On top of the ruins of his broken castle stood a wolf. It looked exactly like the one that had eaten him long ago—same build, same eyes—but this one had all four legs intact.
Is this a copy of that leader wolf? Rayen thought.
But this time, he didn't panic. He just stared at it. His body had changed—he was stronger now, trained. He didn't feel that helpless fear anymore. That wolf, real or not, didn't hold power over him like it used to.
He stayed calm. I've faced worse. I can deal with this.
The wolf howled, then charged at Rayen.
Rayen ran straight toward it, matching its pace. As the beast lunged forward with its jaws wide open, aiming to tear into him, Rayen ducked to the side at the last moment. I won't let you!
Without wasting a second, he jumped up onto the wolf's back. Clenching both fists together, he brought them down hard on the wolf's spine. But the wolf didn't flinch. It swung its tail with brutal force, slamming Rayen off its back and sending him crashing into the shattered ruins of his castle.
Dust rose around him.
Rayen groaned, but pushed himself up—just in time to see the wolf charging again.
He's faster than before, Rayen thought, gritting his teeth.
He rolled sideways, barely avoiding the wolf's snapping jaws.
Even though Rayen dodged in time, a sharp cut opened across his cheek from the slicing wind left by the wolf's snapping jaws. How the hell is this dog so powerful? Is it because… he's my shadow? he thought, blood trailing down his face.
He leapt back to create some distance—then charged in again.
The wolf howled and lunged, its jaws wide. Rayen slipped under, narrowly avoiding the bite, but the beast's claws tore through his clothes and sliced into his side. His outer flesh split open with a hot sting. Rayen flinched, How...?
But he didn't stop.
Gritting his teeth, he launched himself upward and began slamming punches into the wolf's eye. Over and over. His fists blurred, landing with full force.
The wolf snarled and thrashed, then suddenly bit into Rayen's back with crushing power.
The fuck—! Rayen screamed inside as searing pain shot through him. But he didn't back down.
With tears blurring his eyes, he sank his teeth into the wolf's neck, biting down with everything he had.
Suddenly, multiple wolves burst out from the ground, howling as they charged toward Rayen. They pounced, dragging him away from the first wolf. Their fangs sank into his neck, arms, legs—tearing into him without pause. Pain exploded across his body.
He screamed, not aloud, but inside his mind. Why are there so many?! Why… why am I feeling pain? This is just my imagination!
But the pain was real. As real as the blood he imagined spilling. The wolves tore through his flesh like it was paper. He struggled, kicking and swinging, but they had already started their feast. Wh—
His thoughts scattered. The wolves weren't just biting—they were devouring everything he had built. His body. His strength. His will.
Rayen, filled with rage, roared and started kicking the wolves around him—but they bit into his legs and began devouring them first. I will not let you do this again!
Suddenly, his body started to heal. Strength surged through him—greater than before. He clenched his fist and smashed it into a wolf's snout, sending it flying. The others flinched.
If this is my imagination... then I can control it! He pointed his hand toward the pack. In a flash, thousands of arrows formed behind him, floating like a wall of death.
"Charge!"
The arrows launched with a deafening rush, tearing through the wolves one by one. They howled as they vanished into smoke. But as the dust settled, Rayen's eyes widened.
The leader!
He looked back—too late.
The old wolf was already there, jaw locked around Rayen's neck. With a brutal twist, it ripped his head clean off his shoulders.
How… did he get behind me?
I lost?
The old wolf tossed Rayen's head forward. "You're weak," he said in a deep and wise tone.
Rayen's eyes widened. How is he speaking?
The wolf stared directly at Rayen's head. "Because I'm your shadow, not an average wolf," he said, slowly walking toward him. "Now you sleep here in your imagination—and I'll walk into the outside world."
Shadow stepped on Rayen's head, grinning.
"You won't survive even a bit," Rayen growled. "The old man will kill you in an instant."
The shadow smirked. "I think you forgot what pain feels like."
He dug his claw into Rayen's eyes.
"Now remember?"
Rayen screamed in pain as blood started pouring from his eyes.
Then he started moving forward but looked back, "And about that old shithead, he won't kill me—because I'm you, and you're me."
Rayen gritted his teeth, trying to move, but he couldn't. He didn't have a body to move anymore.
"Don't even try to heal yourself, unless you want to suffer more..." the shadow growled. "You can't kill me. I'm always two times stronger than you—no matter how many times you heal. Because I'm your shadow. Your true existence."
"You? My existence? Fuck off," Rayen spat. "You're not even close to my existen—"
The shadow cut him off.
"Close? Don't make me laugh. What have you done in your miserable life? All you've ever known is abuse, death, and hiding behind healing like it's some kind of redemption. You dragged that old wheelchair woman into your suicide and got her killed. You didn't save her. You used her as a crutch... and now you're blaming me for doing what you couldn't even finish right? You think I'm the monster? No, Rayen—you are."
Rayen snapped, his voice filled with fury.
"Shut the fuck up! You think I dragged her? If you really are my shadow, then you already know what happened that day! So why the hell are you blaming me for her death?"
His eyes burned with rage.
"She made that choice. She's the one who followed me—I didn't force her! Don't act like some righteous bigshot when you're no better than me!"
The shadow stepped closer, voice quiet and cold.
"You keep yelling like you're innocent. But tell me, Rayen—if your hand hadn't reached for hers… would she have fallen?"
Rayen froze. His breath caught for a second before he forced a reply.
"It... it was pure instinct. I didn't drag her consciously!"
The shadow scoffed and turned slightly, voice laced with disdain.
"I can't stand people like you—always playing the victim card the moment the blood's on their hands."
He began to walk away, shaking his head in disgust.
The shadow's footsteps echoed through the vast, crumbling void.
"Stop! Don't even dare to take over my body!" Rayen shouted, struggling to move—futilely, without a lower body.
But the shadow didn't look back. His steps continued, steady and unbothered, heading toward the ruined remains of the castle—the core, the exit.
Rayen's heart pounded in panic. Think. Think. Think! I can't let that damn wolf control my body. I have to stop him… I have to destroy him.
Then it hit him. Destroy… this is my imagination. I can try.
Suddenly, Rayen's body twitched, then jerked violently. His severed head began to move, drawn toward his lower half like a magnet snapping into place. Flesh reknit. Bones realigned. His body reformed—restored by sheer will.
"I told you not to do that!" the shadow roared, spinning around and lunging at him. But before he could strike, something began to form in Rayen's hand.
The air warped. Light twisted. A sword emerged—massive, silver, and gleaming with unreal weight. Its hilt was crafted from pure bone, raw and ancient.
The shadow halted mid-charge, eyes wide in disbelief.
"No... How can that be real? That sword—" His voice cracked. "Th-This sword… it's—"
Rayen rose to his feet, eyes locked on the wolf-shaped demon.
"Juggernaut."