Chapter 67: Fractured Light

I walked through the narrow gaps between the buildings in the middle of the city.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

My hand instinctively pressed against my chest, where a deep, burning pain refused to fade. My breathing was uneven, broken, almost erratic.

“Hah… Hah… Hah…”

I forced myself forward, dragging my palm along the cold concrete walls to stabilize my body, afraid that if I stopped moving, I would collapse right there.

What… what’s wrong with me?

Why is my body like this?

Questions flooded my mind one after another, stacking endlessly without answers. The confusion gnawed at me, making my chest ache even more.

Just a few minutes ago—

After I had vomited a terrifying amount of blood.

Everyone in my family rushed toward me, their faces drained of color as they checked my condition.

Kim Gae-in grabbed my shoulders tightly, her hands trembling as she shouted.

“Oppa!! What happened!? What’s wrong with you!?”

“Hah… Hah…”

“Oppa!!”

“Hyung!!”

Their voices overlapped in panic.

I could see their mouths moving, their expressions filled with fear—but my ears rang violently, a sharp, piercing sound that drowned out everything else. I couldn’t hear them anymore.

It hurt.

It hurt so badly.

This feeling…

It was exactly the same as back then.

Suddenly, a name surfaced in my mind, dragging old pain along with it.

“J-Ji-hye…”

I muttered her name weakly as an unbearable pain stabbed into my chest.

I clenched my teeth and forced myself to stand.

Min-seo rushed forward and supported my body before I could fall.

“Oppa! Are you okay!?” she asked, her voice shaking.

I knew.

I knew they were all worried about me.

But—

“…There’s something I have to do.”

With those words, I turned and walked toward my room, each step unsteady, my vision swimming slightly. I changed my clothes quickly, ignoring the lingering bloodstains, and put on my villain outfit.

The moment I finished, the door was forced open.

“Oppa!”

So-ah shouted, her face pale as she rushed inside with the others.

I looked at them.

Every single one of them looked terrified.

I understood that.

But I couldn’t just stay here. I couldn’t pretend everything was fine and let this pass.

Something dangerous was happening.

I smiled softly despite the blood still staining the corner of my mouth.

“Don’t worry… I’ll come back. I promise.”

I put on my mask.

And in the next moment, I teleported away.

Even though I had grown much stronger than before, the intense pain in my chest prevented my power from flowing properly. I couldn’t bring out my full potential.

As a result, I only managed to teleport to the middle of the city.

I looked up.

Towering skyscrapers stretched endlessly into the night sky.

I wanted to teleport up there—onto one of the rooftops—but the moment I tried, my power failed me.

I couldn’t.

My body rejected it.

This is bad.

Really bad.

What should I do?

I don’t even know where Ji-hye is right now…

Just then—

A massive explosion erupted not far from my location.

The shockwave slammed into me violently, nearly knocking me off my feet as scorching wind tore through the street.

“What the hell is going on!?”

In a situation like this, I needed help.

Someone who knew more than me.

Right.

I still had my other self.

“Hey… you can hear me, right? You know something, don’t you? Please—tell me what’s really happening!”

A voice echoed inside my head.

“I’m not refusing to tell you,” it replied calmly. “But I don’t have the right to.”

“What!? What do you mean—”

Another explosion interrupted me.

This one was even bigger.

“Ugh! Damn it!”

My chest tightened painfully.

I forced myself to move.

Clenching my jaw, I ran toward the source of the explosions.

*At the site of the explosions*

Civilians were running everywhere.

Their screams filled the air as they fled in blind panic, their faces twisted in terror.

They weren’t just running.

They were being chased.

Behind them, dozens of B-rank villains flooded the streets.

They were everywhere.

Laughing, shouting, screaming as if possessed.

They hurled bombs at abandoned cars, setting them ablaze. Flames climbed upward, lighting the city in violent orange hues.

Their eyes—

Every single one of them had pitch-black eyes with a small red dot in the center.

I stared at them.

This isn’t normal.

I have to stop them.

At a time like this… Ji-hye should already be here under her hero identity—Lightnova.

But she was nowhere to be seen.

No light.

No familiar presence.

My heart sank.

Then I saw it.

One of the villains was about to kill a small boy who had tripped and fallen behind the others.

I didn’t hesitate.

I rushed forward and slammed my fist straight into the villain’s face.

The impact sent him flying backward, crashing onto the pavement.

I stepped in front of the boy, standing between him and the chaos.

“Hey! Run! This place isn’t safe!”

“Y-Yes!”

The boy scrambled to his feet, tears streaking down his face, and ran toward the escaping civilians.

Good.

At least now, I don’t have to worry about that.

But—

I turned my gaze toward the remaining villains.

They stared back at me with pure hatred, their teeth grinding as if they were barely holding back their rage.

“This is too much… especially in my condition.”

I tried to summon Lightnova’s weapon.

The blade of light.

But the moment it formed, it flickered—and vanished.

“W-What!?”

This is bad.

Really bad.

The villains began advancing toward me.

They were armed.

Swords, knives, blunt weapons.

And I was empty-handed.

“Even so… I won’t go down without a fight.”

I charged at them.

Dodging their attacks, countering with nothing but my fists.

I couldn’t even channel my void energy into my blows.

I was relying purely on physical strength.

“Hahh!!”

One of them swung his sword wildly.

I dodged and smashed my fist into his jaw, sending him stumbling backward.

Another rushed at me, blade aimed straight at my chest.

I couldn’t evade in time.

I grabbed the sword.

The sharp edge sliced into my palm, blood spilling instantly—but it was better than being stabbed.

I kicked him hard in the side of the face, knocking him away.

Suddenly—

I sensed an attack from behind.

I spun around and caught the incoming fist mid-air.

Twisting his arm, I yanked him closer and slammed my knee into his lower jaw.

He collapsed unconscious.

I scanned my surroundings.

Too many.

Way too many.

One of them raised a pistol.

I sprinted toward him.

Gunshots rang out.

I weaved between the bullets, feeling the heat brush past my skin.

I jumped and kicked him square in the face.

He dropped instantly.

I grabbed the pistol.

At that exact moment—

A sword swung toward my neck.

I ducked.

A strand of my hair was sliced clean off.

I turned and fired.

The bullet pierced his heart.

He dropped.

More villains rushed in.

I fired two more shots.

Another slash came from the side.

I rolled away just in time, then aimed and fired again.

The villain deflected the bullet with his blade.

Tough one.

I closed the distance.

Dodged his strike.

Punched him straight in the face.

He fell.

I stepped on his chest and aimed the gun at his face.

Two shots.

Silence.

I looked around.

They were still coming.

So many of them.

They really are insane.

They really want to die.

My chest burned with every breath.

My vision blurred.

But I stood my ground.

Because if I didn’t—

No one else would.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep