The sound of the grinder still echoed in Abe's mind. His eyes were empty, staring at the blood-stained floor. The metallic scent of iron filled the air, suffocating him.
He wanted to scream. To throw up. But his body refused to respond.
Something inside him had died.
Murase smiled in satisfaction, like a scientist who had just witnessed the success of his experiment.
"How do you feel, Abe-kun?" he asked casually, sipping his now-cold tea.
Abe remained silent.
From the corner of the room, Yoshida Karin lay motionless, her breathing weak. Her wounds were still open, her body trembling from blood loss.
She was still alive.
Unlike his mother.
Unlike…
Abe clenched his fists.
"I asked you, how do you feel, Abe-kun?" Murase's voice came again, this time sharper.
Abe slowly lifted his head. His eyes were dark, hollow—like the last part of his humanity had disappeared.
"How… do I feel?"
His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.
Then, he laughed.
Slowly.
Softly.
But as time passed, it grew louder.
Until the entire room echoed with his mirthless laughter.
Murase raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Now this is an interesting reaction."
Abe lowered his head, his messy hair covering his eyes. But a small smile played on his lips.
"Thank you, Murase-sensei," he said, his voice low yet sharp.
Murase tilted his head. "Oh? Thank you? For what?"
Abe looked up, locking eyes with him. This time, something was different in his gaze.
Not sadness.
Not anger.
Not despair.
But… understanding.
A terrifying understanding.
"Thank you for showing me the truth," he said, his voice eerily steady. "I finally understand what it means to be part of Class 2-B's system."
Murase watched him with growing interest. "Oh? And what is that?"
Abe smiled.
"To become a monster."
In an instant, he moved. The ropes binding him fell loose with ease—because he had never truly resisted.
He had let himself be captured.
He had waited for the right moment.
And this was it.
In one swift motion, he grabbed a surgical scalpel from the nearby table and drove it into the nearest guard's throat.
Blood splattered.
One down.
Before the others could react, Abe moved again. He snatched a gun from the first guard's corpse and fired at the next target.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Gunshots rang through the underground chamber.
Within seconds, three of Murase's guards lay lifeless on the floor.
Only Murase remained.
Abe pointed the gun at his head, his hand steady.
"Close your eyes, Murase-sensei," he whispered.
Murase chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Do you think killing me will change anything?"
Abe didn't answer.
He simply pulled the trigger.
BANG!
Murase fell.
It was over.
Or so Abe thought.
As he turned, his body trembled. His eyes landed on Yoshida, who was still lying on the floor, her body weak.
"Abe…" Yoshida's voice was barely audible.
Abe knelt beside her, staring at her pale face.
"We need to get out of here," he said quietly, his voice still slightly shaky.
Yoshida gave a weak smile. "I… can't…"
"No! You can! I won't let you die too!" Abe grasped her hand tightly, his eyes filled with determination.
But at that moment—
BANG!
The door to the room burst open.
A man in a white coat entered, followed by several heavily armed figures.
One of them, wearing the academy's emblem, gazed at them with a cold stare.
"Subject 666," he said. "You have violated the system's rules."
Abe gritted his teeth.
"I will never go back to your system," he growled, his eyes burning with hatred.
The man smirked.
"You don't have a choice."
Then, everything went dark.
(To be continued…)