Chapter 8 – The Awakening of Fire
"Damn it... this dungeon wasn't supposed to break now..." muttered Ha-Joon, feeling a chill run down his spine. The ground vibrated beneath his feet, and the air felt denser, charged with tension. "I remember... in the anime, this area was evacuated before this happened..."
The scene before his eyes was like a painting of chaos: grotesque monsters emerging from cracks in the ground, civilians running in desperation, screams of fear mixing with the sounds of sirens and bestial roars. It was as if reality had collapsed.
"Could it be... the damn butterfly effect?"
Ha-Joon clenched his fists. His heart beat like a war drum in his chest. It all seemed unreal — but the smell of blood and gunpowder in the air was very real.
Then, he took a step forward and shouted:
"SUMMON!"
In an instant, a sword appeared in his hand. The blade pulsed with a bluish energy, as if it were breathing with him. The activation made the world around him tremble slightly. And, without him noticing, the nearby lights reacted. They flickered, exploded in brightness, and shattered — as if recognizing the birth of a dormant power.
"Ha-Joon! What are we going to do now?!" shouted Jin-Ah, her voice trembling with fear. Her eyes were wide as the creatures advanced.
Ha-Joon looked at her and didn't hesitate.
"Let's go! I'm getting you out of here!"
With a swift gesture, he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd. The ground shook with each step, and behind them, sounds of destruction echoed like thunder: bodies being thrown, cars flipping over, structures collapsing. A true nightmare.
"Editor! Come on, before the monsters see us!"
"Y-yes!" replied the editor, stumbling over his own feet as he tried to keep up.
The streets were a mess. Jin-Ah looked around in all directions, her eyes searching for an escape, any safe path.
"Ha-Joon, which way?!"
He turned his head and saw, in the distance, a group of Hunters holding back the monsters with magic strikes and enchanted weapons. The police did what they could to evacuate the civilians.
"That way!" he said, pointing to a narrow alley.
"We need to get off the battlefield as fast as possible..." he muttered. His mind was on full alert. He remembered that boss. That immense and nearly invincible creature that not even a full team had managed to take down. The battle only ended when Sung Jin-Woo appeared, freshly empowered, and helped break the creature's defenses.
"Jin-Ah, can you still run?"
"Yes!"
"And you, editor?"
"I'm... fine!" he replied, though sweating cold.
"Great. This way!"
The trio ran down the alley, stepping in puddles and debris. The narrow walls muffled the sounds, but the roars still reached them, distant and threatening.
But then—
BOOOOM!
An explosion. A colossal shockwave launched them into the air like leaves in the wind. Ha-Joon hit the ground with his back, the air knocked from his lungs. Dizziness. Pain. Dust. Everything spun.
When he lifted his head, his blood ran cold.
The boss.
It was colossal, covered in armor made of rock and shadow. A nightmare monster, with eyes red like embers and claws that looked like steel blades. Its foot rose... and on the ground, right where it would fall, was Jin-Ah, stunned and fallen.
"JIN-AH!!"
Ha-Joon tried to run. He screamed. Every muscle in his body begged for more speed, but he knew he wouldn't make it in time. Despair burned like acid in his chest. Fear. Helplessness. Guilt.
And then, he screamed — not with his voice, but with his soul:
"SOMEONE... ANYONE... LEND ME POWER!!!"
The world seemed to stop. A golden light exploded in the air, blinding, intense. And suddenly... silence.
Ha-Joon was in another place.
An ethereal space, where the sky was an ocean of fire and the Fairy Tail symbol glowed in the air. The heat was comforting. The flames danced around him like old friends.
In front of him... Natsu Dragneel.
The legendary fire mage stared at him seriously. The flames on his body seemed alive.
"Would you really risk your life... for a friend?"
"She... is my only friend in this strange world," Ha-Joon replied, without hesitation.
For a moment, silence ruled the flaming plane. Until Natsu smiled — that confident, indomitable smile.
"Then fight with your heart!"
He extended his hand. Ha-Joon took it without fear.
A wave of energy engulfed him. Fire, courage, friendship.
Trial passed.
"Summoning Magic: Natsu Dragneel!"
Reality exploded in heat.
A gigantic flame appeared, shaping itself into a dragon roaring in the sky. The fiery power swirled around Ha-Joon, wrapping him like an invisible armor.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared on top of a building. He had grabbed Jin-Ah and the editor just in time, and now both were safe by his side.
He turned to the boss, his gaze burning like live embers.
"I didn't think this would be my power..." he murmured. "The emotions, the feelings of everyone who reads my comics... gave me strength. Thank you, Natsu..."
Ha-Joon took a deep breath. There was no more fear. Only determination.
"I don't feel like I'm going to lose now."
He struck his fists together. Flames burst between his arms.
"Our battle starts now... you pile of trash."
He smiled, eyes fixed on the colossal creature before him.
"I'm fired up..."
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Thank you for following this fanfic. I invite you to discover my original work, Spirit of Gods and Demons: The Legend Continues, where a new and powerful journey awaits you."