Chapter 30 – Whispers Beneath the Throne
The corpse of Seo Dae-won still bled in the poisoned ruins of the undercity, but Ji-ho had already moved on. His eyes were locked on something far more dangerous—the truth buried behind the power structure of the world.
The pendant hummed against his chest. His heartbeat was slow… controlled. Yet inside, Ji-ho was burning. The more enemies he killed, the more he evolved, and the more the rot of society revealed itself.
---
They arrived at the edge of a forgotten district—once a city of pioneers, now reduced to ash and silence.
Here, they met someone unexpected.
A survivor.
An old man, skin wrinkled like worn paper, leaning on a cane carved from the bones of awakened beasts. His eyes held pain deeper than war.
"You… you're Ji-ho, aren't you?" the old man asked, trembling.
Ji-ho narrowed his eyes. "Who's asking?"
"I'm just a man who remembers. A historian. The last one they didn't silence."
He handed Ji-ho a black book—"The Truth of Seven Thrones."
As Ji-ho flipped through the pages, his rage returned tenfold.
Experiments on children to extract awakening potential.
Villages burned for resisting devil stone mining.
False heroes created to control public opinion.
And worse…
The Seven Thrones. The true rulers of the world. Not kings. Not presidents. But the architects of society's lie. And among them—the President of the Devil's Association.
"Why didn't anyone stop this?" Ye-jun shouted.
"They tried," the old man replied. "They were crushed, erased, branded as traitors."
Ji-ho's hand clenched. "Then we'll burn their throne to the ground."
---
That night, the pendant glowed again.
Ji-ho entered the dark plane—where time halted, and shadows whispered.
The Devil appeared once more, lounging in a throne of shattered memories.
"You've grown," the Devil said, amused. "Five down already. You truly are my favorite."
Ji-ho ignored him. "Why can no one else see you? Why only me?"
The Devil smiled with fangs. "Because you're no longer just human. That pendant isn't a weapon. It's a curse. A gift. A key. And you… you are the door."
Ji-ho's breath caught for a second. "What do you mean?"
"Kill the last two. Face the President. And I'll show you the truth behind this world. The truth even the Seven fear."
---
Ji-ho awoke, drenched in sweat.
Stats:
Strength: AA
Agility: AA
Intelligence: A
Destruction: AA+
Aura Control: A+
Evolution: Unique
Abilities gained:
Destructive Poison Aura
Destructive Shield
Poison Resistance
Destructive Ray Control (Mind-triggered)
Weapon Morph – Sword Mode Active
Eye of Evil – Kill Paths Visible
He was no longer the same Ji-ho who mourned in the clinic's rubble.
He was a weapon forged in betrayal and bathed in vengeance.
---
As he and Ye-jun traveled toward the outskirts of Hwan City, the location of the sixth target—a manipulative politician who controlled three awakened mercenary guilds—rumors began to spread.
A symbol.
A twisted emblem—an angel when seen straight. A devil when tilted.
The same symbol etched in the flesh of the enemies they killed.
And it appeared now, on banners, buildings, and broadcasts.
The world was being prepared.
A purge was coming.
And Ji-ho… would be the flame.