CHAPTER 2 – TRAINING ARC
EPISODE 1 – WRATH OF TEMPLE
The wind howled across the mountains.
Yu was running.
His lungs burned. His legs felt heavy like iron. Every breath scratched his throat.
Yu thought: I can't stop… If I stop, I die…
Then—
Click.
A small red dot appeared on his back.
Yu's eyes widened.
Yu thought: That's a sniper sight!
His brain froze.
But his body reacted.
He threw himself to the side—
BANG!
A bullet hit the exact place where he had been a second ago.
Far away on a mountain ridge…
Five dark figures lay hidden, rifles aimed.
Sniper 1 thought: Target still alive… distance: 700 meters.
Sniper 2 thought: He's weak… almost useless… but we can't miss.
Sniper 3 thought: Why is he still moving? He should be dead by now.
Sniper 4 thought: Keep calm… aim… focus.
Sniper 5 thought: This weakling will be ours… just one clean shot.
"Target approaching unknown structure," whispered Sniper 1.
Sniper 2: Take the shot before he disappears behind that stone gate…
Yu forced himself to move, zigzagging behind rocks.
Yu thought: Think! Running straight means death!
Another bullet hit the dirt near his feet. Another shattered stone beside his head. One grazed his sleeve.
Yu thought: They're playing with me… I'm not even worth a clean kill…
His heart pounded painfully.
Then—Kiyung's voice echoed in his memory.
Go to the Wrath Temple… survive…
Yu looked ahead.
Through the fog… a broken stone gate stood between two cliffs. Ancient. Silent.
Yu thought: That must be it… Please… let me reach it…
All five snipers adjusted their aim.
Sniper 1 thought: Focus… don't let him escape.
Sniper 2 thought: He's almost there… can't miss this shot.
Sniper 3 thought: Why is he so fast? Weaklings aren't supposed to survive…
Sniper 4 thought: I'll take him down before he enters the temple.
Sniper 5 thought: This will be my perfect kill…
Yu sprinted with the last bit of strength.
Yu thought: I don't want to die like this! Not helpless! NOT AGAIN!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bullets rained behind him as he leapt through the stone gate—
—and suddenly—
Silence.
The wind stopped. The bullets never entered. It was like they hit an invisible wall.
The snipers stared through their scopes.
Sniper 1: What… is that place?
Sniper 2: Impossible… he shouldn't be alive!
Sniper 3: Did he just… escape?
Sniper 4: No… the temple… something's wrong…
Sniper 5: We failed…?
Yu collapsed to his knees inside the ruins.
Cold black stone touched his palms. Strange symbols glowed faintly under the floor.
Yu thought: I… made it…?
Then—BOOM.
The gate behind him slammed shut on its own. Darkness swallowed the temple.
Yu's breathing echoed loudly.
Yu thought: No… this isn't safe either… what is this place…?
Then a voice filled the temple. Deep. Ancient. Not human.
"A weak one has entered the Temple of Wrath."
Yu's body shook.
Yu thought: It knows… I'm weak…
"I… I came to become strong," he said, barely able to speak.
Silence.
Then—
The floor cracked. Red light spread beneath the stone.
"Strength is not given."
"It is carved… from pain."
Shadows started moving in the darkness. Twisting shapes.
Yu's fear rose again.
Yu thought: Run… RUN—
His legs didn't move. His fists slowly clenched.
Yu thought: If I run now… I'll always run. I'll always be weak.
His teeth gritted.
"…I will survive."
Red eyes opened in the darkness. Dozens of them.
"Then survive the night… or die as nothing."
The shadows rushed toward him.
Yu's heart screamed.
But this time—he didn't turn away.
Yu thought: If pain is the price… I'll pay it.
Yu shouted as the darkness swallowed him.
And the training of hell began.
EPISODE END
TO BE CONTINUED
-CHAPTER 2 – TRAINING ARC
EPISODE 2 – HELL TRAINING
Yu stood in the darkness of the temple.
Blood still dripped from his arm.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
Whatever comes… I'm not running anymore.
—SHING!
A ninja star tore through the air.
Yu tried to dodge—
SLASH.
"Chh—shit…!" A cut opened on his arm.
A voice came from behind him.
"So… this is the weak trash who entered the temple?"
Yu jumped back, heart shaking.
A tall man stood there, eyes cold as death.
Before Yu could react—
STAB.
A dagger plunged into his stomach.
Blood burst from Yu's mouth.
"W-What the hell—?!"
The man twisted the blade slightly.
"Pathetic," he said. "You're not even worth killing."
Yu dropped to one knee, coughing blood.
"Who… are you…?"
"I am the Hell Master."
Yu's body trembled.
"H-Hell Master…"
"Don't talk too much, weakling. Just die quietly."
Something snapped inside Yu.
He looked up, eyes burning.
"Shut your damn mouth… I might be weak right now… but I'll become the strongest man in this world!"
The Hell Master laughed.
"In this world, the weak don't belong. You're just trash waiting to be erased."
"Kiyung-sama told me to come here to train… not to get butchered like this!"
"Ohhh… so that idiot sent you?" the Hell Master smirked. "Then he sent you here to die."
Yu suddenly grabbed the dagger still inside him—
and moved.
BOOOOM.
He slammed the Hell Master into the ground.
The stone floor shattered.
Dust filled the air.
The Hell Master smiled from the crater.
"Not bad… for a weak bastard."
Yu stared in shock.
"How the hell are you still alive?!"
"Because," he said, standing up, "I'm strong. And you're not."
"…We'll see about that," Yu growled.
The Hell Master smirked.
"I like that attitude. Makes it more fun when you break."
Yu's voice dropped.
"Now shut up… and die."
He rushed forward.
Faster than before.
The Hell Master blocked the dagger with his bare hand—
—but the blade cut deep into his palm.
Blood spilled.
"DIEEE!" Yu roared.
He drove the dagger forward—
THUD.
Straight into the Hell Master's chest.
The man fell to his knees.
Blood spread across the stone.
"Weak…? Heh… maybe you're not complete trash…" the Hell Master muttered.
"Who… are you really…?"
Yu stood over him.
"I'm the weak one you looked down on… the one who'll climb over everyone… including you."
The Hell Master smiled faintly.
"You passed… the first trial."
His body began turning into dust.
"But the next one… will crush your soul."
He vanished.
Silence.
Yu looked at his shaking hands.
"I'm… getting stronger…"
He looked up.
"Kiyung-sama… I won't stay weak."
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOM.
A giant gate appeared.
Skulls. Symbols. Power.
Yu stared.
"What the hell is this now…?"
The gate slowly opened.
A massive hand reached out.
"COME… TO TRIAL TWO… WEAK ONE…"
Yu wiped blood from his mouth.
"Fine… let's go, you creepy bastard."
And he stepped forward.
EPISODE END
TO BE CONTINUED
-CHAPTER 2 – TRAINING ARC
EPISODE 3 – I AM WRONG
As Yu entered the gate,
he saw only darkness.
Nothing… only darkness.
He started walking.
Suddenly, stone paths began forming under his feet.
Yu: "Why are there stone paths in this darkness…?"
No one answered.
Yu kept walking.
After some time, he started seeing blood on the path.
Yu: "What the hell is happening…?"
The moment he said that—
A massive blood tsunami rushed toward him.
It swallowed him completely.
After some time, Yu slowly started opening his eyes.
A white light covered his vision.
He couldn't open his eyes properly because the light was too strong.
Suddenly, Yu forced his eyes open.
When he did—
He saw peace.
A place like heaven.
A beautiful waterfall fountain.
Pink blossom trees.
Soft grass.
A swing moving gently.
Yu started walking, looking at everything.
Yu: "Wow… this is heaven…"
Feeling thirsty, Yu went to the waterfall and drank water with his hands.
Suddenly—
The water turned into blood.
Yu: "What the hell?!"
His body felt weak.
He collapsed.
When Yu opened his eyes again—
He was in a dark room.
The room was filled with bodies.
Teen boys.
All looked weak.
Yu got scared and hid behind a broken stone wall.
Suddenly a voice came.
"Yu! Come here! There are more weak ones — let's kill them!"
Yu: "What…???"
Another voice replied—
"Okay, I'm coming! Don't kill them, I want to kill."
Yu froze.
"…That voice…"
Yu looked carefully.
The boy standing there…
Was him.
Yu: "Wait… this is me…"
Suddenly a hand grabbed Yu by his collar and dragged him out.
He was thrown in front of the other Yu.
Boy Yu: "Hey… were you hiding there?"
Yu, full of fear: "W-Who are you…?"
Boy Yu smiled widely.
Boy Yu: "Hahahaha…"
Boy Yu: "I am you."
"And you… are me."
EPISODE END
TO BE CONTINUED