The air grew heavy, suffocating, as Jin's eyes locked onto his opponent.
The man who appeared before him wasn't just anyone — it was Kang Do-jin, one of the feared Rank S Hunters of Korea. His very presence distorted the surroundings, as if the world itself bent under his power.
Jin's grip tightened around his shadow blades. The hatred burning inside him refused to let him back down, even as his instincts screamed of the overwhelming difference.
"Jin Hwan…" Kang Do-jin's voice carried arrogance and amusement, as though he already saw the outcome. "So you're the shadow everyone's whispering about. You think you can bring down the Dragons of Fire?"
Jin's expression didn't flinch.
"If it's you standing in my way… then I'll carve through you as well."
The clash began.
Their blades met, and the ground shattered beneath them. Kang Do-jin moved with terrifying speed, each strike carrying enough force to split steel. Jin fought back relentlessly, his shadows rising like serpents, his blades dripping with dark flames.
But every exchange revealed the truth: the gap was immense.
Kang Do-jin smiled as he deflected another flurry of attacks with ease.
"You've got talent. Power too. But against me? You're nothing but prey."
Jin's body ached, his breathing grew ragged, but the fire in his eyes refused to die.
I can't win… not yet. But this fight will be carved into me.
And so, though battered and nearly broken, Jin endured. Each strike, each wound, became fuel for the shadows within him. And for the first time, a Rank S recognized his existence.
The world would never be the same again.