Chapter Four: Emotionally Damaged

In a place where the rising moon could easily be spotted, a man stood on a rooftop, smoking a cigarette. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and spoke.

"Train him. It will be good for our side. A good liar is a good fighter—aren't you like that too, Rosi?"

"But, Boss John... I get it. It's just that... how can I accept someone who claims my work?" Rosi responded.

Mr. Rosi had been blessed with a brother like John—a man who had treated him like family despite his adoption. Growing up in an orphanage hadn't been easy for him. He had been constantly bullied, and the experience had left him with emotional scars.

But it had also taught him how to rely on his instincts, how to be calculating, and how to protect himself. As a result, Mr. Rosi had grown into a suave and sharp-witted individual, with a piercing gaze that seemed to cut through those he encountered. Now, as John's right-hand man, he was fiercely loyal, using his skills and intelligence to protect John's interests at all costs.

John smiled at Rosi. "I told you to stop calling me 'boss.' Aren't we brothers?" He offered a cigarette to Rosi and continued, "Brother, you know we have to use someone else to erase people's lives, right? You can't always be the one preparing and cleaning up."

Rosi took the cigarette, pausing for a moment as he lit it. He took a slow drag before exhaling. "If it's for you, brother..." He hesitated before finishing his thought. "I'm willing to do more than just the preparation and the cleaning."

John gazed at him, then let out a laugh, patting Rosi's shoulder. "You can't. I'm not worth the trouble, so calm your ass down." As he turned to leave, he smirked, remembering his daughter.

"About Cierra… lock her up. Make sure she doesn't leave her room from now on. Just give her a little food from time to time."

Rosi's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He gulped and forced out a laugh. "What do you mean, brother? She's only ten years old... She's also my niece."

John took a few steps forward before slipping a hand into his coat pocket. "Well, her twin sister, Cienna, is making a name for herself in the acting industry. It's funny—she's using Cierra's name." His brows furrowed as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"For some reason, some people in our organization—who aren't supposed to know—think that Cierra has been kidnapped. They believe she's actually Cienna, the twin who was supposedly kidnapped when they were just babies."

Rosi looked back at John, his stomach churning. His hands trembled under the pressure. He knew exactly why people had that misconception—because it was him who had spread that lie, hoping to protect his niece. Even if it was already too late.

"I see... But, brother... Cierra only comes out when the clock strikes 7 PM, and she returns to her room by 4 AM."

John's expression darkened as he turned to Rosi, gripping his arm with a smirk. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that," he said, his eyes locking onto Rosi's. "Because I can't believe my brother Rosi would betray me." His smile faded slightly. "But you will listen to me now. Don't play the hero. Did you forget? You lied to my ex-wife, telling her you didn't know where the baby was."

Rosi looked down, his mouth slightly open. He knew he had no right to feel sympathy—not after all the violence and suffering he had allowed to happen to Cierra. Yet, despite everything, he no longer wanted to stand by his brother's side. He wanted to stand by his niece's.

"I'm just saying... Cierra has never seen the sun. You're not going to lock her away forever, are you, brother? It could affect—"

John cut him off sharply.

"Shut up! You're making me feel betrayed!" His eyes widened with fury as he grabbed Rosi by the collar. "Damn you! She's going to be trapped forever, and it's your fault! Don't you dare give her food!" He tightened his grip, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You're my brother, which means your sympathy belongs only to me. Don't you dare pity someone else."

John shoved Rosi back, his expression hardening. "Your attention should be on me alone. Don't ruin our long-time plan."

With that, John left, descending from the rooftop and exiting the organization's headquarters. Rosi remained where he was, sitting down on the cold pavement. Letting out a long sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up in frustration.

"Damn it… If my daughter had just kidnapped the right baby…" he muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, in the bustling riverside district…

A Grim Reaper named Chiong Mhen led a double life. By day, he worked as a mild-mannered canteen owner, crafting meals and desserts for both the living and the dead. By night, he donned his black hooded cloak, wielding his scythe as he collected the souls of the departed.

Chiong Mhen's sharp eyes scanned the dimly lit alleyway as he walked. The sound of his shoes echoed through the stillness, his heels clicking on the pavement with a rhythmic finality. The bells on his scythe jingled softly—a haunting melody that seemed to announce his presence.

"Sir, we've already taken the souls of Cierra's victims," Juana reported, flipping through her notebook. "We also found a kid—Rosi's victim, again. Sadly, it looks like the three victims were a family."

Chiong Mhen gazed at the soul portal, his eyes following the spectral figures being guided by other reapers.

"Hmm... Forget about Cierra's victims. Their destination is Hell," he said coldly. "But make sure to recommend Cierra to the Live Reapers Association later." A sneer tugged at his lips as he glanced at the holographic screen hovering before him. "As for Rosi's victim… send him to the reincarnation portal. Looks like his next life will be the same."

Juana tilted her head, frowning. "What do you mean, sir?"

Chiong Mhen tapped the screen, typing in the name of Rosi's victim. "Leon Von Gravi, right?" His smirk deepened as he attached a file labeled Permanent Disciple File. "At least this time, even if his life repeats… he can push himself to keep going."

Juana hesitated. "Sir… You do know that the file will only open once you officially become a Grim Reaper, right?" Her voice was cautious, barely above a whisper.

Chiong Mhen raised an eyebrow. "I'm already in my forties. Sooner or later, I'll die because of a live reaper's short lifespan," he said, closing his holographic window and slipping his hands into his pockets. "Well, it's not just because I'm a live reaper, anyway…"

His gaze flickered toward the portal as he gave one last order.

"Make sure he's born as my nephew. I'll make him the next owner of my canteen."

"Sir!? That's impossible! To help a reincarnated soul, you have to be a high-ranking reaper!"

Chiong Mhen growled. "Juana! Don't meddle in my affairs. I recommended Cierra to the Live Reapers Association—she'll be a great seed. So stop annoying me," he snapped. Walking away, he added, "A beginner shouldn't question a professional hunter."

Juana was stunned. Gulping, she looked down. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, gripping her arm. "Anyway, about John..."

"What about him?" Chiong Mhen responded, flicking his fingers as a screen appeared.

His fingers danced across the screen, and suddenly, a vivid image of John's life unfolded before them—a grown man sucking an older woman's nipple. Chiong Mhen immediately turned off the screen.

"Fuck! Isn't that woman his mother? Don't tell me he still can't calm down without doing that to his own mother? And why the hell did I have to see that? First, I have to watch him kill, and now I have to see this?" He groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Sir, John's crimes are escalating… Even the Live Reapers can't take him. He might have already sold his soul to a demon," Juana said.

"If that were true, this wouldn't just be a newbie's task… Forget it. There's no demon involved. The reason you can't take him is because he's destined to be someone's food," Chiong Mhen replied.

"But if we wait, the balance will be destroyed. He's already taken the lives of people who had bright futures. Sir, can't you do something about it?" she questioned.

"Do you want to destroy my soul? Rules are rules. But Cierra can disobey those rules—that's why I told you to recommend her already," he sneered. "A killer like her should work for the sake of maintaining the world's balance."

Flicking his fingers again, an image of Cierra and Rafael appeared on his screen. "Looks like the screen is a little messed up," he muttered, turning it off.

Meanwhile, Cierra was carrying out her tasks with Rafael.

"I don't see your little brother," Cierra remarked.

Rafael gritted his teeth, clenching his hands as he stared at the organization's building. "He's dead," he said in a low, cold voice.

Cierra hummed for a moment before smirking and glaring at Rafael. "I see. Good for you," she uttered.

Rafael was stunned. He gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly, his brows drawing together. Cierra noticed and grinned as she walked ahead.

To her, Rafael was just weak—someone who would never be as strong as her. Her grandfather had always told her that as long as Rafael refused to shed his skin, he would never become a dragon like her.

She left Rafael behind, convinced that he was just a pitiful boy who regretted his actions. She was sure that Rafael had hated his younger brother, Leon, just as she had hated Rafael's parents. That was the reason she had done what she did.

But it seemed Rafael wasn't experiencing what she had expected.

"How... How dare you kill my family? Why did it have to be you? Aren't you supposed to be my wife, Cierra?" he whispered, his eyes wide as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"How can I not believe it? I saw you kill my parents with my own eyes. How can you say it's good for me when I'm hurting like this… when I have no one left?"