"Slash… Draw," he whispered.
It baffled him how he'd managed to cross paths with a powerful hero like her three times in less than a month.
She tilted her head slightly.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
A strange thing to ask, considering she had her sword pointed directly at his throat.
"Yeah," he replied, chuckling under his breath. "The situation was pretty similar then, too."
His lively tone clashed with her monotone, almost mechanical voice.
It's so strange… seeing her like this again.
The first time they met, she'd been like an emotionless machine, focused solely on her objective: taking down Markus.
The second time, she'd shown emotion, even joked around a little.
And now? She was back to being a robot.
Nicholas's gaze drifted past her.
Huh… Guess that's another way to tell monsters and mutants apart.
Jeremy's body hadn't turned to dust. Instead, it just lay there, rotting, emitting the foul stench of decay already.
Her expression shifted slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Do you remember what I asked you back then?"
"To die by your hand, or struggle to survive," Nicholas said, tilting his head. "What an absurd thing to ask, by the way." He could not help but offer his view on the question.
"And you survived. Congratulations." Her expression flattened again. "And you… merely asked me for the time, back then."
Nicholas narrowed his eyes. "So what now? You gonna kill me? Why didn't you do it last time?"
"I will if you resist."
She ignored his question completely.
Nicholas grinned under his mask, half to steady his nerves, half to mock the tension. "Sorry, but I don't plan on being taken in!"
He willed flames to burst from his mask, forcing the hero to step back from the sudden flare as he scrambled away to gain distance.
"And now for a magic trick." The flames vanished. Then dark fog began pouring from his hands. "Now you see me-" the mist swallowed him whole, "-now you don't–WOAH!"
He didn't even get to finish the line before a turquoise flash tore through the fog.
A glowing fist slammed into his gut.
He was sent flying, straight up through the gymnasium ceiling.
As gravity reclaimed him, he barely managed to grab the edge of the roof, catching himself before he could fall back through the hole.
Dragging himself up, he collapsed onto the rooftop, gasping for breath.
She just punched me… upward. Ow-
He clutched his stomach, groaning. "No, seriously. What the hell is her power? Because this is just too much."
Said the guy with an absurdly versatile ability.
He barely had time to catch his breath before Slash Draw leapt up through the hole and landed beside him.
A blade swung toward his neck; he had a fraction of a second to react.
Clang!
Once more, his body proved to be incredibly capable. A sword formed in his hand before he even thought of it. He only willed his hand to move and block the blade in time.
Black clashed against jade.
"A sword made out of thin air, darker than the night itself…" Slash Draw murmured, as if reminiscing.
She wasn't struggling in the slightest, holding her weapon with one hand. Nicholas, meanwhile, needed both to keep her blade at bay, and even then, she was pushing him back.
He changed tactics.
The sword dissolved and reformed into a shield, letting him push with greater force and roll away from her strike.
Slash Draw's eyes followed every motion with unnerving precision.
Nicholas hurled the shield at her. She countered effortlessly, smacking it aside with her scabbard like it was a baseball.
In the next instant, he was on her. His hands now encased in gauntlets, he grabbed for her blade, intending to punch with his free hand.
Slash Draw saw through it. Her knee snapped up, slamming into his chin.
"Gah—!"
Before he could recover, her scabbard cracked against the side of his head, sending him tumbling across the floor.
'Okay… that didn't work out.'
He looked up at her. She simply stood there, waiting—like a teacher daring her student to try again.
Figuring he was out of options, he sighed.
"I know this is gonna sound pretty ironic, coming from the guy who technically attacked first—but maybe, just maybe, we can talk it out?"
Her expression didn't change.
"Sword."
"Huh?"
She pointed the tip of her blade toward his arms, the ones protected by his gauntlets.
Now her intention was clear.
She wanted him to make a sword and fight with it.
For what purpose, he could not say.
Humiliate him?
He was aware that even calling his skills with the sword amateurish at best would have been an insult to amateurs everywhere.
Taking a steady breath, he dismissed the gauntlets and formed a sleek, straight sword.
He met her gaze, his eyes burning despite the coldness in his stare.
Her head tilted slightly, as if acknowledging his resolve.
He pointed his blade at her and shouted. "En garde!"
He charged forward, lunging. Slash Draw sidestepped with ease and pushed his blade aside with one hand, opening him up to a counter. Her elbow slammed into his mask, snapping his head back.
The impact sent vibrations through his skull, but the mask had spared him from having his face rearranged. Recovering quickly, he swept his leg toward hers—yet she hopped back lightly, as though she'd seen it coming before he'd even moved.
Nicholas swung from the side. Slash Draw deflected the attack, making his blade rebound off hers.
He tried again, slashing low this time, but she stepped past him in one smooth motion.
"Terrible stance," she commented, not even winded.
She moved with an effortless rhythm—measured, precise, almost graceful—while Nicholas's swings came fast and uneven, driven by desperation rather than form.
For twenty seconds, they exchanged blows in a blur of black and jade.
Then, their blades locked. Nicholas pushed hard, muscles trembling, sweat dripping into his mask. Slash Draw tilted her sword slightly, shifting her weight just enough to unbalance him. His stance broke apart, and he stumbled, barely catching himself.
He raised his sword again despite the tremor in his hands. His chest heaved. She stood several paces away, calm as ever, her breathing even, her eyes glimmering faintly in the dark.
'Damn… Damn it.'
He wasn't making any progress. As things stood, he couldn't win—he couldn't even escape.
Was there anything he could do?
He was on the verge of giving up when her voice cut through the silence.
"This is the will that allowed you to survive?"
He froze.
What did she mean by that?
He looked at her, waiting to follow up on it.
"Your stance is wrong," she continued.
"Your control over your own body is poor.
Your strength is inconsistent, along with your focus.
Your instinct is decent, yet you underutilize it.
Your power… the vastness of it mimics the oceans and the endless possibilities you may find within them. You are alone on that vast ocean, with a boat you do not know how to steer. Within that vast ocean of darkness, there is a lighthouse to guide you. You will never reach it."
She lowered her blade slightly.
"If this is truly your best, I can't imagine how you've survived. The only explanation is…"
She paused.
"Luck."
Crack!
Nicholas dug his fingers into the roof, fractures forming all around.
She'd gone too far.
He had fought a technological marvel, a monstrosity he refused to recall, a demon known for slaughtering both heroes and villains alike. He had endured trials that should have killed him, bled for every inch of progress, and clawed his way out of despair time and time again.
Was luck involved? Maybe.
But to say it was only luck?
Everything he'd been through in these past four weeks, ever since he'd gained this so-called "vast" power, she thought it all came down to chance?
No.
He refused to believe it was luck.
Because–
"Lady," Nicholas growled, his voice low, steady. "I haven't had a single lucky day in my life."
Perhaps he was exaggerating.
But at the moment, he did not care.
He adjusted his stance. This time, it wasn't the same. Slash Draw's eyes widened, just slightly, but it was enough.
His eyes burned with dark determination.
He no longer bothered trying to fight or think like Nicholas Darklight.
Instead, he would fight as the Unknown.
He would use everything at his disposal to win.
Even if that meant he had to tap into the unknown force that lurked behind his darkness.
Slash Draw noted the change in his demeanor and the faint wisps of black smoke curling around his body.
He changed from human to something else…
The best word to describe it would be–
"A shadow."
…
The rhythmic clicking of a keyboard echoed through a dimly lit office. A man sat hunched over his monitor, fingers flying across the keys with the kind of grace only years of repetition could bring.
In the case of Niko Darklight, those years added up to more than thirty.
Three decades of sitting before a glowing screen, tap-tapping away through countless late nights.
He paused, took a slow breath, and held his head in both hands.
"Another failure…" he muttered, exhaling frustration as he hung his head low.
His tongue brushed against dry lips.
"I need a break."
Pushing his chair back, he slipped on his coat and stepped out of his office.
It wasn't a large room, just a desk with a massive computer, a coffee table, a small closet, and an old couch, but it was home to a chaos of its own making. Papers were scattered everywhere: reports, data logs, printed emails, and even a few newspapers taped to the walls.
He let out a quiet chuckle as he looked around.
"Nicholas would've thrown a fit if he saw this place. Evan would probably try to make some origami. The keyword being try."
Thinking of his sons drew a small, genuine smile to his lips. He locked the door behind him and pocketed the key.
The hallway outside greeted him with its usual dim, lifeless glow. The white paint had long since decayed into a dreary, grey.
Beyond it lay the main floor, a sprawling space filled with cubicles and workers, each separated by thin walls that barely offered privacy.
It was obvious that the eldest Darklight had a better setup than most.
He scoffed. Not at the workers but himself.
Right now, he only wanted to get some coffee; he would prefer not to get involved with anyone.
He made the long walk to the other side of the floor, where the coffee machine stood in a lonely stretch of hallway. He knew why it had been placed so inconveniently far away; that prick had done it on purpose. Still, he didn't mind. The walk gave him an excuse to stretch his legs.
Standing before the machine, he slipped a few bills inside, silently debating what kind of coffee to get.
That's when a voice broke his thoughts.
"Isn't it a bit late for coffee, Niko?"
Benjamin Khybernus stood there, wearing his usual mask of charm and mockery.
Niko didn't miss a beat. "It is—for those who plan on sleeping." He mirrored the man's smile with one of his own.
"It's not good for your health," Khybernus said smoothly. "Though you don't need me to tell you that."
"You say that and yet you're here because..?" He purposely dragged on his last word, waiting for Khybernus to answer.
Khybernus's smile changed to a more genuine one.
"Coffee."
Niko chuckled. "Heh. Knew it."
The atmosphere was lighthearted. Not a shred of the malice that had occurred just yesterday at the Darklight household.
He pressed the button for his usual choice: black coffee, no sugar.
"Are your boys… alright?" Khybernus asked suddenly, his smile fading.
"They should be. Nicholas should be at school—they're having a dance. I wonder if he's got a dance partner." Niko chuckled softly.
He tried to sound casual, but deep down, a quiet fear tugged at him. With how much time he spent away from home, he sometimes worried that one day he'd come back and not recognize his own sons.
Still… this was something that needed to be done.
"Mhm." Was the only response Khybernus gave.
They stood in silence, the low hum of the machine filling the air as it poured the dark liquid into the plastic cup.
Once done, Niko took his coffee and stepped aside, letting Khybernus move forward.
Khybernus slipped in a few bills and made his selection, coffee with milk.
Niko raised a brow. "Aren't you lactose intolerant?"
"Hah." Khybernus gave a dry, mock laugh. "As if that would stop me from enjoying a good drink."
Niko chuckled. "If you say so."
"It used to be your favorite, no?" Khybernus asked quietly, eyes fixed on the stream of coffee filling his cup. His gaze seemed distant, like he was looking far beyond what was in front of him.
Niko paused for a second. The silence stretched.
"Yours was just black coffee. Funny how things have turned out."
Khybernus rolled his eyes. "Yes, hilarious. One might even say we swapped places…"
They stood in silence again, both sipping from their cups.
"The world is changing again, Niko," Khybernus said at last, his tone lowering, weight returning to his words.
Niko did not respond.
"Humanity isn't ready for what's coming."
Niko did not respond.
"Say something, damn you."
Niko sighed. "What do you want from me, Ben?"
"..."
"I know. I know it all," Niko said before he could speak again.
"And yet still, you won't stand with me?"
"Your 'way' has to do with that place. Nothing good will ever come from that place, not for humans or the world."
"Humans aren't ready for what's coming. That's why we must become something greater–"
"Stop. Just stop." Niko's voice carried exhaustion, the kind that came from repeating the same argument too many times.
"A change is coming, Niko. If we don't change, we will be swallowed by it." Khybernus said, trying to reach him.
"We shouldn't be the ones to make that decision."
"Then who will?!"
Silence fell again, sharp and heavy.
"Your way is not the right way."
"Then show me a better one," Khybernus pleaded.
"...I can't do that."
"No. You won't," Khybernus said, certainty replacing the pleading tone.
"I know you've seen things, Ben. Unspeakable things in that place. That is precisely why nothing good can come out of it."
"You haven't seen what I've seen."
"I've seen even more–"
A sudden ringtone cut through the air.
Khybernus clenched his jaw and pulled out his phone. "Of all the times… What is it? I'm busy." His irritation was clear.
Niko rubbed his temples, weary of the interruption.
"What… you. Alright." Khybernus hung up the phone and looked towards Niko.
Niko raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"It's… You said Nicholas was at school?"
Niko didn't like where this was going. "Yes?"
"Apparently… there's been an incident. In the school, and an explosion in the area."
"What..?" Niko's voice trembled.
"Go." All the earlier hostility was gone, replaced by something genuine—a friend's concern.
Once he was gone, Khybernus exhaled heavily.
"Another facility has been discovered, then?" he murmured.
He raised his wrist and tapped the side of his watch. A holographic display appeared before him, glowing a pale blue.
He navigated through the files until he found what he needed.
"Self-destruct," he whispered.
Then, looking at the two cups, he poured Niko's half-empty black coffee into his own.
"Best not to waste good coffee."
…
"You do not fight like a human," she said quietly, her blade glinting under the moonlight. "But like a shadow."
Slash Draw blocked the strike, her brows furrowing. She was far more focused now, no longer the composed observer from before.
"Tell me," she continued, circling him. "Whose shadow do you mimic?"
Unknown said nothing and lunged forward, his movements sharp and deliberate.
"This form…" she mused as their blades clashed again, "it is a blend of my own and another's."
Unknown hurled a ball of fire. She deflected it effortlessly with her jade blade.
"I see," she said, lowering her weapon slightly. "So that is how you've survived, little shadow. You've adapted to my defensive style remarkably fast. That is your gift." Her lips curved into the faintest smile.
She relaxed her stance, and he mirrored her.
"Yeah, I've had people call me a roach that will never go away."
"How curious." Her glowing eyes met his, unblinking. "Tell me. Why vigilantism? Why not become a hero? You've helped many already."
"I have my reasons," he replied cautiously.
"I'm sure you do. That's why I'm asking." Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, a silent warning that her patience had limits.
"I don't trust heroes. Is that good enough?"
She shook her head. "That does not explain why you help others. Why do you do it?"
"For the sake of helping?"
"Do not give me an answer you don't believe in."
Nicholas fell silent. What was she trying to get out of him?
"I don't do it for fame or fortune, if that's what you're asking."
"Obviously not," she said. "Otherwise, you would have become a hero already."
He sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I just… can't look away."
"You can't look away?" she echoed.
"I-I don't care about myself."
He wanted to say more, but the wail of police sirens cut through the air. Three minutes had passed since the mutant's crash into the gymnasium.
"I want to change." The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Slash Draw regarded him for a long moment before nodding once. "Very well. Leave. I will find you later and draw out the full response from you."
And then she was gone with the wind, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
"I don't care about myself… huh."