Quiet night..
The night after the 2081 Year Nominees Award Ceremony was heavy with quiet anticipation. Seoul's skyline shimmered under a canopy of artificial stars, but for Prime Minister Gok, the night felt darker than usual.
He sat alone in his office, the grand view of the city's revival stretching before him. On his desk sat an empty glass and a near-finished bottle of whiskey—an indulgence he only allowed himself on rare occasions. Tonight was one of those nights.
He leaned back in his chair, the faint hum of the city below barely audible over the thoughts storming in his head.
Gok poured the last of the whiskey into his glass, watching the amber liquid swirl under the dim light of his desk lamp. He thought of the rift above the Five Saviours' Statue and the strange cherry blossom scent that had lingered in his office earlier.
He raised the glass but didn't drink. Instead, his eyes fell on a worn photograph tucked into the corner of his desk. It was from the early days, when he, Wu-Ji, Sung Min Ki, King D, and Dino had fought side by side. The image, faded and creased, was one of the few things he couldn't let go of.
Gok (to himself): "Min Ki, Wu-Ji… even now, you won't let me rest."
As he stared at the photograph, the lights in his office flickered. A cold breeze swept through the room, carrying with it a faint, otherworldly hum.
The holographic display on his wall flashed to life, unprompted. A warning symbol appeared—an alert from the global surveillance network monitoring dimensional activity.
System Alert:
"Unknown Rift Disturbance Detected: Blossom Dimension.
Origin Point: Gok's Office."
Before Gok could react, the small tracking beacon he had carried earlier began to blink erratically.
Gok: "What the hell…"
The cherry blossom scent grew stronger, and from the shadows of his room, a figure began to emerge.
The figure stepped into the light, wearing tattered armor covered in scratches and bloodstains. The moment Gok saw the familiar face beneath the samurai helmet, his heart skipped a beat.
Wu-Ji.
But it wasn't the same Wu-Ji he remembered. His once-proud eyes were clouded, his movements strained. The armor he wore seemed almost ceremonial, the symbol of the Blossom Dimension emblazoned on his chest.
Wu-Ji (weakly): "Gok… it's not over… They're coming."
Before Gok could process the moment, Wu-Ji staggered forward, collapsing onto one knee. His voice was barely audible, but the weight of his words hit Gok like a freight train.
Wu-Ji: "The Blossom Dimension… it's more than a rift. It's… a gateway. They want the whole world, Gok… You need to be ready. Find Min Ki… He's there."
The tracking beacon on Gok's desk began to pulse faster, syncing with Wu-Ji's faint heartbeat.
Gok: "Min Ki? You're saying he's alive?!"
Wu-Ji didn't respond. His body began to flicker, like a hologram losing signal. He looked up at Gok one last time, his face etched with both pain and determination.
Wu-Ji: "Don't let them win… brother."
With that, Wu-Ji's form disintegrated into a burst of cherry blossom petals, scattering across the room.
Gok stared at the empty space where Wu-Ji had been, his hand trembling. The room was silent once more, save for the soft rustle of the petals on the floor.
He picked up his glass and raised it to the photograph on his desk.
Gok: "To you, Wu-Ji. And to Min Ki… wherever you are. I'll bring you back. I promise."
He drained the glass in one swift motion, the burn of the whiskey grounding him in the moment. As he placed the glass down, his system chimed again.
System:
"Rift Coordinates Locked. New Mission Available: Blossom Retrieval."
Gok smirked, his resolve hardening.
Gok (muttering): "Time to bring the fight to them."
He stood, grabbing his coat and the tracking beacon. The cherry blossoms swirled around him as he stepped out of the office, ready to face whatever lay beyond the rift.