The Janitor Who became a God

Chapter 6: The Silver Blade

The Helhound roared in Fred’s face, reeking of ozone and blood. Its claws surged down toward his skull, CLANG!

A silver arc split the air. Sparks exploded. The creature was hurled backward, screeching. Fred gasped, heart hammering. His vision cleared, A girl stood between him and the beast,  White-haired. Pale skin. Dressed in sleek tactical gear that shimmered like moonlight. Her eyes were frost-blue and distant, calculating. She held a blade that pulsed like a heartbeat. Fred blinked. “Who?”

“Shut up,” she said calmly. “You're not dead. Yet.”

[??? has entered the field] Name: [REDACTED] Tier: Unknown Affiliation: Unknown Threat Level: Undetermined Combat Designation: Silver Reaper The Fight: Reaper vs. Helhound

The Helhound recovered and lunged again, faster than before. She met it head-on. Her blade flickered like lightning, each movement deliberate, perfect, deadly. Slice, arm gone. Spin, leg severed. The Helhound shrieked, trying to regenerate, She pressed her hand to the air. A sigil appeared, etched in light and cold.

[Runic Seal: Frost Hex] Target: Locked Suppression Rate: 82% Ice burst from the floor, wrapping around the Helhound. The creature froze mid-scream, flesh locked in crystal. It struggled, but couldn’t break free.

“Done,” she muttered. Then turned to Fred.

Revelation. “Who are you?” Fred asked, still breathing hard.

“I’m someone who watches,” she said, cleaning her blade.

“Why help me?”

“Because you’re not supposed to be alive, janitor.” Fred stiffened.

“I watched you activate Project Nyx. I watched you mutate. You weren’t on any list. You’re a variable. That makes you interesting.”

Fred’s fists tightened. “So I’m just some experiment to you?”

“No,” she said, almost sadly. “You’re a storm in a system that hates wild things. Like me.”

She walked past him. “But storms get noticed, Fred.”

[System Alert: Observer Status Detected] Secret Faction Interest: The Pale Circle Alignment: Unknown Danger Level: ??? New Title Earned: “Unregistered Variant”

Emily’s Safety… and a Warning

Fred ran to Emily. She hugged him tightly, sobbing. Alive. Safe. For now. The white-haired girl glanced at them. “They’ll come again. Harder next time.”

Fred stood. “Then I’ll be ready.”

“You won’t.”

“What?”

“You think fire and rage will be enough?” She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve seen one Helhound. There are hundreds. Labs in every district. Worse things sleeping underground. You’re standing on the edge of a war, and you don’t even know the sides yet.”

Fred’s blood chilled. Then she smiled faintly. “But... you’re learning fast.”

She turned and walked toward the shadows. “Wait!” Fred called. “Your name?”

She paused. “Ivy,” she said. “And I’ll be watching you.”

Then she vanished, Far below, in a hidden elevator shaft, Don Raze clutched a bleeding arm, grinning through the pain, “They really sent the Silver Reaper for him?”

He tapped a communicator. “Boss… it’s happened.”

A cold voice replied: “Begin containment. Initiate protocol CROWNBREAKER.”

“Yes, Director.” Then darkness swallowed him.

Fred carries Emily out of the warehouse into the rain. But far above, in a hidden tower, a black-suited council of masked figures meets. One says: “Nyx Protocol breached. Variant 013 is alive.”

Another: “Should we terminate?”

“No,” says the leader. “Let the fire grow. Let’s see if it can burn down the whole system.”