8 years ago...

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Why is someone knocking on my door in the middle of the night? It's two o'clock in the morning," Ray grumbled.

"Who the fuck is it?" Ray shouted as he swung open the door.

Startled, Ray took a step back when he saw a bloodied twelve-year-old boy standing before him.

"What kind of bullshit is this?"

Ray immediately knelt down to address the kid. "What are you doing here? Why are you at my place? What happened to you?" Ray bombarded the boy with questions, but he remained silent, tears streaming down his face.

"What have I gotten myself into in the middle of the night?" Ray wondered.

Ray invited the boy into his house, offering him water to calm his nerves. After a few minutes, the boy's tears subsided, and Ray began to question him more gently.

"What is your name?"

"Jade."

"How old are you?"

"Twelve years old."

"Where are your parents?"

The boy hesitated to answer, and Ray sensed that something was amiss. Just as Ray was about to ask another question, the boy uttered, "My mother is dead." Ray was taken aback by this sudden revelation, unable to find the right words. "A child experiencing such a fate? Just what the hell happened to this kid?" Ray silently contemplated. After a brief pause, Ray asked, "Where is your father?" The boy's face contorted with horror.

"Huh?" Ray was perplexed by the boy's reaction, but one thing became clear—his hatred for his father knew no bounds.

"Hmm," Ray pondered his next steps. He considered contacting the police, as the boy might be connected to a crime. Yet, after careful deliberation, he decided against it. Just as Ray was about to inform the boy, he noticed the boy already kneeling on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Ray asked.

"Please teach me how to fight," Jade pleaded, his eyes filled with tears.

"What are you even saying? Do you know who I am? Do you think I can train you to fight?" Ray bombarded the boy with more questions.

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"I know this request seems sudden, but it's my only option."

"As I said, do you even understand what you're asking? I'm not a fighter."

"Liar."

"What?"

"I know you. You appeared on the news once."

"The Combat Utility Squad singlehandedly defeated the notorious crime organization 'Hell.' It was an organization whose members committed heinous acts that rendered them inhuman. They caused numerous deaths, and everyone knew their name. The government tackled the problem with the Combat Utility Squad, led by Ray, a skilled veteran. Under his leadership, Hell was obliterated, and its roots destroyed."

Combat Utility Squad is deemed as the most skilled fighters of the task force. Ray being the captain of this squads says his fighting skills are special.

"What do you have to say as the leader?" a reporter had asked.

After a momentary silence, Ray had spoken in a serious tone. "I'm resigning. Fighting this organization made me realize my shortcomings as a leader. I lost many comrades during this war. I failed to saved a large number of people that spent a lot of their time with me facing several criminals. I don't want to be part of a force where I'll only be a burden." Ray then walked off the stage without entertaining further questions from reporters or his acquaintances in the force.

Back to the conversation...

"You sure brought back unnecessary memories, kid," Ray said, his tone grave.

"I don't care if you know me or not. I don't intend to teach a young child like you how to fight. I won't rob you of your childhood."

"Please! I don't care if my childhood is taken away. As long as I can pursue my goal, I'm willing to sacrifice everything."

"Just how wounded is this kid?" Ray wondered, listening to the weighty words spoken by the boy.

"I don't care. I won't be swayed by a child's demands. I won't hand you over to the police either, as I can see you'd resent me for the rest of your life. Just get out of my place and I will pretend this never happened."

Just as Ray reached for the door, the boy shouted, "My mother praised you a lot, yet I can see you're trash!"

"What? Your mother? Who is she?"

"Fiona Miller."

!!!!

"What did you just say?"

Ray hastily closed the distance between himself and Jade, repeating his question with urgency. "What did you just say?" Ray's energy surged upon hearing his sister's name.

"Fiona Miller, my mother or your sister, is dead."

Ray was speechless. The words rendered his world blank. His sister, whom he had abandoned to fulfill his duty, was now gone.

Fiona, always cheerful, radiated joy to those around her. Ray had countless fond memories with his sister until he was assigned to capture the criminal organization "Hell." In the midst of that war, Ray faced tragedy, battling inhumane beings who targeted his parents, resulting in their demise. Fiona became his sole family, and in an act of self-preservation, he distanced himself from her to shield her from the chaos.

For eight years, he had contemplated seeking his lost sister, but he hesitated, blaming himself for their parents' deaths and feeling unworthy to face Fiona.

"What did she say about me? I abandoned her. Why would she praise me?" Ray's voice cracked with anguish.

"Your uncle is brave, responsible—no matter what others say. If not for him, a monstrous organization would still reign."

"The exact words my mother told me," Jade revealed.

"She was so proud of you when we watched the news together."

Tears welled up in Ray's eyes.

"Why did I have to be her brother? In the end, I couldn't protect my family no matter what I do. I even lost my comrades during the operation and I'm sure their family waited for them.

Crack!

A thunderous sound reverberated as Ray demolished a table with a punch. "Who killed her?" Ray's voice turned icy cold.

"My father"