Arin bit her lip. She knew she was about to be part of a massacre that would go down in history, but she didn't fear it. If she hadn't met Canis in Radum, she would have been doomed.
"I don't care. If it's for Canis, I would let the whole world die."
Neid saw the emptiness and pain in Arin's eyes. What kind of life had she lived to become like this?
Iruki carried Siana on his back, and turned to look at Lucas, who was wedged between glaciers. He had lost both legs and couldn't move. In the end, he would return to the dark prison of Inferno after a failed escape attempt.
Suddenly, the forest shook, and a thick beam of light shot through the trees.
"Wow. What was that?" Neid asked, in awe.
"It's a photon cannon. You had an epiphany, didn't you?"
From the forest, Shirone emerged, as if pushing through the trees. Arin's face flushed red when she saw him. It was clear that Canis had won. But her hopes were dashed when Harvest, who had used his long arms to clear the trees, limped out, looking worse than Shirone.
Iruki was stunned. "Is that…?"
"Impossible," Neid muttered. "Shirone's photon cannon evolved during the battle. Still can't win?"
Shirone, standing up, said plainly, "I can't win."
Everyone was stunned. This was the first time they had heard Shirone admit such a thing.
"What? Don't talk like that."
"It's not weakness," Shirone said. "That kid... he's really strong."
Shirone knew that Canis was a disciple of the Archmage. Even if he hadn't known, the sheer will behind Canis' magic was undeniable. It wasn't just a will to win—it was a will to destroy.
The Photon Cannon was powerful, but Canis, tapping into Harvest's spiritual energy, absorbed it.
The battle became a contest of attrition, with the forces of Darkness and the Photon Cannon clashing repeatedly.
In the end, Canis managed to overpower Shirone and push him out of the forest.
'So strong… why does he want to hurt people?' Shirone thought.
If you choose to be evil for any reason, that's your decision. After all, everyone makes mistakes. But he couldn't accept that evil was a source of strength. Strength comes from hard work, not from mistakes.
"Why are you doing this? What did the students do to you?"
"Are you running your mouth because you're powerless? Typical behavior from weak nobles."
Since what was said wasn't true, Shirone didn't get angry.
"Answer me. What you're about to do is so terrible, it will be remembered in history. At least tell me why."
"History? Who cares about that? The abandoned ones are just hanging on to survive. If I don't kill someone, I'll be the one to die."
"Don't try to justify it with empty arguments. Everyone has hardships in life. No one escapes the pain. Everyone must endure their own suffering."
"Have you ever eaten the feces that fell on the ground?"
Shirone fell silent. A cold wind blew through.
'Canis...'
Arin's eyes were full of sadness. Those who haven't lived in Radum could never understand what it was like there. It was a world completely separate from the rest of the world.
Canis and Arin had been abandoned in Radum. They couldn't remember when they had been together or why they were the only two there. But from the moment they could think for themselves, they were always together, surviving even when others died or were sold off.
Canis was intelligent from a young age. Despite being a powerless child, he demonstrated the strength a human can develop when talent and determination align.
In Radum, which was full of criminals and dangers, Canis only had one goal: to protect Arin.
Women didn't exist in Radum, or rather, they didn't survive infancy. In a place where food was extremely scarce, helpless girls were quickly eaten. But Arin survived there until she turned ten. She was the only girl in Radum.
It was Canis who protected her, the eerie symbol of hope.
He fought like a mad dog whenever anyone tried to harm Arin. He would throw himself at the enemy, ready to die for her.
They couldn't join any groups, so they survived by scavenging through trash cans every day.
What was truly absurd was that even the trash in Radum had an owner. Canis fought to the bitter end to avoid tearing himself apart just to get the scraps others had discarded.
After one such brutal battle, Canis managed to get half a moldy piece of bread.
Arin had been starving for three days. And because she hadn't eaten, Canis had gone without food for twenty days.
"Oh my god! I got it! I really got it! I got bread!"
Canis sprinted down the alley, looking back to make sure she wasn't being followed. Once she was out of sight, she leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Her mind felt hazy, and all she could focus on was the emptiness in her stomach. She could barely remember just how hungry she was.
Then, something caught her eye—a piece of bread.
Canis' eyes, filled with desperation, locked onto it. She swallowed hard, her body aching for food.
I need to eat this. I can do this for Arin. If I eat this, Arin will survive for a few more days. She can make it.
The thought made sense to her in that moment. It seemed like a practical solution. After eating, they could gather enough energy to find more food. It seemed like the right plan.
Canis opened her mouth and brought the bread closer. Her hands shook as she fought back the urge to devour it immediately.
I have to hold on. I don't need strength. But if my mind breaks, everything is over.
She glanced around wildly, feeling like she might lose control. In her desperation, she almost considered eating a stone.
Then, she crawled toward some waste thrown in the alley. Without thinking, she reached out and put it in her mouth.
What am I doing?
Her body rejected it—every part of her fought against it—but Canis forced herself to swallow.
Better than stone.
After what felt like forever, she staggered back to her hiding place, still nauseous but somehow more stable. When she saw Arin, she brightened up and held out the bread with a forced smile.
"Arin, look! I found this!"
"Oh, is it real? That's amazing!"
"I knew how to get it. There will be more. Eat quickly."
Arin looked at the bread with sadness in her eyes. She wanted to go out and find food together, but as a woman in Radum, it was too dangerous. She had never spoken to anyone besides Canis and, as a result, had developed a sort of antisocial disorder. But at least she hadn't been eaten by anyone.
"Let's eat, Canis."
"I'm fine. I've already eaten. I walked around and found some things. There was a big centipede earlier, so I got some energy from it. You can't eat that, so you should eat this."
"Why do you always treat me like a child? I can eat too."
Canis gave Arin a playful look and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Arin, I know you're strong. But it can't be like this. Do you understand? The only reason I can survive here in Radum is because I can feed you. If you end up like me, you might go mad. So, eat it."
She had said this many times before. Each time, Arin reluctantly took the bread, pretending to accept it. But today was different.
Arin stared at Canis' mouth with wide, fearful eyes. Something was there, and it didn't smell right.
"Canis, what did you eat?"
Canis froze, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
"Huh? Oh, haha! This is just a cake. Some cream spilled, and I... I licked it off. I'm sorry, I didn't mention it. I'm just so hungry!"
Smack!
Arin slapped Canis harder than ever before. Canis had been hit many times, but this was different. This was the first time it had hurt so much.
"Arin…?"
Arin's face was filled with anger, a look Canis had never seen before.
"Why would you do this to me? Am I some animal? Are you trying to make me eat this? What am I to you?"
"It's not like that! It's my punishment! It has nothing to do with you!"
"I don't want any of this! I don't want it!"
Arin grabbed the bread and threw it to the ground. Canis looked away, her expression darkening.
"Damn it! How did I even get this…?"
But Arin didn't stop there. She grabbed Canis by the face and kissed her. As she did, tears rolled down her cheeks, and she tasted the remnants of the bread on Canis' lips.
It wasn't a sweet kiss. It wasn't a beautiful moment. It was an act of raw sympathy, born out of two souls intertwined in their shared suffering.
Only then did Canis realize what she had eaten. Tears began to flow—tears she had never shed before. The weight of everything she had endured overwhelmed her, and she finally let it all out.
"Huh! Whoa!"
"Don't ever do this again. If you do, I can't be with you anymore."
"I'm sorry, Arin. Please don't leave me. You're the only family I have. You're the reason I'm still alive."
"Okay. We'll live, Canis. We have to survive."
Canis could only nod in silence, her heart heavy with grief. But Arin didn't let her go. That night, Canis ate the bread that had fallen to the ground, forcing herself to swallow it.
As she did, Canis spoke quietly, as though recounting someone else's life.
"We lived in hell. But Master saved us. He gave me food, the strength to protect Arin, and even gave me Harvest—the essence of dark magic."
Everyone's eyes turned toward Harvest. Usually, it was quite talkative, but today, it was silent.
"Alright," Shirone said quietly.
"What kind of life have you lived? But that doesn't excuse killing people. Just because you've had a harder life than others doesn't mean that wrong things become right."
"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not defending you; I'm trying to teach you something. You believe in a fragile sense of justice, and you live in a world full of pretensions. What saved Arin and me wasn't the kind of justice you pride yourself on. I'm just doing what I believe in."
"There's nothing to gain from hurting others. Your past will never be healed unless you first try to understand the other person."
"Consolation? You're just talking nonsense. Do you even see what's happening? Master is going to destroy the whole school, and that includes your friends."
"No. You can't hurt anyone but yourself." As Shirone levitated a photon in his hand, Harvest spread her palm wide to shield Canis. But that wasn't enough—she reached out with her other arm, wrapping it around him as well. "What are you doing, Harvest? There's no need to be this afraid."
"It's dangerous. His temperament is off." Canis scoffed. The fight in the forest had already shown him Shirone's abilities. He was a decent magic school student, but still, just a flower in a greenhouse. "Whatever... for me, it's…" Canis's expression went blank. The photon cannon floating in Shirone's hand was vibrating at an alarming speed, far stronger than the one used in the forest. But judging by Canis's injuries, it was clear he was hiding his full strength. 'What's going on? With this ability...' Canis and Harvest's analysis was mostly right. However, they overlooked one critical fact: Shirone was an Unlocker who had opened the infinite realm.
"This is your last chance. Release the mind control." Canis frowned. The fact that he could no longer underestimate Shirone stung his pride.
"That's funny. Even if I die, I'll follow Master's will. You can't break my convictions." Shirone's eyes turned cold. The Photon Cannon, now enhanced by the Immortal Function, was far more powerful than before. "I don't want to kill anyone. But if you're going to hurt the students, I have no other choice."
"Return everyone's memories. Otherwise…" The photon cannon flared, bursting with light, before turning into a sphere of cold, white light.
"I'll have no choice but to hurt you."