The warehouse was in ruins.
The air reeked of burnt flesh and gunpowder, the floor painted with the blood of the Fire Dragons. Broken walls let in the cold night air, and in the middle of it all stood Jin—his coat torn, his hands dripping with black flames that refused to fade.
The lone survivor's screams had long since stopped. His body lay twisted in the corner, lifeless, swallowed by Jin's shadows.
But the silence didn't last.
From the shattered doorway, footsteps echoed—steady, deliberate.
Jin turned.
A figure entered the warehouse, tall and calm, his aura crushing the room like a storm pressing down on fragile glass. His presence alone made the air heavier, each breath harder to take.
The hunters outside had whispered his name.
And now Jin understood why.
An S-Rank had arrived.
The man's eyes scanned the carnage with mild amusement, not horror. "So it's true," he said, his tone almost casual. "One man, carving through an entire den of the Fire Dragons."
His lips curved into a smile, sharp and unsettling.
"You must be Jin."
Jin didn't answer. His gray eyes locked onto the man, studying him, measuring. His instincts screamed—the gap between them was like a chasm.
Still, Jin raised his hand, black fire flickering to life. "And you are?"
The man tilted his head. "Names don't matter right now. What matters is this…" He stepped forward, and the entire warehouse groaned under the weight of his presence. "You're trespassing on territory that doesn't concern you."
Jin's jaw tightened. "It concerns me when the Fire Dragons wear my family's blood on their hands."
The S-Rank chuckled. "So it's vengeance, then. How… predictable."
The words cut deeper than any blade, but Jin didn't flinch. Shadows erupted around him, tendrils lashing out toward the intruder.
The man didn't move.
With a flick of his wrist, a wave of pure force shattered the darkness, dispersing Jin's attack like smoke.
The ground cracked beneath their feet.
Jin lunged forward, faster than any A-Rank could track, his fist cloaked in black flame. It slammed into the man's barrier with a thunderous boom—the impact enough to split the floor and shatter windows.
But the S-Rank didn't even stumble.
"You're strong," he admitted, eyes glinting. "For someone who shouldn't exist."
Jin's eyes narrowed. "Shouldn't exist?"
The man smirked. "Shadow… evolution. That's not a path any ordinary hunter should walk. You're a mistake, Jin. And mistakes need correction."
Before Jin could react, the man vanished.
A heartbeat later, pain exploded across Jin's ribs as the S-Rank's kick sent him crashing through a wall. The world blurred. Dust filled his lungs.
Jin staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his lip. His vision swam, but his will did not break.
He roared, unleashing every ounce of his power. Shadows writhed, filling the night like a storm of blades, the warehouse trembling as his black flames devoured what little remained intact.
The S-Rank raised an arm lazily, the onslaught crashing against an unseen wall. Sparks of dark and light clashed, filling the air with a deafening roar.
And yet… Jin felt it.
No matter how much power he poured out, it wasn't enough.
Not yet.
The man stepped through the storm, unscathed. He reached Jin, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him into the floor.
"Pathetic," the S-Rank muttered, almost disappointed. "You've got rage. You've got will. But power? You're still crawling."
Jin's hands clawed at the man's arm, his shadow trying to strike from every angle. But nothing worked. Nothing could break through.
And yet… his eyes burned with fury. Not fear. Never fear.
The man noticed, pausing for just a moment. "Interesting. Most would beg for their lives by now. But you—" He chuckled, letting go abruptly. "You glare at me like you'll kill me someday."
Jin collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath, but his voice came out steady, venomous.
"I don't care if you're an S-Rank. I'll tear down anyone in my way. Even you."
The man studied him for a long moment. Then, to Jin's surprise, he laughed.
"I'll be waiting for that day, Jin." His aura vanished as quickly as it came, his presence dissipating like smoke. He turned his back, walking into the night.
"But remember—" his voice echoed as he disappeared into the shadows, "vengeance will eat more than just your enemies."
The warehouse fell silent once more.
Jin's body trembled, broken, but his eyes blazed with the same unyielding fire.
He had seen the gap.
He had felt the weight of true power.
And he knew—
To destroy the Fire Dragons, to claim his vengeance, he would need to climb higher.
Much higher.