The air in the portal world was thick with energy, each gust of wind vibrating against Kang Jinhyuk's skin as if the very atmosphere tested his resolve. The valley seemed alive...jagged cliffs pulsating faintly, distant echoes of past battles vibrating through the rock. Jeok-Ma's voice had haunted him for days, sharper than any blade.
Enough trifling with shadows, boy, the Crimson Demon growled in his mind. You have tasted Second Rate. You have survived minor battles. But mastery… First Rate… demands more than flesh. It demands everything: mind, heart, body, and the courage to face what you despise most about yourself.
Jinhyuk's fists clenched. Sweat streaked his face, his breath coming in controlled, ragged bursts. His muscles ached from days of continuous exertion; his mind strained under the relentless mental conditioning Jeok-Ma had imposed. Every instinct, every movement, every thought was pushed to the edge.
I will endure, Jinhyuk whispered to himself, eyes narrowing. I have survived death, loss, and betrayal. I will not break. I will rise… stronger than any who stand before me.
The training began before dawn. Jinhyuk faced a series of relentless physical exercises designed to test strength, agility, and endurance. Massive boulders shifted of their own accord, forcing him to dodge, leap, and counter with lightning reflexes. Energy currents pulsed through the ground, attempting to destabilize his balance. Each step required precise control of his own energy... Second Rate techniques alone would not suffice.
You flinch! Jeok-Ma barked. A true First Rate warrior does not hesitate. Hesitation is death. Let the pain flow through you, not bind you!
Jinhyuk gritted his teeth. Pain is temporary. Survival is permanent. Every strike, every fall… it teaches me. He pivoted mid-air, channeling energy through his limbs as he landed on a jagged outcropping. Sparks of latent power flared along his sword, illuminating the valley like molten fire.
As the day wore on, Jeok-Ma's lessons became psychological, testing more than muscle. Visions flooded Jinhyuk's mind: the screams of Min-Seo, the betrayal of the Namgung Clan, the cruel arrogance of Murong Baek-Ho. Each memory came sharp, vivid, threatening to unravel his focus.
Harness it, Jeok-Ma's voice hissed. Do not let grief or rage control you. Channel it. Mold it. You cannot wield true power without understanding the darkness within.
Jinhyuk's chest burned as he clenched his fists, energy surging around him in waves. He felt the edge of rage, the intoxicating allure of raw destruction, the pull of cruelty whispered by the Crimson Demon's teachings. If I give in…, he thought, shuddering. If I let this consume me… I will become what I despise. I will lose myself entirely.
Yet he could not deny the truth, this power First Rate mastery was essential for vengeance. He would not merely fight. He would command, strategize, and strike with the precision of a predator.
I will not be blind fury, Jinhyuk vowed. I will wield this strength… but on my terms. For vengeance. Not for cruelty.
The next stage of training was combat simulation. Jeok-Ma manifested spectral warriors phantoms of the strongest fighters he had absorbed over centuries. Their forms were fluid, unpredictable, and lethal. Each strike, each feint, forced Jinhyuk to adapt instantly. Energy flared around him, the Second Rate currents coiling into new patterns as he pushed his body beyond known limits.
Focus on flow, not force...!! Jeok-Ma screamed. Let the Crimson Demon's philosophy guide you: anticipate, manipulate, and dominate!
Jinhyuk spun, blocking a series of strikes with energy-infused parries. He countered, not just reacting but predicting movement before it happened. His body moved as if guided by a force greater than himself—Jeok-Ma's legacy integrating with his own instincts. He felt the thrill of control, the intoxicating sensation of mastering not only the enemy but himself.
Yes… yes… I see it, Jinhyuk thought, breath ragged but mind clear. Flow of energy, movement of body, anticipation of thought… First Rate is not just strength. It is understanding. It is becoming the battlefield itself.
Hours blurred into days, days into nights. Hunger, fatigue, and pain were mere background—trivial obstacles before the mountain of mastery he had climbed. Jeok-Ma tested him with harsher scenarios: multiple enemies, unpredictable terrain shifts, and illusions designed to distort reality. Every time Jinhyuk wavered, he heard the Crimson Demon's voice:
Weakness is forbidden! Fail, and you die in spirit even if your body survives!
But each time he faltered, Jinhyuk forced himself forward. He drew upon memory: the cries of Min-Seo, the flash of Namgung Yura's eyes years ago, the betrayal that had shattered his past. Rage and grief fused with focus and discipline, transforming emotion into precise action.
I will not fail! he shouted, energy flaring in a brilliant cascade. I will not falter! I will rise...!!
Finally, the moment came. A solitary spectral warrior appeared before him—a perfect reflection of the Crimson Demon in his prime. Its speed, strength, and precision tested every skill Jinhyuk had acquired. The clash was cataclysmic: energy collided in waves that shook the valley, rocks crumbling and sparks igniting across the ground.
Jinhyuk danced across the battlefield with calculated grace, predicting attacks, countering with energy-laced strikes, and exploiting every opening. His mind was a whirlwind of strategy, instinct, and controlled fury. He felt the final barrier within himself was break...the mental and physical threshold separating Second Rate from First Rate.
Yes… yes! he roared inwardly, energy exploding outward in a controlled pulse. The spectral warrior froze, then dissipated under the brilliance of his fully realized mastery.
Jeok-Ma's voice echoed, tinged with rare approval: Finally… you grasp the edge of First Rate. You understand… not all power is destruction. Some is survival. Some is foresight. Remember, boy, the line between mastery and corruption is thin. Cross it, and you are no longer a man but a weapon without soul.
Jinhyuk knelt, chest heaving, sweat and energy mingling. He felt the surge of newfound power coursing through him every muscle, every vein, every cell heightened. But with it came clarity. He understood now the seductive danger of unchecked strength.
I will walk that line, he whispered to himself. I will not become the monster that destroyed my family… but I will become strong enough to strike them down. Vengeance… but controlled. Power… but disciplined. That is the path forward.
Sae-Ryeo approached, eyes wide with admiration and subtle worry. I… I didn't think you'd make it this far. You've changed… again. Not just stronger, but sharper, more precise.
And I will not stop, Jinhyuk replied, rising to his full height, energy humming along his limbs. First Rate is only the beginning. The world outside this valley… Murim… they will not wait. I must be ready. For them… and for the truth behind my past.
Jeok-Ma's voice lingered in his mind, harsh but instructive: Good. Use this power wisely. Rage fuels survival, but foresight ensures victory. Remember boy...one day your enemies will be countless, and mercy will be a luxury you cannot afford. Balance it, or be consumed.
Jinhyuk exhaled deeply, letting the portal world's energy wash over him. The trials had been grueling, the lessons harsh, but he had emerged stronger, sharper, and more focused than ever. The Crimson Demon's legacy was no longer just a tool...it was a guide, a weapon, and a mirror reflecting the man he was becoming.
I will wield this power, he thought, fists tightening. Not for blind cruelty… but for vengeance. For justice. For survival. And when the time comes, the Murim world will remember the name Kang Jinhyuk.
As the valley quieted, Jinhyuk looked toward the distant cliffs, the faint glow of the portal horizon shimmering. First Rate mastery had been achieved—but the path ahead was only darker, wider, and infinitely more dangerous. And he would walk it, unflinching, unrelenting, and undeterred.