"Ugh… what am I laying on? It feels so… soft."
I blinked slowly, my eyes adjusting to a faint lavender glow. The warmth around my head… the delicate scent of flowers…
And then, my vision cleared—
I was staring right into Lyra's face.
Her glowing violet eyes were locked onto mine, her lips curled into a teasing smile.
I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.
"A-AHH—!!" I jolted upright with a blush burning across my face. "W-Wait—what the—I wasn't—You—I—Uh—!"
Lyra tilted her head, her shimmering purple hair falling over her shoulder. She giggled, covering her mouth with one hand."Calm down, Jae Hoon. You're stuttering like a child."
I rubbed the back of my neck, face beet red. "I-I didn't mean to—uh…"
Then it hit me like a hammer to the chest.
The memory of that thing. That… sword-dragging, monstrous figure. The one that was walking toward my broken body. The blood. The pain.
I looked up at Lyra.
"Is… is that thing still coming? Am I already dead?"
Her smile faded.
She turned away, and with a snap of her fingers, a portal shimmered to life before us. Through its surface, I could see me—still lying unconscious in the real world. My body twisted and bloodied, a pool of red spreading beneath me.
And there it was…
That thing.
A massive, shadowy figure with bone-like armor, dragging a rusted sword across the pavement, the screech of metal echoing in the air.
Lyra's voice was cold.
"You're about to be."
I stared in horror. My fists trembled. My heart pounded like war drums.
I turned back to Lyra. "Please… tell me how to use this ancient power. Help me wake up."
She paused. Then slowly turned to face me again.
And smirked.
"Why should I help you?"
Her voice was filled with cruel amusement.
My eyes widened. "W-What? What do you mean?"
"I mean exactly what I said. Why should I waste my time helping you? What makes you worthy? What are your goals? How do you plan to handle a monster like that? How will you defeat it?"
"I… I could try to talk to him—maybe reason with hi—"
Lyra rolled her eyes and snapped.
"Oh my god. Now I see why that Liora girl slapped you.""You're weak. Soft. Pathetic. Too kind."
Her words hit harder than a blade.
"This world? It's vile, Jae Hoon. Full of betrayal, bloodshed, and beasts. Kindness doesn't save people here—it gets them killed. That's why your father is gone. Why your mother and sister are missing. Because all of you were too damn kind to fight back."
I stood frozen, heart pounding. Her words twisted in my chest like knives. Tears welled in my eyes—but I looked down, letting my hair fall over my face.
Then I whispered—
"Shut up."
Lyra said "huh".
"I know I'm weak. I couldn't protect anyone…"
I clenched my fists.
"Because I'm weak, people think they can beat me down. Mock me. Use me."
Flashes burned in my mind.Liora slapping me.Those boys sneering at me.My father's body torn apart.
"I hate it. I hate how useless I am.""If I'd been stronger—maybe Dad would still be alive. Maybe I'd still have my family."
My voice grew louder, stronger with each word.
"That's why I need strength—NO—That's why I want strength."
Lyra's playful smirk had vanished. Her eyes were wide, glowing in the dark.
"I don't want to run anymore. I don't want to tremble. I don't want you—or anyone—to look down on me again."
Power exploded from my body like a roaring inferno. Crimson mana surged around me, wild and unstoppable. My eyes burned—deep red and glowing like twin stars.
I took a step toward Lyra.
She backed up, stunned.
In her mind, she whispered, "What is this power…?"
But I didn't stop.
"You were right.""Kindness never saved me."
"But now, if I have to give it all up—my emotions, my compassion, my memories, even my humanity—Then so be it."
I stood in front of her, eyes blazing.
"Now I'm not gonna ask again … how do I use this power?"
Silence.
Then, Lyra laughed softly—slowly, with growing excitement.
She stepped forward, her finger tapping gently on my forehead.
"I guess I was wrong about you.""Seems you've got a crazy streak after all.""Fine. I'll help you."
Her aura swirled violently as she muttered a chant. Then—
"Don't die after all this, brat."
In the real world—
The beast raised its massive sword above my unconscious body.
But before the blade could fall—
BOOM!
A thunderclap of red lightning burst from my chest, blasting the monster across the street. It smashed through an abandoned tower with a monstrous crash, rubble exploding outward like confetti in a warzone.
Smoke rose.
I opened my eyes.
They glowed red.
And I stood.