Jiwoon stood frozen.
Not from fear — but recognition.
That voice…
Within the Crimson Womb
"Jiwoon… do you remember when you were sealed inside me?"
The sphere pulsated again, veins glowing red like a sun ready to erupt.
Jiwoon narrowed his eyes.
"I've never been here before."
"No," the voice whispered, "but you were part of me once."
System Interference Detected
WARNING: Identity conflict detected
[Analyzing Echo Patterns…]
Match found → Jiwoon Han: Echo Signature Resonating With Crimson Core
"That's impossible," Jiwoon muttered.
"No. That's fate," the voice replied.
Flashback Echo
Jiwoon's head snapped back — his vision consumed by red:
He saw an infant — not crying, but burning — floating in void.
Sin latched onto its flesh like a parasite. But instead of dying… it fed.
"You were born twice," the voice said.
"Once as a child… and once as a concept."
What Is Jiwoon?
"You're not just the hunter."
"You're part of what the system fears."
The Crimson Womb pulsed again — louder.
"Your awakening… will rewrite everything."
System Emergency Protocol
Critical Instability Detected
Emergency Exit Engaged
[Jiwoon forcibly extracted from anomaly zone]
Back on the Surface
Jiwoon stumbled out of the crater, coughing — eyes still glowing faintly red.
Vera caught him mid-fall.
"What the hell happened down there?" she asked.
Jiwoon looked up — truly shaken for the first time.
"I think I just met the thing that made me."