Chapter 1: Silent Sniper

The office felt unnaturally quiet, the kind of silence that carried weight instead of peace. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and stale cigarette smoke, while the dim ceiling lights reflected softly across a wide glass wall overlooking the sleeping city below. Every object inside the room was perfectly aligned, 

from the metal nameplate on the desk to the untouched stack of reports waiting at the corner, creating an atmosphere that felt less like a workplace and more like a command center where mistakes were not tolerated.

The man seated behind the large black desk finally broke the silence. His voice was calm, deep, and carried quiet authority. "Akirason."

The man standing across the desk straightened slightly, his posture already disciplined but tightening out of habit. "Yes, sir."

Without another word, the commander slid a thin black file across the desk. The movement was slow and deliberate, as if the object itself carried importance. "Look at this file."

Akirason stepped forward, took the file with both hands, and opened it carefully. The title printed in sharp white letters immediately caught his attention.

Silent Sniper.

His eyes moved quickly across the pages, but the more he read, the slower his breathing became. The data inside did not match any normal human record. Reaction times, accuracy percentages, survival reports from situations that should have been fatal. 

His brows tightened slightly before he spoke, unable to completely hide his disbelief. "This man… these are not normal stats."

The commander leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking softly under his weight. He brought a cigarette to his lips and lit it, the small flame briefly illuminating his cold, unreadable expression. 

Smoke curled upward as he exhaled slowly."This time, your job is to convince this man to join our squad."

Akirason closed the file halfway, eyes lingering on the name printed near the top of the first page. Reistu Niean. The name felt ordinary compared to the impossible numbers surrounding it."I understand," he said quietly. "I will bring him here."

The commander tapped ash into a crystal tray, his gaze drifting toward the dark city skyline before returning to Akirason. His voice lowered slightly, but the weight behind it grew heavier. "Remember, Akirason"

"Order is watching."

The words did not sound like a warning. They sounded like a fact that had existed long before either of them had joined.

Akirason gave a small nod, closed the file completely, and turned toward the exit, already feeling the invisible pressure that came with missions personally observed by Order.

Heidelberg, Germany rested under a bright morning sky, nearly one kilometer beyond the edge of the city where the crowded streets slowly faded into open land. 

In that quiet stretch of countryside stood a single isolated house surrounded by small farming patches and wild grass fields that moved gently under the calm wind. The sunlight fell warmly across the wooden fence, the stone pathway,

And the carefully maintained garden beds, creating a peaceful atmosphere that felt far removed from the noise and pressure of the modern world. The air smelled faintly of fresh soil and growing crops, carrying the comforting scent of a place built for a quiet, normal life.

A man stood in the garden beside the house, watering his plants with slow and controlled movements, as if every action was part of a routine he had repeated countless times. Drops of water soaked into the dark soil around a row of potato plants while he observed them with calm focus. 

He quietly commented that the potatoes looked healthy, his voice low and casual, as if speaking to the plants themselves. The day felt peaceful in a way that came only from distance, routine, and the absence of responsibility.

A low growling sound broke the silence when his stomach demanded attention, and he let out a small amused breath while joking to himself that he was hungry. He walked back toward the house, grabbed a piece of bread from the kitchen, and stepped outside again. Sitting on the old wooden chair placed in the yard, 

He tore a piece of bread and took a slow bite, enjoying the warmth and simple comfort of it while quietly remarking that nothing could beat warm bread. The moment felt ordinary, simple, and almost fragile in its calmness.

His eyes shifted when movement appeared in the distance, locking instantly onto a black car approaching along the narrow road that led toward the house. His body remained still, but his attention sharpened completely, as if a part of him that had been sleeping quietly had just awakened. 

The peaceful wind still moved around him, but the atmosphere felt heavier now, like something invisible had stepped into his world and refused to leave.

The car stopped a short distance from the gate, and the door opened with controlled precision. A man in a black suit stepped out, adjusting his gloves before walking forward with professional and deliberate steps that carried quiet authority. 

He stopped several meters away from the yard, maintaining a distance that felt both respectful and calculated. He introduced himself directly, stating, 

"Erick Akirason. I am an agent of the Fifth Squad. Nice to meet you, Mr. Niean," and his voice sounded soft, measured, and precise, like someone trained to deliver serious truths without emotional interference.

Reistu did not stand or greet him, and instead responded with a single firm command, "Leave." There was no anger in his voice, only flat certainty, as if he had already decided long ago that conversations like this had no place in his life. 

Erick gave a small nod and calmly replied, "Fine. But you need to hear this before I leave," and Reistu chose not to answer, making it clear through silence that he would listen but not cooperate.

Erick explained that Devil 0019, also known as the Necromancer, was currently active and moving freely. He stated that the anomaly was controlling humans using its abnormal abilities, and that the victims were still conscious, fully aware, and suffering while their bodies moved against their will. 

The gentle wind continued to move through the field, but the words settled heavily into the space between them, disturbing the calm that had existed only minutes earlier.

Reistu’s expression remained cold and distant as he responded that it was not his problem, adding that Order was filled with special individuals who could handle the situation. 

He questioned why they had come to him when he had already abandoned that life. Erick let out a slow breath, tension finally showing through the movement of his chest, 

Before explaining that the anomaly was using living humans as shields, making it impossible for Order forces to act without killing innocent people. 

He stated that only one person could eliminate the threat without harming the victims, and then he spoke the title slowly and clearly, "Silent Sniper."

The title settled into the air like something heavy and ancient, pressing quietly against Reistu’s mind and pulling memories he had tried to bury. 

Even then, his face remained controlled, refusing to show weakness, refusing to acknowledge the part of him that still remembered what that title meant. 

Erick then spoke again, his tone unchanged, but the next words carried a different kind of weight as he stated, "Nao is waiting for you."

Those words struck harder than any physical attack ever could, forcing Reistu to react instantly as he demanded, "What?" Erick did not answer and simply stood there, silent and professional, as if his job was only to deliver the message, not explain it. 

After a brief moment, Erick stated that Reistu would have twenty four hours to think about the offer, then turned and walked back toward the car without looking back. Before entering the vehicle, Erick spoke one final time, 

"Order is watching"

And the sentence sounded less like a threat and more like an unavoidable truth that had existed long before either of them had been involved. 

The car engine started and disappeared down the narrow road, leaving behind only the quiet countryside and the man standing in the yard.

Reistu remained there, the piece of bread still in his hand, now forgotten, as the wind continued moving through the field and the sun continued shining above him. 

None of it reached him anymore, because he stood there drowning in a sea of thoughts, trapped between the peaceful life he had built and the world he had once escaped.