ladyjlb's manga / #Adventure(234)

Ch 10.1 as of 29/5/21

Ch 14 as of 10/09/21 - very silly but very funny - Lynn is the only secret virgin left in her village. - Prince Siegfried had an orgy with all of the virgins, excluding Lynn. He dies from assassins after he had his way with Queen Brunhild and his soul is trapped in his magic sword. - Bandits are ordered to rape and kill all the villagers. - While running away, Lynn finds Siegfried’s magic sword in the forest and it’s magic turns the bandit captain and 2 henchmen into hot babes. Lynn grows a penis and has her way with them. - The village is saved by Queen Brunhild and her Valkyries. She refuses Lynn’s plea to join her, inviting her to the Rose Garden tournament instead. The prize offered is Siegfried’s treasure. - On the way, Lynn defeats a group of ex-Roman soldiers beating up a young man. This man is Prince Dietrich, an extreme masochist. His sword gets bigger the more aroused he becomes. He believes Lynn to be his sadistic queen. - Lynn hitches a ride with the Roman soldiers but they’re stopped by twin sisters who transform into a dragon when they kiss. Siegfried screwed their brother and took his treasure. The twins are on a mission to retrieve it. - Princess Kriemhild opens the tournament. She’s Siegfried’s wife (now widow). She shares the same face as Lynn … but no one else sees it. Lynn seems to be under a curse. - Lynn goes off to explore the royal palace and sees Hagen (the assassin and army general who killed Siegfried) in a room full of grown men in nappies. He is now a she and stole the counterpart to the sword Lynn has. - Someone attacked the twins, forcing them to merge together for the tournament. Prince Dietrich joins the team. For the qualifying round, Lynn and Sieg take the People course, Dietrich takes Money and the twins take Items. - All competitors fail the People course as the fake princesses were all killed. The battle between Ali Baba, Arthur and Lynn was interrupted as a result. - At the Item course, the twins find their family heirloom but it’s a fake and turns into a dragon …

Ch 117 as of 05/01/23 - ML was a poor orphan who studied hard and got into a top company at 28yo. He falls asleep at work and wakes up as Choi Yoo Sung (same name) the 20yo trashy rich son and 9th child of the villain in a novel. - Baek Yuri was the mother of ML as the rich son. She seemed to be an ordinary woman. She died when ML was a boy. - Jin Do Yun 22yo (S rank, beast ability) and Jin Yuri 20yo (S+ rank) are ML’s loyal guards. 6yo ML saved the siblings in the past. - Hero: Kim Do Jin. He spent 30yrs as a ruler in another world who had mastered both the sword and magic, then came to this one. He wants to avenge his father by killing ML’s father. In the novel, he used and killed ML’s character in order to achieve his goal. The Choi family: - Choi Woo Jae, father and patriarch. CEO of the Hyesung Group - Choi Jiho, 1st child - Choi Mina, 2nd child - Choi Seokyoung, 3rd child - - Choi In Yeong, 5th child (?) - Choi Byeong Chan, 6th child - - Choi Min Seok, 8th child (?), hypnotise skill - Choi Yoo Sung (ML), 9th child - - ML wants to survive and live comfortably in this new world of the future in 2030, but he has many enemies. He needs allies. - This world has monsters, dungeons and people who have awakened with special abilities. - ML meets his father and asks to work for the company with the intention of succeeding him. NB: His father pursues talent. To create talent, he had 10 children from 6 wives. He wants his most able child to succeed him. - His father gifts ML an awakening stone via his RH man and secretary Kim Pil Doo (also a successor contender). - ML swallows the stone and experiences great pain. - He’s unconscious for half a day which means he could be an irregular among the awakened. - Choi Min Seok stops by to bully him into giving up the stone. ML wakes up in time to fight back and earns the favour of the Oldest Hunter, one of the gods. - ML checks his stats and he has 2 innate skills: Star Quality and Skill Fusion. He’s never heard of anyone else having more than one innate skill in the novel. His normal skills are Stylish and Copy Eye. - There are 3 main ability user types: Physical, Skill and All rounder. ML is an all rounder type. - ML posted an advertisement for low rank ability users to be paid by showing their skills to him. He uses his copy skill for the few skills he deems useful. - During this time Kim Do Jin visits ML to ask why his calls were ignored and ML copies his Insight skill too. - ML hires one of the last applicants as his employee after he recognises her as the future calamity level ‘Witch of the Deluge’. She’s Chae Yeh Ryeong, a normal E-rank ability user and the struggling sole provider for her siblings. - To help boost stats, ML buys expensive mana stone drinks for him, the sibling guards, and Chae Yeh Ryeong to consume daily. - To be able to explore dungeons and level up faster, ML trains hard for a month before taking the Hunter licence exam, overseen by the Ability User Association (AUA). He’s 1st to complete the written exam. Next he measures 0.8 for both physical power and ability manifestation (1.0 is the highest). - Kim Do Jin tells ML that the practical exam was tampered with by Choi Min Seok to ensure his lackey Lee Jin Wook (an irregular and future villain Storm) would face ML. After a decisive spar that ML was about to win, Lee throws an illegal bomb to try and kill ML. - The AUA proctor, Park Cheol-ho the Iron Wall (S-rank) saves ML by transferring his mana to ML, who passes the overall test ranked 1st. Many gods show interest and favour. There is plenty of positive news coverage and even the Hyesung Group share price goes up. - ML has collected enough karma points to summon a dimensional merchant who sells other worldly goods. - ML makes a merchant contract with Ping Pong of the Lionbear clan. For now ML qualifies only for the L1 dimensional bundle of merchandise. He buys ingredients to make potions that increase XP. - ML enters low level dungeons to increase his rank from E. - At a L2 dungeon he is surrounded by a large group of D-rankers who try to kidnap him. At the last minute he is saved by Kim Do Jin who kills everyone. ML’s sister Choi In Yeong was behind the attempted kidnapping. She had help from her lover, Min Young-hoon (S-rank), Vice guild master of the Celestial / Heavenly guild. - In Yeong wants to delay their father from creating a hunters’ guild under the Hyesung Group. She thinks if the guild is created, she will have no chance of being the successor as it will go to Choi Mina. - While recovering in hospital, ML gets a surprise visit from his father who heard ML topped the Hunter exam. The last ones to do so were Choi Jiho and Choi Mina. - His father wants to meet Kim Do Jin. ML wants to avoid this as it would mean his death after his father’s. ML says he’s not ready to bring Kim under him right now as he can’t control Kim yet. - His father hints that one of ML’s siblings was behind the attempted kidnapping. ML asks his father not to disclose who it is as ML wants to solve this on his own. - After ML is discharged, he receives another gift from his father via Kim Pil Doo. It’s a map with a marked location in the mountains. Once there, ML is challenged before he can enter by Baek Cheol the Lion King, an S-ranker who later joined Kim Do Jin as a comrade in the novel. ML passes this test by directly approaching Baek, as no staff would ever harm any member of the Choi family. - ML deduces the secluded mountain estate to be Choi Jiho’s hideout. Jiho used to be the strongest contender as the family successor until he was badly hurt during an accident in a dungeon. He lost most of his abilities and is now blind and confined to a wheelchair. In the novel, Jiho is meant to die in 3yrs time. - While waiting to see Jiho, ML grinds levels over a few days in an unregistered L2 dungeon at the estate. He raises his level rapidly and kills the boss monster on his own. - ML gains a new innate skill: Spear Arts Prodigy. - ML also obtains a special skill by fusing 2 other skills: Wind Control Steps. - ML is given a surprise test where he must choose to save the life of only 1 of his 2 subordinates in the Room of Sacrifice. ML saves both of them and makes a move as if to kill himself to give them time to escape. Jiho stops him and later asks him to promise never to do that again. Jiho tried to stop the internal fighting in their family but became disabled as a result. He still hates what he sees as the meaningless conflict between siblings. - Jiho had used his power of foresight before he was hurt. - Jiho foresaw Kim Jin Do as their father’s killer and that ML would meet with a terrible end. Jiho also foresaw that Kim would be critical in overcoming the Demon King. - Jiho gives ML a very rare and valuable ancient relic, the Pharaoh's Whim. It’s a ring that can change into any inanimate object. It can’t be damaged or broken, and has no user limitations. - The 2nd test was intended to ensure ML was worthy of receiving the ancient relic, as he must be prepared and strong enough to become a target once he possesses the ring. - Baek Cheol knows Jiho hasn’t got long to live. Baek promises to ML’s sibling guards that he will later support ML as his RH man. - Before they leave, Jiho gives ML another ancient relic. It’s a Jump ring (S+ rank) which allows the wearer and someone next to the wearer to jump up to 1km away. It has one use left. - Jiho will also ask Choi Mina to protect ML. She had promised to accept any 3 requests unconditionally from Jiho. - Choi Mina is now the strongest contender to be the family successor. Her nickname is “Monster.” She owns and runs a popular lounge bar called Luna in the city. She’s also a secret member of the Regional Security Force. It’s a special force that hunts down villains and frequently goes undercover. The bar is good for attracting any foreign villains that are hiding in the area. - Her mother was killed by villains when Choi Mina was a young girl. That’s why she hates villains so much. - A healer Baek Ah Rin (future SS-rank) invites Kim Do Jin to start a guild with her. He will only do it if he is the guild master. - She agrees and becomes the vice guild master. It’s called the Eclipse guild. - ML meets Kim Do Jin who invites ML to join his new guild. They are interrupted by an evil syndicate called Ghost that worship the Devil King. Ghost is targeting Kim Do Jin. - A barrier is created around them in the street, trapping them in a virtual space with their invisible attacker. - After finding the exit to the barrier on a building rooftop, ML encounters Rachel Lopez the ‘Slaughterer Queen’. She’s a S-rank villain now and a calamity in the future. She’s impressed he overcame her skill, “Waves of Killing Intent” despite his low rank. - ML makes a bet with her. If she loses, she must grant him one request. If he loses, he will give her lots of money. - ML distracts Rachel into unknowingly breaking the barrier. He used her axe throws to hit the ground in enough places for the concrete floor to crumble, disrupting the magic circle for the barrier. - Choi Mina saves ML from Rachel at the last minute then he faints from his injuries. Rachel manages to escape. - Meanwhile Kim Do Jin is invited to join the Ghost syndicate. - Kim agrees to join but only if he’s the leader and if he can change the name. His request is angrily denied and Kim cuts off the Ghost assassin’s leg. Kim notices the barrier is destroyed and knows it was ML. Kim is even more interested in having ML by his side. - ML wakes up in hospital after being unconscious for 15 days. Choi Mina visits him on behalf of their father and gives him another ancient relic. It’s a purple bracelet with unknown properties. ML later learns the bracelet is a fragment of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. The bracelet enhances the chakras’ abilities. - 6 gods have offered to transfer skills to ML. - He accepts skills from 3 x Norse gods. - Skadi the goddess of hunting (“The Oldest Hunter”). Skill: Twin Tail-Biting Snakes. Allows you to track a target. It also restricts the movement of the target that’s being tracked. - Loki (“The Prankster Who Likes Jokes”). Skill: Perplexing dance. Fused with Dazzling dance = Dancing Electric Toy. - Cu Chulainn, an Irish demigod and a spear arts genius (“Culann’s Hound”). Skill: Magic Spear Arts. Use magic in your spear by choosing 1 of 4 elements (fire, water, wind, earth). - Boss battle at the highest difficulty L2 dungeon: The goblin stronghold. ML defeats the hobgoblin boss monster in record time, beating the top record set by Kim Do Jin. - ML used his new skills from the gods and strategies he’d read about in the novel. ML paid a couple of reporters to capture his record setting dungeon race using drones. - ML’s father is pleased at the news of ML’s latest achievement. - He contacts and boasts to Baek Joonkyung, a S-rank hunter and former President of South Korea. - Yoon Jinhyeok (alias Yoon Jinhwan), Demon Beastmaster. - ML gave Jin Yuri the task of finding this person. - Yoon is a barrier master and also has the rare ability to summon and tame magical beasts from other dimensions. - 21yo ML reaches the maximum level at E-rank and is busy training to prepare for the D-rank promotion challenge. He chooses the hard mode option (high risk, extreme difficulty) for the greater rewards. The test is random and different for each person. - Promotion to D-rank test: catching the thief. - A thief has stolen half of ML’s soul and run away. - With half of his soul gone, ML’s physical condition worsens over time. Loki is involved in this test setup. - ML uses clever lateral thinking and a “Double sided mirror promise” spell bought from the merchant to succeed. - ML receives a special breathing technique from Shiva (the Blue-Eyed God) in collaboration with Loki. The purple bracelet reacts by glowing brightly when he uses this technique. The bracelet then self destructs. He obtains the God’s / Divine Chakra skill (a part of the mana breathing technique). It helps increase his physical skills to those of a physical type. - Choi Mina tells their father that she’s not interested in running the new guild business. Their father says she has 3mths to find someone else, otherwise ML will take the fall (?) - ML’s father agrees to a bet on a dungeon race between ML vs Bernard (Jaeyeol) Yoo, a 20yo physical type irregular and the grandson of the rival Cheonji Group’s Chairman. The bet is an attempt to undermine ML’s father by those who feel threatened if the Hyesung Group’s new guild goes ahead. - In the novel, Bernard Yoo (nickname “Quick Star”) became Kim Do Jin’s RH man after losing to Kim in a dungeon race. - Kim Do Jin sends ML a link to the dungeon race video of Kim setting a new C-rank world record for clearing a L6 dungeon alone. This is in direct response to ML beating Kim’s record. - Choi In Yeong is behind a sudden meeting at a restaurant between ML and Choi Byeong Chan (A-rank hunter, main skill: boxing, a total psychopath). Min Young-hoon introduced to Choi In Yeong an A-rank villain called Bomber who has the ability to plant a time bomb through touch. - Disguised as a waiter, Bomber drops a plate to try and plant a bomb on ML. As Jin Do Yun tries to escape with ML, Bomber grabs Jin’s ankle and plants a bomb that blows off Jin’s foot. - Rachel suddenly interrupts as she doesn’t want anyone else hurting ML as her prey and she kills Bomber. Then she kills Choi Byeong Chan for insulting her and trying to kill ML. She spares ML’s life for now. She’s curious to see how far ML will go. - Jenny Jin, a hunter and sniper from Jin Yuri’s secret organisation, fires a rifle at Rachel’s head but Rachel escapes again. - ML tells his father about everything that happened. - His father says he’ll kill Rachel, which implies fighting the Devil King worshippers too. - ML wants to ask for a miracle to restore Jin Do Yun’s foot from Helen Mirren the Miracle Alchemist (S-rank). 7yrs ago, Helen declared that she would grant a miracle unconditionally to anyone who knew the location or possessed the Philosopher’s Stone. ML knows where the stone is and why she needs it. - ML takes mana stone drinks and uses the breathing technique to considerably increase his chakra. - ML hires 2 reporters to exclusively cover him. All photos and reports must be shared across all social media and online forums. ML’s Star Power skill gives the benefit of increased XP and level growth rate with the more attention ML receives. Positive coverage of ML and public interest in him continues to grow. - Choi In Yeong has a special skill “Witch” that allows her to swap souls in someone with the blood of 10 virgins (?) - Choi In Yeong shares the same mother as Choi Seokyoung. She performs the soul swap on him (?) - Choi Min Seok was under the protection of Choi Byeong Chan. Choi Min Seok thinks ML will get Rachel to go after him next. - Choi In Yeong visits Choi Min Seok. She convinces him to take action against ML by creating a disastrous incident that will make both the public and their father turn away from ML. - She lets Min Seok believe that by doing this he’ll be protected by Choi Seokyoung. - ML has been stockpiling high quality coloured mana stones with the help of Jin Yuri. This is in anticipation of the artifact creators appearing which will make the value of these stones skyrocket. - After much preparation, ML is ready to enforce the reawakening of Chae Yeh Ryeong. ML goes with Jin Yuri and Chae to an abandoned warehouse in a secluded countryside area. To enforce a reawakening, a mental stimulus to induce a shock and large mana absorption is required. - A B-rank magic blocking hunter is on standby in case there is a mana explosion. He’ll protect everyone by blocking the mana. - Chae sits in an enclosed cubicle with the ceiling covered in mana stones. An illusion artist was hired to hypnotise Chae and subject her to a fake mental trauma. ML uses the scenario from the novel where her siblings are all killed by thugs and she’s pushed into the ocean to drown. - Meanwhile Choi Min Seok followed ML to the warehouse. He’s hired black mercenaries, A-rank villains Sword Demon and Medusa, to kill everyone in the warehouse except for ML. - The illusion artist leaves after completing her role. - Jin Yuri hears a noise and goes outside. She’s met by Medusa. As they fight, Sword Demon reveals himself. - Jenny arrives as backup and fights Sword Demon. - A dagger thrown by Sword Demon kills the B-rank hunter. The mana around Chae is going out of control. - ML uses the Jump ring to save Chae and himself. - The mana explosion is huge and Jin Yuri thinks ML is dead. One of Jenny’s mana imbued bullets killed Medusa. Sword Demon is distraught and furiously attacks Jenny. - After hiding Chae, ML heads back to the warehouse and is spotted by a relieved Jin Yuri. Sword Demon switches his attack to ML but Chae saves ML with her reawakened water ability. - Sword Demon is defeated in the end by Jenny. - In hospital, ML calls his father to say he was ambushed and he thinks one of his siblings is behind it. ML receives permission from his father to go after the one responsible. ML suspects Choi Min Seok and Choi In Yeong. - ML makes a surprise visit to Choi Min Seok at his home. Choi Min Seok’s reactions confirm he was behind the attack at the warehouse and that Choi In Yeong put him up to it. - ML threatens to show their father all of the evidence he had Jin Yuri collect on Choi Min Seok’s corrupt activities. - ML makes Choi Min Seok into his slave and orders him to investigate Choi Byeong Chan’s slush funds of dirty money. ML gets these funds transferred to his name. - Chae Yeh Ryeong has obtained her Hunter’s licence and she’s rapidly leveling up in the dungeons. To stop attempts to scout her, Chae announces she’s already signed a contract with ML. - ML trains hard and levels up his spear arts ability. - ML uses the karma points given by the gods to level up his wind control steps skill. He also buys a dimension bundle level up. ML now qualifies for L2 merchandise which include regression items. - Dungeon race: L4 orc village dungeon - Both ML (L53) and Bernard (L90) are D-rankers. - Chairman Yoo gives an ancient relic to Bernard. It’s a ring called Orc Hunt. The wearer becomes much stronger in orc territory. - Bernard’s special skills include “The Great Power of the King’s Descendants” and “Explosion Shot”. - Megan (S-rank) is Bernard’s teacher / master. - Drones follow the race but suddenly disappear. - B-rank Demon King followers from a worldwide terrorist group interrupt the dungeon race. They want to kidnap ML and Bernard then hold the pair for ransom. ML and Bernard have just entered the boss room. The boss monster is the orc warchief. - “Lightning Strike” medicine: increases physical and mental skills. Active for 5mins then all magic skills are locked for 5 days. - ML swallows the medicine and fights the villains with Bernard. They kill the villains and ML defeats the orc warchief. Bernard has no regrets and signals that ML won the race. - Bernard and ML collapse from their injuries and exhaustion. They’re retrieved by the AUA and recover after a few days. - ML thinks the Devil Worshippers targeted the race as a distraction while they took Rachel out of the country. - Nokpung Yeongmyo, the strongest healing pet / spirit - ML plans to obtain this pet after the tower opens … - Chairman Yoo hears that ML can’t use magic anymore (doesn’t know it’s temporary) and intends to announce Bernard as the winner. Bernard is against lying as ML won. When he’s threatened, Bernard says he’s not the Chairman’s puppet. Bernard runs away with Megan. They visit ML and Bernard offers to protect him. ML shows Bernard that he can still use magic. ML agrees to hide Bernard and Megan until they leave for the US the next day. - ML informs his father of Bernard’s plans to announce the race results once he’s in the US. The rewards ML asks from his father are free rights to a dungeon and a training ground with mana barricades. His father also gives ML the Sun God’s Amulet, an ancient relic that can block a S-rank attack 3x. - ML uses the karma points he received from the race to upgrade his magic spear arts skill. The options are either Unification or Diversification (access to a record of countless spear-related skills). He chooses Unification and the Lightning Attribute. - ML hopes to learn the god’s skill, Wind Monster Dragon. - ML fuses the skills Insight and Eyes of the Beast. It becomes a new skill, Third Eye. It includes psychokinesis and an automatic mental barrier. - After hearing ML can’t use magic, Kim Do Jin and Choi Mina visit ML at home. ML sets them straight. - Chae Yeh Ryeong is now D-rank. She goes with ML and Jin Yuri to meet Yoon Jinhyeok for the first time. On the way they stop at a L3 dungeon called the Green Sheep Ridge. ML and Chae Yeh Ryeong break the world record for 2 people clearing a dungeon. - ML is now at max level for D-rank. - Yoon Jinhyeok 18yo (and still considered a minor) - His parents and brother died during a dungeon break. He faked his death and is living as a recluse under his older brother’s name, Yoon Jinhwan. He plays online video games to distract himself. - In the novel he became a calamity level villain who fought Kim Do Jin. ML wants to help Jinhyeok avoid a bad ending. - Yoo Chungho was Jinhyeok’s father and a fake ID expert. Jinhyeok knew how to change his identity so he could claim his family’s life insurance. Jinhyeok was a street orphan taken in as a child by Chungho who noticed Jinhyeok’s abilities. - Chungho’s wife had a D-rank brainwashing ability and this was successfully used on Jinhyeok to love and prioritise his family above everything. - ML as an orphan in his past life related to Jinhyeok. - From the novel, ML knows Jinhyeok was the long-suffering victim of domestic abuse and neglect until his adoptive family died. The brainwashing worked too well and he was unable to use his abilities. He was abused for being worthless. He was taught to make fake IDs to earn his keep. - Yoo Chungryeol, Jinhyeok’s estranged uncle and a B-rank hunter. He’s a black mercenary and has a bad gambling addiction. - He wants to win over Jinhyeok to steal his inheritance. - He tries to get Jinhyeok to eat poisoned stew to kill him. Instead Jinhyeok summons a monster to restrain his uncle. Before Jinhyeok can feed the poisoned stew to his uncle, ML and Jin Yuri arrive to stop him. In the novel, the trigger that turned Jinhyeok into a calamity level villain was when he killed his uncle. - Jinhyeok doesn’t trust ML and summons a boss monster to test him. ML kills the monster and gains Jinhyeok’s trust. - His uncle bit his tongue and killed himself. - Jinhyeok stays with ML. - Bernard is interviewed in the US. He confirms ML won their dungeon race. He rates ML higher than Kim Do Jin. - ML summons Ping Pong …

Ch 51 as of 12/12/21 ‘Aire’ is the quest / journey to find the Treasure of God that will unify the continent: A national event that is held in one kingdom every year. A member of the royal family is chosen to undertake the journey. The other royals are not permitted to assist the chosen Aire participant in any way during their journey. - FL is the intelligent and righteous Princess Elda de Springer. She surprises all by raising her hand 1st to volunteer for Aire, instead of the youngest Prince Ellock. This way she can also avoid the arranged political marriage expected of her since birth. She has been secretly training hard in swordplay for this moment. - ML is Vera, a gladiator slave and the current King of Gladiators. His main weapons are heavy chains that he controls and enchants with magic stones in his armour. He is chosen to be FL’s attendant for Aire. He has a deep hatred of FL (why?) - ML signs a contract with FL but she doesn’t tell him that it’ll be bound with magic. She can inflict pain on him through a spell and their lives are connected so if she dies he’ll die too. - Upon departure there are many bandits gathered to try and steal any valuables and kidnap the Princess to sell. Decoys are sent first but eventually the bandits find ML and FL. They fight their way through but are met by a group of skilled mercenaries, hired by an unknown sponsor for a large sum to steal the Aire shield and sword and capture the Princess alive. - A masked man kills some of the other bandits closing in and saves FL before the mercenary leader can chop off her limbs for her weapons. The mercenaries make their escape. The masked man is a close aide sent by the 2nd Prince to save FL and kill ML. - A horde of bandits descend towards FL and ML but are held back by the 1st Prince Ellion. He asks ML to take care of FL and lends them his horse til the city gates. - At the Holy City gates they are met by Ellock. He also asks ML to take care of FL. They receive supplies and a change of clothes for the journey. FL is also healed. - FL stops at a statue of Verato for ML’s benefit. Verato was the previous, long reigning King of Gladiators and a traitor’s son. He fought in the arena against ML’s mother and other war prisoners from the North. The King commanded her death despite the crowd calling for mercy. She fought with ML clutched to her breast and told Verato ML’s name before she died. - 10yo ML was sold back into the gladiator training centre and was defeated by Verato in the arena but ML’s life was spared and Verato became ML’s instructor and mentor. - Verato and ML became famous as a dynamic fighting duo. They tried to escape together but were recaptured and had to face their final match where one of them would die. FL was a witness to this duel as it was the 1st gladiator match she’d attended. - FL gains experience and skill as they progress. While stopping some bandits, ML returns to FL who has gone to rescue their supplies from goblins. FL is trapped in the goblin cave and faces a goblin horde, mage, giant and king. ML arrives after she’s already fought off many using the sacred shield and explosion abilities. She uses sacred sword to kill the giant and ML killed the king. FL used up her magic for the sacred abilities so ML took care of the last horde. - FL had to rest to recuperate her magic. ML took advantage of this and tied her up in her sleep. He demanded she break the spell on him so he could leave and join his friends. She told him the faults of his escape plan and she could still inflict pain using the prayer spell with her mind. He unties her and FL is disappointed they haven’t bonded yet after all they’ve been through. - A pair of buff adventurers Santore and Boa ask to join their camp and teaches them many tips about what they need on their journey. ML is embarrassed by the couple’s intimate relations at night. - They part ways with the adventurers, promising to meet again at the next village. FL and ML stop at a ruined temple with a statue of the Queen Aire. FL tells ML the start of her legend. - They’re found by the security team for the nearby village while sleeping undercover from the rain. They accept a job to guard the mage who is coming to put up a protective barrier against monsters around the village. - The mage uses the magic stone to avenge his sister and father who were killed by the village elders. He breaks the seal and summons demons to destroy the village. ML, FL and the other guards don’t know this and are fighting a dark elf and Odera the orc who are trying to prevent the demon invasion. FL realises something is wrong and convinces the security team leader to check on the mage. It’s too late as they smash open the door to see a horde of demonic beasts. Before they can smash the red magic stone, a gigantic demon monster appears. - The tower collapses and ML uses FL’s sacred sword to eventually defeat it in an epic battle. Odera goes to retrieve the mana stone while still fighting the smaller beasts. He’s thrown backwards as the true leader of the demon horde appears. The mage sacrificed himself and made a contract for hell to be made on earth. - Odera, FL and ML take the drug of orcs that allows a temporary awakening. They battle with an advanced resurrected version of the demon leader. ML was knocked out but later transforms into a huge demonic werebeast. FL and Odera drink the last of the drug and FL deals the final blows to defeat the demon leader. - 4 mysterious cloaked figures approach FL and ML at the end, the woman destroying the remnants of the demon. They give them some medicine then disappear by magic. - Everyone else go their separate ways once mostly recovered from the battle.

Ch 105 as of 14/04/22 - also on Tapas - ML is 26yo Seol Jihoo who was born with the ability to sense danger and safe outcomes in his surroundings (“Nine Eyes”). - ML lost that ability after overusing it while gambling. - His addiction led him to lose his girlfriend, and his family turned their backs on him. All he did was smoke, drink and gamble. - His ability returns after he suddenly awakens with the feelings and regrets from the last spear hero, “Phantom Spear” (tbc: Sung Shihyun from 2yrs ago?). Those past memories appear as dreams. - Hanna Kim (Miss Foxy) of Shinyoung Pharmaceutical - ML signs a contract with Hanna and negotiates a gold invitation to the tutorial event. He must pass several deadly missions. - A portal sent ML to an alternate reality. He’s instructed to go to the Paradise High School. There he meets a gathering of diverse strangers. Everyone can only view their own status window. - Han the guide tells everyone to activate their marking grade. - ML is the only one with a gold marking. Those with bronze, silver and gold markings receive a bag with random bonus boxes. Those with bags were all invited. - ML’s bonuses help to evolve his Nine Eyes ability. - ML also has “Future Vision / Foresight” as his other innate ability. Nine Eyes: Green - General observation (incl. other status windows) Yellow - Attention required Orange - Do not approach Red - Immediate retreat recommended Black - Escape immediately. (used potion) Gold - Golden commandment. (used potion) 1st mission: Escape the auditorium (Phantom monster) 2nd mission: (Make it through all of the traps) 3rd mission: Scavenger hunt (coins), “Time of the Dead” - ML has the highest survival point tally in history (21,500) as he enters the neutral zone. He’s awarded a golden key embossed with “no.1” to signify his top ranking. - The goal of this place is to increase one’s chances of survival. It’s a place that’s optimised for training and growth. - Survival points are the currency used in the neutral zone. - There’s a 3mth deadline (initially a fake 1mth deadline was given). - Points may also be lent or transferred. - The VIP store is managed by a god. The minimum price for an item starts from 30k points. - NB: for ML the restaurants and general stores are all free. Those with a gold marking get 30% off, and those with 1st place get 70% off, which makes it a total of 100% off. - Mission: Underground maze - Mission: Army of skeletons. (returns again w/ spear) - ML visits the VIP store. He was given a note from the guide that mentioned using “competence” to raise his physical abilities faster. The special “competence” from the VIP store is a super rare limited edition item that’s released when the neutral zone opens. One vial can increase the effectiveness of training. Once taken, one day of training will yield the results from 8 days of training. ML buys all 60 vials and spends his time initially on basic physical training. - Maria Yerial, a money hungry, high level priest and healer. She was the “fake mute” assistant of the guide during the tutorial. - Clare Agnes, the demonic instructor who offered to assist ML with his training in the neutral zone. - The Awakening: when a class is assigned by the 7 gods. There are 4 basic classes (warrior - most common, archer - less common, priest - rare, mage - most rare). ML was deemed suitable to be a mage but he preferred to be a warrior. - The Golden Commandment: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. - After a month of enduring training, ML is permitted by Clare Agnes to undertake missions again. He collects enough points to buy some potions from the VIP store. A couple of these potions help to further evolve “Nine Eyes”. New class abilities: - Mana application - Basic spearmanship: thrust - Yun Seora, silver marking. Her class is warrior. Her arm was badly injured during the tutorial. If she doesn’t get her arm healed soon, it’ll have to be amputated. - Hanna Kim visited ML and asked him to save Yun Seora as a favour. She mentions the Golden Commandment. - ML uses his new “gold eyes” and finds an unconscious Yun Seora. He asks Maria Yerial to heal Seora. Maria asks for 82k to cover the cost of the ceremony and materials. - Maria conducts the ceremony which successfully heals Seora, but at a great physical toll on Maria. She tells ML that he owes her. - ML borrowed the points from a team of top foreign players. - He was able to pay them back by completing difficult missions with them over 2 days. - To repay ML, Seora, Sungjin and Seolah undergo training with Clare Agnes. - Lee Sungjin, bronze marking. His class is warrior. - Lee Seolah, bronze marking. Her class is archer. She died while saving her brother Sungjin from the Phantom during the tutorial. She came back to life from the combined efforts of Sungjin and ML with a potion of revival from Seora. - Mission: Seige. Impossible level of difficulty. - The last mission on the board, ML undertakes this by himself. - ML manages to clear the mission with a random spell generated that caused a massive earthquake. - The end of the trial in the neutral zone is declared. - All of the players exit and go their separate ways. - ML returns home and has himself banned from the casino. He tries to make amends with his family and ex-girlfriend, but no one believes him. ML finds Hanna Kim and asks to return. - Paradise (Arthia): a medieval fantasy world with monsters and magic. Earthlings are recruited to join the Confederation to fight against the Parasite Queen who has invaded Paradise. - The 7 gods summoned Earthlings and bestowed them with powers. The gods overlooked the selfish and greedy nature of humans. Note: - It’s possible to return to Earth and come back to Paradise. - If an Earthling dies in Paradise, they are revived on Earth but all memories of Paradise are wiped. Many can’t cope and go insane then commit suicide. Carpe Diem team: - Dylan, L5 ark shooter and team leader - Hugo, L4 barbarian warrior - Cho Hong, L4 holy warrior - (Boomer aka Jang Maldong, retired, creator of Carpe Diem, greatest trainer in Paradise history. Also trained Claire Agnes.) Tomb of the Saintess: - ML is already famous as the top ranked, gold mark irregular. - ML joins the Carpe Diem team as part of a larger group for his 1st expedition as a L1 warrior. They head for the Forest of Negativity / Denial (emotions trigger the spell of denial). - Prof. Ian, L4 alchemist, mage of the Haramag royal family. - They are attacked by a group of lioner monsters that probably killed another party before them. After ML saves Ian, he’s accepted as an expedition party member and not just a porter mule. - The goal of the expedition was to raid the tomb of its artifacts. ML used the “quill pen of conscious flow” (obtained during the tutorial) to learn that the consciousness in the tomb had deadly killing intent. He warns the party with Cho Hong before they open the doors. - Ian explains a young woman chose to be buried alive with her dead husband and became known as a Saintess. She is most likely a ghost protecting the tomb. ML conducts a simple offering ritual to appease the ghost. Using his Nine Eyes and the quill pen, it seems they have permission to approach as long as they don’t disturb her eternal slumber. - Despite the other riches in the tomb room, some other members succumb to their greed and secretly take the artifacts from the tomb of the Saintess. The ghost is enraged and kills those responsible. ML gathers the stolen artifacts and tries to take them back. - ML meets the Saintess in a vision and he apologises. He had tried to stop the others earlier and protected her tomb with his life. She said that’s the 1st time anyone has done that. - The vision ends and the Saintess has gifted him with artifacts from her tomb, the “Proof of Chastity” (casts holy spells, gives the owner the authority of a L6 mage) and her earrings. - The earrings greatly increase the speed of the user when imbued with mana. ML wears them and practices how to control his speed. - Later Dylan invites ML to join Carpe Diem. ML accepts. Fort Arden: - The royal court issued an Earthling conscription. Contact has been lost with Fort Arden that borders parasite territory, indicating a parasite invasion. Princess Teresa Hussey arrived 1st with her personal army. - The Princess has a strategy meeting with the Earthlings on how to defeat the medusa, which is spawning and controlling the parasites. - After using his Foresight, ML presents an alternate plan. - As the Princess led the cavalry, Ian cast spells to trap the parasites in the valley. ML used his speed to locate the medusa. Dylan and ML take down the medusa, which stops the control over the parasites. Carpe Diem, the other Earthlings and soldiers destroy the remaining parasites. The invasion is defeated and the Fort is saved. - As a reward, Princess Teresa gives a special spear to ML. - While visiting the temple, ML hears the voice of the goddess Gula. She says he’ll know everything when the stars (of destiny) shine brightly once again. She grants the unique and exclusive class of mana-lancer (L2) to ML. - (NB: The Princess with her royal oath and Gula were the ones who sent the last spear hero’s memories to ML) Ramman Village: - Dylan wants ML to lead a team with Cho Hong as a member. - ML invites Maria Yerial (at a high cost) and Cho Hong invited 3 others (Mihael, Veronica, Gearschall) to complete the party. - The mission is a periodic mutant subjugation at the village. Mutants appear every 4mths in the night fog region. - The team patrol the region that night and are attacked by large grey mutants. Magic / holy power is needed to destroy them and stop them from regenerating. - ML discovers an artificial hill and they find a door that was covered with dirt. The team descend into the hill and find a small study space, then a magic circle further in. The village mayor appears behind them and tries to get them to return to the village. The team decides to explore further. - Suddenly a tentacle grabs Gearschall and drags him away. - The rest follow and find a huge mutant nest with deadly tentacles. They save Gearschall but are struggling in their fight against the nest. Veronica and Mihael are knocked out while Gearschall flees. - Cho Hong activates “Valkyrie Skirt”, a L4 top level holy spell. While incredibly powerful, it only lasts 30-40sec. - ML protected Maria as she cast a spell. Cho Hong protected them both but the tentacles pierced her body and she collapsed. - Gearschall was recaptured by the nest and consumed to heal itself. - ML was possessed by a killing aura and he activated a skill accessible only to Unique Rank Warriors, L7 Highlander’s Secret Art: Sword Qi Wave. ML literally shreds the nest into oblivion with his spear. He collapses and can’t remember what happened. - Maria is able to heal Cho Hong. - The village mayor is a former mage of the Empire (that has since fallen to the Parasite Queen). He specialised in magical engineering and he created the mutant nest for the protection of the village. Parasites wouldn’t invade a village where Earthlings were often seen while subjugating mutants. - ML decides to leave the mayor alone and just accepts the rewards for the mission. Rescue mission: - As Maria returns to her temple, she sees Ian and Clare Agnes both badly injured and being carried in on stretchers. - ML finds out about Ian and Clare being the only survivors of a failed mission. Dylan, Hugo and the Princess were captured. - The Parasite Queen is planning to mass produce mutant orcs, that are faster and less costly than ogres. They’ve built a production research facility and use captives to impregnate them. - ML learns the facility is in the lab that the village mayor used to work in as a mage. ML returns to see the mayor and obtains a detailed map of the lab, including a secret passage. - After ML returns and shares this, a rescue starts to seem possible. ML, Cho Hong and Ian are included in the rescue team. - Ian creates a magic circle and teleports the team to the facility. Ian stays with the circle which will remain open for 30mins. The team of 5 proceed to search for survivors. - ML was given the piece of radium by the mayor and uses it to command the lesser monsters not to attack. The team pass orcs that are at a standstill. ML enters a room and sees Hugo suspended above by a large hook piercing his back. - ML uses the radium on the orcs in the room to bring Hugo down. Hugo is healed and goes back with Cho Hong. The rest of the team continue. In a torture chamber, the brother of a team member lies on a table. His body is mutilated with monster parts attached. - On another table lies what remains of Dylan’s torso. They summon back his consciousness and bring him peace in death, while holding ML back. They rescue a female knight who was immersed in a liquid aphrodisiac. A team member takes her back. - Ayase Kazuki the team leader and an Earthling finds his sister but it’s too late and he kills her. Kazuki and ML separate to look for Princess Teresa. ML finds the Princess in a separate torture chamber. ML escapes with the Princess but they missed the portal by mere seconds because ML was shot by a sniper. They hid and recovered in the mayor’s disguised hideout. - When ML and the Princess emerged, they had to trek for days across a barren and harsh landscape infested by parasites and monsters. They are rescued by Michael the fallen angel who confirms he and his team bombed the research facility. - Michael and his team carry the Princess and ML as they fly over the Forest of Denial. Some of the team are hit by snipers, including the one carrying ML. - On the ground ML is surrounded by sniper monsters. - ML calls out desperately for help and the Saintess hears him. She kills the monsters and asks ML to come back and see her again soon. ML gets to the Luxuria temple where he is fully healed. - The Saintess gave ML a special arm brace called Blessing of Ter Circum that activates a temporary shield. It’s protection is based on the 3 orders of matter, magic and method. - Luxuria’s daughter? (Seo Yuhui?) - Yun Seohui, Director of Shinyoung Pharmaceutical - Cho Hong and Hugo are going back to Earth for a rest. - ML is told to do the same by Hanna Kim. - Hanna tells ML that it’s his parents’ wedding anniversary. ML goes to their place with a gift but his father and sister Jinhee tell him to get lost. His gift was knocked over and trampled on as the rest of the family go inside. ML goes home and is comforted by Hanna. - Suddenly a car arrives from Shinyoung to take ML to meet Yun Seora. ML finds out Seora is Yun Seohui’s sister. ML agrees to be a fake employee under the division Seora manages. - ML spends 10 days in total back on Earth. His family doesn’t even contact him once after he visited them. - ML returns to Paradise and is invited to dinner by Princess Teresa. He meets King Prihi Hussey, her father. - King Prihi gives bars of gold as ML’s reward. ML asks for this to be spent on relocating the Ramman villagers to the city instead. The King will also partially contribute to appeasing the Saintess. - The King lets ML choose items from his equipment storage as part of his reward. ML chooses a special mace called Thorn of Steel for Cho Hong and for himself, a magic permanent pocket that can hold much more than it appears. L2 … L3 mana-lancer abilities: - Magic throwing spear - mana throw - aura - Qi circulation arts - ML is training at Carpe Diem and is struggling to make headway. He meets Jang Maldong who has come to visit. - Maldong gives ML tips to correct his technique. - Maldong was going to return soon back to Earth. He meets the Ramman village mayor who stopped by to say thank you to ML. Later Ian asked Maldong to reconsider and stay to train ML. - Maldong asked ML’s reason for coming to Paradise. ML replied it’s a place he feels like he belongs and where he could make a new life for himself. ML confirmed he would be sad if Paradise disappeared. - Maldong advises that he’ll stay in Paradise. - Cho Hong is now L5 Templar, a high ranker. - Umi Tsubame, one of the best teams in the area. Led by Ayase Kazuki. Carpe Diem are invited by Kazuki to form an alliance with his team for the Banquet. - Maldong takes ML, Hugo, Kazuki and Agnes to the mountains to train. They locate the mayor’s hideout and Maldong tests ML by having him fight a group of cave etins by himself. - The training for ML is brutal, intense and relentless. - After a month, Cho Hong arrived to pick them up. Agnes and Kazuki already left earlier. - The Banquet party consists of ML, Cho Hong, Hugo, Maria, Kazuki, Sakamoto Jun (L4 Shiv Striker), and a L5 female priest with a secret identity. - The Banquet occurs every 2yrs and has 3 stages. - The location of Stage 3 is set within a ghost ship. - After stage 2, you can obtain the Displaced Wish reward. - After stage 3, you can obtain the Matching Wish reward. - ML’s team travel to the entrance to the Banquet. - There are 5 entrances which means up to 50 people may enter. ML’s team enter but only ML and Maria are together from the same team. The others with them are from different teams. - ML is in a room with Maria and 5 other women. - A door appears when the 8th person arrives but he dies from his wounds. They proceed through the door and are faced by more doors in the next room. They go through 40 doors, facing monsters in each room. The cold knight led the way with ML supporting her and the sharp eyed ranger giving intel on the monsters she sensed through each door. - After the 40th door, a trap was triggered and the walls revealed arrows that shot out from both sides. Maria created a barrier that protected those in the middle. ML used his arm brace to protect the knight and the ranger with him. - The cold knight gets angry at the ones who are just following behind without doing anything. She challenges them to get through the next 20 doors on their own. The archer and the swordwoman slowly get through 8 doors then the swordswoman is injured. - The priestess observed that opposing pairs of clashing personalities made up the group. Only ML might be able to make the difference between confrontation and reconciliation as “one who leads.” ML takes control and assigns roles while offering to take the lead. He agrees to clear 40 doors to reassure the cold knight. - They work out that it’s a rectangular structure. They take turns clearing the rooms until they reach the centre. - The floor elevates the group and flies them to the top of a mountain. They saw other people fighting monsters on the way up. - Oh Rahee, the cold knight. - As more people arrive, those from ML’s group rejoin their original teams. Almost everyone from ML’s team made it. Jun is missing. - With Stage 1 complete, portals open that go to Stage 2. - There are 3 options: - The Plaza of Sacrifice: min. 6 people must enter to activate. Level of difficulty varies. Exit opens when either all enemies or all challengers are eliminated. - The Plaza of the Dissonant Wish: It activates every time the Plaza of Sacrifice activates. Only max. of 6 people may enter. The Dissonant Wish can be obtained. The red portal goes to either Paradise or Stage 3. The exit returns to Stage 2. - Miscellaneous: Only 10 people may enter Stage 3. Defeating the Plaza of Sacrifice 20 times will disable the entry limit for the Plaza of the Dissonant Wish (all may enter). - ML brings the stronger and weaker players together to cooperate. They divide into teams for each doorway of the Plaza of Sacrifice. They choose 6 people to get their rewards from the Plaza of the Dissonant Wish and return.

Ch 17.5 as of 30/01/23 - 1st sex (Ch 15)

Ch 80 as of 10/01/25 - also on Tapas ** End of season 1, Ch 40 - One day the tower appeared in the world. - Once you enter Floor 1, you can’t leave. A city called Babylon was built on Floor 1 by those who entered the tower to become hunters. All languages are automatically translated in the tower. - The tower has themed sections. - Floors 1 to 10 theme: Tutorial (for beginners) - ML is Kim Gong Ja, a low F-rank hunter with no special skills. - ML is killed by no.1 ranked hunter and hero, Flame Emperor (Yoon Soo-Ha) after ML witnesses him murder another hunter, “Saintess” Isabel. She was trying to poison the Flame Emperor. - ML had just been granted an S+ rank ability to select and copy a random skill from anyone who kills him for the 1st time, called “I want to become like you.” This was in recognition from the tower of ML’s great envy and jealousy of the Flame Emperor. - ML wants to be admired, respected and acknowledged. - He wants to be the 1st to conquer the tower. - He wants to be worthy of being called a hero. - His ultimate goal is to see the world beyond the tower. - ML copied from the Flame Emperor the EX-rank skill to go back in time 24hrs, called “Returner’s Winding Clock.” ML is technically immortal now. ML’s memories, skills, stats and experiences remain intact after he regresses. There’s no penalty yet for using the skill while ML is F-rank. - Black Witch, Black Dragon guild master, 2nd rank - Master Alchemist, Healer & Pharmacist guild master, 5th rank - Paladin, Vigilante Corps leader, 10th rank - ML sees the Flame Emperor as a cold blooded murderer who is a monster that humanity needs to be saved from. ML kills himself 4090 times to go back 11yrs so he can kill the 21yo F-rank, future Flame Emperor before he awakened and rose up in the ranks. - ML makes a plan to kill Yoon Soo-Ha after familiarising himself with Yoon’s movements. ML approaches Yoon when he’s alone on Floor 6 of the tower. Yoon steals money from ML who is pretending to be hurt. When Yoon tries to kill ML, Yoon is killed by ML instead. ML leaves his corpse to be devoured by wolves. - Sword Saint (Marcus Calenbury), 1st rank, old man. - He was blessed with a good life in the outside world. - He entered the tower to prove his own strengths and abilities to himself. - His daughter and son-in-law were murdered while his grandchildren barely survived. Because of that he lives by his own morals and sense of justice, and he shows no mercy to murderers. He prefers to hunt alone. - “Eye of the Detective” (B-rank): The Sword Saint is able to see a person’s kill count. Only direct acts of murder with clear intent are counted. He doesn’t know how the murder was committed. - ML is killed by the Sword Saint who thinks ML is an assassin and a mass murderer with 4091 kills. - (NB: ML has to kill Yoon again) - ML copies the A+ rank ability of a guardian spirit called the ‘Sword Emperor’ that only ML can see and hear. - This spirit was a legendary hunter who died after almost conquering the tower in another world. - After hearing ML’s story, the spirit sees potential in ML from his willpower, perseverance and ambition. The spirit says ML has no fear of death which is a skill that’s hard to achieve. ML most likely became this way after experiencing death so many times. The spirit starts to train ML hard to improve his basic combat skills. - The Countess (Ryeon-Ju), Sang-Ryun / Merchant Union guild master, 3rd rank. She’s the only one with the ability to trade with the outside world. Her guild has a monopoly over the economy in the tower. It’s also the only place that sells lottery tickets. - The spirit advises ML to get some starting capital. - ML uses his time ability to win 1st place in the lottery. He wins 53k gold coins and decides to keep it in the guild safe. He asks for his win to be anonymous. ML pays 10k gold for a 2nd class honorary guild membership for his safety and protection. ML also asks the guild to source a new residence for him to rent. - In the slums, ML finds the yet-to-be-discovered genius who in the future will be a famous ranker known as the “Master Alchemist” and head of the best potion store called Alchemy Castle. ML trusts her because he knows she’s kind and a good judge of character (she didn’t like the Flame Emperor). - ML helps her when she’s bankrupt and called a crazy loser. - He commissions her to make a potion based on an extremely high level recipe from the spirit. ML orders a large number of potions and becomes her no.1 customer. He needs the potions to quickly boost his physical abilities. This way he also gets the potions at a reasonable price and a fairly quick turnaround. - Floor 3: The spirit trains ML with his aura. After taking the potion, it increases reaction speed and the rate ML perceives reality. ML can suddenly feel the aura in his heart. - He’s attacked by an orc. Under the spirit’s guidance, ML starts to force the creation of channels throughout his body for the aura to flow properly. ML manages to control and release his aura to kill the orc. - The next orc kills ML and the spirit goes with ML to the waiting area (“nether world”) before ML is returned to 24hrs in the past. - ML discovers he can copy the skills of monsters too. - The spirit can see the details of the skill cards while ML can’t. - The spirit also retains his memories after ML regresses. - ML copies the F-rank orc skill, “Tchweek Tchwik”. - ML uses this skill to confuse the orcs and kill them. - Floor 5: Boss monster - Goblin King - ML dies 6 times and finally defeats the boss after using “Goblin High Society”, a F-rank high goblin language skill. - ML levels up from F to E-rank. The shape of aura you’ll possess is foretold by the effects that are displayed when you level up. A life defining moment or event gets reflected in your aura. He’s surrounded by red sparks which could mean either fire or blood as the shape of his aura. - Floor 10: Boss monster - Hellfire Maiden - In a spooky mansion that’s burning from hellfire made with aura, find the real doll and destroy it. In the future, the Flame Emperor was the only one who could clear this floor. He wasn’t affected by the hellfire due to his fire type aura. - ML skips floors 6 to 9 and goes straight to Floor 10. - The spirit promises to tell ML what skills the boss monster has when ML dies. - After dying once there is a penalty now that ML is E-rank. He’s shown the past trauma of the boss monster. Poor orphan children were held captive in the basement of the mansion. They were killed as sacrifices for a cult. There was a fire in the mansion and the children were left to burn to death. - ML rejects the S-rank “Hellfire Barrier” skill and instead selects “Be careful of fire awake or asleep” (A-rank). - This skill allows the user to ‘not burn’ a chosen target. - ML activates the “Be careful of fire” skill on himself so he doesn’t burn in the fire this time. He agrees to play hide and seek with the dolls that were the children who died in the original fire. ML chooses each of them to let them rest in peace, like a memorial. He chooses the real doll last who thanks him. - ML has cleared the normal and hidden stages of Floor 10 by himself that not even the top guild Black Dragon were able to do. He is scouted by all of the top guilds afterwards. - The guild that ML decides to join will become the new symbol of the tower’s growth. After ML wins at poker against them all (he cheated with the spirit), ML joins the top 5 guilds as a member but is given the same status as a guild master. - ML is fine with the top 5 guilds using his name to solve the problems in the tower. In exchange he wants their support with climbing it. Before the Floor 11 entrance opens, ML hints to the guild masters that the theme for Floors 11 to 20 is role play. - Merchant Union: The Countess, no.3 rank - She was born in a trashy village in India. - Vigilante Corps: Paladin, no.8 rank - Experienced rough times in Venezuela. - Chen Mu-Mun guild: Viper (Liao Fan), no.5 rank - His parents were executives of a crime family in China. - 10k Temple guild: Heretic Inquisitor, no.4 rank - As a child he was held captive by the mafia in Bulgaria. - Black Dragon guild: Black Witch, no.2 rank - As a child she escaped from a civil war in Ukraine. - Floors 11 to 20: “Demon King and Heroes” role play theme - Help the Aegim Empire that is under attack from the Demon King. - Floor 11 quest: Defend the port - Upon arriving at Floor 11, ML receives his rewards for Floor 10. Normal stage rewards are the maps for Floors 11 to 20. Hidden stage rewards are all NPC locations for Floors 11 to 20. ML may also pick an item from Floors 11 to 20. - ML lets a NPC knight general kill him so he can copy the general’s skill. It’s a B-rank skill, “Battlefield Insight.” - (The item ML picked as part of his Floor 10 rewards): - Holy Sword of Protection (legendary): The goddess gifted this sword to the founder of the Aegim Empire. There was a prophecy that said the one who possesses this sword will have the absolute trust and support of the Empire’s people. - Floor 11 boss monster: Goblin Emperor, Demon army general. - After repeating this day a few times, ML pretends to be a military expert and gains the trust of the knight general. With the holy sword ML has the trust of the knights. ML leads the NPCs to defeat the Demon army and clear the quest. ML kills the boss monster and is ranked as the top contributor for clearing the floor. Only the top 10 contributors are granted early access to Floor 12. - Floor 12: The Sword Saint attacks ML but is stopped by the guild masters from the top 5 guilds. The Sword Saint thinks the top guilds are in league with ML in mass murder. He refused to join a guild because he wanted to prove that one could stand at the top with just effort and skills, unlike the outside world. - The guild masters say the Sword Saint shirks his responsibilities as the no.1 rank. More hunters could’ve been saved if he took part in the raids on the other floors. His influence would’ve helped with the food shortage and other social problems in the tower. - ML asks everyone to put aside their issues and differences to work together and clear the floors. They need to be heroes for the NPCs whose world is collapsing. - The Paladin offers to use her “Lie Detection” skill to help clear the air and alleviate suspicions. The Sword Saint agrees as the Paladin is the only one without a kill count. - From the Sword Saint’s questions to ML, the Paladin verified that ML isn’t an assassin. ML has only killed 1 person who was a mass murderer. ML only met the guild masters yesterday. - The Sword Saint apologises to ML and asks for forgiveness. - ML accepts his apology and asks him to teach his best sword techniques to ML. - Suddenly ML is notified of his rewards as the top contributor to clearing Floor 11. He’s given a choice between the reward from the Goddess of Protection or from the Demon King of Autumn Rain. They both offer the choice of a high position in the Aegim Empire, but the Demon King will allow one to go to Floor 99 if they kill the other top 10 contributors. The Demon King option must be a trap. - ML refuses to pick a reward option and forfeits them. - The guild masters and the Sword Saint select a position under the goddess. All are notified that 1 person selected the Demon King’s reward. Suspecting the 8th, 9th and 10th top contributors, the Heretic Inquisitor and the Viper kill them. - The Sword Saint is furious and cuts off the Heretic Inquisitor’s arm, then attacks the Viper. ML tries to calm down the Sword Saint. The Sword Saint stops fighting as he knows he can kill any of the others at any time. ML reasons that they just need to destroy the Demon King’s core on Floor 20 and defeat the Demon King. - Floor 12 quest: Defend the Aegim Empire’s capital - ML instructs the others to rally and lead their NPCs. - The Black Witch teleports with ML to the castle walls and uses ML’s holy sword to raise morale among the troops. - They teleport to the front lines next and the spirit trains ML in the sword as he fights. ML levels up and is now a D-rank hunter. - ML is soon joined by the Sword Saint and the other guild masters. Together the Black Witch teleports them to the Demon King. ML dies and copies the Demon King’s SS-rank skill “Ghoul Summoning.” This skill allows you to summon those you’ve murdered as undead monsters. - After regressing, ML makes a deal with the guild masters to grant him a favour in the future. They can reject it after they hear it. In exchange ML gives them info about Floor 11 before they enter. - ML introduces the Paladin to the Master Alchemist. - ML meets the Sword Saint. ML keeps killing himself until he can establish some trust from the Sword Saint. They agree that for the next 5 days the Sword Saint will observe ML to determine the sort of person ML is. - ML calls in the favours when they arrive at Floor 12. - ML asks the guild masters to be on standby in the castle for the next 5 days. He will clear the floors up to 20 on his own. - With no one selecting the rewards, the quest for Floor 12 can’t start. No one will fight or be killed. ML faces the Demon King and dies 100s of times. - Each time ML improves on his strategy for Floor 11 until no one dies. On Floor 12 against the Demon King, the Black Witch and the Sword Saint join ML in the fight this time. - The Demon King summons monsters. ML activates the same skill and is able to summon over 4000 skeletons from his kill count. The tower gives ML the alias “King of Death.” - The Demon King’s trauma: “Hungry ghost realm” - The Demon King appeared as black slime that evolved with each living thing it consumed. One day it devoured a frail young girl called Ester. The slime replaced the real Ester and grew up to be called a Saintess who could cure anything. The truth was she secretly swallowed those who were sick and they were replaced by her slime. As her influence and followers grew, the Aegim Emperor denounced her as a witch and said her followers were monsters. - The Emperor’s knights and allies from across the continent slaughtered her followers that she called her children. Their bodies and homes were burned and turned to ash. Her immense grief and resentment transformed her into the Demon King who made the deadly crimson rain fall. - After the Black Witch and ML injure the Demon King, it disappears and escapes to Floor 13. - Hidden quest (Floors 12-19): “The Hero of a Time-Frozen World” - The tower acknowledges ML’s choice and has amended the quest for these floors with a hidden quest. - The timeline and history is altered for the cleared Floors 11 and 12. The Empire is at peace, and the Demon King army never invaded. No one had to die but no one knows about the heroes. - ML, the Black Witch and the Sword Saint are the top 3 contributors in clearing Floor 12. - They transfer together to Floor 13. - Floor 13: At the temple for the Goddess of Protection, the Demon King has turned everyone into zombies. ML repeatedly dies to find out how to clear this floor. There’s a secret tunnel that leads to a divine hammer which helps to wipe out the zombies. - To prevent being annihilated by the giant zombie cyclop’s eye, ML convinces the Black Witch to avoid attacking the eye. The cyclops was the temple guardian before it became a zombie. - With the cyclops defeated, the Demon King retreats to the next floor. Again the timeline is altered and the temple is at peace. - The more people the Demon King killed, the stronger it grew. The Demon King is now weaker because it’s invasion of the Aegim Empire and the continent never took place. As history continues to rewind, the rank of the Demon King will also diminish. - ML goes after the Demon King from Floors 14 to 19, dying many times to clear each floor. With him are the Sword Saint and the Black Witch. ML asks them to let him clear Floor 20 alone. At Floor 20, all rewards from Floors 11 to 19 are calculated. The tower grants ML the authority of a temporary apostle. - ML can modify one of his skills (within reason). He asks for “Ghoul Summoning” to allow for those he summons to retain their memories and original physical form if ML wants them to. This skill changes to become SSS-rank “Ghoul Reincarnation.” - ML thinks the tower is a being that watches over and remembers one’s choices. It also means the tower is fine with any proper conclusion and will respect an ending chosen by ML. - The 6 Pillars of All Lives: - 1st Pillar: The Master of All Lives - 2nd Pillar: The God Who Dances in Emptiness - 3rd Pillar: Legislator of the Beginning - 4th Pillar: The Moon That Contemplates Blindness - 5th Pillar: The Princess Who Strolls Through Mirages - 6th Pillar: Staff of Time Immemorial - With his authority as a temporary apostle, ML raises the query “Are NPCs included” in the Ghoul Reincarnation skill. It is put to the vote by the “6 Pillars of All Lives.” They include the master of the tower, “the Master of All Lives.” After ML presented his argument, the master agreed with the inclusion of NPCs which made it the majority. - Floor 20, Bonus stage and boss stage: Ester’s village. - ML fights a greatly weakened Demon King on Floor 20 by himself. After several attacks that weaken the Demon King further, the tower revokes it’s alias. The Demon King reverts to it’s human form as Ester. She's killed by ML but is then revived as a new soul he names Preta (“hungry ghost”) who is now under his control. - Paladins of the temple (Floor 13) - Elves of the forest (Floor 14) - Mer-people / Magicians of the Falls (Floor 15) - The Dragon Warriors of the Volcano (Floor 16) - The Armed Merchant Company (Floor 17) - The Nomads (Floor 18) - The vassal nations and minor territories (Floor 19) - After the timeline alters on Floor 20, ML prevents the Emperor’s forces and allies from destroying Ester’s village. - He convinces them that he’s already subdued the witch and she can’t defy his orders. ML uses the holy sword and his summoned skeletons to show he’s the emissary of the Empire’s founder. - The soul orb of the mer-people can tell if one has a good or an evil soul from their blood. Preta’s blood made the orb turn black, proving she is the witch. ML’s blood made the orb shine bright with the purest light. This proves ML’s goodness as the Goddess of Protection’s apostle and from all of the lives he’s saved. Lastly ML uses Yoon Soo-Ha’s ghost as an example to show ML has complete control over demons. - Floor 20 is cleared, with the incredible feat of no casualties for hunters or NPCs from Floor 11 up. ML also managed to clear Floors 11 to 20 in a record of 5 days. - ML’s heroic accomplishments are unprecedented. - ML experiences a meteoric rise from outside the rankings to the no.3 rank. ML has to contend with intense media scrutiny from inside and outside the tower. - After advice from the Black Witch, ML decides to adopt an expressionless, mysterious persona. She also offers help from her guild with extra personnel and media management. - The other top guild masters remained on standby for the 5 days as promised. The top 5 guilds and the Sword Saint meet with ML. They will manage and promote ML’s public image as the “hero of the tower.” They insist on a photoshoot and plan his media releases. - The Black Witch looks forward to the possibilities of trade with the Aegim Empire and the other lands of the continent. ML offers to let his name be used to make trade negotiations easier. - In exchange ML asks to have complete property ownership for Floor 20 only. He’s content to split the rewards and authority for the other floors between the other guilds. - ML meets with the Sword Saint privately. ML is acknowledged by the Sword Saint after ML confirms he never has or will kill an innocent person. The Sword Saint destroys his “Eyes of a Detective” skill, saying he’ll trust his own eyes from now on. - The Goddess of Protection reveals she’s been by ML’s side the whole time as the Holy Sword of Protection. - The goddess is a constellation (ie something that can represent each world). She was sealed by the Empire’s founder and split across 5 swords. ML’s sword is called “Idol.” He renames it “Shiny” due to it's main ability to shine a bright light. The other swords are Pity, Prayer, Sacrifice and Salvation. If all 5 swords are reunited, the goddess will regain her full powers. - NB: The ground at Babylon Square on Floor 1 is paved with stone tiles that each bear the name of a hunter who has died. - ML has his 1st press conference with the Black Witch and the Sword Saint. When asked a question directly from a reporter, ML uses Yoon as his guide and compass. ML says the exact opposite of what Yoon would say. ML is humble and respectful and allows more questions. The Black Witch ends the conference by saying she and ML are comrades who are more than friends, when asked about their relationship. - Floor 21: The Great Library of All Knowledge - The “Holed Up Head Librarian” is a constellation. - Only 302 hunters are forcibly teleported to Floor 21. They are all hunters with aliases (ie character names). - The books in this great library are about the worlds where the tower exists, ie records of countless worlds. - The hunters are being broadcast live. - Floor 21 quest: Remake the world, volume 1. - There are volumes of cancellation apocalypses. - The hunters have to pick a world from these volumes for each floor up to 30. They have to avoid cancellation and create a proper ending in order to progress to each floor. Every world saved becomes a floor. - 50 hunters foolishly commit mass suicide by challenging the Head Librarian. They’re used as ingredients by a tentacled monster mage from a book and turned into bookmark maids. - ML receives the rewards from Floor 20. - He can see the favourability and psyche of characters. - He does this by pulling up a character window. - ML takes the lead and commands everyone to search for books about a world with potential rewards that could be beneficial to them. They also have to be worlds that are possible to clear. Book: The Veritable Records of the Heavenly Demon Genre: Martial Arts - Characters: ML, Viper, Medicine King (the current owner of Alchemy Castle), Master Alchemist (alias “Apothecary”). - Shiny senses a sister sword in this martial arts book. - ML kills himself with Shiny to learn more about Leafanta the 1st Aegim Emperor before attempting the martial arts book. - ML sees Shiny’s past trauma when the goddess was split apart and sealed up inside 5 swords by Leafanta. - The spirit recognises Leafanta as a hunter given the alias, “Constellation Killer”. Leafanta camped out on Floor 50 in the tower of the spirit’s world and went after any constellations that dropped by. - The Medicine King (MK) is an arrogant and conservative old man who believes wisdom comes with age and experience is the most important thing. MK insults ML, the Master Alchemist and the Paladin as he sees them as naive brats. - ML sees this as an opportunity for Master Alchemist’s public debut and MK’s forced retirement. ML proposes a competition between them to see who creates the better potion. The Master Alchemist wins 3 times in a row. The Countess wants to sign an exclusive contract with her right away. - The librarian constellation adds the 4 new characters to the martial arts story, 10 days before the cancellation occurs. The apocalypse was caused by a mysterious illness. - So Baek-Hyang, Heavenly Demon, Demonic Cult leader - Bu Wolseon / Namgung Woo, The Axe Saint, Orthodox Faction and the Murim Alliance leader - ML and the others find themselves in a harsh snow-covered environment. They come across corpses standing in the snow. Further away the Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon are verbally abusing each other as they prepare to duel. - Suddenly the corpses reanimate and attack ML and the others, who realise it’s a zombie virus that caused the apocalypse. - The zombies are Orthodox Faction and Demonic Cult members. The zombies will only stop when exposed to a bright light or by crushing their brains. ML stops the zombies from chasing them with a bright light from Shiny. The Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon take them to a cave with a hot spring. - The Orthodox Faction and the Demonic Cult have been at war for the last 3yrs. The Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon are the last ones left alive to continue the war. They won’t let the zombies be killed as they’re still considered to be members of their sects. - MK surprises everyone with his Michelin star chef skills. - MK assists the Master Alchemist to research a cure. - Later the Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon confirm what ML already suspected. They were bitten by zombies 3yrs ago. - Blocking the Qi point between the brain and the spine makes the zombie virus go dormant. They used Qi to completely block off the corrupt energy by blocking their spinal Qi points. They paralysed their bodies from the neck down and use their immense Qi to operate everything (ie Qi telekinesis). - The Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon didn’t want meaningless deaths. They would only accept death at the hands of the other. This is why they keep moving the corpses of their sect members so they can face each other in mock battle. - After a week the Axe Saint is running out of Qi and can’t move his body. 2 days later, the Axe Saint succumbs to the virus and dies. When he becomes a zombie, the Heavenly Demon loses all reason and goes on a mad rampage. She kills ML and the others. - The trauma of the Heavenly Demon (1): As a small child, she was abandoned in a blizzard by her mother. She survived the 10-day blizzard and was found buried under the snow by an old woman. She was taken back to the Demonic Cult. - Orphan children were regularly taken in by the Demonic Cult. - The orphans were brought together like a poison pot used to produce the single most concentrated poison. - ML and the spirit memorised the Master Alchemist’s research notes in the event that ML died. - ML copies the A+ rank martial art skill, “Demonic Heavenly God Art” from the Heavenly Demon. To use this skill, one has to truly understand the Demonic Cult doctrine that hates and curses the world. It gets harder to maintain one’s ego when using this skill. - Survival of the fittest is the doctrine of the Demonic Cult. - The spirit explains a demonic martial artist builds their body as a claw to swipe at the world. You resent your weakness and curse the cruelty of this world. - After ML regresses to when they first arrived in the book, he asks the Heavenly Demon to accept him as her disciple. He demonstrates his new martial art skill to prove he’s worthy. When ML is forced to stop by the Heavenly Demon, he collapses after using a skill his body can barely handle yet. - The trauma of the Heavenly Demon (2): - Demonic Buddha, 1 of the 7 Demonic Cult Elders. - This Elder is the old woman who saved the Heavenly Demon and named her So Baekhyang (scent of the snow). Baekhyang passed the “test of comfort” to join the inner sect of the Demonic Cult and became the Demonic Buddha’s disciple. - Baekhyang didn’t just accept the food and comfortable environment like the other orphans and worked hard alongside the adults of the outer sect. She realised children like her were needed to learn the demonic arts and take revenge on the world for the adults who were too old to learn themselves. - After ML recovers, the Heavenly Demon says she doesn’t trust him yet to accept him officially as her 1st disciple. She will accept ML if he defeats a zombie that was a famous demonic arts expert. ML realises she’s started training him as a disciple already. - To fully awaken ML’s martial arts skill, he will need to learn the 9 different sword forms of death: ie starvation, dehydration, drowning, freezing, poison, illness, blunt impact, fire and suicide. The forms are mental exercises where you must freely recall your senses while embracing and enduring the pain in your heart. - ML is killed by the zombie and decides to fast after he regresses. He trains with his sword while thinking about famine and starvation. He focuses on the motion of hunger. - ML summons Preta and the skeleton army. He has them gather zombies that were dying of starvation. ML is killed by the zombies and experiences their past traumas. He gains insight through their memories into the struggles of humans abandoned by the heavens. ML awakens “Asa” the 1st form, sword of starving death and defeats the zombie demonic arts expert. - ML repeats the process with zombies who were dying from thirst, drowning, and freezing. The Heavenly Demon selects elite cult members as his zombie opponents. - The Heavenly Demon says memories and resentment are the key to the demonic arts. - Viper became the Axe Saint’s disciple. Viper and ML have a duel and become the swords for their masters. This reignites hope in the Heavenly Demon who finally accepts ML as her official disciple and they perform the master-disciple ceremony. The ceremony takes place in the secret martial arts storehouse with texts from all of the sects. (Ch 70) - The Master Alchemist and MK quickly find a cure for the zombie virus, thanks to the research notes collected by ML and the spirit. The cure for the 2 sect leaders will involve the complete removal of their dantian. The Axe Saint and the Heavenly Demon undergo surgery. Their only regret is not finishing their war. - Under ML’s orders, Preta gathered almost 2k zombies from the forces of both sects in the war. ML crushes their skulls to kill them. After the 2 sect leaders are recovered, ML summons the martial artist zombies he killed with their original memories and appearances retained (but not their full abilities). As ML’s gift to them, he asks the 2 leaders to oversee the final battle of the war. - When the Heavenly Demon can no longer move, ML offers her a final battle of words with the Sword Emperor. - The end of the great orthodox-demonic war - The greatest duel between the strongest martial artists - Following completion by ML, this martial realm has been added as Floor 22

Ch 22 as of 28/10/21 - Dropped. Lost interest.

Ch 74 as of 23/05/22 - 80yo Hyeokyeon Mugang was on his deathbed. - He was head of the Sa clan for 40yrs and achieved wealth, women and power. He ruled the world of Murim. - He receives the herb of immortality from his loyal disciple, Iron Swordmaster Cheon Woo-Myung. - When he opens his eyes, his soul is in the body of a 17yo man who fell off a cliff. He was gathering wild herbs to save his sick mentor, Myungjin who is a great Taoist master. The former enemies of the Sa clan, the shamans are healing this young man by forcing holy qi into his body. - The young man is accepted as a 1st-class disciple of the declining Wudang sect and given the name Jinmu. - He retains the memories of the original owner of this body. He was abandoned by his parents and taken in as a boy by his mentor. - 3mths later, Jinmu is fully recovered and being trained by his mentor. He’s able to learn and apply the techniques at a rapid rate. - After a year, Jinmu hears that he can learn to control 2 types of qi and learn dual martial arts if he becomes the master disciple and heir to the sect. That becomes his next goal. - Chungwoo, a chunky 2nd-class disciple. - Jinho the Death Penalty, 1 of the 7 master shamans and a 1st-class disciple. - Jinmu taught Chungwoo some unethical tricks for fighting to win. Jinho visits Jinmu to tell him off for teaching these cowardly moves. Jinmu takes this as an opportunity to show his skills and he defeats Jinho with his sword scabbard. Jinmu knocks him out with his fists. - Myunghyun, Wudang sect head of the shamans. - The sect head and elders visit Jinmu. They catch Myungjin eating meat which goes against their rules. Myungjin argues that they need to change the rules to become stronger. He’s been bedridden for 10yrs but has recently been able to go for walks after eating meat. - Jinmu is summoned before the sect head and elders. - He’s accused of 3 crimes: breaking the rule of eating meat, changing techniques without permission and teaching them to another disciple, and injuring another disciple. - For his punishment, Jinmu is assigned to restore the Broken Sword pool and pavilion. For now eating meat is allowed. - Chungsang, a 2nd-class disciple. He’s the most talented in their class but is ignored because of his lower class. The sect favours status over talent. He comes to see if Jinmu can help him. - As a child, Chungsang’s family were killed by looters. - He was saved by a shaman elder who took the looters to prison. They were soon freed due to bribes and continue to loot villages to this day. Chungsang wants revenge and plans to kill the looters. - Jinmu is able to identify the weaknesses in the existing techniques and then adjusts them to be stronger and more effective. He sets up a spar between Chungwoo and Chungsang. Jinmu gives advice to Chungwoo. Chungsang is almost defeated. That’s enough to impress Chungsang with Jinmu’s unorthodox ways and he starts following Jinmu. - Jinhae 30yo, a 1st-class disciple from a well known family. - His master is Myunggong. He sees Jinmu as a peasant who doesn’t know his place. - Chungyang merchants: it’s important for the sect to form an alliance with merchants as it helps with the sect’s dwindling finances. The Chungyang merchants donate a chest of money and new weapons. In exchange, the sect will provide protection when needed. Jinhae introduced these merchants to the sect. He also prepared a martial arts demo for the merchants. This is all part of his strategy to become the master disciple. - Jinmu observes the demo and comments on the 9-headed strike formation. He impresses Myunggong by identifying the weaknesses of the formation and suggesting improvements. - Jinmu is suspicious of the merchants after overhearing them admit to being smugglers. They will support Jinhae until he becomes sect head then use the shamans as they like. - Myungjin notices Jinmu seems preoccupied and thinks it’s because he’s curious about the outside world after the merchants visited. Myungjin takes Jinmu to his 1st elders conference. He proposes for Jinmu to stay with the merchants and secretly investigate what their intentions are and where their income is sourced from. - Jinhae complains about Jinmu to the other 1st-class disciples Jingung and Jinso. Jinho says Jinhae is just jealous. - Later Jinhae sends a message for someone to kidnap and kill Jinmu. Jinmu starts his journey with Chungsang and Chungwoo after greeting the elders and the sect head in turn. - Not long after leaving, they are met by a group of bandits. Jinmu lets Chungsang experience his 1st real fight but Jinmu takes over in the end and defeats them. Jinmu finds out the bandits were hired by someone and their boss sent them ahead to capture the 3 of them. - Jegal Gen, 2nd son, Jegal branch family in Dangangu. - Jegal Gak, 1st son, Jegal branch family in Dangangu. - Jegal Murin, branch family head in Dangangu. - The Jegal family is a prestigious martial arts family known for its academic excellence. - In Bancheon, Jinmu and the others are at a restaurant. Jegal Gen is there and wants to test them so he sends his bodyguard Gahu. - Jinmu allows Chungsang to fight 1st, only intervening when Gahu activates his qi blade. Jinmu defeats Gahu and has him on his knees. Jinmu then punches Gahu. Jegal Gen tries to stop Jinmu. - They fight using martial arts with their fists and Jinmu wins. Jinmu gets Jegal Gen to pay for their meal and to compensate the restaurant owner for damages. - Outside Jegal Gen orders his men to arrange for someone to follow Jinmu and report back his movements. - Jinmu and the other 2 are staying at the Chungyang trading centre. - The merchants received a message from Jinhae, asking them to help him get rid of Jinmu. For now the merchants will lead the trio to a restaurant for dinner and let Jinhae’s family do the rest. - Lee Palyong, the boss who ordered the bandits to attack Jinmu. - Wu Moon Heum, Wu clan master, Jinhae’s family. - At a remote and empty restaurant, the merchants take the trio to a room with only one entrance. Jinmu suspects the musicians and hostesses are assassins. The drinks are also poisoned. The merchants excuse themselves for an urgent matter. - When Jinmu tries to make the hostess drink, the assassins attack. - Between the 3 of them, all of the assassins in the room are defeated. The old man who pretended to be the restaurant owner attacks them. Jinmu senses that this old man has attained the highest level in martial arts. Jinmu manages to just block the old man’s attacks. Sensing others approaching, the old man escapes rather than stay to kill Jinmu. - Gong Sacheok, cousin of Lee Palyong. - While Jinmu is injured and still recovering after fighting the old man, Gong arrives with a large group of thugs. - As Jinmu fights Gong, he sees Jegal Gen and his men approaching. Jinmu pretends to be allies with Jegal to distract Gong, then makes his escape with the other 2. - With the help of special pills and recovery techniques, Jinmu (with the other 2) visits Gong for a surprise attack. - Jinmu defeats Gong and confirms the Wu family hired him. - Jinmu uses Gong and his gang to attack the Chungyang trading centre. There he learns the head merchant and most of their guards have gone to illegally trade in gunpowder. Jinmu orders Chungsang to notify the disciplinary committee while he goes to the location of the trade deal. - Jinmu has Gong and his gang fight the merchant guards while he attacks the head merchant and smugglers. Chungsang arrives with the disciplinary committee. Jinmu makes Chungwoo run away with a chest of gold. Jinmu allows Gong to be arrested with everyone else and collects the bounty on Gong. - Back in town, Jinmu opens bank accounts for himself and the other 2 to deposit the gold he took. - Wu Moon Heum hears about the arrests and tells his men to get rid of all evidence relating to the merchants and Gong. - Wu goes to the disciplinary committee and Jinmu is already there. Jinmu discovers Wu is Jinhae’s father and realises Jinhae was behind all of the attempts on his life. - Gong had confessed that the Wu family hired him. - Jinmu helps cover up for Wu by saying that must be a lie as the family of a fellow disciple would never do that. - Later Jinmu meets privately with Wu Moon Heum and pretends to have evidence of the Wu family hiring Gong. - Jinmu proposes to let Jinhae become the next sect head if he supports Jinmu becoming the master disciple. Jinmu uses his intense killing aura to force Wu to accept. - Jinmu and the others return to the Wudang sect. - They’re praised in their efforts for uncovering the Chungyang merchants as smugglers and having Gong’s gang arrested. Myungjin tells Jinmu to hand over the reward to the sect. - The shop owners in Dangangu are grateful for the arrest of Gong and his gang. They collected money to donate to the sect. New uniforms and new weapons have also been donated. Other merchant trading centres have re-established their connection with the sect. - Jinmu focuses on stacking his inner energy. - Chungwoo gets closer to mastering the force palm. - Chungsang has reached the qi sword. - Myungjin is appointed as the master of a new 5 Dragon Palace that will be rebuilt after it was burned down by the Sa clan. - In the past, the 5 Dragon Palace was the Guardian of Shamans. It had a role of upholding the law as a shield for protecting the shamans. This role is now shared equally among the palaces. - Instead the new 5 Dragon Palace will be the sword of the shamans. It’ll be a place with the strongest warriors, and the only place where shamans can kill. - 20yo Jinmu finds out that his martial arts alone isn’t enough to become the master disciple. To qualify he needs to fulfill his administrative responsibilities and achieve other accomplishments. - Jinmu gets the Wu family head to finance the rebuilding of the 5 Dragon Palace so it’s finished faster and Jinmu can earn merits as the administrator. - Jinhae takes Jinmu to the old librarian / record keeper to request copies of texts needed by Myungjin. On the secluded mountain path, Jinhae tries to kill Jinmu but has to beg for his life instead. - Jingung the Azure Cloud Dragon Sword, 1st-class disciple. - He’s in charge of all external cooperations between the Wudang sect and the merchants. He’s also the top candidate to be the master disciple and next sect head. - After a 1st-class disciple meeting, Jinhae and Jinho persuaded the elders to send Jinmu to guard the ilhae merchants. - They are having a dispute over waterway access with the Rational Merchant Association backed by the Jegal clan. - When only Jinmu arrives with 7 x 2nd-class disciples after Jingung’s request for help, he questions Jinmu’s abilities. They fight and Jingung is defeated. - Kang Yu, head of the ilhae (One Sun) merchants. - The ilhae merchant ship is forced to take the more dangerous route and is soon surrounded by pirate ships. Jinmu, Chungsang and Chungwoo lead the attack. Together they defeat over 30 pirates and guard the ship safely to its destination. Jinmu is said to be a martial master that’s achieved projectile qi. - Jingung is proud of Jinmu’s achievements. - Jinmu and the other disciples even receive a reward for capturing the pirates. After the celebration with the merchant and disciples, Jinmu goes for a walk. He notices someone following him and confronts them. It’s an assassin sent by Jegal Gak to confirm Jinmu’s abilities. Jegal Gak’s plan to undermine and humiliate the Wudang sect was ruined by Jinmu. - Yang Sobang, an elder who is ranked higher than the beggar sect leader. He’s one of the strongest and most mysterious in the Orthodox Murim Alliance. He’s pursuing the old man that Jinmu fought with before. - Elder Sobang observes a move made by Jinmu while fighting the assassin that’s similar to the old man. He interrupts the fight to ask Jinmu where he learnt that but Jinmu ignores him. Sobang leaves when he’s told the ones he’s after are nearby. - Jinmu takes the assassin back to the merchants where he’s staying. He has Chungsang interrogate him and he confesses to being from the Jegal branch family. - The captured assassin is a member of the Dark Heaven squad that reports directly to the Jegal family head. - Jegal Gak orders the rescue of the assassin to prevent the family head from finding out about his unauthorised use of the squad. - Chul Golgae, the surveillance squad leader from a branch of the beggar sect. He and his squad are under orders from Sobang to investigate Jinmu. - At dawn Jinmu is woken up by noises outside. He sees masked men fighting but they run away when he asks who they are. - Jingung helps to capture the masked men. The captives are unmasked and Jingung recognises the beggar sect and men from the Jegal branch family. - Myungchung, a Wudang sect elder, Jegal Murin, and Yong Sungae, the beggar sect branch leader have gathered. Elder Sobang arrives and admits to ordering the beggar sect to monitor Jinmu. - Murin claims it was Jinmu who attacked innocent martial artists and should apologise. Jinmu reveals the assassin he caught earlier admitted to being sent by the Jegals, but Murin says he has no knowledge of that. - Jinmu proposes to settle this with a fight. Murin chooses a reflective qi expert as his representative. Despite the expert using lethal moves, Jinmu still defeats him. Murin is forced to accept responsibility for all that’s happened. - Sobang doesn’t believe Jinmu imitated a “motionless force” move that Jinmu only saw once from the old man. Sobang tests Jinmu to see if he can imitate a martial arts technique from the beggar sect. Jinmu imitates the move successfully but he allows himself to get injured to make Sobang feel indebted to him. - Sobang goes back with Jinmu and the others to the Wudang sect. He meets with the sect head and talks about a mysterious group he’s been chasing for 5yrs. This group is using a new kind of martial arts. The demonic cult are also after this group. - The current world of murim is in a 3-faction balance of power between the orthodox sects, unorthodox sects and the demonic cult. - Sobang wants to recommend a genius like Jinmu to be the disciple of the Orthodox Murim Alliance (OMA) leader. - Before he leaves, Sobang gives a warrior coin of the beggar sect to Jinmu. Those who have a warrior coin will receive full support from the beggar sect. - Chul Jiryang the Sword Saint and the OMA leader. - After a month of discussions among the elders and 1st-class disciples, Jinmu is brought before them all to make a choice. - The sect head presents a scroll that contains a recommendation from the Beggar to study under the Sword Saint. - The other option that the sect head shows Jinmu is the white dragon robe that is only worn by the officially recognised Sword of Wudang. The Taiqing elixir is also given with that robe. - Jinmu defeated the Sword Saint in his past life, and is more interested in the elixir so he decides to be the Sword of Wudang. - Jinmu emerges 4 days after taking the elixir. He learns that by becoming the Sword of Wudang, he can’t become the master disciple. Jinmu falls into despair. - While picking up the copied texts from Elder Un Gong the old librarian, Jinmu mentions the dual internal qi arts. Un Gong says the arts learnt by the master disciple is incomplete. - The dual arts refers to yin and yang, light and darkness, good and evil. To have both in one body is what it means to have dual energies. One is in a constant state of conflict. - 100yrs ago, Chungmu the sect head was training to master the dual internal qi art. In the process of fusing the dual energies of yin and yang, he was unable to balance them out. He turned into a demonic being after he was unable to cope with the evil within. After killing his own sect members, Chungmu asked Un Gong to cut off the head of his master. - In his will, Chungmu split the 2nd half of the text (the yin-yang book) into 4 parts. These were sent to 4 other sects to be sealed away. The 2nd part teaches how to harmonise the yin and yang energies. The 2nd part contains commentary on the 1st part. It’s possible to learn the dual internal qi art from just the 2nd part. - With nothing else to gain from staying at the Wudang sect, Jinmu decides it’s time to leave. Jinmu receives permission from Myungjin to become a wanderer, ie to roam the murim world to gain experience and master martial arts. - The Sword of Wudang is the representative of the Wudang sect. As they also handle external affairs for the sect, it’s appropriate for Jinmu to become a wanderer. It’s also a tradition for the Sword of Wudang to gain the seals of the 5 great Taoist sects in the Central Plains. - Deng Yeopyeong the White Heron and the Dragon Phoenix Hall master. He’s a strong martial arts master and a symbol of neutrality. - Elder Deng was ML’s enemy in his past life. - The new Dragon Phoenix Hall: it’s to become the greatest martial hall and possess the strongest force in the history of the OMA. - Jegal Seon, the genius heir of the Jegal main family. - Her real name is Sansan. She was forced by her parents to pretend to be a boy when her twin brother died. - Since her younger brother was born, she’s concerned that she’ll have to live as a woman. She doesn’t want to be used as a pawn in a political marriage. - Jinmu, Chungwoo and Chungsang will attend the Dragon Phoenix conference, which is being held to select and grow the next generation of leaders. - On the way to the conference in Wuhan, Jinmu and the others meet Deng Yeopyeong and Jegal Seon. Jinmu knew right away that Seon was a woman. Elder Deng and Seon travel with Jinmu despite his displeasure at this. - While taking a break, a masked group of martial artists are chasing after a young girl. The group fight Jinmu and the others but are defeated by Jinmu’s overwhelming power. The group use motionless force. Jinmu’s warrior coin is used to have the beggar sect help to take care of the group and the girl. - Jegal Choongeon, Jegal branch family head in Wuhan. - Jinmu and the others end up staying with Elder Deng at the Jegal residence in Wuhan. Jegal Sansan will be attending the conference as herself, to make a name in her own right as a martial artist. - Jegal Hyeobjin, OMA grand strategist - Jinmu declines an offer from the Sword Saint to be a martial arts instructor at the Dragon Phoenix Hall.