Morning…
Everyone is busy with their own business again.
Everyone is starting a new day.
Shun leaves his house and heads toward the city center.
He's going to the "Sacred Park" next to the building of the High Council of Jerusalem.
It's an estimated 1–2 hour walk.
But how does time pass?
Fast.
Sometimes very slow.
By the time he arrives at the park, it would be around 10–11 a.m.
He wanders a little.
Just a little.
2–3 hours. As much as "a little" can mean.
The future, the present. The past…
Who knows what's to come?
The future feels exhausting.
He sits in the center of the park and thinks deeply.
Only 4 years ago, those eyes were filled with fear and anxiety—
Now, they look on with pride and joy.
But there is one thing he knows…
If he makes a single mistake now…
Those old eyes will return.
It's exhausting. To be special and important.
Exhausting. So very…
As he walks toward the outer parts of the park, someone calls out:
"Hey! Shun!"
Shun turns around.
"How are you?"
"Thanks, Taha. You?"
Hair neatly pulled up.
Loose and casual clothes.
And a katana at his waist…
Jerusalem's Special Combat Unit, Second Lieutenant:
Taha Shırıq.
"Just wandering. Looks like you're deep in thought again."
"…"
Someone else approaches from the side:
"Don't wear him out, let him rest."
"Oo.. Lie.."
"Shhh! Idiot. Didn't we say code names are forbidden in civilian life? You even called Rina 'X' the other day."
"How should I call someone whose real name I don't know?"
"Kuri! My real name is Kuri."
"Hehehehe."
"Shun, Andrew gave you approximately a week's leave. Until the summit on the 17th."
"Oh, right. Sorry. Congratulations, Shun! A big achievement!"
"Thanks again."
"So, man, why are you alone?"
"Alone?"
"Yeah. Don't you have a friend group or something? Like Rina, you two seem to get along."
"I prefer being alone. It's peaceful."
"Andrew really did make someone just like himself.
By the way, Kuri. Hehe. Anyway.
Has the city's name been decided?"
"Hmm… yes. I believe it will be called Kadingir."
"Kadingir, huh? Does it mean anything?"
"If Andrew chose it, probably. But I don't know."
Shun:
"Kadingir… sounds familiar… Ah, I remember. A term from Ancient World History. Another name for a city called Babylon, from around 2,000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
It means 'Gate of God', if I'm not mistaken."
Kuri (aka Lie):
"Oh right… there was a historian from the Old World. He called it the most beautiful city he'd ever seen."
"Yes. Herodotus himself. Known as the father of Ancient World History," Shun replies.
Taha:
"Seriously. Andrew made someone just like him."
Kuri:
"Look, Shun. You know it. The leader of Jerusalem is known as the Messiah. Three years ago, you were named his heir. Be careful.
You're an important figure. To us. To Jerusalem. Both politically and personally."
"Don't worry. I know…"
At that moment, someone rushes over.
"S-sir… there's—there's been a report…"
Kuri steps forward:
"What happened? Calm down…"
"One of our couriers arrived.
Elda… Elda has escaped from Aid…"
"What?!"
Shun:
"Elda? Who is that?"
"One of the former companions of the Dark Angel. When she was active as a bounty hunter. Krauser, Denis, herself, and Elda. Elda mostly served as a spy. We rarely saw her. But I've encountered her. She was called the Dark Lady. Agile and strong."
Shun:
"Why would she escape now? The Dark Angel is dead. The others are already finished. For Krauser?"
"No idea. She must know something. She once contacted Taka long ago, then went silent. Much later, we found out she was being held prisoner in Aid. And she was scheduled to be executed soon. Strange…"
Shun:
"…"
Taha:
"Then let's go to the High Council…"
Messenger:
"There's also another bad piece of news…"
Kuri:
"What is it?"
"Taka… his remaining 4-year sentence has been lifted after 3 years."
"Hmm… That was expected. Once Taka was declared a criminal, he likely lost economic support."
"That's all, sir."
Kuri:
"Alright. Inform the Messiah, we're on our way."
"Yes, sir!!"
⸻
A dark room…
Dim light illuminates what appears to be a cell for the broken ones…
The cell is closed with tight iron bars.
Someone is inside.
Crouched, sitting.
Gently rocking back and forth.
Another figure approaches the front of the cell…
"Woooow… I can't even remember the last time you came to see me, Krauser…"
Krauser peers in carefully.
"What's wrong..? Why won't you speak..?"
"Didn't we tell you to stop cutting yourself? Are you schizophrenic?"
"Hehehehehehe…"
The cell is filled with blood.
The walls look like they've been clawed at.
The person inside stands up.
"Wanna see my new artwork…?"
He turns his face toward the faint light. Now, he is face to face with Krauser.
His skin is pale white. Like snow.
But covered in red stains.
Krauser looks closely.
The figure steps forward into the light from the dark part of the cell.
Part of his face is now somewhat visible.
Both corners of his mouth have been cut. Blood had gushed out. But never cleaned—dried and stuck.
Krauser doesn't say it out loud, but he's slightly disturbed.
How did it come to this?
That question still haunts him.
Krauser scans the cell.
He sees an eye patch and bandages.
"You don't listen at all… you're going to get infected…"
The figure inside giggles psychopathically and steps even closer…
Now his face is fully lit.
Denis…
The bandaged side of his face and the wound are visible.
Normally, his healthy eye was white with a brown iris.
But the bandaged eye…
The sclera is pitch black.
And the iris is completely white.
There's a long cut under the eye.
No one knows how it got there.
But when he shakes violently or enough time passes, the stitches break open.
That's why Zack, Krauser, and Bifrat never missed his medical checkups and treatments…
"As if You care…"
Denis's hair has grown long.
He wears torn pants and only a white hoodie on top.
But the white hoodie is now off-white.
Stained with blood. Torn like his pants.
Krauser:
"You're looking more and more like him…"
"Don't compare me to that freak…"
"..."
"What the hell are you here for?!"
"What's with this drama, huh?!
You're like a damn teenager. Disgusting!
Who does this over a girl?!"
"Am I even human?"
"Idiot. Just a figure of speech."
"There are two emotions that can change a person… love and lovelessness. Both tied to the same thing…"
"She was like ten years older than you…"
"Does age even matter?"
"And there's that disgusting philosophy again. You're trying to become like her."
Denis suddenly rushes to the bars, grabs them, and shakes violently, yelling:
"DON'T YOU DARE PUT ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS THAT PIECE OF SHIT!!!
LOOK AT YOURSELF!! YOU'VE BECOME ONE OF THOSE POLITICIANS YOU USED TO MOCK YEARS AGO!! YOUR EGO IS SKY-HIGH!!
NEITHER YOU NOR BIFRAT EVER UNDERSTOOD ME!! FUCKING SONS OF BITCHES!!!!"
Krauser suddenly snaps, grabs him by the collar.
He's only wearing the hoodie.
Grabs him and slams his head against the bars, shouting:
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!
DON'T YOU DARE SAY BIFRAT'S NAME!!!
HE WAS ALREADY BROKEN AFTER ZACK AND MIA DIED!!!
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HOLD HIM TOGETHER AND YOU WENT ON YOUR FUCKING DRAMA TRIP!!!
HE COULDN'T HANDLE IT!!!
THIS IS YOUR FUCKING FAULT!!!
YOU WERE THERE WHEN MIA DIED, NOT ME YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!"
He slams his head a few more times against the bars and throws him backward…
Denis writhes on the ground…
"Bifrat… is he dead…?"
Silence…
Denis… starts giggling again with that same psycho expression… then laughing…
That angers Krauser even more…
At that moment, Liv grabs his arm.
"Liv?!"
"He's doing this to provoke you… to make you come to him…"
"You think that brat can take me down—"
Suddenly, Denis rushes in and stabs Krauser in the left side.
"Aarggh!."
Liv pulls her gun and shoots Denis twice in both legs and once in the shoulder.
Denis collapses.
"Soldiers!!!"
Men rush in and quickly carry Krauser away.
One of them stays behind…
Liv:
"No medical treatment for you for another month.
Let that be enough."
He leaves the room.
Denis keeps writhing on the floor…
"Arrghhh… fuck you all… I'll kill you…
That arrogant fuck… in Jerusalem…
They stole my revenge from me…"
"Hehehe," laughs the remaining soldier…
Denis looks at him suspiciously…
The soldier steps closer to the bars:
"Hello!… It's been a long time, Denis…"
Denis gives him a strange look.
"What's with that stupid face?..
What's wrong? Don't recognize me…??!!"
He removes the large hat from his head…
Denis's eyes widen…