Welcome to the Innocent World

Alpha took a step forward, her expression fierce. "Who are you? And why are you here?"

The man smirked, ignoring her question as he locked his gaze onto me.

"You didn't think you could kill my best friend and not hear from me, did you?"

The weight of the situation bore down on the room. The man in front of me was tall, his red hair catching the dim light, and his eyes sharp, assessing.

My curiosity spiked, my mind shifting into focus, trying to piece together this unexpected new person.

"What are you here for?" I asked, keeping my voice neutral but firm.

He sneered, crossing his arms with a smirk that held neither friendliness nor humor. "Isn't it obvious?" he replied, tone dripping with disdain. "I'm here to take revenge for my friend. The one you killed."

"Friend?" Alpha cut in, her tone razor-sharp with curiosity. "You mean that cloaked guy?"

At her words, his face twisted in raw anger. His voice took on a low. "His name was Kiri, you bitch."

Alpha's eyes narrowed, an icy response on her tongue, but I held up a hand to signal her to let him continue. He might've been filled with hatred, but I sensed there was more—something we could learn from this uninvited guest.

As he spat his anger, I kept my gaze fixed on him, studying every detail, the way his shoulders tensed, the way his fists clenched with every word. Analyzing him closely, there was a word that came to mind, a single word that seemed to sum him and his vibe up perfectly —Flames

I allowed a faint grin to pull at my lips, and I tilted my head slightly. "So, that's how it is," I mused aloud, amusement lacing my tone.

"Huh?" He glared at me, confusion flickering across his face for a split second. "It is what?"

I feigned a look of slight embarrassment, shrugging dismissively.

"Nothing," I said, brushing it off with a smirk. "My mistake. But you know, I didn't catch your name."

"Fluga." He straightened, as though the name alone held some sort of weight. "Third Member of the Alliance."

"Alliance?" I echoed, "And what's that, exactly?"@@novelbin@@

The shift in his expression was subtle, but unmistakable—a mix of pride and arrogance flashing in his eyes.

"Why should I tell someone who's about to die?" he shot back, lifting a hand and letting faint sparks of energy flicker at his fingertips, small flames licking the air.

"I see…" I said, watching him with a keen, calculating gaze as he raised his aura around him. "But you came alone? You sure you can handle all three of us?"

His smirk widened into a mocking grin, his eyes glinting with derision. "Overconfident as ever, Zero."

I chuckled and took a casual step back, folding my arms and allowing myself a relaxed stance. "I'll let my girls handle this first. No need for me to get worked up."

He scoffed. "Don't cry after losing them," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Our eyes met, a palpable current of defiance between us, each daring the other to make the first move. Despite the tension, his gaze was fixed solely on me, as though Alpha and Zeta were nothing more than afterthoughts.

"So… who killed Kiri?" His voice was cold, sharp as a blade, and his fists clenched tighter. "I want to rub this floor with that person's blood before I deal with you all."

Unfazed, Zeta raised her hand, waving with an easy smile. "That would be me."

His expression shifted, disbelief and then pure fury contorting his features. "You Wench..."

"Not 'wench,'" Zeta corrected, with a lazy grin and a glint of mischief in her eyes. "The name's Zeta. Try to remember it."

Red sparks flared in Fluga's eyes, his rage swelling visibly. Every muscle in his body was tensed, the air around him heating in response to his anger.

"You all just think everything's fun." Fluga clearly losing himself.

With a casual salute in my direction, Zeta tilted her head, her expression eager.

"I'll go first, Master. Lady Alpha." She glanced at me, a gleam in her eyes that spoke of confidence and a hint of playfulness.

I nodded, closing my eyes briefly, allowing myself a small, encouraging smile.

"Do as you see fit. Show him the power of us. The power of Shadow Mystics."

With an infectious grin, Zeta leaped up onto the railing, balancing with the ease of a cat. She bent her knees, positioning herself with both hands raised, pulling herself back like a catapult.

In a single motion, she launched herself down into the air, a blur of speed and deadly intent as she went straight toward Fluga. She clenched her fist with a wide smile.

"Take this!!!!"

*BOOM*

The impact of her descent was deafening, her punch slamming into the ground with a force that reverberated through the walls.

The floor cracked and caved in, forming another crater, dust and debris exploding around them in a cloud that obscured everything from view.

The room fell silent, the only sound the faint settling of rubble as the dust began to clear. And then, from within the fog, a voice spoke, calm and almost bemused.

"So… this is the attack that took Kiri's life?"

Zeta's shock was palpable as she was stopped in mid air, eyes widening as the dust finally cleared.

There, standing in the middle of the devastation, was Fluga, entirely unscathed. His palm was raised, casually blocking her punch, his expression one of mild disappointment.

"I told him he should've trained himself with me," Fluga said, his tone laced with faint regret. "But he never listened."

"Huhh!?" Zeta expressed.

He locked his gaze to Zeta's, raising his other hand slowly.

Zeta's instincts kicked in and she leapt away, dashing behind, regaining her balance, though her wide eyes betrayed a moment of disbelief.

Soon, a orange red light flickered around Fluga's body. Zeta readied herself as sparks began to crackle around Fluga's body, his aura taking on an intense, almost blinding heat. The flames wrapped around him like living things, flowing along his limbs and torso.

"Well then, Zeta…" He tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. "Prepare yourself to taste the same thing you gave to my friend."

Zeta took a deep breath, her usual playful emerging again.

"Bring it on!!!"

Zeta said and dashed towards Fluga.