The church was completely silent.
Rain poured through the broken roof while dust filled the cold air. Everyone stared at the mysterious figure standing in the center of the church.
Black wings made of shadow stretched behind him.
The masked soldiers stepped backward nervously.
One of them whispered,
"It's really him…"
The hooded man who killed Stella's parents looked shocked for the first time.
"You…" he muttered.
The stranger slowly turned his head toward Stella.
Even with the white mask covering his face, Stella could feel his eyes staring directly into her soul.
A cold chill ran down her spine.
Her glowing crimson eyes slowly dimmed as fear replaced her anger.
"Who are you?" she asked weakly.
The man did not answer immediately.
Instead, he looked around at the Black Veil soldiers.
"You failed your mission," he said calmly.
His voice sounded cold… almost inhuman.
The hooded man clenched his fists angrily.
"This doesn't concern you."
The masked stranger tilted his head slightly.
"Everything involving the Blood Agent concerns me."
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Before anyone could react, the winged stranger moved faster than humanly possible.
CRACK!
One Black Veil soldier was slammed into the wall instantly.
Another soldier raised his gun—
—but black shadows wrapped around his arm violently.
The gun crushed itself into pieces.
Everyone froze.
The stranger slowly walked forward again while the dark wings behind him moved like living creatures.
Grandpa immediately pulled Stella behind him protectively.
"Stay away from him," he warned quietly.
But Stella noticed something strange.
The winged man wasn't attacking her.
He was protecting her.
The hooded killer stepped backward nervously.
"You disappeared years ago," he said. "Black Veil thought you were dead."
The stranger finally spoke again.
"You should have left the girl alone."
The church suddenly became colder.
Stella hugged herself slightly while staring at the black wings.
"Grandpa…" she whispered, "who is he?"
Grandpa's face became serious.
"He's known as Raven."
The soldiers immediately became more nervous after hearing the name.
One whispered fearfully,
"The Angel of Death…"
Raven slowly turned toward Stella again.
"You awakened too early," he said.
Stella frowned angrily.
"Everyone keeps saying that! What does it mean?!"
Raven stared at her glowing necklace.
"It means your life will never be normal again."
The hooded killer suddenly laughed.
"She already belongs to darkness."
Raven's eyes instantly became cold.
"Careful."
The killer smirked.
"Or what?"
Suddenly, the shadows beneath Raven's feet exploded upward like giant claws.
The hooded man barely jumped away in time.
BOOM!
The church floor shattered where he had been standing.
Stella stared in shock.
Raven was terrifying.
Not just strong—
monster-like.
The killer wiped sweat from his forehead nervously.
"You're protecting her because of what happened before, aren't you?"
For the first time, Raven became completely still.
Grandpa's expression darkened instantly.
"Don't say another word," Grandpa warned.
But the hooded man smiled cruelly.
"She deserves to know the truth."
Stella looked confused.
"Know what truth?"
Silence filled the church.
Then the killer pointed directly at Raven.
"He was the first Blood Agent."
Stella's eyes widened.
"What?"
Raven said nothing.
The killer continued laughing darkly.
"Black Veil created him years ago. He slaughtered hundreds of people before disappearing."
"That's enough!" Grandpa shouted angrily.
But Stella's mind was already spinning.
She looked at Raven differently now.
"You're… like me?"
Raven finally answered quietly.
"Yes."
The glowing red marks on Stella's arms suddenly burned painfully again.
She grabbed her arm and winced.
Raven immediately noticed.
"The power is unstable."
"What's happening to me?" Stella asked fearfully.
Raven stepped closer slowly.
"Your emotions feed the Blood Agent power. Anger makes it stronger."
"And if I can't control it?"
Raven looked at her silently for a moment.
Then he answered coldly.
"You'll become a weapon."
Those words terrified Stella more than anything.
Because deep inside…
part of her wanted revenge.
The hooded killer suddenly pulled out a hidden blade.
"You talk too much."
He rushed toward Stella again.
But this time—
Raven moved instantly.
SHING!
A black blade formed from shadows in Raven's hand.
The church echoed with metal clashing violently.
The killer's eyes widened.
"You can create shadow weapons now?!"
Raven pushed him backward effortlessly.
"You should have stayed away from her."
The killer growled angrily.
"She belongs to Black Veil!"
"No," Raven replied coldly.
A terrifying pressure filled the church.
"She belongs to herself."
Suddenly, more footsteps echoed outside.
Dozens.
Grandpa looked toward the broken windows and cursed quietly.
"There's more coming."
Black Veil reinforcements surrounded the church completely.
Red laser sights covered the walls again.
One voice shouted from outside:
"Surrender the Blood Agent immediately!"
Raven looked calm.
Too calm.
Grandpa frowned.
"What are you planning?"
Raven slowly looked at Stella.
"Can you stand?"
She nodded weakly.
"Good."
The shadows around Raven suddenly became larger, spreading across the church floor like living darkness.
The soldiers outside began shouting nervously.
"What is that?!"
"Fall back!"
Too late.
BOOM!
Darkness exploded outward from the church like a storm.
Windows shattered across the forest.
Trees bent violently.
The Black Veil soldiers screamed as shadows swallowed the battlefield.
Stella covered her eyes in shock.
When the darkness finally disappeared—
the soldiers were gone.
Completely gone.
Only silence remained.
Rain continued falling softly.
Stella stared at Raven in fear.
"What… did you do?"
Raven turned away from her.
"You don't want to know."
For the first time, Stella understood something terrifying.
The Blood Agent power wasn't a gift.
It was a curse.
Suddenly, Raven grabbed Stella's wrist.
"We have to leave now."
"Wait—what?"
"Black Veil won't stop hunting you."
Grandpa slowly picked up his gun.
"He's right."
Stella looked overwhelmed.
"Where are we even supposed to go?!"
Raven looked toward the dark forest outside.
"There's one place Black Veil cannotThe Man with Black Wings
The church was completely silent.
Rain poured through the broken roof while dust filled the cold air. Everyone stared at the mysterious figure standing in the center of the church.
Black wings made of shadow stretched behind him.
The masked soldiers stepped backward nervously.
One of them whispered,
"It's really him…"
The hooded man who killed Stella's parents looked shocked for the first time.
"You…" he muttered.
The stranger slowly turned his head toward Stella.
Even with the white mask covering his face, Stella could feel his eyes staring directly into her soul.
A cold chill ran down her spine.
Her glowing crimson eyes slowly dimmed as fear replaced her anger.
"Who are you?" she asked weakly.
The man did not answer immediately.
Instead, he looked around at the Black Veil soldiers.
"You failed your mission," he said calmly.
His voice sounded cold… almost inhuman.
The hooded man clenched his fists angrily.
"This doesn't concern you."
The masked stranger tilted his head slightly.
"Everything involving the Blood Agent concerns me."
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Before anyone could react, the winged stranger moved faster than humanly possible.
CRACK!
One Black Veil soldier was slammed into the wall instantly.
Another soldier raised his gun—
—but black shadows wrapped around his arm violently.
The gun crushed itself into pieces.
Everyone froze.
The stranger slowly walked forward again while the dark wings behind him moved like living creatures.
Grandpa immediately pulled Stella behind him protectively.
"Stay away from him," he warned quietly.
But Stella noticed something strange.
The winged man wasn't attacking her.
He was protecting her.
The hooded killer stepped backward nervously.
"You disappeared years ago," he said. "Black Veil thought you were dead."
The stranger finally spoke again.
"You should have left the girl alone."
The church suddenly became colder.
Stella hugged herself slightly while staring at the black wings.
"Grandpa…" she whispered, "who is he?"
Grandpa's face became serious.
"He's known as Raven."
The soldiers immediately became more nervous after hearing the name.
One whispered fearfully,
"The Angel of Death…"
Raven slowly turned toward Stella again.
"You awakened too early," he said.
Stella frowned angrily.
"Everyone keeps saying that! What does it mean?!"
Raven stared at her glowing necklace.
"It means your life will never be normal again."
The hooded killer suddenly laughed.
"She already belongs to darkness."
Raven's eyes instantly became cold.
"Careful."
The killer smirked.
"Or what?"
Suddenly, the shadows beneath Raven's feet exploded upward like giant claws.
The hooded man barely jumped away in time.
BOOM!
The church floor shattered where he had been standing.
Stella stared in shock.
Raven was terrifying.
Not just strong—
monster-like.
The killer wiped sweat from his forehead nervously.
"You're protecting her because of what happened before, aren't you?"
For the first time, Raven became completely still.
Grandpa's expression darkened instantly.
"Don't say another word," Grandpa warned.
But the hooded man smiled cruelly.
"She deserves to know the truth."
Stella looked confused.
"Know what truth?"
Silence filled the church.
Then the killer pointed directly at Raven.
"He was the first Blood Agent."
Stella's eyes widened.
"What?"
Raven said nothing.
The killer continued laughing darkly.
"Black Veil created him years ago. He slaughtered hundreds of people before disappearing."
"That's enough!" Grandpa shouted angrily.
But Stella's mind was already spinning.
She looked at Raven differently now.
"You're… like me?"
Raven finally answered quietly.
"Yes."
The glowing red marks on Stella's arms suddenly burned painfully again.
She grabbed her arm and winced.
Raven immediately noticed.
"The power is unstable."
"What's happening to me?" Stella asked fearfully.
Raven stepped closer slowly.
"Your emotions feed the Blood Agent power. Anger makes it stronger."
"And if I can't control it?"
Raven looked at her silently for a moment.
Then he answered coldly.
"You'll become a weapon."
Those words terrified Stella more than anything.
Because deep inside…
part of her wanted revenge.
The hooded killer suddenly pulled out a hidden blade.
"You talk too much."
He rushed toward Stella again.
But this time—
Raven moved instantly.
SHING!
A black blade formed from shadows in Raven's hand.
The church echoed with metal clashing violently.
The killer's eyes widened.
"You can create shadow weapons now?!"
Raven pushed him backward effortlessly.
"You should have stayed away from her."
The killer growled angrily.
"She belongs to Black Veil!"
"No," Raven replied coldly.
A terrifying pressure filled the church.
"She belongs to herself."
Suddenly, more footsteps echoed outside.
Dozens.
Grandpa looked toward the broken windows and cursed quietly.
"There's more coming."
Black Veil reinforcements surrounded the church completely.
Red laser sights covered the walls again.
One voice shouted from outside:
"Surrender the Blood Agent immediately!"
Raven looked calm.
Too calm.
Grandpa frowned.
"What are you planning?"
Raven slowly looked at Stella.
"Can you stand?"
She nodded weakly.
"Good."
The shadows around Raven suddenly became larger, spreading across the church floor like living darkness.
The soldiers outside began shouting nervously.
"What is that?!"
"Fall back!"
Too late.
BOOM!
Darkness exploded outward from the church like a storm.
Windows shattered across the forest.
Trees bent violently.
The Black Veil soldiers screamed as shadows swallowed the battlefield.
Stella covered her eyes in shock.
When the darkness finally disappeared—
the soldiers were gone.
Completely gone.
Only silence remained.
Rain continued falling softly.
Stella stared at Raven in fear.
"What… did you do?"
Raven turned away from her.
"You don't want to know."
For the first time, Stella understood something terrifying.
The Blood Agent power wasn't a gift.
It was a curse.
Suddenly, Raven grabbed Stella's wrist.
"We have to leave now."
"Wait—what?"
"Black Veil won't stop hunting you."
Grandpa slowly picked up his gun.
"He's right."
Stella looked overwhelmed.
"Where are we even supposed to go?!"
Raven looked toward the dark forest outside.
"There's one place Black Veil cannot enter."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
Raven's black wings slowly spread open again.
Then he spoke the words that changed everything:
"We're going to the City of Ash." enter."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
Raven's black wings slowly spread open again.
Then he spoke the words that changed everything:
"We're going to the City of Ash."