1047——————==

True Martial Home

The Eastern and Western wars resumed twelve years later. It’s practically an understatement to say all civilizations except for the Western Kingdoms were under the control of the Great Bear Empire and the Holy Roman Empire! During the truce, the Great Bear Empire’s national power skyrocketed, mobilizing a staggering 2 million troops this time—but the quality of the army improved significantly.

Kugugugugu

The Great Bear Empire invented a new weapon called the Flying Ship, allowing them to soar over the Holy Roman Empire without using the Transference Gate to attack their rear fortresses. This genius creation was thanks to Zhuge Bu, who had long taken charge of developing science and technology. While a single ship could only transport about a thousand people, it was perfectly capable of delivering elite troops skilled in martial arts to seize the fortresses without any hassle.

Tatang! Tang!!

“Graaah!”

The leader of the Great Bear Empire’s special brigade, having crept into the Venetian fortress armed with the latest rifles, assassinated the lord of the fortress before pulling out a massive machine from his back and placing it on the ground. The thud echoed, and as the machine settled, the leader lifted a dark panel and opened his mouth.

“Mission accomplished. The lord of Venice has been eliminated.”

[The mission is not over. Verify the traces of the demon ritual, and upon discovery, do not approach—report immediately.]

“Understood.”

The special brigade leader scoured the fortress, discovering a secret chamber where over fifty young boys and girls were locked up, alongside a blood-soaked chamber marked by a magical array.

Haegang Swordsman Seop Jamoons, a renowned swordsman from the Orthodox Sect known as the Haenam Sect, gasped in shock. He was a man in his thirties, having built quite a reputation in the martial world around Haenam.

“This can’t be…. These Westerners really performed human sacrifice? Let’s get those kids out of here, Leader.”

Clang!

As Seop Jamoons lunged to cut through the bars with his sword, his blade was blocked by the special brigade leader’s sword. The leader, using a face-off technique, glared at Seop Jamoons.

“Don’t recklessly approach them, Seop Jamoons.”

“We need to rescue those poor children.”

“A situation like this has happened before. Back then, I didn’t stop our troops from mindlessly trying to rescue hostages. As a result, everyone except me was wiped out.”

“……!!”

“We won’t make the same mistake today. Prepare yourself.”

Seop Jamoons could barely grasp what “prepare” even meant in that context. However, when the special brigade leader tossed a stone engraved with a pattern of a technique into the bar prison, a vibrant mist colored in five hues began to seep from the stone and fill the room. Moments later, a few of the children started to twist and turn, their skin darkening as their bodies transformed.

Kudududu!!

An indescribably eerie shape! They were the demon beasts, often referred to as Otherworldly Races.

“Ugh!”

“Kill them.”

Puff!

They all jumped in to stab the monsters before they could entirely transform. After the monsters lay gruesomely sprawled out, the brigade leader finally set about rescuing the kids. Watching this series of events, Seop Jamoons was left mentally stunned.

He asked the brigade leader, “Ugh, this can’t be… Were the monsters hiding among the children in disguise? Or….”

“…….”

The brigade leader didn’t respond.

“Could it be…?”

But within that silence, Seop Jamoons felt an indescribable horror and despair. Had their actions led to this outcome, he comprehended all too painfully. As a hardness set into Seop Jamoons’ expression, the brigade leader sighed and pat his shoulder.

“You’ve done well, Seop Jamoons. I’ll recommend your discharge to the higher-ups.”

“L-Leader.”

The brigade leader muttered unemotionally.

“This is the nightmare’s base. You’re not someone who should be here. Return to the martial world before you lose your mind.”

Seop Jamoons was at a loss for words, confused by the relief washing over him at those words.

Incidents like this were occurring all along the front. The Great Bear Empire steadily encroached on the frontline and seized fortresses with barely any losses, yet the spread of demon paths was alarmingly evident. Meanwhile, many soldiers succumbed mentally, losing their minds or wandering away in despair.

“This is problematic. What I dreaded seems to have come to pass—this isn’t much different from the demon realm. We’re not battling humans.”

Zhuge Bu grimaced aboard the Great Bear Empire’s greatest flying ship.

He played the role of operational officer for the war, compiling reports from every battlefield, and the frequency of deals with demons or human sacrifices was alarmingly high. In some places, powerful demon beasts or Otherworldly Races had already emerged, leaving local forces unable to confront them directly. On top of that, demon sorcerers appeared in droves, unleashing chaotic magic, adding to the headache.

Zhuge Sa, present at the high command meeting of the Great Bear Empire, chuckled.

“Ha! I expected as much. Back during Baek Woong’s reincarnation, the nobles were already trampled by high-tier Otherworldly Races in Europe, which had fallen under the demon’s influence. Dozens of years have passed, and with our invasion, the bonds among those races must have only strengthened.”

“…Do we really need to dominate such a land? Even if we did, it would cost far too much to clear it of any demon influence.”

“That’s not something we need to worry about right now. What’s important is even attempting to attack the British Empire.”

Zhuge Sa countered, turning to the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

“Master, are you still [unstable]?”

[…….]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect sat in silence, not answering. However, his expression was not entirely intact; it seemed he was in a half-conscious state. Confirming the Master had lost some awareness, Zhuge Sa couldn’t help but smirk.

“Ha ha ha… what a troublesome situation.”

In the past, the Master of the White Lotus Sect had believed he would never make headway in improving his power, focusing instead on awakening the hidden powers of the Primordial Spirit. However, for some unknown reason, although his strength had grown even stronger since then, he sporadically lost consciousness or entered a daze. No one knew the cause, as he was the only one to have accessed those hidden powers within the realm.

Then, Sagong Lin at the meeting spoke up.

“Even without the Master’s help, we should be able to take down the Holy Roman Empire. Don’t you think that’s something not to be overly concerned about?”

“Confident now that you’re in the Absolute Realm, huh? Ha ha.”

“The identity of Charles V being Krishna is already a given. We have more than enough strength to defeat Krishna.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. We still haven’t seen the battle-formed Divine Avatar Arjuna, nor have we encountered the Eight Parts of the Divine.”

“….”

“Hmmm. Then in the Master’s absence, I’ll draft the strategy. Instead of rushing, we’ll first focus on extinguishing the high-tier Otherworldly Races to allow the humans to gather their strength.”

“Following Mangnyang’s will, I see.”

The strategy set forth by Zhuge Sa was, in fact, a proposition championed over the years by the lower-level Mangnyang Zhuge Hyun. With a shrug, Zhuge Sa replied.

“We have no choice. When dealing with a slippery creature like Krishna, if we only pursue efficiency, we’ll only find ourselves caught in traps—so a direct approach seems better.”

“Is that so?”

Zhuge Sa smiled with sarcasm.

“If we’re employing a strategy this inefficient, wouldn’t it be better to rely on ‘human strength’?”

The Second Eastern and Western War transformed into a dark conflict due to Zhuge Sa’s resolution. The Great Bear Empire, which quickly occupied fortresses, moved sluggishly thereafter, maintaining their front without much flash—yet behind the scenes, numerous secret agents, martial arts experts, and sorcerers from the Great Bear Empire moved in the shadows, battling fiercely to eradicate the powerful high-tier Otherworldly Races that had taken root in various cities across Europe.

Although the Great Bear Empire lost many excellent resources trained over the years during this struggle, they managed to rescue countless humans in cities that had morphed into virtual demon realms, winning back public favor.

After three slow years of pushing the front, the Great Bear Empire finally pressed all the way to Paris, the capital of France, where the Holy Roman Emperor had fled, leading to an unprecedented showdown in the city.

Crackle!

Crackle!!

The sky burned red. The powerful barrier set up by the Divine Being Krishna ensnared all the sorcerers of the Great Bear Empire; breaking it wasn’t an easy feat.

“Report from the 17th Sorcerer Brigade. Barrier breach, failure!”

“The artillery units continue bombardment! But physical force isn’t effective.”

Reports streamed in non-stop. Zhuge Bu clenched his teeth, gazing at the crimson barrier veiling Paris from the Flying Ship.

“Damn it… Krishna…!! So this guy was this powerful?! Even with all my reincarnated comrades deployed, we still aren’t gaining the upper hand.”

Indeed.

As the tide turned against them, Krishna finally unveiled his true identity, which he had disguised as Charles V, and suggested the final battlefield be set in Paris to the leaders of the Great Bear Empire. They accepted the proposal and prepared their elite forces for the confrontation at the capital. Zhuge Bu anxiously monitored the situation inside, deliberating.

‘Really… in the worst-case scenario, I might even have to use the Philosopher’s Stone.’

While Zhuge Bu fretted over the state of affairs, the battle against Krishna intensified.

Boom!!

Boom!!

With speeds reminiscent of light, true martial experts surged forth. The Absolute Realm martial artists of the Great Bear Empire unleashed techniques using the Intent Heavenly Pillar, filled with the powers of Baek Woong’s reincarnated comrades or heavenly prodigies he had drawn in.

Absolute Realm

Formless Poison

“Take that!”

The dark heavenly master Tang San stood poised, enveloping the enemy’s figure in the formless poison. Tang San diligently cultivated under the Great Bear Empire’s extensive support, and having reached the Absolute Realm had far surpassed a decade’s training. Finally at the level of the formless poison, Tang San had accumulated experience fighting against Otherworldly Races, arriving at the domain of the ultimate Poison King.

Puff!

In an instant, the enemy’s form paused as some of the wings surrounding him started to dissolve. The opponent burst into laughter, seemingly amused.

[Ha ha ha…. To think I’d find poison capable of melting my clothing? Not bad.]

“Ugh! You freak!!”

Dark Heaven Master Tang San felt genuine fear at that moment.

‘No way! The formless poison doesn’t work….’

This was because the formless poison he had unleashed was everything he had to offer, yet the enemy treated it as merely brushing clothing it had caught fire. In truth, his formless poison only managed to dissolve a portion of the wings and hadn’t inflicted any real damage.

Absolute Realm

Thunder Sword

Absolute Realm

True

Shadowless Soul Steal Technique

Even though the formless poison didn’t deliver a blow to the opponent, it did create an opening in a foe who had maintained perfect defense. Seizing the opportunity, the Absolute Realm warriors Dokgo Seong and Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong leaped in together, engaging in a joint strike.

As the Thunder Sword floated in the air, Sword Demon’s Shadowless Soul Steal surged with its energy. As the Thunder Sword combined with the two techniques, a spectacular display of black and white lightning rained down like a torrential downpour. Tens of thousands of spectral swords blasted forth from the Thunder Sword, only manifesting when targeting the opponent—the ultimate killing technique!

This joint strike was so powerful it could even break through the defenses of the Master of the White Lotus Sect during a proper sparring session. After decades of training together in the Absolute Realm, the coordination exhibited was something dreamed about.

[Ho ho. Not bad….]

Perhaps that’s why the opponent merely twitched his brows before raising a hand to defend.

Boom!!

A translucent barrier emerged and effortlessly repelled the joint strike from Dokgo Seong and the Sword Demon. Lurching in shock, Dokgo Seong’s expression stiffened as he observed the overwhelming force behind the barrier, grasping the Sword Demon by his robe and yanked him back to retreat.

[Sword Demon, our role is to buy time! We need to stall until our main forces can recover their strength. We cannot beat that monster with human power, so keep your cool.]

[…….]

[Keep your cool!! We’re going to die if it stays this way.]

However, the Sword Demon’s eyes were ablaze with fighting spirit and fury. Seeing that look unsettled Dokgo Seong.

‘His daughter fell unconscious. Can he really help it…!!’

He glanced back. Mangnyang Zhuge Hyun was tending to Seo Mun-hye, who had fainted from the Ritual of Human Sacrifice, but her deep wound to the abdomen showed no sign of recovery.

Indeed.

At present, the reincarnated comrades were noticeably brightening in their conflict against this mythical monster.

Initially, their most powerful forces had converged on the foe. The Master of the White Lotus Sect, Seo Mun-hye, and the peak battle-type Portrait Immortal had all launched simultaneous attacks. Yet while it initially seemed like they were evenly matched, they ultimately fell behind against the transformed monster and were struck down, rendering them all unconscious. Now, the Absolute Realm martial artists were holding firm while awaiting recovery for the three fallen.

Boom!!

“Haah!!”

[Here it comes.]

“You freakish thing!”

Following behind, the three great Dharma Protectors of the White Lotus Sect released tremendous blasts fueled by the Infinite Inner Strength of the Heavenly Spirit Pill. This combined assault had the power to level mountains, yet once again, the opponent merely clasped his hands together and responded indifferently.

Astra

Varuna

Kiiing—

With the invocation of the Divine Art, the Varuna Astra obliterated the combined attack of the Heavenly Spirit Pill as if it was nonexistent from the get-go. The opponent casually remarked,

[As long as I’m casting my spell, your attacks will scatter like water.]

Zhuge Jun was flabbergasted, letting his arms drop. The sight of his ultimate effort being utterly dismantled made it difficult for him to stand.

[Is… Is this the power of a god?….]

Everyone present understood.

[That] was a being from a different dimension.

They comprehended that the absolute powerhouse before them rendered all previous efforts amassed with the help of Baek Woong’s reincarnated powers meaningless. Even the high-ranking spirits and Otherworldly Races they had faced in various strongholds across Europe felt trivial compared to him.

Boom….

For the first time, the entity took a step on the earth.

Sounding almost like a thunderous rumble wrapped in enjoyment, that being laughed.

[I am Vishnu, the God of Creation, and I symbolize the ‘power’ of Krishna, the Divine Avatar Arjuna. I shall show you despair.]

Then it happened.

Absolute Realm

Absolute Supremacy

Boom!!

[……!!]

Out of nowhere, the Divine Avatar Arjuna was suddenly struck in the chin and his face snapped back. He turned to see none other than Sagong Lin pointing a sword at him. Sagong Lin shouted fiercely, “We won’t lose!”

What just happened?

Although he had brushed off all attacks from the other Absolute Realm experts, Arjuna could only take that blow from Sagong Lin’s Absolute Supremacy. In an instant, he read the hidden intent behind it and smiled leisurely.

[If you’ve awakened, I’d have to use my Gandiva against you, but it seems you’re still not quite there, a being not yet hatched from its shell.]

“What….”

[But a being like you is better off being crushed before awakening. Die!]

The eyes of the Divine Avatar Arjuna glimmered in a flash. In that moment, the Akshaya Astra was summoned, aimed straight at Sagong Lin. Reality twisted as the flames of the Fire God’s favor seemed poised to engulf him.

Peerless Technique!!

Just as Sagong Lin seemed doomed to fall, someone leaped in, concentrating the powers of Yin and Yang into one and transformed it. The flow of that technique was incredibly smooth, shaking the very essence of the universe. Finally, a massive Six Harmonies settled, scattering the power of the Akshaya Astra, saving Sagong Lin from being scorched to death.

Whoosh…!!

But Sagong Lin gasped in awe.

“W-Wi Zhi-hun!!”

Stepping in to absorb the attack from Arjuna was none other than the Master of the Teng Yu Alliance, Wi Zhi-hun. He had also dedicated years to martial arts training, achieving his own Absolute Realm, able to execute the peak of the Seven Great Techniques, the Peerless Technique.

However, could even the Peerless Technique, which is imbued with the grace of the gods, dispel the powers of the divine? Wi Zhi-hun’s remaining arm, that of his once intact self, was now ignited and charred like a lump of coal.

Thud…

Thud!

His arm crumbled into ash, completely burned away, yet Wi Zhi-hun, with superhuman endurance, stood firm.

With both arms lost, Wi Zhi-hun, sweat beading on his forehead, proclaimed, “If I can achieve what is right, then I, Wi Zhi-hun, can die without regrets!”

“……!!”

“Sagong Lin. I’ll become your shield. Use my life as a weapon!!”

Absolute Realm

Tai Chi Sword of Wisdom

Righteous Heaven Unstoppable Force

Despite losing both his arms, Wi Zhi-hun conjured a heart blade created from his intentions around himself, forming the shape of a sword—a symbol of his Absolute Realm!

Boom!

With a shout infused with intent, Wi Zhi-hun’s might surged higher.

“Ho ho ho!”

Arjuna’s brow twitched as he once again unleashed the Akshaya Astra, but this time instead of his hands, the Heart Blade performed the Peerless Technique, drawing the flames’ power to the center of the Tai Chi Sword’s formation. Arjuna expressed mild admiration.

[Well done, human.]

Yet, not fully absorbing the energy, Wi Zhi-hun sustained severe injuries, blood gushing from his seven orifices.

Gulp!!

“…….”

He wouldn’t last much longer now.

No matter how much he risked his life, the overwhelming difference in power could not be overcome. Even for Wi Zhi-hun, who had reached the Absolute Realm as the second strongest of the Wudang Sect, there could be no triumph against a Divine Avatar that embodied the primal divinity and its power.

However, even while weeping tears of blood, Wi Zhi-hun’s heart settled peacefully, resonating across the hall for all Absolute Realm warriors present.

[This life should become a step for future generations!!]

At that moment—without anyone prompting—every Absolute Realm warrior surged forth together.

It felt as if that resonance embodied the very essence of martial arts.