"Arden, you must have noticed it too, right?"
Delliot's voice was heavy, swaying between sober and drunk. The dining hall of the Seek Peace base was dimly lit by a warm yellow lamp, casting long shadows across the wooden walls. Bottles of alcohol, empty glasses, and half-finished plates were scattered across the table.
Arden lifted his face lazily, his red eyes meeting Delliot's. "What?"
Delliot leaned deeper into his chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment before his gaze returned straight to Arden. "Don't you think something is strange about Kael? He's clumsy and also…" he paused, drawing a slow breath, "he feels foreign."
The word foreign made Arden's eyes narrow. Something inside him flickered, but he quickly shut it down.
"Don't say something stupid," Arden replied in a low tone. "He's still the same. Maybe he's dealing with some personal issues."
Even as he said it, Arden didn't believe his own words. Since the first day Kael returned to duty, Arden had noticed subtle but glaring changes: Kael's gaze was less sharp, his speech more awkward, his steps less firm.
None of that matched the Kael he knew.
Delliot snorted bitterly while swirling his glass. "What kind of personal issue makes him hesitate to kill two thugs?"
The question struck Arden like a punch to the chest. The memory hit him instantl yesterday's event that haunted his mind.
The night air had been biting cold, and Arden was patrolling alone when he saw Kael running, chasing two mysterious figures. A second later, a dark light something like spatial distortion exploded from Kael's body.
"Kael! Hey! What's wrong with you?!"
Arden ran as fast as he could. Kael was lying on the ground, unmoving.
Arden knelt beside him and tapped his cheek. "Hey! Hey!"
No response. Arden placed two fingers on Kael's neck to check his pulse. It was still there. Stable. But Kael's skin was cold, and his face had lost all color.
Arden turned to the side two thugs who had confronted Kael earlier were disappearing behind an alley. He wanted to chase them, but he couldn't leave Kael lying helpless like that.
"Damn it. Who were they?" he muttered as he struggled to lift Kael onto his back. He glanced at Kael's pale face. "No… more importantly, how could Kael lose?"
That was something he still couldn't answer.
Back to the Dining Hall
Arden poured more alcohol into his glass, gulped it down, and rubbed his face.
"I don't know… maybe something he's hiding," he muttered.
Delliot didn't respond. The two men simply sat in silence, drowning in their thoughts, until eventually they both passed out on the table.
But without their knowledge, someone had been standing at the doorway the entire time.
Kael or Morry, the soul inhabiting that body stood still with an empty expression. His hands were loosely clenched, and his eyes trembled.
He stared at the floor, biting his lip until his face turned red with frustration and despair.
"Damn it…" his voice was small, almost inaudible. "What do you mean I've changed… damn it. Aren't you still the same useless Morry…"
His voice cracked at the end, but he forced himself not to cry. He turned and walked away quietly.
Meanwhile, in Joy City, the headquarters of Happiness shimmered with neon reflections bouncing off metallic walls. In the main meeting room, the leaders sat around a large glossy black table.
Adam stood at the end of the table, tapping his cane rhythmically.
"Good evening, my clowns. Let's begin this delightful little discussion."
Jesper sat with his legs on the table, spinning a small red scythe like a pen. His clown mask seemed to smile wider than usual. Edgardo stood behind him with crossed arms, face expressionless but eyes sharp.
On the large holographic screen in the center of the room, the symbol of Seek Peace appeared.
"There are forty-five of them," Adam said. "A small organization. But they have four pillars of strength."
He pointed to each digital portrait: Kael, Arden, Delliot, and finally a shadowed silhouette labeled Angelica.
Jesper leaned forward, chuckling. "Forty-five people and four pillars? Sounds easy to snap."
Edgardo shook his head. "Don't underestimate Seek Peace. Kael alone destroyed two criminal factions in a single night."
Jesper stopped spinning his scythe, though he didn't look afraid just more intrigued. "Then I want to meet him…"
Adam cut in, cheerful yet sharp at the edges.
"Kael has changed."
Jesper turned to him, confused.
"His soul… isn't Kael anymore," Adam explained as he tapped his cane again. "There's another entity. Not the cold killer we used to know."
Silence filled the room.
Orgard swallowed. "Boss… does that mean Seek Peace is weakening?"
Adam smiled beneath his mask. "It means… the stage is opening."
He activated another hologram, showing a girl with silver shoulder-length hair, cold red eyes, and a lean but strong physique. She wore a black combat cloak with the Seek Peace emblem on her shoulder.
"Angelica," Adam said. "Their strongest fighter besides Kael."
Jesper whistled. "She looks cute."
"Much deadlier than she looks," Adam
quickly replied. "Card type summon. She can call Arbel a creature that's only half a body, with massive wings, steel claws, and destructive power."
Jesper laughed softly. "This is getting better."
Adam looked around the room.
"Our plan is simple. Attack Seek Peace before they realize Kael has changed."
Edgardo asked, "Are we attacking their base?"
"No." Adam shook his head. "We attack them when they're scattered. We start with Angelica."
Jesper stood up, excited. "Finally a target that isn't boring."
Adam nodded. "Send a decoy team. Let's see how fast she summons Arbel."
Elsewhere, far from Joy City or the Seek Peace base, the night sky was covered by dark clouds. From the outside, a large warehouse seemed quiet. But inside, faint sounds of struggle and muffled screams echoed.
Angelica stepped forward slowly, her boots tapping against blood-stained concrete though only faintly described, without gory detail.
Her silver hair brushed her shoulders. Her red eyes were cold, her expression emotionless. Her black combat cloak was torn in several places, though she looked completely uninjured.
Ahead of her, five members of a dark organization backed away in terror.
"D-damn it… she's alone?!" one of them shouted.
Angelica pulled a thin black card from her uniform. The air grew cold instantly.
"Summon."
The card glowed deep blue. A low rumble vibrated through the warehouse.
From a swirling vortex appeared Arbel her summoned creature.
Arbel was massive despite being only half a torso. Huge torn-looking wings spread wide. Its arms were long with steel claws, and the entire upper body looked muscular yet unnaturally fast. Its face was covered with a layer of skin, hiding any eyes.
Arbel let out a low, heavy hum that shook the air.
The five men trembled in fear.
"What the hell is that?!"
Angelica stepped forward calmly, her voice soft but icy.
"You engaged in illegal trade. Seek Peace warned you. You didn't listen."
One man tried to run. Arbel moved once fast then a loud impact rang out as the man flew into the wall, knocked unconscious.
Angelica shifted her foot, avoiding a panicked attack from another man, and gently tapped Arbel's arm. "Don't overdo it."
Arbel went still, bowing slightly as if it understood.
The remaining four froze in place. Angelica scanned them coldly.
"You will be interrogated by Seek Peace later. I'm only here to clean this place."
She raised her finger, signaling Arbel.
Arbel slammed its arm into the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked the men unconscious without severe injury.
Angelica exhaled softly. "Done."
"Should I go home soon to meet them?"