After the explosive battle at Warehouse 13, Rudra was back in his hidden apartment. The lights were dim. His black hoodie was thrown over a chair, and his cracked Skull Mask sat beside a half-empty cup of tea.
He stood in front of the mirror.
His hands trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From the bloodline he just awakened.
[Ultra-Rare Bloodline: Ghost Sovereign – 1% unlocked.]Skills: Shadow Warp, Phantom Clone, Spirit Pressure.Status: Unstable.
"Only 1%..." Rudra muttered, staring at the faint blue veins glowing on his arms.
Eva, the system AI, buzzed inside his head. "You're evolving faster than expected. But it comes with a cost."
"What cost?"
"Your soul. The Ghost Sovereign bloodline belongs to a race that defied death itself. Your emotions… will start fading."
Rudra chuckled coldly. "That's fine. I stopped feeling long ago."
Meanwhile – Downtown Rooftop
A woman in a tight black outfit stood watching Rudra through a sniper scope from a building nearby. Her long silver hair fluttered in the wind. A symbol of a red eye was tattooed behind her ear.
Codename: Seraphina.
Heaven's Eye's top tracker.
And Rudra's… old classmate.
She zoomed in on Rudra's face and whispered, "You're still alive, Rudra Yadav. After all these years… I finally found you."
Her finger moved to the trigger.
But she didn't shoot.
Not yet.
The Next Morning – College Campus
Rudra walked into the public library wearing simple clothes—no mask, no hoodie. Just a plain white shirt and jeans.
Why?
Because sometimes, the best place to hide is in the open.
He sat at a corner desk, flipping through an old file.
Inside were photos of children from the orphanage he once stayed in. Smiling faces. Broken memories.
He didn't notice the girl who sat opposite him.
Until she said, "You still like reading case files, Rudra?"
His heart skipped a beat.
He looked up.
And froze.
A beautiful girl with cold eyes and silver hair looked at him.
She wore a black jacket. She had the scent of danger. And her presence was so sharp, it could cut steel.
"…Seraphina," he whispered.
She smiled slightly. "So, you remember me."
"How are you… here?"
She leaned in. "Did you think Heaven's Eye wouldn't send someone who knows you?"
A cold chill ran down Rudra's spine.
"I'm not here to fight," she said. "I'm here to understand."
He clenched his fists. "Understand what?"
"Why you turned into a monster," she said softly. "You were the kindest boy I knew."
Rudra laughed bitterly. "That boy died the night his family was slaughtered. Now only the villain remains."
Her gaze didn't waver.
"And yet… you saved those girls. You saved hundreds. Doesn't look like a villain to me."
He looked away. "Don't confuse actions with intentions."
She stood up.
Then whispered something that shocked him to the core.
"You're not hiding from Heaven's Eye… You're hiding from yourself."
Before he could respond, she slid a card toward him.
"Meet me at the old metro station at midnight. Come alone. Or don't come at all."
And then she vanished into the crowd.
That Night – Old Metro Station
It was dead silent.
Rudra arrived, fully geared mask on, weapons ready.
But Seraphina was alone, sitting on the rails.
She looked at him and said, "You've changed. But your eyes… still hold pain."
Rudra didn't move. "Why call me here?"
She stood.
And held up a chip.
"This contains every file about Project Fallen Orphans. The program that killed your parents. The same project that turned me into a weapon."
Rudra's eyes widened.
"You were part of it too?"
She nodded. "Heaven's Eye raised us, trained us, brainwashed us."
"But why give this to me?"
"Because I'm leaving them," she said.
He didn't believe her. "Why now?"
She looked down. "Because I saw what you've become… and realized I'm next."
Rudra took the chip.
"I don't trust you."
She smiled sadly. "You don't have to."
He turned to leave.
But she called out, "Rudra… You're not a villain. You're just a scar that never healed."
He paused.
Then said, without turning, "And scars never fade, Seraphina."
Far Away – Heaven's Eye HQ
The Architect watched the feed.
"She gave him the chip…" one agent said.
The Architect smiled coldly.
"Let her. That was Plan A."
"What now?"
"Now we begin Plan B—Turn the hunter into the hunted. Let the world see who Skull Mask really is."
He walked toward a large vault.
Inside was a chained creature—ten feet tall, covered in dark armor, with glowing red eyes.
"Release the beast," he ordered.
"The world's first Artificial Demon."