The city was restless. Rain-streaked streets gleamed with neon light, and the hum of traffic mixed with distant sirens. Inside the precinct, Arata sat hunched over his desk, his eyes red from hours of analyzing reports, timelines, and crime patterns.
The Ribbon Reaper isn't random… the strikes follow a pattern… someone is feeding him information…
Arata's fingers tapped nervously on the desk. Officer Raghav watched silently, sensing the intensity of his superior's focus.
"Sir… do you really think it's someone from the inside?" he asked cautiously.
Arata's jaw tightened. "I don't know yet… but every piece of evidence points to someone extremely close… someone I know."
Golden-haired Lucian wandered the rain-soaked streets, his playful grin barely concealing the tension within. Inside, Kane stirred like a coiled predator.
"They're closing in. Act now. Weakness will cost lives."
Lucian tried to maintain the mask of charm, joking at passersby, flirting lightly as usual. But the playful persona trembled under Kane's dominance.
A corrupt official emerged from the shadows, a man laundering money through underground trafficking networks. Lucian froze mid-step as Kane surged, moving with deadly precision. Within moments, crimson ribbons appeared on the man's wrist, marking judgment.
Lucian's inner voice screamed: "Not here! People are watching!"
Sera crouched on a nearby rooftop, her breath shallow. She had followed Lucian for weeks, piecing together the dangerous inconsistencies in his behavior.
"Lucian… what's happening to you?" she whispered, voice trembling.
He forced a laugh, weak and hollow. "I… I'm fine…"
But she could see the truth—the cold, calculating presence that had taken over his body. Every motion precise, every strike flawless. It was no longer the playful Lucian she knew.
Back at the precinct, Arata plotted the latest attack's timeline. His gut twisted as he realized the Ribbon Reaper's operations aligned perfectly with specific absences and overlooked patrol schedules.
Could it be someone I work with? Someone who knows the ins and outs of my investigation… someone who could move without leaving a trace?
He didn't yet know the terrifying truth—that the person was closer than he could imagine. Every clue he uncovered only brought him nearer to the secret he could not yet see.
Kane moved through the shadows, executing operations with unmatched precision. No cameras, no alarms, no trace—only the crimson ribbons marking judgment. Every criminal punished, every injustice corrected, and yet the web of suspicion around him tightened.
By dawn, the city buzzed with whispers. The Ribbon Reaper was more than a myth now—he was a force, a god of justice in the eyes of the terrified populace.
Lucian returned to the rooftop, drenched and shivering. Sera approached cautiously.
"You can't keep hiding this… it's going to destroy you," she said softly.
He smiled faintly, hiding the storm inside. "I… I'm fine…"
Deep within, Kane's dominance lingered, the collision with Arata's investigation drawing ever closer. The balance was tipping, and the moment when the truth might be revealed loomed on the horizon.