Damian walked slowly.
He had returned to the village where he once lived, to the place he had called home.
The farmlands were peaceful, the wheat swaying in the breeze.People worked as always, and children ran about laughing.The tavern echoed with the same drunken ramblings and rowdy jokes.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Everything looks the same."
But the moment he said it,he knew—this place was not the same.
[A Subtle Discomfort in the Ordinary]
He stepped into his house.On the desk were neatly stacked books,and above them, an old sword hung on the wall.
But something felt off.It was supposed to be his home—yet it felt unfamiliar.
He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.Not a stranger's face, but not entirely his either.It was Damian's face.But inside, he was still Seung-chan.
At the tavern, he met his old companions.They raised their mugs and spoke like they always had.
"Rough day again, huh?""Yeah. But that's how it always is.""Same as ever."
Somehow, the conversation felt... rehearsed.
"Have I heard this exact exchange before?"
He didn't have time to dwell on it.Because at that moment, a scream rang out from the edge of the village.
[A New Threat: The Undead]
Cries of terror.And beneath a blood-red sky, skeletal warriors swarmed the village.Rotting flesh. Hollow eyes.Beings that should've stayed dead were walking again.
Damian drew his sword without hesitation.
This was no battle of the Murim.Here, the rules of fantasy reigned.
"Undead...?"
He tried to channel his inner energy—his naegong—but a strange resistance pushed back.
As if this world itself was rejecting his power.
Still, he slashed forward.
The blade severed an undead's neck,but the creature rose again.It could not be destroyed with martial arts alone.
Then he realized—
"In this world, naegong has limits."
And just as he was about to make a decision,a stronger figure emerged from the horde.
A man-shaped being with a sword in hand.Yet his eyes were utterly void.
"Who... am I, in this world?"
With those words, he swung his blade.
[A Forced Choice — The Birth of a New Sword Technique]
Damian reacted instinctively.And this time, he was certain.
He couldn't win with martial arts alone.This battlefield obeyed the laws of fantasy, not the Murim.
He tried again to summon naegong—but this time, it felt like it was being converted into mana.
As if the system itself was rewriting him.
But instead of resisting,he made a decision.
He would convert naegong into mana,and mold it into his own swordsmanship.
When he slashed,a luminous trail of energy followed.
A second later,another blade strike followed in its wake.
The opponent flinched.
"What... was that?"
But even Damian didn't know what he had just done.
Still, he understood one thing:
"I'm changing."
Whether he wanted to or not,this world's rules were reshaping him.
"My martial arts are no longer what they once were.They're transforming."
Now, he had two choices:
Abandon martial arts and conform to this world's laws.
Preserve martial arts while defying this world—and forge a new path.
But one thing was clear:
He would have to fight a new kind of battle.
"What kind of being... am I becoming?"
And before he could make that choice—those who had been watching him from afar began to appear.
***
Damian Arrives in the Great City
1. The Thieves' Commotion
The moment Damian stepped into the grand city of Elyon, he realized it was completely unlike the village he had come from.
The streets bustled with diverse races—sharp-eared elves, stout dwarves, and nimble halflings.In the crowd's chatter, certain words repeatedly floated by:
"There's a new recruit from the guild…""The upper merchants brought in some new wares…""Another mishap caused by a rogue mage…"
Just like the orthodox and unorthodox sects in the Murim world, this place seemed divided into guilds and factions.But Damian was more focused on the ominous feeling creeping up on him.
"Catch them! It's the thieves' gang!"
Shouts rang out nearby. People surged forward, chasing after a group of thieves darting through the crowd.
Damian watched, seemingly detached—until one figure caught his eye.
This thief wasn't just running blindly. His movements followed a precise, pre-mapped route. And strangely…
Though he merely hunched and walked, the city guards didn't even notice him.
"…Is this stealth?"
In Murim, stealth and light-step (Gyeonggong) techniques existed, but this was beyond technique.It was as if the man's entire existence had been erased.
"...Now this is interesting."
The thief had already shaken off his pursuers and slipped into an alley. Damian instinctively followed.
2. Déjà Vu in the Alleyways
The thief's path was far from simple—twisting through narrow alleys, weaving between buildings.
But midway through the chase, Damian noticed something odd.
"Didn't I already pass this alley?"
Once, twice—he was being led in circles.
"This isn't just an escape. He's guiding me."
Slowing his pace, Damian scanned his surroundings—and came to a realization.
"…How is this possible?"
Typical stealth might involve misleading sightlines or hiding in shadows.But this thief wasn't even hiding. He was crouched low—visible, and yet unseen.
It wasn't technique.It felt… systemically granted, like a built-in Stealth ability.
"Does this world's law grant stealth?"
Then, from behind—
"Hmph. Not bad."
3. The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Damian turned swiftly. But the attacker had predicted it.
A dagger flew at him. He dodged—Only for another strike to come from behind.
"...!"
Then he understood.The one he thought he was chasing had lured him in.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
Violet eyes gleamed from the shadows.A woman sat nonchalantly atop a wall.
"People who stand out in this city tend to get hurt."
She spun a coin between her fingers, grinning playfully.
"Name's Ian. I know everything worth knowing in this city."
Damian narrowed his eyes.
"You baited me from the start."
Ian smirked and flicked the coin.
"Good instincts. Most don't even make it this far."
With a swift leap, she landed before him—and gently shook his pocket.
Clink.
"...When did you—"
His coin pouch was already in her hand.
"Interesting guy.""But let's see if you're really worth the trouble."
4. Duel of the Rogue and the Spellblade
Ian grinned.
"Wanna make a bet?"
Damian calmly replied.
"What kind of bet?"
"If you can get your pouch back from me, you win.""But if I lose you completely, I win."
She limbered up, not as someone fleeing—but as one testing her opponent.
"Shall we begin?"
And she was off—not just fast, but clever:
Low, agile movement with terrain advantage
Near-perfect stealth through shadow blending
Looping patterns that disoriented pursuit
But Damian had the instincts honed in the Murim world.Step by step, he gained on her.
"Got you."
In a single motion, faster than expected, he pivoted and snatched her wrist.
5. The Rogue Joins the Party
Ian gasped briefly—then smiled.
"You actually caught me?"
Damian looked at her calmly.
"Give me back my money."
She tossed the pouch lightly back.
"Alright, I'll admit it."
"You're a cut above the rest."
Then she stepped closer.
"And definitely not just some ordinary human."
"There's someone in this city… they call them 'The One Who Sees Fate.'""Meet them, and you might find what you're really looking for."
Damian regarded her quietly.
"So you're offering to help me?"
Ian's expression turned impish.
"Maybe. Depends on if you keep being this fun."
She extended her hand.
Damian hesitated briefly—Then took it.