Not rating this because it has literally been a decade since i read this manhwa and i barely remember anything except the context surrounding it.

The setting is actually pretty good, who knew we would barely develop past this even after a decade but, "martial society hiding in the modern world and the MC gets thrown into it because of chance encounters" is actually not bad.

The art was stellar. Actually, it still holds its own against the modern ones. Hell, i think some of the peak art is found in pornhwas which literally go all-out on the sheer detail but this is comparable to even that. The action scenes have weight, they aren't surface level like most of the other manhwa have become.

This series will always have a bit of nostalgic value attached to it now. I remember completing it and being absolutely hooked on continuing to the sequel, which kept getting delayed, and delayed, and oh the author's working on something else so more delays, and now its 10+ years later and just now the third season of this series is starting.

I plan to re read it one day but, well, not now.
Regardless of how good it actually is on a critical view, it'll always have a place in my heart for what it meant to me, for it introduced me to this genre a decade ago and i'm still loving every moment of it.

Ahhhh this manhwa was just...disappointing. The art was AMAZING, the plot had a lot of offer, and the concept was really intriguing. The execution, however, was atrocious.

Getting through the beginning was honestly hard because the amount of fanservice(?) and lechery was absolutely cringeworthy and disgusting. Once the MC was effectively yeeted into the plot, things started getting interesting as more of the world is revealed, cool shit goes down, and badass characters duke it out. Classic, top notch.

I continued to read because despite the MC getting a lot of (mildly justified) flack, I was really interested in the MC's master's powers/abilities, learning about the world, and the endeavors of the side characters. It almost seems like every character arc/plot point except the MC's was well executed. There were a few loose ends/cans of worms that were opened and then just...forgotten about. Things kept happening at such a pace that certain ideas, concepts, and plot points were never fully developed. This led to things feeling rushed (MC's development of skills/abilities) and "unrealistic", if that's a thing in this manhwa.

Also, if you're reading scans then avoid the comments section. Those fools are absolutely feral.

Pros:
Art is incredible
The world building is intriguing
Side characters have a degree of development
Art style does a great job of illustrating fight scenes/cool moments

Cons:
MC has little/no character development
MC's master was horny to the point of derailing the plot
The master/student training was sorely underdeveloped
Shit just kept happening before the previous plot point could be fully developed


tl;dr - I don't feel like I wasted my time reading this, but I'm not going to waste my time reading it again. The art and a handful of god points 'save' it.

For those that are saying that shion's growth was to quick, you did not understand the story. Yes, he did get the ability to manifest a great amount of power quickly; however, he was still very weak, because he was unable to execute it currently. He missed every shot he took against every opponent.


Anyways, loved the series, it's a pity that the hard copy is not available in english

Not gonna lie and say Shioon's character "growth" wasn't fast, but at the right pace. No. He literally became a monster overnight with just a small pill. I would've preferred if he became stronger via actually working hard. (Not that he didn't, but that first growth spurt was too... instantaneous).

Anyway, unlike some of the other commentators, I actually enjoyed this manga and is currently enjoying the second season. The plot is actually INTERESTING and gets even more interesting in the second season. Shioon, surprisingly, actually grows personality-wise. He becomes more... strong-minded and stops crying every time he gets beat up.

... Last updated on August 4th, 2014, 9:12pm

I love manwha. I love action. I love romance. I love fighting. I love a strong character. This manwha had all of these.

But I did NOT like it. The main character is weak. He doesn't really get stronger, other than normal shounen power ups. In fact he is what I would call a crybaby. The romance was thrown randomly in my face; there was no true build up to it.

Actually there's no real development anywhere in this manwha. There's some plot movement, but it too was a little out there and to be honest I didn't quite understand the last part of the story. That may be because the characters were all one-dimensional and I could not connect with them at all.

I read this because so many raved and raved about it. I read it to the end hoping it would redeem itself. Nope. For me the only good thing about this story was the art.

... Last updated on October 20th, 2015, 4:54pm

wth? I read this and it had not a shred of believable character growth.

Unless, you're talking about super saiyan power ups, which is physical growth---and is disgustingly cheesy since the dawn of Dragonball Z

Also, the romance was not believable in any way for me. it was no more than teenage lust... and when you pair teenage lust with so-called chivalry.... *barf*

... Last updated on June 10th, 2014, 1:45pm

For those of you that are considering reading this manhwa, I suggest you read a summary for Volumes 1-4, then start reading from Volume 5 onwards. At Volume 5 is where the plot picks up and the action starts. Volumes 1-4 basically consists of minor details about the plot with a few major ones here and there, but it's definitely not worth the read. If you end up liking it after reading V5-10 and want to know more, then go back and skim through. Trust me, it'll save you a lot of time.

As for the manhwa as a whole, it's okay. Nothing great or special about it. Kid was weak, kid gets strong, kid beats up bad guys, etc. The drawings were superb and the action scenes were great even though they were pretty nonexistent before V5. I personally liked how the author ended it with a twist (I'm not referring to the one involving the protagonist).

Skip the volumes I suggested and you'll probably like this manhwa.

The action in this series is sick. Or should I say "SICK!!!". Anyway, its a very good read. It can easily be finished in a day and should be done that way because I felt that I got the most enjoyment burning through it. The characters are pretty decent and the story never stretches too thin. Enjoyable and very much worth it.

At first i didnt want to read it... the cover photo kind of put me off but i gave it a try and thought that THIS MANGA IS THE BOMB !! but a bit disappointed that there was not much action from Shioon in volume 7 to 10 . I thought he was going to kick some ass but no . . very disappointed . BUT !! i cant wait to read the next part

While looking through the comments I noticed several people comment on the apparent instantaneous growth of Shioon and how it's too instant and unrealistic... I really think those people should reread the beginning of the manga. Shioon does not "instantly" get better, in fact, even when he finally decides to stand up for himself he still gets his ass-kicked several times before he starts improving. Not to mention the manga takes place within a month, the point is that he's a quick learner. Also any comments about too heavy an amount of fan-service, boobs, etc., are just flat out wrong. This manga handles any sexual content in it the way a seinen should, with maturity. Not once while reading this did I find the sex appeal of Shiho (the only character that is featured heavily and has sex appeal) to be "too much" or "unnecessary," whoever thinks so should read more manga cause there are an infinite number of examples of this actually being the case. Moving along, this manga is terrific, I was originally hesitant for whatever reason, I don't remember why, but when I did finally read it I was thoroughly impressed. With only 72 chapters, it is short, but what it manages to accomplish within that time is truly great, not to mention it has an equally great sequel. In addition to the great art, the battle scenes are exciting and fast-paced. You can as easily connect with Shioon's triumph and defeat as you can Goomooryong's anger and loss. Overall, counting this and The Breaker: New Waves as the same manga, this is easily in my Top 5

Great Manga, read until Shioon's first fight before you decide if you like it