Renewal Taekwondo in Multiverse

Mori's eyes snapped open as he gasped for breath, his body drenched in sweat. He found himself lying on the ground, his limbs sore and aching. The sky above him was dark, the stars twinkling faintly as the moon cast a soft glow over the secluded training ground. He groaned as he slowly pushed himself up, his muscles screaming in protest.

"I must've passed out..." he muttered to himself, shaking off the lingering haze in his mind.

With unsteady steps, he made his way back to the Butterfly Mansion, his body exhausted but his mind still reeling from what he had experienced in his subconscious. As he approached the entrance, he saw two familiar figures standing there—Kanae and Shinobu.

The moment Shinobu spotted him, she bolted toward him, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and frustration. She threw her arms around him and, without warning, playfully bit his neck while mumbling into his skin.

"Brother, where were you!" she whined, her voice muffled.

Mori chuckled softly, reaching up to pat the back of her head.

"Sorry, sorry, I kind of passed out from training," he admitted sheepishly, flashing his signature wide grin as he scratched his head.

Kanae sighed, though her lips curled into a soft smile. She gently patted his head before leaning in to press a quick kiss to his forehead.

"Just don't overdo it," she said. "Or at least, if you're going to pass out, do it somewhere safer."

She then pulled Shinobu off of him, much to the younger girl's protest, before leading them inside the mansion. Mori let out a tired sigh, his body finally feeling the weight of the day's exertion. A warm meal and a good night's sleep were exactly what he needed.

Or so he thought.

After taking a long, refreshing shower, Mori climbed into bed, hoping that sleep would take him quickly. However, no matter how much he tossed and turned, he couldn't drift off.

Every time he closed his eyes, the image of Mori Dan performing Renewal Taekwondo played in his head like a broken vinyl record. Each technique, every movement—it was all burned into his mind, taunting him with their effortless grace.

Eventually, he gave up on sleep altogether. Instead, he allowed his body to rest while his consciousness drifted into his subconscious once again.

When he opened his eyes, he was standing on that vast, endless ocean once more. The water was calm, reflecting the night sky above, and Mori found himself moving instinctively. He mimicked the techniques he had seen Mori Dan perform, his body flowing from one stance to the next.

Yet, something felt off.

Each kick, each punch—while correct in form—felt stiff, lacking the beauty and fluidity that had made Mori Dan's movements seem almost otherworldly. His technique was strong but rigid, failing to capture the essence of what made Recoilless Taekwondo so unique.

Still, he didn't let frustration get to him.

Kick after kick. Punch after punch. He kept going, each attempt an effort to find what he was missing. His breathing slowed, his mind focused solely on his movements. Eventually, his body started to slow down, his strikes becoming steadier and more controlled.

That's when he heard it—Mori Dan's voice, echoing in his mind.

"You're too rigid."

Mori's brow furrowed. He repeated the words over and over in his head, trying to understand their deeper meaning. Then, he recalled something else.

In Mori Jin's fight with Dean, he had lost his balance, breaking his arm in the process. It was only when he let go of his rigidity that he had been able to fully harness his power.

"Relax… Move freely."

As the first rays of sunlight crept through his bedroom window, Mori's eyes shot open. His mind was clearer than it had ever been.

"Recoilless?" he murmured. "No… I haven't reached that level yet. Something's still missing."

Determined, he got up, ate a quick meal, and immediately headed back to the secluded forest where he had been training. He approached a sturdy tree and took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he recalled the mental training from the previous night.

"Three-Stage Hoechook," he whispered.

The next moment, his figure blurred. He reappeared behind the tree, leaving three afterimages in his wake.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then, a series of deep, thunderous cracks echoed through the forest as the delayed impact of his kicks finally registered. Three distinct strikes slammed into the wood, and two seconds later, the massive tree came crashing down.

Mori clicked his tongue.

"No… I'm still too tense. It feels like I'm imitating Mori Jin's technique, but Jin Taejin was much more relaxed, more… natural."

He took a deep breath and assumed his stance again.

This time, he focused not just on his power but on the flow of his movements. He needed to let go. To move without hesitation, without force—just instinct.

Again and again, he performed the Three-Stage Hoechook. Each attempt became smoother, more fluid. The rigidity in his stance slowly faded away, replaced by something more effortless, more beautiful.

For an entire week, Mori dedicated himself to this training, pushing himself both physically and mentally. Every day, he executed the full Renewal Taekwondo series, refining his technique with every kick and punch. And every night, in his subconscious, he revisited Mori Dan's demonstration, dissecting the smallest details and integrating them into his own movements.

One afternoon, while deep in his training, Mori suddenly felt something shift inside him.

His mind, his body—they were perfectly aligned. There was no hesitation, no stiffness—only movement.

A realization struck him, one so simple yet so profound that it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Recoilless means free and unrestrained. There's no 'right' way to perform martial arts—it just has to be my way."

His eyes snapped open.

"Recoilless Kick," he whispered.

The moment his foot connected with the tree, a shockwave erupted from the point of impact. But instead of simply cracking the bark or sending the tree flying—the terrain behind it disappeared.

It was as if the force of his kick had erased the very space beyond the tree.

Mori's breath hitched. He quickly analyzed the sensation, comparing it to his previous kicks.

"It felt… effortless," he murmured.

Excitement surged through him. He immediately tried again, this time applying the Recoilless concept to different techniques—Goryeo, Ground Drawer, Hoechook, Hwechook.

Every movement became faster, stronger, and smoother. Even his most basic punches and kicks carried an elegance they had never possessed before.

By the end of his training session, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

Taking a deep breath, he entered his final stance.

"Azure Dragon Kick," he whispered.

A metaphysical blue dragon materialized from the sheer force of his strike, roaring as it surged forward, obliterating the trees and ground in its path.

Mori exhaled, his heart pounding.

"So this… is what Recoilless is."