BANGGG!!!
A thunderous crash ripped through the narrow alley between the buildings.
Windows shattered outward as the shockwave tore down the block. Concrete and glass burst into the air like shrapnel, raining over the empty pavement below. The explosion echoed violently between the walls.
Dust and fragments spiraled through the smoke.
Through the falling debris, the girl with the scissor stood firm amid the destruction.
Her arm was extended, gripping the enormous scissor that had just slammed into the ground in front of me after I barely evaded the attack. The weapon was half-buried in rubble.
The ground around us had been shredded apart, stone peeled back like paper.
Her fingers were still tense from the force she had unleashed.
Her voice cut through the settling dust, calm and cold.
"If you go around taking people's things without asking..." she said slowly, "...then you'd better be ready to face the consequences."
I sat there, stunned, still catching my breath from barely dodging the attack. My eyes drifted toward the massive scissor embedded in the ground.
Then her voice spoke again.
"So you're Ellie... the last recruit?"
My head jerked up.
My eyes widened.
A sweat slid down my cheek.
"...!?"
How does....
She knows My name...!?
Debris scattered across the ruined alley.
"I knew it," I said, pointing toward the scissors. A crow symbol was engraved into the metal. "You're part of the Black Ravens..."
Her voice answered casually.
"Yeah. Darius ordered me to meet you."
She shifted her stance slightly.
"I'm also a new member of the Black Ravens," she continued evenly. "Darius entrusted me to keep an eye on you while he's running errands."
Her eyes studied me carefully, as if confirming a report.
"the names... is Rebecca...."
" villain name..."
" Severra....!"
Her gaze hardened.
"And now," she said flatly, "I'm going to teach you some basic human behavior."
She lifted the scissors slightly from the rubble.
"If you take someone's stuff without permission..."
"...you get beaten to a pulp."
Crap... What should I do now...?
I thought to myself.
Then A memory suddenly surfaced in my mind.
Of My father's voice.
From The day he scolded me in front of my sister after being another school fight cause another student called storm weak.
Ellie I know how much you love storm... but, sometimes you need to take a moment to cool your head and think about how other people would feel...
Fights don't always solve problems. Most of the time they only make them worse...
Try talking first....
Cause You lose your temper too easily when it comes to hero's...
Back in the alley, I took a slow breath while sitting on the ground.
My chest rose as sighed.
"I'm sorry..." I said quietly.
Severra paused.
"I didn't mean to take your scissors without asking..... I was chasing the raven that stole the pouch Darius gave me.... I just grabbed them without thinking."
Silence filled the alley.
Severra studied me for a moment.
Then she exhaled.
Her grip on the scissors loosened slightly, and the huge weapon began shrinking back to its normal size.
"I see... I see."
Her shoulders relaxed.
"So you didn't mean to take them."
She scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
" I guess I'm sorry too," she admitted. "This scissor is something important that someone gave me.... I kinda got a little worked up."
She nodded slightly.
"My bad for scaring you, Ellie."
From the ground, I stared up at her in surprise.
"This is actually the second time," Rebecca said with a small smile, " that someone's made peace with me...."
I feel the same.....
And here I thought she'd attack me even if I apologized....
Can't believe... the old man's advice actually worked....
Now Thinking about it....
I wonder how my family's doing....
Am sure a lot is happening After those bastards told them I died trying to run away...
Severra suddenly brightened.
The tension vanished from her face, replaced by an easy grin.
She stepped closer and extended her hand.
"I know things got a little messy," she said, "but I'm looking forward to working with you, Ellie."
I blinked.
Working... together?
"You are joining our faction, right?"
Realization struck me as I stood up.
"Yeah... I am."
Her attention suddenly shifted.
she asked curiously. "Which imprint are you using?.... Mine allows me to enhance anything I touch...?"
"My... imprint?" I looked down at my hands. "I'm not really sure. I think it's blue flames."
"Oh..."
She tilted her head.
"By the way... why did you decide to join our faction?"
My voice dropped.
"I'm only joining to achieve my goal."
Her expression shifted.
"I want to kill a hero."
The words left my mouth cold and sharp.
"So I'll use the Black Ravens to get there."
Severra didn't flinch.
But her face darkened.
Then-
"I knew it."
Her voice rose sharply.
"I knew it!"
She pointed at me angrily.
"Just because my beautiful Darius let you join without even taking the test-"
Her voice grew harsher.
"Do you know how many of us risked our lives to earn a place here?!"
Her glare sharpened.
"We fight to protect this city from villain scumbags who thinks violence is the way ..."
"And the only thing on your mind is revenge?"
She scoffed.
"You say something like that with a straight face."
Her eyes narrowed with disgust.
" to me.... Your goal sounds pathetic."
The words hit like a blade.
"I can tell your parents didn't raise you properly."
Everything froze.
The cracked ground.
The drifting dust.
My thoughts.
Memories of how she died in my hands flashed violently through my mind.
She doesn't know anything.....
My jaw tightened.
She doesn't know what happened.....
She doesn't know how I lost everything....
My teeth clenched.
My eyes burned.
"Just now..."
My voice trembled with anger.
"did you just say....?"
My fist tightened.
"That my goal is worthless?"
I planted my foot hard against the rubble, leaning forward like a drawn blade.
"I'll make you regret saying that."
My eyes snapped wide with fury.
"As I beat the shit out of you."
Severra's arm whipped forward.
Energy surged through her body as the scissors expanded instantly in her grip.
FWAP!
Air burst outward as the massive blades grew larger.
"I knew it," she said calmly.
She turned her head slightly, watching me with a cold gaze.
"I knew it the moment I saw you."
Her voice carried no anger.
Just certainty.
"I should've killed you when I had the chance."
My arm shot behind me.
My fingers grabbed a long metal pipe from the rubble.
Blue flames exploded across it instantly, heating the metal until it glowed red.
Fire erupted from my body.
The alley filled with a violent surge of heat.
Severra glanced over in surprise.
"...Huh?"
"Brace yourself," I said, pointing the burning pipe at her.
My breath steamed with heat.
Severra's eyes sharpened as she analyzed the flames.
"I see..."
"So your flames enhance anything you touch."
Her imprint might be similar to mine....?
But....
She lifted the half-scissor toward me.
Her voice turned cold again.
"Doesn't matter."
"Because you'll be dead before Darius gets back."