Chapter 3 : One Of us

"I hate the rain," grumbled the muscular man in a sharp suit, watching the raindrops slide down the windshield.

His female companion, sitting in the passenger seat, took a drag from her cigarette. "Stop complaining," she said with impatience. "We have to catch that psycho by the end of the day, or we'll be in trouble with the bosses."

The man leaned back, frustration clear on his face. "Orders were to stay put until we hear from Her."

"Her gift is useful in times like these," the woman said, blowing out smoke.

Just then, the man's black watch beeped, making him tense up.

"Speak of the devil," he muttered as he read the message.

"He's at a place called Sacred Virtue's Orphanage," he quickly told her. The woman's eyes widened slightly.

"Those kids better hope we get there in time," she said, and they sped off toward the orphanage.

*******

Inside the orphanage, chaos broke loose. Fear spread through the children as they ran in all directions after seeing what happened to Kai.

Richard's twisted smile grew wider as he watched, clearly enjoying their terror. His dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he pulled the knife from his shoulder, blood dripping. His gaze locked on a group of girls who were trying to escape, and he moved toward them, ready to strike.

But Miss Agatha stood in his way.

Her eyes filled with tears, her face a mix of pain and determination. She knelt in front of him, her voice shaking as she begged, "Please, don't do this. Hurt me instead, but spare the children."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, a stark contrast to the strong, calm woman she had always been. Now, in desperation, she was pleading like never before.

Richard stared at her for a moment, his face unreadable. Then, with eerie calm, he said, "Maybe I'll take both."

In one swift motion, he slashed the knife across her chest, blood flowing from the wound.

Richard ignored Miss Agatha's cries and continued his rampage.

The sound of terrified screams filled the orphanage, echoing through the halls like a nightmare. Miss Agatha lay in a pool of her own blood, her thoughts clouded with guilt and regret. She wondered if this was all her fault. Had she made a mistake by starting the orphanage? In her final moments, she prayed.

"God, please… help."

As her eyes closed, the rest of the world carried on, unaware of the horrors inside. But outside, in the rain, something began to stir. The boy Richard had left for dead—Kai—slowly opened his eyes. They glowed an unsettling red.

A gust of wind swept through, and a dark energy began to fill the air around him. The energy grew stronger, forming into a shadowy figure with burning red eyes. It stood over Kai, its presence powerful and menacing.

Kai, barely able to move, whispered, "Who… are you?"

The shadowy figure looked down at him, its red eyes flickering with confusion. Then Kai collapsed again, clutching the shadow's form for support.

"What do we have here?" Richard's voice echoed as he appeared, drawn by the strange energy. His eyes widened when he saw the shadowy figure standing over Kai.

Richard laughed, a crazed sound. "He's one of us," he said with twisted delight. "One of us!"

The boy he had left for dead was cursed, just like him. It filled Richard with a sick sense of kinship.

Meanwhile, the shadow gently placed Kai against a nearby tree, keeping him safe. Then it turned toward Richard, its crimson eyes locked on him.

"Oh, you want to fight?" Richard taunted, grinning.

The shadow said nothing. Instead, it raised a shadowy arm, and a dark sword formed in its hand, glowing with sinister energy.

For most, this would be terrifying. But not for Richard. He had never known fear.

"Guess I won't hold back now," Richard said, smiling coldly.

His own eyes began to glow red as he tapped into his cursed ability. "The Joy in Chaos."

Dark energy swirled around him like a storm. The fear inside the orphanage made him stronger, and he reveled in it. His body grew larger, his muscles bulging, and his laughter filled the night.

Richard's power surged as he fed off the fear surrounding him, becoming a monstrous version of himself.

And then… the two figures charged at each other.