develop ideal genes

eon's breath hitched. The crowd around him had vanished, yet their voices still echoed in his ears—muffled whispers, gasps of anticipation, the occasional murmur of concern. It was disorienting, as if the world itself had folded around him, leaving him stranded in an empty, sound-filled void.

His gaze darted toward the man who had taken his hand. His amused expression hadn't changed, but there was something unreadable in his eyes now, something that made Leon's instincts tingle.

"What just happened?" Leon asked, his voice steady despite the unease creeping up his spine. "Where did everyone go?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "They're still here, right in front of us," he said, waving a hand at the empty space around them. "You just can't see them."

Leon frowned. Can't see them?

The man smirked at his confusion. "It's my soul core ability. I'm what you'd call a Soul Core Extractor. My ability lets me manipulate my sense of vision—and anyone who touches me experiences the same effect." He tapped his temple. "I can erase things from my sight entirely, even if they're standing right in front of me. Or, if I want, I can make you see things that aren't really there."

Leon's fingers twitched slightly, his mind racing. A power that alters perception… He'd heard about soul core abilities before, but only in passing. Someone in his family—his cousin, perhaps?—had awakened one. What had their ability been?

For a moment, he thought back to the stories. Soul core abilities were incredibly rare, unique to each person, and their usefulness varied wildly. Some granted immense strength, others unnatural speed. And some, like this man's ability, were… subtle.

Leon studied him carefully. "That doesn't sound like a particularly strong ability."

The man grinned. "Maybe not in battle. But in the right situations…" He gestured at the unseen crowd. "It's quite useful, wouldn't you say?"

Leon couldn't deny that. The ability to hide something from sight—or create an illusion—could be invaluable depending on how it was used.

The man's expression suddenly grew tense, his eyes scanning the seemingly empty space.

"The guards are different today," he muttered.

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Aren't they always here?"

"Not like this," the man replied, his voice dropping slightly. "Usually, the security is light—barely a quarter of what we're seeing now. But today…" He exhaled through his nose, a hint of excitement in his tone. "I heard that one of the four prisoners is someone important. "

Leon's eyes narrowed. "Important?"

The man nodded. "No one knows exactly who, but the fact that this many soldiers are out today means someoneamong the four is worth all this extra caution."

Leon felt a flicker of curiosity. Who could be powerful—or dangerous—enough to warrant such security?

Just then, a hush fell over the crowd.

The rhythm of marching boots echoed across the stone streets, sharp and disciplined.

And then—the prisoners arrived.