Two days had passed since the school incident. Damian sat in the vice principal's office, the heavy oak door closed behind him, sealing off the distant sounds of reconstruction work echoing from the damaged academic block. The room was spacious but austere — bookshelves lined the walls, filled with leather-bound volumes and official documents, while a large window behind the desk offered a view of the academy's central courtyard, where students moved in small clusters beneath the pale afternoon sky. Behind the desk sat a woman in corporate attire — a sharp black jacket, a matching skirt, and a wide-brimmed black hat that cast her eyes in shadow. Dark shades covered her eyes entirely, making her expression unreadable. Her posture was straight, her hands folded neatly on the desk. Damian sat on the opposite side of the table. His appearance was a stark contrast to the charismatic presence he usually carried. Dark bags hung beneath his eyes — evidence of sleepless nights and endless ov

The Imperial Court of City Z. A place where only two types of people were tried: those who had committed Level 3 crimes, and those who were Elite-level agents or above. The chamber itself was vast and cold — high ceilings supported by marble columns, walls lined with dark wood panels, and a gallery of empty seats overlooking the floor where the accused stood. Faint light filtered through arched windows, casting long shadows across the polished stone floor."Special Elite Agent Damian," the judge said. He was a man in a simple black suit, his eyes hidden behind dark shades. He stood on a raised platform at the far end of the room, his posture erect, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority.Damian stood in front of him at the center of the trial room, his hands no longer bound, his expression composed but weary."Do you deny the accusation of murdering the victim, Joseph Parker, in an attempt to save him instead?"Damian's voice was calm. "I do not."The judge nodded slowly.

[Veil of Shadows; Earth grade.][Allows you to control shadows in three forms: Fluid, Light, or Solid. You are able to freely bend shadows around you — either creating weapons with shadow, trapping enemies with their own shadow, or transporting through shadows. The shadow element is extremely versatile and volatile in its uses, but also easily countered by light.][500/800]---"How?" Mr. John's voice was sharp with confusion. "How are you able to manipulate shadows?"He stared at Damian as if seeing him for the first time — he didn't recall the boy having the ability to manipulate shadows earlier.The Ajuma moved.It dashed toward Damian at incredible speed, closing the distance in a heartbeat, and threw a powerful punch. Damian raised his arms to block — the impact connected, sending him sliding back across the floor, his heels scraping against the concrete. Pain radiated up his forearms, but his bones held.The Ajuma didn't stop. It created claws of shadow — long, jagged, gleaming

The Imperial Court. The same cold chamber with high ceilings and marble columns, the same judge standing at the raised podium, his black suit immaculate, his shaded eyes unreadable.Damian stood before him, confusion etched across his face."I'm afraid you do not fully understand your sentence," the judge said, his voice flat.Damian's brow furrowed. "Your Honor, I am confused. You asked me to find the person responsible, and I've given you evidence that it was an instructor from Alpha Academy." He spread his hands. "Is there something else I'm missing?"The judge was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head slowly."Your sentence was for you to find the person and neutralize them." He emphasized the last two words. "In other words — kill them or bring them in." He raised two fingers. "You have twelve days left. I advise you to start looking for him. Your failure to neutralize him immediately was a mistake on your part, because you've made it difficult to locate him now that he's a

"Damn!" Damian leaped back, trying to put as much distance between himself and the Ajuma as possible. But just then, the bone in his left hand snapped. He dropped the dagger, the clatter echoing across the ruined street. He looked up at the Ajuma and saw it twist its own hand to an unnatural angle — bones cracking, fingers bending backward — a wide, knowing smile spread across its face. Its hand plunged straight toward its own head. Inches from contact, it stopped. The head rotated. The Ajuma's entire body turned black — deep, abyssal black, as if it had become a walking hole in the world. The new face that settled at the front carried an expression that could only be described as grief. Despair. Sorrow. Whatever it was, the effect on Damian was immediate and absolute. "It was a mistake," Damian whispered, his voice trembling. "I didn't do it on purpose. I swear." Beside him stood the boy he had killed. Joseph Parker. The student who had died because Damian had moved too fast,