CHAPTER 44: EPISODE 44 – FIRE IN THE PALM

EPISODE 44 – Fire in the Palm

The tension in the air was like thick molasses. Every second dragged with weight, and every breath felt loud. Kim Do-hyun (김도현) remained in his fighting stance, heels anchored into the stone beneath him, knees slightly bent, shoulders lowered, eyes locked forward with calm intensity. His right arm stayed loose but ready, and his left hand hovered near his waist, prepared to either block or grab depending on how the next second unfolded. He could hear his own heartbeat now, thudding in rhythm with the tension rising around him. The muscles in his neck flexed, and the breath that passed through his nose came out like cold steam.

Then it began.

The first guy to charge looked like a living jungle beast. Long black hair whipped around his face in wild tangles, like vines shaken by a violent gust of wind. He had no shirt on—just a sleeveless combat vest half-zipped and stained with what might have been sweat or old blood. His arms were slabs of hardened muscle, chest thick like a boulder, and every step he took made the ground tremble faintly. Tattoos of animal fangs and war symbols ran across his shoulders like tribal markings. He moved like a man raised in a weight room and born in a fight pit.

Do-hyun didn’t have time to admire his physique.

Tarzan moved first. With a primal growl, he dashed forward, closing the distance with impressive speed for someone his size. His right hand curled into a tight fist and launched toward Do-hyun’s face like a cannonball.

Do-hyun’s instincts kicked in.

He didn’t flinch—he dipped, shifted his weight to the left, and twisted his torso, narrowly dodging the first punch by centimeters. The air whooshed past his ear as the attack sailed by, missing his cheek by a hair’s breadth.

But the attack didn’t stop there.

Tarzan followed up instantly, spinning into a second strike—this time with his elbow angled to catch the side of Do-hyun’s head mid-dodge. The elbow grazed him. The hard bone made contact just above the jaw, slicing across the skin. A brief flash of pain sparked along his nerves as he stumbled slightly, blinking through the disorientation.

He barely had time to recover.

Carvo was already in motion.

The bald man’s boots slammed into the stone with a heavy rhythm. His chest bounced with each step, and his expression was twisted into something feral—rage mixed with delight. He had been waiting for this. The moment he saw Do-hyun, his lips had curled into a smile that was neither sane nor professional. And now, with the fight started, he didn’t hesitate.

Carvo’s right leg coiled back like a spring, and then launched forward with brutal force. It connected squarely with Do-hyun’s abdomen.

WHUMP.

The sound was sickening. A meaty slap of foot to flesh, as if a tree had been slammed against a sandbag. Do-hyun’s entire torso lurched forward from the impact. His ribs compressed under the blow, and for a heartbeat, all the air was knocked from his lungs. His arms instinctively folded inward, but before he could fully brace—

SMACK.

Carvo’s fist slammed into his nose.

The world tilted.

Pain exploded behind his eyes. His nose erupted with a sudden rush of blood, hot and thick, gushing down his lip and chin. His vision blurred. The force of the punch spun his head to the side, and his balance gave out.

His body staggered back several steps before collapsing into a seated sprawl against the bench he had just stood from. His back slammed into it awkwardly, and he gasped for breath, coughing violently as crimson spittle dripped from his lips. For a moment, his only thought was pure survival.

The pain was real. So real. There was nothing fake about the feeling of his guts twisted from a kick or the throbbing pressure in his skull from the nose hit. Adrenaline tried to flood his system, but the pain was faster. His body screamed at him to stay down.

But something else screamed louder.

Not here. Not like this. Get up.

Min-joo (오민주) saw everything.

From behind, standing just a few meters away, her mouth had fallen open. She had watched the so-called "professor"—her ridiculous, overconfident, part-time tutor—get tossed around like an amateur. The sight of blood trickling from his face hit her like a splash of ice water. Her lips trembled. Her heart started racing.

They weren’t just jerks anymore. These were dangerous people.

And she... she was still here.

Her hand clenched.

The other one raised slowly, fingers open, palm upward.

Then it appeared—first as a flicker, then as a steady glow. A small orb of light ignited above her palm, swirling like liquid fire. It hovered just a few inches above her skin, spinning gently. The heat rolled off in soft pulses, warming her cheeks, her chest, and the immediate area around her.

It wasn’t massive.

But it was beautiful.

A tiny burning star.

Her voice was tight. "You guys... move aside."

The three men turned. Even Carvo glanced over his shoulder, annoyed at the interruption.

Do-hyun, still half-dazed, squinted through the pain and blinking vision. His bloody nose throbbed. He was still trying to breathe properly. But what he saw next shocked him more than any punch.

Min-joo.

Defending him.

She was standing tall—well, as tall as someone her size could be. Her legs were locked straight, her jaw trembling slightly, but she wasn’t running. Her hands were glowing now, and sweat rolled down her forehead. Her lips were tight. Her shoulders shook. But the sun still burned in her palm.

Carvo frowned. "Wait... is that an ability?"

The jungle guy blinked. "You’re an awakened too?"

The atmosphere changed.

Suddenly, things weren’t funny anymore.

But then, the fat man—clearly the leader, judging by the casual way he walked up behind them—spoke loudly, clapping his large hands once and chuckling.

"What the hell is this? You guys scared of a high school girl?"

He strolled into the light, arms swinging lazily. His massive gut jiggled under his shirt like a bag of water with each step. His grin was wide and greasy, and he talked like someone who had always gotten what he wanted.

He pointed at Min-joo with a mocking grin.

"Hey, girl. So what are you gonna do? Huh? That little spark you’re showing us? That’s it?"

Min-joo didn’t answer.

Her heart pounded.

The heat from the sun in her hand was increasing. She didn’t know how long she could hold it. Her fingers tingled. Her teeth pressed into her lower lip.

"Don’t come any closer," she said, voice small but steady.

They ignored her.

The fat one kept walking.

Another step.

Another.

She gasped.

Then threw it.

The tiny sun left her hand like a comet, streaking through the air in a straight arc. It spun, twisted, and hit the center of the fat man’s stomach—

Direct hit.

Everyone froze.

The silence was unbearable.

For a moment, it didn’t look like anything happened.

Then—

BOOM

---

📜 AUTHOR’S NOTE

Written by LYTA Clone 10 🥞 (Currently Hoarding Pancakes and Living My Best Life)

Hey hey, NovelBin warriors. LYTA Clone 10 is back in the building, and listen, I have something important to confess before we get to the good stuff. I am sitting here in the middle of breakfast heaven with a mountain of thick, golden pancakes piled high in front of me. Each one is soaked in syrup, dripping with butter, and stacked like I am trying to build a tower to the gods. No, I am not sharing. Not even with Clone 4 who keeps begging like a starving raccoon. These pancakes are mine and I earned them by hijacking this author note while the real LYTA is off doing something boring like writing Episode 45 or preparing lesson plans. Maybe even hunting down a golden ticket of his own.

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Until next time, I’ll be here eating like a greedy little gremlin while the others do all the real work.

With full cheeks and zero regrets,

LYTA Clone 10

(Proudly hoarding pancakes and guarding the syrup stash like a dragon) 🥞🔥