As the dust settled and the chaos finally quieted…
Cherl and Shadow stood amidst the wreckage—rooftops shattered, debris littering the ground, the air thick with smoke and static. The aftermath of the battle. But Cherl's focus shifted almost instantly. Her heart seized.
"…Wait… Shijun—SHIJUN!" she gasped, panic flooding her voice as she turned to bolt toward the ruins to find him—
Only for Shadow's voice to calmly cut through the moment.
"Wait."
"…Huh?" Cherl blinked, her boots skidding to a stop. She turned toward him, confused.
Shadow stood with arms folded, expression unreadable, his violet cloak fluttering from the wind.
"Are you forgetting something?" he asked coolly.
Cherl blinked. "Forget something?Forget what—?"
Then her eyes widened.
"…Shit." She glanced down at herself—still in her full hero outfit. Bright pink and white suit. Gloves and Cape.
"Thanks for the reminder…"
Shadow sighed, his tone calm yet stern.
"Don't forget—you're an Elite Hero Cherl. Your identity must stay hidden. Especially with your rank."
Cherl groaned, rubbing her neck awkwardly.
"Yeah, yeah—I know. I just… I got worried for someone.That's all."
Shadow shot her a sidelong glance. A faint smirk tugged at the edge of his lips.
"Just making sure you're not getting too soft on the job."
He stepped back, purple embers beginning to flicker around his boots.
"I'll handle damage control in the city sector. You handle things here."
And with a snap of his fingers, Shadow vanished—gone in a flash of violet flame.
"You got it." Cherl nodded before her she quickly switched her outfit in a swift motion—her school uniform in its place like nothing had ever changed.
Then, without hesitation, she sprinted toward the school ruins, heart pounding like a drumbeat.
"Cmon Cherl..where did u last see him. again...OH!"
She saw him.
"Hey! Shijun—are you okay?! Did you get hurt?!"
Shijun, slumped against a slab of fallen concrete, looked up in surprise.
"Wha—N-No… I-I'm fine, Cherl… really…"
Cherl exhaled in relief, shoulders loosening.
"Phew… I was seriously worried. I couldn't find you in all that chaos. Actually,u know what?Just to be safe—let's get you to a doctor, alright?"
"A-Alright…" Shijun nodded nervously, still rattled on the outside—
But on the inside?
"HOLY SHIT, TODAY'S MY LUCKY DAY!!"
His inner monologue was exploding with joy.
"She's so worried about me! Brooo this is what dreams are made of—LET'S GOOOOO!"
Never mind the fact he had nearly died under a collapsing building. Or that there was a literal alien-devil invasion. None of that mattered anymore.
But just as Cherl helped him to his feet—
A faint, flicker of blue spark flashed in Shijun's eyes.
Just for a second.
—City Sector – Reporter Van Broadcast—
"Following the violent assault by the alien Baruzo on both the city and a local school—and the sudden arrival of ten Devil Monsters—this marks the fourth Devil World invasion this week, setting a new record in the last seventy-five years."
The newscaster's voice was grim as the live footage played.
"All civilians are urged to remain indoors when possible, and avoid staying out after school or work."
The feed cut to a group of shaken, disheveled civilians—yet brimming with adrenaline.
"That attack was INSANE, bro!" one man shouted, eyes wide. "First time in my LIFE I saw a Devil Alien in person! But thank GOD for Cupid—she showed up and saved our asses! And not gonna lie, she's kinda fine too."
A woman shoved her way forward, practically stealing the mic.
"Right?! Cupid is just everything—like she's the Cutest Hero for a reason! But don't get it twisted—she's a savage. Girl was putting in work on that alien!"
The reporter nodded, half-amused, half-stressed.
"Thank you for your thoughts. We now shift to interviews with students at the school impacted by the attack."
The scene switched to a cluster of hyped-up teens still buzzing with excitement.
"BROOO, THAT ALIEN WAS BUILT LIKE A GODDAMN TANK!" one screamed.
"I WAS SHAKING BUT WHEN CUPID SHOWED UP?! BROOO SHE WENT NUTS!"
Another student shouted over them—
"NEVER MIND THAT,SHADOW WAS HERE!THE SHADOW! U KNOW HOW LUCKY IT WAS TO SEE ONE OF THE FREAKING ELITE 5 HEROES SOMUP CLOSE?!HE'S SCARIER THAN SOME OF THE DEVILS—BRO WIPED THE FLOOR WITH THOSE THINGS LIKE THEY WERE PAPER!"
—Back at Shijun's House—
The broadcast zoomed out from the tv.
——
As the front door swung open, Shijun barely had time to blink before—
"MY BABY!!!"
His mom tackled him in a death grip of a hug, squeezing him with enough force to crack ribs.
"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALIVE—ARE YOU HURT?! ARE YOU BLEEDING?! WHERE—WHAT—HOW?!"
Shijun struggled to breathe. "Mum—Mum! I'm okay! I'm FINE!"
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"You have no idea how scared I was—!"
"Okay—ow—Mum, seriously, your hug is gonna be the thing that actually kills me."
"OH—!" She immediately released him, looking horrified.
"I—I didn't mean to squeeze that hard—!"
"Seriously," he laughed weakly, "Look—I'm standing here, totally fine. No broken bones. Just… tired."
They bickered, hugged, fussed, and flailed for a good thirty minutes before she finally calmed down.
"Alright, alright…" she said, wiping her eyes. "Go wash up—I'll reheat dinner."
"Thanks, Mum."
Shijun gave her one last hug before heading to his room. He threw his bag to the floor, flopped face-first onto his bed, and groaned into his pillow.
"Today was… absolutely insane…"
The soft texture of the bed was making it hard for him to stay awake,but just as his eyelids started to close—
"Are you really about to nap after everything that just happened?"
"…Huh?"
Shijun jolted upright, eyes darting.
"Who said that?! Who's in my room?!"
"Relax, dumbass—no one's physically in your room."
"…HUH?!"
"Who even are you?!Wait—then where are u even talking to me from."
Shijun froze.
"…Wait, wait, wait—what?!"
"There it is. The brain lag."
"OKAY—NO. WHO—AND WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"You'll figure it out eventually, genius. But let' me just keep it simple and straightforward so ur small little brain can comprehend it,hopefully: I'm one of the aliens from the Devil World. We're fused together now."
"WHAAAT?!"
"OH FOR THE LOVE OF—CALM DOWN, DUMBASS. Unless you want your mom to call the psych ward."
"Well,not that you aren't already borderline insane."the voice added on.
Shijun flinched. "Okay,NOW what is that suppose to mean."Shijun's eye twitched.
"You literally cared more about that girl noticing you than the fact you nearly DIED. Are you hearing yourself?"
"OKAY first—she's not just any girl, she's my cru—"
"OKAY, YEAH, NO, THAT'S NOT EVEN THE POINT." the voice cut him off, again.
Shijun groaned.
"Bro, you're rude man."
"Maybe if you SHUT UP, I could actually explain things!"
"Fine… fine… whatever… damn…geez." Shijun mumbled, collapsing back into bed.
The voice sighed dramatically.
"Ugh,anyways,since I will be stuck with you I guess I'll introduce myself.Name's Minus. I was sealed in the Devil World like… a thousand years ago. Long story short, I refused to follow the laws of the devil world of wage senseless destruction. Eventually, I got so strong that the Higher devils considered me a threat. So,the lord of the Devil world send one of the strongest devil to seal me off."
Shijun blinked, mind spinning.
"So… you were a good guy—wait say what?the devil world has a king?"
"Don't interrupt."
"Sorry."
"Anyway, when that idiot Baruzo kicked my sealed container like it was a broken vending machine, some of his leftover energy cracked it open. I got free… but I was too weak to manifest physically. So… I had no choice but to fuse with you."
"…Well, damn."
But shijun was still skeptical,Shijun muttered, "Cool story. But what if I just—have brain trauma?"
"OH MY GOD. WHY DID I GET STUCK WITH A MORON? I SHOULD'VE FUSED WITH A ROCK INSTEAD BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW HOW ALL THIS,IS NOT ENOUGH PROOF FOR YOU."
Shijun groaned, grabbing his head. "Bro, chill alright! This is a LOT to process."
"I'm going for a walk…"
"GOOD,maybe it'll reboot that prehistoric processor you call a brain," Minus snarked.
—Later, Outside—
As the two bickered telepathically, Shijun wandered aimlessly near a park.
"BRO, I STILL DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" he snapped internally.
"Oh my god. You were better when you were unconscious."
"OK CAN YOU STOP ROASTING ME FOR TEN SECONDS?!"
But their argument came to a screeching halt when Shijun spotted something across the path.
A classmate—surrounded. Bullies.
"We will continue this later voice in my head."
"NAME IS MINUS!-"
His instincts kicked in.
"YO! HEY—HEY! Let's cool it, alright?!"
The leader of the group turned around, unimpressed.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"Just a classmate of his," Shijun said, pointing at the battered boy behind them.
"Oh so your a nobody then?Then keep walking, tough guy. This doesn't concern you."
Shijun clenched his fists.
"…Nah. I'm not just gonna stand around while you beat on him."
The lead bully cracked his knuckles.
"Tch.Trying to play hero huh?this isn't a fairy tale buddy."
Shijun tried to keep his cool, smirking slightly.
"This feels just like one of those movie scenes, where the hero jumps in to—"
BAM!
Before he could finish his sentence.
A heavy fist slammed into his jaw. He collapsed.
"…Ow."
"Deserved," Minus muttered. "Honestly."
"…U know..if u we're an actual alien,maybe u won't let me get beaten up and actually help?"
"OHH so NOW u want to believe me?" Minus sighed. "Fine. I'll borrow your body."
"Tch no!of course I still don't""
"WAIT—WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
SWOOSH—!
A Blue spark flared in Shijuns eye again.
Minus' tone darkened.
"Tch. Weak little body… but I'll make it work."
Turning around,
"Still breathing?" the bully sneered, raising his fist again.
"Well guess you are still as senseless as just now-"the head bully throws his first forward
Except…
SNAP—!
Shijun caught it mid-air, twisting the wrist with brutal force.
"ARGHHH!"
The bully crumpled, clutching his arm.
The others froze—faces drained of color.
One,gulped before gathering enough courage to rush in—BAM!—only to be cracked in the jaw and high-kicked into the ground.
The third turned tail—
Trying to escape
Too late.
WHAM!
A flying sidekick smashed into his back, sending him face-first into the dirt.
Blue sparks fizzled around Shijun's eyes as he stood over them.
"…What the hell just happened?!"Shijun blurted out as he looked around in confusion.
His classmate looked up in awe.
"Bro… thanks, man! I thought I was done for! But like…where did that come from?! When did you get strong?!"
Shijun blinked, sweating.
"Uh… yeah… no idea… just uh…gotta go!"
And with that, he turned and sprinted down the street leaving his classmate confused.
"Huh…?" his classmate mumbled. "What the hell"
Shijun rounded a corner into a back alley, chest heaving, body trembling. He looked down at his hands—
"…Holy shit," he whispered.
"…You really are an alien."