The Monarch's Forbidden Technique
“It’s the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.”
The ultimate martial art that stands at the pinnacle of all demonic arts—and frequently ranks first or second even among all martial disciplines combined.
–Is that the one belonging to the Constellation who once bestowed a sword technique upon you?
“Yeah. It’s that guy’s signature ultimate skill.”
In every debate about the strongest martial art, this one always fought for the top spot. It was the greatest among demonic arts, and even when considering the entire category of martial techniques, it was one of the two supreme divine skills that no one could ignore. The only arts that could even be compared to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art were something like the Star Cloud Technique or the Muscle Tendon Changing Classic.
–Hoh. So this is the root power that forms the foundation of a Divine King-class Constellation.
“Just because you learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Art doesn’t mean you automatically become a Constellation.”
–Now that I think about it, have you never considered becoming a Constellation yourself, contractor?
“Nope. It’s ridiculously difficult, and I have zero interest anyway.”
I unconsciously put extra emphasis on the words. A modern human becoming a Constellation? Sure, it was technically possible. It was just harder than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Even in the mythic age or the legendary eras when myths still breathed, how many people had ever grasped the glory of the stars in their hands? And even then, the vast majority of those heroes had been demigods—born from the mixed blood of gods and humans.
In this era where the very concept of ‘mystery’ had grown thin, carving your own story upon the stars through worship was…
“About as hard as plucking a star from the sky.”
–What an amusing analogy.
“Besides, if I become a Constellation, I won’t be able to get revenge on the Old Gods.”
A world like Earth, where mana density wasn’t particularly high. In the Old Gods’ terminology, any lower dimension like this one was off-limits for Constellations to interfere with freely. Even if I recorded my name among the stars and transcended, what was the point if I couldn’t save my own world?
–Heh. How very like you.
“Oh, right. I almost forgot something important.”
Since training was over, it was time to clean up the corpses I’d set aside earlier.
Activating Dominion of Darkness.
The vast Polar Night spread out and dyed a hundred-meter radius pitch black.
Devouring Rudger’s corpse.
2.5% → 5.3% → 7.1%
…….
Essence devoured: 100%
New skill acquired – Heat Detection.
Heat Detection
Rank: ★★
Type: Passive
Detects the location of living creatures through the temperature they emit into the air.
It was similar to the detection ability of the cave dwellers. The downside was that its utility was limited because it could only mark ‘living creatures.’ Still, no essence was ever truly useless. I incorporated it as a sub-concept under Sixth Sense through localized modification.
The perception range of Sixth Sense has been expanded.
Sixth Sense perception speed has increased by 20%.
“Hehehehehe.”
See? Every essence has its use.
–Are you finished with your business here?
“Gotta clear the gate now.”
The interior structure wasn’t that complicated, so it shouldn’t take long. I could also practice the Nine-Tailed Sovereign Fist while I was at it.
Activating Nine-Tailed Sovereign Fist.
Crack!
My arm twisted like a screw.
Using Super Regeneration.
I let out a short sigh and regenerated the twisted bones and muscles.
–You truly are a madman.
“You’re only realizing that now?”
Compared to the age of destruction, this was practically paradise. Back then, losing limbs was the baseline. There was no time to even catch your breath.
“I’ll need to refine it more if I want to use it in real combat.”
Since using it once meant sacrificing an arm, it was difficult to employ except in truly decisive moments. Hmm. After the Mind Sword, I’d gained another sure-kill technique.
–Better than fainting, at least.
“Yeah. Can’t argue with that.”
The sure-kill move I’d created by fusing Aura Blade, Explosive Demonic Energy, and Strong Energy. The Mind Sword that manifested an image from the mind into physical form and sliced through anything. After actually creating the skill, though, the risk of fainting afterward had kept me from using it.
–Then why didn’t you use it against that angel?
“I still won even without it. I had to use a surefire method.”
–Judging by that angel’s power, it seems even the Mind Sword might not have guaranteed victory.
I wasn’t sure if that was true or not. Ariel was a candidate to become the next Archangel, after all. Her current rank was already Cherubim—right below Seraphim—so she was essentially an archangel-class being. Some of the archangels possessed power on par with the seventy-two demons.
–I didn’t sense that much power from that young angel, though.
“Ariel isn’t quite at demon lord level.”
I just meant she was no pushover. If my strategy of using her own power against her had failed, I would have used the Mind Sword as a last desperate resort. Man… having too many abilities was its own kind of problem.
“I’ve got way too many assignments now.”
The skills I’d created through Fusion Qigong. My greatly expanded Devour range. The number of abilities I’d never touched in my previous life had skyrocketed.
–Have you forgotten something?
“I still need to train Polar Night too.”
–How could the sole contractor of Yeo fail to wield her power properly? Have you never considered how difficult Polar Night is to control?
Its ever-changing nature made precise output control and fine manipulation extremely difficult. Couldn’t I just release it at maximum power and sweep everything away? No—unless I compressed my will to the absolute limit, it wouldn’t display its true strength. Even with the same output, the destructive power when Nyx used it was on a completely different level.
–You must always remain conscious of it.
“Yes, yes. I will remember and strive to improve, Your Majesty.”
–Indeed. That is only proper.
Weren’t we supposed to have a mutual contract? She really acted like my superior sometimes.
After closing the gate and stepping out, an Association employee bowed deeply.
“Special Duty Agent Yu Jinho, sir. Thank you for your hard work.”
“You too. Take care.”
On the way home in the vehicle the Association had prepared, Nyx, who had been staring out the window, finally spoke.
–Come to think of it, there’s one thing you missed.
“What is it?”
–Shouldn’t you obtain the dragon essence on the 62nd floor?
“Oh. Right.”
A hidden boss monster that only appeared after fulfilling certain conditions. I had hunted Steelscale, but I hadn’t been able to devour it. The Stele of Cocytus was only given to the first player who cleared the hidden element. I’d put it off thinking I could devour it next time and ended up missing the chance.
–It’s like watching a child left by the water’s edge.
“Compared to you, Goddess, anyone would look like a child.”
–Do you wish to experience a truly horrific time?
“Sorry.”
After arriving at the guild house, I circulated the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method. The energy from the Spirit Jade that I had completely devoured through Predation had melted into my internal energy, but considering the demonic and volatile nature of the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method—which was the complete opposite of pure energy—I needed to make adjustments.
The next day, I immediately re-challenged the 62nd floor.
“It’s Yu Jinho.”
“Didn’t he catch the hidden boss last time?”
“No way… is he going to do it again…?”
“That boss. Even if we kill it after he catches it, wouldn’t that be fine?”
“A corrupted dragon, huh. Since he already received the first-clear reward, maybe it’d be better to sell the body instead of turning it in as a mission result.”
–They seem to be trying to speak quietly, at least.
If it reached my ears, it wasn’t quiet at all.
Whatever. I plopped down in an empty spot, grabbed a fishing rod, and moved the dark mana around again.
The snake brat that had taken the bait splashed up onto the surface of the lake.
『Who dares—』
It was the same pattern every time. Just as I stood up to hunt the thing—
“That snake is mine!”
“We have to kill it before Yu Jinho can do anything!”
“We’ll bind its feet for you!”
Light Dull – Six Light Chains
Holy Incantation – Sacrum Excipio
Dark Magic – Dark Increase
…….
This was a zone where players couldn’t directly interfere with one another. However, spells that didn’t cause damage—like movement restriction—were apparently fair game.
–This reminds me of the 64th floor trial.
“Back then I was the one screwing with people.”
–What goes around comes around.
Holy incantations and dark magic naturally repelled each other. Even when used on the same target, they rejected one another. Without even coordinating beforehand, they adjusted their spell ranges so their effects wouldn’t collide.
–Are you really okay? If you need Yeo’s help, just say the word.
“This much? No need to worry.”
Binding spells? One kick of White Tiger Sovereign Step would shatter them all. As for the debuffs accumulating on my body, I could just erase them with the Blue Flame Ring I’d recently obtained.
“Let’s see what they can do.”
Steelscale’s eyes curved into large crescents.
『You pathetic mortals. I shall crush you all!』
Steelscale snorted and gripped the Yeouiju in both hands so tightly it seemed like it might shatter. An intense storm of energy far stronger than during the first fishing attempt erupted. While the players bound my feet and prepared their own ultimate techniques, Steelscale had also gathered sufficient energy.
Dark Dull – Black Dark Hole
A forbidden art that twisted nature instead of following it. The darkness created by the Yeouiju began devouring everything. A gravity well that swallowed even light grew larger and larger. The players who had leaped forward with great momentum screamed in terror at the pull of the Black Dark Hole.
Phoenix Blade
Doom Urethane
Aura Burst
Crimson Ray
Heat intense enough to evaporate an entire river in a single strike was condensed into a single blade. A blue orb meant to pulverize enemies was launched. Countless other techniques worthy of being called ‘secret arts’ or ‘ultimate skills’ poured into the darkness.
“As expected of Diamond rank. Even random nobodies have at least one decent move.”
–Is this really the time to leisurely spectate?
Goddess. Just watch. You’ll see.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The jet-black sphere compressed endlessly. The secret techniques the players had unleashed were all sucked into the darkness.
“My attacks disappeared?”
“That’s impossible! The essence of my explosion magic!”
“W-we’re being sucked in too!”
“Run!”
The fact that they had approached first in order to kill Steelscale before I could was their downfall. The Black Dark Hole swallowed dozens of nearby players whole.
『You’re next.』
My eyes met Steelscale’s, and my body was naturally drawn toward the hole.
Crunch. Crack.
The True Dragon Armor that had sprouted over my skin trembled. Even the dragon scales—harder than refined mithril—were precarious in the face of a power that defied the natural order.
『Be crushed and die!』
Steelscale was, after all, a hidden boss. It possessed power that surpassed even Diamond rank. During the first hunt, I had taken advantage of its carelessness to kill it quickly. Now that it had time to display its strength, it was flying all over the place.
–Shall I assist?
“This is the perfect chance to test my new skill. Why would I?”
If the goddess helped, I wouldn’t be able to properly feel the power of the final form of the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts that I had worked so hard to learn. Internal energy drawn out through the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method concentrated in both arms. I split the principles of the four forms between my arms, then wrapped them in the principles of ‘Devouring Yang Internal Energy’ the moment they collided, detonating them all at once.
Understanding of the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts. Emission of internal energy. Even the movement of muscles. The final form that only displayed its true power when all of them became one.
Activating Nine-Tailed Sovereign Fist.
A white flash collided with the dark sphere.
『Useless. The power of nature is powerless before a forbidden art.』
“Yeah. This isn’t nature or anything.”
Strong energy forged from fire, wind, and lightning. Internal energy based on the Asura Demon Spirit Heart Method. Although their origins were the same, the properties of the strong energy carrying different principles concentrated at a single point.
Crack-crack-crack!
『A crack in the Black Dark Hole?!』
“What’s wrong? Isn’t it wobbling?”
Steelscale. Your strategy will be revealed to the public in the not-too-distant future. The forbidden art that resembles a black hole—Black Dark Hole—can be destroyed by delivering a powerful shock all at once. If the group of players who were sucked in earlier had only timed it right, they could have broken it.
I had no intention of telling them that, though.
This time, I sacrificed only one arm to unleash the final form of the Hundred Beasts Emperor Martial Arts. Nice. All that blood, sweat, and tears spent practicing had been worth it.
Dragon’s Wings
Thorns Missile
Explosive Demonic Energy
Burning Stigma
Ting-ting-ting!
The thorn bullets carrying Explosive Demonic Energy only managed to leave scratches on the scales. The amount of Explosive Demonic Energy I could infuse into each thorn was limited, after all. But that didn’t matter.
Brand has been imprinted.
Brand has been imprinted.
The flame brand imprinted on the target has reached maximum stacks.
This was my real aim. I spread open my perfectly fine right hand. The hand that was beginning to be dyed crimson.
『Hmph. Fire energy doesn’t work on me.』
“Sure it doesn’t.”
But this is a little different, you know? I added a special sauce, so why don’t you have a taste?
Using Shining Hand.
Another skill created through Fusion Qigong. From the hand dyed red, a blinding radiance exploded outward. The instant it touched the pitch-black scales—
『That kind of attack is usele—』
“Explode.”
An intense sunset glow bright enough to blind the eyes for a moment drove away the darkness of the scales. Explosions erupted from the point of contact—boom—bang—bang—traveling up the long body in succession.
『Kuuueeeeek!』
“Go ahead and say it again.”
What? That it wouldn’t work?
My ears must have gone deaf from all the noise. I can’t hear you very well.
Steelscale’s mangled body slowly sank downward.
–You said the four major attributes don’t work, so what trick did you use?
“That’s…”
Where should I even begin explaining? I slowly opened my mouth.