For a fleeting moment, the masked figure finally moved. Its claws stretched slowly, as if time itself had slowed around them, then released dark energy charged with suffocating pressure, cutting through the void directly toward Kim.
Instinctively, Kim dodged to the side as fast as he could, feeling the air tear past him. The strike passed by a hair's breadth… yet he was not completely safe. The edge of the energy grazed his shoulder, sending a cold shock through his body—not sharp pain, but a strange weight, as if something was trying to hold him from the inside.
Kim stumbled, gritting his teeth. He was invisible… yet still affected.
In that moment, he realized the truth without needing explanation: this attack was not random—it was aimed at him with precision.
He raised his eyes toward the masked figure again. The mask did not change, the armor did not move, but the message was clear: disappearing did not mean safety. If he stayed any longer… the figure would not allow him to catch his breath.
The claws rose again, and this time time did not slow. Dark energy, denser and heavier than before, surged toward him without hesitation.
Kim did not move. He was not brave… he was powerless.
Just as the attack was about to strike, the Dark Stone in his hand trembled suddenly. A sharp flash erupted from it, extending into a short-lived dark field that swallowed the strike before it could touch him.
No explosion occurred. No sound was heard. The energy vanished as if it had never been released. Everything stopped.
The masked figure froze, as if motion itself had paused. For the first time, Kim felt the pressure change—not weaker, but different.
The Dark Stone calmed in his hand, heavier than before, as if something new had settled within it… the next strike would not miss.
The figure remained perfectly still, as if time had slowed again. It did not attack immediately, but Kim sensed the change before he could see it.
Dark energy began gathering between the claws, slowly coalescing into a dense, compressed sphere, formed for a single strike, a strike meant to end everything.
The air grew heavier, the cave pressing on Kim's chest until breathing became difficult. The Dark Stone in his hand pulsed lightly, its beat steady and cautious. Kim realized this was not a test attack or a reflex—it was the end if it hit.
Finally, the sphere was released. It surged toward Kim with inevitable force, crushing the void in front of it, as if pulling the world along. Just as it reached its target, everything exploded.
A dark flash swept through the cave, followed by a massive explosion that swallowed the entire cavern. The air shattered, the ground cracked, and a violent wave of energy tore through the silence.
At the heart of the destruction… stood Kim.
The Dark Stone erupted with a deep pulse—not light, but dense shadow, expanding around him like a momentary shield. The energy that had been heading toward him did not strike; it deflected, shattered, and vanished into the stone as if it had never been released.
Silence prevailed. The explosion faded slowly, and sound gradually returned to the cave. Kim was still standing, his breaths ragged, his body heavy, and the Dark Stone in his hand heavier than ever, pulsing with a slow, powerful rhythm.
He lifted his eyes quickly—but the figure… was gone. No trace of the armor, no trace of the mask, no suffocating pressure. Its presence had been erased from the cave.
After a few moments, a strange warmth spread through Kim's body, and the pain began to ease. He opened his eyes slowly, finding himself lying on the cave floor, dust still lingering in the air. Beside him stood a small dragon, calm yet imposing.
A faint dark energy flowed into Kim's body, easing the pain and restoring his breathing. The dragon finally spoke:
"That masked figure was strange… it could have killed you, but it left."
Kim froze at the words, his eyes widening. Before he could ask, the dragon continued:
"My name is Korai."
Korai looked at Kim steadily and said in a calm yet powerful voice:
"Even without strength… you managed to avoid the masked figure's strike."
The Dark Stone in Kim's hand pulsed faintly, confirming Korai's words and leaving a mysterious sense of connection between them.
Korai added firmly:
"You need to leave this cave… it's about to collapse. Don't stay here; any moment could be your last. Follow me, and I will guide you out."
Kim felt confused, but he remembered the Dark Stone in his hand and its strange pulse. He began to move cautiously behind Korai.