Crimson Moon, 2:14 a.m. The estate slept under a hush of demonic wards—until the first scream.
Ravian jolted awake in his crib, three eyes snapping open like camera shutters. The nursery's obsidian walls rippled; the core ward rune flared crimson, then cracked—not from him this time.
Leech (hissing): "Intruders. Three heat signatures. Smells like barbecue."
From the shadows near the ceiling, three figures dropped—Phenex scouts, cloaked in phoenix-down stealth.
Leader: Tall, golden hair, smug grin. Riser's cousin, Luan Phenex.Flanker 1: Twin daggers, regeneration aura. Flanker 2: Fire-whip, eyes glowing like coals.
Their mission: kidnap the Gremory heir's mysterious brother—leverage for the Rating Game.
Luan (whispering): "Grab the freak. Riser wants it alive. Mostly."
They moved like ghosts. The core ward shattered under a phoenix flame sigil. Alarms should have blared. They didn't. Ravian's Erasure Eye had already nullified the sound spell hours ago.
Ravian's POV – 0.5 seconds of terror
He couldn't move. Infant muscles locked. But his left eye—the red one—locked onto Luan's face.
System Alert (flashing red):[Instinct Trigger: Erasure Activated][Target: Phenex Regeneration – PERMANENT DELETION]
A red beam—thin as a needle, silent as death—lanced from Ravian's eye. It pierced Luan's chest.
No blood. No scream. Just ash. Luan's body collapsed into gray dust, regeneration erased forever. The other two scouts froze.
Flanker 1 (horrified): "He—he deleted Luan's immortality!"
Ravian's Tenseigan flared next. A chakra repulsion waveslammed Flanker 2 into the wall. CRUNCH. Spine shattered. Still alive—for now.
Flanker 1 lunged, daggers aimed at the crib. Ravian's Kamui eye spun. The dagger phased through his tiny chest—into the pocket void. Then reappeared in Flanker 1's own throat.
Leech (awestruck): "Holy shit, kid. You just reflex-murdered three devils. With style."
Rias's Room – 10 meters away
Rias bolted upright in bed, Power of Destruction crackling around her fists. She'd felt the ward break. Barefoot, nightgown flapping, she sprinted to the nursery.
She arrived to carnage.
Luan's ash pile still smoldered. Flanker 2 writhed, spine a pretzel, whimpering. Flanker 1 gurgled on his own dagger, blood bubbling. Ravian sat in the crib, covered in ash, three eyes glowing like a demon god.
Rias (whispering, terrified): "Ravian… what did you do?"
Ravian's red eye pulsed again. Flanker 2's remaining regenerationvanished. He aged 50 years in 3 seconds—skin wrinkling, hair graying, then dust.
Rias screamed.
Venelana – 0.8 seconds later
The Brunette Ruin Princessteleported in a violet flash. Her gown shredded from the speed. She took in the scene:
Two piles of ash. One dying scout. Rias trembling. Ravian mute, ash on his scales, system panel flickering: text
[First Blood Achieved] [+500 EXP] [Level Up! → Level 3] [Skill Unlocked: Ten Shadows – Divine Dog (Weak)] [Title Gained: Infant Reaper]
Venelana's Power of Destructioncondensed into a violet sphere the size of a marble. She crushed the last scout's head—clean, silent.
Venelana (cold): "Rias. Bed. Now."
Rias obeyed, tears streaming. Venelana knelt, scooping Ravian into her arms. His scales were warm. His red eye dimmed—exhausted.
Venelana (softly, to Ravian): "You protected your sister. Good boy."
She kissed his forehead. The system pinged:
text
[Hidden Bond Progress: +20%] [Venelana Affection: Locked → Curious]
Cleanup – 3 minutes later
Grayfia Lucifuge arrived, silver hair in a bun, maid outfit immaculate despite the hour. She snapped. Ash vanished. Blood evaporated. The crib repaired itself.
Grayfia (deadpan): "Lord Zeoticus will be displeased. Phenex will demand reparations."
Venelana rocked Ravian, violet eyes glinting.
Venelana: "Let them. We'll say rogue yokai. The child was never here."
She glanced at Ravian's third eye—the Tenseigan, now glowing faintly.
Venelana (whispering): "You're a weapon, little star. And weapons need sharpening."
System Summary – Ravian's Mind
text
[Status] Level: 3 EXP: 550/1000 HP: 50/50 (Infant) Chakra: 15/100 Cursed Energy: 20/100 [Skills] • Erasure Eye (Lv.1) – 1 target/day • Tenseigan (Lv.1) – Repulsion Wave (Weak) • Kamui (Lv.1) – 5-second phase, 1 use/day • Wood Style (Seedling) – 1 sprout/day • Ten Shadows – Divine Dog (Summon: 1 weak shikigami, 10 min duration) [Items] • Chain of a Thousand Miles (1 meter) • Gryphon (dull, infant grip) • Magma Grimoire (1 weak lava pebble/day) [Devil Fruits] • Moa Moa (Locked – Lvl 20) • Mochi Mochi (Locked – Lvl 20) [Title: Infant Reaper] +10% damage to immortals
Leech (proud): "Three kills, zero words. You're a legend, boss."
Epilogue – Phenex Mansion
Riser Phenex slammed a fist into a marble table. Luan's soul gem—cracked.
Riser (snarling): "The Gremory brat did this. I'll burn their estate to cinders."
His father, Lord Phenex, sipped wine.
Lord Phenex: "Patience. The Rating Game is in 72 hours. We'll expose the child. Then we take it."
Ravian – Asleep
In his crib, Divine Dog flickered into existence—a puppy made of shadow and fangs. It curled around him, growling softly.
Leech (whispering): "Night, killer. Dream of blood and crimson hair."
The system pinged one last time:
text
[New Quest: Survive the Rating Game] [Objective: Do not die. Do not reveal full power.] [Reward: Unlock King Crimson (1-second skip)] [Failure: Execution by Phenex Flames]
Ravian's claws twitched in his sleep. The Gremory estate slept—for now.