Morning broke over the village, casting long shadows as the first rays of light crept over the horizon. The scent of fresh bread and morning dew filled the air, but I had no time for such simple comforts. The weight of my blade rested on my hip, a familiar and welcome presence.
Today marked the start of something new.
Yoon-Hee stood at the gate, her arms crossed as she watched me approach. The fire in her eyes mirrored my own — a hunger for strength. For power. We had returned home, but the world beyond our village was still cruel and dangerous.
If we wanted to protect the people we loved — my family, her future — we needed to grow stronger.
"Ready?" I asked.
She gave me a sharp nod. "I was waiting for you to stop daydreaming."
---
The bounty board in the nearby town was bustling with mercenaries and fighters of all kinds — swordsmen, martial artists, even the occasional cultivator. The air hummed with tension and ambition.
We pushed through the crowd until we reached the board, scanning the parchment postings. Bandits, rogue beasts, wanted criminals — opportunities for coin and combat. But one poster caught my eye.
Bounty: Bloodfang Marauders
Threat Level: High
Reward: 500 Gold Taels
Yoon-Hee's brow furrowed as she read it. "They've been raiding villages in the west. Killing, burning… taking prisoners."
I didn't need to hear more. "We take it."
---
The trail led us deep into the Blackthorn Woods, a place where the trees grew thick and the light struggled to break through. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and rot. Every step forward felt like an invitation to danger.
We moved in silence, senses sharp. It wasn't long before we found the first sign — footprints, heavy and wide, leading toward a clearing. Voices drifted on the wind, low and rough.
We crept closer, parting the foliage to see a makeshift camp below. The Bloodfang Marauders lounged around a fire, laughing and passing around stolen goods. There were seven of them — too many for a straight fight.
But we weren't here for a fair fight.
I met Yoon-Hee's eyes, and she nodded. We moved as one.
The first bandit never saw my blade. I was on him in an instant, my sword flashing as it cleaved through his throat. Blood sprayed the air, and his body crumpled without a sound.
Yoon-Hee struck next, her palm glowing with a faint blue light as she drove it into a second bandit's chest. The impact shattered bone, and he fell with a gurgling cry.
The camp erupted into chaos.
---
The fight was brutal and fast. My blade danced through flesh and steel, every strike precise and deadly. The Primordial Ascent Manual had honed my movements, turning me into a weapon — but it was the fire in my heart that fueled each blow.
Yoon-Hee moved like a tempest, her strikes flowing like water and hitting like lightning. The Azure Lotus Scripture bloomed with every step she took, an elegance masking deadly power.
When the last bandit fell, the clearing was silent save for our ragged breaths.
We stood among the bodies, blood on our clothes and victory in our eyes.
---
The bounty paid well — more gold than our village had seen in years.
But it wasn't enough.
That night, as we sat by the fire in our new home, my father's hands trembled as he counted the coin. My mother wept quietly, the weight of years of struggle lifting from her shoulders.
Seol-Ah sat beside me, her eyes wide with wonder. "You're really strong, aren't you?"
I smiled and ruffled her hair. "Not strong enough."
Because beyond the safety of our village, danger still waited. The Infinite Ascension Tower loomed on the horizon — and with it, the promise of challenges and power beyond imagination.
We weren't ready. Not yet.
But we would be.