Diana tossed a worn tin can into Raven’s lap.
It read “Lemonade”. The letters had faded with time, but were still legible.
Raven popped the tab with a click. It opened with a metallic hiss. He took a sip.
The taste… didn’t resemble lemon much. Salt, rust, artificial sweeteners, and a hint of childhood memory… It was everything but lemon.
“You alright?” Diana asked, her voice echoing gently with the wind.
Raven shook his head, then straightened up.
“I’m still alive.” he said shortly.
After a pause, he asked,
“What about you?”
Diana scooted closer to him. They sat together at the edge of the roof, legs dangling over.
“I’m better now.” she said. The traces of tears were still on her cheeks, but her gaze was calmer.
She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. Suddenly, Raven stood up. Hands in his pockets, his face had taken on that resolute look.
“It’s time to go.” he said flatly.
“Hey!” Diana looked up in surprise.
“Where are you going? You just got here, Raven!”
He didn’t reply. He took one last sip from his lemonade, then hurled the can off the roof with all his strength. The metallic clang echoed off the concrete walls.
Diana’s eyes followed the can’s fall. Then she realized something. Her face twisted in alarm.
“Shit!” she gasped and jumped to her feet. She rushed past Raven and sprinted toward the rooftop door.
“Hey! What the hell’s going on? D, say something!” Raven called out, following her.
They raced down the stairs. Each step clanged against the metal, ringing in Raven’s ears like a siren.
When they reached the bar floor, the patrons were still there. Diana darted behind the counter, eyes fixed on the door. Her hands trembled slightly. Raven joined her, still trying to make sense of it all.
“Hey… you gonna tell me what the fuck that was?” Raven whispered.
Diana’s face was tense. She clenched her jaw, shut her eyes for a second, and whispered,
“Whatever happens… don’t say a damn word, got it?”
Raven locked his eyes on the door. And then it happened.
The door opened with a heavy thud. Three men walked in. The noise of the crowd vanished instantly. People backed away in silence. They seemed to recognize them. Or maybe it was just instinctual fear.
The men walked straight to the counter. The one in the middle walked with arrogant confidence, his icy eyes cutting through the room. He stepped up to Diana, pulled out an e-wallet, and slammed it onto the bar.
“Ten thousand.” he said. His voice was deep and soulless—like a command.
Diana quickly pulled out her own wallet.
“I could only scrape together seventy-five hundred.” she said hurriedly.
“The rest… I’ll get it to you next week.”
Her fingers trembled as she held the devices close. A light blinked—payment complete.
The man let out a short, dry laugh. As he pocketed his wallet, something dark flickered in his eyes. Suddenly, he reached out and yanked Diana’s hair. She immediately held up her hand toward Raven—a silent “Don’t.”
“I’m open to… other forms of payment!” the man said, licking his lips.
The disgust in his voice made the air crawl.
“Please…” Diana whispered.
“I’ll pay. Just give me a little time…”
He let go of her hair and stepped back. Adjusted his belt. Walked like he was stepping onto a runway. Full of himself.
“Strip.”
Diana’s eyes widened. She was stunned.
“What…?”
“Strip, bitch! Or I burn this place down—with your grandpa still inside!”
The bar froze. Everyone held their breath. Diana paused. Her shaking hands reached for the hem of her crop top…
But at that moment—
“You’re fucking dead.”
The voice sliced through the bar. Everyone turned to look.
It was Raven. His eyes had gone dark. His fists were clenched. His body was coiled like a loaded spring.
Raven vaulted over the counter. He moved like lightning. His foot crashed into the first man’s chest. The man toppled. Raven’s fists came down like thunder—fast, merciless, rhythmic. The crack of bone echoed in the stunned silence of the bar.
The second man raised a bionic arm. A massive metal fist swung toward Raven. He dodged at the last second and He put Super Punchinator in his hand.
“Aw, come on.” the men with a bionic arm scoffed.
“You gonna kill me with that kitchen glove?”
That was a fatal mistake.
Raven grabbed the bionic arm with a quick twist. The glove pulsed with electricity—a high-voltage surge. The man’s eyes rolled back. He dropped to the ground without a scream.
The last man—the one who stayed back—raised his hands awkwardly in front of his face, like a clumsy fighting stance. His body trembled. His courage looked paper-thin.
Raven glanced at him—no need to even hit him. Then he turned back to the groaning men on the floor.
Punch. Punch. Another punch.
Blood sprayed. A tooth flew. A scream, a moan… then silence.
For a moment, Diana remembered that day. The first time she saw Raven. That wildness in his eyes… that uncontrolled fury… It was the same now. Maybe deeper.
“You’re gonna fucking kill him, Raven! Stop!”
Diana’s voice snapped him out of it.
Raven turned to the last man, face painted with blood, fists trembling. His teeth clenched.
“Take your fucking clothes off, motherfucker.”
The bar fell into silence once again. The man looked like he hadn’t quite understood what was said. Raven took another step forward.
This time his voice was lower, but far more threatening.
“I said strip, you fuck.”
The man looked around at the crowd.
“Do you even know who we are?!” he shouted. His final bluff. But it didn’t work. Raven grabbed a stool and smashed it over the man’s head.
“I. SAID. STRIP. MOTHERFUCKER!”
Unable to withstand Raven’s pressure any longer, the man left the bar naked, dragging his bloodied, groaning friends behind him. His shame and fear were drowned out by the drunken crowd’s laughter.
But inside, a different reckoning was unfolding.
Diana grabbed Raven by the wrist, furious. She dragged him through the staff door. In the narrow hallway, among crumbling plaster walls, she stopped and shoved him hard into the wall. Cold concrete struck Raven’s back. The echo of the violence rang down the corridor.
“Do you even realize what the hell you just did?!” she shouted, her eyes blazing.
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“They’re gonna torch this place because of you!”
The rage had faded from Raven’s eyes. The storm behind his fists had quieted. Now, there was only exhaustion in his gaze.
“Just say you don’t know me. That’s it.” he said, calm and flat.
“I’m leaving anyway.”
Diana’s hands were still on his shoulders. Raven gently pushed them aside and stepped toward the door.
But Diana didn’t stay still. She followed him with a step and snapped with fury:
“You jumped over the fucking counter, ‘mister stranger’ Raven!”
Raven froze. Just for a moment. Diana’s voice stabbed into his thoughts like a dagger. She was right. He’d lost control again. And once again, he’d dragged a storm down on them.
“Just a couple of gang thugs, right?” he muttered.
“Scare the shit outta them and we’re good.”
Diana ran her hands through her hair and tugged in frustration.
“They’re not just gang thugs!” she hissed through her teeth.
“They’re B12!”
Raven’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected that. He turned quickly to face her.
“Did you just say B12?”
The shock in his voice was almost a whisper.
“Those motherfuckers are shaking people down now?! They were scared of Rex!”
Raven knew B12 well. The fights they hosted still burned fresh in his memory.
“They wiped out every gang in the city.” Diana said, her voice low, her eyes fixed on Raven.
“They’ve got a fucking mercenary unit behind them now, dumbass. You get it yet? Unless you’ve got a bigger gang up your sleeve, we’re fucked!”
Raven took a deep breath. He was tense. This wasn’t just a gang—he might be facing a small army. A private military unit meant lethal tech. Long-range weapons that could pierce even Active Defense Surfaces. Weapons that burned, shredded, recognized no cover.
And at that moment, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
“Stress levels elevated. Remain calm, Raven.”
ION’s voice chimed with a mechanical softness in his ears. It had been quiet for a while. Maybe because of Diana’s presence, or maybe it had just been watching.
Diana noticed Raven wasn’t focused on her, but on something else—something invisible.
“First, we need intel!” said ION.
“The gang member you just stripped dropped his Commlink device in panic. Go get it.”
Raven gritted his teeth.
“You want me to fight them?!”
Diana, filled with uneasy confusion, snapped:
“No, I want you to FUCK OFF. I’ll handle it!”
“Hold on a damn second, I’m not talking to you, D!” Raven said, still staring off into the distance.
“According to Western Union law, extorting civilians is a criminal offense.” ION continued, mechanical and resolute.
“There’s no one else here but me!” Diana shouted, grabbing her head.
“I’m talking to a friend. Just give me a sec.” Raven replied calmly, then turned his attention back to the void.
“You’re seriously losing your mind!” Diana barked.
“Do you have a plan?” Raven asked, still ignoring her.
Diana thought, ‘he’s really gone full junkie’. She looked incredibly stressed.
“Yes. But first, intelligence.” ION said.
Raven nodded. The noise of the bar returned to his ears. He walked back inside with heavy steps. Diana followed behind, defeated.
Among the drunken crowd, the chaos had already faded. Laughter, shouting, music… On the floor lay the gang member’s clothes. Everything but his underwear. Someone else had put that on their head and was dancing. Looked pretty happy with it too.
Raven knelt down and rummaged through the clothes. He took a deep breath. Soon, he found a small black Commlink—no bigger than a finger. A signal light blinked on it. He pocketed it. Then turned to Diana.
“Wilhelm’s old repair gear still in the back?”
Diana clenched her teeth as she looked at Raven. When patience breaks, there’s always that sharp, thin voice:
“I told you to FUCK OFF, Raven! I’ll handle this!”
Raven paused. His gaze grew serious. Then he slowly approached. He stood right in front of her, lightly touching her shoulders with his hands. His eyes locked onto her blue ones. The rage was gone. Only resolve remained.
“Trust me!” he said softly.
“Please. We’ve got a plan. Well… I’ve got a plan.”
Diana’s cheeks flushed suddenly. Her eyes widened. She could hear Raven’s words, but they didn’t make sense. It was like he was speaking a different language.
Raven snapped his fingers.
“Hey D! Are you still with me?”
Diana flinched. Then rubbed her eyes.
“The tools… they’re in the back room.” she said, voice groggy like she was drunk.
Raven bent down with a grin and gathered up the gang clothes.
“What are you gonna do with those?” Diana asked, still trying to make sense of everything.
Raven gestured to his loose t-shirt and worn-out pants. He shrugged and headed for the staff door.
“Can’t exactly go strolling around in your old clothes now, can I?”
ION // SYSTEM FEEDBACK — [Session: 014 | Operator: Raven Karr]
Interface: ION_v4.6.1_β // Connection Stable [?]
[?] [MRS-09] Molecular Restoration System
- Operational Efficiency: 10.4% (↑ 2.2%)
- Primary Function:
→ Facilitates tissue regeneration via nano-scale biosynthetic repair protocols
→ Applies localized reconstruction on muscle, epidermal, and limited neural tissues
→ Simulates auto-fibrin production and coagulation to suppress superficial bleeding
→ Engages limited immunosuppression to minimize infection risk
- Critical Limitation:
→ In cases of major tissue disruption or internal organ trauma, system enters “Hemostatic Mode”
→ Prioritizes active hemorrhage control; regeneration rate significantly reduced
→ If operational load exceeds 60%, system may enter temporary shutdown
[?] [BEC-07] Bio-Energy Converter
- Operational Efficiency: 9.4% (↑2.4%)
- Primary Function:
→ Converts organic metabolic energy into usable electrical current
- Critical Limitation:
→ High-frequency usage may cause neuromuscular complications, including muscle spasms and potential nerve damage
[?] [CQC-11] Close Quarters Combat Support Module
- Operational Efficiency: 9.2% (↑2.8%)
- Primary Function:
→ Enhances close-quarters combat performance via predictive enemy movement mapping and dynamic muscle memory augmentation.
→ Utilizes neuromotor feedback loops to refine reaction speed and execution precision in real time
- Side Effect:
→ Induced neural strain resulting in moderate to severe cranial discomfort (See Incident Report #A2-02)
System Notice: Stated efficiency percentages apply only under conditions of full, synchronized nanite allocation to each individual module. Partial or multi-tasking deployments may result in fluctuating efficiency levels.
Raven // BODYCHECK
→ Gear:
? Street style clothes (Even though the clothes are a bit baggy, they are cooler this way.)
? Active Defense Surface [Model: AS929] (It's broken! ION, do something!)
→ Weapon:
? Left Hook of God? (Seriously? This ancient wrist-slam still here? Next to the Super Punchinator? No tech, no spark—just bruises and delusions of divine relevance.)
? Combat Knife [Model: M-12] (The only thing left of Rex.)
? Super Punchinator [Left] (Homemade death. I don't want to comment on the name. Level up! Now it's cooler, prettier and cooler! Still penetrating the Active Defense Surfaces!)
→ Additions:
? [NEW] Fucked up vibes (Pov: You've fucked everything up)
? Stolen e-Wallet – Balance: 734 (Nothing's changed here.)
? VX-21 Commlink (Maybe someone will call?)
? Stylish Black Bag (Used to be cool. Now it’s just “Raven’s personal hell-pocket.” Still cursed. Still smells weird. It's a little lighter now.)
? Sustenance & Regret – Contents: Bottled Rations, Bottles labeled “Water” (Technically drinkable. Emotionally scarring. One hissed and called him “mom.”)
? Monkey Chocolates (Hey monkey! You behind this radioactive piss-lemonade too?!)
? (5) VX-21 Commlink (What the fuck is he gonna do with these?)
? [NEW] VX-21 Commlink (Ah! Another fucking one! He must not be a collector!)
Data logged. No escape. If you made it this far, Grimhaven either chewed you up or you’re just as stubborn as Raven. Comments, ratings, support… all sacrifices to the algorithm god. See you next chapter.
Or not—depends on whether Raven survives.