The early morning air was heavy and still, the faint chirping of birds echoing over the empty field near Cumilla Modern High School.

  The sun had barely risen, and a pale orange glow stretched across the dewy grass.

  Click.

  The sound of a phone call ending broke the silence.

  Standing tall with a calm, composed expression, Afraan Malik, servant of the Navraan family, slipped the device into his pocket. The faint hum of aura surrounded him — sharp, oppressive, like the weight of a predator's gaze.

  At his feet lay Logan and his crew, sprawled across the ground in pitiful condition. Their bodies were covered in bruises, blood, and dirt; the once-cocky delinquents now trembled weakly, unable to even lift their heads.

  Afraan's eyes, cold and unreadable, swept over them.

  He exhaled slowly.

  "You guys laid your hands on the wrong person."

  His voice was calm, yet carried the pressure of an executioner's verdict.

  He took a step closer — step… step… — each one echoing ominously in the silent field.

  "You should always check the background of the person before you do something to them."

  The words hung in the air like a blade, and a faint gust of wind brushed past, rustling the grass around the fallen boys — shhrrkk…

  None of them dared to reply.

  Afraan's gaze sharpened. The quiet morning suddenly felt suffocating.

  Elsewhere, far from the calm morning above...

  Tap… tap… tap…

  The sound of footsteps echoed faintly through the narrow alley behind an old, forgotten warehouse on the outskirts of Cumilla. The morning light barely reached this part of the city — shadows clung to the walls like a secret no one dared to touch.

  From the end of the alley, a woman appeared.

  Soraya Navraan.

  Her usual gentle aura was gone. In its place was something colder — controlled, sharp, and dangerous. She wore a black ladies' cap, dark sunglasses, a black t-shirt beneath a fitted coat, jeans, and polished black shoes. In her right hand, she held a black umbrella, its tip clicking softly against the ground with each step as she walked — tap… tap… tap… — steady and composed.

  She stopped before a rusted iron door, her expression unreadable.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Beep—

  She pressed her finger against a hidden scanner on the wall. The faint sound of mechanical gears followed. Click… clank… whirrr…

  The ground beneath the door shifted, revealing a narrow stairway descending into darkness — the secret underground.

  Without hesitation, she folded the umbrella neatly, holding it by her side as she began her descent.

  The air down there was colder — the kind that carried secrets and blood.

  Step… step… step…

  Each step echoed through the dark passage as the heavy door slowly closed behind her with a final, metallic clang — sealing the light away once more.

  The air underground was cool and dim, a sharp contrast to the bright sun outside. The echo of heels clicked steadily against the concrete floor.

  Tap... Tap... Tap...

  After walking for a while, Soraya's figure appeared through the corridor's shadows. Waiting ahead was Afraan Malik, standing tall but respectful. The moment he saw her, he bowed slightly.

  "Ma'am…"

  Behind him, Logan and his crewmates lay unconscious on the cold ground — bruised, beaten, and barely breathing.

  Soraya's sharp gaze moved to them, her voice calm but carrying a chilling edge.

  "These are the ones who touched my son?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Without a word, Soraya handed her umbrella and cap to Afraan. Her movements were slow, deliberate — every gesture radiating quiet authority.

  "Good."

  She walked forward, the soft rustle of her coat echoing faintly in the still air. When she reached them, Afraan quickly placed a chair nearby. Soraya sat down gracefully, crossing one leg over the other, her eyes cold and unreadable.

  She leaned back slightly and spoke in a low, commanding tone.

  "Wake them up."

  The air inside the underground chamber was heavy — thick with tension and fear.

  Splash!

  Cold water splattered across the faces of Logan and his crewmates. They gasped and jerked awake, blinking rapidly as the chill ran down their necks.

  "W–Where are we?" one of them stammered."Wh–What is this place?" another cried out, voice trembling."Why are you doing this to us?!"

  Their voices echoed off the concrete walls — panicked, desperate.

  Then—

  "Quiet." Soraya's voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.A suffocating pressure filled the room — invisible yet heavy enough to make their chests tighten.

  Instantly, all four of them fell silent. Not because they wanted to, but because their bodies refused to move under the weight of her presence.

  Soraya sat calmly on the chair, one leg crossed over the other, her gaze sharp and emotionless — the air around her colder than the underground itself.

  "I'll ask you guys some questions and you'll answer them without wasting any time."

  She gave a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Now, shall we begin?"

  Logan's face flared red with anger. He lunged forward in fury more than in strength, voice roaring through the concrete space.

  "How dare you? How dare you kidnap us? Do you know who I am? I'm the son of the chairman of S.A Group — his name is Zayen Mizraan. He is a Mid-Tier B rank awakener."

  Soraya sighed, expression flat, showing nothing. "Sigh, so what?"

  Logan's bravado wavered, the color draining from his face. His voice dropped, edged with a new fear. "He is a mid-tier B rank awakener. So, if you touch me you guys won't be able to survive."

  "Is that so?" she asked, calm as the surface of a still pond.

  Logan blinked, stunned that his threat had not fazed her. Every other person he'd named his father to had cowered; here, Soraya's face remained unreadable, as if she hadn't even heard the name before.

  She leaned forward a fraction and spoke again, smooth and cold. "So, you thought your father was a big shot and you can do whatever you want if you use his name? Your parents didn't teach you anything good, did they? That's understandable. Anyway, you already wasted my precious times. So, what should I do to you now?"

  The words dropped like a verdict. The boys could only stare, breath coming shallow and fast, the echo of their own panic the only sound for a long, taut moment.

  Soraya's eyes narrowed slightly, her tone calm and absolute.

  "Next time, make sure you know who you're threatening."

  Soraya Navraan

  Chairwoman — Navraan Industries

  Mid-Tier A-Rank Awakener

  MORPHORCE