Riven didn't care.
He didn't care that he had just killed a man.
In the past, he'd had chances—clear ones—to end a life. Every time, something had stopped him. Like an invisible hand gripping his chest. Like a ghost whispering don't. His conscience. His fear. His humanity.
But now?
It was gone.
No… it felt like that part of him had died alongside his father.
Riven wondered—is this what happens when you lose someone that close?
Do you lose a piece of yourself too?
A man charged him, screaming, blade raised high—desperate to avenge his fallen friend.
Riven sidestepped effortlessly, walking past him like the man wasn't even there.
The attacker tried again.
A dagger slammed into his side.
Blood spilled as he screamed in agony—
then the sound cut off instantly.
Jordan moved past him, blade flashing once.
The man's throat was opened cleanly.
He collapsed before he even realized he was dead.
⸻
[System: +100 XP]
⸻
Riven kept moving.
No hesitation. No pause.
Electric Body activated.
⸻
[-6 Energy]
[+4 Energy]
⸻
Riven didn't even notice the reduced gain.
Didn't care.
His body surged forward, lightning wrapping around him as he vanished from sight—moving faster than any of the men could track.
"Shit!" Crow yelled.
"Everyone—kill the kid with the brown hair! He's the slower one!"
Jordan reacted instantly.
Two ink daggers formed midair.
They shot forward.
One pierced straight through a man's skull—instant death.
The second flew toward another target—
BOOM.
A miniature explosion detonated midair, destroying it.
"You know…" Darren said, eyeing Jordan with a crooked smile.
"You look really familiar. Have I killed you before?"
Jordan froze.
He didn't recognize this man.
But those words—
Something twisted violently in his chest.
"Riven," Jordan said, voice tight.
"It was him."
The twins had always been told they looked like their father.
"I know."
Riven appeared behind Darren in a crack of lightning, sword thrusting forward—
CLANG.
Another blade intercepted his strike, knocking it aside.
"Finally got that sword, huh, Crow?" Darren said with a grin.
A man stepped forward, weapon ready.
"I can tell you're not just a sword user," Crow said, studying Riven closely.
"That speed—those movements—damn near inhuman. Especially for a lightning user. At your age?"
Crow's eyes narrowed.
So that's why he's here.
He remembered now.
He remembered who they had killed.
⸻
Three days ago
"Sir, sir—look," Darren said, grinning as he held up his phone.
A bounty filled the screen.
People from the Dawn Walls.
Last name: Harlow.
"No," Crow snapped instantly.
"We don't touch them. You want us dead?"
"But sir—"
"Nothing happens—"
Crow stopped.
His eyes locked on the number.
100,000 units.
"…We could use that," Darren said quietly.
Crow clenched his jaw.
The man who'd warned them hadn't shown up in a while.
Maybe he was protecting the kids… not the parents.
"…Fine," Crow growled.
"If they're still alive tomorrow—we kill them."
The gang cheered, blinded by greed.
None of them knew they had already signed their death warrants.
⸻
Present
Riven backed away from Crow.
Then—
His sword blurred.
Slashes erupted in every direction.
Men fell one after another, bodies collapsing before screams could form.
Blood sprayed the warehouse floor.
Crow stumbled back, shocked.
He had expected Riven to charge him.
Instead—
The boy was erasing everything around him.
"What is he doing…?" Jordan thought.
Riven slaughtered gang member after gang member, his movements cold and methodical.
His hatred should be focused on Crow.
He knows Crow killed Dad.
He admitted it.
Jordan's veins bulged with rage.
Crow wouldn't see tomorrow.
Riven breathed heavily.
Blood dripped from Harkel's sword as another body hit the ground.
⸻
[System: 31 / 150]
[System: Conditions met.]
[User has defeated over 30 enemies.]
[Electric Body has evolved.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Lightning Cloak]
⸻
Riven felt it instantly.
The lightning around his body shifted—brighter, sharper, tinged with a pale blue glow.
He leapt.
Faster than ever before.
Speed surged.
+20…
No—
+40.
His total speed skyrocketed to 77.
But there was a cost.
Lightning Cloak drained 5 Energy per minute.
He didn't hesitate.
Riven vanished.
Bodies collapsed in his wake—stacking atop one another.
Blood coated the floor.
Crow ran forward, eyes wide.
"Damn it… I could keep up with him before—what the hell is this?!"
Is this something lightning users can do?
Even Crasfer never moved like this.
Crow's breath hitched.
"…Is this kid adapting?"
His eyes darted wildly—not tracking Riven, but the air itself.
"There!"
Crow swung.
CLANG.
Steel met steel as Riven was forced back, stopping him from piercing another gang member.
Riven slid backward, regaining his footing.
"This speed is insane," he thought.
"If my base speed reaches this level…"
His eyes locked onto Crow.
He's still keeping up.
Riven activated Lock-On.
⸻
[System: Target Analyzed.]
[Weapon: Oblivion Howler Beast Sword]
[Level: 5]
[Bonuses: +40 Strength | +30 Speed | +20 Durability]
⸻
"What the hell…?" Riven thought, widening the distance between them.
Why does a wallborn have a Level 5 beast weapon?
Behind him—
Jordan recalled his ink daggers, merging them into a shield.
Darren thrust his palm forward.
An explosion erupted.
Jordan was blasted straight out of the warehouse.
"…Fine," Jordan muttered as he stabilized himself using ink.
"Let's get serious."
The ink behind him pooled, swelling, reshaping.
A humanoid form emerged—dark, fluid, alive.
"I really need to start doing this more often," Jordan said quietly.
The inky figure finished forming.
A shadowed version of Jordan stood at his side.
[System: -12 Energy]
Jordan didn't like how much energy it drained—but it didn't matter.
With two daggers in hand, the inky Jordan lunged, slashing at Darren. Darren leapt back, planting his palm forward. A small explosion detonated between them, forcing distance.
Before Darren could breathe, the inky clone re-engaged.
Jordan followed instantly.
He drove his palm straight into the clone's chest.
The inky Jordan exploded—its head bursting apart into splattering black ink.
"Really?" Darren scoffed, lips curling into a smirk. "This is your ability? If I'm being honest, it's lame—"
His words cut off.
The moment Darren realized Jordan had vanished from his sight, a chill ran down his spine.
"What—"
He turned to defend—
An inky dagger pierced straight through his back.
Blood spilled from Darren's mouth as his eyes widened in disbelief. Slowly, he turned his head.
The inky version of Jordan stood behind him.
Reformed.
Fully intact.
"What happened to all that shit you were talking?" Jordan said, smiling. "Yeah, this takes a lot of energy—but at least my ink can regenerate."
Jordan raised his dagger to finish it.
Darren reacted instantly.
His palm slammed forward—another explosion. Then his other hand detonated behind Jordan.
The blast wasn't meant to kill.
It was meant to separate.
Both Jordans were launched backward, feet scraping violently across the ground as they skidded to a stop.
"Okay," Darren chuckled. "Let's regroup, shall we?"
[System: -2 HP]
"Only two?" Jordan thought, steadying himself. "He increased knockback and lowered damage…"
Jordan shifted into a fighting stance—clumsy, unrefined, but functional.
His ability… Ink.
It was strange.
Ink allowed him to create contracts—constructs. Daggers. Creatures. Even replicas of people he knew, as long as he understood their strengths and weaknesses.
Yet every time he used it, something gnawed at him.
I'm wasting it.
"I need to open my mind," Jordan thought.
He rushed forward alongside his inky counterpart.
They shared the same thoughts.
The same intent.
"I should eliminate the original first," Darren thought, charging Jordan directly.
His palm shot toward Jordan's chest.
If it landed, Jordan would die—or worse.
But Darren's movement halted mid-step.
"What the—"
He looked down.
Thick, black ink coiled tightly around his leg, binding him to the ground.
The restraint led back to the inky Jordan.
"You know," the real Jordan said calmly, "you're right."
Darren looked up.
"My ability is weak—at least in raw strength." Jordan raised his hand. "But what it has… is creativity."
Jordan pulled out a small container filled with black liquid.
Ink.
He crushed it in his grip.
The glass shattered.
Ink erupted outward like a living thing, surging through the air as a dense black beam.
It slammed into Darren's body.
The pressure was overwhelming.
It felt like his body wanted to be thrown back—but couldn't.
"Damn it," Darren thought. "He's restraining my leg—but even then, how is he stopping my whole body from flying?"
All he could do was endure.
When the ink finally receded, Darren staggered.
His clothing had been shredded, as if struck by a tidal force it couldn't withstand. He spat black ink from his mouth, coughing violently.
"So," Darren said, smiling through blood. "What now? You gonna kill me?"
Jordan smiled back.
But his smile was colder.
Sharper.
"You calling my abilities weak gave me an epiphany," Jordan said. "You can't be truly creative without a test subject… can you?"
The smile vanished.
Pure anger replaced it.
"You admitted to killing my father. To our faces. There is no way you're leaving in peace."
Jordan stepped forward.
"You're going to die in pain."
"And I'll enjoy it."
Darren laughed internally.
I just need to hold out until Crow finishes killing that kid…
Bring it on, you little—
Little did Darren know—
Crow wouldn't live past today.