‘Our’ Definition – 1

Namgoong Soyeon felt dizzy.

If she relaxed even for a moment, she felt like she would lose consciousness, like walking on a tightrope over a cliff.

In front of her was the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, and beside her, the one called Divine Doctor was examining her condition.

After taking her pulse and checking her pupils for a while, the Divine Doctor clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry for her.

“Tsk… her constitution has completely changed.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that the energy of the Elixir and Inner core has spread throughout her body, changing her constitution.”

“Then… what about my Martial arts?”

“Are you worried about Martial arts at a time like this? Tsk! That’s why Martial Artist are like this.”

The Divine Doctor frowned as if displeased and inserted needles around her neck.

“Ugh!”

As her heart rate increased, Namgoong Soyeon gritted her teeth.

The Divine Doctor, after confirming that her pupils had turned bright yellow, pulled out the needles, and she gasped for breath like someone who had been strangled.

“What was that just now?”

“…Do you perhaps know about Blood demon?”

“Blood demon?”

“The Blood demon is someone who brought a storm of blood to the Central Plains in the past.”

Martial Arts Alliance Leader Dokgo Nam, who had been listening to the Divine Doctor in silence, opened his mouth.

He was a man of moderate build with a thick black beard and a long scar on his cheek.

“You must have heard about the Sichuan Blood Calamity.”

“Yes, a little.”

“Few people know about the culprit. The one who caused the Sichuan Blood Calamity was the Blood demon.”

Blood Demon Do-wook.

A man named Do-wook, who had a strong desire to become stronger, suffered from side effects after improperly consuming Elixir and Inner core,

and the side effect was that he turned into a Blood demon who craved the blood of the living.

Namgoong Soyeon’s pupils shook at the Alliance Leader’s words.

“Are you saying that I have become that Blood demon too?”

As she asked cautiously, this time the Divine Doctor took over.

“That’s right. We confirmed it through the body of Doctor Lee, who collapsed in the training room.”

“……..”

“You are normal now because you absorbed blood energy, but soon you will experience Bloodlust Surge. When that happens, you will crave the blood of others.”

“I see. Then!”

Namgoong Soyeon stood up, drew the sword from her waist, and held it to her neck.

-Clang

But her weapon flew far away and rolled on the floor.

The Alliance Leader, who had already taken a stance, had knocked away her weapon.

“Why? If I live, the same thing that happened during the Sichuan Blood Calamity will happen. Doctor Lee died because of me. I must repay this sin with death!”

As Namgoong Soyeon shouted, the Alliance Leader grabbed her shoulders firmly.

“No, that will not happen.”

“Follow me.” At the Alliance Leader’s words, Namgoong Soyeon followed behind her.

How long had she walked behind the Alliance Leader?

Namgoong Soyeon, who prided herself on having been all over the Martial Arts Alliance, found the path she was walking on unfamiliar.

“A Mystic Formation is installed here, which only those who are permitted can enter. Normally, you cannot enter.”

The Alliance Leader explained as if answering her question.

Thus, the Alliance Leader, Thunder Sword, and Divine Doctor, the greatest talents of the time, stood in front of a stone chamber.

When the Alliance Leader opened the door, the interior of the narrow stone chamber was revealed.

“There’s nothing here? Are we going to train here?”

As Namgoong Soyeon, who thought they would prepare for the Bloodlust Surge, spoke, the Alliance Leader shook her head.

-Creak

When the Alliance Leader grabbed the handle on the floor of the stone chamber and lifted it, stairs leading down to the basement appeared.

“Let’s go down.”

The Alliance Leader, who had already lit a torch, strode down, and Namgoong Soyeon followed behind her with hurried steps.

“Where… exactly is this?”

The place they went down to was an underground prison.

A prison with rows of sturdy iron bars.

Groans could be heard between the iron bars, and the prisoners’ chains moved with a clatter each time she moved her feet.

“This is the Alliance’s secret prison where we hold enemies of the world.”

“There was a place like this. But enemies of the world?”

“The prisoners here are those who could pose a great threat to the Martial Arts world, no, to the entire world.”

“They don’t seem like it.”

She tilted her head, thinking that enemies of the world would be those who could pose a great threat with overwhelming force.

“I hope you quickly realize that what you see is not everything.”

The Alliance Leader, who advised such a junior, turned to Namgoong Soyeon.

“There is currently no way to cure your Bloodlust Surge.”

“Ah….”

Seeing her show a sign of rapid disappointment, the Alliance Leader took over.

“But we can prevent ‘innocent’ victims from being harmed.”

“How?”

“Whenever you experience Bloodlust Surge, you can absorb the blood of the ‘criminals’ here.”

“What are you saying…”

“Thunder Sword. Think more broadly. Your Martial arts is already similar to mine. But you are young. Do you know what this means?”

“???”

“It means that you have the potential to become even stronger.”

“But as long as I have this Bloodlust Surge, I won’t be able to live a normal life.”

“That’s why I’m suggesting this method. If it meant sacrificing innocent people, I would have opposed it too.”

When she couldn’t get a grasp of it, the Alliance Leader urged her.

“Haven’t you eliminated many people who threatened the Central Plains? It’s the same as that. The people here are all criminals who have committed unforgivable sins. Don’t hesitate.”

“But….”

“Don’t you have a duty to become stronger? I remember what you told me when you entered the training room.”

‘I will eliminate the Heavenly Demon.’

The words she had said when she swallowed the Elixir and Inner core and entered the training room.

“It’s unfortunate that you became a Blood demon as a side effect. But perhaps… it’s a stroke of luck that you have gained the power to surpass that Heavenly Demon. You will become stronger each time you absorb blood energy.”

“Please, for the peace of the Central Plains. Become the Alliance’s sword.”

The Alliance Leader’s earnest yet conviction-filled words.

“For justice.”

And the Alliance Leader added one more word.

“……..”

Namgoong Soyeon stared at the floor.

-Nod

Soon, she nodded weakly.

-Nod

The weak nod gradually gained strength.

-Nod

She widened her eyes as if she had made up her mind.

“If it’s for justice….”

“You made a good choice. Now, follow me. I will now tell you about the secrets of the Heavenly Demon.”

-Gulp

She was somehow hungry.