Death or Survival

The next morning, Ji woke up to the harsh bite of freezing cold. He jumped up with excitement, ignoring the weather, and shouted:

"Come on, let's go now!"

Takai glanced at him, surprised by his energy. She quickly grabbed her thick coat and handed Ji an extra one, saying:

"The weather here is brutal. You'll freeze if you're not properly dressed."

Ji put on the coat, and the two set off, leaving behind Mirijina, who was still sound asleep and unable to join them.

Arriving at the Meeting Point

After hours of grueling walking, they finally arrived at the meeting point where the merchants who had taken Lina were waiting. As soon as he spotted them, Ji's anger flared, and he shouted:

"Let her go right now!"

The head merchant smirked mockingly as he and his group surrounded Ji. One of them sneered:

"Oh? A human, huh? Well, let's make him our meal today!"

Takai quickly handed Ji a sword, saying urgently:

"Take this! Defend yourself. If things get out of hand, I'll step in."

Ji took the sword, but it was evident he had no idea how to wield it properly. He charged awkwardly at the merchant, his movements clumsy and untrained.

The merchant burst into laughter:

"Look at him! He doesn't even know how to hold a sword!"

With a quick motion, the merchant unleashed a gust of wind aimed at Ji. Just before it struck, Takai intervened, summoning a fiery shield that dissipated the attack and forced the merchant to retreat.

Turning to Ji, Takai said sharply:

"You're way too weak. At this rate, you'll be killed in no time."

As she fought off the remaining merchants with her flames, Ji lay on the ground, overwhelmed by the weight of his failure and helplessness. He clenched his fists and thought to himself:

"Why is it always like this? I can't even protect myself... How can I protect anyone else? How will I ever find Lina?"

The Mysterious Voice

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in his head, mocking him:

"What's this? Such a pitiful sight! Someone like you... controlling my body? What a joke!"

Ji froze, his heart pounding. He shouted inwardly:

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

The voice didn't answer directly. Instead, it continued with a chilling laugh:

"Do you want to save your friends? Fine... I'll give you a little gift."

Without warning, a glowing blue circle appeared beneath Ji's feet, and blue flames erupted around him. The flames engulfed his body, and he screamed in agony as the fire seared his flesh and bones from the inside out.

Takai, who was in the middle of battling the merchants, stopped in shock and yelled:

"Ji! What's happening to you?!"

One of the merchants took advantage of her distraction, striking her hard in the stomach and knocking her to the ground. She turned her gaze to Ji, who was undergoing a horrifying transformation.

His eyes now glowed an intense, otherworldly blue. Slowly, he stood up, surrounded by an overwhelming and terrifying aura.

Ji's Transformation and Turning the Tide

Rising to his feet, Ji was no longer the same. His energy radiated power, and his presence was commanding. Looking at the merchants, he said in an icy tone:

"You're finished."

With a simple motion of his hand, enormous dragon heads made of blue energy materialized around him. The dragons roared and unleashed devastating blasts of blue fire at the merchants, reducing them to ashes in an instant.

Takai, barely able to move, watched in stunned disbelief. She muttered to herself:

"What... What is this? How did this happen?"

When the battle was over, Ji's glowing energy began to fade. His body returned to its normal state, but his strength was drained, and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Returning Home

Takai struggled to carry Ji back to her home. There, she laid him on a bed alongside an injured girl they had rescued.

When Ji regained consciousness, he immediately turned to Takai and asked anxiously:

"Where's Lina?!"

Takai gestured to the injured girl lying nearby and replied:

"Is this who you're looking for?"

Ji looked at the girl carefully. After a moment, he turned his gaze away, disappointment evident in his voice:

"No... That's not her."

The Voice Returns

As Ji lay there, the voice echoed in his mind once more, this time with a mocking tone:

"Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted? Hahaha! Poor little boy.

End of chapter...