Arvian stood before Toma in triumph. Toma collapsed to his knees, his fingers tightening around the silver medal in his hand.

  "I want to be first, not second! I have to win!"

  He turned his head toward Arvian.

  "Face me in a rematch!"

  Arvian’s gaze was icy as he looked straight into Toma’s eyes—then laughed.

  "You're too weak for that, Toma! You'll never defeat me! I'll be the next captain of the Elite Division!"

  Toma reached out toward Arvian with his left hand, but he couldn’t reach him.

  "No… no! That can't be!"

  And then something unexpected happened.

  ***

  Toma suddenly jolted awake in his bed, breathing heavily.

  "It was just a bad dream!"

  He forced himself to calm down.

  "Of course… I already gave that silver medal away to that girl so I wouldn’t be reminded of my weakness anymore. But still… what a horrible nightmare!"

  His eyes moved to the clock.

  "Whoa, it’s only 6:15 in the morning. I can still rest."

  He lay back down and let his thoughts drift.

  I’ve been living here at Inspector Carter’s place for about two months now, and a lot has changed since then.

  I have my own routine now. I always wake up early because classes start at eight and usually last until three or four in the afternoon.

  After that, I train until around six or seven.

  In the evenings, I relax in the pools to unwind.

  Sundays are the best. That’s our rest day, and the three of us—Lyrien, Arlen, and I—usually do something together, like going into the city or finding something fun to do.

  ***

  Later that morning — in the library

  "Teacher Iseon, help! The result doesn’t come out right!"

  Iseon stepped over to Toma’s side and looked down at his work.

  "Looks like you miscalculated something. Come, let’s try it together."

  Before they could continue, an unexpected visitor stepped into the library.

  A yellow-haired boy, around twelve years old.

  He hesitated at the entrance.

  "Excuse me, teacher… may I come in? I’m just looking for a book…"

  Iseon turned toward him with a calm expression.

  "Of course, Iren. Come in."

  Lyrien, Arlen, and Toma all stared at the boy with wide eyes.

  Arlen leaned forward slightly.

  "Who are you, kid?"

  Iren shifted awkwardly under their gaze.

  "Well… I’m Iren, the inspector’s younger brother… nice to meet you…"

  Shock immediately spread across their faces.

  "What!? Carter has a little brother?!"

  Toma frowned in disbelief.

  "Where have you been all this time? We’ve been living here for almost two months and never even saw you…"

  Iren scratched the back of his head, clearly embarrassed.

  "Well… I do live here, but I go to school… and I didn’t want to bother you… so I tried to stay quiet…"

  Toma still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

  "But still, it took us two whole months to notice you for the first time!"

  "Sorry for being rude and not introducing myself earlier…"

  Lyrien stepped closer, her voice gentle.

  "It’s alright. We’re happy to meet you, Iren. I’m Lyrien, and the two boys next to me are Toma and Arlen."

  A small smile appeared on Iren’s face.

  "Nice to meet you too."

  Arlen, however, narrowed his eyes as something kept bothering him.

  "How can you and Carter be brothers when you don’t even look alike? Even your hair color is completely different…"

  "I don’t know… that’s just how we are."

  At that point, Iseon clapped his hands lightly, interrupting them.

  "Alright, it seems little Iren has completely stolen your attention. Let’s take a break from studying and go have lunch together."

  During lunch, they talked a lot and got to know Iren better.

  In the afternoon, the boys went to the pool, while Lyrien went to train with Carter.

  Arlen and Toma stayed with Iren, their curiosity far from satisfied.

  Arlen tilted his head.

  "So, do you also have a lightning-type ability like your brother?"

  Iren nodded.

  "Yes, but I’m not as strong as him. And I don’t want to become a warrior."

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Arlen’s eyes immediately lit up.

  "Will you show us your ability?"

  "I could, but my power is electricity-type, and using it here in the water wouldn’t be the best idea…"

  Arlen blinked, suddenly realizing that a kid had just been smarter than him.

  Toma, however, kept questioning him.

  "Why don’t you want to become a warrior?"

  Iren’s expression darkened, turning serious.

  "I think it’s too dangerous. For generations, strong warriors have come from my family… but I feel it’s too risky. Now only my brother and I are left in the family — everyone else is dead…"

  Toma slowly nodded.

  "I understand. I’ve wanted to be a warrior for as long as I can remember, so it’s different for me…"

  Arlen stepped in, trying to lighten the mood.

  "Hey, what do you say we go over to the deep pool and swim a bit? Iren, can you swim?"

  Iren’s mood lifted slightly.

  "Yes, of course! Then let’s go!"

  ***

  At the end of the day, Lyrien, Arlen, and Toma had dinner together with their teacher, Iseon.

  During dinner, Toma’s eyes were drawn to a huge photograph standing in the very center of the entrance hall. It was a family photo. A yellow-haired boy stood beside his father, while his mother — a beautiful dark-brown-haired woman — held a small child in her arms. Everyone in the picture was smiling.

  Iseon noticed Toma’s gaze lingering on it.

  "I took that photo myself a long time ago."

  Toma blinked in surprise.

  "Seriously, teacher? You took it? And… who are the people in the picture? I can’t really figure it out."

  Iseon stepped closer and raised his hand toward the image.

  "This man here is Carter’s father. He was known for his strong yellow hair and his always-determined gaze. The woman is Carter and Iren’s mother, and the little child in her arms is Iren — he must have been about four years old here."

  His finger shifted to the boy standing beside them.

  "And this boy… that’s Carter. In this picture, he was about your age."

  Arlen’s eyes widened.

  "Wait, that guy is Inspector Carter? But… Carter doesn’t even have yellow hair!"

  Iseon paused briefly.

  "Uh… back then his hair was yellow. Now it isn’t. Let’s just leave it at that."

  Arlen didn’t fully understand, but nodded anyway.

  "Uh… okay…"

  At that moment, a hand suddenly touched Toma’s shoulder from behind.

  "Yeah, the boy in that picture really is me. I was seventeen back then."

  Toma flinched and turned around, annoyed.

  "I see… but why did you have to sneak up behind me like that? You scared the hell out of me!"

  A quiet laugh escaped Carter.

  "Sorry, Toma. By the way, I heard you met my little brother. I’m glad you got to know him. I haven’t had much time for him lately, so at least when he’s with you, he doesn’t feel alone."

  Lyrien’s expression hardened.

  "That poor boy doesn’t have parents. At least you, as his brother, could take care of him."

  Carter’s smile faded, his voice softer now.

  "I know… I’m just really busy. Usually Teacher Iseon and the housekeeper take care of him."

  Meanwhile, Toma’s thoughts were spinning.

  There was something he wanted to ask.

  He hesitated.

  Was it right to ask something like that?

  But his curiosity refused to stay quiet.

  "Hey, Carter… what happened to your parents?"

  His voice lowered slightly.

  "I mean… if it’s okay to ask. If you don’t want to answer, I understand."

  Carter didn’t answer immediately.

  When he finally spoke, his voice had changed.

  "No… it’s fine. I think it’s better if you know…"

  As the words left his mouth, a gray, painful memory surfaced in his mind.

  A memory he could never forget.

  "One day, my family was possessed by a ghost. It happened four years ago, and even now, I don’t know exactly how… It was an ordinary day. I came home from work with my master, and what I saw changed my life forever."

  Carter’s gaze grew distant as the memory pulled him back.

  "A ghost had possessed everyone living in the mansion… When my master and I entered, the staff attacked us. I held them back with my lightning ability while we rushed upstairs to my little brother’s room."

  His voice tightened.

  "My brother was asleep, but it looked like he was trapped in a fever dream. Parts of his skin had turned black."

  He clenched his fists.

  "I froze. I thought my life was over…"

  His master’s voice echoed clearly in his mind.

  "The child can still be saved, but to do that, the ghost must be driven out."

  Desperation had filled Carter’s voice.

  "Master, tell me what I should do?!"

  "You already know. Those possessed by a ghost cannot be saved. You must finish everyone who has been possessed. Only then can the child be saved."

  The words shattered him.

  "No… I can’t! I can’t kill my family!"

  His master’s voice turned cold and absolute.

  "Don’t you remember what I taught you? Never hesitate. You must know how to kill anyone."

  Carter grabbed his own arms, trembling.

  "Then I’ll do it… I have to be the one. I owe my family at least that much…"

  And so, he began.

  He slaughtered the staff.

  One by one.

  Every single one of them.

  Then his parents appeared.

  By then, Carter was drenched in blood from head to toe.

  They attacked him together.

  But they were no longer his parents.

  Their skin was pale white.

  Their eyes were black.

  His father lunged first.

  Carter threw one of his blades.

  It pierced his father’s body.

  He collapsed.

  Then his mother came.

  She rushed at him.

  Carter was faster.

  His blade drove into her abdomen.

  As the sword pierced her, tears streamed down her face.

  Her trembling hand reached up and touched his cheek.

  That was the last time Carter heard his mother’s voice.

  "Th… th… thank you… my son…"

  Carter leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

  Then he pulled the blade free.

  He stepped to his father’s body and retrieved his other sword.

  "Mother… Father… I will never forget you…"

  There was only one left.

  His grandfather.

  But his grandfather was already waiting.

  The ghost’s true body resided inside him.

  It could even speak.

  A twisted laugh escaped his grandfather’s mouth.

  "Beautiful… very touching… How pitiful you humans are…"

  Carter attacked.

  But this ghost was different.

  Stronger.

  Far stronger.

  Black lightning exploded toward him.

  He couldn’t defend.

  The attack struck him.

  The ghost seized him and hurled him into the castle wall.

  The wall collapsed on impact.

  The ghost laughed louder.

  "Yes… yes… this is wonderful! I haven’t had this much fun in 500 years!"

  Another massive black lightning strike began to form.

  Carter couldn’t move.

  His body was broken.

  This was the end.

  Then—

  His master appeared.

  He had been holding Carter’s little brother.

  Now he gently placed the boy on the ground.

  In the next instant—

  He vanished.

  And reappeared in front of the ghost.

  His blade pierced straight through it.

  Darkness began to disperse.

  But his master wasn’t finished.

  “Well, well… a ghost! Who are you, and how did you enter this world?”

  The ghost trembled.

  "How… how did you defeat me? Just how strong are you…?"

  A frightening smile spread across the master’s face.

  "Good grief…..would you answer my question instead?

  The ghost snarled.

  "I cannot enter this world in my true form! Ghosts cannot cross into another world, because the Rain-born Sibling forbade it! I only came for entertainment! In my true form, I am far stronger than you miserable mortals!"

  Its body began to fail.

  Blood poured from its mouth.

  With its last strength, it pointed at Carter.

  "We will meet again…!"

  His master pulled the sword free.

  "I have no more use for you."

  One clean strike.

  Its head fell.

  "Perish."

  The ghost vanished.

  Silence remained.

  And death.

  Bodies everywhere.

  Something inside Carter died that day.

  He didn’t know what to do.

  He could only cry.

  His family was gone.

  His home was in ruins.

  Before him—

  A pool of blood.

  Rain began to fall.

  And his tears fell with it.

  His master turned to the little boy.

  "The darkness is gone. The child has been saved."

  Then his eyes shifted to Carter.

  "Oh good grief….. Didn’t I tell you never to hesitate? You almost died."

  Carter stood there.

  Empty.

  Broken.

  Only one answer left his lips.

  "I am already dead."

  ***

  Back to the Present

  "No one ever figured out how the ghost crossed into our world."

  Carter’s voice was calm, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

  "Every Division and every captain investigated the case, but there are so few records about ghosts that no one could solve it. After my family’s funeral, I left everything behind and moved here, far from the past… and built this villa."

  Silence followed.

  Lyrien, Arlen, and Toma stood frozen, still processing everything they had just heard.

  Toma struggled to accept it.

  "Ghosts… they really exist? They’re not just legends?"

  Carter gave a firm nod.

  "They exist. Humans know very little about them because they rarely appear. "All records related to ghosts are kept in the highest level of secrecy."

  His eyes darkened slightly.

  "What we do know is that ghosts are the oldest and most powerful beings in existence. But they cannot live in our world. They belong to the ghost world… and a seal was placed upon their realm to prevent them from leaving."

  Lyrien lowered her gaze, shaken.

  "Supervisor… this is horrible… I don’t even know what to say…"

  Carter slowly shook his head.

  "There’s nothing anyone can say."

  His hand tightened slightly at his side.

  "But I made a vow that day…"

  His voice hardened.

  "One day, I will kill that ghost. Even if it costs me my life."

  Iseon stepped beside him, his voice gentle.

  "Your parents were truly wonderful people."

  Arlen turned toward him, confused.

  "Teacher… then how did you survive?"

  "I wasn’t there. By that time, I was no longer teaching Carter. He had already graduated."

  Understanding dawned on Arlen’s face.

  "Ah… I see…"

  The heavy atmosphere lingered for a moment longer.

  Then Carter suddenly straightened, forcing the darkness away.

  "Alright, that’s enough of this depressing mood."

  A faint, tired smile appeared on his face.

  "It’s almost time for bed."