The Bookkeeper

Two individuals approached the fountain from the left. The one in cream with silver hair moved with such calm confidence that even from a distance, Raiden knew it was Mack. The other one, though—that one looked different—he was around Raiden's age.

A skeletal black mask covered half of his face, leaving his eyes and forehead exposed, so thin it seemed fused to his skin, making it impossible to distinguish where the mask ended and the flesh began. Sharp, exaggerated teeth curved outward from it like a predator's maw.

His eyes were golden with cat-like slit pupils. His dark hair looked a bit messy—slightly messier than Raiden's—and he wore multiple earrings, including a black dangling one. He wore a black high-collared turtleneck.

Raiden swallowed nervously as he stared at him. "He survived that strike?" he muttered to himself as his body began shivering from within, a faint grin forming on his lips.

The person with Mack had a white aura radiating from him, but his appearance didn't suggest he was just a supporter—he looked like an experienced fighter.

He turned left just as Levi vanished from sight. One moment later, Mack's strike connected, and Levi crashed into the ground. Raiden gave him a lazy look, touched his own forehead, and shook his head in disappointment.

"You're surprised to see me alive, huh?" He struck a confident pose. "It's hard to kill beautiful people like me, you know?" He let out a sigh.

"I'm not here to fight…" Mack said with a cocky expression, smirking. "But at least he is."

Levi finally rose to his feet, clutching his gut. "What's this arrogance?" he muttered as he moved closer to Raiden.

Raiden shot him a confused look. The question was so perplexing it actually made him tear his gaze away from their opponents.

"That old man is literally like your father…" His voice carried obvious confusion.

Irritation flashed across Mack's face. "I already told you, I'm not an old man… I'm just 24." He turned to the person beside him, who had been silent all this while. "Get them, Speed," he said with a smirk.

Before Raiden could even register what Mack said, Speed was there. Raiden's eyes widened, a huge grin spreading across his face as wind from Speed's movement whipped his hair and kicked up clouds of dirt. Through the swirling haze, Speed struck.

Everything happened too quickly for Raiden to process, but his body moved on pure instinct—dodging the strike entirely and countering with a blow to Speed's windpipe.

Speed crashed into the ground while Raiden stood over him, panting and wearing a psychotic grin.

"How strong is he?" Raiden muttered as he approached while Levi watched, perplexed.

Uncertainty filled Raiden as he stared at Speed. The black shirt concealed whatever number marked his neck, hiding his true strength. But Raiden's grin only widened—he'd discover it through combat.

"Levi…" Levi turned toward him while keeping an eye on Speed as he slowly rose. "Go invisible, but wait to strike until he's trapped or committed to a move."

Levi nodded firmly and turned invisible. Just then, Ash, Leo, and Aeris came outside, but Raiden ignored them completely. The thrill racing through his veins had eyes only for Speed.

Without waiting another second, Raiden dashed toward Speed, who was kneeling and clutching his throat. He leaped into the air, striking toward his neck, but before the blow could connect, Speed vanished. 

In that same instant, Raiden tilted his head left to find Speed right beside him, fist already driving toward his face. Too fast, too sudden to avoid.

He steeled himself for the incoming strike, but before Speed could connect, Levi attacked, sending him crashing into the ground.

Euphoria coursed through Raiden's body, a tingling hunger for more thrills. He didn't wait for Speed to stand—he rushed forward and drove his foot into Speed's neck while he lay on the ground, nearly snapping it. Speed spun helplessly, but showed no pain. No screams. No tears. Nothing.

Despite everything, Speed lunged to his feet. Mack smirked from the sidelines. "As I expected from the bookkeeper… no mercy." He stepped backward, pulling a cigar and a white potion from his pocket.

"Now, Speed," he said, tossing him the potion.

Speed nodded and drank the potion. Instantly, he cried out in agony—the first sound of pain he'd made. His voice was hollow and detached as he clutched his head.

"You better deal with him, Bookkeeper, before it's too late." Mack turned and gave Raiden a casual wave, though Raiden seemed confused about what was happening.

"You're not going anywhere!" Leo yelled as soon as he saw Mack retreating. Ash instantly expanded in size, and together they charged toward Mack before he could vanish into the forest.

At the same time, Speed's agonized screams filled the air as he desperately tried to tear the mask from his face. The sight of him writhing alone made Raiden's smile fade. Still, he had no intention of waiting to see what Speed would become.

"Levi! Strike him now!" Raiden yelled. Levi responded instantly, connecting with Speed's jaw. Raiden's euphoria surged as he rushed forward. 

Within striking distance, he unleashed rapid jabs to Speed's gut before channeling all his power into one final blow—a devastating strike to the same spot on Speed's jaw that sent him crashing down.

Just then, Leo and Ash came sprinting back. "Everyone get back!" Leo yelled.

Raiden barely heard the warning, but his body instinctively flipped backward, putting distance between himself and Speed.

When they reached Speed, Ash's mouth opened and her eyes went pitch black. Dark shadows swirled around Speed in a circle before solidifying into chains that bound him tightly, stopping his desperate attempts to claw at his head.

Raiden's expression shifted to pure confusion. He glanced between Speed's continued agony and Ash's mysterious new ability. "What's going on?" he demanded, confusion clear in his voice.

Leo walked toward Speed. "That potion was devil's milk, and based on the pain he's experiencing, he's becoming a corrupt crest."

Raiden shook his head in confusion as Ash shrank down and dashed toward him. "No, no… I mean, Ash—how?"

[Papa…] Ash whispered, throwing herself into Raiden's arms and nestling against him with gentle nudges.

Leo's expression darkened as he turned to Raiden. "You didn't know?" One look at Raiden's face was enough to make Leo shake his head in disappointment. "I'll tell you later." He nodded toward Speed. "What do we do with him?"

Raiden absently patted Ash as his thoughts spiraled. What exactly was she? Could she really take him back to his past after all? The questions made his heartbeat quicken, anxiety and confusion washing over him.

Levi materialized and crouched beside Speed next to Leo. "We have to kill him, obviously."

Leo's face darkened. "No, Raiden needs contracts to build his mana reserves effectively. He should form one with Speed… and also we need allies."

Levi turned to Raiden, who was still lost in his mind. "What do you think?" 

Levi's words snapped Raiden out of his thoughts. His eyes darted around in confusion. 

"Yes, sure," he blurted, not knowing what they were even talking about.

Levi and Leo gave him a nod and started carrying Speed toward the house. But as they turned, confusion crossed Leo's face. "Where's Aeris?"

[ALERT]

[FAMILIAR TRUST +20%

SOUL OF DRAGON +2%

MANA CONTROL +5

DRAGON MANA POOL: 212/5000

STAMINA +5

PHYSICAL STRENGTH +5

EUPHORIA +5%]