The battlefield still smoldered, the air thick with the stench of blood and fire. The city lay in ruins, shattered by the chaos that had unfolded mere moments ago. Smoke curled into the night sky, twisting like dying spirits. Bodies—Syndicate enforcers and fallen warriors alike—littered the streets, some groaning in pain, others permanently still.
The battle was over.
But no one felt victorious.
Scorpio stood in the wreckage, his sword still clenched tightly in his stealth. His mind raced, replaying the fight in excruciating detail. Every strike. Every counter. The moment his blade should have ended it.
But it didn't.
Because he hesitated.
"Scorpio," Virgo's voice cut through the heavy silence, calm but firm.
He didn't turn to face her.
"We need to regroup," she continued. "Reinforcements could be on the way. We need to move."
He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders before sheathing his dagger. "I know."
Leo scoffed, cracking his neck. "Took your damn time snapping out of it." His golden flames had dimmed, but his irritation still burned bright. "You sure as hell weren't yourself back there."
Scorpio's jaw tightened. "Drop it."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "Like hell. You—"
"I said drop it." Scorpio's voice cut like steel, sharp enough to make Leo pause.
The silence between them was thick, filled with unspoken tension. But Leo, for once, let it go. For now.
Virgo turned away, scanning the remains of the battlefield. "Sagittarius, status report."
Sagittarius, perched on the remains of a crumbling rooftop, tossed an arrow into the air and caught it lazily. "Most of the Syndicate rats are dead or running for their lives. I counted a few survivors slinking into the alleyways, but they're not our problem. The real issue is him." He jerked his chin toward the empty space where Maverick Ozen had disappeared. "Prince Pretty-Boy just walked out of here alive. That's gonna bite us in the ass."
Leo let out a frustrated growl. "You're telling me. We had him. We had him, and he still—"
"Enough." Scorpio's voice was low but absolute. "It's done."
Sagittarius raised a brow but didn't push.
Virgo, however, studied Scorpio carefully. "You hesitated," she said again, quieter this time. "You never hesitate."
Scorpio clenched his fists. He knew that.
Knew it too damn well.
The prince should be dead.
Instead, he was out there, bloodied but alive, carrying the knowledge of their strength back to his father. The Monarch of Perol would know everything. The war that had loomed in the shadows for decades was about to explode into full-blown catastrophe.
All because Scorpio hesitated.
"Let's move," he said, ignoring Virgo's piercing gaze. "We need to disappear before the royal forces arrive."
Leo shot him a look but didn't argue.
One by one, the Zodiacs scattered, vanishing into the night like ghosts.
Scorpio was the last to leave.
For a moment, he simply stood there, staring at the blood-stained ground where Maverick had fallen.
He could still hear the prince's voice in his head.
"Next time, Scorpio."
A cold fury settled in his chest.
There would be a next time.
And when that moment came—
Hesitation wouldn't be an option.
At the following sunrise at the grand hall of the Monarch mansion was bathed in the golden light of dawn. Marble columns stretched to the vaulted ceiling, etched with the stories of warriors long past. The air was thick with tension, the weight of last night's battle still pressing down on the Zodiacs.
At the head of the long table sat Lucan Hannes, the reigning Monarch of Moravuno. His hazel eyes swept over the gathered Zodiacs standing before him,his expression unreadable. Despite his usual composed demeanor, the tight grip on his staff revealed the pressure of the moment.
This was no ordinary meeting.
The century-long rivalry between Moravuno and Perol had always been a silent war, fought through politics, economics, and the occasional skirmish. But after last night—after Scorpio nearly killed Maverick Ozen—that silence had been shattered.
Seated beside Lucan was his daughter, Gaia Hannes, her presence a rare occurrence in Zodiac meetings. Age 22, she was known for her tactical brilliance and unwavering loyalty to the throne. But at this moment, her piercing hazel eyes weren't on her father.
They were on Scorpio.
She barely acknowledged the discussion happening around her. The scars, the hardened look in his eyes—he was nothing like the boy she had once known. Three years had changed him. And she wanted to know why.
"We need to prepare for retaliation," Virgo stated, her voice calm but firm. "Prince Maverick surviving wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a warning. Perol won't let this go unpunished."
Leo scoffed, arms crossed. "Let them try. We kicked their asses once, we can do it again."
Sagittarius smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Tempting, but this isn't just about fighting. If Perol moves, it'll be war. And war means a hell of a lot more than just battlefield glory."
Taurus, silent until now, exhaled heavily. "We can't afford a war. Not now. The kingdom is still recovering from the Syndicate's attack. If Perol sees us as weak—"
"They already do," Scorpio cut in, his voice cold and sharp.
Silence followed.
All eyes turned to him.
Gaia's gaze lingered on his face, searching for something in the way he held himself, in the way his crimson eyes burned with restrained fury.
Lucan finally spoke. "What do you propose, Scorpio?"
Scorpio leaned forward slightly, his tone unwavering. "Perol's next move is already in motion. Whether it's tomorrow, next week, or next month, Maverick will return. And this time, it won't be as a lone warrior."
Virgo nodded slowly. "So what's our plan?"
Scorpio exhaled, pushing back his chair. "Prepare for the inevitable."
With that, he stood.
Leo frowned. "Where the hell are you going?"
Scorpio didn't answer. He turned on his heel and walked out of the hall.
Gaia didn't hesitate.
She followed.
Scorpio walked with purpose, moving through the palace courtyard without looking back.
"Scorpio," Gaia called, catching up.
He didn't slow down.
She narrowed her eyes and reached out, grabbing his wrist. "Stop walking away from me."
He halted.
For a moment, he didn't speak. Then, "What do you want, Gaia?"
Her grip tightened slightly. "To understand what happened to you."
Scorpio finally turned to face her. "Nothing happened."
She scoffed. "Don't lie to me." Her hazel eyes bore into him. "You're not the same. Three years ago, you weren't this cold. You weren't this—" she gestured vaguely, frustration laced in her voice, "—this person."
Scorpio's jaw clenched.
She stepped closer. "I remember when you still smiled." Her voice softened. "When you still let people understand you better."
His purple gaze flickered, just for a second.
Then, he pulled his wrist from her grasp. "I'm an adult who can handle himself, vulnerability is such a weakness."
Gaia shook her head. "That's bullshit, and you know it."
He exhaled sharply, looking past her. "Is that all?"
She hesitated. "I just… I just want to know if there's anything left of the person I knew before."
Scorpio's expression remained unreadable. Then, he simply turned away.
"You're wasting your time."
With that, he disappeared into the shadows of the city.
Night had fallen by the time Scorpio resumed his vigilante work. His jacket billowed as he moved between rooftops, blending into the darkness. The city never truly slept, and neither did its criminals.
He had barely taken down his second target of the night when a voice cut through the quiet.
"Still cleaning up the streets, huh?"
Scorpio froze.
That voice.
Slowly, he turned.
There, standing atop the rooftop behind him, arms folded, a smirk painted across his bruised face—
Maverick Ozen.
Scorpio's grip on his sword tightened.
"You again," he muttered.
Maverick chuckled. "You sound surprised. Thought I'd let our last little encounter be the end of it?"
Scorpio's expression remained unreadable, but his stance shifted slightly—ready to strike.
Maverick raised a hand. "Relax. I didn't come to fight. Not tonight, at least."
Scorpio didn't move.
Maverick took a step closer. "I came to talk."
A cold breeze swept through the rooftops, the tension between them thick enough to suffocate.
Scorpio's eyes narrowed. "Then talk fast."
Maverick smirked. "Fine. I'll get right to the point." His brown eyes darkened.
At the rooftop of the next building, The rest of the zodiacs who were absent from the last battle were silently observing, waiting to strike and capture Maverick when he least expects it.