The sound of footsteps echoed through the forest. Rain had stopped, but the mist hadn't cleared. It clung to the trees, thick and cold, making every sound sharper, every shadow deeper.
Seo Jin followed behind the Villain, the fox perched on his shoulder, tail swishing nervously. The air felt strange — heavier than before.
He frowned. "Something feels off."
The fox's ears twitched. "Host, I feel it too. The air is weird. Like… two heartbeats at once."
Seo Jin froze. "What do you mean, two?"
Before the fox could answer, the Villain stumbled. Just slightly, but enough for Seo Jin to notice. He reached out without thinking, hand brushing the Villain's arm.
And pain exploded through him.
A sharp, slicing pain shot through Seo Jin's chest. He gasped, clutching his heart. His vision blurred for a second before he steadied himself.
"What the—" He looked at the Villain, who now had a thin scratch across his cheek, blood trickling down.
Seo Jin's breath caught. That… wasn't my wound.
The Villain turned, eyes narrowing. "What did you do?"
Seo Jin blinked. "Me? You're the one bleeding!"
The fox's eyes went wide. "Host! Wait—oh no. Oh no no no."
Seo Jin glared at it. "What now?"
The fox floated around in a panic. "Remember when he purified you? His power went inside your body to stabilize your soul! But your system energy was already active, so it—uh—linked!"
Seo Jin frowned. "Linked?"
The fox winced. "Like… soul-linked."
Seo Jin's mouth fell open. "You mean we're… connected?"
The fox nodded slowly. "You feel each other's pain, emotions, maybe even thoughts if it deepens."
Seo Jin groaned and dragged a hand down his face. "You've got to be kidding me."
The Villain's cold voice cut through. "Explain."
Seo Jin looked at him, a helpless smirk forming. "Long story short — we're kind of... sharing one emotional Wi-Fi now."
The Villain blinked, unamused. "What?"
The fox tried to help. "You're connected by a soul thread, my lord! If one of you gets hurt, the other feels it too!"
The Villain's expression darkened. "That is not acceptable."
Seo Jin snorted. "You think I like it? I can already feel your bad mood!"
The fox mumbled, "Well, this is awkward."
---
They kept walking. Or rather, the Villain walked fast and Seo Jin tried to keep up while pretending his chest wasn't aching.
Every time the Villain got a small cut from a stray branch, Seo Jin winced. When Seo Jin tripped and scraped his knee, the Villain flinched almost invisibly.
It was chaos.
"Stop walking so fast!" Seo Jin finally snapped.
The Villain didn't even turn around. "Then stop being weak."
Seo Jin groaned. "You're impossible!"
The fox sighed. "You two fight like a married couple already."
Seo Jin froze, glaring at it. "Say that again, and I'll uninstall you."
The fox zipped its mouth shut with a squeak.
---
Hours later, they reached an open clearing. The sky was gray, and distant sounds of battle echoed from deeper in the forest.
The Villain's eyes narrowed. "They're here."
Seo Jin looked around. "Who?"
Before the Villain could answer, a wave of spiritual energy exploded from the trees.
Figures in dark robes emerged, their weapons gleaming. Cultivators — from the same sect that had once betrayed the Villain.
The fox squeaked. "Host, their energy is strong! Don't get hit!"
Seo Jin grinned. "Don't worry. I'm a gamer, remember? I don't die easily."
He pulled out his sword, feeling the energy hum through his body. The Villain stepped beside him, cloak fluttering as his aura turned.
The leader of the enemy group sneered. "So the fallen lord hides with a weakling now?"
Seo Jin smirked. "You call him fallen? Looks more alive than you."
The man's eyes burned with anger. "You dare—!"
The battle started instantly.
Energy clashed, lightning and fire flashing across the clearing. The Villain moved like a shadow — precise, deadly, beautiful. Seo Jin fought beside him, fast and cunning, every move calculated.
But the soul link made things harder.
Every hit the Villain took, Seo Jin felt too. Each cut sent pain through both their bodies.
"Host! Your health bar is dropping too fast!" the fox cried.
Seo Jin gritted his teeth. "Then I'll just kill them faster!"
He charged forward, slashing through an enemy with a burst of power. The Villain moved behind him, catching another attack before it could reach Seo Jin's back.
Their movements synced — like two halves of one.
The Villain's eyes flicked toward Seo Jin briefly, and in that moment, Seo Jin could feel it — his focus, his anger, his cold determination.
It was strange. Terrifying. Addictive.
When the last enemy fell, the clearing was silent except for their heavy breathing.
Seo Jin staggered, clutching his arm. "That was… fun."
The Villain wiped blood from his blade. "You're reckless."
Seo Jin grinned, voice hoarse. "You're welcome for saving your life."
The Villain gave him a long, unreadable stare. Then he stepped closer, expression tightening. "Stop smiling."
Seo Jin blinked. "What's your problem now—"
Suddenly, pain struck through Seo Jin's chest. He gasped, eyes wide. The Villain grabbed his wrist, pressing his hand against his own chest.
Seo Jin froze.
The Villain's pulse was wild, his breathing heavy. "The link… it's reacting."
Seo Jin felt it too — a sharp pull deep inside him, like invisible strings tightening. His heartbeat synced with the Villain's, pounding.
The fox panicked. "Host! The link is deepening!"
Seo Jin's vision blurred again. His body trembled as energy surged between them, hot and cold at once.
When it finally stopped, they both stumbled back. The air between them shimmered faintly — a thin thread of light connecting their chests.
Seo Jin stared at it, stunned. "What… the hell is that?"
The Villain's face darkened. "A complete link."
The fox whispered, "You two are officially soul-bonded."
Seo Jin blinked rapidly. "Soul-bonded?! Like—permanent?!"
The fox nodded, eyes wide. "Until one of you dies."
Seo Jin's jaw dropped. "Oh, that's just great! I'm stuck with Mr. Frostbite forever!"
The Villain's cold eyes met his. "Don't test me."
Seo Jin pointed at him. "You think I wanted this?!"
The fox hid behind Seo Jin's collar. "Uhhh… Host? I think you should stop yelling. He looks like he might actually kill you."
Seo Jin groaned, rubbing his temples. "This is insane."
The Villain turned away, voice calm but dangerous. "We'll find a way to break it."
Seo Jin muttered, "Yeah, good luck with that."
But deep down, he wasn't sure if he wanted to break it.
---
Later that night, they rested near a small stream. The moonlight glowed faintly across the water.
Seo Jin sat quietly, watching the Villain from a distance. He could still feel the man's heartbeat faintly — slow and steady.
The fox curled up beside him. "Host… are you okay?"
Seo Jin looked down. "I don't know."
The fox tilted its head. "Do you… hate being linked to him?"
Seo Jin didn't answer right away. He watched the Villain, whose figure was half-hidden in the shadows, his face calm and distant.
Finally, Seo Jin whispered, "I don't know if I hate it… or if I'm scared of what it means."
[Ding! Mission Update: Emotional Sync – 81%]
Seo Jin stared at the glowing system window and let out a low laugh. "Of course. The system's having fun with this."
The fox smiled softly. "Host… maybe it's not so bad. Maybe this bond will help you both."
Seo Jin glanced at the Villain again, eyes softening just a little. "Or maybe it'll destroy us."
The fox didn't reply. The sound of running water filled the silence.
---
End of Chapter 14: Soul Link Trouble