Inside the secret facility, Orion sat in the advanced training classroom, his full focus fixed on one thing—
how to become stronger.
Instructor Sarah stood at the front, explaining the principles of precise visual-energy control.
"The secret isn't the amount of power," she said calmly, "but its precision."
She demonstrated by gathering a small quantity of water, suspending it midair, then hurling it at a single invisible point. The water struck perfectly, dispersing with flawless control.
The students were amazed.
All of them—
except Orion.
His blue eyes were locked onto one student in particular: Edward.
Edward was no more than twelve years old, yet his blue eyes shone with unusual talent. He possessed a visual ability known as Silence.
It wasn't a purely combat-based ability, but it was ancient—legendary even. Throughout history, assassins had risen to prominence because of it.
Silence allowed its user to wrap themselves in a transparent aura that blocked sound and visual perception, cutting them off from the world and allowing movement in absolute secrecy.
A rare ability… and a terrifying one.
"Now," Instructor Sarah said, "one of you stand and demonstrate your ability."
Orion's heart sank. His own power had yet to manifest—unlike everyone else in the room.
Edward volunteered.
He stood before the class as Orion's gaze burned into him, unnoticed by all.
Edward picked up a pen, gathered the Silence aura around his hand, then released the pen.
It hit the floor—
Without a sound.
As if it had fallen in another world.
Edward had wrapped the pen entirely within his visual field.
The room fell silent, stunned. Even Instructor Sarah hadn't expected such control from a child.
What Edward had created was barely a "field" due to its simplicity—yet she herself couldn't do it.
Applause erupted. Praise followed.
Everyone admired Edward.
Everyone—
except Orion.
Orion lowered his head, gripping it between his hands, staring away in bitter frustration.
Instructor Sarah noticed.
"Amazing, isn't it?" she said kindly.
"Orion—look how effortlessly Edward does it."
She meant no harm.
But those words were the final straw.
Accumulated jealousy.
Neglect.
Injustice.
Everything exploded in that moment.
---
"STOP!"
Orion sprang to his feet, his blue eyes igniting—red flames swirling within them.
The classroom froze.
All eyes turned to him.
"Orion?" Instructor Sarah asked, alarmed. "What's wrong?"
"Why?" Orion shouted, his voice shaking with fury.
"Why is everyone better than me?! Why is my brother always ahead?! Why do you favor everyone except me?!"
"That's not true—you're special in your own way," Sarah tried to calm him.
But Orion didn't hear her.
He lunged toward Edward.
Without thinking.
He grabbed the child's head, his thumbs pressing toward Edward's eyes—
Intending to destroy them.
Suddenly—
A blinding glow erupted from Orion's hands.
Sarah tried to intervene—but couldn't.
She looked down.
The room had filled with dense mist, low to the ground, reaching knee height.
Then—
"AAAAH! NO! WHAT IS THIS?! I CAN'T SEE! EVERYTHING IS DARK!"
Edward screamed in terror.
Orion stared at his trembling hands.
Edward's beautiful blue eyes—alive just moments ago—
were now pale white.
Like shattered glass.
"What… what did I do?" Orion whispered, stumbling backward.
---
Before panic could spread, the classroom door opened.
Cain entered.
He wasn't shocked.
He wasn't angry.
He looked like a man witnessing the fulfillment of a long-awaited expectation.
"Take Edward to the infirmary immediately," Cain ordered calmly.
"But—!" Instructor Sarah tried to speak as the fog thickened.
"Thank you for your efforts. You may leave now," Cain said gently, then turned to the students.
In a blink, Cain released a subtle visual wave—mist flowing from the doorway and his golden eyes.
The students and Sarah froze for a moment…
Then resumed moving as if nothing had happened.
"Where is Edward?" Sarah asked, confused.
"He was taken for medical care," Cain replied coolly.
"And now, Orion—come with me."
---
Inside Cain's private office, Orion had reached a state he'd never known before.
He was trembling—
from fear,
from shock.
"I… I stole his eyes!" Orion cried. "He's blind!"
"No," Cain said calmly, sitting behind his massive desk.
"You freed him from the distraction of sight."
Orion stared at him in disbelief.
"What do you mean? How can blindness be freedom?!"
"The ability you possess," Cain said, stepping closer, "makes you special. Stronger than your brother. They'll never understand you."
"But I hurt an innocent child!"
"The child will be fine," Cain lied smoothly.
"And one day, he'll thank you."
Orion's breath caught.
"The power you have can save the world," Cain continued.
"And avenge your father."
"Save… the world?"
"Avenge my father…?"
Orion whispered as his eyes began glowing again.
"Yes," Cain said softly.
"But you must learn to control it. And this… must remain our secret."
---
That night, on the edge of the facility, Tiflos and Noor stood on a balcony overlooking the mountains and sky, gazing at the stars.
"Are we doing the right thing?" Noor asked, holding his hand.
"I don't know," Tiflos answered. "But I know we can't stand still."
"What if we discover Cain was right?" Noor asked.
"And what if we discover he isn't right… but the disaster itself?"
Tiflos exhaled.
"We can't act yet. But we must be careful."
He looked into the darkness.
"Because those who fight monsters… eventually become monsters."
---
Deep underground, Orion began his first secret training session with Cain.
The room was dark—
save for the glow of Orion's blue eyes.
"Tonight," Cain said, resting a hand on Orion's shoulder,
"your true journey begins. I will teach you how to become the hero you were born to be."
Orion looked at his hands… then at Cain.
"I will become the strongest," he said quietly.
"And I will avenge my father."
Cain smiled in the darkness—
the smile of a victor pulling strings from the shadows.
The game had grown more dangerous.
The threads were beginning to unravel.
But the fall…
had not yet begun.