Chapter 74 – Love Fight (?) 2


    Beware of children, women, and the elderly.


    This was a golden rule I personally etched into the new doctrine scripture and martial arts manual known as the Heavenly Demon Teachings.


    However, foolishly, I forgot this very rule I had inscribed, and nearly faced reincarnation again today.


    A woman and a child.


    Moreover, thinking I could just fend off a hero who starred in solo episodes and was part of a renowned adventure team in this chaotic mythological world with just my body.


    With a heart resigned to my karma, I thought this, too, would pass and endured for a moment.


    Atnta, upon the instructor’s deration of rest, suddenly snapped to her senses and was shocked to see me half out of my mind.


    And then Atnta, who dragged me to a forest a little away from the training ground, apologized to me, saying she didn’t even know why she did it, and like a tamed beast, she burrowed into my arms and wouldn’t let go.


    And when I told her that I was now entangled with Apollo and Artemis and was trying to solve Hermes’s riddle to find a way out, Atnta looked like she wanted to dig herself into the ground out of shame.


    “Sorry…”


    “Ah, ahahaha…”


    Knowing that she had lost reason, Atnta was tearful with embarrassment and apology.


    Soon after, she buried her head in my chest again, hiding her face.


    Even though I might not have had much experience with rtionships, I was still aware that I had just had my first real fight with someone I cared about.


    And considering that this fight had been with none other than Atnta, a hero who had starred in her own standalone episodes and featured prominently in various mythological adventures in this chaotic world, I couldn’t help but feel satisfied that our first fight had ended on a rtively happy note.


    Moreover, I could guess why Atnta had gone berserk, and instead of being angry, I felt very proud of her.


    “You swallowed the martial arts of that Crazy Demonic Warrior, so you endured well enough.”


    “Crazy… Demonic Warrior?”


    First, I needed to exin the detailed situation to Atnta.


    “Atnta, listen carefully. You’ve been feeling something strange during your martial arts trainingtely, right?”


    “Oh? Y-You knew?”


    As expected, Atnta had also started to notice the demonic martial arts gradually revealing themselves in her own martial arts.


    She nodded and listened attentively to my story.


    So, I exined to her about her current state and the Crazy Demonic Warrior that had started to bloom within her and its origins.


    “So… you mean, the essence of one of your master’s martial arts is within me?”


    “That’s right, probably some force acted during the headbutt incidentst time…”


    The headbutt incident.


    As she recalled the disaster that urred right after our disastrous first meeting, she lowered her head again, perhaps feeling embarrassed.


    Seeing that, I chuckled and gently stroked her head as I continued speaking.


    “Where Ie from, martial arts aren’t justbat techniques or skills; when they reach their peak, they possess a will of their own. Perhaps yourpatibility with his martial arts was good.”


    The imagery is indeed a mysterious and strange ce.


    It is my unconscious mind, yet another part of my consciousness; the part of me that exists there is both me and not me.


    A world of subconsciousness that is separate from my mind yet one with it; that ce is called the imagery.


    If the stages from third-rate to supetive are considered the stages that transcend the human body, then the stages beyond the supetive and the Enlightenment Stage deal with the realm of the human mind and soul.


    The moment youpletely control that imagery and merge consciousness and unconsciousness.


    The mind reaches beyond the consciousness of the Heavenly Point and Heavenly Qi, which is called the Nature Realm or Heavenly Demon Realm.


    Even though I was still in a young body, I could skillfully control my imagery because my soul remained somewhere up above.


    However, the fact that Atnta unknowingly stole my martial arts from my mind meant that the Crazy Demonic Warrior, who was rarely angered in my mind, willingly responded to her.


    However, Atnta was still young, and as the essence of those martial arts was just blooming within her, her emotions towards me, the original owner, must have intensified, causing her to go berserk without realizing it.


    “Oh my, you two must have been quitepatible. I was really startled for a moment.”


    “Sorryyyyy…”


    Normally, martial arts form a shape with a technique and establish a frame with a form toplete a form.


    But Atnta, unusually, formed a frame before establishing a shape, and the form of the martial art she originally learned was changing ording to the frame.


    If she were an ordinary martial artist with internal power, it wouldn’t be strange for her to suffer from qi deviation due to the discord between the shape and the frame.


    Atnta was a Greek who had not mastered internal qi, and since the Crazy Wind Spear technique originally did not require internal qi, it seemed to pass smoothly without any harm.


    However, it was not without any side effects; the borderline twitching of her hands and feet and the strange light reflected in her ruby eyes were proof of that.


    “Maybe it’s because new techniques and realizations areing in. It seems like your body and mind are bing a bit sensitive while adapting.”


    This was my mistake. I couldn’t take care of her when the Crazy Wind Spear technique was blooming, and in the midst of that, the fight with Artemis’s fangirls likely further spurred the blooming of the Crazy Wind Spear technique.


    “Could it be dangerous?”


    “No, thanks to your good control, it doesn’t seem like there will be any real danger or serious trouble.”


    Fortunately, Atnta was not consumed by the Demonic Martial Arts, but was instead training in her own way and gradually making it her own.


    If she had been exposed to deviation as it was, Artemis’s fanatics would have be corpses long ago.


    “If you feel something suddenly surging up like before, or if you suddenly want to fight,e find me anytime.”


    “What? Really?”


    Yes, really.


    Among the twelve martial arts of the Twelve Divine Demons, none were easy, but the Demonic Martial Arts of the Crazy Demonic Warrior had an unparalleled belligerence.


    It would have been more fitting had she mastered the Demonic Martial Arts progressively from the basics; instead, she directly absorbed its essence in entirety.


    Up until now, Atnta had been controlling herself well and incorporating her martial arts training, but to fully control and enhance her skills, I needed to properly guide and teach her.


    ‘The day has finallye for the Demonic Martial Arts external training method to shine.’


    I nned to firmly rein in the Demonic Martial Arts that had taken root within Atnta to prevent it from veering off the wrong path.


    “He… Hehehe… Anytime…?”


    Atnta, meanwhile, was mumbling to herself with a flushed face, lost in her own thoughts.


    Well… It’s not going to be what you’re thinking; martial arts is no joke.


    “Huhuhu.”


    “Hehe…”


    Whether she understood my intentions or not, Atnta merely followed myughter shyly.


    Poor girl, she had no idea what hardshipsy ahead.


    The martial arts ss was arge-scale session thatsted the entire day.


    After the ss ended and the evening sun was setting, I apologized to Atnta and Hercules, who were holding me back, and hurried back to my lodging to wash up.


    “Let’s see… honey cookies, new clothes, a bouquet, a ne…”


    Last time, I spent all my money to buy that darling obsidian flute, so my pocket was light.


    But selling the leftover junk items from Hestosias’s quest at the market brought in quite a tidy ie.


    “My pocket is empty again from buying gifts…”


    What can I do?


    If it could help me soothe the person I was about to visit, it was worth it. I prayed to Hera as I left the room, hoping that my sincerity and effort would make up for what Icked.


    “I hope they aren’t too upset.”


    Atnta was also so angry that she lightly ascended to the point of qi deviation.


    And now, the princess I was about to visit hade all this way just to see me, yet I had left her alone for so long that even I felt guilty.


    One way or another, I would have to face her, whether by bowing my head or holding her close…


    The ce I arrived at was the Forest of Nymphs, right next to the residential area.


    As I followed the path and reached the entrance of the forest, I steeled my resolve and took the first step.


    “Stop! This is the Forest of Nymphs. Unauthorized men are not allowed to enter!”


    “Please state your identity and purpose of visit.”


    Suddenly, nymphs sprang out from both sides of the trees and blocked me.


    Unlike the usual nymphs with their light attire and bright, cheerful image, these two nymphs were heavily armed with wooden armor and spears, leaving no gaps.


    “Excuse me, I heard that a Nereid nymph is staying here recently.”


    “A Nereid nymph?”


    “Ah! You mean Lady Nesneria!”


    “Then you must be the famous…”


    “No wonder, the youngest princess of the renowned Nereid nymphs hase ashore…”


    At the mention of Nereid nymph, the gatekeepers instantly spoke of Neri’s name.


    Judging by the affection on their faces, it seemed that Neri, the youngest and beloved among countless sisters, was also dearly cherished here.


    Whatever flights of fancy they were having, the previously stern atmosphere had vanished, reced by the giggling of young women, making me smile wryly.


    “Could you please inform Lady Nesneria that Dianes requests an audience with her?”


    “Got it!”


    “Please wait a moment!”


    Is being excited about someone else’s romance a universal trait? The two stern nymphs vanished into the forest in an instant.


    “Hmm, what should I say?”


    Sorry for not being able to visit you all this time?


    You’ve be even more beautiful since Ist saw you?


    Neri, as I had observed, had an oddly childlike side, yet sometimes disyed an inexplicably mysterious aspect.


    No matter how young and delicate she might be, she was still a spirit of the sea.


    Because of this, I racked my brain, more nervous than during Hermes’s riddles, trying to think of something that could ease Neri’s heart.


    After waiting for a while.


    I saw the gatekeepers who had gone inside to deliver the message returning from the other side.


    But the faces of the returning nymphs… why do they look so fierce?


    “Enemy of the nymphs!!”


    “Scoundrel!”


    “Heroes are indeed like this!”


    “E-Excuse me?”


    Before I knew it.


    The nymphs, with their faces twisted menacingly, lunged at me with their spears(?).