Jin Woo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his trembling hands. The faint glow that had enveloped him during the sparring session still lingered in his mind, a haunting reminder of what had happened.
"Monsters don't kneel to heroes. They kneel to kings."
He hadn't meant to say it, yet the words had rolled off his tongue as if they were second nature. As if they belonged to someone else.
Someone I used to be.
The dormitory was quiet, the other students avoiding him since the incident. Normally, the isolation would have stung, but tonight, Jin Woo welcomed it. He needed time to think.
A knock at the door broke the silence. Jin Woo tensed, unsure who would come to see him. Slowly, he stood and opened the door.
Standing there was Seo Ah, her delicate features framed by her long black hair. She held a tray with two steaming cups of tea.
"May I come in?" she asked softly.
Jin Woo hesitated but eventually nodded, stepping aside to let her in.
Seo Ah placed the tray on the small desk in the corner and sat down, her movements graceful and calm. She gestured for him to sit across from her.
"I heard what happened in the arena," she said, her voice gentle but probing. "People are talking about it. About you."
Jin Woo lowered his gaze, gripping the edge of his chair. "Let them talk. It doesn't matter."
"It does," Seo Ah said firmly, her dark eyes locking onto his. "Jin Woo, what you did today… that wasn't normal. You know that, right?"
He didn't respond, the weight of her words settling over him like a heavy blanket.
Seo Ah leaned forward, her tone softening. "You've always been different. I've seen it since the day we met. But today, it felt like… something woke up inside you."
Her words sent a shiver down his spine.
Something woke up inside me…
Jin Woo clenched his fists, his voice trembling. "What if I'm not who I think I am? What if—" He stopped himself, unable to voice the growing fear in his heart.
Seo Ah reached out, placing a hand on his. "Whatever you are, whoever you were, it doesn't define who you can become. You have a choice, Jin Woo."
Her words were kind, but they didn't ease the storm raging inside him.
"I don't know if I'm strong enough," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You're stronger than you think," she said, squeezing his hand. "And you don't have to face this alone."
For a moment, the tension in Jin Woo's chest eased. He looked up at Seo Ah, her presence a rare source of comfort in the chaos of his life.
But the reprieve was short-lived.
A sudden knock at the door startled them both. Jin Woo opened it to find Instructor Lee standing there, his face grim.
"Jin Woo, come with me," the instructor said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Jin Woo glanced back at Seo Ah, who gave him an encouraging nod. He followed Instructor Lee through the dimly lit hallways, his mind racing with possibilities.
They arrived at the headmaster's office, the imposing double doors etched with intricate runes. Instructor Lee pushed them open, revealing Headmaster Han sitting behind his massive desk.
"Jin Woo," the headmaster said, his piercing gaze studying him. "Take a seat."
Jin Woo obeyed, the weight of the headmaster's stare making him feel small.
Headmaster Han leaned forward, his hands clasped together. "What happened in the arena today cannot be ignored. That power you displayed… it was not the power of an F-class awakener."
Jin Woo opened his mouth to speak, but the headmaster raised a hand to silence him.
"I have seen this power before," Han said, his voice low and grave. "And I need to know the truth, Jin Woo. Who are you?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Jin Woo's mind raced, memories flickering at the edges of his consciousness.
"I… I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely audible.
The headmaster studied him for a long moment before speaking again. "Then it's time you found out."
He gestured to a bookshelf behind him, which slid aside to reveal a hidden passage.
"Follow me," Han said, rising from his seat.
Jin Woo hesitated but stood and followed the headmaster into the darkness, his heart pounding with every step.
The passage led to a vast chamber filled with ancient relics and glowing runes. In the center stood a pedestal holding a small, black orb that pulsed with an ominous light.
"This," Han said, gesturing to the orb, "is a Fragment of Arkanis, the Gatekeeper. It contains traces of his power, his memories."
Jin Woo froze, his blood running cold at the name.
"The Gatekeeper," he whispered. "What does that have to do with me?"
Han's gaze was unwavering. "Everything."
As the orb's light reflected in Jin Woo's eyes, a flood of images surged through his mind—monsters, destruction, and a throne bathed in shadows.
And at the center of it all, he saw himself.
Or rather, the person he used to be.
Arkanis. The King of Monsters.
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To be continued...