The blood was still fresh.
It stained the floor, the walls, even the tips of Aryan's trembling fingers. The whole house—once quiet, warm, filled with the gentle laughter of his grandfather—now felt like a haunted grave. Aryan's legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees, unable to process what lay in front of him.
His grandfather's body… torn apart.
Headless. Mangled.
It wasn't just murder. It was a message.
He tried to scream, but no sound came out. His chest burned. His eyes blurred. And for the first time in his life, Aryan felt truly, deeply alone.
Then—
Footsteps.
Not the police. Not neighbors.
It was him again.
That boy from earlier.
He stepped into the house slowly, eyes scanning the brutal scene before settling on Aryan. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Aryan didn't respond.
"I warned you something bigger was coming," the boy continued. "Your life isn't normal anymore. And neither are you."
Aryan looked up, rage and confusion filling his face. "Why are you here again? Who even are you?"
The boy knelt beside him, not afraid of the blood. "My name's Roy."
Aryan's eyes narrowed. "Roy…? What do you want from me?"
Roy didn't flinch. "I need your help. You have something inside you—a power that can change everything. The World Government, this realm… even the balance of the Pluses themselves."
Aryan's voice cracked. "Help? You think I care about your mission right now? My grandfather's lying in pieces! He wasn't rich… we had nothing! So why? Why would someone do this to him?!"
Roy's gaze lowered for a second, then met Aryan's. "Because of you. Because of what you carry. Because of what your grandfather was hiding."
Aryan stared at him, heart racing. "Hiding...? He didn't even have a Pluse... I don't even—"
"Yes, you do," Roy interrupted. "The thing that saved you earlier... that wasn't luck. That was Unknown Pluse. and even i have never seen it , And it's only the beginning."
Before Aryan could ask more, red and blue lights flashed outside the house. Sirens. Police were here.
Roy stood up. "The officers won't find anything useful. Whoever did this knew how to cover their tracks. But you—if you come with me—we can uncover the truth. About your grandfather. Your family. And the Cube."
Aryan wiped his eyes, blood mixing with tears. "What even is the Cube?"
Roy paused. "The key to everything."
The police entered, asking questions, starting their investigation. Aryan barely answered. He felt like his body was on autopilot. None of it made sense. Not yet.
But deep down, something had already changed.
Later that night, when the officers had gone, and the house had gone quiet again, Aryan stood outside with Roy. The moon above seemed colder than usual.
"I'll come with you," Aryan finally said, voice low but steady. "Not because I believe everything you say... but because I need to know. Who killed him. And why."
Roy nodded. "Then let's start this journey. There's no turning back now."
Aryan glanced once more at the blood-stained doorstep behind him.
"I don't want to turn back."