Chapter 7 - Quiet Before the Storm

The next morning, Ji Han woke up earlier than usual.

His body still felt tired, like he had run a long race in his sleep. But more than that, his mind was heavy.

The test from yesterday played over and over in his head.

The fake beasts.

The real Rift creature.

The emotions. The danger.

And the moment he pressed [Y].

Ji Han stared at his hand. It looked normal. But he remembered how it shook after the battle. His system had nearly gone out of control again.

He got up and walked to the window of the dorm room. The sky outside was cloudy, but the sun still tried to shine through.

He heard the door open.

It was Ha Neul.

"You're up early," Ha Neul said.

"So are you," Ji Han replied quietly.

Ha Neul stood next to him, looking out.

"The Association is still talking about yesterday," he said. "They're trying to find out how a real creature got into the test."

Ji Han didn't answer.

Ha Neul looked at him. "You felt it too, didn't you? That thing wasn't normal."

Ji Han nodded. "It was pure hatred. It wanted to kill everything."

"And you," Ha Neul said slowly, "absorbed that emotion. That's not something a normal system can do."

Ji Han turned away.

"Don't worry," Ha Neul added. "I won't tell anyone."

"Why?"

"Because I think I understand you," he said. "You're not trying to hurt anyone. You're just trying to survive."

Ji Han looked at him, surprised.

"You're stronger than you think," Ha Neul said, then left the room.

---

Later that day, all the test-takers were called to the training hall.

The room was full. Everyone was talking about what had happened during the test. Some were excited. Some were scared.

When Ji Han, Ji Won, and Ha Neul entered, people looked at them differently.

Whispers followed them.

"Those three took down a C-rank alone."

"Is that guy really a first-year?"

"I heard one of them used a copy skill..."

Ji Han kept his eyes down.

An examiner stood at the front and raised a hand.

"Everyone, quiet," she said. "First of all, congratulations. Despite the surprise situation, many of you passed Phase 1 and 2 of the test."

There was a round of clapping.

"But there is something important we must address," she continued. "Yesterday, a real Rift beast entered the simulation. We are still investigating how this happened."

Gasps filled the room.

"Is it safe here?" someone asked.

"For now, yes," she said firmly. "We've locked down the area. But that's not all."

She looked directly at Ji Han, Ha Neul, and Ji Won.

"We want to speak with the three of you after this meeting."

Ji Han's stomach dropped.

Ji Won leaned over and whispered, "Uh oh. We're either getting rewarded or arrested."

Ha Neul didn't react.

---

After the meeting, the three of them followed the examiner into a quiet room.

Inside were a few higher-ranking officials and system experts.

One of them stood and smiled. "Don't worry. You're not in trouble."

Ji Won let out a loud sigh of relief.

"We just want to understand what happened," the official continued. "Your teamwork, your quick response—it saved lives."

They asked questions. About what they saw. What they felt. What they did.

Ji Han answered carefully. He never told them the full truth. Not about the bloodlust. Not about how he absorbed it.

But Ha Neul noticed.

When the meeting ended, one of the officials looked thoughtful. "These three... keep an eye on them."

---

That night, Ji Han sat alone outside, under a tree.

He watched the stars. The sky felt far away, quiet and peaceful—so different from the chaos in his chest.

He heard footsteps.

It was Ji Won this time.

"Hey," Ji Won said, sitting beside him. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You've been quiet all day."

"I'm always quiet," Ji Han said with a small smile.

"True. But now it's like... heavier."

Ji Han didn't reply.

Ji Won leaned back against the tree.

"You know," he said, "when that beast showed up, I thought we were dead."

"Me too."

"But then you moved," Ji Won said. "You weren't scared. You were something else."

Ji Han looked at him. "I didn't want anyone to die."

Ji Won nodded. "That's enough."

The wind blew softly.

For a moment, things felt calm.

But deep inside, Ji Han knew it wouldn't last.

His system was changing. The beasts were getting stronger.

And something worse was coming.

He didn't know what—but he could feel it.

Like a storm waiting just beyond the horizon.