As soon as I heard it, I lost it—burst out laughing. Eyes shut, ribs aching, hand clutching my stomach. It hurt, but the absurdity was worth every second.
And Vashir? He just stood there. Watching me. Like some smug cat watching a mouse dance into the trap.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
ACCEPT / DECLINE
I managed to choke out words between the laughs, but didn't tap either option.
"So tell me—how the fuck do you expect me to work under you?"
He didn't blink. Didn't twitch. Too calm. Too damn smug.
"Not under me," he corrected, smooth as poison. "For me. Big difference. Think of it as… a favor. For an outcast like you."
A favor. Cute.
And I know what you're thinking: But Michael, how can you betray Victor? The man's been your guardian ever since your mother was murdered. Closest thing to family. You owe him everything.
Sure. But here's the thing no one admits: loyalty is a leash. And the minute it stops paying off, you cut it loose. That's survival. That's the game.
And yet—Victor wasn't the problem. My problem stood right in front of me. Vashir. A sly fox who didn't just fight battles—he made you fight yourself. A man who slipped thoughts in your head so clean, you didn't know if they were yours or his.
So I stopped laughing. Straightened up. Tossed my answer like a blade.
"I'm not interested."
And the window automatically get declined.Well that's good.
And I, No hesitation. No drama. Just that. And I turned, walking away.
Because the longer you stand in front of someone like him, the more strings he ties to your limbs. And I'm no one's puppet. Not today.
Then he said it—four words that burned my chest open like a forge:
"What if I help you find your mother's murderers?"
For a second, my chest burned hot. Rage hit me like a hammer. Who the hell did he think he was, bargaining with me using my mother's death? If you were in my place, you'd probably go straight for his throat without hesitation. And trust me, I wanted to.
But this man—he never said or did anything without a reason. He always had something hidden behind that smug smile. So instead of lashing out, I forced the words through clenched teeth.
"What do you know?"
Vashir's lips curved.
"Not really. I don't know who they are… but I do know where they are."
For a second, I froze. My pulse hammered like a drum in my chest.
"Where?" I asked.
He raised a finger, casually, like he was pointing out a bird in the sky—except it was toward the cosmos.
I almost laughed in his face. The cosmos? What the hell did that have to do with my mother's death? Was he mocking me, or was this another one of his twisted games? But then again… this was Vashir. The man didn't need lies—he played people with truths sharpened to knives.
"So?" he pressed, his smile carved on like it had been painted there. "Any changes in your decision?"
I ground my teeth. "What do you want me to do?"
He even spread his hands, waiting for applause like a schoolboy answering the teacher.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
ACCEPT / DECLINE
I stared at him. "…You're out of your fucking mind. You think an outcast like me can just stroll into their playground and sign up?"
He didn't flinch. Instead, he reached into the air itself—like reality was just his pocket—and pulled out a card. Sleek. Glowing. Tech humming like it came from another dimension.
And yeah. I hit "ACCEPT."
What? Really. I thought about it. You all probably expected a dramatic pause, some agonizing monologue about betrayal. But no. The truth? Even the Black Lotus wants me on this path. The system doesn't throw main missions for free. And revenge doesn't wait for cowards.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
MAIN MISSION UNLOCKED
Enter COSMOS. Hunt the interstellars. Find the murderers.
REWARDS: Unlimited BEUs. Revenge.
So why the fuck not?
He flicked the card to me.
"Here. Your ID."
It buzzed in my palm. Glowing codes danced across it like veins.
"…Tell me," I muttered, "every chakra user capable of pulling tricks like this?"
He straightened, pride dripping from every syllable.
"No. That—" he said, eyes sharp enough to cut, "—is my specialty. I create what doesn't exist."
And just like that, the bastard vanished. No smoke, no sound. Just gone.
Fine by me.
He gave me that ID card. Then he vanished, like he always did. That bastard never sticks around—just drops trouble in my lap and disappears like smoke. Fine by me. Less baggage to carry.
Morning came, sun burning hot over the new headquarters of COSMOS. A glass-and-steel temple to order, banners fluttering with their ridiculous insignia. Built over the ashes of the old HQ—the one wiped out by a meteor.
(Or let's be honest… wiped out by me.)
Crowds flooded in, wide-eyed sheep clutching dreams like scraps of bread. Power. Status. Purpose. Pathetic.
Me? I wasn't here for dreams. I was here for one thing. Revenge.
At the gates, guards stood like machines, rifles heavy, faces blank. ID cards required for entry. No card, no future. Outcasts like me? We didn't even count as human. Ghosts no one would miss.
But I wasn't here for their validation.
The line crawled forward. Cards flashed. One by one, people passed through. And then me. Standing there with Vashir's fake miracle in my hand.
The guard took it. Scanned. A hologram flared. His face froze.
"What the—"
Another guard leaned in. Saw it. Froze too.
Then one shouted loud enough to shake the walls:
"The missing Vellory has returned!"
The air split. Murmurs spread like fire in dry grass.
The runaway son of the Vellory patriarch…
Impossible—he came back?
SYSTEM WARNING:
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
My stomach sank. Goddamn it, Vashir. Out of all the tricks—you chose this?
Ajay Meer strode out of the headquarters, the crowd parting like the sea. His gaze swept over the hologram, then at me. Cold. Measuring. Calculated.
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
Sweat burned my palms. Was my revenge about to end before it began?
Ajay raised his hand. Soldiers closed in, weapons humming. The circle tightening.
"Just a little investigation, kid," he said, voice smooth.
The windows still flickered in front of my vision.
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
Many eyes watching you
I smirked. Annoyed. Excited. Ready.
"Sure," I said.
Because at this point? There was no turning back.