Rohkan’s den lay deep beneath the bustling streets of the Dravaryn capital, a perfect stronghold completely unknown to the citizens above.

At the center of the damp room stood a rough wooden table.

Rohkan sat leaning over it. At forty-five years old, he carried the rugged air of a seasoned survivor, his stark white hair slicked back neatly above a long, vertical scar that tore down his left cheek all the way to his jawline. He glared fiercely at the uninvited guest sitting across from him—a man with cold blue eyes and black hair that fell to his forehead.

“Look, man. We don’t know anything about it,” Rohkan snapped, tapping his finger irritably against the document sealed with the crest of House Bloomward.

“I’ll ask again. Tell me everything you know,” the man across the table spoke in a cold voice.

“Man, you said it yourself, it was four years ago. How am I supposed to remember something that old? I don’t even know how you got your hands on these documents. If you already have them, then why the hell are you asking me? Why don’t you just look into it yourself?”

“They’re useless to me,” the other man replied calmly, leaning forward slightly. “There’s nothing in them that helps me. That’s why I’m asking you, who gave these documents to you?”

“You don’t understand, do you? I already told you, I don’t know. So get the hell out of here while I'm still telling you nicely. You don’t know who we are.”

“Of course I know.” The blue-eyed man said calmly, meeting Rohkan’s eyes with an icy glare. “You deal in illegal trading, slave trafficking, and contract killing. You commit any act, no matter how vile, as long as it turns a profit.”

Rohkan’s fingers stopped tapping the table. His jaw tightened, the faint smirk on his face slowly fading as the man continued to speak.

“You are the head of the underground group called the Vipers, one of the most notorious criminal syndicates in the Dravaryn Kingdom. And you’re currently being hunted by the Imperial Knight Order. Isn’t that right… Rohkan?”

How did he know so much about us? Where the hell did this guy come from?

Rohkan’s throat went dry. He stared seriously at the blue-eyed man now. “Who are you?”

“Elion. Elion Goldleaf.”

***

Elion watched the blood drain from the syndicate leader’s face, his cocky attitude evaporating the moment his true name left Elion’s mouth.

Elion was wearing shin-length leather boots, black pants, a gray vest full of pockets, and a brown coat over it. His presence was calm, too calm for a place like this.

He had come to the Dravaryn Kingdom to find out who had sent the documents sealed with House Bloomward’s crest to the Vipers. The documents contained details about a mission that had taken place four years ago.

The Vipers were a criminal syndicate disguised as a guild, operating deep within the shadows of the underworld. They were parasites feeding on the weak, thriving entirely on human suffering.

And such creatures deserved no mercy.

“You knew who we are. And you still came here asking questions?” Rohkan said, a cruel smile returning to his face. “Even if you pay double the money now, I won’t let you leave this place alive.”

Elion let out a faint, amused breath. “Looks like there’s a misunderstanding here. Who said anything about money?”

Rohkan’s eyes narrowed.

“Then let me say it again. Tell me who gave you these documents, and I’ll only break one or two of your limbs and spare your life.”

“You really have a death wish, huh?” Rohkan sneered, raising his hand. “Kill him.”

At that command, two men lunged toward Elion with knives, but before they could reach him, two beams of light shot out from his side and pierced straight through the middle of their foreheads.

BAM! BAM!

Without even being able to scream, both of them collapsed on the spot.

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Rohkan’s forehead. Before he could decide whether to fight or flee, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the passage. More men flooded into the room, armed with daggers and short swords. One of them stood out, as he was heavily armed.

“Just who do you think you are?” one man shouted. “Killing two men doesn’t mean you can take all of us down—urk!”

Elion jabbed a dagger straight into the mouth of that noisy man using telekinesis. When he pulled it out, blood splattered, and the body fell sideways with a thud.

“DIE!” The big man in reinforced armor rushed toward Elion with his arms wide open. His stomping steps gave off a sense of intimidation, as if he were a rushing tank.

Elion took out two Karambit daggers from his waist and held them tightly.

“You’re really going to fight me head-on?” the armored man scoffed.

Then, in the next moment, a terrible pain ripped through his forearm. Blood gushed from the gap between the plates of his armor.

“Aaaaargh! Wh-what?!”

A dagger pierced between the joints of his armor.

I didn’t even see him move—

Before the thought could finish, a cold brushed against his neck.

“H-help!”

Slash!

Elion slashed his throat cleanly, and the body collapsed onto the ground.

“Get out of the way! I’m gonna fight him!” someone shouted.

But before anyone could reach Elion, chaos erupted.

Elion drove his two daggers forth with telekinesis. Steel sliced through flesh. Throats were pierced before screams could fully form.

One body fell… then another… and another.

In moments, the shouting turned into choking gasps, until silence claimed the underground hall.

Soon, only Rohkan remained.

“Damn it!” he shouted. “Surround him! Kill him!”

But there was no one left. Realizing that, Rohkan clenched his teeth and charged at Elion himself.

Slash!

A dagger hovering mid-air sliced through his ankle. Rohkan screamed and collapsed to the floor.

Elion attacked again. Tables, chairs, and debris slammed into Rohkan under the force of telekinesis. Each impact stole the air from his lungs. By the time it ended, Rohkan was barely conscious, his body struggling to stay upright.

A dagger shot forward, streaking through the air toward his throat.

“I, I’ll tell you!” Rohkan cried, his voice shaking. “Please, stop!”

The dagger froze just inches from his neck, humming softly as if waiting for his next breath.

“Speak,” Elion said coldly.

“I-I don’t know who he was,” Rohkan gasped. “B-but he was from House Bloomward’s… Dark party.”

“Dark party? Isn’t House Bloomward known for herbs and medicine?”

The dagger drifted closer, its edge grazing his skin. A thin line of blood slipped down Rohkan’s neck.

“L-looks like you’re… not from this kingdom, are you? That’s why you don’t know… Yes, House Bloomward specializes in herbs and medicine, but they also keep spellcasters in their family. They handle their covert operations in the shadows. But the Dark party is different… It handles the atrocities House Bloomward doesn’t want tied to its name. Only a handful of people even know it exists.”

“So, just like the Knight Orders recruit knights, House Bloomward recruits spellcasters and the one who gave you the documents was from the Dark party.” Elion said. 

“Y-Yes,” Rohkan nodded desperately. “That’s all I know. Please… let me go.”

“If you had told me earlier,” Elion spoke in an icy tone, “I might have considered letting you live. But that option doesn’t exist anymore.”

The dagger glided across Rohkan’s throat.

As blood spilled onto the floor, Elion turned away. The underground chamber fell silent.

“So… House Bloomward,” he murmured.

***

As Elion came out of the underground hideout, a car was already waiting outside. Veronica stood beside it, her gaze fixed ahead.

Elion approached without slowing. “Let’s go.”

“Yes, Master.”

Veronica took the driver’s seat and started the car. Through the rearview mirror, she stole a quick glance at him. Elion sat in the back, staring thoughtfully out the window.

“Is everything alright, Master?”

Elion gave a slight nod. “Yes.”

“I think we should head straight to the manor,” Veronica said. “You told Lady Evandria you’d be going with her to the event at Flower Castle.”

“Oh… that,” Elion replied, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. “I completely forgot about it.”

A subtle smile tugged at the corner of Veronica’s lips.

Catching the look in the mirror, Elion raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Nothing, Master,” Veronica replied, her tone slightly amused as she turned the steering wheel. “It’s just that I’m a little happy you agreed to go with Lady Evandria.”

Elion let out a quiet sigh. “Alright, let’s go to the manor.”

“Yes, Master.”

The car drove off, heading toward Goldleaf Manor, as shadows slowly swallowed the road behind them.