When monsters called me the king

Jin Woo stood in the dim light of the Academy's library, staring at an ancient tome that seemed to hum with power. Its cover was blackened as though scorched by fire, and strange, twisting symbols glowed faintly on its surface. The librarian, a quiet woman who usually ignored the students, had been uncharacteristically insistent when she handed it to him. 

"You'll find answers here," she'd whispered, her eyes shadowed by something Jin Woo couldn't name. 

Now, as he flipped through the brittle pages, fragments of a forgotten language filled his mind like shards of glass. He shouldn't have been able to read them, but the words came alive, flowing into his consciousness with a strange familiarity. 

"The Gatekeeper holds the balance. Should he falter, the worlds will collide."

His hands trembled. This was no ordinary book. It was a relic—a record of his past. Of *Arkanis*. 

Memories flickered at the edges of his mind, elusive and fragmented. A towering gate, its edges jagged and broken. A throne carved from obsidian, pulsating with power. A voice, deep and resonant, calling his name—not Jin Woo, but something older. Something darker. 

"Arkanis." 

The word slipped from his lips before he realized it, and the room seemed to shudder in response. The air grew heavy, and the faint hum of the book turned into a low, ominous growl. 

"Jin Woo!" 

He snapped the book shut and spun around. It was Seong Hana, one of the Academy's top students and one of the few people who didn't outright mock him. Her golden aura flared as she approached, her expression a mix of concern and suspicion. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes darting to the book in his hands. 

"Research," Jin Woo replied quickly, tucking the tome under his arm. 

Hana crossed her arms. "You're not supposed to be here after hours. And that book—" 

"It's nothing," he interrupted, his voice sharper than he intended. "Just something the librarian gave me." 

Her gaze hardened. "That's not 'just something.' That's an artifact from the restricted section. Do you even know what you're messing with?" 

"I don't need a lecture," he snapped, brushing past her. 

Hana grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "Jin Woo, this isn't like you. What's going on?" 

He hesitated. For a moment, he wanted to tell her everything—the nightmares, the flashes of memories, the overwhelming sense that he was something more than what everyone believed. But how could she understand? How could anyone? 

"Nothing," he said finally, pulling free. "I'm fine." 

Hana didn't look convinced, but she let him go. "Just… be careful," she said quietly. 

Jin Woo nodded, though he wasn't sure if he could promise that. 

---

Later That Night

Back in his dorm room, Jin Woo sat cross-legged on the floor, the book open in front of him. He traced the glowing symbols with his fingers, and as he did, a surge of energy coursed through him. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. 

The room darkened, the shadows stretching and twisting unnaturally. The symbols lifted from the pages, forming a swirling vortex of light and darkness. 

**"Remember,"** a voice echoed, deep and resonant, vibrating through his very bones. 

The images came faster now—monsters kneeling before him, a gate cracking open, the throne calling to him. 

"Arkanis," the voice said again. "The King of Beasts. The Gatekeeper." 

"No," Jin Woo whispered, shaking his head. "That's not me. That's not who I am." 

But the voice laughed, low and cold. "You cannot escape what you are. The throne waits, and the monsters remember. You are their king, whether you accept it or not." 

The vortex collapsed, and Jin Woo was thrown backward. The book snapped shut, its glow fading. 

For a long moment, he lay on the floor, his chest heaving. 

The throne. The gate. The monsters. 

He had spent years trying to prove himself, to show the world that even an F-class could be something. But now, a chilling thought took root in his mind. 

What if he was never meant to be one of them? What if he was something far worse? 

---

End of Chapter 7