Jun-Hyuk’s body reacted before his mind as he jumped out of the bed. His eyes didn’t trail from the grotesque creature flying towards them at terrifying speed. “Lian Hua get me the Dawnfire sword, quickly before that thing makes it to the city dome.”

Jun-Hyuk stumbled back. Was that a muscle-memory speech? What the hell was he talking about? And Lian Hua… was that the girl’s name?

“Are you sure? You just woke up?” Lian Hua asked.

He was not sure at all. Jun-Hyuk was tempted to tell her he actually still felt really weak and would appreciate the break. But then again, he was in a really weird world, in a really weird situation. Why not use the chance to do something stupid? At least he’d go out cooler than last time.

“I’m fine. But jog my memory, what is the city dome?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jun-Hyuk chided himself. Why was he suddenly pretending to be brave? But there was no backing out now.

Lian Hua motioned for him to follow her. “I’ll explain on the way.

The moment the words left his mouth, Jun-Hyuk chided himself. Why was he suddenly pretending to be brave? But there was no backing out now.

Lian Hua motioned for him to follow. “I’ll explain on the way.”

Jun-Hyuk reluctantly obeyed, stepping out of the room and into a hall that left him momentarily breathless. The space was vast yet remarkably serene, its elegance starkly contrasting the chaos he’d begun to associate with this bizarre world. Tall columns carved from a deep, jade-like stone lined the corridor, their surfaces polished to a mirror-like sheen that reflected the faint, warm glow of floating lanterns suspended mid-air.

The walls were adorned with intricate murals, each depicting vivid scenes of warriors battling monstrous creatures against fiery red skies. Their expressions ranged from determination to despair, and Jun-Hyuk couldn’t help but feel as though their gazes followed him.

The floor beneath his feet was smooth, almost glass-like, and cool to the touch. It shimmered faintly, as if infused with threads of gold that wove into ever-shifting patterns. A faint hum seemed to emanate from the very foundation of the hall, resonating in his chest.

“How is this place even standing?” he muttered, his eyes darting to the high vaulted ceiling. Massive beams of dark wood crossed overhead, etched with swirling designs that seemed alive under the soft lantern light. The air smelled faintly of incense, a subtle sweetness that only deepened the surreal atmosphere.

Lian Hua didn’t seem to hear him. She didn’t even flinch at the sight of the luxurious hall instead focusing on hurrying towards some unknown direction.

She called over her shoulders. “I don’t know what you remember, but I’ll just pretend I’m explaining to an outsider. The city dome is a large space for survivors of the apocalypse to live in under protection. There is a layer of a technological barrier around it, though I can’t explain how that works. The city dome is smacked in the middle of what used to be Beijing. The Feng family is one of five martial families responsible for protecting the dome. And in case you don’t remember, you're the only living son of the family head Feng Jian.”

Beijing? At least it was a familiar name.

“What about the monsters where did they come from?” Jun-Hyuk asked.

Lian Hua paused briefly in her brisk pace to stare at him as if he was incredulous. “Not even that you remember? One day thirty years ago that huge planet appeared out of nowhere. There are constantly creatures falling from it, bent on attacking and feasting on every living thing on the planet. We divide them into levels based on their strength. But since the planet’s appearance, some people have gotten unnaturally stronger. The Feng family included. Everyone calls such people, starred.”

She stopped directly in front of a wall lined with dozens of swords and pointed towards one with the name Dawnfire inscribed into it. The blade gleamed with an otherworldly glow, its edges flickering with the faintest ember-like light, as if it were forged from the very essence of fire itself. Hesitantly, he reached out towards it. The moment he did, he felt a spark ignite inside him. Jun-Hyuk wasn’t sure what changed, but it was like a memory he couldn’t place had been unlocked.

***

Jun-Hyuk had followed Lian Hua through an underground tunnel that led to the outside of the city. He had asked her why they were going alone and she replied simply that he always preferred to deal with threats alone. How unfortunate.

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The moment they stepped out, Jun-Hyuk was greeted by the sight of a complete wasteland. The ground before him was a desolate stretch of cracked earth, scarred by the ravages of time and neglect. Dust billowed in the air, mixing with the acrid scent of ash that clung to everything. It seemed impossible that anything once alive had flourished here. Around him, towering skyscrapers loomed like jagged bones of a forgotten city, their sleek glass facades shattered and weathered by years of decay. Some stood precariously, leaning as if fighting to remain alive, while others had collapsed, their remains scattered across the streets in ruin. The contrast between the faded glory of the metropolis and the harsh emptiness of the land below felt surreal, as if time itself had fractured.

But there was no time to focus on that. Without warning, the creature dropped from the sky, landing with a thunderous thud directly in front of them. The half-wolf, half-moth monstrosity let out an ear-splitting roar that seemed to shake the very ground beneath Jun-Hyuk’s feet. His heart leapt into his throat as his eyes widened, his breath catching in his chest. Up close, the beast was even more terrifying—a hulking mass of fur and wings, its massive eyes glowing with an unnatural fury. Its claws scraped against the cracked earth, leaving deep gouges behind.

Yet, Lian Hua remained eerily calm. As if the creature’s monstrous presence didn’t faze her, she smoothly unshielded her weapon. A wake of delicate cherry blossoms blossomed in the air, trailing her every movement like an afterimage—her weapon drawn, graceful and deadly. With a practiced fluidity, she fell into a fighting stance, her expression unreadable. "Looks like a level three from his size. We should be able to handle him," she said, her voice steady.

A level three? Jun-Hyuk’s mind raced. If this was a level three, what in the world was a level four? He didn’t dare imagine the horrors lurking at that rank.

He turned to Lian Hua, eyes wide with disbelief. "And do martial artists have levels?"

She didn’t even flinch, her gaze locked on the approaching beast. "You’re a level four master. I guess you could say you met your match the other day," she explained, her voice devoid of emotion. "The highest recorded is level seven, but to reach that, you need to fight a level seven monster. Most people are stuck at level two."

Before Jun-Hyuk could respond, the wolf-moth charged, its powerful limbs propelling it forward with a speed that seemed unnatural for its size. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as the monster barreled toward him. Panic surged, but just as he was about to give in to fear, a vivid memory flashed before his eyes. He saw an older man—presumably Feng Lei’s father—demonstrating a sword technique, his movements leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

In that instant, his hand found the hilt of his sword, as if his body remembered what his mind had almost forgotten. It moved on its own, drawing him toward the oncoming beast, even as his heart screamed for him to think, to make sense of the situation. But it was too late. With one swift, fluid motion, the sword sliced through the air, a blazing arc of energy trailing behind it, and in an instant, the wolf-moth was cleaved in two. The force of the blow sent the monster’s massive body toppling in opposite directions, its eerie screech ringing out in the air, cut short as its form shattered into a grotesque mess. The ground trembled as its carcass hit the earth, and for a split second, Jun-Hyuk couldn’t quite believe what had just happened

Lian Hua gasped. “One move? Are you sure you’re an injured level four?”

Jun-Hyuk shook his head. He wasn’t sure of anything… except that the monster was dead.

Then, from the steaming remains of the beast, a shadow began to rise—tall, humanoid, and impossibly sinister. Its form shifted unnaturally, its dark figure twisting as though made of the very darkness itself. The air around it seemed to thicken with malice, and for a moment, time stood still. Neither Jun-Hyuk nor Lian Hua could react fast enough.

Behind you!

The words barely left his mouth when the deafening crack of a gunshot shattered the tense air. Before Jun-Hyuk could even turn to see who had fired, the shadow exploded in a violent burst of blue flames, the intense heat scorching the air around them. The eerie figure was reduced to nothing but ash in an instant, the flames swirling and crackling like a living thing.

“And that’s why guns are better than swords,” a shrill voice chimed, oozing with smug satisfaction. Jun-Hyuk whipped around, heart still pounding, his eyes landing on a girl no older than him, standing with a massive gun gripped tightly in her hands. Her expression was one of mockery, her lips curled into a smirk as she surveyed the aftermath of the battle.

Beside her, a man in his twenties stepped forward, his scowl deep and unwavering. His eyes narrowed at them with barely concealed disdain. “This is supposed to be the army’s area to patrol,” he growled, his voice like gravel. “You sword people have your own area.”

Jun-Hyuk opened his mouth to respond, but a wave of dizziness hit him. The pain from his stomach surged again, sharper this time, as if his insides were being torn apart. He staggered, struggling to remain upright, but his knees buckled beneath him. The last thing he heard was the man’s mocking laugh before darkness overtook him, pulling him under once more.

When Jun-Hyuk’s eyes fluttered open again, he found himself lying on his bed, the familiar scent of freshly washed sheets filling the air, the quiet hum of his fan lulling in the background. His bedroom—his real bedroom. The soft morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow across the room.

Was that all just a dream? He tried to shake the fog from his mind, sitting up slowly. His head swam, but before he could steady himself, a sharp, agonizing pain gripped his stomach, exactly like the one from the other world. He winced, clenching his fists in an attempt to will it away—but the pain didn’t subside.

As he steadied himself against the bed, his eyes fell on something that froze him in place. The gleaming sword, the one he had used to slay the monstrous wolf-moth, was propped against his wall—impossibly real, its blade shimmering in the dim light.

His breath caught in his throat. He reached out slowly, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the cold steel. How? he thought, his mind racing. Was it still a dream? Or had he somehow been transported back to the other world... again?