At the street corner, dusk settled over the city as usual. News vendors shouted their wares, and children ran around chasing each other. No one noticed the middle-aged man standing in the alley—until he clasped his head tightly with both hands and let out a scream of pure agony.
Ethan and Karl happened to be patrolling nearby. Ethan had been about to grab a cheap hot dog when the scream cut into his ears like a knife.
"Figures," he muttered, slipping the coins back into his pocket with a sigh."Every time I try to eat something, someone has to steal the spotlight."
The man convulsed violently, strange black patterns spreading beneath his skin like coiled eyes. Within seconds, his pupils were consumed by a black mist, and a deep, guttural roar erupted from his mouth.
Panicked pedestrians scattered in every direction.
"The host is losing control!" Karl shouted, raising his spirit gun to intercept.
The man's limbs twisted and contorted, bones cracking audibly. His shadow spread frantically across the ground, forming a massive claw in an instant.
Ethan drew his weapon, still wearing a faint, ill-timed smirk."You know, if he could just calm down a bit, I'd swear this looks like a street magic show."
Karl glared at him, unimpressed."Shut up and focus!"
The creature lunged suddenly. Its claw sliced through the air, whistling sharply. Ethan rolled aside and fired. The bullet struck the beast's chest, erupting in a flash of violet light, but the black patterns healed almost immediately, leaving no lethal damage.
"Perfect," Ethan gasped sarcastically."Bullets hitting him feel like a massage session."
"Don't stand there making jokes!" Karl gritted his teeth, activating his spirit shield to absorb an attack. The impact shattered the pavement beneath his feet.
Seizing the opportunity, Ethan leapt behind the creature, spirit blade in hand. He swung hard, cutting through the writhing black mass, spraying sparks of residue.
The monster let out a pained roar, shuddering violently.
But the next second, it lunged its shadowy claw forward, grabbing a young girl who hadn't escaped in time.
The scene tensed instantly.
The girl screamed and struggled, her face swallowed by black mist. Nightmare energy began to seep into her body.
"Damn it!" Karl shouted.
Ethan took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening instantly. He raised his gun but did not pull the trigger.
Karl panicked."What are you waiting for?!"
"I'm waiting for the perfect moment," Ethan replied calmly, his lips curled in a smile, but his eyes were icy cold.
He fired at the creature's shadow underfoot. The spirit bullet pierced the phantasm, tearing apart its control source. The monster's grip loosened suddenly, and the girl fell to the ground, sobbing as she scrambled away.
Karl rushed over, shielding her and retreating to safety.
The creature let out one final roar, then exploded under the backlash of its own energy, leaving behind a puddle of black residue glowing with eerie violet light.
The street fell silent again. The shaken crowd watched from afar, unwilling to approach.
Karl wiped sweat from his brow and glanced at Ethan."Why did you risk that shot? If you'd missed—"
Ethan raised his hand, twirling the gun, grinning mischievously."When have I ever missed? Besides, hitting the head or heart is tricky—but the feet? That's my specialty: tripping people."
Karl shot him a glare but said nothing further.
Ethan sheathed his weapon and stared at the black residue scattered on the ground. It still writhed, as if trying to reassemble itself.
"See?" he muttered."Nightmare energy doesn't disappear. It latches onto humans, ready to explode at any moment. What we call 'protecting civilians' is really just waiting to defuse a ticking bomb."
Karl remained silent, offering no denial.
The wind swept through the street, carrying away the ash of the residue. Ethan's smile faded, his gaze darkened as he stared at the empty pavement.
"If this is justice," he whispered,"then it's a damn joke."