I Became a Mythical Hunter After Killing the Golden Goblin - Chapter 100
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 100. Ascension Tower 2nd Stage
〚2nd Stage: The Forgotten Temple of Martial Arts
Type: Unique
Rank: SSS
Description: A temple devoted to martial arts, now completely forgotten by all. Only those who dedicate themselves to the martial way may enter this place together.
Objectives: Raise The Sun Divine Art LV 1 (0/1). Win a 9th-tier Martial Combat (0/1). Receive recognition from 7 martial masters (0/7)
Restriction: Only The Sun Divine Art may be used
Advantage: Time differential with reality 60:1 (reality:tower)
Upon Success: The Sun Divine Art rank increases by 1〛
I was momentarily overwhelmed by the colossal, sprawling temple before me, but I swallowed hard as a message materialized in my vision.
Raise the level of a primordial martial art. This alone is no trivial task to accomplish in mere days. It made sense. Even raising an ordinary martial art by a single level required grueling effort, let alone a primordial one.
Yet the tower offered a consolation—a time differential advantage.
But on top of that, I had to win in martial combat and earn recognition from martial masters?
Three conditions. I clicked my tongue briefly before sighing and examining the package notification before me.
〚2nd Stage Package has arrived!〛
〚Will you open it?〛
From my experience on the 1st Floor, this package wielded such tremendous influence that it deserved to be called a divine move. It was hardly a mere 100% contribution bonus.
I had no doubt it would prove equally invaluable this time. Without hesitation, I opened it, and what emerged was…
〚Special Limited Unique Ability: Seeker’s Sweat Drop [Ancient-SS+] manifests!〛
〚Special Limited Unique Ability: Seeker’s Sweat Drop
Type: Ancient
Rank: SS+
LV 1 (0%)
Description: The power of endless discipline, like the sweat drops of those who ceaselessly pursue their own truth. Ability
-All experience gain +333%
-All training efficiency +333%
-All enlightenment acquisition probability +333%
-LV 2 unlocked〛
This time, I had acquired a new unique ability. Like the abilities attached to the two growth-type items I’d obtained from slaying the Imoogi, this offered experience gain increases—a unique ability perfectly optimized for cultivation.
‘Yes, they’re truly generous.’
With that thought, I closed the status window.
A man had appeared, regarding me silently. After observing me quietly for a moment, he pressed his palms together and bowed his head.
“Welcome. We are honored by your arrival at our Martial Garden. What martial path do you seek to achieve by coming here? What martial way do you desire?”
Before I could open my mouth to answer, he continued.
“All answers lie within our garden. Come this way. I shall guide you. We refuse no one who trains in martial arts, who reveres the martial way, who yearns for it. We only wish our garden to become a playground for all such seekers.”
The man pressed his palms together once more, bowed, and turned to lead the way.
Our destination lay beyond the temple. The monk proceeded in silence, and I followed without asking questions.
From the entrance of the colossal, expansive temple with its pure white stone, countless figures carved in relief demonstrated various martial techniques.
“This is the Temple of Proof. It was built to honor those great ones who proved their martial mastery. It is the pride of our Martial Garden. The more names carved here, the more martial practitioners have come seeking us and devoted themselves to this great cause.”
The monk spoke with genuine joy and pride, and I gazed upon the carved figures as he smiled warmly.
They moved in varied motions, their faces carved with the radiance of accomplishment and joy—as though the precise moment of achieving their goals had been captured and etched into their very beings.
I passed through the entrance of the temple where such sculptures were densely embedded, moved through the middle section where their numbers visibly diminished, traversed the latter half where only a few remained, and emerged on the other side.
A new world unveiled itself before my eyes.
Nine mountains. From the smallest to the highest peak. A world so breathtakingly natural that admiration escaped unbidden—such a realm could truly exist.
“The Martial Garden restricts permitted territories by rank, from 9th to 1st grade. To advance to the next rank, you must prove the martial arts you have cultivated here. My accompaniment ends here. I pray you obtain what you seek and depart in peace.”
I watched briefly as the monk bowed with palms pressed together and turned to leave the temple, then without hesitation, I began ascending the first mountain.
How far had I climbed? Though the mountain appeared small and humble compared to the other eight, once I truly felt its scale, it rivaled the great mountains of Earth itself.
How long had I followed the path upward? Halfway up the mountain, another monk suddenly appeared before me, hands clasped in greeting and respectful salutation.
I reflexively bowed in return. The monk smiled with evident pleasure and gestured for me to follow, then began moving forward.
Where he led me was a vast plateau midway up the mountain. There, countless individuals clad in identical martial robes trained in their respective disciplines.
-Remarkable, is it not? All who have come here have done so to offer their martial arts.
In that instant, a voice resonated within my mind, startling me. I was astonished to realize the source was the monk.
-You too shall join them. Welcome. I am one of seven martial monks overseeing 9th-grade practitioners—Monk Ryeo. A name meaning ‘the one who thinks.’
“I see. But forgive me—why do you not speak aloud?”
-I was born unable to speak.
“Ah! My apologies.”
-It is no matter. There is no great inconvenience, and truthfully, the absence of a voice only deepened my yearning for martial arts, allowing me to reach this place.
The monk smiled warmly and guided me to a chamber.
-This is where you shall reside. Martial robes and other necessities are prepared within. There is but one thing I ask of you here: perfect a greater martial art and present it to the great will.
“Understood. Thank you for the guidance.”
-Then cultivate diligently until we meet again.
The atmosphere was one of freedom. All who visited this place had come to advance further. I entered the chamber, changed into the martial robes, and let out a low whistle.
‘What exactly is the Tower of Ascension?’
To implement it so realistically. Is such a thing truly possible? Are these people actually alive? Or are they merely part of the program?
Regardless, the power wielded by this nonsensical tower belongs to me. I need only use it to advance further.
As I emerged in my new martial robes, gazes fixed upon me. Were they curious about this newcomer’s arrival?
Though not everyone looked, I felt their attention. I deliberately ignored it and found my place. Beyond the midpoint, martial practitioners trained everywhere, so I passed them by and settled alone in a secluded spot.
“Phew. This is daunting.”
One needs to have properly learned martial arts to even know how to raise levels. This is like being handed a single egg and told to make an omelet with nothing else—impossible.
“First, let me thoroughly master The Sun Divine Art before moving forward.”
The Sun Divine Art currently consists of three fragments connected as one.
Mental cultivation method. Fist technique. Movement technique.
One technique is unlocked from each of the three categories, for a total of three techniques.
The Sun Divine Art
The Sun Mental Cultivation Method
Crimson Flame
The Sun Divine Art
Fist Technique
1st Technique
Black Spot Explosion
Solar Divine Art
Movement Technique
One Step – Swift
Corona Flare
All of these martial arts were created by synthesizing only the advantages of Lee Ji-yong’s skills, now long dead.
“Before learning something new, I need to solidify the fundamentals.”
There was no rush, so there was no problem. Here, one hour outside was merely one minute, a day was twenty-four minutes, and a week was only two hours and twenty-four minutes.
There was no better place to cultivate than here. I inhaled the crisp mountain air, listened to the cries of animals and birds, closed my eyes, and began circulating my inner energy.
‘It burns.’
The arrogant magical power began to transform into the Sun’s inner energy, enveloping my entire body.
As if my entire body had become a sun, the Sun’s inner energy exploded and accelerated of its own accord, yet remained composed.
The Solar Heart Method had no specifically defined framework. Rather, I simply couldn’t create one because I didn’t truly understand how inner energy cultivation methods worked or how to circulate them.
From what I heard, one had to circulate the precise amount at the precise speed through the precise meridians to form the Grand Circulation and Minor Circulation, thereby accumulating inner energy.
Since Crimson Flame was a heart method created by personifying the image of an exploding sun, its inner energy had the characteristic of increasing in quantity through self-detonation.
‘If I circulate without rest for about a day like this, my arrogance stat should increase by about one.’
Being unique, its effects were equally outstanding. The fact that a foundational stat increased this rapidly proved just how remarkable it was. After all, it was a foundational stat that consumed four spare points.
I closed my eyes and observed my inner self.
Boom! Bang! Whoosh!
The inner energy contained the Sun’s arrogance and omnipotence perfectly. It was willful and destructive. Yet that characteristic was nothing short of a gift to me.
‘It’s burning away the impurities in my body on its own.’
As if it refused to share a body with anything unclean. Considering that impurities only diminished through bone and marrow replacement, even this alone was tremendously helpful.
Removing impurities from the meridians would increase the efficiency of magical power and inner energy circulation.
Removing impurities from bones and muscles would increase the efficiency of physical control.
How long had I been concentrating on my cultivation? I quietly opened my eyes and gazed at the person who had appeared before me.
Not a monk. A martial robe like mine. A martial robe with a small 9 on the chest. It seemed he was a 9th-rank trainee, but what was this about?
I rose from my seat, quietly on guard. Just in case something went wrong, I needed to be ready to subdue him quickly or escape.
Did he read my intentions? The man raised his hand and chuckled, opening his mouth.
“Oh! I wasn’t looking for a fight. This was originally my training ground. I just waited without saying anything because I saw an unfamiliar face concentrating.”
At those words, I let out a small exclamation and bowed my head slightly.
“I didn’t know that. My apologies. I was trying to choose the most inconspicuous place.”
“Hehe. Right. This place is quiet and inconspicuous. Since this is fate, let’s exchange names. I’m Hyul Jung-hyuk from Cheon Murim.”
My eyes widened. To meet an inhabitant of Murim, the very origin point of martial arts itself.
From what I knew, there were three places in Murim: Cheon, Ji, and In. Among them, Cheon Murim was known to have the most exceptional martial artists.
‘But this is a materialized fake.’
The author was likely already a figure lost to history.
“I’m Shin Ju-ha from a small planet called Earth.”
“Hehe. Pleased to meet you.”
The tremendous flow of inner energy felt from our clasped hands. This man was quite a master. So much so that I couldn’t understand why he was at 9th-rank.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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