JJK: Developing my potential

—[Unknown Location]—

At night, in a dark alley of a run-down neighborhood, ten men dressed in suits, appearing to be in their early to mid-forties, stood in a circle around a younger man drenched in his own blood.

"You have nowhere left to run, pathetic young master," said a man with a face full of scars. "It would've been better if you'd died with your parents in that accident."

"Or maybe you should have died from alcohol poisoning or some STD caught from one of the sluts you bedded during your glory days," mocked a short man with a sneering tone.

'What the hell...?' Megumi thought, darting his eyes around as he took in his surroundings.

He recognized it immediately. It was the same filthy, secluded alley where he had met his end in his previous life, back when he was still Woon Gi and not Megumi. The memories of that day came back with brutal clarity: his limbs impaled with thin, rusty iron rods, his nails ripped off, his skin scorched, and the searing pain in his throat from screaming during the torture.

But this time, it wasn't just distant memories. At this moment, Megumi felt everything he had felt back then as if it were happening for the first time.

"Uh? Looks like the young master is scared," taunted a bald man with a prominent nose, smirking as he watched Megumi's evident confusion.

Choosing to ignore the bald man's taunts, Megumi kept his composure and analyzed the situation. 'Think, Megumi! This must be a cursed domain. The fact that I'm still alive means it's not a guaranteed-hit domain. That's good... If I play my cards right, I can get out of here.'

Determined, he tried to concentrate his cursed energy to protect himself using the [Falling Blossom Emotion] technique. However, to his dismay, he quickly realized that while he could still sense his cursed energy, he was unable to use it at all.

'Damn it... Could this be something similar to Itadori's domain?' He reflected, frustrated but not defeated. If a domain existed that could deny someone the ability to use cursed energy, it would undoubtedly come at a significant cost—and he could use that to his advantage.

While Megumi was deep in thought, one of the suited men with a red tie suggested, "Hey boss, let's burn this whole place and get out of here. The guy's gonna die soon enough."

The boss, visibly annoyed, snapped, "Don't give me orders, you damn idiot!" Then, with a commanding voice, he shouted, "Let's get out of here!"

'Ha, idiot,' Megumi mocked the man's behavior internally.

"Understood," they all shouted in unison before running off to their vehicles, but not before dousing the entire area in gasoline and setting it on fire.

As the flames spread through the gasoline and edged closer to his body, Megumi could only grit his teeth and struggle to move. Using every ounce of willpower he had, he managed to shift slightly, but he slipped on the gasoline almost immediately.

"Argh!" Megumi cried out as he hit the ground. Upon impact, the metal rods the thugs had embedded in his limbs shifted, causing immense pain.

The thugs had been meticulous in their torture to extract information. Thanks to this "consideration," despite having thin metal rods driven into his limbs, Megumi could still move slightly, desperately fighting to avoid being consumed by the flames. He managed to drag himself a few inches across the ground before the fire engulfed him.

Megumi's final moments were pure agony. Despite having gone through this once before—and even having endured the pain inflicted by the world itself when it tried to tether him to fate—he hadn't lost his sensitivity to pain. He had only built a tolerance to it.

"Wee-woo," "Wee-woo," "Wee-woo"

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Megumi's theory that the situation he found himself in was the product of a cursed domain made sense within the context. However, while plausible, it was far from correct. The true mastermind behind all of this was none other than the world itself.

The world had played its trump card, its ace up its sleeve. It had meticulously recreated the moment when Megumi—once known as Woon Gi—had felt the most powerless in his entire life. And it all had a clear purpose: to break his will.

Now, Megumi would be forced to relive that endless torment, with no way of knowing how long it would last. If, at any point, despair overtook him and he chose to surrender, his fate would be sealed. By giving in, Megumi would become just another ordinary person of that world.

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"You have nowhere left to run, pathetic young master," spoke a man with a face full of scars. "It would've been better if you'd died with your parents in that accident."

'This again…' Megumi thought, exasperated. Though the unbearable pain of being burned alive had been replaced with something more tolerable, reliving this scene over and over was more infuriating than words could express.

"Or maybe you should've died of alcohol poisoning or some STD caught from one of the whores you slept with during your glory days," sneered another man, this one short and smug.

'Great, it seems I'm stuck in a time loop,' Megumi mused with a mental sigh. 'Honestly, I'd have preferred to watch my entire life play out like Sukuna did. This is ridiculous.'

Apparently, his predicament wouldn't be as "pleasant" as the therapy Itadori had given Sukuna.

After the thugs spent a few moments reveling in Megumi's miserable state, one of them—a man in a suit with a red tie—suggested, "Hey boss, let's set this place on fire and get out of here. The guy's gonna die soon anyway."

The boss, visibly irritated by his subordinate's remark, snapped, "Don't give me orders, you damn idiot!" Then, with a firm voice, he barked, "Let's get out of here."

"Understood!!" came the loud confirmation from the group.

'Okay... If I don't want to die here and now, I'd better do something,' Megumi thought, his eyes focusing on the metal rod embedded in his right leg. It was thin, with a sharp point—perfect for striking.

Of the ten men who had originally surrounded him, only two remained behind to pour gasoline. Seeing the others leaving, Megumi knew this was his chance.

"Argh..." he groaned deliberately, moving just enough to catch the attention of the two men.

One of them, a burly man with a scar running through his eyebrow, noticed the movement and approached cautiously. He bent down to Megumi's level as if to say something, but unfortunately for him, Megumi had no intention of listening.

"Swoosh"

"Crack"

In an instant, Megumi yanked the metal rod from his leg and drove it into the man's eye.

"Aaaaagh!"

The man's scream tore through the alley, echoing loudly enough to alert the others. Blood gushed out in a torrent, soaking his face. The remnants of his eye dangled grotesquely from the socket, making him look like a broken puppet.

"Hey, you bastard! That man has a wife and daughter depending on him," shouted the other thug, a tall, skinny man, as he pulled out a gun and aimed it directly at Megumi's head.

Bang!

Nothing but darkness remained.

»──────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

"You have nowhere left to run, pathetic young master," said a man with a scarred face. "It would've been better if you had died with your parents in that accident."

'Once again,' Megumi thought, exhaling as he encouraged himself internally.

"Or maybe you should've died of alcohol poisoning or some STD caught from one of the whores you used to sleep with during your glory days," sneered another man, this one short and smug.

Patiently, Megumi waited for the right moment to act, and that moment came when one of the men in a suit with a red tie suggested, "Hey boss, let's set the place on fire and get out of here. The guy's gonna die soon anyway."

The boss, visibly irritated by his subordinate's comment, snapped, "Don't give me orders, you damn idiot!" Then, with a firm voice, he barked, "Let's get out of here."

"Understood!!" came the loud confirmation from the group.

'Here we go again.'

"Argh..." Megumi groaned deliberately, moving just enough to catch the attention of two men.

...

... 

...

Bang!

Nothing but darkness remained...

...

...

...

Pierce!!

Nothing but darkness remained...

...

...

...

Thud!

Nothing but darkness remained...

...

...

...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

Nothing but darkness remained...

No matter how hard Megumi tried to escape the situation, he found himself facing death over and over again, each time in a different way. He wanted to give up. He wanted to cry. He wanted to let everything go. But at the same time, he refused to yield. He refused to shed tears. He wanted to give it his all until the very end.

At the conclusion of each loop, the only thought crossing Megumi's mind was: 'I'll try again.' He thought it with unwavering resolve, because he refused to accept defeat and didn't feel like he would lose.

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Sometimes... children have a way of seeing the world that, far from being innocent, can prove even more problematic than that of adults. What do I mean by this? At the beginning of our story, Woon Gi was a defeated man—a failure who had lost everything, someone whose self-esteem could not have sunk any lower.

But in the past, during his childhood, before all the misfortunes befell him, Woon Gi was a privileged child. He was someone who had the world at his feet, a young prodigy seemingly destined for greatness. In his early years, while still under the constant care of his parents, he made the most of his situation. He was the very image of a promising future—a child with every door wide open to him.

It was precisely this perception that led his parents to place immense trust in him. They wanted Woon Gi to develop independence from an early age, so they gave him the freedom to choose his own path, convinced it would be best for his growth. However, having never faced challenges on his own, that freedom ultimately led him to fleeting pleasures. He made mistakes, wasted opportunities, and slowly spiraled downward.

When he reincarnated, two key factors reignited the spark he had possessed in his childhood, restoring the confidence of a child who believed he was the center of the universe—convinced that nothing was impossible for him.

The first was the fusion of souls with Megumi. While his adult soul played an important role in his rapid growth, his youthful soul also left a significant imprint, particularly through the influence of hormones. This blend caused Woon Gi to experience everything with renewed intensity—a heightened sensitivity that he was acutely aware of, though his self-control kept it hidden from others.

The second was cursed energy. Upon his rebirth, Woon Gi was handed a second "golden spoon" in the form of [the Ten Shadows Technique]. As soon as he began experimenting with his power, he was utterly captivated. The euphoria of discovering those abilities filled him with overwhelming self-esteem, reminding him of how special and fortunate he used to feel. That power acted as a mirror, reflecting the brilliance he had lost and restoring it manifold.

These factors were crucial in ensuring that Megumi/Woon Gi did not give up, even when the situation seemed hopeless. Despite how dire things appeared, the combination of his determination and his renewed perception of himself pushed him to keep moving forward.

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After numerous failed attempts to fight against the thugs, Megumi came to a conclusion: if he wanted to get out of there alive, he would have to use them to his advantage.

Although the idea of relying on those criminals—men who had surely committed despicable acts—was far from encouraging, it was his only available option. Aware of this, Megumi decided to undertake the task of getting to know them a little better, searching for any weakness or motivation he could exploit to his benefit.

»──────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

"You have nowhere left to run, pathetic young master," said a man with a face full of scars. "It would have been better if you had died with your parents in that accident."

.

.

.

.

Once Megumi returned to the moment when the burly man with a scar running across his eyebrow approached him, he made a different decision. Instead of trying to hurt him or his companion, he chose to listen.

The man's words, heavy with a somber and despondent tone, were clear:

"I'm sorry for all of this. I have no choice. If you want, I can make the pain stop. I've got a gun in my pocket; one shot to your head, and you won't feel anything anymore."

'I was right to stab his eye all those times.' That was the first thought that crossed Megumi's mind upon hearing the man's words.

'Wait! Megumi! Think. You need to build a profile on this guy.' Despite his irritation, Megumi forced himself to calmly analyze the situation. 'For now, I know he has a wife and daughter, and that he's apparently being forced to hurt me. This could be useful... though I'll need more information before I can act on it.'

Unfortunately, Megumi didn't have time to think further. The burly man took his silence as confirmation and acted immediately.

Bang!

Nothing but darkness remained…

.

.

.

The fire consumed him.

Nothing but darkness remained…

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Bang!

Nothing but darkness remained…

. 

.

.

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

Nothing but darkness remained…

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Have you noticed that as we grow older, we start imposing restrictions on ourselves and giving up on many things, as if it were an inevitable clause in the contract of life? Haven't thought about it? Well, I have, and it leads me to ask you a question:

What if there were someone who refused to limit themselves that way, someone who wouldn't accept reducing their potential or possibilities?

In my humble opinion, that's precisely the kind of person you'd be better off not messing with.

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Through his multiple attempts, Megumi managed to gather very detailed information about the scarred, robust man and, in the process, also about the tall, thin man accompanying him.

The robust man was named Kang Do-hyun, a skilled fighter with a respectable past now caught in a cruel dilemma. He worked for the organization because his wife and daughter were being held hostage, a situation that forced him to follow orders against his will.

On the other hand, the tall, thin man was named Jang Min-woo, a former soldier with a shadowy history. He was a compulsive gambler and a fanatic of a religious cult related to fortune, undoubtedly a dangerous combination. He had lost all his money in casinos owned by the same organization he now worked for, trapping him in a cycle of debt and obedience. Without a doubt, he was completely unhinged.

This information not only helped Megumi better understand his captors but also allowed him to begin planning how to use them to escape this nightmare.

»──────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

Megumi: "Here we go again."

"You have nowhere left to run, pathetic young man," said a man with a scarred face. "It would've been better if you had died with your parents in that accident."

"Or maybe you should've succumbed to alcohol poisoning or some STD caught from the whores you used to sleep with during your glory days," mocked another man, short in stature.

Megumi: "This is so annoying…"

While Megumi was lost in thought, one of the men in a suit and red tie suggested, "Boss, let's just set the whole place on fire and leave. The guy's going to die soon anyway."

The boss, visibly irritated, snapped back, "Don't give me orders, you damn idiot!" Then, in a firm voice, he shouted, "Let's get out of here."

"Understood!" came the loud response from the subordinates.

.

.

.

Megumi waited patiently for the moment when Do-Hyun would approach him again. This time, he interrupted the man before he could speak.

"Do-Hyun." Megumi's voice emerged as a soft whisper, slightly surprising the robust man, as Megumi had never revealed that he knew his name before.

Before Do-Hyun could question him, Megumi continued in a calm but firm tone:

"I know where Marceline and Charlotte are. I have evidence of everything. I already had a plan to expose all the company's dirty secrets and bring them down. I stole this information after killing two top executives. That's why they want me dead. Do you understand why I'm telling you this?"

Megumi's confident and composed tone dispelled any doubt. Do-Hyun's instincts whispered that this boy was speaking a dangerous truth.

"What do you want?" Do-Hyun whispered discreetly.

"No need to whisper. For now, I just need you to wait a moment," Megumi reassured him before raising his voice just enough for Min-Woo to hear.

"May the blood of the losers bless your bets, and may the judgment of Fortune crown you with eternal glory."

Min-Woo let out a crazed laugh upon hearing him. "Heh, so you're part of the cult too. Not that it matters… you're basically dead already." After saying that, he resumed pouring gasoline, ignoring Megumi.

"Actually, it does matter…" Megumi coughed lightly, concealing his weakness. "Because… I'd like to make a sacred bet with you."

Megumi's words immediately caught Min-Woo's attention. A sacred bet wasn't trivial within the cult; it was a solemn act where one wagered everything they owned, including their honor, in a high-stakes gamble.

This was made possible because all cult members had accounts linked to KBank, a financial institution controlled by the same organization. The bank not only facilitated transactions but also strictly enforced monetary agreements, eliminating any chance of default.

For all these reasons, Min-Woo responded to Megumi with an intrigued tone, "I'm listening."

"I bet that, if you don't get involved, I'll make it out of this alive," declared Megumi with defiant confidence that contradicted his physical state.

"Are you serious? You're just a step away from meeting Tyche," Min-Woo mocked, reminding Megumi of his dire condition.

"Do you accept or not?" Megumi pressed, knowing he had to make the most of his time.

"I'll accept… if you give me collateral," Min-Woo replied, calculating.

Without hesitation, Megumi provided, "XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX; 182930, KBank. I have more accounts, so I have plenty to bet with."

Min-Woo quickly verified the information. Once satisfied, he nodded and performed a ritualistic gesture with his hands to seal the sacred bet. The deal was struck, and the rules of the game had changed.

"Hey! What the hell is taking so long?!" shouted a man from inside one of the vehicles. He was dressed in a suit with a red tie, his tone exuding impatience and irritation.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done. I'm on my way," Min-Woo replied dismissively, dropping the last empty gasoline canister as he walked leisurely toward the vehicles.

Seizing the moment, Megumi turned his attention back to Do-Hyun. Speaking in a low but firm voice, he ensured the man was fully focused on him.

"Alright… now comes the hard part, Do-Hyun. For this plan to work, I need to reach a specific location within 24 hours. That means we need to get rid of this trash that helped abduct your wife and daughter. Do you understand?"

Do-Hyun stared at him, his eyes reflecting a storm of conflicted emotions. It was evident that he had suffered so much at the hands of the organization that risking his life now seemed like an option. Finally, in a rough, resigned tone, he murmured:

"I hope I don't regret this."

Wasting no time, Do-Hyun drew his weapon and aimed at the remaining eight thugs.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The gunshots echoed through the alley. However, despite his resolve, the shots weren't enough. Do-Hyun didn't manage to take them all down.

Bang!

There was nothing but darkness…

»──────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

"There's nowhere left for you to run, pathetic young man," said a man with a scarred face. "It would have been better if you had died with your parents in that accident."

.

.

.

.

"Duck!" Megumi shouted to Do-Hyun.

Bang!

"Left!" Bang!

"Right!" Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

And then, only darkness...

"Dodge it!" Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Once again, nothing but darkness...

"Roll!" Bang!

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

Darkness...

╔═══───━━━───━━━───━━━── • ──━━━───━━━───━━━───═══╗

It is important to note that, although Woon Gi was considered a child prodigy, his confidence did not stem solely from his abilities; rather, it was something innate within him. His enthusiasm was so contagious that many children his age followed him with admiration, as if he were a natural leader. In his childhood, Woon Gi firmly believed he could reach the stars in the sky and catch them with his own hands.

However, as he grew older, that overflowing confidence began to crumble. His feelings of omnipotence transformed into unease and helplessness, as if the weight of the world was slowly stripping away his essence. Ironically, the lowest point in his life coincided with the day he was reincarnated into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Since then, many things have changed within him, reshaping him in new ways. Nonetheless, deep in his heart, he still carried the regrets of that time when he was a child and believed that nothing was impossible.

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After numerous attempts, Megumi discovered that the most effective way to direct Do-Hyun was by using military terminology. At first, this wasn't obvious to him, as even Koreans themselves often avoid memories related to their military service due to the emotional impact it leaves behind.

However, once Megumi managed to connect the dots, he realized that this very trauma could be turned into a tool. By appealing to the deeply ingrained discipline Do-Hyun had developed during his years of service, he found the key to communicating with him more effectively.

Now, he just had to guide Do-Hyun properly to find a way out of here.

»──────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

"Duck!" Megumi shouted to Do-Hyun.

Bang!

"West!" Bang!

"East!" Bang!

"Roll to 120!" Bang! Bang!

"Why are you doing this, Do-Hyun?" The leader's voice echoed amid the gunfire. Bang! Bang!

"Don't answer!"

"Take cover!!!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Wee-woo," "Wee-woo," "Wee-woo"

Bang!

Nothing was left but darkness...

Nothing was left but darkness...

Nothing was left but darkness...

Nothing was left but darkness...

Nothing was left but darkness...

╔═══───━━━───━━━───━━─── • ───━━───━━━───━━━───═══╗

Despite how unreal and extremely difficult all of this is, Megumi doesn't feel terror in the face of the situation. Instead, what overwhelms him is a deep sense of disgust. He doesn't complain about the pain he endures; what truly irritates him is the fact that he has to go through this absurd experience over and over again.

He feels this way because, although he could cry at this moment, he actually feels a much stronger urge to smile. Deep down, he knows he still has to reunite with his friends: Maki, Mai, Gojo... and, strangely enough, he also understands that he must join forces with these unreliable allies fate has thrown his way.

So, what reason would he have to hesitate now? The answer is clear: none.

Megumi Zen'in/Woon Gi wouldn't give up. Not this time. He would be the one to prevail in this messed-up situation.

╚═══───━━━───━━━───━━─── • ───━━───━━━───━━━───═══╝

Megumi had already lost count of how many times he had tried to escape from that situation. However, despite all his failures, he was more determined than ever to put an end to this. Each attempt had provided him with valuable information, allowing him to understand the true nature of his opponents. Now, he felt ready to face it all.

»────────────────────── «ஜ۩۞۩ஜ» ────────────────────────«

"There's no place left for you to run, you pathetic young master," spoke a man with a scar-covered face. "You would've been better off dying with your parents in that accident."

'Who knows? Would I have reincarnated if that were the case?'

"Or maybe you should've died of alcohol poisoning or from some STD caught from the bitches you slept with during your glory days," mocked another short-statured man.

'They were good girls... I was the one who was a bit crazy back then.'

.

.

.

.

"Boss, let's burn the whole place down and get out of here. The guy will die soon enough."

'What a keen observer you are.'

"Don't give me orders, you damn idiot!" "Let's get out of here."

'This part always makes me smile.'

.

.

.

.

"I hope I won't regret this," Do-Hyun said as he prepared for action.

'You won't this time,' Megumi swore internally.

"NOWWWWWWWWW!"

Bang! Bang!

Megumi's loud shout made his vocal cords burn, but it served its purpose. Two henchmen fell, caught off guard by the distraction.

Angered by the loss of their companions, the remaining henchmen clumsily drew their weapons and fired as soon as they had the chance.

"STAY STILL!" Megumi's tone and the way he said it made Do-Hyun freeze instinctively while cursing internally.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Because of their reckless shooting, none of the bullets hit Do-Hyun, giving him the opportunity to finish off two more henchmen.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"This one!" Megumi shouted his order. Do-Hyun followed Megumi's instructions, hesitating slightly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Down!" Megumi shouted again.

This time, Do-Hyun decided to follow Megumi's advice without hesitation and successfully dodged the hail of bullets fired by the other two henchmen. The ex-military man had gained some confidence in Megumi's commands after surviving thanks to them.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Run toward the boss!" In all his attempts, Megumi had noticed that none of the gang leader's bullets ever hit their mark. He decided to use this peculiar trait to tip the balance in their favor.

"Slide!" Megumi's voice weakened with every command he gave, but he didn't stop. He had to keep talking if he wanted to survive. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! None of the bullets reached their target. Do-Hyun, taking advantage of the confusion and now on the ground, swept the boss's legs with a quick move.

"Argh!" the leader screamed as he fell, dropping his weapon dramatically while clutching his knee.

"Focus on the ones in the west!" In all his attempts, Megumi had noticed the eastern henchman's tendency to waste his bullets quickly. If his calculations were correct, the man should already be out of ammunition, making him less of a threat compared to the others.

As he gave the order, Megumi prepared to intervene. He had been in this position many times before, and more than once, he had died because he couldn't protect Do-Hyun. "Argh!" With gritted teeth, he pulled the pipe from his left leg and hurled it with force at one of the men in the west.

"Bang!" Do-Hyun managed to dodge a henchman's shot and countered with his own, taking the man's life. "Bang!"

However, while Do-Hyun was distracted with one henchman, the other seized the opportunity to aim and fire a clean shot. Or at least, that's what would have happened if Megumi hadn't intervened. "Argh!" The henchman dropped his weapon, unable to withstand the impact of the iron bar Megumi had thrown at his hand.

Bang! Do-Hyun seized the moment to finish off the remaining western henchman, leaving only the whining leader on the ground and the eastern henchman, who still hesitated on what to do.

'Good, from here on out, it's uncharted territory,' Megumi thought as he clenched his teeth. He knew time was running out. 'I hope Do-Hyun doesn't take long... pulling the pipe from my leg has made me start to bleed out.'

After finishing off the last western henchman, Do-Hyun aimed his weapon at the eastern henchman and pulled the trigger, only to hear an empty sound: "Click, click." Realizing he was out of bullets, he quickly discarded the gun and charged toward the man with an expression full of confidence and determination.

Traumatized by the beast that Do-Hyun had become, the eastern henchman, with a crazed look, rushed toward Megumi. "Damn it! At least I'll take someone with me!" he shouted, filled with rage.

Seeing this, Megumi thought he was once again facing his inevitable end. But he was wrong. Just before the henchman could reach him, the sound of police sirens broke through the air, halting his advance.

"Wee-woo, wee-woo, wee-woo."

"Hands up! Cease fire!" the police ordered as they arrived at the scene. Hearing the officers' voices, the henchman immediately stopped. Resigned, he raised his hands and stepped back.

As the situation began to calm, Megumi reflected on the reason behind this fortuitous event. Listening to what the police said while arresting the henchman, he finally found the answer he had been looking for.

He discovered that the supposed leader of the henchmen was not a true criminal but an undercover police chief within the gang. His mission was to gather evidence on the dark dealings of the company, as many people had filed multiple complaints against it.

The reason for his failed shots now became clear: as a police officer, he didn't want to kill unless absolutely necessary. This also explained his dramatic performance when he fell after Do-Hyun's sweeping move. He had used the opportunity to prevent relatively decent people from dying while also eliminating the worst of society.

While Megumi reflected on all this, he watched as the fabric of space unraveled little by little, giving way to a sense of peace that enveloped him completely. That deep calm led him to slowly close his eyes and fall into a well-deserved, profound sleep.

»─────────────────────── «[Hotel]» ─────────────────────────«

After defeating the world for the second time, Megumi woke up in the bed of his hotel room. Beside him, Mei Mei slept soundly.

'I guess after I beat Kino, she brought me here,' he thought, watching her as the soft moonlight illuminated her face.

Setting aside the silver-haired beauty, Megumi turned to face the wall and sank into his thoughts.

After winning the battle against the world, Megumi's soul had automatically devoured Kino's, increasing his energy reserves and adding a new cursed technique to his repertoire. He realized this upon waking, as the memories of the curse flooded his mind.

'I consumed another being's soul again… honestly... I don't know what to think about it.'

He sighed.

Megumi decided to push those thoughts aside for the moment and turned his gaze toward the large windows in the room.

As he gazed at the night sky, he thought: "The only thing I'm certain of right now is that tonight, the sky feels closer than usual. That's good... Now I feel like I can reach the stars again, those same stars that once drifted away from me."

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A/N: UFF

A/N: I really thought I wouldn't have time to post something today.

A/N: Please remember that English is not my native language, so if you see any errors, feel free to point them out.

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link: [email protected]/Wade69

A/N: Happy New Year, everyone!