Far away, Jin stood at the entrance of an Abyss.
A dark pit yawned before him, its twisted forest terrain stretching into shadow.
He opened the system interface.
A glowing energy stone appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he crushed it.
Energy surged through his body.
"It was a good idea to keep some stones in the Box before I stop," he murmured.
The environment shifted instantly.
The forested island now hovered suspended inside a dark void.
No sun. No sky.
Yet a pale, eerie glow illuminated the land.
A low growl echoed from behind.
[Killing intent detected]
[Distance: 50 meters]
A monstrous creature burst from the trees.
Jin reacted instantly.
The Flame Demon Sword appeared in his hand, fire racing along its blade.
The monster lunged.
One clean strike.
The blade cut through its body. Flames consumed it before it even hit the ground.
Another beast leapt from behind him.
Jin shifted his stance and swung backward.
Steel sliced through the air.
The monster crumpled into the dark earth.
Three more charged together. This time, Jin stepped forward instead of retreating.
Flames erupted across the forest like a violent storm.
Claws scraped his sleeve as one monster lunged too close.
Jin twisted sharply. The sword cut upward.
The creature fell.
Moments later, the forest grew silent.
Seventeen monsters lay scattered across the ground, their bodies still smoking.
Energy stones floated toward him one by one. The system updated:
558 / 1000
Finally, a glowing portal appeared between the trees.
Jin stepped through calmly. Sunlight greeted him outside the Abyss.
The black Rolls-Royce waited nearby.
William Hayes opened the door with precise respect. Jin entered and leaned back in the seat.
"Take me somewhere I can drink something."
William nodded and started the engine.
The car eventually stopped at a quiet café near the university.
Jin stepped out, carrying his laptop and diary.
Across the street, Mira noticed him from another café.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. A Rolls-Royce…? Curiosity won.
A few minutes later, she entered.
"Jin."
He looked up.
"Mira. You wanna sit?"
She sat across from him, holding her coffee.
"I saw you from across the street."
Jin leaned back slightly.
"So you were spying on me?"
Mira rolled her eyes.
"Pervert."
Warm afternoon sunlight filled the café windows.
The subtle aroma of coffee mingled with the faint scent of flame residue still lingering on Jin's clothes.
Elsewhere, where it was morning, a lone figure stood silently before two graves.
His face hidden beneath the shadow of a black umbrella.
Cold wind brushed against his long coat.
Slowly, he placed a single white flower on one of the graves.
The name engraved read:
Elira Vance
Beside it, another tombstone:
Kwon Jin
The figure stood still for a moment. Silent. Watching.
Then the wind whispered through the trees, carrying a faint reminder of things left unresolved.