Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Limitless Breakthrough
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Thump, thump.
My heart hammered against my chest like it was about to shatter it.
Maybe one of my ribs really would break.
That was when it happened.
The energy of the Nature Primordial Art, which had been circling part of my lower dantian below my navel, suddenly surged upward in one go.
'Good. It's starting.'
This was the true effect of the training.
It kicked in when you pushed beyond your limits: the Nature Primordial Art would circulate through all the meridians and vessels of the body in the Great Heavenly Cycle.
In internal energy cultivation, circulating qi through the body was basic. But most people only managed the Lesser Heavenly Cycle.
Completing the Great Heavenly Cycle dramatically improved both the quality and quantity of your internal energy. Even the masters of the Huanhuan Continent could only achieve it after years of grueling effort.
But Su-hyeok's training method was different.
It was grueling and painful, but overcome it, and you'd enter the Great Heavenly Cycle at blazing speed.
The energy now moved with the ferocity of a dragon ascending to the heavens, shooting up from his waist in a terrifying rush.
Thump!
The energy seeped into his exhausted cells. His stagnant blood vessels burst open with a popping sound, clearing the path.
The channels of his entire body opened, and his Governing and Conception Vessels unlocked.
All the acupoints needed for energy flow transformed rapidly.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ I'm impressed by your relentless drive for improvement—such ambition! Your martial art, Nature Primordial Art, has reached 3 stars. Your body, stiffened from inactivity, is fully restored. New stat acquired: Will! About 30% of waste buildup in your body is expelled. Internal energy utilization efficiency increases accordingly! Governing and Conception Vessels are now fully open! Internal energy recovery and usage efficiency doubled! Your bones harden, gaining greater flexibility and a more menacing form. Martial Bone acquired! Incredible! What magnificent growth! Hearing that voice echo in his head felt better than ever before.
Su-hyeok stopped running and collapsed right there, gasping for breath.
It was exhausting.
Insanely so.
But in this moment, he felt like he owned the world.
"Raaagh!"
A triumphant roar burst from his grinning lips.
It was the victory cry of conquering his own limits.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day he broke through his limits.
Su-hyeok dragged himself home, showered, and crashed into bed like the dead.
He didn't wake until the sun rose the next morning. The first thing he checked was the Force System.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 16 💨 Agility: 20 ✨ Wisdom: 18 💪 Stamina: 23 💥 Will: 38 Name: Yang Su-hyeok
Age: 27 (System verified. Physical age confirmed.)
Gender: Male
Level: 2
Job: Martial Artist
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Karmic Burden: High
Note: Karmic burden is exceptionally high compared to age and racial norms. Body Purification: 30%. Efficiency up when using qi-based techniques. Governing and Conception Vessels opened. Internal energy real-time recovery and usage efficiency doubled relative to base. His level had gone up. The age that seemed glitchy had stabilized.
But the real standout was the explosive stat growth.
It was incomparable to right after waking in the hospital.
And a new stat, Will, had appeared.
'How do Wisdom and Will differ, exactly?'
Unlike Strength, Agility, or Stamina, he couldn't immediately grasp what these two would do.
Abstract, maybe?
For now, there was no way to know.
Su-hyeok quickly shelved the thought and moved on.
'Body Purification?'
It seemed to measure the waste expelled from his body during Nature Primordial Art training.
30% out of 100%.
'It said the system adapts to consciousness, but why does it feel half-assed?'
It didn't really matter. For a modern guy like Su-hyeok, percentages were easier to parse than tenths or halves. And honestly, even half the change from Huanhuan Continent standards made sense—he was only half from there, after all.
Thinking that way brought a small spark of amusement.
'And it said I acquired Martial Bone...'
He figured it'd be under special notes, but it wasn't.
Where the hell was it? As he pondered, a new window popped up.
⚔ SKILL INTERFACE ⚔ 🔓 Activated Skills: A-Rank, Nature Primordial Art (3 Stars) - An excellent foundational art based on earth's qi. ♾️ Special Passive Skill: *New Martial Bone - +20% additional effect when using physical-series abilities. A grin spread across Su-hyeok's face as he checked the new window.
"Heh, treating it like a straight-up game makes this way easier."
Nature Primordial Art was an A-rank skill, and Martial Bone was a passive.
Simple as that.
Su-hyeok jumped to his feet.
Level-ups and skills came from specific actions.
That put him in a great position.
He had a few things to prepare.
Heading to the kitchen, he found the house empty.
Yang Seung-bon and Han Jeong-hee must've gone to work.
But no Su-a was surprising.
"Where'd Su-a go?"
Muttering to himself, he spotted a phone and note by the empty sink counter.
[Starting today, I gotta clock in at my part-time gig again. Thought about waking you, bro, but you were out cold, so I left this note.
P.S. Mom got this phone activated for you.
It's not unlimited data, so use it wisely.
P.S. 2. Pick up when I call! Mom, Dad, and my numbers are saved.
P.S. 3. Call if anything happens!]
The note explained everything.
Su-a, who'd been watching over him nonstop, was back at work.
With the family finances tight, she had no choice.
Even understanding employers couldn't grant endless leave.
"Gotta hustle."
Part of him was relieved.
Even as an Awakener, his family might've tried to stop him.
Too much worry, too dangerous.
They wouldn't like their son, comatose for five years, jumping into that.
Better to quietly build a foundation now, while it was peaceful.
A solid one that'd ease their minds.
For that, he needed to keep pushing his growth.
In this era of Awakeners and portals to other worlds, standing out was key to recognition.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Today would be busy.
Su-hyeok figured he'd start by regulating his breathing in a quiet park.
Activating Nature Primordial Art stirred his internal energy.
Not enough to manifest qi visibly, but it sharpened his senses and lightly reinforced his body.
In that state, he stood before a thick tree and shuffled his feet lightly.
Then unleashed a punch in a flash.
A sharp crack echoed as fist met bark.
In an instant, two or three more punches flashed out.
It mimicked a pro boxer's form, but he didn't stick to fists.
Sometimes his knife-hand edge struck the trunk's side, or the back of his hand and palm followed.
About thirty minutes of tree-pummeling later.
A pleasant chime rang in his head again.
⚡ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚡ A-Rank Skill: Iron Palm Strike Su-hyeok froze mid-motion, chuckling.
"So A-rank means top-class martial arts level. To acquire, just consciously execute the full form from start to finish."
If body was vessel and internal energy the heart, forms were technique.
Balance of heart-vessel-technique was crucial, as he'd said.
With engine and frame ready, you needed skill to wield them efficiently. No steering wheel or crude controls? Pointless.
Even if it looked ridiculous to onlookers, every bit mattered.
A few passersby whispered about him while he drilled palm strikes, but he ignored them.
"Ugh, embarrassing. Should've worn a mask."
Pretending not to care was just self-consolation.
But spilled milk—no time to waste.
Palm strikes down, next: kicks.
⚡ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚡ A-Rank Skill: Retreating Wind Kick Staff next!
He snapped off a nearby thick branch, gripped it roughly, and swung like a madman. If anyone had seen, they'd have called the cops on the lunatic.
⚡ SKILL ACQUIRED ⚡ A-Rank Skill: Mad Ghost Chaotic Staff Palms, kicks, staff—he'd gotten satisfactory results across the board by the time two hours had passed.
His body was drenched in sweat.
"Guess that's enough for now."
He'd learned all realistically acquirable forms.
Peak arts A-rank and above? He could mimic with effort, but finishing fully was unlikely.
Shortfall in internal energy and physical prowess.
Su-hyeok neatly gave up on that.
Instead, he headed home, showered, and made for the Awakener Association.
'Yeouido Station in ages.'
Twenty-minute walk from home, he rode the subway for the first time in years to Yeouido, then straight to the certification center.
The process was simple.
Place hand on the crystal orb crafted by some great British mage. Done.
The examiner nodded at the blue glow.
"Yep, you're Awakened. Blue means decent magic talent too."
Expected result. Su-hyeok nodded nonchalantly.
"So I can start Hunter work right away?"
The examiner eyed him oddly.
"You wanna be a Hunter?"
"Yes."
"Must need money bad.
No reason otherwise.
Especially these days. Anyway, not immediate."
"Other steps?"
Contradicting his vague online research, Su-hyeok frowned.
From what he'd heard and read, Association certification meant instant Hunter eligibility.
"Yeah. Talent and Awakening don't mean you're monster-ready. Korea knows talent's precious."
The bored examiner, used to cases like his, checked the calendar and tapped a red-circled date.
August 31st.