Chapter 76: A Throne of Ashes
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1. Aftermath
Jinwoo stood over Hyun-seok's lifeless body, the gun still smoking in his grip.
The room was silent—except for the distant echoes of battle outside.
Flames licked the walls. The empire Hyun-seok built was burning to the ground.
Jinwoo staggered.
The pain in his side was unbearable. Blood soaked his shirt.
His vision blurred, but he refused to fall.
Not yet.
He turned and stumbled toward the exit.
But as soon as he reached the doorway—he felt it.
A presence.
He wasn't alone.
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2. The Last Assassin
The air shifted.
Jinwoo barely had time to react before a blade slashed past his face.
He dodged by instinct.
The attacker moved like a shadow.
Fast. Precise. Deadly.
Jinwoo raised his sword just in time to block the next strike.
Metal screeched against metal.
Then, he saw them.
A masked assassin.
Dressed in black. No insignia. No name.
A ghost.
Jinwoo narrowed his eyes. "Hyun-seok's final trick?"
The assassin didn't speak.
Instead, they attacked again.
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3. The Edge of Death
Jinwoo's body was on fire.
Each movement sent pain tearing through his wounds.
But he couldn't stop.
The assassin was too fast.
Their blade danced like lightning.
Jinwoo barely kept up.
A kick to his ribs sent him crashing into the wall.
He gasped for breath. Vision darkening.
The assassin raised their sword.
Ready to end it.
Then—a gunshot.
The assassin staggered.
Blood bloomed on their shoulder.
Jinwoo looked up.
Ji-hyun stood in the doorway, gun smoking.
"Still think you don't need me?" she said.
Jinwoo grinned.
"Shut up and help me kill this bastard."
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4. No Mercy
Together, they attacked.
Jinwoo moved low, fast.
Ji-hyun fired precisely, forcing the assassin back.
For the first time—they were winning.
The assassin stumbled.
Jinwoo saw the opening.
And took it.
His blade sank into the assassin's chest.
The masked figure froze.
Then collapsed.
Dead.
Jinwoo exhaled.
It was finally over.
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5. A New King?
Outside, the city was in chaos.
Hyun-seok's empire was falling.
Ji-hyun helped Jinwoo down the burning stairs.
"You're going to bleed out," she said.
Jinwoo chuckled, weakly. "I've been worse."
They stepped outside—
And saw the survivors.
Men who once served Hyun-seok.
Now, they stood, waiting.
Watching Jinwoo.
And then—one of them knelt.
Then another.
And another.
Until they all bowed.
Ji-hyun's breath hitched. "They think you're their new king."
Jinwoo stared at them.
Hyun-seok had been right.
There would always be another king.
And now… it was him.
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End of Chapter 76
(Next Chapter: The Price of Power.)