Snow fell in steady silence over the French countryside. Each flake glittered faintly in the faint orange hue of the horizon. Beneath that calm sky, however, the air vibrated with tension — mana currents twisting and colliding, heralding an impending clash of powers.
At the edge of a ruined town, a single figure walked through the dust-filled streets. His armor gleamed like crystallized dawn, radiant even in the dying light of evening. A faint halo of blue flame surrounded his body, melting snow wherever he stepped.
Han Soo-Min, the hero of Seoul — "The Blade of the Morning Star."
He walked with purpose, each step deliberate, steady. Though his eyes were calm, a quiet storm raged behind them. His mission was clear: find and eliminate Adrian Leclerc, now declared the greatest global threat since the fall of the demonic age.
Yet beneath his composure, there lingered something heavier than duty — regret.
> "If only the world had given you a place, Adrian," he thought. "Maybe we wouldn't have to meet like this."
He reached the center of the town. The wind howled through hollow buildings; shutters banged loosely on broken hinges. At the far end, past the collapsed church, a faint purple glow pulsed from underground.
That was it — the entrance to Adrian's domain.
Han exhaled, unsheathing his blade. The metal sang, pure and resonant, and light poured from it like liquid gold.
---
Deep below, in the fortress heart, Adrian sat motionless before the mirror-core — his connection to the System pulsing violently.
> [Alert: Divine energy detected — foreign interference level 89%.]
[Target: Han Soo-Min — Rank 3 Hero. Estimated arrival: 4 minutes.]
Adrian's expression didn't change.
"Four minutes…" he murmured. "That's generous."
Selene entered from the corridor, her steps hesitant. "He's here, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"Do you want the defense units activated?"
Adrian rose slowly from his throne. "No. This one's mine."
Selene looked at him — at the way the purple light pulsed through his veins, reaching up his neck, staining the whites of his eyes. She wanted to protest, but something in his aura stopped her. It was no longer rage or madness. It was something worse — serenity.
"…Understood," she said quietly, stepping aside.
As Adrian walked past her, the walls trembled slightly, reacting to his mana flow. The shadows bent toward him, almost bowing as he passed.
---
Han descended into the catacombs beneath the town. The deeper he went, the stronger the pressure grew — a suffocating mixture of death and corrupted energy. His holy aura flared in response, burning away the miasma.
Finally, he reached a massive iron gate carved with sigils — the entrance to the Abyssal Throne Chamber.
Adrian's voice echoed before him, calm yet sharp as a blade.
> "I was wondering when the sun would rise."
Han's grip tightened on his sword. "You've fallen far, Adrian. But I came to give you one last chance."
Adrian appeared through the shimmering fog — tall, his black coat torn and scorched, eyes glowing faint violet. His presence warped the air around him.
> "A chance?" Adrian's tone was amused. "You think redemption is still something I seek?"
"You were human once. You still can be."
Adrian laughed softly, walking closer. "Human? No… Humanity was a chain I broke long ago."
Han raised his sword. "Then I'll cut what remains of it."
---
The ground exploded as their auras collided — light against shadow, divinity against corruption.
Han moved first, his blade slicing through the air with blinding speed. Adrian blocked with one arm, the impact sending shockwaves through the entire cavern.
Purple lightning flared from Adrian's hand, twisting into serpentine streams that lashed toward Han. The Korean hero spun, slicing them apart, his blade leaving trails of pure light.
For a moment, the world itself seemed to freeze between them — two forces perfectly balanced.
Then Adrian vanished.
Han barely reacted in time; his instincts screamed as Adrian reappeared behind him, fist crashing down like a meteor. The strike sent him flying into a wall of stone, which shattered under the force.
Han coughed blood but didn't fall. "So this is the power of despair," he whispered.
Adrian smiled faintly. "No. This is what happens when the rejected stop begging for approval."
Han charged again, his blade glowing brighter, cutting through Adrian's corrupted aura like sunlight through storm clouds. Sparks rained as sword met energy, each collision shaking the underground city.
Adrian gritted his teeth, pushing back. His voice echoed through the chaos:
> "You talk of light, but light blinds more than it saves."
Han countered, "And darkness consumes more than it frees!"
Their words clashed like their blades.
Adrian feinted, vanishing into the air. Han spun, but it was too late — a purple spear pierced through his side. He dropped to one knee, blood spilling across the floor.
Adrian walked slowly toward him.
"You're strong," he admitted. "But you're still playing by their rules. Their morals. Their illusions."
Han lifted his head, his eyes still burning with resolve. "And you? What are you playing for, Adrian? Revenge? Chaos?"
Adrian stopped in front of him. For a moment, the silence was unbearable.
Then, softly, he said:
> "Freedom."
He lifted his hand — purple fire gathering in his palm.
Han, bleeding but unyielding, rose once more, his sword flaring with divine brilliance. The two powers met again, clashing in a final, blinding burst of light and shadow.
When the explosion subsided, the chamber was in ruins.
Han lay against the shattered gate, his armor cracked and smoking. Adrian stood above him, wounded but victorious.
Han tried to lift his sword one last time — but Adrian gently pushed it down with his hand.
"There's no shame in losing," Adrian said quietly. "Only in pretending you ever fought for yourself."
He turned away as the last trace of Han's aura faded.
The System chimed softly in his mind:
> [Target eliminated — Han Soo-Min. Rank 3 Hero.]
[Reward acquired: Core Fragment – Level Omega.]
[Core synchronization: 82%.]
Adrian exhaled, staring at his trembling hands. The power was intoxicating — and terrifying.
Behind him, Selene's voice echoed through the communicator:
> "It's done, isn't it?"
Adrian looked up at the collapsing ceiling, the falling dust glowing purple in the faint light.
> "Yes," he whispered. "The dawn… never comes."