Chapter 28: "The Shattered World"**
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**Page 1:**
**Panel 1 (Full-page spread):** A news broadcast plays on a cracked TV screen. The anchor's voice is frantic: *"Three years ago, the first portal opened. Since then, our world has become a battlefield."* The screen shows footage of towering demons, glowing fissures, and people wielding strange powers. **Caption**: *"The world changed… while I slept."*
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**Page 2:**
**Panel 1:** Jin stands in his apartment, staring at the TV. His reflection in the screen shows faint traces of Rot swirling beneath his skin. **Jin (internal)**: *"It wasn't a dream. The Rot… it's still inside me."*
**Panel 2:** Min-ah enters, holding a newspaper. The headline reads: *"Portal Surge in Seoul—Hundreds Missing."* **Min-ah**: *"You've been asleep for three years, Jin. A lot's happened."*
**Panel 3:** Jin's hand trembles as he touches the TV screen. The Rot reacts, causing the screen to glitch. **Jin**: *"Tell me everything."*
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**Page 3:**
**Panel 1:** Flashback montage:
- **Panel A**: The first portal opens in a remote forest. Demonic creatures pour out, slaughtering everything in their path.
- **Panel B**: Governments scramble to respond. Military forces are overwhelmed.
- **Panel C**: People begin awakening powers—fire, telekinesis, healing. Some become heroes; others, warlords.
**Panel 2:** Present. Min-ah hands Jin a folder labeled *"Awakened Individuals."* **Min-ah**: *"They're calling them 'The Gifted.' You might be one of them."*
**Panel 3:** Jin flips through the folder. A photo of **Yuri** catches his eye—her Shade-core eye glowing, her scars visible. **Jin**: *"She's real… and she's out there."*
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**Page 4:**
**Panel 1:** Jin and Min-ah step outside. The city is a warzone—buildings crumble, portals flicker in the sky, and people flee from demonic creatures.
**Panel 2:** A group of Gifted fight back, their powers clashing with the demons. One of them—a young man with flaming fists—spots Jin. **Flaming Fist**: *"You're awake. About time."*
**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot flares defensively. **Jin**: *"Who are you?"*
**Panel 4:** The young man grins. **Flaming Fist**: *"Name's Kai. Welcome to the apocalypse."*
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**Page 5:**
**Panel 1:** Kai leads Jin and Min-ah to a fortified base. Inside, other Gifted train, strategize, and recover. **Kai**: *"We're the last line of defense. You're either with us… or you're demon food."*
**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot reacts to the base's energy shields, causing them to flicker. **Min-ah**: *"Jin, control it!"*
**Panel 3:** A woman with glowing blue eyes approaches. **Woman**: *"Your power… it's different. It's not just a Gift. It's something… ancient."*
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**Page 6:**
**Panel 1:** The woman introduces herself as **Dr. Elena Voss**, a scientist studying the portals and the Gifted. **Dr. Voss**: *"The portals aren't random. They're targeting something—or someone."*
**Panel 2:** She shows Jin a map of portal activity. The hotspots form a pattern—a spiral converging on Seoul. **Dr. Voss**: *"You've been asleep for three years, but your power… it's been active. The Rot is a beacon."*
**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot crystallizes into a blade. **Jin**: *"Then I'll cut the signal."*
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**Page 7:**
**Panel 1:** Jin, Min-ah, and Kai head to the nearest portal. Demonic creatures swarm them.
**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot surges, devouring the creatures. Kai's flames and Min-ah's newfound telekinesis (revealed here) help clear the path.
**Panel 3:** They reach the portal. Inside, a massive demon—**The Gatekeeper**—awaits. **Gatekeeper**: *"The Rot's heir has returned. The Crown demands your soul."*
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**Page 8:**
**Panel 1:** Jin's Rot clashes with the Gatekeeper's shadowy form. The portal destabilizes, threatening to collapse.
**Panel 2:** Min-ah's telekinesis holds the portal open. **Min-ah**: *"Jin, whatever you're going to do—do it now!"*
**Panel 3:** Jin plunges his Rot-blade into the Gatekeeper. The portal implodes, sucking the demon into the void.
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**Page 9:**
**Panel 1:** The group collapses, exhausted. The portal is gone, but the sky still flickers with others. **Kai**: *"One down… a million to go."*
**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot stabilizes, forming a faint crown-shaped aura around him. **Dr. Voss (over comms)**: *"The pattern's shifting. The portals are converging… on you."*
**Panel 3:** Jin looks at his hands. **Jin**: *"Then I'll end this. For Yuri. For everyone."*
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**Page 10 (Full-page cliffhanger):**
**Panel 1:** A massive portal opens in the sky. A shadowy figure steps through—**Yuri**, her Shade-core eye glowing, her scars pulsing with Rot.
**Panel 2:** She raises a hand, and the demons kneel. **Yuri**: *"You're late, Jin. The Crown's waiting."*
**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot flares. **Jin**: *"Yuri… what happened to you?"*
**Cliffhanger Text**: *"Next: The Crown's Gambit."*
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### **Key Developments**:
- **The Shattered World**: Portals, demons, and Gifted individuals have turned Earth into a warzone.
- **Jin's Power**: The Rot is a beacon, drawing portals and demons to him.
- **Yuri's Return**: She's alive but changed—aligned with the Crown and commanding demons.
**Visual Style**:
- **War-Torn Earth**: Crumbling cities, glowing portals, and chaotic battles.
- **Gifted Powers**: Vibrant, dynamic visuals for each power (fire, telekinesis, etc.).
- **Yuri's Design**: Darker, more menacing, with her Shade-core eye and Rot-infused scars.
**Addictive Hooks**:
- **The Crown's Plan**: Why is it targeting Jin? What does it want with Yuri?
- **The Gifted**: Who are they, and how did they get their powers?
- **Yuri's Loyalty**: Is she a villain, a victim, or something else entirely?
**Tone**: High-stakes action with a touch of mystery. The world is broken, but Jin's journey is just beginning. Readers will crave answers about the portals, the Crown, and Yuri's fate.