Chapter 82
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Blood Control Mastery
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"Humans are like intricately made machines."
Skin and nerves, muscles and bones, organs and blood—a vast array of components intertwined in complex ways to form a single body.
So, how does one master control over this elaborate machine?
Opinions vary from person to person, but Lee Se-hun focused on 'blood'.
"Blood is fundamentally like fuel and lubricant, but now that mana exists, it can also serve as an individual power source."
Normally, you move your body through nerves and muscles, but if you infuse mana into your blood, you can stimulate the muscles with it to move.
Of course, replicating that complex process through blood wasn't easy, so first, he had to fully 'understand' his own body.
"You can't just let the blood flow freely. You have to completely recognize where it's going and how it's moving. It's just like perfectly consciously controlling the blink of your eyes and your breathing."
Perform unconsciously done tasks while fully conscious of them.
After once again explaining the basic principles of body control, Lee Se-hun looked at Jake standing in front of him—or rather, standing on his hands in a handstand.
"Guh... ugh..."
Krunch
He had been holding the handstand for hours now, his face flushed red, and the hand planted on the ground clenched so tightly it dug into the training hall floor.
Considering Jake's original physical abilities, he could have held this pose for ten hours without breaking a sweat, but the situation was different now.
Drip...
Invisible to the eye, thin wounds etched across his upper body—dozens of them—formed beads of blood that trickled downward.
"Hup...!"
Feeling the sensation, Jake desperately tensed his entire body to stem the blood, but once it started flowing, he could no longer control it.
Like a dam bursting, blood began pouring from multiple spots, and in his panic, Jake stared at Lee Se-hun standing before him.
"Leaking again. Shorten by 1cm."
The black flame hammer hovered 1cm closer to the radiant sword lying on the ground.
"3cm left now. Three more leaks, and it won't be a radiant sword anymore—it'll be the fragments of what was once a radiant sword."
"Kuh...!"
"Forget about 'I'll make you another one~' or any soft thoughts like that. If it breaks this time, I won't make you another one until next year."
One mistake here, and not only would the radiant sword shatter, but he might not touch a sword again until next year.
'I can't let that happen...!'
Facing a grim future where the hope he'd gained after years would be snatched away overnight, Jake gritted his teeth and focused on the blood pulsing through his body.
Thump—!
The blood flow circulating from fingertips to toes painted itself in his mind, mana seeping into his veins to solidify its form.
Shh...
Veins bulged vividly across his upper body, and the flowing blood stopped dead, as if a faucet had been shut off.
Lee Se-hun smiled in satisfaction at Jake's immediate mastery of blood control.
'As expected of a mutant constitution.'
Normally, comprehending blood control to that degree would take months of understanding alone, and adjustment would require at least a year.
But Jake had overcome it in a single day, thanks to his high comprehension of his own body and the ease granted by his mutant blood.
'The fact that mana naturally permeates the blood means 90% of it's already done.'
This must be what they mean by a prepared talent.
As Lee Se-hun watched Jake absorb each lesson with lightning speed, satisfied,
Riiiing!
A loud alarm blared from Jake's phone nearby.
"Time's up."
Thud!
At Lee Se-hun's declaration, Jake collapsed to the floor without even attempting a proper landing.
His mental strength and mana depleted from controlling the blood, his veins swollen and body aching all over, anemia setting in from blood loss.
"Ugh..."
Writhing on the verge of total exhaustion, Lee Se-hun flipped him over and poured a potion into his mouth.
Gulp, gulp
As the potion flowed down his throat, the bulging veins on his upper body subsided, his heart pounding wildly to generate the missing blood.
Lee Se-hun grinned down at Jake recovering with such youthful—or perhaps talented—speed.
"Your blood's surging strong right now, so feel it good. Keep observing even while you rest."
"Y-yeah..."
"And..."
Lee Se-hun kept chattering nonstop beside the Jake who just wanted to rest. Watching from a distance, Ma Gwang-su wore a peculiar expression.
'Where the hell did that kid learn such blood arts?'
Blood arts—the technique of manipulating blood.
It sounded brutal and sinister just from the name, but in reality, it was entirely different.
'Using someone else's blood requires exponentially more mana, making it inefficient, and using your own is structurally dangerous.'
In the past, it had been treated as a proper technique, but now it was dismissed as folk remedy quackery. That was common blood arts, but what Lee Se-hun taught Jake was on another level.
'Grasping the body through blood and controlling the flesh... Insane idea, but if mastered, it's a solid method.'
Perfectly controlling all blood in the body meant you could continue fighting even if arteries like the carotid were hit, or reinforce veins finely to form armor-like protection.
In real combat, where a minor wound could lead to death, it was an incredibly useful ability.
'And the training method looks bizarre but is systematic.'
The handstand forced blood to pool downward, training control by correcting abnormal flows easily.
The wounds on his upper body seemed random but channeled disrupted blood outward without letting it rampage.
As Ma Gwang-su observed Lee Se-hun's impressive blood arts intently,
"Sorry to keep you waiting?"
Having finished the session, Lee Se-hun approached.
"Who taught you that blood art?"
"Oh, that? I made it myself."
"...What?"
Ma Gwang-su's shocked expression prompted a calm reply from Lee Se-hun.
"I tweaked a cheap blood arts manual from the market, and it turned out better than expected, so I've been practicing it."
Precisely, it was what his master had created before regression, which he'd learned—but he couldn't explain that, so he glossed over it.
It happened before enrolling in Babel, hard to verify, and Ma Gwang-su would buy it anyway.
'Hmm... A guy who stole Heavenly Insect Sword by eye-balling it? Not impossible.'
Of course he'd stolen his secret swordsmanship; no talentless fool could do that.
Dismissing doubts about Lee Se-hun thanks to pride in his own skills, Ma Gwang-su glanced at Jake sprawled far away.
"But why teach it to that kid?"
"Oh, Jake's blood is mutant type, so I thought it'd help. Subjugation drill's coming up soon."
Unable to mention the succession rite, Lee Se-hun deflected, and Ma Gwang-su nodded acceptingly.
"Fair enough. At his level, blocking variables with a trick like that guarantees first place. Decent choice."
"...You're taking it better than I thought. I figured you saw me poorly since your classes are so lax."
According to Jake, Ma Gwang-su's classes were maybe once a week, consisting entirely of beatings under the guise of sparring.
Of course, that honed his stance and sharpened his skills, but he hadn't taught special techniques like Twisting Annihilation.
"I taught lax because lax was enough. Lacking in physicals or skills? Kid's flawless except he can't use a sword."
"...Now that you mention it, yeah."
"His only gap was experience, so I beat it into him. If he could use a sword, he'd be S-rank material... Well, can't change that."
Ma Gwang-su spoke nonchalantly yet had Jake perfectly pegged. Surprised, Lee Se-hun blinked.
'Hmm. No wonder Ludwig made him a professor.'
He grumbled about hating it, but once committed, he fulfilled his educator duties.
If he'd focused properly, he'd probably be Aqar Quf's department head.
'With this attitude...'
Seeing a new side of Ma Gwang-su he'd never witnessed pre-regression, Lee Se-hun pondered briefly before speaking.
"Professor, I have one favor to ask."
"Let's hear it."
"Jake can actually use a sword now."
"...?"
Ma Gwang-su turned with a 'what nonsense' look, and Lee Se-hun proffered the radiant sword he'd prepared.
"I made it for him. Take a look."
"This is..."
Recognizing the tool he'd used to threaten Jake, Ma Gwang-su took it and checked the info window.
"...Hah."
Completing a sword that stumped countless artisans so easily? As Ma Gwang-su gaped, Lee Se-hun continued.
"To wield it properly, he needs blood arts proficiency... But I'm busy prepping for the subjugation drill. Could you handle his training instead?"
"...Fine."
"Don't just brush it off... Huh?"
Stunned by the unexpected agreement, Lee Se-hun stared wide-eyed as Ma Gwang-su gruffly replied.
"I'll do it. Problem?"
"No, no problem, but..."
He'd expected refusal or weird conditions like becoming his disciple.
Eyeing this uncharacteristically agreeable Ma Gwang-su suspiciously,
'Did he drink already?'
There was a faint alcohol scent; maybe he'd gotten tipsy before coming.
Ma Gwang-su's eyes narrowed slightly at the dubious gaze but smoothed his expression.
"Drill's in a few days. Get going."
"Ah, yes... But don't you need instructions on how to teach?"
In response, Ma Gwang-su drew his hand edge across his index finger.
Shh...
A drop of blood welled at his fingertip, nearly falling before retreating inward. Lee Se-hun was impressed by the cleaner control than Jake's.
"I can learn by watching too. I'll get him up to my level, so don't worry."
"Yes. Thank you."
As Lee Se-hun bowed and headed down from the training hall,
"Oh, and take this."
Whoosh
A book flew precisely into his hand. Catching it, Lee Se-hun read the cover.
"Slaying Arts...?"
'Method of killing in combat'—straightforward title. Puzzled, he looked up as Ma Gwang-su nodded toward it.
"Technique based on that weird swordsmanship you showed first. Too lazy to explain; come if you get stuck."
He seemed genuinely lazy, yet also considerate, giving more free time.
So unlike the Ma Gwang-su he knew, Lee Se-hun eyed him oddly before bowing again.
"Thank you."
"If you're grateful... Never mind. Just go."
As Lee Se-hun left, puzzled by the abrupt head-turn, Ma Gwang-su glanced back and sighed.
"Do I really have to go this far...?"
To snag a freshman as disciple, bending over backwards like this.
Sighing, he steeled himself looking at the blood arts and radiant sword.
'H Baek-yeon aside, someone else might snatch him anytime. Better teach fast and be done.'
Once he passed on Heavenly Insect Sword's lineage, the rest was up to the kid. Resolved, Ma Gwang-su approached Jake.
"Guhh..."
Fast asleep instead of focused. Picking up the radiant sword, Ma Gwang-su tapped the floor with his foot.
"I-I wasn't sleeping... Professor?"
Jake jolted up, looking around confused. Ma Gwang-su examined the sword calmly.
"Lee Se-hun left his training to me."
"Huh? What do you...?"
"He has his own subjugation prep. Basics are solid, so he asked me to take over."
"Ah, makes sense."
He had enough pride not to burden Se-hun's prep just to learn.
'Plus, it was brutally tough...'
Fast learner or not, drill conditioning mattered. As Jake inwardly sighed in relief,
"Your training method earlier was pretty soft."
"...Pardon?"
He swallowed the 'where?' rising in his throat.
"When learning, ramp up intensity on rebounds. I say 1.5 times current load is doable."
Fist aimed at the radiant sword like a hostage, Ma Gwang-su glared fiercely.
"Handstand spins for 30 minutes while controlling blood. Five lives. Exceed that in leaks... You know."
Tap tap
He lightly tapped the radiant sword with his fist. Staring blankly, Jake closed his eyes slowly.
'I really hate this...'
A clear tear welled and fell.
"Spin faster!!"
"Mercy... Gah!"
Miserable screams echoed from the training hall—an obvious scene. Lee Se-hun smiled.
'Yeah, that's more like it.'
Jake learned fast enough, but faster never hurt.
From a classmate's position, overdoing it risked resentment, so he handed him to Ma Gwang-su for a thorough squeeze.
'That'll nail the basics quick.'
The blood arts taught to Jake were prerequisites for 'Spirit Link Divine Magic', perfect body control.
Though Jake's version was partial, mastering it would allow basic unconscious corrections.
'Leave Jake to him... Time for my prep.'
Subjugation drill needed little prep, but hunting his target required tools.
The 'Divine Tree'—hidden monster and material in the Black Lotus Submersion.
He'd barely used it pre-regression; now, he'd claim every byproduct.
'This time, I use it all.'
Yeom Seong-ha's spear, bows, staves—whatever caught his eye. Eyes gleaming with purpose, Lee Se-hun headed to the workshop.