"What's the situation? Did the Evol officers make it there?"
A woman's voice rang out, laced with frustration—or perhaps nervousness. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white as she sped down the road. Her phone was on speaker, resting on the dashboard, but her impatient glances toward it made it clear she wasn't getting the answers she wanted fast enough. The engine roared as she pushed the car to its limits, weaving through traffic with sharp, precise movements. Every second felt like an eternity.
"Miss Hinata, they're on their way. They'll reach there in at least 30 minutes. There isn't a single Evol in Tokyo right now… so it will take some time."
The man's voice crackled through the phone, tinged with unease. Even without seeing his face, the nervous edge in his tone was clear. There was a slight hesitation before each word, as if he was choosing them carefully, afraid of how she might react. In the background, faint chatter and the hum of equipment suggested he was at a command center, possibly monitoring the situation in real time.
"Thirty minutes?!" she shouted, her voice sharp with anger. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
As if on cue, the car suddenly jerked to a stop in the middle of the road.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered, frustration boiling over. She slammed her hands against the steering wheel before glancing at the dashboard—then it hit her. She forgot to refuel.
Cursing under her breath, she grabbed her phone and pushed open the car door. The cool night air rushed against her as she stepped out, slamming the door shut behind her. She was still at least 20 kilometers away from Tokyo, and waiting for another car wasn't an option. She don't have time for this.
She wears a sleek black high-neck top with thin vertical pinstripes, giving it a refined touch. The sleeves are long and slightly loose, adding a soft flow to her look. Paired with it are high-waisted black trousers, secured with a slim black belt.
"Haru, Just tell those Evols to get there as fast as they can. I'll be there in a few minutes."
With that, she ended the call without waiting for a response. The moment her finger left the screen, she vanished, leaving behind nothing but a rush of air. The force of her sudden departure cracked the asphalt beneath her feet, creating a deep circular impact. Dust and debris shot outward, and the sound of splitting concrete echoed through the street. The ground trembled slightly before settling, leaving only the proof of her incredible speed behind.
After a few minutes, she finally reached her destination—her home. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath. She had just sprinted over 20 kilometers in mere minutes, pushing her body to its absolute limits.
But when she arrived, the sight before her made her exhaustion meaningless.
Her house was in ruins. One side was engulfed in roaring flames, casting flickering shadows over the debris. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and something metallic—blood. Her frantic gaze darted across the wreckage as she searched desperately for something—or someone.
Then she froze.
Amidst the destruction, a man stood calmly. He wore a plain white t-shirt and simple pants, with a black apron tied around his waist. But what caught her attention wasn't his clothes. It was the blood splattered across them—fresh and dark.
Yet, it wasn't his.
Three bodies lay sprawled on the ruined floor of what was once her home, their blood pooling beneath them.
The man in the apron noticed her, his expression unreadable at first. Then, as if nothing had happened, he smiled at her—softly, almost gently.
"You're back, Hina," he said gently, his warm smile never fading. Despite the blood splattered across his clothes, he still looked effortlessly handsome—and to her, completely harmless.
Without hesitation, the woman ran toward him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. A wave of relief washed over her as she buried her face against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breath.
"Hina... I'm covered in blood. You'll get yourself dirty," he murmured softly. But despite his words, he made no move to push her away.
She looked up at him with a smile, her breaths still coming in short, heavy gasps.
"Dirty? Nah… to me, you're as clean as always, my sweet husband," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth.
Suddenly, the quiet area was filled with noise as a fleet of cars and two helicopters arrived, their engines roaring. The car doors swung open, and a man came running toward them. He wasn't very tall, and his expression was filled with nervousness.
"Miss Hinata, you're already here," he said anxiously.
His eyes darted to the three unconscious men lying on the ground before quickly glancing at the approaching vehicles. He raised his hand in a silent signal, and some of the cars immediately turned and drove away, while others stopped. Their doors opened, and a group of people poured out, swiftly getting to work.
Some of them secured the three unconscious men and took them away, while the remaining team focused on extinguishing the fire still raging on the other side of the destroyed house.
"I already sent the Evols back since there's no need for them here," he said softly, his gaze sweeping over the scene before settling on the man in the bloodstained apron.
"Mr. Jin… did you really take down these men? I thought you were just a normal person," Haru asked, his voice filled with curiosity. He couldn't help but wonder how this seemingly ordinary man had managed to defeat three Evols.
Hina turned to Haru, her sharp eyes locking onto him with an intense stare. The weight of her gaze made him shift uncomfortably.
"I-I didn't mean it like that, Miss Hinata! I'm just curious, that's all," Haru stammered nervously, raising his hands slightly in defense.
Jin let out a gentle chuckle and patted Hina's head. "Don't be so hard on him, Hina. It's normal to be curious," he said kindly before turning his attention back to Haru.
"I'll tell you," Jin said gently, glancing down at his bloodstained clothes. "But as you can see, I need to get cleaned up first."
"Of course, Mr. Jin. I'll arrange something for you," Haru replied softly before signaling two men to come closer.
Hina stepped forward, her gaze lingering on Jin. "How about you go first? I need to take care of this mess," she said gently. Then, without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him again, holding him close.
Jin smiled slightly and gave her a reassuring pat on the back before stepping away. Without another word, he left with the two men, getting into a car that quickly drove off.
As soon as Jin left, Hina's expression turned serious. Without wasting a moment, she got into the car with Haru, sliding into the back seat while he took the wheel.
Her voice was cold as she spoke. "Who were they, Haru? And why did they target my husband instead of me?"
Haru tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his tone careful yet respectful. "It was that Evolver group we took down last time. Looks like we missed someone back then. They put a bounty on Mr. Jin's head—100 million USD." He hesitated before adding, "Since putting a bounty on you is as good as suicide, they went after Mr. Jin instead, hoping to get revenge on you, Miss Hinata. That's all I've managed to gather so far."
Hina remained silent for a moment, absorbing the information. Haru glanced at her through the rearview mirror before continuing. "But I have to say… I wasn't expecting this. I thought Mr. Jin was just a normal human. Even if he is an Evolver, taking down three A-rank Evols by himself… that's not normal."
"You're not the only one who was surprised, Haru. I was too," Hina admitted, her voice calm yet unreadable. "But it's not a big deal. Jin must have had his own reasons for keeping it from me. Still, from the way he handled the situation, it didn't seem like he was deliberately hiding it—he just never mentioned it. Either way, I'm relieved. If he hadn't been that strong, he wouldn't have survived."
Her eyes darkened slightly as she shifted her focus back to the matter at hand. "What happened to the Evolvers Jin took down?" she asked, her tone sharp again.
"They're all alive. I sent them to Level 4 prison," Haru answered while keeping his eyes on the road.
Hina leaned back, exhaling slowly. Then, in a cold, commanding voice, she said, "Take me to headquarters first."
[Chapter 1 end]
Author's Note:
This is my first work, so don't mind the small details—I'm not a professional. You might be wondering what Evolvers are and how everything works. Since the first chapter doesn't reveal too much, you might not fully understand the world yet. But don't worry, I'll explain more in the upcoming chapters. I just wanted to start the story this way—it's my personal choice.