The footsteps echoed, slow and deliberate. Each one pressed against the cracked marble like a heartbeat, yet none of them rushed.
Jun stayed still, letting the figure emerge from the shadows. Tall. Dark. Not fully human. Its armor reflected the dim light, but its eyes… they measured him, sharp, unblinking, and impossibly knowing.
"I've been watching," the voice said, low and calm, but there was an edge to it. "And I wondered… if the one who dared to rise here… is worth my attention."
Jun's chest tightened. He forced himself to remain steady. Why would a creature like this care about me?
The figure stepped closer. The air seemed heavier where it moved. A faint pulse—like a heartbeat—radiated from the throne behind Jun, subtle but undeniable, as if acknowledging the presence of something else in the room.
"I don't know your name," Jun said finally.
The creature tilted its head, almost predatory. "Names are earned. You aim for the throne, yes? To sit where no one dares?"
Jun's stomach twisted. I have no crown, no followers… why does it even speak to me?
"I will," he said cautiously. "But I am incomplete. I have nothing. Why would you follow me?"
A low, metallic chuckle echoed. The subordinate circled him, eyes flicking to the throne, then back. "Follow? Perhaps. Or perhaps I merely watch… to see if you survive. Most fail before they even rise. But something about you…" Its gaze lingered, piercing. "…suggests you might not."
The words weren't praise. Nor loyalty. Only observation. Threat and curiosity intertwined.
Jun straightened, shoulders tightening. "I am Seo Jun," he said softly, "and I will earn the right to sit."
For a long moment, the subordinate studied him in silence, each movement deliberate, cautious. Then it inclined its head, almost imperceptibly.
"Then I will follow… for now. Fail, and expect nothing but consequence."
Jun felt something stir inside him—not power, not yet, but awareness. The first step toward the Empty Throne had been taken.
The throne pulsed faintly behind him, as if it, too, had noticed.