CHAPTER 23: THE PRINCE OF POWER

Chapter 23: The Price of Power

The walk back to the Association felt longer than Darren had anticipated. The weight of his new reality pressed down on him with every step, the whispers in his mind growing louder the closer they got to civilization.When they arrived at the Hunter Association headquarters, it was clear that something had changed. Word had spread of Darren's survival in the Abyssal Labyrinth, and the looks he received were a mixture of awe, fear, and suspicion. No one knew exactly what had happened in the depths of the Labyrinth, but they could sense the shift in him.Inside the headquarters, Darren was immediately taken to a private room where the higher-ranking officials waited. Seated at the head of the table was Director Seo, the leader of the Hunter Association, his sharp gaze fixed on Darren."I'm glad to see you made it out alive, Darren Kim," Seo began, his tone neutral but probing. "But the real question is—what did you bring back with you?"Darren hesitated, unsure of how much he should reveal. The corruption was his burden, his secret. Could he trust them with it? Could they even help him? Or would they see him as a threat to be contained?"The Abyss changed me," Darren said carefully, choosing his words. "It gave me power. But it came with a cost."Seo leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "What kind of power?"Darren clenched his fists, feeling the dark energy stir within him. "A power I can barely control. I fought an Abyssal Guardian, something far beyond my rank. And I won. But I'm not the same anymore."The room fell silent. The higher-ups exchanged glances, the tension palpable. Seo studied Darren for a long moment before speaking again."We will need to run tests," he said finally. "To determine the extent of this… change. For your own safety, as well as the safety of others."Darren nodded, knowing there was no avoiding it. The power inside him was a ticking time bomb, and even he didn't know when it would go off.