Deep within the Thunder Sect's forbidden archives, where ancient lightning crystals cast eerie blue shadows on the walls, Elder Jin Noe-mu stood before a gathering of twelve hooded figures. The air crackled with suppressed electrical energy, and the very stones seemed to pulse with malevolent intent.
"Is everything prepared?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried the weight of sixty years of accumulated ambition.
"Yes, Elder. The specialized formation has been set in the northern gorge. When Noe Jin-woon dies there..." The subordinate's voice trembled slightly.
"His power will transfer through the formation array." Elder Jin's eyes gleamed with a hunger that had consumed him for decades. Lightning danced between his fingers as his emotions surged.
'The Sect Master believes in that naive prophecy, thinking the power will go to his precious youngest disciple. But he doesn't understand the true nature of ambition. I've waited sixty years for this moment—sixty years of watching lesser talents receive what should have been mine.'
"Elder, are you certain about this? The prophecy clearly states—"
"'When the Thunder heir dies, his power flows to the nearest bloodline with the strongest will.'" Jin Noe-mu unrolled an ancient scroll, its edges crackling with residual lightning energy. "I know the prophecy by heart."
The scroll bore the seal of the Thunder Demon King himself, written three millennia ago in characters that seemed to writhe with electrical current.
The Thunder Demon King's Prophecy
O inheritor of my blood, If true power you seek, first taste death's embrace. In that moment when soul departs from flesh, Only then shall Thunder's true might awaken. That power shall flow to the one nearby, The one whose will burns strongest and truest, This is the Thunder Succession Law I decree. One must fall for another to rise higher. This is my gift and my curse eternal.
"The Sect Master takes these words literally," Jin Noe-mu sneered. "That's why he's positioned that boy, Heaven Thunder, nearby—believing the 'pure vessel' nonsense."
His laughter was bitter, tinged with decades of resentment. "But 'strongest will'? That can only be me. I've endured humiliation, schemed in shadows, eliminated rivals, all for sixty years. My will has been forged in the fires of ambition itself!"
The Hunt Begins
"The twelve elites have already departed. Noe Jin-woon has been fleeing for three days now—his strength must be nearly depleted."
"Excellent. Drive him toward the northern gorge as planned. The formation array awaits." Jin Noe-mu's smile was predatory. "If this fails..."
"It won't fail, Elder. Noe Jin-woon achieved only a second-tier awakening—incomplete. Against our twelve, he stands no chance."
But there was one variable the elder hadn't calculated: the intervention of another special constitution.
'Soon,' he thought, 'Soon I'll possess the power that should have been mine from birth. And then... then this sect will finally have a true leader.'
Huff... huff...
Noe Jin-woon pressed his back against a massive boulder, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Three days of non-stop flight had left him battered and exhausted. His once-pristine Thunder Sect robes were now torn and bloodstained, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest.
'Why... why do they want to kill me?'
The question had tormented him for three days straight. He'd been loyal to the Thunder Sect, had achieved the coveted second-tier awakening, had followed every order without question. So why was he suddenly being hunted like a rabid dog?
Flash!
Lightning illuminated the distant peaks—his pursuers were closing in.
"Found his trail! This way!"
'Damn... not again...'
As Noe Jin-woon forced himself to stand and continue running, his mind drifted to events from just days ago—events that now seemed like a lifetime.
Four days ago, at the hidden valley gathering...
The memory came flooding back with painful clarity. Noe Jin-woon could still see the moment everything went wrong—when their perfect team unity shattered like glass.
"Every man for himself!" Void Shadow had declared, melting into the darkness without a backward glance.
Snow Lotus had created an ice wall, her face a mask of cold indifference as she prepared her own escape.
"Snow Lotus! What about Noe Jin-woon!" Jin-ho's desperate cry still echoed in his ears.
But she hadn't even looked back. None of them had.
'I ran too... I abandoned Jin-ho and saved only myself...'
The shame of that moment burned hotter than any physical wound. Noe Jin-woon had always prided himself on loyalty, on being the dependable one, the one who never left a comrade behind. But when the moment of truth came, when Jin-ho needed them most...
'I was a coward. I chose my own life over our friendship.'
As Noe Jin-woon stumbled through the darkness, another memory surfaced—this one much older, much sweeter.
Two young boys, no more than eight years old, sitting by a stream. One with messy dark hair and bright eyes (Jin-ho), the other with neat clothes and a shy smile (himself).
"Jin-woon, look! I caught a fish!"
"Wow! You're amazing, Jin-ho!"
"When we grow up, let's always be together! We'll be the strongest team ever!"
"Promise?"
"Promise!"
They had shaken hands that day, sealing a childhood pact with all the solemnity two eight-year-olds could muster.
'We promised... and I broke it the moment things got dangerous.'
The Weight of Regret
Noe Jin-woon forced himself to keep moving, but each step felt heavier than the last. It wasn't just physical exhaustion—it was the crushing weight of three days of guilt and self-recrimination.
'Jin-ho... are you even alive? Did the Blood Sect kill you after we ran?'
The thought was too painful to bear. All this running, all this fear for his own life, and he didn't even know if his best friend had survived the abandonment.
'If... if I survive this, I'll find you. I'll apologize properly. I'll make things right somehow.'
But deep down, he suspected he might never get that chance.
Flash! Crack!
"There! We see his lightning signature!"
The voices were getting closer. Noe Jin-woon could feel their killing intent like a physical weight pressing down on him.
Dawn was breaking over the Thunder Mountains when Noe Jin-woon finally reached the northern gorge. He collapsed against a cliff face, his energy completely spent. Three days of running had pushed him far beyond his limits.
'This is... this is as far as I go.'
That's when they appeared.
One by one, twelve figures in Thunder Sect robes materialized from the morning mist. They moved with the fluid grace of master-level cultivators, their very presence causing the air to crackle with electrical energy.
"Well, well. The rabbit has finally stopped running."
Elder Jin Noe-mu stepped forward, his face a mask of false sympathy.
"Little Noe Jin-woon. You've led us quite a chase."
"Elder Jin..." Noe Jin-woon struggled to his feet, confusion and pain evident in his voice. "Why? What did I do wrong?"
"Wrong?" The elder's laughter was cold and bitter. "You did nothing wrong, child. You did exactly what you were supposed to do."
"I don't understand..."
"Of course you don't." Jin Noe-mu's expression shifted from false sympathy to genuine contempt. "Did you really think the Thunder Sect invested so much in your training out of kindness? That all those resources, all that special treatment, was because we cared about you?"
Noe Jin-woon's face went pale as understanding began to dawn.
"You were cultivated, boy. Grown like a crop to be harvested at the proper time. Your 'special constitution' makes you the perfect vessel for something far greater than your small mind could comprehend."
"Then... from the very beginning, you planned to kill me?"
"You were never anything more than a vessel," Jin Noe-mu's voice dripped with contempt. "A container to be filled, cultivated, and harvested at the appropriate time. That was always your destiny."
Despair flickered in Noe Jin-woon's eyes.
"Who... who will receive the power?"
"Well..." Jin Noe-mu's smile became predatory. Outwardly, he maintained the pretense of following the Sect Master's plan.
"The Sect Master's youngest disciple, Heaven Thunder, is standing by. He's the perfect vessel."
'Lies. I'll intercept it all for myself.'
But Noe Jin-woon's despair was already transforming into something else—rage.
'A vessel... that's all I ever was?'
More memories flooded back—but now they carried a different meaning.
Age 12: "Noe Jin-woon shows promise. Let's increase his training intensity."
Age 14: "His constitution is developing nicely. Continue the electrical conditioning."
Age 16: "Second-tier awakening achieved. He's ready for the next phase."
Every moment of praise, every word of encouragement—it had all been manipulation. They were raising livestock, not a disciple.
'My mother... did she know? Did she sell me to them?'
The thought was too painful to bear. Everything he'd believed about himself, about his purpose, about his future—all lies.
Noe Jin-woon's Defiance
"No... NO!"
Electricity exploded from Noe Jin-woon's body in a brilliant blue-white display.
Crack! Bzzzzt!
"I refuse! I won't just die like some sacrificial lamb!"
But his exhausted body could only produce a fraction of his usual power.
"Second-tier awakening isn't nearly enough to challenge us," Jin Noe-mu declared with satisfaction.
The twelve elders moved in perfect synchronization, their combined technique creating a spectacular light show.
"Thunder Prison Formation!"
CRASH!
A massive cage of crackling lightning materialized around Noe Jin-woon. The bars were pure electrical energy, beautiful and deadly. There was no escape.
'This is it... this is how I die. Alone, betrayed, forgotten...'
That's when it happened.
"Blood Demon Sword Art, Third Form: Crimson Twin Chaos!"
A scarlet sword-light erupted from the cliff face above, tearing through the lightning cage like paper. The attack carried such raw power that even the twelve elders stepped back in shock.
"What?!"
Jin Noe-mu looked up to see a figure silhouetted against the storm clouds—Jin-ho, standing on the cliff edge like an avenging angel.
But this wasn't the same weak disciple from before. His presence radiated dangerous power, and his eyes held a cold light that made even seasoned killers nervous.
Jin-ho didn't simply jump—he descended like a falling star, his sword trailing crimson energy that painted the dawn sky. The very air seemed to part before him, and the ground trembled when he landed.
"Jin-ho!" Noe Jin-woon's voice cracked with emotion—relief, guilt, and desperate hope all tangled together.
"Who... who are you?" Elder Jin demanded, though something about the newcomer made his instincts scream danger.
Jin-ho's response was simple and direct:
"I'm here for my friend."
His voice carried an authority that hadn't been there before, and power radiated from him in waves that made the twelve master-level elders instinctively step back.
The Jin-ho standing before them was fundamentally different from the one they remembered. His presence had weight now—the kind of overwhelming aura that only came from someone who had crossed a fundamental threshold.
"Impossible," one of the elders whispered. "Three days ago he was barely at the initial awakening level..."
But the crimson energy swirling around Jin-ho told a different story. This was the power of someone who had fully awakened their demon constitution—and survived the process.
"Third-tier awakening..." Elder Jin's eyes widened in recognition. "You achieved a breakthrough."
"Noe Jin-woon, run away!" Jin-ho shouted desperately.
"Leave me behind! I'm finished anyway..."
"Shut up! Nobody gets to decide that but us!"
Jin-ho grabbed Noe Jin-woon's arm with fierce determination.
"We split up once and it was wrong. I swear—I'll never abandon a comrade again!"
What followed was perhaps the most uneven battle in Thunder Sect history. Two exhausted young men against twelve master-level elders—it should have been over in seconds.
But desperation and friendship proved to be powerful motivators.
"Thunder Arts, Fourth Form: Lightning Dragon Ascension!"
"Blood Demon Arts, Second Form: Crimson Wave Barrage!"
Noe Jin-woon and Jin-ho fought with a coordination born of shared desperation. Lightning and blood-energy intertwined in ways that defied conventional wisdom, creating new attack patterns that caught the elders off-guard.
Crack! Slash! Boom!
"Impossible! How are they holding out?"
One elder stumbled back with a lightning-burn across his chest, while another nursed a sword wound that refused to stop bleeding.
"They're covering each other's weaknesses perfectly!"
Jin-ho's blood techniques provided the raw power and healing factor they needed, while Noe Jin-woon's lightning granted speed and area control. Together, they were far more than the sum of their parts.
The battle flowed like a deadly dance. When Noe Jin-woon's energy flagged, Jin-ho would step forward with a devastating sword combo. When Jin-ho overextended, Noe Jin-woon would cover him with precisely-placed lightning strikes.
"How long can we keep this up?" Noe Jin-woon gasped during a brief lull.
"As long as we have to," Jin-ho replied, though his own breathing was labored.
They both knew the truth—they were buying time, nothing more. Against twelve masters, even their perfect teamwork had limits.
But for these precious moments, they fought as true brothers-in-arms.
The Tide Turns
"Enough games!" Elder Jin Noe-mu's patience finally snapped. "I'll end this myself!"
The elder's power was on an entirely different level—sixth-tier awakening versus their second and third-tier abilities. When he joined the battle personally, the dynamic shifted dramatically.
"Divine Thunder Judgment!"
CRACK!
A massive lightning bolt descended from the heavens, far beyond anything the younger fighters could counter.
Jin-ho managed to dodge at the last second, but Noe Jin-woon, already exhausted from three days of flight, couldn't react in time.
"ARGH!"
The lightning pierced straight through his chest. Blood sprayed as Noe Jin-woon collapsed, his body convulsing from the electrical trauma.
"NO!"
Jin-ho caught his falling friend, cradling him as life began to fade from his eyes.
"Jin-ho..."
Noe Jin-woon's voice was barely a whisper. His life force was ebbing away with each labored breath.
"I'm sorry... I was... such a coward..."
"Noe Jin-woon! Hold on! Please!"
"Now I understand... what real friendship means..."
Tears mixed with blood as Noe Jin-woon struggled to speak his final words.
"Live for both of us... and please..."
"What?"
"Save the others too... so we can... meet again someday..."
Noe Jin-woon's eyes grew dim, and at that moment, something extraordinary began to happen.
Golden lightning began pouring from Noe Jin-woon's body, but this wasn't ordinary electrical energy. It carried with it memories, emotions, experiences—the very essence of who Noe Jin-woon had been.
『WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!』『Thunder Constitution energy detected』『Forced absorption beginning』『Resistance impossible』
"What... what is this?!"
Jin-ho was horrified as Noe Jin-woon's entire existence flowed into him. Every childhood memory, every moment of joy and sorrow, every regret and dream—all of it crashed into his consciousness like a tidal wave.
"This... this is exactly as the prophecy foretold."
Elder Jin's face had gone pale. He was witnessing something that should have been impossible.
"But why... why is it going to that boy instead of me?"
'The strongest will... could it be that I wasn't the one after all?'
Jin-ho's mind was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of Noe Jin-woon's memories:
A six-year-old boy, trembling during his first thunderstormThe day he entered Thunder Sect, filled with hope and determinationHis first successful lightning technique, the pride in his master's eyesMeeting Jin-ho for the first time, the instant bond of friendshipThe moment of betrayal, the crushing guilt that followedThree days of running, crying tears of regret every night
"AAAHHH!"
Jin-ho screamed as he experienced every emotion, every sensation, every moment of his friend's life. It was too much—like trying to contain an ocean in a teacup.
Within Jin-ho's consciousness, two ancient powers suddenly came face to face.
『INTRUDER!』
The Blood Heaven Emperor's fury shook Jin-ho's very soul.
『How dare the Thunder Demon King invade MY vessel!』
〖Hahaha! Blood Heaven! Long time no see, old friend!〗
The Thunder Demon King's consciousness had awakened, carried within Noe Jin-woon's power.
〖This is quite the interesting vessel. Shall we share him?〗
『Absolutely not! This body belongs to ME!』
The two demon kings began battling within Jin-ho's mind, their conflict threatening to tear his consciousness apart.
Inside Jin-ho's consciousness...
The mental landscape had transformed into an otherworldly battleground. On one side stood the Blood Heaven Emperor—a towering figure wreathed in crimson energy, his eyes blazing with three millennia of ambition.
On the other side materialized the Thunder Demon King—equally imposing, his form crackling with golden lightning that seemed to have a will of its own.
『This mortal's body can barely contain my power alone!』
〖Yet here we are, forced to coexist. Perhaps we should make the best of it?〗
『Never! I refuse to share my vessel with you!』
Their battle sent shock waves through Jin-ho's mind, each clash threatening to shatter his sanity.
The Unexpected Intervention
But then, a third voice joined the fray—weaker than the others, but filled with desperate determination.
"Stop... please stop..."
It was Noe Jin-woon's residual consciousness, the last fragment of his soul that hadn't yet dissipated.
"You're hurting Jin-ho... I won't let you hurt him..."
〖What? A mere mortal soul dares to interfere?〗
"I'll... I'll hold back the Thunder Demon King... just long enough for Jin-ho to adapt..."
Noe Jin-woon's spirit threw itself at the Thunder Demon King, using the last of his existence to buy his friend precious seconds.
"Thank you... for coming to save me... Now let me... protect you..."
〖You insolent little—〗
『Interesting... very interesting indeed.』
The Blood Heaven Emperor watched this display of sacrifice with something approaching respect. In that moment of distraction, Jin-ho's own will began to reassert itself.
"NOW!"
Jin-ho regained control of his consciousness just long enough to act. His body erupted with an energy unlike anything the world had ever seen.
BOOM! CRACK!
Crimson Lightning.
An impossibility made manifest—blood-red electrical energy that defied every law of nature. The power of two demon kings, somehow forced into an unstable fusion.
"This is... two demon powers merging!" Elder Jin stumbled backward in terror.
"Impossible! Different demon powers can't coexist!"
But Jin-ho's body continued to generate the paradoxical energy, crimson lightning dancing around him like living serpents.
"This is our chance!"
Jin-ho forced himself to focus despite the overwhelming power coursing through him. Noe Jin-woon's sacrifice had given him this opportunity—he wouldn't waste it.
Wreathed in crimson lightning, he charged through the formation of twelve elders.
"Stop him!"
But the twelve masters found themselves helpless against this new power. Their techniques, perfected over decades, were useless against energy that shouldn't exist.
Crack! Slash! Boom!
Blood-Lightning Sword Arts. A completely new martial discipline born from the fusion of two incompatible powers.
"Fall back!" Elder Jin commanded, his face pale with shock.
The situation had spiraled completely beyond his control.
'Damn... the plan failed. But that boy... he can't possibly survive with two demon powers in his body. He'll destroy himself within days.'
Jin-ho managed to break through the encirclement, but his victory came at a terrible price. Every cell in his body felt like it was being torn apart by the conflicting energies.
'Can't... can't maintain this much longer...'
Blood leaked from his eyes, nose, and ears as the crimson lightning flickered and faded. His body simply wasn't designed to channel two demon powers simultaneously.
But Noe Jin-woon's final gift—his determination, his willpower, his unyielding spirit—gave Jin-ho the strength to keep moving.
'I promised... I promised to live for both of us...'
Step by agonizing step, Jin-ho disappeared into the stormy night, leaving behind twelve stunned elders and one furious elder who had just seen sixty years of planning crumble to dust.
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[The Storm's Promise]
As Jin-ho vanished into the darkness, crimson lightning continued to flicker around his retreating form—a harbinger of the chaos to come.
Noe Jin-woon was gone, but his spirit lived on in the impossible power now flowing through his best friend's veins.
The Thunder Sect's conspiracy had succeeded in one sense—Noe Jin-woon was dead, and his power had been transferred.
But they had created something far more dangerous than they'd ever intended.
A vessel containing two demon kings.
A walking catastrophe.
The birth of the Crimson Lightning.
And somewhere in the distance, the storm clouds gathered, as if the very heavens themselves were preparing for the upheaval to come...
Next Chapter Preview:
Jin-ho struggles to control the chaotic fusion of blood and lightning powers while being hunted by multiple factions. But the real battle isn't with external enemies—it's the war raging inside his own mind, where two ancient demon kings fight for dominance, and the ghost of his best friend fights to keep them both at bay...
Will Jin-ho master this impossible power, or will it consume him from within?
The Crimson Lightning saga begins...