Chapter 45: People Live A Lie

"Hello?"

Brian answered the call as he stood up to leave the cafeteria.

"Have you found out who killed all the Shadow Council members last night?"

Ashley Blackheart’s calm voice came through from the other side.

Brian wanted to say that he suspected it was Damian Valcor again.

But his mind went back to the conversation he’d just had with the kid.

’There are some people inside the SFD trying to protect the Shadow Council.’

Damian’s voice whispered in his mind like a snake coiling around his thoughts.

"...No suspect as of yet. We only have a blurry photo of the criminal. And I think it must involve some kind of underworld power struggle..."

For the first time since Brian had joined the SFD... he lied.

If Damian had known that he’d planted such a seed of doubt in a righteous officer’s mind, who knew what face he’d make.

"...I see. Anyway, try to find out who was responsible for this. I don’t want rogue vigilantes roaming the central region."

Ashley Blackheart’s voice responded after a brief pause.

"Yes, ma’am. But shouldn’t our focus be on the Shadow Council itself?" Brian asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"You don’t need to worry about that. Just focus on finding who was responsible for yesterday’s crime."

Her voice sounded absolute... like an order that left no room for discussion.

’Crime, is it?’

"...Okay." Brian responded, a bitter expression settling on his face.

He looked up toward the sky to see dark clouds hovering overhead.

’It’s probably going to rain...’

"What about your ongoing assessment? Have you figured out what’s wrong with that Valcor kid yet?"

Ashley’s voice now carried the tone of someone who was

certain

there was something wrong with him.

"...He seems fine to me." Brian’s voice sounded lighter as he replied.

"What do you mean he seems

fine

? Don’t you remember the data I showed you alongside his recent behavior?

Brian, I

know

for sure there’s something wrong with him. I need you to find out what it is so we can take him into custody."

Ashley’s agitated voice came through the phone. Clearly, she was starting to get annoyed by his answers.

"And why are you

sure

something is wrong with him!?" Brian couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Have you ever actually

talked

with him besides that interrogation!?

Instead of focusing on the Shadow Council, it seems to me that you’re more interested in going after this kid for no apparent reason! And the kid has committed

no crimes

.

So what he does and what he doesn’t do has got nothing to do with the SFD. What are we? A moral police!? Who gets to decide what’s right in the first place..."

Brian’s voice rose as he lashed out, all his pent-up frustration spilling over.

He’d be blind not to notice the patterns by now. There was indeed something wrong with the SFD ever since this organization got involved.

"...It seems to me that you’re tired from last night’s investigation. You should get some rest. We should connect later."

Ashley’s voice paused before she spoke in a completely emotionless tone.

"...I’m sorry for losing control over my emotions, ma’am. It seems the stress is getting to me."

Brian apologized quickly and cut the call.

He stood there for a moment, staring at his phone.

’Sigh... All these years of service, thinking I was making some kind of change. And all it took was one kid to wake me up.’

Brian was filled with complex emotions.

Sometimes... People live a lie consciously, just to avoid being hurt by the cruel reality.

****

As Damian was heading back toward the dormitory, Annie suddenly blocked his path.

"If it isn’t my junior brother. You’re really hard to find these days."

Annie said in a teasing way, standing in front of him with her arms folded and a playful smirk on her face.

"...Hey, Annie." Damian greeted her as he stopped.

"Call me

Senior Sister

." Annie pouted. "And go to the shooting range. Master has something he wants to talk to you about."

She gave him a quick once-over, then turned and headed back toward the training center without waiting for a response.

"Sigh..."

Damian headed toward the shooting range without stopping.

He wondered if Professor Blackwood had found out about his attack from yesterday. If there was anyone who could connect the dots after finding just a bit of information, it was him.

After all, Damian had used the weapon art the man himself had taught him.

After walking for a bit, he soon arrived at the shooting range and saw Professor Blackwood watching something on a hologram.

Damian moved closer, and sure enough... the guy was watching a video of his last attack.

The video showed a bright flash of light streaking toward the top of the skyscraper before obliterating it completely in a massive explosion.

"Do you realize your mistake?"

Professor Blackwood asked as he turned around to face him with a serious expression.

"..."

Damian stood silently, his face expressionless.

He braced himself for whatever lecture was coming.

"What kind of face are you making, my stupid disciple? I’m asking you why you didn’t tell me you’d already mastered the first level of Omega Point!"

Salazar pointed toward the video with an almost offended look.

"Huh?"

Damian stood there, completely stupefied.

He’d thought this guy was going to ask him why he’d blasted a building in the center of Tranquil City.

But who would’ve thought that this madman was just

irritated

that Damian hadn’t informed him about his progress?

"What ’huh’? You idiot. I told you to come seek my guidance once you mastered the first level." Salazar scowled at the dumbfounded look on Damian’s face.

"...I only mastered it yesterday."

"Come here! Show me by replicating that shot."

Salazar turned and led Damian toward the shooting area with an eager stride.

Damian followed, pulling his gun from the holster.

"Shoot that mountain in the distance. Do that same area-wide attack, not the concentrated one."

Salazar gestured toward a distant peak with barely contained excitement.

"Sigh... Alright."

Damian sighed as he looked at the eager expression on his mad teacher’s face.

Then he turned his gaze toward the mountain in the distance and started pouring every trace of Aura he had into the gun. He focused all his willpower and intent into the bullet forming at the barrel’s tip.

"...Omega Point – Seed Shot."

As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled the trigger.

"BOOOOM!!!"

The bullet streaked through the air like a miniature comet before slamming into the mountain.

The explosion was catastrophic. Debris flew in every direction as the entire top half of the mountain was obliterated into nothingness. A massive cloud of fire and dust engulfed the peak, leaving only a gaping crater behind.

Salazar’s face lit up with pure joy.

"Brilliant! Absolutely magnificent! Apart from me, only

you

have ever managed to create such a beautiful Seed Shot. It shows how excellent my teaching really is!"

He looked like a proud father watching his son succeed.

"...Thank you?" Damian looked at the overly proud expression on his teacher’s face and replied awkwardly.

"Come on, let’s go over there."

Salazar clapped him on the shoulder and led him toward a digital board in the distance.

"I’ll explain the principles of the second level of Omega Point – Convergence Shot. When you master it, the bullet becomes even more powerful because it

feeds

on the Aura present in the air while traveling toward the target."

Damian’s eyes sharpened with interest as they approached the board.

Salazar tapped the screen, and a detailed diagram appeared showing swirling patterns of energy.

"Listen carefully. The first level – Seed Shot – is all about

output

. You pour your Aura into the bullet and release it with maximum destructive force.

Its raw power concentrated into a single point or spread across an area. Simple, brutal, effective."

He swiped the screen, and the diagram shifted.

"But the second level – Convergence Shot – is about

efficiency and amplification

. Instead of just using your own Aura, you make the bullet

harvest

the ambient Aura in the environment as it travels. Think of it like this..."

Salazar drew a line with his finger across the diagram.

"The world is filled with Aura. It’s everywhere in the air, in the ground, even in living beings.

This Aura exists in different concentrations depending on location. We call this the

Aura Will Gradient

. High-Aura zones have dense concentrations, while low-Aura zones are sparse.

But even in low zones, there’s still Aura floating around – most people just can’t sense or use it."

He tapped the screen again, and arrows appeared on the diagram showing energy flowing inward toward a central point.

"Convergence Shot works by creating a

gravitational pull

on the Aura around the bullet’s trajectory.

As the bullet moves forward, it draws in the ambient Aura from the surrounding environment and compresses it into the bullet itself. The longer the distance the bullet travels, the more Aura it accumulates."

Damian’s eyes widened slightly.

"So it gets stronger the farther it goes..."

"Exactly." Salazar grinned, as if reading his thoughts. "That’s why this technique is

perfect

for long-range sniping. By the time your bullet reaches the target, it’s already several times more powerful than when it left your gun. But there’s a catch."

He leaned forward, his expression turning serious.

"You need to maintain

perfect intent control

throughout the entire trajectory. If your focus wavers even for a split second, the Aura you’ve gathered will disperse.

The bullet will lose its cohesion and the shot will fail. It requires incredible mental discipline and an understanding of how Aura flows in the environment."

Salazar straightened up and crossed his arms.

"The Aura Will Gradient isn’t uniform. Some areas are rich with Aura, others are barren.

A skilled user of Convergence Shot can sense these differences and adjust the bullet’s path

mid-flight

to pass through high-Aura zones, maximizing the energy absorbed. That’s the mark of a true master."

Damian stared at the diagram, his mind racing.

"...So I need to not only maintain my intent, but also

guide

the bullet through the optimal path?"

"Exactly." Salazar nodded approvingly. "And that’s why this technique takes time to master. It’s not just about raw power anymore – it’s about

control, perception, and strategy

.

You need to develop a sixth sense for Aura density in your surroundings."

He clapped Damian on the shoulder again.

"But don’t worry. You’ve already shown exceptional control with the first level. With enough practice, you’ll get there. Now, let’s start with the basics..."

Salazar began sketching out training exercises on the board, his voice taking on the tone of a teacher completely absorbed in his craft.

Damian listened intently, absorbing every word.

’This... this could change everything.’

If he could master Convergence Shot, his effective range and lethality would increase exponentially.

And in a world where power was everything, that kind of advantage could mean the difference between life and death.