From Murim to Metropolis

[After a While]

Jae Hoon: [grinning and wiping his mouth] "That was an awesome counter! Where did you even learn that?!" [bursts into laughter]

Seojin Lee: [looking uneasy, glancing around] "I'm worried… Dong Ha might try something again." [her voice trembling]

Jae Hoon: "Yeah, You should probably get out of here before things get messy."

Jin Wook: [smirking confidently] "Don't worry. I'm not the same weakling I used to be. You can trust me now."

Seojin Lee: [nodding hesitantly] "Okay…"

Jin Wook: [pointing ahead] "Oh, hey, look over there! There's an ice cream parlor. Want to grab some?"

Seojin Lee / Jae Hoon: [sharing an awkward glance] "Uh… sure, why not?"

The three enjoy ice cream together. The tension eases briefly as they laugh and talk, but soon Jae Hoon waves goodbye and heads home. Seojin Lee and Jin Wook continue walking along the dimly lit streets. The quiet is broken when Dong Ha appears from an alleyway, his face bruised and swollen, he lead the group of gangsters. He point finger toward at Jin Wook.

Dong Ha: [yelling, his voice filled with rage] "Beat him! Beat him to the ground!"

The gang leader steps forward, sizing Jin Wook up with a smug grin.

Gang Leader: "You want us to beat this guy?" [snickering] "Listen, kid, lower your eyes and get lost. But the girl stays with us."

Seojin Lee freezes, her legs trembling as she grips Jin Wook's arm. He gently pats her head, his voice calm yet firm.

Jin Wook: "Don't worry, Seojin. No one's going to touch you."

The gang leader bursts into mocking laughter.

Gang Leader: "Hahaha! This boy thinks he's a hero! Hey, grab the girl and drag her to the base. We'll show her a fun time tonight." [his voice turns sickeningly cruel, a twisted grin on his face]

Jin Wook's expression darkens. His jaw tightens, and his eyes glint with a deadly coldness. He clenches his fists but forces himself to stay calm. (Thinking) "I don't want to kill anyone here… "

Jin Wook: [in a low, icy voice] "Seojin, stay behind me. These guys are nothing but flies."

Dong Ha: [sneering] "You've lost your mind, Jin Wook! You ugly bastard! You're nothing but a son of a— "

Before he can finish, Jin Wook moves. His fist connects with Dong Ha's face with a sickening crack, sending blood spraying into the air. Dong Ha crumples to the ground, groaning in pain.

The air grows heavy as Jin Wook's aura shifts. It's no longer calm—it's menacing, suffocating, and filled with a cold fury. The gang members hesitate, shivering under his glare.

Jin Wook: [his voice cutting like ice] "Did you forget what I told you last time, Dong Ha? Cross the line again, and I won't just hurt you—I'll bury you."

The gang leader stiffens but forces a laugh to hide his fear.

Gang Leader: "What are you idiots standing around for?! Get him! I want that girl!"

The gang charges. Seojin instinctively steps back, her hands covering her mouth. Jin Wook steps forward, shielding her completely.

Jin Wook: [quietly to Seojin] "Close your eyes. Don't look at what's about to happen."

Seojin Lee: [nodding shakily] "O-Okay…"

Gang Leader: [mocking] "What's wrong? Gonna beg for mercy?"

Jin Wook: [his lips curling into a chilling smile] "Sorry to disappoint you."

The moment Seojin shuts her eyes, chaos erupts. Jin Wook moves like a shadow, his strikes precise and devastating. One punch sends a man flying into a wall. Another collapses to the ground, clutching a shattered arm. Jin Wook's face remains emotionless as he tears through the gang. Blood splatters across the alley, and the once-confident gang members are left groaning and writhing on the ground in mere seconds.

By the end, the ground is littered with broken bodies, but none are dead. Jin Wook steps over the gang leader, who clutches his ribs in pain.

Jin Wook: [leaning down, his voice dangerously low] "This is your last warning. If you so much as look at her again, I'll cut off your head. This isn't a threat—it's a promise."

The gang leader and dong ha whimpers, nodding frantically. Jin Wook straightens, brushing blood off his hands.

Jin Wook: [to Seojin] "Keep your eyes closed. Grab my hand, and don't open them until I say so."

He gently takes her hand, leading her out of the alley. Seojin can hear the groans and cries of the injured men as they pass. Her heart pounds in her chest, but she keeps her eyes tightly shut. As they walk, her foot brushes against a hand on the ground, and she flinches, nearly tripping.

Seojin Lee: [gasping softly]

Jin Wook: "It's okay. Just keep moving."

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Jin Wook stops. The sounds of the alley fade into the distance.

Jin Wook: "You can open your eyes now. But don't look back."

Seojin opens her eyes cautiously, her gaze immediately falling on Jin Wook's hands. They're stained red with blood.

Seojin Lee: [worried] "Jin Wook! Your hands—they're hurt! You're bleeding!"

Jin Wook looks at his hands, then at her, and gives a small, almost playful smile. He gently pats her head.

Jin Wook: "It's not my blood."

Seojin Lee: [crossing her arms, pouting slightly to hide her lingering fear] "Don't treat me like a kid!"

Jin Wook: [smiling softly, his voice calm again] "Let's go home."

[On the Other Side]

The gang leader, a towering figure with scars etched across his face, storms into the hospital. The stench of antiseptics mixes with the low groans of his men, lying battered and broken in their hospital beds. His dark eyes scan the room, his expression growing colder with every injured body he sees. Some have casts on their arms and legs; others have their ribs tightly wrapped. Fear hangs thick in the air as the leader clenches his fists.

Leader: [growling through clenched teeth] "What the hell happened here?!"

The room falls silent, except for the beeping of machines. None of the injured dare to meet his gaze. Finally, one of the gang members, his arm in a sling and face bruised beyond recognition, tries to speak. His voice is weak and trembling.

Gang Member 1: [stammering] "H-he… h-he's not human…"

Leader: [slamming his fist on the edge of a bed, making everyone flinch] "Speak clearly! Who did this?!"

Gang Member 2: [his voice shaking] "It… it all happened so fast, boss. In less than a minute… he crushed all of us. Like we were nothing."

Leader: [narrowing his eyes, his voice dangerously low] "Who? Was it someone from the army? A professional fighter? Tell me who he is."

The gang members exchange fearful glances, their faces pale. One of them, barely able to lift his head, finally whispers:

Gang Member 3: "H-he's… a monster."

Leader: [his eyes narrowing, his voice dripping with anger] "A monster? Stop talking nonsense!"

Gang Member 1: [his voice cracking] "No… boss, it's true. His eyes… they weren't normal. He moved like a shadow—too fast, too strong. We didn't even have time to react. H-he didn't just fight us… he broke us."

The gang leader's jaw tightens as he processes their words. He grabs one of the injured men by the collar, pulling him forward despite his pained cries.

Leader: [hissing] "Who is he? Do you know his name?"

Gang Member 2: [swallowing hard] "They… they called him Jin Wook…"

The name hangs in the air like a curse. The leader's grip loosens, and he steps back, his mind racing. His expression hardens as he mutters to himself:

Leader: "Jin Wook… I've never heard of him. But if he thinks he can humiliate me like this, he's dead wrong."

Turning to leave, the leader speaks to the men without looking back.

Leader: [coldly] "Rest while you can. I'll deal with this 'monster' myself."

As he walks out of the hospital, his mind is already strategizing. A shadow of unease creeps into his thoughts, but his pride won't let him acknowledge it. Whoever this Jin Wook is, he's made an enemy of the wrong man.