Two days later, Ren was physically healthy again, but a strange, hollow feeling lingered in his chest. Every time he thought of Haru, his mind flashed back to that rooftop. He couldn't stop wondering: How did I do it? How did I crawl inside that killer's head and force him to end his own life?
As Ren was exiting the hospital, he spotted a guard at the gate. He tried to focus, attempting to slip into the guard's mind, but he hit a wall. Nothing happened. Was it just my imagination? Ren wondered, frustrated. No, I felt it. I was inside that murderer's head.
Feeling the double weight of losing his best friend and his mysterious power, Ren walked aimlessly. Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. A thief dashed past him, clutching a woman's handbag. "Help! Someone help! He snatched my bag!" the lady shouted.
Ren's gaze locked onto the fleeing thief. He didn't run; he concentrated. Try. Just try! If I did it once, I can do it again. Work, damn it!
Suddenly, the world blurred. Ren felt his consciousness being pulled out of his own body and slammed into the thief's mind. For a split second, he was the thief. He forced the man's legs to lock up. The thief stumbled and collapsed. Ren's soul snapped back into his own body.
"HUH..." Ren gasped, clutching his chest. "It worked. It's not an imagination." The police arrived quickly and apprehended the struggling thief. Ren watched from a distance, a dark realization dawning on him. He began to understand the "game" of this power.
Two months passed. Ren had spent every waking hour practicing, becoming a master of his mental intrusion technique.
One evening, he entered a small convenience shop to buy some snacks. It was only after the shopkeeper had bagged the items that Ren realized he had left his wallet at home. "Pay up, kid. I don't have all day," the shopkeeper growled.
Ren sighed and decided to use his "shortcut." He focused his mind, aiming for the shopkeeper's consciousness, but suddenly—he hit a barrier. A physical, mental wall blocked him.
"Oye, oye..." The shopkeeper's voice changed. It wasn't the voice of a regular clerk anymore. "Who would have thought a brat like you would possess a power like this?"
Ren's started running. He didn't wait to find out more; he bolted out of the shop. The shopkeeper was surprisingly fast, trailing right behind him. "Stop, you brat! Listen to me! I have a deal for you!" the man shouted. "No thanks! I'm busy, let me go!" Ren yelled back, sprinting through the narrow alleys.
After a long chase, Ren found himself trapped in a dead-end, silent street. The shopkeeper stood at the entrance, blocking his only exit. "Tell me, little brat... who gave you this power?" the man asked, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous.
"First, stop calling me a brat," Ren said, trying to keep his voice steady. "My name is Ren. Ren Twister."
"Whatever your name is," the shopkeeper stepped closer, his aura suffocating. "I want a long chit-chat with you. Come with me peacefully... or meet your fate right here."
[TO BE CONTINUED...]