The Present (After 7 Years)
In the depths of darkness, amidst despair and sorrow, it seems as though what we witnessed was merely a distant past… but the truth is, the present stands seven years away from that memory.
Shin stands, his body wounded, blood seeping from a deep stab wound in his side. Before him, a raging demon looms, but Shin was never a man easily brought down. With a swift motion, he draws his sword, and with a single strike, he severs the demon's head.
Breathing deeply, he raises a hand to his darkened eye and murmurs to himself,
"Hope? Does it truly exist… or is it just a lie?"
He looks around. This forest is not just trees and muddy ground—it is a labyrinth for his eyes, which now see only darkness. Wiping the blood from his blade, he runs a hand through his long hair, then clenches his fist.
"It's time… I'll carve my way out of here."
The Journey to the Fire Empire
Shin wrapped a cloth around his wound and continued his long journey toward the Fire Empire. The dense forest began to open into lush greenery, with vast gardens stretching before him. He stopped under the shade of a massive tree, sat down with his back against its trunk, and gazed up at the sky.
A deadly silence filled the air—not the silence of peace, but one of deep sorrow.
Shin whispered to himself,
"Why does the world always end in ruin? Why does nothing last?"
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with renewed determination.
His decision was clear…
He would not go to the Fire Empire. Instead, he would return to where it all began—to the Nine Dragons Empire, the empire that had been completely destroyed seven years ago.
"This… will be interesting."
The Ruins of the Empire
When he arrived, he found himself standing before the remnants of the Nine Dragons Empire. Destruction was everywhere—buildings lay in ruins, streets buried under rubble.
He moved forward through the wreckage until he reached the royal palace… his father's palace. Or what remained of it.
The walls were scorched by fire, the furniture shattered, and everything was drowned in silence. But then, he saw something unexpected…
A book—completely intact—amidst all the devastation.
He stepped closer, picked it up, and wiped the dust off its cover. He read the title in a low voice:
"Fundamentals and Techniques of the Sword."
Shin froze for a moment, then narrowed his eyes in shock.
"The original book… was here all along? How is that possible? I have a copy, but… did someone steal it?"
He gripped the book tightly.
There was no room for questions anymore.
It was time to train.