Kaivan frowned, but he didn't hesitate. He sprinted into the night, questions rattling through his mind. Omnicent was always right, yet never explained how. All Kaivan could do was follow, and brace himself.
Just as foretold, at the far end of the empty street, two men cornered an elderly man. One of them brandished a knife with a cruel grin.
"Hah! Hurry up, old man! Hand over, "
His voice cut off as a karambit pierced straight through his skull. His body crumpled, lifeless.
Fifteen meters away, Kaivan stood gripping the Tungtichriosm chain. With a short pull, the blade snapped back into his hand. Blood clung to its razor-sharp edge. His expression did not change.
"Sharp… far too sharp," he murmured, not admiring its power, but acknowledging the brutality blooming within him. Kaivan was becoming someone cold, someone merciless.
The remaining robber fled in terror. The old man bolted as well, screaming for help. Kaivan did not chase either of them. He simply stared at the body on the ground before turning away.
"I want to know… how do I destroy Vella's business?" he asked.
Omnicent's voice sharpened. "Sabotage it. Ruin her documents and essential assets. But do not face Vella directly. You are not ready."
That night, Kaivan stood before Vella's cooperative building. The starless sky loomed above, a witness to his rising determination. The cold wind carried loneliness, and anger. Cloaked in black, with two karambits glinting faintly at his sides, he looked like a shadow born from the dark.
He slipped inside without a sound. His footsteps echoed softly through the empty halls. When he reached the reception area, his voice was low but firm:
"Everyone, leave. Now. I don't want anyone hurt."
Eyes widened in fear. Some ran instantly toward the exit, but two security guards approached with forced bravado.
"Hey! Who are you?!" one shouted, his voice trembling despite his stance. "Take off the mask right now!"
Kaivan didn't answer.
With swift, precise movement, he stepped forward, spun, and struck both men on the neck with the ring of his karambit. They collapsed unconscious before they even understood what happened. Kaivan kicked their bodies out of the building, leaving them at the doorstep.
He moved deeper inside and glanced at the CCTV camera in the corner.
One throw.
The karambit shattered the lens. The monitor in the security room went dark.
Vella sat frozen before the monitor, now showing nothing but a stark "No Signal." Her teeth clenched, fingers gripping the chair until her knuckles turned pale. "Just… who are you really?" she muttered, her voice trembling with anger.
Morning in the city was wrapped in fog and drifting ash. The remains of the cooperative building stood like a charred skeleton; thin trails of smoke still curled upward, carrying the bitter scent of burnt wood. Torn strips of yellow police tape fluttered weakly while bystanders watched the ruins with dread.
From the haze, Vella emerged , her black suit stained with ash, shoulder-length hair whipped by the wind. Her boots struck the ground with sharp, deliberate force, each step heavy with restrained fury. Her sharp eyes scanned the wreckage.
She stopped at a piece of burnt timber jutting out from the rubble. With a quick, cold motion, she stomped down. The wood shattered with a sharp crack.
"Who did this?" Her voice was rasped raw, but each word landed like a blade.
A young subordinate approached, trembling. "M-Madam Vella, we found no signs of forced entry. Two security officers were discovered unconscious outside , they said a boy attacked them with a karambit… and then fire broke out."
Vella inhaled slowly, as if the word "karambit" scraped against an old wound. Her fingers curled into a fist. "Kaivan," she whispered, full of venom. "You didn't even try to hide your tracks."
She glared at her subordinate. "Search everything , CCTV footage, leftover data, fingerprints on metal or glass. I want every second of his presence traced. And if anyone helped him or tried to cover for him… burn them too."
In a cramped basement lit only by the glow of blue monitors, a young boy sat alone , Kaivan. His face was youthful, but his eyes carried an ancient emptiness. Pale skin, a thin frame, a posture so still it was unsettling.
The monitor displayed the news: "A cooperative office in the city center has burned down. No casualties reported; two security guards were found unconscious. They claim a boy armed with a karambit attacked them before the fire."
Kaivan's gaze remained hollow. His fingers dug into the armrest, one foot tapping softly against the floor, as if counting the seconds toward something inevitable. He switched off the monitor; darkness swallowed the room. Only the soft hum of the ventilation fan remained.
He whispered, "I only returned… what should've never been allowed to grow."
At Livia's home, tension hung thick in the wide living room. Even the crystal chandelier above couldn't chase away the chill settling over them.
Radit stood with his hands on his hips, looking from face to face. "Was this Kaivan's doing? Why would he destroy that cooperative building?"
Frans sat at the end of the sofa, shoulders hunched, fingers fidgeting as if searching for the right words , but none came.
Zinnia leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Her gaze drifted through the window, though her thoughts were far beyond it. She kept silent, suspicion shadowing her expression.
Thivi clung to herself near the doorway. "Kaivan… he wouldn't act without a reason. I know he wouldn't," she said in a trembling voice.
Felicia sat near the window, long hair veiling half her face. Her shoulders shook faintly before she spoke. "He knows exactly what he's doing. However strange it looks… I'm sure he has a plan. And he doesn't want us involved."
Livia stood by the fireplace, holding a teacup that had long gone cold. Her eyes were rimmed red. "Maybe it's not that he's changing… maybe we've never truly understood him."
From the corner of the room, Raphael finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the silence. "If he really did this… then we have a choice to make: stop him, or let ourselves be dragged into the fire with him."