"Of course we have proof," Jeremy said, clapping a firm hand on the shoulder of a nearby man as a signal.
The man nodded and walked to the back of the room, retrieving a thick file before pinning several images to the board at the front. The room fell silent as the photos came into view. One by one, the truth unfolded.
The images showed missing people—dozens of them—being escorted by armed authorities. Some were bruised, bloodied. Others were clearly beaten. A few images captured moments too horrifying to forget—people being shot in the streets, left to die like criminals, though their only crime was being different.
Dante felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs.
His eyes locked on one image in particular.
Lina.
She was there—hands bound, a blank expression on her face, wearing a blindfold—as two officers escort her through a hallway.
'What the hell is this? What are they doing to us?' Dante's heart pounded against his ribs. His mouth went dry. He shook his head, eyes wide in disbelief. The room, once filled with skeptical murmurs, now hung in a heavy, oppressive silence. Even the most doubtful ones stared at the evidence, unable to look away.
Jeremy turned toward them. "Now do you all believe me?" he said, his voice low but sharp. "You should start worrying about your own future. One day, when your abilities come to light, what happened in these images could happen to you."
He let that settle, then continued.
"I'm here to invite all of you to the Supernatural Club. Not to rebel—but to survive. To fight for your own freedom."
A man near the back raised his hand. "Mr. Jeremy, I get what you're saying. I really do. But how do we fight against the authority? They have guns, they're organized. I mean, I can barely lift a spoon with my power. What good is that?"
A few others murmured in agreement.
"Yeah, what's the plan here? They shoot people like that just for having powers. What can we actually do?"
Jeremy raised his hand, gesturing for calm. "Everyone relax. We're not planning a war—not yet. Our first goal is escape. That's it. I promise you, I'll get everyone out of here safely. But I can't explain the rest unless you agree to join us."
There was hesitation.
Then someone stood up abruptly. "Alright, I'm out of here. My ability is just lifting small things. As long as I don't use it, no one's gonna notice. I don't need this crap. Good luck with your little club."
He left without another word.
One by one, others followed him. Half the room emptied within minutes.
Dante remained seated, unsure. 'Maybe I should leave too... Just pretend none of this happened.' He stood, heading for the door. But just as he reached it, a familiar voice called out.
"Hey, Dante."
He turned and saw Joseph standing at the end of the hallway.
"You got a minute?"
"...Yeah. Sure."
Dante followed him into a side room. His mind swirled with doubt, questions he couldn't yet put into words.
Joseph closed the door behind them. "Do you know why Lina got found out?"
Dante blinked. "What? No. I thought— I mean, maybe she used her powers?"
Joseph shook his head slowly. "The authority has a method to detect powered individuals. Even if you don't use your ability, they can still find you. You get what I'm saying?"
Dante stood there in silence for a moment, thinking hard. 'So even hiding isn't enough. They'll still come for us...'
He sighed. "I guess I have no choice but to join you guys."
Joseph smiled faintly. "That's what I thought. You understand now."
He leaned in slightly, his voice more serious. "But there's another reason I called you back."
Dante narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"
"It's because we need you. You're the only one who can read minds. We'll need your power to uncover secrets—and to find a way out of here."
Dante didn't answer right away. When he first learned the truth, his instinct was to run. But now, knowing the enemy could find him regardless, a quiet shift began in his mind. Joseph wasn't lying—he could tell. Even without using his ability, Dante had always been good at sensing people's emotions.
'They need me… That's a first.'
"Alright. What can I do? I'll join you."
Joseph's expression brightened. "Good. But first things first—we're going to help you improve your power."
And they did.
Dante returned to his normal life, but everything had changed. In secret, he trained with members of the Supernatural Club. One of them—a quiet sister with the ability to enhance others—helped amplify his mind-reading gift.
After a week, his skill had grown exponentially. He could hear people's thoughts with clarity, even those with powers. With practice, he began to sense more than just thoughts. Motivation. Intention. Emotion. He could feel people's fears and hopes just as easily as hearing spoken words.
For the first time in his life, Dante felt like he had real power.
But life, as always, had other plans.
One quiet afternoon, just as Dante returned home from training, a knock echoed through his apartment.
He opened the door—and froze.
Two officers stood there, stone-faced, uniforms pristine. One held a folded letter.
"Dante Karling?" the taller officer asked.
"Y-yeah?"
"You're being summoned by the Authority. Please come with us."
"What? Wait, I haven't done anything!"
Without answering, they stepped forward and cuffed his wrists.
As he was escorted into the back of the car, panic bloomed in his chest.
'What the hell is happening? I didn't use my powers! No one saw me!'
He glanced out the window as his apartment disappeared from view.
And for the first time in days, he was truly afraid.