Dawn broke.
The city awakened in chaos, with people rushing through the streets, merchants shouting at every corner, and hunters preparing to dive into portals that had opened overnight.
But Jin Hwan walked silently.
His eyes were cold, empty.
Since that night, something had been haunting him—the black window, the words that only he could see, and the unsettling sensation crawling beneath his skin.
He muttered under his breath:
"What is this power…?"
The shadows around him seemed to stir with his thoughts, responding to emotions he didn't yet understand. A part of him feared it. Another part wanted to drown in it.
Yet, his mind was clear on one thing.
This power was a weapon.
And he knew exactly where to point it.
Jin's footsteps carried him into the darker parts of the city. Streets where the law had no weight, where gangs and smugglers ruled unchecked.
The stench of smoke, alcohol, and blood lingered in the air. He had avoided these alleys before. But now, he was hunting.
A name echoed in his head like venom:
The Fire Dragons.
They were the ones. The scum who had taken everything from him. His wife. His daughter. His future.
And now, it was their turn to lose.
Somewhere in a dimly lit hideout, laughter echoed. Dozens of men sat around tables, gambling, drinking, and boasting about their latest crimes.
Among them, a tall man with scars across his arms slammed his fist on the table, startling those around him.
"Shut up for a second," he growled, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"I heard something… about a man. A man hunting us."
The others laughed.
"A man? You mean another hunter angry we stole his cut?"
"Yeah, we'll break him like we break everyone else!"
But the scarred man didn't laugh. His grin was twisted, filled with bloodlust.
"They say his name is Jin… And he's after us for what we did to his family."
Silence fell for a moment. Then, as if the quiet itself was a joke, the man burst into hysterical laughter.
"Let him come! Let him taste the flames of the Fire Dragons! If he wants revenge, we'll burn him alive!"
The others roared in agreement, banging their fists and cheering.
But none of them noticed the figure watching from the shadows outside.
Jin stood silently on the rooftop across the hideout. His eyes glowed faintly, the reflection of the moon painting him in ghostly light.
He didn't need to enter yet. Not tonight.
He was patient.
Vengeance wasn't about rushing in. It was about strangling hope—slowly, mercilessly—until the prey was begging for death.
And that night, Jin swore something:
"One by one… I'll tear you apart. I'll make you regret ever touching my family."
The shadows around him trembled as if answering his vow.
He didn't notice the black text flickering briefly before his eyes:
[Quest Initiated: Hunt the Fire Dragons]
His hunt had begun.
End of Chapter 3