The declaration of the Blood Empire was something Lee Seong-jun remembered all too clearly — a symbol of authority he had been forced to create to unify a fractured continent. Yet the moment he heard the name spoken again, his blood ran cold.
Has the flow of time on the Thousand Continents… turned back?
His thoughts swirled chaotically. When he had split space and time, Earth and Pandemonium had reversed, erasing all prior history. Yet here, on this continent, his own footprints still remained — his empire, his legacy, and his name.
His heartbeat quickened. Could the traces of that forgotten era, the life and memories he had buried, still endure?
He steadied his breath. "Then," he asked calmly, "do you know who founded the Blood Empire?"
The tavern girl blinked, startled by his tone. "Y-yes. It was the Blood Emperor, the first ruler to conquer the entire continent."
"…"
Lee Seong-jun didn't reply, but the faint tremor in his eyes spoke volumes.
Anna, seated beside him, tilted her head. "What's wrong? You look pale."
"It's nothing," he said with a strained smile. "Just… surprised."
Inside, however, realization hit like thunder.
The Blood Emperor, the Blood Empire, and the power of blood that saturates this land…
There was no way this was coincidence. This was his world — the Thousand Continents he had once ruled. Somehow, the timeline had twisted, diverging from the flow of Earth and Pandemonium.
Why?
Back then, when he sealed the dimensional gates and ascended to the Celestial Realm, time had flowed equally across all realms. So how had this place escaped reversal? Had the flow of time fractured only for certain dimensions?
The questions tangled in his mind, each more impossible than the last.
I'll have to go to the Celestial Realm and ask directly…
But that path was closed. When he had forced open the gates of Heaven, he had destroyed every link that connected the realms. Even if he could reach it again, the sages of the Celestial Realm — old rivals — would never welcome him peacefully.
No, it was too early to take that risk. There was something more pressing.
The Blood Empire still existed. And the Blood Calendar marked only the nineteenth year.
Meaning his loyal subjects, his generals, perhaps even his old comrades… were still alive.
A determined glint shone in his eyes. "Thank you for answering," he said, standing from his seat.
Anna followed as he turned toward the door. "You're going to the capital?"
"Yes. I need to see it with my own eyes."
Before they left, Anna waved her hand. A small magic circle shimmered, dropping a heavy leather pouch onto the table. Gold coins spilled from its mouth, catching the tavern girl's breath.
"T-thank you! I'll prepare your meal with the finest ingredients!" she cried, bowing repeatedly as she hurried away.
Anna sighed. "We didn't even get to eat."
"Next time," Seong-jun replied. "I'll treat you."
"You promise?"
He smiled faintly. "I promise."
They had just stepped toward the exit when a harsh voice cut through the noise.
"Hey. You two over there."
A burly man stood by the doorway, gripping the terrified tavern girl by the arm. His sharp eyes gleamed with greed.
Anna frowned. "He's calling us."
Seong-jun's brow creased. He didn't want trouble — not here, not now. But leaving her to suffer after receiving their gold felt wrong.
The man swaggered closer. "You seem to have plenty of coin. How about you pay me a little… protection fee?"
Seong-jun's gaze cooled. "If you let her go right now and walk away, I'll pretend this didn't happen."
It was a quiet warning, but the fool didn't hear it.
"Hah! You think you can order me around? Don't you know who I am? They call me the Great Demon of Sochangseong!"
The name drew murmurs from nearby tables. A notorious criminal.
"If you value your lives," the man sneered, "leave the woman and everything you own." His eyes slid toward Anna, filled with lecherous hunger. "You're quite a sight. Maybe I'll keep you for myself."
The air turned heavy. Seong-jun's gaze darkened, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"Say that again."
Before the man could respond, the tavern girl bit his arm and screamed, "Run! I'll hold him off!"
"Damn wench!" the Great Demon roared, drawing his sword to cut her down.
But before the blade could fall—
Slash!
A crimson blur flashed between them.
The sword — and the man's arm — fell to the floor in the same instant.
"Wh-what…?"
The Great Demon's eyes went wide, staring at the stump where his arm had been. His scream shook the tavern.
"Ahhhh!"
Blood sprayed across the floorboards. The patrons gasped, but none looked away. Fear wasn't what filled their eyes — it was satisfaction. The tyrant of Sochangseong was finally facing justice.
Seong-jun stood before him, calm and unshaken. "You should know this well," he said softly, "since you serve the Blood Empire."
He raised a hand. The man's body rose into the air as if seized by an invisible force.
"Blood," Seong-jun said, his voice like a verdict, "always demands its price."
The Great Demon thrashed. "Please! I didn't know! Forgive me—!"
Boom!
His body twisted grotesquely, then burst apart midair, scattering to mist.
The tavern fell silent.
Every eye turned to Seong-jun — the crimson glow around him fading, leaving only awe in its wake.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Blood power…?"
"Could he be one of the Blood Cult's founders…?"
But before anyone could speak further, Seong-jun and Anna were gone — vanished without a trace, leaving only the lingering scent of iron in the air.