I've spent the last two years practicing the foundational martial arts passed down to me in Murim. Every night, in the basement my father set up for me, I cultivated my qi with the breathing techniques Grandfather taught me. Though it's only the size of a pea, the qi I've nurtured makes me faster, stronger, and sharper than anyone my age. I can feel it with every step, every breath. The gap between me and the rest of this world grows wider by the day.
Even calling David and Mary "Father" and "Mother" has become natural—something I never imagined I'd get used to. But time and love do strange things to the soul. Still, the one thing I haven't adjusted to? School.
Sitting through hours of lectures about algebra, history, and Earth sciences feels like slow torture. None of it feeds my body or sharpens my blade. And then one day, everything changed—again.
She walked into class.
Long, deep purple hair. Eyes like plum-colored glass. A timid posture that still carried a quiet strength. My chest tightened.
So-yeon? She looked exactly like my sister. I couldn't breathe. Memories I had buried under this new life came rushing back—fear, regret, grief. Was I not the only one who reincarnated? Could it really be her?
But no... I couldn't take that risk. If she wasn't my sister, bringing up Murim or the Tang Clan would only raise questions. Still, I couldn't stop the way I looked at her, couldn't stop feeling like the older brother I once was.
She didn't have So-yeon's fire, but her spirit was just as beautiful. Shy and silent, she became a target for the whispers and laughs of cruel children. I wanted to shut them all up with a single strike. But I didn't. Not yet.
Eventually, I worked up the courage to talk to her. Her name was Evelynn—Eve. She wasn't from Murim. She didn't know the Tang Clan. But she became my little sister all the same. I couldn't stop seeing her that way. I didn't want to.
Over the next ten years, Eve and I became inseparable. She had no interest in martial arts, but she would sit with me for hours, watching me train. When school got rough, she came to me. When kids mocked her, I stood by her side. The rumors came quickly—that we were together, that we were more than friends.
"We're just friends!" I'd always shout. But Eve... she saw me differently.
While others feared me—respected me—Eve saw my heart. She saw the part of me that still mourned, still longed for the siblings I'd lost. She never said it aloud, but I could see it in her eyes.
To her, I was more than the school's untouchable martial artist. I was the boy who always made time for her. The one who protected her when no one else would. The one who never looked at another girl, because, in truth, he had already lost the most important people in his life.
Eve didn't know it, but her quiet presence helped keep me grounded. She became my reason to stay kind. To stay human.
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Blue
Finally.
Thirteen years in this world, and I'm finally free from school. Eve's heading to college. I'm... undecided. My father suggested MMA. He even set up a home gym in the basement. But that feels like playing pretend. Fighting without qi is like dancing without music.
I could win. Easily. But I'd be hiding who I am, what I am. And worse—I might hurt people who don't deserve it.
I'm stuck.
Still a third-rate martial artist. No elixirs. No secret techniques. My cultivation has plateaued. But even so, I'm stronger than anyone I've ever met. I'm probably the only person on Earth who even knows qi is real. Except… something's about to change. I can feel it.
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Later that evening — Graduation Party
"Congratulations, Blue and Evelynn!" Mom beams as she raises a glass. "We're so proud of you!" Dad stands in the back, arms crossed. "Steaks, burgers, dogs. Let's eat." Laughter, hugs, clinking plates. But after an hour of praise and chatter, I've had enough. I slip toward the basement.
"Hey!" Eve's voice calls behind me. "You're just gonna ditch me?" I sigh. "Fine. Come with me. Quietly." We sneak downstairs. I throw a punch at the bag—harder than I intended.
Glass shatters upstairs. Then screams. Running. Chaos. "CALL 911!" Mom shrieks. "Eve, check it out," I mutter, still in disbelief. She runs up. Then silence. "Blue... you need to see this." I bolt upstairs. She's frozen, pale, pointing at the deck.
I step outside. The sky is red. No—not like a sunset. Blood-red. Just like that night. No. Not again. The same warped beasts. The same red gates. The same monsters from Murim—here. "GET TO THE BASEMENT. NOW!" Everyone scrambles. Crying. Screaming. I lead them all downstairs.
My mother and Eve are sobbing. The fathers whisper desperately, trying to make sense of it. Some think it's a movie, a hologram, a government project. Idiots. I know what this is. I've seen it. I won't die like last time. I won't let them die. The night drags on. Explosions echo in the distance. Jets roar overhead. The ground shakes. But we don't move. Not until morning.
The basement door creaks open. A soldier in fatigues steps in, rifle ready. "Everyone okay down here?" Dad speaks first. "We're safe. What the hell's going on?"
"Still a mess out there," the soldier replies. "But the worst has passed. You can come out now." We step outside. Fires burn in the distance. Smoke coats the sky. The red hue hasn't faded. Some family members leave. Eve's family stays. We turn on the TV.
"Channel 7 News — URGENT UPDATE."
"Earlier today, massive anomalies—referred to as gates—opened across every continent. Mythical beasts and monsters have emerged, causing mass destruction. Military forces have responded. Martial law is declared.
"More concerning—people have begun awakening with strange abilities. The government urges those affected to report to local outposts. Participation is voluntary... for now." Abilities? My eyes narrow. My fists tighten. Did this happen in Murim too? Did So-yeon survive? Could my siblings still be alive? Too many questions. Not enough answers.
Later that night, I sat in bed, thoughts spiraling. Eve entered. "You okay?" she asked. "You looked like you'd seen those things before. "I'm just tired," I lie. "I didn't sleep last night." She doesn't believe me. But she let it go. "I'm here for you," she said, soft as ever. "No matter what."
She left after encouraging me. I clenched my fists. I need to get stronger. But I haven't awakened. No powers. No gifts. Do I pretend I did? Sign up with the military? No. That would destroy my mother. And what if I can't protect them again? No. I'll wait and I train.
The day became known as The Awakening. Gates appeared worldwide. Monsters poured out. Millions died. Some countries collapsed. But with the chaos came something new—Awakened individuals. Gifted with supernatural powers, they became humanity's hope.
A global organization was formed: the Awakened Association. It coordinated hunters, regulated guilds, and trained the next generation of gate-clearers. Guilds rose from every nation. Their strongest warriors controlled not only power—but politics, trade, and survival.
And then came the Golden Gates—rare portals that only the "compatible" could pass through. Worlds beyond worlds. One filled with mana and magic. The other, a realm of spirits and nature. Awakened who entered returned changed—stronger, wiser, wielding forces Earth had never seen.
But Blue never awakened. Not yet. Eve did. She could commune with spirits, heal, grow life from barren ground. She chose to enter the Golden Gate to the spirit realm—Thalorin. She said goodbye, determined to protect those she loved. And one day, tell Blue how she truly felt.
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A year later and Blue now works as a porter. Carrying gear. Hauling loot. He isn't flashy, but his strength is undeniable. His qi lets him lift what others cannot. He endures. But inside, he feels empty. Still third-rate. Still left behind. He stands outside a low-ranked red gate, adjusting his rucksack. A sigh escapes him. So this is what my second life has become...But fate isn't finished with him yet.