Let’s assess the situation.
Han Su-ji and I have been pulled into the Martial God’s fragment—a shard of his memories. Right after arriving, some hulking medieval soldier storms in, calling us the “Cheok sisters” and telling us to go capture a fortress. In other words, we’ve been given a quest.
[Quest: Capture the fortress with Han Su-ji.]
And it’s an actual fortress. Built with stone walls. And they expect just the two of us to take it down.
Apparently, someone who was supposed to play our roles made a bold claim about capturing this fortress. So now it’s on us to live up to that.
“Do you understand what’s going on? My head hurts, and I can’t make sense of any of this.”
“Hm.”
To be honest, I don’t fully understand it either. But looking at the setup, it seems we’re in the fragment of Cheok Jun-gyeong, a Martial God from the Goryeo era, known for his campaigns against the Jurchens.
So... he made a grand claim about capturing a fortress alone? I’m hardly a history buff, but that’s the gist I got.
“Akashic Record, give me the context here.”
[In 1107, Goryeo’s King Yejong, following his father Sukjong’s wishes, sent General Yun Gwan with a force of 170,000 to repel the Jurchens in the second campaign. Goryeo forces struggled at Seok Fortress until Cheok Jun-gyeong scaled the walls alone, killed the enemy soldiers, and inspired the troops to take the fortress.]
Wait, you’re telling me this is *that* situation?
[This fragment reflects that era, but with some variations. Instead of Cheok Jun-gyeong, you and Han Su-ji have taken the roles of the “Cheok sisters.” The historical figures here are merely inspired by the original ones.]
“So, we’re supposed to make the best of this copy of that world?”
But if Cheok Jun-gyeong already accomplished all of this, why is there a grudge left behind? I’d dig deeper, but the headache’s returning. Using the Akashic Record here is taxing, probably because it’s someone else’s memories. The best course is to get this over with quickly. If Han Su-ji and I have become characters inspired by the Martial God, I might as well play along.
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
“Let’s go capture the fortress.”
“Are you crazy? You think we can manage that? I checked outside—they were looking at us like we’re idiots, calling it an impregnable fortress!”
Why even ask?
That’s because they’re ordinary soldiers. Even the best-trained troops can’t compare to people like us with special abilities. I could probably capture the fortress alone. But this trial is clearly meant for Han Su-ji. I put my hands on her shoulders, looking at her with a captivating gaze. She blushed and swallowed nervously.
“You’re the fiery fighter Han Su-ji, the one I recognize.”
“Uh... yeah. Right.”
“And I’m the White Flame Swordswoman. We have the power to do this.”
If Park Jun-hyuk could pull it off, Han Su-ji definitely can.
“Wait, but I’ve... never actually killed anyone before.”
“You’ll have to get used to it.”
I can’t do all the killing myself. Sooner or later, Han Su-ji needs to get accustomed to it, too. In the original story, she hesitated the first time she had to kill. Better to get over that here in this fragment. As I’ve said before, Han Su-ji follows those she loves, believing that what they do is right.
Honestly, she’s not exactly “normal” either. In situations where killing is necessary, she’ll do it—she just needs someone to guide her through it. I plan to make her depend on me.
“They’re the enemy. They’re killing our allies. As the Cheok sisters, it’s our duty to eliminate them. Just think of them as villains. Or monsters.”
“That’s... easier said than done.”
She’s right. Killing a human is different from killing a monster.
It’s easy to tell at a glance who’s human and who’s monstrous, but if she’s forced to kill someone who looks human, she might freeze. Time to give her a little nudge.
“While you were off training, I slept with Yu-jeong.”
“Ugh.”
Her face twisted in frustration.
“I also slept with Reyna. And even Choi Si-woo.”
“??? Si... Si-woo too?”
Shock washed over her face. It made sense. From her perspective, the fact that Si-woo, who was once male, not only became female but got with me before she did probably felt like a betrayal.
It was time to clarify who’s in charge here.
Wait, do I sound a bit shameless? Whatever. Rubbing together doesn’t count as crossing the line. I’m not using my—let’s call it my “tail.”
“Technically, Si-woo’s a different personality now, but she’s still a female. I took her just like an animal. Which means... you’re the only one I haven’t taken to the next level.”
It’s a simple reminder that she’s one among many heroines. But she doesn’t seem particularly bothered. Right now, she’s looking for someone to rely on, and she’s surprisingly straightforward. Given that even the original Choi Si-woo ended with a harem, the heroines in this story are quite open to the idea of sharing.
“Still... it’s...”
“Look at them—those guys in furs. Just think of them as hairy humanoid beasts.”
I pointed outside the tent toward the men in fur-lined clothes on the fortress wall.
“Fine... I’ll try.”
The faster we get through this fragment, the better.
---
Han Su-ji and I began climbing the fortress wall, as in the historical tale. As soon as we reached the top, we locked eyes with a filthy-looking Jurchen man. This was... fate.
“Who are you?!”
“I’m a woman, not a man.”
Seizing the axe at my waist, I struck down on the Jurchen’s head.
*Crunch!*
Yeah. Destiny to die.
As his skull split with a satisfying crack, others began to swarm. There weren’t many yet, but if we made more of a commotion, their numbers would only increase. But dealing with them is nothing. Even Han Su-ji didn’t hesitate in the fight.
“Those clothes... they’re Goryeo women! Kill them!”
“Too loud. Silence it is.”
*Smash!*
One of them shouted in his native language, so I silenced him with an axe to the head.
Soon enough, all but one—a young boy with an axe—were dead around us. The kid was staring down Han Su-ji, who seemed hesitant.
“Wait, why are you just standing there?”
“Look, I... How can I kill a kid like this?”
This wasn’t just any kid. Look at him—his eyes were filled with hostility. Given the chance, he’d kill us.
“Even a child can be an enemy. And he’s holding a weapon against you.”
“But...”
This won’t do. How can she be a villain if she’s this soft? She needs to get used to this, even if it’s harsh. In a world of hunters, killing, even young foes, is sometimes inevitable. Time for a reality check.
“Fine. If you feel that way, let’s leave him.”
I stepped back as if yielding. If I push too hard, she might rebel.
“R-really?”
“Yes. If he truly has no ill intentions—”
“Take this! Die!”
As expected, the brat swung his axe at Han Su-ji. I parried it and punched him in the gut, knocking him to the ground.
“Ugh!”
I held back, but the goal was for Han Su-ji to finish him off.
“I told you. These are enemies who must be defeated. And this is the Martial God’s fragment. They don’t matter. This is a common reality in our world of hunters. What will you do in that moment? Now, raise your sword.”
At my command, Han Su-ji raised her sword, aiming it at the kid lying in a pool of blood.
“P-please... spare me...”
With a sigh, she hesitated again. This isn’t how I wanted things to go, but...
In the original story, Si-woo showed concern for Han Su-ji. The current Choi Si-woo, however, has lost interest in the heroines, and I suspect he won’t be offering her any guidance or support. He’s consumed by his lust, more interested in satisfying desires than helping emotionally. I might as well take advantage of this.
With the support pillar of Kim Jae-su gone, she’s emotionally vulnerable. Now’s the time to make her a loyal follower.
“If you can’t kill him properly, I’ll be very disappointed in you. And if I’m disappointed, I may abandon you.”
For Han Su-ji, losing me now would be the worst-case scenario. She’d be left stranded, without guidance, only to die miserably as the disciple of a villain.
“I-I can do it!”
*Thud!*
She finally drove the sword into the boy’s chest, realizing only then that she’d killed someone. The look in his eyes, filled with resentment, must have struck her hard. To him, we were the invaders.
“I... I killed him. A kid... really.”
“It couldn’t be helped. This is how it works.”
“While civilians might not understand, this is just how things work in the hunter world. Still, I’m sure you’re feeling pretty unsettled right now. You need something to hold on to.”
Now was the perfect time for a bit of subtle mind control.
“Listen closely, Han Su-ji. Everything I say is right. Got it?”
“Right?”
“Yes. I’ve killed your villainous master, I’m already well-known as a hunter candidate in Korea, right?”
Choi Si-woo, a sacred sword user, is highly respected in Korea, and I’ve proven my worth, not just as Yoo Jin-seok’s sister, but as a swordswoman wielding white flame, rated even higher than Jin-seok was during his academy days. Reyna, though not as popular, is still well-regarded as a reincarnated otherworlder. But Han Su-ji, without the guidance of Kim Jae-su, has no renown.
“So, you should just trust and follow me, don’t you think?”
“Y-yes...”
“If I do something villainous, it’s the right thing for you. If I tell you to kill someone, that too is the right decision. Just trust me and follow my lead.”
The idiot Si-woo never utilized this side of Han Su-ji. Used well, she could be the perfect loyal partner.
“Even if it’s something wrong?”
“No matter what I do, for you, it’s justice. Remember that.”
I wiped the blood from the boy’s body onto my hand, then smeared it on Han Su-ji’s cheek. If she’s to follow me, she’ll need to harden herself. Hesitating won’t do.
“Justice?”
“Yes. You have no one else to trust but me. Understood?”
Though she didn’t seem to fully grasp it, I knew her emotions would guide her. Her feelings for me would lead her to trust and follow me.
“Alright then, let’s finish off the others. For now, we’re Goryeo soldiers—the Cheok sisters—and it’s our duty to capture this fortress, right?”
I said this with a sly smile, encouraging her forward.