Cold rain swallowed Velkhar whole.
Water poured from broken rooftops, flooded empty streets, and washed over railway tracks stained with fresh blood.
Riven ran.
His black coat whipped violently behind him while uneven footsteps echoed through the abandoned industrial district.
Every breath burned.
His ribs felt shattered from Ardyn's strikes, and blood slowly dripped from the cut across his shoulder.
But he couldn't stop.
Not now.
Far across the city—
Devices lit up one after another.
Phones.
Smart watches.
Hidden underground terminals.
Inside dark bars, illegal auction houses, and private networks—
The same holographic notification appeared.
A crimson screen flickered to life.
BOUNTY ISSUED
Target: Riven
Status: Suspected involvement in Velkhar Drug Incident
Threat Level: Moderate
Capture Priority: High
Then—
His picture appeared beneath it.
Rainwater slid down Riven's face as he jumped over a rusted barrier and landed heavily near a row of abandoned cargo containers.
His breathing staggered.
"…Damn it…"
The bounty had spread too fast.
Way too fast.
Inside a hidden gambling hall—
A scar-faced Ascendant smirked while staring at the hologram.
"…Three-star?"
A woman nearby cleaned her sniper rifle calmly.
"Alive or dead?"
"Alive pays more."
The scar-faced man stood slowly.
"Then let's not damage him too much."
Meanwhile—
Riven leaned briefly against a metal container while forcing his breathing steady.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Aether circulated through his body instinctively.
Kethra Vein Art.
Control first.
Panic later.
His mind replayed everything repeatedly.
The fake kidnapping.
The station.
The trap.
The bounty.
And the worst part—
He had walked into it alone.
"…Idiot."
A metallic click suddenly echoed nearby.
Riven's eyes sharpened instantly.
Gun.
Three figures stepped out from the darkness.
One carried dual pistols.
Another had chains wrapped around his forearms.
The third spun a knife casually between his fingers.
"Well," the knife user muttered, "that was easier than expected."
Riven slowly straightened.
"…Move."
The hunter laughed.
"That attitude won't help your bounty value."
The gunman raised his weapon instantly.
Riven moved first.
Aether exploded through his legs.
Kethra Vein Art—
Second Move: Silent Pulse Step.
His body blurred forward.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets tore through rainwater and sparks exploded from the metal containers behind him.
Riven twisted sideways narrowly avoiding death before slamming his elbow into the gunman's throat.
Crack.
The man collapsed instantly.
The chain user attacked immediately.
Metal chains whipped violently toward Riven's legs—
Riven jumped over them—
But the knife hunter suddenly appeared above him.
Fast.
Too fast.
The blade sliced across Riven's shoulder.
Blood sprayed instantly.
Pain exploded through his arm.
The hunter smirked.
"…Got you."
Then—
Riven grabbed his wrist.
Hard.
The hunter's smile disappeared.
Kethra Vein Art.
Third Move—
Iron Current Breaker.
Aether surged violently through Riven's arm.
BOOM.
The hunter's wrist shattered instantly.
Before the man could scream—
Riven twisted the blade and drove it directly into his chest.
Silence.
The hunter's eyes widened slowly.
Then his body collapsed into the rain.
Riven froze.
Just for a second.
Blood coated his hand.
Warm.
Fresh.
He stared at it silently while rain slowly washed it away.
Not an accident.
Not instinct.
He had killed him.
A strange heaviness settled in his chest.
Then quietly—
Almost bitterly—
"…This world really doesn't give choices."
The chain user roared and charged recklessly.
Riven's eyes hardened instantly again.
The fight resumed.
Minutes later—
Riven stumbled through another alley while breathing heavily.
Blood mixed with rainwater beneath his feet.
His injuries had worsened:
•bruised ribs
•torn shoulder
•trembling arms
•burning lungs
And worst of all—
His aether reserves were dropping rapidly.
But the hunters kept coming.
Two more appeared near the street entrance.
Then another.
One of them stopped after properly seeing Riven.
"…He's just a kid."
Another hunter beside him scoffed.
"A bounty doesn't care."
They attacked together.
Riven barely blocked the first strike.
The second slammed into his stomach immediately after.
Pain exploded through his body.
He retaliated viciously.
Every movement became sharper.
More desperate.
Kethra Vein Art flowed continuously alongside brutal boxing combinations and close-range counters.
Concrete cracked beneath their clashes.
Rain mixed with blood across the street.
Bodies slowly began piling behind him.
Some unconscious.
Some dead.
Riven himself couldn't tell anymore.
Every minute he survived—
More people arrived.
Far away—
Inside a moving black Kaelthorn vehicle—
Ivan stared silently at the holographic screen floating before him.
The bounty notification reflected in his calm eyes.
An operative sitting across from him hesitated slightly.
"Young Master… multiple underground factions have accepted the contract."
Silence.
Then—
"…Idiots."
The temperature inside the vehicle dropped slightly.
The operative swallowed nervously.
"Should we mobilize additional forces?"
Ivan's gaze darkened.
"Track him first."
A brief pause followed.
Then his voice became colder.
"And quietly erase anyone stupid enough to actually corner him."
"…Understood."
Night deepened over Velkhar.
Rain continued pouring endlessly.
Riven stood atop an abandoned building while breathing heavily.
The city lights flickered faintly in the distance.
Somewhere out there—
people were searching for him.
Some for money.
Some for influence.
Some simply because they enjoyed hunting.
For the first time—
Velkhar no longer felt like home.
Riven's eyes drifted toward the distant neighborhood where his family lived.
Even from here—
He knew one thing clearly.
He couldn't go back.
Not while this followed him.
A bitter laugh escaped him weakly.
"…Mom's actually gonna kill me if I survive this."
Then suddenly—
Aether pressure flared behind him.
Riven's instincts screamed instantly.
He turned—
Too late.
A figure smashed through the rooftop entrance.
BOOM.
Riven barely blocked the incoming kick.
The impact still launched him backward violently across the roof.
Another hunter.
A four-star Ascendant.
The man cracked his neck slowly while smiling.
"…You've caused quite a mess tonight."
Riven forced himself back up despite his trembling legs.
"…Get in line."
The hunter grinned.
Then moved.
Fast.
The fight exploded instantly.
Every clash now felt heavier.
More dangerous.
Riven was slowing down.
His body had reached its limit long ago.
The hunter clearly noticed it too.
"…You're finished."
A punch rushed toward Riven's face—
Then suddenly—
Lightning exploded across the rooftop.
BOOM.
The hunter's body flew through two concrete walls instantly.
Silence followed.
Rain continued falling softly.
Riven froze slightly.
Then—
A familiar voice echoed calmly behind him.
"You're terrible at hiding."
Riven slowly turned.
Ivan stood there beneath the rain, hands inside his pockets as always.
Completely calm.
Like the city wasn't currently hunting the person standing in front of him.
Riven stared at him for a few seconds before exhaling tiredly.
"…You found me fast."
Ivan glanced at the blood, bodies, and destruction scattered around the rooftop.
"…You made it easy."
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Rainwater slid slowly from Riven's trembling hand.
Ivan's eyes drifted toward it briefly.
Then toward the exhausted look in Riven's eyes.
And for the first time since all this began—
Ivan's expression lost a little of its usual calm.
"…You want to explain," he said quietly,
"why half the underground world suddenly wants your head?"
END