Chapter 117: a Fragile Reunion

The fire had already consumed most of the vehicle.

Thick black smoke filled the interior, coiling like a living entity as it invaded every inch of space, suffocating and merciless. The heat intensified by the second, turning the metal frame of the SUV into a burning cage.

Jinhoo struggled to breathe.

“Hah… Hah… Those bastards… Who sent them…”

His voice came out hoarse, barely audible as the smoke clawed at his throat.

He tried to steady himself, forcing his mind to focus. His hand trembled slightly as he attempted to summon his power.

But nothing came.

“Kugh… Come on… Appear… Appear…”

He gritted his teeth, pushing harder, reaching deeper within himself. Normally, his abilities would respond instantly, bending space and reality to his will.

But now?

Nothing.

“Ugh… At least teleportation!!”

His voice rose in frustration, but the result remained the same. Instead of power, all he got was more smoke filling his lungs, choking him from the inside.

“Cough… Cough… Damn it…”

Jinhoo covered his mouth with his hand, his body shaking as he coughed violently.

His vision blurred.

Still, he refused to give up.

He lifted his leg and kicked the window as hard as he could.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

But the glass didn’t even crack.

“Kugh… Damn it… I regret buying this damn expensive car… The glass is too strong!!”

His frustration boiled over, but it did nothing to change his situation.

For a brief moment, he stopped.

Silence filled his mind.

’They… the ones who did this to me… they’re definitely not villains… They rely on strategy and intelligence… There must be someone behind all of this…’

His thoughts slowed, but they remained sharp.

Then—

A smell.

“…Oh no…”

His eyes widened.

Oil.

The car’s oil had leaked.

It spread across the ground beneath the vehicle, slowly reaching the flames.

And then—

The fire grew.

Violently.

Explosively.

The flames surged upward, engulfing the car entirely.

“Hah… Damn it…”

And in the next second—

BOOM!!

The car exploded.

In the middle of the city street, chaos erupted instantly.

People screamed.

Some stepped back in fear, others froze in shock.

“What the hell was that!?”

“Someone call the fire department!!”

“Is there someone inside!?”

Panic spread like wildfire.

Phones were raised, emergency calls were made, and confusion dominated the scene.

At the same time, not far from there—

Lightnova was in the middle of an interview.

“Miss Lightnova, earlier you seemed to be enjoying the fight. Is there a reason for that?”

One of the reporters asked carefully.

Lightnova smiled gently.

“Ah… I was just observing his abilities. Nothing too special.”

Pens scribbled across notepads.

Cameras remained focused on her.

But suddenly—

A loud explosion echoed from a distance.

BOOM!!

Lightnova’s expression changed instantly.

She turned her head toward the source of the sound.

’An attack?’

Without hesitation—

She vanished.

Her body transformed into a streak of golden light as she shot toward the explosion at incredible speed.

Moments later, she arrived.

Landing smoothly on the asphalt, she returned to her human form.

What she saw made her pause.

It wasn’t a battlefield.

It was a burning car.

Three fire trucks were already there, firefighters desperately trying to suppress the flames.

Lightnova frowned slightly.

“This isn’t a normal fire…”

She walked toward the crowd.

The civilians immediately reacted.

“Lightnova!”

“Miss Lightnova!!”

She smiled softly and waved.

“Hello, everyone.”

Then her tone turned serious.

“Can you explain what happened here?”

A woman stepped forward nervously.

“A-ah! Of course!”

She took a deep breath before speaking.

“So… earlier, there was an SUV driving normally… but then two black sedans suddenly appeared and hit it from both sides…”

Lightnova listened carefully.

“The driver panicked and lost control… the car flipped over… I don’t know everything, but I saw a man in a suit, wearing sunglasses, like a bodyguard… he locked the car door from the outside with some kind of device…”

Her voice trembled.

“He trapped the driver inside… and then… the car caught fire… and exploded…”

Lightnova narrowed her eyes.

She looked at the others.

“Is that what happened?”

“Yes, we saw it too.”

“It’s true!”

Her expression darkened slightly.

’This is clearly a planned murder…’

She was about to think further—

“L-look!!!”

A man suddenly shouted, pointing at the burning wreck.

Everyone turned.

The fire roared violently.

Then—

BANG!!

The car door burst open.

It was kicked out with tremendous force, flying straight toward the crowd.

Lightnova reacted instantly.

She stepped forward and caught it with her bare hand.

The impact was heavy.

“…!”

She dropped it onto the ground immediately.

’Ugh… It’s hot…’

Her palm had been burned.

But she ignored it.

Her gaze shifted back to the flames.

And then—

From within the fire—

A figure emerged.

Slowly.

Step by step.

A man.

Wearing a suit.

A cloak.

A fedora.

And a black mask.

Indigo.

The crowd gasped.

“I-Indigo!?”

Fear spread instantly.

Lightnova stared at him.

Her guard rose immediately.

She knew him.

But—

She also knew.

That wasn’t always him.

Indigo stretched his neck slightly.

Crack.

Then—

He turned his head toward her.

Lightnova’s heart skipped a beat.

’His eyes… they should be blue… or colorless… but if they’re red… that’s dangerous…’

Memories flashed in her mind.

The time she almost died.

At the hands of a fake Indigo.

She clenched her fists.

’He’s quiet… that’s not like him…’

Then—

From behind the mask—

His eyes glowed.

Red.

Lightnova’s pupils shrank.

“S-something’s wrong—”

She turned toward the civilians.

“Everyone! Get back!!”

But it was too late.

In an instant—

Indigo disappeared.

And reappeared—

Right behind her.

Lightnova froze.

She felt it.

That overwhelming presence.

She tried to turn—

But—

A hand landed on her shoulder.

And in the next moment—

They vanished.

A few seconds later—

They reappeared.

On top of a skyscraper.

High above the city.

Lightnova stood there—

Frozen.

Her eyes shut tightly.

Her body trembling slightly.

Then—

A familiar voice.

Calm.

Gentle.

“Nona Lightnova, you can open your eyes now.”

Her eyes snapped open.

She looked around.

And realized—

She was being carried.

In his arms.

Like a princess.

Just like before.

Her face turned red instantly.

She buried her face into his chest.

“P-p… put me down…”

“Hmm? I didn’t hear that.”

“Put me down!!”

Indigo blinked in surprise.

He immediately set her down.

Lightnova stepped back, her face still flushed.

“W-what are you doing!? You almost made me relive my trauma!”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“I mean… your eyes!! They changed color!!”

Indigo paused.

Then—

Understanding dawned on him.

“Ah… You’re scared just because of my eye color?”

Lightnova puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms.

“Hmph!”

Indigo chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry… the fake Indigo has already been defeated. And I can control my eye color now.”

To prove it—

His eyes shifted.

Blue.

Then red.

Then back to blue.

Lightnova looked away.

“Hmph! Next time don’t show me the red one… it’s scary…”

Indigo laughed again.

“Alright, alright…”

Slowly—

The tension faded.

Lightnova relaxed.

A small smile formed on her lips.

For a moment—

They just stood there.

Above the city.

The wind blowing gently around them.

It felt—

Peaceful.

Like a reunion.

Between two people who stood on opposite sides of the world.

And yet—

Were somehow still connected.

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