The man's breath echoed through his white mask, his eyes glinting through the slits. Sei felt his burning gaze—a pure killing intent. Sei lay on the ground, his breath ragged, his ribs screaming from the earlier impact. He was broken, yet he clenched his fists and glared at the man.
The man was waiting for his answer, but nothing came. Sei didn't speak.
A sharp crack echoed as the man's fist struck Sei across the face, the force jarring his head to the side. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, mixing with the dirt beneath him.
"You are such a rat bastard." Then, after pausing for a moment, he spoke—his voice low and dangerous, "How is a child like you able to channel nature energy so well?"
Sei shifted his gaze to the side, avoiding the man's eyes. His body trembled as he struggled to channel nature energy, but he couldn't. His mind was panicked.
"Answer me!" the man hissed, striking yet another punch to Sei's face.
Fari whimpered from where she lay, her small body trembling, but she couldn't get up. Her tiny claws scratched at the ground, powerless.
Sei's breath was heavy, heart pounding in his ears. His thoughts raced, but he couldn't give an answer—couldn't risk it.
The man's voice dropped to a murmur, almost as if talking to himself, though his words were clear enough to cut through the air like knives.
"Unless… you're not normal at all. A Dual Core, perhaps?" His head tilted slightly, calculating, like a predator circling prey. "But no… not quite. You are a kid, so there is no way you could have learned how to use the Dual Cores."
Sei gritted his teeth harder, his expression twisting into rage.
The man stood up and took a step back, crossing his arms. Then, as if a revelation struck him, his voice sharpened with realization.
"Ah... Don't tell me you have that legendary 'Empty Core.'" The masked figure's voice trembled slightly, equal parts awe and satisfaction.
Sei's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. His stomach dropped like a stone. His gaze immediately ran to the man.
His thoughts raced—How? How does he know? Who is he? He felt exposed, like a blade had been pressed against his throat. The weight of it was crushing.
The man let out a slow, sinister laugh, his voice echoing in the narrow alley. The sound made Sei's skin crawl.
"Well, well. Looks like I hit the jackpot tonight." His voice dripped with twisted glee as he raised his hand, energy condensing around his fingers. A dagger of jagged stone materialized, sharper and darker than before.
Sei's heart throbbed in his chest. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to sit up straight, breathing hard.
"I'll be rewarded for this," the man said, voice cold and gleeful. "A child with an Empty Core… a potential threat to the order. They'll thank me for erasing you before you can become dangerous."
The dagger gleamed under the faint moonlight, pointed directly at Sei's heart.
His mind whirled—I can't die here. Not like this. Not when… I still have a promise to keep.
But he was pinned. His body trembled, unable to channel even a little bit of energy.
The stone dagger moved to strike.
Sei's mind raced. Think. Think. There has to be a way out of this…
The dagger chipped closer with every second. Every muscle in his body tensed, frozen in the face of death. His eyes closed.
I'm going to die.
Then—
A sickening thud echoed through the surroundings.
The attacker fell to the ground, coughing and spitting blood.
Sei blinked open his eyes. He was stunned as he saw a figure step into the dim light—a man dressed in a black tattered overcoat, his silver hair waved in the breeze like a river under moonlight. His white shirt was filled with visible dark patches of blood.
His eyes…
Crimson red.
Sharp and empty—like they could swallow the world whole.
Sei's stomach twisted. His heart dropped. Just from a gaze, he could feel the terror. His presence was suffocating, like the air itself ran away from him.
The man's face was pale—his expression hollow, broken.
Who is this man? Why is he saving me? Sei's vision blurred from the edges.
The man stepped forward, the soft crunch of his boots on the gravel sounding impossibly loud. The attacker tried to get up, hardening his grip on his dagger.
The man's hand blurred, and with a flick of his wrist, veins shot up from the ground—the attacker was slammed back into the ground.
Sei flinched at the sound of bone cracking, a muffled cry of pain. The attacker clawed at the ground like a cornered animal, his dagger falling from his hand with a soft clink.
The mysterious man's gaze was fixed on the attacker. He didn't even pay Sei a glance, like he didn't exist. His eyes were dead and hollow, void of mercy.
"I want to meet them," the man murmured, voice low.
The words sent a shiver down Sei's spine. The attacker also stilled in shock.
A second figure appeared from the shadows. He was the other masked man. His movements were slower. He dropped to one knee in front of the man, head bowed low in submission.
He spoke in a language Sei couldn't understand.
Then—
"…Gillian Fredrik."
The name echoed in the air like a curse.
Sei's stomach clenched so hard it hurt. His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms.
Gillian Fredrik. Him. The man I…
His throat burned from the realization. The man who had saved him was none other than Gillian Fredrik.
He should have felt relief—he was alive because of Gillian—but all Sei could feel was rage, confusion, and a bitter sting deep in his gut.
Of all the people… why him? Why did it have to be him?!
He stared at the ground, his vision blurring as his thoughts spiraled. His breaths came shallow, shaky, as if the air itself had turned to ash in his lungs.
He barely noticed it when the masked men disappeared with Gillian, melting into the shadows like they had never existed.
It was just him and Fari now.
Fari stumbled over to Sei, her eyes narrow and filled to the brim. She glanced at Sei, her gaze worried, but she didn't say anything.
The weight of the moment pressed down on him, heavy as a mountain.
He swallowed hard, the taste of blood thick on his tongue, his vision darkening as his head pounded.
Sei let out a shaky breath, his shoulders trembling.
His lips parted, in barely a whisper.
"Why… did it have to be him?"