The battlefield remained a storm of chaos.
Angels, fallen angels, and demons clashed in a storm of fire, steel, and magic. Blades of light slashed through the air, spells detonated with blinding brilliance, and the ground itself trembled beneath their feet.
Amidst it all, Reyna—the Heavenly Sword Demon King—stood still, her eyes gleaming.
"So this… is how they fight in Elysium?"
She murmured to herself as she observed the battle unfold. In Murim, battles were defined by gi and naegong, but here, an entirely different force was in motion.
Angels wielded divine mana to unleash radiant swords.Fallen angels twisted their corruption into unique and unpredictable combat techniques.Demons fused curses and raw magic into brutal, destructive attacks.
None of it resembled anything she had ever encountered in Murim.
Reyna narrowed her eyes.She was a warrior forged in countless duels—one who had always grown through confrontation. And now, this foreign battlefield became another opportunity to learn, to adapt.
Without stepping forward, she observed every movement and pattern with the sharp eye of a strategist.
When the angels manipulated divine power,When a fallen angel reflected that light and turned it into strength,When a demon summoned chaos to warp reality—
All of it, to Reyna, was a living lecture in combat philosophy.
"So this thing called 'mana'… is the source of all power here?"
She looked at her open palm, where the familiar energy of gi still pulsed faintly.But her inner energy—naegong—didn't align with the laws of this world.
At that moment, Bard Arknan approached her side.
"Reyna, are you curious?" he asked, voice calm and slightly amused.
She turned to him, eyes sharp.
"Curious about what?"
"About the power that governs this realm—and how it works."
"Elysium," Bard continued, his cloak billowing behind him,"is nothing like Murim. Here, mana is the fundamental source of strength. It's not the same as the gi you used in your world."
Reyna nodded, accepting the reality.
"Then I suppose my power will be limited here."
But Bard shook his head with a smirk.
"No. Quite the opposite, actually."
That playful edge in his tone made her tilt her head slightly.
"If you learn to accept mana—if you learn to wield it as your own—then combine it with your naegong... you could unlock strength beyond anything imagined in Murim."
Reyna's expression shifted subtly.
If it were truly possible to blend her disciplined internal energy with this world's mana... she might reach a whole new realm of power.
Bard's words stirred her thoughts.
But one thing was clear:
She had always walked the path of battle—growing stronger by absorbing her enemies' techniques and reshaping them into her own.To her, mastering the laws of this world was not a deviation.It was evolution.
"Then…"
Reyna closed her eyes, then opened them again—sharpened.
She made her decision. Just as she had in Murim, she would explore this world's new potential with her own hands.
And the moment she chose—She would begin learning to fuse her inner energy with mana.
Her journey alongside Bard and Lee Do-hyeon was no longer aimless.And the road ahead was sure to bring her face-to-face with even greater foes.
Seeing her resolve, Lee Do-hyeon turned to her and asked quietly:
"So… you're really coming with us?"
Reyna answered plainly.
"…At least for now."
That was enough.
She sought power.They needed allies.Their goals weren't identical—but their paths had aligned.
Just like in Murim, where she had grown stronger alongside worthy adversaries,Here too, she would walk with them—for now.
And at the end of that path…The deeper secrets of Elysium awaited.
****
Chapter : The Free City—But What Is the Truth?
As they approached the gates of the city, the atmosphere shifted distinctly.
Lee Do-hyeon, Reyna (the Heavenly Sword Demon King), Bard Arknan, and their followers paused for a moment, gazing at the bustling urban center before them.
This place was clearly unlike any other city they had encountered.
The streets pulsed with life, and the people expressed their individuality freely and without restraint. Yet for some, the excessive openness felt more disconcerting than liberating.
Among them, Reyna's followers wore conflicted expressions.
Some were clearly intoxicated by the vibrant energy.But others found themselves unsettled by the apparent break from the order they had known in Murim and even in Elysium.
"Something about this place feels… off."
One of the followers muttered under his breath.
"They call it freedom, but is this really what freedom means?"
Another follower furrowed his brows, eyeing the streets.
In plain sight were women throwing off their tops, flaunting their bodies with pride, and men and women expressing their sexuality with no shame.
Bard Arknan smiled faintly.
"This city is said to be blessed by the goddess Amalthea."
"Blessed?"
Reyna repeated the word without emotion, but her eyes gleamed sharply.
As they stepped inside the city, the residents showed no suspicion toward these outsiders. On the contrary, they were welcomed warmly.
A woman approached Lee Do-hyeon and Reyna with a beaming smile.
She had a voluptuous figure, adorned with flashy jewels and a thin layer of cloth draped over her body. Her posture radiated confidence.
"Outsiders, huh? Welcome! You're in a city blessed by the goddess Amalthea!"
Her voice was full of joy.
Reyna fixed her gaze on the woman and asked,
"What exactly does the goddess's blessing mean?"
The woman spoke with pride.
"The goddess taught us that women should no longer live in oppression, but embrace their lives freely. We don't hide our bodies, we love how we want, and we express ourselves however we please."
She smiled even brighter and added:
"Here, no choice is shameful. Whether it's enjoying sex, showing your body, or pursuing love—it's all part of the goddess's blessing!"
Lee Do-hyeon responded calmly.
"It's not the pleasure that's the problem… but whether that pleasure is ever coerced."
But the woman simply gave a light chuckle.
"No one is forced in this city. But isn't rejecting the gifts of the divine a form of blasphemy?"
Her words left Reyna with a subtle, unreadable expression.
Her followers grew increasingly uneasy.
Some were clearly captivated, drawn to this place and its unrestrained lifestyle.But others felt alienated by the excessive openness and the collapse of boundaries.
"Lady Reyna… is this place truly blessed by a god?"
One follower asked cautiously.
Reyna, ever composed, did not reveal her emotions easily.But even she found it difficult to accept the atmosphere of this city without reservation.
"Whether this is true freedom… we'll have to find out."
Her brief reply brought a small sigh of relief to some of her followers.
Bard Arknan, meanwhile, watched the scene with keen interest. He had already picked up on several clues.
This faith hadn't always been so indulgent.Just a few centuries ago, the temple had upheld strict discipline.But at some point, its doctrine had warped—emphasizing "extreme freedom" instead.
Looking at Lee Do-hyeon and Reyna, Bard spoke in a low voice:
"We should visit the temple. I suspect something vital is hidden there."
Lee Do-hyeon nodded.
"We need to see whether this city truly follows freedom—or if it's drowning in an engineered order."
Reyna, still expressionless, added flatly:
"Either way… I'm curious about the power here. If the temple holds answers, I'll go."
And so, they moved toward the temple.
But what awaited them was not merely a truth about doctrine—It was a 'twisted faith' that ruled the city…
…And a far greater power hidden in its shadow.
***
Chapter : The Distorted Temple and the Corrupted Doctrine
At the heart of the city stood the grand Temple of Amalthea.But unlike any ordinary sanctuary, it exuded a distinctly different, unsettling aura.
The statue of the goddess Amalthea erected at the entrance was unlike typical sacred carvings.Her form was overtly sensual, emphasizing voluptuous curves. One hand held a goblet of abundance, while the other cupped her breast.Her expression seemed gentle, yet it emanated a strange dissonance that couldn't be ignored.
Lee Do-hyeon gazed up at the statue and whispered,"Something... doesn't feel right."
Reina, the Heavenly Sword Demon King, narrowed her eyes at the figure.She had seen many faiths and doctrines across Murim, but this place felt less like a sacred hall and more like the epicenter of a warped veneration.
Bard Arknan murmured quietly,"We need to find out when—and how—this faith became corrupted."
As they stepped inside, the strange energy only deepened.
Most of the temple's priests were women.But instead of traditional vestments, they wore thin, translucent robes that barely veiled their bodies.Adorned with ornate jewelry, their eyes sparkled with a peculiar blend of reverence and intoxicated devotion.
One priestess approached with a radiant smile."Travelers, are you here to receive the goddess's blessing?"
Lee Do-hyeon met her gaze and asked plainly,"What exactly does that blessing entail?"
The priestess let out a soft laugh."The goddess granted us freedom and love.To live unshackled in body and spirit—this is her sacred teaching."
Reina crossed her arms, her voice cool."That sounds more like indulgence than freedom."
The priestess tilted her head slightly, replying,"Hiding the body is repression. Conforming to society's norms is submission.Returning to our natural state—that is divine."
Bard Arknan whispered under his breath,"This isn't liberation. This is indoctrination... cloaked in religious doctrine."
At the temple's deepest chamber, the high priestess made her entrance.
She was a woman of overwhelming presence—graceful, commanding.Draped in a red robe that concealed almost nothing, her long black hair flowed like silk, and her eyes shimmered with strange power.Around her neck hung what appeared to be a sacred amulet, and intricate patterns were etched into her skin like runes.
She looked upon Do-hyeon and Reina and spoke,"So you've come. It's always a pleasure to welcome new visitors."
"Are you the high priestess of this place?" Do-hyeon asked.
She smiled softly and nodded."I am Nieva, the emissary of Goddess Amalthea."
Nieva continued,"This temple exists to liberate the soul and body in accordance with the goddess's will.I hope you too will embrace her blessing."
Reina stared sharply at her."Freedom, you say. But under the guise of freedom… haven't things decayed into sheer indulgence?"
Nieva's voice remained gentle."That depends on perspective.The once-oppressed have cast off their chains. Now, they follow only their instincts."
Do-hyeon exhaled slowly."So everything is permitted in the name of freedom?"
Nieva nodded."Indeed. The goddess suppresses nothing.We accept our desires as they are, without shame."
Both Do-hyeon and Reina felt an unease growing within them.The so-called "freedom" here seemed laced with something darker—an undercurrent of deep corruption.
Then Bard Arknan spoke."This city is not what it seems.It's not just a haven of liberation. It's being... orchestrated."
At that moment, Nieva's smile shifted ever so slightly.
She stepped forward slowly and said,"You see more than most. Sharper eyes than I expected."
She gestured toward the depths of the temple."If you truly wish to understand the goddess's blessing...Then go. See it for yourselves."
Lee Do-hyeon and Reina exchanged glances.
Whatever truth awaited them beyond that pathwould be the ultimate test of what freedom truly meant in this twisted city.