First Impressions Inside the Tomb
The moment they passed through the stone gate, Jin-ho and Seol Hwa-rin felt they had entered a completely different world.
Unlike the midsummer heat outside, the interior of the tomb was cool. But it wasn't simply the coldness of being underground. It was a more fundamental and deep chill. It felt as if time itself had frozen.
"Wow..."
Jin-ho let out an exclamation of wonder.
The interior of the tomb was much larger than expected. A vast underground space spread out before them, with the ceiling soaring high like a natural cave. But everything was artificially and precisely crafted.
Most impressive were the countless patterns carved into the walls. Complex designs in four colors - blood red, blue, golden, and black - covered the entire wall surface.
"Is this... really a tomb?"
Jin-ho muttered. It seemed more like a massive temple than a typical tomb.
"Rather than a tomb..."
Seol Hwa-rin said, examining the surroundings.
"It's closer to a sealing chamber."
In the center of the tomb was a massive altar. On the altar were four sarcophagi, each emitting light of different colors.
"Four sarcophagi..."
Jin-ho approached to examine them. The sarcophagi were made of different materials.
First Sarcophagus: Made of blood-red jade, pulsing with red light like a heartbeat. Second Sarcophagus: Made of blue ice crystal, emanating cold energy. Third Sarcophagus: Made of golden metal, making sounds like electricity crackling. Fourth Sarcophagus: Made of black obsidian, completely absorbing light.
"Strange... This is Kang Cheon-hyeol's tomb, so why are there four sarcophagi?"
Jin-ho expressed his confusion.
"Perhaps..."
Seol Hwa-rin said, looking around the altar.
"This is evidence that this place isn't simply Kang Cheon-hyeol's tomb alone."
Looking closely around the altar, they found ancient characters carved into the floor. Jin-ho tried to read the characters, but they were different from ordinary Chinese characters.
Strangely, however, Seol Hwa-rin seemed able to read them.
"The split of the Infinite Great Demon God... the birth of the four great demon gods... and..."
Seol Hwa-rin stopped reading the characters suddenly.
"What does it say?"
"It's a warning."
Seol Hwa-rin's voice became even colder.
"It says: 'Descendants of the four constitutions, if you wish to know the truth, undergo the trials. But remember, knowledge always comes with a price.'"
Jin-ho looked at the altar again. Now he could see small passages between the four sarcophagi.
"Trials... Does that mean we have to do something?"
"It seems so."
Seol Hwa-rin pointed to the first passage. It was a passage from which blood-red light was seeping.
"I think we should start from there."
When Jin-ho and Seol Hwa-rin entered the blood-red passage, the surroundings suddenly changed. It was as if they had moved to a different space.
Thump... thump... thump...
The sound of a massive heartbeat came from somewhere. And the air was filled with a thick metallic smell of blood.
"What is this?"
Jin-ho was confused. The walls of the passage were writhing as if they were actually alive. It felt like being inside a giant living creature.
『First Trial Beginning』『Memories of Blood - Experiencing the Past of the Infinite Great Demon God』『Warning: Severe Mental Energy Consumption』
Suddenly, an enormous amount of memories poured into Jin-ho's mind.
A massive underground training hall. A man sitting alone.
"The Four Phenomena Split Technique... If I can complete this, I can become truly invincible!"
That man was the Infinite Great Demon God. He tried to split one power into four and develop each to the extreme.
Blood (attack), Ice (defense), Thunder (speed), Shadow (stealth)
He believed that perfectly combining these four attributes would make him an invincible being.
But...
"No! I can't control it!"
The demonic energy began running wild contrary to expectations. What had been one mind began tearing into four pieces.
Crash! Thump thump thump!
The Infinite Great Demon God's body was torn into four pieces, each becoming a being with different characteristics.
Blood Heaven Emperor (infinite bloodlust)Ice Soul Demon Emperor (absolute coldness)Thunder Lightning Demon King (destructive impulses)Dark Shadow Demon Lord (desire for domination)
"This... this wasn't what I wanted..."
The four split beings began to see each other as enemies and started opposing one another.
"Ahhhhh!"
Jin-ho screamed as he regained consciousness. The memory had been so vivid. It was as if he had become the Infinite Great Demon God and directly experienced that pain.
"Are you okay?"
Seol Hwa-rin supported Jin-ho. But she too had a pale face. She had also experienced the same memory.
"Now... I understand."
Jin-ho said, breathing heavily.
"That the four great demon gods were originally one... it was really true."
"And why they're antagonistic toward each other too."
Seol Hwa-rin added.
"Since a being that was originally one was forcibly separated... they can't acknowledge each other as complete entities."
After completing the first trial, the blood-red passage disappeared and they returned to the central altar.
This time, a blue ice passage opened.
"It seems like it's my turn next."
Seol Hwa-rin said calmly.
"Let's go together."
Jin-ho suggested.
"It looks too dangerous to go alone."
Seol Hwa-rin hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Let's do that."
When they entered the blue passage, the surroundings completely transformed into a frozen world. But this wasn't simple cold.
It felt like emotions themselves were freezing. Joy, anger, sadness - all emotions gradually disappeared.
"This is..."
Jin-ho was surprised. His emotions were becoming increasingly numb.
『Second Trial Beginning』『Despair of Ice - The Price of Sealing Emotions』『Warning: Temporary Emotional Paralysis Phenomenon』
A woman standing alone on a cold glacier.
"Emotions... these useless things make me weak."
She was the Ice Soul Demon Emperor. After being separated from the Infinite Great Demon God, she decided to eliminate all emotions.
Love, hate, joy, sadness.
She believed that only absolute coldness was true strength.
But...
"Why... why do I feel so empty?"
The more she lost emotions, the stronger she became. But at the same time, she became lonelier.
A world where she could feel nothing. A heart that wanted nothing.
"Was this... what I wanted?"
Eventually, the Ice Soul Demon Emperor realized that strength without emotion wasn't true strength.
But it was already too late. A heart once frozen could never thaw again.
When the memory ended, Seol Hwa-rin fell to her knees. Ice tears flowed from her eyes.
"Now... I understand."
Seol Hwa-rin's voice trembled.
"Why I became like this... and what will happen to me in the future."
"Seol Hwa-rin..."
Jin-ho approached her.
"I... I've already undergone the third awakening. The Ice Soul Demon Emperor's memories are increasingly mixing into mine."
Seol Hwa-rin clutched her chest.
"My emotions are disappearing. Joy, sadness, even fear."
"Then why did you betray the Ice Soul Palace?"
Jin-ho asked.
"Because of the last remaining emotion."
Seol Hwa-rin looked at Jin-ho. There was still a trace of warmth in her eyes.
"Loneliness. That's still left. And that loneliness tells me this is wrong."
After completing the second trial, a golden lightning passage opened this time.
But from that passage came tremendous electricity crackling along with thunderous sounds.
"This looks too dangerous..."
Jin-ho hesitated.
"But we have to go. Since we've come this far."
Seol Hwa-rin stood up and said.
"Besides, we need to know the Thunder Lightning Demon King's memories too. To understand the whole truth."
"Alright. Let's go together."
Jin-ho made his decision.
The moment they entered the lightning passage, electricity flowed through their entire bodies. But they weren't hurt. Instead, it felt like gaining some kind of vitality.
However, at the same time, rage surged up from within their hearts. Baseless anger, an impulse to destroy everything.
『Third Trial Beginning』『Thunder of Rage - The Truth of Destructive Impulses』『Warning: Temporary Increase in Aggressiveness』
A mountaintop where lightning strikes from the sky.
"I want to destroy everything! Everything!"
A giant man was punching the mountain. He was the Thunder Lightning Demon King.
After being separated from the Infinite Great Demon God, only pure destructive impulses remained in him.
Constructive thoughts, creative ideas - everything disappeared, leaving only the desire to destroy.
"Why... why am I so angry?"
But his anger had no reason. It was just anger itself.
"I... I wasn't originally like this..."
The Thunder Lightning Demon King was sometimes confused. He didn't know what he was angry about or what he was trying to destroy.
But the anger didn't stop. Like a broken machine, he continued to destroy, smash, and strike.
"Who... who made me like this!"
His cry became thunder that split the sky.
When the memory ended, Jin-ho and Seol Hwa-rin understood the truth about the Thunder Lightning Demon King.
"Anger... that too was originally balanced with other emotions."
Jin-ho muttered.
"But when separated, only anger remained, so it became uncontrollable."
Seol Hwa-rin also understood.
"All the demon gods are the same. Originally they were one complete being, but when separated, each was left with only one aspect."
After completing the third trial, the final black shadow passage opened.
But that passage was different from the others. It was complete darkness. Like nothingness itself.
"What will we see in there?"
Jin-ho was anxious.
"Probably the darkest truth."
Seol Hwa-rin answered.
"The Dark Shadow Demon Lord... what the end of the desire for domination is."
When the two stood before the final passage, the entire tomb suddenly shook.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"What's that?"
It was a sound coming from outside. Someone was attacking the tomb.
"The Blood Flame Cult has arrived."
Seol Hwa-rin said coldly.
"There's no time. We need to quickly finish the final trial."
"But..."
"There's no other choice. We must know all the truth before they get in."
Jin-ho steeled his resolve and entered the black passage. Seol Hwa-rin followed behind him.
In the complete darkness, they would face the final and most shocking truth.
『Final Trial Beginning』『Shadow of Domination - The True Purpose of the Infinite Great Demon God』『Warning: Contains Extremely Dangerous Information』
Outside, the Blood Flame Cult's attack continued. Would Jin-ho and Seol Hwa-rin be able to uncover all the truth and escape safely?
Preview: The shocking truth about the Dark Shadow Demon Lord and the true purpose of the Infinite Great Demon God are revealed. But then the Blood Flame Cult leader personally appears and begins destroying the tomb...