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Raven dashed out of the port, using every ounce of his strength to move at incredible speed. His breath was heavy, sweat dripping down his forehead, but he had no time to stop. The sounds of shouting and sirens were growing louder behind him, signaling that the chaos he had ignited was spreading.
Once he had put enough distance between himself and the port, he leaped into a dark alley and hid behind a stack of worn-out wooden crates. Taking a deep breath to steady his racing heartbeat, he pulled out his phone and dialed Everin’s number.
The line rang for what felt like an eternity. Finally, a cold, sharp voice answered.
Everin Leader: "Good, you called… Tell me you took everything and escaped. Word is already spreading that someone broke into the port."
Raven hesitated for a moment, feeling cold sweat run down his neck. But he chose to tell the truth.
Raven: "Yes, I escaped… but I didn’t take anything. Everything… burned."
A heavy silence filled the line before an anger-laced voice erupted.
Everin Leader: "We told you to take them, not burn them, you idiot!"
Raven gripped the phone tightly, glancing around to make sure he was still alone before responding in a low but firm voice.
Raven: "I don’t have time to argue. If you plan to turn me in, do it now. I’ll confess to everything."
He pressed the end call button, cutting off the Everin leader before he could respond.
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The police, firefighters, and even ambulances gathered at the scene. Emergency lights flashed across the night sky, smoke still rising from the burning cargo as officers rushed between the bodies and the injured.
Officer 1: "Who would dare attack one of the Six Families' operations?!"
Officer 2: "I don’t know, but we’ll find them—no matter what it takes."
As investigators collected evidence, they found some injured men who were still conscious. One of them, his face pale and covered in soot, muttered weakly when asked about the attacker:
Injured Man: "A man… wearing a mask… I have no other description…"
Officer 1 exchanged a serious look with his partner.
Officer 1: "We need to send this out to all police stations immediately. He won’t stay hidden for long!"
Meanwhile, a Koravia ship docked at the port, expecting a thriving trade hub but instead finding devastation and chaos. The captain stepped onto the deck, silently observing the destruction before speaking in a cold, firm voice:
Captain: "This is the level of security in Esteria? We will not do business with them again."
Moments later, an official decision was made: Coravia would cut all trade ties with Esteria until the criminal was captured and handed over to them.
In the Everin Palace:
Inside the palace, the Everin Leader sat at his desk, surrounded by shelves filled with rare books and ancient manuscripts. The soft light from the lamps reflected off the heavy wooden table, where reports were scattered before him, carrying news far worse than he had anticipated. His fist was clenched, and his fingers were tapping the surface of the table with clear agitation.
Everin Leader: "I can't believe this... huge debts, loss of cargo, severed trade relations... what could be worse than this?!"
Everin Advisor, standing beside him, clasped his hands behind his back and spoke in a calm yet warning tone:
Everin Advisor: "It will get much worse if anyone finds out that we sent Raven, or—worse—if the identity of the masked man is revealed. I told you before, attacking the families isn't the solution."
The Everin Leader raised his gaze sharply, his thoughts racing, and suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table and stood up from his l leather chair.
Everin Leader: "Raven must not be caught... huh? Ryo! Ryo knows who the masked man is... we need to reach him before he speaks!"
He turned quickly and commanded in a firm voice:
Everin Leader: "Send our men immediately to Ryo's house. I want him here, now. We need to make sure he doesn't say a word!"
The advisor looked at his leader with evident concern, then muttered quietly, as if he understood the gravity of the situation:
Everin Advisor: "The fate of the Everin family is now in their hands..."
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In the Everin Palace:
Everin’s men arrived at Ryo’s house, but he was nowhere to be found. They searched the place thoroughly, combed through the alleys and surrounding streets, yet Ryo had vanished completely. After hours of searching, one of the men returned to report to the advisor.
One of the men: "We couldn’t find Ryo, but he can’t have disappeared forever. We will keep looking for him."
The Everin Leader sat back in his chair, taking a deep breath as he tried to regain his composure. Then, in a cold but firm voice, he spoke:
Everin Leader: "Alright, let’s think logically… I don’t believe Ryo will talk. If necessary, we can silence him with money. The most important thing right now is Raven—no one must find out about him."
Meanwhile, Raven had returned home, exhausted from everything that had happened. But he had no idea how much things had escalated…
Across Esteria, "The Masked Man" had become the talk of the city. His name was now the most wanted in the country, and every police station was on high alert, searching for him.
Before the Everin Leader could even catch his breath, one of his men rushed back into the room, his face filled with shock. He quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke in a shaken voice:
The Man: "We found **Ryo… he’s dead!!!"
A heavy silence fell over the room… Everin’s Leader stared at his men, while pure shock spread across the advisor’s face.
At that moment, the police of Esteria found themselves investigating two cases instead of one… and the situation had just grown far more dangerous than anyone had expected.
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The Next Day…
Raven went to university, but his mind was heavy with thoughts. The events of the past hours kept replaying in his head nonstop… How would he get out of this mess? How could he protect himself from the consequences?
His friend Shin noticed that Raven was acting differently. His expression was grim, and his steps were heavy as if he were carrying mountains on his shoulders. As they walked through the university courtyard, Shin said with a smile:
Shin: "Thanks for saving me that day. I would’ve died if you hadn’t stepped in… Who would’ve thought that you were the Masked Man?"
But Raven didn’t respond. He didn’t even hear what Shin had said. His mind was completely consumed by the port incident… The fire, the screams, his failure, and the danger closing in on him fast.
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