"Natasha. Natasha Ciora. That's my name."
Wearing a soft, open smile, Raven gave her real name without hesitation.
The boy hesitated at first, his brows slightly furrowed, but after a few seconds, he finally replied, "Shin."
He wasn't sure why her attitude had suddenly warmed, but he at least understood the basics of reciprocation.
"A newcomer, huh..."
Studying him carefully, Raven confirmed she had never heard his name before.
Of course, that didn't necessarily mean anything. In this age, who didn't run alternate aliases?
She herself had dozens of code names. "Raven" was simply the most commonly used one.
What mattered more was that she couldn't recall anyone in her memory who matched Shin's appearance or vibe.
His eyes were still too clean, he clearly hadn't spent much time in the shadows. He hadn't yet turned into one of the hardened veterans like her.
"The world just hasn't had a chance to sing my name yet," Shin said, grinning without a shred of shame. "That whole 'Top of the Charon Index' thing? Sooner or later, that's going to be mine. For now, I'll just let you keep the title a little longer, Natasha-senpai."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Is that so..."
The Charon Index was a ranking list of well-known assassins in the underground world.
Although the rankings factored in things like mission count and success rates, just being listed meant you were no pushover, and the name "Raven" had sat at the top for five straight years.
Of course, the list didn't mean much in the grand scheme. The real powerhouses, those who had truly mastered Honkai energy, were rarely on it at all.
The truly capable ones had long since "gone ashore." Who in their right mind would still be taking assassination contracts?
Even so, her position atop the Charon Index didn't reflect her true strength. It was just one piece of a public-facing persona.
In truth, the Charon Index was little more than a vanity list for the ignorant.
Still, it had its uses.
Thanks to the clout from the index, Raven's jobs were always top-tier. She occupied five of the top ten slots under different aliases, and the cash flow was five times better than anyone else's.
"Of course," Shin said confidently.
Raven waved dismissively. "Whatever you want. Just don't get in the way of my income."
Judging from the kid's strength, Raven might not be able to hold onto that top ranking much longer anyway.
But that was fine. She'd just shuffle one of her alts up the list. The money would keep rolling in.
"And one more thing..." she added, eyes narrowing. "Just call me Natasha. I'm not that old."
She may have seniority in the underworld, but she was still young, thank you very much.
"..."
Shin looked her up and down in silence.
Sure, but still... wasn't she at least half a cycle older than him?
If Shin had started running in these circles a little earlier, he could've proudly claimed he'd grown up hearing tales of Raven's exploits.
"You thinking about how you'd like to die, kid?!"
Raven bared her teeth.
"Natasha-oneechan!" Shin responded instantly.
For the record, this was not him chickening out.
He just felt an immediate kinship with her. It had absolutely nothing to do with fear.
Satisfied with his response, Raven rearmed the safety on her pistol and tossed it back into the drawer.
"Back to business. What brings you here to oneechan's bar?"
She didn't bother beating around the bush. If he'd come as a guest of the underworld, it wasn't for drinks, he clearly had something else in mind.
Fingertips circling the rim of his glass, Shin hesitated for a few seconds, then asked, "Natasha-oneechan, do you know someone named Gray Serpent?"
Raven's expression darkened.
"So you do know him," Shin said, a knowing smile forming. "About a month ago, I met an information broker. He said if I came here, I could uncover the truth about the world."
He paused to pull out a small black card from his pocket.
"A snake..."
Raven's pupils shrank the moment she saw the emblem, a silver ouroboros coiled on the surface of the metallic card.
"You really do know what this card means," Shin said, smile deepening. "I looked all over, but found nothing about it."
The underground was secretive by nature. Most people would go their entire lives without even brushing against it. But World Serpent was hidden even deeper.
Shin was beginning to suspect Gray Serpent had a persecution complex.
"Did Gray Serpent send you to find me?"
Her voice now carried an unmistakable pressure, her pitch-black eyes fixed on Shin.
Whether the boy had come of his own volition or was sent directly by Gray Serpent made a world of difference.
"He just gave me the coordinates to this place," Shin said calmly.
Raven bit her lower lip, remembering something.
About a month ago, Gray Serpent had mentioned that the organization would be recruiting a new member soon, and asked her to keep an eye out.
To Raven, that had seemed way out of the ordinary.
She never had to deal with new member onboarding. That was always Gray Serpent's job. No matter how she looked at it, this task shouldn't have fallen to her.
But as a diligent cog in the machine, she hadn't questioned it too much and agreed.
Not that she really had the option to say no anyway.
Still, after receiving the assignment, she waited... and waited... and never spotted anyone worth recruiting. Eventually, the whole thing slipped her mind.
Now, looking at the boy whose warmth was like the morning sun, Raven knew without a doubt, this was the recruit Gray Serpent had mentioned.
And judging by his strength, Shin fit the profile perfectly.
A very obvious question now stood before her: should she bring Shin into the World Serpent?
If Gray Serpent had his eye on the boy, his potential was clear. He'd probably end up a high-ranking member.
But World Serpent wasn't some noble organization.
It was a truly evil entity, rooted in the shadows of the world. If exposed, it would go down in history as a cautionary tale of infamy.
Even after twelve years in the organization, Raven had never felt much loyalty. She only stayed because she was used to it.
Most people tried to stay as far away from World Serpent as possible. Yet Shin wanted to walk in on his own?
If it had been anyone else, Raven wouldn't have hesitated. Recruiting meant a hefty bonus—especially for someone with the potential to be a high-ranking officer.
But looking into Shin's clear, autumn-lake eyes, Raven just couldn't bring herself to invite him into that darkness.
"Why do you want to know the truth of the world?"
She took a deep breath and asked quietly.
"Why?" Shin tilted his head, a little confused. "If I had to give a reason... I guess it's because the truth is right there."
Sure, the sunlit world was beautiful. But once you'd glimpsed what lay behind the curtain, how could you turn back and live a lie?
Whether out of fear or curiosity, anyone who had seen the abyss would be drawn toward it.
And Shin, for better or worse, had the ability to seek it out.
"Sometimes, not knowing isn't such a bad thing."
Raven shook her head.
People who knew nothing could still live in the illusion of hope. But once you understood what Honkai truly was... all that remained was despair.
"Maybe," Shin said, noncommittal. "But I still want to know.
Burying your head in the sand might feel safer, but monsters won't let you go just because you're weak."
This world might seem vibrant and peaceful on the surface, but Shin knew better.
It wouldn't be long before the catastrophe known as Honkai spread across every corner of the globe, turning it into a living hell.
"But..."
Raven wanted to say more, but a low, gravelly voice suddenly cut her off.
"Looks like I came at a bad time."
No, you're right on time.
Turning toward the projection screen, Shin's smile lit up again as he saw the masked man's face.
"Long time no see, Mr. Gray Serpent."
"Likewise, Mr. Shin. I'm glad to see you made it here," Gray Serpent replied smoothly. "It seems our organization, Serpent, has a bit more appeal than the others you've encountered."
His eyes were full of satisfaction.
Gray Serpent had been watching Shin from the moment he noticed him.
He had seen the boy struggle and fight his way through a lawless world, getting ever closer to the hidden truth so many factions had tried to bury.
Before Shin could grasp that truth, Gray Serpent had made contact first, offering him an invitation to Serpent.
And even with the lead, Shin hadn't rushed in blindly. He'd remained cautious, spent a month verifying the information, and only then came to Raven's Nest.
Strong, prudent, exactly the kind of talent Serpent needed.
"So long as Serpent can give me the truth I'm seeking."
Despite Gray Serpent's enthusiasm, Shin stayed calm.
"Believe me, Mr. Shin, the truth we offer will more than satisfy you," Gray Serpent said, chuckling darkly. "And if you choose to join us, Serpent can even make your greatest wishes come true."
"Even resurrecting the dead?" Shin raised an eyebrow.
Gray Serpent: "..."
What's with kids these days? Can't you ask for something realistic?
If they really had that power, they would've taken over the world already.
After a three-second pause, Gray Serpent answered.
"Everything has a price."
You could've just said no.
Rolling his eyes inwardly, Shin said, "Mr. Gray Serpent, have you ever heard of the Eye of the Moon Project?"
"The Eye of the Moon? What's that?"
Gray Serpent sounded confused.
Their own projects might involve the moon, but eyes had nothing to do with it.
"Nothing. Just asking."
Shin shook his head in disappointment.
Clearly, Mr. Gray Serpent wasn't quite as open as that black-haired schemer from a certain ninja series. The man wouldn't even share anything about the Stigmata Plan.
"In that case, I agree to join Serpent."
He gave his answer with a nod after a short pause.
"I promise you, Mr. Shin, you won't regret this decision."
Gray Serpent's voice turned almost gleeful.
If it weren't for organizational formalities, he would've recruited Shin personally long ago.
"Wait a second, is no one going to ask how I feel about this?"
Raven finally spoke up, clearly annoyed.
"Wasn't I the one in charge of Shin's evaluation?"
She was a high-ranking member too, wasn't she? Didn't she get a say?
"Oh? Do you disagree?" Gray Serpent asked coldly.
He had expected her to guide Shin into Serpent, but instead, she'd been subtly steering him away.
Was that how a senior member was supposed to act?
If not for her years of loyal service, he might've started questioning her allegiance.
Of course I object to Shin joining Serpent...
Raven wanted to say it, but when she saw the cold gleam in Gray Serpent's eyes, she swallowed the words.
She didn't want Shin to be dragged into that darkness—but she didn't have another path to offer him.
Once you were in Serpent's sights, no one walked away clean.
As for the only two organizations capable of opposing Serpent, Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, neither of them were any cleaner.
There was no true light left in this world.
"The organization demands excellence. I need to test Shin's abilities."
After a long silence, Raven finally spoke. Her tone was steady.
If she couldn't stop him from joining, then at the very least, she wanted some control over what came next.
"Sure."
Before Gray Serpent could reply, Shin agreed immediately, his face bright with a sunny smile.
"I promise, Natasha-oneechan, I won't let you down."
He didn't know why Raven had been so reluctant about his joining, but he wouldn't shy away from any challenge.
Raven avoided his gaze, then pulled a data chip from beneath the counter and tossed it toward him.
"This is your next target. Come back to Raven's Nest in three days. I'll take you there myself."
"Got it."
Shin nodded, then smiled. "See you in three days, Natasha-oneechan, Mr. Gray Serpent."
With that, he downed the rest of his milk in one gulp, stood up, and walked to the door.
He pushed it open and disappeared into the night.
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!