6. Pain

𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"ARGHHHH!!!"

Jiwoo's painful screams echoed throughout the building. Eunwoo tightly closed his eyes, refusing to look at his brother's wreaked figure. He had withheld multiple times from giving away Kayden's location.

"You're holding up better than I thought, kid.", said the hooded stranger. "According to the information we have, it hasn't been long since you realized that you were an awakened one, and lived a normal life until then. So I didn't expect you to keep your mouth shut even after one of your arms got completely crushed. The one laying there is your brother, right? He is just a normal human, I wonder how painful it will be for him if I crushed his legs..."

"Don't... bring him into this... He knows nothing...", Jiwoo weakly replied.

"Let's take a break then. You'll need some time to think. Let me give you a heads-up. Your other arm is next and then your brother. It'll be much more painful than what you just went through because I'm gonna crush them very slowly, little by little."

He continued, "All you need to tell me are two things. Where Kayden is and whether he's in good or bad shape. Choose wisely."

Saying that he went away but Eunwoo knew better that he'll return in like five minutes.

While Amyeong tried to make Jiwoo spill the information, Eunwoo tried to concentrate his energy flow so that he could at least create a shield and a dagger.

Not even a full minute passed by when Eunwoo heard, "Ta-da!" said the hooded man. "You didn't have a clue that I'd come back right away, did you? People usually have a harder time coping with my torture when I give them false hope of having a long break. Alright, let's get back to it, kiddo!"

And he got back to crushing Jiwoo's other arm. The anger and guilt Eunwoo felt as he heard his twin's blood-curdling scream was the same that he felt when he was dying in the car.

___________________________________

"GAHHHH!!"

"It hurts, doesn't it? Honestly, I don't think I would've handled the pain myself. So I can't even imagine how much worse it must be for a kid like you."

Oh, Jiwoo... Why hasn't the guy from Baekdu come yet?!

"How about we make a deal? Just tell me one thing, and I'll stop here. All I want is Kayden's force control. You don't have to feel bad about telling me about it." The hooded man said.

But Jiwoo wasn't giving up. "I'm never going to tell you... I'm not going to tell anyone!"

This made him boil in rage. Just as he was about to smash Jiwoo's head on the ground, there was a transparent golden shield about Jiwoo. This caught the man by surprise. He hit the shield in an attempt to break it but to no avail.

"I didn't know you were an awakened one as well...", he said now coming towards Eunwoo. He held Eunwoo's jaw and asked, "When did you find out about your abilities?"

The younger boy hesitantly answered, "...a week ago."

"Then how about you tell me where Kayden is?"

"I'm sorry but I really don't know..."

"Hmm...", the man's face suddenly darkened. "Then take down the shield."

"I-I can't... ", Eunwoo shuttered.

"Then you'll just have to take his place. Let's begin with your legs until your brother speaks what we wanna hear. No hard feelings, kiddo," he said enjoying the look of terror on the younger's face.

"D-don't touch him...", Jiwoo pleaded meekly. "Please don't..."

Eunwoo passed Jiwoo a weak smile before saying, "Hyung, don't tell them anything."

This angered the man and he stomped on Eunwoo's stomach making him cough out some blood.

Fuck... he broke my ribs again... I do know how to tolerate pain but these people's strength is far beyond than that of a pro MMA fighter...

"Let's see how long you can keep up the shield."

The next thing Jiwoo knows is how painful Eunwoo's screams were but he couldn't even save his younger brother.