Silence blanketed the town square, as everyone stared at the supervisor’s body, now lifeless on the ground. Faces shifted from horror to bewilderment, and even Dorian—who had been screaming for his life only moments ago—stood frozen, shock stealing his breath.

Only Seren moved. He ignored everyone's reaction and strode over to the supervisor’s body before crouching down and picking up the three relics that had materialized beside it. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips as he inspected his harvest.

He turned the first relic over in his hands, noting its faint shimmer. ‘Rank 1 Adaptive Skin Relic’

He evaluated it with detached interest.

‘A defense relic with adaptive resistance against attacks, but only a passive type, he mused. ‘I’d need to endure the same type of attack repeatedly for it to be effective, and it only holds that resistance for about thirty minutes before resetting. He slipped it into his Mind Core, mentally discarding it as impractical. ‘There are too many limitations on this relic to be of use, but maybe it’ll fetch a good price’

His gaze shifted to the next relic, a miniature fist cast in dark metal.

‘Rank 2, The 100 Fist Relic. An attack type, capable of summoning up to one hundred fists for a concentrated assault. It’s soul energy-intensive but its peak power at 100 fists is greater than my Luminar Crystal. Hmm, I will keep it for now, it could serve as a trump card’ Seren smirked slightly as he pocketed the relic.

Finally, his eyes fell upon the third relic—a small, sandcastle-shaped charm. His smile broadened, the look in his eyes sharpening with satisfaction. ‘Rank 2 Sand Shifting Relic’ He felt a ripple of excitement. ‘This is the one I was after’

He recalled Theo’s description of its versatility. ‘ It’s a rare relic, not commonly found in Chimera Vale. It can control sand freely and turn inorganic material into sand at will. Its energy demands are proportional to the amount of sand manipulated’

Seren’s fingers tightened around the relic, his mind already envisioning its uses.

‘Perfect for someone with limited soul energy like me. If I’m careful with it, I could use it for both offense and defense without depleting myself in one big, flashy move’

Finally, he put the Sand Shifting Relic into his Mind Core as well. Seren’s strength now had just doubled in a couple of minutes!

He was no longer limited by his soul energy and his offensive and defensive capabilities were not something any rank 1 Lexarch could handle. Now all he needs are some healing, reconnaissance, and support-type relics and with his countless years of battle experience, he could easily go toe to toe with rank 2 Lexarchs.

Then, as Seren turned to face the others, their reactions were immediate—and varied. The Collective members stood in stunned silence, exchanging confused and frightened glances. Some looked away, as though averting their eyes from the supervisor’s lifeless body might make it less real, while others shifted anxiously, their faces pale.

One of the guards whispered, bewildered, “What... just happened? He was fine a second ago.”

Another guard shook his head slowly, swallowing hard. “Did he just... drop dead out of nowhere?”

A third guard, glancing nervously between the body and Seren, muttered, “There’s no way that was random... right?”

On the other side, Theo and Oliver remained rooted to the spot, their expressions a mix of shock and uncertainty.

“What... just happened?” Theo whispered, barely able to process what he was seeing.

Oliver’s gaze flicked between Seren and the supervisor. “Did Seren... somehow do this?”

Standing slightly apart from the others, Mia and Aria wore expressions far darker than the others. Both of them were seasoned Rank 2 Superiors with powerful relics that could topple most Lexarchs. What they had just witnessed troubled them deeply.

Mia’s eyes locked on Seren, assessing him with a cold, calculating stare. “It wasn’t just fear,” she murmured to herself, as though working through a puzzle. “The supervisor’s heart didn’t just fail on its own.”

Aria’s lips curved into a dangerous smile, though her expression was wary. “Fear can kill, sure, but this?” She glanced at Mia, sharing a look of unspoken understanding. “This was deliberate. His heart stopped because… someone made it happen.”

Just then, Vinny cut into the silence, his voice rich with sarcasm. “So, that’s it, then? Couldn’t stomach making a decision, so he just drops dead?” He gave a mock shrug, throwing a wry glance at the supervisor’s corpse. “Guess some people just don’t have the nerves for this business.”

Dorian, still trembling, managed a nervous laugh, trying to mask his fear. “Yeah... looks like he went out with a whimper, not a bang.”

Before anyone else could react, Vinnie suddenly interrupted, his tone intense and incredulous. “You fool!” he barked, silencing Dorian and drawing all eyes to him. “This wasn’t just a random heart attack.”

Vinnie glanced sharply at Vinny, brows drawn in confusion. “Don’t you see it? He didn’t die because he was too scared to make the decision.”

Vinny paused, his smug expression faltering as he considered Vinnie’s words. He looked from the supervisor’s body back to Seren, his face scrunching in bewilderment. “Wait... so you’re saying Seren did this? That he actually forced the supervisor’s body to... shut down?”

Mia’s gaze intensified slightly as she looked at Seren. ‘Did he purposely lead the supervisor on…?’

Just the thought of someone killing another person through fear in such a short amount of time was absurd to think about. But that’s exactly what seemed to have happened here.

‘...if it was on purpose then this kid is too dangerous to keep around. I don’t want to imagine what he will be like once he grows up’

The more Mia thought about the implications of Seren’s actions, the more she realized how troublesome he would be to deal with if he’s allowed to grow stronger.

‘I must not let him become a threat to the Enforcers!’

A ripple of unease spread through the crowd in the town square. The collective’s guards exchanged nervous glances as they looked at Seren. Even the rank 2 Lexarchs from the Enforcers and the Ravens were unsettled by this turn of events.

Seren’s expression softened, eyebrows raised as he looked around at the tense, uncertain faces surrounding him. He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.

“Really? You guys believe I’m the one who caused this?” he asked, voice smooth and calm. “Do you all actually believe I could just... cause a heart attack with a few words? Just by looking at someone?”

His question hung in the air, sinking into the crowd’s confusion. The Collective members exchanged glances, their faces tinged with doubt and second-guessing.

One of the Collective’s guard, watching Seren, frowned slightly, unsure of what to think. “Well, I don’t know... it’s just... the timing…”

Seren tilted his head with a faintly amused smile. “Maybe the timing was eerie, but let’s be real. It was probably sheer pressure on him. The supervisor knew he was trapped—Punishers and Enforcers on every side, his bluff called out. Who wouldn’t panic?!”

The Collective’s guard nodded slowly, the words soothing some of his earlier fears. “I mean, yeah, he was under a lot of stress...”

“Exactly!” Seren replied, smoothly pressing his advantage. “People have died from stress before. Heart attacks aren’t unheard of in situations like this.”

Across the square, Aria’s eyes narrowed. Watching Seren feign innocence with such smoothness irritated her deeply. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. ‘Smooth-talking little devil’

The murmur among the Collective grew as Seren continued, his tone sympathetic yet convincing. “I mean, if you’re going to blame someone for the supervisor’s death, blame the situation he put himself in. After all, he’s the one who jumped into a negotiation like this without a backup plan. He didn’t look out for himself—and his own heart probably couldn’t take the pressure.”

The guard, still shaken, slowly nodded, glancing uneasily at the others. “That... yeah, I mean, it makes sense, right? A bluff like that could put anyone over the edge...”

One of the others hesitantly added, “He did look pale when he tried that Mind Core bluff.”

Encouraged by their agreement, Seren nodded solemnly. “That’s right. He gambled and lost. It’s tragic, really. But at least now he’s at peace.”

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The crowd’s initial confusion started to shift into uneasy acceptance. They looked between each other, shrugging or nodding as they began to settle on this explanation, letting the strange tension gradually dissolve. Whispers spread through the group.

“Guess he really just... couldn’t handle it.”

“People do have heart attacks out of nowhere, especially if they’re stressed like that...”

Even Theo who had somewhat seen Seren’s capabilities seemed convinced this was all an accident. Who would want to believe that you could kill someone with just a few words?

Carter glanced at Seren, offering him a reluctant nod. “Maybe he’s right,” he said, almost as if trying to convince himself.

“See? Even Carter agrees with me” Vinny said to his cousin Vinnie, even who also looked at the situation with a contemplative look.

Watching the crowd’s opinions shift, Seren gave a small, almost innocent smile.

Then, Aria stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Seren with a glint of interest that bordered on possessive. She paused in front of him, looking him up and down, then gave a faint, approving nod. “You’re impressive,” she said, her voice smooth, almost coaxing. “I think you’d do well with the Punishers. If you want, I could put in a word for you with the Captain.”

Seren met her gaze with an unreadable expression. Theo and Oliver stiffened, casting each other wary glances. This wasn’t the kind of offer that anyone, let alone someone from the Odd Squad, could just turn down. Aria was the Captain’s right hand—she had enough sway to make or break careers with a single word in the Punishers.

Theo swallowed, feeling a pang of frustration as he thought, ‘If only Ronan were here…’ He looked at Seren, more convinced than ever of his potential. ‘He’s got more talent than anyone I’ve seen in the Odd Squad’ Theo thought, his anxiety mounting. But there was nothing he or Oliver could do; they didn’t have the power to intervene, not against Aria.

Seren tilted his head, appearing to contemplate the offer. Finally, he looked back at Aria, offering her a polite smile. “Thank you, Miss Aria, but I’d still like to join the Odd Squad.”

Aria’s brows knit in a frown, a flash of irritation crossing her face. “The Odd Squad? Why would you want to join them?” She let out a low scoff. “It’s the most disregarded department in the Ravens. You’ve already proven yourself beyond that.”

Seren shrugged lightly, keeping his tone respectful. “I’d like to start small first,” he said smoothly. “If I ever decide to join the Punishers, I’ll make sure to come to you first.”

Aria watched him carefully, visibly displeased but unable to argue outright. She sighed in annoyance, shaking her head. “Suit yourself,” she muttered, her tone sharp, then leaned in closer. “But don’t let that ‘Odd Squad’ nonsense hold you back. When you get tired of wasting your time, come find me.”

Seren gave a courteous nod, and Aria stepped back, still watching him with that same appraising look.

Without missing a beat, Seren turned to Mia. “Miss Mia,” he said smoothly, “are you still interested in buying Dorian from me?”

Mia’s gaze narrowed with a wary edge, but she nodded. “I’m willing,” she replied cautiously, though her eyes remained fixed on him, still gauging his motives.

Then, Seren looked back at Aria and said, “Actually, I’d like to gift Dorian to you, Miss Aria.”

Aria’s eyes widened in surprise, the corners of her mouth curling into a smirk. “Gift him? Just like that?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. She watched Seren intently, as though searching for an angle she hadn’t yet uncovered.

Theo’s eyes flashed with alarm, and he stepped forward, unable to keep silent any longer. “Seren, think about this carefully!” he urged. “Even if Dorian’s information is a trap, there’s still value in having it ourselves. And if you really want to hand him over to the Enforcers, at least sell him yourself. That way, we could still make a profit.”

Oliver nodded in agreement, glancing warily at Seren. “Theo’s right. Why give him to the Punishers for free?”

Seren chuckled softly and pointed at Dorian, who was now slumped on the ground, his face pale as a ghost and his hand soaked in blood. “Look at him. He’s on the verge of passing out. In a few minutes, he’ll be dead from blood loss. Ronan isn’t here, and none of us have a healing relic strong enough to keep him alive. If he dies then he might as well be useful as a hunk of rock”

Theo looked down at Dorian, stammering, “Y-you’re right, but... at least sell him to the Punishers. Why just give him away?”

Seren’s smile widened as he turned back to Aria. “Don’t you know, Theo?” he replied smoothly. “A friendship with a capable person is worth more than any short-term profit.”

Aria’s gaze darkened, her eyes narrowing as Seren explained his reasoning. She felt her irritation flaring as she realized he’d sidestepped her plan. Initially, she’d been waiting for Dorian to reach the brink of death so she could step in, offer her healing relic, and then extort the Odd Squad in return. But Seren had beat her at her own game, cutting her off before she could move.

For a moment, she simply stared at him with an expression unreadable. Then, a slow smile spread across her face, and she let out a low, approving chuckle. “Well played,” She leaned closer to him, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “You’re clever, aren’t you? I’m beginning to want you even more now.”

Seren returned her smile with an innocent look.

"Here." Aria’s voice cut through the air as she tossed something small toward Seren. He caught it with ease, peering at the object in his hand. Aria’s lips curled into a sly smile. “A token of our friendship,”

Seren looked down to find a small, translucent caterpillar with a gentle, pale green glow coming from it. The creature wriggled slowly in his palm, alive with a faint energy. He raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued.

“It’s called The Gentle Mend,” Aria explained, watching his reaction closely. “A Rank 1 healing relic. Boosts natural recovery and handles minor wounds—nothing flashy, but effective.”

Seren examined the caterpillar with interest, surprised to learn that relics could also be living things. After a brief inspection, he closed his eyes, and the creature vanished from his hand, slipping into his Mind Core. The caterpillar seemed to come to life instantly within him, stretching and nibbling contentedly on his sea of soul energy as it swam around in luxury. Then suddenly, Seren felt a pleasant wave of relief wash over him, a lightness as though a weight had been lifted. The Gentle Mend was working already, subtly boosting his natural recovery and leaving his mind refreshed.

He chuckled, opening his eyes to look at Aria. “Don’t expect thanks in a friendship,” he said with a smirk.

Aria returned his smile, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t expect you to know gratitude anyway,” she replied smoothly, her voice carrying its usual edge. “Just keep it alive. Wouldn’t want that little friend of yours dying off too soon.”

‘...Relics can die?’

Seren was slightly taken aback at this realization but he didn’t show it on his face, intending to ask Theo later on.

Satisfied, he turned his gaze to the remaining Collective members, who stiffened as they felt the weight of his attention. “So, what about these Collective members?”

A collective shudder went through the group, and a heavy silence fell. The Collective members were all Rank 1s—powerless against the might of the Ravens and Enforcers.

Aria looked them over with a sneer, then lifted her hand in a casual signal.

“Ahhhh!”

A single scream tore through the town square.

Seren’s eyes darted toward the sound to see one of the Collective members clutching the bloody stump where his arm had been. Before the echo of his scream faded, more cries erupted around them. Panic surged through the ranks of the Collective as the Punishers began their merciless assault, chasing down guards who attempted to flee and killing those who surrendered with brutal efficiency. None were spared.

The Enforcers stood back, watching the carnage with thinly veiled disgust. “Savage” one of them muttered under his breath, his voice laced with anger.

While they were no strangers to violence, the Ravens’ methods unsettled them. To the Enforcers, capturing opponents and stripping them of their relics was sufficient punishment; they would then be taken in, either jailed or subjected to other lawful consequences. Killing was reserved for the most dangerous threats and only used when absolutely necessary. Brutality without reason was something they viewed as excessive and barbaric, and they found little honor in it.

The Ravens, however, held a different view entirely. For them, this brutal “cleanup” was efficient and necessary. Even the ones who had thrown down their relics in surrender were shown no mercy. To the Punishers, there was no room for compromise, no tolerance for weakness. They took pride in the fear they instilled, in the power they wielded without restraint.

Aria, unbothered by the Enforcers’ disgusted expressions, turned to Mia, a smug look on her face. “Too bad your Enforcers don’t have the nerve for this kind of cleanup,” she remarked with a smile that was equal parts mocking and triumphant.

Mia’s expression remained composed, but her fists clenched tightly behind her back as frustration boiled beneath her calm facade.

‘...Seren’.

With Aria’s favor, he was now that much harder to eliminate, that much harder to control. If she’d only acted sooner, before he’d drawn the attention of the Punishers, things would have been different.

Mia gave Aria an icy smile. “Not everyone’s so eager to let bloodlust cloud their judgment.”

Aria’s smirk grew. “Bloodlust? Oh, it’s far more than that. It’s smart, efficient... effective. All things you Enforcers only pretend to care about.”

The two women’s eyes locked, a silent battle of wills. Aria wore a look of smug satisfaction, while Mia’s cold, steely smile remained composed.

Seren ignored the bickering between Mia and Aria, who had now descended into a tense exchange of jabs and counteroffers. Their voices faded into the background as he made his way over to Theo and Oliver, who both wore complicated expressions. Seren had single-handedly handled the situation, gaining both valuable relics and a favor from the Punishers. It was safe to say he had come out on top from all this mess of a mission that it was.

He stopped before them, giving a casual nod. “You’re both okay with me keeping the supervisor’s relics, right?”

Theo blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. “Y-Yeah, that’s fine,” he replied, scratching his head. “You’re the one who stepped up and took control back there. If not for you, those Punishers would be walking away with all the spoils.”

Oliver nodded in agreement. “And we’d probably be looking a lot worse for it.”

Then Oliver’s expression turned curious. “But, I gotta ask—why bother making nice with Aria? You’re not in her department. You’re not... thinking of leaving us, are you?” He looked at Seren closely, half-joking but half-worried.

Seren chuckled, waving off Oliver’s concern. “Relax, I’m not going anywhere.”

He smirked, glancing sidelong at Aria. ‘If I hadn’t shown goodwill to her, I’d be the one they’d be dividing up right now’ he thought, aware of the Enforcers’ impression of him.

Despite being part of the Ravens, he knew that nothing guaranteed that Aria would protect him if the Enforcers decided he was a threat. He’d needed to ensure some form of security—and aligning with Aria, however lightly, was a solid move.

‘Besides’ he thought, a strategic gleam in his eye, ‘this connection with Aria might come in handy. In an organization, the most powerful people aren’t always the strongest—It’s the ones with the best connections that rise above the others’

Seren knew that in the right circles, a well-placed ally could make even the lowest member climb to the top, and he was already planning his next moves.

Then suddenly, Seren’s gaze shifted to something over Oliver’s shoulder. When he saw who it was, a small smile crept onto his face. “Looks like our late arrivals decided to join the party,” he said.

Theo and Oliver turned, their eyes widening at the sight. Wyatt and Kieran were carrying a slumped, battered Javier between them, and beside them, Matilda waved energetically, grinning as though she’d just completed a walk in the park.

“Javier!” Theo gasped, relief flooding his face.