Chapter 82: The Reincarnated One Does It All

"Human beings are like complex machines."

The skin, nerves, muscles, bones, organs, and blood are intricately intertwined to form a single body.

Then, how should one handle this complex machine well?

Everyone would have different opinions, but Lee Se-hoon focused on 'blood.'

"Blood is essentially like fuel and lubricant, but now that magic power has emerged, it can also be used as individual power."

Usually, the body moves through nerves and muscles, but if magic power is contained in the blood, it can stimulate the muscles to move.

Of course, it wasn't an easy task to replicate this complex process using blood, so one must first fully 'understand' their own body.

"You can't just let the blood flow. You need to be fully aware of where it's going and how it's moving. It's the same as being fully conscious of your blinking and breathing."

Consciously performing tasks that are usually done subconsciously.

After explaining the basic method of handling the body again, Lee Se-hoon looked at Jake, who was standing in front of him, or rather, in a handstand.

"Ugh... Ugh..."

Crack

Having been in a handstand for hours, his face was flushed, and the hand touching the ground was tightly clenched, digging into the training ground floor.

Considering Jake's physical abilities, he could have maintained this position for 10 hours without any trouble, but the situation was different now.

Drip

Invisible to the naked eye, very thin cuts. Dozens of cuts on his upper body began to ooze blood, which then trickled down.

"Huff...!"

Feeling the sensation, Jake desperately tried to stop the bleeding by tensing his entire body, but once the blood started flowing, it was no longer under his control.

Like a dam that had burst, blood began to flow from various places, and Jake, looking flustered, stared at Lee Se-hoon.

"It's bleeding again. 1 cm shorter."

The black flame hammer on the ground was now 1 cm closer to the Hwiguang Sword.

"Only 3 cm left. If you bleed three more times, it won't be a Hwiguang Sword but a fragment of what was once a Hwiguang Sword."

"Ugh...!"

"I'll remake it for you~ but don't have such soft thoughts. If it breaks this time, I won't remake it until next year."

If he makes a mistake here, not only will the Hwiguang Sword be destroyed, but he might not be able to hold a sword again until next year.

'That can't happen...!'

Faced with the bleak future of losing the hope he had gained after years, Jake clenched his teeth and became aware of the blood pulsing through his body.

Thump!

The flow of blood from his fingertips to his toes was visualized in his mind, and magic power seeped into his blood vessels, solidifying their form.

Swish

Blood vessels on his upper body swelled up, and the blood that was flowing out stopped as if a faucet had been turned off.

Seeing Jake control the blood flow so quickly, Lee Se-hoon smiled in satisfaction.

'As expected, he has a mutant constitution.'

It usually takes months to understand and at least a year to control blood to this extent.

But Jake overcame this process in just one day, partly due to his high understanding of his own body and partly because his mutant constitution made it easier to control blood.

'If magic power naturally seeps into the blood, it means it's 90% complete.'

Is this what they mean by a prepared talent?

Watching Jake quickly grasp what he was taught, Lee Se-hoon felt satisfied.

Ding

The alarm on Jake's phone, which was placed nearby, rang loudly.

"End."

Boom!

With Lee Se-hoon's declaration, Jake fell to the ground without even attempting to land properly.

Exhausted from controlling the blood, his mental and magical power were drained. His blood vessels were swollen, making his body stiff, and he felt anemic from losing too much blood.

"Ugh...!"

Jake, on the verge of exhaustion, twitched. Seeing this, Lee Se-hoon flipped him over and put a potion in his mouth.

Gulp

As the potion flowed down his throat, the blood vessels that had protruded on his upper body subsided, and his heart beat wildly, generating the missing blood.

Watching Jake recover quickly, whether due to youth or talent, Lee Se-hoon smiled and looked down at him.

"Your blood will flow vigorously now, so you'll feel it well. Observe it even while resting."

"Y-Yeah..."

"And..."

Next to Jake, who wanted to rest, Lee Se-hoon continued to talk incessantly. Watching this from a distance, Ma Guangshu had a peculiar expression.

'Where did this guy learn such blood techniques?'

Blood techniques, or blood arts, involve manipulating blood.

When you hear the name, it sounds cruel and evil, but in reality, it's quite different.

'Using someone else's blood requires several times more magic power, making it inefficient, and using your own blood is structurally dangerous.'

In the past, it was considered a skill, but now it's treated as a folk remedy. That's the common blood art, but what Lee Se-hoon taught Jake was on a different level.

'Controlling the body through blood... it's a crazy idea, but if mastered, it's a good method.'

If you can perfectly control all the blood in your body, you can continue fighting even if you're hit in vital areas like the carotid artery, and you can strengthen your blood vessels to make them like armor.

In real combat, where minor injuries can lead to death, this is a very useful ability.

'Besides, the training method, though strange, is systematic.'

Standing on his hands to make the blood flow downward was a method to easily develop control by correcting abnormal flow.

The cuts on his upper body, which looked random, were designed to prevent the blood from surging and to expel it outside.

Impressed by Lee Se-hoon's unique blood art, Ma Guangshu watched closely.

"Did you wait?"

After finishing the training, Lee Se-hoon approached.

"Who taught you that blood art?"

"Ah, that? I created it myself."

"......What?"

Surprised by the unexpected answer, Ma Guangshu asked again, and Lee Se-hoon calmly replied.

"I modified a cheap blood art manual from the market. It turned out better than expected, so I've been practicing it."

Technically, it was something his master had created before the regression, but he couldn't explain that, so he made up a story.

It was hard to trace since it happened before he entered Babel, and he was confident Ma Guangshu would believe it.

'Hmm... A guy who can steal the Thousand Insect Sword just by looking at it... it's not impossible.'

If he could do that, he could have stolen my secret sword technique. How could a talentless guy do that?

Proud of his own skills, Ma Guangshu shook off his suspicions and looked at Jake, who was sprawled out.

"But why are you teaching it to him?"

"Ah. Since Jake has a mutant constitution, I thought it might help. The extermination practice is coming up soon."

Unable to explain the succession ritual, Lee Se-hoon made up an excuse, and Ma Guangshu nodded.

"True. With his level, if you just eliminate the variables with a minor skill, he'll be number one. Not a bad choice."

"......You're seeing him more positively than I thought. I thought you didn't like him much because you teach so casually."

According to Jake, Ma Guangshu's classes were rare, and when he did call them, it was just to beat them up.

Of course, his posture and techniques improved thanks to that experience, but he didn't teach them any special techniques like Touan.

"That's because I can teach casually. Is this guy lacking in physical ability or skills? He's perfect except for not being able to use a sword."

"......I see."

"The only thing he lacks is experience, so I just beat him up. If he could use a sword, he could have been S-class... but what can't be done, can't be done."

Despite his indifferent tone, Ma Guangshu clearly understood Jake. Lee Se-hoon was surprised.

'Hmm. There was a reason Ludwig made him a professor.'

He grumbles about teaching, but once he takes on a student, he fulfills his duties as an educator.

If Ma Guangshu had dedicated himself to teaching, he might have been the head of a department at Akalup.

'With this attitude...'

Seeing a new side of Ma Guangshu that he hadn't seen before the regression, Lee Se-hoon thought for a moment before speaking.

"I have a favor to ask, Professor."

"Go on."

"Actually, Jake can use a sword now."

"......?"

Ma Guangshu, who had been listening indifferently, turned to look at him as if he was talking nonsense. Lee Se-hoon handed him the Hwiguang Sword.

"I made this sword. Take a look."

"......"

Recognizing the item used to threaten Jake, Ma Guangshu took the Hwiguang Sword and checked the information window.

"......Huh."

To complete a sword that many craftsmen had failed to make so easily? Lee Se-hoon continued to explain.

"To use this sword properly, he needs to be familiar with blood arts... I'll be busy preparing for the extermination practice. Can you train him for me?"

"......I understand."

"Wait, what... Really?"

Surprised by the unexpected answer, Lee Se-hoon stared with wide eyes, and Ma Guangshu replied curtly.

"I'll do it. What's the problem?"

"No, there's no problem... but..."

He expected rejection or some strange condition, but Ma Guangshu agreed so readily.

Seeing a side of Ma Guangshu that was so different from what he knew, Lee Se-hoon looked at him doubtfully.

'Did this guy have a drink at noon?'

He smelled a bit of alcohol, so he might have had a drink and gone a bit senile.

Seeing Lee Se-hoon's suspicious gaze, Ma Guangshu's eyes narrowed slightly but quickly relaxed.

"There are only a few days left. Go quickly."

"Ah, yes... but don't you want to know how to teach him?"

Instead of explaining, Ma Guangshu cut his finger with the edge of his hand.

Swish

A drop of blood fell from his finger but was quickly absorbed back in. Seeing Ma Guangshu control his blood more cleanly than Jake, Lee Se-hoon was slightly impressed.

"I can learn by watching. I'll make him as good as me, so don't worry."

"Yes. Thank you."

Bowing, Lee Se-hoon got up and headed down from the training ground.

"Ah, and take this too."

Whizz

A book flew into his hand. Lee Se-hoon read the title.

"Combat Killing Techniques...?"

A simple and straightforward title. Looking at him curiously, Ma Guangshu pointed with his chin.

"It's a technique based on the strange sword technique you showed me. I'm too lazy to explain, so read it and come if you have questions."

He looked genuinely lazy, but it also seemed like he was giving Lee Se-hoon some free time.

Seeing such a gentle attitude from the Ma Guangshu he knew, Lee Se-hoon looked at him curiously and bowed again.

"Thank you."

"If you're grateful... no, never mind. Just go."

Turning his head, Ma Guangshu sighed as Lee Se-hoon left, and he sighed again, looking back at Jake.

"Really, do I have to do this much...?"

To take a freshman as a disciple, he had to go to such lengths.

Sighing, he looked at the blood art Lee Se-hoon had shown and the Hwiguang Sword in his hand, reconsidering.

'If not me, someone else might take him. It's better to teach him quickly and get it over with.'

Once he passes on the technique to keep the Thousand Insect Sword lineage alive, the rest is up to the student. Resolved, Ma Guangshu looked at Jake.

"Ugh... Professor?"

Jake, who had fallen asleep, woke up with a start and looked around curiously. Ma Guangshu, holding the Hwiguang Sword, spoke calmly.

"Lee Se-hoon entrusted his training to me."

"Really? What...?"

"That guy has to prepare for the extermination practice. He said you've learned the basics, so he asked me to take over."

"Ah, that makes sense."

He had his pride and didn't want to affect Lee Se-hoon's preparation for the extermination practice.

'Besides, it was too hard...'

He was learning quickly, but the extermination practice was coming up, and conditioning was important. As Jake sighed in relief, Ma Guangshu spoke.

"Your training method seemed too soft just now."

"......Really?"

The question was on the tip of his tongue, but Jake couldn't say it.

"When learning something, you need to increase the intensity when you have momentum. I think you can handle 1.5 times the current intensity."

The fist holding the Hwiguang Sword. Ma Guangshu, with a menacing look, continued.

"From now on, you'll control your blood while rotating in a handstand for 30 minutes. You have five lives. If you bleed more than that... you know what happens."

Tap tap

Ma Guangshu lightly tapped the Hwiguang Sword with his fist.

Jake, staring blankly, closed his eyes tightly.

'I really don't like this...'

A transparent drop of blood formed at the corner of his eye and trickled down.

***

"Rotate faster!!"

"Save me... Cough!"

Hearing the pitiful screams from the training ground, Lee Se-hoon smiled.

'That's right. He needs to do that much.'

Although Jake was learning quickly, there was no harm in learning even faster.

However, if he taught too harshly from a peer's position, it could create resentment, so Lee Se-hoon entrusted Jake to Ma Guangshu, who would push him even harder.

'He'll master the basics quickly this way.'

The blood art he taught Jake was necessary to learn the 'Spirit Link Magic' that allows perfect control of the body.

Of course, Jake would only learn a part of it, but mastering it would allow him to easily correct minor issues.

'While Jake is in good hands... I should prepare too.'

There was no need to prepare for the extermination practice itself, but to find the target he was after, he needed many things.

The 'Divine Wood,' a hidden monster and material in the Black Lotus Flood.

Finding it and monopolizing all its byproducts was his main goal.

'This time, I'll use it all.'

He would make the spear for Yan Chengxia and, if he felt like it, a bow or staff. With a new purpose, Lee Se-hoon's eyes sparkled as he headed to the workshop.