Han Jiwon staggered backward, blood dripping from his mouth, his hand pressed against the gaping wound in his side. His vision blurred as the laughter echoed through the dimly lit chamber. He had fought countless battles, faced death more times than he could count, but nothing had ever prepared him for this — the betrayal of the one person he trusted most.
"So-yeon..." he gasped, barely able to stay on his feet. Her figure, dressed in flowing crimson robes, stood in the center of the room, her eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction.
"Did you really think I could love someone like you?" So-yeon asked, her voice filled with venom. "You were just a tool, Jiwon. A stepping stone on my path to power. Nothing more."
Jiwon's heart shattered. It wasn't just the betrayal that crushed him — it was the realization that everything, every moment they had shared, had been a lie. Every smile, every whisper of affection, all of it had been to manipulate him.
Behind her, a group of powerful martial artists stood, smirking at his helplessness. They had once been his comrades, members of his clan. But now, they served her, blinded by her beauty and ambition.
"You..." Jiwon's voice broke as he took a step forward, only to fall to one knee, blood pooling beneath him.
"Enough," So-yeon snapped. "You're already dead. Make this easier on yourself and just lie down."
Jiwon gritted his teeth. He had fought for everything he had — trained day and night to protect his clan, his people. And this was how it ended? Betrayed by his lover, surrounded by traitors?
The pain was unbearable, both physical and emotional, but something deeper burned inside him. A hatred so intense it seemed to fuel his dying body. If he could just live a little longer... if he could just have one more chance…
As darkness closed in, he uttered his last words. "If I could do it over... I would make you all pay."
And then, silence.
The cold embrace of death took him. His body collapsed, lifeless, as So-yeon turned her back on him, walking away with her new allies. Jiwon's story, it seemed, was over.
Or so he thought.
----
When Jiwon opened his eyes again, he expected to see the afterlife, a realm of peace or perhaps torment. But instead, he was greeted by the scent of incense and the sound of rustling paper. The world around him was not a void of darkness — it was familiar. Too familiar.
He bolted upright, his hands trembling as they gripped the soft mattress beneath him. His surroundings were unmistakable: a small room with simple wooden furniture, the faint light of dawn streaming through the window. This was his old room, from before it all began.
Frantically, he looked at his hands — they were smaller, unscarred. He touched his face, his body, and realized with a jolt that he was young again. No longer the weathered warrior who had faced betrayal and death. This was him... ten years ago.
His heart raced, and a flood of memories crashed into him. The tournaments, the training, the friendships, and the looming shadow of his inevitable downfall. He had been given a second chance. Somehow, some way, he had been sent back in time.
"It's real," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I'm really back."
The weight of the situation pressed down on him. He had one goal now: revenge. So-yeon's betrayal, the death of his comrades, the fall of his clan — none of it would happen again. This time, he would stop it all. And those who betrayed him would pay the ultimate price.
But first, he had to start from scratch. He was no longer the mighty warrior with years of experience — his body was young, weak compared to what he once had. But his mind... his mind held all the knowledge of the future.
"I know everything," he murmured, a sinister smile forming on his lips. "Every mistake, every scheme, every secret."
He would use it all.
As Jiwon stood and looked out the window, watching the sun rise on this new day, one thing was clear: this time, things would be different. He would carve his own path. And those who had wronged him would regret ever crossing him.
His journey of revenge had just begun.