Red arrived at the abandoned orphanage, opened the shackles space, and took out a pouch that was being stored inside.
She pulled out a cookie from the pouch and took a bite.
It was a cookie made by the children.
A smile gently appeared on Red’s lips.
Although it fell short in shape and taste compared to those made by real professional bakers, it was the best cookie for her.
After eating one, she opened the storage space again, put the cookie pouch back inside, and got out of the car.
The building was much larger than the orphanage Red sponsored, and the yard was as spacious as a school playground.
But now, it was an abandoned building.
Red remembered the grandeur of this place.
She used to think it was all Isaac’s dedication to provide the best environment for the children, but once she learned the truth, disgust washed over her.
She broke down the entrance door and walked purposefully into the yard.
Someone was standing in the middle of the yard.
Red recognized the person and slightly wrinkled her brow.
In contrast, Isaac was smiling broadly.
He raised one hand to greet her cheerfully.
Red was taken aback by the friendly attitude.
“It’s been a while since you came here, hasn’t it? I would have liked to treat you, but there’s nothing suitable here. There’s a quiet café a little away from here. Let’s go there and talk.”
“….”
Red glared at him with anger.
Isaac scratched his cheek sheepishly.
He chuckled lightly and said.
“Don’t make that face. I know exactly why you came, and I understand how you feel right now. But once you know my circumstances, you’ll understand why I acted this way.”
“Understanding? You expect me to understand after you pulled such a stunt? Seriously?”
Isaac placed one hand on his waist and nodded.
With a calm face.
“You will surely understand once you hear my story.”
Red held a sneer at the corners of her mouth.
“I have many things I want to ask you, but I’ll do that later. Let me ask you directly. Where is Lily?”
Isaac’s cheerful demeanor disappeared at the unpleasant question.
He looked genuinely uncomfortable, covering his forehead with one hand and letting out a long sigh.
With wide eyes, he stared at Red.
“I just want to clear up the misunderstandings between us quickly. Is that really so important?”
“Is that so…?”
“What do you think of that girl?”
Red narrowed her eyes.
Isaac continued in an irritated tone.
“That’s a bug. It shouldn’t exist in this world. What do you think will happen if we leave a bug? The world will crumble. So just forget it. It’s better if it disappears. More importantly, right now…”
Isaac’s words were interrupted by a loud bang.
It was the sound of Red kicking the ground fiercely.
She sprinted at an incredible speed and threw a punch toward his head.
The fist was suddenly stopped by an ice wall that appeared out of nowhere.
“Haha, I almost got caught off guard.”
At that moment, the corners of Isaac’s mouth curled up slightly, and the ice wall cracked massively, easily shattering into pieces.
Isaac’s eyes widened, and just as he attempted to move his hand, Red’s grip had already caught his neck, lifting him up.
“Gah…!”
As Red tightened her grip, Isaac’s eyes narrowed considerably.
He struggled as his arms flailed in the air, gasping for breath.
His face turned pale as he struggled to breathe.
Yet a smile still clung to his face.
When he raised the corners of his mouth higher, his body began to turn into an ice statue.
And as he attempted to grab Red’s arm with both of his struggling hands, she tightened her grip on his neck.
Crack!
His neck shattered, and his body and head fell to the ground.
Red looked down at the broken Isaac with indifferent eyes.
She didn’t let her guard down.
What lay before her was merely a fragment.
It wasn’t over.
Swoosh─!
Thick fog soon filled the yard, obstructing her view.
In the mist, Isaac’s voice could be heard.
Red quickly rolled her eyes.
Neither silhouettes were visible, nor was there any presence detected. Yet she remained incredibly calm.
“You thought I’d be waiting for you unprepared? I’m not a fool, and I know your personality too well.”
Isaac’s voice was full of confidence.
He felt certain of his victory, continuing to speak leisurely.
“Indeed, you are strong. Even if I go all out, it might fall short. But do you know? The world is not all about strength. I know you well. You can never defeat me. It’s a battle I cannot lose.”
Isaac, hidden in the fog, watched Red.
There was pity in his eyes towards her.
After all, she was fighting a battle she could not win.
Isaac understood Red’s skills and patterns well.
He knew exactly what attacks she would make and how she would strike.
At first, he might not have understood, but after learning all her patterns, when they faced off in an event battle in the game, he consistently won overwhelmingly.
“I just want to talk. So could you please lower that terrifying killing intent?”
He requested earnestly, wanting to avoid hurting her as much as possible.
Red’s aura grew even fiercer.
Rejection.
Isaac’s face looked regretful.
“I don’t want to hurt you. So…”
Isaac began to move.
The fog he spread was special.
The caster’s magic power, presence, and even footsteps were concealed in the mist.
He naturally moved behind Red and placed his palm gently on her back.
“Let’s resolve our misunderstandings through conversation.”
Seeing Red show signs of movement, Isaac warned her.
“It’s better if you don’t move. You know well what 70% of the human body consists of. What do you think will happen if I exert my powers here?”
“…”
Red sighed softly.
“Alright, go ahead. What noble goal could possibly justify your actions?”
Isaac paused slightly before offering his explanation.
“To save the world.”
He began to explain.
This world is headed for destruction, and he is acting to save it.
As he spoke fluidly, he mentioned that an anomaly had appeared, causing problems in his perfect plan.
“Who on earth did such a thing?”
“A guy you already know well. The Grim Reaper. He is the one who could bring this world to ruin.”
“…”
“The Grim Reaper, who hinders my ideal plan, must disappear.”
“So that’s why you did it? To defeat the Grim Reaper?”
“The Grim Reaper is strong. You, who faced him directly, know that better than anyone. If everyone were to face him together, we might manage to subdue him, but many lives would be lost, and naturally, the balance of the city would be disrupted. You already know what would come after that, right?”
“…”
“To prevent the balance from breaking, it’s essential to subdue the Grim Reaper. That’s why I prepared this. All to protect the world, to protect my friends.”
“To save the world, huh… Such a noble mindset.”
“Right?”
Isaac’s face brightened.
It seemed he thought Red empathized with his cause.
But the next thing she added made him frown.
“Truly ridiculous.”
“What…?”
“Didn’t you hear? Let me repeat myself. Everything you said is absurd. I thought you were after power or strength or something, but this is just weird.”
“Is that really your honest opinion? How could you say something like that? How could you!!”
Isaac bristled.
Feeling that his attitude was ridiculous, Red snickered.
“You really don’t understand, do you?”
“What am I supposed to not understand?”
“People need to be honest. Do you really think that what you desire is peace and love?”
Isaac was left speechless.
He had been asked a question he didn’t comprehend.
He believed that every action he took was for the sake of the world.
And that belief remained unchanged.
Just as Isaac was about to affirm it, Red spoke before him.
“I didn’t notice it when we were close, but since we’ve drifted apart, I can see you more clearly. You don’t care for the world or your friends.”
Isaac was affectionate and sociable, getting along well with people.
However, Red sensed a subtle sense of discomfort in his demeanor.
At first, she thought it was just a simple misperception.
But that unease became clear on the day of the children’s funeral.
Now, having learned everything, she realized the identity of the unease she had harbored all along.
“You… Did you ever truly see your comrades… the citizens as real people from the beginning?”
Red remembered everything from the times she had worked with Isaac.
He had manipulated those he needed, utilizing those relationships to benefit himself.
If someone was no longer needed or posed a threat, he would coldly abandon them, even if they were comrades.
Every action he took was surprisingly efficient. Yet, he remained indifferent to the condition of his allies.
He was fixated solely on the results.
Everyone had been somewhat unsettled by Isaac’s attitude, but nobody paid much heed.
It was a harsh world, and they believed that someone like Isaac was still a decent person.
Above all, his commands always brought about remarkable results, regardless of the state of his comrades or the collateral damage.
“That’s right. That’s how it was.”
Isaac had treated people like pieces on a game board.
Even now, it was the same.
As Red spoke with Isaac, she sought to discern what thoughts he held.
Yet, she felt no trace of guilt from him.
In his expressions, in his gaze, in his manner of speaking, there was no sign of sadness or suffering.
He was simply enraged at how his plan had fallen apart.
“World peace? Protecting your comrades? That’s laughable. You just want to win the game. You just want to win and receive your rewards.”
Red turned her head, smiled brightly so he could see her.
“Stop pretending to be pure. Now that we’ve gotten this far, just be honest. You’re just garbage that exists everywhere. A terrible trash that can’t even be recycled.”
Red felt the trembling of the palm that was resting on her back.
Her breathing grew rough.
She could easily imagine his expression without even looking at it.
“And I am simply a cleaner who cannot leave such trash alone.”
Negotiations had collapsed.
Silence flowed.
Only the trembling breath of a man in the mist could be heard.
In a voice that seemed to be holding back something.
“…Then, there’s nothing to be done. You brought this upon yourself. It’ll hurt, but endure it.”
The plan to resolve things through conversation had failed.
Now, it was time to move on to the next step.
To subjugate Red and rummage through her mind.
And then make it as if nothing had ever happened.
The outcome had already been decided.
No matter how sturdy her body was.
If he were to activate magic here…
Thud!
“Ugh…?”
In an instant, time stopped.
The sight before him was incomprehensible.
The hand that was on Red’s back, to be precise, the arm, had twisted in an unnatural way.
Red, who had just shown her back, was now staring directly at Isaac.
Just as the pain began to creep in and she was about to scream, a new blow struck her abdomen with tremendous speed in three rapid hits.
Coughing, Isaac took a few steps back.
“Ugh…!”
In a clumsy posture, he vomited what had been inside.
With the immense pain focusing all his nerves, he raised his head late only to receive a punch to his face.
One of his teeth flew through the air.
His body was dramatically flung back, rolling several times on the ground.
Each roll elicited muffled groans from his mouth.
“Uaaah…! Ugh…!”
Completely stretched out, Isaac thrashed on the ground.
And the familiar sound of footsteps approached his ear.
“There’s no time. Let’s finish this quickly.”
Red shook her head and waved her hands to shake off the fatigue.
Isaac thought that something had gone terribly wrong.
