Chapter 21

Jeong-Hoon focused on leveling up for a week and reached level 30.

He had used the mini-dungeon to upgrade his skill 'Resist Ten Poisons', so he leveled up by roaming the fields.

After reaching the desired level, he returned to the Hall of Martial Arts.

Question marks appeared above the heads of all the instructors.

It meant he was eligible to take the class change quest.

He went straight to Instructor Altio without hesitation.

To achieve a higher grade class change, he had to go through Altio.

"Why have you come back after so long?"

Altio greeted him with a bright smile.

"It took me a while to qualify."

"Qualify? Hmm... Indeed, the aura you exude feels different."

Altio scanned Jeong-Hoon from head to toe and gave a small compliment.

He had already endured all of Altio's training as an instructor and even won a duel against him.

Altio wanted to offer him a class change right then and there, but Jeong-Hoon wasn't qualified yet, so it wasn't possible.

But now, he could offer the class change.

"Yes."

"Good! Then let me explain about the class change. The class change is a process of awakening a part of your potential. To do that, a stronger martial artist must guide your power."

"I see."

To take the class change quest, you had to go through a portal inside the Hall of Martial Arts.

Beyond the portal resided the spirits of martial artists.

If you were recognized by the spirit of a martial artist, you would succeed in the 1st class change.

"Since you haven't awakened your potential yet, it won't be too difficult. The senior martial artists here in the hall are quite kind."

[Class Change Quest: Spirit of the Martial Artist]

-Restriction: Un-class-changed martial artists above Lv. 30

-Reward: 1st class change

-Description: We wish to grant new power to those who are qualified. Receive recognition from a senior martial artist and accept the new power.

Senior martial artists.

The Hall of Martial Arts was home to the spirits of various martial artists.

To complete the 1st class change, you had to awaken their spirits and carry out the tasks they gave you.

It was an easy task that wouldn't take Jeong-Hoon even 10 minutes with his current abilities.

"I accept."

"Good. Then follow me."

Altio opened the tightly closed door.

Six users were lined up in front of the door, waiting.

They had all reached level 30 and came for their class change.

"Huh? Why is that instructor giving the class change quest?"

"I know, right? There wasn't a quest from that instructor before."

They seemed somewhat surprised by Altio's appearance.

It was understandable since Altio was an instructor who didn't give out class change quests.

Or rather, he was an instructor who only gave quests to those who endured his training.

'It's a prerequisite for getting a rare or higher grade class change.'

Of course, just because you received the quest didn't mean you could definitely get a rare-grade class change.

It was just a condition.

Unlike the kind senior martial artists, the senior martial artist Altio guided them to was eccentric and picky.

To pass his test, you had to reach level 50 to get a rare-grade class change.

Jeong-Hoon from the previous life had also failed the martial artist's test and had to settle for a normal 1st class change.

"You can enter here."

The portal Altio guided him to was a little further away from the portals used by other users.

"Huh? Why is he going there?"

"Isn't the class change here?"

"Wait... Isn't that the user who defeated the instructor?"

"Now that I look closely, it is."

It seemed there was a user among them who had watched the duel between Jeong-Hoon and Instructor Altio.

"Then good luck."

Altio calmly pointed to the portal, even though his pride could have been hurt.

"Yes, thank you."

Jeong-Hoon bowed to him and entered the portal.

"But why is he going through a different portal than us?"

"Looking at the sign, that seems like the best portal."

"This is ridiculous. Look at him playing favorites just because he was defeated."

They glared at Altio with dissatisfied faces.

Altio approached them with a hardened expression.

The menacing aura emanating from his physique made the users unconsciously step back.

"Listen. Just because you chose martial arts doesn't mean your rotten spirit becomes that of a martial artist too."

Rotten spirit?

A mere NPC was trampling on their pride.

"Huh, what is he saying?"

"Does he think we'll be fooled by his words, someone who will be stuck at level 30 forever?"

"We have nothing to fear. I'm level 33. Now we're above him."

The levels of the users here were all equal to or higher than Altio's.

They were intimidated by his aura, but based on levels alone, they surpassed Altio.

"I guess words won't work."

Altio glared and gave them a quest.

The quest was a duel with him.

He offered a reward that if they won the duel, they could use the portal Jeong-Hoon had entered.

"You're going to fight everyone here?"

"Let's join forces!"

"It's 6 against 1. Let's finish this quickly and go through that portal too!"

The martial artists accepted the quest together.

And not long after, everyone here was crawling on the floor.

"Ugh... What's so strong...?"

"Damn... What the..."

30 minutes.

That's how long it took for Altio to subdue them all.

"Hmph, how pathetic."

Altio looked down at them and scoffed.

It was a fight they couldn't win from the start.

Although his level was 30, the spirit of martial arts that he had devoted his entire life to was deeply ingrained in his bones.

And as an instructor at the Hall of Martial Arts, he also received a stat boost buff.

He was on a different level from those who had simply entered New World and leveled up.

"Altio... Didn't you go too far?"

One of the instructors guarding the portal sighed.

After all, they were trainees who had visited the Hall of Martial Arts.

It meant that he had been too harsh as an instructor.

"Do they look like martial artists to you?"

"Even so..."

"I can't accept it. They're better off not existing."

Altio returned to the portal Jeong-Hoon had entered and stood next to it.

It was the portal that the martial artist he acknowledged had entered, so he would wait until he returned safely.

'I hope he finished successfully.'

So far, only Yeo Min-Ji had emerged from this portal with an achievement.

Altio was confident that today would make it two.

'Damn it. Seriously... What a disgrace this is.'

'That monster... How did he defeat him?'

'Crazy. How did the user who entered that portal win?'

The six users stared at Altio as if he were a monster, then turned their heads towards the portal.

The user who defeated that monstrous instructor.

What on earth was his identity?

* * *

Beyond the portal was a cave located within a valley.

A waterfall roared behind him.

It seemed like no light would penetrate, but torches stuck in the wall were burning brightly, illuminating the surroundings.

'This is my second time here too.'

The first time he came here in his previous life, it was a series of surprises.

From the caves to the waterfall in a virtual reality game.

It was all too perfectly implemented.

Jeong-Hoon moved forward.

At the end of the cave, someone was sitting on a chair, reading a book.

He was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early 60s, and he had a similar form to Dok-Go-Joon.

The spirit of the martial artist residing in this cave.

Blue Flame Kwon Hyun-Je.

"A challenger?"

He asked without taking his eyes off the book.

"Yes."

"Alright. Then I'll acknowledge you, so go back."

It meant that he would consider the class change quest complete even without completing the task.

But that was a trick.

If he went back like this, the quest would be successful, but he would only be able to get a normal-grade class change.

To achieve a rare or higher grade class change, he couldn't just go back.

Martial artists fundamentally possessed a competitive spirit.

If he went back like this after being looked down upon, he wouldn't be a true martial artist or something.

"I refuse."

He gave the correct answer.

Only then did Kwon Hyun-Je chuckle and look up from his book.

"Okay. First stage has passed."

"What's the second stage?"

[Class Change Quest: Blue Flame Kwon Hyun-Je]

-Restriction: Un-class-changed Martial Artists above Lv. 30

-Reward: 1st Class Change [Rare]

-Description: Pass Kwon Hyun-Je's test.

Kwon Hyun-Je's test.

It was to have a duel with the martial artist he summoned.

As he snapped his fingers, a young man similar to Jeong-Hoon appeared in front of him.

It was Kwon Hyun-Je in his youth.

"If you win, you pass."

Kwon Hyun-Je sat on the chair and watched.

[Lv.40 Martial Artist: A]

The result of the rare-grade class change quest depended on how he dealt with that martial artist.

'I'm not going to settle for rare.'

Currently, Yeo Min-Ji was the only one who had achieved a rare or higher grade in the 1st class change.

And there hadn't been a single epic grade yet.

And today.

That would be the moment the first one was born.

Jeong-Hoon started to step in a familiar way.

As a martial artist, he would end it with fist techniques.

Whoosh!

Martial Artist: A jumped up and quickly reached Jeong-Hoon, extending his fist.

Blue flames, symbolizing Kwon Hyun-Je, were rising from his fist.

Jeong-Hoon dodged the punch with a step.

'Underworld King's Fist Technique, 1st Form.'

Jeong-Hoon's fist shot forward.

Pow!

Martial Artist: A raised his guard and blocked the punch.

However, the impact seemed to be significant as he was pushed back.

Kwon Hyun-Je, who was watching, widened his eyes.

'Watch closely.'

He hadn't obtained the Underworld King's Fist Technique for nothing.

From the moment he chose to be a martial artist, the class accounted for more than 90% of his growth.

Therefore, he had acquired the appropriate skill first.

If it was Blue Flame Kwon Hyun-Je, he would have noticed what kind of fist technique was being used.

Jeong-Hoon's fists flowed like water, starting to strike Martial Artist: A repeatedly.

Side, face, chest.

Underworld King's Fist Technique, 1st Form, cleverly avoided the areas he tried to defend and quickly struck the open spots.

Soon, the 2nd Form unfolded.

A black aura faintly gathered around Jeong-Hoon's fist as his shoulder pulled back.

Then, he struck Martial Artist: A's abdomen with a straight punch.

Martial Artist: A tried to guard by crouching, but...

Pow!

A different sound erupted, and Martial Artist: A was sent flying backward.

'It's over.'

Kwon Hyun-Je's pupils trembled violently.

Martial Artist: A was a replica of his younger self as a martial artist.

Of course, he had adjusted the stats so that the challenger could fight him, but he didn't expect him to be defeated so easily.

What was even more surprising was the fist technique the challenger was using.

'Could it be that that fist technique was still alive...?'

The fist master he had aimed to become in the past.

The man who was called the Underworld King, even though he had only appeared twice in the world.

It was very similar to the fist technique he had used.

He even felt the same thrill he had felt when he was alive.

"...Where did you learn that fist technique?"

Kwon Hyun-Je asked in a trembling voice.

"I learned it from my master."

"I see..."

It seemed that the Underworld King's fist technique had been passed down through the generations.

'But to handle it so perfectly... How is that possible...?'

No one else could fool Kwon Hyun-Je's eyes.

He had completely mastered the fist technique, and his movements were flawless when facing his own replica martial artist.

Such movements could only be achieved through countless experiences and painstaking efforts.

In his eyes, Jeong-Hoon looked to be in his early 20s.

What kind of childhood did he have?

At the same time, his heart pounded.

'This kid will make history.'

As weapons developed, martial artists naturally declined.

Those brainless bastards who pointed swords and spears at people.

Those despicable bastards who shot arrows from a distance.

Those cunning bastards who used guns and firepower.

Those outrageous bastards who used the bizarre study of magic to tear, burn, and melt people.

Unlike those who cunningly used weapons, martial artists fought solely with their bodies.

That was true martial arts.

And today, a child who would carry on the spirit of true martial arts had arrived.

If he could unleash the Underworld King's Fist Technique to its fullest potential, he would never be outmatched by those cunning and dirty bastards.

To do that, he needed to lend his strength to Jeong-Hoon.

Having finished his thoughts, Kwon Hyun-Je's eyes sank with seriousness.