The might of a fist

Qian Long Martial Star. A world of Martial Arts, a world ruled by martial might. 

This world was a huge place, almost similar in size to Earth but far smaller than Aetherian.

Soon enough, Soha learned the important details from the data that the Mirror had collected from his current body, Hei Ren's memories.

Soha was currently in a State called Zhiyuan in the Wu Country, and he was a very insignificant person in the whole spectrum.

Hei Ren's body had never learned Martial Arts, nor did he have anything to show for himself other than his notoriety claimed through the wanted posters.

Even among the bandits and thieves, he didn't have much respect; he was more like a foot soldier with a big name working under a 3rd Class Martial Artist, a bandit, named Poison Fist.

So, after running away from the boat, Soha quickly got a samurai-looking red mask for himself and hid his face before scramming from the city.

Soha was in a very disadvantaged state from the beginning. He first had to calm himself somewhere safe, where no bandits would come searching for him.

Fortunately, wearing such masks was quite normal in this world as nobody even frowned other than being curious at his sight, which made everything much easier.

Soha entered a public carriage and, after three hours, boarded out at a traveler's inn around 30 kilometers from the riverside city.

Luckily, Hei Ren had some money in his hand, just enough for about a month's survival in good health. It was extremely beneficial for Soha in his current straits, or he would have had to use his limited time searching for finance.

Soha bathed himself in the inn, and as the night moved deeper into itself, he got ready to begin his research into 'How to grow stronger.'

But just before he could delve into his thoughts, someone knocked on his door.

He frowned, put on the red mask, and opened the door cautiously.

The person who knocked was a delicate young girl with fair skin and beautiful dark hair, with a beauty mole on her cheek.

She looked at him with her big brown eyes filled with an innocent charm as she asked shyly, "The Inn master was wondering if the young master would like the company of a beauty or two; it is a beautiful night with a full moon, after all."

Soha coldly looked at her and said calmly, "No need."

The door closed in her face, leaving the girl stunned and frowning, biting her nails.

After being around beauties like his two sisters—Elder Sister Evelyn and Little Sister Eva—and his mother, who, even though old, had her own charm, how could these harlots make him waste his precious time?

Beauty cannot make him go astray when his goal was on the line.

…

After that episode, Soha delved back into research of this world's Power System.

He had already realized that this world held hope; now it was up to him and the Mirror—whom he had unceremoniously named Emma—to understand wherein that hope laid.

"First of all," he said to Emma, noting, "there are no guns in this world, just cannons, but they are not strong enough to kill even the most ordinary Martial Artists, am I right?"

[Yes, Host,] she replied, [The cannons themselves were just one of the effects of the Great Martial War between the Righteous Faction of Martial Artists and the Demonic Faction, which happened some decades ago. This world's leading power is still individual might, Martial Arts.]

"Hmm…" Soha nodded carefully. "How are these Martial Artists in comparison to Espers of Aetherian?"

[The strongest people of this era, titled Martial Grandmasters, should be about as strong as Rank 3 Espers of Aetherian. Or maybe, in fact, a bit stronger due to how they trained from the start instead of being blessed by an Ability at birth like Espers.]

"Rank 3..." Soha's eyes brightened. "That much strength would be enough to save her easily…"

Emma nodded in his mind.

[Evelyn is just a Rank 1 Esper. But even if she were a Rank 2 Esper, she would still struggle to escape the Abyss in one piece.

[But it would be easy to save her if you have a battle strength equaling the Martial Grandmasters of this world—the battle strength of a Rank 3 Esper.]

He gently touched the mattress under him and asked the most critical question, "So… How do these Martial Artists grow stronger?" 

[People practice unique Martial Arts and cultivate their Innate Qi. There are six tiers of Martial Artists—3rd Class, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Martial Master, Martial Grandmaster, and then the Heavenly Demon Class, which is just a myth.

[Hei Ren only knew this much about it.]

"I see, Emma, so why didn't he train Martial Arts at all?" Soha asked, wondering.

Wouldn't anyone try to dab in on martial arts at least a bit? Especially when their regret was not being a renowned Martial Artist.

Hei Ren was young too, about as old as Soha himself—just seventeen.

"[He wanted to train in better Martial Arts,]" Emma said, sorting through the database, Hei Ren's memories. "[Hei Ren didn't want to become a Martial Artist using an Art that would only allow him to become a 2nd or 1st Class Martial Artist upon training it to perfection. He wanted something better.

"[But of course, he had no way of getting a Martial Art that could let him reach beyond a First Class Martial Artist unless he decided to become a slave of some great family.]"

Soha's gaze shimmered.

"Can't he just start with a normal technique and get something better when he is stronger?"

"[No, Soha, he can't,]" Emma's voice sounded a bit awkward calling his real name, but she continued, "[A Martial Art always requires the complete dedication of a practitioner, and humans don't have too much time to live, everyone would only train at most one Art in their lifetime, and when they reach its limit, they either retire or try to make the next level by themselves.]"

"…I don't have such time," Soha spoke calmly, looking profoundly at his hand before clenching it.