Chapter 8
He knew he needed a place where he could think clearly, somewhere he could pray and calm himself, to gather his thoughts before facing whatever was coming next. As he walked down the quiet streets toward home, his mind kept replaying everything that had happened recently.
Then he remembered the small church near his route home, a place he had passed many times but never spent much time in. It was close enough to reach quickly, and somehow he knew it would give him a moment of peace, a small chance to gather his thoughts.
Souta entered the church quietly.
The space inside was almost empty. A few candles flickered on the altar at the front, casting weak light across the wooden benches that were lined up in perfect rows. He walked slowly toward the middle, his footsteps careful and soft, and knelt down, folding his hands together. He tried to breathe evenly, but even as he calmed himself, he could feel the tightness in his chest refusing to leave.
He closed his eyes and whispered, "Dad."
His voice was low, almost trembling, and for a long moment he stayed silent, trying to make sense of his racing thoughts.
"I do not really know how to pray properly," he admitted quietly, "but I wanted to come here anyway."
His mind filled with memories of his father, Renjiro Ishikawa. He saw his calm expression, the careful way he always spoke, and the way he seemed to be thinking about something important even in ordinary moments.
"I miss you," he continued, his voice barely audible, "and it still feels strange that you are gone."
He lowered his head farther, pressing his forehead lightly against his clasped hands.
"Please watch over Mom and my brother," he said. "I will do my best to protect them, no matter what happens."
He felt his fingers tighten in determination, but then another thought came rushing in.
The system. The abilities. The crystal.
"I keep thinking about it," he said to himself. "If this power is from God, then I will accept it, and I will use it wisely. But if it is not, then I do not understand it at all. I do not know what it is meant for or why it chose me."
He let out a long, quiet breath.
"There is no way something like this was made by humans," he murmured. "It is too strange, too different, too… alive somehow."
The church remained silent. The faint scent of candles lingered in the air, but it felt heavy, like the building itself was listening.
After a few moments, Souta slowly stood. He bowed once toward the altar and then turned, moving carefully toward the door. The night air greeted him as he stepped outside. The wind was cooler than before, brushing against his face, and the sounds of the city returned: the faint hum of cars, people speaking far away, life continuing as if nothing had changed at all.
Souta walked toward the bus stop by the road. He glanced at the posted schedule, noting that the next bus would arrive soon. He sat down on the bench and waited, trying to let himself relax.
Then he felt it. Not fear, exactly, but something in his body told him he was being watched. His skin prickled, his muscles tensed automatically, and he realized he was not alone.
He looked up. Across the street stood a man in a black suit, perfectly fitted and clean. The man wore dark glasses, even though the sun was low in the sky, and he remained still. He simply stood there, watching.
Souta's eyes locked on the man for a few seconds. Nothing about him looked threatening, but there was a strange pressure coming from his presence, something that made Souta uneasy in a way he could not explain.
Then the bus arrived.
The doors opened with a sharp hiss. The man in the black suit stepped inside without a word, never glancing back.
As the doors began to close, Souta noticed something left on the seat near the entrance.
An envelope.
Without thinking, he stood up and waved, shouting, "Wait! Sir! You left something!"
The bus did not stop. It moved forward, and the man inside disappeared from sight.
Souta walked over to the bench and picked up the envelope. It was thick and heavy, without a stamp or address, with only a single name written clearly on the front:
To Mr. Ishikawa Renjiro.
His heart skipped a beat. "Dad," he whispered.
Questions ran through his mind. Why would there be a letter for his father when he had been gone for days? Could it be important? Could it be a farewell? He did not want to open it there.
"I will read it at home," he told himself, holding it tightly.
Another bus came, and Souta boarded, sitting by the window. He did not move the envelope from his lap, his mind drifting with worry.
As the bus traveled, he noticed children playing basketball on a small court in the distance, and families walking along quiet streets. A river reflected the last glow of sunlight, and hills rose gently beyond the city. Everything looked normal, but Souta felt nothing but tension.
"Who was that man?" he whispered to himself. "Why didn't he just speak to me?"
Eventually, the bus reached his stop. He stepped down and walked quickly toward his house, the envelope still clutched in his hand.
The lights were off.
"That is strange," he muttered.
He opened the front door carefully and called out, "Mom? Brother? Is anyone home?"
No answer came. The house was silent.
Souta walked into the living room and sat down, staring at the envelope. His hands were slightly cold as he slowly opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper. One sentence was written clearly:
I am coming for you, Miyu, Masaki, and Souta.-VV
Souta froze, staring at the words as if they burned his eyes.
"What…" he whispered.
His heart began to race. "Who is VV? Why are they writing this? This is not a joke!"
Before he could think further, the front door suddenly burst open.
Soldiers rushed in, moving faster than Souta could react.
They wore heavy armor and carried guns with flashlights that turned his vision white for a moment.
"What is going on?" he shouted, panic rising. "What did I do?"
More soldiers poured in from different directions, blocking every exit.
Souta turned and ran toward the kitchen, hoping to escape or find something to use. But before he could reach it, soldiers were already there. They moved with precision, guns aimed at him as if predicting every step.
"Stop!" he yelled. "Who are you people?"
No one answered.
Then a large man stepped forward. He was tall, muscular, and moved with deliberate weight. He looked at Souta without emotion.
"Search the entire house," he said. "Bring everyone alive."
He walked closer to Souta. "So, you are Renjiro's son," he said. "You look weak."
"Who are you?" Souta demanded, trying to hide his fear.
The man smiled faintly. "I am Captain Blobby."
Souta blinked in disbelief. "That name is terrible. Who named you that?"
The man's smile disappeared.
Without warning, he punched Souta in the stomach. Pain hit him instantly. He doubled over and fell to the floor, struggling to breathe.
"They said capture you alive, but they didn't say we couldn't hurt you," the captain said, stepping closer.
Souta gasped, clutching his stomach. "It hurts," he managed to say.
As he struggled to stay upright, a thought came sharply to his mind: the orb, the crystal. They had come for it.
Soldiers came downstairs. "Sir," one said, "no other people found. No black orb located."
Souta remained quiet. They had no idea the orb had changed after he touched it.
"Find his family," the captain ordered. "They will return soon."
He looked at Souta again. "Bring him to the Black Veil Association."
Souta tried to move, but a sharp sting hit his neck. Darkness crept in.
"No… Mom… brother… please do not come home," he whispered before losing consciousness.
When he woke, he was lying on a bed, arms and legs restrained with metal cuffs. He tried to move, but they held him tight.
"Where am I?" he said. The room smelled clean and sterile, like medicine.
The door opened. A man in a lab coat walked in.
"Hello, Souta," the man said calmly. "I am Doctor Cane."
"You worked with my father," Souta said, eyes widening.
"Yes," the doctor replied. "We worked together."
"What do you want from us? My father is dead!" Souta demanded.
Doctor Cane remained calm. "Where is the box your father gave you?"
"Go to hell," Souta replied.
The doctor nodded slowly. "Your family will arrive soon."
Souta felt fear rising in his chest. He looked at the clock on the wall.
1:00 AM.
"It is almost time," he thought.
Doctors and scientists entered and left the room, checking machines quietly. Souta ignored them, focusing only on the minutes slipping by.
then until 2:59 AM.
"This is it," he whispered.
3:00 AM.
"System online," he said quietly.
The system interface appeared before him.
"Roll," he whispered.
A doctor noticed him speaking. "Who are you talking to? Are you insane?"
The system showed the results:
1 in 2 Heightened Awareness1 in 10 Pain Dampening
The final roll spun and stopped:
1 in 120 Super Strength
Souta's face lit up. "This is perfect!!!" he said, a hint of relief and excitement in his voice.
"APPLY!!"
To be continued...