March 22, 2013 — Friday — 10:45 PM — Northern Reserve of Chicago
The forest felt like it was breathing on its own. Dry leaves crunched under Kai's steps as he walked along a narrow path between the trees. Mark had gone to bed early, creating the perfect opportunity for Kai to slip out and train — and try to settle the doubt that had been growing inside him during Cosmic's absence.
A cold wind blew through the bare branches, carrying the scent of damp soil and old resin. The cloudy sky blocked the starlight, casting everything in a pale, almost unreal tone.
Kai stopped at the center of the clearing.
This looks far enough.
He was alone. Nothing but twisted trees and the darkness broken only by the occasional sound of a nocturnal animal. The only light came from the bluish glow in his eyes — activated even before he arrived.
"Looks like Cosmic's still busy…" he muttered.
His voice held no anger, just a muffled exhaustion. Frustration. Not with Cosmic. With the world.
He had been training the void energy almost daily, but this time was different. He needed to understand whether the impulse he felt during the Reisen Velgh incident had come from him — or from the void.
Anyone else could've told the difference. But for someone who spent years convincing himself that nothing mattered, that the world wasn't worth it... it wasn't that simple.
"Fine. This part… I need to face it alone anyway. I can't depend on others. It's always been like that."
He closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the beat of his own pulse. When he opened them again, the Six Eyes shimmered intensely. The forest's contours sharpened into insane clarity. Every speck of dust. Every insect in the dark. Every particle vibrating in the air.
Kai took a deep breath and began the test.
Let's see if I feel that impulse again.
He extended one hand forward, channeling the void energy — the familiar pressure tightening from within. The first attempt formed the blue sphere and moved it for a few seconds.
He looked at his palm and exhaled slowly. "Nothing new."
No impulse… no excitement.
Weak. Let's try again.
Second attempt — a nearby tree was pulled a few inches before snapping back in place. The strength was the same as always, maybe a little stronger.
Still nothing. More power!
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and made a hand sign that had become a habit — not to think, just to act by instinct.
Then he felt it... something pulsed within him. A deep rumble, like the void was responding to the challenge.
He focused everything into the palm of his hand and summoned the Blue Sphere at full power.
The tree ahead vibrated… then gave in. Roots snapped, branches broke, the entire trunk was dragged into the compressed, spinning orb of blue energy — and shredded in mid-air.
For four seconds.
Then the sphere imploded and vanished.
Kai collapsed to his knees, gasping.
His eyes deactivated automatically from exhaustion.
"That was new. The strength has increased a lot," he whispered.
But even so, the test hadn't given him the answer he needed.
No impulse, no drive to keep going.
Does that mean… the impulse was mine?
His heart pounded. A low hum throbbed in his head. The smell of crushed wood and sap lingered in the air. And yet, something else bothered him more than the pain.
Back there… at the school… I couldn't turn the eyes off. But now they shut down on their own.
He felt the void pulse retreat, like his body had triggered some safety limit. A kind of defense.
So that's it… my body's trying to protect itself. It's not locking the eyes like before.
Kai stayed there for twenty minutes before getting back up.
Then maybe that impulse… that urge to keep going… it was mine…
But still, it felt strange. My eyes… they burned.
Now standing, he closed his eyes again.
But not to rest.
The answer he had found didn't feel right.
He let the void energy build in the center of his body, channeling everything toward his eyes. A direct flow. Dense. The pressure in his chest grew. Veins pulsed on his forehead.
Then… he opened them.
And everything stopped.
Time… froze.
He could see it all. The sensation, the awareness — it was even more intense than when he normally activated the eyes. It felt like he had finally awakened…
Kai stood still for a second, as if he couldn't believe it.
This time… my eyes are burning again.
He was at the center of the clearing. But the wind had stopped. The leaves suspended in the air were frozen. A squirrel hovered mid-leap, eyes locked on something that no longer existed. A bird hung meters above the ground, wings stiff in mid-flap. A few feet away, a spider stood still facing a mosquito, legs frozen in a dance that would never end.
I… did it again.
He took a step.
The ground didn't respond. The sound of his own movement felt muffled, like walking in a dream.
He knew it was dangerous, but he wanted to see more.
Second step.
Third. The air itself felt heavier now — like every second stolen from time came at a cost.
The pressure in his ears made it feel like he was underwater.
It was pleasant — a different sensation — as if the vastness… the infinite… was within reach, and he could touch it.
But just as the pleasant feeling grew stronger each second, the energy drained at an alarming rate.
I can… hold it… a little longer…
His head began to throb. Breathing grew heavy.
He tried to deactivate the eyes.
Nothing happened.
No… not again…
He tried redirecting the void flow to another part of his body. Still nothing.
I'm not ending like this. Not here. Not now.
He fell to his knees. The clearing around him still frozen in time.
Eight seconds.
The pain spread down his spine. His eyes trembled. His body no longer responded.
Kai collapsed to his side.
So this is it... My fault. I pushed too far. And now, I found what I wasn't ready to face.
This time, Cosmic isn't here to…
The wet grass against his cheek was the last thing he felt before darkness claimed him.
And everything… remained still.
Friday — 11:15 PM — Warehouse in the Industrial Sector
Elsewhere, far from the clearing, the warehouse was cold, damp, and lit only by flickering yellow lights hanging from above, swaying gently in the breeze slipping through the cracks in the metal walls. The sound of dripping water filled the spaces between heavy silences.
Scott was sunk into an old, torn leather couch, legs crossed, eyes half-closed as he watched dust dance in the air. Chris and Bruce remained standing near a makeshift table built from wooden pallets, where several sealed boxes awaited the next shipment.
The metal door groaned loudly. Ty entered with heavy steps, hurling his cap to the concrete floor.
"It's over," he spat, his voice strained with anger. "That bastard wrecked everything at Reisen Velgh, and you're calling me in for another delivery?"
Chris raised an eyebrow, trying to keep his cool.
"You mean the white-haired kid… that Grey guy?"
"Did you see the video?" Ty shot back, gesturing wildly like he was still trying to process what he'd watched. "Alone. Alone. Took everyone down. Every damn one on my team. There wasn't even a fight… it was a massacre."
Bruce grumbled under his breath, like an old mutt.
"You weren't there."
"And thank God for that!" Ty snapped. "Even if I was, I'm not sure I could've taken him. The guy bent a steel bar like paper. You can't compete with someone like that."
Scott slowly uncrossed his legs and leaned forward slightly, saying nothing. Just listening.
Chris tried to de-escalate.
"Reisen Velgh was important, but the deliveries were made. That was the priority."
"Fuck the priority!" Ty shouted, then fell silent immediately, realizing who he was yelling at. He took a deep breath, regaining control. "My territory's trashed. They're gonna shut down the school. My reputation, the control I had… I've gotta clean this up."
Scott finally spoke, voice low and unhurried.
"So, you're out of the job?"
Ty hesitated, then nodded.
"If you want someone to pass info between groups or handle drops, find someone else. Until I sort this out, I'm done. And good luck getting the others to fall in line — everybody knows who the hell Grey is now."
He turned and walked out, the metal door slamming shut behind him.
Silence returned to the warehouse.
Chris let out a sigh.
"Give it a week or two. Flash some cash… he'll be back."
Scott leaned back into the couch again, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"If he doesn't… Lonsdale can handle it."
Bruce let out a dry chuckle.
"You're really gonna bring the Lonsdale crowd into this?"
Scott didn't reply. But the look in his eyes said everything: the game would go on, with or without Ty.
"Either way, most of the deliveries got through," Scott said, now looking at Chris. "But that Grey guy… he's still a problem."
Chris stepped closer and sat beside him.
"I know. That's why I'm keeping things quiet at Oakwood. No unnecessary moves. We need a way to find this kid."
Bruce crossed his arms, grinning sideways.
"If you think about it… a bit of chaos at Oakwood might draw him out. That's what happened with David's and Dimitry's crew, right?"
He glanced directly at Chris.
"After David got wrecked, you even let that other kid go."
Chris looked away, annoyed.
"We're not doing anything now. I'm not worried about it. And from what I've heard, Kiana's hanging out with the kid now… along with that useless Cassie."
He stood up from the couch and stretched, unimpressed.
"I'll put a thousand-dollar bounty on his head. Just a beating — nothing that draws too much attention. In the meantime, full focus on the deliveries… and finding out where the hell this Grey is hiding."
March 23, 2013 — Saturday — 5:40 PM — Clearing North of Chicago
The sun was setting slowly, painting the forest in molten gold and deep red. Light pierced through the trees like fiery spears, casting the clearing in amber reflections and long shadows. One of those afternoons too beautiful to seem real.
A soft breeze brushed against the grass — and then, he stirred.
Kai opened his eyes.
The cold, damp grass still clung to his skin. But now… everything was moving again. The leaves trembled above. Insects darted through the air. The world had resumed its rhythm.
His body, however, felt foreign.
The buzzing in his ears echoed with a dull intensity. His muscles were stiff, as if every cell resisted motion. His eyes throbbed with a pain that hovered between a burn and a hangover.
He tried to sit up… and failed.
Gasping, he rolled onto his side and propped himself up with trembling elbows.
What the hell… Is it morning already?
His gaze swept across the clearing — the tree he'd destroyed lay in jagged pieces, its trunk like shattered bones. The crater left by the Blue Sphere had become a gash in the earth.
But what truly knocked the breath from his lungs… was what surrounded it.
Bodies. Small. Motionless.
The squirrel that had hovered midair now lay on the ground — still breathing, but its tiny frame trembled with erratic spasms. No blood. No visible wounds. But something was deeply wrong.
Kai staggered to his feet, using a nearby tree for balance, and knelt beside it.
The little creature twitched as if caught in a seizure. Its eyes no longer reacted to light. Its body still moved… but its mind was gone.
He stepped back.
The bird was there too — grounded, one wing twisted, beak slightly open, panting. And further off, the spider lay still, its legs curled in the posture of broken toys.
And that's when he understood.
"That's why Cosmic warned me. Damn it."
I feel worse for them than I did for the guys I hospitalized. At least they deserved it.
The silence in the clearing now felt like an accusation.
This wasn't an accident. It wasn't coincidence.
It was him.
Just seconds of exposure… and their minds couldn't handle it.
No blood. No blast. Just the Six Eyes.
The infinite perception — every cell, every atom, every layer of time — unfolding in front of their fragile minds. Something they never meant to comprehend such depth.
"They saw too much…"
Kai stood there, frozen, as a cold wind returned — carrying the scent of damp earth, subtle death… and questions that demanded no answer.
They hadn't survived it.
So it's fine that I sent delinquents to the hospital, but I feel bad for a squirrel and a bird?
Does that mean people are trash… or that I'm just broken?
His gaze lingered on the two small bodies, now lifeless.
Then, without thinking, he knelt and began to dig with his bare hands.
Not out of duty. Not as atonement. Just… the bare minimum.
He buried both at the foot of a tree. It didn't make sense. It didn't fix anything. But it was all he could do.
A quiet, instinctive gesture — a simple act of respect that, to anyone else, might not have made any sense at all.
He did it, and yet… something felt wrong.
Shouldn't it be getting lighter?
He fumbled for his phone.
6:02 PM.3% battery.Three missed calls.
Seventeen hours and fifty-five minutes had passed since he collapsed — frozen between time and void.
Nearly twenty hours unconscious…
"Mom's gonna kill me," he muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead.
He tried to fly. His vision swirled. His knees buckled. The headache pulsed like a war drum behind his eyes.
So he leaned on a tree and began limping out of the clearing.
This headache… and I still need a damn excuse.
He grabbed his phone and, with the last flicker of charge, typed:
"Mom, I've been at school working on a project, left really early, my phone died and I just got a charger. I'll be home soon."
He kept walking. Step by step, strength returning.
"I can't do this again. Never again."
His voice came out hoarse — more like a confession than a promise.
"It's too risky… too dangerous. I'm not Cosmic. I don't have that kind of control."
But…
Now he knew.
He knew how to activate it.
He knew the trigger.
He knew what not to do.
And somewhere deep inside him… there was a door.
One he intended to keep shut.
Saturday — 7:46 PM — Grayson Residence
Kai pushed open the front door gently. The scent of dinner still lingered in the air, mixed with the muffled sound of the TV coming from the living room.
"Kai?"
Debbie's voice came from the kitchen, surprised and slightly relieved.
He stepped in slowly, his hair was a tangled mess, eyes slightly red, and his hoodie still clung to the scent of damp leaves and cold wind.
"Hey, Mom."
She appeared in the doorway, hands on her hips.
"You texted me saying you were at school, but I thought you were joking. What time did you even leave?!"
Kai scratched the back of his neck, faking a bit of embarrassment.
"Pretty early. My group wanted to get the project done ahead of time. Phone died on the way… only managed to charge it in the lab."
Mark peeked over the back of the couch, game controller in hand.
"Wow, look who it is. The antisocial spent the day with a group."
Kai let out a weak chuckle.
"Life's full of surprises."
Debbie sighed.
"You look awful. Eat something and take a shower. We'll talk after."
Kai took two steps toward the kitchen… then paused.
"Sorry for vanishing. Really. I can do the dishes if you want."
He didn't owe her that — not really — but somehow, the words came out before he could stop them.
Debbie raised an eyebrow.
"Is that guilt talking, or a survival tactic?"
"Maybe both," Kai smiled, heading to the sink and starting to fill it with water.
While he washed the dishes, the volume on the TV lowered. Mark appeared in the kitchen doorway, controller still in hand, leaning on the frame with a grin.
"Hey… I learned a new combo in the game. I'm pretty sure I'll beat you today."
Kai glanced up with a light snort.
"You say that every week."
"But this time I mean it. I'm even using the character you hate."
Kai rinsed the last plate and left it in the rack.
"Alright. Give me ten minutes, I'll finish up here, take a shower, and let's see if this combo lasts more than two rounds."
"That's what I'm talking about!"
Mark was already skipping back to the living room.
At that moment, Nolan entered through the back door, taking off his jacket. The clink of his keys dropping into the bowl by the entrance was the first sign.
"Just in time," he said, looking at the two boys with a faint smile. "Who's playing? Is there room for a spectator, or will I ruin the rematch?"
Mark pointed the controller at him.
"Of course! But if you're rooting against me, better stay in the kitchen."
Nolan laughed, placing his keys on the counter.
"No cheering tonight. Just a neutral observer."
Kai gave a faint but genuine smile.
"Then grab a beer, sit down, and watch the beatdown."
Kai dried his hands on a towel, hanging it up neatly as his gaze drifted off, lost in thought…
Moments later, with everyone in the living room, the sound of the game filled the house.
For the first time in hours, he felt something close to peace.
March 28th, 2013 — Thursday — Oakwood Academy
The end of March brought warmer winds, but spring still seemed hesitant, as if winter insisted on leaving its marks on the cold walls of Oakwood.
Days had passed since the incident at Reisen Velgh.
Kai hadn't spoken about it to anyone. He didn't need to. His eyes had changed—not into sadness, but into constant awareness. Like someone who had learned to measure every step with greater care.
Dimitry and the others stayed alert, ready to inform him of any new deliveries. But all they knew was that the last deliveries had been successful.
Whatever the drugs and credit cards Kai had intercepted and turned over to the police were, they hadn't been part of the main scheme. And now, there were no leads left to trace the operation.
Kai's silence wasn't cold—but dense. Like the morning fog that hovered over the school field and only faded hours later—when no one paid attention anymore.
Still, a new routine had slowly begun to take shape. Unexpected. And it gradually pushed everything else to the back of their minds, in a blend of acceptance and forgetfulness.
Kiana now had lunch every day with Kai, Samuel, and Cassie. She trained with them, sat on the rooftop during breaks, took the same paths… and even shared their silences. She never mentioned her old friends—not even when Megan tried to start a conversation during one of the breaks. She simply looked away and kept walking.
Cassie noticed. And smiled, satisfied.
Her relationship with Kiana had changed too. The arguments still happened… but now they were followed by jokes, shoves, and nearly sibling-like teasing. Like the time Kiana accidentally knocked over a water bottle in the locker room and heard, without hesitation:
"That's what you get for trying to act all high and mighty around Kai. Focus, princess."
Kiana responded with a death glare and a soaked towel thrown across the room… which Cassie dodged with a victorious laugh.
Samuel, on the other hand, was the calm that held them together. He had become the invisible link between the four of them, always ready to put someone back in their place. He even suggested a bet: whoever made Kai laugh first would win a free coffee from the cafeteria.
Cassie tried with a joke about a villain slipping on his own drool.
Kiana tried a classic one about a superhero so fast, so fast, that he crossed the street before even checking both sides.
Nothing.
"He's dead inside," Samuel grumbled. "But at least he came with us today without Cassie having to drag him."
Kai wasn't the center of their conversations, but he wasn't a ghost either. He answered when spoken to, chuckled at the group's nonsense, and sometimes threw out a sarcastic remark that made the others laugh. He just stayed… aware. As if he were testing how far he could go without losing control.
That afternoon, during break, the four of them sat on the rooftop. Cassie was telling a ridiculous story about a guy who tried to join two clubs at once just to impress a senior girl. Everyone laughed—including Kai, who let out a soft nose laugh and a subtle half-smile.
Kiana noticed.
She looked quickly… and without realizing, let her juice cup slip from her hand.
"Crap…" she muttered, standing up quickly and trying to clean her skirt with her sleeve.
Cassie let out a laugh.
"Perfect timing, princess. That's what we call the Greyson Effect."
Kai gave her a side glance, as if to say seriously?, then returned to gazing at the sky. But he didn't seem distant—just… peaceful.
Kiana sat down again, still red-faced, but smiling.
There, in the middle of conversation, teasing, and newly formed inside jokes, something felt slightly out of place. A subtle hole.
It was Kai. It was the void. It was the lingering doubt of someone caught between what they've lived… and what they haven't yet chosen to live.
But even so, he was there.
Sitting with them.
Oakwood Academy — March 28th, 2013 — 5:12 PM — Afternoon
Boxing club training had ended. The sound of fists on punching bags, creaking ropes, and sweat hitting the ground gave way to hurried footsteps and excited voices heading out. Cassie dismissed everyone with a practical wave, but when Kai turned to leave as well, her voice rang out, firm:
"You stay."
Kiana, who had begun attending every training session, paused for a moment when she heard it. She glanced sideways at the two, hesitated… and then quietly left, her brow slightly furrowed.
Kai turned slowly, his gaze calm. Cassie was already leaning in the corner of the ring, removing her gloves.
"You're holding back," she said bluntly.
Kai raised an eyebrow slightly. "In what?"
"In everything." She looked him straight in the eyes, no sugarcoating. "In training, in fights, even when you breathe. You're restraining yourself. Maybe you fool the others, but I live this. I fight stronger people all the time—I know what holding back looks like. I don't know how much… but I know you are."
He saw no reason to lie. He simply crossed his arms.
"Yeah."
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "How much?"
"Enough to have taken down David that day without even trying. I'm sorry I let you fight. You got hurt worse because of my stubbornness."
She stared at him for a moment… and then burst out laughing.
"So that's why you've been buying me lunch all week?"
Kai looked genuinely confused. "I thought you'd be mad."
"Oh, you were a jerk," she said, pointing at him while still laughing. "But I figured you had your reasons for holding back. I chose to fight that day. And if I can't beat the seventh-ranked guy, how am I supposed to beat Kiana, who's second?"
Kai relaxed slightly, the weight on his shoulders easing just a bit. But somewhere inside, the guilt still lingered.
He turned to her, his eyes carrying the weight of something that could shake someone's world.
"Cassie… the truth is, your technique is flawless. The reason you don't beat them… is because they have powers. Enhanced physical abilities."
She went quiet. And stared at him.
"You think I didn't know?"
Kai blinked, surprised by the firmness in her voice.
"I've earned everything through effort. That's how my dad raised me. If they've got brute strength, then I'll sharpen my technique until I can handle it. Simple."
A smile crept onto the corner of Kai's lips.
Cassie saw it. And without missing a beat, punched him lightly on the arm.
"Now you're gonna laugh at me just because you're another superhuman experiment?"
Kai let out a soft chuckle. "Not at all. I just found your determination… impressive. It's something I wish I had."
She blushed for a second. But quickly masked it.
"You know… Kiana might fall for that vibe of yours. But I'm not a fairytale princess anymore. So stop pitying me just because I don't have powers."
Kai kept the smile. "Sure. If this were a fairytale, you'd be more like the dragon."
Cassie laughed and nudged him. "Shut up."
"Now that you know I'm holding back," Kai said, returning to his calm tone, "does that mean I'm off the hook for the club?"
She gave him a mock-offended look. "Not a chance! You're showing up every time. Your posture's solid, but you're sloppy. Too many openings. We can work on that."
She adjusted the wrap on her hand with ease and added:
"With my dad's technique and your body… the sky's the limit."
Kai sighed, resigned. "Guess I'm not escaping anytime soon."
"Of course not. You're the perfect guinea pig for my theory."
A comfortable silence settled between them. Until she casually tossed the question:
"So… what's the deal with you and Kiana?"
Kai looked at her sideways, furrowing his brow.
"Deal?"
Cassie kept teasing.
"Yeah. She comes here, watches you when she thinks you're not looking, turns into a tomato every time you even exist near her… kinda hard to believe you haven't noticed."
Kai looked away. "There's no deal. I keep my distance. It's better that way… for her."
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "So you did notice. Every guy in this school would kill to be with her. Rich, pretty, perfect body, can fight…"
"I don't see things that way," Kai replied without hesitation. "It always ends the same way. Besides… she's too young for me."
"Young? She's my age. And technically, I'm a year older than you."
Cassie crossed her arms, suspicious.
"I started school a year late because of some family stuff, and she used to study abroad. When she came back, the school schedules didn't align. That's why she's a year behind," she explained.
Kai paused. A sarcastic thought formed in his mind.
And I showed up in this world over 20 years late.
But of course, he didn't say that.
"Anything under eighteen is too young for me. But that's not really the issue..."He paused. Then looked down, a shadow crossing his gaze. "I'm… broken."
He didn't wait for her to ask.
"Here's some advice: never start something if you're not already whole. You'll only end up dragging the other person into your mess."
Cassie watched him in silence. Then let out a low whistle.
"You sound more mature than the seniors. Maybe she is too young… for an old man like you."
Kai laughed, shaking his head. Then looked at her curiously.
"My turn to ask—what's the story behind your dad's fighting style? He trained you?"
Cassie leaned back against the ropes, eyes gleaming.
"He's got a boxing gym. Not as fancy as Oakwood's facilities, but it's older than I am. I grew up in it. Learned everything from him. I used to come first in every championship..." she paused, "Until Kiana showed up. That's when I realized I needed more. I fought for a scholarship here. I wanted to win the top spot in school to prove my dad's style is the best. And maybe, just maybe… give his gym the recognition it deserves"
Kai looked at her for a moment, his expression a mix of respect and empathy.
"It's good to have a dream. I hope you achieve it."
Cassie hesitated, then returned the question.
"And you? What's your dream? What do you want?"
Kai looked away. His answer came almost automatically.
"What I want? It's been the same for years… nothing."
She studied him more carefully.
"But there's got to be something you enjoy."
Kai looked back at her. Not with anger or sarcasm. But with a dry, rooted certainty.
"There isn't. Not even the stuff I used to like. Everything ends the same boring way."
Cassie shrugged, smiling wide and naturally.
"Then it's simple. Just keep doing whatever feels right until you find something that excites you. That'll be it."
Kai opened his mouth to retort. But sighed instead.
"I give up. You're like a walking motivational book."
She laughed.
And Kai… remained silent. But this time, the silence felt different.
Finding something that excites me…
Maybe… that really is a beginning.
March 29th, 2013 — Friday — Oakwood Academy
It was 10:10 AM when Kai stepped out of the classroom. The recess bell still echoed through Oakwood's halls, blending with the murmur of hundreds of students moving with casual, almost choreographed synchronicity.
But that day, he didn't follow the flow to the rooftop.
Cassie, Kiana, and Samuel noticed—but said nothing. It was Friday, after all, and no one wanted to seem clingy.
Kai turned down the side corridor, passed the technical wing of Building B, and descended quietly to the back of the school, where a service gate led to the street. The gate was locked.
With a simple motion, he jumped just high enough to clear it without making a sound.
The morning light brushed against his face like an invitation. He took a deep breath.
"Find something that excites you."
Cassie's words still echoed inside him—strange, simple… but uncomfortable like sand in a shoe. Not because they were wrong, but because he already had an idea of what had come closest to exciting him so far.
He didn't like sports. Didn't trust people. Had already tried hobbies, books, even classic films. Everything felt… artificial.
But there, in the silence between buildings, there was something. A pulsing tension. A raw sense of purpose.
Kai pulled out his uniform from his backpack, deactivated the ring, and finally, put on the fabric mask.
10:22 AM — South Side of Chicago — Near South Branch High
Another public school with a bad reputation. It was covered in graffiti, though not as rundown as Reisen Velgh. The parking lot was filled with modded cars bearing gang insignias, and the tension in the air felt like a force field ready to snap.
Grey stood on the roof of a low building across the street.
Break had already started. Teenagers gathered in messy clusters—some exchanged money discreetly, others slipped objects into backpacks.
But it was the boy in the farthest corner who caught his eye. Gaunt face, trembling hands. He was handing something to a guy twice his size, who shoved it into his coat before giving the kid a rough push.
Kai activated the Six Eyes for just a second.
Drugs. Adulterated mix. Marked bills. And… a fake gun in the dealer's backpack.
10:27 AM — Back Hallway, South Branch High
The aggressor walked alone now, chewing gum, laughing at something on his phone, proudly holding up the package he'd just received like a trophy.
His laugh died the moment a figure appeared in front of him.
"What the fu—?"
Kai struck with cruel precision.
A punch to the stomach stole his breath. Another to the jaw launched him into the lockers, the metal echoing with a hollow clang. He didn't even get a chance to react.
But the noise drew company…
Five guys appeared from the far end of the yard. Then three more from the opposite side. Then two more. All wearing the same dirty uniforms and carrying the same cocky smirks.
"Well, well… So Grey is real and doing school tours now?"
"Trash him!"
The first came at him with a chain in hand.
Kai didn't move.
He let the kid get close… and when the chain sliced through the air, he activated Blue. The strike was absorbed and, in an instant, the attacker's body was yanked sideways, slamming into the concrete with a dull thud.
Another tried to kick him. Kai caught the leg, spun the kid mid-air, and tossed him into two others.
Five down. Five still standing. But now… hesitating.
"Who the hell is this guy?!"
"Dude… white hair, glowing blue eyes—it's Grey. The guy who wrecked Reisen Velgh."
Kai took a step forward.
This feeling... But it won't be like Reisen Velgh or the forest anymore. I'm in control now.
The Six Eyes gleamed. Blue. Cold. Almost inhuman.
The rest tried to run.
Bad choice.
Kai surged forward like a wave. Every strike brought down one, two, three at a time. He used his body as a shield, weaving, spinning, knocking them down. In less than thirty seconds, the hallway had turned into a field of unconscious delinquents.
Kai glanced around. He grabbed the backpacks of two of them and searched. Money. Drugs. Phones.
He kept everything. Quietly walked out. Never looked back.
That Friday, he returned to Oakwood before the recess bell even finished ringing.
And for some reason, he felt… something.
It wasn't joy. Nor peace.
But it wasn't emptiness either.
It was something.
And that was enough—for now.
10:45 AM — Oakwood Academy — Rooftop, Main Building
Kai was back. Same school uniform. Same calm gaze.
Cassie shot him a sideways glance when he walked into the classroom just before the bell.
"You disappeared, huh?"
"Went out for some air," he replied, pulling a water bottle from his backpack.
"With that wind outside?" Samuel asked.
Kai gave a faint smile and shrugged. "Better than people talking too loud."
Kiana looked at him again, curious. But for now, she let it go...
That was just the first one.
But that afternoon, an anonymous police officer received a sealed package with cash and suspicious materials. South Branch High didn't make a fuss. But rumors began to spread among the students…
That someone—or something—was hunting down those who crossed the line.
And he had eyes as blue as the sky.
April 2013 — Oakwood and Beyond
The days that followed moved at a steady, almost mechanical pace.
Each morning, Kai attended classes, stayed close to his friends, and responded to Cassie's provocations with his usual dry sarcasm—never forced, never rehearsed, just… present.
Little by little, it became routine to see him arriving early at the boxing club, where Cassie waited with a makeshift clipboard and sharp comments about his "absurd openings" and "terrible distance control." She treated it like a personal mission: to turn his superhuman body into an extension of her father's fighting style.
To her, he was an opportunity. A project. A rare puzzle.
And he… let her.
He trained. Adjusted his stance. Repeated movements.
Even though he knew he'd never use his real strength during training—Cassie knew that too—there was something about the process that kept him grounded. Present. It was a way to burn energy without having to hide.
During recess or in the afternoons, the school uniform gave way to another kind of outfit… one that came with a mask.
Kai ventured out to other schools, alleyways, and abandoned lots—always wherever the gang trails led. It wasn't just about Scott's delivery routes. It was small distribution hubs, recruiters, or simply groups of teens who thought they were untouchable—until the shadow with blue eyes crossed their path.
He left no notes. Gave no warnings. He simply dismantled and vanished.
The rumors piled up. Among the youth on social media, the name "Grey" started popping up frequently. Others nicknamed him "Ghost," since no one knew where the white-haired boy had come from. No one could say when or where he would appear. They only knew that, after him, came silence—and sometimes, a package left at the nearest police station.
On weekends, Kai stayed home.
He didn't say much, but he no longer shut himself away like before. Sometimes, it was just the small gesture of sitting next to Mark on the couch, sharing a joke with Debbie, or accepting lunch on time without vanishing.
Nothing grand.
Just… a little more.
To outsiders, it was barely noticeable.
But inside, something had begun to shift.
And he knew it.
It was still the void. But now, with tiny cracks of air.
Oakwood Highschool Academy — Boxing and Kickboxing Club
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013 — 4:23 PM
Even though no new information had surfaced about the delivery scheme, Kai's actions under the name Grey continued to echo.
In the suburbs, the name had already become legend—and many had started to rethink the path they were on.
At Oakwood, everything seemed under control.
The sound of gloves striking punching bags echoed through the gym. Cassie corrected stances, Kiana stretched in silence, Samuel practiced combinations with one of the seniors, and Kai continued rehearsing the movements Cassie had drilled into him.
April moved forward with an eerie sense of calm...
The kind that always comes before something breaks.
Underground Facility, Radcliffe Laboratory — Confidential SectorTuesday, April 16th, 2013 — 4:30 PM
The constant hum of machinery filled the room with a low, vibrating drone. Crystal panels reflected the light from the monitors as red numbers pulsed, blinking like a silent warning. The tension in the air was heavy, almost metallic.
"We had some setbacks," one of the scientists said, adjusting his glasses. "But finally, sir… this time, everything's ready."
Radcliffe remained motionless, hands clasped behind his back. His very presence weighed down on everyone in the room. His gaze was locked on the screen, as if trying to anticipate the inevitable.
"Good. Proceed," he replied without emotion. "Make sure the serums are exposed. I want the samples positioned close to the convergence zone."
The scientist nodded and stepped away to coordinate the technical team.
Another researcher, seated at the control panel, turned in his chair.
"The energy structures across all three facilities are synchronized. But… sir, the piece you gave us only contains remnants of the unusual energy. We'll only have one shot. Shall we begin?"
Radcliffe didn't answer with words. He simply nodded slowly, jaw tight, eyes still fixed on the screen.
Then the buttons were pressed.
The lights dimmed. The metallic frames around the reactors began to vibrate. Energy lines surged through the tubes like glowing veins, converging on a central point in each of the three facilities across the world.
The expected wave had a name: -20 dB. A signature already observed.
But what appeared... was something else.
Instead of a sonic disruption, a visual rupture tore through the air.
A purple rift split the space above the reactor chamber. There was no sound—just distortion. As if space itself were melting inward, breaking the logic of matter.
From within the rift, something emerged.
One. Two. Three silhouettes began to crawl out—each from a different breach, across three continents. Simultaneously… yet wrong. As if reality had birthed something it couldn't contain.
"What the hell is happening?" Radcliffe barked, his voice finally cracking with restrained fury. "This isn't part of the protocol!"
"It's the energy, sir!" one of the scientists shouted. "It's unstable… we couldn't predict this outcome! The readings… they changed when the reactors synchronized!"
Alarms blared. The screens flooded with incoherent data. The entire structure shook.
Less than a minute later, the reactors collapsed. First came the flash—then the sharp screeches, the muffled explosions… and then, silence.
A deep, dreadful silence.
But not before something escaped through the rifts.
Rural Area near Chicago, USA
The ground shook before any sound could be heard. A farmer pulled over his truck as the sky shimmered with an unnatural color.
Without warning, something crashed into the cornfield, crushing everything beneath its grotesque body.
Its frame was elongated, glossy, and dark like living obsidian. Four curved legs, shaped like scythe blades, held up its form. Its spiny tail twitched as if picking up vibrations. The head resembled a deformed wild hound, glowing eyes, and a jaw wide enough to swallow a human torso whole.
Its skin was a metallic purple, hard as titanium, gleaming where friction had scraped it.
Large enough to barrel through an entire house at full speed, the creature loomed over the field like a shadow of death.
London, England — Bakerloo Line, Underground
The chaos began with a sudden power outage. A group of maintenance workers were the first to witness it.
From a violet breach in the ceiling of the under-construction station, a creature dropped with a guttural shriek. Its body throbbed like a deformed heart, short front limbs and long back ones, spitting corrosive fluid that hissed on the concrete floor. It was grotesque—bloated, covered in vibrating bone plates.
It had no eyes, but its senses were sharp—mapping everything through sound.
It moved like an insect, but struck with the strength of a prehistoric beast.
Its body filled the tracks from one end to the other, dense and massive enough to crush an entire train car with ease.
Mexico Border — Desert Region
A smuggling convoy came to a halt as the truck sensors went haywire. From the sky, fourteen violet streaks pierced the atmosphere in erratic trajectories.
They fell scattered across the desert.
When the dust settled, the horror stood revealed.
Fourteen distinct forms, all with the same spectral hue. Some resembled skinless wolves. others looked like they had come out of nightmares with serrated tails, steel claws, and layered jaws. Each one rose with a unique movement, as if shaped for specific, grotesque purposes.
They were smaller than the ones in London or Chicago—but no less terrifying. Their bodies were large enough to knock armed men down like rag dolls, and agile enough to evade any standard vehicle.
Moments later, the convoy's signal vanished completely.
GDA Headquarters — Central Command Room
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013 — 4:58 PM
The alarms blared with a deep, continuous tone, as if the Earth itself were holding its breath. The GDA command room lit up with red lights and emergency displays. Each panel showed abnormal readings—energy fluctuations, atmospheric ruptures, disappearing signals.
Donald burst through the doors, a tablet strapped to his arm, sweat on his forehead.
"We've confirmed three breach zones: rural Chicago, London underground, and the Mexican desert. All sites collapsed in under thirty seconds. Drone footage confirms—living entities."
Cecil was already there, standing at the center of the room, eyes fixed on the monitors.
"How many in Mexico?"
"Fourteen," Donald replied. "Biological variations, same energy signature. London has one. Chicago, one as well."
Mirage tilted her head.
"All three emerged simultaneously?"
"Perfect synchronization," Donald confirmed.
Cecil clenched his jaw.
"We need containment on all fronts. Someone get Cosmic. Where is he now?"
Donald answered quickly.
"Crossing the Sahel, North Africa. He's moving fast, finishing a civilian rescue."
"Patch him in. Now."
Cosmic's flickering image appeared on a side monitor—his body in motion, purple energy trailing around him like a comet.
Before anyone could speak, his voice came through, urgent and uncharacteristically tense.
"Cecil… I felt it. The Void. The place I came from. Tell me—where?"
"Three breaches. Unknown lifeforms. One in Chicago, one in London, a swarm in Mexico. I need you in Europe."
Cosmic picked up speed midair.
"London? Got it. ETA: six minutes... Cecil… depending on what came out of there, I might not be enough alone."
Cecil turned to Mirage.
"Containment strategy. Are the young team ready to hold the line until Omni-Man or the Guardians can assist?"
"They are. I'll go with them," Mirage replied.
Cecil shook his head.
"Mirage… You're a good agent, and you care about them, but you know you don't have the power for this. Coordinate from here."
Mirage frowned, but deep down she knew he was right. She nodded.
Cecil kept his tone sharp, turning to the agents.
"I want the full Guardians team—Immortal, Red Rush, War Woman, Black Samson, Aquarius, and anyone else available to help in Mexico."
He turned toward another screen.
"Call Grayson."
But seconds before they could, Omni-Man appeared, arms crossed, his expression cold.
"I got the alert. Report?" Omni-Man asked.
"Three outbreaks," Cecil stated. "Fourteen creatures in Mexico. One in Chicago. One in London. We're sending the Guardians to Mexico and Cosmic to London."
"Where am I going?" Omni-Man asked.
Cecil met his eyes, serious now.
"Cosmic may need backup in London. Can you handle it, just the two of you?"
Omni-Man didn't hesitate.
"Of course," he said with confidence.
"Good. Then go. I'm counting on you."
Omni-Man gave a brief nod and shot off toward London.
Cecil turned to Mirage and Donald.
"The young team. Who's available?"
Both were already working, tapping into screens and calling names. Mirage looked up at Cecil, tablet in hand.
"Vortex, Reflex, and Atlas are on base. Silver is at school. Ghost Girl—status unknown."
"Send them all. If Ghost Girl can't make it, fine. But the others must be there. And contact the girl working in the area—Atom Eve. Ask her to assist the young team in containing the creature near Chicago."
Donald began typing, but Cecil stopped him.
"One more thing. Ask Cosmic to try locating Grey. Tell him we need him in the field."
"Understood, sir. But we still don't know who he is. Will he even help?"
Cecil exhaled, his eyes locked on the monitor showing the creature tearing through the cornfield in Chicago.
"We made the ring he asked for, didn't we? let's see if he has any gratitude. I know he's useful. Now it's time to find out how useful."
Boxing and Kickboxing Club — Oakwood Highschool Academy
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013 — 5:16 PM
The sound of fists striking heavy bags still filled the air, muffled by the rhythmic breathing of those training. Cassie was correcting a rookie's stance while the wall clock ticked forward indifferently.
Kiana wiped her face with a towel when her phone vibrated in the inner pocket of her jacket. She frowned — it was rare to get calls during practice.
A few meters away, Kai was cracking his knuckles before returning to the punching bag when his own phone rang.
Both looked at their devices at the same time. And answered, in perfect sync.
"Hello?"
On Kiana's phone:
"Kiana. It's Mirage."
The voice on the other end was firm, but tense.
"We need you now. It's a serious mission. Reflex, Vortex, and Atlas are already on their way."
Kiana straightened her back, instinctively glancing around.
"What happened?"
"No time for details. Grab your gear and head to the rendezvous point. We're sending the coordinates. We trust you."
She nodded silently, even though no one could see her on the other side of the line.
At the same time, Kai picked up a call from Cosmic.
"Kai. It's me. We need you. Now."
Cosmic's voice was different. Deeper.
"Void creatures have appeared. One is in Chicago and already on the move. The young team will try to hold it until reinforcements arrive… but they'll need help. Can you go?"
Kai looked at the punching bag for a moment, then at the floor.
It was inevitable, wasn't it?
"...Yeah. Send me the location."
They both hung up at the same time.
Kiana and Kai turned almost simultaneously. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Neither said a word — there was no time.
She tossed the towel into her bag in a rush.
Kai took two steps back and grabbed his backpack.
"I… have to leave," Kiana said loud enough for Cassie to hear.
"Got called home," Kai said almost at the same moment, as Cassie walked over to comment on the training.
And then they left. Each in a different direction.
Unaware, deep down, that they were heading to the same destination.
Interlude — Dawn of the Storm
Kai — Toward the Void
The sky over Chicago seemed far too calm. From above, the city lights sparkled like a bonfire before the storm. Kai knew something was wrong — and it wasn't just instinct.
The cornfields in the distance had started to turn yellow and dark, where the first flames were breaking out across the land. He floated high above the city zone, the wind whipping his jacket, and his activated eyes glowed blue in the darkness.
Void creatures…
He took a deep breath. He could feel the energy pulsing in his hands, as if it were reacting on its own to the approaching danger. The city below carried on at its usual pace, unaware of what was coming.
Damn it... Wasn't Mark supposed to be going in my place?
How much longer until he gets his powers?
Without another moment of hesitation, he launched himself forward with an invisible burst of speed, vanishing in the direction of the creature.
Kiana — Summoned
Outside Oakwood, the asphalt still reflected the golden light of late afternoon as Kiana ran out the back of the gym. A black GDA car waited with its engine running, low beams casting light over the sidewalk.
The passenger door opened before she could say anything. A suited agent inside just gave a slight nod.
She climbed in, and the door shut behind her.
"Your gear's in the trunk. You can suit up during the ride," said the agent, eyes never leaving the road as the car pulled away.
Kiana opened her bag and began putting on the core pieces of her silver outfit. Each piece fit like a natural extension of her body, built for speed and resilience.
She fastened the forearm band and stared at her reflection in the window.
Breathe. This isn't your first mission.
But something felt different that night.
The kind of silence that only comes before a storm no one saw coming.
Eve — Red Alert
The room was cast in a soft twilight, cut only by the glow of a phone resting on the bedside table. Eve sat on the floor, leaning against the bed, headphones hanging around her neck and her school bag tossed in the corner.
The screen flashed with an unknown number.
She frowned, hesitated… then answered.
"Hello?"
On the other end, the voice was clear and direct:
"We need you. Coordinates sent."
A brief silence.
The kind of silence where someone wonders if they're ready — and knows they are.
Eve stood slowly, her eyes locked on the screen for a second. Then she closed them, and in a flash of light, her clothes transformed. The pajamas disappeared, replaced by her rose-colored suit, glowing subtly with controlled energy.
She looked out the window. The night still looked normal out there.
But it won't stay that way for long.
She turned, grabbed her phone… and vanished in a pink flash.