The Weight Of Fear

Jin Tae-Hyun's breaths were ragged as he sprinted through the dense forest, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs like a war drum.

His mind raced. How? How the hell does he know?

He had accounted for everything. He had bent fate itself, twisting the events of this world to suit his plans. Yet, for the first time since waking up in this body—

He had lost.

Not just the battle, but his entire sense of control.

The wind roared past his ears as he leapt over a fallen tree, his feet barely touching the ground before he pushed forward again. He had to get away. He had to—

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

Jin's instincts screamed. He ducked—just in time for a dagger to fly past his head, embedding itself into a tree with a sickening thud.

They're chasing me.

His muscles tensed. It wasn't just that man—the assassins were closing in.

Jin clenched his teeth. I can't stop. If I stop, I die.

A shadow flickered in the trees above him. He spun just as a blade sliced down. Too slow.

Pain flared across his shoulder. Shit.

He twisted, retaliating with a lightning-fast strike of his own. His sword cut through flesh—one assassin fell, clutching his throat. But three more emerged from the darkness.

I can't keep this up.

His grip tightened around his sword. His body burned with exhaustion, but his mind—his mind was drowning in something far worse.

Fear.

Jin Tae-Hyun—no, Kaito—had never truly been afraid since coming to this world. Even in impossible situations, he had always known the outcome.

But now?

He had no idea how this would end.

Another strike came—he dodged barely, rolling through the dirt before launching himself forward. His only chance was to disappear completely.

Then—

A flicker of movement.

Jin's eyes widened as the man stepped onto the path ahead, waiting.

Waiting for him.

Jin froze.

His heart stopped.

The assassins behind him slowed their pursuit. The tension in the air was suffocating.

The man smiled. "Tired already?"

Jin clenched his fists. Damn it.

His body was exhausted, his wounds burned, and his mind was unraveling. But he forced himself to stand tall, swallowing the panic threatening to choke him.

He had one option left.

Bluff.

Jin wiped the blood from his lip and smirked, forcing arrogance into his voice. "You're good, I'll admit that. But you don't know everything about me."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Jin's smirk widened. "Yeah."

And then, in the next second—

He threw down a smoke bomb and vanished into the forest.

—

Hours later.

Jin sat against a cold stone wall, deep inside an abandoned cave, his body trembling.

He stared at his hands, his breath uneven.

I ran.

The realization sank in like a blade to his gut.

I actually ran.

His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

His pride screamed at him. His rage boiled beneath his skin.

But above all of that—

Fear still lingered.

Who the hell was that man? How did he know everything?

Jin's fingers twitched. He needed time. He needed a plan.

And above all else—

He needed to kill that bastard before it was too late.