Chapter 3: The Seal of the Crimson Pulse
Night fell over Ironwood Village like a silent curtain, hiding its secrets in the dark. While the villagers slept, one boy remained wide awake, seated cross-legged beneath the ancient ironwood tree just beyond the ridge.
Jin Mu-won's eyes were closed, but his mind was sharper than ever.
The pendant on his chest throbbed with energy—hot, cold, wild, and chaotic. He had felt it before. In his past life, this aura had only ever come from forbidden arts or cursed objects. But this… this felt older. Deeper. As if it were part of him.
> "The first seal... is breaking."
The voice from the pendant whispered again. A whisper not spoken aloud, but etched into his soul.
He placed both hands over the pendant. "Let's see what secrets you hold."
Suddenly, pain shot through his chest—sharp, searing, and consuming. The tree behind him shook. The grass around him withered.
And then—
BOOM!
A surge of crimson light exploded from his chest, tearing open the night sky like a wound. Birds scattered. Somewhere in the village, animals wailed. Yet the villagers remained unaware, locked in a deep sleep—a spell cast by the pendant itself.
Mu-won gritted his teeth, enduring the agony.
His body trembled.
His veins lit up, glowing red.
Visions flashed before him—swords clashing in the void, beasts with seven eyes, martial gods falling from the heavens. He saw ten seals, ten locks, and a blood-soaked path.
Then, silence.
When he opened his eyes, they were no longer dark brown. They glowed faintly—crimson with black rings swirling in them.
He clenched his fist. Power flowed through him. Not overwhelming, but ancient. Raw. Unrefined.
He heard the voice again, clearer this time:
> "Crimson Pulse activated. First seal: Awakened. Access granted to Level One Forbidden Memory."
Mu-won's head swirled with knowledge—an ancient martial art.
Name: Crimson Pulse Body Tempering Art
Type: Forbidden
Tier: Unknown
Effect: Strengthens bones, muscles, and internal organs through forceful blood circulation. Painful, but potent.
A smile broke across his face.
This wasn't just a lucky reincarnation. This was fate giving him a weapon.
He stood, body steaming, energy leaking from his pores.
"I was powerful before," he muttered. "But this time… I'll become unstoppable."
From behind the tree, a shadow shifted.
Unseen. Unheard.
But someone had watched.
To be continued...