The city of Kurogiri slept under a cold, indifferent moon.
But Luna never slept.
Her eyes scanned the dark alleys and rooftops from the top of the precinct building.
Every shadow, every flicker of movement, she noted.
She felt it—the presence that had been stalking her since the defeat of the masked villain.
---
The First Clue
A package slid across her desk.
This time, it was heavier.
Inside: a small black mask, fractured like the previous villain's mask… but smoother, darker, and polished.
Attached was a note:
"You have silenced the moon before.
Now, you will dance in the shadow of your own past."
Luna's eyes narrowed, emotionless.
She spoke quietly to Bren, who was nearby.
"They're not hiding anymore.
They're coming for me… for everything I've left behind."
---
The Puppeteer Emerges
That night, Luna followed a trail of disappearances.
Her instincts led her to a decrepit cathedral on the outskirts of the city.
The doors creaked open, shadows spilling like liquid black ink.
Inside, a tall figure awaited, face obscured by a mask even more terrifying than the last.
Long black cloak brushing the ground.
Every movement calculated, graceful, and predatory.
The voice was soft, yet it echoed in Luna's mind.
"Welcome, Silent Moon. I've been waiting."
From the corners of the cathedral, shadows twisted.
Figures emerged—her five former bullies, but now fully under the control of this new enemy.
Their eyes burned with a red, unholy glow.
"Do you remember them, Luna?
Or have you forgotten the faces you once destroyed?"
Luna's grip on her knife tightened.
No hesitation. No emotion. Just calculation.
---
Psychological Terror
The Puppeteer began to speak directly into Luna's mind.
"You silenced them.
You silenced everyone who opposed you.
But I can bring them back.
I can make them remember… and make you suffer."
Her past—the warehouse, the screams, the silence—flooded her mind for a brief instant.
Her heart remained steady, her expression unchanged.
She whispered to Bren, barely audible:
"This time… we fight them all… and we survive."
Bren's eyes widened, knowing the battle ahead would push even Luna to her limits.
---
The First Strike
The Puppeteer raised their arms, shadows exploding outward.
The possessed bullies lunged.
Luna moved instantly—silent, deadly, precise.
Every step, every strike disrupted the Puppeteer's control, but the shadows kept coming.
Bren followed, defending Luna and striking at the controlled figures.
The cathedral trembled with the clash of shadow and steel.
Each attack was a test—psychological, physical, and emotional.
The Puppeteer laughed softly, a sound that twisted the air itself.
"You cannot win.
Your past is mine…
and soon, your future will be as well."
---
Foreshadowing the Arc
Luna paused for a heartbeat, looking at the corrupted forms of her former bullies.
Her eyes darkened—not with fear, not with hate—but with calculated resolve.
"The Silent Moon does not run," she whispered.
"Not from monsters… not from shadows… not from the past."
The cathedral fell into darkness as shadows surged forward, the fight only beginning.
The stage was set.
The Puppeteer had revealed themselves.
And Luna knew:
This was far bigger than any case she had ever solved.
The Silent Moon would have to face her darkest test yet.
--