Pov: N/A

It was a peaceful, busy day at the Yeong residence. The clear skies and bright sun illuminated the servants as they carried out their household chores. Writing in his study, Yeong Joon, the head of the Yeong clan, dedicates himself to writing new scrolls destined for the enlightenment of his disciples. A loud boom disturbed the peaceful silence of everyone in the residence. The boom came from the front gates. The attack caught the unprepared people off guard, shaking them to their core. Yeong Joon stood up from the ground and as he stood up, someone busted the door open in a panic.

Pov: Ho Baek-Hyeon

I burst into Master's room in a panic. "Master!" I yelled, "Assassins broke down the gates and murdered the guards at the front!" Master's eyes widened as I reported to him the situation. I see that he quickly regains his composure and glances at his undone scrolls, then at me, his look serious. Which sends shivers down my spine. I gulped hard. Wondering if I'll even make it out alive. "Gather all our warriors and prepare for battle." He paused before speaking again. "Tell them this is not a drill," he ordered me in an urgent tone. He passes me as he walks away and out of the door. I follow him out. We then both go our different directions. Master goes towards the front gates with a blade in his hand while I go towards the training grounds where all the disciples are. I told them to gather in the forest and take the servants with them. A smirk appears on my face as I turn away from everyone. My next destination is towards the front gates where my master is. I grab a blade from the ground. I see my master battling the assassins all alone. He had an arm missing and was bleeding out from a deep wound on his side. Blood scattered everywhere from the guards who were previously fighting the assassins. In addition, there are lifeless assassins on the floor. They were most likely killed by my master. I then see a child in front of me sobbing for a man, who was on the ground bleeding heavily. I glanced down at the child as she looked up at me. As I stare at her, I see that her poor, innocent face is covered in blood. I ignore the blood on the child's face. A small smile graces my face as I gaze at the man I presumed to be her father on the ground. He was wheezing... barely able to breathe. I lift my sword and swing, slicing the girl's head off. The father's eyes widen as he looks at his little girl's head fall to the ground near him. Tears stream down his face. I couldn't help but grin as I saw his tears. My eyes gaze over at where my master is battling. The assassins begin to form a circle around him, drawing him towards the middle of the circle. I walk towards him and the assassins. The assassins stop as they see me. They quickly make an opening for me. I step into the circle. My master stood there with his eyes closed. He hears my steps as I walk closer. He quickly turns around... but... he wasn't fast enough.

Pov: Yeong Joon

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I separate from Baek-Hyeon and head towards the front gates. I have a sword in my hand, gripping it tightly. As I get even closer to the front gates, I see that the once serene grounds once filled with happiness and laughter, now covered in lifeless bodies scattered like discarded pawns. My eyes wander around, looking everywhere for survivors. The smell of blood flooding my senses. My eyes narrow down on a crying child, crying for a man. That's on the ground bleeding heavily from an injury. Suddenly, an assassin appears. They are about to strike the child with their blade. I quickly activate shadow step, a technique that enhances my speed and agility, making me appear as if I teleport. My technique couldn't be any better as I arrive just in time to clash swords with the assassin, protecting the child. Sparks form from our clashing swords, causing the child to cry louder. I don't have time to comfort her. While my focus is on the crying child, the assassin sees an opening and cuts my side, causing me to wince in pain. This attack leaves the assassin open. I seize the opportunity and sever the assassin's head, splattering blood on the child's face. The child lets out a blood-curdling scream. I kneeled down to comfort the child, but then another assassin appears. "How many are there?!" I shout in annoyance. I then glared at the assassin, who freezes in their tracks. I stand up and approach them. The assassin looks at me with wide eyes. Swiftly, I decapitate them. As I turn back to face the child, a group of assassins appear, catching me off guard. One assassin cuts my arm off. I bite my bottom lip to not scream, drawing blood from my lip as I bite harder. Pain clouds my mind as I sloppily swing my blade, wounding an assassin. I get surrounded by the assassins. As they make a circle around me, drawing me to the middle. I close my eyes, waiting to be struck from all sides. They all stop... I hear footsteps as if they were making an opening for someone... I open my eyes and spin around to get a view of the person... My eyes widen at who I see holding a blade directed at me. The source of the weird movement. The person responsible for ordering the destruction of the Yeong residence. The person I held most dear now unsheathes their sword. Slicing me in half. Blood spurts out of my mouth, tears form in my eyes from anger. Anger at the fact I had been betrayed, anger because I couldn't protect what I love, anger because I felt so useless. The last thing I see is my beloved disciple, Baek-Hyeon, holding the blade that killed me. My upper body drops to the ground, splattering blood everywhere. I see my disciple grinning. Tears stream down my cheeks. I hear my disciple's voice and another person talking. I couldn't make out what they were saying as my consciousness slowly fades out.

Pov: N/A

That day declared dead was two things. As he closes his eyes, the first thing to be declared dead is Yeong Joon, the head of the Yeong clan. And The second is the clan's future. The clan has now fallen into corrupted hands. A new era is about to begin, one that will leave people shaking in fear. One that will stain history with more blood than before.

Pov: Myeong Sook (Yeong Joon)

Everything is black. Am I in Hell or Heaven? I don't even know anymore and I don't wanna know. I groan. wait... did I just groan? Is it even possible to groan in the afterlife? Well, I mean, I guess it is now-  "-master! Young master! Wake up, please!" Huh? Is that a woman's voice? Why am hearing a voice in the afterlife, especially a woman's? "Young master!" I slowly open my eyes to a blinding light. As soon as my eyes adjust to the light, I turn my head towards the side. I see that by my side is a woman's figure. The first thing I spotted as I turned my head to face the woman is that she was holding a... a-