Chapter 55: Insight

Theo stamped the seal onto the page of the incomplete manual.

No reaction. The characters showed no signs of shifting. The seal couldn’t repair an incomplete manual. It needed a solid foundation to elevate a technique.

"Maybe I should try learning the first eight strikes first."

Theo felt a headache coming on.

If he had a choice, he wouldn’t bother with broken techniques. If all else failed, he could wait until he left the mountain for a regional mission and visit the merchant houses.

It would be ideal to buy a suitable art outright. If not, he could offer a hefty reward for them to track one down.

For now, anything that could be solved with money wasn’t a problem for Theo.

Half an hour later.

He memorized the essence of ’Twelve Strikes of the Quaking Earth’.

He was reluctant to admit it.

He seemed to pick up blunt-force techniques far faster than blade combat.

"Incomplete manuals should still allow the infusion of martial insights."

Theo gave it a quick try.

[One year of insight successfully infused.]

[First year: Despite the incomplete manual, your astonishing affinity for blunt-force allowed you to persist. You mastered the basics in a month. You achieved proficiency in three. Minor mastery in six. By the end of the year, a sudden epiphany pushed you straight to major mastery.]

Theo: "..."

Wait, seriously?

Major mastery in a year, with an incomplete manual.

Good news. He finally discovered a talent beyond just his Abyssal Physique.

Bad news. This talent meant he was destined to be a hammer-wielding brute.

"Guess passion and talent really are two different things."

"Anything but a hammer would have been fine."

Theo’s mood was complicated.

Would he actually reach the pinnacle of blunt-force techniques with just an incomplete manual?

[Five years of insight successfully infused.]

[First year: You perfected the Twelve Strikes, but without the remaining sections, you hit a bottleneck.]

[Second year: You began deep contemplation, pondering the true essence of blunt force and attempting to deduce the missing parts.]

[Third year: Against all odds, you found a path forward. You created the ninth and tenth strikes through sheer intuition.]

[Fourth year: The manual felt like a puzzle missing just one piece. You effortlessly devised the eleventh and twelfth strikes. Your completed version surpasses the original.]

[Fifth year: Your Twelve Strikes reached the pinnacle.]

"..."

Theo held his forehead, questioning reality.

First, because endless blunt-force techniques were flooding his mind.

Second, his talent in this area was higher than he imagined.

Five years. An incomplete manual. And he not only completed it but pushed it to the pinnacle.

Compared to his sluggish progress in tactical blade work, this was like riding a rocket.

"Is it just my innate talent?"

"Or did becoming the master of the Crucible of Genesis enhance this ability?"

Origin artifacts seemed to be more than just powerful tools.

Sensing the Crucible within his World Seed, Theo decided not to dwell on it. He couldn’t even wield the weapon properly yet in the real world. No point overthinking.

"First, let’s complete the manual."

Theo walked over to a relatively flat boulder. He spread out paper and began writing swiftly.

Soon, a complete high-tier martial art took shape on the page.

He pressed the Ancient Bronze Seal onto it. The tiny characters immediately rearranged themselves. They flowed into perfect order.

Finally, even the name of the martial art transformed.

’Seven Forges of the Quaking Earth.’

A brand-new Peerless Art was born.

The Seven Forges could be considered the ultimate evolution of the Twelve Strikes. Without altering the original’s core philosophy, it elevated the concept of physical density to its extreme.

It emphasized using deliberate, measured strikes to counter speed. It made the lightest touch unleash earth-shattering kinetic force.

At the pinnacle, even a seemingly gentle swing could split mountains or sever rivers.

No need for words.

Martial insights... Activate!