8:00 AM - Secondary Training Hall, Level B3
The secondary training hall felt different from the primary chamber where Min-woo had achieved his lightning breakthrough the day before. Where the primary hall had been all sharp angles and electrical conductivity, this space was designed for defense—curved walls that redirected force, surfaces that absorbed impact, and a general sense of solidity that seemed to whisper endure rather than strike.
Min-woo stood before a new manual, this one bound in what appeared to be metallic threads that shimmered with an inner light. The Infinite Barrier Method felt heavier in his hands than Lightning God's Descent had, as if the very concept of absolute defense carried more weight than explosive offense.
"This technique," Lee Tae-jun began, his voice taking on the ceremonial tone he used for introducing major martial arts, "represents the pinnacle of defensive theory. Where Lightning God's Descent seeks to overwhelm through speed and power, Infinite Barrier Method achieves victory through absolute protection."
Ji-eun monitored the scanning equipment that would track Min-woo's progress, but her readings showed something unexpected from the moment he touched the manual.
"The system response is... muted," she observed, frowning at displays that showed much less activity than they'd seen with lightning techniques. "It's like the technique isn't resonating with your bloodline as strongly."
[INFINITE BARRIER METHOD - INITIAL ANALYSIS]Classification: Heaven-tier Mid Grade (Higher complexity than Lightning God's Descent) Bloodline Compatibility: 89% (Strong but not exceptional) Restoration Potential: 72% (More challenging reconstruction required) Missing Components: 6 crucial barrier formation nodes Estimated Mastery Time: 25-35 days (Significantly longer than lightning) Special Requirement: Spatial qi manipulation (Advanced difficulty)
Min-woo felt the difference immediately. Where Lightning God's Descent had sung to something primal in his bloodline, the barrier technique felt... foreign. Not incompatible, but like trying to speak a language he'd never heard before.
"Why is this so much harder?" he asked, struggling with even the basic breathing patterns that should have been simple after yesterday's breakthroughs.
"Because," Lee Tae-jun explained, settling into what was clearly going to be a lengthy theoretical discussion, "The Infinite One was fundamentally an aggressive martial artist. His philosophy was based on overwhelming force, not patient defense. This technique exists in his arsenal, but it was never his preference."
The Philosophical Divide
As Min-woo attempted the opening circulation pattern, he felt The Infinite One's consciousness stirring—but not with the eager enthusiasm that had marked their lightning training.
"Waste of time," the ancient voice carried clear disdain. "Why learn to hide behind barriers when you could simply eliminate all threats? Defense is for those too weak to attack."
"Maybe," Min-woo replied internally, "but I'm not trying to become you. I'm trying to become strong enough to protect people, not just destroy enemies."
"Naive sentiment. In the end, all problems are solved through superior force. This... barrier nonsense... it merely delays the inevitable confrontation."
The resistance from The Infinite One made every aspect of the technique more difficult. Where his consciousness had actively assisted with lightning mastery, now it seemed to create subtle interference, making Min-woo second-guess the circulation patterns and doubt the value of defensive approaches.
[CONSCIOUSNESS INTERFERENCE DETECTED]The Infinite One Opposition Level: 67% (Active resistance) Learning Efficiency: -34% (Significant impediment) Contamination Trigger: Minimal (Ancient consciousness uninterested) Philosophical Conflict: Offense vs. Defense paradigms
"He's fighting against learning this," Min-woo announced to the team. "The Infinite One doesn't just dislike defensive techniques—he actively opposes them. It's like trying to learn while someone constantly tells you it's pointless."
Kim Chul-su nodded knowingly. "That matches what we know about his historical fighting style. Every record shows him using overwhelming offensive power to end fights quickly. Extended defensive engagements would have been anathema to his entire approach."
Struggling Through Basics
For the next two hours, Min-woo fought to master what should have been elementary circulation patterns. Each attempt was met with internal resistance, making him feel clumsy and uncertain.
The basic barrier formation required visualizing qi as a solid wall between himself and potential attacks. But every time he tried to hold that visualization, The Infinite One's memories intruded with images of those same barriers being shattered by superior force.
"See? Even at their strongest, barriers fail. Better to strike first and render enemy attacks irrelevant."
"Progress is minimal," Ji-eun reported after reviewing two hours of data. "You're achieving maybe 15% of the learning rate we saw with Lightning God's Descent. At this pace, basic mastery could take months instead of weeks."
[INFINITE BARRIER METHOD - PROGRESS REPORT]Current Mastery: 8% (Basic circulation partially understood) Barrier Strength: 23% of theoretical maximum Duration: 12 seconds before collapse Efficiency: Poor (High qi consumption for minimal protection) Major Obstacles: Internal resistance, philosophical incompatibility
The frustration was beginning to show on Min-woo's face. After yesterday's dramatic breakthroughs, this grinding, difficult progress felt like failure.
"Maybe we should focus on techniques that work with my bloodline instead of against it," he suggested, wiping sweat from his forehead after another failed barrier attempt.
"No," Lee Tae-jun said firmly. "This is exactly why you need to master defensive techniques. The national champions won't all attack in ways that suit your preferences. The Ice Emperor's Absolute Zero Domain is essentially a massive area-denial barrier. If you can't understand defensive principles, you'll never be able to counter or adapt to such techniques."
The Deeper Problem
Ji-eun pulled Min-woo aside during a water break, her expression thoughtful.
"I've been analyzing the contamination patterns," she said quietly. "The Infinite One's resistance to defensive training isn't just philosophical—it's creating a blind spot in your development. If we only train techniques he approves of, you'll develop his strengths but also inherit his weaknesses."
"What kind of weaknesses?"
"Tactical inflexibility. Overreliance on personal power. Inability to work within limitations or constraints." She gestured toward the barrier manual. "The Ice Emperor's domain probably works specifically because opponents like The Infinite One would never develop the patience and defensive mindset needed to counter it."
Min-woo understood the implication. "So learning defensive techniques isn't just about having more tools—it's about becoming a different kind of fighter than he was."
"Exactly. And that might be the key to resisting his long-term influence. If you develop capabilities and approaches that are fundamentally opposed to his nature, it becomes harder for his personality to completely subsume yours."
A Different Approach
With this new understanding, Min-woo returned to the barrier training with a different mindset. Instead of fighting The Infinite One's resistance, he acknowledged it while choosing to proceed anyway.
"I understand that you think this is pointless," he said to the ancient consciousness as he began another circulation attempt. "But I'm not you. I don't want to solve every problem by overwhelming it with force."
"Then you will fail when faced with truly superior power."
"Maybe. But I'll fail as myself, not as a copy of someone else's philosophy."
This time, the barrier formation felt slightly more stable. Not because The Infinite One's resistance had decreased, but because Min-woo had stopped expecting his help.
[BREAKTHROUGH: INDEPENDENT LEARNING]Method: Conscious rejection of ancient consciousness assistance Result: 23% improvement in barrier stability Key Insight: Some techniques must be learned despite bloodline, not because of it Strategic Value: Developing capabilities The Infinite One lacks
"Better," Ji-eun noted, watching the monitoring displays. "You're still progressing slowly, but the barriers are more consistent when you stop trying to force bloodline resonance."
By the end of the morning session, Min-woo had achieved something that felt like progress, though it was measured in minutes rather than dramatic leaps.
[INFINITE BARRIER METHOD - SESSION END]Current Mastery: 8% → 18% (Steady improvement) Barrier Strength: 23% → 34% of theoretical maximum Duration: 12 → 28 seconds before collapse Key Achievement: Established independent learning pathway Philosophical Victory: Successful resistance to ancient consciousness preferences
"It's not much," Min-woo admitted as they prepared to switch training focuses, "but it feels different. Like I'm building something that's actually mine instead of borrowing someone else's knowledge."
"That," Lee Tae-jun said with approval, "may be the most important lesson you could learn. Power that truly belongs to you will always be more reliable than borrowed strength, no matter how impressive that borrowed strength might be."
As they moved toward the primary training hall for lightning practice, Min-woo reflected on the morning's struggle. It had been frustrating and slow, but it had also been genuinely his—and that made it valuable in ways that easy success could never match.
The real question was whether he could maintain that independence as they moved into more advanced and tempting techniques.