Norma Sellner's shock

Jinwoo and Po sat across from Michael Connor in the pristine office, their gazes sharp as they observed the entrance of the one they had come to meet. The door opened, and in stepped a woman exuding an aura of quiet authority—Norma Sellner.

She was middle-aged, with dark skin that contrasted against her cream-colored jacket, white blouse, and business skirt. Her black curls framed a face that carried both wisdom and mystery, but it was her turquoise eyes that stood out the most. They were impossibly bright, as if they could pierce through one's very soul. Beneath her large hat, she studied the two young men with a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

"Jinwoo Sung, Po," she greeted with a calm yet measured voice. "I've heard quite a bit about you both."

Po smirked slightly. "Well, we do tend to make an impression."

Jinwoo remained silent, his gaze unwavering. He wasn't here for pleasantries.

Michael leaned forward. "Ms. Sellner is one of a kind. She has the ability to enhance awakened individuals, pushing them beyond their natural limits."

Sellner nodded. "To be precise, I'm not entirely sure how my power works. Whether it's a forced reawakening or simply drawing out latent potential, I can't say. But one thing I do know is that those who undergo the process experience a 20 to 30 percent increase in power."

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow. "That's… a ridiculous boost."

"It is," she agreed. "And I assume that's why you're both here. If you're willing, I'd like to conduct the procedure."

Po chuckled. "I don't mind going first."

Norma gestured for him to place his hand in hers. Po did so without hesitation, and the moment their fingers touched—

Everything changed.

Norma Sellner found herself transported into a subspace, a phenomenon she had grown accustomed to over time. Normally, she would see a void where she could gaze into a person's limits and push them further.

But this was different.

The space was alight with golden, ethereal light. It pulsed like the very fabric of creation itself, and it wasn't alone—two other colors danced in harmony with it.

🔴 Red—a force of destruction, boundless and chaotic.

🟣 Purple—a void, endless and consuming.

🟡 Gold—an absolute presence, unshakable and divine.

She gasped. "This… this isn't possible."

Her knees buckled under the sheer weight of it all, but the space itself refused to let her fall. It was… in harmony, and yet, each presence was overwhelming in its own right.

She was used to seeing strong individuals, even national-level Hunters. She had worked with the greatest Awakened that America had to offer.

But this was nothing like that.

This was something far, far beyond what she had ever witnessed.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, to break the connection. Yet she was unable to look away. She tried to gaze into the lights, seeking their limits—

And then she realized her mistake.

When you gaze into the abyss for too long…

It gazes back.

A force beyond her comprehension surged forward, and before she could react—

She was ejected.

Po blinked as he returned to reality, feeling… different. Stronger.

He didn't say anything, merely flexed his fingers as if testing something new. But in the brief moment he had been in that space, he had seen what Sellner had done—the way she controlled mana, the method she used to push limits.

And in that instant, he had learned it, that very power of Ms. Sellner.

He smirked inwardly. Nice.

But now, it was Jinwoo's turn.

The tension in the room was thick, but Jinwoo stood up before anyone could speak.

"My turn."

Ms. Selner barely had time to react before he placed his hands in hers.

Darkness consumed everything.

Unlike Po's realm of three-colored power, Jinwoo's space was an abyss—an infinite expanse of pitch-black nothingness. It was deep, endless, and all-consuming.

Ms. Selner could panic this time.

And she did.

She gasped, hands shaking as she stared into the void. This wasn't like anything she had ever encountered. There was no light, no discernible limit, nothing to push beyond—because there was no limit to begin with.

Then it happened.

The Darkness looked back.

She screamed.

The connection shattered.

Ms. Selner recoiled as if burned, violently yanking her hands away from Jinwoo. Her entire body was trembling.

The Bureau agents reacted immediately. Guns were drawn, safeties clicked off, and the air in the room grew suffocating with tension.

Jinwoo's expression remained neutral, but Po's smirk widened, amused by the sheer panic in the room.

"Stand down," Michael Connor ordered, voice sharp as he raised a hand to stop his men from making any very dumb decisions.

Ms. Selner was drenched in sweat. Michael quickly moved to her side. "Ms. Selner—"

She grabbed his sleeve, eyes wild. "They're Kings."

Michael frowned. "You mean National Level Hunters?"

"No," she said quickly. "They're Kings, but not ordinary ones. I've never—I have never—seen anything like them before."

Michael hesitated. "So… does that mean they're stronger than National Level Hunters?"

Ms. Selner didn't answer. She couldn't.

Because there was no answer.

Jinwoo's darkness was infinite.

Po's power was threefold that of Hunter Sung Jinwoo's.

There was no way to measure something that had no limit.

"They weren't just looking at me," she whispered, still trembling. "I was looking at them… but they were looking back."

Michael exhaled sharply.

Jinwoo and Po, meanwhile, were already heading for the door.

"Welp," Po said casually, stretching as they exited. "That was fun."

Jinwoo simply nodded, eyes sharp with thought.

As they walked out of the building, Adam White, the Bureau's representative, hurried after them.

"Gentlemen, wait! The Bureau would still like to—"

"We're not interested," Jinwoo interrupted, his tone final. "We only came because of the Upgrader. You had information. Now we have it."

Adam faltered, then tried one last time. "Are you sure? The U.S. government can offer—"

Jinwoo's eyes darkened slightly, and Adam immediately stopped talking.

"…I see," the American agent murmured.

Po threw an arm around Jinwoo's shoulder as they walked towards their car.

"Man, we should really charge for these performances," Po joked. "We scared the hell out of those guys."

Jinwoo exhaled, glancing at his hands.

That space… that dark abyss…

It truly had no limit.

And that meant—

Neither did he.

To Be Continued…