Rain—
Poured down like a collapsing sky.
"Shhhhhh—!"
In an instant, the streets of New York descended into chaos.
Pedestrians scattered in panic, caught completely off guard by the sudden downpour, rushing to find shelter.
No warning.
No transition.
Just—
Rain.
Amid the fleeing crowd—
Only one figure remained.
A small girl.
Blue hair.
Delicate, doll-like features—
Like a porcelain princess from a fairy tale.
She wore a green cloak adorned with rabbit-ear ornaments—
Spirit Dress: Axiom — Form 4
On her left hand—
A rabbit puppet.
She stepped lightly into a puddle.
Splash.
Another.
Splash.
Then another.
Splash.
As if the world around her didn't exist—
She played alone.
Quietly.
Happily.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Gunfire tore through the rain.
Sharp.
Violent.
Relentless.
Not far away—
Chaos erupted.
Nick Fury, having barely reunited with Captain America, didn't even have time to explain—
Before HYDRA forces closed in.
"Clang!"
Bullets struck the vibranium shield, ricocheting away.
"Fury! What the hell did you get yourself into?!"
"They're HYDRA!"
"…What?"
"I thought we wiped them out—"
"Clearly not. They've infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. completely."
Captain America gritted his teeth.
Even while fighting—
He was being pushed back.
Because in front of him—
Was the Winter Soldier.
A man—
Who looked exactly like his fallen friend.
Bucky.
That hesitation—
Cost him.
"I can't hold them alone!" Steve shouted.
"Hold on! I'll call Spider-Man—!"
"…He's probably in class," Fury replied bitterly.
"…Great. Just great."
They began retreating.
Fighting while falling back—
Toward Tony Stark's residence.
But then—
Something changed.
The Winter Soldier stopped.
His gaze shifted.
Locked onto—
The girl in the rain.
"Target detected."
"Spirit: Hermit."
"Threat Level: Demon."
"Behavior: Passive. Non-hostile."
"Capture priority updated."
Instantly—
His objective changed.
Among all known Spirits—
Every single one possessed city-destroying power.
Except—
One.
The Hermit.
She never fought back.
Never attacked.
Only—
Ran.
"Target acquired."
"Whoosh—!"
The Winter Soldier grabbed a rocket launcher—
Aimed—
And fired.
"BOOM—!"
The explosion erupted beside her.
The shockwave sent her tumbling across the ground.
Rolling—
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"…!"
But—
She wasn't injured.
Her Spirit Dress absorbed the damage completely.
"Elena Frost! Are you okay?!"
The rabbit puppet spoke anxiously.
"…Mm."
A faint voice.
Barely audible.
Her face—
Pale.
Eyes trembling.
She wanted to run.
Elena Frost—
The youngest Spirit.
The weakest.
The most fragile.
She didn't want to fight.
Didn't want to hurt anyone.
Didn't want to be hurt.
But every time she came outside—
Someone attacked her.
Even if she couldn't be damaged—
It still hurt.
Like being poked with needles.
"HEY!"
A shield flew through the rain—
CRASH!
Splitting the rocket launcher in half.
"Stop it, Bucky!"
"That's just a child!"
Captain America stood firm.
Blocking the path.
Meanwhile—
Fury, hiding behind cover, was on the verge of collapse.
Are you kidding me…
We were escaping…
ESCAPING.
And now—
Back into the middle of a battlefield.
I have one question.
Why me?
"Waaah! Gunfight! Elena Frost, run!"
"…Mm!"
Without hesitation—
She turned.
And fled.
Spirit energy gathered beneath her feet—
She leapt—
And soared into the air.
One step.
Two steps.
Three—
She bounded across the sky like a skipping stone.
Gone.
"Don't think you're getting away, Bucky."
"I can do this all day."
"Do not interfere."
"The Hermit is the priority."
"I don't care."
"Attacking a child?"
"That's not something I'll ever allow."
What Steve didn't know—
Was that the "child" he was protecting—
Could kill him with a single finger.
She just…
Never would.
"Fury! I can't hold them forever!"
"Just hold on! I've sent out a distress call!"
"Nearby patrol heroes should arrive soon!"
"…God, I hope so," Fury muttered.
Because right now—
The moment he stepped out—
He'd be riddled with bullets.
And somewhere above—
Hidden within the rain—
A trembling Spirit fled.
Unaware—
That her appearance—
Had already turned this battlefield—
Into something far more dangerous.
The calm before a storm… had ended.
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Read Chapters ahead: [email protected] / KaiOynx