chsdbacks Chapter 74 Breaking Limits
Chapter 74 Breaking Limits
The meditation room is reserved for the temple.
Iai sat cross-legged with his eyes closed and his breathing deep and slow, but his slightly furrowed brows revealed that his inner world was far from as calm as it appeared.
Several days have passed since he returned from J City. The Deep Sea King incident has been settled, but his ranking of 17th in the S-class has brought him no joy whatsoever.
On the contrary, the simple and unadorned punch from that bald figure was like an eternal brand, deeply engraved in the depths of his consciousness, impossible to erase.
No matter how varied your chakra may be, how powerful and unparalleled your domineering aura may be, or how exquisite and masterful your swordsmanship may be, they all seem pale and powerless before that absolute power, like a delicate glass vessel facing a hammer that can shake mountains, shattering at the slightest touch.
"One punch... just one punch..."
Iai repeatedly pondered the shock of that day in his heart.
That was not a victory of skill, nor an accumulation of energy, but something more essential and pure, the ultimate manifestation of "force" itself that transcends all systemic frameworks.
"Where is my path?"
For the first time, he deeply examined and questioned his own power system.
Haki, chakra, Lunar physique, atomic swordsmanship, and the "Water Mirror" realm he is currently exploring...
Any one of these powers would be enough to make a strong person stand tall in the world, but at this moment, they seemed somewhat "disordered" within him.
They are like a pile of top-quality ingredients, each delicious on its own, but they fail to blend into a dish that can truly tantalize the taste buds.
Facing Saitama's simple yet powerful punch, this feeling of "mixed but not integrated" was particularly evident.
"The forces are too disorganized; they need to be unified!"
Iaijutsu reached a clear conclusion.
Only by fusing all forces into one, eliminating the dross and retaining the essence, and finding one's own core, can one truly embark on the path to the peak and forge one's own "path of one punch," or rather, one's own "ultimate path."
However, it is easier said than done.
How to integrate them? What should be the core? What is the direction?
He racked his brains and tried various ideas to combine different forces, but he could never quite grasp the essence of the matter. It was as if there was always an invisible barrier blocking his inspiration.
Disturbed and confused, Iai decided to seek "outside help".
He calmed his mind, his consciousness sank into the depths of his soul, and once again arrived at that vast and mysterious space of true spirits.
Stars and rivers flow beneath my feet, and mist hangs heavy all around.
With a thought, two familiar figures quickly materialized—it was Genma Shiranui, dressed in ninja attire with sharp eyes, and Jin, with black wings on his back and a wild aura.
"Oh? Another problem? My other self?"
Genma spoke first, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
Jin crossed his arms, sized up Iai, and grinned, "Looks like you were pretty badly shaken off by that bald guy! What, looking for advice from us?"
Iai didn't hide anything, laying bare his confusion: "Yes, the power system is too complex, difficult to integrate, and I can't see a direction beyond that 'absolute power.' In your world, the power system is relatively simple; how do you refine it?"
Genma and Jin exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of helplessness.
Genma pondered for a moment and said, "In my world, chakra is fundamental. Taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu are all different applications based on chakra. The rules themselves bring everything under the chakra system. The so-called 'integration' is more about deepening and expanding within this framework, rather than a fusion across systems."
Jin chimed in, "The pirate world is pretty much the same. Haki is the foundation, and Devil Fruits, swordsmanship, and physical techniques are all icing on the cake, or they can be combined with Haki to unleash even greater power. The world's rules naturally transform external forces into experience in applying Haki and techniques. We don't have your kind of 'trouble' of having multiple independent and powerful systems coexisting."
They shared their insights, but as they said, their experiences were based on the rules of their own worlds. For the One-Punch Man world, where rules are inclusive and like a "hodgepodge," there are indeed no ready-made solutions.
Their existence is more like providing Iaido with abundant "materials" and "tools," but how to forge these "tools" into a unique "divine weapon" is something Iaido needs to find the "forging method" himself.
Although the long discussion provided some insights, the key issue remained unresolved.
Genma and Jin's consciousnesses gradually faded and returned to their respective worlds.
Inside the True Spirit Space, only Iai remained, staring blankly at the endless starry river.
Silence, absolute silence.
Only the faint starlight flowing beneath his feet illuminated his pensive face.
Just as Iai's consciousness was almost merging with the silence, preparing to temporarily abandon it and return to reality to make further plans, a peaceful, distant voice, seemingly emanating from space itself, resounded through his heart without warning:
"Perhaps I can help you, but ultimately, it's up to you."
Iaijutsu shuddered and suddenly looked up.
Above the True Spirit Space, the hazy mist slowly gathered, vaguely outlining a blurry yet incredibly familiar and resonant shape to his very soul. This was the true body of the True Spirit Space, the Zhang Wei split soul that the three called "Da Zhang Wei".
"It's you!"
Iai was surprised, as Da Zhangwei had always played the role of "the main god," and this was the first time they had interacted directly.
"it's me."
Da Zhangwei's voice carried a hint of amusement, "With each 'us' I find again, my power grows stronger, and my perception of the rules of all the worlds becomes clearer. Recently, I've clearly felt your troubles, that confusion you feel when facing the barriers of power."
He continued, "Using you as an anchor, I carefully studied the rules of the One-Punch Man world you inhabit. It's very interesting and quite unique, with its underlying rules being both lenient and demanding towards 'individual breakthroughs.' Based on this, I tried to develop a little trick that might allow you to personally experience the feeling of 'breaking free from shackles,' and I can use you to test its effectiveness."
"Techniques? What techniques?"
Iai's heart moved.
I call it "breaking limits and sublimating".
Da Zhangwei's voice turned serious.
"Breaking limits and achieving sublimation?"
Iaido read it aloud and instantly thought of a key setting in this world, "Could this be related to the 'limiter'?"
"clever!"
Da Zhangwei affirmed, "The inspiration for this skill comes from this initial analysis of the 'limiter' rules. Through my special soul connection with you, I will temporarily guide a power originating from the true spirit to assist you in breaking through and briefly shattering the 'limiter' covering your soul."
He explained in detail: "This process will last extremely short, perhaps only a moment. Because the rules of the One-Punch Man world have an extremely strong 'repairing' instinct, it seems to only allow a very few exceptions (like Saitama) to permanently break the limiter. For other attempts, the rules will quickly 'patch' them and add new restrictions. More importantly, it's extremely dangerous!"
Da Zhangwei emphasized, "Countless beings, in the process of forcibly breaking their own limitations, have become 'monsters' due to their inability to control the sudden surge of power or their twisted desires. But fortunately, with the power of my soul's origin as an anchor and guide, you don't need to worry about losing yourself or becoming a monster out of control. The key is whether you can capture that 'feeling' of transcending limits in that extremely brief moment of 'breaking limits' and transform it into resources for your own growth."
"It's like giving you a key that can unlock the treasure within you, but the door only opens a crack and then closes instantly. What you can see through that crack, what you can take away, depends entirely on your own instantaneous understanding and ability to grasp it."
Da Zhangwei concluded by emphasizing, "Furthermore, 'breaking limits and transcending' can only occur within your own world and requires interaction with the world's rules. Ultimately, everything depends on yourself! All I can offer is a fleeting opportunity."
Iai took a deep breath, his consciousness flashing with light, filled with determination and anticipation.
He nodded emphatically: "I understand, thank you! I will definitely seize this opportunity!"
Without hesitation, Iai's consciousness quickly withdrew from the True Spirit Space and returned to reality.
In the meditation room, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light.
He adjusted his breathing, bringing himself to peak condition, and then, following the subtle sensations transmitted by Da Zhangwei, began to activate the mysterious "limit-breaking sublimation".