Bleeding Shadows ( Ashes)

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: "The Shattered World"**



---

**Page 1:**

**Panel 1 (Full-page spread):** A news broadcast plays on a cracked TV screen. The anchor's voice is frantic: *"Three years ago, the first portal opened. Since then, our world has become a battlefield."* The screen shows footage of towering demons, glowing fissures, and people wielding strange powers. **Caption**: *"The world changed… while I slept."*

---

**Page 2:**

**Panel 1:** Jin stands in his apartment, staring at the TV. His reflection in the screen shows faint traces of Rot swirling beneath his skin. **Jin (internal)**: *"It wasn't a dream. The Rot… it's still inside me."*

**Panel 2:** Min-ah enters, holding a newspaper. The headline reads: *"Portal Surge in Seoul—Hundreds Missing."* **Min-ah**: *"You've been asleep for three years, Jin. A lot's happened."*

**Panel 3:** Jin's hand trembles as he touches the TV screen. The Rot reacts, causing the screen to glitch. **Jin**: *"Tell me everything."*

---

**Page 3:**

**Panel 1:** Flashback montage:

- **Panel A**: The first portal opens in a remote forest. Demonic creatures pour out, slaughtering everything in their path.

- **Panel B**: Governments scramble to respond. Military forces are overwhelmed.

- **Panel C**: People begin awakening powers—fire, telekinesis, healing. Some become heroes; others, warlords.

**Panel 2:** Present. Min-ah hands Jin a folder labeled *"Awakened Individuals."* **Min-ah**: *"They're calling them 'The Gifted.' You might be one of them."*

**Panel 3:** Jin flips through the folder. A photo of **Yuri** catches his eye—her Shade-core eye glowing, her scars visible. **Jin**: *"She's real… and she's out there."*

---

**Page 4:**

**Panel 1:** Jin and Min-ah step outside. The city is a warzone—buildings crumble, portals flicker in the sky, and people flee from demonic creatures.

**Panel 2:** A group of Gifted fight back, their powers clashing with the demons. One of them—a young man with flaming fists—spots Jin. **Flaming Fist**: *"You're awake. About time."*

**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot flares defensively. **Jin**: *"Who are you?"*

**Panel 4:** The young man grins. **Flaming Fist**: *"Name's Kai. Welcome to the apocalypse."*

---

**Page 5:**

**Panel 1:** Kai leads Jin and Min-ah to a fortified base. Inside, other Gifted train, strategize, and recover. **Kai**: *"We're the last line of defense. You're either with us… or you're demon food."*

**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot reacts to the base's energy shields, causing them to flicker. **Min-ah**: *"Jin, control it!"*

**Panel 3:** A woman with glowing blue eyes approaches. **Woman**: *"Your power… it's different. It's not just a Gift. It's something… ancient."*

---

**Page 6:**

**Panel 1:** The woman introduces herself as **Dr. Elena Voss**, a scientist studying the portals and the Gifted. **Dr. Voss**: *"The portals aren't random. They're targeting something—or someone."*

**Panel 2:** She shows Jin a map of portal activity. The hotspots form a pattern—a spiral converging on Seoul. **Dr. Voss**: *"You've been asleep for three years, but your power… it's been active. The Rot is a beacon."*

**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot crystallizes into a blade. **Jin**: *"Then I'll cut the signal."*

---

**Page 7:**

**Panel 1:** Jin, Min-ah, and Kai head to the nearest portal. Demonic creatures swarm them.

**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot surges, devouring the creatures. Kai's flames and Min-ah's newfound telekinesis (revealed here) help clear the path.

**Panel 3:** They reach the portal. Inside, a massive demon—**The Gatekeeper**—awaits. **Gatekeeper**: *"The Rot's heir has returned. The Crown demands your soul."*

---

**Page 8:**

**Panel 1:** Jin's Rot clashes with the Gatekeeper's shadowy form. The portal destabilizes, threatening to collapse.

**Panel 2:** Min-ah's telekinesis holds the portal open. **Min-ah**: *"Jin, whatever you're going to do—do it now!"*

**Panel 3:** Jin plunges his Rot-blade into the Gatekeeper. The portal implodes, sucking the demon into the void.

---

**Page 9:**

**Panel 1:** The group collapses, exhausted. The portal is gone, but the sky still flickers with others. **Kai**: *"One down… a million to go."*

**Panel 2:** Jin's Rot stabilizes, forming a faint crown-shaped aura around him. **Dr. Voss (over comms)**: *"The pattern's shifting. The portals are converging… on you."*

**Panel 3:** Jin looks at his hands. **Jin**: *"Then I'll end this. For Yuri. For everyone."*

---

**Page 10 (Full-page cliffhanger):**

**Panel 1:** A massive portal opens in the sky. A shadowy figure steps through—**Yuri**, her Shade-core eye glowing, her scars pulsing with Rot.

**Panel 2:** She raises a hand, and the demons kneel. **Yuri**: *"You're late, Jin. The Crown's waiting."*

**Panel 3:** Jin's Rot flares. **Jin**: *"Yuri… what happened to you?"*

**Cliffhanger Text**: *"Next: The Crown's Gambit."*

---

### **Key Developments**:

- **The Shattered World**: Portals, demons, and Gifted individuals have turned Earth into a warzone.

- **Jin's Power**: The Rot is a beacon, drawing portals and demons to him.

- **Yuri's Return**: She's alive but changed—aligned with the Crown and commanding demons.

**Visual Style**:

- **War-Torn Earth**: Crumbling cities, glowing portals, and chaotic battles.

- **Gifted Powers**: Vibrant, dynamic visuals for each power (fire, telekinesis, etc.).

- **Yuri's Design**: Darker, more menacing, with her Shade-core eye and Rot-infused scars.

**Addictive Hooks**:

- **The Crown's Plan**: Why is it targeting Jin? What does it want with Yuri?

- **The Gifted**: Who are they, and how did they get their powers?

- **Yuri's Loyalty**: Is she a villain, a victim, or something else entirely?

**Tone**: High-stakes action with a touch of mystery. The world is broken, but Jin's journey is just beginning. Readers will crave answers about the portals, the Crown, and Yuri's fate.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.