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“Is this really how we’re settling it with martial arts?”

The Emperor, radiating confidence, strolled forward and spoke.

[Hey, Baek Woong. Are you enjoying the fact that it’s come down to this?]

“What are you even saying…?”

[Honestly, I’m quite dissatisfied.]

After a brief silence, the Emperor gazed into the empty void as he continued.

[From your perspective, it probably feels great. After only dying about thirty times and two hundred years of effort, you think you stand a chance against me…. But I’ve had decades of meticulous planning go up in smoke, countless foes laid to rest, and now I’m here grasping at straws.]

“……”

[As the Human King Baek Woong, do you even qualify to be my adversary?]

An utterly arrogant statement.

But instead of feeling offended, I sensed a hint of doubt and sadness in those words—a rare departure from the usual demeanor of the Old Ruler. Even considering the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen as my foe, he had earned the right to speak like that.

When you think about it, he was someone who truly deserved to be on the level of a god.

And yet, due to Nyarlathotep’s whims, here he was, reduced to my level, a mere human.

‘…Gotta give credit where it’s due.’

That’s only fair against an opponent.

So I went quiet for a moment before responding.

“Not yet.”

The opponent before me was undeniably impressive. To be his equal, I would need at least a few thousand years of training.

The Emperor chuckled softly, even though I couldn’t see his face; I could feel his emotions. He spoke slowly.

[And you think you can win just to survive, not knowing what comes next? How desperate…]

Feeling mocked, I shot back.

“Quit whining.”

That’s all the respect I’m giving to a Great Being.

[What did you say?]

I pointed my sword at the Emperor, my eyes wide open.

“You’ve lived your life as if winning was everything, no?” I challenged. “Ain’t I right? You’ve done anything to defeat Chi You, exploited the Priest, pushed the Three Sovereigns into obscurity…. In the end, you don’t care about the method as long as you get results.”

[…….]

“You, of all people, have no right to complain when you’re left at the mercy of the Coming Chaos overnight! If you’ve lived accepting the law of the jungle, then accept this absurdity, Your Majesty!”

After my fierce roar, the Emperor remained silent for a while.

He looked as if he was deep in thought. Then he finally said,

[An unpredictable one, aren’t you? The moment your friends are involved, your dazed expression vanishes and suddenly you can get to the core of things…. I wonder if you’re really as dull as you appear.]

“……?”

[You’re right. As a child of chaos aiming for the divine throne, I suppose I should embrace such absurdity.]

Whoosh! The Emperor took a martial stance, sword in hand. It was a departure from his previously casual manner, and sensing this change, I shot him wary glances.

[The Gongsun Sword Technique is the original martial art of the Heavenly Demon, a unique style I personally created. Let’s see how it holds up against you.]

So it was the Gongsun Sword Technique. I could tell just from his stance.

“Alright!”

Finally, the real deal was about to unfold!

Having fought against Gongsun Sword Technique several times in the past, I knew its strengths and weaknesses well. Zhuge Yulong had restored its forms, making it the technique that put him among the top Three Great Masters. It was crafted based on the principles of the Five Elements, boasting overwhelming integrity and flawlessness as its main attributes.

Indeed, the Gongsun Sword Technique was one of the most perfected sword techniques in the world. It had no gaps in transitioning between offense and defense, transformation, counterattacks, and so much more. The techniques of the Four Great Families were formidable in their own right, but they had their own weaknesses in comparison to Gongsun.

That’s why the martial arts of Zhuge Yulong, having mastered the Gongsun Sword Technique to a profound level, ended up being amongst the strongest in the world. And of course, the legendary female master, Gong Sun Da-rang, polished it further, giving it immense practical power.

But I knew the Gongsun Sword Technique had its weaknesses too.

‘Cave-Collapsing Sword and Heavenly Contraction Sword.’

If I applied those two techniques to freely manipulate space, I could easily exploit the technique’s integrity and counter him efficiently. Well, that wasn’t my discovery; it was something the transcendent genius Jin So-cheong figured out, but knowing this weakness made me confident that I could turn this battle in my favor.

BAM!

Using the two steps the Emperor took, I seized the initiative and attacked. This wasn’t divine combat but a straightforward martial artist’s fight, showing that the Emperor was already well-acquainted with the battles of mere mortals. His precise control made it clear he was not just a master at the Absolute Realm but far beyond that.

Gongsun Sword Technique

Yellow Dragon’s One Sword!

Suddenly, a sword with insane speed shot towards me! It was somewhat naive and straightforward, but the attack carried the spirited energy of the Yellow Dragon, making it utterly powerful.

‘There’s no such technique in the Gongsun Sword Technique that I recognize.’

I had once summoned the spirit of Gongsun Byeok using the Heavenly Secret Technique and memorized the foundational forms of the Gongsun Sword Technique. Yet, there was nothing resembling the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword among them. In that fleeting moment, I sensed a choice to make.

‘A head-on confrontation? Or should I use the Cave-Collapsing Sword?’

The decision came swiftly.

Crack!!

Dragon Fang!

Fusion-style!

Technique of All Things!

Thunder Shadow Clone!

I secured space using the Three Treasure Technique while unleashing the Fire Spirit Techniques, casting Dragon Fang and the Thunder God Lineage’s Ten Thousand Success Sword Techniques simultaneously. I did not know why this reflexive action transpired but expected it to result in me being sent flying from the Emperor’s Yellow Dragon’s One Sword.

BAM!

This force made my hands tingle as I sensed the pressure rushing in. The Emperor hesitated, surprisingly not pursuing me to attack.

[I expected to clash force against force, or to see you wield the Cave-Collapsing Sword. Quite unexpected, indeed. Why did you use the Fire Spirit Techniques?]

“…….”

I didn’t even have an answer for that. It was just an instinctive reaction.

‘Was this the best counter? No harm, but….’

If it had been my usual self, I would never have come up with such a response.

Why was a new fighting style emerging so naturally now?

I had doubts swirling in my mind but pushed them aside, focusing entirely on the past combat experience I had built up!

THWACK!

Once more, the Emperor attacked with the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword. I anticipated the full force contained in it would rival my Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique; still, I couldn’t help but question why he persisted in such a rudimentary style of attack.

‘Is this a psychological tactic?’

Then, that could explain why I employed the Fire Spirit Technique to block him earlier.

I felt my brain whirl with strategies for battle as I prepared once more to carefully intercept his strike. This time, I would use Su Shin Sect’s technique to shatter the force of the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword.

Water Dragon Palm!

Even the basics of the Su Shin Sect’s martial arts were accessible to me through altered thunder energy. By slightly misdirecting the path of the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword, the Emperor quickly recalibrated and charged forward with the united force of the Body and Sword.

Seizing the opening, I aimed to return to the Emperor’s blind spot using the Three Treasure Technique.

Then it hit me—ice-cold shock.

‘No…?!’

Three Emperors?!

My eyes betrayed me, but there stood three sword-wielding Emperors simultaneously! One was already making a strike at the angle I aimed to exploit, tagging me instead.

SWISH!

A black sword shape darted toward me, lunging like a snake’s tongue at my throat. It was highly unusual, but realizing this technique was inherent to the Gongsun Sword Technique, I quickly defended myself while attempting a kick to the Emperor’s solar plexus.

With a loud thud, the Emperor’s phantom shot up into the air briefly like a winking sprite before dissipating, leaving two real Emperors attacking me simultaneously. Knowing both were deploying the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword, I didn’t dare to face them; instead, I launched my Divine Technique to the maximum and pulled back.

SWISH!

I barely dodged the taunting rise of the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword as the Emperor reset back on one line. He sighed, looking disappointed.

[I don’t know how you figured it out.]

“…Is it the Clone Technique?”

[You cannot use techniques here. And there’s no reason for me to use something like Fuxi’s artifacts either. This is purely martial arts.]

Whoosh!

The Emperor’s form divided into three once more, and distinguishing which was real became impossible with my power alone.

[Gongsun Sword Technique, the Three Sovereigns. I taught it to humans long ago, but it seems it was lost during the Silver Age’s burning of the Imperial Palace.]

“……”

[Each is real, each an illusion. Now, take your shot.]

BAM!

The three bodies of the Emperor moved together to assault me. For a moment, I comprehended why I had used the Fire Spirit Technique before to counter his attack.

‘Attacking with a single technique won’t do! Each of the other two embodiments will strike me back! I need to deploy two techniques simultaneously using the Fire Spirit Technique!’

Even my Ten Thousand Success Sword won’t work in a situation where the real one is hard to identify. If I tried the Cave-Contraction technique, it would only give the three manifestations an opportunity to surround me. This was definitely not a strategy that could take on the Three Sovereigns.

‘Stay calm. I’ve dealt with enough masters that use Clone Techniques. And I’ve gone against the best—Hong Gil-dong’s Void Spirit Eighty-First Illusion!’

Hong Gil-dong’s technique also comprised such clones, with the numbers reaching not three but over one hundred and eight! Even that master quipped about being the best, yet now, I felt confident I could take them on.

‘Among the three, which one is real…?!’

I fell into a trance, funneling energy through my body to recognize reality. But unlike usual, I couldn’t activate my Fire Eye Golden Spirit or Palace Examination Technique, causing an “ah-ha” moment.

‘Damn! No awakening abilities! Then I’ll just have to rely on pure intent….’

A Wind!

“Huh.”

But as I let my guard down for a moment, I only had time to react defensively, leaping and rolling to avoid the piercing sword. Attacks flooded my space like a storm as I dodged using the Three Treasure Technique, pulling my rear back as best I could. Upon witnessing my desperate attempt, the Emperor spoke sharply.

[I am beginning to resent Jang Sam-bong. If not for the Three Treasure Technique, this would have been a done deal.]

“I’m trying to better myself!!”

Regaining my balance, I aimed to penetrate the weakness of the three authentically.

“No matter how great your ability, you still can’t reach Hong Gil-dong’s level!”

But as I shouted, the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword slashed down through the air, and dread welled up inside me.

‘Oh… no way… It’s all the same….’

Thunder Sword Technique!

BAM!

I had no choice but to counterattack with a reflexive move using the Thunder Sword Technique, and at that moment, I felt the Emperor’s blade penetrate my gut. The edge barely cut in half, but I felt my eyes widen as I strained to deploy the Protection Energy Technique.

FWOOOSH!

As blood vessels surged within me, the Emperor remarked.

[Indeed, numerically speaking, I am not on Hong Gil-dong’s level. Yet, I can assure you, my technique is much harder to untangle than his illusions.]

“W-what…?”

[You couldn’t discern the fundamentally different nature of the techniques. If that’s the case, I’ll take the upper hand.]

HSH!

The Emperor’s form tripled again. I felt the urge to panic, contemplating my strategy.

‘What now? Simply swiping with the Thunder Technique betrays my position! If I do this, I risk everything!’

Should I use the Fire Spirit technique then?

Just then, a brilliant idea hit me.

“Spear!”

WHOOOSH!

Suddenly, a steel spear hovered in my other hand. Despite the seal on my other abilities, it seemed I could summon weapons freely. It turned out the Emperor had done the same with nothing before!

SWOOSH!

Holding a sword in one hand and a spear in the other, I prepared a posture that I’d never before tried. The Emperor watched me without blinking and said.

[No way… you’re mimicking Jin So-cheong who faced the leaders from the Twin Gate Sect?]

“…Yeah.”

He must have seen through me instantly, knowing that Sa Gong Lin had dug into my memories.

This technique was something Jin So-cheong demonstrated when he rebelled against the Imperial Palace in his past life! It was an unprecedented stance in martial arts, yet Jin So-cheong had used it to overcome incredible odds and defeat the clan leaders.

The Emperor spoke again, giving me a disapproving look.

[Foolish. The unparalleled prodigy Jin So-cheong ever wrestled with his emotions, yet you think a mere fool like you can imitate that?]

“……”

[What a letdown. Relying on trickery to escape a crisis isn’t the mark of a true sovereign.]

With just one step, I felt a jolt heat through my body. Though I never believed my martial arts to be the inferior, it was undeniable that my opponent was a seasoned master, possessing unmatched skill and experience — exponentially stronger than me, even without employing all his abilities.

Having only martial arts to wield, I became significantly weaker but was still shocked at his strength.

What he said was true; the kind of improvisation I was pulling wouldn’t work on a veteran such as him.

But…

‘Just somehow… somehow, I feel it!’

We all have those days. The days when everything you do feels like it’s finally working out perfectly. Somehow, I felt that warmth enveloping me, bringing me confidence.

If I lost, then I’d simply lose.

But I wouldn’t go against this sense!

I calmed my mind, striving to adapt to this one-sword, one-spear style.

“Stop talking nonsense and come!”

As I held firm without changing my stance, the Emperor responded with an angry voice.

[If only you fought me with the Peerless Technique, perhaps I could have acknowledged you… I had no idea you’d be this disappointing!!]

CRACK!

The Yellow Dragon’s One Sword shot toward me, carrying the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s immense will. I didn’t understand how this being of chaos could wield such powerful intent, but every measure suggested he would surpass any absolute masters of the land. No, the endurance and magnitude of his conviction overshadowed even a hundredfold that of a human. Should I endure a direct hit, I would undoubtedly falter.

This stance was genuinely new to me.

I had no idea what techniques or transformations would emerge from it, nor did I remember how Jin So-cheong had fought then. Even if I did remember, no solutions seemed to appear on how to face the Emperor’s Gongsun Sword Technique.

‘If I were Jin So-cheong… if I really were him… what would I be doing now?’

But I couldn’t help but wonder how Jin So-cheong would have responded. At that moment, my conversations with Eungui flickered through my mind.

[Only you can create a mask…]

Simultaneously, memories of learning from the Divine Thief surfaced.

[I’m a thief; that means I must steal.]

[Stealing the impossible.]

…….

Yeah, there’s no way out.

In a situation where I lacked the means to overcome, I could only make do with my own talents!

If I didn’t grasp this epiphany within a moment, I had to inspire it myself.

‘I will steal!’

I envisioned a mask.

It was a mask that never existed, yet I recognized it as if it did.

Through acknowledgment, the mask found its existence. That unique sensation was something I had felt when granted the Blessing of the Sky.

That mask belonged to the genius Jin So-cheong.

Logically, there’s no way I could steal it. The restrictions to obtain such a mask were immense, and by then, Jin So-cheong had transcended into the past of the Great Cycle. To transcend such a being was impossible — even as an Old Ruler, no one would believe I could do such a thing.

But…

What if I stole the imagined mask?

A fake mask created based on the true mask of the Old Cycle’s Jin So-cheong.

‘Can I actually do this?’

From here on out, the realm was something even the Divine Thief never informed me of. I might be nearing a height too great for mere thieves, comparable to that of fantasy authors.

But I’d do it.

Because it was my duty as a Reborn Person.

If I, as the Human King, lacked the powers of a hero like Jin So-cheong, then I had to borrow the capabilities of a thief to reach my goal!

SSHWOO!

The Technique of All Things flowed through me.

My hand felt like it wandered beyond the void. Simultaneously, a dark chaos began bubbling up from within me, rising endlessly. I felt as if my eyes were set on fire as I stretched out my palm to seize the mask.

The mask that didn’t exist.

The imagined mask became real through recognition.

‘Are they identical?’

That was a question I, the thief of the fake, had no obligation to answer.

So long as my imagination supported it, that was all that mattered!

Grinning, I pulled the mask toward me.

Panda’s Unique Arts!

Imaginary Theft!

WHAM!

In the blink of an eye, as the Emperor’s Yellow Dragon’s One Sword descended, I swung the Wu Su sword, deploying the Absolute Sword Qi of the Unmatched Sword Technique.

BAM!

Our two techniques nearly matched each other, visibly nullifying one another in the air.

Yet, due to the uncomfortable stance I found myself in, my left side was left defenseless as the Emperor seized that opportunity to unleash the Three Sovereigns against my heart.

But.

Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear!

Fleeting Perception!

Six Heaven Unity Spear!

My left step steadied as I executed a combination of spear techniques across the full range. The One to Six form directly counters the next Yellow Dragon’s One Sword and wobbles the Emperor’s footing.

BAM BAM BAM!

[……!!]

As the technique I performed wasn’t one Jin So-cheong had deduced, I had endured dying twenty-eight times seeing and studying him. A once-contested talent could be mixed and merged with my own base techniques. It was not supposed to be possible but feasible under the right circumstances.

Because this was not a real mask; it didn’t matter either way.

On the contrary, since it was unreal, it worked even better!

[This…!!]

The final clone of the Three Sovereigns lunged toward me with the Gongsun Sword Technique aimed to sweep my entire form. Even with the distance granted, I couldn’t evade it with mere Three Treasure Technique — I’d need a far more powerful response. However, the fake Jin So-cheong’s mask proved mighty enough.

No — Jin So-cheong was immense.

Simple Form!

Activate the Thunder Spirit!

CRACKLE!

Electricity coursed through my body as the Thunder Spirit surged, resonating with the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique within me. Something impossible flowed through me as I felt the genius Jin So-cheong’s mask penetrated into the effort, dawning on me as the Nine Chambers worked in response to the chaotic energy around me.

‘Take this, Emperor.’

Thunder God Lineage!

Ultimate Technique!

WHHHAM!

For a fleeting moment, I felt a unique touch like silky silk enveloping my hand. As if someone had laid their hand over mine, I froze at the sensation, catching a voice in my mind.

This isn’t solely the merit of the Thunder God Lineage.

Suddenly, I realized something unsettling — the power I thought I’d lost didn’t vanish back then.

It had been with me all along, just lingering next to me, lending me its prowess….

‘Alright….’

This strike couldn’t be solely attributed to the Thunder God Lineage; it belonged to something greater.

KA-THUNK!

I quickly crossed my sword and spear, instantly adapting to the dual techniques peculiar to the Fire Spirits. It was a stance that belonged wholly to her, a martial art I had fought countless times against.

And now, with her assistance, I could wield the Fire Spirits’ techniques as if I were a master of their arts.

Thunder Spirit Activation!

Fusion!

Fire Spirit Flare!

Two Spirits swirled within me, the Thunder Soul enveloping my essence while the Fire Spirit descended to support my Thunder tool. The two spirits seemed remarkably intertwined, stretching out over the Nine Chambers as they sparked to life simultaneously.

This fusion through mystical means felt reassuring — I wasn’t alone. The mask possessed by Jin So-cheong, and the spirit of the Fire Spirit Master Han Baek-ryeong embedded in my weapon drove me forward.

With that momentum, I reached new heights.

As the Emperor enacted his Three Sovereigns and assembled the Yellow Dragon’s One Sword, I shouted.

“HAAAHHH!!”

Lights glinted!

In a heartbeat, against a scream almost like an echo, emerged a clash of swords.

The combined potential of the dual spirits pierced through the Emperor’s essence—a surprising sensation tickled at my fingertips.

SLASH!

I felt my face severely wounded as my blood vessels ruptured, causing shockwaves to escalate outward. The mask-like apparition shattered, revealing fragments sparkling thrillingly. It was undeniably the cost of just having stolen Jin So-cheong’s talents in that extremely short span.

But what about the Emperor? What had become of him?

I desperately whirled around to check, and there he was — the Emperor’s face, or rather his mask, splintering, revealing glimpses of his identity.

…….

Was that not his face? Perhaps it was just a mask of uncertain origin?

As I marveled at my findings, the Emperor opened his mouth.

[I can again utilize the ability to comprehend the Law of Cause and Effect.]

Then he looked at the void, murmuring softly.

[Four Spirits’ Essence…. Even I couldn’t foresee that.]

 

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