The moment Min Seoah's body began to give in, the frost around her collapsing like broken glass, she felt herself falling into darkness, her strength fading faster than she could control, her vision blurring as cracks of pain spread through every part of her body, like something inside her was shattering piece by piece, and just before her knees could touch the ground, before her consciousness could slip away completely, a figure appeared in front of her and caught her before she fell.
Lee Hyun. His arms wrapped around her, holding her fragile body as if it would break with even the slightest force, and for the first time since the battle began, his calm expression cracked. His eyes filled with something raw, something unfamiliar even to him, as he looked at her condition.
Her skin had faint cracks forming, like thin lines spreading across her arms, her aura unstable, her breath weak, and her body trembling as if it could collapse at any second.
"Seoah…!"
There was no response. Her eyes were half-closed, her consciousness fading, her body already reaching its limit after forcing out a power it wasn't ready to handle.
Lee Hyun's mind raced fast and harp. He didn't hesitate. The system opened instantly in front of him, and without even looking twice at the cost, he went straight to the shop and purchased a high-grade recovery potion, something far above what normal hunters would ever use at their level.
A glowing vial appeared in his hand. He held her gently, lifting her slightly.
"Stay with me…"
Carefully, he fed her the potion. A soft glow spread through her body almost instantly, the cracks beginning to slow, then gradually healing, her unstable aura stabilizing bit by bit, her breathing becoming smoother as the potion's effect took hold.
Seconds passed. Then her fingers moved slightly and her eyes slowly opened. Blurry at first, then focused. She saw him close and holding her. She felt relief.
Lee Hyun let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.
"…You're okay."
She tried to speak, but no words came out, her body still too weak to respond properly, but her eyes… they said enough. And in that moment, something changed in him.
In his past life, there had been no one. No one who cared. No one who stood beside him. No one who would risk anything for him. He was just… there. Ignored, forgotten. But now, someone had pushed themselves beyond their limit.
Someone had almost broken themselves, just for him. His grip tightened slightly. Not out of fear, but resolve.
"…I won't let you fall again."
His voice was low, but firm. Something inside him ignited. And that emotion, turned into rage. The kind that didn't burn wildly, but deeply, silently and dangerously.
The Demon's Sword in his hand began to react. A low hum spread through the blade as crimson energy started to flow across its surface, darker than before, heavier, more violent, as if responding directly to his emotions.
A notification flashed.
[Demon's Sword – New Trait Unlocked]
[Devouring Edge Activated]
A surge of information flooded his mind instantly. The ability to devour surrounding demonic energy. Convert it, condense it and unleash it, as a devastating, explosive attack.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…Good."
He gently lifted her and moved quickly, placing her at a safe distance behind the battlefield, away from the immediate danger, making sure she was stable before turning back.
"Stay here."
Her fingers slightly moved, as if trying to stop him, but she couldn't. He stood up. And faced forward. The Goblin King was already moving again, its body regenerating slowly, its crimson eyes now filled with something sharper, more cautious.
It had felt the damage. It had felt the threat. But Lee Hyun, didn't give it time. He activated Void Domain. Again the world froze. Everything stopped.
Time halted once again, the battlefield turning silent as the domain expanded, covering the entire area around him.
But this time, he didn't move immediately. Instead, he raised his sword and began to absorb.
The air twisted. Dark energy from the surroundings, from the dungeon itself, from the monster, all of it began to gather toward him. Pulled and devoured. The blade glowed brighter. Crimson turning darker, almost black. The energy compressed and condensed. Layer after layer.
The pressure grew. Even within the domain, the intensity was overwhelming. Lee Hyun's body trembled slightly under the strain, but he didn't stop. He pushed further, more, and more. Until, it reached its limit.
"…This ends now."
The domain shattered. Time resumed, and in the very next instant, he disappeared. Min Seoah, still lying at the back, barely conscious, saw it. One moment he was there. The next, he was already in front of the boss.
Releasing the devastating attack, the blade came down. And the energy, exploded. A massive blast erupted, swallowing everything in its path, a violent surge of devoured demonic power detonating at the core of the Goblin King's body, tearing through its defenses, its regeneration, its very existence.
The dungeon shook and the ground cracked. The air shattered. The Goblin King didn't even get a chance to react. Didn't get a chance to fight back. The explosion consumed it completely. And when the light faded, there was nothing left.
Only silence and destruction. Lee Hyun barely stood there. His body covered in blood, his breathing uneven, his strength completely drained.
He turned slightly. His gaze found her. A faint smile appeared on his face, like saying,
"…You're safe…"
And then, his body gave in. He collapsed and darkness took him.
When his eyes opened again, everything was different. White ceiling, clean air, asoft beeping sound.
He blinked slowly.
"…Hospital…"
His voice was weak.
Someone nearby noticed.
"He's awake!"
A few people approached quickly, checking his condition, asking questions, but he ignored most of it, his mind focused on only one thing.
"…Where is she?"
They exchanged glances before answering.
"The girl who was with you?"
He nodded slightly.
"She was in critical condition when you were found… her body was almost… breaking apart."
His expression tightened.
"But suddenly… she started recovering on her own. Right now, she's stable. Just needs rest."
A quiet breath left him.
"…Good."
He already knew why. The potion. It had worked.
After some time, the door opened. A presence entered. Heavy, sharp and familiar. His master. Her gaze swept across the room, landing on him instantly, her expression calm as always, but there was something beneath it, something hidden, something that didn't need words to be understood.
Anger, though not loud, but deep. Because she had seen it. Her daughter's condition, her body, cracking and breaking.
Lee Hyun met her gaze. And spoke everything. From the moment they entered, to the anomaly, to the battle, to the end.
She listened silently without interrupting. And when he finished, she murmured softly.
"…So it has started."
He frowned slightly. But before he could ask, she turned away.
"Rest."
Her voice returned to normal, cold and controlled. The next three days passed quietly and in recovery.
Both of them remained in the hospital, their bodies healing, their strength returning slowly, but their minds… changed.
Something had shifted, something had begun. And when they were finally discharged, the world outside felt the same. But they were not.
---
To be continued..