The alley was silent.
The bullies lay on the ground, trembling, their eyes wide with terror. Rain slicked hair clung to their faces. Not one of them dared move.
Yeon's hands still glowed faintly. His chest heaved, not from exertion, but from the sheer shock of what had just happened.
I… I did this?
A small window appeared in his mind, translucent, glowing faintly:
> MY WORDS IS ORDER
HOST: KANG YEON
SKILL ACQUIRED: ABSOLUTE HEALING (F-RANK)
SOUL BURDEN: 1%
Yeon froze. Soul burden?
He rubbed his temples. "What is this… system?" he whispered. His voice sounded strange even to him—like the world itself had echoed it.
One of the bullies dared to crawl backward.
"P-please… don't hurt me!" he stammered.
Yeon's eyes narrowed. He could feel the power thrumming under his skin. It was terrifying… intoxicating.
"…Stop," he said softly.
The bully froze mid-crawl. His limbs rigid, eyes staring into nothing.
Yeon's lips trembled. I could kill them all. With one word…
He shook his head violently. "…No. Leave."
The frozen pressure released.
The bullies scrambled, slipping in the mud, screaming as they ran. None looked back.
Yeon slid down against the wall, shaking. His hands trembled. His chest hurt—not from physical wounds, but from the weight in his soul.
> SOUL BURDEN: 3%
He laughed. Quietly. Bitterly.
"So… even trash can speak now," he muttered to himself.
He closed his eyes. Memories of his mother came back in flashes—her hands, her voice, her dying embrace.
She always said… survive. Even if the world hates you. Survive.
Yeon opened his eyes. The rain washed over him, but it felt different now. Not painful. Not humiliating. Empowering.
If the world won't respect me… then it will obey me.
A small thought crossed his mind: I need to test this… see how far it can go.
---
Later that evening, in the ruins of the abandoned warehouse he slept in:
Yeon whispered, almost afraid of himself.
"…Heal this," pointing at a broken wooden crate.
> RESULT: The crate's shattered planks snapped together, wood fibers knitting perfectly.
Yeon blinked. It listens… it really listens.
He clenched his fists. "…Now, destroy this."
The crate exploded into splinters, the force sending him backward. Dust choked the air.
> SKILL ACQUIRED: WORD OF DESTRUCTION (F-RANK)
Yeon coughed, chest aching. Another small window appeared:
> SOUL BURDEN: 5%
He froze. Soul burden… if I overuse it… will I die?
His stomach growled. He ignored it. Hunger didn't matter. Pain didn't matter. Only the voice inside him mattered.
My words… is order.
Yeon stood in the dust, silent. For the first time in his seventeen years, he felt a cold, terrifying thrill: the world feared him—and obeyed him.
A smile crept over his lips.
Maybe… maybe I'm not worthless.