As Vera begins to run, another person with "high expectations" has already reached the location of the "Hollow."
He stumbles along the way—his severed arm barely bandaged, desperately evading crazed Hetero-Creatures, leaving a dripping trail of blood behind him.
Thud!
Having exhausted all his ammunition, he finally reaches his destination using Kurono's blueprint, only to step into emptiness as he forces the door open, tumbling down a staircase five or six meters high.
Ugh...
He's forced to lie still on the ground for two minutes, excruciating pain causing his muscles to spasm and convulse while waves of darkness cloud his vision.
...Why... is it so... dark...
I should've... reached the place by now...
...Just my rotten luck...
According to the original plan, he only wanted to find someone in this gene repository and confirm a few details.
That's why he went to great lengths to get close to Gray Raven's Commandant and Vera, using every possible way to force himself onto their ship, insisting on coming here with them.
...If I could be of some help to the Commandant... perhaps I could earn a chance to return to Babylonia... and finally... leave Kurono behind...
Cough.
—The original plan didn't involve any significant risks.
Who knew it would come to this... Ascendants on one side, crazed Hetero-Creatures on the other... Not only did I get nothing out of it, I even lost half my arm...
The Gray Raven Commandant and... Vera... I wonder if they're alright...
Pathetic... They actually dared to entrust their last chance to me... Foolish...
He struggled to prop himself up and began feeling around in the darkness... but unexpectedly, several familiar silhouettes started dancing across his retinas.
...Oh great, my life is flashing before my eyes.
The first to appear before his eyes was the ever-optimistic Bieble—displaying an uncharacteristic agitation.
What's your own role in all this? Are you a hero or a shadow?
Everyone dreams of becoming someone like the Gray Raven Commandant. What about you?
Are you truly content with that? Are you willing to be that sacrificed "shadow"?
...Of all faces to see before death, it had to be yours. How pitiful.
What nonsense are you spouting? Make a decision now! Everyone who can fight is already here, didn't you say we'd act together?!
Bieble shakes his shoulders, and only then does he hazily make out his surroundings.
Endless fires rage around them, with blood flowing in rivers. The survivors gather around him, but the equipment on everyone flashes with red warning lights.
It's the graduation simulation battle... I remember at this point... the Floating Processor was completely drained...
Bieble organizes what little equipment remains, distributing it among his companions while counting off the survivors under his breath.
Freeman is confirmed lost, and Rolla is no longer in the simulation environment... We've lost almost all our manpower, but we still couldn't conquer the final high-risk zone...
Give it up.
...What?
Bieble freezes in place, looking incredulously at Haniff.
Whoever designed this simulation must have gone mad to set the difficulty this high. Since the remaining candidates already have enough accumulated points to determine the top ten, we might as well give up.
What madness are you talking about—
Bieble grabs Haniff by the collar, trying to yank him up from the ground.
Who was it that came to me yesterday talking about trying "another approach"? Weren't you the one who said you'd handle it?
Even if we must resort to the most costly human wave tactics, even if we can only crawl forward on the footprints of the fallen... Even if only one person reaches the end... We refuse to leave that final high-risk zone just sitting there untouched!
If we give up here, we're throwing away everything those before us fought for!
That method is like ants clinging together to float during a flood... There's no telling who'll be drowned to death or left behind. You might not even make Chief after all this.
...What does competing for Chief have to do with anything?!
Bieble, surprisingly enraged, shoves him back into the corner and walks toward the crowd.
Assemble!
All the threats are laid bare before us, but we no longer have the ability to counter them... Now, if we refuse to cower in fear, our only option is to charge through with everything we've got—and I know what you want to do!
The final chance is right here, right before our eyes—we absolutely cannot give up!
And you... Haniff.
Bieble turns back to look at Haniff.
...Can't you see? I've already lost an arm... None of you people who come and go ever cared if I lived or died... In my reality... I can actually die, you know...
No... You absolutely cannot...
In his memory, Bieble doesn't overthink it. He mutters something under his breath, extends his hand, and angrily pulls Haniff up from the ground.
...
...It really hurts... If only someone in reality would pull me up like that...
A sharp pain shoots through Haniff's severed arm—as if someone has actually pulled him up from the ground.
Lost your way here? My child.
...?
Haniff repeatedly opens and closes his eyes until his vision finally returns, adjusting to the light in this place.
Rhythmically pulsing "embryos" surround him on all sides. Through their semi-transparent membranes, countless abnormal Hetero-Creatures can be seen waiting to be born—he really did find the right place.
Directly in front of him, the person who pulled him up is grinning widely while scrutinizing him.
Welcome to Zambra's Hollow. I am Haynes, and you must be looking for me.
！！！
Upon hearing this name and seeing the face clearly, Haniff instinctively throws the old man to the ground. His only remaining hand—his left—grips his gun tightly and aims it at Haynes, a gun that he knows is empty.
...Ugh! You've come all this way in disguise, and those two from Babylonia aren't here either, so we can talk normally now.
I have nothing to say to you... I heard your conversation with that Ascendant. All the problems in this place were created by you.
So what? I heard your conversation with that Gray Raven Commandant through the surveillance system. You said you were here to "find family," that you wanted to know your "origins."
So you're an old creep who loves eavesdropping...
Can't help it. I've always had a strong thirst for knowledge. You're the same.
...What nonsense...
You're the first to find me. You deserve a reward. Tell me, what do you want to know? I'll patiently answer all your questions.
Haniff's eardrums ring incessantly. He suspects the fall might have "gifted" him with a concussion. He can't stand Haynes' endless prattle. No matter how many questions he still has, there's only one thing that needs to be done right now.
...Shut up. Hands above your head, or I'll shoot you.
I know Kurono's methods well. Every experimental facility has a complete destruction protocol... Tell me how to activate the self-destruct program!
Under the threat of Haniff's gun, Haynes raises an eyebrow in resignation and slowly lifts both hands.
Is that really the answer you want most right now? How boring.
Cut the crap. I'm counting to five. Five—
It's right behind you. No need to count, I'll tell you everything you want to know.
...?
You can activate it from that console behind you. What's wrong with your eyes? A few more steps and you would've crashed into it.
Haynes remains unusually calm, with an almost amused expression, as he watches Haniff slowly back up until his waist bumps against the console he mentioned.
The password is six eights—I've already entered it. Now you just need to use your biometric credentials to activate it.
...Huh?
Haniff listens to Haynes, almost doubting his own hearing as he begins to suspect his words.
Fingerprints, iris scan... you can pass every single rigorous security check.
Haniff slightly lowers his head and, just as Haynes said, all security verifications pass smoothly. The crimson words "BASE DESTRUCTION" appear before him like some kind of sick joke.
It's your decision to make. I can't control you anyway. Will you press it and destroy this place? Or will you let them remain and wait for them to present you with a completely new evolution?
...What...? No... Why can I...
Haniff has never felt so lost. He's used to being the one who sets up traps and plays tricks on others, but this time, he feels like he's walking step by step into someone else's carefully scripted farce, with himself as the clown.
From my perspective, I suggest you let them live, because they're all your "brothers and sisters."
Didn't you eavesdrop on us earlier? The first and most successful child absorbed an embryo that used me as its genetic template.
But it's different from us now. It has broken free from the limitations of the human body. It will become the origin of a new species, so it shouldn't continue using the name "Haynes."
So I named it "Eve." What do you think?
...
Haniff stands frozen before the control panel, allowing Haynes to casually unravel the questions that have haunted him for years.
...So that's it...
You're... "Haynes"? The last one to survive screening... so you were assigned to Babylonia?
Who knows what kind of scheme that old bastard is cooking up now.
No. 1364, your position after graduation has been decided—after graduation, you will join the Aurora Squadron.
Aurora Squadron... The name doesn't ring a bell. Is it your secret force?
Correct. We've agreed through discussion that this would be the most suitable position for you.
It's safer to keep a cunning person like you close to us, don't you think?
...
Even though you've been trying to misguide us by deliberately displaying "mediocre" talent in order to get assigned to the Task Force.
Do you really think we wouldn't uncover your little scheme when we've been closely watching you?
Now that you've found out, why are you still going to keep someone like me so close to you?
Your little rebellion is nothing more than a source of amusing entertainment for us.
Remember, you are Kurono's asset. Do not ask questions or overthink. All you need to do is execute our orders.
...
...So I'm also... Haynes?
That's about right. You're my almost perfect clone. From the Golden Age until the end, I've gone through... three generations. In you, I've trimmed away some undesirable genes, like nearsightedness, high blood pressure, and the like.
...
Don't be surprised. Back in the Golden Age, genetic screening was a common method for the wealthy to practice eugenics. Some people even made clones from their own genetic samples to filter out genes they didn't like.
"And so, generation after generation evolves, becoming a better version of myself."
...So Kurono provided you with support? And helped you develop the next generation... resulting in me?
Haniff stares at the name tag on the old man's clothes, the same name he once used himself, and suddenly feels a wave of nausea rising from his stomach.
Why did you abandon the other nine clones? Even those who didn't die from genetic defects were murdered...
Because Kurono isn't a charity. We've always had a mutually beneficial arrangement.
I needed materials and a site, plus a way to continue my existence. While they satisfied these conditions, they also gained surveillance authority over you... Oh, I mean over "me."
What they needed was, at the very least, for the next "Haynes" to be more controllable. And naturally, one was enough.
...
Growing up under all those watchful eyes wasn't very pleasant, was it? You've been through a lot.
...
But it doesn't matter. Once I complete the incubation of all embryos in the "Hollow," neither Kurono nor any Ascendant will be able to restrict me anymore. I'll be the master of the new world.
That is why I collaborated with the Ascendant—I bring the most advanced technology, he brings Punishing, and together we accelerate the birth of an entirely new species.
He's similar to me, with multiple bodies, so it's pointless how many times you kill him out there. He'll always "resurrect" from here, ensuring that large batches of his "children" hatch successfully.
Haynes points to several Sleeping Pods suspended upside-down overhead, protected by "bone spikes" grown from the Hetero-Creatures.
You're misleading me... What I heard with my own ears was that the Ascendant thinks you've done too many unnecessary things, and you two have already split up.
...It doesn't matter. What could you possibly learn with your pathetic eavesdropping skills?
Besides... if he doesn't approve of what I do, then his opinion doesn't matter.
With a relaxed demeanor, Haynes points to the nearest "Sleeping Pod."
Eve getting tangled with Gray Raven's Commandant and being turned against the Ascendant... was purely accidental. But it's not entirely a bad thing for me—after all, the next Ascendant hasn't emerged yet, so I'm in control of everything outside for now.
Heh... no wonder... you're so disgustingly... full of yourself...
Come on, put down the gun and join me. It's out of bullets anyway, isn't it? I'm the one who understands you best.
Haynes breaks into a smile.
Remember how you first received that information? Your Aurora Squadron team kept searching for intel during the mission, and then you suddenly discovered that a technical supervisor at a Kurono gene bank... had the same name as you, "Haynes."
I know myself all too well. I knew "I" would definitely be interested, and sure enough, you followed the scent right to me... Haha...
...You did this on purpose...?
Yes, it's true that "Ascendants killed people," and Ephialtes does indeed harbor hatred for Kurono. But the one who embellished these facts—who falsely claimed "Ascendants specifically requested that ship"—was you! You were the only one desperately searching for the gene bank!
You saw clearly that Kurono wanted to keep secrets while Babylonia wanted to thoroughly investigate. Both sides were racing to learn more about the new Ascendant.
And Vera, as a former member of Kurono's Special Operations Division, would definitely reopen the investigation and definitely track down that key—the ship that could lead to this island!
In the end, the Commandant and Vera reaching this island was... all thanks to you! Didn't you know this would happen from the very beginning?
After a brief moment of shock, Haniff finally realizes the magnitude of his mistake—those two had just desperately entrusted him with their only way out.
Just as he resolves to do something for those two, Haynes strikes head-on, shattering his facade.
And Haynes continues to laugh.
I just leaked a bit of information, helped spread some news about that Ascendant's revenge on Kurono, and look at the results! You truly are the most outstanding one among the next batch of "Haynes"!
...Shut up!
Hahaha! I've won!
Did you think you were so clever? Did you think you could kill two birds with one stone? Discover your own origins while helping the Gray Raven Commandant, using that person as your escape rope from Kurono?!
You think—just because you performed well, just because that person might show mercy and lend you a hand, you could escape your fate as a "Haynes"?!
SHUT UP!!!!!
Haniff's eyes turn red with rage.
He hears the cascading crash of dominoes falling one after another. And the person who reached out to topple that first domino was none other than himself, the person now standing with a face contorted in anguish.
What's the rush?! Even if you survive today with your deception, countless punishments await you! Neither Kurono nor Babylonia will take you back! You have nowhere to return to!
You...
Haynes sees through Haniff's bluff and reaches into his coat, searching for something to show him.
My secondary body has grown old and won't last much longer. I'll synchronize my memories with yours, and once you understand...
You insufferably arrogant old bastard!!!
Pfft.
—!
Before Haniff can charge forward, Haynes delivers a silent bullet into his leg.
He waves the gun he just pulled from his coat, practically radiating smugness.
Since you were a child taken in by Kurono from the very beginning, why would I ever invite you to have power over me?
He walks to the control panel with theatrical exaggeration, raises his hand high, and slams it down forcefully as Haniff watches through a blur of excruciating pain.
I'm tired of you. I knew you wouldn't dare activate this program on your own. Boring.
You were right, this isn't actually a "self-destruct" button. If you had pressed it earlier, you would have been the one to initiate the final evolution.
...
Darkness floods his vision as Haniff falls to his knees in agony.
With Haynes' actions, a piercing alarm sounds as rotating red lights illuminate every creation within the "Hollow"—whether they're identical human clones, incubating Hetero-Creatures, or Ascendants not yet "reborn" in their Sleeping Pods.
The entire "Hollow" facility activates as Haynes erupts into laughter amid the deafening chorus of alarms.
You idiots... I just can't help but mess with you every time we meet, hahaha...
And to think I had expectations... It seems even "I" can be assimilated after spending too much time among a flock of mindless sheep!
Though consumed by rage and physical agony, Haniff still struggles, refusing to succumb to the pain.
No... I will never...
No... You absolutely cannot give up here!
...
I won't allow it! None of us will allow it! You can't allow yourself to give up either!
Haniff's vision wavers unsteadily—he realizes that Bieble is carrying him on his back.
Before his eyes is the simulated battle that often haunts him during his waking hours.
Secure that tourniquet around your wound, then keep moving with us!
...Lost... more troops... how many...?
In the mere seconds they've been speaking, more Corrupted crawl out from the nearby trenches, lunging at the soldiers struggling on their last legs.
Too many to count... Everyone who's left is right here.
Another burst of flames.
...Look... I told you, when ants cluster together and roll into the water, countless deaths are inevitable.
Like this... gathering everyone to charge toward the final high-risk zone... the shadows... should be prepared to become sacrifices...
What about you? What's your role in this? Are you a hero or a shadow?
Bieble asks that question for the third time.
You've never answered me. But when you suggested this plan, you already knew the answer, didn't you?
I think...
Haniff's gaze drifts around the surroundings.
He stares at the fires and corpses of "shadows" strewn across the ground, acutely aware of the bullet Haynes shot into his leg—the bullet that deemed all his efforts "foolish." All of this compels him to spill out the true feelings hidden deep in his heart.
The truth is... I wanted to be a "hero."
I don't want to be a shadow anymore... not "Haynes'" shadow, not the Gray Raven Commandant's shadow. I'm done with all of that.
I wanted to break free from Haynes' shadow, then surpass the Gray Raven Commandant, to become an unprecedented, entirely new kind of hero.
But in the end, every step I took was wrong...!
He desperately wants to break down in furious sobs, knowing that even in this near-death dream, his old classmates would patiently listen.
I miss all of you... I don't want to stay with Kurono anymore! I want to kill Haynes!
I want my name proudly displayed on the memorial! I want to tear off all these "contracts" binding me and stand honorably in the light—not as anyone's shadow!
Of course you're not. Since you entered F.O.S., you've always been Haniff.
...Hey, Bieble, put me down!
Your leg is injured.
Despite everything, Haniff struggles to his feet, gathering what little equipment he has left—the domain node capable of supporting the Longinus Arsenal is on his person, and their mission's final objective is to destroy the last high-risk zone.
...I'll keep fighting. Even if I do end up in Kurono, I'll find a way to break free.
What are you trying to do?
It's not too late to stop living in confusion and start thinking clearly.
I'll let myself be carried away by "heroism" for the ending I desire...!
Haniff rushes forward, clutching the domain node.
"A raft of clustered ants drifting through water"—as everyone follows Haniff into the inferno, he catches the scent of something burning.
Despite everything, he persists in raising his arm high, and then—
Use that brain of yours that's never once thought about your true self, completely wasting all these years... Ugh!!
Summoning the last of his strength, he swings his arm down hard—knocking Haynes to the ground and seizing the gun from his hand.
Then, gun in his left hand, he fires repeatedly at Haynes' wrists and ankles until the last shell casing hits the ground with a sharp clatter.
Rgh...!
I will prove that I'm nothing like you!!
He tosses aside the smoking empty gun and rains blow after blow on Haynes' face, shattering his brow bone and nose.
Let's see... whose blood runs dry first!
Blood flies everywhere, mixed with maroon teeth knocked loose. Haynes had underestimated how time and experience can change a person—this brutal beating forces both men to acknowledge that fact.
You call yourself... "the one who knows me best"... You couldn't be more wrong, but I... I'll find every little trick you've hidden!
Expending his last ounce of strength, Haniff delivers one final punch to Haynes, then tears open his collar, stripping away the hypocrite's fa?ade.
—Beneath the white lab coat lies a twisted body, nearly completely transformed.
I knew you couldn't possibly be selflessly devoted to helping that Ascendant... You'd definitely find a way to control him, to make sure he wouldn't dare end your partnership...
And the best way to control him... was to destroy all the embryos, reducing the Ascendant's plans to ashes.
You've already transformed yourself into the "detonator" for destroying this gene bank, haven't you?
...
Haynes opens his mouth as if to say something, but only blood spills out. Most of his teeth have been knocked out.
Weren't you the old man who loved to smile?... Haha... Why can't you laugh now?
...Cough...
Admit it! The moment you kill me, the destruction program will automatically activate—!
Dragging his injured leg, Haniff moves to the edge of the platform, hauling the barely breathing Haynes with him.
Next... if I can just end all "Haynes," I'll finally break free from this sickening cycle of fate...
During that simulation battle, he had successfully charged into the center of the high-risk zone clutching the domain node, like a hero leaping into the abyss while embracing the flames.
It's time to end it all!
Even if he could never become the "Chief," this was still the ending he wanted.
Even if I have to die with him, this is still the ending I want...!
Though the pain makes him want to curl up into a ball, he forces himself to whisper into Haynes' ear.
Then, like the flaming Icarus falling into the sea, he clutches Haynes' body and rolls off the edge.
Huff...
As the sensation of weightlessness takes over, he exhales deeply, remembering how the Commandant had just decided to pass "the final baton" to him.
(I've done it... Let this be my atonement...)
He closes his eyes, savoring the rush of wind past his ears as he falls—
The rush of wind suddenly stops.
Well, look at this. Leave for just a moment and this brat has already made a complete mess of himself... [player name], your F.O.S. really is a breeding ground for exceptional talent.
You desperately cling to one of Haniff's legs, while Vera mercilessly pins down his other leg with her foot.
...You two!
What's with that face? So grateful you're about to have a breakdown?
I will. But before that...
Vera raises her dual-blade gun, carefully aiming the tip at the old man's widened eyes, as if searching for the perfect angle.
I've read your notes and finally figured out how you "copy." If I kill you here today, there won't ever be another "Haynes," right?
Hah... hah... you again...
So you do remember me. Then let me ask—are you enjoying our little "reunion," Hay-nes?
Haynes notices the familiar figure standing beside Vera. This scene seems to have played out before, many years ago, and the reminder infuriates him.
How... are you so lucky... again...
Haynes shifts his gaze to Vera's collarbone, as if discovering some new amusement. Even with a mouth full of blood, he's determined to speak his mind.
Hah... so that's not it... I see now... for a loyal dog like you... the best way to break you... isn't physical torture...
You'll... tear apart... your own dignity... and beliefs...
...
Heh, of course I know that!
Vera seems to understand what Haynes is trying to say. She smiles slightly, then finds the most efficient angle and forcefully raises her spear—
...you fear "going Haywire" most of all... you'll never forgive yourself...!
I fear nothing anymore!!
—then viciously thrusts it in.
The last Haynes falls with the momentum from the spear tip, plunging into the densest cluster of "embryos" below.
A dull "thud" announces the end as the platform where the three remaining people stand immediately begins to shake. Flames ignite from below and heat waves surge upward.
Haniff tumbles to the ground, clutching the bleeding wound in his thigh as he coughs uncontrollably.
Cough, cough... Get out of here... The old man is dead... The "Hollow" will self-destruct...
...
Vera doesn't speak. Instead, she raises her hand in the firelight and reaches for where the "safety" should be—it's gone.
Haha... How many years has it been? I've almost forgotten this feeling.
As if reminded of something by Haynes' words, she involuntarily glances at you.
Far from over...
Haynes is dead, but that Ascendant is still putting up quite a fight.
According to Haynes' notes that we found earlier, the next Ascendant will be born here in this "Hollow."
As if responding to her words, the incubation chambers wrapped in bone spikes begin to vibrate. The entities inside sense the threat and struggle to birth themselves.
His most primal purpose was revenge. People harboring such emotions always take the wrong path at some crucial crossroads. Just like he is now—completely manipulated by Haynes, who excelled at entrapping people.
Even if his name isn't "Lloyd," the person who once died by my hand, I'd still like to knock some sense into him.
Vera's red hair sways gently in the waves of heat. Despite being in pain, you gaze at the slender thread of fire swaying before you, listening intently to her words.
But through the distorted air, you sense something strange brewing—a hint of secrecy, a touch of resignation.
—Listen to me.
Vera tightens her grip on her weapon once more. For a fleeting moment, she seems to radiate a hint of sorrow.
There are too many things I haven't had time to say, especially to you.
She looks at the rope tightly fastened between her waist and yours.
You tied us together again?
How much do you remember?
Your memories of her still remain somewhat hazy.
You went back to look for me?
But you...
Vera's lips move rapidly as she speaks, her words coming out in a rush.
Simultaneously, long-lost memories replay in your throbbing head. Memories of being inside Vera's M.I.N.D. and seeing through her eyes, and even glimpses of what the Hetero-Creature "Eve" once witnessed.
You search through countless memories and perspectives, trying to pinpoint the source of this strange uneasiness.
Just like this, pull the plug out.
Finally, your gaze settles on Vera's chest.
We've been doing the wrong thing from the very beginning. I realized that long ago. Might as well commit to our mistakes until the end.
...
You suddenly lunge forward—disregarding your injured leg—and grab Vera's wrist, exposing the emptiness where something should be.
...
The ground trembles so violently it's nearly impossible to stand, while dust trickles down from the ceiling.
Vera gives you a complex, unreadable expression.
"I'll count to three, then you run forward."
You sense something and reach out to grab—
But Vera raises her weapon once more and severs the rope between the two of you.
"The rope is cut."
...That's what it means.
You reach out as fast as possible, but grasp nothing but air.
Vera uses the tip of her gun to push the two wounded off the platform, leaving herself alone on the vast expanse to silently await the Ascendant's "birth."
Only now do you realize—your history with Vera was like a tiny yet burning spark, snuffing out when grasped too tightly.
