Below, the city moved like it always did traffic humming, neon lights reflected into wet streets, people rushing through narrow alleys with their heads down. None of it reached the rooftop of Block 6.
A young man stood near the edge, hands in his dark black jacket pockets.
The left side of the jacket he was wearing seemed to have an insigma of some organization or a community.
He wasn't nervous. He already measured the exits. The stairwell door behind him. The adjacent building to the east. Thirteen meters across, if it came to that. Manageable.
He checked the time once, then lifted his light blue eyes as footsteps echoed from the
stairwell.
The man who emerged wore a long black coat that seemed to cover his whole body,same goes to his hat it was enoumous that even the youngman coud get a clear shot to see the guy's face.In one hand, a reinforced briefcase, scuffed at the edges like it had been passed through too many hands. He stopped when he saw the young man waiting.
"You are early," the dealer said.
"Didn't want to be followed," the young man replied.The dealer nodded, satisfied, and stepped closer. He didn't notice the way the how the young man's stance subtly changed.Not until it was too late.
The young man moved in closer.He crossed the space between them in a breath, striking the dealer's wrist and sending the briefcase flying. It hit the ground hard, skidding away.
The dealer staggered back, eyes wide then narrowed as realization hit.
" A Core weilder...?!"
"Yeah," the young man said. "and i am here to end this."
The dealer smiled."Heh!Like i would let myself get caught."he reached for his pocket then what seemed to come out is something round like a ball, the youngman couldn't tell what it was,so he braised himself for any incoming danger.
Bam!!
The air around started to get dusty.
Cough!!he coughed as he covered his nose with his elbow.
The youngman looked around to see which angle the dealer will come to assault from but unfortunately.
The youngman could see the dealer's shadowy figure running out of the dust.
He sprinted after him.
"Hey stop!!"the youngman shouted.
"You gotta be insane,i cant do that."the dealer shot back.
Upon hearing that the youngman took out his gun and shot the dealer but missed.
"Now you done it you little brat!!."the dealer shouted,he reached inside his coat.
Taking out a revolver radiating with strange energy.He didnt hesitate or even aim,he shoot immediately he took out the revolver.
The young man twisted, the bullet tearing past where his head had been a moment earlier. It slammed into the wall behind him, detonating with a force that blew out concrete. A hole the size of a car door smoked where the round had struck.
The dealer's grin stretched wider.
Core energy…
Realization hit the young man sharp enough to slow his steps,for a moment, the young man hesitated. Chase him, or pull back. That weapon wasn't normal. The air distortion, the impact radius, the way the bullet tore through reinforced concrete it all pointed to one thing,Core Energy.
The dealer's voice cut through the dust as he approached.
"You saw that, right?" the dealer said, spinning the revolver once before leveling
it again. "That wasn't a normal round."
"Anyways..."the dealer puts his revolver back to his pockets"...enough spacing out,aren't you suppose to catch me?"
The young man clenched his fist "He's right. I can't let that get into my head."
"What kind of criminal wants to get captured?" he shot back.
The dealer started to laugh uncontrollably right after. "You just make things interesting.
"How about we spice things up for you?"the air shifted right after.
The space around the dealer began to circulate, tugging at loose debris. His muscles tensing beneath his coat,his body started to emit a blinding radiance .
"See yah."
ZOOSH.
The young man stood frozen for a while, scanning every angle.When he finally realize the dealer was gone frustration tore through him.
"DAMMIT!"
His shout echoed between the buildings, swallowed by the waking city.
The sun was just beginning to rise.
************
06:03 A.M.
Shinjuku Central housed the Core Wielders Society Headquarters, a massive
complex that dominated the skyline like a city layered atop itself. Tall interconnected structures stretched across several blocks, joined by sky bridges and internal courtyards engineered with artificial ecosystems.
Waterfalls flowed beside glass-paneled buildings, greenery thriving where steel and stone should have ruled. Offices, training halls, research labs, strategy rooms, and meeting chambers filled the interior, each section humming with quiet authority.
Inside one of the administrative buildings, the silence broke.
"I knew it."
Another voice followed immediately, sharper, irritated. "I shouldn't have assigned
this mission to you."
The speaker was young,a dude around his early twenties at most,redhair spiked and untamed,uniform jacket half worn with confidence of someone who belongedwhere he stood.He faced the youngman who is now standing in front of his desk."How many times have you failed now,Kaito?"he continued."Six.Six times."he exhaled slowly and with control,frustration barely contained.
"But Takihana,he-"
"It's Vice Captain Takihana to you,Mr Sakurama."The correction cut cleanly.
Kaito straightened."Yes,sir.As i was saying the was armed with a weapon emitting core energy, I couldn't close the distance safely."
Takihana stood up from his seat,his hands hit the desk hard"And that...,"he said,"...is exactly why this mission never should have been assigned to you.You have no core trait.That alone puts you at severe disadvantage."
There was no anger in his voice now,only certainty."The high command is already questioning your placement.If you continue to fail,i will personally remove you from active duty."
"I understand, sir."Kaito's voice was quite when he responded,his head lowering slightly
as Takihana turned away,the conversation was over.
"You may leave my office."Takihana commanded.
Kaito left the the vice captain's office without direction,since he had nothing to do Takihana has dismissed him for the day, his footsteps carrying him through corridors the polished floors reflecting a version of himself he barely recognized anymore.
Around him, the headquarters was fully awake now. Core wielders passed in disciplined silence,others laughing, training halls echoed with controlled impacts and focused breaths.
It has been 2 months for now Kaito is working as a member of the core weilders society.
Ever since he was born he was always traitless,this became a life time occurrence affecting his life.
Every glance that lingered too long felt like judgment, every whispered conversation like confirmation of what he already knew. Six failures.
No core trait. A liability wearing a uniform he no longer deserved.
He reached the outer courtyard, stopping near the edge where water cascaded down layered stone into a clean basin below.The sound supposed to be calming,but his thoughts refused to settle.
"Guess i will just head home."he muttered.