The morning sun filtered through the aged facades of the buildings, reflecting off digital billboards and commercial signs flickering with intermittent light.
They were in the heart of Kalyven — at the intersection of two urban arteries: one dormant, marked by closed shops, abandoned stalls, and makeshift camps for homeless blind people; the other still pulsing with life, filled with street vendors and small clothing and souvenir shops selling traditional goods from the state of LusoCriz.
Surveillance drones hovered slowly overhead while small personal electric vehicles glided through the streets. It was a dirty, worn-down intersection… yet full of movement. Metallic noises, hurried footsteps, and scattered conversations filled the air.
Byeol was sprinting at full speed, trying to shake off the dobermann chasing them.
His black shirt clung to his body with sweat as his eyes scanned the environment — instinctively calculating every route, every exit, every possible escape.
And then — the moment he abruptly stepped out from the street he was in — everything happened.
An impact.
He collided violently with someone coming from the opposite direction. His body staggered back two steps in surprise. Then stopped.
Standing before him was a young woman. Around his age… maybe.
Firm posture. Immediate presence. Orange-red hair tied into a ponytail, partially hidden beneath a cap. She wore loose orange-toned sportswear that contrasted with the tight black top underneath, undeniably eye-catching for someone their age.
But that wasn't what held him.
It was her eyes. Amber… with honey-colored reflections. There wasn't the slightest hesitation in that gaze, and that caught his attention more than any words could. Then came her lips, full and dangerously tempting. Finally, the freckles. Her warm bronze skin tone, almost magnetic. Everything about her felt… dangerous. And beautiful. A feline kind of beauty — the kind that doesn't seduce, but captures.
Byeol felt something he had never felt before. It wasn't fear. But it wasn't something he knew how to name either.
The world slowed down. Without warning. Time kept moving — but he… didn't.
He became trapped in that instant, as though his mind had been torn away from reality.
A void. A limbo. For a moment… he even forgot what was chasing him. And he couldn't react. A strange coldness formed in his stomach until…
"So! You're not even going to apologize? Seriously?" she snapped in a sharp yet firm tone.
Her voice brought him back. Byeol blinked, forcing himself to regain composure.
"Apologize for what? We both ran into each other," he replied dryly, refusing to back down.
She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. A sarcastic smile spread across her face.
"What a spineless guy… turns out you're just a kid."
His blood boiled instantly.
"Oh, I'm a kid? Funny… because you sound like a seven-year-old girl."
She let out a short, cold laugh.
"Momma's boy… go ahead and cry."
Byeol's eyes widened with fury. "Take that back… RIGHT NOW!"
"BYEOL!" Haneul shouted. "We don't have time for this! Get yourself together!"
But it was already too late. Time had run out. Three soldiers came rushing toward them.
"Nuri! Surrender immediately… or this will get worse for you!"
Without thinking twice, all three of them started running in the same direction.
Side by side. Like lovers running from danger. As if any of this made sense.
"What the hell… why are you running with us?" Byeol shot back without slowing down.
"I should be asking you that! Why are you running from Solstium soldiers?" Nuri replied at the same pace.
"Both of you, enough!" Haneul interrupted firmly.
"We've got enemies in common… and the situation is only getting worse." His voice of experience cut through the chaos.
Without another word, they sped down the street. And as they turned the corner, they reached Damascar Avenue.
Cars rushed through both lanes, slicing across the avenue in a continuous stream. Between the speeding vehicles, something began to stand out from the other side of the street…
First — a glimpse. Then — a silhouette. And with every passing car, it became clearer.
They had been found. Mikena's dobermann was there. And it wasn't alone.
Drones descended over the avenue, positioning themselves in the air to halt traffic and trigger alarms. People immediately backed away. Pure instinct. That place… was no longer safe.
Byeol, Haneul, and Nuri were surrounded once again.
Ahead of them — the dobermann. Behind them — the soldiers pursuing Nuri. But that wasn't all. There was more.
Beneath the blazing sun, three new presences advanced slowly — heavy, dominant — as though danger itself radiated from them.
The tension rose. The air grew dense.
At the top of an electrical pole, a woman appeared. She walked across the cables with impossible lightness, like a circus acrobat — every step balanced, precise, far too natural for an ordinary human being. She had an athletic body built for movement and a rebellious style impossible to ignore.
Green hair. Golden earrings swaying with the wind. Minimal armor… tight and provocative.
But it was her eyes that revealed everything. Alive. Electric. She wasn't merely ready to fight. She was excited for it.
Below her — the ground itself seemed to shrink. A man advanced. No… a colossus. Two meters of pure weight and presence. His torso was exposed, covered in scars. Muscles tightened with every step as he rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms… like a predator warming up before the hunt.
On the opposite side — a third figure. Motionless. Silent. A man clad in soldier armor with a hood concealing his face… but not his Iluminence. It radiated from him. Heavy. Cold. Even from afar, his presence could be felt. An aura followed him, along with a medium-range sword. A thick liquid dripped from its blade. Drop by drop. Every drop that touched the ground… corroded the asphalt.
Faced with such a scene… there was no alternative.
"Nuri! Can you fight?" Haneul asked firmly.
"I can. Count on me."
Haneul nodded quickly, assessing her with a brief glance.
"No offense… but we still don't know your strength. So here's the plan:"
He pointed ahead, organizing chaos into strategy.
"Nuri, take on the soldiers. If you were running from them, then at the very least you can keep them occupied."
"Byeol… you're going against the hooded Visionary. But don't forget about the dobermann." He inhaled sharply.
"I'll handle—" He never got to finish. The air tore apart. The giant Visionary launched himself upward, soaring high above them. His body cast an overwhelming shadow. Arms pulled far back. Muscles tense. Momentum gathered.
And then — the descent. Direct. Brutal.
The impact was meant to destroy all three of them.
"NURI, BYEOL!!" Haneul reacted at the last possible second.
His eyes shone. For the first time, it became clear. The origin. The method. The reason he always seemed to have the right object… at the right moment.
His Vision activated. Dimensional Vision. A portal opened before him — small, unstable, but enough. Without hesitation, he plunged his hand into the void and pulled something out from within.
A shield.
"Expansion!"
In an instant, the shield enlarged. Forged metal, solid and heavy — wrapped in an intense green aura. At its center, an Iluminence stone glowed like a beating heart. And then — the impact.
The giant crashed directly against the shield. The collision echoed throughout the avenue. The ground shook. The air vibrated.
Byeol dodged instinctively, throwing himself sideways and rolling across the asphalt. The moment he hit the ground — he was already moving. No hesitation.
"First… I'm going to tear that mutt apart."
His eyes activated. Portals opened.
In an instant — he vanished. And reappeared beside the dobermann.
His hand shot toward the beast's neck, gripping it tightly and lifting it into the air. The dog whimpered and thrashed desperately, struggling to break free, but it had no time.
Crack.
Its neck gave way. Severed. The body dropped heavily to the ground.
Byeol let the animal's head fall without expression. His eyes shifted sideways toward the hooded soldier. Then he started running toward him.
This time — without haste. He wanted to evaluate him… measure his power. Understand the level of his opponent.
On the other side — Nuri was getting back up. The giant's impact still echoed through her body, but her gaze… remained intact.
In front of her stood three soldiers. Ready. Lined up. Waiting.
She smiled. "I'll show you…" she murmured softly.
"If I were that weak… I wouldn't still be alive." A light laugh escaped her lips.
She took her stance. And charged forward. Fast. Light. Unpredictable. Despite the size difference, she moved between them as though the space itself belonged to her. Spinning, dodging, slipping past attacks with unsettling ease.
Every movement — fluid. Precise. Almost… choreographed. Blow after blow, she struck them one by one, as though dancing in the middle of combat.
And for brief moments — it looked like she was enjoying herself.
After taking several hits, the soldiers began showing severe burns across their bodies, along with scorch marks spreading over their armor. Their movements grew heavier… slower. They could no longer attack as frequently.
At the center of the impact zone, Haneul remained firm. The shield had absorbed most of the giant's force, but the impact still vibrated through his arms and echoed throughout his body.
Even so — he did not step back. It was time to retaliate.
Chaos fully erupted. Dust rose into the air, sparks cut through the atmosphere, and screams echoed between the buildings. The crowd retreated, vanishing through side streets or taking shelter behind nearby structures.
The street was no longer a passageway. It had become a battlefield. And in the middle of it all — the city watched in silence as unexpected forces collided in the heart of Upper District.