Lyra POV
“My Lord… what are your orders?”
I turned to Alaric Luminari, head of our clan, waiting for his command.
Before us stood a group of children—scared, desperate, pleading.
They blocked our path, weaving frantic stories about their friends being kidnapped by the nobleman whose mansion we were about to storm.
But I knew they were lying.
The question was—why?
Did they know who we were?
Did they know why we were here?
For a brief moment, I considered the possibility that they were simply mistaken.
But my Core Nodes told me otherwise.
This wasn’t fear-induced confusion.
They were lying. Intentionally.
A distraction.
I watched as Erza handled the children, keeping them occupied so my Lord and I could speak in private.
We were almost at the mansion, where the fugitive known as Batman had reportedly been sighted.
Alaric inhaled deeply.
Then, in a voice heavy with exhaustion and grief, he spoke.
"Lyra… I will be honest with you. Right now, I cannot think.”
I stiffened. I had never seen him like this before.
His once pure white hair had dulled—grey strands now weaving through it like the toll of age itself.
His red eyes, once filled with unwavering authority, were now clouded with rage… and sorrow.
“Right now… I just want to see my son… Batman is my only target. No one else."
He clenched his fists, his voice trembling beneath the weight of emotions. "Please… think of the strategies in my stead.”
My chest tightened.
My Lord…
I could feel the pain in his words—the unrelenting grief of a father who had lost his son.
The same grief we all carried.
We all wanted to save Alper.
To bring him home.
But now was not the time for mourning.
Now was the time to act.
I straightened my posture, placing a clenched fist over my chest.
“Yes, My Lord.”
I exhaled, forcing myself to focus. “I believe they are stalling for time.”
“Why?” Alaric’s voice was sharp.
I met his gaze. "That, I’m unsure of.”
“There is a strong possibility that they are working for the nobleman,” I continued, my mind racing through the possibilities, “but… there is also a slim chance they are aligned with Batman… or one of his aides.”
I cast another glance at the children. Fidgeting. Nervous. Watching us carefully.
Something about this didn’t sit right.
I clenched my jaw. “Whoever they are with… those people are trying to escape.”
I met my Lord’s eyes, resolve burning in my chest.
"And they are using these children to buy time.”
My Lord’s expression remained unreadable as he stared ahead at the mansion, where the sound of clashing swords echoed through the streets.
Our men were locked in combat with the mansion’s security—the fools refused to let us enter.
My Lord’s eyes never wavered, his gaze sharp as steel. “…Is there a possibility that Batman is affiliated with this nobleman?”
I straightened. “Highly likely, my Lord.”
I glanced at the battlefield, watching as our men pushed forward. “According to our soldiers’ reports, Batman was seen moving across rooftops, using buildings to traverse the town. Once our forces were deployed, he was spotted entering this mansion through an open window on the top floor.”
I paused, waiting for his input.
But my Lord remained silent. His focus never left the battle raging beside us.
I continued. “There is also a strong possibility that hostages or kidnapped victims are inside.”
I hesitated for a moment before speaking the next part. “And while I cannot confirm it with certainty… there is a chance that Alper may be among them.”
At those words, my Lord finally turned to face me.
His crimson eyes, once dulled by sorrow, flared with renewed intensity.
"Do your words hold true?"
I clenched my fist over my chest, standing firm. "Yes, my Lord!
“With my Nexus Core and the Philosopher’s Stone, I have estimated that there is at least a 50% probability that Alper is somewhere in this town. Additionally, the recent sightings of Batman from both the populace and various information networks strongly suggest that he is either here or knows where Alper is.”
Silence hung between us for a heartbeat.
Then, my Lord took out his greatsword from his inventory.
The massive weapon—a masterpiece of gold and silver, adorned with countless Core Nodes—appeared in his hand with a flash of energy.
His voice boomed across the battlefield. "Hear my command!"
Both Erza and I immediately stepped forward, slamming our fists to our chests. "Yes, my Lord!"
From the corner of my vision, I caught the children's expressions—fear, confusion, murmured whispers.
They didn’t understand.
They didn’t know what they had just unleashed.
"Erza!" My Lord called. "Follow the children and assist them however necessary."
"Yes!" Erza responded, his long scarlet hair whipping in the wind as he sprinted toward them.
My Lord then turned to me.
His voice was lower now—quieter, but no less commanding. “…Lyra.”
I straightened.
“…Do what you think is best.”
He turned his attention back to the battlefield, gripping his sword with unwavering resolve.
"I will enter the mansion personally. I will save our people… and any hostages within.”
I exhaled slowly, pressing a hand to my chest. "Yes, my Lord."
I looked toward the mansion, my heart pounding in anticipation.
Let today be the day… we finally find Alper.
As my Lord marched toward the mansion, his greatsword gleaming under the fractured moonlight, I forced myself to remain still.
I couldn’t follow.
Not yet.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I longed to storm in beside him, to demand answers about the Young Lord’s whereabouts. But I had to be the mind of this operation. My Lord was in no state for strategy.
That responsibility fell to me.
I took a slow breath, my thoughts racing. How do I manage this?
And then, my eyes landed on the children.
A plan formed.
Without hesitation, I activated my Invisibility Core Node, vanishing from sight. At the same time, I conjured a perfect replica of myself—a clone—to follow Erza.
The illusion was seamless. To any observer, it would appear as though I had joined him.
But in truth?
I was already gone.
Time was of the essence. I darted through the night, my boots silent against the stone, and scaled a nearby watchtower to gain a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield.
From here, I could see everything yet no one could see me.
My Lord strode forward, calling for the soldiers to retreat—he was planning to face this alone.
But my eyes weren’t on him.
Something else caught my attention.
Behind the mansion, where security was light, a group of figures moved hastily through the darkness.
Suspicious.
A thin, tall man with short black hair was being supported by two younger individuals. He stopped abruptly, as if hesitating, arguing with someone through an earphone.
Then, after a brief struggle, he snapped a command to his aides, directing them toward Erza and my clone.
My instincts screamed.
This was wrong.
Two names circled in my head—Batman… and the nobleman.
We didn’t know how they looked like either. No solid descriptions.
But Lord Alaric and I were both thinking the same thing.
Batman was not a warrior.
Erza had said it himself.
He’s slippery. He’s evasive. But he’s not strong.
If cornered, he wouldn’t fight.
He would flee.
And if that were the case—he’d be the first to leave.
My eyes flicked to the back of the mansion.
The least guarded route.
"My Lord!" I contacted Lord Alaric through our communication link as I watched him confront the mansion’s security.
"I have a plan to lure out Batman—if he’s in there."
Alaric barely acknowledged my words, his aura radiating pure, unrelenting fury. But he listened.
I instructed him to use his Commanding Shout—an ability that instilled crippling fear in the hearts of those it targeted. If Batman was inside, the sheer terror would force him into panic mode.
And when people panic?
They make mistakes.
They run.
And I was betting on one thing: he’d use the back exit.
If he did, I would be waiting.
I relocated immediately, moving with haste toward a vantage point where I could oversee the entire backside of the mansion, including both corners. From here, there was no escape from my sight.
I prepared to use my Oracle Core.
Unlike other Nexus Cores, Oracle required a trigger question to activate. Without one, it remained silent. But when used correctly?
It could strip away deception, extracting information straight from reality itself.
The downside? Each activation burned a significant amount of NEP. I had to use it sparingly.
I mentally reviewed the profile we had on Batman.
- Short stature.
- Thin build.
- Male.
- Somewhat deep voice.
Even if several people tried to escape from the back, Oracle’s power, combined with the right trigger question, would allow me to pinpoint the real target.
I focused, my breathing steady.
Then—boom.
A monstrous explosion erupted at the front entrance.
The ground trembled beneath me. I had never seen my Lord this furious. Pure rage fueled his every move. Smoke and debris filled the air as he unleashed devastation.
Then—his voice shook the battlefield.
"BATMAN!!!"
I felt it. Even from here, the weight of his voice pressed down on my soul.
There was no escape.
Seconds passed.
And then—I saw him.
A boy.
Blonde hair. Red eyes.
He burst out of the mansion, carrying a small girl slung across his shoulders.
He was pale—deathly so.
And he was running straight toward the tall, thin man with short black hair.
Wait.
No…
This can’t be Batman.
Can it?
I clenched my fists, my mind racing.
The information we had—it matched too well.
This boy was the most likely candidate.
I took a breath and activated Oracle.
"Is Batman, the fugitive, that kid with blonde hair over there?”
My Nexus Core hummed, the truth unraveling before me.
A sudden drain of NEP coursed through my body as Oracle activated.
"Yes. There is a 60% probability that Batman, the fugitive, is among those three individuals."
That was all I needed.
I immediately relayed the information to my Lord, informing him that a highly likely target was attempting to escape in a vehicle parked behind the mansion.
Wasting no time, I leaped down from the tower, activating Speedster.
A burst of velocity surged through my body.
The wind howled past me as I closed the distance in an instant, landing far ahead of their vehicle.
I extended my hand—metalweaving surged through the paved stone road, warping it into an impassable barricade.
The escape route was gone.
Drawing my longsword, I braced myself. If Batman tried to fight, I was more than ready.
Noticing me, The truck screeched to a halt, the sudden stop throwing the blonde-haired kid in the back off balance.
He tumbled forward, flipping over the truck’s edge—and landed right in front of me.
In a flash, I acted.
I discreetly etched a tracking rune onto the ground where he landed, ensuring that—Even if he escaped—his location would be permanently marked.
But then…
Something strange happened.
A notification flashed in my vision.
"Previous divination for tracking target: Alper Alaric—
Tracking complete. Congratulations."
…What?
I froze.
That was impossible.
If the tracking was complete—then that meant I had found Alper.
But the kid in front of me…
Wasn’t he Batman?
A cold, creeping realization crawled up my spine.
I clenched my jaw, my heart pounding as I activated Eye of Truth.
A surge of NEP left me, but I didn’t care.
I had to know.
The truth unfolded before my eyes, his status appearing before me.
And in that single moment—all doubt vanished.
Status:
Name: Alper Alaric
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Core Nexus: Sentient Core, *???????o?????????*????????l??? ????????*?????????r?????????*????m?????????e???????????? ?????C?????????*??????????*?????????e???????.???????
HP: 127/150
NEP: 763/930
Stamina: 197/235
I felt my breath hitch.
My pulse stopped.
I couldn’t believe my eyes as I looked at the status screen.
“Alper…” I said unsure of myself as my body froze.
He quickly stood up, his movements sharp, practiced.
In a flash, he pulled a katana from his inventory, his grip firm, his stance unwavering.
What?
Why was he drawing his weapon?
Why was he treating me like an enemy?
And then, it hit me—Erza’s words.
“Be careful. He lost his memories.”
Right… He doesn’t remember us.
Swallowing the ache in my chest, I quickly returned my sword to my inventory and raised my hands in a show of peace.
I had to dispel his hostility.
Placing a hand on my chest, I took a step forward, my voice soft yet urgent.
“Alper! It’s me—Aunt Lyra!”
His eyes narrowed, filled with suspicion.
I took another step, but with each step forward, he moved back.
My heart twisted.
He truly doesn’t remember me.
I forced a small smile, grasping at the memories we once shared.
“We used to play together, remember? I taught you how to be an Artisan. I showed you how to craft your first core node.”
Still, his expression didn’t change.
Nothing. Not even a flicker of recognition.
But… his Nexus Core—the Sentient Core. It should have remembered me, right? It should have told him that I was a friend.
Then why?
Why wasn’t it telling him?
A horrible realization slithered into my mind.
I replayed the data from my Eye of Truth.
At the time, I had been so focused on his name that I hadn’t noticed it.
Under Core Nexus… the data was corrupted.
It was as if my ability itself couldn’t process it. As if it didn’t know how to respond.
Did they… remove his Nexus Core?
Impossible.
That wasn’t just a core. It was his very being. His soul.
What kind of twisted experiments did they perform on you?
I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up.
I quickly wiped them away.
Now wasn’t the time to break.
Lord Alaric was on his way.
I just needed to hold on. I just needed to bring him back. That’s all.
Just bring him home.
I took a deep breath and stepped closer.
“Lord Alper, please… return home with me.”
His grip on the katana tightened but he didn’t move.
I pressed on, my voice trembling slightly.
“Your mother and father are devastated by your disappearance.”
A flicker.
A tiny crack in his unreadable gaze.
“I do not know what kind of pain you have endured…”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“But please, believe me.”
My voice broke.
“I am not your enemy.”
“You…”
He finally spoke.
His voice was cautious, guarded—but not hostile.
A breath of relief left my lips, but I didn’t relax just yet.
“…Will you hurt the people behind me?”
I shook my head instantly.
“No! I swear we won’t! We just—”
I caught myself before my voice rose any further, forcing a slow, steady breath to calm my pounding heart.
“Alper, please. We will not harm your friends or anyone with you. I swear it. Just trust me… We are your aides. We only want to help you.”
He stared at me, eyes searching, unreadable.
Then, finally, he spoke again.
“Then… can you do me a favor?”
I nodded without hesitation.
“Yes! Anything you need, Young Lord!”
“Please… just wait there for a minute.”
…Huh?
I blinked, confused.
What does he mean by that?
I kept my stance, watching carefully as he slowly backed toward the driver of the truck, never taking his eyes off me.
That’s when I noticed something odd—the driver.
He was pale as a ghost, frozen in place, staring at me in sheer terror.
I glanced down at myself.
Right… my armor.
He must have recognized the insignia, realized my high rank in House Luminari.
Did he know exactly who I was or did he understand what my presence meant?
I kept my focus on Alper, watching as he leaned in and whispered something to the driver before hopping onto the back of the truck.
I couldn’t see what he was doing from this angle, but… I had to wait.
If I wanted to earn his trust, I had to do what he asked.
Unless something went wrong. I would save Alper first and foremost before anything else, including myself.
Then, sudden thought hit me.
Lord Alaric!
I hadn’t updated him on the situation.
I quickly pressed my earphone.
“My Lord!”
His voice came through immediately.
“Yes, Lyra. Did you capture Batman?”
I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me.
“No, my Lord… but I’ve found Alper!”
Silence.
“…What?”
His voice was breathless, as if I had knocked the wind out of him.
I quickly explained—Alper was in disguise. He had been escaping the mansion with a small group of people.
A sharp breath on the other end.
Then, his voice came back, firm, commanding.
“Protect him. No matter what happens.”
I already planned to.
But there was something I couldn’t bring myself to say.
That his Nexus Core wasn’t responding.
That he didn’t remember us.
That seeing him like this hurt more than anything.
Right now, none of that mattered.
Right now… Alper was my only priority.
My eyes remained locked on the back of the truck where Alper had disappeared.
I couldn’t see him clearly from this angle, but I could only assume he was trying to help the little girl lying there.
Then—
A sharp, metallic clash.
It was faint, but unmistakable—metal striking metal.
My chest tightened.
“Young Lord! Are you alright? I can’t see you! Please, shout if you’re in danger!”
Normally, I would have stayed calm. Normally, I would have assessed the situation first.
But right now, my brain and heart were both a mess.
I forced my breathing to steady, scanning my surroundings.
No one had snuck behind the truck.
No one had approached.
Then—it happened.
The tracking rune I had placed on Alper… shattered.
Gone.
Erased.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Young Lord—!”
I was already running, my feet moving before my mind could process anything else. I had to get to the back of the truck—I had to see what happened—
And then I saw him.
A figure leaping away.
A man clad in shining armor, etched with glowing runes.
A red scarf flared behind him like a banner.
And in his grasp—a large sack.
Big enough to hold a person.
No—
No, no, no—
Did he just capture Alper in that split second?!
My heartbeat roared in my ears as I quickly looked behind the truck to see no one there and I screamed,
“ALPER!”
And without another thought—
I gave chase.