After his conversation with Ren, Mazuki took heavy steps toward the exit of the forest. As he walked away, a figure in a black hoodie emerged from the dense shadows of the trees. The unknown pursuer watched Mazuki’s every move with cold eyes, as if waiting for the next page of his destiny to unfold.

By the time he reached his house, only Ren's voice echoed in Mazuki’s mind. — "Join Raven, huh?.." he whispered. His voice held both hesitation and a desperate curiosity.

He kicked off his shoes and walked into the kitchen. On the table sat a warm meal wrapped in a package, accompanied by a small, neat note. It was another act of kindness from his neighbor, Ms. Kikiyana. She had loved Mazuki like her own child for years and would never allow this orphan boy to go hungry. Mazuki opened the meal, but he couldn't swallow a bite. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon an old family photo resting on the drawer.

He picked up the picture. His fingers traced over the dusty glass, lingering on the faces of his mother and father. In an instant, a heavy stone settled on his chest. Tears, like a flood breaking a dam, began to stream down his cheeks. He tried to stifle his sobs, but his body trembled uncontrollably.

[FLASHBACK – 5 years ago]

Little Mazuki was running home from school. The sound of the books in his bag kept rhythm with his joy. But when he reached the front of his house, the world seemed to stop. Neighbors had gathered, and black smoke filled the air. The wail of ambulance sirens deafened him.

Mazuki leaped through the crowd and rushed forward. The scene he saw was the end of his childhood world. Their house had burned down. In place of their hearth, there were now only piles of ash and two charred bodies covered in white sheets. Police officers grabbed the screaming little boy, but he struggled with all his might.

— "Moom!! Mooooooom!! Suzuriii!!!" he screamed. His voice cracked as he called out the names of his little sister and mother.

Hours passed. The people dispersed, the fire died down, but Mazuki remained kneeling before that pile of ash. He was frozen. At that moment, a dark shadow approached from behind. A faceless man placed a hand on his shoulder.

— "Are you alright, son?" the strange man asked. His voice held a fake sympathy. "Truly a tragic accident. But... don't take this as betrayal, just a few hours ago when I passed by here, I saw Apex soldiers carrying containers full of gasoline."

It was as if lightning had struck Mazuki’s body. His eyes widened in rage. Apex, who had taken his father nine years ago, had now ripped his mother and sister from him.

— "I will report them! Sir, you can testify for me!" Mazuki looked at him with hope. — "I would... But my testimony alone won't be enough. You will have to handle this yourself, Mazuki."

As the strange man disappeared under the last rays of the sun, Mazuki wiped his tear-filled eyes. That day, atop that pile of ash, he made a vow: He would avenge his family and sever the head of every member of this cruel system from their bodies.

[PRESENT DAY]

Shaken by the pain of his memories, Mazuki put the picture back. With resolve, he wiped away his tears. Now was not the time for crying; it was time for action.

He left the house and started running. Ren's offer and the bloody scenes of the past clashed in his mind. He was so distracted that the horn of a car startled him just as he was crossing the road, snapping him back to reality at the last second.

Finally, he reached the colossal and seemingly insurmountable wall. The cursed border between Kiro and Mera. Mazuki slipped through a hidden crack he knew and advanced through the underground sewer tunnels. He lifted a manhole cover and entered the "City of Paradise," Mera.

Mera was another world entirely. Gleaming buildings, luxury cars, and fortunate people... The envy in Mazuki’s heart mixed with anger and flared even brighter. The conversation of two young girls passing by caught his ear:

— "My dad is opening a new factory in Kiro," one laughed. — "That's great! What about workers? Will he find anyone in that dump?" — "My dad said he'll just bring in a few obedient 'dogs' from there, and that's it."

Mazuki clenched his fists. Ren was right; behind the glitter of this city lay rotten souls. I need to get back to the main issue. How do I find Ren's house? he thought. Just then, he saw a man in worn clothes returning from work. It was obvious he was also from Kiro.

— "Hey! Uncle, do you have a minute?" Mazuki approached him. — "Hello, son. What is it?" — "I need the address of Gin Katari’s house." — "The Kataris? Why do you need it?" The man looked at him suspiciously. — "Nothing... I got a job at their factory today, I have to go there."

The man wrote the address on a piece of paper and gave it to him. Mazuki navigated the streets until he finally reached the front of that imposing mansion. Heavily armed guards stood before the gates.

— "Halt! What do you want?" A guard blocked his path. — "I need to see Katari Ren." — "Mr. Ren isn't home, he's busy. Get lost!"

Mazuki turned away, but it was just a maneuver. Suddenly, he spun around and sprinted toward the mansion wall. Just as he was about to jump, the guards caught him in mid-air and slammed him to the ground. Mazuki kicked and tried to break free, but he wasn't strong enough.

— "What is going on here?" an authoritative voice called out.

Everyone froze. When Mazuki looked up, he saw Ren’s familiar, mocking yet friendly smile. — "Welcome, Mazuki! I knew you would come."

Mazuki followed Ren through the mansion’s seemingly endless corridor. The golden pillars on the walls, the expensive chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and paintings each worth a fortune dazzled the young man’s eyes. After the muddy streets of Kiro, this place looked like another galaxy. Finally, they stopped in front of a heavy door.

— "Go on, enter," said Ren with that mysterious smile on his face. "They were expecting you too."

Trying to hide his nervousness, Mazuki slowly pushed the door open. Inside, Katari Gin was seated on a wide sofa. Seeing Mazuki, he spoke in a sincere and warm voice:

— "Welcome. If I'm not mistaken, your name is Mazuki, isn't it?" — "Yes, sir," Mazuki replied briefly. — "Ah, forgive me, you're still standing. Please, sit down. Ren has spoken of you often."

Mazuki turned his gaze to Ren. Ren’s sincerity still seemed suspicious to him, but he did as told and sat on the sofa. Gin immediately called for a maid: "Ms. Mika, please bring us three cups of tea."

But Mazuki’s patience had run out. "Forgive me, Mr. Gin, I didn't come here to drink tea," he said, his voice firm. Gin smiled: "I know the reason for your visit very well, but let us drink our tea first, let our souls find peace."

After a few minutes passed in silence, Mazuki set his cup aside and leaned toward Ren: "Either you start talking now, or I won't hesitate to smash your face in." Ren laughed in response: "You are very prone to violence, dear Mazuki."

Katari Gin stood up: "Ehh, you young people are so impatient. Fine, get up, we're leaving."

They went out to the mansion's vast backyard. With a signal from Gin, the staff prepared a fast car. As the car started moving, Mazuki asked in surprise: "Weren't we supposed to leave through the front gate?" Gin replied: "When I said 'a ride', I meant a ride to the underground."

Along the way, Mazuki stared at the glittering buildings of Mera City. As if reading his thoughts, Gin said: "Do not be deceived by the beauty of the city, Mazuki. All of this is fake in my eyes. Just piles of stone and metal built upon injustice."

Mazuki looked at him in astonishment: "Mr. Gin, why do you do these things? Why do you protect the people of Kiro when you are wealthy? What does it gain you?" Gin shook his head: "You think people do everything for a reward. But being a true human means protecting something without expecting anything in return. Conscience demands it."

These words seemed to lock Mazuki’s tongue. But a little later, the car moved away from the city lights and entered a dark, cold forest. The air grew heavy, hope giving way to fear. The pits by the roadside were filled with dead bodies, and severed human heads hung from poles. Mazuki’s eyes widened: "This... what is this?"

— "These are the innocent lives taken by Apex," Gin said, his voice ice-cold. "They do it far from the city so the stench of the 'garbage' doesn't reach the noses of the nobles."

Suddenly, a black aura began to tremble around Mazuki. His rage was so potent that Gin sensed it and tried to calm him: "Pull yourself together, their revenge will be taken when the time comes. We've arrived."

Gin picked up a secure phone and spoke the coordinates: "52 degrees North, 14 degrees East." The car stopped in front of a massive rock face. Suddenly, the rock split open, revealing a secret passage. They advanced through long, lit tunnels until they reached a heavy iron door. Guards protected the door with their Orange Vayen energy. Gin showed the coin, the facial recognition system activated, and the door opened.

Mazuki stepped inside with great anticipation, but the scene he saw dashed all his hopes. The "Raven" group looked nothing like the disciplined army he had imagined. One was playing a game on his phone, another was playing foosball, and some were just sleeping.

— "PEOPLE!!" Gin’s booming voice shook the room. Everyone jumped up: "Welcome back, Boss!"

One of the group members recognized Mazuki: "That's the kid! The one who saved us in the square!" A young man named Nero approached and thanked him. At that moment, a girl with green eyes appeared behind Mazuki: "Don't worry, I won't bite. I'm Sara. How is the wound on your arm?"

Mazuki was shocked: "You... you were that voice! The healer!"

Katari Gin placed a hand on Mazuki's shoulder: "Save the introductions for later. From today on, Mazuki is with us. I hope he will support us on the path of justice."

Everyone shouted in unison: "Welcome, Mazuki!" But Mazuki scanned them all with cold eyes: "Cut the crap!!"