Chapter 176
A glint naturally appeared in Lee Seong-jun's eyes.
'With a body in this condition.'
There was no way he could lose to other martial artists at the same Life and Death Realm.
'Even if the enemy is a master who has reached the peak of the Life and Death Realm, I won't be inferior.'
Considering that he had just entered the initial stage of the Life and Death Realm, this might seem like an arrogant thought.
Because as the realm gets higher, the gap within the same realm tends to widen enormously.
However, Lee Seong-jun, who had walked the path of martial arts, knew this all too well.
'...There exists a vast gap between the initial stage and the peak.'
First of all, the years they had lived were fundamentally different.
In other words, the internal energy accumulated in their bodies was clearly different, and as a result, the power of the martial arts they unleashed was bound to be much stronger.
Moreover, there was a gap in the techniques of handling martial arts and countless realizations supporting them.
Therefore, there was bound to be an overwhelming difference in basic combat abilities between a martial artist at the initial stage of the Life and Death Realm and one who had reached its peak.
Nevertheless, Lee Seong-jun's face was still full of confidence.
'If I harmoniously handle the system's abilities combined with the blood demon's martial arts... I might be able to win.'
The rewards gained through this 5th Job Advancement were excellent enough to bridge that gap.
"Really... I've achieved results beyond my expectations."
Just as a pleased smile was blooming on Lee Seong-jun's lips, satisfied with his truly remarkable growth.
Woong-!
The smartphone placed on the desk in the corner of the training room emitted a vibration sound.
'Who could it be?'
There were only a handful of people who would contact him suddenly on a weekday afternoon.
Curious, Lee Seong-jun immediately moved to check the screen of the smartphone placed on the desk.
[Vice Chairman, Ko Tae-hyun]
He was one of the reliable assistants who diligently performed his role without needing special instructions.
This made his curiosity grow even more.
'He's contacting me so suddenly?'
Intrigued, Lee Seong-jun immediately pressed the call button.
Immediately after, a deep smile formed on Lee Seong-jun's lips at the interesting news conveyed through Ko Tae-hyun.
* * *
The Guardians' emergency meeting held in the United States.
As all members belonging to the Guardians have their own distinct characteristics and personalities, they don't gather in one place for trivial matters except for regular meetings.
In fact, such an emergency meeting had never occurred except for when Canada was destroyed 10 years ago.
It was a rare and sudden event, but it was a natural response given the recent consecutive occurrences of anomalies with gates and monsters.
However, this didn't mean there were no questions about the emergency meeting.
No, it was arousing even greater curiosity than ever before and was attracting attention as the biggest issue for people around the world.
[Who will replace the vacant position of Guardians member Daniel Graham?]
[Highest tension among guilds of each country. Ludwig of Swedish guild Nordstjärnan in urgent meeting, among several strong contenders mentioned as new Guardians member.]
[(Exclusive) Hughes de Nouwee of South Africa's leading guild Mankind in close contact with Guardians member Renate Richter.]
Amidst various rumors and speculations, the Guardians revealed through the American Hunter Association the hunter they would accept as a new member.
[(Urgent) The candidate for the new Guardians member is... Korean hunter Lee Seong-jun!]
The Guardians, protectors of the world.
It was a prestigious organization that only the top-ranked strong individuals among the current Earth's hunters could belong to.
The position of a Guardian was something that even hunters who had made their names known worldwide for years or decades couldn't help but covet.
And now, the Korean hunter Lee Seong-jun had been chosen for that position.
The Guardians' bold choice created a global issue.
It was natural.
It was almost as if the Guardians had officially acknowledged that the achievements Lee Seong-jun had built in less than a year surpassed those accumulated by veteran hunters and rankers over a long time.
Normally, they would have objected, saying it was absurd.
However, none of the hunters expressed any dissatisfaction.
They knew it themselves.
From the start, comparison was impossible.
Lee Seong-jun had a record of defending Korea and Japan by stopping two Black Gates, which were called destruction.
There was no room to doubt his achievements and skills.
No, rather, the rankers who weren't chosen as Guardians members expressed their agreement, saying that a hunter worthy of being a Guardians member had been selected.
Thanks to this, Lee Seong-jun's existence and the achievements he had built up were highlighted once again, and media outlets from countries around the world poured out stories related to him every day.
└Lee Seong-jun Hunter! He's undoubtedly a protector of the world.
└I thought a hero of Africa was finally born, but it's right for de Nouwee to give way to Lee Seong-jun.
└Certainly, if it's Lee Seong-jun Hunter, he can be accepted as a new Guardians member.
The public was already accepting Lee Seong-jun as a member of the Guardians.
However, Lee Seong-jun himself, the person in question, had not the slightest intention of joining the Guardians.
'There's no need to take on a position that could lead to troublesome matters.'
From the start, Lee Seong-jun's purpose in attending this emergency meeting wasn't to gain a position in the Guardians.
'...I can't keep being dragged along like this.'
Abnormal phenomena like the sudden actions of monsters and the noticeably increased occurrence of Black Gates were constantly happening on Earth.
Fortunately, for now, they were being responded to without major damage, but it was unknown when and what variables might occur.
'I need to prepare thoroughly.'
This was Lee Seong-jun's real purpose in accepting the Guardians' invitation.
'Anna Ferris... If I attend the Guardians' meeting, I should be able to see her.'
Anna Ferris, the founder of the Guardians and someone who had always maintained the top position, was a person who had continuously researched magic, gates, and monsters.
She was one of the few individuals likely to know the reason for the abnormal phenomena currently occurring on Earth.
'She's a person worth meeting in person.'
However, he wasn't going just to meet Anna Ferris.
If meeting Anna Ferris had been the entire purpose, he wouldn't have gone to the United States in person.
'...There are many things I need to confirm with my own eyes.'
Not only the strength of the United States, said to be the world's strongest, but also the abilities of the Guardians members who call themselves protectors.
As all of these could have a significant impact on the future course of Earth, he needed to confirm this information in advance.
'It's somewhat troublesome to travel across the Pacific to the United States, but...'
If he could confirm all of the aforementioned things in one trip, it was worth enduring.
Of course, as it was a schedule that would leave Korea empty for quite a long time, he had no intention of leaving without any precautions.
As Lee Seong-jun turned his head, his gaze caught Park Seon-woo fighting against Hyeok Cheon-man, who was manifested through Metamorphose.
Kwagwang-!
Shooting like a flash of light and pouring out attacks, it seemed as if Park Seon-woo was gaining the upper hand.
But the reality was completely different.
Kwagwang-!
As if waiting for the moment the flash struck the ground, fierce winds suddenly approached Park Seon-woo's close proximity, applying pressure.
As Park Seon-woo's feet got tangled amid the continuous barrage of attacks.
Pabak.
Hyeok Cheon-man, his eyes flashing, immediately struck Park Seon-woo's legs, breaking his balance, and pressed a dagger against his neck.
This confirmed Park Seon-woo's defeat.
"Huff, huff... I lost."
Lee Seong-jun, who had been watching the battle with narrowed eyes, threw a question at Park Seon-woo sprawled on the floor.
"...I've adjusted it precisely, so your strengths should be about equal, but why did this situation occur?"
"It's because my abilities are lacking..."
Park Seon-woo, rising from his place, bit his lower lip hard.
He was feeling angry at his own incompetence.
It could be considered an admirable mindset for a martial artist, but he couldn't be swayed by emotions alone.
"Lack of ability isn't wrong, but... what do you think is the exact reason?"
"..."
Unlike before when he answered immediately, Park Seon-woo couldn't open his mouth easily.
As a heavy silence was settling, Lee Seong-jun opened his mouth with a faint smile on his lips.
"It's because you're trapped in a frame."
Blood energy surges from Lee Seong-jun's palm as he stretches his arm towards the air.
"There's no need to limit yourself to just the physical body. Broaden your perspective. Handle the Thunder Cloud Flow Art in the most efficient and powerful way."
As he finished speaking, the blood energy that had scattered began to gradually change shape.
At first, they were scattered petals, but soon they became small snowflakes.
They seemed to be slowly disappearing.
But suddenly, the increased blood energy became a small volcano and exploded, and the flames that surged up fell as lightning.
The blood energy, which had changed into various forms, settled back into Lee Seong-jun's hand in its original form.
Park Seon-woo, who had witnessed all these changes up close, let out an astonished exclamation.
"Ah..."
He had been so foolish.
He had only been using the Thunder Cloud Flow Art to strengthen his physical body due to its nature as internal energy.
'Why didn't I realize that the energy is also entirely a part of me?'
It meant that he could do anything within the realm of his abilities, just like his arms and legs that he could control freely.
There was no reason to be confined within a frame.
'The true ability of the Thunder Cloud Flow Art is not merely physical enhancement.'
The true power of the Thunder Cloud Flow Art was to exert overwhelming destruction and physical force by releasing lightning into the atmosphere.
Lee Seong-jun, who had been staring at Park Seon-woo's trembling eyes, opened his mouth softly.
"What's blocking your growth right now is the prejudice and frame you've created yourself."
To overcome the wall, you need to break down a world.
And the fixed ideas and thoughts stuck in your head are also a world.
"Break it down, leap into a new world."
Along with Lee Seong-jun's advice, the confined and blocked world shattered, and a gleam appeared in Park Seon-woo's eyes.
"...!"
He couldn't say anything, and he couldn't hear anything.
It was because a loud roar was echoing in his ears.
Kugugung-
As the inner wall that had been blocking his vision completely crumbled, a new world opened up.
He had attained the power of the 7-star Thunder Cloud Flow Art, equivalent to a ranker level, which could be considered his goal.
"Thank you!"
Park Seon-woo bowed his head repeatedly, expressing his gratitude.
'As expected of Master...!'
He had given a clear answer to the worries he had been struggling with all along.
His martial prowess and skills shown to the world so far were already overwhelming, but he even had unmatched ability in guiding and teaching others.
'...A great and wondrous being.'
He had a master who could be called the sky, an absolute being, without exaggeration.
It was something to be immensely grateful and joyful about as a martial artist.
"Thank you, thank you so much!"
Lee Seong-jun, who had been watching Park Seon-woo expressing his gratitude repeatedly with a satisfied smile, slowly opened his mouth.
"There's no need for thanks between master and disciple... Instead, don't forget what I instructed you to do."
The defense of Seoul, and the escort and evacuation of family members if necessary.
Although Park Seon-woo wasn't solely responsible for all tasks, he was in charge of what could be considered the final line of defense, which was a considerably important duty.
To be very honest, there were some concerns with Park Seon-woo's current skills.
However, the strong will contained in Park Seon-woo's resonant voice was enough to give Lee Seong-jun a sense of reassurance.
"Yes! Even if I lose my life, I will definitely protect them!"