CHAPTER 2

Illegal Existence

> [System Boot Complete.]

[Congratulations, Flare Kross. You are now under the Devil's Authority.]

> [Warning: You are being tracked.]

---

I jolted upright, gasping.

I was no longer on the bridge.

I was lying in the alley behind Black Ember Café—my former workplace, now burned and boarded up thanks to an "accidental" Chosen fight three days ago. My coat was torn, my palms scraped raw.

And yet… I was alive.

"What the hell was that…" I mumbled, clutching my pounding head.

Memories surged through me—sigils, the system's voice, that eerie countdown, and the moment I said yes to something no sane person should ever say yes to.

> [Unstable Energy Detected: Unlocking First Skill.]

> [Skill Acquired: Broken Mirror — Temporarily reflect a portion of damage back to attacker. Duration: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 hour.]

> [Note: Skill strength increases with emotional instability.]

Well, wasn't that comforting?

A gust of wind whipped down the alley, carrying a sour, metallic scent—like blood.

I turned.

A man stood at the entrance, backlit by the city's flickering lights. Black armor. No visible face. His hand gripped a serrated blade shaped like a crucifix.

> [High-tier Chosen detected. Threat Level: S.]

Great.

The man stepped forward. "Flare Kross?"

"…Who's asking?"

"I am Judgment," he said. "You've made an illegal pact. By authority of the Order Contract, I'm here to execute you."

He raised the blade.

I raised my middle finger.

Then I ran like hell.

---

The alley exploded behind me. A glowing symbol carved into the ground detonated in a ring of light. I dived behind a trash bin as white-hot debris rained down.

> [Broken Mirror: Ready.]

> [System Tip: You are one stab away from unlocking new emotional trauma.]

"Thanks for the pep talk," I hissed, then jumped out as Judgment slashed again.

His blade grazed my arm—flaying skin and igniting the wound with holy fire.

> [Broken Mirror activated.]

The same cut appeared on his forearm. He didn't flinch.

"You're weak," he said.

"No kidding."

He lunged. I ducked, rolled, grabbed a metal pipe from the ground. I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't a hero.

But I didn't want to die.

Not again.

Not like this.

I swung wildly. He parried with a flick. I crashed into the wall, ribs screaming.

> [System Alert: Vital signs critical. Awakening passive ability…]

> [Emotion Sync — Trait Unlocked: Defiance]

[Temporary boost to speed, strength, and pain resistance when outmatched.]

Adrenaline hit like a drug. The world slowed. I darted forward and slammed the pipe into his side. Sparks flew. He grunted, staggered back.

First blood.

And then a second voice cut through the chaos.

"Enough."

A woman dropped from the rooftop above like a shadow given form. Black coat. Red eyes. Silver blade glowing with sigil light.

Judgment paused. "Aria. You're early."

Aria Vayne.

The same woman from my visions.

She glanced at me—expression unreadable.

"You're done here," she said to Judgment.

"I was sent to kill him."

"Then you're obsolete."

In one fluid motion, her blade sliced upward. A gust of crimson energy exploded, sending Judgment flying across the alley. He hit the wall hard—and didn't get back up.

I stared at her, breath ragged.

"You saved me," I whispered.

Her eyes locked with mine. Cold. Calculating.

"No," she said. "I saved myself."

She raised her blade—and pointed it at my throat.

"I'm the one who's going to kill you."