#stor

Nica patted the top of Number 1's head, smiled, and stood up.

Nica “Wait here. We'll take care of the doctor.”

He was holding my hand, so I stood up too.

Nica “Just one thing—once everything is over, can you promise to come with us?”

Number One nodded firmly at Nica's words.

In the Doctor's room...

Dr. Riley “Ah, you came after all!”

The moment he opened the door, Dr. Riley spread his arms wide and welcomed us with a big smile.

Neema "Why,"

Dr. Riley "Number 1 informed me during the experiment that there was an intruder."

Dr. Riley "I was supposed to check the condition of the eye I received from him today, but he resisted fiercely."

Dr. Riley "'If I could see any reason to keep my hands off you, I won’t do anything today.'"

Neema "You threatened him…"

The eye patch, the blood seeping through, the fearful expression I saw when we first met. All of it was heartbreaking, and it was obvious what he had been through.

Dr. Riley

"Since he's found the intruder, I've postponed disposing of the test subjects."

The man who had hurt Number 1 and the children was laughing with amusement.

Nica, who had been silent until then, took a step closer to the doctor.

Nica “You gathered people at this research facility to create a new human race, didn't you?”

Dr. Riley “Yes. When the research hit a dead end, I found Number One with his special eyes… I thought it was God's will.”

Dr. Riley “It was a revelation that I should create a human being with powers beyond human understanding with my own hands.”

The doctor laughed as he removed a section of the floor.

Dr. Riley "Besides, if we create a friend, Number One will surely be happy, right?"

Dr. Riley "I'm just trying my best to create a friend for him."

There was a metal weight-like object tied to a string.

(That's so selfish.)

Number One and the children have had their lives taken away by the doctor's arrogance.

Clenching my fist, I open my mouth to speak.

However, it was Nica who spoke first.

Nica “Tragedy is just repeated in the same way everywhere you go.”

Nica "Even if no one wishes for it, as long as there are people driven by greed, tragedy will always occur."

Nica “You don't know the feeling of helplessness, huddling together in the pitch-black darkness with no end in sight.”

Neema “Nica……?”

He fixed his cold gaze on the doctor, and even though he was smiling, it looked like he wasn't.

Nica “Someone like you should die, right now.”

In the blink of an eye, he drew his gun and shot the doctor in the heart.

Bright red blood spurted out, and the doctor's body fell forward.

But as he lay dying, the doctor looked at me and smiled.

Dr. Riley

“If I’m going to die, we might as well all die together.”

He slammed his fist on the floor, knocking something heavy made of metal to the ground.

The floor shook violently, and the sound of something shattering echoed through the room as the doctor breathed his last.

(What on earth…!)

The weight hidden under the floor, the rope, the basement, the sound of something shattering— poison hanging from the ceiling.

It was dropped.

Nica “Robin!”

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the room.

I couldn't help but ask, as I ran at full speed behind Nica,

Neema “Nica, just now…!”

Nica "That bastard dropped poison in the basement!

We tumbled down the stairs and banged on the basement door.

But all that came back was the screams of children.

And then, as I tried to help amidst hellish screams of agony, I reached for the doorknob.

Nica "If the poison falls, the door locks, and if you try to open it, a bomb will activate."

He wrapped my hand from above and shook his head.

Nica "...This poison will cause extreme suffering to the body and lead to death."

Nica "If this continues, those children will die while bearing an endless agony."

Then he squeezed my hand tightly and pulled me away from the doorknob.

He stared at the door with a determined expression, and I bit my lip, realizing what he was going to do.

He gave me a look that said, “Stay back,” and I couldn't move.

Nica separated me from the door with his other hand and smiled softly.

Neema “Nica, wait…”

Nica “It's okay, let's end it all.”

A loud explosion echoed, and the room fell silent.

The flames that had ignited the room where the doctor was were quickly spread throughout the entire building.

Waiting for us as we escaped was Ring, his face contorted with despair.

Ring “Wh-why…?”

Nica coldly rebuffed Ring, who stood there in a daze.

Nica “Our goal is to destroy this research facility, right?”

Ring “But there are still people inside…”

Nica “They can't escape. You saw it yourself, Ring.”

Nica sighed and waved his hand at Ring, who looked distressed.

Nica “Go back first and report to Dali. The cursed one is already dead, and I burned down the lab and killed the test subjects.”

Nica “I'll take care of the rest. Come on, hurry up and go.”

Ring was half-forced to leave, and Nica glanced at me, who was left behind, and turned away with a look of exasperation.

Nica “……Neither you nor Ring need to see any more horrible things.”

Nica “I am the only one who should have to see such things.”

His back seemed so far away as he stared at the burning building.

But the moment I saw his tightly clenched fist, tears welled up in my eyes.

(There's no way I'd let him be alone.)

I grabbed the hem of his shirt as he stood there, bearing all the responsibility alone.

Tears streaming down my face, I stand next to him and stare at the burning building, wanting to share even a little of his burden.

Nica glanced at me and smiled with a pained expression.

Nica “…Stupid robin."

Lives that could not be saved and lives that were taken.

Facing the burning building, all we could do was mourn.

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