𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 [𝙁𝙖𝙙𝙚]

prologue

Shinjuku hummed with life outside the bar’s fogged windows, neon lights casting rhythmic pulses over the crowded streets.

Inside, though, it was quieter, dim. The faint clinking of glasses, murmurs of conversation, and occasional shuffling of feet felt distant in the back corner booth where he sat, isolated as always.

He leaned back, his shoulders against the wall, taking in the familiar scene with a steady, detached gaze.

The bar, the low hum of activity, the calm detachment—it was all second nature by now. Years in K-SEC had sharpened his instincts, allowing him to blend seamlessly into any setting.

He reached for his glass, feeling the burn of the alcohol slide down his throat just as his phone vibrated, lighting up the table. He knew what it was before he even glanced at the screen.

After he set the glass down, he picked up the phone and swiped it open. The file blinked onto the screen, the familiar interface of a briefing scrolling in front of him — another target.

He scrolled through the details, his eyes narrowing. The subject was young. Seventeen. Radiant. From Istanbul.

A frown creased his face. Seventeen? What were they thinking, sending him after a kid? He wasn’t a low-level grunt.

The irritation simmered beneath the surface, but he pushed it down. Orders were orders. The mission was clear as always. Capture the target. No witnesses. No loose ends.

Kingdom Corp’s procedure of experimenting on Radiants was nothing new to him.

Teenagers and young adults were less resilient, adaptable, and easier to manipulate.

Their powers were still developing, and they could withstand the torturous experiments. Strong enough to survive, but not hardened enough to resist. They were the Kingdom's perfect test subjects.

The public wouldn’t tolerate the truth if this ever came to light—that Kingdom targeted the young for their experiment or rather that they’re doing extreme human experimentations in the first place.

That’s why even though K-SEC's sole purpose was to work in the favor of Kingdom Corporation, that only few, selected and trusted people within both organizations knew about this.

He didn’t care much about the ethics of it. He’d long since accepted the necessity of sacrifice.

If the world wanted to survive the growing threat from the Omega World, if it wanted to stand a chance against their ruthless incursions, it couldn’t afford to be soft.

The Valorant Protocol, with all its morals and laws, believed it could save Alpha Earth and still maintain its humanity. Let them. He wasn’t interested in being a hero. He swore all these years ago that he would get his revenge.

───※ ·❆· ※───

It was a day which started like any other—a crisp, ordinary morning. The streets were alive with the rhythmic hustle of everyday life. Vendors shouted from their stalls, and the mingling scents of street food floated in the air.

In the outer district, not far away from one of Kingdom Corporation labs, a family moved through the street.

A boy clung to his parents' hands, his eyes wide with excitement as he pointed at a certain attraction. His father chuckled, patting his head, while his mother smiled warmly.

Everything would go downhill just a few moments later.

Gas crept in quickly through the crowded street. Within moments, it thickened, transforming into a green toxic cloud that rolled through the streets like a wave.