A car crept toward a small house, its headlights cutting through a street barely touched by the weak, flickering glow of a few scattered lamps.
The sound of the car drew curious eyes. A few people peeked through their windows, and one or two even stepped outside, quietly inspecting the unfamiliar vehicle. It wasn't often something like this showed up around here, but still, no one dared to approach or ask questions.
The driver's door opened first. A man stepped out quickly and moved to open the rear passenger door.
Out stepped Selina White.
Her hair, tied into a high ponytail, shimmered a striking shade of violet under the night lights. She wore a sharp, professional outfit—something between a government uniform and a business suit—that made her look every bit like a successful executive.
"Is this the place?" She asked the dark-haired assistant who had just exited from the other side.
"Yes, Miss," the woman replied, double-checking her notes before answering with confidence.
"You stay here," Selina said calmly, then began walking toward the house at a steady pace.
Her assistant and driver looked hesitant, but they followed the order, staying alert and prepared for whatever might come.
Selina stopped in front of the door. There was no bell, so she knocked on the door.
After a few long seconds, the door opened. A massive figure wearing a cooking apron stood in the doorway. It was Eren. His deep green eyes locked onto the unexpected visitor with confusion.
"Who are you?" He asked, clearly not recognizing her at first. Then a flicker of realization crossed his face. "Why are you here?"
Selina ignored the lack of manners. She understood. A surprise visitor at this hour would catch anyone off guard.
"Do you have a moment? I came to talk," she said politely. "About the game you've been playing."
Eren's confusion deepened. "You're the one who sent the helmet?"
"No, I wasn't," she answered with the same calmness. "But if you'll invite me in, it would be easier to explain."
He hesitated, suspicious, but eventually stepped aside.
Selina stepped in and, as expected of someone familiar with lower-income households, removed her shoes before entering further.
Her gaze immediately shifted to the center of the tidy, well-kept room, where a medical bed sat surrounded by hospital-grade equipment. Lying there was a frail young girl.
"Is she your sister?" Selina asked softly. She didn't need confirmation. She hadn't researched Eren's life out of respect for Adyr, but from her looks, the way the room was arranged, and the care evident in every detail, it was easy to figure out.
She trusted her instincts and her trained eye for reading a situation. Her observation skills were sharp, and it didn't take much to see how long the girl had been in this condition or how much Eren had sacrificed to care for her. After all, she had learned from the best.
"Yes," Eren said. He was about to tell her not to get any closer, but it was already too late.
"Hello. I'm Selina, a friend of your brother," she said softly, stepping up to the bedside. She met the girl's eyes—green like Eren's, but softer, lighter—and smiled. "You have beautiful eyes."
Mira tensed at first, unused to strangers. But the warmth in Selina's voice and the calm in her expression quickly put her at ease. The unexpected compliment made her eyes brighten, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Seeing his sister smile made Eren exhale quietly, the tension in his shoulders fading just slightly. "You said you're here about the game, right?"
He wasn't entirely surprised. He had expected someone to come eventually. What surprised him was who it was. He'd imagined a stiff government official in a black suit—not someone like her.
He had already figured out the game wasn't normal.
The helmet had arrived without warning, in an unmarked package. At first, he had ignored it. Between his responsibilities and his sister's condition, he simply didn't have time.
But one day, curiosity won out. He tried it.
As he played—and more importantly, as his stats increased—he started noticing physical changes in the real world. That alone told him everything he needed to know.
He hated himself for this. If he had known the game truly had the power to trigger genetic mutations, he would have given it to his sister instead. But it was too late. The helmet had already synced with his brain patterns, so she couldn't use it anymore.
Later, he tried to buy another game helmet, but aside from the price being far beyond his reach, production and sales had already been completely shut down.
''Yes," Selina said, still watching Mira gently before turning back to him. "I came to make you an offer."
"An offer?" Eren asked, his voice hardening.
"I'm assuming you've figured out the game's connection to genetic mutation," Selina said.
When Eren gave a small nod, she continued. "In a few days, the government will be launching an active defense and assault unit made up of third-generation mutants. As you can guess, third-generation refers to those who've played the game and survived—and continue to play. I want to invite you to join this unit." She met his eyes as she finished.
Seeing a flicker of hesitation, she quickly added, "Every member of the division will be granted official status by the state. Enough for them and their families to be eligible for approvals of genetic mutations."
Hearing this, Eren's eyes widened in disbelief. Whatever hesitation he had vanished in an instant. This was a chance he would give his life for.
—
After leaving the house, Selina stood outside for a while, silent and still.
So this was his reason, she thought, recalling the brightness in Mira's eyes—light filled with quiet sorrow.
She had never openly questioned Adyr's motives, but the reason he chose to help this person lingered at the back of her mind. Now that she had seen it for herself, the truth sank in quietly, and she could only exhale, as if releasing a weight she didn't know she was carrying.
It reminded her of how Adyr had first entered her life. How he had helped her kill the monster that wore the face of her father.
"A man who holds life and death in his hands. So casually, so easily," Selina whispered, lifting her gaze to the sky.
Above, the moonlight glowed faintly, trapped behind thick, motionless clouds. Selina couldn't help but wonder to herself, Is it possible to kill the dark clouds to free the moonlight?
She didn't dwell on the answer. Instead, a bright smile spread across her face.
Because she already knew.
Those clouds had already died once. And when they did, they set her free.