The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 136

Chapter 136
Chapter 136. The Black Flame Dragon Who Proves Himself (6)

The instructors handled the primary assessment of the students’ talents, but their limited numbers made it impossible to accurately gauge the capabilities of hundreds of pupils simultaneously.

Consequently, the youth were initially categorized based on their affiliation with the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, or the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

Diving deeper into the specifics, their exact standing within the One Hundred Eight Peaks was taken into account.

If they hailed from one of the Five Great Clans, recruiters noted whether they belonged to the secondary Collateral Line or the primary Direct Line.

These variables served as the benchmarks for estimating their combat potential.

From that perspective, forcing me to square off against Il-gak of Shaolin right now was a direct violation of every established protocol in the academy.

A representative of Shaolin, revered as the absolute summit of the martial world, was being pitted against a student from the Taeul Sect, a minor entity clinging desperately to the absolute bottom of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

By any logical measure, these two should never have been paired together in a ring.

“Their deliberations are taking quite a while.”

It was obvious that we weren’t the only ones who found this matchmaking bizarre.

A few instructors and drill masters had openly objected to the pairing, prompting the Academy Head and Deputy Academy Head to descend from their viewing seats to hold an impromptu conference.

“It looks like they’ve reached a conclusion.”

“They’ll obviously fix this ridiculous matchup. Oh, don’t take that the wrong way, Young Master Jin, I’m not downplaying your skills.”

“Do not worry about it.”

Despite Seong Mo-ran’s optimistic outlook, the deep lines etched across Buk Won-pyeong’s forehead suggested the debate had concluded poorly.

Buk Won-pyeong scanned the assembly briefly, and upon catching my gaze, he initiated a Sound Transmission.

-Their official excuse is that your perfect score on the academic exam implies extraordinary talent…… but off the record, the heavy hand of the Elder Hall is driving this.

-Is the Righteous Path Association interfering with me once more?

-I doubt it. It appears the Orthodox Path Association is equally eager to test the limits of your capabilities.

-Understood.

-If you wish, I can exercise my administrative power to put an end to this farce right now.

-There is no need. Since you might eventually become my Martial Uncle, it would look terrible if I began leaning on your protection this early, wouldn’t it?

Buk Won-pyeong registered a flash of astonishment before offering a silent nod.

-Perhaps this pressure is a hidden blessing. Even if you suffer defeat against Shaolin, nobody can reasonably blame you for losing.

The moment Buk Won-pyeong finished communicating, the presiding instructor’s voice thundered across the area.

“The combat trial will now commence. Will the designated academy students please step forward onto the ring!”

Il-gak moved gracefully onto the elevated training ground.

He maintained an aura of absolute serenity, seemingly unfazed by the mocking sneers and frosty glances directed at him from the audience.

“This is nothing but a coordinated plot to humiliate Eldest Senior Brother.”

Eun-ho ground his teeth in pure frustration.

“I wish Eldest Senior Brother would just walk away and forfeit.”

“I agree completely…….”

“…….”

“Word has it that Il-gak is second only to the Small Buddha of Shaolin in terms of raw power.”

Geum-pyo remained tight-lipped, but Dong-ryong’s facial expression was ridden with anxiety.

“Is that the rumor going around?”

Despite my tranquil demeanor, Eun-ho’s fury only seemed to intensify, his tightly balled fists turning crimson from the strain.

“Why must you endure these rigged scenarios at every turn? Doesn’t this blatant injustice infuriate you, Eldest Senior Brother?”

“The establishment prefers that we remain at the bottom. Any effort we make to rise up naturally threatens their comfort zone.”

“…….”

“But just because their methods are corrupt, should we simply roll over and accept our assigned place?”

“Eldest Senior Brother…… even if you choose not to fight this battle, you will always be our leader.”

I offered a gentle nod.

During my prior existence, I lacked the strength to shield them.

I had thrown all my energy into surviving under the oppressive shadow of Gye Cheol-yeong.

Yet despite my failings, they had never once voiced a single bitter word or directed their anger toward me.

They had treated me with identical loyalty even back when I didn’t deserve the title of leader.

“I am well aware. But if I refuse to push forward, won’t all of you be left unprotected against the coming storms?”

Geum-pyo, who had been silently biting his lip next to me, suddenly burst out.

“Why do you insist on fighting every battle on your own, Senior Brother?! We aren’t helpless children anymore!”

“I know.”

This burden belonged to me alone.

It was the price of redemption for a past life that only my memory preserved.

“But if I secure your safety first, won’t you be able to turn around and protect the younger disciples who follow in our footsteps?”

“……!”

…

“……!”

Growing up side-by-side since our earliest years meant I could read their inner feelings instantly.

Geum-pyo’s nostrils flared as he fought back tears, while Eun-ho’s brow wrinkled with intense emotion.

Meanwhile, Dong-ryong silently allowed tears to track down his face.

“Dry your eyes. I have no intention of falling in a place like this. Dong-ryong, pull yourself together. If you weep like that, it makes your Eldest Senior Brother look rather pathetic, doesn’t it?”

“……Hic.”

Unfastening the Black Dragon Sword and releasing the Flying Dragon Claw, I handed the gear over to Eun-ho.

The Gold-Silver-Copper Brothers stared back and forth between the legendary blade and my uncovered face in total bewilderment.

“Besides, when it comes to utilizing underhanded tactics, is there anyone alive who outmatches your Eldest Senior Brother?”

…

“……?”

“……Ah!”

Eun-ho alone caught my drift, his eyes lighting up in realization.

I flashed a subtle grin at the perceptive boy, then turned on my heel to walk up the steps to the ring.

With every stride I took toward the center, a wave of murmurs rippled through the gathered crowd.

The low whispers escalated rapidly, transforming the dignified venue into something resembling a chaotic marketplace.

“……Wh-What is he doing? Isn’t that guy primarily recognized as a swordsman?”

“The authentic legacy of the Taeul Sword Emperor is strictly a sword style.”

“Does that mean…… he actually believes he can best a Shaolin monk without a blade?”

“The man has lost his mind.”

The mask of serene detachment on Il-gak’s face, which had resembled a carved temple icon, began to show visible cracks of irritation.

“Where is your weapon?”

“Is your primary expertise not centered on unarmed combat, Monk Il-gak?”

“……Are you insulting me by intentionally leaving your blade behind?”

Il-gak’s expression contorted, rapidly shifting to resemble the furious visage of the Four Heavenly Kings guarding a temple threshold.

“It would look terrible if the academy’s top freshman exerted his maximum capability against a common student.”

“……Your pride knows no bounds……”

-Did you honestly expect me to play along quietly with your little performance?

“…!”

-I am no fool. Did you genuinely believe I wouldn’t see right through your pathetic setup?

“Academy Student Jin So-un. Engaging in Sound Transmission prior to an official duel is strictly forbidden.”

Acknowledging the arbiter’s reprimand with a brief nod, I spoke aloud:

“Let us have a productive match.”

As I offered a polite, smiling palm-and-fist salute, Il-gak’s features twisted further with rage.

‘Where exactly does my current strength lie?’

Without a doubt, my martial prowess in this lifetime had evolved beyond all recognition compared to my past existence.

Back then, I had to scrape by just to manage a fraction of a cycle of inner energy; now, I could deploy the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm twice over without collapsing into total lethargy.

Trying to compare a low-tier grunt from a failing sect to the absolute top scorer of the Murim Academy entrance trials was utterly ridiculous.

Yet, when trying to pinpoint my exact tier within the grand scope of the murim, the calculation grew tricky.

Up until now, every time I clashed with representatives of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans, my tactics relied heavily on the Shattering Forms devised by Jegal Cheon-gi. Because those triumphs depended on past memories and unconventional tricks, I still lacked a clear sense of my raw, unfiltered strength.

I had recently crossed paths with a Shadow Warrior from the Alliance Leader’s Hall who was immune to the Shattering Forms, but his power tier was far too absurd to use as a reasonable baseline.

When looking at it from that perspective, Il-gak represented the perfect benchmark to genuinely measure my authentic capabilities.

Shaolin happened to be the solitary entity among the major factions for which no specialized Shattering Form existed.

To be precise, designing one had always been an exercise in futility.

The foundational philosophy of Shaolin martial arts focuses heavily on spiritual and physical cultivation rather than rigid, optimized patterns. Because their techniques morph fluidly based on an individual’s personal enlightenment, attempting to analyze and exploit specific mechanical flaws via a Shattering Form was entirely pointless.

“Commence!”

As the arbiter’s command rang out, Il-gak immediately dropped into an opening posture.

He chose the Dragon King Fist, celebrated as one of the legendary Seventy-Two Ultimate Arts of Shaolin.

His fists coiled like twin Lesser Dragons poised to ascend into the heavens at a moment’s notice.

‘Leading with the Dragon King Fist right away. I must have thoroughly pushed his buttons.’

The moment I raised my hands into the foundational posture of the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist, the uproar from the spectators reached a fever pitch.

“Is he seriously trying to match him blow for blow in a fistfight?”

“His arrogance is completely off the charts.”

“Since defeat is inevitable, is he simply trying to minimize his embarrassment by losing in his opponent’s specialty?”

Amidst the roaring crowd, Il-gak initiated the first strike.

Utilizing the Immovable Movement Art to effortlessly skim across the stone surface, he unleashed a barrage of strikes from the Dragon King Fist.

PAPAPAPAPAT.

The overwhelming torrent of punches fell with the terrifying sharpness of predatory fangs, delivering a pressure so intense it felt as though I were facing a barrage of sword slashes.

Even after throwing ten consecutive strikes in a single breath, Il-gak showed zero signs of slowing down. He maintained his relentless execution of the Dragon King Fist, blinding my vision with a coordinated assault of straight jabs and devastating uppercuts.

“Is this flimsy defense the extent of your boasted talent?”

Though his phrasing remained formal, his voice thrummed with unmistakable fury.

After weathering three consecutive waves totaling twenty-five individual strikes, I executed the Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps, leaving behind an afterimage to deceive his flank while I sought to open some distance.

“……Hmph!”

Il-gak, pivoting swiftly, apparently picked up the subtle vibrations of my actual movements. Twisting his stance seamlessly, he transitioned into the Eight Trigrams Snake-Form Step, instantly materializing right in front of me.

The Dragon King Fist tore through the empty air where I had stood a millisecond prior, and I barely managed to slip past the lethal trajectory to reposition myself behind his blind spot.

However.

THUD.

Il-gak stomped downward with enough raw power to fracture the stone arena floor, effortlessly counter-spinning to reclaim his position behind my back before I could react.

“Even scaling the highest clouds, Sun Wukong cannot break free from the palm of the Buddha.”

THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD.

Il-gak unleashed another fierce salvo of the Dragon King Fist.

I countered by utilizing the fluid principle of Variation inherent to the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist.

Dozens of manifested fist images saturated the space, crashing directly against his razor-sharp punches.

KAGAGAGAGAGANG.

Perhaps miscalculating the true weight behind the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist, Il-gak chose to shrug off the illusions, absorbing the impact with his bare frame as he was forced backward three paces.

Il-gak glared down at the arm he had utilized to absorb the blunt force of my attack.

Discovering a deep crimson bruise forming on his skin, his expression darkened with utter disbelief.

“The impact carries a bit more weight than you bargained for, doesn’t it?”

“…….”

Il-gak shifted the alignment of his fists, stacking them high and low.

He was transitioning into another legendary technique from the Seventy-Two Ultimate Arts: the Tiger Fighting Fist.

PAK.

Propelled by the swift Eight Trigrams Snake-Form Step, Il-gak’s form surged forward like a crossbow bolt, suddenly appearing in front of me as his fists tore through the air like an apex predator’s claws.

PAPAPAK.

I called upon the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist to intercept the devastating Tiger Fighting Fist, but the sheer force of each collision sent a jarring ache deep into my skeletal structure.

‘If this keeps up, my frame is going to shatter.’

Having mastered the protective external technique known as the Thousand-Jin Armor, Il-gak could comfortably afford to trade direct physical blows, but my body enjoyed no such conditioning.

Furthermore, engaging in a direct test of raw physical power was entirely unnecessary.

Deflecting one of his incoming fists outward, I shifted my weight laterally and initiated the Lotus technique.

CREAK.

“……!”

Regardless of his proficiency with the Thousand-Jin Armor, his anatomical joints remained fundamentally vulnerable.

To prevent his arm from being dislocated or snapped, he had no choice but to throw his entire body weight in the direction of my pull.

Il-gak’s feet left the ground as his torso flipped over mid-air.

Seizing the opening, I slammed him down into the hard arena floor with every ounce of physical strength I could muster.

CRACK.

After absorbing the violent impact against the stones, Il-gak rebounded instantly like a tightly inflated bladder bounce.

He stood there wide-eyed and shaken, completely oblivious to the dust and grime coating his face.

“……Transplanting Flower and Grafting Tree?”

Il-gak stared at me in absolute shock.

It made sense; redirecting styles like Transplanting Flower and Grafting Tree or Four Taels Deflecting a Thousand Jin were traditionally viewed with a degree of disdain by elite institutions like Wudang and Shaolin.

Given that context, witnessing the Flowing Cloud Divine Art—which amplified and redirected incoming momentum with a precision that left Shaolin’s alternatives in the dust—must have been profoundly jarring.

“Does the minor Taeul Sect truly possess an advanced style of that caliber?”

“This arena wasn’t exactly designed to restrict us to a pre-approved list of techniques, was it?”

“That…… is a fair point.”

Regaining his composure, Il-gak balanced two entirely distinct martial energies within his hands.

His right hand crackled with the force of the Dragon King Fist, while his left hand assumed the form of the Bamboo Leaf Hand.

He had clearly adapted his strategy to counter the redirection capabilities of my Flowing Cloud Divine Art’s Lotus technique.

Matching his adaptation, I channeled the defensive Lotus technique into my left arm while concentrating the offensive force of the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist into my right.

Gulp.

Amidst the sound of an onlooker tensely swallowing, Il-gak glided forward with terrifying grace.

Refusing to back down this time, I surged forward using the Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps.

The Dragon King Fist led the charge.

THUDTHUD, THUDTHUD, THUDTHUD, THUDTHUDTHUD.

The precise millisecond I deflected his primary punches using the Lotus technique to turn his own momentum against him, his left hand struck like a viper, unleashing the hidden Bamboo Leaf Hand.

PAPAPAPAPAK.

I pivoted frantically to evade the terrifyingly precise strikes of the Bamboo Leaf Hand, watching as the stone floor beneath my feet was repeatedly pulverized into hollow craters wherever his strikes landed.

CRACK, CRACK, CRAAACK!

Despite flesh and bone colliding with solid marble, clouds of debris erupted as stone fragments shattered in all directions.

Then, just as he retracted the Bamboo Leaf Hand to recalibrate his stance.

I darted along his exposed flank using the Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps, unleashing the full fury of the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist.

An absolute storm of fist phantoms and genuine strikes dominated the air, completely engulfing his position.

With all four paths of retreat effectively cut off, he had nowhere left to run.

Knowing his Thousand-Jin Armor could absorb an immense amount of punishment, I poured every drop of my internal reserves into the assault.

No matter how durable the stone, it will inevitably crack if struck by a heavy enough hammer.

KAGAGAGAGAGAK!

Attempting to match the overwhelming tide of the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist with his own Dragon King Fist and Tiger Fighting Fist, Il-gak quickly realized he was being overwhelmed and pulled his guard back.

He likely intended to rely on his physical conditioning to endure the brunt of the assault while waiting for me to tire, but if he could absorb three full cycles of my internal energy and keep standing, I might as well throw in the towel immediately.

Just as the cascade of illusions and physical strikes was about to overwhelm him completely.

BANG, BANG, BANG!

A brilliant radiance of golden light erupted, triggering a massive shockwave.

The unexpected concussive force lifted me off my feet, and it took several mid-air rotations to bleed off the kinetic energy before I could firmly plant my feet back onto the ground.

I snapped my head up, staring forward in sheer disbelief.

“Is that the legendary Diamond Demon-Subduing Fist?”

“There’s no way…… He’s barely entered his twenties, isn’t he? How is that possible already?”

“Why skip it?! Rumor has it that Il-gak’s innate genius easily rivals that of Il-myeong!”

I was already aware that he had secretly mastered the Dharma Tendon-Changing Classic.

“…….”

However, the public consensus dictated that no monk ever unlocked the secrets of the Dharma Tendon-Changing Classic before reaching their third decade of life……

I suppose even holy men aren’t above keeping secrets.

As the dense curtain of dust began to settle, a radiant golden aura visibly shimmered around Il-gak’s fist.

He had successfully neutralized dozens of strikes from my Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist with a single, concentrated punch.

That was unmistakably the Diamond Demon-Subduing Fist.

A wave of cynical disappointment washed over me.

‘They say there isn’t a single soul in this world you can truly take at face value.’