Chapter 116 – Increase All Stats (1)

<40% implementation… 50% …beep! Perfect implementation failed!>
<Only 57% of Sama Gwi’s stats will be reflected!>
<Simulation Lv2 isn’t enough. A higher level is required.>
Numerous notifications obscured Seol-Hwi’s vision.

The Simulation wasn’t able to fully implement the abilities of the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

Nevertheless, a version of him was created by the system. Part of his body looked like it was covered in fog.

Despite not being the complete Sama Gwi, from what Seol-Hwi could tell, it was a perfect embodiment of the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

<Sama Gwi [Supreme Pavilion Lord] >
Normal Physical State
Supreme Demon Level
Health: 30 million/ 30 million
Internal energy: 50 million/ 50 million
Combat power: 30 million [minimum]
“This is only 57% of the Supreme Pavilion Lord’s power?”

Even though it was right in front of him, Seol-Hwi had a hard time believing it.

Millions of health and internal energy, and a combat power which was 30 million at the least. This wasn’t even 100% of his strength.

Doesn’t that mean the actual Supreme Pavilion Lord was far stronger?

For a moment, Seol-Hwi wondered if something was wrong with the Simulation, but then he saw his own menu.

<All abilities of ‘Seol-Hwi’ have been analyzed. >
<Seol-Hwi >
Normal Physical State
Super Master Level
Health: 330k/ 1.5 million
Internal energy: 1.08 million/ 2.70 million
Combat power: 12.81 million
His current state was accurate, which meant the Simulation wasn’t wrong.

Seol-Hwi was annoyed. The drain on his health and internal energy from running and climbing the mountain were too obvious.

<The fight will start soon. Get ready. >
<5… 4… 3… >
Seol-Hwi cleared his mind.

A virtual opponent, but a spar was still a spar – a measure of his abilities.

And it was a good opportunity to observe the level of his enemy. Seol-Hwi wasn’t in perfect shape due to his training, but it didn’t matter.

Now, it was a simple battle with the Supreme Pavilion Lord, one in which Seol-Hwi was absolutely focused on figuring out his opponent’s skills.

<Begin! >
It was quiet.

Seol-Hwi’s current surroundings were unfamiliar and new.

It felt as if the environment around him was a world created by the Simulation.

What should I do…?

Seol-Hwi was worried.

The Supreme Pavilion Lord didn’t move from his spot at all, only continuing to stare at him. Seol-Hwi wanted to fight, but his mind became complicated.

Let’s try this then! Seol-Hwi infused internal energy into his sword.

Sama Gwi didn’t seem to want to attack, so Seol-Hwi decided to make the first move.

He wanted to find out how the opponent would react to the first form of White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts.

A breeze passed by them.

Now!

Seol-Hwi leapt into action, using the strength of his body to launch himself from the soles of his feet. He soared high into the air, while internal energy manifested on his sword. Ice particles spewed out from the blade, attacking together in a sea of ice.

It was strong enough to use up all of Seol-Hwi’s remaining internal energy.

Suddenly, in this huge wave of ice, a part of it was destroyed, and the ice collapsed into fine mist.

The flash that had pierced through the freezing pure whiteness, turned into roaring flames.

And the formerly impenetrable ice wall burned away, while Sama Gwi did the same to Seol-Hwi, cutting him down in one blow.

“Kuak!”

<You have died. >
The pain that Seol-Hwi felt disappeared in an instant.

Perhaps it was because he died, just as the notification told him.

But unlike the pain, he could never forget the hand which Sama Gwi used to cut him down, covered in fire.

And a combat power that increased to 56.55 million.

The combat power of Seol-Hwi’s opponent rose twice as high during the fight. For what reason? Was it even right to judge by looking at the numbers now?

<Exiting…. >
Seol-Hwi sat down after concluding his virtual fight with the Supreme Pavilion Lord.

He wondered what the best body condition was, one that he’d need to defeat Sama Gwi.

There was still such an overwhelming difference between them.

Watching the combat power of his enemy double, Seol-Hwi laughed.

“With such simple training… Can I even get stronger?”

Seol-Hwi’s eyes darkened. It was like jumping over a huge wall, and then looking up to see a mountain towering above you.

He thought he was getting stronger… but when he actually fought, he couldn’t even measure up to the dirt on Sama Gwi’s shoes.

And it wasn’t just that…

The Simulation didn’t even show him the true abilities of Sama Gwi, just a portion of it.

“Is it really true, that if my health and internal energy are raised, I won’t lose to anyone…?”

Six months left – there was no other way now.

The AI said it, so Seol-Hwi would have no choice but to believe he could.

The next morning, as soon Seol-Hwi woke up, he headed to the spot from yesterday.

Unlike then, he wanted a proper Simulation. And it would be against Gu Yeom of Mount Hua.

A battle with the old man from the bookroom.

<The abilities of Mount Hua’s ‘Gu Yeom’ have been analysed. >
When the Simulation began, the same notification showed up in front of Seol-Hwi.

Unlike the Supreme Pavilion Lord, this time, his opponent was fully implemented. And Seol-Hwi was glad.

<Gu Yeom >
Beginning of Godly State
Health: 6 million/ 6 million
Internal energy: 9.9 million/ 9.9 million
Combat power: 15.05 to 23.33 million
Even though Seol-Hwi knew he couldn’t fight this man yet, it was a good thing.

Because this fight will become a standard for him to judge his growth.

<The fight will start soon. Get ready. >
<5… 4… 3… >
Seol-Hwi’s health and internal energy were both at maximum capacity. His body felt light, and he was confident.

<Begin! >
“Ugh!”

Seol-Hwi was focused.

In his line of sight, as he was about to attack, he noticed Gu Yeom rushing towards him already.

As a result, Seol-Hwi had to go on the defensive.

“Uhk..!”

He couldn’t dodge the quick-attack, which came to stab him in the shoulder.

Puak! Puak!

But Seol-Hwi didn’t give up.

He had seen this multiple times before, and he understood it. At times, he would block, and at others, he would retreat.

<Your health has decreased. >
<Your health has decreased. >
“Tch!”

As this happened, Seol-Hwi’s face distorted.

It was then that he remembered. Even in the past, Gu Yeom surpassed him.

Didn’t he survive only because the AI intervened?

In the end, Seol-Hwi was forced to jump into the air.

“…!”

Gu Yeom’s body was buffeted by strong winds from Seol-Hwi’s Thrift Wind Sword. A storm of energy spread in all directions, and his body was tossed into the sky.

Seol-Hwi adjusted to this right away, and approached Gu Yeom quickly.

Wheing!

Another tornado swept over Gu Yeom, but this time, the attack wasn’t as effective.

The opponent managed to barely avoid the incoming tempest.

Tuk! Tuk!

And distance formed between the two of them again.

Seol-Hwi attacked first. Sparks ignited at the tip of his sword, as he got ready to use flame energy.

Ching!

Compared to Seol-Hwi, who was driven by strong internal energy, Gu Yeom easily defended. Fortunately, the hands of Gu Yeom weren’t free to do much more than that.

<Internal energy is reduced. >
<Internal energy is reduced. >
<Your health has decreased. >
If I stop, I’ll suffer more!

Seol-Hwi couldn’t let himself stop attacking.

If he even paused for just a moment, the opponent would bring in Mount Hua’s sword technique, so Seol-Hwi was doing his best.

Puak!

It was only after Seol-Hwi made his last attempt…

“Haaa…”

When he looked at his stats, Seol-Hwi sighed. None of his internal energy remained.

And then, Gu Yeom suddenly appeared in front of him.

At that moment, when he was ready to stab Seol-Hwi,

<One day has passed. Simulation ended. >
“Ha…”

Seol-Hwi sat down. And for a while, he didn’t get up.

The training continued. Day after day. It went on for another month, and as time passed, Seol-Hwi grew impatient.

Even when he overcame the training each day, nothing seemed to come from it. And now he was doubting this more than ever.

For a month, he used the Simulation.

<Which simulation would you like? >
“How strong can I get with these exercises?”

<That depends on Seol-Hwi. >
“Is there any way to dramatically increase the two stats?”

<Through the Special Lecture training. >
“What is the possibility of them not improving, despite this kind of training?”

<That depends on Seol-Hwi. >
He asked it a dozen times, and it gave the same answer each day. And so another month passed.

After finishing his training, Seol-Hwi would have ample amounts of time left, so he would meditate.

Some days, he would meditate for almost half a day.

And as he spent so much time alone, various thoughts went through his head.

How can health and internal energy help in battles?

How much concentration can he show when his health and internal energy were exhausted? It led to the question of whether health and internal energy were really important.

Then one day, he had a new question.

Can it be implemented as a straight line?

A similar question like he had when learning the White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts. Back then, he wondered about time and motion, and now, Seol-Hwi thought of this concept.

A straight line.

He would have to draw the line to know if it was a perfect one.

Perfect lines are impossible…or are they? No, it is possible. After all, isn’t it how I define it?

He came to that conclusion. So then…

Would it be the same case with martial arts?

What is a ‘perfect’ cultivation technique? What is the ‘perfect’ blood point?

These thoughts filled his head.

“Captain, I am curious about something.”

A familiar man appeared in front of Seol-Hwi while he was meditating.

It was Jeok Song.

“What is it?”

Seol-Hwi warmly replied. It was rare for his subordinates to visit him during his meditation time.

“I don’t know if it’s just my mood, but… for the past few days, I have been feeling a strange energy running through my wrist from my sword.”

“From your sword?”

“Yes.”

Seol-Hwi looked at Jeok Song. Then he looked at his sword.

It was the Ancient Sword he purchased from the system shop – the hilt was crudely designed, wrapped in a smooth cloth, with a dark blade.

“I wondered if the Captain might know something…”

“Give it to me.”

“Yes.”

Jeok Song held out the weapon for Seol-Hwi to take. When he felt nothing from it, Seol-Hwi infused his internal energy into the sword.

“Are you feeling anything?”

Seol-Hwi shook his head.

“No… Wait!”

He wondered if he was missing something here.

Seol-Hwi couldn’t see stats in his current combat method, so,

<Combat Method, Turn-Based >
He changed it.

What’s this…?

Seol-Hwi saw a text box appear right away.

*Ancient Sword Characteristics Table*
[Infernal Energy Explosion Sword]
↘ ↓ ↙ ← → ↘ ↓ ↙ ←
The special ability of this sword was right in front of Seol-Hwi’s eyes.

“That energy in your wrist…”

Seol-Hwi didn’t know if this was a coincidence or not, but knowing what he did now, it was possible.

“Is it fire?”

Jeok Song was shocked.

“How did you know?”