Chapter 35: Crackdown
"Athena?! What happened?" Shirley rushed forward, alarmed, as she saw Athena carrying Raven in her arms.
"It looks like his teacher got there before I did. Two Elite Walkers and even this bastard's son were sliced in half by some kind of Ice Spell." Athena's eyes narrowed as she glared coldly at Jaxx Miller.
Jaxx's heart skipped a beat.
M-My son… dead? And by a magic spell?
His teacher… Could it be?
Is this boy actually a Wizard's disciple?!
A wave of horror crashed over Jaxx. He glanced at the unconscious boy in the officer's arms and instantly recognized him. One of the two kids his son had brought back from the academy—over a petty argument.
Then something clicked.
Wait. Did she say "Athena" just now?
Hero of Darkcross? Scott kidnapped her brother?
And he's a Wizard's disciple?!
His face turned ghostly pale.
Now he understood why the entire mansion had been torn apart. His foolish son had provoked a monster cloaked in innocence.
I'm finished… Even the Elite Walkers won't save me from this.
He silently began searching for a way to escape, his instincts kicking in like a rat trapped in a burning building.
Meanwhile, Shirley bent over Raven, carefully checking his condition. His pulse was steady.
His skin was unusually cold, but he was breathing fine.
"He's unconscious from shock. We'll take him to the hospital for a full check-up." She gently took Raven from Athena's arms, then paused as something shifted in Athena's aura.
"You advanced?" she asked, raising a brow.
Athena gave a sheepish smile. "Yes, Aunt. Seeing him like that… It made me furious—at myself, for being weak. I broke through."
Just then, her expression changed as she remembered something.
"There's another boy. I found him tied up in the dungeon. I'll bring him." Without waiting, she turned and walked back into the shadowed corridors.
A few minutes later, she returned, carrying the unconscious Dante, only to find Shirley in a heated argument with a stern-looking officer.
"Are you blind?! Those boxes out front are filled with narcotics! The Viper Syndicate logo is literally stamped on them!" Shirley's voice thundered through the ruined hall. "And you're blaming me?!"
The officer—a man in his late forties with grizzled stubble and a rigid stance—retorted coldly, sword in hand.
"Even if your reasons were noble, harming members of a noble family is still a crime. And we can't confirm those are drugs until the forensics report comes in."
Athena narrowed her eyes.
Cedric… Head of South Borough Patrol. A snake in uniform. I've heard stories—his men extort money from shopkeepers under the pretense of 'protection.'
She stepped into the hall, her tone like steel cloaked in ice.
"What a pathetic attempt to cover up your department's incompetence, Mr. Cedric."
Cedric turned, startled. "Who are you?"
Then he saw the five-star badge pinned to her chest and froze.
"Greetings, Madam Athena!" he barked, instantly bowing.
"This may fall under the South Borough's jurisdiction, but this case now involves the Narcotics Department—my department. Inform Inspector Gary to report to me tomorrow morning. My team will arrive within the hour to collect evidence. Until then, no one moves a single box. If even one goes missing…" She stepped closer, voice turning deadly. "I'll report you directly to Lord Baron and have you expelled from the department."
She handed Dante over to Shirley, then turned toward the kneeling Jaxx Miller.
"Jaxx Miller, you are under arrest for the abduction of academy students and involvement in narcotics trafficking." Without hesitation, she snapped a cold iron cuff around his wrist.
As Shirley carried both boys out of the mansion, Athena dragged Jaxx behind her and shoved him into the back of the police carriage. Once everyone was aboard, they set off toward the Commoners' Borough and the local station.
…
While Athena filed charges and ordered sweeping arrests of the Miller family, Shirley took Raven and Dante to the nearby hospital.
Dante was unharmed and sent home after a routine check-up. Raven, however, tested positive for the powerful drug Miraclo in his bloodstream. He was admitted immediately.
Three seizures followed. The doctors rushed him into the intensive care unit.
…
Over the next three days, Athena launched a city-wide drug crackdown. Under her iron leadership, multiple criminal lords were arrested, a dozen corrupt officers were publicly demoted, and thirty officials—including rich people—were tried and convicted. The once-feared Miller Family vanished from Darkcross City's power circles overnight.
A full week passed before Raven finally opened his eyes.
W-What happened? His head throbbed like a war drum. He was in his own bed.
He heard familiar voices in the hall—his aunt. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. Even moving was a challenge.
Fragments of memory flickered in his mind, unclear and surreal.
Zera…? Are you there? How did I get out? Did my sister rescue me?
[…No. You rescued yourself.] Zera's voice was low, solemn.
What? But… I blacked out!
Then, like pages of an unwelcome book flipping open, the memories returned. He saw himself—no, someone like him—fighting Scott, wielding a spear wreathed in freezing mist. Scott and his guards had fallen, impaled by a single ice-infused strike.
I… killed them? That's me… but I don't remember it.
[You might not have been in control. Raven… something else took over.]
Something else?
[Something ancient. Something that should've been erased from existence. It's been clinging to your soul—dormant. My guess? It's the same being that protected you as a baby.]
What does that mean? Raven's heart pounded with fear and confusion.
[You'll understand when you ask Athena about your origins. For now, focus on recovering. Work on your alchemy. Train your spearmanship.]
Raven nodded silently.
He checked his body.
No change in my status. Haa… Still so weak.
He clenched his fists, a quiet resolve rising within him. He wouldn't let himself fall again.
Just then, Shirley burst in and rushed to his bedside, eyes wide with relief. Behind her trailed several middle-aged women—neighbors he'd seen chatting with his aunt on weekends.
Among them was a round, grey-haired woman in a large floral gown and feathered hat, holding a heavy leather bag.
"Aunt Marley!" Raven called out, managing a smile.
"No need to sit up, dear," she said kindly. "Doctor says you're to stay in bed another week." She placed a small bag of fruit by the table.
Each lady came by, offering kind words and checking on his health before quietly departing. Only Aunt Marley and Shirley remained.
Then came the interrogation.
With the patience of a hawk and the precision of a surgeon, Marley asked what happened after school, how he got involved with Scott, how close they were, what they talked about… The questions were endless. Advice followed. Then came a proper scolding.
Even Shirley started to look nervous as Marley's lecture stretched past thirty minutes.
At last, Marley left, the room blessedly silent once more.
"If she stayed ten more minutes, I swear my ears would've started bleeding," Raven muttered, forcing a grin.
Shirley chuckled, patting his head. "Don't take her too seriously. She may nag, but her heart's in the right place. She checked on you more than fifty times this week."
"I believe it," Raven murmured.
"Anyway, eat something." She walked off to the kitchen.
Later, Raven ate stew and bread before drifting back into sleep.
That night, he spent over an hour chatting with Athena, who visited after her rounds. They spoke about everything and nothing—just siblings, together.
The next few days passed in quiet recovery. With each morning, Raven grew stronger. Light exercises turned into full routines.
Two weeks later, he returned to the academy—older, quieter, and carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders.
But his eyes burned brighter than ever before.