Darkness faded slowly.
Raze Arcwell opened his eyes to a cold, dim ceiling.
Metal.
Smooth.
Industrial.
Unfamiliar.
Pain greeted him immediately—dull, deep, and everywhere. His body felt heavy, as if it had been dragged through concrete and left to rest too long.
"…Where…?" he murmured.
"You're awake."
The voice came from directly in front of him.
Raze's breath caught.
Nightveil stood only a few steps away, hands in his pockets, blindfold in place, posture relaxed—as if he were greeting a guest rather than guarding a prisoner.
"…You brought me here," Raze said hoarsely.
Nightveil tilted his head.
"Correct. Three hours ago, to be precise."
Raze tried to move. His muscles screamed in protest, but the Starbreaker suit—cracked and powerless—still responded enough to keep him upright.
Nightveil's gaze drifted over the damaged armor.
"…About that suit," he said casually. "My people tried to remove it."
Raze tensed slightly.
"They failed."
Raze exhaled weakly. "Of course they did. It's keyed to my biometrics. Neural signature. Genetic markers. It won't respond to anyone else."
Nightveil hummed approvingly.
"So the rumors were true. The Arcwells really don't make careless mistakes—especially when forbidden materials are involved."
Raze's eyes sharpened.
"…You know about Abyss Alloy."
Nightveil chuckled.
"What did you think?" he replied. "That I'd walk into your tournament blind?"
He tapped the side of his blindfold.
"Not only me," he continued calmly. "There are many people who know far more about the Abyss Crater than the Hero Association ever admitted."
Raze's heartbeat quickened.
"Then why—"
Nightveil raised a finger.
"No lectures," he interrupted lightly. "I'm not here to teach you history."
He stepped closer.
"But I *am* here to ask you something."
The air felt heavier.
"Raze Arcwell," Nightveil said, voice steady and clear.
"Will you join me?"
Raze stared at him.
The words didn't register at first.
"…What?"
Nightveil didn't repeat himself immediately.
"If you do," he continued, "I will tell you my real goal. Not the lies the world believes. Not the rumors. The truth."
Raze clenched his fists.
"I'll tell you about the Frays," Nightveil added.
"About the Abyss.
About why heroes exist the way they do.
About why this world is broken."
Raze swallowed.
"And," Nightveil finished softly, "I'll tell you everything you want to know."
Silence stretched between them.
Raze shook his head.
"…No."
Nightveil didn't react.
"Think carefully," he said. "This is not an offer I make twice."
Raze met his gaze—blindfold or not.
"No."
A pause.
Nightveil tried again.
"You're hurt. Your suit is damaged. Your family is powerless right now."
"No."
"You could change the world."
"No."
The third refusal came faster.
Sharper.
Final.
Nightveil stared at him for a long moment.
Then—
He laughed.
A quiet, genuine laugh.
"…I see," he said. "So that's your answer."
Raze braced himself.
But instead of anger—
Nightveil stepped back.
"Fine," he said lightly. "You're free to go."
Raze blinked.
"…What?"
A figure beside Nightveil moved.
Raze hadn't noticed her before—a young woman standing silently near the wall. Pale hair. Calm eyes. No visible Nexas activation.
She raised her hand.
Space twisted.
A circular distortion formed beside her—a shimmering portal, edges rippling like water.
Nightveil gestured toward it.
"That will take you home."
Raze stared at the portal, suspicion burning in his eyes.
"…Why?"
Nightveil shrugged.
"Because if I wanted to harm you," he said calmly, "you wouldn't be standing right now."
That much was undeniable.
Raze hesitated.
The girl glanced at Nightveil.
"Is it wise to let him go?" she asked quietly.
Nightveil smiled beneath the blindfold.
"You'll see."
Raze took a slow breath.
Then stepped forward.
The portal swallowed him whole.
◆ ◆ ◆
At the same time—far away—
Chaos filled the Arcwell estate and the Hero Association command room.
Roland Arcwell stood at the center of a holographic display, fists clenched behind his back.
"No signal," an engineer reported. "The Starbreaker's navigator is completely offline."
Luna paced back and forth, hands shaking.
"There has to be something! A trace, a frequency—anything!"
Astra stood silently nearby, arms folded tightly.
"I can't sense him," she said quietly. "Nothing."
Rose sat with her hands clasped, eyes closed—not praying, but thinking.
"He wouldn't let Raze die," she said at last. "Not like this."
Roland turned sharply.
"You're certain?"
Rose nodded.
"He doesn't kill without reason."
(At that time nobody questioned, why rose knows what he would and wouldn't do in that tension)
The words didn't bring comfort.
They brought fear.
◆ ◆ ◆
Raze stumbled forward.
Cold air hit his face.
He looked up—
And froze.
He stood at the outskirts of Nexara City.
The familiar skyline rose in the distance, lights glowing softly against the evening sky. Traffic hummed faintly. Patrol drones floated overhead.
Normal.
Too normal.
Raze turned around.
The portal was gone.
Nightveil was gone.
Only cracked armor and aching bones remained.
"…He really let me go," Raze whispered.
But the unease in his chest told him the truth.
This wasn't mercy.
It was a warning.
A test.
And somewhere out there—
Nightveil was watching.
Waiting for the day Raze Arcwell changed his answer.
The real game had begun.