Author's Preface
The campfire crackled against the night sky. Ilho sat with his knees pulled up, staring into the flames. Jinhu rested his forearms on his legs, expression tight.
“We’re dead weight again,” Jinhu muttered. “Couldn’t even make one jump without being carried.”
Ilho’s jaw clenched. He didn’t answer. Ryul stared into the fire. "We will get there guys, I don't know how. But we will." Hanjo stood just behind them leaned against a tree.
“What troubles Murim’s youth?” Yong Ma’s voice was a low rumble from the dark.
They boys looked up sharply. The Heavenly Demon stood just outside the firelight, hands tucked into his sleeves.
Jinhu’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were an evil prick. Why do you care?”
Yong Ma laughed deeply. Yeol appeared from the shadows, drawn by it, and stepped into the light of the campfire.
“I was called evil,” Yong Ma said, “because I refused to let my sect be hunted for existing. If that’s wrong, then I’ll die wrong.” He nodded toward Yeol. “He and I have crossed blades more times than I can count. I only saw him as an enemy because he stood with the orthodox bastards who painted us as monsters, not because he lacked honor. I respected him then. I respect him now.” His lips curved faintly. “Besides, would an evil bastard offer you this?”
From his robes, he drew three palm-sized crystals, glowing faintly from within. The qi inside was so pure it felt alive. Yeol stepped forward, taking them with both hands. “These… they resemble the ones from the vault, but without the corruption.”
“I told you my demonic qi burned out the corruption,” Yong Ma said simply. “There should be enough there for you three to step into the Master’s realm. If cultivated properly, you might even wake tomorrow as two-star masters.”
Ilho, Ryul and Jinhu shared a glance. For the first time that day, there was fire in their eyes that had nothing to do with the campfire. Hanjo stepped forward. "Amitabha, I will stand watch as my friends cultivate."
"We shall join you." Yeol looked at Yong Ma who sighed.
"Ugh, haven't I already done enough." He looked at Yeol who was smiling. "Fine, but cultivate quickly. Demons need their sleep too."
At dawn, the clouds turned gold and red under the first light. Each leap carried them across hostile islands, each landing met by wyverns or winged humanoids that dove shrieking from the sky. The path was relentless. Halfway to the anchor, a larger island rose ahead... broad and jagged, nearly fifteen hundred meters from the goal.
Haejin crouched low, qi building at his legs. “I’ll go first,” he said, and launched before anyone could speak.
A massive dragon rose from the clouds, scales dark as iron, eyes burning gold. Its roar shook the island they all stood on. Talons closed around Haejin mid-flight, wrenching him from the air.
“HAEJIN!” Blue’s shout echoed.
The dragon banked sharply and vanished toward an island behind them.
“Move!” Yong Ma looked at the men and barked.
They raced back, cutting down anything in their path, until they landed where the dragon had descended. Then they froze. Haejin stood alive...not just alive, but burning with white flames of qi. His movements were lethal, precise, and unmistakable.
Yeol’s eyes narrowed. “Those…”
Cheng’s voice was tight. “Yes. I’d know them anywhere.”
One spiral arc of Haejin’s blade, and the dragon’s head separated clean from its neck, crashing to the stone in a pool of black blood.
Blue’s system flared.
[1 of 3 Dungeon Masters eliminated.]
[Destroy the remaining two or cleanse the anchor to clear the gate.]
Haejin brushed dragon blood from his sleeve, lips curling into a half-smirk. “That scared the shit out of me,” he admitted. “But… just light work.”
Yong Ma’s laugh was deep and unrestrained. Blue exhaled, the reality of his brother’s power lingered in his mind.
Yeol and Cheng stepped forward, eyes locked on Yong Ma. “You… chose him?” Yeol asked slowly.
Haejin blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Yeol didn’t look at him. His gaze stayed on the Heavenly Demon. “You always have a game you’re playing.”
Yong Ma’s expression didn’t waver. “This isn’t a game this time.” His voice was low, steady. “My son, the one who inherited the Demon Scroll, the one who was to take my seat...died in the monster attack. When I saw Haejin in Chengdu… and the grief he carried…” He shook his head. “I took him in. He latched onto the demonic qi faster than I’d ever seen. So I taught him. With no thought of making him my successor... just… maybe, if he survived, he could carry on a legacy I might not live to see.”
Haejin stared at him. “Wait. Is this why some of the elders hate me? You taught me the Heavenly Demon techniques... the ones only meant for you or the successor?”
“Yes,” Yong Ma said without hesitation. “Yes, I did. It’s why you’ve never seen me truly fight, so you wouldn’t notice. I don’t expect you to become the Heavenly Demon. I just wanted you to live. You reminded me too much of my son.”
Haejin’s expression shifted...confusion, disbelief. Yeol cut the talk short. “We’ll settle this when we leave the gate. Not here.”
Cheng’s eyes found Ilho, Ryul and Jinhu, grinning like thieves. "Care to explain how you three leapt that gap back there… and woke up as masters?”
Wu Jin walked toward them he put two fingers on Ryul's wrist. "Two-star Master." He moved to Ilho. "One-star Master." Then to Jinhu. "Two-star Master."
"Ahhhh, who is the smart one now!" Jinhu laughed and pointed at Ilho.
"I'm never going to live this down." Ilho bent down picked up a rock and threw it at Jinhu's head. "Shut up before i push you off one of these islands."
"Enough, Ilho don't worry you're on the verge of two stars. Now, care to explain how you all did this overnight?" Wu Jin tapped his foot.
“That evil bastard helped us,” Jinhu said, pointing a finger toward Yong Ma.
Yong Ma laughed. Wu Jin only shook his head. “Seems he’s not as evil as Murim made him out to be. I guess we owe him now.”
“You don’t owe me,” Yong Ma said with a smirk, clapping Wu Jin on the back. “They do.” He pointed straight at Ilho, Ryul and Jinhu
The boys' grins faded at once, a shared look of dread and regret replaced the once thrilled looks.
Blue was about to speak when the world broke. The sky erupted in blinding electric-blue light. Thunder cracked so violently it punched the breath from their lungs. The clouds below convulsed, boiling upward as something vast and terrible rose from the abyss. Its wings unfurled, each large enough to blot out the sun. Scales of midnight metal pulsed with veins of lightning. Every beat of its wings sent arcs of electricity spiderwebbing through the sky, splitting stone on nearby islands. The roar it unleashed shook even the four elders.
The storm that gathered seemed to react to the dragon's whim. Ilho, Jinhu, Ryul and Hanjo exchanged one look. No words. No hesitation.
Jinhu stepped forward. “We’ll handle this one.”
The lightning dragon’s eyes flared a deep blue, lightning sprung from the corners. Then it dove.