2: The Price of Power
The night had not yet ended…
But Kian Vortex was no longer the same.
The shattered alley lay silent.
Dust floated in the air. Broken stones hovered unnaturally… as if the world itself feared to touch him.
In Kian's palm—
A swirling black sphere pulsed softly.
It devoured everything around it.
Light… sound… even the air.
Kian stared at it, his breathing uneven.
"…What is this power?"
The ancient voice returned—
"Void does not create."
"It only devours."
Suddenly—
The black sphere expanded.
Kian's eyes widened.
"Wait—!"
BOOM!!
A nearby wall collapsed instantly—erased, as if it never existed.
Not destroyed.
Not broken.
Gone.
Kian staggered back.
"This… this is too dangerous…"
"Then die weak."
The voice cut through his thoughts.
"Power always demands a price."
Before Kian could respond—
FOOTSTEPS.
"Over here! I felt a strange energy!"
Village guards.
Three of them rushed into the alley, weapons drawn.
Their leader frowned.
"What happened here…?"
Then his eyes landed on Kian.
"…You."
Kian's body tensed.
He tried to hide the black energy—but it pulsed violently.
Too late.
"Dark energy…?"
The guard's expression turned sharp.
"Seize him! He might be possessed!"
They attacked.
Fast.
Trained.
Merciless.
Kian panicked.
"I don't want to fight—!"
A blade slashed toward him.
Instinct took over.
WHOOSH—
Kian vanished.
The guards froze.
"Where did he—"
Behind them—
Kian reappeared.
His heart pounded.
"…I moved?"
The voice whispered—
"Void Step."
Another attack came.
This time—
Kian didn't hesitate.
He raised his hand.
The black sphere formed again.
"No—STOP!"
Too late.
The sphere surged forward.
It touched the guard's weapon—
And swallowed it.
Then his arm.
Then—
"AAAAAAHHHH—!!"
Silence.
The guard was gone.
No blood.
No body.
Nothing.
The remaining guards froze in horror.
"M-Monster…"
They ran.
Kian stood there, trembling.
His hands shook violently.
"I… I killed him…"
"No."
The voice corrected calmly.
"You erased him."
Kian fell to his knees.
"This isn't power… it's a curse…"
For the first time—
The voice softened.
"Every god… was once called a monster."
Silence filled the alley.
Then—
Something strange happened.
A stream of energy flowed from the place where the guard vanished…
Straight into Kian's body.
His wounds healed instantly.
His strength increased.
His senses sharpened.
Kian's eyes widened.
"…I got stronger?"
"Abyss Devour Technique."
The voice explained.
"What you consume… becomes you."
Kian clenched his fists.
Fear still lingered.
But something else appeared—
Determination.
"If the world already sees me as a monster…"
He stood up slowly.
"…then I'll become strong enough to survive it."
The voice chuckled.
"Good."
"Because they are coming."
Far away—
In a grand sect hall—
An elder crushed a jade token.
"The Void energy has been confirmed."
"Send hunters."
"Alive… or dead."
Back in the village—
Kian looked toward the distant mountains.
A dangerous path awaited him.
But there was no turning back.
"I need to leave…"
As he took his first step—
The ground beneath him cracked slightly.
Power he couldn't yet control… leaking out.
Above him—
The moon dimmed.
As if even the heavens were watching.