The wind carried the scent of blood and iron as the sun dipped low over the hills. We stood on the edge of the battlefield, our breathing heavy — but our blades steady. Behind us, the corpses of bandits lay scattered, their greed and cruelty meeting a swift end.
But this wasn't victory. Not yet.
I turned to Yoon-Hee. Her eyes stayed on the horizon, where the last light painted the clouds in shades of crimson and gold. The blood on her sword glinted like frozen rubies.
"We're getting stronger," I said. "But it's not enough."
She nodded. "It never will be."
There was no bitterness in her voice — only quiet resolve.
We'd been hunting bounties for weeks now. Every fight pushed us closer to our limits, and every battle taught us something new. But the gulf between us and the true powers of this world remained vast.
And the world didn't wait for anyone.
---
We returned to the city under cover of dusk. The bounty office was still crowded — warriors and mercenaries jostling for jobs. But when we walked in, the noise dimmed.
The Ironfang Duo. That's what they called us now.
The clerk barely raised an eyebrow as I dropped the severed bandit heads on the counter. "Another clean job," she said. "The guild's starting to take notice."
We collected our pay — and I felt the weight of silver in my hands. Enough to feed our family for weeks. Enough to keep them safe.
But it still wasn't enough.
Because safety wasn't guaranteed. Not in this world.
---
When we reached home, the fire was already lit. My father sat at the table, his weathered hands rough from years of hard work. My mother hummed softly as she stirred a pot, the warmth of her presence filling the room.
And Seol-Ah…
My little sister sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, her breathing steady. The air around her hummed with something I couldn't quite name — something I hadn't taught her.
"Seol-Ah," I said softly.
Her eyes snapped open, and for just a moment — just a breath — they shimmered with silver light.
"What was that?" Yoon-Hee asked, stepping forward.
But my mother was already shaking her head. "It's… nothing," she said, too quickly. "She's just meditating. You know how she watches you train."
I met my father's gaze. He said nothing — but his silence spoke volumes.
I didn't push. Not yet. But I would. Soon.
---
That night, I trained alone beneath the stars. The Primordial Ascent Manual demanded everything I had — and more. Each strike felt heavier, each technique sharper. The weight of the heavens pressed down on my every move.
But still… it wasn't enough.
"Pushing yourself too hard again?"
Yoon-Hee's voice drifted from the darkness. She stepped into the moonlight, her sword already drawn.
"Fight me," she said.
I didn't need to be asked twice.
Steel clashed against steel, and the night exploded with motion. Her Azure Lotus Scripture was fast — faster than it had ever been. Frost bloomed where her strikes landed, and the air grew colder with every step.
But I didn't back down. The Heaven-Severing Strike roared through the night, and my blade burned with golden light.
We moved as one — two flames feeding each other, growing hotter, brighter. We pushed each other harder than anyone else could.
And when we finally stopped, breathless and bruised, we both smiled.
"Still not enough," she whispered.
"Never will be," I agreed.
But we were getting closer.
---
The next morning, the Seer found us.
He was old — older than anyone I'd ever seen. His eyes were clouded, his steps slow, but his presence filled the room like a storm waiting to break.
"You carry the weight of the future," he said, his voice like distant thunder. "And the blood of the past."
He told us of our bloodlines.
Yoon-Hee's lineage traced back to the Ancient Gods — a power so vast and terrifying it had been sealed away for generations. One day, it would awaken. And when it did, the world would never be the same.
But Seol-Ah…
"She carries the Eclipse Bloodline," the Seer said, his voice trembling. "One in ten million. A force of balance and destruction, creation and oblivion. If she awakens it…"
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
The world would tremble.
---
Later, when the house was quiet, I found Seol-Ah sitting by the fire.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked softly.
She looked up at me, her eyes wide and frightened. "I didn't want to be a burden."
"You could never be a burden," I said. "But you don't have to face this alone."
Her small hand found mine. "Then teach me."
Not yet. The words rose to my lips — but I swallowed them. Because the truth was, the world wouldn't wait for us to be ready.
"Tomorrow," I promised. "We start tomorrow."
And I saw the fire in her eyes.
---
The bounty board was crowded again the next day — but it wasn't the jobs that had the crowd buzzing. It was the news.
"The Infinite Ascension Tower stirred," someone whispered. "The 121st floor opened."
"Did anyone make it back?"
"One. Barely."
Rumors spread like wildfire. A tower older than the gods. A climb no one had ever completed.
And beyond the 120th floor… the unknown.
I felt the weight of the Primordial Ascent Manual at my side.
Someday, we would climb that tower.
But first, we had work to do.