Protagonist: Seol-Yeong (15 at the start)
Background: Born into crushing poverty in a remote village, Seol-Yeong's family has nothing — no wealth, no martial legacy, only the daily struggle to survive. His father, once a minor martial artist, was crippled defending their home. His mother works tirelessly just to keep them fed. His little sister (Seol-Ah, 8) dreams of a life beyond hardship. Seol-Yeong carries the burden of all their hopes.
Motivation: Money and power. Not for greed — but to lift his family out of misery and give them the life they deserve. He's willing to fight, bleed, and rise above everyone to make that happen.
Personality: Ruthlessly driven, disciplined, and sharp. He doesn't waste words or time on things that won't push him forward. Cold to most, but fiercely protective of his family.
Fighting Style: Starts with nothing but scraps of martial arts his father taught him. He'll claw his way up, learning techniques from righteous and demonic sects alike, forging his own brutal style.
Future Goal: Create his own sect — a powerhouse of warriors dedicated to strength and justice for the weak. But first, he'll become strong enough that no one can take anything from him again.
The One He Loves: Seo Yoon-Hee (14)
Orphaned, beautiful, and gentle — the one light in his harsh world. He saves her, and in return, she becomes his anchor. He trains her not as a weapon but to protect herself — and one day, she'll become a powerhouse in her own
Chapter 1: The Weight of Hunger
The sound of my stomach growling was almost louder than my footsteps. Almost.
I kept my steps quiet, moving through the woods like a shadow, the rusty knife in my hand tight against my palm. The sun was low — good. I hunted better in the dark.
A twig snapped behind me. My body moved before my mind could catch up — spinning, blade ready — but it was just my little sister. Seol-Ah's face was pale, her arms full of kindling, her eyes wide.
"You're supposed to stay by the fire," I said, voice low.
"But you've been gone all day," she whispered. "And there's no food."
I didn't answer. There was no point in words when there was no solution.
That was the life we had. Starvation. Scraping the dirt for roots while bandits and sects fought over our land. My father sat broken in our tiny house, my mother worked herself half to death — and it was never enough.
It wouldn't be enough until I changed everything.
"I'll find something," I told her.
But I didn't know if it was true.
The woods were empty today — no rabbits, no birds, not even the scent of a wild dog. I pushed deeper than I ever had before, until the trees grew thick and twisted, the air cold and strange.
That's when I heard the voices.
Men — loud and laughing, the kind of sound only made by people who'd never gone hungry a day in their lives. Bandits.
I crept closer, my heart pounding. The camp was small — four men, sitting around a fire. And in the middle of them…
A girl.
She was tied up, her face streaked with dirt, her dress torn. And even in the fire's dim light, I could see how beautiful she was. Not in a way that belonged in our broken village — in a way that belonged to a different world.
But there was terror in her eyes.
I should have turned back. I should have gone home.
But I didn't.
Because if I walked away from this, I'd never become the man I needed to be.
And if I didn't… maybe she'd die.
I didn't think. I moved.
The first bandit didn't even see me before my knife was in his throat.
The second turned, too slow — my foot caught his knee, and he fell screaming.
The third had a sword. That made it harder.
But when you've fought for scraps your entire life, there's no such thing as a fair fight.
When it was over, I stood bleeding in the firelight — and the girl was looking at me like I was something out of a story.
"Who… who are you?" she whispered.
I didn't have an answer for her yet.
But I would.
One day, the whole world would know my name.