[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam":3,"chapter-young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-chapter-140":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Young Master's PoV: Woke Up As A Villain In A Game One Day",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},500542,755,"Chapter 140 Open Challenge [I]","young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-chapter-140",140,"\u003Cp>For the next two weeks, I threw myself into training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen hours a day, every single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, despite all that effort, I had barely scratched the surface of the circulation technique I learned from Michael.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You'd think it would be easy for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I played the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood this technique down to its smallest details — how it worked, why it worked, its every hidden function.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I had come to learn, reality was nothing like a game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing how it functioned was one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mastering it was a whole different struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I've said before, Michael's Essence Circulation Technique — the one granted to him by the Sixth Demon Prince himself, Xaldreth — was special in many ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of its most defining features was that it allowed C-rank Awakened to mimic the effects of Essence Manipulation, refining their bodies and enhancing their physical prowess like B-rankers could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the emphasis here was on the word 'mimic'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't true Essence Manipulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I was doing wasn't the same as a B-rank Awakened instinctively guiding Essence with a thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of mastery wasn't something I — or anyone at my rank — could achieve naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michael's technique didn't grant me that control. Instead, it tricked my body into adaptation, forcing it to act as though it had already reached the next stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By looping one of my Essence Pathways through the solar plexus — where an Awakened's Essence Pool was — and running it through the diaphragm, the technique allowed me to circulate Essence through my body using breath alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That loop then connected to another cycle passing through my heart, merging into my bloodstream and veins, distributing Essence to every part of my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a self-reinforcing cycle. Breathe in, draw Essence, feed it into the bloodstream, and refine the body through movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfect, continuous flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when I moved, the muscles needed to execute that movement would naturally contract and expand, pushing the circulating Essence deeper into the fibers and further enhancing my physical abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, if I willed to run, my leg muscles would instinctively pull in more Essence than the rest of my body, granting me an immediate surge of speed and strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I threw a punch, Essence would flood into my arm and reinforce it at the moment of impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I had to do was will it, and my body would take care of the rest. Kind of. I was simplifying the whole process a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only condition was that I had to keep my breathing steady. No matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I was punched or stabbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I was on the verge of collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't matter. If my breath wavered, the cycle would break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I just had to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sounds simple, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…In theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In practice, it was absolute hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For starters, my meridians weren't built to handle this kind of strain. My lungs felt like they were being crushed every time I tried to force the circulation faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart pounded erratically, struggling to keep up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than once, I nearly blacked out mid-training, my vision swimming as Essence rampaged through my body like an untamed river, wild and uncontrollable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the rewards were undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My reflexes were sharper. My stamina lasted longer. My blows carried more weight. I wasn't just getting stronger. It felt like I was evolving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I still had a long way to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took Michael four to five months to master this technique completely. With the help of his specially brewed Mindscape Drug, he had all the time in the world to train\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have that luxury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had barely two weeks before I assumed Juliana would try to make her final move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when that happened, I'd have to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…And kill Instructor Rexerd Cronwell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Fwoosh!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was forced to snap out of my thoughts just in time to see a long, blunt practice sword hurtling toward my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reacting almost instantly, I jumped back a few steps and tunneled my vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was in a private training hall, reserved for me alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My opponent was a mechanical combat doll — fancy words for a robot programmed to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wielded a practice steel longsword and moved with the precision of a seasoned swordsman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I myself was holding a pair of identical single-edged practice swords in my hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, I was dual-wielding. Or trying to, at least.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I usually preferred to fight barehanded since my ability worked better that way. But now that I had Aurieth in my possession, I thought it was finally time I should start honing my swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And don't even get me started on archery. I had barely held a bow in my life. That was another skill I needed to work on. A lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Thakk!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The combat doll lunged forward, slashing toward my midsection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my swords to intercept — only to realize a second too late that it was a feint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment my blades met its longsword, the doll twisted its wrists and disengaged with unnatural speed. Its footwork was flawless as it slipped past my defenses like a veteran duelist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, it struck again by executing a downward chop aimed at my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely whirled away in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade sliced through the air, missing me by an inch — close enough that I felt the displaced wind against my neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue. These combat dolls were annoying. Their movements were methodical, their articles were calculated, and yet, their attacks were… lifeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they weren't perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They lacked instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The combat doll went for another attack — thrusting its sword straight toward my gut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead of retreating, I pounced forward and sidestepped just enough to let the blade graze past me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I was within range, I willed Essence into my shoulder and slammed against the doll's torso like a battering ram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It staggered. Just a little. Just enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I plunged one of my blades into its metallic thigh and let go of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the same motion, I whipped my hand up and let my fingers wrap around its throat. Applying pressure, I crushed it in the blink of an eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doll tried to stab me in the side, but it was too late. Its alloy neck caved like brittle wood as I drove my remaining sword into its chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks burst as its body convulsed. Its limbs looked like they were glitching — until finally, the single glowing red dot on its faceless head dimmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let go and the combat doll collapsed to the floor, its head twisted at an unnatural angle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled slowly, rolling my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My sword was still not fast enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My technique was still not sharp enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this had been a real opponent — a human, a beast, or heaven forbid, Juliana — I wouldn't have had the luxury of trading blows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to be faster. Deadlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced down at my hands and felt the Essence still continue to thrum under my skin, making my body feel lighter and stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, I had to admit that I was improving. And fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michael's technique was already proving invaluable. It was worth the trouble to get it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, I was surprised he actually stuck to his word and taught me so easily. I half-expected him to pull something stupid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was because he thought he was still getting the better end of our deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which… wasn't exactly wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was getting two thousand Essence Stones from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only needed a little over half of them to rank up, and he could use the rest to brew all kinds of potions under Xaldreth's guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was the «Visual Link» Card — his ticket to learning a powerful Essence-based sword art from… you guessed it… Xaldreth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seriously, his Demonic Sword was a ridiculous cheat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just those two things, his strength was going to skyrocket in the near future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, he figured he could afford to toss me a piece of the pie since he would have plenty left in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I had no problem with that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, I was thrilled. Because the stronger he got, the more problems I could throw his way for him to deal with instead of trying to solve them myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Willingly or not, Michael was my strongest pawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the key pieces I needed to reach a satisfactory ending. I was going to use him to pave the way for me to defeat the Spirit King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he needed me too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted files, documents, and books from the archives so he could investigate the disappearance of his parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officially, his parents were presumed dead after venturing into a Death-Zone in the Spirit Realm during a high-stakes mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Michael didn't buy that story. He was convinced there was more to it than the authorities were telling him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he would be right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn't my story to tell. Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuu,\" exhaling deeply, I patted my face with a clean towel, then slipped out of my gym vest and track pants before changing into a fresh set of clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I turned to leave the training hall, my thoughts drifted back to my training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The combat dolls were great and all… but they weren't giving me a real challenge anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And right now I was itching for a real fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was time to test my strength on living punching bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small smirk crossed my lips as I pulled out my phone and texted Vince.\u003C\u002Fp>",1644,"2026-05-30T12:03:22.767Z","2026-06-01T04:31:10.979Z",1,"novelbin.me","6edfb9c9ea4fa7e259b53e05b21852b38becdb3bcb2e8e0d63ef5beb8d4300a8","young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-chapter-141","young-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-chapter-139",407,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fyoung-master-s-pov-woke-up-as-a-villain-in-a-gam-cover.jpg"]