Surviving Among the Entities

The “Book of Isekai Transference for Those Who Want to Go to Another World 5: Martial Arts” differed from the medieval fantasy Volume 6 right from the opening.

[Those who wish to utilize this book, stake your lives.]

No, even the writing style was different.

[Those who contract with this book will be transported to the martial world.]
[Your information will not remain in the original world once transported.]
[Those who remember you will forget you, and all traces you left behind will disappear.]

While the medieval fantasy had a manual-like style, the martial arts volume was remarkably solemn.

[The transportation occurs through reincarnation.]
[You cannot remember your past life until turning 6 years old.]
[You cannot die before turning 6. However, there is a possibility of ending up in an unfavorable environment.]
[Upon turning 6, you will simultaneously remember your past life and naturally integrate with your current self.]
[You are not usurping another’s place, but rather born into a fate where you were originally unborn, so you need not feel guilty.]
[Your gender remains the same when reborn.]

However, unlike the solemn writing style, the explanations were quite considerate.

[The world you are born into is a martial arts world, but each world is different, and many differences exist.]
[To survive, it is important to identify what kind of world it is.]
[There is no wuxia, only the old school martial arts and the new school martial arts.]

While I had some understanding of martial arts, I had never delved deeply into the subject, so I searched the internet and carefully read through the information.

‘To summarize, the martial artists of the old school martial arts world are human.’

Martial arts are simply fighting techniques, and even the greatest cannot simultaneously face hundreds of opponents.
A martial artist is only human, not a transcendent being.

‘But the new school martial arts is different.’

The martial artists of the new school were transcendent beings.
Even slightly powerful martial artists could effortlessly cleave steel with their inner energy, and upon becoming true masters, they could shatter mountains with a single strike and split the heavens with a single sword. Furthermore, upon reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, they could even become immortals.

“While wuxia is considered an extension of the new school martial arts, the transference book directly stated that wuxia does not exist, so it likely won’t appear.”

Next, I examined the characteristics of the transportation.

[The reincarnated you will possess a special physique.]
[Physiques are divided into a total of 9 ranks, ranging from the lowest xuaxua (下下) to the highest shangshang (上上).]

[The xuaxua (下下) physique either achieves martial arts slower than an ordinary person or has serious defects. The xuazhong (下中) physique is no different from an ordinary person, while the xuashang (下上) physique is twice as exceptional as an ordinary person.]

[The zhongxua (中下) physique possesses physical abilities three times greater than an ordinary person, and from the zhongzhong (中中) physique onwards, not only do the abilities increase, but they are also born with special meridian systems. With the zhongshang (中上) physique, through sufficient effort, one can even aspire to become the greatest under heaven.]

[The shangxua (上下) physique has the potential to become a great sect leader, while the shangzhong (上中) physique, with a bit of fortuitous opportunity and effort, can easily aspire to be the greatest under heaven. The shangshang (上上) physique is already the greatest under heaven from birth without any effort required.]

[The rank of one’s physique is randomly determined, with all probabilities being equal at 11.11%.]
[0.01% is considered invalid, and the physique rank is reselected.]

The medieval fantasy had a 1% chance of awakening magic power.
5% for a relaxed isekai, but this one treated it fairly.

[Lastly, one’s physique is merely a talent, and talent is but a raw gem. It is up to your will to polish it.]
[Even an ordinary pebble can become a beautiful polished gem if carved by a skilled artisan.]
[Even a diamond will be shattered into pieces unable to shine if carved by an incompetent hand.]
[Engrave this well in your mind, the world is vast, and there is always a higher heaven above.]
[Will you take on the challenge? If so, place your hand below, and the contract shall be established.]
[Hand (手)]

“A world where one lives by effort, not luck.”

After checking the situations of the transportees, I could truly understand why such words were written.

[2. Baek Wang-mo (24), Deceased: Born with the Celestial Martial Physique (上下). Known for his innate martial talents from a young age, he was personally taken in as the senior disciple by the sect leader of a major sect. Initially excelling, he grew complacent relying solely on his talent. As an adult, he participated in a bandit subjugation campaign but arrogantly charged alone, dismissing the Bandit King as ultimately just a bandit, only to have his throat slit during his fatal period of the Disintegrating Bone Chopping Execution.]

[6. Seo Yun-hu (16), Deceased: Born with the Semi-Sound Physique (中上). Joined the mid-tier Seven Stars Sect, received prodigious treatment while growing up, and raised his name as one of the promising late-stage innate experts known as the Seven Dragon Three Peaks. Grew arrogant and conceited, starting an argument with an old man at an inn, drew his sword but the old man was one of the martial world’s top 10 masters, dying before he could even perform the One-Second Flurry as his heart was ripped out.]

[18. Lee Jin-cheol (20), Deceased: Born with the Extreme Yang Physique (上中). Created his own martial arts and entered the martial world’s top 10 masters before turning 15. One day, while drunk at a gathering of the top 10 masters, he boasted, “In 10 years, I’ll make all of you kneel before me.” Immediately prompting a battle, he was assailed by the combined attacks of two masters and died coughing up blood after the Seventh Strike.]

Even with an exceptional physique, lack of effort leads to falling behind.
Underestimating elders or children leads to death at the hands of those more skilled.
Arrogance breeds enemies and karmic retribution.

‘Still, having talent makes it easier to achieve one’s goals.’

[35. Seo Mun-cheol (55), Deceased: Born with the Extreme Yang Physique (上中). Became a great sect leader after creating the Sun Cultivation technique, established his own sect, but his arrogant nature bred many enemies. One day, he was ambushed and fell from a cliff. For 30 years below the cliff, he devoted himself to cultivation for revenge. Returning to the world, he personally killed 5,672 martial artists from 36 sects related to his revenge and was designated a martial menace. While battling the Martial Lord, sword immortals, and Taoist immortals, he died coughing up blood. Posthumously known as the Blood Demon, his martial arts were renamed the Blood Scorching Divine Skill and became legend.]

[83. Song Hae-rim (30), Deceased: Born with the Celestial Dragon Physique (上中). With exceptional talent, he joined a major sect and received the sect leader’s favor, but jealous fellow disciples plotted to poison him. After ingesting an untraceable poison, he became crippled and barely escaped with his life by fleeing into the mountains. Living in hiding while coughing up blood and nurturing a desire for revenge, he created the Demonic Dragon Blood Sea Divine Skill and succeeded in exacting revenge. However, he became a blood-crazed maniac, repeatedly committing atrocities until his aura devoured his own self, leading to his death. Until then, he was regarded as the era’s greatest killer, having slain 16,752 people and causing the Celestial Dragon Physique to be treated as the Celestial Killer Physique.]

[92. Baek Mun-won (195), Deceased: Born with the Celestial Martial Physique (上上). Realizing his own talent, he went into seclusion at 10 and through repeated cultivation became a master. By 18, he had already mastered his self-created martial arts to the extreme, even achieving the legendary realms of Bone Reincarnation and Regaining Youth. When the demonic cult arose and disrupted the world, he participated in the war against them, battled and defeated their leader, the Celestial Demon, then as a hero who ended the war, he became the inaugural Martial Lord dedicated to maintaining peace in the martial world through sweeping reforms. In his later years, he spent most of his time fleeing from the Deputy Lord before passing away peacefully from old age, respected by all.]

If I carefully observed, it seemed I could discern the key point.

‘In the medieval fantasy, knowledge was important. And before knowledge, luck was important.’

But in martial arts, it was individual effort.
And relationships with those around you were even more crucial.

‘Even with talent, without effort and diligence, you’ll fall behind.’

Growing stronger breeds arrogance, which in turn breeds enemies, and any lapse in vigilance leads to death.
And strength did not always accompany survival.

[100. Shin Hwi (25), Deceased: Born with the White Bone Celestial Dragon Physique (中上). Joined a mid-tier sect and swiftly displayed the skill to become the sect leader. One day, during a mountain excursion, he encountered bandits and while battling them, boasted, “I can defeat these sorts even with my eyes closed,” making a wager with his companion. Fighting with his eyes closed, he was struck in the shoulder by a blind arrow, contracted tetanus, and died two days later.]

“No matter how powerful one’s martial arts, illness remains unconquerable.”

While martial arts involved physical training and the cultivation of inner energy reduced susceptibility to illness, it did not provide complete immunity.

“A rough estimate emerges.”

Generally, those born in the old school martial arts worldview died easily if they became arrogant.
No matter how exceptional the talent, since one person could not face multitudes, this tendency was even stronger.

“Conversely, in the new school martial arts worldview, lapses in vigilance were the number one cause of death.”

The casual passerby causing trouble at an inn was actually a master in seclusion.
The shabby old man at the inn was one of the martial world’s top 10 masters, and the child encountered along the way was actually the greatest killer under heaven.

“With even more unrealistic elements than the old school, it seems to be a world where even a moment’s lapse in vigilance is unaffordable.”

Interestingly, those without talent had higher survival rates.

[20. Baek Gi-cheol (67), Deceased: Born with the Futile Physique (下下), realizing his lack of martial talent, he ventured into business early on and later became the owner of a trading company spanning the central plains, amassing great wealth. His main product was scented soap. In his later years, he hired bodyguards and traveled the world before dying of obesity-induced heart attack.]

[84. Song Jin-woo (90), Deceased: Born with the Crippled Physique (下下), lacking not just martial talent but even the physical ability for daily life, he utilized his experience as a pharmacist from his past life to manufacture various medicines, establishing a renowned clinic. While elixirs were rare but not legendary in this world, he succeeded in mass-producing them and was respectfully called the Medicine Sage by martial artists before passing away from old age.]

[132. Jeon Hee-seong (85), Deceased: Born with the Flatulent Physique (下下), causing flatulence whenever cultivating inner energy, so he gave up on martial arts. Instead, he ventured to the imperial capital and used his former salesman’s gift of gab to gain the emperor’s favor, becoming a powerful authority figure. Accepting numerous bribes, he lived in luxury and as the next emperor’s guardian and father-in-law, he wielded the emperor’s actual power. Controlling the imperial army to gain military power, the emperor’s authority to gain governing power, and accepting countless bribes for financial power, he was called the Great King of Three Powers. He passed away peacefully from old age in front of his family.]

If lacking in martial talent, one could simply survive by pursuing other paths.
Most martial arts worlds were not as barbaric as the medieval fantasy, so survival rates were higher, and some even replicated Chinese cuisine, gaining fame as chefs.

“Lastly……”

I saw cases where those born with the highest physique not only attained both luck and effort but even transcended to become immortals.

[125. Kim Cheon-woo (??), Surviving: Born with the Celestial Invincible Martial Physique (上上), became the greatest master under heaven at 10 and the feared Celestial Sovereign. After reaching adulthood, he married the Celestial Demon, unified his originally pure martial arts with the demonic cult’s magic arts to create the Primordial Celestial Divine Skill, and through it, attained enlightenment to successfully ascend and become an immortal, now tending the Celestial Fields in heaven.]

[325. Shin Woo-jung (??), Surviving: Born with the Supreme Under Heaven Physique (上上), able to master any martial arts simply by observing them, he battled the previous greatest under heaven for three days and nights at 10, emerging victorious as the new greatest. However, his arrogant and cruel nature bred many enemies. Still, until turning 30, he never suffered a single defeat, feared by all as the Invincible Child. The accumulated karmic sins and experiences became another form of enlightenment, allowing him to shed his mortal form and become an immortal. Even after becoming an immortal, his growth did not stop, and he eventually parted space and dimensions, now wandering through other martial worlds.]

There were only two cases of those born with the shangshang (上上) physique becoming transcendent immortals.

“Is it that difficult?”

In any case, my examination was complete.
When using the martial arts isekai transference book, one must be mindful of effort, humility, and harmony.

“There’s less to prepare for compared to the medieval fantasy transference book.”

Simply undergoing mental education is enough.
When I posted an advertisement about this on the internet, fewer people inquired compared to the medieval fantasy.

‘Martial arts seem more niche than fantasy.’

That’s what I initially thought, but it was simply that the categories of inquirers differed from the medieval fantasy.

“I’m from the special forces. While disappearing from this world is frightening, if I can challenge a new body and new world, isn’t it a worthwhile endeavor?”
“I hold the record of 1,000 wingsuit flights. Martial arts! It sounds really exciting!”
“30 years of kendo experience, with 10 championship records. If I can truly go to an actual martial arts world, I wish to spread my sword arts there.”

For the medieval fantasy, those who felt bored with reality or wished for a fresh start in life had inquired.

“1,000 skydives, free solo climbing record on Mount Seorak, record for ascending the exterior of the Burj Khalifa.”
“I’m the president of a parkour club.”
“I hold the record for summiting K2. Now, I wish to climb the mountain called the martial world.”

But for martial arts, those who enjoyed challenging new and dangerous things had inquired.

“I will facilitate your transportation. However, you must undergo one lesson.”

I cheered on their challenges.

“Never lose your humility, and keep striving, ever striving. Do not underestimate others, and always keep in mind that there is a higher heaven above.”

How could one stop those who challenge?
That challenging spirit is human instinct, after all.

“Then, I shall send you off.”