Their lives flashed before their eyes as the two of them clung together in a final, shaking embrace.
"M-monster… monster!" they screamed in unison.
A boy with glowing yellow eyes stood before them.
"You deserve a cruel death for what you were trying to do with her," he said calmly.
He paused.
"No. Not death." His gaze hardened. "You deserve worse."
He glanced back. The girl's sobs were faint, her torn dress saying everything words couldn't.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," he said quietly. "As long as you keep my secrets."
She nodded.
A purple crack split the air.
Something crawled out.
"Absolute control."
[Absolute Control Activated]
The creature unfolded—blade-like wings, a single horn, elongated claws, corpse-pale skin. Yellow energy etched itself into its eyes.
"Break them, "Kai ordered.
He stepped in front of the girl & met her terrified gaze.
[Partial Control Activated]
"Sleep."
A yellow rim brushed her iris and she collapsed.
Kai turned back.
His breathing stayed steady—only because he forced it to.
But suddenly the air thickened.
"What—?!"
The demon's upper half hit the ground with a wet thud.
[System Alert! Absolute Control interrupted!]
He clutched his head and dropped to his knees.
"AHHH—"
& a voice could be heard
"This territory is MINE. And you've crossed the line."
_________________________________________
–Present Day–
"At least I can try," Kai muttered to himself as he stared back at the large mansion behind him—a place that once was his home, but now belonged to his aunt Mary. Ever since his parents had left and never returned, he had been treated like trash, like a servant in his own house. This place had shown him no mercy. But today… today was different.
It felt as if the long dark night was finally ending—or maybe he was just escaping one maze, only to walk into another.
At least it'll be a different place this time.
Taking a deep breath, Kai patiently waited for the bus to arrive.
In this world, only those with money or abilities held true power. Everyone else… lived under their shadow. This was the new era. The era of soulbonds.
Kai's eyes drifted down to the black card in his hand, a multifunctional ID. The balance flashed across its display.
200 Cenytes, huh? Eight years of savings.
He glanced at his shoes—worn, with holes scattered across the leather. His clothes were at least decent, but knowing they were hand-me-downs abandoned by his cousin Kyro Zen left a bitter taste.
The bus screeched to a stop right in front of him. In the glass of the door, his own reflection stared back—dark brown eyes, tired but sharp, framed by messy black strands of hair that brushed his shoulders.
"Guess I need a proper haircut," he muttered, pressing his ID to the scanner. The door slid open with a sharp beep.
Kai stepped inside and took a seat.
The air in the bus was heavy, tense. He looked around and noticed nearly every aspirant wore the same expression—nervous, anxious, some even whispering prayers.
It made sense. The world was divided into two major categories: those with soulmarks and abilities, and those without. Today's assessment would decide which path each of them fell into. No one wanted to end up in the second category. Without power—or money—life would be cruel. Families without abilities often lived on the edge, and crime rates in that category soared higher than anywhere else.
Still, Kai wasn't as worried as the others. His thoughts drifted back to the conversation he'd just had with Kyro.
---
"I'm here to offer you a fair trade," Kyro had said with a grin.
"Huh…?" Kai was stunned. No one in this family ever spoke to him in a gentle tone. Why is he asking like I actually have a choice? …Maybe he doesn't know about my position in this household. After all, he doesn't live here.
"Is it really this hard to decide?" Kyro's smile began to fade as he waited for an answer.
"What is it?" Kai finally asked, his voice steady. "What do you want me to do?"
Kyro Zen smiled again. "There's a certain task I want you to do. In return, I'll give you freedom—freedom from being a servant in your own house."
Kai's eyes widened. So… he does know about it.
Kai's gaze scanned the boy from head to toe. Unlike himself, Kyro's hair was neatly cut—short enough to stay sharp, long enough to fall over his eyebrows. His black trench coat, lined with thin golden stripes, fit him perfectly. At five-foot-seven, he stood almost eye-to-eye with Kai.
He's only fifteen, and he's talking about freedom like he actually understands it? I heard he's a genius, but this much?
"You still don't believe me, right?" Kyro asked, tilting his head slightly. "Well… I already have something for you in advance."
He revealed a small black box. When he opened it, Kai's eyes widened even more.
It was a golden ID card with black trims running along the edges.
"1,000 Cenytes?!" Kai blurted out, unable to hide his excitement. He'd never seen that much money in one place before.
"Once you complete the task, I'll give you ten times this amount."
"I accept," Kai said immediately.
Kyro Zen laughed, loud and sharp. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I knew it. I knew you wouldn't deny."
---
The bus soon stopped at the teleport station. The students followed the instructor's orders and began to gather in rows—five in total.
"Everyone! Divide into five rows; we have five teleporters waiting. Hold each other's hands while passing through the teleporters. You'll leave after ID verification," the instructor barked.
Kai already knew all of this thanks to Kyro's briefing—information that now felt unnecessary.
After verifying their IDs, every student in each row clasped hands tightly and stepped into the teleporters one by one, like a train vanishing into a tunnel.
The moment they crossed the threshold, a strange sensation washed over them. It felt like their bodies were being twisted and stretched in every possible direction, as though every joint was being pulled apart. Their stomachs churned, like butterflies but heavier, sharper. Students squeezed each other's hands until the sensation eased.
Then, in an instant, they were standing in a large room with smooth, metallic-white walls. The teleporter room.
A moment later, a voice boomed through hidden speakers.
"Everyone! I, the Head General, welcome you to one of Earth's most privileged institutions—the Demon Militarization Institute," said a man whose voice carried the authority of someone in his mid-forties. "I wish you all luck in your upcoming assessments. The timing and location details have already been sent to your IDs. Until then, feel free to explore the DMI, or if you're tired, you can rest in the designated rooms. Your IDs have the full DMI map installed already."
Kai sighed and opened the map on his ID. A holographic panel flickered to life, displaying a 2D layout. He found the nearest toilet and followed the glowing path.
Inside, after making sure there were no surveillance devices, he took out a black box from his backpack. Opening it, he drew out the golden ID card with black stripes. Then he pulled out his old black ID card and connected a microchip to it.