Chapter 2 — The Spark Before the Storm
The magic theory class at Daehan Academy buzzed with excitement as students gathered near the dueling arena. Despite its modest location in the city's outer district, Daehan was still one of the only institutions that accepted "unblooded" students—those without noble lineage or awakened family trees.
Seo Jin-Ho stood near the edge, arms crossed, watching two seniors duel with mid-level enhancement spells. Their movements were sharp, but Jin-Ho's trained eyes could already see flaws in their mana flow.
Too much focus on external channels. Weak internal cycle reinforcement. They're leaving themselves wide open.
His friend Han Min, a lanky boy with wind affinity, leaned in. "You're analyzing them again, huh? You gonna go next?"
Jin-Ho shook his head. "Not worth it. They'll just say I'm cheating again."
"Because you crushed three Level 4s last month?"
Jin-Ho smirked but didn't answer.
The truth was, he was suppressing himself.
His core—one forged from pure elemental convergence—was too efficient, too evolved. He advanced faster than anyone his age. But rather than praise, it brought suspicion, whispers of illegal enhancements, and quiet scorn from jealous elites.
At first, he cared. Now, he didn't.
He had one goal: grow strong enough to break through this world's hierarchy.
For his family.
The bell rang, and Jin-Ho parted ways with Min. He boarded the rail shuttle to Sector 12, the scenery growing darker and denser as skyscrapers gave way to concrete blocks and neon-scarred signs.
When he reached home, something was off.
The door to their apartment was ajar.
He stepped in slowly. "Mom? Dad?"
Silence.
His blood ran cold.
He rushed into the living room—and froze.
His mother lay unconscious, bruises on her temple. His father knelt beside her, holding her hand, his own lip bleeding. The room was a wreck. Broken dishes. Scorched carpet. A still-flickering spell sigil on the wall.
"Dad—what happened!?"
Dae-Won looked up. "They... came. Men in suits. Magic licenses. Said they were from the Dongjin Legal Authority. Claimed we hit their car… That it was a drunk-driving case."
Jin-Ho's breath caught in his throat.
"But... they're lying. They ran you off the road—!"
"I know," his father said, voice heavy. "But they brought evidence. Edited footage. Magic sensor logs that show us at fault."
Jin-Ho's fists trembled. "What about witnesses?"
"Gone. Bought off or silenced. They said... unless we pay compensation and sign an NDA, they'll charge us with attempted assassination."
His mother stirred faintly. "They knew... who you were, Jin-Ho... They said to warn you... not to act smart."
Jin-Ho's vision blurred. Not from tears—but from rage.
The Dongjin Clan.
Even now, they moved like gods above the law. Untouchable. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.
"I'll go to the Guild. To the press."
His father grabbed his arm.
"No, Jin-Ho. Don't."
"Why!?"
"Because if you act now, they'll erase us. For real."
For the first time in years, Jin-Ho felt helpless.
Despite the power swirling inside him, despite the strength he'd earned with his own sweat and sleepless nights—he couldn't protect them.
Not yet.
That night, as he sat on the rooftop, staring at the moons above the black city skyline, he clenched the dull metal sphere his father had always kept hidden.
"You once told me this was your legacy," Jin-Ho whispered. "A useless relic from the old world."
The orb didn't respond.
But his core pulsed faintly—as if it recognized the artifact.
Far away, in the golden tower of the Dongjin Family, a new order was signed.
Terminate "Seo Jin-Ho".