Dori: "So, uh... who is this girl again, son?"

  Adry stood awkwardly beside Diosa, beads of nervous sweat threatening to form. He forced a smile.

  Adry: "She's a classmate! Yeah, just a classmate. She’s... uh, staying over for a while. School project. Group thing. Totally school related."

  He gave a weak laugh.

  Dori narrowed her eyes at him, clearly unconvinced but too tired to argue.

  Dori: "Sigh… I see."

  She glanced at Diosa, who flashed a graceful, innocent smile.

  Dori: "She’s pretty."

  Diosa: "Why thank you, ma’am."

  Adry: "So, mom? Is it okay if she—?"

  Dori: "Fine. Just for now. But only because you rarely bring anyone home."

  Suddenly, a voice cut through the moment like a knife.

  Tea: "Um, are we just gonna ignore the fact that someone forgot to pick me up?!"

  Adry froze as Tea crossed her arms, glaring like a tiny storm cloud.

  Dori: "Ah. Right. Adry, you’re on dish duty tonight."

  Tea: "That’s it?! He always does the dishes! That’s his punishment?!"

  Dori: "Hmm… No video games for a day."

  Adry: "Uh… that’s not a big deal."

  Tea: "Hmph."

  She turned away, clearly not satisfied. Meanwhile, Diosa chuckled quietly.

  Diosa: "Your family’s... interesting."

  Adry: "Welcome to my life."

  Tea squinted up at Diosa, arms crossed with suspicion written all over her face.

  Tea: "So... you're my brother's classmate, huh?"

  Diosa: "Yup! We even sit together in class."

  She smiled sweetly.

  Tea's eyes narrowed even further.

  Tea: "That so?..."

  Adry: "Tea, just go to your room. Please."

  Tea: "What?! No way. I need to check if this girl’s a demon or something!"

  Adry: "Why would you even think that?!"

  Tea: "Because, duh, no normal girl would willingly hang out with you. So either she's a demon... or a psycho."

  Adry: "...Just go."

  Tea: "Fine, fine. But I got my eyes on you, Blondie."

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Diosa: "Hehe~ and I’ll be keeping my eyes on you too, little tiger."

  Tea: "Hmph!"

  Tea spun on her heel and stomped up the stairs, leaving behind a faint aura of dramatic suspicion.

  Adry: "Why is every girl in this house so terrifying...?"

  Adry led Diosa into the small guest room.

  Adry: "So... here’s your crib. Make yourself at home, I guess."

  Diosa: "Hm. Are you serious? Well… I’ve worked with worse."

  She shrugged, scanning the modest space with a half-smile.

  Adry: "Right, so… what’s the plan? When are you leaving?"

  Diosa: "Aww, trying to get rid of me already?"

  Adry: "I just need to know what I got myself into. Why were those men chasing you?"

  Diosa let out a sigh and her smile faded slightly.

  Diosa: "Alright, alright… as promised, I’ll explain everything."

  Adry: "Good. Then go on."

  Diosa: "First, I’m—"

  Knock. Knock.

  They both froze.

  Adry: "...Seriously?"

  He rubbed his eyes, groaning.

  Adry: "I’ll get it."

  Diosa (suddenly serious): "I’m coming with you."

  Adry: "Huh? Uh, sure."

  They headed downstairs together. Adry unlocked the front door cautiously and began to open it.

  Adry: "What is it—"

  WHAM!

  A strong hand shot through the gap, covering Adry’s mouth and yanking him outside.

  Adry: "Mmmph—!"

  Diosa: "Adry!"

  Before she could react, another figure lunged from the side and pulled her out too.

  The door creaked shut behind them.

  The night was quiet. Too quiet.

  They were dragged into a dim, narrow alleyway, the flickering streetlights barely touching the edges of the walls.

  Diosa: "Mm..."

  She struggled faintly, a cloth wrapped over her mouth.

  Adry: "Nn... nn!"

  He tried to shout, but a strong grip clamped over his face.

  A man loomed over him, face obscured by a hood.

  ???: "Do you even know what kind of mess you’ve gotten yourself into, kid? The gods will not forgive this."

  Adry: "What...? Where's Diosa?!"

  ???: "You shouldn’t concern yourself with her. That girl... she's the Oracle. Mischievous, unpredictable, and—"

  He leaned closer, voice low and grave.

  "—Bride to a certain god."

  Adry: "What...?"

  His mind was spinning.

  ???: "I’ll let you walk away, kid. But you need to shut up. Forget her. Forget everything."

  Adry’s breath trembled. He turned his head—and met Diosa’s eyes.

  They weren’t panicked.

  They weren’t angry.

  They were pleading.

  Desperate.

  Adry’s thoughts screamed in his head.

  Adry (thinking):

  "Don’t look at me like that... It’ll haunt me forever. I'm... a coward. I should just hand her over and walk away. That’s what I’ve always done... But... but—"

  Tch!

  In one swift motion, Adry twisted and bit the man’s hand.

  ???: "Agh—!"

  The grip loosened just enough.

  Adry stumbled forward, ignoring the pain, and rushed to Diosa, yanking her arm.

  Adry: "Come on—!"

  WHAM!

  A powerful kick from behind slammed Adry into the brick wall.

  Adry: "Guh—!"

  He collapsed to the ground, wheezing in pain.

  Diosa: "!!!"

  Her muffled cry reached out, eyes wide in horror.

  The man now stood over Adry, footsteps slow and heavy.

  ???: "Wrong choice, kid."

  Adry: "Nnn... Damn... he's not normal..."

  His body ached, lungs barely pulling in air.

  ???: "One last chance, kid. Run away. You don’t have what it takes to play hero. You’re up against a Resonator."

  Adry: "Resonators..."

  His fingers curled into fists, nails digging into his palms.

  "I really hate that."

  ???: "Didn’t you hear me? You’ll never beat a Resonator. Know your place."

  Adry didn’t respond.

  He rushed forward, a raw, desperate tackle—

  CRACK!

  The man kicked him back into the wall like he was weightless.

  Diosa: "Mmm!!"

  Her eyes widened behind the gag.

  ???: "Alright. No more chances."

  He raised a glowing hand, resonant energy humming faintly in the air.

  Adry: "...Making Resonators was a mistake for the gods."

  ???: "...Huh?"

  Adry: "Choosing their favorites to become Resonators… that’s the part I hate most."

  Diosa stared silently at Adry, her breathing slowing.

  ???: "Are you seriously whining about that now? You mad because no god picked you? What a joke. You’re just a powerless kid."

  Adry: "...!"

  He looked down, hands trembling, then back up with defiant eyes.

  Adry: "Maybe that’s one reason. Yeah, I guess it hurts… that none of the gods—Not even the Ten—chose me. Hell, even a trash-tier god picking me would've been something..."

  He chuckled bitterly.

  "But no. I'm unpickable. Unwanted. Maybe my hatred isn't deep, maybe I am just being dramatic..."

  His eyes narrowed.

  "But even if it’s selfish, I still hate them. All of them."

  ???: "Yawn. You done crying, runt? Say goodnight."

  He moved to strike.

  But—

  SWOOSH!

  Diosa suddenly broke free, the ropes slipping away, and she leapt forward, arms outstretched—

  Shielding Adry.

  Adry: "D-Diosa...?!"

  Diosa (grinning, her voice soft but full of strange power):

  "So you hate the gods too, huh?"

  A strange glow shimmered faintly beneath her skin. The man’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  ???: "...Wait—"

  Diosa: "Well then, Adry..."

  She looked over her shoulder at him, smile mysterious.

  "How about we shake things up... together?"

  Adry: “What do you mean?”

  Diosa didn’t answer at first. Instead, she reached out and grabbed his arm, her touch firm and strangely warm.

  Diosa: “This.”

  She placed her hand over his chest.

  A faint glow shimmered beneath her palm.

  Adry: “Uh—w-wait—”

  Diosa: “You hate the gods, right? So do I… One of them even forced me into a marriage I never wanted. Ugh... disgusting. So, I guess we do have something in common after all.”

  Adry: “D-Diosa, what are you up to?!”

  Diosa: (with a smirk) “Become one with me.”

  ???: “Not good!”

  The man lunged toward them—

  FLASH!

  A blinding light erupted the moment Diosa uttered the words.

  “Soul! Resonance!”

  The man staggered back, shielding his eyes.

  ???:: “Ugh—what the hell?! That light—!”

  As the glow faded, Adry stood alone in the alley.

  He looked down, panting. Then—

  Adry: “…What just happened?”

  He caught his reflection in a small puddle.

  His hair now glowed a vibrant red, and his eyes had turned a deep, radiant gold—just like Diosa’s.

  Adry: “What the—?! Diosa?! Where are you?!”

  Diosa (inside his mind): “Inside you, dummy.”

  Adry: “…WHAT?!”

  ???: “What kind of forbidden technique is this? Is this the Oracle’s power?!”

  Diosa: “That’s right. Now stop panicking and use the power I just gave you!”

  Adry: “USE?! I don’t even know how to—”

  SWOOSH!

  The man charged at full speed.

  Adry: “WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT—!”

  His body moved on its own.

  A red light surged

  from his arm as he parried the man’s strike with unnatural reflexes.

  Adry: “Whoa—?! I—I moved?! Diosa, was that you?!”

  Diosa: “Nope. That was all you. You just needed a little... boost.”

  Adry: “…Oh crap. I’m gonna die.”

  Diosa: “Not today. You’re my Resonator now, Adry. So get ready…”

  To be continued