The next day, I met Min-ah again in the same park. The sun was shining and the air was fresh. We were practicing with various metal objects Min-ah had brought: a small steel bar, a few nails, even an old wrench. I was having trouble concentrating, my mind wandering back to what Min-ah had told me about the other Marked and the secret organizations.
"Focus, Ryu Hyuk," Min-ah chided me gently. "You can't let your thoughts distract you. You need to have complete control over your power."
I nodded and tried to refocus on the wrench floating shakily in front of me. I tried to twist it in the air, but I found it difficult to keep it steady. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my head, and the wrench fell to the floor with a thud.
"Are you okay?" Min-ah asked, approaching me with concern.
"Yeah, just... a twinge," I replied, rubbing my temple. Sometimes, when I tried to use my powers for too long, my head would hurt. Min-ah had told me it was normal at first, that my body and mind needed to get used to the energy.
Just as we were about to resume training, a sudden noise interrupted the tranquility of the park. A loud bang, as if something heavy had fallen from a great height, resonated in the air. Several birds flew frightened out of the nearby trees.
Min-ah and I looked at each other in alarm. "What was that?" I asked.
"I don't know," Min-ah replied, frowning. "But it doesn't sound good."
We cautiously approached the area where the noise was coming from. As we rounded a row of bushes, we saw the cause of the commotion. In the middle of the road lay a large, grotesque figure, very similar to the Trouble we had faced in Central Park, but even larger and more... beastly in appearance. It seemed to have fallen from the sky, leaving a small crack in the asphalt upon impact.
The Trouble groaned and began to stir, slowly rising on its long, twisted limbs. Its eyes glowed with a menacing red light. It seemed disoriented at first, but soon its gaze fixed on us.
"Another Trouble," I muttered, feeling fear run cold in my blood. This one seemed much more dangerous than the last.
"Yes," Min-ah replied, her voice strained. "And I don't think he's alone."
Just then, another figure appeared between the trees. It was smaller than the first Trouble, but just as grotesque, and it moved with surprising agility. It seemed to be searching for something.
"There are two of them," Min-ah said. "We have to be careful."
The Troubles saw us and began advancing toward us, growling and baring their sharp teeth. There was no time to hesitate. Our training had just become a real test.
"Ryu Hyuk," Min-ah said quickly. "Focus on the big one. I'll take care of the small one. Understood?"
I nodded, my heart pounding. It was time to put what I'd learned to the test. This was my first real exam as a Marked.
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