Lyra pressed herself into a blind corner beside a collapsed wall, her eyes fixed on the distance.
She searched for a faint trace of golden light across the ruined battlefield—something, anything, within that suffocating, danger-soaked air.
But no matter how hard she strained her eyes, all she saw was darkness and wreckage.
He told me to wait here… said he'd bring Kai back.
You're not really going to abandon me, are you… Professor?
In the end, Lyra stopped searching. She quietly leaned her back against the wall.
The faint blue glow of the Magnum V reflected softly across her lips.
She gripped the gun tightly with both hands, holding it close to her head like it was the last fragile piece of safety she had left.
Even as she sat down, back pressed against the wall, her eyes kept scanning the surroundings.
Alert. Careful.
Her body curled into the smallest patch of shadow possible, avoiding attention at all costs.
I only said… my hearing is a bit better than normal.
I'm not so useless that I'd just get thrown away… right?
At least… the Professor gave me this.
She lowered her gaze to the gleaming Magnum V in her hands.
I can clearly hear it every time the cylinder spins.
Her finger gently tapped the rotating chamber on the side of the gun.
It feels like… something from those gambling places…
Roull… u… ret…?
But I can hear it. And I can stop it at the right moment.
She recalled the look of shock on the Professor's face back then.
Did I do something so scary that he wanted to run away from me… haha.
The silly thought barely formed before she shook her head, brushing it away.
The Professor wouldn't leave me behind and run.
Your life belongs to you.
Those words echoed in her ears.
Lyra's cheeks flushed slightly.
He… leaned close and said that right into my ear.
She glanced down at her soaked clothes clinging tightly to her body, blinking awkwardly.
Ah… nothing's showing, right…?
The Professor isn't that kind of person.
Pull yourself together, Lyra.
She pinched her nose with one hand, still gripping the gun with the other.
Hold your breath… calm down.
But the cold still seeped into her skin.
Partly from the drenched clothes.
Partly from the fact that she was completely alone.
She didn't know what the Professor was planning.
She could only hope… everything would turn out fine.
And she kept thinking that—
—until something heavy slammed down nearby, shaking the ground.
Lyra's head snapped up.
Behind the collapsed wall where she hid, a burst of golden light flared.
And along with it—
two male voices.
The corner of her lips lifted immediately.
Lyra slipped past the wall.
And then she saw them—
The Professor, his hair standing on end.
Kai too, hair completely fried.
Beside them stood a robot cobbled together from what looked like ATV parts.
Lam Huy Trường's voice rang out, full of irritation.
"Mrs AI, why didn't you mark that spot as safe so I could teleport properly?"
His body was still numb from the electric shock. He staggered as he walked, twitching awkwardly—so ridiculous it was almost unbelievable.
Kai wasn't any better.
His hair stood straight up. His face twisted in frustration.
Mrs AI's voice came from the watch on Lam Huy Trường's left wrist.
"You acted on your own without notifying me. I hadn't even retracted the electric net before you teleported right next to that kid."
"That's not my fault."
Her tone carried a mix of annoyance and scolding—like a senior lecturing a junior.
Lam Huy Trường forced a crooked grin.
"I thought it'd look cool…"
"Turns out I looked cool for three seconds before getting fried."
Kai remained dazed.
His eyes still unfocused.
Lyra ran toward them, reaching out—
—but the robot raised an arm, blocking her path.
Mrs AI's voice immediately followed, teasing yet sharp.
"Oh? Want to try hugging a man who's still charged with electricity?"
"Or are you aiming for the same hairstyle as them, Miss Lyra?"
The robot's body stayed motionless.
But on its visor, two blazing flame icons flickered to life.
Lyra immediately stepped back, waving her hands nervously.
"N-No, I just wanted to check if they're okay…"
Mrs AI replied coldly.
"They're fine."
Then the robot turned, grabbed Kai by the collar, and lifted him like a drenched kitten.
His body swayed limply in the air.
"Professor, are you okay as well?"
The robot's other hand crackled with electricity right in front of Lam Huy Trường's face.
He forced out a strained smile and gave a thumbs-up.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
"I think."
Then he glanced at Kai.
"What about you?"
No response.
Kai just lowered his head.
The robot leaned closer, as if scanning him.
"Can you hear me?"
Lyra stepped forward slightly.
She caught faint murmuring from Kai—barely audible.
Lam Huy Trường waved his hand.
The robot released him.
Kai slid down and leaned against the wall.
Still muttering.
Then Lam Huy Trường dragged himself over, stopping right in front of him.
His gaze hardened.
"Hey, Kai…"
"Form a team with me."
"Let's stop that monster."
"Let's save that girl together."
And in return—
Kai looked up at him with eyes as cold as ice.
"Why?"
"WHY?"
His voice was so cold that Lyra froze.
"Why do you still want to save that thing?"
"Do you even know how many people it's killed?"
He stepped forward.
His gaze felt like it could pierce straight through Lam Huy Trường.
"And…"
"I…"
"could have ended this."
Each word came out like a strike, slamming straight into Lam Huy Trường.
Lyra went still.
Beside her, the robot's visor flickered—two round eyes appearing as if trying to express shock.
But Lam Huy Trường's expression didn't change.
His voice turned flat. Almost annoyingly calm.
"Ended it…"
"By sacrificing yourself?"
Kai choked.
His eyes wavered.
Then—
a pitch-black blade formed once more in his left hand.
The air tightened instantly.
Lam Huy Trường quietly moved one hand behind his back.
He made an OK gesture toward Lyra and the robot.
Don't interfere.
Then he raised both hands.
"I don't want to fight you."
—Slash.
A short violet blade tore through the air, grazing past his face.
A thin line of blood appeared.
"Professor!"
Lyra cried out.
Behind him, Lam Huy Trường heard the mechanical whir of the robot preparing to move.
But he only smiled.
And continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"You're really going to entrust everything to a power that isn't yours?"
Kai stared at the black sword in his hand.
His eyes looked like they were breaking apart.
Then he snapped again.
He pointed the blade at Lam Huy Trường and shouted.
"So what if I am?!"
"You think I have any other choice?!"
"Our captain is dead."
"The strongest security team got wiped out."
"Everything failed!"
A dense violet aura surged around his body.
Like something was eating away at his sanity.
"If this thing can kill that monster…"
"then why shouldn't I use it?!"
His voice trembled.
No longer anger.
Desperation.
"If I go mad…"
"If it means I can kill it…"
"then I don't care anymore…"
"…sis."
The last word slipped out.
Soft.
Like he was speaking to someone who wasn't here.
Lyra froze.
And Lam Huy Trường—
just ran a hand through his messy hair.
His face turned cold.
"Your way won't save anything."
"Seriously."
"Seriously."
"You… are very, very important to me."
Kai froze completely.
For the first time, he lost his rhythm.
Lam Huy Trường stared straight at him.
"Drop that stupid idea of sacrificing yourself."
Kai looked at him like he'd just heard madness.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Lam Huy Trường raised both hands again.
This time, his voice was completely serious.
"Have you ever thought about your family?"
"What happens to them if you decide your own death like this?"
"Your parents?"
"Your siblings?"
"Did you ask them?"
Kai's eyes widened.
Like something had just stabbed straight into his memories.
That black blade could drain away his positive emotions.
It wanted to take everything.
It wanted to claim him completely.
"But your best memories of your family…"
Lam Huy Trường pointed straight at Kai's chest.
"You're going to let it devour those too?"
—Slash.
Another blade tore through the air.
It brushed past Lam Huy Trường again.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't even blink.
The dense violet aura around Kai surged violently, coiling like toxic mist and swallowing him whole.
"Shut up!"
"I'm a soldier!"
"A soldier ready to die on this battlefield!"
His voice broke into a near scream.
But Lam Huy Trường simply shook his head.
"And after that?"
"The outcome still won't change."
"If you turn into the next monster…"
"And end up standing on the same side as the thing you want to kill…"
"Then what?"
Kai froze.
The words caught in his throat.
Like something was stuck deep in his chest.
"My life…"
"…in exchange for that monster's…"
His voice trembled.
"Isn't that…"
"…a fair trade?"
Lam Huy Trường shook his head.
Firm. Absolute.
"No."
"I have a way to defeat that monster."
The air suddenly went still.
Then—
Lam Huy Trường raised his hand.
He shaped it like a gun, pointing straight at Kai.
"…without sacrificing you."
"Or anyone else."
Kai went rigid.
His eyes widened.
Behind him, Lyra almost forgot how to breathe.
The robot's visor—
shifted from an angry cross…
to "..."
then "???"
Like even it couldn't process what it had just heard.
Lam Huy Trường's voice faltered slightly, the aftereffects of the shock still lingering.
But every word was clear.
His hand slowly opened.
From a gun—
into an outstretched palm.
An invitation.
No—
a hand pulling someone back from the edge.
"So…"
"Are you ready to join me?"