Monday, November 5th, 2007
The morning was bright. Birds chirped, the sounds of motorcycles and cars crowded the streets, while people chatted casually as they walked toward their daily routines. The school grounds were already lively with students arriving one by one.
In front of the school gate, a girl stood waiting, glancing around restlessly.
"Where are they? Haven't they arrived yet?" Stella muttered, a hint of worry in her voice.
—
Meanwhile, at the boarding house.
Four young men were still sleeping soundly in a single room. Their positions… were enough to make anyone shake their head. Dainny's leg was draped over Frost's body, Frost's leg was stuck on Marco's head, and Marco was half-lying on top of Erpan. All of them slept peacefully, completely guilt-free.
"KRINGGG!!! KRINGGG!!! KRINGGG!!!"
The alarm screamed loudly.
No one woke up. Even a cat passing by outside the window jumped in surprise.
"Five more minutes…" Dainny mumbled half-asleep, his face sour.
A few seconds later, his eyes opened. He looked at the clock.
"Oh… crap. We're late," he said flatly, as if nothing serious had happened.
Silence for a split second.
Then—
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The room exploded into chaos. Dainny jumped off the bed, Frost hurriedly grabbed his bag, Marco panicked while trying to gather his belongings, and Erpan remained asleep like an innocent victim.
"Hurry up, guys! We're late!" Dainny shouted while putting on his shoes mid-run.
"Damn it… we have to leave now!" Frost added, his face tense despite his usual calm demeanor.
"I'll carry all the bags! You guys just run ahead!" Marco said, swiftly slinging three backpacks over himself at once.
The door was flung open. The three of them bolted out.
—
Inside the room.
Erpan stirred lazily. "Hmm? Why's it so quiet? Where did everyone go?" he
muttered, rubbing his eyes.
His gaze drifted to the wall clock.
7:35 AM.
His expression froze.
"HAA?! Why didn't anyone wake me up?!" he screamed, half-hysterical.
Within seconds, Erpan packed his things
and dashed outside. Moving at insane speed, he appeared right behind Dainny, Frost, and Marco, who were still panting on the road.
"He caught up already…" Marco said, stunned.
Frost let out a small snort. "That's just a warm-up."
"WE HAVE TO MOVE!" Dainny yelled, though his face looked more excited than panicked.
—
In front of the school.
Sky and Sonik were waiting near the gate. When they saw the group approaching with messy hair and exhausted faces, Sky waved enthusiastically.
"Hah! Guys, finally— Eh?"
His smile vanished, replaced by shock at their condition.
Dainny, Erpan, and Marco were completely out of breath, faces drenched in sweat.
Meanwhile, Frost walked past calmly, his steps relaxed, even sparing a brief glance at Sky.
"Why is it always you who never looks tired?" Sky asked, confused.
Frost crossed his arms, refusing to answer.
Sonik greeted them with a thin smile.
"Alright, let's go in. Be careful… it's almost the end of the month," he said, scanning them one by one.
For a moment, they exchanged glances. Sonik's words felt strange, as if they carried a hidden meaning. Stella, who had been waiting inside the gate, noticed too, her expression puzzled.
That bright morning suddenly carried a large question mark.
—
Classes began, and students busied themselves with their usual activities.
Frost listened attentively to the teacher, while Marco was busy drawing something in his notebook. Whether it was a formula or some strange device was unclear, but it definitely wasn't a Physics assignment.
Dainny sat in the corner, resting his chin on his hand. His eyes were half-open, occasionally letting out a small yawn.
Erpan, beside him, struggled desperately to stay awake. His head bobbed up and down, almost falling several times before snapping upright again.
"…as I explained earlier," the Physics teacher's voice echoed,
"Newton's Second Law explains the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration."
He walked to the board and wrote quickly.
"The greater the mass, the harder it is to move—unless the force applied is also large. That's why heavy vehicles need powerful engines."
Dainny glanced toward Stella. She was fully focused, writing nonstop. She didn't even bother fixing the strand of hair falling over her face.
"And remember," the teacher continued,
"every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Physics is simple… as long as you're not sleeping during the explanation."
His eyes locked onto Dainny.
"…Understand?" he asked meaningfully.
The classroom fell silent.
Only the faint squeak of the fan could be heard.
The teacher sighed. "Alright… since it's almost break time, you may pack up."
He closed his book. "And please, come tomorrow with a living brain."
The break bell rang.
"Hoaaah… that explanation was way too long," Erpan complained, stretching his back.
Frost smacked his back firmly. PLAK!
"Try studying," Frost said casually as he walked ahead.
"Hey! You think I'm a robot or what?!" Erpan shouted angrily.
Dainny turned to Marco, who was still staring at his notebook.
"We're in Physics class, but you're writing chemical reactions. What are you even making?"
"An experiment," Marco replied flatly, closing his book.
The four of them headed toward the cafeteria. Their stomachs were already singing loudly.
Before they got far, Stella appeared in the hallway, hugging a stack of books.
Her face was bright, her eyes gentle. "How are you?" she asked with a warm smile.
"Not good…" Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco answered in unison, sounding utterly drained.
Stella tilted her head, confused by their synchronized misery.
—
They arrived at the crowded cafeteria, filled with noise. The smells of instant noodles, fried rice, and snacks blended together.
Each of them grabbed a tray and filled it with food.
While looking for seats, Dainny spotted Sky, Earth, and Sonik in the corner. Sky waved energetically.
"Yo! Over here, there's space!"
Dainny immediately raised his hand high.
"Move to the location!" he shouted enthusiastically, like a battlefield commander.
Frost, Erpan, Marco, and even Stella instinctively turned sharply to follow—
So sharply that Stella nearly lost her balance.
"Hey! I wasn't ready to turn that fast!" she protested in panic.
They all sat down. The seats were now filled by Dainny, Frost, Erpan, Marco, Stella, Sky, Earth, and Sonik, who arrived carrying something.
"Tadaa~ Here it is!" Sky exclaimed, opening a massive lunch box that nearly covered the table.
Stella's jaw dropped.
"H-how could you possibly eat all that?" she asked in disbelief.
"Huh? Me?" Sky blinked, then smiled proudly. "Ah! It's for everyone here!"
Sonik smirked smugly, but suddenly his gaze shifted forward, his eyes widening.
"Uh-oh…"
Stella followed his gaze—and froze.
In front of them, Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco stared at the food with intense desire. Their mouths were slightly open, drool nearly falling, eyes shining like predators spotting prey.
"This is gonna be good… hehe…" Dainny laughed darkly, rubbing his hands together.
"Food heaven…" Frost said flatly, though his eyes gleamed like someone discovering life energy.
"Wahaha! Food!" Erpan nearly stood up, ready to pounce.
"Haa… I feel like doing something…" Marco muttered, clearly struggling to hold back as well.
Their four hands slowly reached forward—
—but Sky quickly pulled the container closer to himself.
"This is for everyone, got it!" Sky snapped, annoyed but still polite, like a teacher scolding misbehaving students.
All four straightened up instantly, chests out like soldiers at attention.
"YES, SIR!!!" they shouted in unison.
They finally ate together, laughter filling the air. Even Stella, who had felt awkward at first, couldn't help but laugh at their ridiculous behavior.
—
In the afternoon, they walked leisurely toward the school gate. The sun was beginning to set, the evening breeze gentle against their steps.
"Strange that those things didn't show up today," Sky said, glancing around.
"Hey! You want them to keep appearing or what?!" Sonik protested irritably.
"That's not it. It's just… at least there'd be work to do, right?" Sky replied with a half-complaint.
Stella stayed quiet, listening. She didn't know what they meant, but she could feel the mood suddenly turn more serious.
Dainny gently patted her shoulder. "Forget it, Stella."
She flinched slightly, her cheeks reddening at the touch, then turned away, pretending to be annoyed.
Dainny just grinned, then lightly jumped and wrapped an arm around Frost from the side.
"Hey, what do you want now?" Frost complained, though he couldn't fully hide a small, irritated smile.
Meanwhile, Marco walked ahead, then suddenly turned toward a vending machine.
Soon, they were all standing there, each holding a cold can of drink. The sky was turning orange.
Dainny sat on a metal bench nearby, playing a Nintendo DS emulator.
"Haa… back to waiting again…" he muttered flatly.
"Ah, I lost…" he added quietly, his deadpan expression making Frost and Erpan burst into laughter.
They continued walking together until they reached a crossroads. Their steps slowed.
Dainny looked at his friends. "Looks like we part ways here."
Frost, Erpan, Marco, and Stella nodded. Each of them knew where they were headed next—their workplaces.
They waved goodbye, small smiles on their faces, before heading off in different directions.
—
Frost — At the Garage
By the roadside, a garage buzzed with activity. The sounds of welding, engines, and workers laughing blended together.
Frost calmly entered the locker room, opened his locker, and took out his oil-stained work clothes.
"Yo, Frost!" one coworker greeted from afar.
Frost said nothing as he changed.
"You're quiet. Bad mood?" the coworker asked again, wiping sweat from his brow.
Finished changing, Frost replied briefly, his voice flat but firm.
"I've got something to do."
Without waiting for a response, he left the room, leaving behind the smell of oil and the constant roar of machines.
—
Erpan — At the Restaurant
Meanwhile, Erpan stood near the kitchen of a small restaurant, waiting for orders while tapping his fingers on a tray.
"Ting, ting, ting!" the kitchen bell rang.
"Erpan! Table six!" the chef called.
"Got it!" Erpan replied quickly, grabbing the
tray marked number six and moving swiftly toward the table.
Over there, a couple stood smiling at each other.
Erpan lowered his head politely.
"Please, enjoy your time," he said gently, then turned away, holding back a faint smile as he glanced at the couple.
Marco — In the Small Laboratory
Elsewhere, Marco was inside his workspace—more like a science kitchen than a typical café. In front of him sat a glass filled with a purple liquid.
"Alright... maybe this will work," he muttered, staring at the mixture with full confidence.
A coworker looked at him suspiciously.
"You didn't put anything weird in that again, did you?" he asked cautiously.
Marco simply shook his head without saying a word, his expression flat—which only made him even more suspicious.
"Seriously, Marco. Last time, a customer almost threw up because of your experiment."
Marco raised two fingers, indicating a small amount.
"I just added... a little sweetener. Maybe?" he said, his voice trailing off at the end.
A cold sweat formed on his temple. The man sighed in annoyance, grabbed the glass, and walked toward the customer with a resigned expression.
Dainny & Stella — At the Supermarket
In another part of the city, Dainny stood behind the cashier counter of a supermarket, his face blank, chin resting on his hand.
The bell at the front door rang: Ting!
Instantly, his attitude changed completely—from lazy to overly enthusiastic.
"Welcome~!" he greeted cheerfully with a wide smile.
Stella, working at the next register, glanced at him and held back a laugh at his sudden shift.
Customers came and went, picking up items before heading to Dainny's counter. He quickly calculated the total, packed their groceries, and handed them over with professional flair.
"Here you go! That'll be five dollars," he said with a smile.
As soon as the customer left, Dainny let out a long sigh and slumped back onto the counter, his face exhausted.
"So tired..."
"Are you okay, Dainny?" Stella asked, looking at him with concern.
Dainny weakly raised his hand. "Still alive... I think."
The supermarket's waiting area fell silent.
Dainny leaned against the wall, even though the chairs were perfectly comfortable. His face was covered by a magazine, as if rejecting reality after a long day of work.
Beside him, Stella sat quietly. Occasionally, she glanced at Dainny, who was nearly asleep, letting out soft snores.
Suddenly, the door opened. A man in a manager's uniform stepped in, holding a clipboard.
"You can go home now," he said briefly before leaving again.
A few minutes later, Dainny and Stella walked along a dimly lit sidewalk. The orange sky was slowly fading into the darkness of night. The evening breeze carried the scent of asphalt still drying after a light rain.
They both looked tired but relaxed. From time to time, Stella glanced at Dainny, who walked with lazy but steady steps.
In another part of the city, Frost was also heading home. The same went for Erpan and Marco—each moving along their own path.
But something felt... off.
Without warning, all four of them—Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco—stopped at the exact same moment.
Each of them stood still.
Stella looked confused.
"What's wrong, Dainny?" she asked softly, a hint of worry in her voice.
Dainny turned to her, a small smile forming on his face.
"It's nothing. You go on ahead."
"Huh? But—"
"I just forgot something," he said casually, waving his hand before turning around and running off.
Stella could only watch as Dainny's figure grew smaller in the distance, his hair fluttering in the night wind.
Somewhere Else — Frost
Frost stood on a street dimly lit by flickering yellow lamps.
He stopped. His gaze scanned every dark corner of the alley. The cold wind carried the sound of branches scraping against each other.
Slowly, he slipped his hands into his jacket pockets and began walking more cautiously.
Somewhere Else — Erpan
Erpan sat by the roadside, flipping a coin between his fingers.
Suddenly, something caught his attention. Faint footsteps echoed among the chirping crickets.
He looked up.
From the darkness emerged a tall, humanoid figure—with a head resembling a praying mantis and a pair of blade-like arms.
Erpan smiled as he slowly stood up. He flipped his cap backward, his eyes gleaming sharply.
"Come on, let's have some fun," he said casually, yet dangerously.
The creature stared silently. Just one step forward from it was enough to make the air feel heavy.
Somewhere Else — Marco
Meanwhile, Marco stood in front of a narrow alley near his shop. He adjusted his scarf and stared into the darkness.
From within, another creature appeared—its head like a cricket, with sharp, gleaming arms under the streetlight.
Marco tilted his head, looking at it with disdain.
"What's wrong? Not coming any closer?" his voice was calm but cutting, as if mocking its courage.
The creature remained silent, its head twitching like a real insect.
Marco smirked faintly. He already knew—tonight wouldn't be peaceful.
Elsewhere — Frost
Frost stood in the middle of a dark road, illuminated only by flickering streetlights.
From the mist, a large humanoid figure emerged—its body muscular, with four long tentacles extending from its back, and legs resembling those of a deer.
A sharp green aura radiated from its body. The air around Frost seemed to vibrate.
He let out an annoyed sigh.
"Haa... this is going to be troublesome."
His right hand slowly drew a Desert Eagle from its holster. The click of the trigger echoed in the silent night.
He glanced up at the cloudy sky, then back at the creature with a lazy expression.
"Seriously... why today of all days…" he muttered.
The metal bracelet on his left hand glowed blue. Srrt! — a short, futuristic blade of silver light emerged from it.
The creature hissed, its voice a mix of growls and metallic scraping.
Frost exhaled deeply. "Heh... I hate this."
But at the end of his words, a faint smile formed.
The smile of a professional killer who had just found a reason not to be bored.
Dainny
Elsewhere, Dainny stood atop a large fence, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp.
In front of him stood another horrifying creature—humanoid in shape, but with an insect-like head, a scorpion tail, and four legs supporting its body.
Both of its arms had been modified into organic blades.
"This is bad... looks dangerous," Dainny muttered, a bead of sweat forming on his temple.
He stretched out his hand. Instantly, a black mist appeared, swirling like a dimensional vortex.
Dainny reached into it—and pulled out a long, rusted sword.
As the mist vanished, the air itself seemed to tighten.
Dainny pointed the blade at the creature and smirked.
"Greetings, bastard," Dainny said casually, yet filled with a dominating aura.
The creature let out a low hiss—then vanished in an instant.
"Huh?!" Dainny nearly fell off the fence.
In a split second, the creature's blade was already flying toward his face.
Trang!
Dainny managed to block it with his sword sheath, then leapt backward.
"What kind of speed was that?!" he shouted in disbelief—yet the grin on his face only grew wider.
But beneath his clothes, his shoulder was bleeding—a thin, yet deep cut.
Dainny knew he'd been hit, but he simply lifted his chin, staring back at the creature with a challenging gaze.
They both went silent.
Time seemed to stop.
A leaf slowly fell from the tree beside them.
One… two… three.
The moment it touched the ground—both of them vanished from sight.
BRANG!
The clash of blades echoed loudly. Dainny's sword held back one of the creature's arm-blades, while his sheath blocked the other from above.
They pushed against each other, sparks bursting between them.
Then both of them leapt back—only to dash forward again, attacking from opposite directions.
The air around them began to tremble, as if even gravity refused to come close.
Their blades collided again—TRANG!—the metallic sound shattered the silence of the night.
Dainny and the creature were thrown backward, then instantly leapt again, pointing their weapons at each other.
The next clash was even stronger.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A barrage of attacks rained down—so fast that only flashes of metal could be seen.
The wind they generated was powerful enough to send nearby leaves swirling like a small storm.
Dainny smirked. "You're pretty fast for a filthy insect."
The creature responded with a sharp hiss—KREEEEE!—as if accepting the challenge.
They clashed again. Blades, slashes, and impacts rang out continuously—like a symphony of battle.
Every step Dainny took sparked flashes of light, and every strike from the creature left deep marks on the ground.
The pressure in the air began to vibrate.
Dainny was still smiling.
He was clearly enjoying this.
Frost
Meanwhile, on the other side, Frost kept stepping back calmly.
The tentacled creature attacked relentlessly—each swing and whip of its four tentacles created small explosive sounds whenever they struck the ground.
But Frost?
Still cold. Still calm.
He dodged as if he had already memorized every movement pattern of his opponent.
Then suddenly, all four tentacles struck at once—from four different directions.
Frost was briefly surprised, but his reflexes kicked in instantly.
He raised his dagger in front of his chest as a shield, while aiming his Desert Eagle through the gaps between the tentacles.
BANG! BANG!
Two shots pierced the air—but metallic clanging followed.
The bullets bounced off without effect.
Frost clicked his tongue. "Tough…"
He hadn't even finished speaking when all four tentacles slammed into him at once.
BRANG!
Frost was thrown backward, rolling across the ground. But he quickly got back on his feet.
He stared at the creature with a flat expression—then formed a small smile.
"Haa… what a hassle," he said, his tone half-lazy, half-amused.
He then took a standard military stance: feet firm, pistol aimed forward, one hand guarding his neck from the next incoming strike.
Behind that expressionless face, a rare spark of battle excitement flickered.
Erpan
Elsewhere in the city, Erpan remained still.
The night wind brushed against his face, his yellow eyes locked onto the giant mantis-like creature in front of him.
The creature moved first—dashing forward at an unbelievable speed.
Erpan smiled.
His hands cracked—crack—a sign he was ready to fight.
As the creature closed in, Erpan leapt and threw an upward punch.
The creature jumped back, but Erpan chased without hesitation, unleashing a rapid series of punches from all directions.
The creature blocked using its two insect arms, forming an "X" shape—then leapt high into the air.
Erpan jumped as well.
The creature spun mid-air, unleashing a cross slash—SHRING!
Erpan twisted his body in the air, narrowly dodging it.
But his shoulder was still grazed—blood scattered lightly into the night air.
They both landed almost at the same time.
The creature charged again immediately.
Erpan ducked, planting one hand on the ground, then spun and kicked the creature's body with perfect rotational force.
DUARR!
The creature was sent flying. Erpan himself was pushed back as well, but he landed perfectly, sliding backward before stabilizing his stance.
"Wow... it's pretty strong," Erpan said, slightly out of breath—but grinning widely.
His eyes shone—not with fear, but pure excitement.
He was clearly enjoying this.
Elsewhere, Marco stood firm.
Water around him swirled slowly, forming a shimmering liquid shield under the cloudy sky. In his hand, lightning crackled wildly—ready to explode at any moment.
Marco's gaze was sharp, calculating. In front of him, the creature responded with a low growl, its eyes filled with hatred.
Then—without warning—it dashed forward.
The first strike came from the left. Marco twisted his body, dodging swiftly.
The second and third attacks came rapidly from above—but this time, Marco raised his lightning-covered hand and slashed upward. A bolt of electricity tore through the air, forcing the creature to step back.
But a moment later, the creature attacked again—faster, more ferocious.
Its blade nearly pierced Marco's stomach.
But before it could land, the water around Marco condensed and blocked the strike.
"Heh, got you, idiot!" Marco mocked with a sly grin.
He immediately swung his other hand, slashing with fire mixed with electricity.
But the creature forced its way free. Its blade still managed to graze Marco's chest—blood slowly dripping through his uniform.
"Damn… that's dangerous," Marco muttered, wiping the blood from his chest. "Stubborn, aren't you?"
He smiled faintly, then both of his hands ignited—fire and lightning swirling together like a miniature storm.
The creature dashed again—but suddenly, its leg was pulled backward. It looked down, eyes widening: thick tree roots had wrapped around its ankle.
"Phew… good thing there are trees here," Marco thought. "Plan worked."
The roots were soaked—thanks to the water he controlled. And beneath them, Marco stood firmly, stepping on the roots while staring confidently at his opponent.
The creature realized the trap. It struggled to break free—but the conductive water around it began to tremble—electricity surged upward, making its body convulse for a moment.
With effort, it tore the roots apart and charged again toward Marco.
Marco immediately formed a water shield and infused it with electricity. A burst of light exploded as the attack collided.
Even as the shield shattered, Marco had already leapt backward before the water fragments could evaporate.
The creature slipped—its footing lost on the puddle left behind.
And before it could recover, Marco had already raised his hand high. The surrounding water gathered, forming a massive blade vibrating with electrical energy.
Marco's expression turned brutal—merciless.
"Playtime's over," he said quietly, then swung down with full force.
The creature hissed softly. Fear was clearly visible in its eyes before it suddenly dashed forward at lightning speed.
But Marco's water slash struck the ground first—creating immense pressure that cracked the earth and sent water bursting wildly, forming a small flood across the battlefield.
Marco exhaled shortly, staring at his opponent still charging recklessly.
"Not just stubborn… but almost as fast as Dainny…" he muttered irritably. "Haa… I hate speed-type enemies."
The creature hissed louder, releasing a heavy, suffocating dark aura. Its killing intent pressed down on Marco like a storm.
But Marco simply rolled his neck casually, channeling electricity into both hands. Two short lightning blades formed—small, but sharp enough to slice through the air with a piercing hiss.
"So you're getting even faster now, huh?" Marco muttered, slightly surprised but still ready.
The creature dashed—but Marco had already read the movement. He slammed his foot into the ground, raising a towering wall of earth directly in its path.
The creature crashed into it and was thrown back, growling in pain.
When it got back up and looked around—
Marco was gone.
"Hey, you dumb insect!"
Marco's voice came from above a tree—casual and irritating. He grinned widely, pointing downward.
"Congratulations—from Marco Rikaard!"
The creature tried to jump—but its legs wouldn't move. When it looked down, it finally realized… its feet had been frozen by the remaining water from earlier.
Before it could react, the sky above lit up.
A spear of fire formed mid-air—and pierced straight through its chest with a small explosion.
Green blood spilled from the massive wound as its body collapsed silently.
Marco dropped down from the tree, looking at the now lifeless creature.
He crouched, observing it with curiosity.
"Hmm… interesting," he muttered. "Almost humanoid… but the power? Insane."
He stood up, looking around at the destroyed area—cracked ground, pooled water, partially burned trees.
Marco scratched his head, half-annoyed.
"Ugh… guess I have to clean this up too."
He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.
The energy of earth, water, fire, and lightning slowly faded from the area—leaving behind only the corpse of the fallen creature.
Marco stared at the corpse for a moment, then let out a sigh.
"No way I'm carrying this alone. Might as well just call them."
He reached into his pocket, pressed a few buttons, then waited while softly whistling. Once the call connected, Marco turned around and left the area.
"Alright… time to find them—Dainny, Frost, and Erpan."
With light steps, Marco disappeared into the trees, leaving the battlefield behind as silence slowly swallowed it.
Elsewhere, Dainny ran while deflecting the attacks of the scorpion-tailed creature.
Metal flashed each time their blades collided, sparks igniting in the air.
Suddenly, the creature was right in front of him—fast. Too fast.
The twin blades fused with its arms slashed from left and right, crossing like deadly scissors.
Dainny jumped.
His feet landed on the blades as if they were weightless, then he flipped mid-air—upside down, head facing the ground—ready to strike his opponent's neck.
But the counterattack came first. The creature swung its blade sideways.
Dainny grabbed its shoulder with one hand, then pushed himself away in mid-air, landing smoothly at a safe distance.
"Hah… this one's tough," Dainny muttered, a faint smile on his lips, though his eyes remained sharp.
He glanced around, checking his position and the direction of the wind—but before he could think further, another sudden attack came.
The creature's blade sliced through the air with a sharp hiss.
Dainny's upper body suddenly bent backward, almost falling—but that was exactly how he dodged.
In one smooth motion, he flipped backward, performed a somersault, and stood upright again.
The tip of his sword pointed straight forward, aligned with his eyes.
His gaze turned cold.
The creature dashed again.
But this time—Dainny was ready.
His blade slashed forward—fast, clean—splitting the air and forming a vortex.
The creature tried to retreat.
Too late.
Its scorpion tail was severed, flying through the air before landing between them.
Dainny smirked, picked it up, then tossed it aside.
"Hahaha… too slow," he mocked lightly, but sharply.
The creature roared in anger and unleashed a barrage of slashes—dozens, even hundreds—coming at Dainny from every direction.
But Dainny only smiled faintly.
He took a deep breath and steadied his stance.
And then—
clang! clang! clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed endlessly.
Every strike was blocked. Every opening was read. Dainny's movements were nearly impossible to follow.
Until finally—
Clash!
Their blades locked.
An opening.
Dainny dragged his sword downward—then thrust upward.
Slash!
Green light burst from the creature's chest—thick, hot blood spraying out.
The creature tried to strike back—but Dainny was faster.
He severed the arm fused with its blade.
One swift thrust pierced its chest, followed by a massive tear—from chest to abdomen.
Green blood splattered onto the ground, releasing a heavy metallic scent.
Dainny stood still for a moment, his breathing calm.
Then he closed his sword and sheathed it.
Black mist appeared, swallowing the blade before disappearing as if it had never existed.
"Done," he said quietly, a faint smile forming. "That was a pretty good fight."
He looked around—the ground shattered, trees fallen, slash marks everywhere.
"Uh… who's gonna clean all this up?" he added, staring at the chaos with an innocent yet resigned expression.
The evening air felt heavy with dust and the scent of metal.
In the middle of the ruined battlefield, just as Dainny finished sheathing his sword, hurried footsteps approached.
"There you are… haa… haa…" Marco appeared, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his temple, his hair slightly messy.
Dainny glanced at him blankly. "What's wrong?" his voice calm, but his eyes sharp as he observed Marco, who looked like he might collapse.
Marco raised a hand, signaling for a moment. "Khaa… fyuu… alright," he said after catching his breath. "Maybe… we should just let Earth and the others handle this."
He pointed at the area around them, now completely wrecked like the aftermath of a small war.
Dainny simply nodded casually, resting his hand on his chin. "Hoo…" he hummed softly, giving a thumbs-up.
"You are listening, right?" Marco grumbled, then sighed. "Whatever. We still need to find Erpan and Frost."
Without another word, Dainny walked beside him.
The two of them left the area together, disappearing into the distance—leaving behind only the fading traces of battle in the drifting mist.
Scene Shift — Erpan
On the other side, the sound of small explosions echoed. Erpan was facing a giant mantis-like creature, its arms swinging relentlessly.
Each swing sliced through the air with a sharp whistle. Erpan ducked, jumped, and spun—dodging attack after attack. His body moved as if he had already predicted every slash.
"Too slow," he muttered, a faint smile on his lips.
The creature roared and dashed forward, its mantis arms forming a cross-shaped trajectory. The strike was fast enough to cut through stone—but Erpan simply tilted his body and planted one hand on the ground, then spun and delivered a precise kick to its chest.
BUGH!
The creature was blown backward, crashing into the ground and sending dust flying.
Erpan landed lightly and glanced at his hand. A small cut—green blood dripped from his fingertip.
"Iww… ugh! That's disgusting," he said, shaking his hand to fling it off.
The creature rose again, its eyes glowing bright green. With incredible speed, it dashed forward, aiming to slice Erpan's head.
Erpan only tilted his neck slightly.
The blade missed—sshhh.
"Close," Erpan said flatly. Then his hand tensed. "Now it's my turn."
He twisted his waist and launched an upward punch.
The air seemed to split—the impact was so powerful the ground beneath his feet cracked.
The creature tried to block with its leg—
CRACK!
The leg partially broke, green blood spraying out again.
Erpan pulled back his fist, eyes narrowing sharply.
"You can still stand? Not bad."
The creature roared, its green aura thickening—but now there was fear trembling within its movements.
Erpan lowered his stance slightly, preparing for the next strike.
The air hissed softly—as if the world itself was holding its breath.
In an instant—
Erpan vanished.
And reappeared right in front of it.
BUGGGHHH!!!
His punch slammed straight into its stomach.
The sound of bones shattering mixed with the explosion of green blood.
The creature was launched upward, its body bending backward before being flung into the sky.
The air trembled.
A few seconds later—
DUARRR!!!
Something crashed down violently, splitting the ground and sending green blood splashing everywhere.
Erpan, still looking up, immediately jumped back two steps, covering his face.
"What the heck was that?!—OH COME ON!"
Thick green liquid dripped onto his shoulder—and even his cheek.
"Ugh… blegh…" he gagged, his expression full of disgust.
He looked around—the creature's remains were completely unrecognizable.
"Like alien porridge…" he muttered.
He glanced at himself—his clothes stained with drying green blood.
"Seriously, who's gonna wash this?!" he kicked a small rock in frustration.
Not long after, two figures approached from the east.
Marco looked exhausted, while Dainny walked casually with his usual blank expression.
"There you are… haa… haa…" Marco bent slightly, trying to catch his breath.
"What's wrong?" Dainny asked flatly, staring at him without expression.
Marco raised a hand, signaling him to wait. "Khaa… fyuu… alright. Maybe we should just let Earth and the others clean this up…"
He pointed at Erpan's battlefield, filled with green blood and scattered remains.
Erpan nodded casually, resting his hand on his chin. "Hoo…" he commented briefly, giving a relaxed thumbs-up.
"Hey, are you even listening?" Marco snapped, then frowned. Why does this feel like déjà vu…
Dainny just stared blankly.
"Anyway, we still need to find Frost," Marco continued.
"Alright!" Erpan raised his hand enthusiastically—
—but Dainny immediately waved him off like shooing a mosquito.
"Stay away. You stink."
"I DON'T WANT TO BE COVERED IN THIS STUFF EITHER!!" Erpan yelled, while Marco simply snorted and covered his nose.
"Go take a shower. Seriously… you smell like boiled corpse!"
"I KNOW!!!"
The three of them finally walked away, covering their noses, leaving behind a battlefield that truly looked like an alien warzone.
Marco glanced at his phone and sighed. "I'll call Earth. He'll handle the rest of this mess."
Dainny nodded calmly. Erpan pouted.
They continued forward—toward Frost, who was still fighting… who knows what kind of creature this time.
Another Battlefield — Frost
The place looked like miniature ruins.
Cracked walls, dusty ground, and hot air mixed with the smell of burnt metal.
In the middle of it—
Frost stood calmly, his eyes cold as steel.
The creature in front of him growled, then dashed forward, unleashing a barrage of attacks.
Every single one hit nothing but air.
Frost dodged lightly—like a dancer who had memorized every step.
Suddenly, the creature leapt high and slammed down with full force.
But Frost casually twisted his body, planted one hand on the ground, and slid backward like a shadow.
The ground where he stood shattered instantly.
The next attack came faster.
Frost barely moved—he simply raised his pistol and—
BANG!
The bullet shot straight into the creature's left shoulder.
Its body was blown back, the sound of cracking metal mixing with splashes of green blood.
Without giving it time to react, Frost dashed forward.
He stepped on the creature's left arm as a foothold, spun mid-air, and pulled out a small blade from his futuristic wrist device.
The silver blade slashed toward its neck—
Blocked.
The creature caught it with its right hand. Metal clashed loudly.
"Pretty fast," Frost muttered flatly.
Then—
He pulled the trigger of another weapon in his left hand—a SPAS-12 materialized from his wrist system.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two blasts struck the creature's left shoulder.
Micro-explosions tore through its flesh, green blood spraying like acidic mist.
The creature screamed, still trying to grab him.
But Frost spun away again and leapt forward smoothly, landing perfectly.
A few drops of green blood stained his face.
He wiped them off calmly with his thumb.
"Haa… what a troublesome ending…"
His tone was flat—somewhere between bored and annoyed.
The creature trembled, its shoulder torn open, green blood dripping onto the ground.
Fear was clearly visible in its eyes.
Then—it turned and ran.
Frost sighed softly.
"Haa… damn, what a hassle," he muttered, brushing his hair back with his gloved hand.
He aimed at its leg—
BANG!
The creature collapsed, screaming, still trying to crawl away.
Frost walked slowly, his footsteps echoing against the hard ground.
He stopped in front of it, aiming at the other leg.
BANG!
"KRINGKK!!"
Another scream echoed as green blood splattered.
The creature stared at Frost in panic.
It tried to attack—but its limbs wouldn't move anymore.
Frost just stood there, expressionless—with a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
"Annoying to let you live," he said softly, almost like a whisper.
The creature made one last desperate attempt—
Frost stepped back—
BANG!
The final bullet pierced its head.
The gunshot echoed through the ruined area—then silence.
Its head burst slightly, leaving behind a mist of green blood that quickly evaporated.
Frost's weapons slowly vanished—his nanotechnology system reabsorbing them back into his metal wrist device.
He exhaled shortly, his shoulders relaxing.
"Haa… I should find them. Hm?"
He stopped—his eyes narrowing slightly.
From within the dust and smoke, three silhouettes emerged—Dainny, Erpan, and Marco walking closer, their expressions a mix of relief and exhaustion.
"You've already finished it, huh…"
Dainny glanced around, slightly surprised. The area was relatively "clean." No scattered corpses—just cracks, scratches, and a bit of green blood staining the walls.
"It was too young," Frost replied casually while checking his weapon bracelet. "Still… it put up a bit of a fight."
His flat tone carried a hint of satisfaction.
Erpan raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least you didn't get covered in its blood, right?"
Frost slowly turned his head, staring at Erpan with his usual blank expression.
"Unlike you, who smells like mold."
"Hey!" Erpan protested.
Dainny and Marco held back small laughs.
And amidst that faint laughter, it was as if the camera slowly pulled away—revealing the now silent battlefield, leaving behind four strong figures walking off together.
"Alright, let's go!" Dainny shouted, clapping his hands with a wide grin—like an excited kid about to go on a trip.
"Eh? Go? But what about all this?!"
Frost looked around with a half-stressed expression.
The battlefield truly looked like a miniature hell—cratered ground, scratched walls, and… well, pieces of the creature scattered like a bloody salad.
Marco casually patted his shoulder and gave a thumbs-up, acting calm.
"I'm serious, Marco," Frost said in a slightly threatening tone, eyes narrowing. "You're planning something weird again, aren't you?"
"Relax, relax…" Marco replied, still calm while patting Frost's shoulder. "I already contacted Earth. They'll clean all of this up—not just your place, but mine, Dainny's, and Erpan's too."
Frost let out a long sigh, finally a bit relieved. "Haa… good. I was already imagining getting another warning letter."
"Warning letter from who?" Erpan asked casually.
"From the owner of this planet, maybe," Frost replied flatly.
"Wow, guess we're officially on the universe's blacklist," Dainny joked with a wide grin.
They all chuckled and began walking home.
But as they passed through a park, their steps stopped automatically.
Someone stood under a park lamp—their hair gently swaying in the night breeze, eyes scanning the surroundings as if waiting for someone.
The moment her eyes met Dainny and the others, her face lit up.
"Ah! Finally, you're here!" she called out cheerfully.
It was Stella.
"I didn't expect you'd actually come pick the others up yourself. Hehe…" Stella said, scratching her head shyly.
"Eh?!"
Dainny's eyes widened. "Pick… up? What did I even do yesterday…?"
In an instant, three pairs of judging eyes turned toward him.
Frost, Erpan, and Marco stared at him like disappointed parents.
"Haa… get rid of that habit, Dainny!"
Frost immediately smacked the back of his head.
"OW! Frost! That hurts!" Dainny protested.
Erpan joined in, lightly kicking Dainny's backside. "That's because you left a girl alone at night."
Dainny turned around, annoyed. "Are you two my brothers or the morality police?!"
Before things escalated, Marco quickly grabbed both their heads from behind like a tired teacher breaking up a fight.
"Alright, alright. Don't embarrass yourselves in front of a girl. Stella, sorry for the trouble."
"Oh, it's fine," Stella replied with an awkward smile. "I just… didn't go home earlier because… well, I was a bit scared to walk alone."
"In that case, we'll walk you home," Dainny said, pointing ahead. "Might as well go together, right?"
"Hmm, good idea," Frost added.
"Better than Stella getting lost following park lights."
"O-okay," Stella said, a bit nervous but smiling happily.
They walked together under the dim yellow streetlights.
The night felt calm—only their footsteps and light conversations filled the air, occasionally followed by soft laughter.
When they reached the front of their boarding house, the four stopped.
"Well, this is it," Marco said, waving.
"Take care, Stella," Erpan added.
"And if Dainny disappears again, just tell me," Frost remarked, making everyone laugh—except Dainny, who sighed deeply.
"Yeah, yeah. I won't run off again," Dainny said, half-resigned but smiling faintly.
Stella giggled softly and waved. "See you tomorrow, everyone."
And just like that, they parted under the gentle night lights—
Unaware that it would be the last night they would feel truly at peace.
The moment they entered their room, all four of them collapsed onto their beds.
The only one still looking fresh was Frost—who even took the time to dust off his jacket.
"…My gloves got dirty," Erpan complained, raising his hands like he had just lost the meaning of life.
Frost turned on his laptop. On the screen, a blue holographic graph with red lines dropped sharply.
"I'm running low on materials. At this rate, my next weapon project will be impossible," he said flatly.
Marco, still lying down, lazily raised a hand. "I can help find materials. But my alchemy supplies are also running low. And my lab isn't even finished yet. Haa…"
He sounded like a lecturer realizing his students hadn't paid tuition.
"Today was seriously exhausting," Dainny said, staring at the ceiling.
The other three looked at him—and for some reason, they all sighed together.
"Huaaah…" all four groaned in unison.
The room was filled with exhaustion—and the smell of victory… mixed with sweat.
The Next Day
The bathroom turned into a battlefield.
"HEY! That's my towel, Erpan!!"
"I grabbed it first! Your fault for being slow, Dainny!"
"Frost, stop! The hot water's gone—AAARGH!"
Soap flew like bullets, water splashed everywhere, and the sound of banging doors became the background music.
The four of them fought over the faucet like they were battling for the throne of the world.
Once they were done, the room looked just as chaotic.
Clothes scattered everywhere, buttons flying, Dainny wearing his shirt inside-out, Marco somehow wearing Erpan's pants, while Frost—
Still looked perfectly neat.
"Why am I the only normal one here?" Frost asked flatly while combing his already perfect hair.
"Shut up, you cold freak!" Dainny snapped—only to get hit by a flying bar of soap from Erpan.
Finally, they left the boarding house.
Their style: casual.
Their faces: dead tired.
Destination: school.
Mood: minus twelve.
But of course—with them, nothing ever goes normally.
On the way, they ended up stealing apples from a tree in someone's yard.
When they got caught, they bolted like a hurricane, laughing like maniacs.
"Haa... haa... I'm out of breath!" Marco shouted, panting hard—but his eyes were still shining.
"But that was fun!" he added, giving a thumbs-up.
Dainny, Frost, and Erpan all gave a thumbs-up too.
Surprisingly synchronized… for a small criminal act.
"How many did we get, Dainny?" Erpan asked curiously.
Dainny proudly opened his plastic bag.
"Check this out! Seven apples. Five red, two slightly green. The result of hard work and high-level reflexes!"
They all cheered.
For a group of heroes who had fought interdimensional creatures, stealing apples somehow gave them a different kind of victory.
But that peace didn't last long.
A man with messy blond hair approached, his face annoyed.
He was fairly tall, followed by two friends—one big and fat, the other a bit bulky.
"Ah! Yo, Liam! How's it going!" Dainny greeted cheerfully, pointing with two fingers.
The blond man, Liam Paterson, just gave him a cold glance and walked past without saying a word.
"Wahaha! Am I so handsome he had to run away?" Dainny said proudly, lifting his chin.
"Shut up. Get to school," Frost cut in, snatching the bag of apples from Dainny's hand.
"Hey! That's—"
"Confiscated. Evidence of a crime," Frost said flatly.
Eventually, they arrived in front of the school gate…
Which was already tightly closed.
Dainny looked at his watch. "…We're fifteen minutes late."
"Ahh… this is bad," he muttered, starting to panic.
Frost glanced around, searching for alternatives. His gaze stopped in one direction.
"Let's go there."
He pointed to the side of the school building—a small food stall with a sign that read "Happy Breakfast."
They exchanged glances.
The next second, all four of them smiled knowingly.
Yeah.
They chose breakfast over school.
A few hours later, classes had ended.
Students began coming out for break.
Among them were Stella, Earth, Sky, and Sonik, walking together while looking around.
"So… they didn't show up again today?" Sky asked, confirming.
(She meant Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco.)
Stella let out a long sigh. "Yeah. They didn't come. And not just today…"
Her tone sounded like a guidance counselor who had already given up.
Earth stepped forward. "Alright, let's split up. If you find them, report immediately."
The others nodded, then went their separate ways.
Meanwhile, at a small roadside eatery, loud laughter and the clinking of plates could be heard.
The four of them were eating like there was no tomorrow—without worry, without even a hint of guilt.
"One more serving, please, sir!"
Dainny shouted happily, while Frost just facepalmed.
"Khaa! I'm so full~" Dainny leaned back lazily in his chair, his face glowing like someone who had just won the food lottery.
Erpan was still eating at an absurd speed, bite after bite without pause. "I've never felt something like this~" he said while chewing, sounding half in disbelief.
Frost sat the calmest, eating slowly and looking composed… until suddenly he pulled five plates at once and devoured them like a starving superhuman.
"Perfect. This is the best," he said casually, wiping his lips with a tissue like a restaurant commercial star.
In the middle of that peaceful chaos, Marco pulled out a small bottle from his pocket and slowly opened it.
"Hey, hey, what are you trying to do?" Dainny tilted his head, then tapped Marco's shoulder like he knew something.
Marco clicked his tongue. Before he could answer, Frost also smacked his shoulder.
"What are you planning? Blow this place up?" he asked suspiciously.
The food stall owner, who overheard that, instantly turned pale.
Erpan quickly stepped in and snatched the bottle like a failed detective. "Hey! Don't try anything weird, got it?!"
"It's just—"
Marco didn't even get to finish when Erpan pointed at him dramatically.
"What are you trying to do, huh!?"
Silence.
Even the crickets seemed uncomfortable.
Marco finally sighed, then raised the bottle high.
On the label, one word was clearly written: Soy Sauce.
"…Oh."
Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and even the stall owner froze at the same time.
Then all of them laughed awkwardly. "Hehe… misunderstanding, huh?"
Marco just stared at them blankly. "You're all… idiots."
Before he could continue his lecture, someone knocked on the stall door.
Tok tok tok.
"Excuse me… I'd like to ask something," a soft voice came from outside.
They all reflexively turned toward the door.
Two girls entered.
The first had pale blonde hair in twin tails, wearing an open brown hoodie over a white shirt, radiating a cheerful aura like the morning sun. She waved energetically, her wide smile instantly erasing Marco's irritation.
"Hello, hello!"
The other had straight white hair, calm blue eyes, and wore a black suit with a tie—like a human version of pure composure.
"We'd like to ask something, if that's okay?" the blonde girl said, her voice light but confident.
Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco exchanged glances.
Their expressions all said the same thing: what now…
"What do you want to ask?" Dainny said casually, raising an eyebrow.
"We just want to know… where is Whiteness High School?" the blonde girl asked cheerfully and innocently.
The four of them looked at each other again—completely confused.
Their expressions could be summed up in one word: error.
(They're glitching again…) the stall owner thought.
"Ahem!" Frost straightened his posture like he was suddenly important. "Before that, introductions first. Basic etiquette."
"Ah! Sorry!" The blonde girl smiled brightly, spun around quickly, then leaned forward with an exaggerated greeting.
"Hello! My name is Emma Stones!" she said cheerfully, like a failed audition idol.
The girl beside her bowed politely, much calmer.
"My name is Alaya Stones. We're sisters. Nice to meet you," she said softly.
The four of them were still frozen.
Then… without a single word, they stood up and walked out of the stall.
Emma and Alaya just stared at each other.
"…Did they just run away?" Emma whispered.
A few seconds later, the four stopped right in front of the stall. They turned around at the same time, like a boyband ready for an interview.
"Oh, about that school…" Erpan crossed his arms. "We actually go there too."
"Wow! That's perfect!" Emma clapped her hands excitedly. "Then let's go together!"
"Let's go!" shouted Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco in unison—as if they had just been struck by a wave of collective stupidity.
Emma and Alaya flinched in surprise at their volume.
"W-what's wrong with them?" Alaya whispered softly.
"No idea… but they seem fun," Emma replied with a small smile.
Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind.
"Haa… so this is where you are!"
That voice alone was enough to freeze the four of them in place.
The color drained from their faces instantly.
Earth stood there with arms crossed, wearing an expression that said "I'm tired of life, but even more tired of you."
Dainny slowly turned his head, cold sweat forming on his temple.
Frost lowered his head. Erpan stared at the ground. Marco just whispered, "We're dead…"
From behind Earth appeared a middle school girl with short hair—Lila.
"Thanks, Lila, for telling me. Good thing you were still around," Earth said in relief.
Lila just nodded, then glanced at Dainny briefly before quickly looking away.
For some reason, her cheeks were slightly red.
Meanwhile, Dainny could only stand stiffly with an awkward smile.
"Y-yeah… looks like lunch just turned into our last meal."
"You guys are seriously annoying!" Sky shouted as she arrived, her tone half-exploding.
Behind her, Stella and Sonik stood with cold expressions. Their gazes pierced straight toward the Four.
"You never learn, do you?" Sonik muttered, half exasperated.
Then Earth, Sky, Stella, and Sonik noticed something: behind Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco were two confused-looking girls—Emma and Alaya.
"W-what's actually going on?" Emma asked softly, her eyes darting between everyone.
"They skipped school," Alaya answered flatly, clearly understanding the situation.
Sky and Stella immediately approached the two girls, curiosity written all over their faces.
"Who are you? And what's your relationship with Dainny?" Sky asked, leaning forward.
Emma gave an awkward smile, while Alaya remained calm. After exchanging glances, they explained everything—of course, leaving out the part about skipping.
Earth, Sky, Stella, and Sonik listened carefully. A few minutes later, the atmosphere softened.
"In that case, nice to meet you again!" Sky said with a smile.
Emma and Alaya smiled back, and they all shook hands.
But suddenly, Earth turned toward Lila, her expression suspicious.
"Lila, why was your face red earlier?" she asked, slightly concerned. "Are you sick?"
Lila flinched slightly, then quickly looked away.
"That's not true!" she snapped, sounding annoyed—but her cheeks only grew redder.
Meanwhile, Dainny looked around with a bored face, plucking a few leaves. Frost was busy snapping small branches and picking new ones. Marco was carving something into a tree trunk—who knows what. And Erpan sat blankly, holding his knees like someone who had lost the meaning of life.
"So boring~" they muttered almost at the same time, all wearing the same flat expression.
Suddenly, Frost looked up, his eyes lighting up like he had an epiphany.
Dainny, Erpan, and Marco immediately turned toward him. They exchanged glances.
"Class has already started~," they said casually—almost in sync again.
"Eh!?" everyone shouted.
They all checked the time—11:03 AM. Class had started three minutes ago. Panic hit them instantly, realizing they had wasted over half an hour on something pointless.
In the end, everyone ran back to school. Emma and Alaya were decided to be in the same class as Stella, with a proper introduction session planned for tomorrow.
However, most of them got scolded badly—especially Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco. Not only were they late, they were also caught skipping.
Evening came. The sky turned orange as the sun slowly dipped behind the buildings.
Under that sunset, Dainny, Frost, Erpan, and Marco walked casually toward somewhere—as if they had already forgotten the "torture" from their teachers earlier.
The street was fairly quiet. Only a few cars passed by, leaving behind lazy engine sounds. Four weird guys with half-dead energy walked slowly while drinking canned coffee they had just bought.
Dainny kicked a small stone in front of him, his face tired like he had just attended five lectures at once.
"Haa… what should we even do today?" he complained weakly.
The others thought the same until Frost finally shrugged.
"Let's just go to the laundry. Our clothes are piling up."
"Whatever… let's go," Dainny, Erpan, and Marco replied. The motivation was there—but only in their words.
Not long after, they were already standing in front of a laundry shop. Each of them carried a cardboard box full of clothes. They dropped them off, then sat outside, drinking more canned coffee like they were competing in a who's the most bored contest.
"Today's so dry…" Erpan muttered, stretching his back.
The others sighed as well, staring at the empty sky as if hoping something would fall from it.
"It's been a few days since those creatures showed up," Dainny said, clearly disappointed.
"One week, actually," Marco added. "Or maybe we're just always late?"
"But we just defeated one yesterday, didn't we?" Marco suddenly recalled.
"Only one…" Erpan replied weakly.
They all leaned back in silence, sighing together like office workers on a Monday.
Then suddenly—
TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP.
Fast footsteps. Too fast for a normal human.
All their heads snapped in the same direction like automatic sensors.
"N-no way," Erpan stood up, his joints cracking like a machine powering on.
Marco got up first, his face like someone who had been waiting for seven days straight. "Finally…"
"LET'S GO! DESTROY IT NOW!" Dainny shouted with energy he hadn't used even once earlier.
They immediately dashed toward the sound.
Except one.
"Oi! What about our clothes?!" Frost paused for half a second, then gave up. "Ah, whatever! We'll come back later!"
He quickly followed the others.
They leaped between buildings, climbed roofs, moved at high speed while sharpening their senses. The atmosphere suddenly turned serious.
"Got anything?" Marco asked.
"No!" Dainny hissed in frustration. "ARGH! WHERE IS IT?!" His shout echoed, startling nearby birds.
"Calm down," Frost said as he landed beside them. "I've already deployed some drones."
They stopped on top of a building. Frost sat down, somehow already with a laptop on his lap. His fingers typed rapidly.
"How many drones did you deploy?" Erpan asked, leaning closer.
Frost raised four fingers without taking his eyes off the screen.
The evening wind blew softly. The tension slowly built.
Four pairs of eyes scanned the city like hunters waiting for their prey.
And the boring afternoon… was about to turn into total chaos.
Frost's eyes widened slightly.
"…Found them."
Without waiting, he jumped off the building.
Dainny, Erpan, and Marco instantly followed, landing smoothly like they had trained for thousands of years.
Below, at the entrance of a narrow alley, nine shady-looking men were harassing two girls. One grabbed an arm, another tried to wrap around a waist, while the rest just laughed with cheap criminal faces.
Dainny narrowed his eyes. "What do you think, Marco?"
Marco pointed. "Looks like Emma and Alaya."
Frost nodded, his expression flat but clearly annoyed. "Yeah. They won't just stand there and take it."
And he was right. Emma was already close to snapping, her face red—not from embarrassment, but pure anger. Alaya just let out a short scoff, clearly ready to break someone if needed.
Dainny took a slow breath. "Alright… let's save them."
Erpan raised his hand. "Agreed."
But suddenly, an unknown voice echoed:
(Who exactly are you saving?)
The four of them froze.
Marco scratched his head. "Those criminals, obviously. They need saving from those two girls."
Dainny's eyes widened. "Wait—who just said that?!"
Frost and Marco just patted his shoulder as they walked past. "Forget it. Focus."
In one dramatic motion, the four of them stepped out from the shadows, wearing black suits and sunglasses like over-the-top secret agents.
Erpan stood right behind one of the men and tapped his shoulder lightly.
The man turned around…
…and his face immediately turned pale.
With a low, cold voice, Erpan spoke,
"Oi. What are you doing in our territory?"
Out of nowhere, he pulled out a machete, its gleam enough to make the man tremble.
"Looking to die?"
Marco stepped forward as well, opening a small bottle—somehow, a skull symbol popped out from the cap.
"Or… do you want to drink this?"
Dainny leaned in, his eyes glowing red.
"Or do you want… to be eaten?"
Instantly, the thugs scattered. They ran for their lives, some nearly crying. One slipped, got back up, and kept running half-crawling.
Emma and Alaya finally breathed in relief. They turned around.
"Thank you for—"
They stopped.
The Four stood neatly in formation, like they were holding a farewell ceremony. Mysterious smoke drifted around them—no one knew where it came from.
"Why is there smoke?" Alaya whispered to Emma.
The four placed their hands on their chests in salute.
"Farewell, comrades. May your lives last longer this time."
Emma and Alaya froze. They exchanged glances, completely confused by the sudden dramatic gesture.
"A-anyway… thank you…" Emma said, her voice slightly shaky, as if her brain was struggling to keep up.
The four turned their heads in sync, casually waving it off like it was nothing.
"Well then, we'll be going!" Dainny shouted energetically, like he had just completed some grand heroic mission… which he hadn't.
Emma blinked. "Eh!? Where are you going?"
The four answered at the exact same time, faces blank, voices almost robotic.
"Laundry."
Emma and Alaya needed five whole seconds to process that.
Alaya brushed her bangs lightly, still calm as ever.
"In that case… how about we go together? We were planning to do laundry too."
The Four exchanged looks like CPUs syncing. Then they started walking again, answering in unison:
"Suit yourselves."
Emma and Alaya smiled faintly and followed behind them, as if being carried by some strange invisible current.
After finishing the laundry, the two groups stood in front of a small shop near the main road. Everyone carried boxes of clean clothes—except Erpan, who stood out the most.
He carried four large boxes alone. Two were clamped between his arms, while the other two hung over his shoulders like they weighed nothing. His expression remained calm, as if he was just carrying pillows.
They waved goodbye and went separate ways.
As soon as Emma and Alaya disappeared from sight, Dainny placed both hands behind his head and let out a long, emotionally exhausted sigh for no clear reason.
Frost sighed too, hands in his jacket pockets.
Marco crossed his arms, still wearing his elegant gloomy expression.
Erpan remained neutral, just letting out a quiet breath—whether from boredom or fatigue, no one could tell.
"Got anything to do tonight?" Marco asked. His voice had hope, but his face screamed defeat.
They all thought.
As usual… no answers.
Then Erpan slightly raised an eyebrow.
"I've got an idea."
The other three turned instantly. Their tired eyes suddenly filled with hope.
Erpan smiled faintly.
"How about we go eat? We still have plenty of money."
In an instant, their exhaustion vanished. They turned into kids who just got a free vacation.
"DO IT!!" they shouted together, raising their hands so loudly that passersby stared.
That night was filled with laughter, chaotic conversations, and an unreasonable amount of food.
Marco caused trouble by hiding some of Frost's favorite dishes.
Dainny ordered so much that the table almost couldn't hold it.
Erpan and Frost just kept eating, but neither of them could hide their smiles.
It was simple… but warm.
A rare moment of peace.
The next day, the classroom was already full.
Students sat neatly—but the Four showed no signs of proper life.
Dainny stared out the window like he was thinking about national debt.
Frost stared blankly at his phone—even though the signal was dead.
Erpan lay face-down on his desk.
Marco spun his pen like a lost professional gambler.
They looked miserable for one simple reason:
they hadn't eaten since morning.
And to them, hunger was the greatest sin after genocide.
The homeroom teacher entered.
Behind them… two heavenly lights: Emma and Alaya.
The classroom exploded.
"Damn, they're beautiful!"
"Her hair looks so soft!"
"How did people like that end up in this school?!"
Emma smiled and waved.
Alaya bowed politely, as elegant as ever.
In contrast, the Four looked like zombies.
Stella waved at them—then glanced at the Four and immediately got confused.
Alaya scanned the room… and found them.
"…Why do they look like that?" she thought.
The teacher pointed at empty seats.
"Emma, Alaya, please sit in front of Frost and Marco."
Then turned toward the Four.
Their face looked like a game admin tired of banning cheaters.
"AND YOU FOUR—STOP BEING LAZY!"
They all jumped so hard they fell off their chairs simultaneously.
The entire class burst into laughter.
During break, Emma and Alaya were immediately surrounded by curious students.
Meanwhile, the Four quietly slipped away.
Stella noticed and quickly followed.
Emma and Alaya exchanged glances—something felt off.
They decided to follow from a distance.
A few minutes later, the mystery of the universe was revealed.
At the cafeteria, the Four had transformed into the happiest beings alive.
"KHAA! Ma'am, this is heavenly!" Dainny shouted, thumbs up.
"Haa… it's so good I'm getting goosebumps," Frost said, almost tearing up.
"Hiks… finally…" Erpan ate like he had made peace with life.
"Ahahaha! This is the best food this week!" Marco laughed.
Stella only ate a little, watching them in disbelief.
"…So it's just because they were hungry?" she muttered.
Inside, the Four screamed in joy:
"This… is a true miracle."
And just like that, the world was at peace again.
All thanks to one simple thing:
a full stomach.
That morning, their laughter filled the table.
Everything felt normal.
Too normal.
Far from the crowd… in a darker part of the city.
Something moved.
A narrow alley, wet with filthy water, filled with trash and an unbearable stench.
In the deepest corner, a figure crawled in the shadows, its four limbs scraping the ground with a disturbing sound.
Then—
It stood.
Its body straightened like a human… but too tall… too twisted… too wrong.
Its red eyes glowed in the darkness.
Two faint horns curved from its head.
It stared at a human at the end of the alley.
Its smile…
too wide.
In an instant—it lunged.
A scream echoed.
Then silence.
"You're late."
A voice came from above.
Four mysterious figures stood on poles, rooftops, and old signs—as if they were part of the darkness itself.
"We've lost another one."
"No. We've gained a clue."
One of them lowered their head, faint white light glowing in their eyes.
"He has awakened."
The man in the black robe grinned.
The creature slowly raised its head toward them.
And for the first time…
it spoke.
With a voice that wasn't human.
"Name…? Who… are you?… Are you… a god?"