Victor’s Power

"Shefferd Town?" Darn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want us to accompany you there?"

"No need," Victor replied coolly.

Before their conversation could continue, their location devices began to beep urgently.

[ Emergency! All nearby squads are required to respond to District Eight. No fewer than 100 B-rank Riftborn are expected to descend. ]

The woman announcing the alert stammered as her voice became shaky.

[ This can't be… T-three S-rank Riftborn have been detected descending toward District Eight! All squads nearby, please respond immediately! ]

"What?! T-three S-rank?!" Geo shouted, his voice filled with disbelief.

"We need to get to District Eight now," Darn said firmly. He turned to Geo. "Go find Lloyd and bring him here."

Geo saluted and rushed off, leaving Darn standing beside Victor. Noticing Victor crouching on the ground, drawing something, Darn raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing, Mr. Noir?"

"Portal," Victor answered casually without looking up.

"Portal? Oh, you're a Dark Art user?"

Victor straightened, brushing dust off his coat. "That's right. We'll use this to get to District Eight faster."

As Victor finished his sentence, Geo returned, now accompanied by Lloyd. Both men hurried toward Darn, saluting in unison.

"We're ready, sir!" they said in chorus.

Lloyd noticed Victor for the first time and leaned toward Geo. "Uh, who's that?"

Geo straightened up, whispering quickly, "Shh! He's the leader of Squad Seven."

Lloyd blinked, clearly surprised. "Squad Seven's leader? What's his rank?"

Geo gave him a stern look. "Don't ask unless you want to get scolded by the boss."

While the two exchanged whispers, Victor and Darn discussed their next steps.

"The backup won't arrive for a while," Victor said, his tone measured. "District Eight is too far, and given the time of day, it's unlikely anyone's stationed close by."

Darn nodded in agreement. "You're right. And by now, the first wave of Riftborn has likely landed. Those three S-rank creatures they mentioned must be on the ground already."

Victor extended his arm, the portal circle glowing larger. Without hesitation, he stepped into the center of it. "Enter the portal and prepare yourselves."

While entering, Darn added. "Without backup, we'll need to hold the line until reinforcements arrive."

Geo and Lloyd exchanged quick glances before stepping into the glowing circle. In an instant, the portal swallowed them whole.

The locals nearby watched in amazement, murmuring amongst themselves about the strange phenomenon.

*

Meanwhile, in District Two.

The sky above District Two darkened, the unmistakable forms of Riftborn descending through the atmosphere.

Mark stared at the horizon, his face grim. "Three S-rank creatures. Do you think they can handle that?"

Toby shrugged, casually munching on a sandwich. "Probably? Didn't Mr. Noir say earlier he was heading to District Eight with a portal? If he's there, I'd say it's covered."

Mark nodded, his expression relaxing. "Good point. If he's there, nothing's going to go wrong. I don't know but... I felt like I have so much trust on him."

Toby grinned, setting down his food. "If they manage to take down those S-rank monsters, his rank's going to skyrocket. I can't wait to celebrate when it happens!"

Mark nodded in agreement. "Yup! Me too!"

*

Across Europe.

The massive rift stretched ominously across the sky, a thin but expansive crack reaching from Europe to the edge of Asia. Though it appeared fragile from the ground, its sheer size was deceptive, capable of allowing colossal monsters to emerge.

In countries like Italy, Germany, and France, civilians watched in horror as Riftborn plummeted through the rift like falling meteors.

The largest Riftborn ever recorded to come through this crack was a towering 100 feet tall, its shadow alone plunging entire towns into darkness.

The sky above was a stark reminder that the world was no longer its own.

*

Within seconds, Victor and his group emerged from the alley he had entered earlier. The chaos was immediate. B-rank Riftborn rampaged through the streets, their roars echoing across the city.

Darn wasted no time. "Geo! Focus on evacuating the civilians, get them to safety!"

"Yes, sir!" Geo shouted before sprinting toward the panicked crowds.

Darn turned to his other partner. "Lloyd! Eliminate as many Riftborn as you can. Save everyone you can reach! Do you hear me?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!" Lloyd saluted sharply and charged into the fray.

Victor remained silent, observing as the two detectives followed their orders. Darn hesitated briefly, unsure whether to involve Victor in the battle.

He knew Victor's rank was only B but didn't want to talk about this, and as a Dark Art user specializing in portals, his abilities were primarily supportive.

While they were both running, Darn stopped in his tracks, causing Victor to halt as well.

"What's the problem?" Victor asked, his tone calm but direct.

"I don't mean to offend you, Mr. Noir," Darn began, choosing his words carefully. "I know you're a skilled sorcerer; that's why you were made leader of Squad Seven. But… your abilities are better suited for support. It might be wiser for you to assist Geo with the civilians instead of engaging the S-rank Riftborn."

Victor didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pulled a cigarette from his coat, lighting it with a steady hand.

Darn frowned, unsure if his words had even registered. "Mr. Noir! Did you hear what I said?" His voice grew tense. "Please, don't take this the wrong way, but I've seen too many SSDC leaders sacrifice themselves in battles like this."

Victor exhaled a trail of smoke, his eyes calm yet piercing. "Darn…" He took another drag before continuing, his tone unwavering. "Risking your life is part of this job. If you're not ready to face that for yourself, or your team... then you're in the wrong line of work."

Darn faltered, the words striking a nerve. Victor's logic was undeniable, but doubts lingered in his mind. Could a support-based sorcerer really stand a chance against the monstrous S-rank Riftborn?

Before he could dwell further, a massive Riftborn landed behind Victor with a thunderous crash. The creature stood 45 feet tall on four powerful legs, its long, razor-sharp teeth gleaming like swords. Its tail, thick and barbed, lashed the air like a whip.

The Riftborn let out a deafening growl, its roar shaking the ground beneath them. Darn instinctively stepped back, panic flashing in his eyes.

"Mr. Noir! Get out of there!" he shouted desperately.

Victor turned his head lazily, eyeing the beast. The Riftborn's roar extinguished the flame of his cigarette.

Annoyed, Victor sighed. A dark magic circle materialized beneath his feet as he flicked the cigarette from his lips. The tiny object flew faster than the eye could follow, striking the Riftborn.

The creature exploded. Its massive body disintegrated, leaving behind only its four legs, which crumpled to the ground.

Darn's eyes widened in disbelief. 'H-how…?' he thought, struggling to comprehend. 'As far as I know, people can only gain one ability when contracting with the Book. This isn't something from the Common Art. Magic circles like that are exclusive to Dark Arts. But how could he use another ability on top of his portal magic? Is this even possible?'

Victor glanced back at Darn, who remained frozen, his expression a mix of shock and amazement.

Lighting another cigarette, Victor raised an eyebrow. "You planning to stand there all day, or are you going to help?"

Before Darn could respond, a massive black magic circle appeared behind Victor. From its depths emerged a horde of skeletal figures.

As they stepped out, their bodies shifted, transforming into armored skeletons clad in dark, living cloth that flickered like flames. Their eyes burned with a faint, eerie purple glow.

Victor addressed the undead calmly. "Assist the people in the city. Don't speak to anyone. Just kill every Riftborn you find."

The skeletons turned toward him, their hollow faces oddly sorrowful.

Victor exhaled smoke and added, "Don't let anyone get hurt."

The skeletal army saluted silently before vanishing into black ash, dispersing throughout the city.

Victor turned to Darn, his expression calm but resolute. "Let's finish this quickly. I still have business to attend to in District Ten."

*

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, Toby noticed a message from Victor's team. They had reported 'no need for backup'.

Toby shrugged, a faint smirk on his face. "I figured as much. They don't need anyone else if Mr. Noir's there."

Mark let out a sigh, clearly disappointed. "What a shame. I was hoping to see what kind of abilities he has."

Toby mirrored his friend's sigh. "Same here."

*

The number of B-rank Riftborn in the area had significantly decreased. Only two massive S-rank Riftborn remained after Victor flawlessly killed the other one earlier, towering before Victor and Darn.

Victor studied the beasts, his gaze unreadable. As he did, Darn stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Victor with deliberate determination.

Victor raised an eyebrow, curious. 'What's this now?'

Darn glanced back at him, his voice steady. "Mr. Noir, I'll admit, I underestimated you. But now, allow me to show you what I'm capable of." He stood tall, conviction radiating from him. "I'll prove to you the strength of an S-rank Detective."

Victor's thoughts were dry but amused. 'Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out. Honestly, I'm not that interested, but go ahead.'