전생검신 81권 20화

The Divine Skill of Infinite Power!

As soon as I heard Asura’s words, an idea flashed in my mind.

“Are you referring to that blow that split the unity?”

“You know it well.”

I tilted my head in thought.

“But you’ve never personally taught me a technique like Infinite Power while passing on Dark Night Slash.”

True enough. While Asura trained me, he had solely focused on teaching the Dark Night Slash, never uttering a word about the technique Infinite Power. He had mentioned its existence but never explained how to train or what it really was.

Asura chuckled lightly.

“How could I teach you Infinite Power when you can’t even use the Dark Night Slash properly? If you try to fly with this lack of foundation, you’ll end up getting possessed by demons.”

“Ugh…”

“In fact, even if you could use the Dark Night Slash effectively, I’d still hesitate to teach you Infinite Power.”

“Why?”

“I mentioned before that the most crucial aspect of training the Dark Night Slash is the myriad sword families.”

“I remember that.”

“Do you understand why it’s important to unify all sword styles within? Do you know the reason now?”

“…”

I fell silent, pondering Asura’s question for a significant time. Then I spoke.

“It’s to realize one’s [inadequacies]. As you refine your skills until you reach the formless state, you’ll naturally come to understand your shortcomings and be able to effectively deploy the Dark Night Slash.”

Asura seemed quite surprised by my answer.

“Oh, you’ve really been training hard. How much have you improved in my absence?”

“Three hundred years…”

“I see. Then you should be able to use the Dark Night Slash without relying on the Immortal Sword… though it seems you’re stuck in the intermediate stage. I’ve been there too, so I can’t blame you.”

Asura nodded knowingly and continued.

“Infinite Power is actually a derivative technique I stumbled upon after mastering the Dark Night Slash.”

“Derivative technique?”

“Exactly. To be precise, as I was equalizing the myriad sword styles during my training, I obtained the Dark Night Slash. However, the uniformity was not perfectly consistent each time I displayed the Dark Night Slash. Even so, I could execute it without a hitch. Put simply, if my completion degree is between 95 and 99, I can successfully use the Dark Night Slash.”

“Hmm.”

“But one moment… by sheer coincidence, after unfolding the Dark Night Slash thousands or even tens of thousands of times, I reached perfection. All elements of technique and [heart], along with my spirit, perfectly aligned with no flaws. When I managed to achieve this perfect synchronization, the power of the Dark Night Slash evolved.”

“…!!”

I realized something from Asura’s words and exclaimed.

“That’s Infinite Power, isn’t it?!”

“Right. In a way, you can think of it as the most refined version of the Dark Night Slash. Just like your Infinite Slash is your most powerful basic cut.”

“Uh-huh.”

The principle behind Infinite Power seemed straightforward.

‘The complete Dark Night Slash manifests the ideology it pursues at the peak of technical perfection and heart unity…’

But even though I understood the principle, it didn’t quite convince me, so I asked Asura.

“Why do you want to teach me this? I can’t even use the standard Dark Night Slash properly, so what’s the point in learning the peak version of it?”

“Hmm. The reason…”

Asura looked up at the sky and eventually spoke.

“Baek Woong. How do you compare the strength of the first Gonshin Jo Hwan-ryong with that of Gong Sun Da-rang, whom you see now?”

“…There’s no contest. Even if there were ten Gonshin Jo Hwan-ryongs, they wouldn’t match Gong Sun Da-rang.”

“Right, there’s a heaven-and-earth difference. Even for me, I’d struggle to beat Gong Sun Da-rang without going all out. Now, do you think their difference in strength is mere coincidence?”

“….”

No way.

As I frowned, sensing a bad premonition, Asura continued.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all. It clearly seems that the stronger opponents come later.”

“Ugh… I knew it.”

“Yeah. Based on this flow, I’m certain the last opponent you have to defeat is someone you definitely can’t win against with your current abilities. No, you won’t even be able to withstand them like before.”

“Is that even possible? No matter how skilled they are in Divine Skills, how could they be that overwhelmingly strong against me…?”

Asura shook his head.

“Every day, every moment, I am still evolving in my martial arts capabilities. If there’s someone who has refined the Divine Skills to the ultimate realm over countless eons, then even I can’t predict what kind of level they would be at.”

“That’s absurd.”

Asura’s skills were already in a legendary realm, far beyond the ordinary martial arts world, especially when he had overwhelmingly defeated the Natural Sword! But is it true that even someone like Asura could be regarded merely as an underling in the face of a truly absolute being?

Asura blinked and then said.

“Believe it or not, that’s my thought. And if you want to face that absolute master, you need to step up your game. You should at the very least know how to use Infinite Power.”

“Wait… Are you saying you won’t help during the next trial?”

“Who said I wouldn’t help? It’s just that even if I do, you might get killed in one hit.”

“…!!”

W-what?! That’s the kind of threat we’re talking about?

My shock must have shown on my face because Asura grinned slyly.

“You need to reach this level to see and feel. I have a rough idea of the level I could achieve after thousands of years of training, and I can predict what a higher-level master might do based on that. And according to my predictions, in this Palace of Martial Gods, the chances of you surviving even one second are extremely low.”

“This is insane… I really don’t want to believe it…”

“On the contrary, if you could at least use the Infinite Power, whether you win or lose, you’d have many insights from that battle. Who knows, maybe you could break free from the awkward limbo you’re currently in.”

“So, you’re saying that as long as I just survive, I can find some clues for insight?”

“Exactly. The opponent you’ll face is that kind of fellow.”

“…Got it. Then teach me Infinite Power.”

I reluctantly made my decision, prompting Asura to cackle.

“Hehe. You’re wearing quite a frown on your face.”

“Wouldn’t you be? After enduring three hundred years of hellish training, being called a beginner still is infuriating…”

“That’s how it is for everyone. There’s no end to the path of martial arts. Isn’t it nice that you have a superior who keeps you humble?”

“….”

“I’ve rambled on long enough. Now, pick up your sword.”

Swish.

I took my sword as Asura instructed.

Clang…

Standing still, facing him with our swords, Asura remarked.

“Baek Woong. Earlier, you must have wondered what kind of situation arises when the formless realm of sword clashes with another.”

“Right.”

“As you can see, I was penetrated by Gong Sun Da-rang’s Dark Night Slash but retaliated with Infinite Power to finish the fight. So, let me ask you: Divine Skill is essentially [heart]. When [hearts] clash, which one prevails?”

“…”

“Is it because my heart and desires imbued in Infinite Power are stronger that I overcame Gong Sun Da-rang? Or did Gong Sun Da-rang lose because of weaker willpower?”

That was a tough question.

I pondered long and hesitated before replying.

“I don’t know. I understand that the strength of Divine Skills relates to the strength of [heart], but… is it possible to objectively measure that strength when Divine Skills clash?”

“Of course, you can’t measure it. That’s the complexity of Divine Skills.”

Asura smiled and continued.

“Willpower and heart are interconnected, but willpower itself isn’t heart. Just as thoughts and feelings differ, will and heart are different. So even the most desperate wishes don’t inherently boost the power of martial arts. The ability to enhance power through mere desires or willpower belongs to the domain of superior capabilities.”

“Is that so? Then what determines the power of Divine Skills if not the strength of desires?”

“Ultimately, it comes down to the Law of Cause and Effect. It might sound a bit vague, but it could be called the principle of necessity.”

“Principle of necessity?”

Asura nodded slowly.

“Even in the Absolute Realm, martial artists embody their envisioned [ultimate strength] using the Intent Heavenly Pillar. However, the Intent Heavenly Pillar has its limits, and the foundation in martial arts places restrictions on how imagination can manifest. Those limits arise due to the Law of Cause and Effect, which Divine Skills cleverly utilize to enhance their power.”

“Wait a second. How does the Law of Cause and Effect relate to this?”

“It’s simple. Musashi and Jeon Wook once fought, right?”

“That’s right.”

“At that time, Musashi undoubtedly manifested the [sword that cuts anything] at the Absolute Realm. And if it’s ‘anything,’ he would naturally think it could slice through even time and gods. But the deity Jeon Wook, who controls space and time, dismissed all of Musashi’s intent and desires. Why couldn’t Musashi’s Divine Kill Slash cut down Jeon Wook?”

“That’s because he’s a god…”

“It’s not merely a comparison of strength. Musashi’s wish didn’t satisfy the principles within this world.”

“…?”

“The Old Ruler is essentially a piece of [dream]. Like all beings in this world, they are among the largest entities, and their very existence contributes significantly to the density of the Law of Cause and Effect. They possess an inherent chaos that allows them to exist without needing any laws, and their standing in this world is immense. Without even trying to obstruct or evade, mortals won’t be granted the justification to defeat them.”

Asura continued.

“Everything within this cycle is governed by the law, creating a necessity. In simpler terms… to yield an appropriate outcome, there must be a corresponding cause. Musashi’s Absolute Realm produced a result first but failed to provide an adequate cause. Not only him but all masters in the Absolute Realm lack the grounds to execute a Divine Kill against gods.”

“Cause…”

As I muttered that, I caught on to something and asked.

“Are you saying that Divine Skills create those causes and grounds by using the Law of Cause and Effect?”

“That’s a simplistic view. It gets more intricate the deeper you dive… Anyway, you can’t discuss Divine Skills without separating them from the Law of Cause and Effect and necessity. The principle behind executing a Divine Kill also fundamentally starts from there. Now, this raises an issue.”

“What kind of issue?”

Asura’s next words slightly troubled me.

“When [heart] and [heart] clash with their own justifications, can we even compare which side has stronger necessity?”

“….”

“It’s impossible. Put simply, isn’t it a contradiction to cut with [heart] against another [heart]? Because both are fundamentally non-embodied metaphysical entities, how could that even hold true?”

“It’s contradictory, yet you just did that.”

“True. From here on out, you have to comprehend the Primordial Void.”

Swish…

Asura’s sword began to move slowly. I cautiously maneuvered while coordinating with his sword, and Asura continued.

“Infinite Power can only be attempted once you’ve transcended the use of the Law of Cause and Effect… Feel the Primordial Void.”

“How do I feel it?”

Asura’s following words startled me.

“I’m going to slash you with the Dark Night Slash now. Once you correctly feel the Primordial Void, you should counter with Infinite Power to attack me.”

“W-what?! I barely grasp what Infinite Power is, and you expect me to pull that off?!”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Seriously! I’m no genius here…”

“If you can’t, then you can just die.”

“…….”

A dark glimmer emerged from Asura’s eyes.

“Infinite Power is the true realm of the extraordinary that can cut even the gods. Talent and effort have no bearing here. You could realize it right now or a billion years later! What matters is your desperation; I want to see if your urgency is enough in this bout.”

“……!!”

“Alright, brace yourself. Here I go.”

I realized Asura was serious.

Achieving Infinite Power was not an insight that could simply be reached with guidance; it’s a realm that even the biggest geniuses might never unlock in an eternity! If I couldn’t reach that realm, he’d rather end my life himself.

Taking a deep breath, I declared.

“Understood.”

I had no choice but to brace myself.