Schwarian standing steps forward, he glanced at the Dweller sliced in half by Zeph.
Then his eyes finally relax, and he takes look at Zeph who was taking a slow drag from his cigar, as if the silence hadn't already decided something.
"Blumhart… you did well." Said, Zeph, as he exhaled smoke.
Schwarian flinched at the praise, clearly caught off guard.
"Th-thank you, sir."
Zeph gave a short nod.
"Enough talk," he said. "Let's find that damn Riss—before another Dweller crawls out of it."
"Yes, sir."
As they started moving, Schwarian's gaze drifted to Zeph's hand.
He was flipping a coin.
Not an ordinary one.
The coin was deep crimson, its surface engraved with a skull breathing flames.
Both of them entered the warehouse, Door—destroyed.
Zeph turns to Schwarian, "Is this the place where you encountered that Dweller earlier?"
Schwarian as he looks around in the warehouse, "Yes, sir. But I don't see any Riss here."
Zeph points at ceiling.
Schwarian gaze follows Zeph pointed direction.
And he saw.
A fracture between two worlds.
Schwarian swallowed.
Der Riss.
"Here," Zeph said, handing Schwarian a firearm embedded with a crystal.
"Versiegelung?" Schwarian said as he took it.
Zeph raised an eyebrow. "Can you?"
Schwarian hesitated. "I can't say. I've never sealed a Riss before."
"If you're going to be a scaredy cat," Zeph said calmly, "then I'll finish the job myself."
Schwarian flinched at the words. "No, sir—wait. I can do this. Apologies for hesitating."
"Then don't waste time apologizing."
Schwarian nodded.
He tightened his grip on the gun and aimed it at Der Riss.
As he pressed the trigger of the Versiegelung, the crystal embedded within it began to glow—followed by Schwarian's body.
His hand trembled for a brief second of hesitation.
Then he swallowed and fired.
A surge of energy tore from the weapon and struck Der Riss.
Schwarian collapsed to the ground as the fracture between worlds sealed itself shut.
***
"Schwarian… are you even listening to me?" a woman's voice said.
Schwarian turned toward the sound. For a brief moment, his eyes caught the mirror nearby.
He looked younger.
A teenager.
"Schwarian Blumhart," the voice snapped. "Care to answer?"
Schwarian stiffened. "Yes, Mom. I'm listening," he replied quickly.
"Good. Now go find your little brother and bring him back," she said. "He's been out playing with his friends for hours."
"Alright…" Schwarian replied, his voice flat with disinterest.
He walked out of the house and stopped at the doorstep.
A large parcel sat there.
Schwarian raised an eyebrow.
He turned back toward the house. "Mom! There's a package outside."
"Bring it in," his mother called back.
Schwarian lifted the box—and immediately felt its weight.
Frowning, he carried it inside and set it down in the living area. His mother sat nearby, focused on her laptop.
"Can I open it?" Schwarian asked, curiosity slipping into his voice.
His mother looked up. Her eyes narrowed.
"First go and look for your brother," she said. "I'll take care of the package."
Schwarian swallowed. Forcing a hesitant smile, he nodded and stepped away, leaving the living area and heading back outside.
He took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs as he scanned the street, searching for his brother.
He hadn't gone far.
A scream tore through the house.
Schwarian didn't think.
He ran.
He burst back inside and rushed toward the living area.
"Mom! Are you oka—"
The words died in his throat.
His mother stood frozen, her face twisted in horror. Tears streamed down her cheeks, unchecked.
She tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
Her trembling finger lifted, pointing.
Schwarian followed its direction.
The parcel lay open.
His steps slowed as he approached. His breath caught.
He looked inside the box.
And screamed.
***
Schwarian jolted awake, drenched in sweat.
He looked around.
The warehouse was empty.
No Zeph.
No sign of Der Riss—it had been sealed.
Schwarian pushed himself to his feet, straightening his disheveled clothes. Sunlight filtered in through broken panels.
It was already afternoon.
He searched the warehouse once more.
Nothing.
"Damn… he really left me here like this?" he muttered between heavy breaths.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Schwarian flinched.
He checked the screen.
Roselyn Azur.
After a moment's hesitation, he answered, his voice stiff with unease.
"H-Hello, Handler Azur."
"Come to my office. Immediately," Roselyn said, her tone sharp and urgent.
"Ye—"
The call ended.
Schwarian stared at the screen.
He blinked.
Then blinked again.
Confused.
He adjusted his hat and broke into a run toward the DSA building.
The corridors felt longer this time.
Schwarian's steps were steady, but his body lagged behind, heavy in a way he couldn't place. A dull ache pulsed beneath his ribs with every breath.
Officers passed him without a second glance. No questions. No concern.
By the time he reached the handler floor, his palm was damp.
He stopped in front of the door marked ROSELYN AZUR.
He hesitated—then knocked.
"Enter," Roselyn said from the other side.
Schwarian stepped inside the office.
Zeph was already there—standing.
"You're late," Zeph said coldly.
Schwarian nodded. "Sorry… for the inconvenience."
"It's fine," Roselyn said. "Now I need both of your attention. This is… unusual."
Urgency crept into her voice as she turned her laptop toward them.
On the laptop screen, CCTV footage played.
Zeph's eyes narrowed as he focused on it.
Schwarian stood still—confused, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
The footage was grainy.
An alleyway. Quiet. Empty.
Then a figure in unfamiliar clothing entered the frame.
"—He's being attacked," Schwarian said, glancing at the timestamp.
A thief lunged at the man.
The next moment, the thief was thrown backward—violently—without the man lifting a hand. It was as if an invisible force had struck him.
Zeph's expression didn't change.
Schwarian swallowed. His gaze flicked to the crimson coin in Zeph's hand.
"Is he… like you?" Schwarian asked carefully. "A Skill Coin user?"
Neither Zeph nor Roselyn answered.
The footage ended.
Zeph turned to Roselyn. "You think he stole a Skill Coin? If so, the cops should handle it."
Roselyn pinched the bridge of her nose. "No. That's not it. There's been no report of a missing Skill Coin—I've already confirmed that."
"Then what is it?" Schwarian asked.
"You know modern CCTV systems have specialized frequency detectors," Roselyn said.
"Yeah," Schwarian replied, uncertain. "They're used to detect Der Riss by its frequency."
"Not just that," Zeph added. "Skill Coins emit a frequency when they're used. CCTV picks that up too."
"Yes," Roselyn said. "But when I checked the recorded frequencies—there was nothing."
Zeph's brow lifted slightly. "You're sure?"
Schwarian's eyes returned to the frozen image on the screen. "You mean he wasn't using a Skill Coin? Then what is he?"
"If there really is someone like what we're suspecting…" Zeph began.
Schwarian stared at the figure in the footage.
Roselyn exhaled slowly and finished the thought.
"Then he's an—"
Anomaly.