Chapter 25

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 25

Chapter Title: Ordinary Apocalypse

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And a month passed.

During that time, there were no dramatic changes to my daily routine.

I just kept doing what I'd always been doing.

In real-world time, I'd craft Purple Dawn Divine Pellets every twelve hours before collapsing,

and in the training realm, I'd get relentlessly pummeled until I passed out.

Is this really living? That thought crossed my mind, but the grind of nearly a month hadn't betrayed me.

'Back!'

Whoosh-!

'Leg!'

Swish-!

'Flank!'

Thwack!

'Right shoulder!'

Bang!!

"Hundred!!"

Spheres assaulting me from all directions in the arena.

I dodged all ninety-nine attacks perfectly, then batted away the final one with a straight punch.

The shattered sphere scattered into starlight.

Kyaaaaah!

This is it!

This is what I'm talking about!

"Master! How was that?!"

It was a badass montage that could've played at a funeral without missing a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beat.

I turned to AlphaGo, who was watching the whole thing, panting heavily as I asked.

Nod. Nod.

"Pass."

"Yes!! Yes! Yes!!!!"

I couldn't hold back a cheer at AlphaGo's mechanical nod.

This was the fruit of a month's hard labor.

I'd successfully mastered the first form of the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method: Qi Change Capture.

"This is it!!"

That nod from AlphaGo was the signal for permission to descend the mountain.

I jumped up and down in place, letting out a victory yell.

"Question. Are you that happy?"

That happy?

No, that was wrong.

I'm fucking thrilled, raw and real!!

"Ahh, it was so long. That endless stretch of humiliation and torment... Now it's time to return as the 'Survival Demon' Unyielding Magic Sword...!"

"...?"

AlphaGo furrowed her brow like she'd encountered a serious glitch.

Sigh, try to understand.

Humans are fickle like that.

"Anyway, thank you, Master. It really took exactly one month."

It was exactly one month ago.

AlphaGo had promised that in a month, she'd give me the foundation to handle any surprise attacks from tentacle mutants like a pro.

That foundation was the first form of the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method—Qi Change Capture.

It involved spreading an invisible radar net about a hand's breadth from my skin, detecting any incoming attacks.

'At this point, is it even a martial art?'

Qi Change Capture itself wasn't a direct attack or defense method.

It just detected what was happening around me.

So how did it become a defensive tool?

The answer was simple.

'She hardcoded responses to every possible scenario into my unconscious.'

What AlphaGo did was like tedious coding grunt work.

She turned me into an input device with Qi Change Capture over the month, then engraved the appropriate outputs directly into my body!

Like a macro: specific input triggers the matching output instantly.

I have no idea how it works, but passing the 100-sphere barrage proved I'd mastered it to a practical combat level.

I could do more, but it was a waste of time beyond the set benchmark.

My perfect clear earned AlphaGo's approval to head down the mountain.

"Affirmative. But don't get complacent. You're still very much a newbie."

"Of course."

Like with the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture, I've only scratched the surface of the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method.

True mastery involves using that input to trace causality, divine fortune and misfortune, and beyond—which is far from my current state as a high-spec input device.

I heard the real deal operates on a totally different scale from me.

AlphaGo said eventually you could encompass an entire star in your detection range or something.

But that's so far off in the future, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it didn't really hit me.

You need to be on the same level for inferiority complexes to kick in.

Me right now?

I'm at the level where I don't even have a bunker, so I barely hold off zergling rushes by harassing the SCV entrance, then lay mines and bunker on the hill.

I've become Unyielding Magic Sword, the Toss-grade cosmic defender!

"Anyway, watch me!"

I bowed deeply one last time with all my heart, then exited the training realm.

After leaving the training realm, I filled my belly with a hearty bowl of multi-grain porridge.

Why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠still multi-grain porridge? Because I'm still failing to make Wall Valley Pills.

I still don't know why it doesn't work.

The gallery folks put their heads together, but the conclusion was unanimous.

Every time I tried to make a Wall Valley Pill, I'd pour in my entire inner energy, even drawing on my spirit power.

"I really don't get why."

Others whip up Wall Valley Pills like making rice cakes, but for me, it's like veteran charcoal master Kim Young-deuk spending 81 years of his life earnestly crafting a true elixir.

So my routine became passing out for 12 hours every time I made a "Wall Valley Pill" (aka Purple Dawn Divine Pellet).

Still, one silver lining from the process.

"My inner energy reserves exploded like crazy over the past month."

Muscles grow stronger by tearing and healing.

Bones harden through breaking and recovery.

The Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture and inner energy work the same way.

In its philosophy likening the body to a microcosm, drawing spirit power to craft Purple Dawn Divine Pellets rivals the creation and destruction of a universe.

Through that, my inner microcosm expanded vastly, reaching a level incomparable to the start.

Plus, I consumed the Ether I'd been saving.

In other words,

"Ahh, now's the time."

I immediately posted on the gallery.

Declaring the live stream's resumption drew the gallery denizens like stray dogs guarding an abandoned orchard.

You all missed me that much, huh?

The veterans gathered one by one to leave their blessings.

And finally,

Cheers from the original master, the Color Emperor.

"Alright."

If she'd added her cheer dance, I'd be pumped a hundredfold, but this is plenty.

Me, Unyielding Magic Sword.

Kim Mu-bung, who's mastered Protoss psionic energy—the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture—and Terran cosmic defense—the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Method.

Filthy Zerg scum?

I shall not forgive you in the name of the Xel'Naga.

"Let's go."

I stepped out of the shelter into the outside.

The moment I did, a blinding snowstorm that obscured vision hit me.

The weather's always shit, but today it's extra shitty.

So,

"Today too, just an ordinary apocalypse, huh?"

Nothing special.

Crunch crunch.

I trudged forward into the snow-covered wasteland.