Ha… ha… ha… ha…
The sound of ragged breathing echoed through the hollow, empty courtyard of a small Catholic church nestled in a forgotten district. The slums on the city's outskirts were rarely patrolled, and at this hour, no one was around.
"Damn it… how did it come to this?"
A solemn voice—cracked with exhaustion, trembling with anger and grief—escaped from the lips of a young man standing on unsteady legs. Pale-skinned, barely seventeen, his clothes were reduced to tattered rags. And his jet-black hair swayed as he ran, his moonlight-gray eyes, filled with unshed tears, held a haunting glow beneath the dim lamplight.
"Catch the heretic! He must know where his people are!"
The words cut through the night like a blade, sending a shudder down Aquarius Alucard's spine.
He clenched his fists. His breath hitched. His heart pounded like a war drum.
'Mom… Dad… Please don't come for me. I don't know why the church branded us as occultists… why even the police stormed this backwater district. But I know it's for no good. Take care of sister. Stay safe. Cau—
A deep, oppressive voice shattered his thoughts.
A massive officer loomed before him—tan-skinned, silver-haired, a scar across his nose. His physique was monstrous, his mere presence suffocating.
Aquarius turned toward the cliff behind him. He had joked about jumping as a child, laughing at the absurdity of it. But now, staring down at the churning, stone-ridden waters below… he let out a bitter, hollow chuckle.
He turned back toward the officers, inhaling deeply in a futile attempt to calm his nerves.
"So… looks like I'm on my last leg, huh?"
Among them stood a blonde-haired man with piercing blue eyes, dressed in an immaculate high-collared shirt, iron cuffs, and neatly pressed black trousers. His glasses reflected the torchlight, making his expression unreadable… but Aquarius saw it—the unmistakable trace of pity.
His stomach twisted.
"Tch… I can deal with bastards who hunt me down," he muttered, voice laced with venom, "but what I can't stand are the ones who pretend they aren't doing anything wrong while looking at me like that. Change your damn expression, bastard."
The blonde man, Leon, exhaled softly, adjusting his glasses. His face returned to a cold, neutral mask.
Before Aquarius could say more, a new presence stepped forward.
A tall, dark-skinned man with an athletic build and noble grace. His navy-blue overcoat draped over a crisp white shirt, his tie loosened as if he hadn't even bothered to tighten it properly. Four medals gleamed on his right chest.
Aquarius felt his stomach sink. His pupils constricted.
'Noah Abraham…'
The infamous Captain of the Brass Police Division. A man who, after an "accident," had skyrocketed from a low-ranking cadet to captain in less than a year. His reputation was as unpredictable as the rumors surrounding him.
Noah's piercing gaze settled on Aquarius, studying him like a specimen under glass. Though the stare lasted mere seconds, it stretched into eternity.
Finally, the captain spoke.
"So, you're Aquarius Alucard, huh? I expected the notorious heretic to be more… experienced. Instead, I find a pretty-faced child."
He glanced sideways.
"Oi, Leon. Are you sure this is the kid we're looking for?"
The blonde officer sighed. "Sadly, yes. He is the only son of two immigrants who took refuge near the church. A few days ago, the clergy accused them of occultism. Nothing new there. But for some reason, they called for an operation of this scale… Even with nobles involved, they don't issue a manhunt like this."
Noah turned back to Aquarius, his expression unreadable.
"So, kid, what do you want me to do?"
Aquarius let out a dry, humorless laugh.
"Hah… Why the hell are you asking a question you already know the answer to?" He tilted his head, moonlight eyesburning with defiance. "No matter what I say, it doesn't matter, does it? At the end of the day, those in power decide what's right and wrong. So tell me, Officer… how the hell is someone like me supposed to fight back when I was never given a choice to begin with?"
For a split second, something flickered across Noah's face. A shadow of thought.
A distant horn echoed through the air.
Aquarius smirked. He took two steps closer to the cliff's edge. The officers stiffened. Hands twitched toward their weapons.
'Finally.'
"Hey, officers…" he said lightly, "have you ever watched those escape movies where the protagonist is cornered? And after the movie, you start imagining scenarios where, if you were in their place, you'd figure out the perfect way to escape?"
He let out a chuckle, still trying to catch his breath, and then finally shook his head.
"I know I sound like a foolish brat rambling, but..but..that's what I did. Every single time I found myself in a situation, I ran simulations in my head. I planned. I thought of every outcome. Even for the smallest things—getting scolded, running from a stray dog, wondering what I'd do if I got caught in a fire or a riot…"
His smirk widened, but there was something tragic in it.
"But this damn cliff…" He glanced down at the abyss below. "This was always the hardest one to solve."
Noah took a step forward, his voice calmer than before.
"Hey, kid. Stop whatever you're doing. I promise I'll make your case to my superiors. You just need to trust—"
"Wrong!" Aquarius's voice boomed, cutting him off.
He let out a laugh.
"After thousands of hypotheses and simulations, I realized one simple fact."
Noah's brow furrowed.
"And that is?"
"It was impossible… for a mundane human like me."
Aquarius's eyes gleamed with mischief.
"You think I ran because I was scared? Because I was reckless? No. I planned everything. I knew the bishop would call the police. But instead of hiding with my family, I calculated the response time, the police schedules, even how much you'd procrastinate because this was just an 'odd job.' I knew exactly when the priest would lose his temper. I made sure you'd be here—today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow.
"By running like a panicked criminal, I made sure all eyes were on me. And while you were focused on catching a single 'heretic,' my family had time to escape."
A tense silence filled the air. Sweat dripped from the officers' brows.
Noah exhaled, running a hand down his face. He pulled out a cigarette with the other.
"So, I was played by a seventeen-year-old kid… Damn. I feel like shit."
He sighed, lighting the cigarette.
"Alright, Aquarius. You've piqued my interest. I can help you. There's no need for you to go through with this suicide attempt. Just step away from the edge."
Aquarius smiled. A bittersweet, tired smile.
"Oh, Captain… I thought we understood each other by now."
His eyes darkened.
"I'd rather die than become someone's puppet." His voice softened. "If they want me dead, then I'll rise from the dead."
He took a breath.
"Thanks for listening to my final ramblings."
Noah's eyes widened. The cigarette slipped from his fingers.
"Kid—!"
Before he could react, Aquarius spread his arms—welcoming the abyss—and let himself fall.
Noah lunged forward.
Too late.
The splash echoed in the chasm below.
Noah stood frozen, staring at the turbulent waters. After a long moment, he chuckled, shaking his head.
"Crazy bastard."
The large officer, Ronald, hesitated.
"Sir… what if he survives?"
Noah clicked his tongue.
"When did we become people's guarddogs but if he survives… then he's got the devil's own luck."
He turned on his heel.
"Let's go."
And as the officers dispersed, Noah stole one last glance at the cliff.
"I wish you luck, kid."
And with that, he walked away.