Using the special ability.
The fiery liquid slid down my throat, burning as it went. The moment it touched the magic flowing within me, it reacted for the first time.
Whoosh! Crackle!
The fire, now mingling with my magic, transformed into a fierce blaze, growing uncontrollably. The energy was pure and powerful, so much so that I could almost smell the essence of flame contained within the orb.
Boom…!
Even though it was a faint initial reaction, my body swelled and spewed flames, unable to contain the sudden surge of explosive energy. Sparks flew with every twitch, and my body jerked involuntarily.
I vaguely heard Seraph chanting a spell. I raised a hand to signal her to stop, though I couldn’t see her. Her words weren’t wrong; controlling the fire’s energy with my abilities was a distant dream. I could possibly succeed using the ancient priestess’s tattoos, but I had no intention of doing so. The tattoos were meant to be a sanctuary for the fire’s energy, nothing more, nothing less.
I didn’t want to suppress or control it. Who could possibly contain a force as powerful as hellfire?
But if I approached it as borrowing power, the situation could change.
I opened my eyes briefly to see Seraph pacing anxiously. Her angelic distress was oddly refreshing, but I grimaced, knowing this was just the beginning.
Comparing the explosion caused by the fire to a regular explosion was pointless. It was a pure energy explosion, accompanied by incomparable force and pain. The fire was now truly beginning its work from within.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Gah… Ugh.”
The pain from the explosion was beyond imagination. Despite ten years of enduring countless injuries and pain in Hall Plain, this was on another level. The thought of the increasing intensity of pain sent shivers down my spine, but I gritted my teeth harder.
I repeated to myself: I am Kim Su-hyun, the one who saw the end of Hall Plain. During that time, I had to endure endlessly. The pride of holding the Zero Code, something no one else had, wasn’t earned through mere luck.
The noise around me was chaotic, whether from the explosions or Seraph’s voice. I couldn’t hear clearly. Meanwhile, the fire steadily grew its energy. Just as it was about to explode again, I mustered all my magic to bolster the fire’s energy.
With the addition of my vast magic, the fire’s energy paused its imminent explosion. It was only a moment, but I managed a faint smile. My magic had blended seamlessly with the fire’s energy.
A pure embodiment of fire, an eternal flame. The fire was a willful energy, similar yet different from ego equipment that chooses its master. The difference lay in the will. It could act on its own volition or not. It had no consciousness but retained emotions. And now, through the union of magic, I was communing with the fire’s energy.
The fire’s current emotion was bewilderment. Typically, one would try to control such destructive energy. But I was making it comfortable, extending a hand. I wasn’t trying to subdue it but was asking to borrow its power as an equal. I cried out in my heart with earnest emotion.
‘I need you. So go ahead, do as you will. Judge if I’m fit to be your companion and show me the result.’
I finally caught a breath. Hot air escaped through my nostrils, and flames flickered out of my nose.
‘Alright. I understand.’
I had finally gained the fire’s permission.
After composing myself, I guided the eager fire to its playground. The first targets were my right and left arms. I quickly channeled the energy in both directions. As I guided it through circuits and meridians, the powerful energy surged like a wave. The fire swiftly occupied even the tiniest acupuncture points at my fingertips.
Bubble! Bubble!
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
I felt a pleasant pain as something popped within my body’s meridians. The sound of blocked vessels bursting open. Even if it was forced, the effect was remarkable. It cleared the tiny acupuncture points at my fingertips, which were difficult to open even with my past masterful body.
Simultaneously, yellowish pus and dark liquid bubbled up on my arms, evaporating in the heat. The impurities and waste hidden in my body were struck by the fire’s passage. Normally, I’d be thrilled, but there was no time for that now.
Even though I only pushed it into my arms, the sensation was dizzying. I gently coaxed the energy back to the center. Fortunately, the fire, having lost interest in the conquered area, followed my will. As soon as the energy left my arms, they went limp, completely numb from the shock.
I worried I might lose my arms, but I had no desire to turn back. I quickly guided the fire to my legs, which were eagerly waiting. As it neared, I nudged it gently, and it surged down like a wave once more.
Bubble! Bubble!
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
The process was the same as with my arms, and the result was identical. As the energy left my legs, they too lost all feeling, collapsing beneath me. With my current endurance, stamina, and magic, it seemed I could barely keep my body intact.
Regardless, the fire, like a fish in water, continued to explode joyfully within me. I was on the verge of madness. The pain pounding through my body made me want to faint, but my superhuman endurance kept my mind tethered.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
With each explosion, my heart raced, and my blood boiled. Watching the fire ask if there was anywhere else to play, I steeled myself and asked it to gather more energy. The next destination was the final challenge: my head.
Facing my head, I felt fear for the first time. It wasn’t something to be controlled; it was pure terror. Whether it broke through or not, the pain I would feel was unimaginable. Then, a voice seemed to whisper in my ear.
‘Should we stop if you’re scared? There’s no need to go to your head. This is enough.’
It was as if the fire was speaking softly. I almost nodded but shook my head instead. My reason screamed to stop, but instinctively, I guided the energy to the path leading to my head.
‘You’re foolish. You might die.’
“Not from just this.”
I was ready to proceed.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
My head urged me to stop, but my actions ignored it, driven by instinct. As I sent the fire through the path, I shouted defiantly.
“Don’t underestimate me!”
The words slipped out, but my will was clear. The central energy began to spin vigorously. Gathering energy, it descended to the area below my navel and paused.
At that moment, I summoned all my strength to propel the energy upward. As the fire attempted to burst through my throat, it left a fierce explosion in its wake.
“Gah!”
Splurt!
Blood, dark and red, erupted from every orifice—nose, mouth, ears, eyes. My instincts screamed a warning. It felt like I was staring death in the face.
Whoosh! Crackle!
The fire, blocked at my throat, raged fiercely. If it exploded here, the reality would be horrific. Dizziness engulfed me, and it felt like my entire being was plummeting into an abyss.
I knew this was the end. Even in my dazed state, I gathered the energy from my throat back to the area below my navel. Thankfully, the energy moved as I intended.
‘I must break through somehow.’
Once… twice… three times… After ten rotations, I gathered the rampaging energy and, with the thought of it being the last, propelled it toward my head with all my might. The impending pain was no longer a concern.
Bang!
A violent jolt shook my entire body. As if a path had been cleared from my neck to my head, the energy of Hwajeong surged through me, enveloping my mind in an instant.
Everything went white. I couldn’t see a thing. My vision had blinked out, leaving the world a blank canvas. I was in a state where I couldn’t feel anything, as if a piece of memory had been abruptly severed and then clumsily reattached.
Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!
I finally grasped the situation. The energy of Hwajeong was thrashing around inside my head, as if throwing a tantrum for my earlier resistance. It felt like my brain was melting.
Pain? At first, when the path was cleared, there was a strange sense of relief. But as my vision slowly returned and my senses began to reawaken, I felt it—the kind of pain I never wanted to experience again in my life.
‘Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!’
If I could have screamed, I would have let out a cry loud enough to shatter the heavens. The pain was beyond anything a normal human could endure, a sensation from another realm entirely. Was this what it felt like to plunge your head into a blazing furnace? Or to run through flames with oil-soaked shoes? Despite all the battles I’d faced, in this moment, I truly wished for death.
A massive explosion of energy enveloped my entire body, one that could be sensed even from the outside. It was a different kind of explosion, starting from my head and spreading like an eternal flame, claiming me as its own. Every cell touched by Hwajeong’s energy sizzled, but it felt more warm than painful now.
Time passed, and my vision gradually returned, though my body remained immobile. With great effort, I lifted my heavy eyelids to see Seraph staring down at me, her face pale.
‘Am I even alive…?’
If I had to endure that kind of agony again, death would be preferable.
The final steps were relatively easy compared to opening my mind. I gently guided the energy of Hwajeong, now spread throughout my body, towards my heart. Whether it approved of me or not, Hwajeong complied with my intentions.
It was then that the ancient priestess’s sealing magic began to activate. Satisfied with its rampage, Hwajeong settled quietly into my heart. I felt it nestle into place.
“Su-hyun! Su-hyun!”
And then I passed out, without even a moment to savor the relief.