In a narrow alley not far from the main road, a group of skateboarding teenagers had gathered, their laughter echoing between the walls as one of them proudly showed off a trick he had recently learned.
A metal lighter flicked open and shut in his fingers, spinning smoothly, the flame dancing along with each practiced movement. It was a simple trick—but the confidence behind it made it look impressive.
"Damn, that's sick!"
"Do it again!"
Encouraged by the cheers, the boy grinned, trying to make the movements flashier. But just as he attempted a more complicated spin, his fingers slipped slightly.
The lighter dropped.
It clinked against the ground, rolled once… twice… and slid beneath the nearby scaffolding.
Above, a paint bucket that had been teetering dangerously at the edge finally lost its balance.
The moment the first drop of paint touched the still-burning flame of the lighter—
A sudden burst of fire erupted.
"Shit—!"
The worker standing more than ten meters above instinctively turned, only to see flames racing upward along the spilled paint, climbing toward him like a living thing.
Panic struck instantly.
There was no escape.
Acting purely on instinct, he kicked at the bucket.
The container flew away—
But so did his balance.
The unstable scaffolding tilted violently, crashing toward a fire hydrant behind him as the man fell with it.
At that exact moment—
Lucien Blackwood and Scarlett's sports car passed directly beneath.
Lucien's gaze flickered for a fraction of a second, catching the falling body from the corner of his eye—but he didn't linger.
Because something far more immediate loomed above them.
A burning paint bucket.
Spinning.
Falling.
Black smoke trailing behind it as flaming droplets scattered in every direction.
Each drop was like liquid fire.
If even one touched skin—
The result would be devastating.
Scarlett's instincts took over instantly. She raised her arm to shield her face, her mind going blank under the pressure of sudden danger.
"Keep driving!!"
Lucien's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
The sharp command snapped Scarlett back to reality.
Only then did she realize—
The car had already drifted into the opposite lane.
A vehicle was approaching head-on.
Her breath hitched, but her hands moved on instinct. She twisted the wheel sharply, her feet working the clutch, brake, and accelerator in quick succession, barely managing to avoid a collision.
At the same time—
Lucien moved.
His hand swept forward, fingers curling slightly as if grasping something invisible. In an instant, a powerful vortex condensed in his palm, expanding outward before erupting violently into the air.
The wind exploded outward.
Not just a gust—
A force.
The burning bucket was blown off course instantly, the flames scattered and extinguished mid-air as if crushed by an unseen pressure.
The wind didn't stop there.
It swept across the entire street.
Pedestrians staggered as the sudden gale struck them. Some lost their footing entirely, nearly thrown backward by the sheer force.
"What the hell?!"
"Where did that wind come from?!"
Curses filled the air as the sports car shot through the chaos, slipping between confusion and shock like a blade cutting water.
Inside the car, the stereo continued to play that same eerie song on loop.
Scarlett's scalp tingled.
No matter how many times she tried to turn it off—
It wouldn't stop.
"What is this song?!" she asked, her voice strained.
Lucien didn't even look at the console.
"John Denver," he said calmly. "A well-known folk singer. Died in a plane crash years ago."
Scarlett froze slightly.
Lucien continued, his tone unchanged.
"This song appeared before. And now again—along with the sudden wind."
A brief pause.
"Consider it a signal."
"A signal…?" she repeated.
"That Death is about to make its move."
He leaned back slightly, as if discussing something trivial rather than a life-threatening phenomenon.
"If you pay attention, you'll notice it always gives some kind of warning beforehand."
Scarlett blinked, still tense—but then his next words caught her completely off guard.
"Honestly… it's pretty considerate."
"…What?"
For a second, she just stared at him.
Then, despite everything—the danger, the fear, the absurdity—
She laughed.
A real laugh.
It sounded almost out of place in the middle of such tension.
But she couldn't help it.
How could something so terrifying sound so… ridiculous when he said it?
Lucien, however, wasn't joking.
Not entirely.
In his mind, this pattern wasn't kindness.
Nor was it cruelty.
It felt more like—
A ritual.
Yes.
That was the closest description.
A sequence that had to be followed.
A structure that couldn't be skipped.
A faint realization flickered through his thoughts, but he didn't dwell on it yet.
That answer—
He would confirm it soon enough.
With that man.
The car sped forward.
The attacks didn't stop.
If anything—
They intensified.
Along the road, danger appeared in rapid succession.
A fruit vendor's knife slipping free and flying toward them.
Loose objects falling from above.
A nail gun misfiring, sending metal spikes toward the street.
Each time—
Lucien reacted.
Sometimes with wind.
Sometimes with subtle redirection.
Sometimes by moving just enough at the right moment.
And every time—
They survived.
The warnings in his mind grew clearer.
Sharper.
More precise.
[You successfully defused a lethal chain using foresight. Proficiency +3]
[You successfully defused a lethal chain using foresight. Proficiency +3]
[Repeated successful predictions detected. Warning clarity has increased.]
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly.
So that's how it works.
Finally—
The chaotic drive came to an end.
The sports car slowed, then came to a smooth stop in front of the shopping mall.
For a brief moment—
Everything felt normal again.
Too normal.
Lucien opened the door and stepped out without hesitation, walking straight toward the entrance.
Scarlett followed closely behind, her nerves still stretched tight.
The moment they stepped inside—
Music greeted them.
The same kind of eerie tone.
At the same time—
A cold wind brushed past.
Black mist flickered at the edges of perception.
Scarlett's breath caught.
"It's happening again…"
Lucien didn't stop walking.
His mind was already processing.
This time—
The images came faster.
Clearer.
More direct.
He moved deeper into the mall, his pace steady.
Scarlett followed, though her steps were more hesitant. Her expression was tense, eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
The flickering lights along the corridor only made everything worse.
Shops on both sides began to notice.
Employees whispered among themselves, glancing curiously at the pair.
But Lucien ignored them all.
His focus was elsewhere.
No police.
No visible disturbance.
Which meant—
Not here.
His gaze shifted.
Escalator.
That's the path.
He stopped and extended his hand toward Scarlett.
She hesitated for a brief second.
"…Give me your hand."
"Okay…"
She placed her hand in his without asking further.
From the outside, it looked almost intimate.
Some of the shop staff exchanged looks, clearly misunderstanding the situation, assuming it was just another couple.
But before anyone could think more—
A scream shattered the atmosphere.
Sharp.
Sudden.
Security personnel nearby reacted instantly, rushing toward the source.
And at that exact moment—
Scarlett stepped onto the escalator.
The metal beneath her foot shifted.
Detached.
Her footing vanished.
She slipped forward—
Straight toward the exposed mechanism below.
Before she could react—
Lucien's grip tightened.
He pulled her up in one swift motion.
But the danger didn't end there.
The escalator began to shake violently.
Metal panels loosened, clattering as they started to fall apart piece by piece.
The entire structure—
Was collapsing.
And they were standing right on it.