The school bell chimed three times. A roar erupted from the students of Spectre City Senior High School, their rapid, heavy footsteps echoing clearly as they streamed out of the main gate, kicking up clouds of dust.
Raden was walking leisurely when he was suddenly blocked by his female teacher. She was dressed in sharp, formal attire, clutching a clipboard stacked with papers tightly in her right hand against her chest.
Raden frowned. His teacher responded with a faint smile, taking in his expression.
"Raden, has Raka gone home yet?" she asked, patting his shoulder.
Raden curled the corner of his lip, then sighed heavily.
"Not yet, ma'am. Up until now... I, Mom, and Dad still haven't found any trace of him."
Hearing this, the teacher opened the papers on her clipboard. She took a pen from her chest pocket and drew a long, straight line across Raka's absence column—now completely filled for the past four months.
Raden simply stared at the paper for a long time, the letters seeming to blur with every passing second.
Finished with the line, the teacher put the pen back in her pocket. She turned, giving Raden a small, sympathetic smile, and squeezed his right shoulder.
"I know this is hard for you, but I truly hope Raka is found soon."
Raden returned a weak smile. His teacher walked away, leaving Raden alone.
He walked toward the school gate, gripping the strap of his backpack. The bright orange glow of the sun was slowly transitioning into the deep gloom of evening.
Raden kept his head down the entire journey. In stark contrast, the people around him seemed overjoyed, occasionally cheering and celebrating the end of the school day in groups, as if they had just won a major trophy.
His walk home was surrounded by flying cars and motorcycles—all wheel-less. Dominant, bright lights of deep blue, blood red, and grayish purple shone intensely on his body. The gutters in the alleyways Raden passed were filthy and littered. He constantly had to pinch his nose shut when walking through them.
After several kilometers of walking from school, his clothes now visibly crumpled, Raden arrived at his house.
The walls were predominantly covered in wood paneling.
He stepped inside. A messy mix of body odor and the sweet aroma of cooking wafted from the kitchen, hitting his mother's nose.
Raden took off his bag, hung it on a nail on the wall, and walked toward the kitchen. His mother turned to him, her hands busy chopping onions and chilies. She stopped cutting, quickly covered her nose.
"Raden, you stink! Go shower now!" she ordered, pointing towards the bathroom in the right corner.
Raden sniffed his armpit. The smell immediately made him gag. He rushed toward the bathroom, grabbing a towel hanging on the wall near the door.
His mother, meanwhile, tried to continue chopping, but suddenly felt an intense, choking sensation.
She started coughing a dry, painful cough until her palm was stained red. The coughing fit didn't stop, and she bumped the kitchen counter, knocking over a framed family photo—one with Raka in it.
The photo fell, shattering the glass into tiny shards.
Raden's mother ran to the sink and washed her hands. Once clean, she turned off the stove and reached for the broken glass on the floor with her bare hands.
The moment her index finger tried to pick up a large shard, the sharp corner cut her finger. She winced in pain, trying to clean the cut.
Raden, now dressed in casual clothes with his hair neatly combed back, rushed over to help his injured mother.
He opened the first-aid kit near the kitchen wall, took out an antiseptic, and cut a strip of bandage.
He returned to his mother, applied the antiseptic to her finger, and then wrapped it with the bandage.
"Does it still hurt, Mom?"
She winced again briefly, then shook her head. She stroked Raden's head, smiling broadly.
"Thank you, son, for helping me."
Raden just smiled widely in response, without saying a word. He crouched down, using thick gloves to pick up the remaining large glass shards, dropping them into a small trash can nearby. He then swept up the remaining tiny fragments until the floor was clean.
He picked up the old, intact photograph that was still on the ground and slipped it into his pocket.
Finished with the cleanup, Raden quickly lit the stove and began chopping the onions and chilies his mother had left.
His mother stood quietly beside the dining table, sighing heavily as she stared at the floor, her face resigned. Her eyes then shifted to Raden, who was tossing the vegetables into the hot pan.
"Son, I'm still worried about your school fees. Do you think your father will be able to pay them?"
Smoke from the pan wafted up, making Raden cough. His focus remained on the wok, busy stirring the contents. Occasionally, he glanced at his mother.
"I hope so, Mom. I've been trying to find a part-time job after school to help Dad and you with money. It'd be nice, right? We could add a little bit to the family finances."
His mother shifted her gaze back to the floor, forcing a bitter smile. Her lips trembled and tears began to fall. Raden watched her, the faint smile on his own face slowly fading.
Moments later, a phone vibrating and ringing interrupted the quiet, coming from his mother's pants pocket. She quickly answered the call.
"Darling? What is it?" she asked, wiping away the last of her tears.
"Honey, today... I'm sorry, it looks like we won't be able to pay Raden's school fees," Raden's father replied from the other end.
"It's alright, darling... you've worked hard enough. That's enough for me."
Raden's father smiled. His face was grimy and covered in dust. He was still wearing his construction helmet and thin shirt.
"Thank you for always understanding me. How's Raden?"
Raden's mother briefly glanced at Raden, who was still cooking.
"He's home. I think he misses you. Try to take him fishing again sometime," she said with a sweet laugh.
"Hahaha, maybe it's you who misses me, isn't it? I'll teach him martial arts later so he can become a world champion like his old man."
The loud voice of his boss calling his name could be heard several times, getting closer.
Raden's father quickly hung up and put his phone in his right pocket.
His boss—bald and dressed entirely in formal wear, approached Halim with hurried steps and delivered a harsh slap across his cheek.
"Who told you to be playing around on the phone while you're working?!"
Raden's father immediately bowed his head. His ears seemed accustomed to the sound of his boss's frothing mouth.
"Halim! Do you understand and hear me, huh?!!"
Halim lifted his head briefly to look at his boss, then lowered it again.
"Yes, sir. I understand. I hear you," Halim said softly.
Halim's boss rubbed his forehead.
"I'm tired of your lazy performance. I gave you a warning letter last month, wasn't that enough, huh?!"
Halim swallowed.
"I'm sorry, sir... I was just calling my fami-"
"Hah! D*mn your excuses. Family again, always family. That's all you ever say. Work is work. You can deal with family matters later, understood?"
"Understood, sir," Halim replied quietly.
Halim's boss let out a heavy breath.
"So, do you want me to give you a second warning letter, or..."
The boss smirked.
Halim raised his head, his face furrowed.
"Or what, sir?"
The boss's smile suddenly widened as he looked at Raden's father.
"Or... you can be free of all warning letters, plus you get a hefty payment for your child's school fees. On one condition: you have to lend your wife to me for a week."
Halim's boss burst into loud laughter. Halim instantly gritted his teeth, his hands clenching so hard that the veins on his arms bulged.
"What? Are you angry, huh?! ARE YOU MAD AT ME?! Remember, you could be sued heavily in court if you bruise my cheek. Besides... your wife is very beautiful and stacked. You must enjoy f*cking her every night, right? Hahahaha! Imagine if that were me. Poor women are only good for working in bed," said the boss, lowering his face to look into Halim's eyes.
Halim's fists tightened even harder. He snapped his head up, his eyes wide and blazing at his boss.
Without a second thought, Halim threw his construction helmet to the ground. He then violently grabbed the collar of his boss's shirt, headbutted his face, and sent him sprawling.
As the boss tried to crawl backward, Halim advanced, punching his cheek repeatedly.
His boss pleaded for mercy in a weak voice, but Halim didn't hear him.
Several other construction workers rushed over, trying to stop Halim.
Halim only stopped pounding when the boss went limp. The boss lay on the ground but was still breathing.
Halim tightly gripped the boss's collar, forcing him to look at his face which was still wide-eyed and glaring from a terrifyingly close distance.
"You only have money and connections. But people with weak bodies like yours, I've beaten thousands of times. You're lucky I'm holding back from putting you in a coffin today. If I didn't have a family, your life would be f*cking over!"
Halim released his grip. The boss gasped for air.
Halim walked away, stomping on his construction helmet on the ground until it was crushed. The other workers only watched Halim leave with expressions of sheer confusion.
---
Halim stopped at a bench in front of a minimarket, staring up at the starry night sky. He took out his phone and unlocked it.
The screen was slightly cracked in the corner and center.
The status bar showed the time was 22:37, along with several missed call notifications from Raden and his wife.
He put the phone back in his right pocket and sighed heavily, looking at the ground.
"What are you even doing, Halim? You're not that world champion anymore," he muttered with a faint smile.
He heard the strained groan of a man struggling to carry something heavy, not too far from where he sat. The sound gradually became clearer.
Halim turned and saw a scientist in a clean white lab coat, neat hair, and square glasses, carrying a large chest.
The man approached Halim, set the chest on the ground, and looked at Halim.
"Hello, sir. I need your help. Could you... help me keep this chest? Don't worry, I'll pay you."
Halim examined the chest from all sides.
"What's inside this chest?"
"Oh, truthfully, I don't know myself yet. But the important thing is, it shouldn't be opened for now. I'm still researching it. Coincidentally, my schedule is extremely tight for a meeting right now."
Halim stared at the chest again. Suddenly, a short, bright bluish-purple light flashed from it.
"Hey, what's in that chest? It just lit up."
The scientist's eyes widened. He looked at the chest but saw nothing. He tried to examine every side and corner of the container.
"I didn't see a light or anything. But, sir, if you take it, I can pay you right now. I really don't have any more time."
"I just need to guard it, seriously?"
The scientist nodded.
"Yes, sir. I'm serious."
Halim swallowed. For a few minutes, he remained silent.
The scientist repeatedly looked at his watch while staring at Halim's face.
"Alright, I'll take it. But you need to transfer the money immediately, please. I have an urgent financial need," Halim said.
The scientist nodded.
"Certainly, I'll transfer it right now."
The scientist took a small phone from his lab coat pocket and brought it close to Halim's phone.
[✓Bank Notification: 700 Eternal Coin successfully received from CZ.]
"Hey, how did you know my account num-"
The scientist suddenly disappeared. However, the chest remained on the ground. Halim scratched his neck, though it didn't itch.
He checked his account again, and the value had indeed increased by 700 EC.
Without further delay, Halim lifted the chest and headed home.
---
Upon arriving home, Halim stored the chest in the warehouse. He placed it right in the middle and covered it with a thin cloth.
Finished, he closed the warehouse door and walked toward the living room. The sweet, savory aroma of stir-fry wafted from the dining table. Halim, who was famished, couldn't resist the smell. He went to the kitchen and saw the delicious stir-fry already served on the table.
"Darling, you're home? You should eat first. You must be tired after work, right?" said Raden's mother, who was sitting at the table.
Halim sat down across from his wife.
"Where's Raden?"
"Oh, he said he got a call for a cashier interview at a store. He left an hour ago but hasn't returned yet."
Halim smiled.
"My son... he is truly our pride."
"Yes, he's going to be a great man just like you."
Halim touched his wife's cheek, stroking it gently.
"And he... he'll surely find a beautiful wife like you, Marni."
Marni turned her face slightly to the right, Halim's hand still cupping her cheek.
Halim laughed at her reaction.
---
On his way home, Raden kept his head down, kicking pebbles along the road.
"You need at least an S1 degree just to be a cashier? Then what was the point of calling me in? I clearly wrote I'm still in high school on my CV. What a ridiculous HR. A total waste of transportation money," Raden muttered.
Right in front of his house, Raden saw a bright bluish-purple light shining from the warehouse. It was brief but intense.
Raden quickly rushed toward the warehouse.
As he opened the door and stepped inside, he saw various items covered in dust. He looked around until he found several of his father's certificates and trophies, also dusty and dirty.
He brushed the dust off one. It clearly read:
1st Place International Martial Arts Tournament awarded to:
Halim Sukma Wijaya.
Raden smiled widely as he stared at it. He rubbed the certificate, gazing at it intently.
But then, something caught his ear.
"Raden... Raden..."
Raden searched for the source of the whispering voice. The further he investigated, the clearer the voice became. He slowly approached the chest covered with a thin cloth in the middle of the warehouse. Raden's mind suddenly went blank. He opened the chest, then began stroking it.
Then...
CRASH!!!
Halim flinched, slamming his plate down. Marni was startled.
"What is it, darling?" Marni asked with a worried expression.
"I need to get to the warehouse right now."
Halim hurried to the warehouse. Upon arrival, his eyes widened in horror. The chest he was entrusted with was open and lying on the floor.
Raden stood straight, his back to his father. His body was surrounded by red and black auras.
His hands slowly turned a deep reddish-black, with claws beginning to grow long and razor-sharp. His teeth became flat and extremely pointed. His eyes were wide, glowing red.
Halim was stunned to see Raden's transformation.
"Raden, is that you?"
Raden slowly turned to his father. His gaze was sharply intimidating. He lunged quickly toward his father's face. Halim's lips trembled violently. His legs shook uncontrollably.
Halim attempted to punch Raden's head. However, Raden violently blocked his arm.
"R... Raden, snap out of it, son. This is not-"
Raden struck his father's stomach with such immense force that Halim was sent crashing into the wall. His father's body fell to the floor, motionless.
Raden threw his father's body into the corner of the warehouse.
Hearing the loud commotion from the warehouse, Marni rushed to the scene.
Once there, Marni screamed, covering half her face with her trembling hands. Raden stared at his mother coldly. He lunged at her, striking her down with a single swift motion.
Raden threw her body into the warehouse, landing her right next to her husband's body. She lay rigid on the floor.
Raden darted toward his mother. He pinned her body down with his left hand, then began to press down hard on her head.
His mother was still semi-conscious. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled bitterly at Raden's face.
"Son, this isn't you... come back to me..."
After saying that, she slowly closed her eyes. Raden released her body from his grip.
Raden's entire body slowly returned to normal. He collapsed weakly, causing his mother's body to drop hard onto the floor.
Raden felt his eyes, hands, and feet were incredibly heavy. He stared at his trembling hands.
"Am I... a sinful creature?"
Raden collapsed weakly onto the floor.