The sky was completely covered with dark clouds, and the cold wind moved silently through the abandoned alleys with an unsettling stillness.

The dim city lights reflected on the puddles left by the rain as a tall young man walked calmly through the dark street.

A long black coat.

A cold stare.

And eyes carrying exhaustion deeper than his real age.

That young man was

Sako Hido.

He placed one hand inside his pocket while the small communication device in his ear emitted a faint crackling sound.

> “The target is close to you, Sako.”

The voice came from the headquarters of the Public Survival Alliance.

Sako raised his eyes toward the ruined building in front of him without replying.

Then he slowly stepped inside.

The smell of blood and decay filled the place.

The walls were covered with scratches, as if something massive had tried to escape from within.

One step…

Two steps…

Then—

A sharp sound echoed from the end of the hallway.

The monster suddenly emerged from the darkness.

A deformed body.

Abnormally long limbs.

And a mouth full of sharp, bloodstained teeth.

But Sako did not move.

He simply fixed his gaze on the creature in silence.

In a single second, the monster charged at him with insane speed, shattering the floor beneath its feet.

But Sako slightly lowered his body, effortlessly dodging the attack. In one swift motion, he drew one of his short swords and severed the monster’s arm.

A horrifying scream echoed throughout the building.

The monster violently leaped backward, trembling with rage.

Sako pulled a small metallic needle from his pocket.

> “It’s over.”

He threw it directly into the monster’s neck.

Within seconds, the monster’s movements gradually slowed… until it finally collapsed onto the ground.

Sako silently approached it, took a blood sample, and placed it inside a small container.

The mission was complete.

An hour later.

Sako returned to the organization’s headquarters and handed over the sample without the slightest interest.

One of the employees tried to speak with him, but he ignored him and left immediately.

As always.

That night.

Sako returned to his small apartment.

The apartment was strangely quiet, as if it had been empty for years.

He removed his black coat and placed his twin swords aside before entering the bathroom.

The sound of hot water filled the room as Sako stood silently beneath the shower, trying to wash the exhaustion from his body.

But his eyes remained empty.

Afterward, he sat near the window holding a cup of hot black coffee.

The rain was still falling outside.

For a few seconds…

Everything seemed peaceful.

Then his phone rang.

Sako looked at the screen for a moment before answering.

> “What do you want, Haro?”

A laughing voice came from the other side.

> “Wow, is that the first thing you say to your friend?”

Sako sighed quietly and took a sip of his coffee.

The person speaking to him was

Haro Saki.

The best… and perhaps the only person… capable of talking to Sako normally.

> “I just wanted to check on you.”

Haro said in a lighter tone before continuing:

> “But… I discovered something strange inside the organization.”

Sako’s movement slightly stopped.

Silence.

Then he slowly placed the coffee cup down.

> “What do you mean?”

Haro’s voice became lower this time.

> “There are things hidden inside the P.S.A… things they don’t want anyone to know about.”

The rain outside began to grow heavier as the city’s red lights reflected within Sako’s cold eyes.

And at that moment…

For the first time, he felt that something truly terrible was approaching.