010

The city was bustling with activity as Sae Rin stepped out of her apartment building. The morning air was crisp, filled with the distant hum of traffic and the chatter of pedestrians. She tightened her scarf around her neck, her mind already running through the day ahead. Today, she had a new responsibility—a young Harmonic she had been assigned to mentor.

It wasn't a task she took lightly. As an S-Class Harmonic, Sae Rin knew the immense pressure these young warriors faced. The world was harsh, and those without guidance often found themselves straying down dangerous paths.

Min Jae was waiting for her at the training facility, his uniform slightly wrinkled and his expression a mix of excitement and nervousness. He was barely out of his teens, with unruly black hair and wide eyes that seemed to soak in everything around him.

"Good morning, Min Jae," Sae Rin greeted him with a warm smile.

"Good morning, ma'am!" he replied, bowing deeply.

Sae Rin chuckled. "No need to be so formal. Just call me Sae Rin."

Min Jae straightened up, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, it's just… you're kind of a big deal."

"I'm just a person, like you," she said gently. "Now, let's see what you've got."

The training session began with basic combat drills. Sae Rin observed as Min Jae demonstrated his abilities. He was quick and agile, his movements fluid but lacking precision.

"Your speed is impressive," Sae Rin noted as she watched him dodge a series of holographic projectiles. "But you need to focus on control. Speed without control is like a blade without a handle—you'll hurt yourself more than your opponent."

Min Jae nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yes, ma'am—uh, I mean, Sae Rin."

As the session progressed, Sae Rin couldn't help but notice the determination in Min Jae's eyes. He reminded her of herself when she was younger—eager to prove his worth in a world that often overlooked those who weren't born into privilege.

After the session, Sae Rin and Min Jae sat on a bench overlooking the city. The Harmonic Agency's training facility was located on a hill, offering a panoramic view of the sprawling metropolis below.

"Do you ever think about the rogues?" Min Jae asked suddenly, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Sae Rin turned to him, her expression thoughtful. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… why they exist," he said. "Are they really just power-hungry criminals, or is there something more to it?"

Sae Rin leaned back, gazing at the horizon. "There are many theories about the rogues. Some say they're Harmonics who couldn't handle the pressure and broke under the weight of their power. Others believe they were corrupted by something—maybe an external force, maybe something within themselves."

"Do you think they're evil?" Min Jae asked hesitantly.

Sae Rin shook her head. "I don't like to think of people as simply 'good' or 'evil.' Everyone has a story, a reason for the choices they make. That doesn't excuse their actions, but it does make you wonder what led them down that path."

Min Jae nodded, his brow furrowed in thought.

"There's also a theory," Sae Rin continued, "that the rogues are after something. Something they believe will change the balance of power in the world. But no one knows what it is—or if it even exists."

The weight of her words hung in the air, a reminder of the complexity of the world they lived in.

Meanwhile, in a realm far removed from the bustling city, Jin Seo stood amidst the ruins of a crumbled temple. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the ground beneath him was slick with mud and blood.

Before him loomed a gargantuan serpent, its scales shimmering like black steel and its eyes glowing an eerie purple. The Abyss Serpent towered over him, its fangs glinting like daggers in the dim light.

Jin's blade materialized in his hand, its weight both familiar and reassuring. His breathing was steady, his focus unwavering. He was no longer the terrified boy who had stumbled through his first trial.

As the serpent lunged, Jin activated Dash, his body moving in a blur as he narrowly avoided the creature's strike. The ground where he had stood shattered under the force of the serpent's attack.

Jin slashed at the serpent's side, his blade cutting deep into its scales. Black blood sprayed across his face and clothes, but he didn't flinch.

"Just another beast," he muttered, his voice calm.

The serpent coiled around him, its massive body closing in like a living prison. Jin leapt onto its back, driving his blade into its spine. The serpent let out a deafening roar, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake him off.

Jin held on, his grip firm as he drove his blade deeper. The serpent's movements grew more erratic, its strength waning as blood poured from its wounds.

With a final, desperate lunge, the serpent tried to crush him beneath its weight. Jin activated Dash again, appearing behind the creature in an instant. He slashed at its neck, severing its head in one clean strike.

The serpent's body collapsed to the ground, its death throes shaking the very earth. Jin stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.

The system notification popped up in front of him:

[Abyss Serpent defeated.]

[Title Earned: Abyss Slayer]

[Dash: Lv 4]

[Passive Skill Unlocked: Predator's Instinct – Enhances awareness and reflexes in combat.]

[Active Skill Unlocked: Serpent's Coil – Temporarily immobilizes enemies within a certain range.]

[Ascension Progress: 12%]

Jin stared at the screen, his body covered in the serpent's blood. The weight of what he had accomplished began to sink in.

"I… I'm really doing this," he muttered, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

The system chimed again, its voice cold and mechanical:

[Prepare for extraction.]

The world around him began to dissolve, the ruins fading into darkness. Jin felt a strange sensation, as if he were being pulled through a void.

When the light returned, he found himself back in his apartment, lying on the wooden floor. His body ached, his clothes still stained with blood.

"What the hell just happened…" he muttered, staring at the ceiling.

But before he could process everything, the system notification popped up once more:

[Ascension Trial: Stage 2 Unlocked.]

The words hung in the air, a reminder that his journey was far from over.

The sun hung high over the bustling city square, casting its warm light over the rows of market stalls lined with fresh produce, handmade trinkets, and colorful fabrics. Vendors shouted to attract customers, children ran about with gleeful abandon, and the air smelled of roasted chestnuts and spices.

Jin Seo walked among the crowd, his hood pulled low over his face. He wasn't here to shop but to observe—this was his first time venturing into the city's central district since his "death." He kept his movements subtle, weaving through the throng of people while taking in the vibrancy of the scene.

But amidst the joyful chaos, an ominous presence loomed.

A sudden gust of hot wind tore through the market, knocking over stalls and scattering goods across the ground. People paused, startled, as a figure emerged from the alleyway, his footsteps echoing unnaturally loudly against the cobblestones.

The man was tall and lean, his face partially hidden beneath a hood. His eyes glowed an eerie orange, and wisps of smoke curled from his fingertips. He extended his hand toward a nearby fruit stall, and with a snap of his fingers, the entire stand burst into flames.

Screams erupted as the flames spread rapidly, consuming everything in their path. People scrambled to flee, some abandoning their goods, while others froze in terror, pulling out their phones to record the chaos.

The rogue's voice cut through the commotion, deep and gravelly. "Do you see this? This is what true power looks like. You cower and grovel, worshiping those Harmonics who only serve themselves. But not me. I'll tear down this world and rebuild it in flames."

A woman nearby whispered fearfully to another, "He's a rogue… a Harmonic gone rogue."

The rogue's Talent was clearly fire-based, but this wasn't ordinary pyrokinesis. His flames were black with streaks of crimson, a sure sign of a high-stage Talent. The system of Harmonics ranked abilities by stage, from Stage 1, where abilities were raw and weak, to Stage 10, where power became monstrous.

This rogue had to be at least Stage 8, judging by the sheer destruction he was causing. Flames leapt from his hands with every gesture, engulfing buildings and cars alike.

A man in the crowd murmured, "I've never seen flames like that before. What kind of monster is he?"

Jin stood frozen in place, watching as chaos unfolded around him. His heart raced, not with fear but with something else—a strange mixture of excitement and dread. The blade from his trials flashed in his mind, and his instincts screamed for him to act.

"I could…" he muttered to himself, his hand twitching. "I could stop this."

But then, doubt crept in. He clenched his fists, cursing his hesitation. "No. Not yet. I'm not ready."

He pulled his hood lower, slipping into the crowd as people began to gather at a distance, their phones pointed at the rogue.

Just as the rogue prepared to unleash another wave of destruction, a booming voice rang out:

"Stop right there!"

All eyes turned toward the sky, where Tae Joon and his team descended from a hovering transport vehicle emblazoned with the Harmonic Agency's emblem. Tae Joon landed first, his feet hitting the ground with a resounding thud.

Tae Joon was every bit the hero the media painted him to be—tall, broad-shouldered, and confident. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and his Harmonic uniform gleamed in the sunlight. Behind him, his team landed in formation, each member exuding an aura of power.

"Tae Joon…" Jin muttered, watching from the edge of the crowd.

The rogue laughed, his voice echoing with madness. "So, the Agency sends its dogs to clean up their mess. Come on, then! Let's see what you're made of."

Tae Joon cracked his knuckles, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "Stage 8 fire? Impressive. But let's see how you handle Stage 9 lightning."

Tae Joon's Talent was Lightning Manipulation, and he was renowned for being one of the strongest A-Class Harmonics in the country. His Talent was already at Stage 9, putting him just one step away from S-Class.

Lightning crackled around Tae Joon's body as he surged forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. The rogue barely had time to react as Tae Joon's fist connected with his jaw, sending him crashing through a row of stalls.

The rogue retaliated with a wave of black flames, the intense heat warping the air around them. Tae Joon raised his hand, summoning a barrier of lightning that absorbed the flames with a deafening crackle.

"Is that all you've got?" Tae Joon taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

The rogue roared in frustration, unleashing a torrent of fire that scorched the earth. Tae Joon dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between them.

Behind him, his team provided support, containing the flames and evacuating civilians. One of his teammates, a woman with ice-based abilities, created barriers to shield bystanders from the heat.

The rogue's frustration grew as he realized he was outmatched. He poured all his energy into one final attack, a massive fireball that consumed the sky. Tae Joon didn't flinch.

"Let me show you why they call me the Thunder King," he said, his voice low and menacing.

Tae Joon raised his hand to the sky, summoning a bolt of lightning so massive that it seemed to tear the heavens apart. The lightning struck the rogue dead center, the sheer force of the impact creating a shockwave that knocked people off their feet.

When the dust settled, the rogue lay motionless on the ground, his body charred and smoking.

The crowd erupted into cheers, their fear replaced by awe and admiration.

Jin watched from the sidelines as the people swarmed Tae Joon, praising him as a hero. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight.

"He's strong," Jin admitted to himself. "Strong enough to save people, to protect them."

As the crowd's cheers grew louder, Jin turned and walked away, his hood hiding the storm of emotions on his face.

"I need to get stronger," he muttered, his voice low but resolute.

As Jin made his way back to his apartment, the system notification popped up in his vision:

[Daily Task Completed.]

[Warning: Ascension Progress Too Slow. Consequences Imminent if Growth Is Not Accelerated.]

The words sent a chill down his spine. The system wasn't just pushing him—it was threatening him.

"What the hell does that mean?" Jin muttered, his heart pounding.

The screen faded, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The path ahead was clear—he had no choice but to keep ascending.