Parasites, Magic And Revenge

When the doctor started stitching, Raven remained unresponsive. Given that the doctor worked in this rough neighborhood, he was accustomed to healing wounds from street fights—some with gouged-out eyes, others missing limbs. In such cases, a simple cloth would be sufficient to stop the bleeding temporarily. However, this wound wasn’t one that could be covered with mere cloth, and judging by its appearance, hours had passed since it was inflicted. As the doctor stitched, he spoke, "How are you still alive, young man?"

Raven paused before replying, "You do what you have to do."

The doctor understood the depth behind these simple words, realizing that this young man had lived a hard life. The look in his eyes and the fact that he had survived such an injury made it clear: Raven wasn’t fearless because he wanted to die, but because he was determined to live and accomplish his purpose. To have such confidence in oneself required a lifetime of success in everything one attempted. Yet, this boy didn’t even look like he was in his twenties. The doctor muttered softly, almost to himself, "This must be what they call a god complex."

Raven smiled faintly, still staring at the ceiling, and then asked, "What do you know about the drug dealers in this city?"

The doctor hesitated, his hand freezing mid-stitch, as if something had crossed his mind. After a pause, he continued, clearly reluctant to answer. Raven, still lying there, turned his head to the doctor and raised an eyebrow, making it clear that he expected an answer. Raven’s presence exerted a pressure the doctor couldn’t ignore. Wiping his brow with a cloth, the doctor finally spoke, "Why do you want to know?"

Raven locked eyes with him, replying coldly, "I ask the questions here, old man. Just answer."

The doctor's hesitation was understandable. If someone he didn’t know came in with such a massive wound and asked this kind of question, it could mean one of two things: either the organization was testing him, or a rival group was preparing for war. Either way, the doctor was in trouble. Normally, he wouldn’t answer such a question, but right now, if he wanted to save his life from Raven, he knew he had no choice. He could figure out how to survive later. "There’s a group called the Nightmare Organization. They control most of the drug and human trafficking in the city."

Raven frowned, asking, "Human trafficking?"

The doctor nodded nervously, continuing to stitch. What shocked Raven the most was the fact that there was such a massive organization in a city he’d lived in his whole life, and he hadn’t even heard its name. He’d always assumed drug sales were made by individuals, and others just bought what they needed. Likewise, he’d never heard anything about human trafficking. While he knew the names of many smaller gangs, he had never once come across anything related to this Nightmare Organization. No matter how he tried to connect the dots, it didn’t make sense. He suddenly stopped thinking and turned to the doctor again. "Do you know anything else?"

The doctor, looking terrified, met Raven’s gaze and answered, "The Nightmare Organization is everywhere in this city. When you walked in here, I even thought you might be one of them. But the thing is, the Nightmare isn’t the scariest part. The real danger is that a kraken doesn’t fight a sardine. They control countless smaller criminal gangs, and about two-thirds of the people in this city are involved in those gangs. Most of the people in those gangs don’t even know the Nightmare exists."

Raven suddenly grabbed the doctor’s arm and twisted it, making him drop the needle. "How do you know all this? Are you some kind of high-ranking member?"

The doctor, pushing back with his free hand, cried out, "No, no! I was just their old doctor. Please, let me go!"

Raven had no real reason or proof to believe him, but the doctor was the only one he could trust for now. If the doctor had been one of them, he wouldn’t have given up any information in the first place, Raven thought. The doctor regained his composure, picked up the needle, and focused back on the stitching. Raven’s questions, however, weren’t over. "Do you know who the leaders of this organization are?"

The doctor began sweating again, his body trembling, as a chill ran down his spine. Finally, he managed to speak. "No one can see the boss except the highest-ranking members. I was just a simple doctor. They say only the top four members of the Nightmare have ever met him. The first one is said to be him."

Raven pondered for a moment before continuing his interrogation. "How strong are their leaders?"

The doctor laughed nervously, his hands shaking. "I-I haven’t seen it for myself, but… they say if he wanted, he could destroy the whole city easily."

Raven stared at the ceiling, feeling genuinely uneasy. There was a chance that this boss might be as strong as Edward Hunter, or even stronger. The most powerful creature Raven had encountered so far was the serpent he fought that morning. If the boss had equal power to that serpent, even if Raven tried a thousand times, he couldn’t beat him in his current state. Every time he thought back to that fight, he remembered how he couldn’t even scratch the serpent, which had merely toyed with him. His pride was wounded.

Raven’s top priority was to grow stronger, and there was no better time than now to start. "What happens if I challenge this gang?"

The doctor’s heart raced as he stammered, "W-with your current state, it’s impossible. Even if you were a god, one person can’t fight a whole organization. Only an organization can fight an organization."

Raven burst out laughing, leaving the doctor confused as he continued stitching. When the laughter finally stopped, Raven spoke again, "From this moment on, I’m starting my own organization."