The sun shone brightly that afternoon. Kurogai lounged in a wicker chair, finally allowing himself a moment of peace. It had been two days since he returned to New York, and in that time, he had completed the defensive magic he wanted to place—giving him a rare chance to relax.
Suddenly, Kurogai's expression shifted. He stood up abruptly, his face hardening. The defensive magic he had placed on Skye had been triggered.
Skye, now older and attending school thanks to the orphanage's improved funding, should have been safe. But if the protection spell activated, it meant she was in danger.
"Director Mary, I'm heading out for a bit," Kurogai called over his shoulder, already gathering his magical energy. A golden portal shimmered into existence before him. Without hesitation, he stepped through and vanished from the orphanage.
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In an abandoned factory, a beat-up car skidded to a stop. Three men exited quickly. The last one carried a struggling girl—Skye.
She had just left school, hoping to return early and spend time with her beloved brother figure, Kurogai. But the moment she stepped outside the school gate, she was ambushed and dragged here.
"Damn it, that brat's tougher than she looks. I swear I'll kill her later," muttered a disheveled man. He had been injured by the defensive spell placed on Skye. If the enchantment hadn't begun to fade, they wouldn't have been able to capture her at all.
"Save it," the team leader barked. "Stick to the plan. Don't touch the girl yet. Lock her up and use her to lure the Heterochromatic-Eyed one. Tell the Winter Soldier to get ready."
Hydra had devised this plan to bait Kurogai. The factory was rigged with explosives as a fallback, but their real weapon was the Winter Soldier.
Just then, a radiant golden portal flared into existence before them. The men jumped back in alarm as a lone figure stepped out, eyes flashing with purple and gold. His expression was ice-cold.
Kurogai had arrived.
Skye meant a great deal to him. Beyond the defensive spell, he had also placed a tracker on her. It seemed excessive at the time, but now he was glad he had. He hadn't expected to use it so soon.
"It's him! The Heterochromatic-Eyed one! What the hell kind of ability is that?" one of the men blurted in disbelief. Despite setting the trap, Kurogai's sudden and silent arrival still rattled them.
"Brother Kurogai!" Skye cried out, terrified.
Without a word, Kurogai conjured a glowing whip of light and flicked his wrist. The whip lashed out with precision, coiling around Skye and pulling her straight into his arms.
"Brother Kurogai, I was so scared," she whispered, burying her face in his chest. She had never experienced anything like this before, but now the fear melted into relief.
"Skye, stay over there and be good," Kurogai said gently. He activated a dormant spell he had placed on her earlier. A shimmering, circular barrier enveloped her, keeping her safe.
Then he turned to the attackers.
"You've made a terrible mistake," he said coldly. "I don't care who you work for. You're going to pay for this."
The air in the factory seemed to drop several degrees. A bone-chilling aura radiated from Kurogai, freezing the room with raw killing intent.
He was furious. He had only just returned to New York, and already something like this had happened. He wouldn't tolerate it.
He wasn't just going to stop them—he was going to make an example of them.
"Kill him! I'll get our trump card!" the team leader shouted in panic. From the beginning, Kurogai had exceeded all their expectations. His magic, the portals, the radiant whip, the shimmering barrier—they had no defense against it.
The leader turned to flee, desperate to retrieve the Winter Soldier.
But he didn't get far.
A magic blade appeared in the air and shot toward him like a missile.
Boom!
The blade exploded on impact, obliterating the man.
Kurogai had promised retribution—and this was only the beginning.
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