Chapter 11 – Decisions and Revelations
Night was slowly falling over the city, tinting the sky with orange hues and growing shadows. The distant sound of traffic and the rustling of trees created a peaceful atmosphere, almost like a sigh of relief after recent chaos. Ha-Joon unlocked the door to his house and entered, with Jin-Ah right behind him.
She took a deep breath, her shoulders still tense, and turned to him with a firm look.
— Can you explain what happened back there now?
Before Ha-Joon could respond, the insistent ring of Jin-Ah's phone cut through the silence. She answered, immediately recognizing the name on the screen: Sung Jin-Woo.
— Where are you? — he asked, his voice filled with concern.
— I'm at a friend's house — she replied, trying to keep her tone light, despite the whirlwind she felt inside. She didn't want to make him even more anxious.
— I see... Take care. I'll see you tomorrow — he said, ending the call gently.
She put the phone in her pocket and, noticing Ha-Joon's look, tried to explain.
— Why did you lie to him? — he asked, with genuine curiosity.
— He's already very worried about our mom... I don't want to make him more anxious than he already is.
— I understand... — murmured Ha-Joon, looking away.
— But don't change the subject! What was that? How did you get so strong all of a sudden?
Ha-Joon hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words.
— I don't know... I just... I was desperate. I needed help. And then, suddenly, this power surged inside me.
Jin-Ah stared at him for a few seconds, studying his expression, before letting out a soft smile.
— Well... just know you can count on me if you want to talk, okay?
— Thanks — he replied, feeling a strange warmth in his chest from those words.
— Now... where's the bathroom? I need to clean up.
— Second door on the right, at the end of the hall.
— Be right back! — she said, heading down the hall.
With her out of the room, Ha-Joon took advantage of the silence. He stretched out his hand in front of him, focusing. A small flame danced at his fingertips.
— So... the power I can use without fully summoning the character is minimal...
He looked at his reflection in the window, noticing the slight muscular definition appearing in his arms.
— My body strengthens a bit every time I use this power... Am I absorbing a part of it? Maybe, someday, I'll be able to use Natsu's full power without needing a full summoning. That could be why my body is adapting — to handle the energy on its own.
He leaned against the couch, deep in thought.
— What I know so far...
He raised his fingers one by one, as if counting:
— First: the manga I create absorbs the emotions of those who read it. That allows me to summon or create characters.
— Second: the characters I've summoned so far have the same level of power as the point in the story I drew. That explains why I could summon Natsu from the beginning of Fairy Tail. Thank goodness... If he were at his peak, my weak Rank-E body would've exploded on the spot — he let out a bitter laugh.
— Third: I still can't summon extremely powerful characters like Acnologia or Zeref. Maybe due to a lack of emotional energy generated by readers... or maybe my body just isn't ready. After all, I nearly died summoning Natsu in his initial state. Or maybe there's some condition I haven't discovered yet.
The sound of the bathroom door opening interrupted his thoughts. Jin-Ah emerged with still damp hair and a calmer face.
— I have to go. My brother will get worried.
— Alright — said Ha-Joon, walking with her to the door. They said goodbye with a brief wave.
As soon as she left, he went to the bathroom and took a long shower, letting the hot water run over his shoulders as his mind spun in circles.
If my powers come from the manga people read... I need to carefully choose which stories to create. I can't afford to waste energy on unnecessary manga just because they're cool. I need to cover as many weaknesses as possible.
After the shower, he dried off, got dressed, and lay in bed, still absorbed in thought.
— This world is dangerous. I have to think strategically.
He stared at the ceiling, as if already seeing the outlines of the next chapter.
— For now, I'll decide like this:
Magic: Fairy Tail.
Body: One Piece.
Mental Power: Naruto.
Soul and Weapons: Bleach.
Domain Expansion: Jujutsu Kaisen.
— I'll focus on creating these series now. That way, I cover as many weaknesses as possible.
A slight smile formed on his lips.
— Ah... if I could create Dragon Ball and summon a God of Destruction or an Angel, I'd be invincible... But the emotional energy needed for that must be insane.
He turned in bed, sighing.
— Better stop daydreaming... and do the best with what I have.
He grabbed his notebook and pen.
— Alright... before bed, let's work on the first chapters of the chosen manga.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Jin-Ah walked through the lit-up streets, her thoughts racing.
Does he really think I wouldn't recognize Natsu's power? I was his first fan, that idiot.
She shook her head, holding back a small laugh.
— When he's ready to tell me... I'll just laugh and say: "I already knew."
And with a serene smile on her lips, she continued on her path under the night sky.
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