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Chapter 7: The Price of Sacrifice
The world around Jung Hee seemed to crumble as he knelt beside Eun Woo's lifeless body, his hands trembling as he held his best friend in his arms. The weight of the moment crushed him, and everything else—the chaos, the monsters, the destruction—faded into the background. All that mattered was the boy lying motionless before him, the one person who had always been there for him, the one he had sworn to protect.
But he had failed.
"Eun Woo…" Jung Hee whispered, his voice breaking. His heart pounded in his chest, but the world felt distant and numb. His tears fell freely, dripping onto Eun Woo's pale skin, but no amount of tears could change what had just happened.
Eun Woo was gone.
The monster's claws had cut deep, and the blood that soaked through his clothes was a testament to the fatal blow. Jung Hee's mind raced, desperate for something—anything—that could undo this moment. But there was nothing.
His body shook as the reality of the situation crashed down on him. The one person he had fought so hard to protect had been taken from him, and now… now he is alone.
"I'm sorry," Jung Hee whispered, his voice barely audible. His hands gripped Eun Woo's shoulders, his fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as if holding him tighter could somehow bring him back. "I'm so sorry…"
He didn't know who he was apologizing to—Eun Woo, himself, the universe—but the words kept spilling out, raw and broken.
The sounds of the monsters in the distance were growing louder, but Jung Hee couldn't move. He couldn't leave Eun Woo behind, not like this. He had promised they would get through this together, that they would survive. But now… now he doesn't know how to go on.
"I can't do this without you," Jung Hee whispered, his voice cracking with grief. His tears blurred his vision, but he didn't care. All he could see was Eun Woo's face, his eyes closed, his body still and cold in his arms.
For a long moment, the world was silent. Jung Hee's mind raced, his heart shattering into a million pieces. Every breath felt like a struggle, every second a battle to keep from collapsing entirely.
But even as his heart broke, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind—keep going.
That had been Eun Woo's final wish, his last words. He had fought for Jung Hee, sacrificed himself so that Jung Hee could live. He had given everything, and now… now it was up to Jung Hee to honor that sacrifice.
Jung Hee wiped his tears with the back of his hand, his body trembling as he forced himself to take a deep breath. The pain was overwhelming, suffocating, but he couldn't let it consume him. Not yet.
"I'll keep going," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I'll finish what we started."
But as the words left his lips, a sharp growl echoed through the night.
Jung Hee's head snapped up, his heart pounding in his chest. The monsters were still out there, still hunting, and they were closing in.
The urge to stay by Eun Woo's side, to hold onto him for just a little longer, was overwhelming, but he knew he couldn't stay. If he stayed, they would both be lost. He had to move.
Jung Hee carefully laid Eun Woo's body down, his hands trembling as he brushed the blood-soaked hair away from his friend's face. His chest tightened with grief, and for a brief moment, he wished he could follow Eun Woo into the darkness.
But that wasn't what Eun Woo would have wanted.
"I'll come back for you," Jung Hee whispered, his voice cracking. "I promise."
With one final, agonizing glance, Jung Hee stood up, his body aching with every movement. His vision blurred with tears, but he forced himself to focus. The monsters were still coming, and he had to keep moving.
The weight of the promise he had made to Eun Woo hung heavy in his chest, but it gave him the strength to take the first step. Then another. And another.
But as he turned to leave the bridge, a deafening roar split the night.
Jung Hee froze, his heart skipping a beat as the largest of the monsters—the one that had killed Eun Woo—appeared from the shadows, its glowing red eyes locked onto him. It was massive, towering over the remains of the city, its claws gleaming in the moonlight.
Jung Hee's body tensed, his hands clenching into fists. The creature had taken everything from him. It had killed Eun Woo.
A surge of anger bubbled up inside him, cutting through the grief. His heart pounded in his chest, and for the first time since Eun Woo's death, something shifted inside him—a burning, unrelenting need for revenge.
He wasn't going to run anymore.
With a fierce roar of his own, Jung Hee grabbed his weapon from the ground and turned to face the monster. His chest burned with grief, but his mind was clear, focused. This wasn't just about survival anymore.
This was for Eun Woo.
The creature lunged, its claws slashing through the air, but Jung Hee was ready. He dodged the first attack, his body moving with a speed and precision he hadn't known he had. The second attack came, but this time, he met it head-on, his weapon connecting with the creature's claws in a deafening clash of metal and bone.
The force of the blow sent Jung Hee staggering back, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He swung again, his weapon slicing through the air as he landed blow after blow, each strike fueled by the overwhelming grief and rage that filled him.
The monster howled in fury, its red eyes glowing brighter as it lashed out at him. But Jung Hee was relentless. His body burned with exhaustion, but he fought through it, his mind consumed by one single thought:
For Eun Woo.
With a final, desperate strike, Jung Hee drove his weapon deep into the creature's chest. The monster let out one last, deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, its body shuddering before finally going still.
For a moment, Jung Hee stood there, his chest heaving, his mind numb. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the full weight of what had just happened hit him like a freight train.
He had avenged Eun Woo.
But the victory felt hollow.
As the night settled around him, Jung Hee's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees beside the monster's lifeless body. His hands shook, his heart ached, and the grief he had tried so hard to push down finally crashed over him like a wave.
Eun Woo was gone.
And the world felt emptier without him.
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End of Chapter 7
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