Identity (10)

I leaned my body against the chair inside the rattling vehicle.

Last time it was a car, this time it’s a truck? Unlike the luxurious one before, this seems to be more of a rough combat vehicle.

While thinking these trivial thoughts, I listened to the hunters’ strategy discussion with one ear and let it go out the other, then turned my gaze to the flashing outside the window.

With a boom, the city was momentarily dyed red, and the sky was covered with dark clouds.

The air had been murky for a long time.

“The cleanup of Uijeongbu is complete.”

“From what we understand, we’re in a standoff against the remaining legions coming down from Yangju City. The connected Byeollae-myeon is the front line.”

Erica nodded. The red dots on the device the hunter was holding were still numerous.

“A report came in that a citizen group joined, but it didn’t particularly change the situation.”

I whispered softly, clinging to Erica.

“There’s a citizen group?”

The answer that came back was also in a small voice.

“They’re called a citizen group, but in reality, a few Rankers make up most of the force.”

“Rankers?”

“Ah, I heard the higher-ups lured a usually reclusive group with reward money. The Union has joined forces.”

I see. That could be the reason why people started to appear a little in the buildings.

It seems that hunters who were living off bounties as their livelihood have set foot in the Association side as bounties weren’t coming in well due to the depressed economy.

Erica seemed to contemplate for a moment, then opened her mouth while looking at the device.

“Let’s head to the area next to Byeollae-myeon. We’ll need various preparations.”

The vehicle stopped and I set foot on the ground. At the same time, I heard a clanking sound.

My wrists hurt.

When I turned my head, I saw everyone getting off the vehicle and handling weapons wrapped in sacks.

I saw Erica holding and tending to a sword.

Even if it’s an outdoor activity, shouldn’t you come to undo my handcuffs first?

Even though I couldn’t give her the ending she wanted, isn’t it a bit much to restrain me to the point where my face grimaces in pain?

It’s different, you know.

I stood behind Erica, deliberately acting as if I was sulking.

“Can you undo this?”

“Ah, sure.”

Erica looked at me for a moment, then stopped her hand reaching for the handcuffs.

“If I undo them, you’ll come back to be tied up again, right?”

“Do you like constraining me like this?”

“It’s necessary.”

When did she become so brazen?

Still, I can’t give a definite answer. And I won’t in the future either.

“I will.”

The handcuffs opened. The refreshing sensation seemed long overdue.

Seeing her turn her head back to the hunters, I slipped away quietly.

Despite the dark sky, there was no acrid smell of gunpowder.

Rather, the cold air tickled the tip of my nose.

“We’ll arrive soon. Want to go into subspace?”

Bloody, who had come out of my pocket, was opening a rift when it turned its body towards me.

[Are you going to fight?]

“I’m not sure.”

[She was always good to you though. I wonder if you’re not uncomfortable.]

I was slightly taken aback. Had it been concerned about such things?

“Not really. What can I do? It’s the natural course of things. I don’t particularly want to think about the emotion of pointing a sword at someone trying to entice me.”

[It was the same with Seran.]

I looked up at the sky while walking down the desolate street.

I thought for a moment.

“This is totally villainous.”

I turned my head.

“Don’t you think so too?”

[You just look like a precious child to me.]

I pushed Bloody back into subspace and left the road to go down a slope.

What I saw was a vast field. Blue lines in a grid pattern surrounded it in the form of a tetrahedron.

I moved at the same pace I had been walking.

I saw white clothing.

Green hair fluttered.

“This is unreasonable, you know.”

Jekyll grumbled along with an abbreviated greeting.

“I just wanted to rest, but…”

“You can rest.”

“I need a suitable place.”

Jekyll turned her head. The sky flashed and a roaring sound echoed from afar.

“This place is ruined. It’s a complete mess. This city, this world, is nothing but a pile of garbage!”

I heard a coughing sound.

“Do you know the gaze of being seen as even worse trash by such disgusting trash? Every time, I can’t stand it. I have to pick up a syringe, a dagger, modify and kill.”

“That’s scary.”

“It can’t be helped.”

Jekyll took out a syringe. She trembled for a moment, then stuck the needle into her nape and showed a distorted smile.

“They have to become like that. For pouring such abuse and curses on a pitiful girl, that alone is a sin that can only be forgiven by death.”

“That’s right. I agree with that.”

The syringe was pulled out with a pop.

“Huk, hak… Ah. This feels great. Really. I can’t live without this.”

“Still, don’t abuse it.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Isn’t that right?”

“As expected, Aureli-nim should be with me.”

Silence fell. Jekyll’s green eyes shone.

“I asked about your feelings, but I think you already agree. Because it’s the same for Aureli-nim too. Realizing that you can’t endure is terribly sad.”

I nodded and met her eyes.

“The plan has been completed and we’ve reached the final stage. Now it’s time to go and bite those who were slandering us. All you have to do is take my hand. It’s easy. Will you do it?”

Her desperate-looking smile was pitiful, as she said. My mouth was about to say something, but I hesitated, feeling like she would immediately scream and deny it.

So I just looked at the hand she held out, and smiled slightly.

And Jekyll, she trembled her hand that had grasped the air.

“Ha, haha. Well, that’s right. I knew it. Right? It’s not like Aureli-nim expressed it indirectly, you rejected it outright.”

Jekyll took a step back.

“I can’t understand. How you can bear such a heavy burden. To the point of no longer being human. You were so brilliant.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then prove that it’s not. Tell me what you believe in and for what you can endure sin. The reason you can smile like that even if you don’t shine.”

I saw blood flowing from her pressed lips.

“Please, I beg you.”

The sky spewed light.

A huge artillery fell to the ground and set the earth on fire. The ground split and flames rose. The blue light that had encompassed electricity disappeared and the ground began to fade to black.

Jekyll stepped back three paces. Three missiles spewing fire from behind struck me directly.

It tore the skin of my arm. Red blood scattered in space and carved out a huge sword. I grabbed it with both hands and swung it widely while spinning my body once.

The curved sword light engraved the sky and flashed. The missiles disintegrated and exploded everywhere, scattering sparks.

The ground shook. Tanks and armored vehicles revealed themselves and spewed fire.

I kicked off the ground and leaped. At that instant, the place where I had been standing exploded greatly, shaking the surrounding air. My body lost control in the fierce air current and was pushed into the air.

A red laser wrapped around my body. I heard a noise and then pain arose all over my body in an instant.

“I can’t accept it. And I won’t in the future either!”

I turned my gaze straight ahead. White lab coat fluttered in the air. Jekyll, holding a sniper rifle, flashed her eyes.

I twisted my neck. The heat of the bullet that narrowly missed my neck tore my skin.

Red blood flew around. I reached out my hand. I grasped two double-edged swords I had combined and wrapped red smoke around my body.

I leaped through the air and passed by her. A faint groan pierced my ears. Jekyll, clutching her abdomen, coughed up blood and distorted her face.

“That must hurt.”

“Of course it hurts! It hurts so much I want to cry! How can someone who knows this pain, this sadness so well say such things!”

A blue bomber soared through the sky. I heard the sound of wind and aerial bombs covered the sky. A roaring sound tore through my eardrums and debris from the exploded ground scattered.

I half-bloodified my body. My body separated and red waves replaced it. The aftermath of the explosion brushed past my body and pieces of cement and earth passed through my body, naturally flowing out.

There was an acrid smell of gunpowder. A bitter taste lingered in my mouth. A cool wind wrapped around my body.

I closed my eyes and gathered strength in my hands. A red sphere was created and emitted light. When I opened my hand, the sphere pierced the sky and rose rapidly. Ring-shaped clouds spread widely and spewed a red waterfall.

The waves dominated the area and a bright red sea swept over the land. Machine debris and combat vehicles were washed away and sucked into a whirlpool in the sea. Red rain fell and moisture dominated the air.

A huge wave engulfed Jekyll. While tracking her position, I raised a red spear. I grabbed the shaft and, with the blade touching the water surface, struck upwards towards the sky. The part where I applied force solidified in a thorn-like shape and gradually dominated the vast sea. One long thorn that rose up from the sea pierced straight through Jekyll’s chest as she was bounced out of the sea.

Jekyll, with a distorted face, grabbed the long thorn with her hand. The thorn disintegrated into pieces and fell powerlessly.

“Why are you stopping me?! Why are you rejecting the beautiful world for you! What meaning is there in enduring the present!”

Jekyll coughed up blood and reached out her trembling arm towards me.

Light arose in the sky. I heard an explosion and the air shook. A large fighter jet, wrapped in flames, fell towards me.

After looking at Jekyll, I opened my mouth.

“Because Americano tastes good.”

I clawed my chest with one hand. Three huge wounds flashed and the blood that gushed out filled the area.

“That’s the only reason.”

Jekyll wore a dumbfounded expression.

Red mist enveloped the ground. With a massive flap of wings, the entire sea evaporated. With a strong footstep, the earth crumbled and went berserk. A bright red sickle was raised.

After confirming the combined form, I stretched out my arm.

The devil, letting out a fishy laugh, swung the sickle. A huge curve was drawn and the blade pierced through the fighter jet. The burning flames filled the sky and an explosion shook the air. Jekyll was swept away by the aftermath and debris from the fighter jet soared.

Red rain fell.

I ran to her as she fell as if jumping. Her blood-covered face acted out an expression.

“For such… a reason.”

I exhaled. After choosing my words, I just smiled.

I looked to the side. A sentence was combined and emitted blue light.

4. Magic Engineering Heart.

After contemplating, I opened my mouth.

“Will you die if you don’t have a heart?”

Without waiting for an answer, I reached out my arm. Since her skin was already ruptured, it was easy to thrust my hand into her body.

Amidst the hot sensation, I felt something hard. I gripped it tightly with one hand and pulled it out as if tearing it.

“Agh…!”

After looking at Jekyll, who had coughed up blood in an instant, I turned my gaze back to the heart.

It’s a round, heart-shaped machine with a blue light.

I took off my crown while watching it disintegrate into dust.

Now it’s closer to a complete red.

There’s not much left.

This life.

And this fate.

I blinked for a moment and lowered my gaze.

A small doll in a white lab coat was lying limp on the ground.