Jinhwan breathed slowly. His body still felt heavy, but the pain was fading. Dust floated in the surrounding air, and the battlefield had gone quiet. Too quiet.
"A new ability." he whispered, voice dry.
"I'll try it later."
He looked up. The Woodman lay far ahead, not moving. That green crystal on his chest his core was crushed. Broken like shattered glass, with cracks running deep into his wooden body. His arms and legs were twisted like a puppet that had lost its strings.
Jinhwan took one step, then another. His legs felt weak, but he kept walking. He stopped in front of the Woodman and looked down at him.
"Now tell me," Jinhwan said.
Woodman slowly turned his eyes toward him. Even with his broken body, he smiled.
"You beat me, Mortal. That last punch was something else." he said quietly.
"And like I promised, I'll tell you what you want to know about the person behind this and how to find him so wait till next time we meet."
He paused for a moment, breathing out slowly.
"But next time... I'll be in my real body. I have to go now, Mortal. So until then, get stronger. If you don't, that info and your rage will be useless."
He let out a soft chuckle. "Oh, before I forget... what's your name, Mortal?"
Jinhwan stared down at him.
"Lee Jinhwan. When will we meet again?"
The Woodman smiled.
"Lee Jinhwan... I'll see you soon."
And then, his body stopped moving. His eyes went dark. He became still, like a lifeless puppet on the ground.
Jinhwan took a deep breath. His shoulders lowered just a little. He turned and looked around. His sword was lying on the broken ground a few steps away. He walked over, bent down, and picked it up.
The blade had small cracks. It was a little damaged, but still holding strong. Without saying anything more, Jinhwan turned and walked out of the boss room.
Outside the glowing green gate, Joon stood silently near its entrance, arms crossed tightly against the chill. His gaze hadn't left the portal for even a moment. The night was deep now long past sunset. The sky was painted in layers of navy and black, clouds drifting slowly across a pale moon. It was around 8 p.m. and the forest around the gate whispered with cold wind brushing through the trees.
Dry leaves rustled underfoot as one of the employees cautiously approached him. A woman in a neat uniform, round glasses perched on her nose, holding a bottle of juice with both hands.
"Mr. Lee... you've been standing here for hours," she said softly. "At least drink something, please."
Her voice was gentle, almost hesitant, as if she didn't want to interrupt his focus. She extended the bottle toward him.
Joon glanced sideways at her, eyes tired but still alert.
"No thanks. I'm fine," he replied, his tone calm but distant. He turned back immediately, watching the gate as if expecting it to vanish if he blinked.
A tense silence settled again. The wind picked up, and the leaves trembled like they were holding their breath.
Suddenly, the gate shimmered.
The air warped for a second, and then a figure emerged. A man stumbled out, holding a bloodstained sword loosely in his right hand. His black T-shirt was in tatters, riddled with holes. His pants were torn at the knees, revealing scraped skin and dried blood. Dirt clung to his arms, and faint bruises colored his face and collarbone.
It was Jinhwan.
As he stepped forward, the gate behind him pulsed once more then, vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but a faint breeze.
He looked up and spotted Joon instantly, flashing a tired grin.
"Hey, Uncle Joon... don't tell me you stood out here the entire time?" His voice was hoarse, but there was a familiar teasing edge to it.
Joon's stern expression softened a little as he walked forward.
"Of course I did. You told me not to go in with you, remember?" he replied, reaching out to hand him the juice bottle the woman had brought earlier.
"Are you alright, young master?"
Jinhwan accepted the bottle gratefully and gave a small nod.
"Just a little bruised. Nothing serious."
He took a sip and turned to the woman in glasses, extending the sword toward her.
"Here repair this. You're the one who crafted it, right?"
She blinked, a little surprised, and took the sword with both hands.
"Y..Yes, sir. Is there something wrong with it?"
Jinhwan gave a tired shrug.
"No, it worked well. Held up till the end. I'll send over the specs later to add a few upgrades. You'll get whatever materials you need."
The woman gave a respectful bow, clutching the sword as if it were something sacred.
Jinhwan turned away, dragging his feet slightly as he headed toward the car parked a few meters away. He climbed into the back seat, slumped into the cushion, and let out a deep breath. He unscrewed the bottle cap and drank again this time slower, savoring it. The cold liquid refreshed him, his aching body beginning to loosen up.
Joon turned to the rest of the team still lingering nearby.
"Everyone, good work today. You can head home."
With nods and quiet exchanges, they all began to pack up and disperse.
Joon then got into the driver's seat and started the engine, glancing at the rearview mirror.
"So, young master... how did it go?"
Jinhwan closed his eyes and tilted his head back, resting it against the headrest.
"I barely beat the boss... it was close."
He let out a soft sigh.
"Let's just go home. I'm starving."
Joon drove the car out of the forest, the headlights cutting through the darkness as they followed the winding road. Tall trees lined both sides, their shadows stretching across the path like long fingers. The road was quiet, the only sounds were the soft hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
As they got closer to the city, the trees thinned out. Streetlights began to appear, casting a warm orange glow on the road. In the distance, the city lights shimmered faintly beneath the night sky. The silence inside the car remained, with Jinhwan sleeping peacefully in the back seat, head leaning against the window.
About an hour later, they pulled up in front of the mansion. The iron gate slid open automatically, and the soft white lights from the entrance bathed the driveway he stopped the car in front of the mension entrance door.
Joon glanced at the mirror and spoke gently,
"Young master, we're home."
Jinhwan's eyes opened slowly. He let out a quiet breath, then pushed the door open and stepped out. Stretching his arms with a yawn, he looked up at the mansion.
"Oh god, what happened, young master?" a gentle, worried voice called out. A woman in her 40s hurried out of the mansion it was Miss Cha. She rushed toward Jinhwan, her eyes wide with concern. Without saying another word, she placed a hand gently on his head. A soft glow shimmered, and the minor bruises on his skin faded away instantly.
Jinhwan gave her a tired smile.
"Oh, I forgot to mention. I awakened recently. I was inside a gate, hunting."
Miss Cha's eyes widened.
"You're awakened, young master?" She turned sharply to Joon, her tone changing.
"And what were you doing? How could you let him get hurt like this?"
Joon raised his hands slightly in defense.
"He ordered me not to follow him, Miss Cha. What could I do?"
She shot a look back at Jinhwan, frowning deeply.
"You went into a gate alone? How can you be so reckless?"
"Ahh, scold me later," Jinhwan replied softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right now, I'm starving and I really need a shower. Don't worry, see? I'm totally fine."
Without waiting for another word, he stepped into the mansion, his footsteps echoing softly through the quiet halls. He made his way straight to his room, shoulders heavy with fatigue.
A quick shower washed away the grime of the day, the steam rising like a silent sigh around him.
Clean clothes clung to his tired frame as he sank into the comfort of his bed.
Now that i think about it..
How can he speak in korean??...
Exhaustion swept over him like a rising tide, gentle, but absolute. And before his mind could even drift to thoughts of dinner, sleep pulled him under, deep and fast.
[Episode 11 End]