Kael felt his head was full of unanswered questions. Instead of constantly thinking about the naive—or perhaps not so naive—Kiana and the confusing mission, he decided to leave the house. Perhaps exploring this parallel world could give him some clarity.
"I need some air," he muttered, grabbing his jacket and leaving.
The neighborhood was almost identical to his original world. The familiar streets, similar shops, even the trees he knew. But there were slight differences that made him feel like a stranger in a place he should know.
He walked aimlessly, trying to observe every detail. A few people gave him strange looks, perhaps because he was a new face. Or maybe because of his overly cautious gait, so different from the relaxed people here.
Suddenly, a commotion broke his concentration.
"Please... let me go!" a woman screamed.
Kael frowned. At the end of the street, a woman with blonde hair was being harassed by two large men. People around them just glanced over and continued their activities, as if this was a common sight.
Not my business, Kael thought, trying to turn away.
But the woman's screams intensified. "I don't want to go with you! Please!"
Kael let out a long sigh. He really didn't want to get involved. He had enough problems with the strange mission and the confusing Kiana. But the screams were too disturbing, too noisy to ignore.
"So noisy," he grumbled, turning around.
He approached them with casual steps, hands in his jacket pockets. The blonde woman looked terrified, while the two men laughed mockingly.
"Hey, why don't we settle this nicely?" Kael said in a flat voice.
The two men looked at him, then laughed harder. "Forget it, kid. This isn't your business."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Actually, your voices are really grating on my ears. Could you just leave?"
One of the men stepped closer, his face turning angry. "You looking for trouble?"
Before Kael could answer, something strange happened. Suddenly, everything around him seemed to slow down. He could see every movement of the man, every facial expression, even the dust particles floating in the air.
And a voice sounded in his head:
[ACTIVATED: 'PRECISION STRIKE' ABILITY. DURATION: 10 SECONDS.]
Without a second thought, Kael swung his fist. Not with his usual fighting style, but with perfect precision, right at a weak point on the man's arm.
"AARRGH!" the man screamed, clutching his now-limp arm.
Kael himself was shocked by the power he had just displayed. But there was no time to think. He kicked the second man's leg with the same precise movement, sending him to the ground, clutching his injured leg.
"Now," Kael said in a low voice. "Leave before I change my mind."
The two men looked at him in fear before scrambling away, limping.
The blonde woman was stunned, her eyes still full of fear. "Th-thank you."
Kael just gave a short nod. "You should go home."
He turned to leave, but the woman grabbed his arm. "Wait! My name is Elara. May I know your name?"
"Kael."
"Thank you, Kael. I... I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come." Elara gave a weak smile. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."
Kael observed Elara more carefully. She was pretty, with sharp green eyes and a warm smile. But something made him uncomfortable—perhaps the way she looked at him, or her smile that seemed too perfect.
"I have to go," Kael said, pulling his arm from Elara's grasp.
"Wait! Can we meet again? I'd like to repay you."
Kael was already walking away, just waving a hand without looking back. "Not necessary."
But Elara kept watching him until Kael disappeared around the corner. Her smile slowly faded, replaced by a serious expression.
"So you're the new one," she whispered. "Very interesting."
Meanwhile, Kael walked quickly, trying to process what had just happened. That strange ability—was it part of the system? Or was there something else in this world he didn't understand?
He didn't realize that from behind a second-floor café window, a pair of eyes had been watching him the entire time. Very familiar eyes—ruby red eyes that were now filled with anxiety.
Kiana took a deep breath before turning from the window. Her usually bright face was now creased with worry.
"He's starting to attract attention," she murmured. "This could be a problem."
She took out her phone and typed a quick message:
"To All Overseers: New Subject was involved in an incident in Sector 7. He displayed unusual abilities. Increasing surveillance."
After sending the message, Kiana slipped back into her naive persona, her face bright and carefree once more. But in her eyes, there was a flash of intelligence that was not foolish at all.
Meanwhile, Kael, still walking home, was completely unaware that his reluctant rescue had brought him to the attention of something far greater than he imagined.
And perhaps, this "parallel world" held secrets far darker than he had ever imagined.