When I regressed, I was a martial arts genius

[The Dominance, a very basic martial art. Do you want to learn it?]
The martial art was inherited by the Xin Liyue family from the Huangbo family.

Along with the method of defense, the martial art of strength was also mastered.

“I will learn it.”

[You’ve learned Dominance (B).]
[You can now use Dominance (B).]
[The Dominance known to people is not a forceful technique, contrary to its name.]
“Not forceful?”

[In strength lies disorder. One might mistake it for forceful, but in reality, it focuses on the center of transformation.]
“Not power, but change?”

Yi Jun was walking through the desert.
He was searching for the fleeing Fire Hori.

When he furrowed his brows, his Master, Wu Gezi, kindly answered him.

[That’s right. To fully grasp the power of Dominance, one must focus on change. Few in the Huangbo family truly understood this difference. Because of this, the Huangbo family placed the Bolt God’s Authority above Dominance. However, that was a foolish notion. In my opinion, Dominance is the superior lineage.]
Yi Jun’s heart raced.

Dominance being above Bolt God’s Authority.

Moreover, according to Master Wu Gezi’s words, what he was learning was truly the martial art of the Huangbo family.

[You look excited.]
” I want to train immediately!”

Yi Jun had previously learned the Triple Calamity Sword Art.

How miserable that experience was.

He endured all kinds of humiliation from his family.

Eventually, he was cast away by his family.

In the end, he was pitifully killed by monsters.

If he were to fully master Dominance, what would the family’s reaction be?

‘It could shake the legitimacy of the family itself.’

With that thought, a smile formed on his face.

[You’re almost there.]
Yi Jun looked ahead.

Before him, beneath a towering palm tree, a fitting oasis lay.

Nearby, the Fire Hori he had been searching for was resting.

“Master….”

[What is it?]
“We’re looking for the middle-grade monster with four tails, aren’t we?”

[That’s right.]
“Look over there.”

He pointed ahead with his finger.

Before the oasis, the Fire Hori were gathered closely.

Among them, there was a monster with its entire body covered in blue fur.

[Hmm. Quite a strong one mixed in here.]
Master Wu Gezi responded playfully.

“That’s… Blue Ho.”

A monster twice the size of the other Fire Hori.

It was surrounded by blue flames.

And it had seven tails.

This gate was the ruler of Blue Ho’s nest, the boss monster.

Even when C-class Awakeners gathered, facing Blue Ho was a challenge.

What made him terrifying was his speed.

In terms of speed, he was comparable to Thunderlion, a Red Zone-class monster.

One wrong move could mean death.

He was a completely different level from the Fire Hori Yi Jun had encountered before.

[To rapidly raise martial skills, there is no better experience than crossing the battlefield.]
“Still…”

[Go! In my time, you wouldn’t dare to argue with your master… (interrupted)]
Master Wu Gezi’s words continued.

Yi Jun barely heard his master’s voice.

The only thought in his mind was whether he could defeat Blue Ho.

Even with the master beside him, it was still only a soul.

He had to face it all alone.

One misstep could cost him his life.

‘A life already lost. What’s the harm in losing it again?’

Thinking this way, Yi Jun felt that taking the risk was not bad at all.

“I’ll face him.”

[That monster will aid in your growth.]
Yi Jun stepped forward confidently.

Upon his appearance, the monsters became wary.

He immediately activated the Hunyuan Divine Power.

[The passive skill, Fear, of Hunyuan Divine Power has been triggered.]
[The surrounding monsters fear the caster.]

The Fire Hori lowered their tails and crouched down in submission.

However, Blue Ho seemed to be enraged.

The blue flames surrounding his body blazed furiously.

Kyaaahhh!

Blue Ho, standing at a massive 4 meters, raised his head and roared.

[The passive skill, Roar of the Leader, of Blue Ho has been activated.]
[The speed of the Fire Hori doubles.]

Reading the message, Yi Jun’s body stiffened.

The Fire Hori, who had been lowering their tails, regained their previous confident stance thanks to Blue Ho’s passive skill.

But the most dangerous thing wasn’t just that.

Blue Ho’s seven tails began forming spheres of blue flames.

‘I can do this.’

The same feeling had arisen when facing the Fire Hori for the first time—feeling like death was imminent. Yet, at some point, he had adapted.

Blue Ho would be no different.

“Master, I’m going to start now.”

Yi Jun tried to ease the tension by speaking to his master, but…

[… ]
The voice of the master did not reach him.

“Master?”

Yi Jun called out again.

[… ]
Of course, no response came.

‘Snap out of it. How long will you rely on your master’s help?’

Yi Jun shook himself back into focus.

He then locked eyes with Blue Ho.

The monster’s mouth drooled hungrily, with saliva dripping from its maw.

Chi-i-

As the saliva touched the sand, smoke rose as if evaporating steam.

The sand where the saliva landed completely vanished without a trace.

Gulps.

The sound of saliva being swallowed echoed into Yi Jun’s ears.

He felt a sense of danger from Blue Ho.

Stepping back a step, Blue Ho took a step forward.

‘If I turn my back here, I’ll die.’

Being pushed back would be the end.

Yi Jun injected inner energy into his hands and feet.

At that moment—

Kyaaaahhh!

Along with Blue Ho’s roar, the Fire Hori charged toward him.

***

The famwas ily established on the martial arts foundation of the Huangbo family.

The Xin Liyue family was located in Hannam-dong.

The atmosphere inside the traditional Hanok house was oppressive beyond belief.

“Jun is going to spar?”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“From now on, call me Patriarch.”

“Yes, Patriarch.”

“Why would you fight that boy?”

The Patriarch, a middle-aged man addressed as King Kwon, stood with a commanding presence.

He was the patriarch of the Xin Liyue family, Kwon Wang Ik, an AA-class Awakener, proudly holding the title of King among the Seven Demons of Japan.

In terms of realm, he had reached the pinnacle.

Under his feet, his nephew, Yi Hong, bowed deeply.

“I’ve concluded that the disgrace of the family cannot be left as is.”

“Who gave the order?”

Kwon Wang Ik’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

In a voice stripped of feeling, one must be cautious with their words.

Yi Hong swallowed his spit nervously.

“It’s my decision.”

“It’s fine. I’m not reprimanding you. Tell the truth.”

Even though there was no visible anger in Kwon Wang Ik’s voice, a heavy pressure radiated from him.

It was clear why people recognized him as one of the Kings.

Yi Hong hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

“My… aunt’s order.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes.”

The character for ‘inner heaven’ appeared on Kwon Wang Ik’s forehead.

His wife, the successor of the martial arts lineage from the Hubei Pang family, was a member of the Patriarchal family of the Great Kings.

She was Kwon Wang Ik’s sister and Yi Shin’s mother.

“You plan to remove him completely.”

“My aunt wishes so.”

A brief silence followed.

No father would agree to such a decision.

No sane person would oppose it.

Yet Kwon Wang Ik was different.

No, the current world, where gates had opened, was different.

In a world ruled by strength, the weak were expendable.

Weak individuals like Yi Jun were perfect prey—simply a liability for the family.

The silence was broken as Kwon Wang Ik’s voice resonated.

“A useless person should be discarded. I approve.”

Yi Jun, the illegitimate child, was a source of disgrace to him.

The one who learned the worst of martial arts, the Three Calamities Heart Technique. It was a wonder if he didn’t bring further harm to the family.

Above all, Kwon Wang Ik had two legitimate sons—one known as Kwon Ryong at school and the youngest with exceptional talent.

The removal of a useless child would not cause any issues.

“I understand, Patriarch.”

Yi Hong bowed his head slightly, smiling faintly.

It was for the sake of the family. The reward for this task would be significant, as expected.

“After completing this task, I will teach you the Thunderbolt Divine Fist.”

Once a practitioner has mastered a lower-level internal energy technique, they can pass down higher martial arts.

This was the reason Yi Jun was to be discarded.

Even if Yi Jun learned the lower-tier internal energy technique of the Kwon family, they could pass down a martial art, making him useful.

However, Yi Jun had mastered a useless, irredeemable internal energy technique, making it impossible for him to grow stronger.

“Thank you, Patriarch.”

Yi Hong, ignoring the pain, forcefully pressed his forehead to the ground.

To learn higher martial arts, one had to obtain a martial manual from a Red Zone or higher gate.

And even then, it was an exceedingly low probability to obtain a higher martial manual.

In other words, unless one had the support of a prestigious family or was an A-rank Awakener, acquiring a martial manual from a gate was nearly impossible.

“From now on, call me Uncle.”

“Thank you, Uncle Kwonmu.”

“You’ve been burdened with a troublesome task.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.

Just moments ago, it felt like a winter storm, but now it was as warm as spring.

The dignity of an AA-rank Awakener was reflected in the changing temperatures based on mood.

“It’s nothing. Assigning this task to Yi Shin would have been even more difficult. I’m the right person for this.”

“I’m relieved to hear that from you. Now, let me ask something else.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“How about the Martial Arts Academy for Warriors?”

“Are you referring to the position of our Kwon family?”

Yi Hong was sharp, even picking up on the indirect question.

Despite the veiled words, he immediately understood.

“Forgive me, but Yi Shin’s position is below the Iron Sword Clan’s Sword Dragon and even lower than the Pathway Dragon of the Thunderbolt Clan.”

“Below Pathway Dragon? That doesn’t sit well with me.”

Kwonmu’s brows furrowed deeply.

The highest power in South Korea, known as the Iron Sword Clan’s Grand Patriarch, was an old but unyielding force.

Excluding the Emperor, he was regarded as the most powerful.

However, Kwonmu held a disdainful view toward Pathway Dragon, even though his wife came from the Pathway Clan.

They maintained a facade of camaraderie, but behind the scenes, they were engaged in a bitter rivalry.

Despite their ties by blood, their relationship was more strained compared to other clans, always looking for opportunities to challenge each other.

Kwonmu was visibly displeased when Yi Hong mentioned that his family was below the Pathway Clan.

“But don’t worry. Once Yi Shin breaks his closed-door training, not only will he surpass Pathway Dragon, but even Iron Sword Clan won’t pose a problem.”

“Yes, I have great expectations as well.”

To gain Kwonmu’s favor, Yi Hong didn’t hold back on flattering words.

Satisfied, Kwonmu nodded in agreement.

“I will continue to strive. Since we’ve spoken about everything, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Alright. Take care on your way.”

After bidding farewell to Kwonmu, Yi Hong returned to school.

His face beamed with joy, elated at the thought of learning the higher martial art Thunderbolt Divine Fist.

***

Flare—

The desert sun was unbearable, and with the fire prison created by Chul-ho, it felt like he would burn to death.

Yi Jun had a miserable look on his face inside the fiery trap.

‘I can’t die here.’

How could he return to the past only to die?

Not just any martial art, but Homwon Divine Art, an extraordinary technique, was his to wield.

He vowed not to be bound by the family anymore and to rise alone to the peak.

Before fully realizing that aspiration, Yi Jun felt death looming over him.

Determined not to die here, Yi Jun quickly devised a plan.

‘To slow down their speed, I need to block their legs.’

He had amassed a vast amount of knowledge about monsters.

With the trifling martial art, Samjae Heart Method, Yi could only gain knowledge about monsters.

At least, with that knowledge, he wouldn’t be defeated by a worthless technique.

With this thought in mind, Yi Jun absorbed all the information about monsters, including their weaknesses, particularly against Fire Horis and Chul-ho.

Though the theory was one thing, the practice was another.

Deciding on a course of action, he activated the Heavenly King Step.

Boom—

His foot, infused with the energy of Homwon Divine Art, pushed forward with a tremendous weight, leaving deep imprints in the desert sand.

Shwoosh—

The speed was so fast it sliced through the air like a blade.

The goal was Chul-ho.

Once the leader was defeated, the other monsters would naturally lower their tails.

To take down Chul-ho in one blow, Yi Jun closed the distance quickly.

Floating in the air, he delivered a powerful punch infused with the energy of Homwon Divine Art.

Crash—

“Missed?”

Yi Jun’s eyes widened in shock.

When he reached Chul-ho’s immediate vicinity with Heavenly King Step, he thought victory was within his grasp.

The beast didn’t even seem to react to his movements.

He believed that piercing through Chul-ho’s torso with Pathway Fist would end the battle.

However, before his fist could connect with the monster, he realized something was wrong.

A low growl echoed from behind him.

Chills ran down his spine.

Slowly turning his head, Yi Jun saw—

“Damn it.”

Chul-ho’s mouth was wide open, charging straight at him.

Just as he raised his hands to block the attack—

A familiar voice rang out.

[Use Heavenly King Step backward. Then, don’t swing your fist wildly like before. Instead, focus on the monster’s eyes and imbue your strike with intention.]

Without a second thought, Yi Jun executed Heavenly King Step in retreat.

After landing on the sand, he took a stance with Pathway Fist, focusing on the required change.

Just as he thought about changing his approach—

Chul-ho’s jaws were right in front of him.

In fear of dying, Yi Jun instinctively threw a punch.

Bang—

“Krrrk!”

“Cough—”

Yi Jun groaned in pain.

He felt his entire arm being ripped away.

At the same time, Chul-ho’s scream echoed in his ears.

His face contorted in agony as he looked forward—

“Huff!”

His arm was now inside Chul-ho’s mouth.

One single blow.

Chul-ho’s face was crushed.

Even with just one punch, the marks of multiple strikes were evident all over his face.

[You have defeated the boss monster, Chul-ho.]
[You have set an incredible new record and earned 500,000 points.]
[Paying homage to the incredible fighter, you earn an additional 250,000 points.]

“I… I did it.”

It was exhilarating.

Despite the chill running down his spine, Yi Jun had defeated Chul-ho.

And it was almost too easy.

As the leader fell, the remaining Fire Foxes were filled with fear, their bodies trembling in terror.

They began to slink backward, fleeing the scene.

Yi Jun didn’t pursue them.

He was too occupied with recovering his strength.

After a moment, Chul-ho turned to ash and vanished.

Where he once stood, two items were left behind.

One was a blue gem that faintly glowed, commonly referred to as Mana Crystal.

This otherworldly mineral could be used for energy or crafting various types of equipment.

However, what caught Yi Jun’s attention more was the other object.

[Hmm. Quite a useful drop.]
The voice of the Mugukja echoed in admiration.

Yi Jun’s eyes immediately fell on the book lying beside the Mana Crystal.

The cover of the book read: