As the mountain vanished, the world returned to a calm stillness, as if the chaos had never existed. All of those who saw it had a feeling something big was about to happen soon in the world, others believed it to be a sign that an enraged spirit of destruction had appeared, and the others? They felt the energy that came from that place and respected the warriors who went all out to the extent of sacrificing their soul.
Jin was deeply affected. His body was broken, but the emotional pain overwhelmed any physical injury. His mind felt shattered-destroyed. The one who had shown him the way, the one who taught him everything he knew, had sacrificed himself to save him. The only person Jin could trust in this cursed world was now gone. Somehow, Jin had barely escaped the mountain before it was consumed. But he survived.
"…"
Jin had turned his head after running for so long his legs gave way and fell onto his stomach passing out for several hours before awaking.
"T-those damn bastards."
Jin said while forcing his way to stand up. His eyes somehow turned from a light blue to a crimson red color.
"I'll kill them all. They took everything from me-my master, my only family... I'll make them pay."
Jin, who was now in a state of wanting revenge took out the tanto his master had left him and remembered his words about to form a contract. "A contract with a tanto? How though?"
Was all Jin could think of before he got an idea dms went for it. He took the tanto to his skin and drenched the blade with his blood, suddenly a light surged through the blade into Jin's arm and he heard a voice.
"Contract, formed with the new leader of the Bone Structure Palace, confirmed."
It was a distant voice, a quiet voice that sounded as a whisper had spoke to Jin through his head and he did a 360 degree turn and found nobody. Suddenly his blood felt as if it was about combust, he felt every muscle within him get ripped apart violently.
"U-UGH F-FUCK W-what the hell is this!"
That was all he managed to get out in an extremely loud voice which shook the grass around him to an extent of blowing some of the grass away. His consciousness had faded away landing him stranded in the the remaining part of the forest for three days before he woke up in the same spot he had passed out.
"Fuck! Where the hell am I?"
Jin looked around and found himself in the same spot as where he remembered his body being violently ripped apart from within. He quickly checked his body's condition using the "Inner conviction" method he had learned under his master.
"Everything… everything is fine? How is that even remotely possible. Just what happened to me?" Jin said in a surprise tone, but was suspicious about how well his body looked. He began to look through his whole body from within to find everything in perfect order as it was before the fighting began, but this time It felt as if his body was yelling at him telling him to become stronger.
Jin left his body viewing and got up, picking up the tanto and puts it inside what remained of his robe.
"This…" Jin said before clutching his hand into a fist. "This will be the start of their downfall." Jin said in a cold, deep voice before he began to sit down and meditate instantly.
He sat there for over a week meditating. He finally opened his eyes after the week.
"Damn i'm hungry...hungry as hell."
Was his first words he said. With this being said he got up and began to search the forest killing small animals to eat like birds, rabbits, and some small boars. After another week of meditating, sleeping, and eating Jin had gotten to a point he felt accomplished with himself. Jin got up from his spot and took out the tanto. "Forbidden Azure: Condensed Redemption".
With one slash, a combined 23 trees in front of him fell, hitting the ground beneath. Each tree was cut perfectly, all aligned together in a straight horizontal direction. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"But this... this isn't enough. Not even close."
His smile vanished, and he sheathed the tanto before heading north.
After 6 hours of traveling, Jin reached a small clan settlement in the middle of nowhere. He knocked on the door, and three residents answered. The clan's leader, an elderly man, studied Jin with sharp eyes, immediately sensing his potential.
The 3 residents of the clan opened up, but the leader of the clan instantly saw and felt the potential this kid had.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
The leader said to Jin curious about his situation and why his robes were torn.
"My name is Jin. I've come..." He hesitated briefly before bowing his head. "I've come seeking shelter for a few nights and a place to train. Please, sir."
The leader's expression softened a little at Jin's humanity and his honestly of such a simple request. "Very well. You may stay here for a few nights at the spare bedroom. You'll be provided with the basics of three meals a day."
Jin smiled to himself before dropping it and replied. "Thank you sir, I will accept your hospitality."
Jin walked into the clan and went to the bedroom, the leader of the clan showed him to. After the leader left, Jin let out a deep sigh and dropped to the floor beginning to do pushups for a few hours before starting meditation. The next morning, one of the clan members knocked on Jin's door. When there was no answer, she cautiously entered and found Jin meditating, a faint silver aura surrounding him. The moment the door opened, the aura dispersed into the air. Jin opened his eyes, meeting her startled gaze.
"Ah, hello, you were standing next to the clan leader yesterday, right?" Jin smiled looking at her.
Still in shock from the aura she witnessed from a guy around her age, she stammered, "Y-yes... I came to tell you that breakfast is ready." After she told him that, she left quickly and returned back to main part for breakfast.
Jin looks out the small window and sees her return to the main part of the clan.
"…Weird, what is this feeling?"
He said to himself before getting up and walks into the main part following the scent of food. After finding his way to the table where all of them were eating. Jin sat down at one of the seats nearby that already had food on the plate, Jin looked up slightly to see all of them eating and decided to eat as well. "Thank you all for the meal, I appreciate it a lot."
The leader sat his bowl down, "Oh, no, thank you for being so honest and respectful towards an elderly like me" He chuckled a bit.
Jin looked up at him. "But, sir. You're not just an elderly person."
"Call me Abel." The leader said.
"Abel, you're not just an elderly. You're an important person to life. Even if it's not known by the world, the people here, around you. They believe in you, they have their full trust in you protecting them, giving them a place to live, a way to feel alive. You are a very important and impressive person to the lives of them." Jin said looking down remembering his own past that was like this with Roshio.
The members of the clan stopped eating for a moment and nodded agreeing to his statement. Abel sighed slightly but smiled. "Thank you young one, however, I know that already. They trust me, and I will keep the trust i've built up in my life. Now enjoy your meal and let's move past this shall we everyone?" He looks around the room.
They all nodded in agreement.
Jin smiled to himself thinking of how life would be today if his master had lived. sitting around eating noodles at breakfast.
Jin puts his bowl down and leaves the main house for the training grounds and enters it.
He began working on his swordsmanship with a wooden tanto, not wanting to use his tango in a clan as it was considered disrespectful to use an actual weapon for practice.
"I can't slack off on my training. I've made a vow, I'll eat when the time comes. Until then, I shall train my body to the utmost extent possible in my current state." Jin thought to himself before continuing trainin
Abel looked out the window and saw him training so early, leaving half of his breakfast in the bowl. "Maybe I should begin teaching you two." Abel looked over at the other two in the room.
They both looked a little shocked before speaking, "Really?" They both said simultaneously.
Abel chucked a bit. "Just maybe." He said before continuing his breakfast.
Meanwhile...
"Commander Igris, Commander Brix, and the master of the Bone Structure Palce has both fallen in combat Sir. What shall we do now?"
"There were no survivors, right?"
"No sir, everyone who attended this was eliminated besides myself."
"What about that boy the palace master was training?"
"There were no remains of anyone found anywhere due to the earth swallowing the mountain. Due to this, we have confirmed he has died along with everyone there."
"That's good… your work won't be forgotten."
He looked up slightly and a sword pierced his head killing him insanely.
"Indeed, your work won't be forgotten little one."
Commander Igris left the room.
As the day went by, Jin was continually training Doing various tasks as sword swinging, footwork, physical strength building, and cardio. The sun was setting and Jin walked into the main house going to eat dinner where he could smell the food being cooked. He sat down and watched as the guy finished the food and places it down in each bowl.
The girl looked over at Jin, "Since we haven't had an introduction yet, my name is Stella, and the funny looking guy over there is Gray. I hope you enjoy your stay here with master Abel." She smiled at Jin warmly before she started to eat.
Jin thought to himself. "Abel, Stella, and Gray, huh? I wonder if they all share the same clan name or if they use family name. I'll ask another time."
Jin finished his food, "Where's the baths at?" He asked curiously. Stella instantly stood up and spoke, "Follow me, i'll show you." Jin stood up and followed her to them and smiled at her, "Thanks for showing me, I'll repay you one day." Stella turned around and walked away hiding her face.
Jin put his clothes near him and his blade nearby in case he needs it. Stella returned to the table and sat down before looking up and seeing Abel and Gray looking at her. "W-what did i do?"
Gray spoke up first, "Do you have a crush on that guy already?… He hasn't even been here for a week." Abel followed afterwards, "I understand considering his strength, and his potential. I accept this marriage." Abel nodded to himself. Stella's face blew up with blush and redness from embarrassment. "S-shut the hell up you both!" She said loudly before sitting down and eating her food trying to block them both out.
The sun had completely set, Jin in the bath, Stella, Abel, and Gray finishing eating their food. Jin had no clue what was happening or what was talked about but he had only one thing he wanted to accomplish in life. That was to kill every single person that was even remotely related to those bastards that killed his master, and the Palace members.
"Revenge, that's what I will find with my own hands. Training is what i need more than anything else though."
As bad as he wanted revenge, Jin knew his limits. Confidence alone wouldn't be enough. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe that raw rage could carry him to victory. No, he needed more than strength-he needed mastery. His skills were sharp, but not sharp enough, not strong enoigh for what he wanted.
Victory, when it came, would be absolute. A total annihilation. Nothing less than the complete destruction of those who had taken everything from him. When the time came, they wouldn't just fall— they would kneel, knowing there was no escape from the vengeance that was coming for them.
Jin would have his revenge, not with a single stroke, but with the overwhelming force of a man who had lost everything— and in doing so, gained something far more dangerous: the will to destroy.