Morning sunlight filled the small apartment.
Adrian and Riley sat at the table, eating breakfast while casually talking and laughing. The atmosphere felt peaceful—too peaceful.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Adrian stood up and walked toward the door, opening it without hesitation.
The moment he saw the man standing outside, his expression changed.
It was Chronos.
"Oh! You're from the alien mission, right?" Adrian said politely. "Nice to meet you, sir. Do you need anything?"
Chronos didn't respond.
Instead, he moved.
In an instant, his hand swung toward Adrian's shoulder in a sharp karate chop, aiming to knock him out immediately. But Adrian reacted faster than expected, stepping back and dodging the attack effortlessly. Chronos's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What do you think you're doing?" Adrian asked, his voice turning cold.
"I'm just following orders," Chronos replied calmly.
Before Adrian could react, Chronos grabbed him and threw him out onto the road with overwhelming force. Adrian rolled across the ground but quickly pushed himself up and rushed forward, throwing a punch with all his strength. Chronos caught it easily, twisted Adrian's arm, and broke the bone with a brutal snap.
Adrian screamed as pain shot through his body, but before he could recover, Chronos grabbed his hair and slammed him into a nearby wall. The impact was so violent that Adrian coughed out blood, his vision shaking.
"So, kid," Chronos said calmly, "I'd prefer not to hit you any further. So be a good boy and come with me."
"No!" Adrian shouted.
Chronos clicked his tongue slightly. "I can stop time for ten seconds, and even if I couldn't, you would still lose. Don't you understand? Why take unnecessary damage?"
"Go to hell," Adrian replied coldly.
Taking advantage of the brief moment when Chronos relaxed his guard, Adrian used Flash Step and tried to escape.
But the next moment—
Everything went dark.
Adrian opened his eyes.
He was in a dark room, tied to a chair. His body felt heavy, and his voice wouldn't come out. Chains restrained his arms and legs, preventing any movement.
Chronos stood in front of him, his expression emotionless.
"You might be confused," Chronos said quietly, stepping closer. "So let me explain."
"I stopped time, knocked you out, and brought you here. Soon, you'll become a cyborg with no free will. You'll fight for the hero organization like a weapon."
Chronos turned his back and walked toward the door.
"Enjoy the little life you have left before you become a cyborg."
The door closed.
Adrian was left alone in the darkness.
Chronos walked through the city and eventually sat down on a bench in a quiet park, letting the cool air brush against his face.
Moments later, someone sat beside him.
Chronos noticed immediately.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Cosmic looked at him with a disappointed expression.
"How long are you going to keep following that old man's orders?" Cosmic asked.
Chronos remained silent for a moment before replying, "As long as I can. If I disobey him, he'll kill my sister. She's my only family."
He clenched his fist slightly.
"And if I kill him, the entire hero headquarters will hunt me down, including the Lights of Justice. He's not just an old man—he controls the world."
Cosmic looked away for a second, then spoke again.
"That kid in the dark room… I'm going to save him. Even if I die."
Chronos turned toward him, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
"Why would you go that far for a random boy?" he asked.
Cosmic smiled faintly.
"It's not like I have a family. I have nothing to lose. And besides… he's my friend."
Chronos stayed silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Ask Anthony too. He'll help you," he said quietly. "I can't. If I move, my family will be in danger."
"Alright then, good bye" said Cosmic with a smile.
Meanwhile…
Adrian remained alone in the dark room for hours.
Time felt meaningless.
He couldn't see anything.He couldn't hear anything.He couldn't speak.
The silence was suffocating.
Just when his mind was about to break, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room.
Someone had entered.
A faint light turned on—dim, weak, barely enough to illuminate a single face.
Adrian's heart tightened.
White hair.Glasses.That calm, unreadable smile.
It was him.
The man who had once told him to continue as a hero.
The moment Adrian saw his face, an uneasy feeling crawled through his body. He didn't know whether this man was here to save him… or end him.
All he could do was hope.
The white-haired man smiled softly.
"We meet again."
His voice was gentle.
Too gentle.
"You might be wondering why I am here," he continued calmly. "Well, it's simple, really. I am the head scientist of the hero headquarters."
He took a slow step forward.
"And I am also the one in charge of turning people into war machines—beings that exist only to follow orders."
Adrian's eyes widened.
Realizing what was about to happen, he tried to scream, but no sound came out. He struggled violently, pulling against the ropes, trying to move even a single finger.
But nothing worked.
The ropes didn't loosen.His voice didn't return.His body didn't obey him.
The white-haired man watched quietly.
He looked… entertained.
"I forgot to introduce myself," the man said politely. "How rude of me."
He adjusted his glasses.
"My name is Lucius Falcon."
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"The good scientist."
Lucius slowly took out an injection from his coat. The transparent liquid inside reflected the dim light, making it look almost alive.
He stepped closer to Adrian.
Adrian's breathing grew heavier. His eyes shook violently as he tried once again to break free, but his body betrayed him.
Lucius raised the injection toward Adrian's arm.
His smile deepened.
"Goodbye."