NOTE: We're going to be showing Jin's OV 80% of the time from this chapter onward. Still expect some story chapters of Ashton's POV, but I have decided not to make them my main focus since Ash isn't the MC [; the story of Ash and how he became the king of the mafia is still ongoing and is not cancelled the other 20% percent of theirs Arc will be in Ash's POV]. With that said, enjoy! 

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Jin bolted upright; panting. It had been weeks since he had been in there—incarcerated and kept in the restraints of a small, strange shadowy domain. He looked around, turning his head from left to right. His surroundings were all but merry and colorful. It was a place of strange darkness. Emptiness and quietude saw somewhat of a prevalence here. While everyone had fled to the domes; Jin was forced to remain in this world alone. 

Not that he disliked thus lonesomeness; but it felt incredibly new to him. And boring. 

The sky of dawn was on par with one of night. Like smoke escaping a chimney in the winter season, the clouds in the sky misted and twirled. There were sporadic flashes of light in these clouds and then resounding thunder. The darker clouds spurred from larger pockets; and rain followed. 

Jin felt the sky rain sprinkling down and dousing his clothes. Such rain fell so heavily that it stung him. But he didn't acknowledge this pain at all. Perhaps, he had not even noticed it. His eyes were slit—impenetrable—stoicism blooming within them and starting to show their external colors. But there were no colors when it came to Jin. Not anymore. The only color was the deep, green, daunting glow to his eyes by which he himself was intimidated in the recent past. 

Now nothing intimated this young man. It had been a long time since he'd feared something. He just didn't fear at all anymore. 

However, he did hate that shadowy domain. Whose was it? His, or Cliff? He clicked his tongue. Things were getting confusing. Too many things had happened. He still had to make sure his friends were even alive. Though, he didn't know why he still bothered with them—he did, and there was no changing this for some time. 

An old part of him lingered after all. 

He stood; stretching—his bones cracking and clattering. It felt as though he had been in there for ages. It was indeed uncomfortable. He then scratched his head. He had trouble remembering all the details of the past for whatever reason. No, he could not afford to forget things so easily. He outstretched his long narrow fingers; and knocked the heel of his palm into his forehead. 

He cursed. "Come on, stupid brain, don't give up on me now ... I'm not even old yet."

He punched himself to the forehead. Then, he frowned, lowering his hand to his side. "Striking blows to my head isn't going to make me remember. I have to think about it myself. Hmmm ... let me see ..."

He placed a hand on his chin. First, he was going home. After that, he was attacked. Then, a man who called himself 'Hel' appeared in the sky for the whole world to see him, almost like a massive hologram. New powerful armies conjured out of nowhere, and started attacking the world. Thousands died. Jin finally made it home, even murdering the creatures who emerged from earth. He fought for his friends. They all split in their attempt to escape the new invasion. And then ... 

Jin scratched his head. He couldn't recall the other events. Why was he imprisoned? And by who? How long had he been imprisoned for? And what led to his imprisonment? He somehow found a way to not care about the answers to those questions. He shrugged his curiousity off, quickly raising his shoulders and then dropping them as he walked forward. 

He was on a slope. He walked at the edge and stopped, looking down. It was all clear down there. Clear as in nothing fun for Jin. His eyes roved the area a bit more until they met a figure running from a creature in the distance. 

Jin was about to leap down; and do what he could've to sate his bloodlust; but then he was interrupted by Cliff's voice. A distorted shadow appeared next to him as he stood at the edge.

"Jin ... wait."

"I wanna have a word with you ..." said the shadow. 

The shadow was familiar to Jin. Its form was amorphous; dark clustering of spiraling darkness making emanating. Embryonic. The energy churned. But then, it shriveled. For every bit of energy it lost, the more of the human body it gained. This darkness had become Cliff. 

"What is it?" Jin asked; not bothering to set eyes upon Cliff. 

"How'd you-" Cliff stuttered, "how'd you get out? Has it been four weeks already?"

"Much less than that," Jin said, "What's the matter, missed me?"

Cliff spat. "Hell no," he furrowed his brows, "but I was sure as hell worried about your sorry ass. When I saw that look on your face—I just couldn't help myself but see you as one of them."

Jin glanced at Cliff. "One of them?" He echoed.

"The sucessors always lose their power over themselves when they get stronger and more corrupted by the system," Cliff said. "I couldn't help but see the look in your eyes. All of the successors with those eyes never made it past level twenty. A ruler who wishes to rule must first rule himself, and not be controlled—"

Suddenly, Jin leaned and leaned as Cliff spoke until he had ultimately fallen off from the Cliff. He went spinning in the air; bolting toward rocky grounds with demolished buildings and cracked road.

Cliff Dashed forward, and looked over the edge. "Don't let the system control you, Jin! When he starts to speak—don't listen to him!" He shouted.

Then he clicked his tongue and shook his head; jamming his hands in my pockets in search of something to smoke. That young man was beginning to stress him out already. He was growing utterly concerned about Jin's future. He had other things in his mind as well; like his daughter and his wife having a new husband after his apparent death. Then, he had stress about Jin turning everything he wasn't before. His job couldn't possibly be any worse.

He cursed. "No damn cigarettes."

***

Falling.

He didn't know why he did it since it was obviously pointless since he possessed an teleportation.

Jin was ... different. 

He was nearing the rocky surface, rippling through air. About three meters away from certain death; he dashed upward. The fluids in his stomach churned. His body was suddenly pushed into the air again for a second; all momentum from the heights had shriveled to death. Such that when he landed on his feet; there was no pain. 

The only pain he felt was from the pricking rocky surface. The sharp points had entered his feet. The earthen creatures were upset about the state of the world. It wasn't like this in their times; and so they tried to apparently terraform or just simply destroy modern creations. This notion and it's actions led to grounds scattered in debris. Jin had to put up with all the foot pricking all the time. But of course, he didn't care at all. He continued walking. 

As he walked; a shadow fell in beside him. It was a distorted figure. But then, it gained form. It was a four-legged creature, with green glowing eyes and black hairless skin.

"Oh, hey, Benji. I can't remember summoning you."

Benji growled at Jin.

Jin smirked. "I missed you too."

Benji snarled at him this time.

"What? Are you mad? Look, I'm sorry for not summoning you to help me out in those huge battles. My head was in the fight as well. I didn't think about summoning you. Maybe I can make it up to you sometime."

Strength: 42]

[Health: 52]

[Speed: 18]

[Skill: 45]

[Exp: 54/70 | Level 9]

"New Successor at level ten, huh? Piece of cake."

Jin walked calmly, approaching the two figures in the distance. There was an elf girl on the floor, and a strange monstrous creature raising a hand to crush her.

Suddenly, Jin teleported to the creature, closing his right hand. His dagger quickly appeared in this hand, conjuring out of where. He slashed at teh armored monstrousity. He creature leaped backward, retreating from Jin and the girl. 

While skating away backward; the armored figure opened its mouth and fired a beam of dark energy. Jin grabbed the girl and dashed backward, sliding on his feet. 

The creature's eyes began to glow. It was about to charge, when suddenly Jin vanished. It heard a voice from behind, and slowly turned around. 

Jin stood, whipping out his dagger. "There are thousands of you in the city. I heard you're strong. I've witnessed your strength. I'd say you're a match for me."

Large protrusions suddenly drew from the creature's elbows and wrists. "SUCESSOR!" It hissed.