The door slammed open with a resounding thud, cutting through the low hum of conversation. All eyes turned toward the man who strode in with a chilling air of authority. His gaze was cold, calculating, and unrelenting. The room fell silent as his presence swallowed the space like a dark void.
He cleared his throat, his movements deliberate as he slipped off his watch and set it on the table. His low and menacing voice broke the silence. "Are there any updates about him?"
From behind, a man taps him on the shoulder. "Ahmad, I didn't expect you to take this case," he said, his tone tinged with both gratitude and surprise.
Ahmad turned to face him, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Well, Richard, he's an interesting one. After you told me about his artwork, I was curious. How can someone create something so violent yet so layered with stories? But tell me," he asked, his sharp eyes narrowing, "why are you so keen to investigate him?"
Richard held Ahmad's gaze, his own expression unreadable. "There's something about him," he said slowly, his voice dropping. "Something he's hiding from all of us, like a skeleton buried deep. I need to know what it is—so I can use it against him."
Ahmad frowned, a question forming on his lips. "But why?"
"You don't need to know everything, Ahmad. Just find his weakness," Richard replied curtly before turning on his heel and leaving the room without another word.
As the door closed behind him, Ahmad's smirk faded into a thoughtful expression. Turning to his assistant, he ordered, "Start digging into Richard as well. Something feels off about him."
On the Other Side of the World
In a dimly lit police station, Leana sat quietly, her hands clasped together as she waited. The room smelled of coffee and stale air, but she barely noticed. Her focus sharpened the moment a familiar detective walked in.
She jumped to her feet, following him with determined strides. "Detective, do you have any leads on my brother?" she asked, her voice heavy with desperation.
The detective stopped and sighed, his face stern. "Leana, I promise, if we get any leads, you'll be the first to know. Why do you keep coming here? I have so much work to do."
Her frustration boiled over. "It's been three months since my brother went missing!" she snapped, her voice trembling. "Three months of me coming here every day, only to be told the same thing: 'You'll be informed.' I'm losing hope."
Before the detective could respond, another officer burst into the room, panting. "There's been a murder," he said, his voice laced with urgency. "The victim—it's brutal."
The detective and his team rushed out, and Leana followed close behind, her heart pounding. She pushed her way to the scene, only to be stopped by the detective at the perimeter.
"You shouldn't see this," he said, his tone firm.
Her breath hitched. "Why? Is it my brother?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The detective hesitated before giving a solemn nod.
Leana's world crumbled. Ignoring his protests, she pushed past him and ran to the body. What she saw would haunt her forever.
Her brother lay lifeless on the ground, his body a canvas of cruelty. Deep gashes marred his ankles, as if to prevent him from running. A shallow but fatal cut adorned his neck. The most horrifying detail, however, was his hands—his nails were all missing.
Leana collapsed beside him, her cries piercing the air. "Why would someone do this to him?" she sobbed. "What kind of monster could be this cruel?"
Three Months Later
Leana stormed into the detective's office, slamming a folder of papers onto his desk. Her eyes burned with anger and exhaustion.
"This is where my brother was last seen," she said sharply. "Why haven't you done anything? If you'd taken this seriously, he might still be alive!"
The detective rubbed his temples, his own frustration evident. "Leana, listen to me," he began. "Your brother wasn't just a colleague; he was our senior. We respected him. Losing him was a blow to all of us."
"Then why haven't you solved his case?" she demanded.
He hesitated before responding, his voice low. "After your brother's death, we discovered similar cases across Asia, not just here in Japan. Whoever this psycho is, they're meticulous, leaving almost no evidence. The only thing tying the murders together is the removal of the nails."
Leana's fury gave way to cold determination. She turned toward the door, her voice steady but filled with resolve. "If you won't find this monster, I will."
Without another word, she walked out, leaving the detective behind.