I barely breathed as my fingers hovered over my phone beneath the table. Hidden from view, pressing the emergency number, ensuring the call connected before slipping the device into my pocket. If things went south, the police would be on their way.

The café bustled with the low hum of conversation, the scent of fresh coffee and baked goods hanging in the air. But despite the warmth, a cold dread settled in Rei’s stomach.

The man across the café exuded danger. His silver-grey eyes locked onto me with quiet intensity, his every step slow, deliberate—like a predator circling its prey. The moment stretched, the world narrowing to the space between them.

Besides me, Kristine stiffened, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. "Rei—"

"I got this."

I rose smoothly, my chair scraping against the floor. The man’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. Then, without warning, he lunged.

A metallic whir split the air. His arm—a mechanical construct hidden beneath synthetic skin—snapped forward at unnatural speed. A gleaming steel fist shot toward Rei’s face.

I barely twisted aside in time, feeling the force of the punch ripple past him, ruffling his hair as it smashed into the table behind him, reducing it to splinters.

Gasps and screams erupted as chairs toppled, patrons scrambling for the exit.

The man pressed forward, relentless. His reinforced limb swung in precise, brutal arcs, forcing Rei to weave and dodge. Each narrowly missed strike sent debris flying.

Rei’s pulse pounded. He was fast, but his opponent was faster.

Then—Phantom Trail flickered to life.

Tick— tick— tick—

A golden glow ignited in my right eye, and in an instant, the future unfolded before me. Faint ghostly outlines traced the man’s next movements, revealing his attacks before they happened.

I ducked, twisted, sidestepped, evading each strike by inches. But I was on the defensive, the sheer power behind each attack forcing me back. My opponent was tireless—his mechanical limb giving him unnatural stamina.

A sharp whistle cut through the chaos.

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"Rei! Use these."

Aiden’s voice.

A black briefcase spun through the air. And I snatched it mid-motion, flicking it open in one fluid movement.

Inside—twin pistols. Sleek, matte black, golden veins of energy pulsing through them.

The Phantom Twins.

"They’re made for you," Aiden called. "Use their full potential!"

My fingers wrapped around the grips, the weapons coming alive as they synced with his mana. Power surged through me, the etchings along the barrels glowing brighter.

My stance shifted. I wasn’t just dodging anymore.

The next time the man lunged, I fired.

A golden bullet streaked through the air, slamming into the man's shoulder. He staggered, his expression darkening.

I immediately pressed forward, squeezing the triggers in a calculated rhythm. Silent, golden shots forced the man onto the defensive, his mechanical arm raising to shield himself.

Then—the man smirked.

With a metallic snap, a hidden blade extended from his palm. Before I could even react, the weapon lashed out.

Pain seared through my side. He gasped, stumbling.

The man didn’t stop. His arm shifted—metal plates rearranging, morphing. The blade retracted, replaced by something far worse.

A plasma cannon.

The barrel hummed to life, glowing ominously.

My eyes widened.

I threw himself to the side just as a beam of searing energy ripped through the air. The heat singed my jacket, a heartbeat away from burning through him entirely.

I could hear Kristine shouting my name, but I had no time to respond. The cannon was charging again.

My fingers twitched over the Phantom Twins’ triggers. My mind raced. I had to end this. Now.

He activated Phantom Mode.

The bullets that fired this time weren’t just fast. They flickered unpredictably, their afterimages confusing my opponent’s tracking.

A shot struck his cannon arm. Another hit his leg. The third—

Right between the eyes.

The man staggered, growling in pain. Rei steadied his aim, prepared to finish it—

Then a voice rang out.

"Dante! We need to go!"

A figure stood at the café entrance, urgency written across their face. "Police are on their way."

Dante clenched his jaw, his plasma cannon retracting into his forearm. He sent one last glare at me before stepping back. "This isn’t over."

And then he was gone.

I exhaled sharply, my hands trembling. The golden glow in my eye flickered and faded, as my grace deactivated.

Kristine rushed towards my side, but before she could speak, another presence appeared.

Emilia knelt beside me, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. She pressed it gently against my wound, her touch surprisingly delicate.

"You should be more careful," she murmured, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

Kristine’s eyes darkened, a flash of jealousy crossing her face.

Aiden chuckled, crossing his arms. "Well, that was fun."

Emilia simply wiped the blood from her handkerchief, folded it neatly, and tucked it away.

---

Later that night, in a dimly lit alleyway, Aiden moved like a shadow.

Emilia walked ahead, unaware—until his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist.

"I thought something was off about you," Aiden murmured. "Now, how about you drop the act?"

A slow smile spread across Emilia’s lips. Her form shimmered.

Where Emilia once stood, a different woman now faced him.

Long, dark indigo hair. Piercing violet eyes. A high-collared bodysuit with shifting metallic accents.

Evelyn Veyne. A syndicate spy.

Aiden’s grip tightened. "What do you want with Rei?"

Evelyn merely chuckled, reaching into her coat. She pulled out a small ziplock bag.

Inside—

The bloodied handkerchief.

"Oh, I’m just… interested in him," she said smoothly. "And now, I have something of his."

Aiden’s eyes darkened.

Evelyn smiled.

Then, in a blur of movement, she dissolved into smoke, vanishing into the night.

---

Dante sat on a metal crate in the dimly lit warehouse, wincing as a medic worked on his wounds. Across from him, Asher leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"You lost," Asher noted, unimpressed. "Against a recruit."

Dante scowled. "He’s not just some recruit."

A smirk tugged at Asher’s lips. "No, I suppose he isn’t."

Footsteps echoed. Evelyn emerged from the shadows, holding up the bloodied handkerchief.

"Don’t worry," she purred. "This fight was just the beginning."

[End of Chapter]