'What the fuck...' Shin thought, his mind spinning as the system teleported him without any warning. It didn't even give him a damn second to process what the hell was happening.
One second he was in one place, and the next, he was thrown into god-knows-where like some ragdoll.
'System, why the hell did you do that?' he demanded in his head, but the silence that followed made it obvious—the system wasn't about to answer.
That bitch had probably gone silent mode again, leaving him to fend for himself. Fucking system.
As he took in his surroundings, he noticed the cold, damp air clinging to his skin. He stood in the middle of a dark cave, the only source of light coming from the flickering torches hanging crookedly on the walls.
Shadows danced around him, and in front of him, narrow paths led off in every direction like some fucked-up labyrinth.
'So, this is the Cave of Asura?' Shin mused, gripping the hilt of his sword strapped behind his back.
Just hearing the name gave him a bad vibe, like something wasn't quite right. His gut told him danger was lurking in every corner, waiting to pounce.
With a sigh, he made up his mind. He had to move now. No standing around waiting for death by dehydration or starvation.
Plus, the demonic energy inside him—it was slowly increasing, flowing through his veins like a growing storm.
The Hundred Heart Demonic Pill had made him stronger, and he could feel that power simmering beneath his skin.
But as he ventured down one of the narrow paths, a low thudding noise echoed through the cave. A steady, rhythmic thud.
The deeper he went, the louder the sound grew, pounding like a heartbeat in the stone walls around him.
'What the hell is that sound?' Shin thought, squinting through the dimness. Minutes ticked by as he walked, until finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spotted a bright light up ahead—far too bright to belong in this underground hellhole.
He stepped out of the narrow passage into an enormous stone hall, carved straight out of the cave itself. In the middle of the hall sat an old monk, bulky and ancient, probably in his late 60s.
His weathered hands clutched a golden staff, which he rhythmically slammed against the ground, creating that annoying thud Shin had been hearing.
Behind the monk loomed a massive stone gate, towering over everything, with the words "Saint of Asura's Tomb" carved into its surface.
Just looking at it made something click in Shin's brain—he needed to get through that gate to complete the mission. It wasn't even a question of how he knew. He just knew.
The monk slowly lifted his head, his cold blue eyes locking onto Shin.
"Child, this place is not for someone like you. Leave now, before I am forced to make you leave," the monk's voice was calm but cold, like he'd said it a thousand times before to countless fools who came before Shin.
Shin stared at the wrinkled old man, unimpressed. Sensors, traps—this guy must've had some security measures in place, yet Shin had slipped in without a trace.
That probably pissed the monk off a little.
Without a word, Shin leaped down from his spot on the high ground, landing in the giant hall with a soft thud.
His boots barely made a sound, but the tension in the air grew thicker as he approached the monk.
"How about this: instead of me leaving, you fuck off?" he said with a cold smile, his eyes flashing with challenge.
He had no plans of leaving anyway. First, he had no damn clue how to get out, and second, he needed to finish the mission. That dragon heart wasn't going to collect itself.
The monk's face didn't change, but a flicker of surprise lit up in his eyes. Slowly, he stood up, gripping his staff tighter.
"So... you have chosen death,"
the old man said, his voice dropping an octave as his blue eyes darkened. He pointed his golden staff at Shin, and the hall was suddenly filled with a suffocating wave of murderous intent. The air turned heavy, thick with the promise of bloodshed.
But Shin barely flinched. His body had already been tempered by the heavenly demonic energy running through him.
Compared to the dangers he'd faced before, this old monk's bloodlust was a fucking joke.
Still, the fact that Shin hadn't buckled under the pressure made the monk's lips twitch ever so slightly, as if he were intrigued.
The silence between them broke as they both lunged at each other without another word. The battle had begun.
The first clash was like a thunderstrike. The monk's staff swung with the force of a wrecking ball, aiming for Shin's skull, but Shin parried it with his sword, sparks flying as metal ground against metal.
The old man wasn't just some weak monk. His strength was real—each blow heavier than the last, each one meant to shatter bones.
Blood sprayed in arcs as Shin's blade finally found flesh, slicing across the monk's arm. The old man barely grunted, but blood dripped down onto the stone floor, painting it in streaks of crimson.
Still, the monk pressed forward, his eyes burning with the kind of madness that only those who have lived too long possess.
Shin's eyes went wide as he saw the old monk's arm—an arm he had just cut clean off—grow back like nothing happened.
No hesitation, no delay. One second the guy was down an arm, the next, it was back, as good as new.
"Boy, you're pretty damn good... but not good enough," the monk said, his voice calm and condescending, like this whole fight was just a joke to him.
He quickly formed some hand signs with his remaining hand, and before Shin could even think, thick wooden roots started sprouting from the ground.
The roots shot toward him, twisting and writhing like they had a mind of their own.
There were too many of them, and with each second, more kept coming. Shin's sword cut through a few, but it didn't take long before they started to overwhelm him.
He was barely holding his own, his arms getting heavier as the roots wrapped around him, squeezing tighter.
'If this keeps up, I'm seriously gonna die,' Shin thought, panic creeping into his mind. His body strained against the roots, feeling like he was about to be crushed. But then, everything changed.
His vision blurred, and his eyes shifted, turning a deep, blood-red. In front of him, a thin thread of white light appeared, glowing faintly in the air.
It didn't make any sense, but it felt like the thread was pointing the way, showing him a path out. With no other option, Shin decided to trust it.
He moved, following the thread's lead, slicing through roots with perfect precision, dodging attacks he wouldn't have seen coming before.
Within seconds, he broke free, escaping the wooden prison that was closing in on him.
Before the monk could even react, Shin was already there, his sword plunging deep into the old man's stomach. The monk's eyes went wide in shock, his mouth opening in a silent gasp.
But Shin wasn't done. With a cruel grin, he tapped into his telekinesis, ripping the monk's organs apart from the inside.
The sound was disgusting—a wet, sickening squelch as the monk's insides were shredded like meat in a grinder. Blood and guts spilled onto the ground, staining the stone floor with gore.
The monk crumpled to his knees, his face frozen in a mix of pain and disbelief.
Shin pulled his sword out, flicking the blood off the blade with a quick motion. He took a deep breath, his heart still racing, but the cold, ruthless look in his eyes didn't waver for a second.
'Finally,' Shin thought as he looked at the giant door with "Saint of Asura's Tomb" written on it.
But before he could do anything, something hit his head.
And sent it flying.
...
{A/N: I'm back again, and I've got something else to tell you guys about.
I'm also writing a new book, "Marvel: I Am the Fated Villain." Give it a try if you like true villain MCs and not those simp ones.
Don't worry, though, I won't be dropping this one. I just wanted to try something different for a bit. Anyway, let me tell you a bit about the MC of my new fic.
He's like the heavenly demon... but kinda better.}