One piece :I open the locks of the heart

After following Makino's advice, I found myself a quiet tree to sleep in for the night, waiting for the sunrise. The plan was simple: buy new clothes in the morning. I had asked Makino if she could keep them safe for me while I dealt with some small business. No point in ruining them on the first day, and she had kindly agreed.

Once ready, I returned to the Grey Terminal. The place was as grim as ever, and it didn't take long before I came across one of the worst guys in the area. I had heard of him by his nicknames before, but now, here he was, right in front of me. I decided to scan him before making any move.

Name: Bobby the Flayer

Health: It would take you over an hour to knock him out with your tiny fists.

Specialty: Brutal fighting and butchery

Heart: Crimson, like the blood of his countless victims

A shiver ran down my spine. With this information, it was clear that Bobby wasn't the type to go down easily. I took a deep breath. Alright, let's save him for later, I told myself, with a hint of humility in my inner voice. I clearly wasn't ready for a monster like him just yet.

I decided to focus on smaller targets. After spending the whole morning exploring the Grey Terminal, I finally stumbled upon a scumbag harassing a group of children. The man was yelling at them, trying to extort whatever they had — probably not much, but enough to attract the attention of a lowlife like him.

I scanned him out of caution.

Name: Brandon Box

Health: One hit will be enough.

Specialty: Scams and intimidation

Heart: ash gray, like the dust in which he left his principles

One hit will be enough? I repeated to myself with a grin. For once, this was almost too easy.

I approached the group quietly, taking advantage of Brandon's distraction. The kids were terrified, frozen in place. Without Brandon noticing, I sneaked up behind him, clenched my fists, and took a deep breath.

With a quick, firm blow to the back of his head, I knocked him out cold. Brandon crumpled like a sack of potatoes, unconscious in an instant. He didn't even know what hit him.

The kids stood there, wide-eyed, staring at me in disbelief as I dusted off my hands.

"It's okay, you can go now," I said with a smile. "He won't be bothering you for a while."

They looked at each other, still in shock, then dashed off as fast as their little legs could carry them. I sighed, satisfied with how easily that was resolved.

I quickly scanned the area. No movement, no shadows lurking. Confident that no one was watching, I dragged Brandon's limp body into a dark and discreet corner between two old, crumbling walls. His body felt heavy, but I kept my movements silent, well-practiced at staying hidden in this place.

Once out of sight, I pulled out my Keyblade. The familiar weight of it in my hand was comforting as I raised it over Brandon's chest. With a firm thrust, I stabbed the Keyblade into his heart.

The reaction was immediate and dramatic. His eyes flew open, wide with shock, and black, viscous liquid poured from his mouth, quickly spreading over his body. The dark fluid coated his skin completely before his body began to morph, growing into a monstrous size of 2.5 meters tall.

The blackness split in two. One part slid into me, merging with my body in a strange but painless sensation, while the other part transformed before my eyes. A large creature materialized — Rondouillard, standing before me.

I signaled it, curious if it would respond like the other Shadows I had summoned. The Rondouillard immediately obeyed and transformed into black smoke, sinking into my shadow, confirming that I could store it like the others. Perfect.

I glanced one last time at where Brandon had been, noticing a few Berries and a mask left behind. I carefully pocketed the money, storing it in my chest, then slipped the mask over my face. A sense of satisfaction filled me as I tightened the mask around my head. Let the hunt begin.

After dealing with Brandon, I continued my hunt for more prey in the Grey Terminal. The place was teeming with scum, and it didn't take long to find another target — a large man bullying a poor woman over a few scraps of food.

I observed him for a moment, then moved silently into position. A well-placed strike to the back of his neck knocked him out cold. I quickly glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, and repeated the process, stabbing the Keyblade into his heart. Just like with Brandon, the transformation was immediate, and a new dark creature emerged from the blackness that poured from his body. I stored the creature in my shadow and continued my hunt.

Throughout the morning, I dealt with small-time criminals who thought they were untouchable in this lawless zone. One was chasing down a kid for a single Berry. I knocked him out with one swift punch before he even knew what hit him. Another victim, another creature. The process became almost automatic. One by one, they fell to my quick strikes, each one absorbed by the Keyblade, leaving behind a few Berries or minor items.

I made sure never to be noticed, striking from the shadows and hiding the bodies before moving on. By the end of the day, a dozen low-level thugs had vanished, and my collection of Heartless had grown. The children and residents of the Grey Terminal moved around a bit more freely, unaware that their temporary peace was due to my efforts.

Every time a part of the dark energy entered me, I felt like I was getting stronger, but I wasn't sure.

The afternoon passed quickly, and after cleaning out the worst parts of the Grey Terminal, I headed to the forest to hunt some animals. In addition to strengthening my skills and gathering more creatures to store, I could also collect meat and furs to trade in Fuchsia Village. Rabbits and small game fell easily to my Keyblade, and their Shadows were quickly added to my growing army.

By the end of this intense day, I had built a small army of Heartless. Three Rondouillard, including Brandon's, five Soldiers with quick, efficient movements, and two Red Nocturnes — flying creatures that would be useful for ranged attacks.

As night began to fall, I used the cover of darkness to silently fly over the city. My levitation ability allowed me to hover above the rooftops, watching Fuchsia from the skies. As the houses passed beneath me, I suddenly felt that strange sensation of a lock. The keyhole — I could sense it clearly. It was located in a large noble house, set apart from the others.

Two days later

I repeated the same routine over and over and finally confirmed that my body had gotten stronger when I scanned Bobby again.

Name: Bobby the Flayer

Health: Should fall after a few hits.

Specialty: Brutal fighting and butchery

Heart: Crimson, like the blood of his countless victims.

I followed him discreetly through the night, silently floating in the air, my eyes locked on the flickering light of his torch. Bobby, the Flayer, walked with heavy steps toward his hideout — a small cabin on the outskirts of the Grey Terminal. With his reputation as a ruthless brute, no one dared to accompany him, for fear of ending up mutilated, or worse. He was one of those men even criminals feared.

I hovered above him, taking advantage of the darkness, and once he entered his hideout alone, I spotted a gaping hole in the roof of the dilapidated cabin. Silently, I slipped inside, pausing for a moment in the shadows. The flickering light of a few candles revealed a sordid scene: Bobby sat at a crude wooden table, slowly sharpening a series of gleaming knives. In the corner of the room, a young woman, visibly pregnant, wept silently, her arms and legs bound tightly by frayed but sturdy ropes. She struggled weakly, but it was no use — she was completely at his mercy.

A cold anger surged through me. This man was a monster. Without wasting time, I released a dozen Shadows from my body, the Heartless slipping out of my shadow and dispersing throughout the dimly lit room. Their presence darkened the atmosphere even further.

Bobby suddenly looked up, alerted by a movement at the edge of his vision.

"What the hell are these creatures?!" he shouted, throwing a knife at one of the Shadows. But the creature flattened itself against the ground, merging with the darkness before reappearing on the other side of the room. The other Heartless were just as agile, dodging his attacks with supernatural speed, their sharp claws leaving deep gashes on his thick skin.

I watched for a moment, impressed by their efficiency. They were much faster and deadlier than in the game. The bloody marks on Bobby's body were proof of that. But it wasn't enough.

I decided to release a Large Body to fight with brute strength. The massive, stocky creature appeared in a cloud of darkness and charged directly at Bobby. He tried to fend it off, but every blow he landed seemed futile against the creature's thick body. The two engaged in a brutal fight, with Bobby struggling with all his might against this supernatural force that wouldn't stop harassing him.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I flew into the air, hovering just above him, my Keyblade raised high. With a swift, powerful strike, I brought it down on his head. The impact echoed through the room. Bobby staggers, groggy, his weapon falling from his bloodied hands. This is the moment I've been waiting for.

I rush to the woman and quickly cut her bonds with my Keyblade. She is terrified, but conscious enough to get up and flee. Without a word, she escapes the cabin, running as fast as her legs will allow her. I am relieved that my face is still hidden by the hood. She won't be able to identify me later, just in case.

Once alone with Bobby, I approach his half-conscious body. I then plant my Keyblade directly into his heart. The reaction is immediate and far more impressive than anything I have seen before.

Bobby's body writhes in pain as a dark mass begins to grow around him, quickly reaching a monstrous height of 8 meters.

The darkness then separates into three separate entities. The first one goes straight towards me, merging into my body with a strange and intense sensation. This time, the energy that invades me is much more powerful than with the others.

I feel a new, brutal force, as if every fiber of my being becomes stronger, sharper.

The second entity materializes in the form of an enormous Heartless: a Darkside. The black creature stands before me, imposing and terrifying, with its massive muscles and its bright yellow eyes. Its mere presence seems to absorb the light around us, plunging the room into an even denser darkness.

But that's not all. The last fragment of darkness takes a more distinct and human form: a nobodies. It is a Replica, a thin and pale being, with empty eyes. I immediately recognize this type of nobodies from Kingdom Hearts II, but there is a problem... I have no skills to control these creatures in my "beginner pack".

The Replica wastes no time. He attempts to attack me, but before he can even raise his arm, the Darkside stomps on him roughly, crushing the imitation under his massive foot. The Reflection immediately disintegrates into a bright shard that penetrates my body, leaving me with a new ability.

"You have gained control of Similis: Replica."

Skill acquired: Slide (allows you to quickly slide behind your opponent).

I smiled slightly. "Cool, a new function." At least things were starting to get interesting. The slide could complement my combat style once I developed a more concrete one.

"Return," I commanded my Heartless. The Darkside and other creatures instantly returned to my shadow, disappearing completely.

I then turned my attention to the room. Now that Bobby was dealt with, I quickly searched for anything useful. But at every corner, I found only horrors — unspeakable memories of what he had done to his victims. Disgust filled me, and I realized there was nothing here worth keeping. I couldn't let this place exist any longer.

I gathered the few Berries and valuable items I found, but my heart wasn't in it to search any further. I left the cabin, and with a swift motion, I set fire to the structure. The flames spread quickly, devouring everything inside.

Fortunately, no one lived close enough for the fire to spread. No one had wanted to be his neighbor. As the flames crackled and consumed the building, I walked away into the night, satisfied that one more horror had been erased from the world.

(Note: Just dropping a little comment here, I love the Kingdom Hearts series and feel it's a shame there aren't more fanfictions about it, so I'm writing this one to see how it goes. Hope you enjoy the read ^^)