When I regressed, I was a martial arts genius

“What kind of gamble is this?”

Lee Jun had started to get a rough sense of his master, Mugeukja’s, character.

Whenever his master suddenly changed his mind or took a pause, a big event always followed.

The training of the Sky Sovereign against Flame Beasts and throwing himself at Qinghu were no different.

It had been a demanding request, but the results were extraordinary.

Lee Jun’s curiosity wasn’t unwarranted.

[The turbulent energy floating in the air. Don’t you want to absorb it with Blood Drain Art? If you can absorb the energy from this gate, you can instantly reach the fourth realm of Blood Drain Art.]

“Can the mana floating in the air be absorbed through Blood Drain Art?”

Lee Jun’s jaw dropped.

The amount of mana circulating within the gate was immense.

If absorbed, it would be like a spiritual tonic.

Perhaps even better than B-grade mana stones.

*[While it would have been impossible without Blood Drain Art, with the addition of Soul Origin Technique, it won’t be difficult.]

“But Master,”

*[Speak.]

“Why do you call this a gamble?”

*[The energy you’ve consumed has already reached saturation. Adding a similar amount of energy will most likely result in a mishap. This is all thanks to the Soul Origin Technique I created, which helps you maintain your sanity and not lose control.]

Mugeukja never failed to mention his creation, the Soul Origin Technique.

It wasn’t a wrong claim.

Even now, the Soul Origin Technique continuously purifies the energy absorbed from the Flame Beasts.

It was truly miraculous.

How many techniques like this could exist in history?

Lee Jun quietly acknowledged his master’s words and sat in the sand.

“I’ll begin.”

*[Hold onto your mind tightly.]

***

*[Absorbed a small amount of mana through Blood Drain Art.]
*[Blood Drain Art has reached the fourth realm.]
*[Soul Origin Technique has reached the fourth realm.]

***

Lee Jun had absorbed the mana spread throughout the gate for three days.

The scattered mana in the air gradually disappeared.

As the man vanished, even the regenerated Flame Beasts stopped appearing.

*[Haha. A body unworthy and lacking talent in martial arts, yet your growth rate is astounding.]

The Soul Origin Technique was truly divine.

Why?

Because it was created by the world’s greatest master.

Yet, no matter how excellent a technique was, if it didn’t fit the body, it was useless.

How about Lee Jun?

It was as if he was wearing a perfectly tailored suit.

It fits perfectly.

*[When I first began using the Soul Origin Technique and entered a state of enlightenment, I doubted it.]

Even now, Lee Jun absorbed the mana from the air with Blood Drain Art and purified it with Soul Origin Technique.

Lee Jun had absorbed a seemingly overwhelming amount of energy, well beyond the point of saturation.

Yet, no mishap occurred, and he continued to draw in the energy.

*[Your health stats have reached their peak.]
*[Your physical stats have reached their peak.]
*[Strength stats…]
*[Dexterity stats…]
*[Mental strength stats…]
*Steam began rising from Lee Jun’s entire body through his pores.

*[Sigh. You’re trying to break through the barrier of the elite now.]
Mugeukja clicked his tongue in awe.

He had witnessed many talented individuals throughout his life.

Among them were the 10th Heaven Demon and the 14th Moon Sage, but his first disciple still stood as the best.

Rarely did such a demon’s talent emerge—one in a thousand years.

Lee Jun’s talent stood shoulder to shoulder with that devilish potential.

*[He truly is remarkable.]
Mugeukja praised Lee Jun, but he didn’t seem to hear the words.

Like when he first began using the Soul Origin Technique, he had once again entered a state of enlightenment.

Black impurities continued to seep out of his pores.

Then, suddenly—

Creak—

A sound like muscles tearing rang out.

“Ugh…!”

Lee Jun screamed in agony.

*[You must endure. Never let out a cry of pain.]
“Ughhh…”

Lee Jun gritted his teeth tightly.

Earlier, he had felt as if he could soar through the sky.

But now, everything has changed.

Excruciating pain engulfed his entire body.

Instinct told him that if he screamed, something catastrophic would happen.

“Ghh…”

Yet, even as he bit down harder, soft sounds managed to slip through.

His skin began to crack, flakes of skin falling off like dry soil.

At the same time, eerie cracking sounds emerged.

Crack—
Crack, crack—

Bones snapped and fractured.

Turning to dust, they repeatedly regenerated.

Lee Jun’s consciousness drifted far away.

A pain he had never experienced before.

It was more agonizing than being impaled by a blade or facing imminent death.

At least then, there was a fleeting sense of clarity.

Time continued to pass.

Lee Jun’s face still showed signs of distortion, but his complexion had improved noticeably.

Below his skin, patches were peeling off like a snake shedding its skin.

“Haah…”

Lee Jun took a deep breath and then opened his eyes.

Flash!

His eyes shimmered with a grayish hue before fading away.

[How do you feel?]
The unbearable pain had vanished, and his body felt lighter.

“Feels like I died and came back to life.”

[Seeing you talk, it seems you endured it.]
Lee Jun smiled brightly.

He could feel that his inner energy was flowing more smoothly than before.

His body felt incredibly light, and his senses had sharpened even further.

He didn’t want to forget this current feeling.

However, the deafening alarm sounds broke his thoughts. He swiped his hand through the air.

A hologram appeared.

Lee Jun stared blankly at it for a moment before suddenly screaming out loud.

“Argh!”

[Stop screaming like that, you fool!]
“W- What’s wrong with my appearance?”

He looked at his reflection in the hologram with wide eyes.

Then, he stood up abruptly.

His already tall stature had increased by at least 3 cm.

That wasn’t all. His skin was smoother than a woman’s—soft and flawless, as though newborn baby skin.

“This is insane.”

[Such self-obsession is a serious illness.]
Mugeukja muttered softly.

Lee Jun, who had grown somewhat accustomed to his new appearance, wore a satisfied smile.

Finally, he turned his attention to the message that appeared before him.

*[You have completed a transformation.]
*[The upper limits of all your stats have been adjusted.]
*[You have achieved a record unparalleled in history, granting you 500,000 Tech Tree Points.]
…
…
*[Main Quest 2 – Training of the Recluse has been created.]
…
…
The messages didn’t stop appearing.

Scrolling down, his hand finally halted.

[Hoho. This is all the result of your training under the guidance of your master.]
Mugeukja added a touch to the rewards.

Feeling elated, Lee Jun continuously praised Mugeukja.

With trembling hands, he enlarged the message.

Never before had Lee Jun seen such words.

He hadn’t encountered them in school lessons or the news either.

*[You have absorbed all the energy from the gate.]
*[A reward is given to the first person to purify the gate.]
*[You have gained 250,000 Tech Tree Points.]
*[You have become the owner of the Nest of Cheongho.]
[You have acquired the trait, of Owner of Cheongho Nest.]
]

Lee Jun, gripping his pounding heart, clicked on the trait.

*[Owner of Cheongho Nest (S)]
Cheongho has a cunning personality, but it also holds deep loyalty to its master. The way you raise it determines its character.

Privilege: Summoning of Cheongho Hatchling, Gate Summoning.*

Lee Jun stared at the hologram, at a loss for words. The massive reward barely registered in his mind.

“Owner of the… Gate…”

Lee Jun muttered to himself, as if spellbound.

Was it even possible?

A human is the master of a gate.

And not just any gate—his gate.

He had never heard such an absurd notion before, even in his wildest dreams.

The unbelievable event that had transpired left him speechless.

Suddenly, a bright light shimmered before his eyes, pulling him back to reality.

He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding glow.

When the dazzling light faded, a creature the size of a clenched fist stood in its place.

“Qk.”

The little creature seemed to mistake Lee Jun for its mother, slowly waddling over and rubbing its face against his leg.

“Gasp! It’s incredibly cute.”

Lee Jun bent down and picked up the Cheongho hatchling.

“Qk.”

The tiny creature barely opened its eyes, letting out a soft, pitiful cry.

[Ho. That little one is truly adorable.]
Mugeukja, too, marveled at the sight alongside Lee Jun.

Lost in the cuteness of the hatchling, Lee Jun momentarily forgot the fact that he was now the master of a gate.

However, a sudden thought crossed his mind as he gazed at the hatchling—monsters weren’t usually this adorable.

“Would turning into something fierce once it grows up?”

Unlike the Cheongho he had slain before, this hatchling was tiny and charming, resembling a playful puppy or kitten.

Was this the reason people kept pets?

Entranced by the little creature, Lee Jun couldn’t bring himself to put down the Cheongho hatchling.

What was even more astonishing was the fact that it had not seven tails or even nine—but ten.

Lost in the overwhelming cuteness, Lee Jun barely noticed this detail.

[Should we give it a name?]
“Hmm…”

Lee Jun paused, pondering what name would earn him praise.

After a moment, he confidently suggested:

“How about ‘Parangi’?”

For reference, the Cheongho hatchling was blue.

The Cheongho he had slain was also blue.

[…….]

Mugeukja, his master, went quiet. Perhaps impressed by his disciple’s naming sense.

“Master?”

[…Is that the best choice?]
“Do you not like it?”

Lee Jun asked earnestly with a serious expression.

[No. Call it whatever you like.]
Mugeukja seemed to give up on persuading his disciple.

“Qkwoo.”

The Cheongho hatchling cried vehemently as if it hated the name.

Lee Jun, completely misunderstanding the hatchling’s reaction, thought otherwise.

“You seem to like the name after all.”

A small crack appeared on the hatchling’s face.

Ignoring the hatchling’s mood, Lee Jun grinned and stroked Parangi affectionately.

“Let’s get along well from now on, Parangi.”

This unprecedented event—taming a Red Zone level monster.

In the future, Beast Arts that tamed monsters like this became extremely popular.

Many tried raising their own Red Zone monsters too.

***

At the Headmaster’s Office of Murim Academy High School.

Han Min-seong carefully wiped the glass with a towel.

Bang!

The door of the headmaster’s office swung open abruptly as a secretary rushed in.

Upon seeing her, Han Min-seong’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What’s the matter?”

“Th-the gate below… it’s been cleared.”

“Say that again? I must have heard you wrong.”

“I’m saying the Cheongho Nest has been cleared.”

“What?”

Han Min-seong’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Is that true?”

“I’m checking and coming back soon.”

Han Min-seong’s hands, tending to the herb garden, tightened involuntarily.

A crunching sound echoed as the herb was crushed beneath his grip.

“I’ll have to see for myself.”

He carelessly tossed the towel in his hand and stepped out of the headmaster’s office.

His steps were hurried.

‘The Five Element Formation was breached!’

He had always boasted that only top-tier elites from powerful families could breach the Five Element Formation.

The Five Element Formation was a sacred barrier of Shin Giji, an intricate formation that couldn’t be broken by force alone.

The only way to bypass it was to find the Life Gate.

Breaking through the Five Element Formation wasn’t easy because understanding the characteristics of the one who set it was crucial.

There had been attempts by B-class awakeners to breach it.

However, they failed, and their internal energy was exhausted within the formation.

‘Without a deep understanding of the Five Element Formation, breaching it is nearly impossible.’

Believing it was impossible without firsthand verification, Han Min-seong went down to the underground storage.

As he descended the stairs, Han Min-seong’s brows twitched.

“Has the barrier been breached?”

An unbelievable reality had come true.

On the door of the underground storage, a torn talisman was affixed.

Opening the door, Han Min-seong saw a portal inside.

“A gate…?”

“Step inside, and you’ll see.”

Following the guide’s instructions, Han Min-seong stepped into the portal.

What appeared before him was a vast desert under the scorching sun.

“The gate’s air… it’s clean!”

Even if the gate was cleared, Cheongho Nest remained a regenerating gate.

Normally, the air would be filled with miasma. Yet, it was as pure as the air outside.

How could this be?

He looked around.

No miasma, no monsters—nothing.

As he prepared to investigate the gate further, suddenly—

[You are not the owner of Cheongho Nest.]
[Unauthorized external presence detected.]
[Initiating forced expulsion.]

The message appeared, and at the same time, Han Min-Seong was forcefully pulled away from the gate.