Night had fallen over the remnants of the city, and within the crumbling walls of an old warehouse, Ha-jin and Mirae settled in for the night. The silence was thick, interrupted only by the distant sounds of a world still reeling from chaos. They had spent the entire day training, honing their powers and learning the limits of their new abilities.
Mirae, exhausted, quickly drifted off to sleep, her breathing steady and calm. But Ha-jin, despite his fatigue, found it difficult to close his eyes. His mind raced with the thoughts of the powers he had gained, the weight of his stigmas pressing down on him. When sleep finally claimed him, it wasn't peaceful.
Inside his mind, the familiar darkness crept in. A cold, suffocating blackness that stretched infinitely in every direction. Ha-jin stood in the center, his body tense, sensing what was coming. And then, out of the void, the demon appeared.
"Long time no see," the demon's voice slithered through the darkness, cold and mocking. It stood before him, its twisted, serpentine form oozing malice. Its red eyes gleamed, filled with dark amusement.
Ha-jin clenched his fists but said nothing, waiting for the creature to speak. He had grown used to the demon's appearances—always showing up in his dreams, always with something cryptic to say.
"You've been getting stronger, Ha-jin," the demon continued, pacing in front of him. "But you still don't understand the full potential of your powers. The Man Who Slayed a Constellation… do you truly think you've unlocked all it has to offer?"
Ha-jin raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "And what would you know about that?"
The demon stopped, turning its gaze to Ha-jin. "I know everything," it hissed. "Including the fact that you fear using that power because of its fatal consequences. You're afraid to push yourself because you know it could kill you."
Ha-jin's jaw tightened. "I'm not stupid enough to die just to use that power. The risk is too great."
"Is it?" the demon asked, tilting its head. "What if I told you there was a way to use the full power of The Man Who Slayed a Constellation without dying?"
For a moment, Ha-jin felt a flicker of hope. But he quickly quelled it, narrowing his eyes at the demon. "And what's the catch?"
The demon grinned, its teeth gleaming in the darkness. "The catch is simple. In order to bypass the limits of that power, you must make a sacrifice."
Ha-jin's gaze darkened. "A sacrifice?"
"You have to kill someone with whom you share a bond," the demon said, its voice smooth and deliberate. "The move is called Sword of Totsuka. When you use it, the soul of the one you kill is sealed into your sword, and doing so will push you past all limits."
Ha-jin's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the demon's words sinking in. The thought of killing someone close to him, of sealing their soul for power, made his stomach churn.
"You're telling me… I have to kill someone I care about to use the power?" Ha-jin's voice was tight, barely controlled.
The demon nodded. "That's right. Kill someone close to you, and the restrictions of The Man Who Slayed a Constellation will no longer apply. You can boost your strength, speed, and endurance as much as you like, without dying."
Ha-jin's mind raced. The implications of the demon's words hit him hard. If what it said was true, he could become unstoppable. But at what cost?
He shook his head. "And what makes you think I'd ever do that? If you're saying this, it means I can use the Fourth Wall to detach myself and"
"No," the demon interrupted sharply. Its voice held a sudden edge, a finality that sent a chill down Ha-jin's spine. "The Fourth Wall cannot protect you from this. Even if you detach yourself from your emotions, the bond must be real, and the pain of breaking it must be felt. The Sword of Totsuka requires true sacrifice, not an empty gesture."
Ha-jin's fists tightened, his mind wrestling with the horror of the demon's revelation. The thought of killing someone—anyone—for power was abhorrent. But the demon's words lingered, tempting him with the promise of unlimited strength.
"You want power," the demon continued, its voice lowering to a whisper. "I've seen it in you. The hunger, the desire to survive, to win. But power always comes at a price. How far are you willing to go, Ha-jin?"
Ha-jin stood still, his thoughts swirling in a storm of conflict. The demon's offer was as dangerous as it was tempting. And yet, deep down, he knew the truth.
There was always a price. And in this world, power didn't come without sacrifice.
The demon watched him, its smile widening as it sensed the turmoil within Ha-jin. "Think about it," it said, its voice fading as the darkness began to recede. "When the time comes, you'll know what to do."
Ha-jin woke with a start, his heart racing, his mind still clouded by the demon's words. He glanced at Mirae, who slept peacefully beside him, unaware of the storm raging within him.
Could he ever make such a choice? Could he ever pay that price?
The weight of the question pressed down on him as the night stretched on, offering no answers.