The next day.

In the middle of the dead night.

Haneul lit up a lamp and carried it. He headed straight to his father's workshop.

He was quite puzzled. His mother woke him up and told him his father was looking for him. He had guessed on what was the reason but he was not quite sure.

Entering his father's workshop, Haneul put the lamp upon the table.

He curiously peeks at his father. Haneul's dad was writing some foreign words on a sheet of paper.

Haneul tried to read it. But no matter how he tried, he could not read a single bit of its characters. 

A while later, Haneul's dad finally stopped writing. He raised his head and noticed his son staring at the papers.

He laughed.

“Ah Eul, you can't read it."

Haneul snapped out. Then pointed at the character that looked like a box.

“Dad, what's this?”

Haneul's dad stared down. He casually replied. “This means Mouth.”

“Mouth?”

“That's right. In Nihongo, a box-shaped pictograph means mouth.”

“Nihongo? What's that?" 

It was the first time Haneul had heard of it.

Haneul's dad sighed. 

“It's a language. But enough of that. I called you here for something else.”

Haneul nodded. He sat cross-legged on the mat opposite his father. The lamp in the table lightened the shades of Haneul's father's serious face.

“Do you know why I called you?”

Haneul shook his head.

“I called you here because we'll depart in the next fifteen minutes.”

“...That early?” Haneul felt something was wrong.

Haneul suddenly remembered how busy was the village yesterday. All adults were working on building holes and traps around the village. They also constructed tall towers. He was suspicious something was going to happen.

“Dad. Did something happen?”

“Nothing,” said Haneul's dad. “It's just the monsters in the mountains are acting suspiciously. Also, this is the reason I wanted to send you to that place this early.”

Haneul was enlightened.  “No wonder.”

The village had been attacked with monsters over the years. Every time it happens, his father would act. He remembered when his father waved his sword, dozens of monsters were annihilated.  

With his father here, nothing unfortunate ought to happen. He did not need to worry over it.

“I understand."

Haneul nodded. Then he stood up. “Dad. I'll go and bid farewell to mother and Eun Sun.”

Haneul's dad stared at his son. 

“Ah Eul...”

Haneul halted. He stared at his father.

“Anything more?”

Haneul's dad stared at his son. After a short moment, he sighed and closed his eyes.

“...Nothing.”

Haneul was puzzled but did not ask further.

“Then I'll leave now.”

Haneul went out the door and closed it.

...

At that time, I should have asked.

I regretted it.

Perhaps.

Perhaps...It would have been a different scenario.

Because of my incompetence, everything had to move on this path.

“Why do you have to be my enemy?”

Haneul stared at the person before him. He could see the coldness in the person's eyes. No hint of emotion. It pierced his heart.

He gripped his sword. 

On the battlefield.

There was no time to think.

It's either to kill or be killed.

But deep inside me...

When I waved my sword.

I felt empty.

So empty.

I hoped everything had not developed this way.

I really do.

Damn it.

-----

“Mom. Eun Sun. I'll be leaving now.”

Haneul stared at them with a big smile.

“Make sure to succeed. Okay?”

Haneul's mom couldn't help but shed some tears. Her son had to go. She did not even know if he could make it out alive. It worried her.

“Haneul, make sure to return. Remember our promise."

Eun Sun looked at him with a piercing gaze. Though she seemed to be worried too. 

Haneul felt warm. He clenched his fist.

Eun Sun, I'll make sure I'll survive. No. I have to. I still have something I should tell you, after all.

"Ah Eul, let's go."

Haneul's dad stared at him in the corner.

It's time to go.

Haneul exhaled a long breath. 

He followed his father out the village's entrance. 

Outside the gate, he halted. He gave his mother and Eun Sun one last glance. He waved his hand and gave them a big smile. 

After then, he ran towards his father.

His figure disappeared in the view of the two ladies.

“Haneul, please return. You have to return.” 

Eun Sun stared blankly in the distance. She clenched her fist.

“When you return, I'll tell you my feelings. So you have to make it out alive... ...”

The night shrouded the village. The wind was cold.

That night.

No one knew what was about to happen. 

----

“We're here.”

They halted near the pool. Haneul was surprised. If he had not followed his father, he absolutely could not find this place.

“So bright." 

Haneul looked around. The surrounding appeared not bothered by the darkness. Fireflies wondered around, brightening the area.

“This place is surrounded with illusion arrays. Its geographical location is relatively hidden, and with the arrays, it's impossible to locate this place.”

Haneul had to agree with his father. He had followed his father to the forest. At that time, he remembered they walked past a large tree. Then out of nowhere, they appeared here.

It was so mystical.

His amazement still did not disappear.

“Before you begin the trial, take this."

Haneul's dad handed him a paper.

“This is the paper you wrote earlier?”

Haneul looked at the sheet of paper. 

“I can't read it. I don't need it, do I?”

“When you complete the trial, that time, you'll understand.”

Haneul's dad explained. Oddly enough, there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

Haneul did not understand but still kept the paper. Then he asked.

“Dad, how do I undergo the trial?"

Haneul did not find anything that caught his eyes. The cave only had fireflies, a pool, and stones.

How would he go through the trial then?

Haneul's dad smiled. He walked towards the center of the cave. He bent down and wrote a spell matrix in the ground.

A few minutes later.

An engravement was formed.

Haneul's dad bit his hand and blood seeped out. It fell onto the center of the spell. 

The spell matrix lit up. Haneul's eyes were glued to it. Bit by bit, a void opened up.

Haneul's eyes widened.

“What's  that?”

Haneul's dad laughed.  “That's a spell matrix. You'll eventually have to learn it, someday.”

Haneul nodded. 

“So I have to enter here?”

“Ah Eul, if you are prepared, then go in," said Haneul's dad. “This will be your chance to change your fate. Make sure you're prepared before you enter.”

“I know."

Haneul took in a deep breath. He was quite nervous. When there was death, fear haunted him. But he tried to keep his calm.

“Ah Eul, I'll be leaving now.”

Haneul looked at his dad. Thinking how he would spend a month in the unknown trial, he could not help but develop a sense of loneliness.

“That's right. I had almost forgotten. These are the things you have to take note of during the trial.”

Haneul's dad began to point out things after things. Haneul listened carefully. 

After then, Haneul's dad clapped his hand. “You're all set. Are you ready?”

Haneul organized the information his father told him. Then, he nodded.

“I'm ready.”

“Then go in.”

Haneul turned his head to the void. He closed his eyes. Countless thoughts flashed onto his head.

”I have to succeed!”

He stepped. Slowly, the void enveloped his figure. 

He entered the void.

Haneul's dad's face turned solemn as soon as Haneul disappeared. Then he turned around and walked out of the cave. After he returned near the forest, he said solemnly. “Are you all ready?.”

"Yes sir!”

Ten hunters emerged from the darkness. They were the main hunters of the peace village and the strongest ones. 

“Let's begin.”

Haneul's dad leads the hunters onwards.

One day later.

Smokes could be seen in the Peace Village.

Monsters emerged from all directions.

Everyone defended as if their life depends on it.

Two days later.

The village fell. The houses were set on fire. The fire dissipated, but it ruined the village. Not a single house remained standing.

At that time, not only the Peace Village had suffered. 

In every corner of the land, monsters destroyed everything on their path.

That day.

The jianghu[1] fell into chaos.

---

[1]  Jianghu - Pugilistic world.