The Chronicle of the Beginning and Climax

Chapter 19 – Breaking the Chains of Fate

Jihwan's breath was steady. His heartbeat, once erratic, now moved in sync with the power coursing through him.

The enforcers—once untouchable beings of pure system authority—now hesitated.

They weren't programmed for hesitation.

They weren't programmed to fear.

And yet, after witnessing their comrade's blade shatter against his palm, they hesitated.

Jihwan's fingers curled into a fist. His own strength felt foreign.

Not overwhelming. Not uncontrollable.

It felt right.

A thought surfaced—move.

His body responded before he even finished thinking.

> "Enough."

The enforcers launched forward, their glitching forms correcting.

One struck first. A bladed arm extended, aiming for Jihwan's throat.

He twisted his body—but he didn't dodge completely.

Instead, his arm snapped upward.

—Clang!—

The blade met his forearm.

It didn't slice through.

It stopped.

Jihwan's eyes widened slightly. The force of the attack pushed him back slightly—but he wasn't hurt.

For the first time, he could feel it.

The rules had changed.

He pushed forward, and the enforcer stumbled.

Jihwan didn't let it recover.

His fist struck.

And this time—he didn't hold back.

—BOOM!—

A shockwave erupted as his punch connected.

The enforcer's mask cracked down the center.

Its body convulsed.

And then—

—It shattered.—

Fragments of system energy dissolved into nothingness.

Jihwan barely had time to process it before the second enforcer attacked.

A system tendril shot toward him, aiming for his ribs.

Jihwan caught it.

> "What—"

The enforcer jerked back, trying to retract its attack.

But Jihwan's grip tightened.

And then, he pulled.

The enforcer stumbled forward.

And Jihwan delivered a knee straight into its core.

—CRACK!—

The enforcer's form twisted unnaturally, glitching violently. Its system bindings failed to stabilize.

> [Error: SYSTEM STABILITY COMPROMISED.]

[Resetting—]

Jihwan didn't let it reset.

A final strike—a straight palm thrust to the enforcer's core—sent it collapsing inward.

It shattered.

Silence.

Only the sound of his own breathing remained.

Jihwan slowly unclenched his fists.

The Variable, watching from the sidelines, let out a low whistle.

> "Well, well. That was quicker than I expected."

Jihwan turned, his new power settling into his body.

He wasn't trembling.

He wasn't exhausted.

Instead, for the first time—

He felt completely in control.

The chains were breaking.

But he knew—this was only the beginning.

The System wouldn't ignore this.

They had been watching.

And soon, they would send something worse.

Jihwan exhaled.

Let them come.

The End Chapter 19