"Make sure to build up a lot of mana while you're there! Staying there for a month will increase it tremendously!"
That was the last thing my aunt said to me as I departed for Jeokcheongdo.
She had always lamented my lack of mana. Compared to my ability to control mana, my overall mana reserves were woefully insufficient.
On Jeokcheongdo, simply practicing mana techniques would yield results, but I decided to take things a step further.
'It's almost done… but the visual is absolutely awful.'
Bubble, bubble—
I glanced at the crude clay cauldron where a potion was brewing.
A blackish-blue, sticky liquid bubbled and churned inside.
If I hadn't made it myself, I would have thought it was poison.
"Still, just as I expected, there were plenty of top-quality mana herbs. I can't believe I gathered enough to brew an entire cauldron in just one day."
The twisted-looking liquid boiling over the fire was a potion I had personally brewed using mana herbs to increase my mana reserves.
The geological composition of Jeokcheongdo had been altered over time due to the accumulation of countless monster carcasses.
Because of this, the land itself naturally absorbed and emitted large amounts of mana. This soil was the perfect fertilizer for certain 'special plants.'
And those special plants were none other than mana-infused herbs.
'All that time spent following herbalists and apothecaries in my past life is finally paying off.'
In my previous life, I had done everything imaginable to obtain mana. I couldn't even afford cheap, low-quality elixirs, so I followed herbalists and apothecaries around in hopes of finding mana herbs.
Of course, it hadn't helped much back then, but at least I retained the knowledge.
"Alright, let's take a sip."
I swallowed nervously as I looked at the now-cooled cauldron.
Even though I had made it myself, it looked completely inedible.
Bracing myself, I shut my eyes tight and took a sip using a cup I had also fashioned from clay.
"…!"
Shock.
Horror.
I couldn't close my mouth.
I barely suppressed the urge to vomit with sheer willpower.
The taste was like an extremely bitter medicinal brew mixed with spoiled milk and rotten mackerel.
The texture was even worse—stickier than honey, it clung to my throat as it went down.
"Huff… huff…"
Cold sweat trickled down my face.
For a moment, my mind went blank from the sheer intensity of the taste.
"Damn it!"
Cursing, I grabbed the cauldron and chugged the entire thing in one go.
In an instant, my vision went black.
***
The taste was horrifying, but the effects were undeniable.
Despite my primitive setup, less than three liters of the potion was enough to make my entire mana circuit surge with energy.
"…If I keep drinking this while I'm on Jeokcheongdo, the results should be worth it."
If a potion that tasted this bad didn't at least produce good results, I would have given up entirely.
As I stepped out of my cave, I checked the mana herbs I had left drying at the entrance. They were all in good condition.
Since Jeokcheongdo had few ordinary animals or insects, there was no real risk of them being disturbed.
'I hope I won't have to use those.'
Shaking off my thoughts, I stood up from my hideout.
'Time to get started again today.'
I put on my communication bracelet and brooch, then re-entered the forest.
I needed to gather more mana herbs and hunt monsters. Even if I wasn't overly concerned about my evaluation, I couldn't completely neglect the test.
Then, it happened.
Booooooom!
A heavy, resounding cry echoed from afar.
It was the same monster's cry I had heard when I first arrived on the island.
The air trembled.
Hordes of monsters erupted into a frenzy, charging toward the island's outskirts.
They should have been able to pick up my scent nearby, but they didn't care. They ran like mad.
And then—
It hit me too.
"Urgh!"
A splitting headache made my body stagger.
It felt as if a massive iron spike had been driven straight into the crown of my head.
All the mana within my body surged wildly, making me tremble uncontrollably.
Wooong—!
At that moment, the dark energy residing in my heart suddenly spread throughout my entire body.
'Why is the dark energy acting up all of a sudden? I didn't even touch a weapon.'
The dark energy, moving beyond my control, began devouring the impure energy (濁氣) attempting to invade my body.
Gradually, the headache subsided. In response, the raging mana also started to calm down.
Srrr—.
Once everything was over, the dark energy quietly returned to my heart, vanishing without a trace.
'Could that have been a Fear just now?'
Fear—a powerful cry emitted by high-ranking monsters. Such creatures could influence their surroundings immensely with just their cries.
But there was no way a monster of that level could exist on Red-Blue Island…
'…The Guardian.'
Only one creature fit the description.
A being close to a divine beast, the Guardian of Red-Blue Island, whom even the exorcists of Soongmu didn't bother to hunt down.
My brows furrowed instinctively.
For the Guardian, known for its laziness, to be moving—it was an unprecedented event.
I could only hope it was just a particularly noisy sleep talk.
'That aside… did the dark energy just consume the Fear that tried to invade my body?'
I thought I had come to understand this mysterious power to some extent, but it seemed there were still many secrets hidden within it.
—Puuuk!
Before I could dwell on my thoughts any further, an unfamiliar shadow suddenly stopped before me.
An 8th-class monster—Wonho.
A deer-shaped monster with fish-like eyes and scales.
Having fled from the aftermath of the Fear, it must have spotted me and stopped in its tracks.
—Kieeeeeek!
Letting out a bizarre screech, Wonho opened its mouth wide.
Fangs, much larger than its mouth, revealed themselves.
'Come to think of it, this is my first battle since my regression.'
A monster classified as 8th-class among the 10-class rankings.
For an 11-year-old child, it was an extremely dangerous opponent.
But I wasn't nervous.
Because I wasn't an ordinary 11-year-old.
"Perfect timing. I needed some thick leather anyway."
Gripping a standard-issue iron sword, I aimed at Wonho.
Wonho's hide was famous for being moisture-resistant and soft—perfect for making a bed.
—Kieeeeeeek!
Wonho kicked off the ground and charged at me.
Boom!
I dodged and deflected its flying horns. The brittle branches beneath its hooves shattered with a crack.
Wooong! Wooong! Wooong!
By then, my mana core was already spewing amplified mana.
Amplification Technique.
With its signature vibrating hum, the increased mana concentrated at the tip of my sword.
—Kieeeeek!
Wonho bared its fangs once more and lunged.
Lowering my body, I kicked off the ground.
Srrrk—!
A thin red line sliced through the air.
One clean strike.
Wonho's massive head soared through the air before landing with a thud on the ground.
"My first battle was a success."
With a satisfied smile, I sheathed my sword.
***
Meanwhile, Lee Myung-jung was completely absorbed in his work.
It was practically more of a successor training than mere acting leadership.
His father might not have seen it that way, but the elders and the overseers seemed to think differently. The tasks they assigned him made it clear.
As a result, he had to cut down on his usual training to focus on administrative duties.
Just as he was reviewing the progress report on the rare earth development project in the northern danger zone, a knock sounded at the head of the household's office.
"Master. This is Yoo Jang-heon, vice-captain of the Blue Sword Unit. May I enter?"
The Blue Sword Unit was a group of warriors personally assembled by Lee Myung-jung. Yoo Jang-heon, its vice-captain, was a subordinate whom Lee Myung-jung regarded as a friend.
"Ah, come in."
Lee Myung-jung greeted Yoo Jang-heon with a gentle smile.
However, upon seeing the stiff expression on Yoo Jang-heon's face, he let out a long sigh.
"It must be bad news."
"Thanks to your prior orders, we learned about it even before the family's intelligence department did."
Yoo Jang-heon handed a thick file to Lee Myung-jung.
"It has truly begun. Some of our members gathered intelligence. The family's information network has only just started to move."
Lee Myung-jung flipped through the documents quickly. His expression hardened as he read, his eyes never leaving the papers.
"Explain."
"A large group of wanderers has secretly entered northern Korea. We assumed they would stir up the frontier settlements in the danger zone, but instead, they are moving south. A magic stone mine belonging to the family is just two days away."
Wanderers—criminals who roamed the world's lawless zones. That was the name the world had given them.
"Those hyena-like wanderers wouldn't enter the family's domain without reason. They may look like wanderers, but that can't be all there is to it."
"A certain force must be pulling the strings."
Lee Myung-jung ran a hand over the stubble he hadn't had time to shave, flipping another page.
A deep sigh escaped him.
"And the Nine Dragons Gang has begun moving their forces toward the northern boundary?"
The Nine Dragons Gang, a massive faction in Zhongyuan.
Sharing a border with the uncharted lands, they frequently tested the Soongmu family's boundaries with provocations.
They hadn't crossed over yet, but if left unchecked, military aggression would follow.
"It really has begun."
Lee Myung-jung's gaze sharpened.
The fact that they had even received this information in time was fortunate.
Though his father's departure had been kept discreet, with even the send-off ceremony being modest to avoid leaks, they hadn't expected to prevent information from slipping out entirely.
Moreover, the acting head of the household was himself—a young, low-ranking member of the family.
For the enemies of the Soongmu family, there couldn't have been a better opportunity.
'Perhaps even for factions within the family itself.'
Lee Myung-jung frowned as he studied the documents.
The Nine Dragons Gang's provocation. The large-scale movement of wanderers orchestrated by some unknown force.
Both were critical issues that he could not ignore. As the acting head, this was a test of his capabilities.
'But why…?'
Something felt off as he reviewed the documents, an unsettling pressure in his chest.
Something was wrong. But what exactly was wrong, he couldn't pinpoint.
"…Work with the intelligence department and investigate further. There's something more to this."
"Understood."
Lee Myung-jung stared at the papers for a long time.
The ominous feeling refused to fade.
***
The location of Jeokcheong Island was considered a semi-classified secret.
It was second-tier confidential information, accessible only to the upper echelons of the Soongmu family. But in truth, its location wasn't much of a secret to major organizations.
A distinct island attached to the continent.
In the highly developed 21st century, it was impossible to keep such a place hidden.
Moreover, Jeokcheong Island had long been the traditional site of the Soongmu family's naming ceremonies. Anyone with some knowledge knew where it was.
Yet no organization had ever dared to target Jeokcheong Island.
It was Soongmu family territory.
A sacred island prepared for the future heirs of the family.
A legendary place where the first head of the family, before reaching adulthood, had slain the island's guardian spirit.
The island was encased in layers of magical and shamanistic barriers, and during naming ceremonies, Soongmu warships patrolled the surrounding waters. Three additional warrior units were stationed on the nearest islands and the mainland as reinforcements.
It was an impenetrable fortress—unless someone sent an overwhelming force.
However, there was one weak point in this ironclad defense.
The island's interior.
Even the sturdiest fortress crumbles from within.
—Crackle!
Suddenly, geometric patterns of light erupted from the ground hidden within Jeokcheong Island's outer forests.
From within that glow, a man stepped forward.
"…So I have arrived at last."
His long, billowing Japanese-style robe fluttered violently in the island's harsh sea winds.
Jōbuku and hakama, secured with a sekitae. A ceremonial outfit worn by Shinto priests.
The man, dressed in a textbook example of a traditional onmyōji's sokutai robes, tapped his ritual staff against the ground.
"Two nights… That should be enough. I heard the child hasn't even passed his coming-of-age yet."
The Japanese man melted into the shadows of Jeokcheong Island, whispering under his breath.
"Let's begin."
His gaze flickered toward the countless lights dotting the horizon.
"I've come to kill the Soongmu family's bastard heir."