Golden Horizon

While chaos erupted outside his body, Min Joon was entirely unaware of it. Inside his mind, he was in a different realm. Slowly, he opened his eyes, finding himself surrounded by glowing white particles that swirled around him like stars in an infinite void. The particles began to shift, morphing into a vivid scene that took shape before him.

He saw himself as a child, no older than five, standing in the middle of a sunny courtyard. Around him were his childhood friends, laughing and playing. But they weren't the ones who caught his attention. His gaze fell on a man in his thirties, standing at the center of the scene—a priest he used to call "father." The man he had once believed was his real father.

The flames outside roared louder, their deafening cries echoing across the sect. Disciples gathered from every corner, their faces a mixture of awe and terror. Some were mesmerized by the sheer power of the flames, unable to tear their eyes away, while others fell to their knees, overwhelmed by the pressure of the energy.

"This... this isn't normal," one disciple muttered, their voice trembling. "How can a beginner generate this much power?"

After a few moments, Lee Kang appeared, carrying Leader Yang on his back. The leader's calm expression had faded, replaced by concern. Lee Kang's voice cut through the commotion.

"Explain what's happening now," he demanded, his tone sharp and urgent.

So Hyeon scrambled to her feet, her voice shaky as she stuttered a response. "I—I was trying to teach him how to feel IQ around him, but then he just… started to use his own IQ." Her worry was evident, her usual playful demeanor replaced by fear.

Lee Kang's eyes narrowed as he studied the scene. "Wait… is that his own IQ? How the hell is it possible for that kid to have so much IQ without any foundation?"

Back inside his mind, Min Joon reached out toward the figures before him—toward his father and the friends he had once held dear. He tried to speak, to call out to them, but something constricted his throat. No sound escaped him, no words formed. It was as if an invisible force was choking him, silencing him.

He watched helplessly as they began to turn away. Their expressions shifted, disappointment etched into their faces. It was a look he had seen before, one that haunted him even now. Desperation surged within him, and finally, he managed to choke out a single sentence, his voice breaking.

"Don't go… don't leave me behind again," he cried, his words trembling with anguish.

But his plea fell on deaf ears. They continued to walk away, their figures fading into the distance until they disappeared completely, leaving him alone. The vibrant scene dissolved, returning him to the endless void.

In the middle of the emptiness, Min Joon sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He sobbed, his voice echoing into the void, as he waited—desperately hoping to be saved once again.

The roars of Min Joon's flames didn't stop a bit, their ferocity only growing with each passing second. The ground beneath the sect trembled as the fiery energy pulsated outward in waves, forcing everyone to shield their eyes from the intensity.

Leader Yang's face remained calm but focused, his sharp gaze locked on the inferno. "We need to find a way to break through Min Joon's IQ," he said, his tone steady but urgent. His words carried weight.They could use their own IQ around them getting protection from it,but it could mix-up with his or get overpowered by him resulting in permanent disability in their core.

Turning to Lee Kang, he issued his orders. "Take some disciples with you and get shields from the blacksmith,we'll need every layer of protection we can get."

Lee Kang nodded without hesitation. "Understood," he said, already moving. A few disciples followed him, their faces pale but determined.

Leader Yang then shifted his attention to So Hyeon, who stood closest to the raging flames. Her hands trembled slightly, but her eyes burned with determination.

"So Hyeon," Leader Yang continued, "use your eyes. Look for a weak spot in the energy. There has to be a break in the flow, something we can exploit."

So Hyeon swallowed hard, the weight of the task pressing down on her. But she nodded, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. "I'll find it," she promised, she focused her IQ on her eyes scanning the flames for any signs of instability.

"Now go," Leader Yang commanded, his voice firm.

As Lee Kang and the disciples rushed toward the blacksmith, and So Hyeon began focusing her gaze on the fiery storm, Leader Yang remained where he was, his mind racing. He knew time was running out. Min Joon was on the brink of losing control, and if they didn't act quickly, the boy's IQ might consume him—and everyone around him as well.

In Min Joon's mind, the void surrounded him, cold and endless. He sat there, crying, waiting for a savior, though deep down, he felt no one would come. The emptiness echoed his sobs, but then, something began to change.

The void started to fill again. The white particles returned, swirling slowly at first, then gathering with more purpose. Min Joon tensed, trying not to show fear, but his body betrayed him with a slight shiver. He didn't want to be afraid, not again.

Then, faint voices broke through the silence. Min Joon froze, his teary eyes snapping open as he turned toward the sound. His face shifted from sorrow to shock as he recognized the scene forming before him.

It was Jin Seok. Not the Jin Seok he knew now, but a younger version of him, around ten years old. He stood in the middle of a small, dusty yard, surrounded by a group of boys. Their sneers were sharp, their words venomous.

"You freak! My mother says that—did you hear me?" one of the boys spat, his face twisted with cruelty.

Jin Seok didn't respond. His expression was eerily blank, his empty eyes staring past them as if he didn't feel the kicks and punches landing on his frail body. He wasn't fighting back, wasn't crying—he was just enduring, waiting for it to end.

Another boy joined in, his voice dripping with malice. "Yeah, just because you have those eyes, you think you're better than us, huh?" He laughed, the sound hollow and mocking, before landing another blow.

The group laughed as they beat him, their cruelty knowing no bounds. Jin Seok didn't flinch, didn't resist, just stayed silent, as if he'd accepted this as his reality.

Min Joon's fists clenched tightly at his sides. Anger flared in his chest, hot and consuming. He wanted to intervene, to stop them, to shield Jin Seok from their cruelty. He surged forward, driven by fury and desperation—

But he was stopped.

The invisible force returned, wrapping around him like iron chains. It held him in place, unyielding, no matter how hard he struggled. He screamed in frustration, his voice echoing through the void. "Let me go!"

His voice didn't reach the scene before him. The bullies continued their assault, their laughter cutting through the air like knives. Min Joon watched helplessly as Jin Seok's small frame crumpled to the ground, his eyes still blank, still devoid of any spark.

"Stop it!" Min Joon yelled again, his voice breaking. But the force around him tightened, suffocating his words.

Minutes passed, the cruel laughter of the bullies echoing endlessly in Min Joon's mind. He struggled harder against the invisible force, his desperation growing with every second. And then, suddenly, a voice cut through the chaos—a voice that sent chills down his spine.

It was his own voice.

"You cowards! Stop it!"

Min Joon's eyes widened in shock as he saw himself—his younger self, no older than ten—standing boldly before the bullies. His face was fierce, determined, and his small fists were clenched tightly.

The bullies froze, their smug expressions replaced by fear. "Ahhh! It's the Golden Thief!" one of them shouted, their bravado crumbling.

Before they could run, the younger Min Joon launched himself forward, his fist connecting with one of the boys' faces in a clean, sharp punch. The bully stumbled back, clutching his nose as blood trickled down.

The others retaliated, landing punches on Min Joon, but he didn't falter. He fought back with unrelenting ferocity, his small frame a whirlwind of determination. His fists flew, his kicks landed, and one by one, the bullies fell.

"Don't you dare hit my friend again, you hear me?!" he shouted, his voice raw with anger and protectiveness. He stood over the fallen boys, panting heavily, his nose bleeding but his spirit unbroken.

The bullies scrambled to their feet, their faces pale with fear. They didn't dare stay a second longer, running away while crying and shouting empty threats.

As the dust settled, the younger Min Joon turned to Jin Seok, who was still lying on the ground. His fierce expression softened, replaced by worry. "Hey, Jin Seok, why are you like this?" he asked, kneeling beside him. "Aren't you going to be the strongest?"

Jin Seok's eyes, still blank and devoid of light, stared at the ground. He didn't respond at first, the silence stretching between them. Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet and hollow. "Thank you. Now… let's go eat something."

Min Joon's younger self hesitated, his worry evident, but he didn't press further. Instead, he nodded and helped Jin Seok to his feet.

Watching from the void, the present-day Min Joon felt his chest tighten. Memories he'd buried deep resurfaced with startling clarity.

He remembered now—Jin Seok hadn't always been the bright and determined person he was today. Back then, he didn't even know how to smile. He was just there, a hollow shell of a boy, enduring each day as it came.

It wasn't strength that had carried Jin Seok through those days—it was time. Time, and the small acts of care and protection from Min Joon himself that chipped away at his emptiness.maybe the particles were trying to tell him something,he thougt to himself.

Min Joon's gaze followed the younger version of himself as he walked beside Jin Seok, still worried, still trying to reach him in his own way.

The particles began to swirl again, weaving a new vision in front of him. This time, he saw a man and a woman standing amidst the glowing particles. Both had striking yellow hair that shimmered like the sun and the same golden eyes that Min Joon himself bore. Their clothes were pristine, long, and flowing, exuding an aura of elegance and grace that seemed entirely out of place in his fragmented mind.

Min Joon's breath hitched. Who are they? he wondered.

There was something hauntingly familiar about them, yet he couldn't place where or how he might have known them. Slowly, tentatively, he reached out a trembling hand toward them.

But just as his fingers were about to brush against the vision, a thunderous voice tore through the scene, shattering the particles and scattering the figures like fragile glass.

"MIN JOON, COME TO YOUR SENSES!"

The void returned, swallowing everything in its darkness. Then, as if mocking him, the particles began to reassemble, attempting to pull him into yet another memory.

"WAKE UP, YOU FUCKER!"

The voice broke through again, louder this time. Min Joon felt something sharp—a jarring slap across his face that seemed to reverberate through both his mind and body. His eyes snapped open, meeting the intense, unyielding gaze of Lee Kang, who was holding a shield in one hand.

"Snap out of it!" Lee Kang barked, his tone fierce but edged with worry.

Min Joon blinked, his mind sluggish as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. The roaring flames that had engulfed him moments ago rose one final time, a blinding white inferno that seemed to shake the very ground beneath him.

The flames spiraled downward, condensing and shrinking until they gathered at his abdomen. The searing heat twisted and churned, forming a radiant, pulsating white core. The light from it was so intense that it momentarily illuminated the entire sect, casting stark shadows against the walls and the faces of those who had gathered.

Min Joon gasped, his hand instinctively clutching his stomach where the core had formed. His body trembled, and he felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever known coursing through him. It was overwhelming, almost too much to bear, yet he couldn't look away from the glow emanating from within him.

The roars of the flames subsided, leaving behind an eerie silence. The crowd, who had been watching in stunned awe, began to murmur among themselves, their voices a mix of fear, amazement, and confusion.

Lee Kang lowered the shield slightly, his expression a mixture of relief and concern. "What the hell was that?" he muttered under his breath, still keeping a close eye on Min Joon.

So Hyeon, who had been standing nearby, let out a shaky breath. Her hands trembled as she lowered them from the defensive stance she had maintained. "He… He formed a core," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Leader Yang stepped forward, his calm demeanor masking the deep unease in his eyes.His gaze fixed on Min Joon. "This boy… ı guess you were right about him,he's not ordinary."he said to So Hyon as he burst out of Laugh