Three days had passed since Al visited Malika Makazhar Orphanage.
Now, he returned to the city—walking leisurely along the sidewalk, bathed in the golden-orange light of sunset. The buildings began to glow one by one as the sky shifted from tangerine to violet.
But before heading home, Al decided to stop by his best friend’s house—Indra.
As he stepped into the yard, an uneasy feeling crept over him.
The atmosphere was... too quiet.
He knocked several times.
Moments later, the door slowly creaked open.
"Al?" Indra appeared, his face gloomy and eyes swollen from crying.
Al blinked in surprise. Normally, it was Indra’s mom who greeted him with cheerful energy and the smell of home-cooked food.
"Indra? You’re opening the door? Where’s your mom? Are you home alone?"
Indra looked down and said nothing. He opened the door wider and motioned for Al to come in.
Al stepped inside. The unease only grew stronger.
In the living room, there was no TV sound. No cheerful humming from Indra’s dad in the garage.
But all the cars were still there.
The family’s fish delivery truck still parked.
His dad’s shoes, his mom’s slippers—everything was in its usual place.
Hmmm... this is strange.
Inside Indra’s room, the air was even heavier.
Indra sat at the edge of his bed, leaning against the wall with his head down.
Al stood there, frowning in confusion.
"Oi... what happened?"
"Oi... answer me, oi!" Al pressed.
Indra looked up, wanting to say something—but no words came out.
"If you’re tired, just lie down for now," Indra mumbled, forcing a smile—unsuccessfully.
Al didn’t sit. He crossed his arms.
"Indra, you’re not a kid. This way of communicating is pointless," Al said flatly.
"You act all gloomy and pathetic, but talk like everything’s fine. You’re like someone who doesn’t want to be seen yet always shows up. Since when were you a tsundere, Indra?"
Indra lowered his head like a scolded elementary schooler.
"You’re right," he said quietly.
Finally, Indra opened up.
"Mom and Dad... they’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. Not because of work, but because of intimidation."
"The fish business in Makazhar is controlled by the Norvalien family. Their interference made it so my dad hasn’t been able to sell anything. All our buyers suddenly canceled their contracts. But that’s not the worst part... the Norvaliens sent collectors to demand payments—thugs started coming around, intimidating them. Now Mom and Dad are too scared to even leave the house."
Al went silent. His eyes narrowed.
Then something clicked—he recalled something from a few weeks ago.
"So out of everything... the part that bothers you the most is the guilt," Al said.
Indra gave a weak nod.
"There’s nothing wrong with helping those in need, Indra. You know that better than I do."
"Maybe I should’ve been a little more selfish," Indra whispered.
Al sighed and patted Indra’s shoulder.
"Be your true, kind self, Indra. And why didn’t you just say this sooner?
No wonder you bailed on our research day. I’m rich now, you know. I can actually help.
This time, let me be the one to support you."
Indra looked down. "Sorry..."
"Don’t worry about it," Al said with a faint smile.
"Starting tomorrow, things will be fine."
Without another word, Al left the room.
He made a call, his voice low but filled with clear, sharp instructions.
Indra, still inside, felt a bit better. To him, it seemed like Al was just trying to cheer him up.
Moments later, Al returned with a wide grin.
"Oh right, where’s the soda and snacks?"
"Hah?? Are you serious? I’m stressed out and you’re thinking about snacks?! Aaargh!!"
Indra yelled, punching a pillow—
But his face now showed a little more light.
From his pocket, he pulled out three black bracelets carved with strange ancient-like symbols and handed them to Indra.
"A gift. Give the other two to your parents. Tell them to wear it at all times. Never take it off."
Indra looked at the bracelets in confusion.
"Bracelets? What’s this engraving? Is this some kind of charm? Since when did you start dabbling in magic?"
"It’s not. Just wear it, don’t ask too many questions.
Let’s say it’s a good luck charm."
Before Indra could say more, Al was already at the door.
"I’m off. Say hi to your mom and dad for me. Sorry I couldn’t greet them properly.
I’ve been away for three days—I should head home."
Before Indra could respond...
The house felt lighter. The darkness was starting to lift.
Al walked along the city streets, now dim and quiet.
The sky hung low and grey, as if it too sensed that something foul would taint the afternoon.
Al’s heart remained calm—until...
His trained ears picked up a vulgar voice coming from a narrow alley nearby.
"Hurry up. I want to nap before we hit the club tonight," a man’s gruff voice said. "What a pitiful family, hahaha!"
"And that old hag... if she keeps yapping, we’ll teach her a lesson.
A real adult lesson. Right in front of her husband, hahaha," another laughed crudely.
"No one messes with the Norvaliens."
Al froze. His eyes sharpened.
So these are the thugs harassing Indra’s family.
His breath suddenly turned cold.
He stepped into the alley without a word. Then finally, in a sharp tone, he called out:
"You worthless thugs."
The four men jumped, startled.
They turned—only to find a single high school boy standing there.
Seeing Al’s slender frame, they snorted and laughed mockingly.
"Eh? A kid? What do you want, boy? Got a death wish?"
"Is this brat lost or what? Hahaha!" another chimed in.
He simply raised a hand and traced a symbol in the air.
The atmosphere shifted.
Invisible light enveloped the alley, forming a barrier dome around them.
Outside, the alley vanished.
Completely cut off from the world.
The thugs didn’t realize anything.
Al looked at them, one by one.
His black eyes now reflected restrained fury.
"What were you planning to do... to that family?"
One of the men stepped forward, smirking.
"Why? You part of that family?"
"You wanna know? We’ll make them learn the rules of this city.
You don’t mess with the Norvaliens.
We’ll break them—and the mom, especially... heh, I think you know what comes next. Hahaha..."
"So... torture and rape," he whispered.
The men grew annoyed at his attitude.
KRRAK! Two of them lunged without warning.
Their fists aimed at Al’s face—
But he dodged effortlessly.
"Oh, look at you, brat!" one of them snarled.
Now all four charged in.
Too slow. Too clumsy. Too exposed.
With grace that didn’t match his youthful frame, Al moved like a shadow—blinking behind them.
Each strike hit with deadly precision.
One was slammed into the wall—cracks spidered across the stone.
Another’s knee was shattered from behind, the sound grotesque and loud.
The remaining two tried to run—
But the barrier held. They couldn’t escape.
"Damn! We can’t get out!" one shouted, punching empty air that felt like glass.
"What is this? Why can’t we pass?!"
"Like you said," Al murmured—
Dragging the other two by their necks like lambs to slaughter, tossing them onto the pile.
"You want to torture and violate, right?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but its chill cut through bone.
With a flick of his finger, invisible force surged toward their groins.
The four men screamed.
Their cries were muted from the outside.
Their insides torn apart.
The pain—unimaginable.
Wailing. Panic. Horror.
He snapped their arms, one by one.
Breathing was a struggle through whimpers.
Standing over them, Al’s face was blank.
He inhaled, then spoke in a low voice:
"I’m just returning the favor—matching your intent.
But don’t worry. I don’t kill those who haven’t earned death."
He turned, ready to leave—
Then raised his hand.
A seal—a glowing silver-blue circle of runes—appeared above their heads, spinning slowly before fading.
"This will erase your memories of me.
The barrier will disappear after 12 hours.
Their minds would forget the attacker—
But their wounds and agony would remain.
The alley became their prison.
Al walked home through the empty street.
His steps calm, but his eyes still burned with fire.
"Norvalien... you’ve gone too far."