The Devil's Cage

Kaito had seen hell before.

His past life as a contract killer had thrown him into the worst places humanity had to offer—blood-soaked alleys, torture chambers, warzones littered with corpses.

But this?

This was something else.

The Inner Sect of the Crimson Demon Cult was not a place for warriors.

It was a cage for beasts.

A place where only the strong survived, and the weak were torn apart.

And now—he was trapped in it.

---

Thrown to the Wolves

The door to his new quarters slammed shut behind him.

Kaito stood in the dimly lit stone chamber, his muscles still aching from the fight with Bai Long. He glanced around.

Four walls. No windows. One door.

And in front of him—three men, already waiting.

They grinned.

"Well, well," one of them drawled. He was tall, bald, with a jagged scar running down his cheek. His voice oozed confidence, the kind that came from knowing he could kill you in seconds.

"So, you're the new dog Wu-Jin brought in?"

The second one—shorter, bulkier, with a nose that looked like it had been broken a dozen times—cracked his knuckles.

"Heard you put up a fight against Bai Long," he sneered. "Guess that means you ain't a total weakling."

Kaito remained silent. Observing. Calculating.

The third one, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, just smirked. Cold. Unreadable.

Kaito's instincts screamed at him.

These three weren't just here to greet him.

This was a test.

A game.

And if he failed?

They'd tear him apart.

---

The Rules of the Cage

Bald Scarface stepped forward, circling Kaito like a predator. "You know how things work here, right?"

Kaito said nothing.

The man chuckled. "Didn't think so. Let me educate you."

He jabbed a finger into Kaito's chest.

"There's no 'sect brotherhood' in the Inner Sect. No masters, no disciples. Just killers and corpses."

Broken Nose grinned. "And right now, you're lookin' like a fresh corpse."

Kaito exhaled slowly. They wanted him to break. To show fear.

Not happening.

"Is that so?" he finally said. His voice was calm. Too calm.

Bald Scarface's smirk faltered for half a second.

Kaito moved.

Fast.

Before the man could react, Kaito's fist drove into his throat.

A sickening gurgle.

Bald Scarface staggered back, gasping for air.

But Kaito wasn't done.

He pivoted, slamming an elbow into Broken Nose's jaw.

CRACK.

The bastard hit the ground like a sack of bricks.

The third man, the unreadable one, finally pushed off the wall.

Kaito turned to face him, body tensed for a fight—

But the man just grinned.

"Hah." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I like you."

Kaito narrowed his eyes.

The man smirked. "Name's Shen Mu. And you just proved you ain't a corpse. Yet."

Bald Scarface was still gasping on the floor. Broken Nose was out cold.

And Shen Mu?

He looked entirely unfazed.

"Welcome to the Devil's Cage, Jin Tae-Hyun," he said.

Kaito's fists remained clenched. Something about this guy felt off.

Shen Mu's smirk widened. "Let's hope you last longer than the last one."

---

The Real Nightmare Begins

That night, Kaito barely slept.

His new quarters were a small, windowless cell, barely big enough to stretch in.

He sat on the floor, back against the cold stone, replaying the day's events in his mind.

Wu-Jin had thrown him into the lion's den.

And Shen Mu…

That guy was dangerous.

Not in the way Bai Long was. Bai Long was brute force, a monster in human form.

Shen Mu was something else.

A snake.

Someone who watched, waited, and struck when you least expected it.

Kaito exhaled, rubbing his temples.

He needed to get stronger. Fast.

Because right now?

He was just another piece of meat in the Devil's Cage.

And the beasts were watching.

---

A Morning of Blood

The next day, Kaito was dragged out of his cell at dawn.

A masked disciple led him through the maze-like corridors, past torches that barely illuminated the crimson banners hanging from the walls.

Finally, they emerged into an open courtyard.

And Kaito's stomach twisted.

Corpses. At least five. Fresh. Some still twitching.

And in the center of it all—Wu-Jin, watching with amusement.

"Well," Wu-Jin said, turning to face him. "You're awake."

Kaito's eyes stayed on the dead bodies.

"What is this?"

Wu-Jin smiled. "Your first lesson."

He gestured to the side.

A group of Inner Sect disciples stood in a line.

Blood splattered their robes. Their weapons dripped red.

Kaito recognized two of them.

Bald Scarface. Broken Nose.

Still alive. But now? Their faces were pale.

And then—Shen Mu.

Standing at the edge of the group, arms crossed. Expression unreadable.

Wu-Jin's voice broke the silence.

"The Inner Sect has one rule." His smile widened. "If you want to stay, you must kill."

Kaito's fingers twitched.

He'd seen this before.

In the original story, this was how new recruits were broken.

Forced to kill. Forced to become monsters.

Wu-Jin clapped his hands. "Your turn, Jin Tae-Hyun."

Kaito's blood ran cold.

A disciple stepped forward—dragging a bound prisoner.

A terrified man, barely out of his teens.

Wu-Jin tossed a dagger at Kaito's feet.

The meaning was clear.

Kill him. Or die.

The courtyard fell silent.

The other disciples watched. Waiting.

Wu-Jin's eyes gleamed with amusement.

And Shen Mu?

He smirked.

Like he already knew what Kaito was going to do.

Kaito's heart pounded.

This wasn't just a test.

It was a trap.

Because no matter what he chose—

He was already damned.