A storm was building over the city.
Not in the sky… but in the shadows.
In the heart of a luxury mall in Central City, a secret elevator opened to an underground facility. It wasn't a lab, or a government base.
It was the headquarters of a group known as Heaven's Eye.
No one knew who funded them. No one knew where they came from.
But everyone knew one thing—when Heaven's Eye watched you, your end was near.
At the center of the dark meeting hall sat a throne-like chair. A man in a pure white suit lounged on it, lazily sipping coffee.
He had no name.
People just called him: The Architect.
Before him stood a giant screen showing Rudra's latest mission—the rescue of 48 children.
"Hm," the Architect hummed. "The Skull Mask moves like a ghost, strikes like a god."
One of the black-clad agents spoke from the side.
"Shall we eliminate him, sir?"
The Architect chuckled. "No. You don't kill a devil… You tame it."
He leaned forward.
"Prepare Project Bait."
Elsewhere: Rudra's Hideout
Rudra stared at a new notification on his hidden system screen:
[New Quest Received – "Heaven's Eye Wants You Gone!"]
Reward: Ultra-Rare Bloodline Awakening
Penalty: UnknownDifficulty: ???
He narrowed his eyes.
"System, details."
[Heaven's Eye has placed a bounty on your head. They've kidnapped three innocent girls to lure you. Location: Midnight Carnival, Warehouse District.]
Rudra's jaw clenched.
"Another test?"
Eva, his AI assistant, responded, "Or maybe... a message."
He stood up.
"Let's deliver one back."
Midnight Carnival – Warehouse 13
It was meant to be an abandoned amusement park. But tonight, bright lights flickered. Fake laughter echoed. A broken merry-go-round spun slowly.
Inside Warehouse 13, the three kidnapped girls were tied up.
Watching them was a tall man with silver hair and a robotic left arm—codename Specter, a top-tier mercenary from Heaven's Eye.
"He'll come," Specter said, cleaning his blade. "They always come for the weak."
Suddenly…
Clack… Clack… Clack…
Footsteps.
Alone, slow, confident.
A skull-masked figure walked in through the open gate.
"Found you," Rudra said calmly.
Battle Begins
Specter grinned. "Took you long enough."
He charged like a bullet, blade slicing the air.
But Rudra was faster.
He dodged, grabbed Specter's arm, and twisted.
CRACK!
The mechanical arm snapped, wires flying.
But Specter laughed. "You're good. But I'm not here to win…"
Suddenly, smoke filled the room. Hidden guns popped out from the ceiling.
Turrets. Explosives. Dozens of snipers.
It was a trap.
Rudra froze. This wasn't a bait. It was an execution field.
The voice of The Architect came through a hidden speaker.
"Hello, Skull Mask. We meet, finally. Well, I watch—you die."
System Notification:
[Emergency Activated – Overdrive Mode Unlocked]
[Bloodline Compatibility Detected – 99.99%]
[Ultra-Rare Bloodline: "Ghost Sovereign" Awakening Initiated!]
A rush of energy tore through Rudra's body.
Everything slowed down. The bullets froze mid-air.
His vision turned blue and silver.
He felt... untouchable.
He dashed forward—no longer moving like a human.
He was a blur, a shadow, a whisper.
Within seconds, all snipers were down.
The guns melted.
The turrets exploded.
Specter lay unconscious, mouth open in shock.
In less than 22 seconds, Rudra cleared the battlefield.
Aftermath
He cut the girls' ropes gently, covering them with his coat.
"Go home. You're safe."
One girl looked up with tears.
"Are you… a superhero?"
Rudra paused.
Then said, softly, "No. I'm just... the villain they forgot to understand."
He walked into the shadows once more.
Meanwhile, Heaven's Eye HQ
The Architect stared at the dead feed.
He was silent.
Until he started laughing.
"A rare bloodline... activated right in front of us. Fascinating."
He stood.
"Now I really want him."
His eyes glinted dangerously.
"Let the next phase begin."