In the slums of ward 6, deep in a smoky alley lit by flashing neon lights from nearby buildings, two teenage girls were being cornered. They had nowhere to run, trapped at the end of the alley by six street thugs closing in with cruel smiles.
One of the thugs, probably the leader, wore a bonnet and had gold chains hanging from his neck. He held a knife in one hand as a cigarette rested between his lips.
"Heh, no need to freak out, yeah? Just hand over the purses, and no one has to get hurt," he said, waving the knife lazily at them. Behind him, the other five laughed in amusement.
The girls couldn't respond. Fear was written all over their faces, their bodies shaking as they clung to each other.
The thug with the knife stepped in closer, grinning creepily as he reached out to grab their purses.
That's when a voice spoke up from behind.
"Excuse me… do you happen to know this person?"
A boy stood there, wearing a large white jacket and black jeans. His hair, dark and messy, came along with a tired looking face. His eyes were sad, but kind, it glowed emerald underneath the moonlight. In his hand, he held a small photo of a boy who looked just like him, only five or six years older.
The thugs all turned around in confusion.
"Huh?!" one of them blurted out. "Who is this skinny kid?"
The leader walked back toward the boy, pointing his knife at the boy's neck.
"You got a death wish or something? We're in the middle of business here."
The boy, looking skinny under the oversized jacket, glanced at the two terrified girls at the end of the alley. In an instant, he understood what was going on.
"So you guys are garbage," he said with a smile.
"Tch. You really are out of your mind," the leader shouted, clearly annoyed.
But before he could react, the boy grabbed his wrist and twisted it hard.
"Gah!" the thug screamed as the knife dropped from his hand with a clink on the concrete.
"Hey!" one of the thugs shouted, seeing their leader rolling on the ground in pain.
The rest didn't wait. One by one, they charged at the boy.
He calmly stepped back and reached for the long object wrapped in cloth tied on his back. With a quick pull, he removed the cover, revealing a sleek, black sheathed katana. The scabbard shimmered under the neon lights, reflecting the glow of the alley.
He didn't draw it.
Instead, he stood still, waiting for them to come.
The first thug threw a punch from the right. The boy ducked and swept his leg out in a slide kick, knocking the man off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground.
The second thug came in with the same move, just from the left. The boy dashed forward and slammed into his chest, knocking the second thug out cold and taking down the guy behind him in the process.
The last two thugs froze. Fear was written all over their faces.
One of them pulled out a knife, but his hands were shaking, almost like the girls still shaking in the corner, holding their purses.
The other one pulled out something more dangerous, a silver pistol, glowing faintly with violet sparks.
The boy gave a small, cold smile.
"Oh? Look at you two. Shaking just like the ones you were trying to scare. Not so fun now is it?" he said softly, then sprinted toward the one holding the knife.
The guy with the gun hesitated, he couldn't shoot without risking friendly fire.
The boy smacked the knife aside with the handle of his katana, disarming him in one hit. In a blink, he stepped behind the thug and struck the side of his neck with his hand.
The man dropped instantly, unconscious.
Now only the one with the gun was left, shaking worse than ever.
He pointed the weapon at the boy and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
At that moment, for the first time, the boy unsheathed his katana.
With a burst of speed, sparks of lightning crackled around his body.
He moved like a flash of light, and in a single strike, he sliced the bullet and the pistol clean in half.
The tip of his blade stopped, just a millimeter away from the thug's neck.
"A-a-an awakened one." The last thug muttered in fear.
"Grab your buddies and get out of here."
The thugs didn't argue. They scrambled to their feet, dragging their unconscious friends and shouting over their shoulders.
"We'll remember your face! You better watch your back!"
The boy turned to the two girls, his voice calm.
"You're safe n—"
But before he could finish, the girls turned down the alley, running away without even a word of thanks.
He watched them go, then let out a small, dry laugh.
"Well… can't really blame them."
The boy stared down at the worn photo in his hand, a picture of his older brother, his only family left in this world, smiling with a confident grin.
Where are you, Kade? Why did you leave me behind...?
It had been a year since his brother vanished without a word and left their hometown. Since then, he had been on the move, chasing rumors, dead ends, and traces across cities and regions, all in the hope of finding him. That search had finally led him here, to Aetherpolis. A city ruled by gangs, overflowing with chaos and violence.
And on his very first night in this lawless city, he'd already gotten into a fight.
Before his brother disappeared, he had trained him. Pushed him. Prepared him. And thanks to that, he had awakened his Drive Core, just barely, making him lose control sometimes. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't by any means stable, but it gave him strength.
And tonight, that strength had saved him again.
Up on the rooftop above the alley, a man stood watching the whole scene that just unfolded right in front of him.
His long blonde hair swayed in the cold night breeze. He wore a sleek black jacket with a white pair of wings printed across the back.
"That boy's Drive... I feel like I've seen it before. But it's kinda sloppy. I might be mistaken." he murmured to himself. "Well, you rarely find awakened ones with a good heart. Let's see if you're a good fit to join us."
Without hesitation, he leapt from the roof, four floors high and landed softly in front of the boy.
The boy stepped back in surprise, eyes narrowing as a figure dropped from the sky like a shadow. The man didn't face him right away.
"White wings" the boy thought, his eyes fixated on the symbol on the back of the man's jacket.
"So?" the man said casually, still facing away. "Mind sheathing that katana?"
"What if I don't?" the boy replied, grip tightening on the handle.
The man chuckled lightly. "Why wouldn't you? Can't you see the symbol on my back? Do you not know who we are?"
"Who wouldn't know you?" the boy said. "A notorious gang. The ones who rule the First Ward, the most desired territory in all of Aetherpolis. The ward closest to the core of the Ley Conflux. You're from ZEAL."
"Oh?" The man raised an eyebrow, smiling warmly. "So you do know us. That's great! But wait…'terrifying'? Us? Really?"
"What do you want from me?" the boy asked bluntly.
"Hm, good question," the man said, finally turning around with a soft smile. His face was handsome, his blue eyes sharp but comforting. "I want to invite you to join our gang."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then, I'll show you no mercy." the man said with a grin.
The boy smirked. "I'd like to see you try."
"Ooh, guts too! Alright then," the man said, clapping once. "Hit me with that flashy move you used earlier!"
The boy didn't hesitate. Lightning sparked around his body as he dashed forward, blade ready.
"Okay! You're gonna be my apprentice! That's final! I like you!"
With a fierce strike, the boy sliced clean through the man's body but the blade passed through mist.
"What—?!"
Before he could react, something struck the side of his neck from behind.
So this is what it feels like...
The boy lay on the cold pavement, the ache in his body finally catching up to him. His vision blurred, lights fading into darkness.
When was the last time I lost like this...? He tried to think.
It had to be a year ago. Yeah, it was when Kade knocked me out cold during training.
A faint, bitter smile formed at his lips.
I guess this is the end of the road for me.
His fingers loosened, the photo slipping slightly from his hand.
"I'm sorry… I couldn't find you, Kade" he whispered.
Then everything went black. For him at least.