Chapter 3: Happy Birthday

"Oh, it was nothing special really. Just a glorious act."

The officer grumbled, his face contorting more and more as he tightly clutched the cloth over his empty bloody eye socket, the bleeding still refusing to slow down.

Indeed, it was an act. And a glorious one at that. Perhaps, it was the most realistic performance Kuon had ever executed. At first, he doubted that it would actually work and that his plan would allow him to injure a Superhuman. But he tried anyways and succeeded.

When the officer had blitzed him in the corridors of the building, the violent cracking sound was actually the vest breaking from the impact. He wore the vest everytime he went out into the higher class areas and today was no different. He'd be the biggest moron if he hadn't wore it.

As for the blood he had vomited before, he simply just bit into his own tongue and made himself bleed enough so that it would look as real as possible. The rest was just pure acting. Of course, the impact did manage to disorient him for a bit and it did manage to hurt him but not too much.

Of course, Kuon had not said any of these things aloud. He had read some of his sister's fantasy novels and the protagonists of those novels always seem to explain to their foes how they had defeated them. Kuon was so confused. Why would you want your enemies to know exactly what they want to know in order to stop you? Stupid. It was all just so stupid. 

Thankfully, Kuon had avoided doing something that idiotic.

With a furious scowl, the officer shouted, his voice a bit hoarse,

"You...you think this is over?! Just you wait, you filthy Ruined rat! You will pay for this!"

With a grin, Kuon turned his back to the young man and replied in a vicious tone,

"I'd like to see you try, jackass."

His thoughts betrayed his words however.

'Please don't. I never want to see you again actually.'

As much as Kuon wanted to look strong and composed, if the man was actually serious then Kuon would prefer if they never cross paths ever again.

With that, Kuon dropped down from a piece of broken wall onto the roof of a lower building and dashed away as fast as he could not wanting to stay close to that lunatic for another second.

After almost half an hour of leaping and running through multiple buildings and hidden passages which he himself had discovered and pre-determinated, Kuon stood in front of a worn out and rusted metal gate.

The gate was not too big and there was a chunk torn out at the bottom of it which was big enough for Kuon to fit through easily. He had created this secret route in order to sneak into the higher class areas without getting caught by the patrol officers in the Ruins and the best part is that nobody hasn't found it yet which itself was a huge boon in Kuon's case.

Kuon carefully crawled through the gap, trying not to pierce his back against the sharp rusted edges of the gate and entered the Ruins.

His body instantly plopped on the ground as he began panting. Needless to say, going to and from the Drift is not even close to easy. Every single time he had to make that short journey left him stiff as a ragdoll. His legs burned and his entire body was aching.

For that reason, Kuon only left the Ruins twice a month, three to four times on special occasions. And this time, the special occasion was his beloved little sister's birthday.

"I wonder what she is up to right now. Probably trying to cook dinner. That girl...I told her she didn't have to cook but she never listens to her poor brother."

Kuon laughed, a genuine sense of happiness illuminated on his face. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he surprised her with the book.

Siting up straight, he took the book out of his hood and stared at the cover.

-The Promise of Ash and Bone-

Volume 7: Conjugation

The novel was quite popular among young teens like himself. A fantasy story about a guy who awakens a hidden system but finds out that using that system slowly rips away his humanity. 

The concept was interesting enough and even though Kuon would never admit it, he had read some of the books aswell.

Exhaling deeply, he pocketed the book once again and started making his way to his place at a moderate pace.

The Ruins were exactly what their name suggested.

Ancient, dilapidated stone buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, their weathered walls bearing the scars of countless years. Filthy trash and rotting waste littered the streets, filling the air with a foul stench that seemed impossible to escape.

A line of street lamps illuminated the empty roads. Some were broken beyond repair, while others flickered weakly, somehow still functioning despite their age.

Kuon couldn't help but wonder just how old they were.

A hundred years, maybe? Two hundred?

At this point, he wouldn't have been surprised.

As he walked down the street, he passed a group of fellow Ruined gathered beside a crumbling building, engaged in quiet conversation.

The moment they noticed him, the chatter stopped.

Several pairs of eyes immediately locked onto him.

"Kid, where have you been?"

The speaker was a short, skinny man who looked to be in his sixties. His face was wrinkled with age, and his tired eyes carried the weariness of someone who had spent his entire life surviving in the Ruins. He looked Kuon up and down before narrowing his gaze.

There was concern hidden beneath his stern expression.

Before Kuon's brain could register, he was already being bombarded by questions and worried sentiments from all the other Ruined.

Kuon only went out into the Nexis two to three times a month and even if he did, it was only for dire and important reasons. Otherwise, breaching two heavily armored walls all alone was practically a death sentence. Kuon just happened to be lucky that he didn't get shot in the back, although he was wearing the armored vest underneath so it wouldn't be too troublesome at the very least. But still!

Kuon tried his best to explain the matter to the other Ruined but after a few seconds, he was eventually overwhelmed. 

Weaving through the small crowd of malnourished men and women, he managed to slip away and instantly dashed out of sight before they could surround him again.

'Damn it...Can't a guy just relax for a while after almost risking his life.'

A few minutes later, Kuon arrived before a structure that resembled a dilapidated iron fortress.

The colossal construct had once stood as a symbol of humanity's strength, a mighty bastion built to endure the passage of time. Even now, despite the rust eating away at its frame and the countless holes carved into its walls, traces of its former grandeur remained.

But those days were long gone.

The iron leviathan now stood broken and forgotten, reduced to little more than a ruin among ruins.

Growing up in the Ruins, Kuon had been seeing the fallen grace ever since he could remember and yet, every time he saw it, he could not help but feel pity for the once impenetrable steel colossus.

It was built to witstand.

It was built to protect.

It was built to stand.

And yet....

"How sad..."

Kuon whispered to himself, a sense of grim sorrow in his voice.

Not wasting anymore time, he turned his gaze away from the colossus and walked past it stopping outside a small cottage.

The humble cottage was surprisingly not too worn down unlike the rest of the withered stone houses and...

Kuon sniffed the air and chuckled.

'Cake...'

The scent of freshly baked cake came from within. It was sweet, fresh and...slightly overbaked?

With a sigh, Kuon approached the door and knocked on it a couple times waiting for an answer.

"Whose there?!"

A somewhat raspy childish voice asked from inside. Kuon answered in a care free tone,

"It's me!"

"Who?!"

Kuon sighed and shouted again,

"Me, you're cool, handsome and loving older brother. Please open the door!"

"Why are you so late? What were you doing exactly? Did you...God...did you breach the wall again?!"

"I...uh...I had some business to take care of. Nothing happened to me, I swear."

The voice did not answer.

After lingering for a few seconds, Kuon sighed defeatedly and said,

"Sorry...it won't happen again. Now, could you please open the door."

The voice answered after some seconds of silence,

"Not good enough! Apologise properly!"

'This girl...she drives me insane.'

Kuon gritted his teeth. However, after closing his eyes and steadying his breath, he eventually said,

"I am terribly ashamed of what I have done and I humbly seek forgiveness from you. Please, forgive me for my actions, for my ignorance...and also, open the door already. It's getting cold."

After a pause, the door creaked as it opened. Kuon exhaled and was about to walk inside.

"Hey, Ste-"

Before he could finish however, a small figure suddenly lunged at him, wrapping around his waist in a tight, desperate embrace.

Her brown chestnut hair flowed slightly and her dirty green apron was covered in flour. Soft tears leaked under her eyelids as she threw her body against Kuon's, seemingly relieved.

"You...you lunatic! Stupid...stupid big brother!"

The girl was barely a teen and yet, she acted more mature than most adults. In terms of height, she barely reached Kuon's shoulder, though, he was not really tall to begin with.

Kuon sighed, then smiled, his initially startled expression banished by something warm, like home.

He lifted his hand and gently patted the girl on the head.

"Hey, Steph...uh...why are you sobbing?"

"I am not!"

Stephanie retorted while tears could clearly be seen in her eyes, trickling down her face.

After a few moments of embrace, Kuon and Stephanie finally separated. Kuon closed the door.

"Tell me...what were you doing?"

Without saying anything in reply, Kuon simply took of his hood and pulled out a book.

Presenting it to Stephanie, Kuon's smile grew wider.

-The Promise of Ash and Bone-

Volume 7: Conjugation

"Happy Birthday, Stephanie."