The man pointed a trembling finger toward a shattered corner of the ruined factory. Cameras panned in, and what they saw made even seasoned professionals stagger.
Inside a jagged crater, a man sat as if in prayer—his knees folded, hands placed solemnly on the blood-slicked ground. But there was nothing peaceful about him.
His head was twisted fully backward, his spine torn from his back like a tree branch ripped from its roots, yet still grotesquely connected. Blood and shredded muscle were scattered across the ground like raw meat. His mouth was pulverized beyond recognition, as if someone had smashed it with a hammer—again and again—until it was nothing but paste.
Even the veteran cameraman recoiled. The reporters, pale and trembling, stumbled backward before bolting out of the factory to gulp fresh air.
Outside, rows of ambulances were lined up. Survivors, freshly rescued, were being treated by medics. The air was thick with disbelief.
A reporter rushed toward one of the rescued, a man wrapped in a thin blanket, eyes still wide with lingering fear.
"Sir, can you tell us what happened? Who rescued you?"
The man hesitated before whispering, "We didn't see much. There were sounds… fighting, gunshots, explosions. Then silence. A few minutes later, our cell door opened. A man stepped in—wearing a dark coat and a mask. He looked like a villain out of a storybook. We thought we were next, but…"
"But he saved us," a second survivor finished, nodding beside him.
"We asked for his name," the first man continued, voice trembling. "He said just one thing—'Raven Blade.'"
"A hero..." a small girl interrupted, no older than ten. "He looked scary, but he was kind. He saved me and gave me chocolate."
The video ended as the feed returned to the newsroom.
The anchor's voice carried a grim tone. "The individual identified as Raven Blade left behind a scene of overwhelming violence. Over two dozen confirmed fatalities—all linked to criminal activities. The deceased were part of a syndicate responsible for kidnappings and robberies, led by a man named Jacob. Due to the state of Jacob's remains, we are unable to air the image for public safety."
On the couch, Jasmine narrowed her eyes.
"Two months ago, a family murdered in the dead of night. Now this… our city's falling apart." She turned to Rey. "You okay, sweetheart? You look pale."
Rey flinched and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I… I just remembered something I need to do for school. I'll be in my room."
Before she could respond, he vanished upstairs. Jasmine sighed. "Kids and their sudden homework emergencies…"
Inside his locked room, Rey's fists trembled.
"Aiden. Get out. Now."
The spirit emerged—wearing a nightcap, holding a pillow, yawning like a sleepy child.
"What's the big deal, kid? You look like you saw a ghost."
"I'm not joking around. I want a straight answer. What the hell did you do to those guards in the factory?"
Victor and Zero also emerged, standing in silence. Tension hung in the air.
"I told you, didn't I? I put them to sleep."
Rey glared. "Aiden. Not the time for wordplay."
Aiden's expression sharpened. "I said 'eternal sleep.' They woke up… just not in this world."
Rey's face drained of color. "You used my body to kill those people?! Do you realize what this means?! Jacob's corpse is on the news!"
"Relax," Aiden said while changing into normal clothes. "That gruesome mess? Wasn't me."
"What?"
"Not that part, no. I only handled the grunts. But the world saw you. So as far as everyone's concerned, you're the Raven Blade now. Hope you enjoy the title."
Rey stumbled backward, clutching his head. "Executed… They'll execute me if I get caught! And if I say it was a spirit living in my body, they'll just throw me into a padded cell!"
Aiden chuckled. "Welcome to the hero life."
Rey began pacing in a frenzy. "I'm dead… I'm so dead…"
"Calm down," Aiden said, flopping onto the bed. "You wore gloves the entire time. No fingerprints. No witnesses. Just mystery and urban legend. You're fine."
Rey blinked. "Oh… right! The gloves! Oh thank God!"
He paused. "Wait—why did you scare me then?!"
"I was bored," Aiden said, grinning like a devil.
Rey collapsed onto the bed. "I want a refund on all of you."
"I told you, kid," Rey muttered, curling into his blanket. "I'm done with this. I'm out. I never asked for this."
Victor, unusually quiet, stepped forward. "So… you're giving up?"
"I'm not dying for some stupid masked identity."
Victor patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be remembered… as our shortest-lived host."
"Why does that sound like an insult and a eulogy?" Rey mumbled.
Aiden disappeared with a lazy wave. "Night, loser."
Rey turned to Zero. "At least you're normal, right?"
Zero nodded, offered a faint smile, and silently merged into him.
Rey was finally drifting off to sleep when nature rudely interrupted. "Oh crap…"
He darted to the bathroom.
When he returned and finally fell asleep, silence blanketed the room.
Until a faint glow lit up over Rey's head.
Victor appeared in the corner, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing, Aiden?"
Hovering over Rey, Aiden was channeling a stream of mana directly into the boy's mind.
"Just a little... mental adjustment," Aiden said, grinning.
Victor's voice turned sharp. "You could break him."
"He'll bend. Not break," Aiden muttered. "It's necessary. He's not ready for what's coming."
Victor hesitated. "You're treating him like a pawn."
"He's more than that. But he needs to wake up. If he doesn't adapt, this world will eat him alive."
A heavy silence followed.
"Still… go easy on the kid."
"I'll try."
The two figures faded.
Only Rey remained, peacefully asleep—completely unaware that his mind had just begun to change forever.
-->To be continued…
Stay tuned to uncover the aftermath of Aiden's manipulation, Rey's awakening, and the rising legend of the Raven Blade.