The sky had already turned dark by the time Rheon, Yejun, Aera, and Seongha climbed into the black Union-issued SUV. The city lights of Seoul flickered in the distance, but they quickly vanished behind tinted windows as the vehicle began to move. The convoy was tight—one armored vehicle ahead, 1 more following behind. It wasn't subtle, but subtlety wasn't the point. This was about protection.
Rheon sat silently in the front passenger seat, arms crossed, eyes fixed ahead. In the back, his friends sat tensely—Seongha fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie, Aera holding onto Yejun's sleeve, her expression pale.
"They're not exactly being discreet," Seongha muttered.
"They're not supposed to be," Rheon replied flatly.
The one driving was Union Agent Hyuk, a seasoned operative with the cold, calm demeanor of a man who'd seen more battles than birthdays. Rheon's eyes didn't leave the road ahead when he asked, "Do we know why they're here? The Han brothers."
Hyuk's hands tightened slightly on the wheel. "Not yet, Rheon-nim. But intelligence suggests a high probability. The Han brothers have been connected to Labyrinth—an illegal organization known for awakener experimentation. There's a pattern. They've been known to kidnap young, highly talented awakeners."
Hyuk's voice grew quieter. "We believe they may be targeting you… or Jiyoung Yoo."
The air turned heavy.
Aera's breath caught in her throat. She gripped Yejun's arm tighter, her lips trembling. Yejun, ever the protective younger brother, placed a reassuring hand over hers and nodded silently.
In the rearview mirror, Hyuk saw Rheon's expression harden. The boy didn't flinch, didn't react with panic. But his silence was deafening.
Labyrinth... Rheon's thoughts churned.
Is that the same organization Jiwoo's mother was involved with? The one Amyeong—Shadow—escaped from? Or is it something even worse?
And then his thoughts drifted to Jiyoung Yoo. In the manhwa, her parents were supposed to die later in the story, not this early. Rheon had already made plans—plans to alter that tragic fate. Is this that moment? Or am I just being paranoid?
Before he could sink further into thought, the radio crackled.
"Sir! Two individuals are blocking the road—wait... it's them! The Han brothers! They've erected a geokinetic barricade!"
Hyuk snapped into action, grabbing the receiver. "All agents, converge on our position. Surround this vehicle—protect Rheon-nim at all costs!"
The car came to a sharp halt, tires skidding slightly. Union agents immediately jumped out of their vehicles, forming a protective perimeter.
Then a voice echoed down the road, calm but unnervingly clear.
"Easy there," the man called out in fluent English. "We're not here to hurt anyone. I'm Wuyin Han. This is my brother, Ye Han."
"Then remove your barricade and let us pass!" Hyuk barked out the window.
Ye Han's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Brother… let's just kill them all and take the brat with us."
Inside the car, the temperature dropped—figuratively and literally. Aera gripped Yejun's hand tightly, her face drained of color. Seongha's fists clenched at his knees. Yejun's face was grim, jaw locked.
Rheon narrowed his eyes. His aura barely flickered, but it was there—simmering just below the surface.
Hyuk responded firmly. "Reinforcements are on their way. Leave now while you still can."
Both brothers laughed.
"You think we didn't plan for that?" Wuyin smirked. "Why do you think we brought accomplices?"
"Bored now," Ye Han muttered—and without warning, he stomped the ground.
A massive boulder tore itself from the earth, then was hurled at the Union line. The agents reacted instantly. One of them, with cryokinetic abilities, raised a thick wall of ice that absorbed the brunt of the impact. The explosion of rock and ice sent shards scattering across the road.
"Not bad," Wuyin mused.
The battle erupted.
Outside, blasts of awakened energy lit the night like lightning strikes. Cryokinetic blasts, earth tremors, sonic bursts. The Union agents fought with discipline, but the Han brothers were monsters. Trained killers with global bounties—and no mercy.
Back at Union HQ, chaos was escalating as well.
In the operations room, So-Hee—Rheon's mother—stood with her fists clenched. Her usually composed demeanor was shattered by panic.
"They were attacked?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Yes," replied Sang-hoon Lee, her father-in-law and former Head of the Union. "The first convoy was ambushed. And the reinforcements we sent... intercepted by accomplices. It's a full-scale operation."
"I'm going," she said suddenly. "I can still fight—I'm still awakened—"
"No." Sang-hoon's voice was firm. "You need to be here. With Subin. I'll lead the second team myself."
So-Hee's eyes welled, but she nodded. "If Hyun-seok were here, this never would've happened…"
"They waited for him to leave," Sang-hoon said grimly. "They planned this. We underestimated our enemies."
An agent stepped forward. "Sir. The second reinforcement team is ready."
Sang-hoon turned. "Then let's go."
So-Hee stepped forward, grabbing his arm. "Be safe."
He only nodded and left.
Back at the site, the battle raged.
Four Union agents had already fallen—alive, but injured and bleeding. Hyuk, their driver, lay near the vehicle, bruised and barely conscious after a one-on-one clash with Wuyin Han.
The air was thick with dust and awakened energy.
Wuyin stood in the middle of the battlefield, his left arm limp and broken at the elbow, but his grin never faded. "You agents from the Union are strong… but this ends now."
He raised his remaining good arm, and the ground beneath Hyuk rumbled. An earth spike erupted from the pavement, hurtling toward Hyuk's chest.
It never reached him.
The spike froze mid-air—encased in midnight-blue ice that shimmered like frozen starlight. A haunting silence followed.
Everyone turned toward the SUV.
Rheon had stepped out.
His aura—deep, cold, and heavy—rolled off him in waves. His left hand hung at his side, frost still clinging to his fingertips. The air around him dropped ten degrees in an instant.
He stared at Wuyin, eyes sharp and unreadable.
"You made a mistake," Rheon said quietly.
Then the temperature dropped even further.