Dion, being a massive fan of gift users, could not help himself.
He had already planned this.
The real reason he insisted on separating from Denver and Mom wasn't because he was tired or hungry it was because he had received a notification earlier that day.
That Wolf Fang the infamous Gift User Category One Titan was visiting the Brilliant Imperium.
Dion's heart nearly exploded when he saw the announcement.
But fate had other plans.
Instead of meeting the legendary Wolf Fang, he bumped into his own sibling instead walking awkwardly toward the male restroom and has to save her ass from making a scene.
But luckily for him Wolf Fang was already in front of him. Without wasting any seconds, Dion quickly blurted out, "I just remembered! I need to buy something, important stuff! and don't wait for me!"
Before Denver could respond, he vanished into the crowd, leaving her standing there, speechless.
As Denver stood there, still processing Dion's sudden disappearance, a little girl walked up to her and tugged her sleeve.
"Miss, you're very pretty."
Denver blinked, she wasn't used to strangers talking to her, especially not kids. For a moment, she hesitated but then her expression softened.
"Thank you," she said gently. "You're very pretty too."
The girl beamed as if she got praised by a goddess.
Suddenly, a woman rushed over and pulled the child into her arms."I'm so sorry! She's bothering somebody again," the woman said, bowing slightly.
"It's fine," Denver replied calmly.
The little girl looked back and waved enthusiastically. Denver raised her hand and waved back, a faint smile forming on her lips, it was rare for Denver to get complements it's not every day she got them so it lightens her mood even just by a little.
"Kids now adays are weird... and damn adorable."
But when she turned around, she saw Dion.
He was fighting through a sea of people like his life depended on it stretching his arm, shouting, jumping just to get an autograph.
She stared at him in silence. "Well except for that kid... he's just completely weird."
"…Is this why he hates people?" she muttered.
Her phone buzzed.
Mom: "Where the hell are you guys?"
A second message appeared right after.
Dion: "I'll be there in a moment."
Denver's eyes widened. "This kid really is something…"
She looked back at the crowd. Dion was still struggling like a soldier on a battlefield. After what felt like an eternity, Dion finally returned clutching a signed card like a sacred relic. He walked toward Mom and Denver, only to realize they were both staring at him.
His face turned red.
"Ah, this is not what it looks like," he said quickly. "I was just, uh, studying crowd behavior."
Mom crossed her arms. "You almost got trampled for studying?"
Denver sighed. "Who was that Gift User anyway?"
Dion's eyes sparkled.
"That was Wolf Fang," he said proudly. "A Category One Titan."
Mom tilted her head. "Category?"
Dion's fanboy mode activated.
"Categories are rankings for gift users they go from category five to category zero, five is the weakest and zero is the pinnacle. If someone reaches category zero, they earn the title Paladin officially one of humanity's strongest."
He continued, gesturing excitedly.
"There are five main types of gift users, for titans they specialize in close combat, archimages can control elements, marksmen revolves around the use of projectiles, slayers are assassins specialize in stealth and killing techniques and the guardians they can protect or heal others."
Mom and Denver was still trying to process everything before Dion could say more, they have already arrived at the garage.
As Dion walked toward their car, he reached into his pocket.
Empty.
His heart stopped his soul left his body.
"Dion?" Denver asked, noticing his pale expression. "What's wrong?"
He swallowed. "My phone…"
A calm voice suddenly came from behind him.
"I think you dropped this."
Dion froze.
He slowly turned around, behind Dion stood a woman.
She had short silver hair that stopped just at her neck, neat and professional, like she walked straight out of a military briefing. She wore a dark formal suit, perfectly tailored, without a single wrinkle. On her chest was a strange badge shaped like a twisted demon face with two curved horns.
Her eyes were gray, not normal gray they looked like fog-lit steel, almost glowing. Her gaze alone felt like it could pierce through skin and bone.
Mom, who was already unlocking the car, noticed her and paused.
"…Who is that?" she whispered.
The woman calmly handed Dion his phone.
"I think you dropped this."
Her voice was smooth and emotionless, like someone who had never raised it in their life. Dion took the phone with shaking hands.
"T-Thank you…"
Then the woman's gaze shifted she looked at Denver, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is that your sister?" she asked Dion.
Before he could answer, she started walking toward Denver. As she stepped forward, the garage lights began to flicker.
On.
Off.
On.
Off.
Every time the lights went out, her eyes glowed pure white. Denver's heart skipped, her hands trembled, her body screamed danger this wasn't like seeing a famous gift user on a billboard, this felt like being stared down by a predator.
Dion froze.
He recognized that badge the demon horns, the symbol burned into his memory.
The Zen Clan.
One of the largest and most powerful organizations in the world having hundreds of thousands of Gift Users under their command. Rumored to have influence in governments, black markets, and other secret projects.
They were not heroes, they were something else. Dion stepped in front of Denver instantly.
"Excuse me," he said, forcing a smile, "but my sister is shy."
The woman stopped she tilted her head slightly, as if analyzing him. Then she walked closer to Denver anyway Denver couldn't move. The woman leaned in, her gaze scanning Denver's face like she was reading hidden data.
For a moment, it felt like the entire world went silent then she stopped and she turned around. The lights stabilized, she walked away like nothing happened but before disappearing into the shadows, she spoke:
"Unfortunately I need to go back to sir Wolf Fang but I have a feeling we will meet again... soon."
Her voice echoed through the garage.
And for some reason, Denver felt cold.