E[51]
My current Inner Arts stat was 51.
Considering how little time had passed since I Awakened, it was incredibly high.
‘This is amazing.’
Furthermore...
New Messages continued appearing in real time.
[You have learned Jin Cheon-woo, the Martial God’s ‘Limitless Mind Method’.]
[Achievement added - One Who Learned the Martial God’s Mind Method]
“Oh!”
The name of the Achievement looked extraordinary.
Filled with anticipation, I immediately opened its information.
【Achievement】One Who Learned the Martial God’s Mind Method
[Description] An Achievement granted to one who has learned and circulated Jin Cheon-woo, the Martial God’s ‘Limitless Mind Method’
[Effects] Vitality +5, Inner Arts +10, Attack Power +5, Defense +5, Evasion +5, Magic Resistance +5
It was an Achievement with incredible Effects.
The fact that it increased every combat stat was already remarkable, but the increases themselves were also considerable.
‘This is insane! It increases Inner Arts by 10? And it raises Vitality, Attack Power, Defense, Evasion, and Magic Resistance by 5 each?’
The change wasn’t merely visible through numbers. I could physically feel myself becoming stronger.
My body felt lighter, and immense strength surged through me!
Moreover, the Inner Arts within my Dantian wriggled without any prompting, asserting its presence.
HMMMMM—! HMMMM—!
It was satisfying in every possible way.
However...
Jin Cheon-woo’s reaction was strange.
- The Mind Method you just circulated……! Could it possibly have been the Limitless Mind Method……?
His voice trembled as though he were flustered.
It wasn’t a difficult question for me to answer.
“Yes. It was the Limitless Mind Method. You said I wouldn’t be able to do it, but it worked quite well.”
There was no doubt that I had circulated the Limitless Mind Method.
A related Achievement had even appeared.
However, Jin Cheon-woo seemed unable to accept it.
- Impossible! The Limitless Mind Method is absolutely not a martial art that can be learned so easily!
“Is that so?”
Jin Cheon-woo was becoming excessively agitated.
It was rather frightening to hear someone who had sounded so dignified only moments ago act like this.
Was it really so strange that I had learned and circulated the Limitless Mind Method?
- It’s impossible! This cannot be! The Limitless Mind Method is the ultimate Mind Method I created after refining it for decades! No one could possibly learn it in such a short time!
Well, if he refused to believe me, I would just have to show him again.
HMMMM—!
I assumed the lotus position once more and began circulating the Limitless Mind Method.
‘It still isn’t extraordinarily difficult the second time. Of course, maintaining my concentration for so long isn’t easy, but it’s manageable.’
I successfully circulated the Limitless Mind Method again.
Although my Inner Arts stat didn’t increase this time, the amount of Inner Arts within me did grow.
“I circulated the Limitless Mind Method again. What do you think? You believe me now, don’t you?”
- Gasp……! How……? You! What in the world are you……?
Jin Cheon-woo was now even questioning my identity.
I had shown him twice, yet he continued to doubt me.
It was beginning to irritate me.
However...
My worsening mood instantly improved.
It was all thanks to the Messages that appeared before my eyes.
[You have astonished Jin Cheon-woo, the Martial God, with your exceptional martial arts talent.]
[Achievement added - One Who Astonished the Martial God]
***