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Do you know what happens when you swing a sword at a scarecrow for over half a day?

Your hands get blisters.

“…Phew.”

I wrapped bandages around my hands. Moving them stung, but that level of pain was nothing.

Just stepping forward made my entire body ache as if it were about to break. With that kind of pain repeating, what was a mere blister to me?

I moved my feet. The distance I covered was pathetic. But then again, did my outstretched hands move smoothly?

No, they did not. Hitting the air only produced a faint sound. The feeling of impending collapse was a given.

But for some reason, I couldn’t help but smile.

I was getting better. The first swing had been agonizingly painful, but now it had become somewhat bearable.

The sound of air tearing that had sounded like a mosquito was now more akin to a gentle breeze. Each night I groaned in pain, but I could feel myself improving.

Taking one grueling step at a time.

I stepped back from the scarecrow I had been hitting with my sword. Catching my breath, I closed my eyes.

Cheongeop (천겁).

It still burrowed deep inside me. It allowed not even a single ripple of energy to rise, only granting me pain instead of assistance.

But that was okay. The pain hadn’t dulled, yet I could endure it. Rather, I was grateful for the life I had changed by embracing Cheongeop.

Previously, I had swung my sword without seeing any progress.

What about now?

I could see the slightest change. I was now able to lift slightly heavier things than I could yesterday.

In my life, which had been filled with despair, opportunities were beginning to appear.

A proper master. A proper path. A hazy sliver of light shining through the darkness.

“…Phew.”

Every day was a series of events I couldn’t endure without a smile.

I was sincerely grateful. To the Heavenly Demon, and to my fate.

…When was the last time I felt this liberated?

Let’s build it up. If I stack it high enough, I’ll reach it someday.

Even if that day comes when I’m old and gray, it doesn’t matter. This is my first greed. This is my first mindset.

I will become a martial artist like the Heavenly Demon.

Even if it’s a dream I might never achieve…

My struggles will remain trapped within my soul.

“Jeok-un.”

At the call, I turned my head. The Black-clothed Man who appeared silently was staring at me.

I had never seen his face before. However, judging by the chill in his voice whenever he called me, it was clear he despised me to the point of sending shivers down my spine.

Yet still, I could willingly bow my head before her. What wouldn’t I do to gain strength?

After all, I had already become a dog to the Heavenly Demon.

I was confident I could keep hanging around until I became similar to her.

“Yes.”

“I told you to drop the sword.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…Tsk.”

The Black-clothed Man, Ilma, stood in front of me.

“You are not yet in a position to wield a sword. You must properly train that body of yours before you earn the right to hold a sword. If you place a heavy wooden staff on weeds, it’ll break. You are weeds. Right now, a sword to you is no different than an unbearably heavy wooden staff.”

She poked the scarecrow lightly. A red energy flickered ominously above it.

“Currently, you cannot use internal energy. You can only train your external energy. Until Cheongeop fully takes root, that body state will persist. During this time, all you will focus on is building a foundation. Don’t even dream about wielding a sword until that pathetic body of yours becomes somewhat presentable. It will be nothing but poison at this stage.”

“I understand.”

“You’re not listening at all. Don’t look at my fingertips. You creepy brat. Just because you’ve bottled it up all your life doesn’t mean you can turn into a dedicated training fanatic overnight. That’s an issue of temperament. You’ve been a mad lunatic since the beginning. You were just suppressing it with rationality. But regardless of your temperament, when I’m speaking, focus on my mouth, not on my fingertips. Concentrate on how the end of my sentence finishes, rather than watching me wield martial arts. I don’t like repeating myself. If you turn your attention away again, I’ll break your neck.”

“I’m sorry, Ilma. I will focus on your words.”

“…Why do I dislike you so much?”

The scarecrow’s neck broke with a snap. It happened the moment I felt Ilma move her hand.

“You can’t even mimic this now. Are you saying that what I’m showing you is merely to tease you—?”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be a joke?”

I received a kick to my shins. Ilma growled.

“Don’t get cocky just because you’ve seen a bit. We’ve only sent you here for about two months. You foolish brat. Do you think you’re my disciple? If it weren’t for the Master’s orders, I would have turned you into dog food.”

“Do dogs eat dog meat? I wouldn’t eat it, if it were me…”

“……”

I couldn’t see her face under the falling talisman. But I could feel her gaze piercing through me like she wanted to devour me.

Yet, I didn’t feel like changing my tone. She couldn’t kill me, and she had to teach me.

Moreover…

I felt free. When was the last time I felt this liberated? I was keenly experiencing my own “self.”

The temperament I had hidden away to protect my family.

The resentment from the days when I had to keep a straight face while working.

Even the moments I made a joke felt delightful. Just learning martial arts made me feel good; nothing else could possibly feel unfortunate.

She was a sharp person. But at the same time, she fussed around, carefully looking out for me one by one.

She’s a good person.

Of course, she was still a dangerous person.

“Jeok-un. Pay attention to my words. If you turn your attention away one more time, I’ll crush your bones. You will enter Blood Demon Academy in a month. And there, there are guys who can do what I can do.”

“What kind of place is Blood Demon Academy?”

“A suitable place for rolling you around. Normally, you’ll train, and if something happens, you’ll run errands from the ‘Demon Valley.’ It’s not an easy place. The amount you can eat is absurdly low; you’ll be scrambling to fill your stomach.”

“What about the spy job…?”

“I found a substitute. Your role will be taken over. Or what? Are you still clinging to the Martial Alliance?”

I felt a sharp gaze upon me. I shook my head.

There was no reason to lie. While I belonged to the righteous faction, I could confidently say I had not a single pleasant memory to take away.

This side was better for me.

Here, I receive teachings that provide nourishment and resources.

“I am the Master’s dog.”

“…You know your place, at least. Jeok-un. You need to double your training efforts. Once you enter Blood Demon Academy, you will operate in pairs. If one person drops out, another will immediately replace them. Blood Demon Academy always maintains thirty members. And monthly, more than ten of them die.”

“For what reason do they die?”

“Usually, they die while on a mission. The second most common cause of death is…”

Ilma kicked the fallen scarecrow’s neck.

“You die at the hands of comrades who dislike incapable allies. Right now, you are less than third-rate. So at the very least, you should step up to second-rate and earn your keep. That’s your way to survive.”

…

The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique comprised nine forms of martial arts.

Nine heavens. The magic that penetrates through them.

There’s a reason Ilma called the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique a beast-like martial art. This martial art largely focuses on whittling down the enemy.

If it could kill the enemy first by throwing its body, it would be an acceptable way.

With the philosophy of “cutting flesh and breaking bones,” it was a martial art that posed significant risk to the user.

Even for the first form, you had to execute movements that didn’t involve thinking about your back. Therefore, a sturdy physique was required.

You had to absorb one attack relatively lightly.

Even if your flesh got sliced by the sword, your bones must not be severed.

Pain. To master this martial art, one inevitably needed the pain of bone being ground down.

But ironically, all that pain combined was still less than the suffering brought by Cheongeop.

“…Haha!”

I could gladly laugh while sprinting through hell. I pushed my body to its limit and focused on eating the food Ilma brought to strengthen myself.

Every day felt like hell. But I could endure it.

Getting accustomed to pain didn’t mean it was better. But I could brainwash myself into liking it.

Achievements kept growing. They continued to grow. The days Ilma looked at me with a click of her tongue became less frequent.

I awakened the first form of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique. Ilma (Ilma, the First Form). I continued to work on the application of that initial movement while grinding my bones.

Except for the time I ate, my hands were always moving. I kicked and swung at the air.

I’d wake up standing on my hands, and I would sit under a waterfall for hours to relieve the blood that pooled in my head.

Every night, I meditated. The rooted Cheongeop, I checked constantly. But that thing never budged, so gathering or utilizing energy still seemed impossible.

One month.

If I counted all the days I had been here, it would be three months.

That lengthy time was remarkably short for me. If Ilma decided to train my bones, it felt like eons of dragging on.

“This is the fastest. Don’t worry. There won’t be any scars. You’re a tough one anyway, so you’ll be able to endure it, right?”

I slightly revised my judgment that Ilma was a good person.

She was a madwoman.

My wrecked body went through cycles of regeneration and destruction. Within that process, I felt Cheongeop gradually taking root.

What would happen once all of this was completed?

When I woke up in the morning, my body began to feel subtly refreshed. The extreme pain had now become normal, allowing me to tolerate chewing my tongue or tearing my thigh without issue.

My senses hadn’t disappeared. If anything, they sharpened. With each passing day, as Cheongeop took root, I felt myself growing stronger.

Second-rate warrior.

On the final day when I unleashed the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique, I confirmed that I had surpassed a realm I could never reach, even after more than a decade of effort.

“That was a narrow hit to the target.”

Ilma’s voice was kinder than it had ever been.

“It must be the effects of Cheongeop. Thank goodness. The frame of your body has adjusted more quickly than I expected. But don’t get your hopes up. If you want to walk a long road, the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique may prove to be toxic for you. The initial achievements might come fast, but they will slow down considerably as you progress. The characteristic of this martial art is that it’s easy to start but hard to reach the peak. If you don’t reach a certain level within the time, the demonic energy will swallow your body.”

“Are you worried for me?”

“Shut your mouth. I’m telling you to struggle rather than waste breaths. I wouldn’t want to bury a dog I raised.”

Ilma took me to a place called Demon Valley. As I looked down over the cliff that seemed to fall into a bottomless pit, I took one last look at her.

“Am I now part of Blood Demon Academy?”

“If you survive.”

“Is this the job of the Master’s dog?”

“Is Blood Demon Academy the dog of the Master? Tsk. If we’re being picky, it’s closer to ants. Assigning you here means I intend to train you before you become a dog. Blood Demon Academy is merely a lower organization within the main sect that can be replaced at any time. I raised you personally, but you are nothing more than a disposable unit.”

Ilma gestured at me with a nod.

“You are Thirty (삼십호). Forget the name Jeok-un for now. When the Master calls you, you will emerge from here and become his dog, and if he doesn’t call, you will be a part of Blood Demon Academy for the rest of your life, so don’t forget that.”

“…Understood.”

I looked down at the cliff that seemed endless. Taking a breath, I turned to Ilma.

“Ilma.”

“What is it?”

“Is it alright to ask for your name?”

“What’s your ulterior motive?”

“You’re the first person I’ve had proper ties with since I came here.”

The Eight Demons of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Contrary to their fame, their names were not fully disclosed. They were merely referred to by numbers, and only a few knew their names even within the Heavenly Demon Sect.

So, I wanted to know.

“I want to know as Jeok-un, not as the third-rate.”

Ilma scoffed. She placed a foot on my back.

“Ilma is Ilma. There’s no other name. I am the sword of the Heavenly Demon. I’m neither your master nor your acquaintance, nor am I a special lover with any ties to you.”

Her tone was as cold as ever. Yet, the end of her words held a slight softness.

“But once the day comes when you become the Master’s dog, there’s nothing I can’t teach you as the caretaker.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Get lost. Whatever you do down there, I won’t help you. Don’t harbor any meaningless expectations and disappear.”

Thud.

Ilma’s foot fell from my back. I stumbled forward and stepped into Demon Valley.

An endless stone staircase. As I descended, I pulled down the black hood Ilma had given me.

It was just like hers. The talismans hanging from the front oddly obscured my vision, yet they allowed me to see clearly ahead.

Is this what the Heavenly Demon Sect boasts about with their ‘sorcery’?

The hood felt slightly suffocating, but I quickly adjusted. The somewhat darkened vision gradually familiarized itself with the surroundings.

My feet touched the ground. At the end of the long descent, a single torch flickered.

“Thirty.”

The voice was soft. The figure wasn’t very big.

A woman’s voice. But beyond that, I couldn’t tell what lay in front of me.

Under the torch was someone wearing a black hood like mine. I simply found her small and cute…

“Follow me.”

—The only feeling I had was that she was incredibly strong.

I couldn’t read Ilma’s strength. The woman in front of me was the same.

An unsettling calmness that couldn’t be felt unless reaching a certain level. To me, she was both a sword and not a sword.

Second-rate.

Is that level the one that couldn’t even be perceived?

I quietly followed behind her.

Beyond the torch, I could see the landscape of Demon Valley. Between the suffocating gaps in the cliffs below, there was a sort of nature intertwined.

The problem was that they all consisted of plants and animals I had never seen before.

 

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