Broken Grave is About to Witness a Historic Event
Deep within the heart of Broken Grave, in a dimly lit, crumbling room, a boy endured an unbearable amount of pain.
But he never let it show.
Raven sat in silence, his breath shallow, his body aching with every passing second. The four other captives in the room—his classmates—still clung to the hope that their families would send someone to rescue them any minute now.
But Raven had discarded that hope long ago.
It wasn't that he thought it was impossible for their families to find them. No—he simply didn't believe his own family was even looking for him.
A sharp throb pulsed through his skull.
'Ugh… the headache is getting worse.'
Soon, his entire body was wracked with pain. His muscles, his wounds, even his bones screamed in agony.
Why was the pain returning all of a sudden?
Then, it clicked.
'So that's what it was… they must have give me some kind of anesthesia to suppress the pain for a short time.'
The realization sent a cold chill down his spine. If the pain was returning, that meant the medicine was wearing off.
And that could only mean one thing.
They were about to make a move.
[Click.]
As if confirming his suspicions, the door to the dark room creaked open.
"IT'S PARTY TIME, KIDDOS!!"
A familiar, mocking voice rang out.
A man swaggered into the room, grinning from ear to ear.
It was him—the scarred man. The same one who had dragged Raven before the leader of the Scythes, only to later throw him into this dark prison.
Shuro, who had been on edge for hours, immediately shot up to his feet. His patience had run out.
"Hey! When are you guys gonna let us go? Just take the damn ransom and release me already, you beggars!"
Raven turned to look at Shuro, his expression unreadable.
'…Poor guy. He really has no idea what kind of monster he's talking to.'
But something unexpected happened.
The scarred man burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Chill, kiddo, chill. You'll be heading home real soon…"
Mira narrowed her eyes, suspicious.
"…What are you trying to say?"
Kyle smirked and turned toward the door.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Then, in one swift motion, he pulled out a gleaming knife from his back and spun it between his fingers.
"…And don't try anything funny. I don't like people who think they're funnier than me."
Raven was the first to stand up.
Haley instinctively grabbed his wrist, her grip trembling.
"What are you doing? What if it's a trap?" she whispered urgently.
Raven didn't hesitate.
"…Did he give us any other options?"
Kyle let out a chuckle, amused by Raven's quick realization.
"You're a smart one, Princess."
Then, he turned to the rest of them and clapped his hands together.
"Alright, let me put it this way… you kids have two choices."
He lifted his knife, letting the moonlight catch the blade.
"One—you follow me quietly like good little hostages."
"Or two—you follow your ancestors to the afterlife."
Kyle tilted his head with a mock expression of thoughtfulness.
"…Although, I have no idea if your ancestors went to heaven or hell."
And with that, he laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the room.
A sharp voice interrupted him.
"Kyle, stop wasting time. Just bring them."
A woman stood outside the door.
Raven stole a glance at her.
She had long crimson hair cascading down her back, piercing cold eyes, and a Tachi sword strapped to her wrist.
But what stood out the most—were the scars covering her neck.
Sin.
The woman who oozed murderous intent just by standing there.
The moment her eyes met Raven's, an overwhelming sense of pressure settled over him.
For a split second, it felt like her gaze alone could tear him apart.
Haley's grip on Raven's wrist tightened. He could feel her palms growing damp from fear.
Sin didn't say anything else. She simply turned on her heels and started walking down the dark hallway.
Kyle stretched his arms and yawned.
"Alright, alright, time's up, kids. Let's get going—we've already wasted enough time."
Without another word, Raven followed.
Haley, still trembling, held onto his wrist and walked closely behind him.
Kane, Mira, and Shuro exchanged tense glances before silently trailing after them.
***
They soon arrived at a massive wooden door.
The group stopped in front of it, their breathing slow and uneasy.
Kyle turned, crossing his arms.
"Alright—four of you stay outside."
His gaze landed on Raven.
"Only Raven Morrigon go inside."
Raven narrowed his eyes.
"…What?"
Haley immediately stepped forward.
"What are you going to do with him!?" she demanded.
Kyle shoved the four of them back with a single push.
"No questions, kids."
Haley gritted her teeth but didn't dare fight back.
None of them did.
Even without saying it out loud, the five of them understood their situation perfectly.
This man—Kyle—had been through countless battles. If any of them so much as tried to resist, he could put a knife through their heart in an instant.
They were completely powerless.
"…Tch."
Raven turned away from them and walked toward the large door.
Sin followed closely behind.
The heavy silence in the air made his heartbeat pound against his chest.
As he stopped in front of the door, he could feel it.
Whatever was waiting for him on the other side…
Would change his life forever.
Sin walked past him, reaching for the handle.
With slow, deliberate movements, she began to push the massive door open.
The darkness inside swallowed the dim hallway light.
And then—
Raven stepped in.