Boris and his two companions ran swiftly through the dim night toward a valley flanked by two towering rocky cliffs. On one side of the cliff stood a massive carved castle—an ancestral masterpiece of the Anex people that had become a popular tourist landmark. At this hour, however, the place was silent. Only three men waited beneath the shadow of the cliffs.

  Earlier at the Red Moon Resort, someone had challenged Boris—not with a physical attack, but through a provocative surge of long-range power. The three men at the restaurant had deliberately mentioned Sadar Cliff to lure him into following them.

  Now they stood face to face.

  Three against three.

  Boris studied his opponents. They looked ordinary—almost too young. His gaze lingered on Winn; the face felt familiar, yet he couldn’t place it. He tried to guess which of them had sent that electric jolt earlier. At least one of them had decent skill, but Boris remained cautious—perhaps the other two were far more dangerous.

  “So you did show up. Go on—names, where you’re from, and who you work for,” Sev ordered, dismissive.

  Boris and his men were startled. From their accents and appearance, two of the three were clearly Anex.

  “What are you talking about?” Boris demanded, stepping forward angrily.

  Dato quickly intervened. He didn’t want unnecessary trouble if words could settle it. “There’s nothing between us that needs arguing, is there? We’re the ones confused. Why did you attack our friend?”

  “Enough talk. You dared to attack Cygnus—now deal with us,” Regawa replied evenly.

  Boris, Dato, and Gunma stiffened.

  “Who are you?” Dato asked, his hand slowly brushing the whip coiled at his waist. “Cygnus bodyguards?”

  The three young men laughed together.

  “Cygnus doesn’t need bodyguards. We are Cygnus,” Winn said casually.

  Boris scoffed. “You? Cygnus? You expect us to believe that?”

  “Believe it or don’t,” Sev snapped. “We just want to know who you’re working for. Answer before we move.”

  Gunma’s face flushed red. The man who had been silent all this time turned out to have the shortest temper. Without warning, he drew a long machete and lunged, slashing straight at Sev’s neck—a killing strike.

  Sev merely shifted his body. The blade sliced through the air inches from his face. Gunma stared; he had hit nothing. Though Sev looked barely twenty, his agility revealed serious training.

  “Oh… so you’ve chosen not to answer?” Winn said.

  “Fine by me. I’ll handle them,” Sev said, energized.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Go ahead. You’re enough,” Regawa added, stepping back.

  The three larger men felt insulted. To them, Gunma’s miss had to be coincidence. Dato spoke again, “If you’re really Cygnus, show us your knives!”

  “I told you—we don’t care what you believe. Who do you think you are, giving orders?” Winn said. “Finish it, Sev.”

  He and Regawa sat casually on a large rock as if watching a circus performance.

  “Too easy,” Sev muttered.

  Gunma attacked again with his machete while Boris struck with his bare hands. They rained punches and slashes at Sev, but he moved like a shadow, evading every blow and landing precise counters.

  “Draw your weapon!” Gunma demanded in frustration.

  “Don’t have one,” Sev replied, straightening up. “My hands are enough.”

  “You insolent brat! Show us your Cygnus knife! Where is it? Isn’t it supposed to be sacred?” Dato shouted furiously.

  “The White Knife of Cygnus isn’t meant to be stained with your blood.”

  Sev lunged at Boris, but Boris suddenly drew a pistol and fired. Sev rolled aside to avoid the shot while Dato lashed at him with his whip. Boris retreated, letting his two companions press Sev while keeping an eye on Winn and Regawa.

  “Think we’ll get anything out of them?” Winn asked Regawa.

  “We’ll see,” Regawa replied. He took out his phone. Despite the low light and the fast movement, his camera was no ordinary device. He began taking photos.

  Boris noticed and moved sideways to aim at Regawa. Regawa reacted instantly—phone in his right hand, a folding fan opening in his left. With a smooth motion, he flicked the fan, deflecting the incoming bullets. On the final sweep, he closed and reopened it—one bullet dropped to the ground just as the images were transmitted to the NSIA operator.

  “They’re taking our pictures!” Boris shouted in panic. He fired again.

  A bullet shot toward Winn. With intense focus, Winn concentrated. The bullet halted midair, suspended by the force of his will. A second later, it reversed direction and shot back toward its owner.

  Boris was stunned. He bent backward just in time, letting his own bullet whistle past his chest. He stared at Winn in disbelief.

  Telekinesis.

  “Stop shooting! My telekinesis isn’t perfect!” Winn warned.

  Boris ignored him and fired three shots at once.

  The bullets came one after another from different angles. There was no time to dodge. Winn thrust both hands forward. All three bullets reversed instantly at multiplied speed. Boris froze. Before he could react, the bullets pierced his body. He collapsed without a sound.

  “He wouldn’t listen…” Winn muttered.

  “Your control is still lacking,” Regawa remarked.

  Boris’s fall shattered Gunma and Dato’s composure. Their concentration broke, and Sev seized the opening. In a flash, he disarmed them—snatching Dato’s whip and Gunma’s machete, locking them in place with their own weapons. Gunma stood rigid with his own blade pressed to his throat, while Dato was bound by his whip pulled tight by Sev.

  “Do you know why I don’t carry a weapon?” Sev asked coldly. “Because I like the phrase ‘a weapon turns on its master.’”

  Fear flickered in their eyes. Dato forced himself to remain steady. “You won’t get anything from us.”

  “I don’t need anything,” Sev replied.

  “They’re just hired thugs,” Regawa said, checking his phone.

  “Then let us go!” Gunma barked.

  “Do you know Cygnus Rule Number Four?” Sev asked suddenly. “Destroy every threat that attacks, disturbs, or endangers the preservation of the Nirwana Core Forest, the integrity of Cygnus, and the peace of Nirwana Island—by anyone or anything—without exception.”

  Dato and Gunma were stunned. Cygnus’ authority was far broader than they had imagined. But in that frozen moment, Dato acted recklessly. He pulled a device from inside his jacket.

  “Sev, watch out!”

  A burst of flame shot from the device. Sev leapt back just in time, but the heat severed the whip in his grasp. Dato and Gunma used the chaos to flee into the dark valley. Sev moved to chase, but Regawa stopped him.

  “Let them go, Sev. It’s nine. We need to move. The meeting starts soon. They’re nothing.” He pressed his phone to his ear. “Clean up the body at Sadar Cliff. Identify. Immediately.”

  “We’ll find out who sent them,” Winn added.

  Regawa had already contacted the NSIA. Without wasting time, he shot forward at remarkable speed. Winn followed behind him. Sev glared toward the dense forest where his enemies had vanished, then finally dashed after his two companions.