This Is Who I Am

Jinsu was running.

He didn't know where he was going.

And he didn't care.

There was no destination in his mind.

No specific path.

He simply wanted to get away from everything.

His footsteps grew faster as he ran between the trees, branches passing beside his body without him paying them any attention.

Everything had become too heavy for him.

Everything.

The voices he had heard.

The faces he had seen.

The memories that had begun stirring deep within him.

And most importantly...

That feeling he couldn't get rid of.

Tears filled his eyes.

But he held them back.

He didn't let them fall.

He quickly raised his hand and wiped his eyes, then continued running.

He shouted with all his strength.

“No! No, it can't be!”

He didn't want to cry.

He didn't want to think.

He didn't want to remember.

He just wanted to run.

So he continued.

And continued.

And continued...

Until the days passed.

Three entire days.

Three days in which Jinsu ran without any particular destination.

He stopped only for brief moments.

He barely slept.

He didn't speak to anyone.

He didn't even know where he had ended up.

Then, after three days of running...

Jinsu finally stopped.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground.

His chest rose and fell slowly.

He raised his head.

He looked around.

The forest was different.

Dense trees.

A thin mist.

And a strange silence surrounding the place.

But there was something else.

Yami.

They were everywhere.

Between the trees.

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Above the branches.

Deep within the forest.

There were countless of them.

But strangely...

Not a single one attacked Jinsu.

They didn't approach him with hostility.

Instead, they were guiding him.

Some of them pointed him toward a certain path.

Others bowed whenever he passed by.

Jinsu stopped for a moment.

He looked at them in silence.

Then continued walking.

Then he looked down.

There was another Yami.

He was different from the others.

He was a high-level Yami.

He was leaning against a tree, his back resting against it, looking at Jinsu mockingly.

But he didn't kneel.

He didn't bow.

He didn't even move.

He remained leaning against the tree as if Jinsu meant nothing to him.

Jinsu looked at him for a few moments.

Then he descended from the tree.

He landed in front of him.

And began approaching him.

As for the Yami...

He didn't move.

He remained leaning against the tree.

Simply staring at Jinsu.

Jinsu thought:

(This Yami doesn't seem to have any intelligence.)

Then he narrowed his eyes.

(That's strange.)

(High-level Yami always possess intelligence.)

Jinsu stood directly in front of him.

But the Yami didn't move.

He didn't kneel.

He didn't speak.

He simply continued looking at him.

Jinsu raised his eyes slightly.

And said:

“You...”

He paused for a moment.

Then said coldly:

“Kneel.”

The Yami looked at Jinsu.

But nothing happened.

He didn't move.

He didn't kneel.

He didn't respond to his command.

Silence filled the forest.

Then Jinsu gave a small smile.

“Oh...”

He stepped closer.

“You think you're strong?”

In a single instant—

Jinsu grabbed the Yami by the neck.

He lifted his body high into the air.

The Yami's feet left the ground.

Jinsu held him with one hand.

“You think you're great?”

The Yami didn't answer.

Jinsu tightened his grip.

“You think you're above me?”

The Yami began trying to break free.

But Jinsu didn't allow him to.

He tightened his grip further.

Then he drove his hand into the Yami's body with force.

Blood flowed.

And yet...

He didn't die.

His body continued moving.

His wounds began to heal.

His healing ability was greater than that of an ordinary Yami.

Greater even than that of a high-level Yami.

Jinsu looked at the body healing before him.

Then smiled.

“Oh...”

He tilted his head slightly.

“So that's the reason for your arrogance.”

Then he looked directly into his eyes.

“You think you won't die?”

The Yami smiled mockingly at Jinsu.

His smile made it seem as though he still believed he had a chance.

Jinsu looked at his smile.

Then calmly said:

“Don't worry.”

The Yami's smile stopped for a moment.

“You won't die.”

Jinsu moved closer to him.

“I won't let you die.”

Then he smiled.

“You will die slowly.”

And so it began.

Jinsu wasn't in a hurry.

He knew the Yami could heal.

And because of that, every time the Yami recovered...

Jinsu hurt him again.

Every time he healed himself...

Jinsu did the same thing again.

Until the Yami began losing his ability to resist.

Then Jinsu grabbed his limbs and pulled them violently.

After that, he kicked one of his legs with tremendous force.

It broke.

Then he kicked the other.

Until nothing remained of the Yami except his torso and head.

But his body began healing again.

His regeneration started working.

Jinsu looked at him.

And didn't stop.

He continued.

Time passed...

Until the Yami's healing began to slow down.

Then it stopped.

He could no longer heal himself.

Only his torso and head remained.

This time...

He didn't try.

He understood.

He understood that there was no escape.

And that continuing to resist would change nothing.

He accepted that he was going to die.

But Jinsu...

Didn't kill him.

He left him there.

Then stood before him.

Waiting.

He didn't move.

He didn't speak.

He simply watched.

The Yami remained on the ground.

Then...

He slowly moved.

He no longer had enough strength.

He crawled forward with what remained of his body.

Until he reached Jinsu's foot.

Then he fell.

He fell beside his foot.

The meaning of that movement was clear.

It wasn't an attempt to attack.

It was surrender.

A kneel.

A sign of acknowledgment.

Jinsu looked at him.

Then smiled mockingly.

“You kneel now?”

He paused for a moment.

“It's too late.”

Then a cold smile appeared on his face.

“But I'm generous.”

He raised his hand.

Then touched the Yami's back with his finger.

“I'll offer you an even greater mercy.”

Jinsu said:

“Internal Explosion.”

Suddenly—

BOOM!

The Yami's body exploded completely.

A wave of power surged outward.

The remains of his body scattered.

Then silence returned.

Jinsu raised his head toward the sky.

He said nothing.

But a voice came from behind him.

A voice he knew.

“Is this what you've become?”

Jinsu didn't move.

He didn't turn around.

He simply answered:

“No.”

He paused for a moment.

Then said:

“This is who I really was.”

Silence filled the area.

Then came the sound of laughter.

“Hahaha...”

The laughter stopped for a moment.

“Interesting.”

Jinsu turned around.

Kaizen was standing before him.

The two looked at each other.

Jinsu remained silent.

Kaizen smiled.

“They really got to you.”

Jinsu looked at him.

Then said:

“They got to you too.”

Kaizen's smile changed slightly.

Then he approached Jinsu.

One step.

Then another.

Until he was close to him.

And said:

“That bastard, Solar...”

He paused.

Then continued:

“I never really understood how he managed to erase part of my memories.”

He looked at Jinsu.

“But they're back now.”

Jinsu continued looking at him.

Then turned away.

And calmly said:

“It's good that they're back.”

Kaizen fell silent.

Then something happened that changed the entire scene.

Kaizen knelt on the ground.

The King of Yami.

The person whose very name alone was enough to terrify others...

Knelt.

Before Jinsu.

He lowered his head.

And said:

“Welcome back...”

He raised his eyes toward Jinsu.

“My greatest King.”

Then he smiled.

“We will rule this world together.”

He paused for a moment.

“Just like old times.”

Jinsu looked at him.

Then moved closer.

He leaned down slightly until he was at Kaizen's height.

He looked directly into his eyes.

Then said:

“No, Kaizen.”

Kaizen's expression changed slightly.

Jinsu continued:

“Not together.”

Then he moved away slightly.

“Only me.”

Silence filled the area.

Then Jinsu said:

“There is no room for two people on the throne.”

Kaizen continued looking at him.

He didn't object.

He didn't argue.

He didn't get angry.

Instead, he simply said:

“Yes, my lord.”

Jinsu stood up.

Then Kaizen stood behind him.

The scene was strange.

The King of Yami standing behind a single person.

A person whose place in Kaizen's eyes was clearly no longer that of a mere ally.

It was something greater.

Kaizen looked at Jinsu.

Then asked:

“Where are we headed now?”

Jinsu didn't answer immediately.

He began walking forward.

One step.

Then another.

The trees ahead of him began to disappear.

With every step, the scene before him became clearer.

Until he finally emerged from the forest.

The trees stopped behind him.

And before his eyes...

A vast, barren desert stretched out.

A land with no visible end.

Sand stretching all the way to the horizon.

Jinsu stood there, staring at it.

Then said:

“To the Great Desert.”