Wounded and exhausted, the group hurried from the battlefield, making their way toward safety. Nesco, unconscious and bleeding profusely from where his arm had been severed, was carried by Isaac to the car. His breaths were shallow, his body limp from blood loss.
Zenix, his heart heavy with grief, carried Ecro's lifeless body in his arms. His mind screamed for a miracle, but the cold reality of death clung to Ecro's still form. Izaki supported Hellesa, who could barely stand after the immense strain she had endured. Maria, struggling under the weight of her emotions, carried Kazen, who remained silent, lost in his thoughts.
With no time to waste, they started the car and sped toward their base, desperate to get medical attention before it was too late. The atmosphere in the vehicle was thick with pain—both physical and emotional.
Upon arrival, a chilling realization struck them—the base was eerily empty. No guards. No medics. Just silence.
Zenix clenched his fists. Something's wrong.
Without hesitation, they made their way to a hidden medical facility deep within the base, where a handful of trusted doctors immediately began treating their wounds. The team was stabilized, but the weight of their losses hung over them.
The Guilt That Remains
A full day passed before everyone regained consciousness—except for Nesco. His unmoving form was a grim reminder of their narrow escape.
The room remained deathly silent until Kazen finally spoke, his voice thick with guilt. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry. This was all because of me. Ecro died because of me. You should have left me to die instead. This is my fault."
Hellesa, despite her exhaustion, met his gaze firmly. "Stop it, Kazen. The past is the past. Leave it behind."
Kazen shook his head, his voice trembling. "How can I? Because of me, someone lost their life."
Zenix's expression hardened, his voice steady but resolute. "No, Kazen. Because of you, they lost all of their strongest fighters. Council Member 0 barely survived because of what you did. Even though we lost one of our own, we still took them down."
Kazen lowered his head, struggling to accept Zenix's words. The guilt in his eyes remained, but deep down, he knew they were right.
Before the silence could settle again, Izaki shifted the conversation. His eyes flickered to Hellesa, a look of concern evident on his face. "Hellesa… what happened at the end of the battle? Your voice changed, and you started saying things about the council… about something they did to you…"
Hellesa's breath caught in her throat. The memories from the battle resurfaced, but something deeper, something buried, stirred within her.
She wasn't sure she wanted to remember.
Izaki furrowed his brow, his eyes locked onto Hellesa. "You spoke about reincarnating for revenge. You seemed like a completely different person back there. And that attack you charged for so long… what was that?"
Hellesa hesitated, uncertainty clouding her expression. "I… I don't know myself. There was this… mysterious spirit. It spoke to me when I was fighting Council Member 0. It told me it would take over my body and fight for me."
Silence settled over the room as the others processed her words. Zenix crossed his arms, deep in thought. "A spirit? Are you saying something possessed you?"
Before Hellesa could continue, a sudden force overwhelmed her mind. The mysterious presence from before stirred within her, blocking her voice. Her throat tightened as if an invisible hand had silenced her. She tried to speak, but no words came out.
Izaki noticed her lips moving. "Hellesa?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. "What were you murmuring about?"
Hellesa blinked, confused. "What? You didn't hear that?"
Izaki exchanged a glance with Zenix before shaking his head. "Hear what? You were mumbling something, but no words came out."
A chill ran down Hellesa's spine. The spirit was still inside her. And it was hiding something.
Inside Hellesa's mind, the spirit's voice echoed with a chilling menace.
"They cannot hear anything you say about me. So stop talking and start training. You are not strong enough to be my vessel yet. And remember—everything about me stays secret. If you ever dare to reveal anything… I won't kill you. I will kill all of your friends."
A cold shiver ran through Hellesa's body. She clenched her fists, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. The weight of the threat pressed down on her, suffocating and absolute.
I have no choice.
Swallowing hard, she replied internally, "Okay."
At BCB Headquarters, the Boss leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Very well. The army is captured. The secret organization has lost its greatest asset. Now, we can confront them with ease."
His confidence filled the room, sending a wave of silent approval through the gathered agents. He turned his gaze toward one of them. "Agent 72, inform the secret organization's higher-ups that we're arranging a meeting."
Agent 72 nodded without hesitation. "Understood, sir." He retrieved his phone and quickly dialed the number. The line rang for a few moments before a deep, menacing voice answered.
"Was this the time for you to call? Whatever you have to say—I don't care. Speak one more word, and I will slaughter you."
The sheer hostility in the voice sent a shiver through Agent 72. His instincts screamed at him to hang up, and without thinking, he quickly muted the call and turned to his boss. "Sir, there's someone hostile on the other end—"
The Boss raised a hand, cutting him off. "I heard everything." His expression remained calm, unfazed by the threat. "Give me the phone."
Agent 72 hesitated for a second before handing it over. The Boss lifted the phone to his ear and, without an ounce of fear, spoke with a chilling composure. "We have a meeting at Denzvav Restaurant on Friday night. Be there."
Without waiting for a response, he ended the call. And then, to everyone's shock, he smashed the phone against the desk, shattering it into pieces.
Agent 72's eyes widened. "Sir! Why did you break my phone?!"
The Boss smirked, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. "They'll track it if we don't."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words settled in. Every move was calculated—every action precise. The upcoming meeting would determine the course of the war, and the Boss was making sure they held every advantage possible.
The sterile air of the secret organization's hospital was thick with tension as Council Member 0 strode through its corridors. His boots echoed against the cold floor, his arms weighed down by the battered and broken bodies of the fallen council members. He pushed open the doors to the emergency ward, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Doctors! Heal them. These people are still alive."
A group of medical staff rushed forward, their expressions shifting from curiosity to shock as they took in the unconscious bodies. One doctor, clearly the lead, hesitated before stepping up.
"What happened to them?" he asked cautiously.
Council Member 0's gaze was unwavering. "There was a battle. They fought in it."
The doctor glanced at the injured figures, then back at him. "We can treat them… but we need permission from the council."
Council Member 0 said nothing. Instead, he shifted the bodies slightly, revealing their faces. Gasps filled the room.
"What?!" Another doctor took a step back in disbelief. "Someone actually defeated the council members?! Who could have done this?"
Council Member 0's expression darkened. "If you talk too much, I'll kill you. Just do your job and treat them." His voice carried no threat—only certainty.
The doctors exchanged nervous glances before immediately getting to work, wheeling the injured council members away for emergency treatment. Without another word, Council Member 0 turned on his heel.
"Where are Aremaki and Cisco?" he demanded.
The lead doctor swallowed hard. "They're in stable condition, sir. They're in that room."
Council Member 0 wasted no time. He strode down the hall and pushed open the door, finding Aremaki and Cisco resting in their beds. They looked up, their faces still bruised from their last battle.
He took a step closer, eyes sharp and calculating. "I need you both. You're not ready for the battles to come. You need more training."
Cisco frowned, pushing himself up slightly. "Who are you? And what 'future battles' are you talking about?"
Council Member 0 narrowed his eyes. "I am Council Member 0. The other council members have been defeated by Zenix's group. I need your help."
Aremaki stared in disbelief. "What?! You're Council Member 0?!"
Cisco's eyes widened. "Wait… all the council members were defeated?!"
A heavy silence settled over the room, the weight of his words crushing any lingering doubt. The council, once thought to be invincible, had fallen. And now, the future of their organization depended on the ones who remained.