Over the meal, Jin Cheonhee exchanged various conversations with Yeo Ha-ryoon.
“You’re still not in the Transformation Realm?”
This was unexpected.
From the momentum Yeo Ha-ryoon displayed with his lightness skill, it was clearly that of the Transformation Realm, and the timing suggested he should have reached it by now.
‘Ah, no… He’s the Heavenly Killing Star. Even before the Transformation Realm, he should be able to draw out some of the principles of the Transformation Realm.’
In front of Sama Hyeon, Yeo Ha-ryoon had confidently claimed he would become the Heavenly Killing Star sooner or later, but it turned out he was hitting a wall.
‘Let’s recall the original story. How did Yeo Ha-ryoon reach the Transformation Realm?’
There was a description that the Heavenly Killing Star gained the mysteries of the Heavenly Killing by cutting down a thousand people.
‘Ah… Come to think of it, in the secret chamber of the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts, he killed over a thousand martial artists, seized the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts in that blood, and realized those mysteries…’
This is troublesome.
The fastest way for the Heavenly Killing Star to reach martial enlightenment is to kill people and take their lives.
Yeo Ha-ryoon’s comrades would die, and Yeo Ha-ryoon himself would have to kill others, bathing in their blood and advancing toward selflessness in madness.
However, Jin Cheonhee is a physician.
He could never assist in such a method of growth.
After all, he had calmed the blood catastrophe of the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts without letting it spread widely.
‘When I’m not looking, he’ll probably go around slaughtering people. That’s inevitable since he’s from the Demonic Cult, the minor cult leader, and bears the karma of the Heavenly Killing Star.’
But as a physician, he couldn’t help with that.
Jin Cheonhee said,
“Would you like to try the method that your younger brothers used to reach the Transformation Realm?”
“What?”
Perhaps his pride was hurt by the idea of following the same method as his younger brothers.
Yeo Ha-ryoon fell into thought.
Jin Cheonhee continued to persuade him.
After all, it wasn’t pleasant for him, as an older brother, to see him go out and awaken while covered in blood again.
“I’ll make you whatever you want to eat. Seriously. I promise.”
“Hyung, do you see me as an animal? If you think I’ll be swayed by mere food…”
“No, well. I know you’re not the type to be swayed by such things.”
Jin Cheonhee awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
Yeo Ha-ryoon is difficult.
With Sama Hyeon or Cheon Woo, it was somehow easier, but this guy is the ‘protagonist.’
The world revolves around him.
His uncanny insights and strangely sharp senses are beyond anyone’s reach.
He couldn’t deal with this guy by simply catering to his mood with the Profound Origin Heaven and Earth Divine Technique.
Jin Cheonhee pondered and suddenly spoke, “What is it that you want?”
“I just need to reach the Transformation Realm, Hyung.”
“Hmm. Then, if you follow me, it might help… maybe?”
Since he’s the Heavenly Killing Star, I’m a bit unsure. Jin Cheonhee let out a small sigh.
“…”
Yeo Ha-ryoon looked at his brother and then spoke.
“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”
“It… might seem a bit crazy. I’ll tell you in advance, it’s very unorthodox compared to your previous martial arts training.”
“I understand.”
“Good. You won’t back out?”
And the first day of training ended.
It was just the basic start for deductive reasoning and spatial perception abilities.
Learning the rules and getting a taste of what kind of training would unfold ahead.
“Insane… On the first day, the Transformation Realm… You’re saying it’s the Transformation Realm?”
On the first day, Yeo Ha-ryoon began to break through the wall and enter the Transformation Realm.
Right before his eyes, he was entering a state of deep meditation.
‘Is this what it means to be the protagonist?’
Wait… Is the Heavenly Killing Star this fast too?
Of course, the Heavenly Killing Star has a genius talent for martial arts.
I know that, but…
He couldn’t help but be flustered by the scene unfolding before him.
***
Yeo Ha-ryoon absorbed his brother’s teachings in his own way.
His brother mentioned something about spatial perception ability.
At first, it didn’t quite register, but his brother had always been one to say strange things.
However, the moment he understood its meaning, the Heavenly Killing Star within him responded.
- -If you dominate space, you can gain an advantage to kill the enemy.
Audiovisual cognitive ability.
- -Martial arts prioritize the eyes, then the feet, and finally the hands. Understanding the enemy’s movements is of utmost importance. Because only then can you kill them.
And memory ability.
- -Every martial art has its traces. If you remember those traces, it’s easier to remember their weaknesses as well.
Instantaneous judgment ability.
- -A martial arts duel is a battle of moves. If you can cut the throat in a single move, there’s no need to hesitate.
Yeo Ha-ryoon realized that everything leads to killing.
Once he realized he could kill, there was no reason to hesitate, and countless battles he had experienced flooded his mind.
In the narrow room of Yeo Ha-ryoon’s mind.
He recalled all those he had killed so far.
They were all people he had killed once.
If he hadn’t killed them, Yeo Ha-ryoon wouldn’t be alive here.
He remembered their martial arts.
He recalled their habits.
He thought about where and what techniques they used.
Yeo Ha-ryoon realized the advantageous positions.
He had thought he had been efficiently cutting throats all this time, but he realized that was arrogance.
In one position, there are a thousand ways to die.
Yeo Ha-ryoon recalled each person he had killed, reviewing and reviewing again.
In his mind, an immense amount of time passed, but outside, it was but a moment.
In that instant, Yeo Ha-ryoon took another step closer to the Heavenly Killing.
‘So that’s it. That’s what it was.’
Humans are fragile beings; even a master of the Transformation Realm would die if half a span of their neck was cut.
Yeo Ha-ryoon realized the distance needed to cut that half span.
His body floated.
In the transcendence of deep meditation.
Yeo Ha-ryoon leaped to another level.
‘Hyung was right. This method… was a shortcut.’
When he first heard it, it sounded like madness, but now he doesn’t deny it.
- Everyone says he’s crazy, but my hyung is a genius.
They say the difference between a genius and a madman is a hair’s breadth.
But to Yeo Ha-ryoon, such a brother of his was more reliable than anyone.
***
‘Wait, to be a martial arts novel protagonist, you have to be at least this good?’
It’s absurd.
After the deep meditation ended and Yeo Ha-ryoon slowly descended to the ground, he uttered a single sentence.
“Hyung’s training method is certainly effective. I’d like to train a bit more.”
“I didn’t expect you to say that voluntarily.”
“Hmm?”
“No, no…”
Even if it was Yeo Ha-ryoon, I thought he would at least groan about what the meaning of this training was.
‘Did I underestimate the martial arts novel protagonist?’
Come to think of it, that’s true.
Usually, in martial arts novels, no matter whether the protagonist chooses the righteous faction, the unorthodox faction, or the demonic cult, the setting that he is an unparalleled genius remains unchanged.
Of course, there are cases where the author justifies it with plausibility like elixirs or special constitutions, saying, ‘Actually, this guy isn’t a genius but grew due to other factors!’
Anyway, the fact that this guy becomes the greatest in the world remains unchanged.
That’s the cliché of martial arts.
The same goes for the inner world, like personality.
Whether the protagonist is from the righteous faction, unorthodox faction, or demonic path, he still holds a position of goodness that readers can empathize with.
If the protagonist is from the righteous faction, the unorthodox faction is like a puppy, and the demonic path is an irredeemable bastard.
If the protagonist is from the demonic path, the righteous faction is hypocritical, and the unorthodox faction is trash.
If the protagonist is from the unorthodox faction, the righteous faction is hypocritical, and whether the demonic cult produces a heroine candidate or not determines its portrayal.
In “Supreme Heavenly Demon,” since the protagonist is from the demonic path, the righteous faction is hypocritical, and the unorthodox faction is trash.
The protagonist is a dark hero walking the path of domination.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the world is structured that way.
But that doesn’t mean he’s a complete pushover, which our readers can’t stand.
So, while he maintains some righteousness, he definitely has the wit to turn the tables on those who try to take advantage of him.
That means he’s also given the instinct to seize opportunities that come his way.
Yeo Ha-ryoon seized the opportunity Jin Cheonhee offered because his instinct told him it would be helpful.
Wanting to train more means he saw some vision that ordinary people can’t comprehend.
“Oooh! Great, great! I’ll help as much as you want!”
Perhaps it was the feeling of being acknowledged by the martial arts novel protagonist.
The martial arts fan’s eyes sparkled.
His heart was no different.
‘Hahaha, in my lifetime, I’ve helped a martial arts novel protagonist reach the Transformation Realm!’
A scene that anyone who has read martial arts novels has imagined at least once.
Helping the protagonist reach a higher realm.
Jin Cheonhee had also thought about such a thing once.
Of course, at the age of forty, he would never speak of it or show it to anyone for the rest of his life, but so what? That’s what imagination is for.
He never thought that the little fantasies he had when reality was too hard would come true like this, so his heart raced.
It was a joy different from the satisfaction of helping others.
“Hyung, you look extremely happy.”
“Of course! My younger brother has reached the Transformation Realm! Woohoo!”
Jin Cheonhee didn’t hide it and jumped around like a child with a flushed face.
It’s a secret he can never tell Yeo Ha-ryoon.
That you are the protagonist of this world.
That the world revolves around you.
That I’ve been watching you all this time and even helped you reach the Transformation Realm!
He can’t say it even if his mouth is torn.
Of course, even if he did, no one would believe such a story.
It was a lonely satisfaction that only Jin Cheonhee knew. But it was okay. It was fine to be lonely.
Even if he couldn’t tell anyone, that was enough.
The martial arts enthusiast became happy.
***
As Yeo Ha-ryoon reached the Transformation Realm, he consolidated what he had realized and simultaneously intensified his brother’s training.
His instinct as the Heavenly Killing Star was whispering.
That it had to be now.
All martial arts have their timing.
There is no guarantee that a missed enlightenment will come again.
Therefore, right after reaching the Transformation Realm, he learns everything he can and internalizes it!
Jin Cheonhee poured everything he had into responding to Yeo Ha-ryoon’s instinct.
‘Even so, he was lagging behind Hyeon and Cheon Woo. In terms of speed.’
But considering the fraudulent nature of the Heavenly Killing Star, this is also fine.
However, there was one problem…
“Hyung, I want to slaughter.”
With reddened eyes, Yeo Ha-ryoon spoke.
Having reached the Transformation Realm, it seemed difficult to control the instincts of the Heavenly Killing Star.
When the desire to slaughter people reached its peak, he wanted to relieve it by butchering animals instead.
“Alright.”
Today, Yeo Ha-ryoon broke the arm of a martial artist admitted to the medical pavilion.
The other party had started the quarrel, but it was something that could have been ignored.
Nevertheless, it was Yeo Ha-ryoon who broke the arm and tore the jaw.
Both were barehanded, and since it was in the form of a martial artist’s sparring, it was somehow concluded, but it shouldn’t happen again.
However, Yeo Ha-ryoon wanted to see blood.
Anyway, he felt like he would go mad if he didn’t smell blood.