Martial Arts Vs Magic - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: The Brain and the Flower

I stood at the window of the Sovereign's Citadel, watching dawn break over a city that no longer slept. The title of ‘ghost city’ was abandoned. Nevaramis had transformed. Where once empty streets stretched between ancient buildings, now life pulsed through every quarter. 

To the west, the vampire quarter remained shrouded in comfortable shadows, beneath perpetual moonlight. Stratos had somehow engineered their district to exist in eternal night, complete with a full moon that never waned. Black spires twisted upward like frozen screams, their architecture full of dark, Obsidian aesthetics. Even from here, I could see thralls working tirelessly, expanding their territory with that unsettling efficiency only the undead possessed.

In the northern section, werewolves prowled beneath a moon as well, but the cycle of sun and moon remained for them, albeit the moon stayed in the sky for longer. Silver fur gleamed as patrols changed shifts along crystalline bridges.

It was a strange sight how, between these ancient enemies, maintenance drones hummed through the air like mechanical dragonflies. Stratos's creations were part magic, part technology, all impossibly effective. They repaired, they cleaned, they built. The city grew stronger with each passing hour.

Then there was something new. Banners of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult fluttered from key positions, black silk emblazoned with a single lone star wrapped in crimson flames. It was the symbol of the Cult Leader, Lee Cheon-Ma, who was called the Lone Star in the Blue Sky during his younger days. He was the main character of the game Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon God. He was also the man whose all-too-familiar memories danced in my mind. 

Now? It was my symbol. My promise. My burden.

"You're brooding again, my Liege?"

Stratos materialized beside me, a steaming cup of coffee held in her perfectly manicured hands. Her appearance hadn’t changed despite the many new additions to the Council recently. It remained something between Lailah's exotic beauty and my own sharp features, but twisted by her own taste. Silver hair, golden eyes, those elegant horns that marked her as something beyond human.

"It's not brooding when you're planning," I said, accepting the cup. The aroma was perfect, as always. Three centuries of practice, she'd said.

"The biological indicators suggest otherwise. Furrowed brow, tense shoulders, that particular way you drum your fingers against your thigh." She tilted her head. "You should come to the living room. This habit of staring out windows with coffee isn't healthy."

I took a sip instead of answering, making her shake her head. The city below continued its morning dance – vampires retreating as werewolves emerged, the delicate balance we'd orchestrated playing out in real time.

A grunt from behind made us both turn. Lilian sat up in bed, silver hair cascading over bare shoulders as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. "Didn't I tell you I'd handle his morning coffee?" Her voice carried that particular edge of a woman defending her territory. "Why are you trying to replace me, android?"

Beside her, Nebula stirred with a yawn that showed her fangs. The sight of them together in a bed, my fierce wolf and elegant vampire, still sent a thrill through me. "Come on, Stratos is an island spirit, not your rival." Nebula stretched languidly. "Besides, she makes better coffee than you."

Stratos's smile widened. "Of course. Centuries of experience."

"Grrr..." Lilian's growl was more playful than threatening, but she rolled out of bed with predatory grace, padding over to where I stood. She pressed against my back, arms hugging me, as she peered over my shoulder at the city below.

The morning light caught on her skin, highlighting faint scars from countless battles. My hand found hers, pulling her closer as I pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. While I enjoyed her generational rival, Nebula watched from the bed with an expression somewhere between amusement and exasperation.

"Life's good, huh, young master?" Lilian murmured, her breath warm against my ear.

I pulled her around to face me, capturing her lips in a kiss that tasted of home and wild forests. It was strange how she reminded me of ‘home,’ but it made sense since I’d spent so much time with her. "Better than good," I agreed when we parted. "Though not without complications."

The complications were numerous and growing. 

A week ago, when I brought them to Nevaramis, I’d obviously expected tension in the air among the two tribes. But how could territorial disputes erupt daily in a land as large and bountiful as Nevaramis? The angry werewolves claimed vampires encroached on their virtual-reality hunting grounds, and vampires insisted that the werewolves’ cycle of the sun bothered them far too much to be happy. 

Resource allocation remained a nightmare. How much blood did a vampire colony actually need? How many training dummies could werewolves destroy before it became excessive?

"You heard about the kitchen incident yesterday," I continued, setting down my coffee. "Three werewolves and two vampires arguing over meat preparation methods. It took Ralian herself to break them up."

"That's because vampires don't understand proper cooking," Lilian interjected. "Everything has to be raw or bloody with them."

"As opposed to werewolves who char everything beyond recognition?" Nebula countered from the bed.

Cultural conflicts ran deeper than cuisine. Vampire formality clashed with werewolf directness. Leviathan mysticism confused everyone. And beneath it all, the external threats grew daily – the Church of Light had declared Nevaramis anathema, calling it a "den of demons and monsters." How did they learn that the Obsidian Family and the Moon Wolf Tribe had moved to my city?

The Gold Dragons had placed a bounty on Amelia that could buy kingdoms, with the condition being that she must be captured “alive,” of course. The Erebian Empire's mystical intelligence network constantly probed our defenses, testing for weaknesses.

"And then there's Goryeo," I said, voicing the concern that had kept me up half the night.

Stratos's expression shifted to something more serious. "The Leviathans have submitted their reports this morning, my Liege. They are troubling news. Xianli Kingdom's forces have pushed to the Jade River defensive line. In another two weeks, they might reach the capital. Something like this shouldn’t have been possible, Xianli Kingdom and Goryeo are quite similar in strength, and in fact, Goryeo might be considered stronger given its powerful Princess. However, there are rumors that… Baolian Dominion, the lone Empire that rules the entire eastern continent of Shenzora, is supporting Xianli."

I frowned. Baolian Dominion had an Arcane King ruling it… and it had no reason to take sides in a war going on within its vassal kingdoms. If only I hadn’t visited Goryeo… 

Yes, the war had started because of me. At least, that’s what the public narrative was. ‘The Crown Princess Jin Ha-Yun had befriended the notorious Heavenly Demon in her school, and after she fell in his love, she broke her engagement with the Xianli’s Prince.’ Among other things that Ha-Yun apparently did.

All this because she'd dared to bring a friend home. The only time she did it, his presence caused her country to delve into a war. She must hate me right now.

"She did what she thought was right back then," Lilian said, sensing my thoughts. "You can't blame yourself for her choices."

"Can't I?" I turned from the window. "Do you think she’d have made this choice if I didn’t hide from her the fact that I had demonic energy? Well, I knew the danger I put them in. That’s why I didn’t accept her father’s outrageous proposal. But it wasn’t enough. If I hadn't stayed in Goryeo, if I hadn't accepted their hospitality…"

"Then Ha-Yun would still be trapped in an engagement she despised, and Xianli would have found another excuse for war." Nebula had risen from bed, wrapping a silk robe around herself as she joined us. "I wasn’t there, so take my words as you will. But you know better than me that Empires don't need real reasons for conquest. They just need pretty ones."

She was right, but the knowledge didn't ease the weight on my shoulders. Ha-Yun had been a friend, perhaps more in another life given her father’s proposal. The thought of Xianli's armies at her gates while I played politics in my floating castle...

"I need advisors," I said suddenly. "Stratos is invaluable, but she's been disconnected from the world for too long. Her knowledge is vast but historical. I need someone who understands current politics, who can navigate the webs we're tangling ourselves in."

"The council meetings have been... challenging," Stratos admitted. "Lady Munera and Matriarch Ralian require constant mediation. Without proper diplomatic framework, these tensions will only grow."

There was also the matter of income. Yes, Nevaramis could sustain itself – Stratos could manifest food, water, even basic materials through the dungeon cores. But we weren't building a subsistence commune. We were building a power that could stand against empires. That required trade, resources, connections.

"The Wraithwood Forest," I decided. "It's time to collect on an old promise."

Lilian's ears perked up. "Who’s on Wraithwood- ah, wait. No way!” She was stunned. 

Nebula also frowned in shock. “The crazy alchemist? The one who told you about your lifespan? You think he’s a good choice…?"

"Don’t forget, the Forsaken Alchemist isn’t his main title. He’s called the Scholar with Three Brains, the man who was advisor to the current Ethenian Emperor," I reminded them. "One of the greatest minds of the last century, hiding in a swamp because he can see how everyone dies. If anyone can help us navigate these waters, it's him."

A short silence passed. "Fair," Nebula admitted with a thoughtful expression, "having the inventor of the Chrono-Lattice Device on our side wouldn't hurt our agricultural development."

I moved to the wardrobe, already planning the journey. "Lilian, you're with me. Nebula, I need you to work with your mother on the blood distribution proposals. If we don't solve that issue soon, one of the Lunewolves might end up drained."

"Yes, definitely, take her with you and leave me behind," Nebula's reaction was adorable, but I could see the understanding beneath.

"Come on, werewolves handle the Wraithwood's threats better than vampires," I said, pulling on a dark coat. "Some of those spirits in that mist are cleansing wraiths. Not exactly vampire-friendly."

"He's right," Lilian said, though her smugness earned her a pillow thrown with vampiric accuracy.

As I prepared to leave, my thoughts drifted to Ha-Yun again. The reports were fragmented, filtered through multiple sources, but the picture they painted was grim. Xianli wasn't just winning, they were making an example. Every victory came with pronouncements about "harboring demons" and "corrupting the natural order."

What should I do? I wondered silently. I couldn’t just go and help her, after all. She and her father might not even accept my help, given my reputation. Plus, did I have the balls to offend the Arcane King of East too? Whatever. Let me stabilize Nevaramis first. I’ll decide on an answer soon.

Half an hour of preparation later, the Bifrost’s light consumed us, and we stepped into the space between worlds, heading for a small hut in a cursed forest where genius and madness had made their home.

Time to recruit a legend.

****

The Wraithwood Forest hadn't changed. It was still a monument to everything that could go wrong when nature decided to embrace its darker impulses. But I had changed. My Demonic Sphere, once limited to a few dozen meters, now stretched for a kilometre in every direction. The ghosts and wraiths that had once terrified me barely registered as threats.

Beside me, Lilian, wearing tribal animal clothes, moved with casual confidence through mists that would have paralyzed most warriors of this region with fear. Her silver hair caught what little light filtered through the canopy.

"Remember when this place nearly killed you?" she asked, stepping over a root that definitely hadn't been there a second ago.

"Nearly killed me? I was magnificent. Fought off that spider thing single-handedly."

"After it dragged you halfway across the forest while you screamed like a little girl."

"Tactical screaming," I corrected. "Very different."

She laughed, the sound bright against the forest's oppressive atmosphere. Even the wraiths seemed to recoil from her joy.

My Photon Ring materialized behind me. It was not for flight, but as a warning. The spinning circle of stellar and destruction energy cast strange shadows through the mist, its hum reverberating through the unnatural silence. Any creature with half a brain would recognize the sound of barely leashed power and decide discretion was the better part of survival.

"Show off," Lilian muttered, but I caught her admiring glance.

The cottage appeared exactly as I remembered – weathered wood and moss, looking like it might collapse if someone sneezed too hard. Smoke drifted from the chimney in patterns that defied wind direction. I knocked three times, each hit echoing strangely in the mist.

"If you're here about the Wraithwood Preservation Society, I already told you people that I'm not responsible for the screaming trees!" The door yanked open to reveal Maldric Othrandar in all his disheveled glory. "They were like that when I–"

He stopped mid-rant, eyes widening as they fixed on the Photon Ring spinning lazily behind me. His mouth opened and then closed, "Hmm… Have we met before?"

"Hey, it hasn’t been that long. Plus don’t you recognize this?” I pointed at my back. "The Photon Ring. Your instructions were invaluable."

"Ah, Iskandaar Romani. This is… wow. You pulled it off? How did you do it? Haha, incredible!! Even though the energy requirements alone is..." He stepped closer, head tilting at an unnatural angle as he studied the ring. "Whoa. The conversion efficiency would need to be at least... carry the seven... no, that's impossible unless..."

He continued talking. I turned the Ring off to help him regain his senses. He frowned and his gaze snapped to my chest, then lower, seeing something beyond the physical. "Aha. I see. Two cores. Not just any two cores, but two opposing affinities in perfect balance. Light and…” His eyes narrowed. "Darkness?”

“Nope, Stellar and Destruction,” I helped.

“Yeah, but there’s more. Wrapped in something else. Demonic? But that should cause cascade failure unless..."

"Unless the practitioner has perfect control and a death wish, indeed," I finished. "Fortunately, I have both."

"Ha!" His laugh was sharp and delighted. "Come in, come in! Bring your..." He glanced at Lilian, did a double-take. "Your strange werewolf companion. My, my. The company you young people keep these days."

“Hey, what does that mean?” Lilian asked.

[Maldric Othrandar, the Three-Brained Scholar, Level 51]

Six levels in nearly a year and a half, which was remarkable for someone who only studied alchemy. Whatever breakthrough he'd achieved hadn't been small.

His hut was exactly as chaotic as before, with books towering in gravity-defying stacks, bubbling cauldrons that probably violated several natural laws, and a smell that couldn't decide if it was pleasant or concerning.

"Tea?" He didn't wait for an answer, already pouring from a pot that hadn't been there seconds ago. "Or perhaps something stronger? I've been experimenting with distilled nightmare essence. Gives quite a kick!"

"Tea's fine," I said quickly. Lilian nodded emphatically.

"Ugh, younglings are such cowards these days." He poured himself something that glowed purple and occasionally screamed. "Now then, you didn't come here just to show off your pretty light circle. What does the infamous Heavenly Demon want with a humble scholar?"

Humble? I held back a laugh. This from the man who invented the magical internet is funny. But… “The Heavenly Demon? You’ve heard of that title?”

"Ah yes, some news reaches my doorstep every now and then. I have to do something to make sure I don’t get bored brewing potions, thanks to your letter last time. Thank you for your words." Maldric sniffed. "Quite a reputation you’ve made for yourself. Your grandfather must be proud."

“Two months ago I’d have said I’m not so sure about that, but,” I recalled grandfather’s loud laughter which made me smile, “I guess. He looked proud.”

“I can’t believe I missed that fight…” Lilian muttered from the side.

We exchanged some more greeting words, before I pulled out two pieces of paper for him. "Ah, before I forget. I came bearing gifts."

He was about to make a snarky comment, but his eyes lit up by whatever he saw written in the paper. His eyes locked onto them with the intensity of a starving man seeing bread.  "What are those?"

"Formulas," I said simply. "From my memories of another life. Another world."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Even the screaming purple liquid fell silent. "Another world," he repeated slowly. "This… I don’t think that was a joke just now, was it?” My silence was answer enough. “I see. Interesting. So there are secrets behind Sikandar’s grandson’s sudden growth.”

Lilian raised an eyebrow at me. "You’re trusting him that much?" She was right to question it. This was information I shouldn’t reveal to a man who had a personal connection with my enemy Emperors, but I had to take the risk.

Especially since if– no, when he does serve me, he’d realize my secret in no time. The stories about his genius weren’t exaggerated, after all.

"I think I should," I said, meeting Maldric's gaze. "Because what I'm offering is worth more than any secret."

I slid the first paper across the cluttered table. "Youth Maintenance Pill.” In Murim, this was used by the witches of the Emei Sect to preserve their physical appearance. “Old man, regular consumption of this maintains the body's visual age regardless of actual years. A ninety-year-old might just look nineteen thanks to this."

His hands trembled as he picked it up, eyes dancing across the formula. "The component ratios... I've never seen this combination. Jade Serpent Root with Crystallized Morning Dew? But that should cause toxic buildup unless..."

"Unless combined with the second formula." I placed the other paper beside it. "Rejuvenation Pill. Maintains youthful vigor and strength despite advanced age. Separately, they're impressive. Together..."

"Together they could make a ninety-year-old look and feel nineteen, yes," he breathed. "Not true immortality, but close enough for most purposes. The interaction between the pills would create a stabilizing effect, each one preventing the other's side effects."

He looked up at me, and for the first time since I'd met him, Maldric Othrandar looked genuinely shaken. "These formulas... they're real? They work?"

"In my previous world, elders of large organizations used them for centuries. Well, the main factor behind their lengthy age was the energy filling their cores, but still. With Nevaramis's resources, we could even improve them."

"Nevaramis." He set the papers down carefully, as if they might evaporate. "The floating city. I've heard whispers. They say you've done the impossible, conquered the ghost city, and recently, tamed a dragon princess, and even united vampires and werewolves under one banner."

"Among others. Which brings me to why I'm here." I leaned forward. "I seek to change this world, old man. To save it. And I need advisors to help me along the way. Brilliant minds who can see beyond old hatreds and tired traditions. Someone who understands that knowledge is power, but wisdom is knowing how to use it."

"Flattery?" He took a sip of his screaming drink. "How disappointing. I expected more creativity from–"

"Your lover didn't die, by the way."

The words hung in the air like a physical presence. Maldric went absolutely still, not even breathing. Beside me, Lilian tensed because the man let out a pressure that was impossible for his level.

"What did you say?" His voice was deadly quiet. “I don’t like jokes in that matter, boy.”

"Sarielle Moonshard. Died in your arms seventy-six days after you met her. Except she didn't die… not completely." I held his gaze. "She's one of the Four Demonic Generals now. The Warden of Ruin. A Living Armor, her soul bound to enchanted steel."

The glass in his hand cracked. Purple liquid dripped onto ancient papers, hissing where it touched. "You're lying."

"I'm not." I reached into my Soul Storage, pulling out a sketch I'd prepared thanks to the Leviathan Cultists. I already knew this from having played the game, but I needed time to gather the evidence to convince this man. "This is her current form. Eight feet tall, armor black as midnight, eyes that burn with cold fire. She commands the Sixth Legion and specializes in siege warfare.”

“....”

I added, “They say she can't remember her human life, but sometimes... sometimes she stands perfectly still for hours, as if listening for something. I won’t risk something like this since this is something someone like you can openly confirm. If the Three-Brained Scholar walked into the Demonic Continent, the demons would lower their heads and let you meet the Demon King. Whom you can ask him directly. I’m not foolish enough to trick you with this."

He stared at the sketch, fingers tracing the armor's outline. "How do you know this?"

"Because I know things I shouldn't. See patterns others miss. Just like you see death dates above everyone's heads." I paused. "There's more. The transformation wasn't random. Someone orchestrated it. Someone who wanted to hurt you specifically."

"Who?" The word came out as a growl.

"The Demon King, of course. Maldric. Join me. I have resources, connections, power. What I need is your mind. Your experience." I stood, Lilian rising with me. "Help me navigate the political webs surrounding Nevaramis. In return, I'll help you uncover the truth about Sarielle. I’ll help you rescue her and return her to a human body. And no, there are no maybe or perhaps here, I will live up to my promise."

"Restore a [Living Armor]?" Hope flickered in his eyes before cynicism crushed it. "Impossible. Once a soul bonds with armor–"

"Yesterday, flying was impossible for anyone below Seventh Ascension. Today, I have a Photon Ring." I smiled. "I specialize in impossible things."

He laughed. It was wild, desperate, and edged with hysteria. "You little bastard. That fool Sikandaar also had me surprised once, but you easily surpass that. You come here with gifts of near-immortality, tell me my dead lover is a demon general, and offer me hope wrapped in employment opportunities?"

"I prefer to think of it as aggressive recruitment."

"And if I refuse?"

I shrugged. "Then you stay here, brewing potions in your swamp, slowly going mad from isolation while the world moves on without you. Sarielle remains a mystery, the truth stays buried, and you die without ever making your pill, and knowing you could have saved her but chose not to."

"Brutal," Lilian murmured appreciatively.

Maldric stood slowly, dignity wrapped around him like armor despite his disheveled appearance. "Show me."

"What?"

"The Photon Ring. Bring it out again and show me it works. Prove you're not just another charlatan promising miracles."

I stepped back, calling on my cores. The ring materialized in a burst of golden light, spinning faster as I fed it power. My feet left the ground, body rising smoothly until my head nearly touched the ceiling. Books fluttered from my aura. Cauldrons bubbled more vigorously.

But I wasn't done.

I extended one hand, and the ring pulsed. A book flew from its stack, caught in the ring's pull. Then another. Soon a dozen texts orbited me, held by the same forces that kept me aloft.

"The ring doesn't just provide flight," I explained, voice carrying over the energy's hum. "It's a fundamental manipulation of forces. Gravity, momentum, attraction, repulsion – all playthings when you understand the principles. I’m not very good at using it in battle, but I’m getting there."

I landed gently, books settling back into their stacks with barely a whisper. The ring faded, leaving only the memory of light.

Maldric stared at me for a long moment. Then he walked to a cabinet I hadn't noticed before, pulling out a bottle of something that looked like liquid starlight.

"Celestial Wine," he said, pouring three glasses. "Been saving it for a special occasion. Seems appropriate now."

We drank in silence. It tasted like moonlight and possibility.

"I accept," he said finally. "Your offer. Your terms. Your insane quest to save a woman who might be beyond saving." He met my eyes. "But I have conditions."

"Name them."

"First, my laboratory comes with me. Every book, every apparatus, every half-finished experiment."

"That’s natural. Done."

"Second, I work on my own schedule. No mandatory meetings before noon. No interruptions during critical experiments."

"Reasonable."

"Third..." He hesitated. "When we find Sarielle, when we discover the truth – I get to decide what happens next. Whether we try to save her or..." He couldn't finish. He was scared that the Living Armor might have her soul, but it wasn’t quite “her.” If so, he didn’t want her to corrupt the name of his lover any longer.

"Agreed," I said softly. "She was your love. The choice should be yours."

He nodded slowly, then faster, energy building. "Yes. Ah, can I show my excitement now? Yes! HAHA! Oh, this is good. This is a great day. Iskandaar, do you realize what this means? Access to Nevaramis's resources, its dungeon cores, its accumulated knowledge!" He spun, grabbing seemingly random items and stuffing them into a bag that definitely couldn't hold that much. "I'll need essence extractors, stabilization chambers, oh! The temporal modification array!"

"How long do you need to pack?" I asked, amused by his sudden enthusiasm. “If you want, I can teleport the entire hut to Nevaramis.”

"Pack? Pack?!" He laughed maniacally. "My boy, I've been packed for twenty years. I just needed a reason to leave. Fuck the Wraithwoods!"

He snapped his fingers. The entire hut shuddered, groaned, then began folding in on itself. Walls collapsed inward, but instead of destruction, they compressed. Shelves merged with floors, cauldrons nested inside each other, books fused into single volumes.

Within minutes, the entire laboratory had condensed into a trunk no larger than a travel chest.

"Spatial compression," he explained at our stunned expressions. "My own design. Very illegal in most kingdoms, but then, so is half of what I do."

"That's..." Lilian struggled for words. "You've been living in a magical suitcase?"

"Portable laboratory," he corrected. "Much more dignified. Now then, shall we see this legendary city of yours?"

I called on the Bifrost, golden light gathering around us. As it built, Maldric grabbed one last thing – a small portrait of a woman with silver hair and eyes like stars.0

"For luck," he said quietly.

The light consumed us, and we stepped between worlds. When we emerged on Nevaramis's platform, Maldric's gasp was audible even over the city's ambient hum. Maldric Othrandar began to mutter about the impossibility of it, the architectural principles, the energy requirements, and the spatial stability.

I just smiled. "Nevaramis welcomes you to your new home," I said, “our Three-Brained Scholar.”

I felt a satisfaction deeper than any combat victory. This was what I had dreamed of from the first day I met this man. A living legend like him, who didn’t possess the strength of an Arcane King, had advised an Arcane King on how to rule.  

He was no less important than those crowned freaks. Another piece of the puzzle is in place. Another ally in the war I knew was coming. The Scholar with Three Brains had joined the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Now, to see what miracles we could work together.

****

| Epilogue

A Week Later…

Princess of Goryeo, Jin Ha-Yun sank deeper into the hot spring, letting the mineral-rich water work its magic on muscles that had seen too much combat lately. Steam rose around her, creating a veil between her and the world's demands.

For these precious moments, she wasn't the Crown Princess, wasn't the general who'd held the Jade River for three bloody days, wasn't the woman whose broken engagement had given Xianli their excuse for war.

She was just tired.

Three months, she thought, watching ripples spread from her movements. Three months since the world went mad.

It had started with such a simple thing – refusing to marry Xianli's Third Prince. A political match she'd never wanted, to a man who saw her as a trophy rather than a person. Her father had supported her decision, had even seemed relieved when she'd stood in the throne room and declared her intentions.

Much of it was thanks to Iskandaar Romani, whom she’d invited to her home at that time.

The Heavenly Demon himself, though she didn’t know the meaning of that title back then, nobody did. He'd stayed a mere few days here and attended an event. He didn’t want to, but she insisted. He hadn’t done anything bad back then – he'd been a perfect guest, charming and respectful and careful not to compromise Goryeo's neutrality.

But just his presence was enough. After Merasca, when Iskandaar’s true powers and actions became public, Xianli knew they had an opportunity.

"The Goryeo Kingdom harbors terrorists and demons!" their propaganda proclaimed. "The Crown Princess herself conspires with the enemy of all civilized nations!" Among other, dirtier rumors.

Not only was she and Iskandaar not romantically involved, he’d even rejected her. Well, he’d rejected her father’s offer, but still, it was the same. Not that it bothered her… That was beside the point.

Never mind that Iskandaar had left peacefully, that he’d never harmed anyone here, not even Xianli’s prince even though he was present there. Never mind that Goryeo had maintained strict neutrality in his conflict with the empires. The narrative was set, the excuse provided, and Xianli's armies had marched within the month.

Usually, Xianli wouldn’t be that bold, even if they weren’t a weak Kingdom. However, the Baolian Dominion supported Xianli this time. For what, she didn’t understand. While the western continent was ruled by two Empires, the eastern continent only had the Baolian Dominion. So they were practically all-powerful here. And if they wanted to destroy a country under them, nobody could stop them.

Emperor Shengzong, wearing the Crown of Dominion, was an impossibly powerful man. He’d been ruling these lands for three thousand years now, and so he was as reverend as the Twelve Gods here.

Ha-Yun submerged herself completely, holding her breath as water closed over her head. In the darkness, she could almost pretend the weight on her shoulders was just water pressure.

When she surfaced, gasping, her thoughts turned to the war itself. 

Xianli hadn't expected real resistance now that they had the support of Baolian. Why would they? Goryeo was smaller, its military focused on defense rather than conquest. They should have rolled over the border and reached the capital in weeks.

Instead, they'd met Jin Ha-Yun.

She'd taken her father's lessons to heart, combining traditional Goryeo martial arts with the combat techniques she'd learned at Waybound. Her blessing from the Mountain God had been enhanced by Lady Yueling, which gave her strength beyond her frame. Her royal bloodline granted her access to techniques reserved for the throne's heir.

But most importantly, she'd learned from Iskandaar himself during their time at the academy. Not his techniques, those were too deeply personal to share, but his mindset. Believe it or not, when a mere 5th Ascension student clashed with an Outer God, as his senior, it changed things in her. His way of seeing battles not as clashes of strength but as puzzles to be solved. It had affected Ha-Yun.

"Power is just one factor," he'd told her once, during a late-night study session in the airship. "Terrain, morale, supply lines, weather… control enough factors and you can defeat someone twice your level."

She'd held the Jade River defensive line for three days with a force one-third the size of Xianli's army. Used the river's flooding season to trap their heavy cavalry in mud. Positioned her earth mages to turn solid ground into sucking quicksand at crucial moments. Timed her counterattacks for dawn, when the sun would blind enemies approaching from the east.

Three days of blood and brilliance, and Jin Ha-Yun held.

But wars weren't won by single battles. Xianli had reserves, had resources, had the fanatic conviction that came from believing themselves righteous. Each victory cost Goryeo more than it could afford to pay. Each defeat taught Xianli how to counter her strategies.

Now they pressed toward the capital itself, and Ha-Yun was running out of miracles.

She rose from the spring, water cascading off her form as she reached for a towel. Her reflection in the water showed someone she barely recognized – harder, leaner, with eyes that had seen too much. The blessing from the Mountain God had marked her physically too, faint patterns like stone veins tracing her arms when she channeled power.

I need air, she decided, wrapping the towel around herself and grabbing her sword out of habit. Even here, in her private sanctuary, she couldn't afford complete vulnerability. There had already been three assassins after her throat.

The garden beyond the hot spring was her favorite retreat. She always felt relieved when walking through it because it was designed by her mother before her untimely passing. Cherry blossoms bloomed regardless of season here, a small magic that brought beauty to even the darkest days. Ha-Yun padded barefoot across smooth stones, her hair spilling loose and damp over her shoulders.

“...!!” She'd made it halfway to her favorite meditation spot when every instinct screamed danger.

There was a scent of blood nearby. Someone was here. Someone who'd bypassed guards, wards, and protections that should have been impenetrable.

Her hand found her sword's hilt as she scanned the garden. There, in the gazebo where she often took tea. Around it, multiple dead men in robes lay in a pool of their own blood. Assassins…! Despite the foul smell, a figure sat in perfect stillness in the gazebo, purple smoke from incense curling around them as cherry blossoms drifted like snow.

That… shit, not good. That was obviously someone powerful. If he could take down this many assassins with no sign of battle, no sound or mana leakage to alert anyone, even her, he was far beyond her grade. An assassin sent by the Emperor? Dammit.

Regardless, Ha-Yun was ready for battle.

But when the figure turned, her breath caught.

Iskandaar Romani smiled at her, long hair ruffling in the evening breeze, and he looked entirely too comfortable for someone who'd just infiltrated a royal palace during wartime. He blinked, tilting his head at her following action. "Huh. Is it wise to put your weapon away before an infamous terrorist, Princess?"

The absurdity of the situation – her in a towel with a sword, him sitting casually like he'd been invited for tea – broke through her shock. But before her shock faded, she’d already lowered her blade, a smile tugging at her lips despite everything.

"It's a worse idea to hold a sword toward a dear friend." She moved to sit across from him, noting the way his eyes tracked her movement. Not with threat assessment, but something warmer. "It has been a while, Iskandaar Romani. More than half a year, yes? You've grown."

It was true. The boy she'd known at Waybound had been powerful but unpolished, raw potential wrapped in desperate determination. This man radiated controlled power; his movements were economical, and his presence filled the space without effort. She was already 7th Ascension thanks to the brutality of the war, but he… he was definitely higher leveled than her.

"So have you, Princess." His voice carried depths it hadn't before. "Though I suspect your growth came at a steeper price than mine."

She felt his gaze catalog her changes. The new scars, the muscle definition that came from real combat rather than training, and the weight in her eyes that matched his own.

"I'm sorry to be rude, and it’s not as if I’m disliking seeing you after so long, but…" she said, tucking wet hair behind her ear, "Why are you here, Iskandaar?"

His smile widened, and he stood up slowly. "Last time, you invited me to enjoy your hospitality in this place. I was grateful for your help back then. However, it seems my presence here caused you a war."

The words hung between them, acknowledgment of the disaster that had followed his visit. Ha-Yun waited, knowing there was more.

"And?" she prompted when he didn't continue.

His expression shifted, playful warmth replaced by something harder. Something that reminded her why empires feared the name Heavenly Demon.

“You asked why I’m here, princess,” he said, staring up at the moon, his robes swaying gently. He looked back, locking eyes with her. "I'm here to stop a war."

The words hung in the air between them, weighted with impossible promise.

Stop our war.

Not negotiate peace with the enemy, nor offer mere aid. But… Stop a war. As if conflicts between nations were pieces on a game board he could simply sweep aside.

Ha-Yun studied his face in the lantern light, searching for any trace of the academy student she had known. That boy was gone. In his place stood something more. A sovereign who commanded a legendary city, who had challenged an Arcane King and lived, who now spoke of ending wars with the casual certainty of someone stating sunrise would follow night.

The garden seemed to hold its breath around them. Cherry blossoms drifted through the still air, landing on the surface of a nearby pond where they formed perfect, undisturbed circles. Even nature itself seemed to pause, witnessing the moment.

"You think that's possible?" she finally whispered, unable to keep the fragile hope from her voice. “An Arcane King backs our war. Father won’t admit it to me, but… our country is doomed.”

Iskandaar's smile was neither arrogant nor doubtful. It was the expression of a man who had seen the very foundations of the world and understood how they might be moved.

"I've learned something important, Princess," he said, his voice carrying easily through the night. "As arrogant as it sounds, few things in this world are impossible for I. As for what those few things are? Well, going against an Arcane King is certainly not one of them."

In that moment, watching golden light dance in his eyes, Ha-Yun believed him. It was a strange feeling to put her faith in a man who himself had three Arcane Kings hunting for him. But perhaps that fact alone gave her hope. Wherever this man went, he brought hope like the sunrise.

The sun rose in the sky, eliminating the dark, as Ha-Yun leaned in her chair, letting out a heavy sigh of hope and relief. For the last couple of months, nobody knew what the new troublesome Romani had been up to, but he was back in the spotlight again. 

Ha-Yun knew with perfect clarity that whatever came next would reshape not just Goryeo, but the world itself. The pieces were in place, and the Heavenly Demon had made his move.

History had only just begun.

END OF BOOK 4

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The Veiled Man: And there you go! The end of Book 4. Let me know if this chapter being the end of the book is good or not especially with this last scene. I personally feel it's great because it builds the starting of Book 5 quite clearly with expectation and promise, but it might also feel a little abrupt since this feels like the start of a new arc. And damn, it’s been about exactly 11 months since I started posting this. We have 4 books already!!

By the way, in RoyalRoad the current chapter is Chapter 139. I don’t want to stop posting there just yet since it’d be a massive cliff, so I’ll stop after posting Chapter 141 where Iskandaar and Amelia flees to Althelgard. Because of that, it means we only have 7 chapters ahead rather than the 10 promised chapters. Sorry about that!! The book ended at a bad time.

 Thank you everyone for your support so far. As usual, I take a break after each book’s end, but this time I want to take a longer break. Rather than the 1 week break, I want to take 4 weeks this time. 1 month. Coincidentally this is the end of July, the timing is nice. 

I’ll return with The Martial God– err, Martial Arts vs Magic Book 5 starting September 1, 2025!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

Hold!! That’s not the end of the news. 

There’s a reason behind this wider break. It’s not as if I’m suddenly busier, but because it’s high time we focus on Barbarian Ascension. I had a fear that people wouldn't like it as much or that it won’t do better than Martial God when I finally release in RoyalRoad, so I was hesitant and demotivated in writing it. The chapter likes weren’t bad specially given the fact among our barely 200 patrons, not all will give a new story chance, but still I felt unsure.

However, recently, @Kadian Nichols made an incredibly high-raising comment in Chapter 22 (shout out to you man) which motivated me quite much to finally focus on this.

For everyone here who hasn’t given Barbarian Ascension a chance, please do! It’s the same planet, and the story is set 300 years after our Iskandaar, the Heavenly Demon, showed himself to the public. The MC is a philosophy student Isekai’d into a dumb Valtherian! Yes, the same barbarian tribe we met in Athelgard. Moui is his ancestor. 

This month, you'll see tons of posts on Barbarian Ascension. 

I still want to take this immediate week off, though, to get over the end-of-book feels, so expect the Barbarian chapters to start on August 6th. And with the return of Martial God on September 1, I plan to serialize Barbarian Ascension as well.

With that said, here comes some other bad news. It should be expected already but I don’t want to hide anything from you guys, as you guys have been supporting me wholeheartedly, so I’ll be clear about it. The update schedule.

With the serialization of a 2nd novel, I naturally can’t give both novels 100% focus. After the Martial God returns, we’ll see a lower update rate on it. It might rise back up after the initial month of Barbarian Ascension with its Rising-Star phase, but I don’t want to give any false promises, so keep your expectations low. 

Martial God will follow a 1-chapter/week update speed after returning.

As for Barbarian Ascension, it’ll follow a 4-chapter/week speed for August. It might remain the same or lower to 3 starting in September. We shall see!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy note. To compensate, I’ll soon post some new character pictures to capture Book 4’s ending. They might be a bit too sensual… Anyhow!

Have a good day,

Sir Veiled.