Bound By Fury:The Forced Path

Akira's eyes flopped open to the muted golden light of a room well warmed.

The light, working through cream-colored curtains, cast its serene glow upon the walls.

Freshly baked bread wafted its gentle fragrance through the air, complemented by the mild scent of herbal tea.

The soft couch underneath was quite a change from the frozen, hard dirt of the dungeon he'd escaped just a short time ago.

His body, wonderfully intact and free of injuries, felt strangely light.

As he shifted a bit, motion caused a sudden ping to sound, and his system window hovered before his face

[System Notification:]

[-There are some unclear changes in the user's body. Even the system can't identify them.]

[-The user must be cautious from now on. Proceed with caution.-]

Akira blinked, still groggy in the head from sleep.

He stared at the message, his mouth dropped in incredulity.

Akira (thought):

"Truly what is this System…?!" 

"It does talk like a machine sometime, and then again, it is almost as though it is worried about the user basically me and express it like a living begin"

A second message flashed on, overlapping the first.

[System Notification:]

[-Because of a traumatic experience and returning alive from an powerful enemy, the player will be rewarded with more experience points.-]

[Calculating the large EXP.]

Before Akira had even fully processed this, a string of congratulatory messages began blinking into his vision.

[System Notification:]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]

[Congratulations, you have leveled up!]

[Congratulations, you have leveled up!]

Akira (mumbling)

"I leveled up… four times in a row?"

His voice was husky but full of wonder.

He could hardly believe it.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

The dungeon, the pain and the risk to almost lost his life it had all been worth it, just to see the results of his relentless pursuit of strength.

He shut the window to the system with a silent sigh, and for the first time, he looked around.

It was a small room, cozy, with wooden furniture polished to a warm glow. A knitted blanket had been tucked over him.

A distant, soft laugh from the voice of a child pulled at something deep in Akira's chest, coming from another part of the house. Almost overwhelming was the comfort of this place after what he had seen.

He slowly sat up, and his body felt strangely well-rested despite everything.

His hand brushed the soft material of the sofa as he looked around the room once more, taking in every detail. On a little table nearby, there was a steaming cup of tea and a plate of cookies.

With his groggy voice, he finally broke the silence.

Akira (drowsily, muttering):

"Where… am I?"

From the doorway, a familiar figure came into focus-Cha-Jong himself.

His worried-lined face relaxed at the sight of Akira awake.

Cha-Jong (relieved):

"You're finally up."

"We were starting to worry."

Akira's eyes drifted to him, a faint shadow of gratitude crossing his features.

Akira (softer, though still exhausted):

"I suppose… I should be thankful for this, huh?"

Cha-Jong: (laughing)

"You've got more lives than a cat, kid."

"And believe me, you needed every damn one of them to survive that hell."

Akira smiled but said nothing.

Cha-Jong sat down next to Akira.

His face bore a weight of concern equal to the gravity of what he said.

Cha-Jong (next to him):

"I brought you here after you fainted."

"You were in bad shape."

His voice was imbued with a sincerity Akira had seldom witnessed.

Akira furrowed his brows, his confusion cutting through the haze of his exhaustion.

Akira (confused):

"But why here?"

"Why did you bring me to your home?"

Cha-Jong sighed and his eyes, for a moment, dropped to the floor before meeting Akira's eyes again.

Cha-Jong: *sighing*

"Well, let me explain."

"You saved us from that vampire, risking your life."

"When you were fighting, you weren't just trying to save yourself."

"You were protecting us."

"That's something I can't ignore."

Akira's eyes widened as the words sunk in.

I never thought of it that way; my head was so filled with survival and the brutality of the fight that i didn't stopped to think about what my actions might have looked like to others.

"But that is how it looked to them huh" - Akira thought

Akira (surprised):

"You're saying I did all that just to protect you?"

"Don't you think I was fighting for my own protection?"

Cha-Jong slowly nodded, his eyes fixed steadily.

Cha-Jong (nodding):

"Yes."

"You showed a lot of courage and selflessness."

"Despite your attitude, you have a good heart."

"I believe that."

There was no denying the sincerity in Cha-Jong's voice.

Akira couldn't help but feel a tangle of emotions: surprise, gratitude, and a foreign sense of conflict he had never experienced before.

The words were unexpected, but they felt real—like a lifeline he didn't know he needed.

For a moment, he wrestled with himself over the truth. He thought of how easy it would have been for Cha-Jong to leave him in that dungeon, to save himself and his family instead.

"But he didn't."

"He brought me here, to his safest place—his home."

Akira (to himself):

"Maybe… maybe if I tell him my real name, it won't hurt. I owe him that much."

He turned to Cha-Jong, his voice softer, but firm.

Akira (reluctantly):

"I lied to you about who I am."

"I wasn't honest about who I am or why I was there."

Cha-Jong did not flinch.

He reached out and set a hand upon Akira's chest, steady and reassuring.

His eyes spoke for him: an unspoken understanding that went beyond words.

Cha-Jong (gently):

"It's not about who you."

"It's about what you did for us."

"For me"

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be with my family right now. "

"That's what matters to me."

Akira felt the weight of those words sink into him, grounding him in a way he hadn't in years.

A small, genuine smile crept onto his face—an expression rare for him.

Akira (smiling gently):

"My name isn't E.B."

"You can call me Akira Shoto."

Cha-Jong's face responded with a gentle, sincere smile of his own.

Cha-Jong (pleased):

"Nice meeting you then Akira Shoto"

"That's a name I shall not forget for the rest of my life."

Before Akira could answer, the pitter-patter of small feet pulled his attention elsewhere.

The little daughter of Cha-Jong peeped through the doorway into the room, her round eyes apprehensive and frightened.

She tiptoed closer to Akira, clinging tightly to a stuffed animal hugged against her chest.

Daughter (innocently):

"Are you alright, Big Bro?"

"You made me worried."

Akira blinked, taken aback for a moment.

The innocence in her voice and the honest care in her eyes struck deep within him. 

A rare softness crossed his face as he smiled warmly at her.

Akira (whispering:)

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

"And with such a pretty little girl worrying about me, how could I not be?"

The girl's face brightened as her concern dissolved into a pleased grin.

The door swung open, and in walked Cha-Jong's wife.

Min-Ji was a stately, elegant woman, rather tall with distinguished features—a face that held an intrinsic graceness about it, even in simple house clothes; the room was enlightened when she smiled.

Min-Ji (teasingly):

"Hello, kiddo."

"You finally decided to wake up, huh?"

"You had my husband and little girl worried sick, you know."

Her teasing tone was light, but her eyes spoke of real relief.

Akira squirmed uncomfortably, massaging the back of his neck.

Akira (apologetically):

"Yeah… sorry for all of the trouble I caused."

Min-Ji waved a hand, laughing dismissively.

Min-Ji (smirking):

"No issue."

"As long as you apologize, we're good."

(letting out a laugh)

"Now come on, you need food."

"I made a lot, and you'd better eat every bite if you want to recover properly."

She nodded toward the dining table, where several steaming dishes were set out. The smell of fresh-cooked food filled the air, and Akira's stomach growled audibly. He hesitated, unsure how to react to such unreserved hospitality.

Min-Ji clapped her hands, beaming.

Min-Ji:

"See?"

"Your stomach agrees, too."

"No more stalling—come eat."

Softening, Akira followed them to the table where the family members had gathered. Plates of rice, grilled fish, kimchi, soups, and all sorts of side dishes were nicely set.

Yuna, Cha-Jong's daughter, sat next to him—her eyes full of curiosity and delight.

As Akira ate, he couldn't help but notice the scene before him: the simplicity of it all. A family sitting together, laughing, sharing stories was a picture so unlike the isolated and cruel life he had been living.

Cha-Jong (after a pause, his tone serious):

"I know there's more you're not telling us, Akira."

"And I respect that."

I'm not going to pry into your past."

(look him in the eyes)

"But for now, just know you're safe here."

"My family and I owe you that much."

Akira nodded, his expression softening slightly.

Akira (curious):

"Cha-Jong, what happened in the dungeon?"

"After I collapsed, what did you all do?"

Cha-Jong's movements stilled for a moment, the chopsticks in his hand pausing mid-air. He set them down deliberately, his expression carefully neutral.

Cha-Jong (tentatively):

"Someone… scary came and slew that vampire."

"Then he was gone."

"We didn't even get a proper look at him."

"It all happened in such a hurry."

His voice was steady, but Akira could sense there was more to the story.

Akira (frowning):

"Someone came and killed her?"

"Just like that?"

"She was unbelievably strong."

"And you're saying he finished her with ease?"

Cha-Jong nodded.

"I don't know who he was."

"He vanished just as suddenly as he appeared."

"I'm sorry, Akira, that's all I know."

Akira furrowed his brow in thought as he remembered the words of Cha-Jong.

His memories of the fight were rather patchy, but he could distinctly remember the overwhelming strength of the vampire.

For someone to defeat her so effortlessly was hard to understand.

Akira:

"But… I remember my arm being cut off."

"How is it intact now?"

"And fully healed?"

The question made Cha-Jong's face change ever so subtly, the flicker of something not spoken crossing his features. He quickly recovered, smiling faintly.

Cha-Jong: (gallantly, but evasively)

"You never lost your arm."

"That was illusion magic the vampire used to mess with your mind."

Akira's eyes narrowed slightly, scouring Cha-Jong's face.

The explanation didn't sit right with him, but Cha-Jong's manner was firm and offered little room for argument.

Akira (after a moment, resolute):

"Ok."

"If you say so."

The awkwardness hung in the air for a second before Min-Ji finally broke the ice, her voice positive and chipper.

Min-Ji:

"Enough heavy talk at the table."

"Kiddo, eat up."

"You'll need your strength if you plan on leaving this house anytime soon."

Yuna pulled on Akira's arm, her innocent voice cutting through the awkwardness.

Yuna:

"Big Bro, will you stay with us a little longer?"

"You're fun to have around."

Akira looked at her, taken aback by her frankness.

A real smile pulled at the edges of his lips.

Akira (softly):

"I'll stay a little longer if your mom doesn't kick me out first."

Min-Ji burst out laughing, and Cha-Jong shook his head, smiling amusedly..