Lookism: Unchained Fate

Zin shouted, "Hey!! You bastard!! Hurry up and untie me!! Mijin!! Mijin!!" 

Yohan quickly set his half-conscious mother down and ran toward Zin. With trembling hands, he grabbed the ropes binding his friend. 

"Hurry! We have to get out of here!" he hissed, struggling to pull at the metal chains restraining Zin's wrists. 

Zin, still panting from the torture he endured, gritted his teeth. His hands ached, but he forced himself to help Yohan. After several strong tugs, the bindings finally came loose. 

"Damn it… Finally…" Zin muttered, rolling his sore wrists. 

But before they could move, Yohan turned his head and saw someone else still bound nearby—Joon-hyuk. 

"Joon-hyuk…!" Yohan rushed over. He saw his friend sitting with his head lowered, his body completely still. 

Zin glanced at Joon-hyuk and scoffed, "Oi, you're still alive, right? Don't start acting dramatic now, damn it." 

But the moment Yohan reached out to touch him, something strange happened. 

Joon-hyuk's chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. His body trembled slightly, as if struggling to contain something unseen. Suddenly, a cracking sound echoed from the direction of his iron shackles—and with a single movement, the restraints shattered, as if they could no longer hold the power within him. 

"W-What…?" Yohan took half a step back. 

The air around them shifted. A creeping, terrifying aura spread through the space, making their skin crawl. 

Joon-hyuk slowly lifted his head. 

And in that instant, Yohan and Zin felt something they had never experienced before—pure, unshakable fear. 

Joon-hyuk's usually calm and friendly eyes had turned dark and cold, like a bottomless abyss. A sadistic smile stretched across his face, making him look like someone entirely different from the friend they knew. His once messy golden hair darkened, blending into the looming darkness that began to engulf him. 

"W-What the hell is this…?" Zin's voice wavered. His lips parted slightly, but his body remained rigid, refusing to show weakness. 

Yohan couldn't speak. His throat was dry, his chest felt tight. He could feel the oppressive heat and pressure radiating from Joon-hyuk's body—like a beast that had just been unleashed from its cage. 

Joon-hyuk rolled his neck from side to side, the faint sound of cracking bones echoing through the air. Then, he tilted his head slightly, his eyes mocking as they settled on Yohan and Zin. 

"Why do you look so scared?" Joon-hyuk's voice was low and deep, different from before. "Aren't we friends, hmm?" 

Zin clenched his fists, but he couldn't deny the fact that his legs were trembling slightly. "Oi, you're joking, right? This is just—" 

Before Zin could finish his sentence, Joon-hyuk suddenly vanished from where he stood. 

In an instant, he was right in front of them. 

Yohan and Zin froze. It felt as if an invisible force had slammed into their chests. 

"Ah… This has to be a nightmare," Yohan whispered to himself. 

But the demonic gaze before them told him otherwise. 

This wasn't a dream. This was real. 

"This has to be a nightmare…" Yohan muttered again, but his body remained tense, unable to move. 

Zin gritted his teeth, trying to fight his fear. "Damn it… You're like some kind of monster now, Joon-hyuk!" 

Joon-hyuk—or rather, the demon dwelling within him—merely grinned. His dark eyes glowed with madness. 

"Monster?" He chuckled. "No, Zin… I've simply returned to my true form." 

In a blink, Joon-hyuk moved. Fast. Too fast. 

Suddenly, he was behind Zin, completely silent. Zin couldn't even react before a hand gripped the back of his neck. 

"Ukh—!" 

Before he could do anything, Joon-hyuk casually threw him toward Yohan. 

"I don't have time to play with you two." His eyes narrowed toward a specific point in the distance. "There's someone I need to save first." 

Yohan barely managed to catch Zin, but Joon-hyuk's throw was too strong, sending them both crashing to the ground. 

"Damn it… Has he always been this strong?" Zin groaned, his head spinning. 

But Yohan didn't respond. He could feel the chilling presence Joon-hyuk had left behind as he passed them—and it didn't feel like the friend they had always known. 

Joon-hyuk walked forward slowly, ignoring the chaos around him. His sharp gaze was locked onto one target: the Priest. 

He knew the old man was inside his private chamber, and more importantly—Mijin was there. 

With a single leap, Joon-hyuk landed in front of the priest's door. He didn't knock. He didn't try to open it gently. 

Instead… 

BANG! 

The door was shattered by a single brutal kick. 

The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by flickering candles on a small table. The scent of incense filled the air, mixing with the sound of ragged breathing from someone curled up in the corner—Kim Mijin. 

The girl bit her lip, her body tense with fear. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, and her usually bright eyes were now filled with shock. 

In front of her, the Priest stood with his usual sly smile. 

"Oh? Who do we have here?" The old man's voice was calm, but Joon-hyuk could see the unease flickering in his eyes. 

Joon-hyuk didn't answer right away. He simply stepped into the room, letting his shadow loom over the man. 

"What was it you just said…?" Joon-hyuk's voice was quiet, yet it echoed through the space. 

The Priest kept his smile. "Young man, this is a sacred place. You shouldn't act so violently here." 

Joon-hyuk stopped just in front of him. 

Then, he grinned. 

"Sacred?" 

Without warning, his hand plunged into the Priest's stomach. 

"GUAH—!" 

The old man staggered backward, clutching his stomach as blood began to seep through his robes. His face turned deathly pale in an instant, unable to believe what had just happened. 

Joon-hyuk didn't stop. With one hand, he grabbed the man's collar and lifted him effortlessly into the air. 

"Don't touch her." 

His eyes burned with a terrifying glow. 

"Or I'll make sure you never touch anyone ever again." 

The Priest choked, struggling in vain against the iron grip around his throat. His breath came in short gasps, his face reddening from lack of air. 

Meanwhile, Mijin could only watch the scene unfold with wide eyes. 

Joon-hyuk… No, this figure before her… This wasn't the Joon-hyuk she knew. 

And yet, despite the overwhelming fear in the air, she didn't feel afraid of him.

Here's the English version of your passage:

For the first time since this horrific night began—he felt safe.

Joon-hyuk glanced at Mijin briefly, making sure she wasn't seriously hurt.

Then, without hesitation, he smashed Pastor's head against the wall with brutal force.

DUAGH!

Blood trickled from the man's temple. His eyes rolled back before his body collapsed to the floor without a sound.

Joon-hyuk let out a long breath, then turned to Mijin.

The girl was still sitting on the floor, staring at him with an expression mixed with emotions too complex to define.

Joon-hyuk stepped closer and extended his hand toward her.

"Let's go."

Mijin stared at his hand for a moment.

Then, without hesitation, she took it.

Joon-hyuk gripped her hand tightly. For a moment, he looked into her eyes, as if making sure she was okay.

He pulled Mijin to her feet, but before they could leave the room…

"Grrrrr…"

A low growl echoed through the space.

Joon-hyuk immediately turned his head toward the dark corners of the room. His eyes narrowed.

From behind the flickering candlelight, multiple pairs of glowing red eyes stared at him hungrily.

"Dogs…" he muttered, his voice sounding more like amusement than concern.

Mijin's eyes widened, her body stiffening as she saw the creatures emerge from the shadows.

One… two… no—more than ten of them!

Large, pitch-black dogs with powerful, muscular bodies. These weren't ordinary dogs—they were trained to kill.

"Crazy… That old man kept hellhounds in here?" Joon-hyuk glanced down, observing how they moved.

Low, disciplined, their eyes never blinking.

These weren't just pets.

They were hunters.

"Mijin, step back." Joon-hyuk's voice was cold.

The girl instinctively took a step back, pressing against the wall. Her breath hitched.

The Pastor, still lying on the floor, remained conscious despite his bloody face. With a twisted grin, he whispered, "Destroy him."

As if receiving a command, the dogs lunged at once!

WHUSH!

Joon-hyuk reacted instantly. His body shot forward, his fist slamming into one of the dogs' snouts with brutal force.

"KRAK!"

The sickening sound of bones breaking echoed. The first dog was sent flying back, its snout caved in.

But the others didn't slow down.

One of them lunged from the side, aiming to sink its sharp teeth into Joon-hyuk's arm.

But before it could bite—

"Not fast enough."

Joon-hyuk caught the dog's head mid-air and slammed it into the ground with full force!

"DUAGH!"

The dog convulsed, instantly knocked out.

But two more leaped at him from different angles!

Joon-hyuk didn't retreat. Instead, he rushed toward them.

"If you think I'm prey…"

His hand caught one of the dogs by the jaw before it could bite him.

"…then I'll make you realize who the real predator is."

CRACK!

With a single, ruthless motion, he ripped the dog's jaw apart!

Blood sprayed wildly. The dog collapsed to the ground with a weak whimper.

Mijin covered her mouth, her eyes widening at the sheer brutality.

But Joon-hyuk didn't stop.

A larger dog lunged from behind. Just as its claws were about to sink into Joon-hyuk's back—

"I saw you."

BUGH!

A devastating spinning kick struck the dog's chest with terrifying force, sending its body flying into the wall!

Blood splattered across the floor.

The remaining dogs hesitated. Their movements slowed, their growls filled with doubt.

Joon-hyuk smirked. "Hah? That's it? You're starting to get scared?"

He spread his arms wide, taunting them to attack again.

But the dogs only stared at him… then, one by one, they began to retreat.

They understood.

The being in front of them was no ordinary human.

He was a monster far more terrifying than they were.

The Pastor, still lying on the floor, stared in horror. "I-Impossible…!"

Joon-hyuk looked down at him, his eyes cold.

"Game over."

With a single step, he stomped down on the old man's stomach—hard—causing him to choke on his own blood.

Then, without looking back, he grabbed Mijin's hand and pulled her out of the room.

Leaving the carnage behind.

Let me know if you need any refinements! 🚀