After Shoun's detailed explanation of everything he had endured, a tense silence fell over the group. Deuz simply lowered his gaze, Kaze stared intently at the wall, and Sein, clutching his head with both hands, asked with concern:
—How is this possible?... They're supposed to be the protectors of humanity... How could they do that to a child?—The small boy had grown up admiring Codex bearers. Even when Shoun briefly mentioned his past during his youth, Sein had still held onto that admiration deep in his heart. But the detailed account had shattered the bubble he had been living in. This internal conflict, combined with the sadness of his dear friend's situation, caused tears to form in the corners of his eyes.
—...Sein... I didn't want to be the one to tell you this... but there's no such thing as "protectors of humanity." Humans are selfish to the core. In the end, they'll always pursue what's most comfortable for them—Deuz explained with disdain in his voice. Before anyone could respond, he continued—I mean, sure, there are people like The Last Bastion who are genuinely good and prioritize defending humanity, but they're the exception, not the rule. Even we aren't exempt. Sure, we do our part by killing remnants, but we don't do it to save humanity. We do it for our own benefit.
Deuz's words brought another tense silence to the room. Everyone was thinking about the last part of his speech. For Shoun, Deuz was right—they were selfish. In the end, all Shoun wanted was the strength to ensure no remnant or person like Rowe could ever use him again. He wanted control over his own life. Kaze, on the other hand, wanted to recover his memories. Sein, meanwhile, had always aimed to become strong to protect others, but now he was doubting his goal.
—(Is it really possible to be a protector of humanity?)—The small boy began to question himself. He knew he was selfish—after all, he had hidden the fact that he was a Codex bearer from his grandmother to avoid the hassle. He knew perfectly well he wasn't perfect. So, did that mean he would one day become as bad as Rowe? Shoun could imagine what his friend was thinking, so he quickly tried to cheer him up.
—Sein, it's true that most of humanity is like that. That's why people like The Last Bastion shine the brightest. They make a difference... Think about it—without him, I wouldn't be here right now. We need more people with values, people who can put others above their own benefit—In his attempt to motivate the small boy, Shoun placed his hands on Sein's shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze—We need heroes.
—...You're right!—Regaining confidence in his motivations, Sein returned to his usual self, making Shoun sigh in relief—But then, what will you do, Shoun?
—Right, I told you all that story so you'd understand why I don't want to join the government. As Deuz said, there are good people within the organization, but they're not the majority. If they were, my torture wouldn't have lasted as long. That's why I can't join the government... not without betraying myself. I apologize for causing you all trouble—The young man stood up and gave a deep bow, though everyone immediately gestured for him to stop.
—It's okay, Shoun. Don't worry. Even if you insisted on doing the opposite to protect us, I'd stop you. After all, you already suffer enough for us!
—I agree with Sein. We just have to be more careful from now on—Kaze didn't add much to Deuz's words, but it was clear the masked boy was nodding in agreement.
—Well, with all that settled, let the party begin!—Everyone began eating and drinking to their heart's content. They watched movies and played board games late into the night.
—Sein, I told you to be careful with the carpet!—Shoun shouted as he desperately tried to clean a soda stain.
—Sorry!—Sein replied, trying to help but only making the problem worse. In the background, Deuz was laughing, and Kaze seemed to be holding back his own laughter.
Around 4:00 a.m., everyone collapsed from exhaustion. Due to the lack of mattresses, Deuz, Shoun, and Kaze ended up sleeping on a mattress Shoun brought down from his room, while Sein had the entire couch to himself.
Shoun was still trying to get used to his enhanced energy detection. He felt he was making rapid progress, as the ability came from his own power, so mastering it was more a matter of time than skill. At this point, he could isolate certain energies to avoid detection. For example, he could now stop sensing light or spiritual energy that was constantly around him. He could also amplify his senses to focus on specific types of energy, like the thermal energy within every living being's body. However, he wasn't yet sure of the range of this ability.
—(I guess I need to test it, but by tomorrow night I should have it figured out... Despite my disappointing title, I'm happy with what I got from my ascension)—Shoun thought cheerfully as he stared at the ceiling. Slowly, sleep began to take over his mind, but his rest was interrupted by a voice calling out to him.
—Shoun... Are you still awake?—Kaze asked from the other side of the mattress. Between the two young men was Deuz's body, but his head was facing the opposite direction, so their faces were near each other's feet. Oddly, both could still sense Deuz despite the darkness, likely because they were touching him with part of their bodies.
—Yeah... What's up, Kaze?—Shoun whispered, trying not to wake Sein and Deuz.
—...Why did that inspector do all that to you?
—Why are you asking that?
—I don't understand why he treated you like that. Sure, you refused to cooperate, but in retrospect, if he hadn't treated you that way, there was a chance you might have cooperated later. He traded long-term results for immediate ones. If he's a Dominator, and one with a high rank at that, I don't think he couldn't have seen the problems I noticed... Plus, it seems strange to me that he could treat a child like that without any remorse.
—...It's certainly possible that he realized his methods would push me away, but his intention was to keep me in that facility forever... As for why he was like that, I have no idea. Beyond his name and rank, I know nothing else. But keep in mind that there are all kinds of twisted people in this world. There are sick individuals who even get off on making others suffer... I don't think that's the case with Rowe, though. He's probably just a jerk who took his anger out on others.
—I see... The Last Bastion is a good person because he saves people. Rowe is bad because he harms them. But what about everyone else? How can I tell the difference between good and bad people?
—You're full of questions today... But alright, that's a complicated question... We use morality and ethics to distinguish good from bad. Our morality says that perverts and murderers are bad people. Ethics, on the other hand, vary from person to person. To you, someone who doesn't recycle might seem like a bad person, while I might not care. So, I can't tell you how to differentiate between good and bad people, but I can tell you to use morality as a foundation for forming your ethics.
—But what if someone kills for a good cause?
—That's called a moral dilemma. Again, it's not something I can answer for you. Some people think someone who only kills criminals is a hero, while others see them as just another criminal killing criminals. Some judge the action, others the intention. In the end, morality and ethics are as complicated as people. Think of it as shades of gray rather than black and white...
—I see. I have one last question. What if someone has no choice but to be a bad person?
—What do you mean?
—I mean, maybe someone is forced to do bad things, to hurt innocent people. Maybe it's for a greater purpose or to protect the people they love. Would that person be good or bad?
—I think that person is just unfortunate... I don't know if their intentions justify their actions, but I'm sure of one thing: if that person did what they did for their goal, do you think they'd really care if others considered them good or bad?
—I don't think so... I'm satisfied now. Thanks for answering my questions.
—No problem. Get some rest, Kaze.
—You too, Shoun.
—------------------------------------------------------------
The next evening, the group headed to the area equivalent to the City of Ashes in their world. They figured it would be easier than navigating a path full of dangers. After a long journey, they arrived at a plaza with a statue of New Caven's founder.
—Alright, today we'll try to kill that thing... We have to be careful, guys—Everyone nodded. Without further words, they made sure no one was around. Once they were sure, they activated their abilities, being greeted by the familiar yet alien City of Ashes—...I don't think I'll ever get used to this place.
—Don't worry. I don't think anyone will want to come back after killing that thing and completing the mission—Deuz said with little emotion in his voice. Even the stoic Kaze seemed annoyed by the amount of ash getting into his clothes—In any case, how are we going to lure that thing out? I don't think fighting in such a tight space is a good idea.
—I agree. Kaze, could you do us a favor?—Shoun asked the masked boy, who said nothing but nodded and disappeared after putting on his cloak—Be ready, guys—With those words, everyone prepared in their own way. Deuz summoned his bow, Sein warmed up with his sword, and Shoun focused on his energy detection, confirming that there was indeed more spiritual energy in the area—enough to refill his core by 3% per square meter. However, he also noticed something unusual—(Why can't I sense the light energy?)—The entire mirror world was bathed in unnatural white light, yet Shoun couldn't sense or absorb it. The reason eluded him—That's weird... I can't sense the light energy in this place.
—Hmmm... Well, I guess it's just another one of the mirror world's oddities—Deuz replied, glancing at the sky as if trying to find the source of the white light but giving up after a few seconds due to the futility of his search—If it's any consolation, I can't really take advantage of the night here either. In our world, there are plenty of shadows both day and night, but here there seems to be a total absence of light, and therefore shadows.
—I don't get that. Aren't shadows supposed to be the absence of light?—Sein asked curiously as he stretched.
—More or less. Shadows are areas where light can't reach, but for them to exist, there has to be light in the first place. A total absence of light is what we call "darkness."
—So, a partial absence of light equals shadows... while total absence equals darkness. And you can only control shadows, so total darkness, like the night in the mirror world, essentially leaves you powerless.
—Exactly. Though I don't think I'm completely helpless in this place's night. I mean, I can still use artificial light to create shadows. Otherwise, that was a good summary, Sein.
—Skrrri!—Before they could continue their conversation, a loud growl echoed from the depths of the mausoleum. Shortly after, Kaze reappeared, standing beside the group and delivering a warning:
—We have a big problem—Before he could say more, everyone felt the ash beneath their feet begin to move. From the dark entrance of the mausoleum, they could see the sharp eyes that had terrified them before. That fear returned as they realized the remnant was gathering the surrounding ash. A hand made entirely of ash emerged from the mausoleum, followed by a massive mass of gray dust and another arm—That thing... can control the ash.