Why?

'It doesn't hurt... it doesn't hurt... it doesn't hurt...'

BOOM!

The ground shudders as Ryua's punch sends two of the hideous creatures flying back. The shaking cave causes water from above to drip quicker, falling like rain. She glances down at her trembling hand, blood seeping from cuts, knuckles bruised and swollen. I wish it did... she thinks, clenching her fist before delivering another kick, sending another monster crashing into the wall.

'It's always been like this...' She remembers the day she stopped feeling pain, her mind distant from the battlefield in front of her. She exhales sharply, glaring at the next wave of hideous creatures slamming against the ice dome protecting her friends. She raises her revolver, and with a heavy exhale, fires—one bullet, three kills. 'I think that was the day I lost myself. The day pain became so natural I forgot what it's like to feel anything at all.' Her eyes widen as a sharp pain pierces her stomach. She looks down to find a monster's hand stabbed clean through her gut, black sludge dripping from its clawed fingers. Unfazed, she sucker punches it into the cave wall.

"I'm all out of ammo..." Ryua murmurs, wiping the blood from her mouth as more of it leaks from her stomach wound. She takes a step forward, wincing as blood pours from her midsection. The cave feels endless, and more monsters keep coming, relentless. "There's still so many..." She presses her palm to the wound, swaying on her feet. "W-Why don't they stop?" Her voice cracks as she throws another punch, but it's weaker now. The next monster strikes back, stabbing its claws into her arm as she blocks, dragging it across her skin.

"Why don't they stop?" she mutters again, tossing the creature into a group attacking the dome.

Dozens more appear, jumping at her from all sides, claws ready to tear her apart. Their black, rotting eyes gleam with a cruel hunger as they close in. "It won't happen again... it won't happen twice," she whispers through gritted teeth, her gaze darting toward Oda and the others, still sleeping behind the ice. "I promised Nio," she breathes, forcing herself to her feet. Her muscles scream, and her body feels like it's on the verge of collapse, but she grabs one of the monsters by the arm, swinging it into the others before flipping back as more appear, closing in on her from all sides.

-

"OI! How dare you look at me with that face, girl!" The voice of the commander-in-chief thunders across the burning landscape. His tall, imposing figure is silhouetted against the blaze, the sun's glare obscuring his features. But his posture remains firm, the confidence of a man who once commanded everything before him. Around them, the green forest is a sea of flames, the ground trembling under the weight of explosions. Screams pierce the air from every direction as the chaos unfolds.

Ryua stands still, her expression blank. Everything she once believed about him is shattered beyond repair. Her gaze fixes on his chest, not bothering to meet his eyes. "I don't know how you do it..." she murmurs, her voice barely audible amidst the destruction. "To stand here and act proud... to yell at me like I'm the one at fault." Her tone is flat, emotionless. "You know, I used to wish I was like you. How... why would you do it?" she asks, her whisper laced with disbelief.

The man looks down at her, his cold eyes holding no remorse. "How dare you destroy everything and come to me with questions about my motives," he sneers. A twisted smile creeps across his scarred face as he steps closer, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Hmhmhmhm... you must think you matter. You don't." His voice is sharp, cutting through any lingering sentiment. "You're nothing but cattle—an experiment, designed to be used and disposed of once your value drops below what you're worth." He removes his hand and turns back to the window of his office, gazing out at the chaos, seemingly unbothered by the flames consuming the forest. "I never cared for you. I never will. Why should I? We don't even know what you are. For all we know, you could be some ancient demon race."

"I see," Ryua whispers, her voice barely audible, though it carries the weight of finality. "So you really see us as monsters." She steps closer, her hand tightening around her bow.

"Of course," he replies, his smirk widening as he continues to stare out at the burning remains of the camp. "You were already a monster before we found you. We just made you better—improved your genetics, gave you a purpose. Everything else was your fault. You made it impossible to control you, and because of that, you infected the others with resistance. If you hadn't, we could've killed you, and they could have lived. Remember that."

He lets out a low chuckle, but it's cut short as Ryua thrusts an arrow deep into his chest. The commander-in-chief gasps, his face twitching in surprise, yet the smirk never fully leaves his lips. "Hahahaha... so this is it then," he grunts, stumbling back until his body rests against the wall. "At least my work was successful. Remember this, Ryua..." He struggles to draw breath, his voice growing weaker with each word. "You are superior to any species I've studied... a perfect creation. It's just a shame you lack remorse. I hope you don't die... once that seal breaks, you'll become something spectacular. I only wish I could see it." His eyes close, his final breath slipping away as his body slumps lifeless against the wall.

Ryua stands over him, the flames reflecting in her cold, distant eyes. She doesn't react as the forest continues to burn around her.

-

"Ugh!" Ryua's vision blurs as the memories flood back, crashing over her like a relentless wave. Her legs buckle beneath her, and she collapses to the ground, trembling. "How many more... how many more do I need to put down?" she mutters, struggling to force herself upright. Her hands twitch, shaking uncontrollably as she lifts her head. Her eyes widen, breath caught in her throat. A sea of monsters surrounds her, growing thicker with every second.

'The sword...'

Her mind spirals.

"̷P̷̷l̷̷e̷a̷̷s̷̷e̷, ̷n̷̷o̷—̷p̷̷l̷̷e̷a̷̷s̷̷e̷ ̷d̷̷o̷̷n̷'̷t̷ ̷k̷̷i̷̷l̷̷l̷ ̷m̷̷e̷!"

The voice of a boy echoes in her mind, his tear-streaked face appearing in her memories. She watches herself—merciless, detached—dropping her sword onto him without hesitation.

"̷I̷'̷m̷ ̷s̷̷o̷̷r̷̷r̷̷y̷! ̷P̷̷l̷̷e̷a̷̷s̷̷e̷! ̷I̷ ̷h̷a̷̷v̷̷e̷ a̷ ̷f̷a̷̷m̷̷i̷̷l̷̷y̷!"

"̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷m̷̷o̷̷n̷̷s̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷!"

Ryua clutches her head, the voices multiplying in her skull, louder, more desperate. "I-I can't... I can't!" Her trembling fingers dig into her scalp, the noise in her head building to an unbearable crescendo.

"̷E̷̷v̷̷i̷̷l̷! ̷H̷̷o̷̷w̷ ̷c̷̷o̷̷u̷̷l̷̷d̷ ̷y̷̷o̷̷u̷?!"

"̷M̷̷y̷ ̷b̷a̷̷b̷̷y̷! ̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷k̷̷i̷̷l̷̷l̷̷e̷̷d̷ ̷m̷̷y̷ ̷b̷a̷̷b̷̷y̷!"

"̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷'̷r̷̷e̷ ̷n̷̷o̷ ̷b̷̷e̷̷t̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷ ̷t̷̷h̷a̷̷n̷ ̷w̷̷i̷̷l̷̷d̷ ̷b̷̷e̷a̷̷s̷̷t̷̷s̷!"

"̷D̷̷o̷̷n̷'̷t̷! ̷P̷̷l̷̷e̷a̷̷s̷̷e̷, ̷n̷̷o̷ ̷m̷̷o̷̷r̷̷e̷!"

Hundreds of voices scream at her from all directions. Their pleas intertwine with venomous accusations, overwhelming her senses. Each word, each scream, burrows into her like a dagger, tearing at her fragile resolve.

"̷M̷̷o̷̷n̷̷s̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷! ̷H̷̷e̷a̷̷r̷̷t̷̷l̷̷e̷̷s̷̷s̷ ̷m̷̷o̷̷n̷̷s̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷!"

"̷H̷̷o̷̷w̷ ̷c̷̷o̷̷u̷̷l̷̷d̷ ̷y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷k̷̷i̷̷l̷̷l̷ ̷u̷̷s̷ a̷̷l̷̷l̷?!"

"̷W̷̷h̷̷y̷ ̷d̷̷i̷̷d̷̷n̷'̷t̷ ̷y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷s̷̷t̷̷o̷̷p̷?! ̷W̷̷H̷̷Y̷?!"

"̷M̷̷u̷̷r̷̷d̷̷e̷̷r̷̷e̷̷r̷!"

"̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷'̷r̷̷e̷ ̷n̷̷o̷̷t̷̷h̷̷i̷̷n̷̷g̷ ̷b̷̷u̷̷t̷ a̷ ̷b̷̷i̷̷t̷̷c̷̷h̷! ̷A̷ ̷m̷̷o̷̷n̷̷s̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷!"

"̷D̷̷i̷̷e̷, ̷m̷̷o̷̷n̷̷s̷̷t̷̷e̷̷r̷!"

Her own memories flood in, vividly painted with blood. Faces twist in agony as her sword cuts them down, one by one. Their terrified expressions are frozen in time, replaying over and over again. Blood splashes across her vision—thick, unrelenting—her sword soaked in it, the weight of her past crushing her under its brutal force.

"Stop it! No!" she cries, gripping her head tighter, desperate to block out the haunting voices. But it's too late. A monster's claw slashes into her shoulder, the attack grounding her momentarily, but the tidal wave of memories doesn't stop. The images swirl together in a violent whirlwind—her blade cleaving through flesh, their screams ringing in her ears, the ceaseless flow of blood as her weapon carved through them over and over and over and over...

Her body shakes uncontrollably, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The voices keep shouting "̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷k̷̷i̷̷l̷̷l̷̷e̷̷d̷ ̷u̷̷s̷! ̷Y̷̷o̷̷u̷ ̷d̷̷e̷̷s̷̷t̷̷r̷̷o̷̷y̷̷e̷̷d̷ ̷e̷̷v̷̷e̷̷r̷̷y̷̷t̷̷h̷̷i̷̷n̷̷g̷!"

Her hand reaches instinctively for the sword at her side, but she recoils. "I can't... I won't!" She chokes on her breath, her eyes wide and frantic.