A Few Moments Later

  Gangnam-gu – South Korea

  Near the Center of the District

  From a Considerable Distance

  Time: 01:10 AM

  After the perspective pulled away from inside the Gangnam Ex building and returned to its normal flow of time, the young Nabi Yu's scream echoed immediately, followed by an intense explosion inside the building, causing the entire structure to tremble violently.

  An intense pulse of wind could be seen blasting outward in all directions from the 35th to the 20th floor, where Nabi Yu had begun her clash with the man.

  Someone was hurled down after a single blow slammed them into the floor of that level—the thirty-fifth—being violently thrown backward, crashing through floor after floor, destroying the structure as their body spun downward.

  This caused massive internal destruction within the building, sending that person—now revealed to be the man—down to the twentieth floor after the punch delivered by the young Nabi Yu.

  In the stillness of the early morning hanging over the district, the surreal sight of the building—from the 35th to the 20th floor—was clearly visible, emitting thick smoke not from flames, but from the sheer destruction caused by the man's body as it tore through the floors until reaching the twentieth level.

  Every window shattered as if it were nothing in the face of the new pulse that traveled with the man, destroying floor after floor with his body, each level releasing a powerful blast of wind outward from the building.

  Nabi Yu's scream echoed once more amid the absolute silence of that moment. It was clear she was on the verge of losing her sanity under the weight of her thirst for vengeance. But before she could advance toward the man again, several floors below her—

  Nabi Yu heard, in the momentary silence of the entire world around her, a single sadistic, pleasure-filled laugh rising from the man beneath the smoke at her feet.

  She was immediately caught off guard by the man's sudden advance. He tore through the smoke as if it were nothing, charging upward through the massive hole opened in the center of the Gangnam Ex building, straight toward Nabi Yu, leaving her no time to react.

  With her own eyes, she witnessed the horrifying sight of the man—parts of his body torn open, releasing dense, black smoke, while black blood flowed from the ruptured sections of his skin as he advanced at high speed.

  The man rose while floating upward, laughing in a psychopathic manner, using his Oculi abilities to return once more toward the top of the building. At the same time, Nabi Yu thought of doing the opposite—descending, ready to strike his body again with another punch.

  But Nabi Yu was attacked so quickly that she herself could not perceive the man's approach until he was mere centimeters away, a smiling expression carved into his face, his teeth stained with his own black blood caused by the internal injuries inflicted by the young Nabi Yu.

  The perspective shifted to focus on Nabi Yu as she tried to shield herself with both arms, yet she was still struck by the man's punch. It slammed into her solar plexus and hurled her violently into the ceiling of the 35th floor where she stood.

  In an instant, her body smashing against the ceiling caused it to shatter into pieces, opening a massive crater from the top floor straight through to the rooftop of the building.

  As the world seemed to move in slow motion, Nabi Yu could be seen flying amid the debris of the ceiling, lightly bleeding from her mouth as she lost consciousness under the sheer force of the man's blow.

  At the same time, a wider perspective of the Gangnam Ex building revealed the surreal scene of shattered ceiling fragments and rooftop debris being launched in all directions, scattering across various parts of the district.

  Meanwhile, through someone's eyes, it was even possible to see the Gangnam Ex building's slogan—nearly a ton in weight—being thrown aside, crashing into the neighboring building and embedding itself halfway into its structure, causing even greater destruction around the Gangnam Ex.

  The devastation was so surreal that the early morning—meant to be calm and peaceful in the Gangnam-gu district—was swiftly transformed into chaos. Any human witnessing it would have assumed it to be a terrorist attack, when in reality it was nothing less than a clash between two Oculi.

  The focus on the debris flying alongside the rising smoke highlighted the young Nabi Yu being thrown out of the Gangnam Ex building, her teeth bared clearly through the rage she felt at the man for having managed to injure her so easily before.

  She was suddenly caught off guard by the shadow of something moving through the debris and dust around her as she attempted to distance herself from the Gangnam Ex building.

  Revealing himself to be none other than the man himself, his eyes showed no mercy or remorse as he tightly gripped Nabi Yu's leg with one hand.

  Before she could even counterattack or attempt to break free, she was spun through the air and hurled back onto the completely ruined rooftop of the Gangnam Ex building, preventing her escape from the place where the man intended for her to meet her death for having been so na?ve.

  After spinning with great force, the man held one of the young Nabi Yu's legs and threw her with such strength that her body seemed to cut through the air, striking the rooftop of the Gangnam Ex building with brutal precision, even as she witnessed that singular vision of smoke dissipating before her eyes.

  When that vision ended, the scene revealed Nabi Yu there, inside a crater, nearly unconscious after the attack. The impact of her body against the rooftop unleashed a powerful pulse in all directions, along with several new fragments of the terrace breaking apart and turning into flying debris.

  Before that scene, the man could be seen floating in his torn garments, cuts across his body bleeding his black Oculi blood. A large portion of the Gangnam Ex building was shrouded in smoke, from the 20th floor all the way up to the rooftop.

  Meanwhile, the surrounding district bore visible damage, with several neighboring buildings affected by debris launched from the rooftop of the Gangnam Ex building itself — damage visible to anyone in a higher position, such as the man.

  Before his eyes, he observed the neighborhood in the dead of night; within seconds, thick smoke began pouring from nearby buildings within a two-kilometer radius around the Gangnam Ex building.

  Had it been earlier, it would have taken many innocent lives, since most of the surrounding buildings were office buildings. That realization redirected the focus back once more to the interior of the structure.

  More specifically, that focus returned to the shattered rooftop, where, amid the rubble and the smoke rising into the silent night sky of the early morning hours, echoed the distant sounds of police sirens — authorities trying to understand what was happening in that neighborhood in the face of all this destruction.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  A Few Moments Later

  Gangnam Ex Building

  Rooftop

  Visible to anyone standing there, atop that rooftop completely littered with debris, was the scene of the young Nabi Yu, still consumed by hatred, collapsed on the ground amid the wreckage.

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Angry & Furious) Shit! I have to get up! Get up! GET UP! NABI YU!!! (Heavy & ragged breathing)]

  It was possible to see Nabi Yu spitting a great deal of blood forward, staining not only herself but also her red dress, now torn.

  After everything she had endured in the last few seconds at the hands of that man, a subtle shadow could be seen calmly floating down toward the rooftop floor.

  Once that shadow placed its feet upon the rooftop of the Gangnam Ex building, within a few moments all the smoke from the surrounding debris was dissipated outward from the building.

  All of this was done through the use of that man's Oculi abilities, as he revealed himself a few meters away from the young Nabi Yu lying on the ground.

  As she tried to focus on him again with her furious eyes, even with their edges darkened by the many internal injuries she had suffered—

  [Man — Amused & Ironic Voice] I liked your audacity, Nabi Yu, but... [Deep & slow breath] —

  [Angry Breathing & Dry Coughing From Nabi Yu]

  Even with great difficulty, Nabi Yu could see that nauseating scene before her eyes: the man smiling, his eyes completely white, without irises, looking at her as if she were nothing more than someone inferior in every possible way.

  [Man — Amused & Ironic Voice] As your elder, it is my duty to put you back in your proper place. —

  [Very Angry Breathing & Dry Coughing From Nabi Yu]

  A few meters ahead, the young Nabi Yu could see that man, his once refined clothes now badly torn, as he calmly began brushing one of his hands over his attire, knocking off the dust that had settled on the fabric of his garments.

  [Man — Amused & Ironic Voice] Since your dear "mommy" couldn't even teach you the basics of what "respect your elders" means. [Sarcastic deep breath] —

  [Furious Breathing & Very Dry Coughing From Nabi Yu]

  That man could sense, solely through the essence behind the young Nabi Yu's existence, that she possessed unbelievable potential for her age—still only fourteen years old.

  Before all of this, she was nothing more than a newly awakened user of her Oculi abilities.

  [Man — Amused & Ironic Voice] Because the real world is not the way you imagine it to be when you look around you. You are far too na?ve to think that... [Sarcastic deep breath] —

  [Furious Breathing & Even Drier Coughing From Nabi Yu]

  [Man — Sarcastic & Contemptuous Voice] ...just because you have finally awakened your Oculi abilities at only fourteen years of age. [A light, amused & ironic laugh] —

  It was perceptible that Nabi Yu — as well as the man — despite having the appearance of human beings, were in fact not human beneath their skin.

  For both of them were Oculi, something beyond the comprehension of most of human society in that world.

  [Man — Deeply Hollow Voice] You really thought you could come to me and so easily achieve your pathetic revenge, forgetting... [Deep, bored breath] —

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Deeply Emotional) Shut up! Shut up!! Shut up!!! (Breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  At any cost, the governments of the world concealed the existence of the Oculi, fearing civil wars in multiple countries, since so many things humans considered natural disasters were, in reality, largely caused by the Oculi themselves.

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Deeply Emotional) Shut up!! (Breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  [Man — Deeply Hollow Voice] You are nothing more than a young girl, completely broken psychologically, just like your mother, Yuna, who for much of her life failed to honor her noble lineage. —

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Deeply Emotional) Shut up! (Breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  Those words spoken by the man before her, calmly brushing off his clothes as he now stood only a few steps away from her.

  Thrown onto the ground at his feet — made it unmistakably clear that he noticed her gaze rising from below, fixed on him as he stood there.

  The eyes of the young Nabi Yu were a mirror of her violent and agitated essence in motion, driven by the fury she felt toward what that man had said to her.

  [Man — Deeply Hollow Voice] The final second your mother Yuna was able to breathe inside that filthy, dark warehouse was the most pathetic of all, since she died crying like a "defenseless animal." [Deep, disgusted breath] —

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Deeply Emotional) How dare you compare my mother to a "defenseless animal"... (Breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  He observed the many cuts and open wounds across the young Nabi Yu's body, all bleeding the black-colored blood of an Oculi.

  Yet there he stood, looking down upon her with an expression of absolute superiority and utter disregard for Nabi Yu's very existence.

  Because of this, Nabi Yu grew even angrier, unconsciously using her Oculi abilities beyond what was acceptable for someone of her age.

  At that moment, she was being controlled by her emotions and burning feelings — not only toward the words that man had spoken.

  But also toward the very fact that he still existed and continued to breathe, the man she hated more than anyone else in her life at that moment.

  Despite the intense pain, Nabi Yu still tried once again to rise, wishing to restart the fight against the man before her, who displayed such blatant contempt in his expression.

  [Man — Echoing, Deeply Hollow Voice] You, young Nabi Yu, inherited from your mother that same irritating gaze that all of us in the Inanis faction despise being subjected to. [Deep, bored breath] —

  [(Nabi Yu — Thought, Deeply Emotional) Damn you! Damn you!! Damn you!!! (Breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  [Man — Hollow & Serene Whisper] And just seeing you look at me like that from below makes me want to vomit. —

  The world, at the end of that unfinished sentence spoken by the man, turns completely negative in all its colors before the wide-opened eyes of the young Nabi Yu.

  [Man — Whispering, Hollow & Serene] For making me remember what Yuna held in her hands, for belonging to one of the most influential noble Oculi families, and even so... —

  [(Nabi Yu — Deeply Emotional Thought) I... I will... (breathing growing increasingly furious)]

  [Man — Whispering, Hollow & Serene] Yuna chose to be a coward and flee with you in her womb, coming to this pathetic human reality as if she were a refugee! —

  Nabi Yu sees nothing less than the man raising one of his hands, mimicking with the fingers of his right hand the shape of a gun pointed at her head.

  [Man — Whispering, Hollow & Serene] After Yuna refused the invitation given to her by the Begeneri twins themselves, for her and her father to join the Inanis faction. —

  [Yuna — Echoing, Hopeful Voice From The Past] Daughter, Mommy loves you very much, you hear me? [A gentle, worried breath] —

  When the simulated motion ends, the man makes the gesture of pulling the trigger of the imaginary weapon in his hand.

  Revealing moments later a piece of iron—once part of one of the destroyed columns from the floor below—vibrating a few meters behind his back.

  [Man — Whispering, Hollow & Serene] You, young Nabi Yu... [A soft, deep breath] —

  [Yuna — Echoing, Hopeful Voice From The Past] And I know you will grow stronger, because your essence is so powerful, just like your father's... [A gentle, worried breath] —

  Driven by the man's abilities, the sharp fragment slices through the air, advancing like a dagger at high speed, wrapped in an invisible force that seems to distort the environment by a few centimeters around the sharpened iron tip.

  [Man — Whispering, Hollow & Serene] You are nothing more than a woman completely broken psychologically, just like your pathetic Yuna... [A soft, deep breath] —

  [Yuna — Echoing, Emotional Voice From The Past] ...Mommy isn't as strong as you think, my little butterfly, Nabi Yu. [A hopeful & affectionate sigh] —

  Meanwhile, the man is seen with a completely empty expression, his eyes entirely black, devoid of irises within their sockets, further intensifying his gaze—distant from any mercy directed at the young Nabi Yu.

  [Yuna — Echoing, Emotional Voice From The Past] In truth, Mommy wanted to be as strong as you are without even realizing it, my little butterfly, I... [A deeply thoughtful pause] —

  As the man's words echo through the environment, now consumed by absolute silence, young Nabi Yu is found screaming, her eyes completely white, crying black tears.

  [Yuna — Echoing, Regretful Voice From The Past] If Mommy were as strong as you are, my angel... she would have managed to at least protect your father. [A deeply painful pause] —

  At the same time, she manages to stand up screaming, consumed by rage and a burning thirst for vengeance, ignoring the intense pain throughout her body.

  [Yuna — Echoing, Crying Voice From The Past] Because Mommy is so weak, that... [Deep breath] she couldn't even protect your daddy—the one who gave me the strength not to give up on everything! [Deep, regretful & deeply emotional breath] —

  With one of her fists pressed against part of Taesuk's body, she condenses her Oculi abilities to fortify her next strike, which cuts through the air, becoming even more destructive.

  [Nabi Yu — Deeply Emotional & Vengeful Voice] ...I WILL KILL YOU, TAESUK!!!!!!!! [Extremely furious scream] —