The rain had stopped, but the streets were still wet.
Sean walked with steady steps, blending in with the morning crowd. His thin jacket clung to his skin from the damp air, but he didn't mind.
He had a goal today.
Food.
---
After what happened last night, he knew it was risky to wander too far. But his stomach didn't care about risks.
As he passed through a narrow alley, he heard familiar voices-loud, mocking, and sharp.
He stopped.
Across the alley, the same group of thugs who had robbed him before were cornering another boy.
This time, their target was a young vendor, barely older than Sean, clutching a bag of bread.
"Unsa man diha, bay? Daghan lagi ka'g kwarta karon ha."
("What's this, kid? You got a lot of money today, huh?")
The boy shook his head, frightened.
"Pang tinda ra ni, kuya. Ayaw palihug."
("This is just for selling, sir. Please, don't.")
Sean's eyes narrowed. He recognized one of the thugs immediately-the same guy who kicked him before.
And among them, he also spotted the one who had tossed him that peso coin that night.
That boy was hanging back, looking uneasy again.
---
Sean's fingers brushed against the phone in his pocket.
He didn't act right away.
Instead, he stepped quietly into the shadows, watching.
---
The thugs grabbed the bread and pushed the boy down, laughing.
One of them pulled out a knife, waving it around to scare him.
Sean calmly opened Survive, typing with sharp precision.
---
Somewhere nearby, a flicker passed through the air.
The thug with the knife froze, his eyes widening as the knife suddenly vanished from his hand.
He stumbled back in confusion.
"Asa man to?!"
("Where did it go?!")
Sean remained in the dark corner, his face calm.
He had just performed his first heist in front of others, but no one knew.
The knife appeared inside his jacket pocket, cold and sharp.
He didn't plan to use it.
This wasn't about revenge yet. It was just... a message.
---
As the thugs panicked, Sean slipped away, unseen.
But before leaving, he gave one last glance at the boy who had once shown him pity.
The boy caught his eye-just for a second.
Sean gave a small, unreadable smile, then disappeared into the next alley.
---
Far away, beyond the city's noise, another quiet conversation was unfolding.
A voice echoed through a dark chamber.
"Another trace."
"Location?"
"Same city as before. Artifact still active."
Silence.
Then another voice, deeper and colder, spoke.
"Keep watching. The creator still hunts the leader. If that artifact is moving, it means the leader's shadow has returned."
---
After leaving the alley, Sean calmly made his way toward a quiet diner, slipping through the streets like he belonged there.
Inside, the warmth of the place wrapped around him. He ordered a cheap meal, nothing fancy-but enough.
His phone buzzed.
Pretty's message popped up.
"Nakaon na ka? Kaon na mabuang nya ka."
("Have you eaten? You will be going crazy if don't eat.")
Sean chuckled softly, shaking his head.
He replied, playful but simple.
"Wala pa, pero naa na ko'y plano. Di man ko gutomon basta ikaw ang nag-text."
("Not yet, but I've got plans. I don't feel hungry whenever you text me.")
She shot back fast.
"Kurimaw man ka oi!"
("You're so crazy!")
There was a laughing emoji right after.
Then another message followed.
"Ayaw'g pakilig dira. Pariho ramong tanan mangingilad."
("Don't sweet talk me. You're all the same, liars.")
Sean found himself grinning. She wasn't the usual shy girl. She had a bite and she enjoyed teasing him.
He didn't reply right away. Instead, he ate quietly, still smiling faintly.
---
Later that night, as he walked back to the cheap motel he had rented, something strange happened.
A shadowy figure tried to bump into him near a dark alley. Without thinking, Sean's body moved fast almost too fast.
He shifted his weight, grabbed the man's wrist, and twisted it sharply.
The thug yelped, stumbling back in shock.
Sean blinked, confused himself.
"Where did I learn this?
Then it clicked.
The Late-night Utube videos-martial arts, self-defense, strikes and holds.
Somehow... his body remembered.
He walked away silently, no longer shaken.
The world thought he was just a shadow in the city.
But he was starting to realize it himself, he was changing.
And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing.