The darkness was dense. Jin had no idea how long he had been unconscious. His mind drifted through a frozen void, where distant voices whispered meaningless words. Gradually, he began to feel the weight of his own body. First, his arms. Then, his legs. Finally, his eyes opened.
He was lying on the floor of the ancestral library. The ceiling above was cracked, and snow fell gently through the fissures, melting upon contact with his skin. Jin tried to move, but his body didn't respond. He felt a dull ache throughout his muscles, as if he had been crushed by an avalanche.
Then he saw it — the altar.
At the center of the library, where sacred scrolls and manuscripts once rested, there was now only a single object. A book.
The Saisei no Chi.
It was wrapped in a crimson mist that pulsed slowly, like a beating heart. Each pulse sent waves of energy that made the air vibrate. Jin couldn't look away. Something inside him felt drawn to the book, as if a part of his soul was trapped within it.
Slowly, he extended his hand. Every movement was a struggle; every breath, painful. When his fingers finally touched the book's cover, a burst of red light flooded the room. Jin screamed, but no sound came out.
The world around him disintegrated.
Now, he was in an infinite void, surrounded only by distant shadows. In the center of this ethereal space, a figure began to emerge. It was a tall, slender man with eyes glowing a deep crimson. His hair flowed like smoke, and his smile was both ironic and ominous.
— We finally meet, boy — the figure said, his voice echoing from all directions.
— Who... who are you? — Jin managed to ask, his voice weak.
— Me? — The figure tilted his head, stepping closer. — I am Chi. The guardian of this book. And now, your temporary master.
Before Jin could respond, Chi extended a hand and touched his chest. Instantly, a searing pain shot through Jin's body. He screamed, writhing, as a crimson symbol appeared between his collarbones, spinning slowly, formed by lines of Qi that glowed intensely.
— What... what are you doing?! — Jin screamed, trying to push him away.
— You activated the pact — Chi explained, his voice devoid of emotion. — Now, we are connected. My power is yours. But beware... if you can't control it, it will destroy you.
Jin panted, struggling to catch his breath. Chi observed him with narrowed eyes, as if studying a complex puzzle.
— Let's see if you're ready to survive what comes next, heir. — Chi smirked, and the world dissolved again into a whirlwind of shadows.
When Jin opened his eyes, he was back in the library. The Saisei no Chi had disappeared, but the symbol on his chest continued to pulse, sending waves of energy throughout his body. He tried to stand, but his legs gave out, and he fell to his knees.
The library was in ruins. Bodies lay scattered across the floor, and the walls were stained with blood. Outside, he could hear screams and the clash of swords.
— Get up. — Chi's voice echoed in his mind. — The battle isn't over. If you don't fight now, everything will be lost.
Jin took a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, the crimson glow of Chi shone in his irises.
He stood up, fists clenched.
From that moment on, Jin Sohyeon was no longer just a boy.
He was the heir of Saisei no Chi.