KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The crimson gate of Gangnam exploded in the main shopping street. It was not like the other gates. It was larger. Darker. More ferocious. The crimson light was not merely light; it was a rising flame, burning the air, melting the glass in the nearby windows.
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The second explosion shook the ground. Buildings trembled, glass shattered, cars overturned. People were in the middle of an ordinary shopping day. Suddenly, everything turned into hell.
Mother: (Screaming) "My children! My children!"
Child: (Crying) "Mom! Mom!"
Old Man: (Falling to the ground) "I can't… I can't run…"
Young Man: (Trying to help him) "Get up! Get up!"
The Embers emerged first. Thousands of them, flying slowly, drifting through the air like dead fireflies. But they were not fireflies. Every ember that touched a body burned it. Every ember that fell on a car exploded it.
CRACK! BOOM! CRACK!
Glass flew. Fires ignited in the shops. Black smoke rose to the sky.
The Little Flames came after. Like rabid dogs, they ran among the people, leaving trails of fire behind them. Everyone they touched, their bodies ignited. Everyone who tried to help, burned.
Woman: (Screaming) "My children are in the shop! My children are in the shop!"
But the shop was already ablaze. Flames consumed everything. Toys, clothes, shoes… and children.
The Fire Throwers emerged. They stood on the rooftops of burning buildings and launched fireballs into the crowded streets.
C-rank Hunter: (Deflecting a fireball) "Retreat! Fall back!"
Another B-rank Hunter: (Falling to the ground) "I can't! There are too many!"
There were hunters in Gangnam. But only a few. Ten? Twenty? Most were C and B rank, with a few A. No one of S rank. No one could face this.
The Fire Wolves emerged. Packs of massive wolves, their hides glowing red, their fangs burning. They charged toward the hunters.
B-rank Hunter: (Striking with his sword) "No! Stay back!"
Fire Wolf: (Pouncing on him) "Raaa!"
Another Hunter: (Shouting) "He's down! He's down!"
The Fire Knights emerged. Massive humanoid creatures wearing fiery armor, carrying swords of flame. They advanced toward the remaining hunters.
A-rank Hunter: (Running) "Retreat! We can't face this!"
Another A-rank Hunter: (Falling) "Aaaah!"
Hunter: (Crying) "We're dead… we're all going to die here…"
---
Control Room – Global Awakening and Hunters Association
Director Kang: (Shouting) "What do you mean there are no squads in Gangnam?!"
Employee: (Trembling) "Sir… all available squads were sent to Hongdae and Myeong-dong. The closest squad that can reach Gangnam needs 30 minutes!"
Director Kang: (Slamming the table) "30 minutes?! In 30 minutes, thousands of civilians will die! Send whoever can reach! Any hunter! Anyone!"
Park Jeung-soo: (Trying to calm him) "Director, there is no…"
Director Kang: (Shouting at him) "I don't want excuses! I want solutions!"
Park Jeung-soo: (Stepping back) "But…"
Director Kang: (Breathing deeply, trying to calm down) "Sorry… I'm sorry. Send what can be sent. Every A-rank and above hunter in Seoul. Even if they are five. Even if they are one."
Employee: (In a faint voice) "Sir… there is no one. They are all in Hongdae and Myeong-dong."
Director Kang: (Sitting down exhausted) "My God… Gangnam…"
---
On the rooftop of a building in Gangnam
Ji-won stood at the edge of the rooftop, looking down. She saw everything. The flames, the smoke, people running, children crying, monsters advancing. She saw hunters falling one by one. She saw despair in everyone's eyes.
Nayun: (Crying) "Mom! Look! People are dying! The monsters are killing them! Why aren't you helping them?!"
Ji-won: (Calmly) "I'm not ready yet."
Nayun: (Screaming) "Not ready?! Look at them! They're dying! They're all going to die! Why aren't you helping them?!"
Ji-won: (Looking at her daughter) "Nayun… there's a difference between being strong and being wise."
Nayun: (Crying) "I don't understand! You're strong! I saw you destroy mountains! I saw you burn like the sun! Why won't you save them?!"
Ji-won: (Crouching in front of her) "Listen, little one. If I go down now, I'll fight. But there are many monsters. Thousands. Tens of thousands. If I fight now, I might not be able to protect you."
Nayun: (Looking at her) "But…"
Ji-won: "And your father… your father hasn't arrived yet. If I go down alone, I might be busy fighting and unable to protect you. Do you understand?"
Nayun: (Crying) "But the people… the people are dying…"
Ji-won: (Hugging her) "I know. And I will save them. But at the right time. When I'm sure you're safe. When I'm sure I can protect you and protect them together."
Nayun: (Crying on her shoulder) "Mom… I'm scared… I'm afraid they'll die… I'm afraid I'll die…"
Ji-won: (Patting her back) "We won't die. I'm here. And your father will come soon. But until he comes… I'll go down and fight. I'll save them. I'll show you how the phoenix protects her young."
Nayun: (Raising her head) "Promise?"
Ji-won: (Wiping her tears) "Promise."
Nayun: (Getting a little angry) "But you waited so long! You could have gone down before!"
Ji-won: (Laughing) "I was choosing the right moment."
Nayun: (Frowning) "That's not funny!"
Ji-won: (Hugging her) "I know. And I'm sorry."
Suddenly, Anas appeared beside them.
Ji-won: (Looking at him) "You came at the right time."
Nayun: (Running to him) "Dad! Mom didn't help them! She just stood there watching! And people are dying!"
Anas: (Looking at Ji-won, then at Nayun) "Do you know why?"
Nayun: (Crying) "Why?"
Anas: (Crouching in front of her) "Because she was protecting you. She was waiting for me to arrive. Because if she had gone down alone, she might not have been able to protect you."
Nayun: (Looking at her mother) "Really?"
Ji-won: (Smiling) "Really."
Nayun: (Running to her and hugging her) "Mom! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I got angry at you! I'm sorry I thought you didn't want to help them!"
Ji-won: (Hugging her) "It's okay, little one. I understand."
Nayun: (Raising her head, tears still streaming) "But… will you help them now?"
Ji-won: (Looking at the sky, then at the fire below) "Now… I'll show you how the phoenix protects her young."
Nayun: (Her eyes widening) "Mom…"
Ji-won: (Kissing her forehead) "Watch."
---
Gangnam – In the streets
Despair was killing people before the monsters. A C-rank hunter fell to the ground, his face burned. Another B-rank hunter tried to protect a family, but a Fire Wolf attacked him from behind.
Hunter: (Falling) "Aaaah! I can't…"
Another Hunter: (Shouting) "It's over… there's no hope…"
Mother: (Holding her child) "We're going to die… we're all going to die…"
Child: (Crying) "Mom… I'm scared…"
Suddenly, a light shone in the sky.
It was not ordinary light. It was golden fire, glowing like the sun, filling the sky. Everyone in Gangnam raised their heads. Everyone who was running stopped. Everyone who was crying fell silent.
It was her. A woman of light and fire. Her bright red hair fluttered like flames, her golden eyes blazed, her skin shone like gold. She did not need wings. The wings were part of her. They emerged from her back as if she were being reborn.
Hunter: (Whispering) "Who… who is this?"
Another: (Gazing at her) "She… she…"
Child: (Pointing) "Mom! Look! A woman made of fire!"
His Mother: (Tears streaming) "This… who is she?"
Hunter: (Dropping his sword) "She… she's strong… I can feel her power from here…"
Another: (Raising his hands) "Save us! Save us!"
Woman: (Crying) "Please… my children… my children…"
Child: (Shouting) "Save us! Save us!"
Hunters: (Shouting) "Save us! Save us!"
In the control room, Director Kang watched the screen. His eyes widened.
Director Kang: (Whispering) "Park Ji-won… Anas's wife…"
Park Jeung-soo: (Looking at the screen) "Sir… will she be enough?"
Director Kang: (Staring at the screen) "I don't know… but she's our only hope."
Ji-won raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
CRACK!
In an instant, fire ignited on every monster within a 5‑kilometer radius. Golden, sacred fire, not ordinary fire. It was fire that purified, burned, erased. The Embers, the Little Flames, the Fire Throwers, the Flame Runners—all burned in an instant.
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The golden fire exploded in the sky, and Ji-won's wings appeared. Massive wings of red-gold fire spread from her back as if embracing the sky. She flew above the buildings and rained fiery arrows down on the remaining monsters.
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Thousands of fiery arrows fell like rain. Each arrow struck a monster, each arrow exploded, each arrow erased everything around it.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Look! Look!"
Another: (Mouth agape) "She destroyed them… all of them… in an instant…"
Child: (Jumping with joy) "She saved us! She saved us!"
His Mother: (Crying with joy) "She saved us… she saved us…"
Hunter: (Raising his sword) "She saved us! She saved us!"
On the rooftop, Nayun watched the sky. Her eyes sparkled, tears still on her cheeks, but she was smiling.
Nayun: (Whispering) "Mom… Mom is a hero…"
---
Battle of the Elite
Ji-won flew over Gangnam and faced the S- and S-rank monsters.
There were 200 Lesser Fire Giants. Massive creatures (3 meters tall), carrying clubs of molten lava. And 120 Fire Mages, wearing robes of flame.
Fire Giant: (Roaring) "Raaaaa!"
It raised its club and struck the ground. Cracks opened in the earth, and lava flowed from them. Strikes that could destroy a small city.
Ji-won: (Flying above the lava) "Is that all you've got?"
She raised her hand, pulled the lava from beneath them, spun it in the air, and sent it back at them.
KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The lava exploded in their faces. The Giants fell, burned, vanished.
Fire Mage: (Releasing a river of fire) "Die!"
Ji-won: (Receiving the river) "This is warm…"
She smiled and sent the river back at the Fire Mage. He burned in an instant.
Another Fire Mage: (Fleeing) "Impossible! She's absorbing our fire!"
Ji-won: (Appearing before him) "Where are you going?"
She struck him with a fiery fist. He exploded.
Hunter: (Looking at the sky) "She… she's playing with them…"
Another: (Whispering) "These are S-rank monsters… and she's treating them like children…"
---
Fire Generals
Ji-won descended to the ground and faced 15 Fire Generals. Massive creatures (6 meters tall), wearing armor of lava, carrying giant fiery swords.
Fire General: (In a deep voice) "You are strong… but not enough."
Five Generals attacked her together. Their fiery swords struck from every direction.
Ji-won: (Easily evading) "Slow."
She raised her hand and struck with a fiery fist. The first General fell.
Another General: (Attacking from behind) "Now!"
Ji-won: (Turning to him) "Now what?"
She struck him in the chest. His armor exploded. He fell.
The remaining Generals advanced. They tried to surround her, attacking from all sides. But she was fast. Faster than they could see.
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Five strikes. Five Generals fell.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Look! She's defeating them easily!"
Another: (Amazed) "These are Generals… and she's striking them down as if they were nothing!"
Last Fire General: (Fleeing) "Impossible… impossible…"
Ji-won: (Appearing before him) "Where were you going?"
She struck him with a fiery fist. He exploded.
---
Lesser Dragons
Ji-won flew into the sky and faced 70 Lesser Fire Dragons. They were the size of buses, breathing fire over long distances, flying fast.
Fire Dragon: (Roaring) "Raaaaaa!"
It released a thick stream of fire. It nearly burned an entire building.
Ji-won: (Flying through the flames) "Beautiful… but not enough."
She raised her hands and formed a fiery storm. The storm swirled around the dragons, trapping them, tearing their wings, burning them.
Fire Dragon: (Falling) "Raaa…"
Another: (Trying to flee) "No! No!"
Ji-won: (Flying after it) "Don't run."
She struck it with a fiery fist. It exploded.
Hunter: (Whispering) "70 dragons… in minutes…"
Another: (Trembling) "Who… who is this woman?"
---
Thirty Hell Dragons
From behind her, thirty Hell Dragons appeared. Massive, the size of passenger jets, their hides covered in lava, their eyes blazing like the sun.
Hunter: (Shouting) "Look! Behind her!"
Another: (Face pale) "Thirty… thirty dragons…"
Child: (Crying) "Mom… she's in danger…"
His Mother: (Holding his hand) "Don't be afraid… she will save us…"
The dragons surrounded Ji-won from all sides. Twenty from the front, ten from the back. They raised their heads and opened their jaws.
Hell Dragon: (Roaring) "Raaaaaaaaa!"
They released their fire together. Not ordinary fire. Black fire, red fire, orange fire. Fire that melted stone, burned metal, vaporized water. Fire that could erase a small country.
KRA-KOOOOOOM! KRA-KOOOOOOM! KRA-KOOOOOOM!
The flames exploded around Ji-won. A cloud of smoke and steam formed, large as a building. The fire continued for minutes. Minutes of unquenchable fire.
Hunter: (Shouting) "No! No!"
Another: (Crying) "She fell! She fell!"
Child: (Shouting) "Mom! Mom!"
His Mother: (Holding him) "Don't be afraid… don't be afraid…"
Nayun: (Crying) "Mom! Mom!"
Anas: (Placing his hand on her shoulder) "Don't be afraid. Your mother is stronger than you think."
Nayun: (Looking at him) "But… but the fire…"
Anas: (Smiling) "Watch."
The smoke cleared. The steam vanished. Ji-won appeared. Standing in the middle of the circle. Unscathed. Unburned. Unaffected. She was smiling.
Ji-won: (Loudly, arrogantly) "Are you done?"
The dragons were silent. They stared at her. They could not believe what they saw.
Hell Dragon: (Trembling) "Impossible… how?! We unleashed all our power! Our fire can erase a small country! How did you come out unharmed?!"
Ji-won: (Flying slowly toward them) "Weak. So weak. You don't even deserve to be called insects."
Another Hell Dragon: (Angrily) "We are a noble race! We live for thousands of years! We burn cities! We erase armies! How dare you mock us?!"
Ji-won: (Stopping before him) "Noble race? Thousands of years?"
She raised her hand. A whip of golden fire appeared in her hand.
Ji-won: "Let me show you what true power means."
SHING!
One strike. The golden whip wrapped around the thirty dragons. It sliced them in half. All of them. In an instant.
Their burning bodies fell to the ground. Gangnam shook entirely.
Hunter: (Dropping his sword) "Thirty dragons… in one strike…"
Another: (Kneeling) "I can't believe… I can't believe what my eyes have seen…"
Child: (Shouting) "She saved us! She saved us!"
His Mother: (Crying) "She saved us… she saved us…"
Nayun: (Jumping with joy) "Mom! Mom! You're amazing!"
Anas: (Smiling) "Didn't I tell you?"
---
But their joy did not last long.
An immense pressure fell upon the place. The sky turned deep crimson. The ground shook. Some hunters fell from the intensity of the pressure.
A being appeared in the sky.
It looked human, but it was not one of them. Its hair was crimson red like blood, its eyes red and blazing, its face handsome in a terrifying way. It had two curved black horns and a long, slender tail. It wore magnificent military noble attire, black embroidered with golden threads. On its chest, a golden brooch surrounded by a red crystal that pulsed like a beating heart.
Hunter: (Whispering) "Who… who is this?"
Another: (Trembling) "This… this is no ordinary monster…"
Director Kang: (Standing from his chair) "What is this? Where did it come from?"
Park Jeung-soo: (Face pale) "Sir… we don't know…"
The Being: (In a booming voice that everyone in Gangnam heard) "Humans… I am the servant of the Great Dragon God. My great master sent me to offer you terms: surrender now, and the Great Dragon God will spare your lives. Surrender… and I will be content to turn you into slaves who serve him."
It looked at Ji-won.
The Being: (With an arrogant smile) "You… strong. Rare. You will become a gift for my master. He will like you very much."
Ji-won: (Laughing) "Hahahaha… you?"
The Being: (Staring at her) "You laugh?"
Ji-won: (Flying slowly toward it) "I'm not laughing. I'm making sure of something."
The Being: (Coldly) "What are you making sure of?"
Ji-won: (Stopping before it, looking at it with disdain) "You're ugly. And your master too."
The Being: (Its expression freezing) "What?!"
Ji-won: (Flying around it) "An ugly lizard. Your horns are crooked. Your tail is too thin. Your clothes? Cheap. Your brooch? Fake. And your master? He must be just like you."
The Being: (Angry) "How dare you?! I am the servant of the Great Dragon God! My master burns worlds! I will…"
Ji-won: (Cutting it off) "A servant? Hahahaha! If your master is so great, why did he send a weak servant like you? Couldn't he come himself?"
The Being: (Its eyes blazing) "I will burn you and everyone you love in my master's name!"
It raised its hand and launched a massive fireball. The size of a building, black and red, writhing like a dead sun. It shot toward Ji-won.
Ji-won: (Raising her hand) "Is that all you've got?"
She deflected the ball with her finger. It exploded in the sky, causing an earthquake.
The Being: (Its eyes widening) "Impossible… who are you?!"
Ji-won: (Flying toward it, her smile cold) "I am the one who will kill you, then kill your master if he dares to come. And perhaps feed you both to the dogs."
The Being: (Shouting) "I will kill you in the name of the Great Dragon God!"
It charged at her, fire blazing from its body. The sky was burning.
And Gangnam was witnessing the beginning of the true battle.
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╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
║ [SYSTEM ALERT: Beginning of Gangnam Battle] ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════╣
║ [Hunters: Dozens from C to A rank] ║
║ [Monsters: ~15,600] ║
║ [Savior: Park Ji-won – The Phoenix] ║
║ [New Enemy: Servant of the Dragon God] ║
║ ║
║ [The fun… has not yet begun] ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════╝
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