That morning, there was no rain, nor sunshine. A thin veil of mist still hovered over the old concrete rooftops. The city felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to shatter.
Kaien stepped out with Cindra, both dressed plainly — a far cry from their usual combat gear, heavy with weapons and stained in blood. It was their first day off in over eight months of living in the shadows, carrying out purges, surveillance, and killings.
They walked through chipped-painted streets, past scrap shops, cheap diners, and homeless people curled up on the sidewalks. Cindra looked around, lips pressed tight.
> "The streets... have gotten so chaotic lately," she whispered.
Kaien didn't answer. He felt it too.
At the next corner, a middle-aged man was talking to the owner of a small grocery stall.
> "Business going alright?"
"Business? There's no business. I have to close early every day now. Gangs are running wild. The government's totally blind."
Kaien quietly walked past, still catching the man's voice behind him:
> "Heard there's a war going on in the outskirts. The government's pulled most of the troops out. No one left to keep the city safe."
"But thanks to those people in the outskirts, those freakish creatures haven't shown up in the city for years now."
"Hey, if the government hears you saying that, you'll be jailed."
Cindra furrowed her brows:
> "War...? But where? I thought we were in peacetime."
Kaien was about to respond when he suddenly froze. Not far ahead, a burly thug was beating a woman and snatching a bag from her arms. A child beside her screamed in terror.
Without hesitation, Kaien lunged forward. His first punch knocked the thug down. The following kick left him unconscious on the curb. Blood poured from the man's nose. The crowd scattered — no one dared to interfere.
The mother clutched her son, trembling with gratitude, yet her eyes still shimmered with fear.
Kaien stood still in the middle of the street, unmoving, as the thug's blood continued to pool at his feet. The mother now sat on the ground, holding her son tightly as if letting go even for a second might make the boy vanish in this violent world.
The boy looked up at his mother, sobbing, his tiny hands clinging to her torn coat. The mother frantically checked his body, whispering between tears as if in prayer. The scene pierced Kaien like a blade.
But he no longer saw the woman. In his eyes, another image emerged — blurred, like a distant dream.
---
A ruined corner. The smell of mildew. Rain pounding on a tin roof, like nails scratching rusted steel. A young Kaien hiding in a corner, hands clamped over his mouth.
Voices shouting:
> "We'll pay the debt, we swear — but we can't keep working for you anymore!"
Then — a gunshot.
Blood sprayed against the wall. The boy didn't dare open his eyes. His breath caught in his throat. Then… muddy boots stepped into the room. A man with a gun bent down, sneering, and whispered into his ear:
> "Grow up strong, kid. You're the last debt your parents owe us."
---
Kaien clenched his fists. His nails dug into his flesh. A breeze swept through, blowing ash from the unconscious thug's cigarette. The mother now stood, carrying her son, nodding in silent thanks. Whether out of gratitude or fear, no one could say.
Cindra looked over and caught Kaien's face — still, cold, but his eyes trembled like water before a storm.
> "Kaien... are you okay?"
He didn't answer. His gaze stayed on the alleyway where the mother and child disappeared. A silent pain churned inside him.
Kaien didn't cry. He had lost that ability long ago. But something in him cracked — like the final thread holding his humanity was starting to fray.
That afternoon, the two sat at a small bakery near an abandoned subway station.
Kaien suddenly turned:
> "Hey, Cindra… what is war, really? Are we at war?"
Cindra thought for a moment, then slowly said:
> "I'm not sure. But there are rumors the government is gathering forces to attack someone named… Kyre. Apparently, he was a prime target in that bloody campaign five years ago."
"I think it all started with a high-ranking official who was betrayed — Kyros. Kyre's father."
Kaien froze. That name — Kyros — made his heart pound. Hard.
> "Wonderful…!" he suddenly shouted.
Cindra flinched, nearly spilling her tea.
> "You scared me! What are you yelling for!?"
Kaien didn't answer. In his mind, the pieces were falling into place: Kyros – Kyre – the war five years ago – and the secret the government had been hiding.
Kaien picked up the cup of hot tea, but his hands were ice cold.