Rain poured over the city.
Neon lights flickered against wet pavement.
And in the shadows—
War began.
The first clash was brutal.
Steel met steel.
Fists met bone.
Cries echoed through empty streets.
Shadow Gang moved like a storm—
Fast.
Precise.
Merciless.
Mira cut through enemies with cold efficiency, her movements sharp and clean.
Riven laughed as he fought, adrenaline pumping, each strike heavier than the last.
But then —
The air shifted.
A presence.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
From the opposite end of the street—
A man stepped forward.
Tall.
Scarred.
Eyes like a predator.
"Saint Asakura…" he said slowly.
The battlefield stilled.
Even Shadow members hesitated.
"…So you're the one causing all this noise."
Saint stood at the center.
Rain dripping from his silver hair.
Unbothered.
"You talk too much."
The man grinned.
"I'm Kurogane, leader of Obsidian Fang."
A pause.
Then—
"Let's see if you're worth the hype."
They moved at the same time.
A blur.
A collision.
The impact cracked the ground beneath them.
Riven's grin faded.
"…He's fast."
Mira's eyes sharpened.
"No… something's off."
Kurogane struck again—
Faster.
Stronger.
But Saint—
Dodged effortlessly.
Like he already knew.
"You're enhanced," Kurogane muttered, stepping back slightly.
A flicker of interest crossed his face.
"…So the rumors were true."
Saint tilted his head slightly.
"Rumors?"
Kurogane smirked.
"About the experiment."
Everything stopped.
For a split second—
Too fast for anyone else to notice—
Saint's eyes changed.
Something darker surfaced.
"…What did you say?"
Kurogane chuckled.
"Oh? You didn't know?"
That was it.
The moment.
The line.
Crossed.
The air around Saint shifted violently.
Pressure.
Pure pressure.
Mira's eyes widened.
"…No…"
Riven stepped back instinctively.
"Saint—"
Too late.
Saint vanished.
Reappeared in front of Kurogane—
And struck.
The sound—
Wasn't human.
Kurogane was sent flying across the street, crashing through concrete.
Before he could recover—
Saint was already there.
Grabbing him by the collar.
Lifting him effortlessly.
"Say it again."
His voice—
Low.
Cold.
Terrifying.
Kurogane laughed, blood dripping from his mouth.
"…You really don't know."
Saint's grip tightened.
Cracks formed in the ground beneath them.
"You were made—"
The sentence never finished.
Because Saint slammed him into the ground.
Hard.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until—
Silence.
The rain didn't stop.
It never did.
Shadow Gang stood victorious.
Obsidian Fang—
Broken.
Defeated.
Gone.
But no one cheered.
No one celebrated.
Because at the center—
Saint stood alone.
Head lowered.
Hands stained.
Breathing steady.
Too steady.
Mira approached slowly.
"…Saint."
No response.
Riven followed, more cautious than usual.
"That guy… what he said—"
"Doesn't matter."
The answer came instantly.
Cold.
Final.
Mira studied him carefully.
"…It mattered to you."
Silence.
Saint turned away.
"We're done here."
He started walking.
But this time—
Something was different.
Not in his posture.
Not in his voice.
But in the space around him.
It felt—
Heavier.
Darker.
Like whatever he was holding back…
Was starting to slip.
Far away—
In a quiet office—
Hiroshi Sato watched a screen.
Footage.
The fight.
Saint.
Every movement.
Every strike.
Every moment.
"…Remarkable," he murmured.
A small smile formed.
"Even better than expected."
Behind him—
A file sat open.
Project: SA-01
Objective: Human Weaponization
Status: Active
Hiroshi adjusted his glasses.
"They've started the war…"
A pause.
"…Good."
————-
The base was quieter than usual.
No laughter.
No music.
No celebration after victory.
Just silence.
Heavy… unnatural silence.
At the far end of the main hall—
Saint Asakura sat alone.
Head slightly lowered. Elbows resting on his knees.
Still.
Too still.
From the shadows, Mira Kurose watched him.
Unblinking.
Careful.
"…He hasn't moved in ten minutes," Riven Takahashi muttered beside her.
Mira didn't respond.
Because she already knew.
That wasn't normal.
Not for Saint.
"He's thinking," Riven added.
"No," Mira said quietly.
"…He's not."
That made Riven pause.
"What do you mean?"
Mira's eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's empty."
Saint stood up suddenly.
Without warning.
Without a word.
And started walking.
Mira moved instantly.
Grabbing his wrist.
"Saint."
He stopped.
But didn't turn.
"…What."
One word.
Flat.
Mira's grip tightened slightly.
"That guy—Kurogane."
Silence.
"You reacted."
"…So?"
"You never react."
That made him turn.
Slowly.
And when their eyes met—
Mira felt it.
That difference.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
"…You're imagining things."
"No."
Her voice was firm.
Certain.
"I'm not."
A beat passed.
Riven stepped in, trying to ease the tension.
"Hey, it's not a big deal, yeah? Guy said something weird, you snapped a little—"
"I didn't snap."
Saint's voice cut through him.
Sharp.
Riven went quiet.
Mira didn't move.
"…Then what was that?"
Saint stared at her.
And for a second—
Something flickered beneath his calm.
Something unstable.
"…Nothing."
Lie.
Mira stepped closer.
Close enough that most people would've backed away.
"Your eyes changed."
Silence.
"Your strength spiked."
Another step.
"You didn't just fight him."
Her voice dropped.
"You tried to erase him."
That—
Hit.
Saint's jaw tightened slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But Mira saw it.
Always did.
"…Careful," he said quietly.
Not a threat.
Not fully.
But close enough.
Mira didn't flinch.
"I'm not afraid of you."
"I know."
That answer came instantly.
Too instantly.
And somehow—
That made it worse.
"Say it again."
Kurogane's voice echoed in Saint's mind.
You were made—
A sharp pain hit.
Sudden.
Violent.
Saint's hand went to his head.
His vision blurred.
"…Tch."
"Saint—"
"Don't."
His voice was strained now.
Different.
Riven frowned. "Hey, you sure you're—"
"I said don't."
The air shifted.
Pressure building.
Unstable.
Mira's eyes widened slightly.
"…It's happening again."
"Nothing's happening."
But even as he said it—
His breathing changed.
Too controlled.
Like he was forcing it.
Mira stepped closer again, ignoring the tension.
"What did he mean?"
No answer.
"Saint."
Silence.
"…What did he mean?"
A long pause.
Then—
"…I don't know."
It was quiet.
But real.
And that—
Was worse than any lie.
They moved to the rooftop.
Their spot.
The only place where things ever felt… normal.
Riven leaned against the railing.
"…So what now?"
No one answered immediately.
Mira kept her eyes on Saint.
"You're hiding something."
Saint looked out over the city.
Lights flickering below.
"…I always am."
"Not from us."
That made him pause.
Barely.
Riven sighed. "Man, you're starting to freak me out."
Mira didn't soften.
"Whatever this is—"
She stepped in front of him.
Blocking his view.
"—we're not letting you deal with it alone."
Saint looked at her.
Really looked.
And for the first time since the fight—
The cold cracked.
Just a little.
"…You might not get a choice."
Riven frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Saint hesitated.
And that alone—
Was enough to tell them everything.
"…If I lose control," he said quietly,
"Stay away from me."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unacceptable.
Riven let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, no. Not happening."
Mira's gaze hardened.
"We're not leaving you."
"You should."
"No."
Immediate.
Firm.
Final.
Saint closed his eyes for a second.
"…You don't understand."
Mira's voice softened—
Just slightly.
"Then make us."
A long pause followed.
Wind moving through the rooftop.
City humming below.
And finally—
Saint spoke.
"…Something was done to me."
Riven straightened.
"…Yeah, we figured that much."
Saint ignored him.
"I don't know what."
Mira didn't interrupt.
"I don't know how much."
His voice lowered.
"But I know this—"
He opened his eyes again.
And this time—
There was something in them.
Something raw.
Something dangerous.
"…That wasn't all me."
Silence.
Riven swallowed.
"…The strength?"
Saint shook his head slowly.
"No."
A pause.
"…The intent."
That landed.
Hard.
Because they both understood what he meant.
Not just power.
Not just instinct.
But something deeper.
Something darker.
Mira exhaled quietly.
"…Then we figure it out."
Saint didn't respond.
Riven nodded. "Yeah. Beat up whoever did it too."
That almost earned a smirk.
Almost.
But it faded quickly.
"…It's not that simple."
Mira tilted her head slightly.
"When is it ever?"
Another pause.
Then—
For the first time in a long while—
Saint didn't pull away.
Didn't shut them out.
Didn't walk off.
He stayed.
And that alone—
Told them everything.
—————