After many days of recovery, the group decided to test Noir's strength to understand her current condition.
Orion, with his exceptional swordsmanship, was chosen as her sparring partner.
The empty field behind the village became their "arena." Villagers secretly gathered to watch, both fearful and curious. Doctor Aurel stood at a distance, observing quietly.
Orion lightly spun his shining silver sword, the corner of his lips curling into a challenging grin.
"Two-colored, still as cold as ever, huh? Let's see if this little lady can still dodge her big brother's sword this time."
Noir did not answer. She simply stood still, her blue-red eyes open, sharp enough to pierce through everything.
The moment Orion charged forward, his blade slicing through the wind, Noir raised her hand.
She did not dodge.
She stopped it with nothing but an invisible force.
The ground beneath them trembled, cracks spreading outward.
Whispers rose from the villagers.
"My God… just one look is enough to stop that sword?"
Orion laughed, his eyes burning.
"Not bad. Looks like you unlocked another skill slot. But don't think I'll give up that easily."
He immediately turned, striking again and again with blindingly fast sword attacks.
This time, Noir moved like a shadow—slender, fluid, untouchable.
Orion had no intention of holding back. He wanted Noir to find the true "limit" of her own strength.
One slash brushed past her shoulder, leaving a small tear in her clothes, but almost instantly, Noir counterattacked.
The two of them exchanged blows without pause.
Everyone around them was nearly holding their breath.
They feared her power, and they feared that she would not be able to endure it.
After all, Orion was a formidable opponent… though perhaps everyone should have been more worried for him instead.
He swung again.
Noir dodged just in time, the blade slicing past and cutting down an entire tree—a deadly strike.
Though Orion was usually playful and careless, now he was unusually serious.
As for Noir, until now she had only used her familiar dagger.
It was as if she and that blade were one.
Then—
her blue eye flashed brightly.
A violent invisible shockwave swept across the field, throwing Orion backward. His sword plunged deep into the ground as he skidded across the dirt.
Silence.
Specter stood outside the field, his hand clenched into a fist, his eyes filled with both surprise and… worry.
Nearby, Ari and Kaelith were already about to run over and help him up.
Orion pushed himself up, dusting off his clothes, a half-smile on his face.
"I'm fine. I'm used to pain."
He grinned.
"Seriously though, that's terrifyingly strong. But Noir…"
He paused, looking deeply into those two-colored eyes that were slowly dimming.
"…that power isn't just wearing down your enemies. It's wearing you down too, little buddy."
Noir stood still and said nothing.
The sharp pain from earlier was still pulsing faintly through her body, but she let no one see it.
In the distance, Doctor Aurel gave a small nod, while Ari watched nearby, her heart heavy.
She knew this battle against VOID would not only be a fight for survival…
but also a fight to reclaim Noir's soul.
Noir slowly exhaled and walked toward Orion's sword.
She pulled it from the ground and handed it back to him.
"Sorry…" *give*
Orion brushed the dust off himself, a little surprised, but still took it.
"I must've heard wrong! Ha…"
He patted Noir on the shoulder.
"It'll be fine."
Specter also stepped forward.
"Go put some medicine on that. You've got a few scratches too."
"Yeah, yeah, my bro. Fine. Let's all go back and rest. I'm exhausted."
Specter placed a hand on Noir's shoulder.
"Let's go."
Noir said nothing and quietly returned with everyone.
The villagers around them still felt as if they had just witnessed something unreal.
They looked at her with even more admiration now.
Back in the village, Doctor Aurel told Kaelith to apply medicine for Orion.
Even though he was still angry and did not want her near him, Ari had spoken too, so he could only sit there helplessly and endure it.
Specter helped the doctor handle the remaining data.
Inside the small village house, Noir sat silently in front of an old cracked mirror.
The weak yellow light from the oil lamp reflected on her face, making her two-colored eyes seem even stranger.
She slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them.
Crack—
Her left eye glowed with a burning red, while her right eye shone with a cold blue.
Without moving her body, Noir simply stared at the wooden cup on the table.
In an instant, the cup trembled—
then shattered into pieces.
Noir held her breath.
Until now, her eyes had only released their power during close combat, when her body was pushed to its limits.
But now…
just a glance was enough to unleash it.
She tried again.
She looked at the half-closed wooden door.
Crack—
The lock snapped open, and the door slowly pushed itself wide, as if moved by an invisible hand.
Noir's heart trembled.
"They… changed me. After the experiment, my instincts have gone beyond my control."
But immediately, a sharp pain pierced through her head, forcing her to collapse to her knees.
Cold sweat ran down her face.
Every time she used it, her body weakened—as if her very life was being drained away.
Outside, Specter was passing by, about to call her for dinner.
When he looked through the window, he saw Noir slumped down, clutching her head, shards of broken mirror scattered around her.
"Noir!"
Specter rushed inside and grabbed her shoulders.
Noir opened her eyes and looked at him.
Those eyes were still glowing brightly, but they were exhausted, fragile.
She only whispered softly,
"Specter… these eyes… they're not the same anymore…"
Specter tightened his grip on her shoulders, his eyes filled with painful worry.
He understood.
What the VOID organization had accidentally created…could be both a power—and a death sentence hanging over Noir.
That afternoon, while the whole village was cleaning the small square and preparing for a communal meal, a strange man arrived.
He wore a striking red suit, walking calmly along the dirt road.
His silver hair was neatly slicked back, and his handsome face was calm and composed, like a successful businessman who had simply wandered into the wrong place.
The villagers, used to helping strangers, warmly invited him to stay for dinner.
He smiled, his voice low, warm, and elegant.
"Unfortunately, my car got a flat tire while passing that road over there. But fortunately, there happens to be a small village here. I apologize for the trouble."
Noir never liked crowds, but the villagers were too enthusiastic, so she reluctantly joined everyone for the meal.
As usual, she sat quietly in a corner.
But her two-colored eyes, no matter how much she tried to hide them, made the man pause for a moment.
His silver eyes stopped on Noir—not like a passing guest noticing a stranger, but like someone who had finally found what he had been looking for.
Noir looked up and met his gaze.
A sudden chill ran down her spine, like pure instinct warning her.
But the man only gave a slight nod, raised the glass of village wine poured for him, and said calmly,
"A beautiful pair of eyes. Very rare."
Specter sat beside Noir, quietly tightening his hand beneath the table, a silent warning.
He did not know who this man was. But his instincts told him—this man was absolutely not normal.
No one in the village realized that the presence of the guest in the red suit…was the most dangerous piece on the board.
A sharp blade pressed against Noir's group's throat—waiting only for the moment he chose to pull it free.
No one noticed the danger hidden beneath that calm demeanor.
Viper.
The Frontman of VOID.
The man even high-ranking officers feared—a figure the organization kept so secret that almost no one outside had ever seen his face.
/Good job, Lysan…dog…"