Jin Mo's day began as it always did—another relentless cycle of humiliation and pain. His bruised arms ached from yesterday's beating, and his classmates' whispers and laughter only deepened his isolation. He sat alone at his desk, staring blankly at the chalkboard, his mind elsewhere.
Behind him, Yoon Ha leaned forward, her gentle voice breaking through his daze. "Jin Mo, did you eat breakfast?"
He turned to face her, startled by her sudden concern. She always asked, even though she knew the answer. "I... I didn't," he murmured, looking away.
Her brows furrowed, and she placed a small bun wrapped in a napkin on his desk. "Here. You should eat. You're too thin."
Her kindness made his chest ache. He wanted to say something—anything—but the words refused to come. All he could do was nod.
The fragile moment was shattered by a loud, bone-rattling crack that echoed through the air. The school trembled violently, and gasps filled the classroom.
"What's going on?" someone shouted.
A blinding blue light flooded the room as a massive rift tore through the ground in the courtyard outside. It glowed ominously, the swirling portal pulsating like a heartbeat. The teacher barely had time to call for calm before chaos erupted.
From the rift emerged small, grotesque figures—goblins. Their green skin glistened with slime, their fanged mouths twisting into malicious grins. Each wielded crude weapons—daggers, clubs, and jagged swords.
Screams filled the air as the goblins surged forward, their piercing shrieks chilling everyone to the bone. They lunged at students without hesitation, slashing and stabbing with terrifying speed.
Jin Mo froze as he watched a goblin leap onto one of his classmates, tearing into them mercilessly. Blood splattered across the walls, the sickening sound of flesh being ripped apart sending waves of nausea through him.
"Run!" someone yelled, but Jin Mo's legs felt like lead.
The classroom descended into pandemonium, students tripping over desks and each other in their frantic attempt to escape. But the goblins were faster, cutting down everyone in their path.
Jin Mo turned to flee, but a goblin blocked his path, its bloodshot eyes locked onto him. It snarled, raising its rusty blade. His body refused to move. His breath hitched as fear paralyzed him.
Then, Yoon Ha moved.
"Jin Mo, get down!" she screamed, shoving him aside.
The goblin's blade came down.
Jin Mo's world slowed to a crawl.
Blood.
It spilled from Yoon Ha's chest, her body collapsing into his arms. The goblin cackled and moved on, leaving her crumpled form behind.
"Yoon Ha..." Jin Mo whispered, his voice trembling.
She coughed weakly, her face pale and blood streaming from her lips. Her hands, stained red, shakily reached for his face. "Jin Mo... Don't cry."
Tears blurred his vision as he clutched her, his sobs wracking his body. "Why... why did you do that?!"
"Because..." Her voice was faint, her breath shallow. "You... deserve to live. You're stronger than you think. Don't... give up..."
Her hand fell limp. Her eyes, once so full of warmth, stared lifelessly back at him.
Jin Mo's world crumbled.
Despair swallowed him whole, an unbearable weight pressing down on his chest. His hands trembled, clutching her lifeless body. He couldn't even scream; the pain left him numb.
And then, a voice cut through the silence.
"Do you want power?"
Jin Mo's head snapped up. The voice was deep, cold, and reverberated in his mind.
"Do you want revenge?"
A dark screen appeared before him, its words glowing with eerie light.
[Do you accept the offer of the God of Death?]
Jin Mo stared at the screen, his heart pounding. Revenge? Power? It didn't matter. Yoon Ha was gone, and he was powerless to save her. But the thought of avenging her, of destroying the monsters that took her away, burned within him.
"What do you say, boy?" the voice whispered. "Take my hand, and I shall grant you the strength to crush those who wronged you."
His hands balled into fists, trembling with rage and despair. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I... accept."
The moment he spoke the words, a surge of dark energy enveloped him. The shadows around him coiled and twisted, seeping into his skin. The pain was excruciating, as though his body was being torn apart and rebuilt.
When he opened his eyes, they glowed with a dark, menacing light.
[You have become the Apostle of Death.]
Jin Mo rose to his feet, his gaze locking onto the goblin that had killed Yoon Ha. It turned to face him, oblivious to the power radiating from him.
Without hesitation, Jin Mo lunged forward. His hands moved faster than he thought possible, grabbing the goblin's throat and snapping it with ease.
It was just the beginning.
Fueled by rage and the God of Death's power, Jin Mo tore through the monsters with ruthless efficiency. Goblins screamed and fled, but none escaped his wrath. The hallways of the school were painted red with their blood.
By the time the last goblin fell, Jin Mo stood alone, his breathing heavy, his clothes soaked in blood. The only sound was the distant hum of the rift, still glowing ominously in the courtyard.
Jin Mo looked down at his hands, now stained with both the blood of monsters and the remnants of his humanity.
This was no longer the life he had known.
It was the beginning of something far darker.