"Run.... Tae-Hyuk.. Run!!"
The night air was thick with smoke and ash, carrying the acrid stench of burning wood and blood. Jin Tae-Hyuk's breaths came ragged, each one tasting of iron and dust. Around him, the remnants of his sect lay in ruins, charred timbers, shattered stones, and the lifeless bodies of his fellow disciples.
Somewhere in the shadows, the chilling laughter of the Demonic cult leader echoed. He gripped the broken hilt of his sword with trembling hands, eyes darting across the mountaintop as disciples of the cult closed in. Among them, a figure loomed larger than the rest, General Hwan, a mountain of a man whose mere presence seemed to warp the night itself. His black armor shimmered unnaturally, fed by some dark energy, and his eyes burned with merciless intent.
Is this the end?… Tae-Hyuk thought, swallowing his fear. He glanced down at his torn sleeve, at the wound across his side, and at the sword that had once been his life's anchor. His sect was gone. His family, gone. And now… this.
A faint memory surfaced of a whisper from his master, who had been slain moments ago: "Survive… and remember who you are."
It was enough. Tae-Hyuk's fingers traced the sigils he had memorized, the intricate hand movements of a technique he should never have learned. Forbidden. Dangerous. Perhaps deadly. But it was his only chance.
He closed his eyes and let his Qi rise, feeling it thrum like a heartbeat through every fiber of his body. The ground beneath him cracked, rock splintering as the energy surged upward, scattering sparks into the night sky. The cultists screamed as they were thrown backward, their momentum halted by the invisible force radiating from him.
Then, in a blinding flash, the world warped. Light exploded in every direction. He felt his body pulled, twisted, and flung across the boundaries of time and space. When the light faded, the mountains, the fire, the cult… were gone.
The world around Jin Tae-Hyuk shifted violently. One moment, he was on the mountaintop, bloodied and cornered by the Demonic cult.... Next, the mountains, the smoke, the screams, all vanished. The air smelled different here, cold and sharp, carrying a faint hum he couldn't place. The ground beneath his feet was hard and unyielding, unlike the soft earth and rock of his homeland.
He staggered to his feet, clutching his side. Pain lanced through him, but it was nothing compared to the confusion twisting his mind. Around him, towering structures stretched into the sky, gleaming with lights that glowed without fire. The streets below were alive with strange, roaring metal beasts moving faster than anything he had ever seen.
"What… is this place?" he muttered, his voice hoarse. His eyes, trained to spot subtle Qi flows, noticed none of these humans possessed even a trace. Yet the city itself seemed alive, buzzing with an energy he could not touch.
A vehicle roared past, its metallic body shaking the ground. Tae-Hyuk instinctively leaped back, spinning into a combat stance. The driver swerved, shouting, and the vehicle disappeared into the throng of traffic. Tae-Hyuk's grip tightened on the empty air where his sword should have been. He swore under his breath.
He remembered the coins in his pouch silver, worn with centuries of use. Perhaps these people used currency differently? He approached a small food stall, his hand extended, placing a coin on the counter. The vendor's eyes widened.
"Uh… sir… this is five thousand won," the man said nervously.
Tae-Hyuk frowned. "Five thousand… what? I am giving you silver!"
The vendor froze, unsure whether he was facing a lunatic or a thief. Tae-Hyuk gestured wildly, placing several coins on the counter and watching as the man's confusion grew. People around them began to stare. Tae-Hyuk, sensing their judgment, cursed himself.
These people… they are strange beyond comprehension, he thought, stepping back.
As he moved down the street, his senses sharpened. His Qi, his lifeforce, his weapon, still hummed within him. He tested it cautiously, focusing it through his palms. A faint ripple ran along the pavement beneath him, unnoticed by the oblivious pedestrians, but undeniable to him. He exhaled, comforted by the familiar pulse.
"Good… at least this power remains."
Yet even here, danger was not absent. A group of boys loitering near the alleyway noticed him. They were ordinary to the untrained eye, dressed in tattered hoodies and sneakers, but Tae-Hyuk's instincts screamed danger. One moved too quickly, attempting to snatch his small pouch.
He reacted without thinking. A push of Qi sent the boy stumbling backward into a trash can. The others froze. One whispered, "What the hell?" before bolting, leaving his companions to recover in shock.
Tae-Hyuk's heart raced. He realized that even in this strange, modern world, threats could still emerge. His training, honed over years of life and death struggle, remained his greatest weapon.
A commotion erupted further down the street. Two larger boys cornered a small child, snatching candy from his hands. Tae-Hyuk's fists clenched. Without hesitation, he approached, moving with the fluid grace of a martial artist. His Qi flared faintly, unseen by the ordinary crowd. The bullies froze as he came closer, each step carrying the weight of centuries of training.
"You dare steal from the weak?" he said, voice low but commanding. The bullies hesitated, unsure how to respond to this strange, otherworldly presence.
A shove of Qi sent the nearest boy tumbling into a dumpster, the second nearly leaping over a fence to escape. The small child blinked at Tae-Hyuk, awe and fear mingling in his wide eyes.
"Th-thank you, sir," the boy stammered, retrieving his candy. Tae-Hyuk nodded curtly, unused to gratitude or attention. He felt… strangely out of place, yet not powerless.
As the sun began to rise over the city, the enormity of the place weighed on him. The traffic, the buildings, the noise, and the people were overwhelming. And yet, he knew something else lingered beneath the surface. Something familiar, something hidden. He could sense it faintly, like the echo of a whisper he could almost hear but not fully understand.
Murim… still exists, he thought, tightening his fists. And if it exists here, in this strange world, then I am not alone. But neither am I safe.