The house had gone completely dark.

There was no moonlight—only the wild flicker of lightning cutting across the sky.

Rain pounded the roof above, drowning out every other sound… except for one.

The quiet, steady breath of Rudra.

His glowing red eyes pierced through the dark.
He didn’t move.
His hands still rested casually inside his pockets.

But something… was changing.

From beneath his sleeves, black marks began to crawl up his skin — spreading slowly, like smoke wrapping around his arms.

They weren't random.

They were symbols.

Cursed markings.

And then—on the left side of his neck—a snake tattoo appeared.
Sharp. Vivid. Alive.

Its eyes were red, matching Rudra’s.
It looked like it had been burned into him by fate itself.

Suhaan’s face twisted in fear.

“W–what the hell is that!?” he stuttered.
“Huhhh!? That… that mark… it wasn’t there before!”
“Who… what are you!?”

Rudra didn’t speak right away.

His breath was steady.
Rain hit the broken glass in the window beside him.
Thunder roared in the distance.

And then—

Suhaan’s expression changed.

His voice shook as something returned to his memory.

“…No…” he gasped.
“…No no no… that mark… that’s from the stories…”

His eyes widened with horror.

“The Serpent’s Curse…”

His lips trembled as he pointed at Rudra.

“You… you’re the cursed man!?”

A long pause.

Rudra finally tilted his head slightly —
the red glow in his eyes burning brighter.

“So…” he said softly.
“…you do know about me.”