Admiral Anchor was exactly that…
Bifrat immediately grabbed Krauser's arm and whispered into his ear:
"It's not worth it… he's not our enemy… he was just doing his job. Stay calm and don't do anything stupid…"
This senile old man deserved it…
Krauser knew that too.
Two more people entered after Anchor:
"Sir… Taka and the Dragon region are clear… Liv is returning."
"So only the Fade city remains…"
Turning to the Admiral:
"Come inside."
Admiral Anchor:
"So that's what they meant when they told me outside… a child, huh?"
"Maturity isn't about age. It's about thought and reason."
The Admiral stepped inside.
"You're a former soldier… or that's what we've been told. But now a bounty hunter?"
Ayato said with a hint of sarcasm.
"You're talking to me about maturity?
I've got a family to support…"
"Your sister, right?"
"…Yes."
"In return, you'll receive 100,000 Macrium from us… and your sister will remain here for her safety. That's the essence of our agreement."
"…"
Bifrat:
"So, should we leave now?"
Ayato:
"Of course…"
Denis:
"Why don't we all go to Fade together? It's the only one left…"
Ayato:
"Because going back and forth would be a waste of time… if an emergency arises, I'll go using Satellite."
Bifrat, Denis, and Krauser leave…
—
Brody enters the room…
It's completely dark…
Only breathing can be heard…
"So you're still conscious… good. Then look at me."
Zack slowly opens his eyes…
Without moving his head, he looks at Brody.
"So… I'm here to explain a few things.
First, you might be wondering why you didn't die in this condition… That's normal.
You might assume the reason is Helios… but… back then Helios wasn't even active, and the subconscious influence… isn't that effective. At least not enough to survive the beating you took from Admiral Anchor…"
To be fair… that was a good point…
"The real reason is that you're not even human… You might say, so what? I was revived using Macu energy."
Brody leans in close… and whispers into his ear:
"Because you are a being entirely created from Macu energy!!!"
W-WHAT?! WAIT!! NO!!! That can't be…
"And Bifrat… Krauser… that guy you call your brother… and your sister…
They all knew this…"
S-sister? I-I have a sister?
"Of course you don't remember… The injected Macu damaged your mind…"
Zack couldn't speak…
His vocal cords stung unbearably whenever he tried to open his mouth…
Possibly from whatever twisted substances Ghost poured down his throat…
Or some kind of implant while he was unconscious…
Only thoughts… but if he could speak…
He would've had so many questions…
"If you don't believe me, here…"
Brody stepped back and showed him a document…
A report from 24 years ago…
"Subject 666… scheduled for termination due to rejection of Otto particle and extreme instability."
It was written just like that…
Stamped with the seal of the Taka Government and signed by Masaru Taka, the then-leader of the Taka family…
And approved by the "Supreme Authority" that included all national leaders of the New World at its founding…
At that moment, blood began dripping from Zack's eyes…
Blood streamed from his eyes—proof that some truths don't break you from the outside.
Brody:
"If I were you, I'd thank us.
We killed the bastards who wanted to use you…
And now, we're trying to awaken your true power.
As painful as this method is…
You'll understand someday…"
Zack's eyes shut on their own…
But the bleeding didn't stop…
—
Wait… what do you mean…?
Was it all a lie…?
Did they try to use me…
No!! They already used me…
No, wait… maybe it's a misunderstanding…
But… that report… that was a real report…
It had the approval of the Supreme Authority…
It was all… real…
I…
So I was alone… all this time…
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
No no no no no no no no
It can't be real… (It is)
I don't want this… (It's not your choice)
I'm about to lose it… (You already have)
"Hhhhaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Zack starts screaming and pulling against the chains—
But the more force he uses, the more agonizing the pressure on his arms—
"Aaaaaaaaarrrghhhh…aaaa!!"
He can't endure it anymore…
Brody stands at the door, lost in thought…
Then Ghost appears:
"So he's awake… hehehe…"
He grabs his sword and enters the room…
And after that, the screaming intensifies…
Louder…
More violent…
Then it stops…
Only Ghost's insults…
His twisted words and sword swings…
Blood dripping…
That silence… it made Brody feel uneasy…
—
Days passed…
Ghost's torture continued…
But for the past two days… Zack hadn't reacted at all…
He didn't speak or make a sound…
He no longer responded to any of the pain…
And the discomfort Brody felt slowly morphed into fear…
He sensed something terrible was coming…
—
Taka City; The Hawk's Nest
There had been no news for days…
Emily was now staying here too…
With Mia…
That's why Denis was too ashamed to visit Mia…
Ayato and Liv were giving Bifrat, Denis, Krauser, and Admiral Anchor some key intel on OptiPax in the briefing room…
Suddenly, someone entered without permission:
"WE FOUND THEIR LOCATION!!!!!"
—
File #023
This file has been deleted or access is restricted…
404 NOT FOUND…