Chapter 2

Chapter 002

...

Thus, it can be said that martial arts (武) began when a weaponless human imitated the appearance of beasts to fight against them.

...

Eventually, humans who absorbed the power of the world into their bodies surpassed beasts, and as martial arts developed rapidly, they began to yearn for even higher realms, aiming for the pinnacle of all living things in the world.

* * *

The world, once perceived in black and white, was now infused with color, and with it, the beginning of a connection with the world.

A frail body, a weak constitution, and a foreign sensation inside, which might be considered a poison.

The fact that this body, called Airen, is still alive is almost a stroke of luck.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

He drew a breath and guided it into his body.

The first step to transcending humanity by containing and refining the power of the world.

Originally, one must sit in the correct posture at the correct time, with a mind as sharp as a needle, and only after endless effort can one barely grasp the beginning and enter the path.

Thud.

With a faint sound from inside his dantian, he felt the lower dantian form.

‘Since I’ve already walked this path, I can skip the process.’

For me, who had a vague sense of almost reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, it is a simple task.

Thump!

The heart, which had been weak and could have stopped at any moment, began to beat strongly, sending fresh blood throughout the body.

Huff.

The breath he drew again circulated with the blood, invigorating his entire body.

‘What would be good?’

At the same time, numerous qigong techniques flashed through his mind and then subsided.

Before becoming Airen, he had chosen a qigong technique as his signature skill, but it is only right to pour new wine into a new wineskin.

Especially considering the frail constitution of this body, a gentle martial art that can improve the constitution would be better.

‘Fulong Qigong (赴龍奇功).’

One of the 2,805 qigong techniques I memorized.

The deeper one studies, the closer one becomes to a dragon, and after achieving great success, one can transform into a dragon and ascend to heaven, a supreme qigong technique.

Although I only studied it and did not master it because I wanted to be born and die as a human.

‘Becoming a dragon might not be so bad.’

With a faint smile that formed unconsciously, he drew a breath and etched the path to becoming a dragon into his body.

Thud. Thud.

As strength entered his thin limbs, the range of motion of his bones gradually expanded, and the transformation began.

Although it is only a small amount of true qi, its effectiveness depends on who uses it.

In an instant, the true qi that surged through his body began to absorb the toxins in his body, increasing its power.

“...Young Master?”

Perhaps because he was holding me in his arms, the loyal old servant was the first to notice the change.

‘There’s a slight smell.’

What is this body so withered?

Even by detoxifying only a part of the toxins accumulated in his body, a foul odor permeated the air.

And then.

“I’m sorry! Baxter!”

“I’ll at least make sure you don’t suffer.”

“Gah!”

During the short time it took to settle the Fulong Qigong, a battle between Baxter and the knights began.

* * *

Swish!

After deflecting the sword aimed at his chest and arm, Baxter drew the blunt weapon from his waist and cautiously extended both hands.

One hand held a sword, the other a blunt weapon.

He scolded himself for not preparing a shield and swallowed hard.

A knight’s combat power is largely determined by their equipment.

Since Baxter had prepared light equipment for quick movement, there was no one to complain to.

‘I can only do my best.’

As he parried another incoming sword strike, Baxter gritted his teeth.

The situation was desperate.

“Gah!”

No matter how skilled Baxter was, his opponents were strong enough to be admitted to the knight order.

Small wounds accumulated on Baxter’s body, and his stamina was rapidly depleting.

The disadvantage of the narrow space and the need to protect the group made the situation even more dire, and the collapse came sooner than expected.

Swoosh!

A slash of the sword tore through the air, and blood spurted out.

“Gah!”

The sword that cut through his right arm and left thigh left a deep wound, and Baxter, who was staggering, soon collapsed to the ground.

“Damn!”

He tried to stand up, relying on his blunt weapon and sword, but his legs, which seemed to have been cut, could not support him.

“Hahaha! You deserve it, Baxter!”

With a voice filled with madness, Carson stepped forward.

The bandage around his neck, now soaked with blood, and his pale, glaring eyes made him look like a demon.

“Gah!”

“How dare you! A washed-up old man like you!”

And the merciless beating began.

Pure violence, devoid of any technique or finesse, rained down on Baxter, who was lying on the ground, and blood flowed from his curled-up body.

The middle-aged woman’s face turned pale, and the young servant and maid trembled like leaves, closing their eyes.

The knights’ faces also hardened, but no one tried to stop Carson.

Or rather, they couldn’t stop him.

Crash!

Carson’s merciless kick sent Baxter’s body flying toward the group in the corner, and the beating stopped.

“Gah.”

“You should have known better.”

Perhaps a bit calmer, Carson took a deep breath.

“Gah. Haha. You can do that to others, but not to a half-penny who lost his sword.”

Baxter, who was trembling, lifted his head and sneered at Carson.

“...Fine. I won’t make it easy for you.”

When anger reaches its peak, one becomes calm.

The murderous intent in Carson’s low voice made everyone shudder.

Carson, who was emitting overwhelming murderous intent, stood in front of Baxter and raised his sword.

“I’ll cut you slowly, starting from your fingertips. And since I have potions, you won’t die easily.”

Carson’s words about inflicting maximum pain made the group’s faces turn white, and the knights grimaced and turned their heads away.

“Look forward to it. You know my skills better than anyone.”

Carson, who was scowling and glaring, made Baxter’s eyes waver.

“That’s a problem.”

A low but strangely resonant voice drew everyone’s attention.

“...Young Master Airen?”

The pale-faced boy, who had stood up from the servant’s arms, was calmly looking at Carson.

* * *

His skin was not just pale but clearly sickly.

His small frame and thin limbs, compared to other children, evoked sympathy, but no one in the room felt sorry for Airen.

Eyes.

The cold eyes that didn’t match his fair, platinum hair and a face so beautiful it could be mistaken for a girl’s made it impossible to look away from Airen.

“...Young Master is still young and can’t make proper judgments. I will execute the traitor Baxter and take you to the estate safely. Please wait a moment.”

Although Carson was momentarily taken aback, he quickly composed himself and spoke with a smile.

Although he spoke politely, the murderous intent in his eyes and the blood dripping from his hands made his words sound more like a threat.

A terrifying sight that would make a weak child faint.

And the Airen Carson knew was a weak child in both body and mind, so it wasn’t strange to imagine him collapsing on the spot.

At least, that’s what Carson thought.

“That’s a problem.”

But Airen only slowly moved his feet, his expression unchanged, and Carson felt a sense of unease.

“...Young Master Airen?”

The middle-aged woman’s voice, as if in a trance, echoed.

“Step back.”

As Airen stood in front of Baxter and looked up at Carson, something tickled Carson’s heart, but he shook his head and spoke.

“Take the Young Master. And kill the rest.”

The knights, startled by Carson’s cold voice, stiffened and stepped forward.

Two approached Airen, and the others, with murderous intent, approached the group.

“I will take you, Young Master.”

Airen sighed as he looked at the knights standing stiffly on either side.

“...Why don’t people listen when you tell them?”

Then he raised his thin arm as if to push the knight away.

The knight, amused by the childlike gesture, reached out to grab Airen, and Airen’s seemingly powerless hand touched the knight’s chest.

Crack!

The terrifying sound made everyone freeze.

“Wh-What?”

A look of disbelief spread across everyone’s faces.

“Th-This!”

Blood gushed from the knight’s mouth and trickled down his neck, and Airen’s hand, as if by magic, had pierced the knight’s heart.

The light of life faded from the knight’s eyes, and as he fell forward, Airen lightly pushed the knight’s body and withdrew his hand.

Thud!

“Not bad.”

Everyone was frozen in shock at the unbelievable scene, but Airen, looking at his blood-soaked hand, nodded.

The Dragon Claw of Fulong Qigong.

Although he only had a small amount of true qi, it was more than enough for Airen to deal with these opponents.

Airen, looking at the faint light on his fingertips, turned his head toward Carson.

“Will you not step back?”

Carson, feeling a chill run down his spine at Airen’s calm demeanor, as if nothing had happened, shouted.

“Gah! Gah!”

At that moment, another knight, who had been holding Airen, roared and swung his sword.

The target of the sword, which seemed to be something that should not exist in this world, was Airen’s head.

Perhaps pushed to his limits, the knight’s sword began to glow, and Carson, seeing the sword enveloped in a faint light, gasped.

“Aura!”

The destructive light that could cut through anything seemed about to split Airen’s head in two, but Airen, with a calm face, raised his hand again.

Crack!

With a loud noise, the knight’s sword shattered, and Airen, taking a step forward, reached into the knight’s chest.

Crunch!

“Aaaah!”

The bone-chilling sound and the knight’s scream of pain made everyone’s eyes widen in horror.

Airen’s hand, which had touched the knight’s lower abdomen, had twisted the knight’s body like a pretzel.

Not only the flesh and muscles but also the internal organs were forcibly torn, and the knight died on the spot.

“This is also good.”

Airen, looking at his hand again, nodded, appearing like a demon.

At least, that’s how Carson saw it.

“Will you not step back?”

And the demon was tilting his head, looking at Carson.