Thornsveil Manor
The roar of an SUV engine tore through the dark, winding cliffside road. Darius gripped the steering wheel tightly, his focus unshaken. Every so often, his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, checking on Nadia, still unconscious in the back seat.
The car picked up speed as the cliffs gave way to towering rows of pine trees.
'Just a little more…' Darius exhaled in relief when his gaze caught sight of a group of guards in black uniforms standing watch before a grand estate.
The SUV rolled past the stone gate, overgrown with wild rosebushes. Beyond it loomed a lavish manor, with three branching drives leading to private pavilions. To the right stretched a wide helipad—clear proof only the powerful could live here.
Brum! Screech!
The tires gave a sharp squeal when one of the six guards stepped in front of the vehicle. Darius didn't kill the engine. He simply waited.
Tok!
He lowered the window when a guard tapped on the glass.
"Darius, what business brings you here?" the bodyguard asked, wary.
"I must see Elder Lisa. Right now," Darius replied firmly.
"But—"
The back window slid down. From there, the guards could see Nadia slumped unconscious, her face battered and bruised.
"She is the Atmadja family's daughter-in-law. The future wife of Master Angkasa," Darius said coldly, his voice sharp as steel.
Shock rippled through the guards. Without another word, they stepped aside, clearing the way.
Click!
Darius climbed out of the SUV and opened the back door. Carefully, he lifted Nadia's frail body, carrying her in his arms bridal-style.
Meanwhile, one of the guards hurried into the manor to report.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Darius's footsteps echoed against the white marble floor—steady, unyielding. From the stairway came another set of footsteps, quicker, more urgent.
"Darius…"
The raspy voice belonged to Elder Lisa. Her eyes widened the instant she saw Nadia's condition. The girl's face was bruised beyond recognition, and rage flared across the features of the seventy-year-old woman. Despite her age, almost no wrinkles marked the sharp beauty of her Asian-American heritage.
Her gaze bore into Darius, demanding answers without a word.
"There was an attack at Eve. Miss Nadia was caught in it. Her left leg was struck by a masked bandit's bat," Darius explained, his tone calm but edged with strain.
Elder Lisa's jaw tightened, fury burning in her eyes.
"Follow me," she snapped, her voice clipped and cold, before turning sharply on her heel. Darius followed close behind.
----
Two hours later…
In a lavish room bathed in warm wood tones, a modern fireplace crackled softly not far from the bed where Nadia lay. Elder Lisa sat on a plush sofa facing the fire, while Darius stood tall nearby.
"The injury to her leg isn't too serious. She'll need about a week to recover, then shewill be able to walk normally again," Elder Lisa said at last, drawing in a long breath from her cigar.
Darius let out a quiet sigh ofrelief. If he'd been even a little later, Nadia's life might have slipped away—and the Master would've strung him up alive.
"The Scott brothers," Elder Lisa murmured, her voice like ice. "Day by day, their chaos only grows, doesn't it?"
Her words cut through Darius's thoughts. He cleared his throat softly and nodded.
"Indeed, Elder. This time they stirred up trouble in the heart of Eve. Many buildings were set ablaze… and Miss Nadia fought them off alone."
Elder Lisa's eyes widened in shock. The cigar between her fingers smoldered, forgotten.
"You mean to say that girl fought those bandits on her own—with her bare hands?!" Her tone was sharp, almost disbelieving.
"Yes, Elder."
Silence settled for a moment. Elder Lisa shook her head slowly, torn between disbelief and awe.
"She truly carries Aruna's blood…" she said, her voice cutting, eyes glinting.
Rustle!
"A-Angkasa… uh… I… I…"
The faint whisper made both of them snap their heads toward the bed. Nadia stirred, struggling to sit up despite the bruises covering her body.
"Hey, easy now. Stay lying down… your body is still covered in wounds," Elder Lisa quickly pressed a steadying hand on the girl's shoulder.
Nadia shook her head faintly, her skull heavy, until she sank back against the pillow. After a moment to gather herself, her eyes slowly opened wider, focusing on the two figures before her.
"Darius…?" Her voice was faint as she turned slightly toward the man standing behind Elder Lisa. Darius only responded with a courteous nod.
Elder Lisa cleared her throat softly, drawing Nadia's attention back to her.
"Err… wh-where am I?" Nadia whispered, unease creeping in as the Elder's unreadable gaze bore into her.
"You are within our territory, young lady. We've met before at the Atmadja mansion, remember?" Elder Lisa replied calmly.
Nadia blinked, trying to recall. A moment later, she gave a small nod.
"Thank you… for saving me."
"There's no need to thank me. I am one of the Atmadja Elders aligned with Adrian. You may call me Lisa. And don't forget Darius—he's the one who brought you here," she said, brushing Nadia's shoulder gently, her touch carrying quiet reassurance.
Her words jolted Nadia's memory. Images of the chaos in Eve surged back at once.
"H-how is it there? I-I mean… those bandits… are they still wreaking havoc? Are they—" Her voice shook, the question breaking off under the weight of fear.
Without hesitation, Elder Lisa sat beside the bed and pulled Nadia into her arms. A firm yet nurturing warmth radiated from her embrace.
"Sshh… it's alright. You're safe here. Everything has been handled by Darius's men," she whispered soothingly.
Nadia closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her trembling. When she looked again, her gaze locked onto Darius.
"Darius, I need to see Angkasa! Do you know where he is?" she demanded.
But before Darius could open his mouth, Elder Lisa cut in, her eyes sharp.
"You've been muttering Angkasa's name nonstop. What is it, hm?" she asked, her tone probing. From Darius's earlier account, Nadia had even spoken the name before passing out.
Nadia fell silent, her mind heavy with indecision. Elder Lisa's piercing stare made her hesitate, weighing whether to reveal the truth or keep it to herself. Could she trust this woman?
Lisa caught the flicker of doubt. Drawing in a slow breath, she clasped both of Nadia's hands warmly.
"Nadia, I stand with the Atmadjas—especially Adrian. If what you know concerns their safety, then speak. But if you're still uncertain, I won't force you. All we want is to make sure you remain safe," she said gently, like a mother trying to calm a frightened child.
Her words stirred something deep within Nadia's chest. Ever since losing all memory of her family, she had ached for the tender embrace of a mother's love.
Slowly, she reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a small black flash drive, holding it out to Lisa.
"They've already uncovered Banyu's identity. Tomorrow they're planning to sabotage the event and wipe him out. I—I did replace all the data in the system… but I can't be sure everything's safe. I have to warn Angkasa, so he can protect Banyu," she said firmly.
Though cold sweat still dripped down her temples from the tension and danger she had faced, Nadia's eyes burned steady, unflinching.
Lisa froze at the revelation, stunned by the young woman's resolve to take such a reckless risk.
"How could you possibly know the identity you found really belongs to Banyu? He's been undercover inside Dante's government for years, and not once has his data ever leaked," she asked sharply, accepting the flash drive from Nadia's hand.
Nadia swallowed hard before answering with raw honesty.
"My boss, Mr. Macron, asked me to run a financial audit in the company system because his assistant was unavailable. While I was checking the files, a strange message suddenly popped up on my screen. Even when I tried to exit, it stayed there. Finally, I opened it… and was shocked by what I saw. Without a second thought, I copied all the information about Banyu onto my flash drive, then replaced the original files in the system."
Lisa and Darius exchanged a quick glance, both quietly taken aback. Nadia's boldness was beyond anything they expected. Reckless, yes—but without question, the right move.
Lisa looked back at Darius, and in silence they shared a brief nod—a wordless signal of agreement.
Her gaze then returned to Nadia. A faint smile spread across her face, but it carried a cold edge, hinting at the deeper struggle waiting to pull the girl in.
"Nadia, I'll need your help with this one more time. And I trust you won't refuse… will you?"
Her voice was firm, nearly commanding. It left no room for escape, as if to say Nadia's fate was already bound to this battle.
Nadia swallowed, shut her eyes for a moment, then nodded—her resolve hardening from within. Like it or not, she knew she was already caught in the storm between the Atmadjas and Governor Dante.
"I… I'll do whatever I can to help," Nadia said, her tone steady, her gaze unwavering.
●●●●●
Banyu vs Anima
Thud!
Crash!
"Argh, damn it! You think a kick is enough to beat me? Take this—hyaaah!"
A fist flew straight at the tall man already on guard. Swiftly, he blocked and twisted his attacker's arm, a pained groan ripping out.
"Save your arrogance, Anima. You've already lost, and I'll make sure—"
BANG!
The sudden gunshot cracked from afar. The bullet tore into Banyu's right shoulder, staggering him. In that split second, Anima spun and smashed his fist into Banyu's face.
Bam! Crack!
Banyu's body crashed onto the rubble-strewn floor of the ruined casino. He grimaced, blood gushing from his shoulder. With razor eyes, he locked on his opponent—a pierced-faced thug grinning with satisfaction.
Tap… Tap…
"You know what? You underestimated me too soon, Banyu. Master Dante may trust you. But me? I'll never let you live! Hahaaa!" Anima laughed like a madman.
BANG!
The next bullet ripped through Banyu's left shoulder. Pain gnawed deeper, paralyzing his movements.
"Hahahaha! Look at you! That pathetic face twisted in agony! I don't care. Right here, right now, I'll finish you off!"
The barrel of a pistol pressed hard against his forehead. Anima's grin widened, savoring the helpless moment.
"Come on, make a last wish. I'll be generous enough to grant it," he sneered.
Banyu only stared back, sharp and cold, not a trace of fear. From the corner of his vision, he caught a silhouette he knew. His lips curved faintly into a smirk.
"Go ahead, shoot. Or I'll be the one putting you down," he hissed.
Anima's face turned crimson with rage. He shoved the gun harder into Banyu's skin.
"Shut it! Die—"
BANG!
The shot rang out—but into the ceiling. A split second before the trigger pulled, someone kicked Anima's hand, sending the pistol flying.
Bam! Thud! Crack!
The mysterious figure slammed his fist into Anima's face, hurling him to the floor. A brutal follow-up kick made blood spray from the pierced man's mouth.
"Ughh… damn you! Who the hell are—"
BANG!
Before he could finish, a bullet pierced the center of his forehead. Anima collapsed lifeless on the spot.
The shooter was none other than Banyu himself. The moment Anima's gun slipped free, he had snatched it—despite the burning pain tearing at both shoulders—and fired the shot that ended it all.
Banyu's breath came in ragged gasps. From the edge of his vision, he spotted the black-clad gunman—the one who had shot him earlier—now lying dead, taken out by the figure standing at his side.
"You're late. A second more and you'd have lost your precious big brother, huh, little man?" Banyu quipped through clenched teeth, teasing the figure who only snorted in annoyance.
The pistol slipped from his weakening grip, clattering against the floor. Moments later, his body followed, collapsing under the relentless flow of blood.
"Tch… troublesome," came the cold murmur, just before the figure quickly caught Banyu and hauled him out of the wrecked arena.