He couldn’t believe that all of his skills were ranked A or higher. It was an incredible start.

‘Why did Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts become A-rank?’

The Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts was clearly a D-rank martial arts skill when Choi Yeonseung learned it. The rank of any skill would increase depending on the user’s proficiency. Still, it was the first time he had ever seen a D-rank skill become an A-rank. He had been training for this for so long!

‘I’ve been training a lot, but I didn’t expect this would happen.’

Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons was a skill that made him resistant to all poisons and allowed him to absorb them.

Unity of Body and Fist was a skill that made his reaction speed tens of times faster.

Covert Attack Reversal was a skill that allowed him to receive and return attacks dozens of times stronger.

Impenetrable Skin was a skill that maximized his defense.

Except for those, the rest were skills Choi Yeonseung didn’t even know he had.

[Three Flowers Gathering]

[Rank: A

You have extremely pure internal energy. Three flowers will appear as an illusion when regulating your flow of energy through breathing.]

Three Flowers Gathering! He had heard about it on Earth. This skill could only be obtained if one had extremely pure internal energy. The user’s amount of magic power and internal energy was also essential, but their purity was far more important. If one’s magic power was turbid or had poor quality, it would lead to the skill failing or losing power.

‘Under normal circumstances, only people who have mastered rare magic or martial arts can obtain this skill...’

The Three Flowers Gathering could only be gained by hunters who had mastered unique A-rank martial arts, such as Purple Clouds Divine Arts or Supreme Divine Arts. Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts was a supreme martial art in name, but it was only ranked D due to how slow and sluggish it was. 

‘So Three Flowers Gathering could be obtained through Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts?’

What Choi Yeonseung didn't know was that while Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts was slow and sluggish, it built up purer internal energy for him than any other martial arts. And he had been learning and mastering it for nearly a thousand years. None of Earth’s martial artists had ever dedicated so much of their time to practicing a martial art.

Choi Yeonseung learned only the purest martial arts, made no compromises, and righteously walked the path of martial arts. As a result, he reached a realm that no other martial artists on Earth could. Choi Yeonseung was faithfully realizing the true meaning of martial arts more than anyone else.

[Heavenly Martial Physique]

[Rank: A

You have been blessed with a body that's perfect for learning martial arts.]

Heavenly Martial Physique. It served as proof that one's body was blessed, making it one of the skills that martial arts users dreamed of. It couldn’t be earned through effort, however. They were either born with it or they weren’t.

A body born for martial arts! If two people were to exert the same amount of effort, those with Heavenly Martial Physique would display overwhelmingly better results. That was why martial arts users shouted, ‘’You truly have a Heavenly Martial Physique!’

‘This is due to the magical storm.’

Choi Yeonseung knew his body used to be far from being a blessing. The only reason why his body turned into one was because of the magical storm.

‘The goddess’ preparations are amazing...’

[State of Perfection]

[Rank: A

[Through numerous battles, your realization of martial arts has reached perfection. You can execute martial arts perfectly, even if you've only seen it once.]

On the other hand, State of Perfection was a skill he had never seen before, but he knew right away that it was a powerful skill.

‘It’s rare for martial artists to use a variety of martial arts since one is already hard enough to learn. But if I have this skill...’

It would be possible to use various martial arts according to the situation, just like magicians. The last skill was Resonance From the World. This was the first time he had ever heard of such a skill. He couldn’t even fathom what it was.

‘What?’

[Resonance From the World]

[The world resonates with you as you get closer to the extremes of your existence.]

“...???”

Unlike the others, its description didn’t help him understand what type of skill it was.

‘Is the hunter card broken? No, the hunter card’s never made a mistake.’

The extremes of his existence? The world resonated with him?

Choi Yeonseung wasn’t aware that he had taken his first step toward becoming a constellation. Upon reaching their limit and carving their name in history, beings would awaken as a constellation.

The first human constellation. Earth would shake if people knew this.

Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung resumed silently practicing his punches again on the outskirts of the Abyss.

***

Choi Yeonseung had a knack for living a regular life. He lived so routinely that others clicked their tongues at him even on Earth.

-C-Choi Yeonseung-ssi. Do you have time today?

-I’m sorry. I have an appointment today.

-W-Why? Did something happen?

-Today... is deadlift day.

-......

Coming to the Abyss didn’t change this. After waking up in the morning, he would clean up the kitchen, test the Abyss’ ingredients, and hone his Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts. Then around noon, he would greet the demons who came to him with, ‘How have you been? How was the resurrection?’ Afterward, they would begin fighting.

“Kuaaak. Too strong... Human!”

“Yes. Now, losers should try this before going.”

After about five hundred years since he came to this planet, Choi Yeonseung stopped killing the demons. Since he had become so strong, he just subdued them instead. In return, however, they had to test something for him. It was his cooking!

“Gasp. Too delicious!”

“T-This is pig food!”

“Cough, cowardly human. You poisoned me...”

Choi Yeonseung watched the demons’ various reactions and took notes.

“Hmm. I see. Yes.”

“I’m not going to eat this!”

One of the demons who got a bad dish overturned the bowl. The murky and greenish meat porridge inside it was simply inedible. Its taste attacked the demon’s taste buds! Choi Yeonseung accurately swung his fist at the demon, the pure white fist energy imbued into his attack blowing its head away.

“What do you think you’re doing to the food I worked so hard to make? If you don’t want to eat it, then don’t. But don’t waste food. You’re not allowed to enter this establishment ever again even if you are resurrected.”

“......”

“......”

“......”

The atmosphere around the demons grew cold. Choi Yeonseung looked at them.

“I’m sorry about that. Return to your meals and speak freely.”

“Too... Too delicious. Isn’t this how noble souls taste like?”

“This dish is so yummy it can be dedicated to our master, the Ruler of Blood and Brawls.”

“Ohu... It tastes perfect...”

“Really? Is it that amazing? I didn't find its taste that good, so I decided to make you guys taste it and see if you would like it.”

“......”

“I’m glad you like it. Have some more before you leave.”

Choi Yeonseung laughed, took out more meat porridge from the kitchen, and generously refilled their bowls. After the demons emptied their bowls, they didn’t return for about a month.

[You have tasted many Abyss ingredients and devised a variety of recipes.]

[The C-rank skill ‘Low-Level Abyss Cooking’ has been acquired.]

“!”

He gained a skill thanks to his hard work as a bonus!

***

After more than a thousand years, rumors started to circulate in the realm of the Ruler of Blood and Brawls.

-There is a being here who’s as strong as a monster.

-He’s a human that uses martial arts.

-Martial arts? Don’t only weak people use those?

-No. He is very strong. I guarantee it.

-If you beat him, there’s a high chance the Ruler of Blood and Brawls will immediately take notice of you.

-No, the Ruler of Blood and Brawls will probably summon that being in his presence soon.

The dream of all beings living in the realm of a constellation was to be acknowledged by that realm’s ruler, enter into a contract with them, and become a member of their household! Receiving immense power and becoming an even nobler being was just a small part of what they'd gain. The demons here killed each other every morning and evening. They would then be resurrected, at which point they’d just return to killing each other. All of those were so the Ruler of Blood and Brawls would notice them!

-The glorious Barigos, first household member of the Ruler of Blood and Brawls and recipient of the Axe of Blood, is about to test him.

-Oh... Ohhh!!

-Barigos-nim...!

The demons trembled with jealousy.

Being tested by Barigos himself! 

The fact that an outsider was being tested was already a feat in itself. That meant becoming a household member was now a possibility!

-Kuaaaak! I can’t stand it! I will kill him so Barigos-nim would test me instead!

-I am thinking the same thing! Die!

***

He gathered his internal energy, held his posture, and extended his fist. He had done this routine over tens of millions of times. Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung never took it lightly. Each time he executed it, he did so with all his heart and soul. He was always serious when it came to strength, after all.

However, he recently found a problem.

‘My growth has stagnated.’

Every time he used Origin of the Celestial Fist before, he felt his internal energy increase a bit. However, that feeling had disappeared since his dantian was already full.

‘Am I stuck at the peak-class stage?’

One’s martial arts would stop growing if they couldn’t get it past its current stage. Choi Yeonseung was currently at the peak-class stage. Among the hunters, nobody had ever managed to go beyond that. 

‘When I left, no martial artist has reached a higher stage than my current one yet. In other words... I’ve got no one to refer to.’

Since he lacked any references, Choi Yeonseung had to break through this wall and grow all by himself.

‘To become stronger, I have to fight a stronger enemy!’

“Is the owner of this place here?”

Amid his contemplation, he heard the voice of a demon coming from outside. Choi Yeonseung opened the door and came out.

“Are you here to eat? That’s great. Good meat just came in today. Have a seat. I’ll make you a rice bowl… but without the rice.”

“Um. Let’s eat.”

“......?”

Choi Yeonseung was shocked when the demon entered the inn.

‘Strong!’

When he analyzed his opponent, he felt how powerful the demon was. It was stronger than him! This demon had trained to his limits and had such powerful magic power. It made him feel how great the demon race truly was.

Thump!

“I heard that the owner here collects rare minerals.”

“Oh...!”

The demon brought out a heavy adamantium ingot. Its beautiful brilliance amazed Choi Yeonseung. He had never seen anything so big before!

“Would you like one more bowl?”

It had been so long since he left Earth, but Choi Yeonseung did use to live in a capitalist society! He couldn’t help but be shaken by money.

“No. One bowl is enough. It was delicious. From what I’ve heard, you’re from the human race. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Human. I am the glorious Barigos, the Ruler of Blood and Brawls’ first household member and wielder of the Axe of Blood.”

The other party made such a long introduction that Choi Yeonseung felt he had to say something as well.

“...I am Choi Yeonseung of the Gyeongju Choi family...”

“I came here to tell you about my master’s proposal.”

“Proposal?”

“It is a glorious offer to join my master’s household.”

Barigos naturally thought that Choi Yeonseung would accept it. Even outsiders wouldn’t be crazy enough to refuse the offer of a constellation. No one, no matter how crazy, would refuse a constellation in the Abyss.

“I’m sorry. I refuse.”

“...!!!!”

Choi Yeonseung’s answer left Barigos feeling surprised for the first time since he was born. In an instant, the air became heavy due to the sense of intimidation that Barigos exuded.

“You dare reject my master’s offer?”

“Yes.”

Choi Yeonseung awakened the internal energy throughout his entire body. Soon, he trembled.

Was it due to fear? Apprehension? No, those weren’t the reasons. He was simply far too happy to finally meet an enemy strong enough to make him confidently assume their battle would make him stronger! 

‘I want to fight!’

Upon realizing that Choi Yeonseung wasn’t afraid of him and was ready to fight, Barigos asked a question.

“I don’t understand. Your talent is worthy to serve my master. Why did you refuse his proposal??”

“I have a prior arrangement.”

“A prior arrangement? Do you mean that a constellation has already made you their household member?”

Barigos was surprised. He couldn’t feel the energy of a constellation from Choi Yeonseung.

“Not yet, but a constellation did promise to turn me into a household member if I pass an ordeal.”

“...????”

Barigos was puzzled.

What was this? Among the constellations, nobody offered such strange conditions.

“... Have you been deceived?”