Chapter 3: First Blood

Jin had grown stronger in the two years since his grandmother's death. He had taught himself how to fight with a wooden spear, and had trained his body to be fast and agile. Despite his young age, he felt confident in his abilities.

One day, Jin decided to join the village children as they ventured into the nearby forest. They were all excited to explore and play, but Jin had a different agenda. He wanted to test his skills against the creatures that lurked in the forest, to see how far he had come.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, they came across a hilichurl. The creature was ugly, with twisted features and beady eyes. It let out a guttural roar as it charged towards them.

The children screamed and scattered in all directions, but Jin stood his ground. He gripped his wooden spear tightly, ready to face the creature head-on.

The hilichurl lunged at Jin, but he dodged out of the way, striking back with his spear. They traded blows, each landing a few hits on the other. Jin felt a sharp pain in his side where the hilichurl had grazed him, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on.

As they fought, Jin felt a strange sensation building inside him. It was a power he had never felt before, a surge of energy that seemed to be flowing into him from somewhere else.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jin landed a final blow on the hilichurl, striking it through the heart. The creature let out a final howl before collapsing to the ground.

Jin stood there, panting and sweating, with his wooden spear still clutched tightly in his hand. He had done it - he had taken down his first opponent. But as he looked down at the hilichurl's lifeless body, he felt a twinge of sadness. It had been a living creature, after all.

As he stood there, lost in thought, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side. He stumbled, feeling dizzy and weak, and collapsed to the ground.

As he lay there, his vision fading, he saw a small fragment of light enter his body. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel its power coursing through him, healing his wounds and making him stronger.

And then everything went dark, as he fell into unconsciousness.