Chapter 10 – The Burden of Power
The sound of sirens echoed in the distance, blurring into the faint crackle of embers still clinging to life within the rubble. The city behind them lay wounded, its skyline marred by smoke, destruction, and silence. Ha-Joon landed heavily in a narrow alley tucked between two quiet buildings, his knees buckling beneath him before he caught himself.
Smoke coiled around his body like a dying beast. Dust clung to his damp skin, and sweat poured down his brow, dripping from his chin to the cracked pavement. He was breathing hard — ragged and uneven, like every inhale scraped against broken glass inside his chest.
He carefully lowered Jin-Ah and the editor to the ground. What should've been a simple movement felt like lifting a mountain. His arms trembled. His vision blurred. Even the weight of their bodies — one unconscious, the other semi-lucid — threatened to pull him to the ground.
His chest heaved, rising and falling with an effort that bordered on agony. His body screamed in protest with every twitch, every pulse of his burned-out mana veins. It felt like his muscles had been torn apart and stitched back together by fire itself. The warmth of the Fire Dragon's power — the inferno he had borrowed — had long faded. Now, only fatigue remained. Fatigue and the scent of scorched air.
"Ha-Joon… are you okay?" Jin-Ah's voice broke the silence. She knelt beside him, her eyes wide with concern. Her hand hovered near his shoulder, hesitant, as if touching him might shatter him completely.
He gave her a lopsided grin through cracked lips.
"I'm… just… wrecked," he muttered, letting his body slump backward, his spine meeting the cold, damp wall with a dull thud. "Need a three-day nap… maybe four."
The silence returned, filled only by the whisper of wind snaking between buildings. Then—
"AAAAAAH! WHAT?! WHERE ARE WE?!"
The editor jolted upright with a strangled scream, arms flailing as if still trapped inside the explosion's aftermath. His wide eyes darted around like a hunted animal. "Is the monster still here?! Are we dead?! What happened?!"
Jin-Ah quickly reached out, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Calm down, sir. It's over. You're safe."
He blinked. Took a few shaky breaths. Slowly, the panic faded from his expression as he looked around. The alley was dark but quiet. Peaceful. The night sky above shimmered with stars, oblivious to the chaos that had unfolded mere streets away.
"How… how did we get here?" he asked, voice low and confused.
"Ha-Joon carried us," Jin-Ah said softly, glancing toward the boy slumped in the corner like a discarded rag doll. "After we passed out."
The editor's gaze followed hers. For a long second, he said nothing — just stared at the boy who had saved his life. Awe slowly crept into his features, followed by gratitude.
"Dude… thank you so much," he said, swallowing hard. "You… you saved us."
Ha-Joon tried to shrug, but the motion turned into more of a twitch. His body refused to obey even the simplest commands.
Then the editor checked his watch.
"Oh no! I'm late! My family must be freaking out!" he exclaimed, staggering to his feet with a groan. His knees cracked as he wobbled, but he found his balance and turned to the two teenagers.
"Want a ride home?"
Ha-Joon's eyes were already half-closed.
"We live nearby," Jin-Ah said with a smile, shaking her head.
"Okay, then," the editor said. He took a few steps toward the exit of the alley, then turned, flashing a grateful grin. "Good night… and thanks again. Oh! And I'll tell the chief you agreed to more chapters!"
He vanished into the street, his footsteps fading into the night.
Ha-Joon exhaled deeply. The weight of the secret he carried — of the power he had used, and the things he couldn't explain — pressed down on him like a mountain. His limbs throbbed. His vision spun.
"Jin-Ah…" he muttered, head drooping. "Help me. I'm falling apart."
She gave a tired laugh, though her smile held warmth. Even with her face streaked in soot, her presence was comforting. "You're unbelievable," she said, crouching down and slipping his arm over her shoulder. "Come on, hero. Let's get you home."
Their steps were slow, awkward, but filled with relief. The adrenaline had worn off. The battle was over. For now.
But they weren't alone.
From the rooftop of a distant building, a lone figure stood motionless beneath the starlight.
Golden hair fluttered like silk in the breeze. A combat suit hugged her figure, unmarred by battle. Her aura — sharp, refined, overwhelming — radiated authority.
Cha Hae-In. S-Rank Hunter. One of South Korea's strongest.
She had felt it. The moment the mana spike tore through the air, unnatural and chaotic. She had raced toward the battlefield, but by the time she arrived, the danger had passed — the enemy defeated. All that remained was dust, fire, and a question that refused to leave her mind.
She had seen it.
A boy. Barely older than a teenager. Unregistered. Unranked. Yet fighting like a master of war.
Powerful. Controlled. Radiant.
He didn't move like a new recruit. He moved like someone with purpose.
With style.
With soul.
With… fire.
Her eyes followed the boy's fading form as he leaned on Jin-Ah. Something stirred in her — not fear, but a deep, instinctual awareness. A hunter's sixth sense.
This wasn't just about power.
This was something else entirely.
Something ancient.
Something foreign.
"Who are you…?" she whispered, her words carried away by the wind.
A gust swept across the rooftop, lifting her hair like invisible fingers searching for answers.
But answers… were still far away.
And the burden of power had only just begun.
Thanks for reading this fanfic! This is the last chapter of the week. I'll see you again on Monday with new chapters for you. In the meantime, why not check out my original work: Spirit of Gods and Demons: The Legend Continues? See you Monday!