NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: Victory in Shadows
The chamber trembled with an almost unbearable intensity, the air thick with raw energy. Seo Gwan stood at its center, his body radiating with the stolen power of the Nexus memory cores. His grin widened as he felt the chamber's energy coursing through him.
"Do you feel that, Jiho?" Seo Gwan taunted. "This is the power of the Nexus—a fragment of the true force that will reshape this world. You're just a speck in its path."
Jiho's eyes stayed locked on Seo Gwan, his expression unreadable. The chaos around him—the swirling shadows, the collapsing chamber, the lingering echoes of his system's warnings—were just noise. His focus narrowed.
System Update: Rule Bender - Full Synchronization Possible. Activation Will Drain Reserve Energy.
Proceed? Y/N
Jiho's lips curled into a faint smirk. Yes.
The world around Jiho shifted as his ability surged to its full potential. The shadows in the room responded to his will, bending unnaturally, forming a writhing sea of darkness. For the first time, Seo Gwan's confident expression faltered.
"What...what is this?" Seo Gwan demanded, taking a step back. The energy flowing through him seemed to resist Jiho's power, but only partially.
Jiho's voice cut through the chaos, calm and cold. "You should have brought more than borrowed power."
The shadows surged forward, coiling like serpents. Seo Gwan raised his hands, channeling the stolen energy into a massive burst of light. The collision of light and shadow sent shockwaves through the chamber, shattering more of the jagged structures.
Jiho didn't relent. He moved like a phantom, disappearing into the void and reappearing behind Seo Gwan. His dagger, now infused with Nexus energy, sliced through Seo Gwan's defenses like paper.
Seo Gwan staggered, blood seeping from a wound on his side. "You—how are you doing this? You're just a rogue! A nobody!"
Jiho tilted his head, his expression almost pitying. "You think power makes you unstoppable. But you don't understand how to control it."
Seo Gwan roared in frustration, channeling everything he had into one final attack. The chamber's energy converged into a massive, unstable sphere above him, crackling with dangerous intensity.
Jiho's system chimed:
Warning: Energy Overload Detected. Chamber Integrity at 14%.
Jiho's voice was low. "You're going to destroy yourself."
Seo Gwan's laugh was wild, unhinged. "If I go down, you're coming with me!"
Jiho's eyes narrowed. He reached into the shadows, summoning every ounce of power his ability could offer. The tendrils of darkness became sharper, denser, converging on Seo Gwan like a storm.
"Rule Bender: Shadow Collapse."
The shadows pierced the unstable energy sphere, fracturing it. Seo Gwan's eyes widened in terror as the power he'd tried to control turned on him, the unstable energy ripping through his body.
In one blinding flash, the sphere detonated, and the chamber was consumed in a vortex of light and shadow.
Aftermath
When the dust settled, Jiho stood alone in the shattered chamber. His system displayed a notification:
Threat Neutralized. Energy Stabilizing.
Reward: Skill Evolution Available.
Jiho ignored the notification for now, his focus on Seo Gwan's lifeless body. The Silver Fang Guild had underestimated him, but their interest in him—and their knowledge of his family—troubled him more than he cared to admit.
Jiho turned to leave, but his footsteps slowed as he passed the remnants of one of the Nexus memory cores. A faint glow remained, and his system chimed again:
Residual Data Detected. Access?
With a sigh, Jiho placed his hand on the core. His vision blurred as another fragment of the past revealed itself.
Another Memory Fragment
This time, the scene was different. A group of robed figures stood around a massive Nexus portal, their voices tense.
"We've bound the core to the bloodline," one of them said. "But if the Guild finds out—"
"They won't," another interrupted. "The guardians will protect it. The bloodline is the key to stabilizing the Nexus, and no one outside the family must ever know."
The scene faded, leaving Jiho with more questions than answers. He clenched his fists, a rare flicker of emotion breaking through his usual calm.
Returning to the Surface
The way out of the chamber was far more treacherous than the descent. The unstable energy had weakened the structure, and Jiho had to navigate collapsing tunnels and Nexus distortions.
When he finally emerged back into the ruins of the mall, the cold night air was a welcome relief. He took a moment to steady himself, his mind already racing with thoughts.
The Silver Fang Guild wouldn't stop with Seo Gwan. They'd come for him again—and they'd be better prepared next time. Jiho's connection to the Nexus, and his family's involvement, had painted a target on his back.
But Jiho wasn't worried. If anything, Seo Gwan's defeat had given him valuable insight into the Guild's tactics. They were powerful, yes, but they underestimated him.
And that would be their downfall.