Chapter 41
To view the situation more objectively, I first forgot about Jincheon, and then I even forgot that this was magical martial arts.
After that, I thought deeply once more.
Zaha Magical Arts.
Why did I need to master this martial art?
The only answer I could find was this:
“It’s a martial art too precious to simply vanish.”
There was no other reason.
If I forced myself to add one more justification, it would be:
“Sure, it’s lacking as it is, but if I refine it a bit, it could truly become usable.”
Refining it didn’t mean removing its flaws. In Zaha Magical Arts, eliminating flaws would also erase the advantages.
Instead, I intended to emphasize the flaws. And by leveraging that trade-off to amplify the strengths, then…
“It might give birth to an overwhelming power capable of destroying everything.”
Even if the opponent were the beings beyond the heavens.
Whether it would actually work, I couldn’t say. But it didn’t seem entirely impossible. Not that the odds were high, but the possibility existed.
“Even my Divine Martial Arts alone couldn’t achieve that.”
I recalled Yeomra from before this life began. I was literally unable to move in front of her.
What if Zaha Magical Arts had existed back then?
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have had confidence.”
Still, perhaps I could have moved even a single finger. And that alone would have been enough. Someone once said: with a single finger flick, you could kill a Buddha. Then it should have been possible even with Yeomra.
“This might actually work better than I thought.”
It was half a playful thought, but even that wasn’t bad. After all, it had been impossible to even imagine before.
It was absurd, but precisely for that reason, it seemed worth attempting.
“Alright.”
I decided. And almost immediately, flames sprang from my hands.
They weren’t created using some transcendent state like Sammae Evolution or internal skill techniques—they were violet flames formed using divine power.
The flames quickly spread to the wooden plank.
The contents were already fully etched in my mind. And since I had decided to keep it, I had no intention of taking it to Hwasan—it was meant to be burned.
“Jincheon, I’m sorry, but from now on, the master of this martial art is me.”
Thus, all authority belonged to me. I decided to exercise it once again—this time, to rename the martial art.
Jincheon had called it Magical Arts, but my view differed.
“If magic becomes the main focus, divine power would feel left out.”
In essence, its foundation was ultimately divine power. Still, I couldn’t completely disregard Jincheon’s opinion.
“Let’s compromise and call it Zaha Divine Magical Arts.”
That should satisfy you, Jincheon. No? Then come and argue it yourself.
I smirked and glanced around. Upon inspection, this place didn’t seem bad at all as a first training site.
“Since I’ve made up my mind, there’s no need to delay practice.”
The location was somewhat unusual, but likely the safest place nearby. Hardly anyone could find it, and climbing such a large tree would require considerable skill.
The remaining question was whether it was fine to start practicing Zaha Divine Magical Arts now while planning to refine it.
It seemed fine. After all, I had no intention of changing the overall structure. Any corrections could be made gradually as I trained.
“Let’s do this.”
I finally decided to make this place my first training site. Once the wooden plank had completely burned, I sat cross-legged.
Meow.
At just the right moment, the black cat that had stayed until then let out a short meow. It sounded almost like it was offering to guard me.
Good little thing. I silently acknowledged it and closed my eyes.
And so, the first practice of Zaha Divine Magical Arts began.
I had been a Divine Sword, and now I was human.
Yet sometimes, I still felt like a Divine Sword rather than a person—especially when using divine power.
Zaha Magical Arts… no, Zaha Divine Magical Arts. The martial art Jincheon left behind was structured in a way no human could normally master.
Yet I was mastering it without difficulty, which made me question again:
“Am I really human?”
Then why could I use divine power and master Zaha Divine Magical Arts without any restriction?
Literally, it went without a hitch. Even creating the magical energy (magi) I thought might be problematic was not difficult at all.
It almost made me wonder if I wasn’t naturally suited for magic.
“Or perhaps it was thanks to the innate constitution of the Golden Family’s martial lineage.”
Come to think of it, when I awoke in this body, I had already mastered the old magic arts—Goru Magical Arts. One of the advanced magical arts.
Even orthodox martial arts require great talent at the top level. Magic arts demand even special constitutions.
Mastering Goru Magical Arts alone indicated I was born with the talents and constitution the Golden Family spoke of.
I remembered how I had criticized and sighed at the Golden Family’s mastery of Goru Magical Arts… and now here I was, doing the same.
Feeling a pang of guilt, I silently apologized to the deceased Golden Family.
And as an apology, I erased the magi at the moment the divine magic was born using it. Completely. Leaving nothing behind.
This was the process of transforming Zaha Magical Arts into Zaha Divine Magical Arts, and the beginning of it.
I had said I would refine it while learning. I hadn’t planned to erase the magi from the start. But upon creating divine magic, I realized it was no longer needed. Its role had been entirely replaced by the newly born divine magic.
No need to keep something unnecessary in my body. Especially since it was one of the most uncomfortable energies in the world.
After erasing the magi, I felt even more certain:
“As expected, Zaha Magical Arts wasn’t really just magical arts.”
As predicted, the magi had merely been a tool. When the two opposing energies combined, the magi disappeared, leaving only its advantages to be absorbed by divine power as divine magic.
But every gain comes with a loss. In gaining the magi’s advantages, Zaha Divine Magical Arts lost the feature of being able to use divine power in any form—a major weapon of divine power.
This was expected.
But from this point on, something unexpected occurred: divine magic possessed an incredible predatory nature.
“Look at this.”
At first, divine magic was barely the size of a thumb.
But after erasing the magi, it had grown to the size of a fist, having devoured divine power to increase its size.
Even now, it was repeating this process. The fortunate part was that divine magic still obeyed my will.
“Stop.”
Instantly, the devouring of divine power ceased. Yet its longing was evident, a sign of unstable energy, like the phenomenon of possession by a foreign energy.
“This isn’t good.”
It wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. Even divine power has individuality, if not consciousness. Divine magic could be said to possess such individuality—but it was excessively strong.
“Oh?”
Naturally, I was surprised. When I prevented it from devouring divine power, it began absorbing surrounding natural energy instead. To feed on it. Without being told.
For a moment, I could have stopped it—but I didn’t. Instead, I observed quietly.
And soon, I had to admit:
“An unexpectedly extraordinary being has been born.”
The amount of natural energy it absorbed was immense. Far beyond what ordinary internal skill methods could store.
Interestingly, it converted this absorbed natural energy steadily into divine magic. Even without divine power, its strength could grow.
At that moment, a previously unanticipated possibility opened:
“Do I really need to restrict a being that can grow its power autonomously?”
At the same time, Myeolak Sword came to mind. The being that had said it wanted to become me when I showed my divine sword form.
Normally, it could not have borne divine magic’s individuality—but having inherited Jincheon’s Bicheon Sword, which had created divine magic, the path was opened.
“Myeolak, do you still want to become a divine sword?”
The answer returned without hesitation:
“Of course.”
Very well. Then…
“Let’s try.”
I opened my eyes, placed my hand at my waist, drew Myeolak Sword, and began pouring divine magic into it without hesitation.
“It will be unbearably painful. You might even break. If you can’t endure it, speak up.”
Myeolak Sword didn’t respond, as if saying it wouldn’t fail.
I had no intention of breaking its will from the start, so I gave no further warnings—only concentrated.
Ridiculously, I didn’t even wish for success. Even if it failed, I hoped Myeolak Sword would remain unharmed. That thought alone maximized my focus.
Yet the beginning was rough.
Buzz.
The familiar sword resonance, but this time, I heard it—the groan of Myeolak Sword enduring pain.
The divine magic, not yet settled, was consuming the dormant energy inside the sword.
But that was just the beginning. The real problem came after divine magic finally settled.
Woooooong!
The sword’s resonance didn’t stop. The trembling of the sword spirit didn’t cease.
The sword could not fully withstand the tremendous energy of divine magic. Though it had reached the level of a sacred weapon, it couldn’t yet become a divine sword.
If Myeolak hadn’t previously contained Bicheon Sword, it might have shattered right then. Bicheon Sword had provided the foundation, even if it didn’t turn Myeolak into a divine sword.
In short:
“If the sword spirit doesn’t break, the sword won’t break either.”
I hoped that meaning was understood. At some point, Myeolak Sword’s resonance and tremors began to subside.
And soon after…
Swish!
Myeolak Sword underwent an astonishing transformation.
