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The underground was bustling.

It wasn’t a small space by any means, but with over a dozen people gathered, it felt quite packed, especially with all sorts of strange items scattered about, making the underground seem even smaller.

“What a wonderful thing this is.”

Just a short while ago, the underground was filled with darkness, but now it was illuminated.

A small light fixture was installed on one wall, emitting a blinding brightness as if it were the sun itself, shining brightly.

Underneath this light, a clear tank filled with water, utterly at odds with the musty, eerie atmosphere of the underground, gently rippled.

Thanks to a separate fan on the wall and a filter set below the surface, the water shimmered and swayed like a real pond in the breeze, even creating waves at regular intervals.

Crystal-clear water where not a single fish could survive.

It seemed nearly impossible to produce such transparent water even after multiple filtration processes.

And above this pristine water, there were plants.

The appearance of these plants was quite peculiar.

What floated above the clear water were broad leaves reminiscent of lotus leaves, small in comparison to typical lotus flowers. Nearby, a rounded bulb-like object, akin to duckweed, bobbed in the water, appearing to be about the size of an average person’s palm.

Splash.

With every ripple, the leaves and bulbs swayed, and when the water surged like waves, the leaves tilted, revealing the translucent protrusions underneath.

These undersides had many semi-transparent nodes that reminded one of air bubbles.

Long stems extended beneath the leaves and bulbs.

The stems were quite thick, resembling slices of lotus root, but strangely brown instead of the expected green, with a glossy sheen to them.

And the crucial roots stretched outside the tank.

Instead of being buried in the soil beneath the tank, the roots elongated outside, seemingly determined to reach elsewhere, crawling across the dry ground without hesitation, continuing onward.

Where the roots connected was just near the tank.

Not too far, yet not exactly close.

The roots were entwined around people.

“With such a splendid life force and energy, something truly wonderful will come from this.”

Jinseong smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the warriors entwined by the roots.

The warriors were thoroughly subdued.

Their limbs were bound, and their fingers could barely twitch, ensnared by skin-tight leather enhanced with magical durability. Plus, electrodes were planted sporadically to prepare for electroshock at the slightest resistance, and plants that siphoned life and released narcotic substances kept them from gaining clarity of mind. Each warrior had an IV drip stuck into their arms, slowly administering more drugs to further cloud their senses.

And their faces were not spared either.

Each warrior wore something akin to a motorcycle helmet, but oddly enough, the visor was streaming visual images. Small speakers mounted near their ears emitted sounds in sync with the visuals, and these sounds were rather unusual.

—Woo woo woo…

It sounded almost as if an engine was vibrating or something was shattering resonantly. The video flowing from their visors displayed iridescent colors moving about, forming patterns that, while irregular, intriguingly captivated the observer’s gaze.

“Their easy defeat reflects a lack of experience, but also a wavering spirit. It would be wise to refine their minds through meditation during this opportunity.”

What flowed from the helmets were visuals and sounds designed to assist in meditation.

To be precise, it was a potent blend lying somewhere between meditation and brainwashing.

When he was actively working as a mercenary, a cult had fallen apart, allowing the remnants of that cult’s legacy to spread. At that time, the brainwashing visuals used by the cult also circulated on the internet, and this became a blend created by a warrior interested in meditation, combining it with traditional Indian techniques.

Because it was based on the visuals used for brainwashing by the cult, its effectiveness was incredibly strong, acting upon the person’s unconscious. Instead of manipulating the unconscious for brainwashing or inscribing specific messages, this merely facilitated prolonged stays in the unconscious state.

Park Jinseong was forcing the captured warriors to experience this excellent meditation.

The reason was simple.

By using this method, there was no need to employ excessive drugs that would strain their bodies, drastically reducing the risk of a warrior snapping back to consciousness and escaping. Moreover, while this meditation was somewhat intense, it was undeniably beneficial, effectively preventing the warrior’s body or energy from acting on its own to eliminate threats.

As warriors achieved greater levels, their life forces became exceedingly resilient, and those who surpassed certain realms could regenerate body parts like roaches… They were a tiresome lot.

Moreover, even without consciousness, their bodies instinctively aimed to maintain optimal conditions and eliminate threats.

A prime example occurred during World War III when the British targeted a French warrior.

This warrior wielded a sword, which emanated a holy radiance, so striking that it was raised as the ‘Sword of the Saint’ in France due to its captivating glow when it responded to jewels or metals.

Perhaps, discontent with France’s extravagance?

When the opportunity arose, the British decided it was necessary to put the French in their place, seizing a chance to assassinate that warrior while he traveled by boat. They sunk the vessel and detonated bombs secretly placed underwater. Furthermore, using an artifact to continue the assault, they altered the currents, ensuring that even if the warrior fainted, he couldn’t escape to land and would meet his end in the sea.

Almost needless to say, the British plan was nearly a success.

The warrior’s bones shattered from the explosion, half of him burnt from the artifact-induced attack, and he was poisoned as well. With a massive hole in his boat and internal injuries, seawater rushed in, gnawing at his life force.

Moreover, with no hope for escape due to the manipulated currents… In the end, the warrior sank to the depths of the sea.

The British breathed a sigh of relief as the warrior sank with grievous wounds.

They believed they’d successfully shattered the treasure of their historical rival, France.

And thus, they retreated, believing that the French warrior met his end in the middle of the ocean due to an “unfortunate accident,” but—

Surprisingly, that warrior survived.

Despite significant bodily damage and sinking to the depths, he lived on.

Not just surviving—he fully recovered!

What an astonishing turn of events!

The reason he survived had two components.

Martial arts and transformation.

The martial arts learned by the French warrior enhanced his life force. Simply mastering them could eliminate even minor ailments, and once he surpassed a certain level, he gained regeneration comparable to wood energy.

Alongside learning this stubborn life-giving martial art, the warrior succeeded in achieving transformation. Naturally, he transformed into a form fitting for the martial arts he had mastered.

This transformed form was built for survival anywhere.

His skin became tough and resilient, capable of secreting slime to protect against fire.

Gills emerged, allowing him to breathe underwater.

Moreover, in his blood flowed a blue liquid instead of the typical red.

He bled hemocyanin rather than hemoglobin.

Much like an invertebrate.

The French warrior, through transformation, acquired blood that, while 25% less efficient than red blood, granted an advantage for survival.

But that was not all.

If survival became difficult, he could fall into a state of dormancy by choice. Like other animals, he could hibernate during winter or summer. The efficiency of this dormant state was so remarkable that scholars speculated he would survive even an apocalypse.

Indeed, this warrior persisted for quite a long time.

Regrettably, he did not enjoy a prolonged life.

This persistence encapsulated the essence of what a warrior was.

 

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