Thunder shook the cave, echoing off the damp walls. The stench of gasoline and blood hung in the air. Amid the darkness, a single crack of lightning revealed the shattered coffin—its lid broken and ancient runes flickering with dying embers of power.
He was awake.
The Heavenly Demon blinked, disoriented by the surge of sensations flooding his mind. For a moment, he felt like he was still lying in that coffin, his body crushed under centuries of dust. But something was wrong—everything around him felt… new. There was an acrid smell that wasn’t just blood. The taste of metal and chemicals clung to his tongue.
Slowly, he turned his head. A wrecked metal carriage—no, a car—lay on its side, headlights flickering. Steam rose from the crumpled hood. Shards of glass and twisted metal littered the cave floor. Slumped against the driver’s seat was the body of a young man, his face pale and lifeless.
The demon’s eyes narrowed. This man… he’s dead. The realization struck with a cold finality. He approached the body, kneeling to examine it. Despite the swirling confusion in his mind, one thought burned clear:
I need a vessel.
He could sense the faint residue of the man’s soul, flickering like a dying flame. At that moment, the demon’s own soul, fractured by centuries of imprisonment, latched onto this final spark. A wave of dizziness hit him—like being pulled through a whirlpool of memories not his own. He gasped, teeth clenching in pain, as he felt his essence merging with the corpse.
Flashes of an unfamiliar life tore through his consciousness:
* A lecture hall at some modern academy, filled with bored students tapping away on glowing rectangles.
* A girl’s laugh—bright, musical, painfully close.
* A betrayal so personal it felt like a dagger twisting in his heart.
He saw the girl’s face—Yoo Mira—lips curved in a mocking smile. He felt the sting of heartbreak, the gut-wrenching despair of seeing her in someone else’s arms. Rage. Confusion. The suffocating urge to escape it all.
The Heavenly Demon roared, pressing a hand to his forehead as the torrent of foreign emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Gradually, the storm subsided, leaving him breathless and trembling.
When he opened his eyes again, he was on the ground, lying near the twisted wreck of the car. His body felt different—lighter and weaker than his original form. He lifted a hand, studying fingers that weren’t his. Where were the calluses from wielding swords and casting spells? Where was the demonic sigil etched into his skin? Instead, all he saw was smooth, pale flesh.
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A reflection caught his eye—a shard of the car’s side mirror. Crawling over broken glass, he peered into it. The face staring back at him was youthful, dark hair matted with blood. Eyes wide, haunted, and brimming with anger. He bared his teeth, half expecting fangs, but found only human teeth.
“Min Jae,” he whispered, the name tumbling from his lips unbidden. So that’s who you were.
But now, he was both the Heavenly Demon and Min Jae. A new being forged from ancient hatred and modern heartbreak.
A low groan made him whip around. Someone else was there—Yoo Mira? He remembered her face from the new memories, but he saw only the darkness of the cave. The wind howled in from the entrance, rattling the broken coffin’s lid. A part of him expected to see the five traitors from centuries past, swords in hand, ready to seal him again. But only the echo of dripping water answered him.
He forced himself upright, fighting the wave of dizziness. Though his limbs felt weak, he could still sense a flicker of his old power—like a candle in a storm. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to survive.
Survive—and exact vengeance.
Slowly, he limped toward the mouth of the cave, leaving the lifeless remains of the real Min Jae behind. Rain pounded the earth outside, lightning revealing a narrow mountain road. In the distance, the neon glow of a city pierced the darkness—tall buildings stretching upward like the towers of a strange fortress.
His heart pounded in his chest. A savage excitement coursed through him, mingling with lingering sorrow from Min Jae’s memories. The modern world awaited him—a realm of steel and glass, technology and power. And somewhere within that neon jungle lay the bloodlines of the traitors who had once sealed him away.
They had grown fat and complacent, hidden behind money and corporate thrones. They believed him gone, a footnote in ancient myths. But the Heavenly Demon was no myth. He was reality, as real as the storm raging outside.
Lightning flashed again, illuminating the black sky. For a moment, he closed his eyes, recalling the final betrayal. His fists clenched so tightly that blood dripped from reopened wounds.
2570 years…They thought I was finished…They will learn the cost of my wrath.
Stepping into the rain, he allowed the cold droplets to wash away the dust and blood. Min Jae’s last emotion—a burning sense of betrayal—lingered in his chest, merging with his own. The two betrayals, separated by centuries, now fused into a single purpose.
A jagged grin tugged at his lips.He would find those responsible for Min Jae’s suffering—starting with that girl, Yoo Mira.And then, one by one, he would seek out the families of his old subordinates, no matter how high they’d climbed.Vengeance would be his once again.
The Heavenly Demon—or perhaps now, Min Jae—walked into the storm.The city lights beckoned, a battleground ripe for conquest.His journey of retribution had begun.