Furama strode through the brightly lit hallway of A.B.C Labs, the sharp rhythm of his shoes tapping against the polished floor. Scientists and workers moved around in nearby sections of the facility, but none dared to stop him. The tension around his presence alone was enough to keep people silent.
His expression remained calm, though there was a hidden impatience lingering beneath it.
He finally arrived in front of a secured metal door.
Without hesitation, he slid his keycard through the scanner beside it.
A soft beep echoed.
The door unlocked with a mechanical hiss.
Furama stepped inside.
On the other side of the room stood Kenra. The young man slowly turned toward him.
Silence instantly swallowed the room.
Kenra looked away again, his shoulders slightly tense. The atmosphere between them felt heavy even without words being exchanged. The cold artificial lights above only amplified the uneasy stillness.
Furama narrowed his eyes, already irritated by the silence.
"Well...?"
His voice carried impatience.
He walked deeper into the room as the heavy door shut behind him.
Kenra finally stood upright. His expression carried exhaustion, but beneath it was something else.
Relief.
He slowly approached Furama before lowering his head slightly.
Then—
He stretched out his arm.
A bowl resting several feet away suddenly trembled.
The liquid water inside responded immediately to Kenra's movement.
The water lifted into the air, floating smoothly as though gravity itself no longer applied to it. The fluid spiraled around his arm in controlled loops, reacting perfectly to every subtle motion of his fingers.
Furama's eyes widened.
Then his face stretched into a smile.
"Yes...! It worked..."
His voice was filled with satisfaction.
Kenra let out a faint chuckle, though his breathing was slightly uneven. The water continued moving gracefully around him like a living extension of his body.
"Any side effects noticeable?"
Furama asked immediately.
Kenra shook his head.
"None in sight, boss. As it stands... two elements have been fully loaded."
For a moment, Furama simply stared.
Then the excitement returned to his face.
Everything was progressing exactly as planned.
Years of experiments...
Failures...
Sacrifices...
All of it was finally paying off.
And soon, the only person capable of standing against him would disappear.
Furama stepped closer and placed a hand firmly on Kenra's shoulder.
"We can't slip up now," he said quietly.
His voice lowered slightly.
"Two more elements... and the probability of your body breaking down rises to seventy-one point two percent."
Kenra's expression stiffened slightly.
Furama tightened his grip on his shoulder.
"But you can do this... right?"
Kenra smiled faintly.
"Yes, sir."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'm not backing down now."
Furama stared at him for a second longer before finally exhaling through his nose with satisfaction.
A proud smile crept onto his face as he patted Kenra's shoulder.
"That's what I like to hear."
He turned and began walking toward the exit.
After Furama had left.
The water surrounding Kenra instantly froze solid.
Cracking ice spread across its surface as cold vapor drifted into the air.
Kenra swung his arm violently.
The mass of ice shot across the room and slammed into the wall with explosive force, embedding itself deep into the concrete.
Cracks spread around the impact point.
Kenra's expression darkened.
"…After all," he muttered.
His eyes narrowed.
"…I have a score to settle with the Avatar."
A low laugh escaped him.
Kenra smirked without even turning back before finally exiting the room.
---
Jinrai and Rokan sat awkwardly inside a taxi moving through the crowded streets of the city.
Both of them sat stiffly, carefully hiding their identities from the driver.
Rokan wore his usual oversized black hoodie alongside a dark face mask and cap that shadowed most of his features.
Beside him, Jinrai remained calmer.
Unlike Rokan, he left the top of his head exposed, though an oxblood-colored veil concealed enough of his face to avoid recognition.
Neither of them spoke.
The faint hum of the car engine filled the silence between them.
Then—
The radio suddenly caught both of their attention.
["Recently, the town's police department officially placed a three million dollar bounty on the figure known as the 'Avatar.' The fugitive has been declared dangerous. Citizens are advised to immediately contact authorities upon sighting the target and maintain a safe distance at all times."]
Rokan's eyes shifted slightly.
Jinrai glanced toward him as well.
The announcement clearly unsettled them both.
The driver clicked his tongue.
"That Avatar..." he muttered casually.
"I hope they catch him soon. He should just get cleansed and live like a normal person. It can't really be that bad."
He spoke carelessly, not expecting a response.
Rokan slowly looked away.
His gaze drifted toward the city outside the window.
Cars sped past.
Pedestrians crossed busy sidewalks.
People lived their lives normally.
Meanwhile, his own life continued sinking deeper into hiding.
His eyes lowered quietly.
---
Several minutes later, the taxi stopped in front of a large brown five-story apartment complex.
Rokan stepped out first.
The moment he lifted his head to fully look at the building, his eyes widened slightly.
The structure towered over him more than he expected.
Jinrai paid the driver before stepping out beside him.
He noticed Rokan staring upward.
"Are you ready?"
Jinrai asked calmly.
Rokan looked toward him.
His breathing slowed.
For a second, uncertainty crossed his face.
Then he nodded lightly.
"…Yeah."
Another breath escaped him.
"Yeah... I am."
Jinrai gave a small smile before walking toward the entrance.
Rokan followed behind him.
---
Meanwhile, Rin and Sumi remained inside a hotel room located relatively close to the Anti-Bending Labs.
Rin stood near the window with binoculars pressed against his eyes, carefully observing every movement happening outside.
Vehicles.
Workers.
Security patrols.
He watched everything closely.
Behind him, Sumi sat comfortably on the bed eating popcorn from a bowl resting on her lap.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
The noise repeatedly echoed through the room.
Rin's eye twitched slightly.
He tried his best to ignore both the sound and the hunger slowly building inside him.
But eventually—
"Damn it..."
He lowered the binoculars.
"Do you have to eat that loud?"
His eyebrow lifted as he stared at her.
Sumi blinked at him innocently.
She tilted her head slightly as though she genuinely didn't understand what he meant.
Then—
Crunch.
She took another bite.
Rin slowly dropped his head.
A heavy groan escaped him.
A few seconds later, a knock sounded at the door.
Rin instantly straightened.
In one swift movement, he pulled the dagger hidden on him and lowered his stance carefully.
Sumi, meanwhile, casually stood up and walked toward the door.
Rin's eyes widened.
"What are you doing...?" he whispered aggressively.
"That could be anyone."
Sumi ignored him completely.
She adjusted her mask before opening the door.
Rin tightened his grip on the dagger, prepared for anything—
But instead, he saw a hotel worker standing beside a rolling cart filled with food.
Several dishes rested neatly on silver trays.
Rin froze.
Sumi calmly tipped the worker before he bowed politely and left.
The door clicked shut.
Rin stared blankly as Sumi rolled the cart toward the bed like nothing unusual had happened.
One by one, she lifted the tray covers.
Steam rose from the dishes.
The smell instantly filled the room.
Rin's stomach betrayed him almost immediately.
His expression remained completely flat.
But slowly...
Very slowly...
He walked toward the bed.
"You ordered room service?"
Sumi nodded casually.
Rin tossed the binoculars aside and sat down beside her with a defeated plop.
His expression looked completely drained of resistance.
Sumi picked up a small snack from one of the plates and held it toward him.
Rin stared at her silently.
Then he leaned forward and ate directly from her hand.
Sumi lifted her thumb, asking for his opinion.
Rin looked at her for a long second.
Then, despite himself—
He raised his own thumb too.
"…It's good."
Sumi smiled brightly.
Then immediately turned back toward the food, fully prepared to continue eating.
---
Elsewhere, Rokan and Jinrai climbed the stairway of the apartment building.
Their footsteps echoed softly through the narrow stairwell.
"How are you so sure this person is still in contact with your relative?"
Rokan asked while climbing behind him.
Jinrai answered without hesitation.
"Trust me... they were inseparable when they were younger."
A small nostalgic smile crossed his face.
"I doubt they suddenly forgot about each other."
Rokan frowned slightly.
"Younger...?"
He quietly repeated the word to himself.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a door labeled:
RM21.
Jinrai stared at it silently.
Rokan glanced between the door and Jinrai before finally speaking again.
"Um... can I ask who this relative actually is?"
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then Jinrai finally answered.
"…My daughter."
Rokan froze.
"Y-Your daughter?!"
His eyes widened immediately.
Jinrai ignored his reaction and raised his hand to knock on the door.
"But wait—you said she hated you before!" Rokan whispered loudly.
"You really think she'll help me just because I know you?"
As he spoke, he unknowingly moved closer and closer to Jinrai.
Jinrai quickly stretched an arm out to stop him.
His expression showed visible irritation now.
"Back up."
Before Rokan could continue pestering him further—
The door creaked open.
A young woman stood there wearing loose sweats and a cropped shirt.
Her short trimmed hair looked slightly messy like she had only recently woken up.
Glasses rested neatly on her face, emphasizing her sharp features even more.
She stared at Jinrai for a moment.
"…Dad?"
Her voice softened with surprise.
Jinrai suddenly looked strangely uncomfortable.
For once, the composed man seemed unsure of himself.
"…Hey," he finally said quietly.
The girl sighed tiredly.
But then—
Her eyes shifted toward Rokan.
The moment they locked eyes, recognition struck both of them almost instantly.
Rokan blinked.
"Huh...?"
His eyes widened.
"…Rika?"
Rika squinted suspiciously at him for a second.
Then realization hit her too.
"Oh!"
She pointed at him.
"Weird customer!"
Rokan let out a sharp awkward laugh.
Beside him, Jinrai looked completely confused now.
His eyes shifted between both of them.
"…You two know each other?"
The girl standing before them was indeed Rika—
The supermarket worker Rokan had met shortly before the bank incident.
And judging from the look on her face...
She clearly hadn't forgotten him either.
…To be continued…