Chapter 9 – The Flames of a Dream Hunter
— "Come on, you giant pile of scrap!" — Ha-Joon shouted, his fists wrapped in flames that rippled with living fury. — "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
His punch exploded against the creature's torso, generating a shockwave that reverberated through the streets. The monster was thrown back like a cannonball, rolling across the asphalt and crushing everything in its path—concrete, light poles, even street signs shattered like paper. The force of the blow echoed for blocks, as if thunder had descended upon the Earth. But the creature rose again, its muscular body trembling, eyes flaming with hatred. A brutal roar echoed through the surrounding buildings, making windows shudder.
With surprisingly agile movement for its colossal size, the monster launched a punch so massive the air whistled in its path, aiming to crush the bold opponent who dared to challenge it.
Ha-Joon dodged on pure instinct. The fist collided with the ground, exploding it into a dense cloud of dust and concrete. The impact formed a deep crater, and nearby buildings vibrated, cracks snaking across the walls like living scars.
In the distance, a group of newly arrived Hunters stopped as they witnessed the absurdity unfolding before them.
— "What the hell..." — one of the Hunters murmured, unable to believe what he was seeing. — "Who... who's fighting that thing?!"
The sight looked like something out of a nightmare: a boy, fists ablaze, defying a colossal beast.
Before they could intervene, the monster counterattacked brutally, hitting Ha-Joon with a devastating blow. The impact launched him against a nearby building wall. The structure groaned under the shock, cracks spread, and bricks tumbled in a cascade. Ha-Joon was embedded in the debris, his vision flickering, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.
Injured, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand, trying to rise from the rubble. His muscles burned, and the pain was nearly unbearable. The creature, relentless, advanced with heavy, implacable steps, each one a hammer of doom.
— "Damn... my whole body is screaming..." — he thought, gritting his teeth. — "A Rank-E body can't withstand Natsu's power for long... But if I don't end this now... everyone will die."
Each step of the creature sounded like a final sentence. The air around it vibrated with tension.
Meanwhile, in a partially destroyed building, Jin-Ah, unconscious due to the impact of the battle, began to awaken. Her eyes opened slowly, tearing up from the thick smoke filling the area. Still dazed, she managed to glimpse Ha-Joon through the curtain of dust and destruction.
She observed his movements, the way he fought... The way his fists burned with intense flames.
— "That's... Natsu's fighting style... from the manga he created," — she realized, her mind connecting the dots in a flash of clarity. It was impossible... but it made sense. The same technique. The same energy. The same fire.
Even injured, she tried to get up. Her body trembled with pain, but her eyes shone with determination.
— "Ha-Joon... come back alive. Please... win this battle!" — she whispered, her voice weak, but her heart beating strongly. She knew. He was the only hope.
As if he could feel her presence, her trust, something inside Ha-Joon reignited. That fire, fueled by Jin-Ah's silent faith, by the need to protect, by the desire to survive... burned stronger.
— "It's now or never!"
With a burning cry, Ha-Joon charged forward with everything he had. The flames on his arms roared like a furious dragon, setting the air around him ablaze. Every fiber of his body burned with accumulated power as the monster prepared its final blow.
— "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The punch struck the creature with absurd force, making it stagger, reeling. The beast's defense shattered like glass. A high-pitched howl echoed, but Ha-Joon didn't stop. He knew it still wasn't enough.
— "Fire Dragon's Claws!"
With impressive agility, Ha-Joon tore through the air with a series of flaming attacks, his arms wrapped in living fire. Each strike hit the monster with precision and brutality, tearing into its flesh and bringing it to its knees. The enemy panted, clearly on the brink of defeat.
But more was needed. The final blow.
Jumping high, arms raised as if summoning the very heavens, Ha-Joon gathered all his power into one last attack. He screamed with everything he had:
— "FIRE DRAGON'S ROOOAAR!!!"
The explosion of flames was monumental, an incandescent storm that engulfed the entire monster. The impact made the buildings around tremble as if a volcano had awakened. A wave of heat swept through the streets, forcing even the Hunters to back away.
When the smoke cleared, only ashes remained... and silence.
Wasting no time, Ha-Joon used the veil of destruction as cover and fled, leaping from rooftop to rooftop like a flaming shadow.
— "I can't be discovered yet... my body's too weak, and this power... it's way too special," — he thought, his mind spinning in alert. — "If the authorities find out what I'm capable of, I'm dead. Even a Rank-C Hunter could kill me right now. I need to get stronger. If I managed to summon Natsu... I can summon even more powerful characters... I can even create new mangas... and summon characters from them too!"
A spark of joy and hope lit up in his chest. For the first time, he had a real chance to change his fate. He had found power... and now, nothing could stop him.
— "Yes. Now I have a real chance to change my destiny... Just like you, Sung Jin-Woo."
On the other side of the city, Sung Jin-Woo was walking out of a freshly cleared dungeon. The calm of victory surrounded him, but his eyes fixed on the distant wreckage. He stopped, observing the signs of battle with nearly feline attention.
— "What happened here?"
Two civilians, still dazed, looked at the scene.
— "It was a monster, but someone destroyed it with a fireball!" — said one of them, eyes wide open.
Sung Jin-Woo raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
— "A fireball...? Which Hunter did that?"
He looked toward the devastated street. A slight smile formed on his face, and his eyes gleamed with curiosity.
— "I'm still too weak... Better keep leveling up."
And like a shadow, he vanished into the crowd before anyone could notice his presence.
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."
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