“Cem, can I ask you a question?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUWXbl82n5
Cem jolts up out of his seat.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxT0XydUKn
“Oh! I … didn't think you were awake.” Cem says. He'd been sitting in a chair in the living room mulling over the events that had just transpired.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pvbXvD9sW
“I'm sorry if I startled you.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0Uv64nXdQ
“It's fine, I was just lost in thought. What's your question?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTr24zAHKGe
“Why does mo- Ms. Anri treat me the way she does?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX3BEDbLtf
“What do you mean? Do you think she's treating you poorly?” He says while gesturing to the seat next to him.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqyJesmiQh
Zero takes the seat. “It's the opposite really. She feeds me, clothes me, lets me live here with her, and doesn't ask for anything in return. Dr. Katse kept me around while I was still a test subject, and once I wasn't useful anymore, he kicked me out. But now, Ms. Anri takes even better care of me, but I'm not useful to her at all. Why?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzu7AolEXu
Cem puts his arm around him. “Well… Let's start with a different question. Why do you have to be useful to be loved?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxQ6klSG0E
“Loved? I guess… it would be so the other person gets something for their efforts.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNccwNEhRiV
“See, your relationship with Dr. Katse was built upon an equivalent exchange, and your relationship with Anri is one built upon love.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSV2MrVH3Y
“But why is it that way?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRNG9pJuA3
“Hmm… Don't tell her I told you this, but when I initially asked her to take you in, she screamed and threw a fit.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7HP9owpui
“Really?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNNzSqLEDJ
“Yup. She did, not because of you, but because she knows that she wouldn't be able to imagine her life without you. She gets attached easily and fights hard to protect the ones she cares about. Her fuss was to shield her from the pain attributed to loving you. So to answer your initial question, she loves you because it's a part of her nature. Even with that, she finds something new to love about you everyday.”
.
.
.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlNvVVbiPb
Several years had passed since Dr. Katse's attack on Zero. He hadn’t been seen in or near the village since then. Due to his sudden appearance and disappearance, Anri asked Cem to teach Zero how to fight, more for her sake than his. After their experience with Dr. Katse, she'd do whatever it took to keep him safe. Aside from training, they returned to their normal everyday lives.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrON7fz5tKw
“Zero! Are you up yet?! Cem is gonna be here any minute now!” Anri shouts down the hall.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nscsvJhTR
“Yeah, yeah, I'm up…” Zero says, groggily rolls out of bed.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx3pS3pZBs
“You already made breakfast? You must really be excited.” He says through a yawn as he walks into the kitchen.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEfHZ1Adcq
“Morning.” He says while hugging her.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKoXCkSTva
“Morning.” She turns to kiss him on his forehead. “And ‘excited’ isn't the word I'd use. More like, curious.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoLNkU6TNU
Zero takes a seat at his usual spot at the table. Once she finishes cooking, Anri makes three plates and sits at the table.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJibIZVwLW
“He's late.” Anri says while staring at the clock at the wall. “He said he'd be here at 8:00 sharp.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJBFvvCdOV
“Maybe he got tied up with something at work? He did say he’d be in Rahu today.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWmHcWOXPL
“If that's the case, it makes me wonder what could tie down someone that can teleport.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJWj5wb9Wf
After a while, they decide to eat without him. Minutes turn into hours as they await Cem’s arrival. Late in the night, they hear a knock on the door.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmldl4PJH3
“Zero, go get the door.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp4i14hjAC
“Got it.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYfl4L04WE
He opens the door to find an empty moonlit porch.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidmMJfHTQQ
“Hello? Anyone out there?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1JIvUc36S
An explosion answers his call, knocking him outside through the doorway.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6dyUspwXR
Dazed, Zero looks up at the now flaming house, scanning for his mother.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR4TtVeTEo
“Mom! Where are you! Are you alright?!” He yells, sprinting into the burning remains of the house.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0TwIhN1bD
Where is she? What was that explosion?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6gecDyCZj
After digging through the burning rubble, he finds her unconscious with several burns and bruises.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GvAZympGG
“Mom, can you hear me?!” He says before getting hit with a hard kick to the stomach.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3TNg9v7Sg
“Ah, Zero! Fantastic timing!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3S93PkGjF
Why, why, WHY? Why is he here? Everything was just fine a minute ago… But then he just had to show up and ruin it.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SZCOrHnYM
“I just knew I'd get to see you again!” Dr. Katse exclaims. “How do you like my gift?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBJhpp34Fb
Zero groans in pain as he turns to see Anri awaken. Squinting through the blood, her eyes focus on her son and the madman standing above him.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXD1w7d92r
“You survived that? You are a hearty one indeed. Zero, pay very close attention.” Dr. Katse says as he pulls a knife off of his hip and walks towards Anri.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Yrkxoh5yi
“Stop! Please, I'll do anything!” Zero's pleas fall on deaf ears. “I'll go back to the lab! You can do whatever you want to me! Just don't hurt her anymore!” The tears now welling up in his eyes.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxQc2avGcN
“I came here today to do one thing. Do you know what that thing is, Zero?” Dr. Katse says squatting down in front of Anri.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Pl541ckKI
“Please… don't…” Zero whimpers.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLvFiOdYos
“Sorry to do this to you Anri, but your death will propel my research to new heights.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtFGFiXo0Q
“I love you, my dear son.” Anri says faintly, mustering the last of her strength.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBmcJhU409
Dr. Katse plunges his knife into her throat, and yanks it out, flinging blood throughout the burning room.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgNFi1A7ut
Zero was filled with a burning rage, but it was immediately washed over by a sea of sadness. The life of the one person he'd love was just taken. His whole world was shattered due to the madness of one man.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3FysTvIRG
“Why couldn't you just leave me… leave us alone?!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3WNa7JYoV
“Why, you ask? It's simple, really. You're an experiment. Unlike you tricked yourself into believing, you never stopped being one.” He turns to Zero, staring coldly.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXVO1dnoUL
“Everything you've felt, all of your experiences, were things I've allowed. Cem picking you up, meeting Anri, having a family. I couldn't take anything from you because you didn't have anything. But now that I've given you something to hold onto, something worth loving, I now have something to take from you.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5ovl2r6yO
It was all… an experiment? Science drove him this far?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20QyWkBtsZ
Zero starts to feel dizzy before falling unconscious.
.
.
.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl40Nu8AjYU
“Looks like you can't disregard him and kill me at the same time. You know what to do Zero. Kill him.” Dr. Katse says.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA0O6KMNdV
“I will not!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VROwUPEFZ
“Why? Too scared to kill someone like you? Surely you have the means to do so.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR43O5NlP2x
“Someone like me...” He mumbles.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnFZKBQ3eK
Maybe he's right. Maybe I do have a soft spot for these kids. However, I do need to take him out of the equation.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRNQqwUM0l
“Lord Varasta. With all due respect, I will not allow you to harm Dr. Katse.” Seven says, breaking his silence.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c9adoesnK
“So you do talk. Why do you intend on protecting him with your life?” Zero says while picking himself up.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDFslTsbSg
“Because this is simply what I know. I have one goal in life and that is to protect Dr. Katse. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure his safety.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IrPiyrIhy
“Sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it?” Dr. Katse says.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvZdrjSIAo
“I've no idea what you're talking about.” Zero says while fighting his own mind.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQU1tBZho4
“Don't play dumb! He's just like you! He has a goal and he's willing to do anything to get there. You yourself are willing to hire assassins and a pirate to bring down your enemies. You've even attacked royalty to get this far. You're shaping up to be just like your father and his father before him.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoYFFbX0aZ
“SHUT UP! I am nothing like them and I will never be anything near what they were! I’m better!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj5CgxqY3Z
“Better how? You still do the same things they do!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡactCneI0zI
“It's not like that! I'm doing what I have to do!” He shouts back at him while swinging in a raging flurry at Seven. Still struggling to keep up, Seven dodges most of them while landing a few hits on Zero.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfk39buco5b
“And what do you think they did? Were their actions not necessary? How do you think your grandfather Lord Kraha was supposed to take down a powerhouse like Lord Reeda? What about your father’s many strides in creating MERD?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP84HN8SfW6
“All of their actions costed the lives and livelihoods of hundreds, if not thousands of innocents! Mine are… are…”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzY2D475Pr
“Are exactly the same!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq3WWWqpe7
“SHUT UP!” “I hate to have to use this on you, but you are in the way. I'm sorry.” Zero says as he rushes at Seven.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkjN41rpgZ
For the first time in their battle Seven is wary of his opponent. Perhaps he could feel the difference in Zero’s approach. Maybe this time, an attack would come that he couldn't afford to take.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hszdLjikI
Zero swings with an exaggeratedly wide right hook. For the first time in this battle, Seven leans back to dodge the telegraphed punch. However, this was exactly what Zero had anticipated. He jumps over Seven, grabbing his neck and throwing him over his shoulder, leaving him face-down on the floor. He quickly hops on top of him.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNqwAyCI2h
“For your own sake, please do not resist. It will only make this worse for you.” Zero says as he starts to pull Seven's ability out of his back.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXAuuvDiM7
Dr. Katse stares at him in wonder. Despite he and Zero’s long history with each other, he had never actually seen the ability he toiled so long and hard for.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w2HcIFx4d
“See that? Told you you could do it. Now all you have to do is finish him off. Kill him.” Dr.Katse
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡla2Jlkz0Cs
“I refuse.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARLskWxBIw
“And why is that? Your father and grandfather would’ve done it without hesitation.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsQUQTwsiR
“I’m here for you, not him.” Zero says before dashing over to Dr. Katse and swinging wildly.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLWNLO9NSM
His fist stopped inches away from Dr. Katse.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T4lQas6O9
“This was the last thing your father helped create before his untimely demise. An artifact that can absorb ether and expel it as a shield.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqakJf24xou
“And how many lives did this take?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX51bUnptOH
“Dozens. More specifically, the life of every failed test subject.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWswMtp3Wf
Zero continues to swing at the shield.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW9c7ipkQq
“Since it looks like I won’t be leaving here anytime soon, we may as well continue our chat. Do you remember what our nation’s crest is?”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfkc7XaC0H
“Of course I do. Thanks to someone, I was shown the Ouroboros countless times.” He says through gritted teeth as he beats on the shield.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MjBq0T2d6
“Yes, the Ouroboros initially stood for Infinity, or a continuous state of life. In other words, Madu would never cease and would always have what it needed to survive.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXzvNFONWO
Zero doesn't respond, but continues to strike the shield. As Dr. Katse speaks, Zero can feel his strength growing weaker after every passing second.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCvWafYTzH
“I see your strength is starting to wane. It seems you know when I'm getting at.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUAsk4Zgik
“Shut up and die already!”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfn1zENoQDG
“I'll keep going. Once your grandfather, Kraha Varasta, took office, his actions as king would go on to dishonor the crest, leading to new meaning amongst the people: Madu was a greedy snake that would consume everything until there was nothing left but itself to devour.” As he finishes speaking, Zero breaks through the shield, but Dr. Katse catches his hand before he can strike.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T6kz48yuX
“You're starting to behave just like that snake, taking everything that you can.
“And with this you'll be able to see exactly what you are.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7KAthkyaR
Dr. Katse lets go of Zero’s hand, allowing it to go straight through his chest.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9EsTNp90c
He's dying. By my hand at that… Something's wrong.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUVCW0saps
“Just like your father…”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcT1bzqMxI
No…
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6oCfkYH4R
“And his father before him…”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6M3TtQtMx
No, no, no…
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRO16jm1dG
“You became… a king, a snake, and a villain.”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIitQFp7V8U
“No! You're wrong! I'm…”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDWMiCNLmD
“It took 19 years… for you to… get to this point. I'm so very proud… of you… Test Subject Number… Zero.” Dr. Katse says through coughs as blood leaks from his mouth.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE40kxhWNC8
He gives one last, wicked smile before passing away.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoNqLGCiTr
“You're wrong! They're the bad ones! Not me! I just want our nation to be better! For us to no longer be a breeding ground for wicked people like you and my father… and myself…”
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxxqojDcsb
Just like my grandfather. Just like my father. I really am a villain.
