"Say, Lune… with everything going on, do you think my mom's really telling me the truth? I didn't exactly get the chance to ask many questions."
Lune's voice hummed softly in his mind.
"Your mother… ever since yesterday, I've had a strange feeling about her. I couldn't quite place it before, but now—I think she's still keeping things from you."
Iván sighed. "Of course she is. Why am I even surprised?"
He glanced over at his sister, who was happily playing on his console in her room like the world hadn't just been turned upside down.
"Whatever she's hiding," he muttered with a small smirk, "I'm not gonna tell her what I'm up to either."
"Come on, Lune, we've got to test my healing," Iván said, making his way toward the stove, fully prepared to burn himself—for science, of course.
…
In a quiet corner of Tokyo, a small ramen shop hummed with the soft clatter of bowls and the low murmur of conversations. At the back table, a man sat alone—his black hair unkempt, silver eyes dark with exhaustion. He looked like someone who hadn't truly slept in days.
He ate slowly, savoring each bite of his noodles, but never letting his guard down. Between mouthfuls, his gaze swept the room, sharp and wary. His shoulders remained tense, as if bracing for impact.
Any moment now…
He closed his eyes for a moment.
He'd lied—to his wife, to everyone—about the relic. About his past. It wasn't something he was proud of. But maybe, just maybe, one day his children would understand and his wife.
Then he heard it—the subtle crunch of footsteps, followed by the slam of a truck door outside. His eyes snapped open.
Unzipping his bag, he retrieved his Desert Eagle and a sleek blade, perfect for slicing through flesh. He muttered in Japanese, voice cold and sharp:
"It's about to get bloody."
He waited for a few minutes—silent, still.
Then the door exploded inward, and a wave of tear gas canisters clattered across the floor, hissing as they filled the air with smoke.
"They don't even care about the innocents," he muttered. "Classic."
He held his breath, stepping back into the shadows.
The first armored officer burst through the smoke, riot shield raised, helmet secured. He opened fire blindly, spraying bullets into the haze without knowing if he was even hitting anything.
Panicked screams erupted as civilians dove for cover—chaos exploding in every direction.
He didn't last.
Xavier moved through the smoke like a shadow and put a round clean through the back of his head.
The second raised his rifle, but Xavier moved faster, slicing his blade clean across the man's neck, decapitating him in a single motion.
Without hesitation, he used the falling body as a shield, catching the incoming rounds from the others. With a burst of supernatural strength, he hurled the corpse at the advancing officers, forcing them back.
He kicked the tear gas canister across the room and slipped deeper into the building, the smoke curling behind him. His body was already healing, knitting itself back together as the gas faded from his lungs.
He paused, listening.
Fifteen heartbeats—outside.
None of them are supernatural.
Sent in blind. Disposable.
Their superiors had signed their death warrants.
They'd never make it home.
He reloaded his weapon with a calm, practiced motion. His eyes flared, glowing with quiet fury.
Then he raised his voice—steady, cold, and cutting through the silence:
"Gentlemen… you really don't want to do this. I think you already know what I'm capable of."
"Xavier Adrastus! This is the police—you're under arrest!" one of the men shouted.
Xavier exhaled slowly.
So… they were going to barge in.
He glanced around. Panic had already spread through the building—civilians were huddled in corners, trying to stay quiet. Children cried in the shadows. Then he saw it—a small body on the floor. A woman. Caught in the crossfire.
His eyes softened.
"Mommy!" a child sobbed. "Please, Mommy—wake up!"
Xavier moved beside them, crouching quickly. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small vial of blood. Speaking gently in Japanese, he handed it to the child.
"This will heal her. Give it to her—now."
The child, wide-eyed and trembling, took the vial and held it to the woman's lips. She stirred as the healing blood began to work.
Xavier stood and turned toward the exit without another word, the cries of relief behind him blending with the sound of approaching boots.
The woman would live.
But there was still blood to be spilled.
Xavier leapt out the window, the world slowing around him as he fell.
Two officers below looked up—too late.
Two shots. Two clean kills. Both dropped instantly.
Xavier landed hard, rolled, and snatched up one of their rifles without missing a beat. He opened fire on the men outside, cutting them down with ruthless precision.
Gunfire erupted in return. Bullets tore through the air—some found their mark.
Xavier ducked behind cover, breathing heavy. His body shuddered as the rounds slowly pushed themselves out, the wounds closing seconds later.
He gritted his teeth, eyes glowing faintly.
Then he move swiftly through the alley, and didn't slow. Two more officers stepped around the corner—barely had time to react.
Two shots. Two bodies dropped.
Xavier stepped over them without hesitation and continued through the city, disappearing into the shadows like a ghost.
Back in the ramen shop, the air still carried the sharp tang of gunpowder and scorched wood.
Several men in black suits stepped inside, their boots silent on the blood-smeared floor. Among them was a man with neatly combed brown hair who removed his sunglasses—despite the fact it was well past sunset.
He took one glance around the wreckage and asked, in a mild tone,
"So… what exactly happened here?"
An officer stepped forward stiffly. "Six men down, sir. Two at the entrance, two by the window, and two in the alley."
The agent arched a brow, taking in the spread of bodies.
"Interesting formation. Was this a tactical decision, or just very unfortunate improvising?"
"They were unsure how to approach a supe, sir."
He gave a small sigh, more weary than surprised.
"Yeah. That tends to go poorly."
He paused, then turned to another agent. His voice stayed calm, but the weight behind it was clear.
"Tell local enforcement to stand down. We're not doing this the sloppy way again."
He glanced at the chaos around him, then added sharply,
"And find out who greenlit this operation. I want them in custody—putting civilian lives at risk isn't something we overlook."