867——————==

True Martial Home

Miyamoto Musashi didn’t just rush into the Life Sea after receiving the Amanohabaki sword; instead, he spent some time chopping through the demon beasts of the Death Sea. The Amanohabaki, that divine sword, had a nifty little feature: the more demon beasts he chopped, the more anti-demon power he stacked, which seriously boosted his resistance to magical attacks. Of course, there was a catch—if he lost to a demon or took a heavy hit, all that sweet anti-demon defense would just evaporate.

‘Best to stack up that anti-demon power before heading into the Life Sea.’

Musashi had reached the Absolute Realm, but Aokigahara’s Life Sea wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Even if ten demon beasts from the Death Sea came at him, he wouldn’t have a chance fighting solo, and simply experiencing the magical waves could hurt him too. He often managed to handle madness through the Intent Heavenly Pillar of his Absolute Realm, but keeping his cool in a proper fight was a struggle. Clearly, Amanohabaki was gonna be incredibly useful in this hellish Life Sea.

How many demon beasts had Musashi cut down? At one point, he noticed the sword’s blade starting to sprout wings while an ethereal veil enveloped him, completely blocking off magical energy. This was likely what happened when Amanohabaki was filled to the brim with anti-demon power.

“Alright then.”

Musashi strode confidently towards the Life Sea. The moment he passed through the Dimension Door into the Life Sea, he realized the ground and sky were indistinguishable, filled with pure chaos and things floating aimlessly around.

In the heart of this chaos, Musashi felt a bit lost about how to navigate. But soon, as he planted his feet and executed his martial arts using his energy, he realized it was easy enough to jump around. After a bit of hopping, he felt a roar of a demon beast from a distance and decided to head toward it.

“……!!”

It’s huge!

The demon beasts he’d seen from the Living and Death Seas were massive, sure, with dozens of them being giants, but the monster that appeared here was on an entirely different scale. It felt like a mountain was strolling about, and Musashi was momentarily overwhelmed with awe. Could human martial prowess even touch a beast that big?

But that thought was fleeting; Musashi soon swung his sword. His goal was to break through this Aokigahara Life Sea and gain even more power—he couldn’t hesitate now.

…….

“…Huff… Huff…”

Two days later, Musashi was covered in blood. He had barely managed to take down one of the demon beasts from the Life Sea, but it had been the most brutal and intense battle of his life. Luckily, through sheer luck, he managed to slice a critical point with his Divine Kill Slash at the end, or he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Had it not been for the Amanohabaki, he wouldn’t have lasted this long.

Catching his breath on the ground in the chaotic mix, he thought it was all over.

‘I’m out of stamina, and I’ve got these injuries. What now…’

Crack

“Thank goodness…”

Those worries didn’t last, as the power he had gathered with Amanohabaki transformed into a white light and began healing him. It turned out the sword had the ability to heal its wielder using the accumulated energy. Musashi recovered and changed his strategy.

No more head-on confrontations in the Life Sea.

He dashed and fled, scouring the chaos. After wandering for a while, he realized this space was unbelievably vast. It was unimaginable from outside, but it felt like it could easily stretch for at least the size of a continent. As Musashi wallowed in despair, not knowing how long it’d take to aimlessly drift around…

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, he detected something odd with his heightened senses. It looked like a ‘path’ stretching to the edge of the abyss, appearing faintly in the chaos—could it be a demon?

Musashi’s gut feeling was spot on. As he got closer, he saw a red glow undulating in the chaos, and that ‘path’ wasn’t a path at all but the back of an enormous creature, its tentacles writhing—it was a gigantic demon fish. As Musashi stood on its back, he realized that this beast was aware of him.

Why wasn’t it attacking?

Perhaps because he hadn’t exuded any killing intent and felt more like a bug than a threat.

“…….”

Musashi could sense that the moment he sparked his killing intent, a fight would begin. And even if he didn’t fully understand it, he felt that winning against this creature might be his ticket to the next level. But could he really defeat such a monstrous beast reminiscent of a massive river or ocean tributary? One that looked many times stronger than the demons he had fought earlier?

Should he turn back then?

Musashi glanced behind him. Right now, with some luck, he might escape. That was the most sensible and realistic option. He’d be a fool to die a worthless death when he had no chance. But Musashi ignited his killing intent.

ROAAAAR-!!

The gigantic demon fish reacted, and Musashi drew his sword.

“I’ll kill you!”

He had already written off any notion of winning. Whether here or there, staying would lead him to die grotesquely while navigating back through hellish routes. Thus, he had no choice but to believe in his talent and challenge his final battle in life!

It wasn’t normal. Enveloped in madness, Miyamoto Musashi’s eyes radiated bloodlust as his veins bulged, swinging his muscled arm. A flash of light struck the demon’s back. This single hit, gathered with utmost intent, was dubbed “Supreme Slash” by himself, and in an instant, it cleaved the creature’s back apart.

SHRAAAK

The demon fish writhed and suddenly burst forth with light—a light that seemed like a flash but was actually millions of juvenile fish erupting all at once, each one faster than an arrow and deadlier than poison. Musashi wrapped himself in sword light to protect against the onslaught, but as the explosive wave of baby fish hit him, he was sent flying.

Musashi thought he was a goner. Just from one collision, he understood the vast disparity in power between him and the demon. Yet even facing death, he wore a grin stained with liveliness. Roaring with excitement, he charged in.

“I’m going to kill you, hahaha!!”

The Demon Mask had taken over his body.

The Demon Mask granted incredible martial talent and combat instincts but had a strange risk: those born with such talent could be consumed by it. Yet, Musashi had never truly managed the madness of the mask, slowly allowing the desire for destruction to erode his mind until he was on the brink of insanity.

BOOM

KA-BOOM

Normally, an overwhelming gap in power lay between Musashi and the demon fish, but now, with his madness awakened, he swung his sword faster and stronger than ever. After waiting roughly a hundred seconds with no resolution, the demon fish suddenly made weird sounds and began to retreat.

[KIIUUU-]

Regardless of whether the demon was retreating or not, Musashi prepared to attack, but the fish unexpectedly opened its mouth and vomited a bizarre chaos gate.

“Ugh….”

SSSHHHHHH

He was instantly sucked into the chaos gate.

When Musashi came to, he found himself alone in a complete void of darkness. This was different from the Life Sea he had fiercely navigated. As he rose, trying to comprehend the situation, a gloomy voice echoed from across the void.

[The reckoning of the Law of Cause and Effect has arrived.]

“Who are you?”

[…That means someone from this era, perhaps…?]

Light emerged from the darkness, and around it, he saw the forms of the massive demon beasts he had faced previously. With the growing brightness, it became clear these beings had spread endlessly throughout the world. There were so many that Musashi felt the spatial perception of this area twisted. The floating beasts just observed him from afar, doing nothing. The voice that had spoken to him began to reveal itself just three steps in front of Musashi.

Ssss

[Human born with the talent for slaughter… What brings you here?]

The reason for bursting through Aokigahara’s hell to arrive here.

Originally, it was to grow stronger and to perfect his own Absolute Realm.

That goal had been achieved. Musashi felt he had grown remarkably more powerful, elevating to the pinnacle level of a swordsman. However, upon seeing the being before him, not one coherent thought came to mind.

I can’t win.

The Demon Mask withdrew. Even seeing someone stronger than himself made the once fiery instincts of rage back down instantly. Because of this, Musashi, who would have originally been consumed by madness, miraculously survived. Gone were the bulging veins that had adorned his face. The being before him appeared human. Yet his face was obscured and indistinct, defying recognition. Whether this could be called a human or not was questionable – but Musashi immediately sensed the being’s overwhelming might.

After a moment, Musashi regained his senses and responded.

“I’m aiming to grow stronger….”

[And why do you wish to grow stronger?]

“…To cut down everything….”

It felt like he was confessing his innermost truth. Somehow, he felt he couldn’t lie in front of this being. The figure spoke slowly.

[I am the one who guards the [Gate]. Outside, they call me the King of the Life Sea…. You have reached me according to the Law of Cause and Effect. Do you dare challenge me?]

“……”

What a foolish question. Would an ant challenge an elephant? Musashi couldn’t help but smirk at the absurdity. He’d never felt such a complete sense of powerlessness in his life. Just a moment ago, he could have charged in blinded by fury, yet the being before him rendered that all but meaningless — this was what they called a [God].

But strangely, Musashi felt at ease and opened his mouth.

“I accept.”

Either way, dying would be the same.

“Do you know the Lunar Kill Technique?”

In a situation where any normal person would’ve gone mad and died, Musashi uttered these words.

A single line encapsulating his life.

The Lunar Kill Technique – it felt like he wouldn’t be able to die until he found it. The King of the Life Sea responded.

[I know it. That’s the Law of Cause and Effect you’ve reached.]

…What?

Musashi doubted his ears.

In this ultimate despair, he never anticipated a divine being would know of the Lunar Kill Technique!

“W-what…?!”

[The Lunar Kill Technique… is the quickest path to the Martial God. Both Bi-ryu and I were seeking it. It poses a factor that could disrupt the [Great One].]

“……!!”

[Bi-ryu didn’t find it and returned through the Gate.]

Musashi trembled violently as the King of the Life Sea spoke.

[You too are merely playful beings assigned in this world.]

CRACKLE

When the faceless King of the Life Sea stretched out his hand, something pierced into Musashi’s body like a nail. As he twisted in pain, the King said,

[Then it’s not I who will decide your fate.]

“What are… you doing…”

Sssss

Musashi felt his consciousness beginning to blur. The laughable words of the King of the Life Sea pierced his mind.

[Even so, I will brand you for surviving until my presence.]

“I don’t know how I continued to live after that.”

Musashi was nearly finishing his recollection. I, who had been listening with a stiff face, sat there silently. Musashi gazed at the distant sky and continued.

“I fell from Dongyoung, desperately searching for the power of Goryeo’s champions… to compensate for that despair and powerlessness I felt…”

“…….”

“And I met the Master of the Twelve Joules and lost.”

“How did you lose?”

“Just… couldn’t find an opening. I couldn’t defeat him with conventional martial arts.”

Musashi’s hesitant words continued.

“I wanted to forget everything. Even if I knew there existed a realm beyond human martial arts, I didn’t want to accept there was a domain my sword could never touch.”

“Musashi.”

“Such things… are meaningless.”

His voice was a mere murmur.

For the first time, I saw the cold-blooded Musashi appear so weak.

‘That arrogance and desire to conquer the world were nearly a form of escapism?’

It seemed strange. No matter how much of a battle demon Musashi became under the Demon Mask, his obsessive pursuit of being the best in the world was unrealistically intense; it was a fervent feeling whose trigger was completely unknown. Yet that too probably stemmed from having glimpsed the world of [Darkness], feeling powerless, and being driven to escape reality.

Eventually, Musashi said,

“No one has discovered the Lunar Kill Technique yet. But should it be found… that person will undeniably be the rightful successor; because that strange Law of Cause and Effect will guide them through the Lunar Kill Technique.”

“The Master of the Twelve Joules also seemed to know about the legitimate heirs of the Lunar Kill Technique. How does he know?”

“Because he attacked Emperor Godaigo and stole the Three Divine Tools. Naturally, he must have read the scriptures regarding the Lunar Kill Technique.”

“……!!”

“I heard it from him.”

What the…?!

If it was during the time of Emperor Godaigo, that would mean a thousand years ago; did the Master of the Twelve Joules actually operate back then?

As I stared in shock, Musashi spoke.

“He seems almost ageless. He looks youthful, but he’s likely over a thousand years old.”

“How is that possible?”

“The Dan Clan might know the reason.”

“Hmm.”

While the Master of the Twelve Joules might be from a distant future, there’s no reason for him to be immortal for thousands of years. Even if science advanced in the far future, they wouldn’t have developed any technology to achieve that level of immortality. If he was actively moving behind history since the time of Emperor Godaigo, stealing the Moon Sovereign’s Three Divine Tools, then there was definitely something unusual about him.

“I don’t know anything else about the Lunar Kill Technique. If there’s nothing more to ask, I will take my leave.”

“Wait a second!”

As I called out to Musashi, he paused.

“Have you ever reached the Martial God’s seat?”

“…….”

Musashi wore an expression of confusion.

And from that expression alone, I could tell he had no connection to the Martial God’s seat.

‘Even someone as strong as Musashi has never reached it.’

Even the Asura of the Eight Parts of the Divine, a supreme martial artist, hadn’t touched the Martial God. The prodigy that was Musashi, born under the Demon Mask, hadn’t reached the Martial God’s seat as well.

To reach the Martial God, there must be some kind of condition.

Not just strength, but something else.

“Don’t tell the Master of the Twelve Joules about our fight.”

“Understood.”

I then sent Musashi off and went back to Zhuge Sa to recount everything that had transpired. Zhuge Sa replied.

“In conclusion, whoever obtains the Lunar Kill Technique possesses the strength to truly suppress [Chaos]. Moreover… the gods of chaos despise that immensely.”

“Why hasn’t it been revealed to the world?”

“…There’s a hypothesis.”

“What kind of hypothesis?”

Zhuge Sa’s next words left me with clenched fists.

“The Lunar Kill Technique may be a martial art that can only be obtained by someone reborn.”