The blood had barely dried. The corpses of the prisoners lay sprawled across the cold stone floor, their lifeless eyes staring into nothing. The scent of death clung to the chamber like an unholy incense.
Baek Hyun-Jae stood among the bodies, his breathing steady. He felt nothing. No guilt. No hesitation. Only a strange, unfamiliar calm.
The High Elder watched him closely, as if assessing his every movement, every breath. "You kill without hesitation," he said. "That is good. But it is not enough."
Hyun-Jae met his gaze, unflinching. "Then tell me. What is enough?"
The High Elder turned, his crimson robes billowing as he walked deeper into the temple. "Follow me."
Hyun-Jae stepped over the corpses and followed. The cultists parted for them, their faces hidden beneath dark hoods, whispering among themselves. The deeper they went, the colder the air became, until they reached a massive hall lined with jagged obsidian pillars. At the center stood an altar of black stone, carved with ancient demonic runes pulsing with faint red light.
Kneeling before the altar were warriors not cultists, but demons in human form. Their auras were suffocating, their bodies tempered by bloodshed. These were not mere followers. These were killers.
The High Elder gestured to them. "The Twelve Demon Generals. They are the foundation of our cult, our strongest warriors. If you wish to truly walk this path, you must stand among them."
One of the Generals rose to his feet. A massive man, his body covered in scars, his eyes burning with barely restrained violence. "Words mean nothing here," he said, stepping forward. "Strength is the only truth."
Without warning, he struck.
His fist moved like a cannonball, shattering the air between them.
Hyun-Jae reacted instantly. His body, reforged by the Baptism of Blood, moved with unnatural precision. He twisted, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth before lashing out with his own strike.
The impact sent a shockwave through the hall.
The General staggered back, surprise flickering in his eyes before it was replaced with a savage grin. "Good," he growled. "But not good enough."
He lunged again. This time, his movements were faster, sharper. A barrage of strikes aimed to crush Hyun-Jae outright.
Hyun-Jae's instincts flared. He didn't retreat he stepped forward.
His hand shot out like a viper, catching the General's wrist in an iron grip. With a brutal twist, he drove his elbow into the man's ribs, then followed with a knee to the gut.
The General spat blood, but before he could recover, Hyun-Jae grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground. The stone cracked beneath the force.
Silence filled the hall.
The other Generals watched, their unreadable gazes now filled with something else acknowledgment.
The High Elder chuckled. "Impressive."
Hyun-Jae released his grip, stepping back. The General coughed, then let out a low laugh. "Not bad," he muttered, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Maybe you do belong here."
The High Elder turned to the others. "Baek Hyun-Jae is no mere initiate. He has passed the Baptism of Blood. He has proven his strength. From this day forward, he is one of you."
The other Generals nodded. They did not cheer. They did not bow. That was not their way. But in their eyes, he saw it the acceptance of a warrior.
Hyun-Jae exhaled slowly.
He had taken another step. But this was only the beginning.
If he was to reshape this world, if he was to carve his vengeance into its bones, then he needed more. More power. More blood. More fear.
And he would take it all.
The High Elder's voice echoed through the hall.
"Welcome, Demon Warlord. "