The Tomb of the Blood Demon was a formidable trial that required overcoming several gates.
As you cleared each gate, you would eventually reach the chamber containing the blood demon's stone coffin.
The content of each gate could be confirmed by checking the stone tablets erected throughout the tomb.
Fortunately, one saving grace was:
"I shall test the disciple's speed!"
"I shall test the disciple's courage!"
"I shall test the disciple's judgment!"
The tasks themselves were relatively simple.
The first gate required crossing a space rapidly while traps were triggered, and the ceiling, walls, and floor collapsed around you.
The second gate led into complete darkness, where you couldn't see an inch ahead, and enemies attacked from all directions—you had to charge forward without hesitation.
And the third... that one was a bit simpler.
"I bear no grudge, but I cannot let you pass!"
"If you wish to pass, you must defeat us all!"
"For the glory of the Great Eye Lord!"
The third trial was to deal with the spirits of fallen warriors rushing in.
The problem wasn't just that there were many of them—their strength was formidable.
But Han Yuseong was no stranger to situations like this.
Thwack!
"You couldn't even dodge that attack? Disciple, you are…!"
"Disqualified!"
A ghost warrior's sharp blade pierced Han Yuseong's heart.
The warrior clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed by the scene.
But it was too soon to be disappointed. Han Yuseong, with a blade through his heart, gave a chilling grin.
In that very moment—
Ssshhh—
"He disappeared…! K-Kuhhk!"
Han Yuseong's figure vanished like dissolving clouds.
It was only an afterimage left by
Then, like a flash of lightning, he slammed a fierce elbow into the jaw of the bewildered warrior,
and at that moment, electricity surged in.
BZZZZZZT!
"K-Krghaaaah…!"
"Grrrk?!"
In an instant, electricity spread throughout the ghost warrior's entire body.
It was the effect of
The electric shock didn't stop there—it jumped to the surrounding warriors, electrocuting them as well.
He then spun his body forcefully, launching Magic Missiles.
BAM-BAM-BAM!
The spinning arc, charged with electricity, swept through the ghost warriors.
At the same time, the released Magic Missiles pierced through the heads of the electrified enemies.
The ghost warriors turned to ash without even a scream and scattered into the air.
Han Yuseong dashed down the corridor, his steps echoing like a raging wind with Stormstride.
["A-Amazing! Truly astonishing!"]
["There's no hesitation in his movements! No fear! His level isn't even that high, yet he fights like a seasoned warrior who's been through countless battles!"]
The Eye Lord of Training, watching him, expressed pure admiration.
Even with numerous warriors blocking his path, Han Yuseong showed no sign of intimidation.
He used the situation to his advantage—narrow corridors became traps, tripping up the enemies' movements, causing them to strike each other in confusion with their own weapons.
And that wasn't all.
["Unbelievable power!"]
["How can those skills produce such overwhelming force?!"]
The damage from his skills was anything but ordinary.
Other than his movement technique, most of Han Yuseong's skills were considered worthless—so much so that even the Eye Lord couldn't identify them or their value.
And yet, their power was beyond imagination.
And then, there was that magic.
["Did he start with an unusual talent from the beginning?"]
The damage and casting speed of his magic were far from ordinary.
Could he possess a rare innate ability?
The Eye Lord of Training, unaware of the Vow Sigil's existence, could only assume so.
Han Yuseong blazed through the third trial at incredible speed.
The next gate—
And the next one after that—
["I shall test the disciple's strength."]
All that remained was the final gate.
Beyond it stood a massive stone door.
Guarding it was a warrior clad in ornate, Eastern-style armor.
In his hands was a massive greatsword, its blade gleaming with a razor-sharp edge.
"Come forth!"
With a shout, the warrior slammed the ground with tremendous force.
Han Yuseong caught a glimpse of the message that flashed in the corner of his vision.
[This is a powerful opponent who's hard to defeat at your current level.]
[Due to the effect of 'Martial God', the buff 'Zamiant Killing' has been activated.]
[All stats +10, fist damage +25%, speed +15%.]
If that sense was correct, then that warrior must have been a named monster.
That means the effect of the Martial God grants a reward.
Han Yuseong clenched his fist tightly and muttered:
"Even if you don't say it, I'm going."
Whoooosh!
A fierce gale swept through the hallway.
The distance between the warrior and Han Yuseong closed in an instant.
Han Yuseong lowered his stance and charged straight into the warrior's chest.
And then—a lightning strike.
Crackle!!
"Kuh… effective…!"
A surge of electricity burst from the warrior's solar plexus.
His vision blurred from the shock, but the warrior wasn't a pushover. He realized—
he was too late to properly respond to Han Yuseong's speed.
The warrior waited for Han Yuseong's attack to fully commit and close the distance.
And the moment the strike landed—
—First Slash!
The warrior's sword came crashing down on Han Yuseong.
A blade sharp enough to slice through steel with ease.
Han Yuseong read the trajectory of the blade and gathered magic into his fist.
Then, twisting his body, he struck the flat of the sword.
BOOM!
The impact burst with explosive force, distorting the sword's path.
The spot that grazed Han Yuseong's chest slammed deep into the ground,
and judging it was the perfect opening, Han Yuseong kicked off the ground and charged forward.
The warrior's eyes gleamed sharply as he saw that.
"Hraaah!"
The warrior yanked the greatsword from the ground in one swift motion and swung it upward from his waist, aiming a crushing blow at Han Yuseong.
A blunt sword with no edge is no different from a club.
But this attack was something else entirely.
Shhhkkk!
A blue aura surged around the greatsword—
a blade aura sharp enough to cut through anything it touched.
With that sword aura, even a blunt weapon could become a deadly blade capable of slicing through flesh.
That was the warrior's strategy.
If the enemy couldn't dodge the first attack—game over.
But if they could dodge it and turn it into an opportunity for a counterattack...
Whoooosh!
"Split!"
He cleaves the careless enemy in a single strike.
The greatsword, imbued with sword aura, slashed clean through Han Yuseong's body.
His torso split apart.
A stunned face painted with disbelief from the unexpected blow—
but on that face, a faint smile emerged.
Shhhh—
Like a fading afterimage, the figure vanished.
In that very moment, a magic missile shot forth and struck the warrior's body head-on.
The warrior's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
[Activating Body Reinforcement. Attack and Defense +30%.]
[Using Ring of Ferocity. Next offensive skill will be enhanced.]
Han Yuseong retreated swiftly, leaping far back with a fluid motion,
then unleashed a burst of wind from his soles and instantly closed the distance again.
Activating the effect of the
he slammed into the ground—
and raw magic surged from every pore in his body.
And the moment that magic reached his fist—
BOOOOM!!
"Urgh...!"
The explosion of magical energy struck the warrior's heart.
His armor was crushed instantly—
the flesh beneath torn to shreds, his heart bursting from the impact.
The warrior coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Han Yuseong twisted the man's arm and yanked the greatsword from his grip.
-OH, how...…..
"I already knew."
It was a pattern he had experienced in a previous life.
Back then, he had taken a hit from that same pattern. It hadn't been enough to defeat him, but still—
there was no way he'd fall for the same move twice.
For the warrior, this was an unfortunate outcome.
"It was fun. Just think of it as bad luck."
Of course, that wasn't something Han Yuseong cared about.
He swung the greatsword and cleanly severed the warrior's neck—
and at that moment, a message appeared before his eyes.
[You have successfully defeated a formidable foe.]
[You have fulfilled the activation condition for the unique ability, "Martial God."]
[Bonus reward granted.]
[Health +1, additionally, Fighting Spirit increased by +2.]
With that, his Fighting Spirit surpassed 10.
It was still quite low overall, but at this point, he thought maybe the Giant Killing effect would start becoming more effective.
And just then—
["Ha! A mere trainee? For you to have made it this far..."]
Even though he was reading it with his eyes, the words felt loud and obnoxious.
Han Yuseong ignored the text and checked over his body.
"Whew... looks like I'm only moderately injured."
Up to this point, Han Yuseong had avoided countless traps and fought off many enemies.
Getting injured in the process was inevitable.
Some of the wounds were minor, but there were others that needed immediate treatment.
He could heal everything using Troll's Blood, but he decided not to.
"If I'm going to fight the Blood Demon... it'll be better to let it activate at the right moment."
With that in mind, he walked toward the stone gate—
and suddenly, a wall of glowing text appeared before him, as if to block his path.
They were messages sent by the spirit of training, seemingly annoyed at being ignored.
["Khuh! You're the first to make it this far! Do you hear me?"]
"I mean… isn't it true no one else has even tried?"
["Mm! A fair point."]
["Very well! You are now deemed worthy to face the Blood Demon!"]
["Enter! I have left my treasure inside!"]
"Still as obnoxiously loud as ever."
Shaking his head, Han Yuseong stepped up to the stone gate once guarded by the warrior.
The gate rumbled thunderously as it began to open—
And what appeared beyond it was...
"No matter when I come here, the stench of blood always stings my nose."
It was a chamber housing a massive stone coffin.
A room adorned with only the finest materials.
Just like outside, murals were carved into its walls—
depicting the life of a single man from beginning to end.
The final mural showed the man meeting his death.
Han Yuseong stood before the stone coffin.
[The man who once swept across the world in a raging storm of blood.]
[We honor the long toil of the Blood Demon, and lay him to rest in this place.]
"Not sure if this is what he would've wanted..."
Just thinking of the Blood Demon sent a chill down Han Yuseong's spine.
He slowly reached out and placed his hand on the coffin.
And the moment his hand touched it—
BOOOOOM!!
With a thunderous explosion, the stone coffin burst open.
Inside lay the corpse of a man—so well-preserved, it looked almost alive.
A thick, metallic stench of blood stabbed at Han Yuseong's nose—
a scent that only comes from someone who has spent their life drenched in blood.
"So… you dare disturb my rest."
A grim voice echoed from the coffin.
Blood-red energy flowed from the corpse and began to take form—
until it solidified into a ghostly figure.
The spirit looked exactly like the man lying in the coffin:
a middle-aged man with a sharp, intense gaze, and a body covered in scars.
He glared at Han Yuseong.
"So you're that damned 'trainee' or whatever they called you?"
"Yes. I'm that damned trainee."
Han Yuseong faced the floating spirit without flinching.
The spirit's expression twisted slightly, thrown off by the unexpected response.
"You must be the Blood Demon that the Spirit of Training speaks so highly of."
"…I am. Not that it was my choice."
"You mean, even building this tomb wasn't your decision?"
At those words, the spirit—the Blood Demon—made a sour expression.
"Do I look like I wanted to be stuck here like this? I'm dead. All that's left is a spirit. I just want to rest in peace."
"So you were dragged here against your will?"
"Exactly. That damn overlord bastard…"
The Blood Demon let out a long sigh.
Then, clearing his throat with a fake cough—
"Gahaha! I could never stand by and let the Oathbearer I once chose be forgotten! Trust in me, Oathbearer! I shall build you a tomb and give your legacy a worthy successor!"
"Your impersonation is spot-on."
"Well, after being stuck here for so long, you pick things up naturally."
He had suddenly launched into a perfect impersonation of the Spirit of Training.
His impersonation was so impressive that Han Yuseong clapped.
He had seen it once in his previous life, but even now, it was still remarkable.
"I never needed a successor. When you die, that's it.
There's no need to leave behind a legacy or have someone inherit anything.
Spreading my name while I was alive—that was enough."
That was the Blood Demon's philosophy.
What matters is what you do while you're alive—what kind of mark you leave behind.
"I was satisfied with my life.
Whether I'm remembered or forgotten after death—that's for the living to decide. It's none of my business."
"Seems like the Spirit of Training wanted to keep your memory alive."
"Tch. Pointless nonsense."
The Blood Demon clicked his tongue.
He hadn't wanted any of this, but it was true the Spirit of Training had cared for him—and helped him greatly.
He couldn't just disregard that kind of sincerity.
"Whatever the case, this'll be the last time.
I've got at least enough loyalty to play along with that damned overlord's final joke. So—"
The Blood Demon slowly descended to the ground.
A crimson aura began to radiate from his body.
That energy twisted into a blood-soaked wind that swept through the chamber—
He slowly settled into a stance.
"Come, unwanted successor. If you defeat me, I'll share with you my greatest legacy.
If you fail… you will be cast out from here."
His greatest legacy—what could it be?
It was the martial art the Blood Demon had used during his lifetime.
A martial art Han Yuseong himself had once used in his previous life.
As he felt the murderous intent bearing down on him, Han Yuseong clenched his fists—
then slowly opened his mouth.
"Wouldn't you rather have a proper disciple… than a pointless fight?"
"…What?"
Words that stirred the Blood Demon—
and made him falter.
A strange smile formed on Han Yuseong's lips.
"Blood Demon, please… teach me the martial art you once wielded."
Words the Blood Demon never expected—
not even for a moment.
The Blood Demon tilted his head, almost unconsciously.