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’Damn it, this crap is really horrible! ’

Ren’s face twisted in pain and irritation. He’s taking a brief rest after his initial practice of the ’Pain Demon Art,’ because yes, even though he said that he’s going to improve it, he can’t skip the part of getting a firsthand experience with it.

That’s a necessary step. Understanding the concept isn’t the same as personal experience. Only when he completely understood and experienced the technique would it be possible for him to know which part to improve. Reading the technique alone won’t cut it.

As expected, the experience was horrible. The first time he used the breathing technique, Ren choked. He felt as if he had just inhaled straight-up fire. His lungs burned horribly, and he immediately felt a sharp stinging sensation all over his skin. It starts at the top of his head all the way down to his soles. Not a single inch of his body was spared from the feeling.

Yes, this includes his private parts too...

Despite his miserable first experience, Ren tried it again and persisted longer on his second attempt. He endured for 10 seconds before he stopped. Not because he wanted to, but because his instincts blared in alarm.

It told him that if he continued longer, he’d be injured. Although he didn’t know how injured he would be, he trusted his instincts more than the technique; that’s why he stopped.

He didn’t make any attempts after that. Instead, he went back to his usual routine. He allowed his chakra to flow nice and easy through his body to soothe the ache he felt. It took the whole hour before he calmed down and felt safe enough to make an attempt.

For his third attempt, he lasted for 30 seconds. Once again, he stopped when his body told him to stop. He didn’t insist or force the issue. And again, after exiting that state, he spent another whole hour soothing the ache in his body.

Ren was being very careful. He wasn’t a reckless practitioner; he’s not going to sacrifice his future for the sake of immediate gains. That’s why he’s taking his time in his practice of this horrible technique.

Then, once his body calmed down and was ready for some more painful action. Ren switched it up. Instead of using the breathing method, he began converting his neutral chakra into ’painful chakra.’

He succeeded in one go. Although the conversion rate was horrible and the pain amplification was only twice, which is the lowest baseline amplification of the art itself, Ren did it anyway.

But you know what’s really funny?

Once Ren comprehended how to convert his neutral chakra into ’painful chakra,’ he never needed to use the breathing technique ever again. He already grasped the concept and the idea behind the conversion. His unparalleled comprehension kicked into gear and figured out the rest.

Which meant that Ren had completely mastered this technique. Although the highest amount of pain amplification he could muster right now only reached 5×, that’s only because of his lack of chakra volume.

Obviously, using the Pain Demon Art costs chakra, and it’s quite an expenditure too. What’s even more horrible is that the hit must land for the pain amplification to be applied; otherwise, the user is just wasting hard-earned chakra with it.

What a horrible technique this truly was.

The good thing is that, with Ren’s Unparalleled Comprehension cheat, he doesn’t need to use the breathing technique of the Pain Demon Art anymore. Meaning that his chakra wouldn’t be permanently stained with it and develop some strange aura and bias. He could keep it clean and neutral.

He could continue using the pain amplification part since he had already completely grasped the concept. He doesn’t need to resign himself to an extended period of torture just to understand how to do it.

Take that, you lousy ancestor!

And with his complete understanding of the technique, Ren already thought of ways to completely diversify and improve this technique.

First is the issue of the breathing technique, which is the most horrible and dangerous part of this whole thing. In Ren’s version of the Pain Demon Art, he improved the unreliable, confusing, and useless descriptions that the ancestor left. He replaced it with real tangible ideas and concepts that would allow the practitioner to feel and understand the concept of pain more clearly and directly.

He adjusted the rhythm of the breathing technique, which slowed down the escalation of pain, making the practitioners endure it longer and immerse themselves in comprehending the concept. He also left clear warnings and safeguards to pay attention to, to prevent injuries and their accumulation.

As for the chakra conversion formula, Ren also optimized it. While it didn’t change the baseline values, he added more information and exercises to make it easier for the practitioner to grasp the ratio of conversion.

More importantly, he added more finesse methods in the technique’s application.

Previously, it was a one-hit wonder. Lace your hit with painful chakra that will amplify the opponent’s sensitivity to pain by 2× at base and 10× at peak. It’s a one-time thing. If you want to apply it again, you must convert a large chunk of chakra again to do so.

Ren changed this. The adjusted ratios and new application tricks made the amplification linger for 5 to 30 seconds, based on mastery, of course. This meant that for those who had mastered this technique perfectly, when they hit someone, the following hits their target receives for the next 30 seconds will be amplified to the power of 10.

This just skyrocketed the value of this technique, making it more suitable to be called a core martial art inheritance.

And Ren didn’t just stop there. Ren was already developing a 2.0 version of the Pain Demon Art where the laced chakra burrows deeply into the target’s body and will start gnawing at their flesh, tendons, bones, and blood itself, making them experience profoundly excruciating pain.

If you’re talking about a real ’Demon Art,’ this is what it’s like.

Unfortunately, Ren doesn’t have enough knowledge base yet to make the 2.0 version; otherwise, he’d go straight to that version. But this isn’t a wall that will trump Ren’s desire to improve the technique.

If the clan’s wealth of knowledge doesn’t have what he needs, there’s always the internet to help him.

Of course, the option for trial and error is open to him, but that’s dangerous. At Ren’s current strength level, he can’t afford to do too many experiments using his real body. He could do it in the VR world, but it’ll be slower since the sync has to be considered too.

Anyway, Ren wouldn’t just stop here. He’s already invested in this. He’d go all the way and make a terrifying demon art if need be just to give his clan a more fitting inheritance. One that is worthy of their long history.

But while others in his position would immediately show off their improvements to the Pain Demon Art right away. Ren didn’t do so.

Don’t get him wrong, it’s not like he doesn’t have confidence in his 1.0 version.

In fact, he already tested it, and it works exactly as he intended it to. He’s pretty sure that if he were to show this now to Mikel, the poor old uncle would certainly be shocked and horrified but undoubtedly proud of his achievements. There’s even a great chance that he would ask the clan to immediately use Ren’s version instead because it’s just that better.

The reason why Ren held back was because he didn’t want to leave a bad impression or image with his uncle.

Ren’s 1.0 version of the Pain Demon Art is already devious enough. Not only did he make it easier for common people to understand the art itself, he also made great changes to the application of the technique itself, turning trash into a real treasure.

But regardless of Ren’s intentions, even he could admit that the change he made to the technique is quite devious and/or sinister. Just the 1.0 version alone could already be considered a real ’Demon Art.’ And if this were discovered, the notoriety of the clan would certainly spike.

Sure, there are a lot of clans out there who use martial arts with sinister effects in the guise of a ’secret technique’ to make themselves look righteous and orthodox. But that’s only to keep up appearances.

The clan is weak; there’s no changing that reality. At least not now. And it’s discovered that they have something this valuable, or if Ren’s involvement were to be discovered. The current peace and stability of the clan will be shaken.

No, this isn’t the right time to release this just yet. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

But this doesn’t mean that Ren would postpone it for long.

Ren was planning something huge.

Something that will shake not only the very foundations of the kingdom, but also the entire human civilization.

Ren’s idea was so huge that he’s both excited and horrified to do it.

And it all starts with the concept of yoga and Pilates...