Chapter 27: Chapter 27

I was at the point where I half-acknowledged that this being could be the Martial God he claimed to be.

Maybe that was why, instead of getting angry at his rude remark, I became curious instead.

“Why is that?”

[This martial art is incomplete.]

I hesitated for a moment before deciding on my next question.

“...How do you know that? There shouldn’t be any gaps in its completion.”

[This is difficult to explain to you logically. Put simply, when I see the full image—even if the image was drawn by an accomplished painter—if there is an obvious empty spot in one place, one would naturally think it is an incomplete artwork.]

“...”

[However, the White Sun Form’s incompleteness isn’t the only reason why I’m saying you should stop learning it. There are a total of ten techniques that you showed in the White Sun Form, and those techniques don’t have any specific similarities that bind them together beyond that they all utilize extreme yang energies.]

I nodded. His interpretation was correct.

As stated once before, every single technique in the White Sun Form was supposed to be lethal.

Of course, depending on how I used them, they could be used to create space for me or to chain into other techniques, but as a baseline?

Each technique was built to definitely kill the enemy.

[There is one more interesting characteristic to them: they become stronger the further into the technique you go, like a flame that burns brighter the more it burns.]

“...”

[With your current body, you should only be able to use up to the seventh or eighth technique. I do not believe that you can use the final two techniques, correct?]

“...Correct.”

[And the techniques you will create in the future must be much stronger. From about the eleventh technique, you shouldn’t be able to call it the martial arts of a mortal.]

It was as he said.

This was the reason I hadn’t even been able to begin creating the later techniques of the White Sun Form.

I wouldn’t be able to use them anyway.

The Martial God sighed.

[This is a dangerous martial art.]

“...”

[Its destructive capabilities are impressive, but fundamentally, it is a technique that can only be performed with a supernaturally sturdy body. A body made of flesh and bone will definitely reach its limits.]

Although I couldn’t see him, I could tell that he was observing my reaction.

[You aren’t surprised. Did you perhaps already know this truth?]

“Yes.”

[Then why do you continue to learn it? Are you not afraid of the potential ill effects?]

It wasn’t as if this godly entity was going to shout my secret out into the world.

I stayed quiet for a moment.

“The refinement technique I practice has a great effect on my physical recovery. Even with side effects of a certain level, I can recover from it using my refinement technique.”

[I saw clearly that you have learned a special refinement technique during your battle. Even when you were fully exhausted, I saw you recover your energy quite quickly. However, that is only a temporary solution. You ended up using your true ki.]

I was once again surprised by the Martial God’s discerning eye, but I didn’t make it known this time.

The Martial God let out another sigh.

[Most martial arts have a training component. After taking steps to improve, the martial artist will reach the peak of their level, and the training component naturally helps them transition to the next height. This is why the martial arts of your predecessors are themselves mileposts.]

“...”

[Thanks to this, the next generation can not only improve their physical strength but also train their mental acuity. This is also the generosity of the martial art’s creator. In the end, to wield powerful martial arts, you must also have a strong mental foundation. However...]

When the Martial God continued, his voice was lower.

[The White Sun Form has none of those generosities. It is but a collection of destructive techniques. I don’t even want to call it a martial art.]

“...”

[I am not telling you to stop using it; I am telling you to stop learning it. Even with just the ten techniques you have shown me, you won’t have any problems with combat. Desiring even more than that will be like shattering your own plate.]

The Martial God paused.

[To be honest with you... I do not understand the intention of your master who taught you such a martial art.]

“I’m sure he had a reason.”

[What reason could there be to break one’s own disciple?]

Although the Martial God’s words were sharp, I wasn’t particularly hurt or shocked by them, and it wasn’t because I thought the Martial God’s words were false.

I had honestly thought about this myself somewhat.

The more I trained in the White Sun Form, the more I felt that it was odd.

It was true that continuing to train with it would be dangerous. However, was that wrong?

“People have certain aptitudes for martial arts. For some, a martial art could be like a glistening treasure, while for others it is just a pebble on the roadside.”

[That was not a comment about aptitude. That was a comment about its dangers.]

“I know. I just want to tell you that there are levels of compatibility between a master and disciple.”

[...]

“Martial God, my master didn’t force me to learn the White Sun Form. This was my decision, and it is my responsibility to bear it.”

I felt the Martial God’s gaze on me.

I might’ve said something that crossed the line.

What I’d learned from our short exchange was that this Martial God was somewhat virtuous. His suggestion likely came from a place of care.

However, I did not want someone else to invade the relationship between my master and me.

Even if it came from a place of goodwill.

[...I understand your will. I can also begin to see why you declined my martial art.]

“Yes. So I think it’ll be best for you to find a different inheritor—”

[Do you mean the one coming here right now?]

“They’re a bit...”

Thinking about it, the Martial God had said one of Hadenaihar’s servants was approaching this place quite quickly.

Since the cave was pretty big, it would take them some time to get here... but it shouldn’t be taking long enough for me to sit around wasting time.

I quickly schemed up a plan.

“How about this? When I get out of this place, I will look for a follower that suits you.”

[Hmm. Then you’re telling me to not look for a follower until then?”

“Yes.”

[It seems you don’t like the martial artist approaching this place.]

“Of course. They are an evil being that worships a god of disaster.”

[Hmm…]

The Martial God took a moment to think.

[Inheritor. If you accept this one condition, I will accept that offer.]

“What is it?”

[Learn my martial art.]

“As I said before, I—”

[You can continue to learn the White Sun Form. I will not interfere with that. However, it is still an incomplete martial art. If you are not planning on focusing solely on its development, learning another martial art won’t be of harm to you. And I have my own confidence.]

“Your own confidence?”

[I am confident that my martial art will be of great help to you.]

“...Why are you doing so much for someone like me?” I asked.

I couldn’t understand his intentions.

[It is my insistence as the Martial God.]

“Pardon?”

[I am confident. As you learn my martial arts, your thoughts will change.]

“That I will change and personally choose to give up on learning the White Sun Form?”

[That’s right.]

“Heh.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “...Shouldn’t you normally hide intentions like that?”

[I don’t think it’s important if it’s hidden or not. No, in truth, hiding something like this will cause problems in the future. A master-disciple relationship requires a foundation of trust.]

“I am not your disciple, though...”

[That’s correct.]

The Martial God was acting like that wasn’t important.

I felt like I was being pushed back, but I didn’t try to continue. I just accepted it.

“Understood.”

An existence that called himself the Martial God was lowering his head to me this much, so I didn’t think it would be polite for me to continue to decline him…

And in truth, his suggestion itself couldn’t bring me any harm.

Ah. Now that I think about it, I forgot to ask the most important thing.

“What’s the martial art you will be teaching me?”

[It’s called the Galactic Sword.]

My jaw dropped.

“...”

This was a name that everyone in The Empire knew.

I managed to hold back my shock and ask, “...Martial God, are you perhaps the Nameless King?”

***

The Galactic Sword.

This was the swordsmanship technique of the Nameless King, the king named the greatest king in the history of The Empire after the Founding King.

The Nameless King was the one who united the nations that had been separated due to the great demon invasion, and he was also the one who formed a positive relationship with most of the other races.

With just one sword.

With the relationships created by the Nameless King as the foundation, the kingdom of today was called The Empire.

No one thought it odd nowadays that one singular nation controlled the entire continent, yet less than five hundred years ago, many different nations and races had lived in separate groups and been hostile to each other.

Even though the cult, a greater evil, had existed alongside them.

However, the Martial God let out a bitter laugh and corrected me.

[I am not. The Nameless King is a human, is he not?]

“The Nameless King is one of the Five Kings, who are considered in the realm of gods by The Empire. There is a religion that puts their faith in him as well.”

[Is that so? The world has changed a lot...] the Martial God mumbled to himself, sounding faintly surprised.

[However, I am not the Nameless King. A famous existence like him wouldn’t become a forgotten god like me.]

He wasn’t wrong. I accepted the Martial God’s words.

“Then what relationship did you have with the Nameless King?” I cautiously asked.

[...He was my inheritor in the past. That is all.]

Suddenly, I heard the entire cave rumble.

Rumble...

Small fragments of stone fell from the ceiling.

[It seems the cave will not last for long.]

“Are you saying it’ll collapse?”

[The battle you just had was that fierce, inheritor. Inheritor, if you are to inherit the Galactic Sword, there is one thing you must take here. There should be a sword atop that tower.]

“...Is it the Sword of Seven Sins?”

That was the weapon the Nameless King had used when he’d united the seven races of the continent.

Even though it had clashed with all sorts of powerhouses, it had never broken, and it was the sword that had granted him victory through all those battles.

The Sword of Seven Sins... Of course, I’d heard that it had been lost; the sword on display in the palace was a mere replica.

I’d read in a book that its appearance was striking. Its blade had many smaller blades branching from it, and there were weird markings on the flat—

[If you’re picturing a sword with oddly shaped edges branching from the blade and twenty-seven runes of the Sword God engraved upon it, then yes.]

So it was that.

“...You said it’s at the top of the tower?”

I should definitely grab it before I leave.