The Truth Beneath the Mask

Assesion Black Coat: Episode 2 – The Truth Beneath the Mask

The cold wind howled across the shattered rooftops, carrying the scent of blood, smoke, and regret. The night had barely calmed after the fierce rooftop battle between the mysterious Black Coat, the MC, and his elder sister. But deep inside the mansion where the MC and his sister lived, the real story was just beginning.

Black Coat lay unconscious on a velvet couch inside their hidden underground facility. His terrifying skull mask—now cracked—rested beside him, revealing only parts of his bruised face beneath his long, black hair. The MC’s elder sister, Aisha, stood nearby, her arms crossed, her expression torn between suspicion and pity.

“Who is he really…?” MC muttered, wiping the blood from his split lip. His eyes flickered with a strange mixture of exhaustion and curiosity.

“He’s dangerous,” Aisha replied coldly, but her voice trembled slightly. “But I’ve seen those eyes before…”

Suddenly, the system’s mechanical voice rang in MC’s mind:

> [Mission Completed: Rescue the target. Total Missions: 8]

[New World Data Unlocked: Historical Merge and Underground World]

MC’s vision blurred for a second, flashing through countless holographic images: burning cities, monstrous beasts, alien landscapes, magical worlds colliding with Earth. When his senses returned, he sat down heavily.

“Three years ago…” he whispered, “I came to this world. Transferred into a different body… in a world eight times larger than Earth. And none of this makes any sense.”

Aisha turned to him sharply. “You’re hiding something.”

He nodded. “Yes. I am. And so is he,” he pointed at Black Coat, who stirred weakly on the couch.

“Then let’s start by asking him.”

Moments later, Black Coat groaned and slowly opened his bloodshot, crimson eyes. His breathing was shallow, his face pale. Aisha approached cautiously.

“Who sent you?” she asked quietly but firmly. “Why us?”

Black Coat’s lips twitched into a painful smirk. “You… you really don’t remember me, do you?”

His words struck Aisha like lightning. Her heart raced, confusion clouding her mind.

“Remember you? From where?”

Black Coat’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “You once saved me… long ago. When I was just a worthless, nameless child abandoned on the streets. You saved me from monsters… not the kind with fangs or claws, but worse—human monsters. You gave me hope. And then… you forgot me.”

Aisha’s eyes widened. Somewhere deep in her locked memories, an image of a dirty, starving child surfaced. The boy she had once saved when she was just a teenager.

“No… it can’t be…” she whispered.

MC’s confusion deepened. “What is he talking about?”

Black Coat chuckled bitterly. “She saved me. But not for long. A week later, some men from the underground took me… sold me into an organization far worse than death. The Darkness World.”

The name sent chills through both siblings. Everyone had heard whispers of the Darkness World—a secret criminal empire that ruled the underworld of this merged reality, led by the enigmatic 7 Dark Kings.

“They trained me,” Black Coat continued. “Tortured me. Broke me. Rebuilt me into what you see now… the second most feared assassin in the underground world. I became a monster, not by choice, but because I had no choice.”

He coughed violently, blood trickling down his lips. Aisha instinctively knelt beside him, torn by guilt and sorrow.

“Why… why kidnap my brother and—?”

“It was never about you two,” he interrupted weakly. “It was the mission. Failure was not an option. And now that I’ve failed…”

His voice faltered. The siblings exchanged glances.

“Failed?” MC echoed.

Black Coat closed his eyes. “The Darkness World… they don’t tolerate failure. I was supposed to kill you. Or bring you in. I did neither. They’ll come for me next.”

Suddenly, the mansion’s alarms blared.

Warning! Multiple intrusions detected! Hostile forces approaching!

MC’s system flashed urgent notifications in his vision. Aisha gritted her teeth. “They’re here already.”

Black Coat struggled to sit up. “I have to go. If they find me here, you’ll all die.”

“No,” MC said firmly. “We’re not letting you die like this. Not until we get answers.”

The system chimed again:

> [New Mission: Protect the Target (Black Coat) for 6 hours]

[Rewards: Experience + Rare Weapon Unlock]

Aisha’s hands glowed faintly—she still retained traces of magic from the caves they’d explored before. She placed a protective barrier over the room.

“We’ll fight,” she said quietly. “Together.”

Black Coat looked at her, astonished. “Why… after what I’ve done…?”

Aisha smiled faintly. “Because the boy I saved back then… deserved better. And maybe… so do you.”

For the first time, a flicker of genuine emotion passed over Black Coat’s face. He swallowed hard, then forced himself to stand, despite his injuries.

“Then let me help you,” he said grimly. He pulled two hidden daggers from inside his coat, his black wings slowly spreading.

“We’re up against one of the Seven Dark Kings,” he warned. “If we survive this… I’ll tell you everything.”

---

Meanwhile, in the Darkness World headquarters…

A shadowed figure sat on a throne of bones, his face obscured by darkness. One of his lieutenants knelt before him.

“Black Coat failed,” the lieutenant said. “He’s with the targets now.”

The figure’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Good. Then let the hunt begin. Send the Reapers. I want them all dead.”

---

To Be Continued in assesion Black Coat: Episode 3 – The Reapers Arrive

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