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Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past

The neon glow of Seoul's bustling streets faded behind Jin Woo as he trudged home, his mind racing with the memory of the voice from the alleyway. 

**"Arkanis... the Gatekeeper..."** 

The words repeated in his head like a haunting melody. What did they mean? Why did the gate feel so familiar? And why had his Echo Sense flared so strongly? 

By the time he reached his apartment, the questions were suffocating him. Jin Woo dropped his bag by the door and collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. 

"Just a coincidence," he muttered, trying to convince himself. "I'm no one. I've always been no one." 

But deep down, something told him otherwise. 

--- 

 

The next morning, Jin Woo arrived at Seoul Academy, the events of the previous night still weighing heavily on him. The school grounds buzzed with life as students practiced their abilities, sparring in open courtyards or studying in high-tech classrooms. 

Jin Woo's Echo Sense flickered instinctively, brushing against the faint energy trails left by other awakeners. Most were faint, harmless traces—lingering heat from a fire ability or the hum of residual lightning. 

But today, something felt off. 

As he entered the F-Class building, a sharp, unfamiliar energy pricked at the edges of his senses. It was cold and jagged, like shards of broken glass pressing against his mind. Jin Woo froze in the hallway, his heart pounding. 

"Hey, move it, loser." 

A shove from behind snapped him out of his trance. He stumbled forward, nearly dropping his books. Kang Min Jae smirked as he walked past, his entourage laughing behind him. 

Jin Woo clenched his fists, but he didn't respond. 

As the day wore on, the strange energy lingered, gnawing at his focus. Even during combat training, where he was once again humiliated by stronger classmates, the sensation wouldn't leave him. 

By the time the sun set, Jin Woo couldn't ignore it any longer. 

--- 

The source of the energy led him to a part of the academy he'd never been to before—a crumbling corridor on the outskirts of the F-Class wing. The walls were cracked, the air thick with dust and neglect. 

Jin Woo hesitated. His Echo Sense pulsed faintly, urging him forward. 

At the end of the hallway, he found a door slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he stepped into a small, dimly lit room. The air was heavy with the smell of damp stone, and in the center of the room stood a single pedestal. 

On the pedestal rested a small, black shard, no larger than his palm. It pulsed faintly with the same cold energy that had drawn him here. 

"What is this?" Jin Woo whispered, reaching out. 

The moment his fingers brushed the shard, a wave of energy surged through him. 

--- 

The world around him vanished. 

Jin Woo found himself standing in a vast, desolate landscape. The sky was a swirling mass of black and crimson, and the ground beneath his feet was cracked and barren. In the distance, towering gates loomed, their jagged edges pulsating with raw power. 

Figures moved in the shadows—monstrous beings with glowing eyes and twisted forms. They knelt before a lone figure standing at the base of the largest gate. 

Jin Woo's breath caught. 

The figure was tall and cloaked in black, their face obscured. Power radiated from them, a suffocating aura that made the monsters cower. 

The figure turned, and for a brief moment, Jin Woo saw his own face reflected in the shadows. 

The vision shattered. 

--- 

Jin Woo stumbled back, gasping for air. The shard in his hand glowed faintly before fading. 

"What... what was that?" he muttered, his hands trembling. 

Before he could gather his thoughts, a voice rang out behind him. 

"You shouldn't be here." 

Jin Woo spun around to see a man standing in the doorway. He was tall and imposing, with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to see straight through him. His black coat bore the emblem of the **Awakener's Association**, and the faint hum of power surrounded him. 

"Who are you?" Jin Woo asked, his voice shaking. 

The man stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the shard in Jin Woo's hand. 

"That's not for you," he said coldly. "Put it down and leave. Now." 

Jin Woo hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to obey. But something inside him—a stubborn, defiant part of him—refused. 

"Tell me what this is," he demanded. "What's happening to me?" 

The man's expression darkened. "You don't want to know." 

Before Jin Woo could respond, the man raised his hand, and a surge of energy shot toward him. 

Jin Woo barely had time to react. His Echo Sense flared, and he ducked, the attack narrowly missing him. The blast struck the wall, leaving a smoking crater. 

"Leave," the man said again, his voice like ice. "This is your only warning." 

Jin Woo scrambled to his feet, clutching the shard tightly. His mind raced as he fled the room, the man's cold gaze burning into his back. 

--- 

 

Back in his apartment, Jin Woo stared at the shard, its faint glow pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. 

Who was that man? Why had the shard triggered those visions? And why did the figure in the vision look like him? 

Jin Woo didn't have the answers, but one thing was clear—he couldn't ignore this any longer. 

The gates, the monsters, the strange energy... it was all connected. 

And somehow, so was he. 

--- 

End of Chapter 2