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"Acckk!" Seo Jihnyuk clawed at the cold, metallic platform beneath him, his fingers trembling as the rough edges tore into his skin. The sound of chains and shackles clinked around his legs and neck, the weight of it all pulling him further into the ground. He knelt, feeling like a prisoner in his own skin, his breath ragged, his pulse erratic.
"How did it all... How did it all lead to this?" Seo whispered to himself, leaning his back against the toughened steel wall of the enclosed cell. The walls were unyielding, oppressive, a constant reminder of the torment that consumed his every thought.
For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, hoping for a sliver of clarity in the madness that surrounded him. But all he found was the echo of his failures, the memories of decisions he couldn't reverse.
"Hahaha!" A familiar, eerie laugh pierced through the stillness of the room. Seo jerked his head up, his eyes narrowed as they locked onto the figure beyond the thick iron bars of his prison. Hendricks stood there, his grin wild, almost obsessed, as if he had won some twisted game.
"I can't believe I lost to you... in a test of minds," Seo grunted, forcing a dry chuckle. His voice was hoarse, the pain evident as he tried to sit up straighter, his chains rattling in protest.
Hendricks' smile widened, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. "The cage holds your abilities, Seo. At least for a full day before the battery needs to be changed. But trust me, you won't be getting out of this place in a hundred years." His tone was almost mocking, as if Seo's suffering amused him.
"Ah... Hendricks." Seo's lips twisted into a bitter smile, letting out a small sigh. "I almost had you here once. You should count yourself lucky."
"Lucky?" Hendricks let out a cruel laugh that echoed against the metal walls. "You, of all people, calling me lucky? You were responsible for the death of so many Kyota citizens and Hunters... and on top of that, you killed a board member. You're finished, Seo. Done."
Hendricks' voice turned cold as he walked away, leaving Seo alone with his thoughts, the chains clinking behind him like a death knell. "You won't be getting out of here, not in this life."
---
The boardroom was filled with tension so thick it felt suffocating. In the middle of the large table sat Seo, now surrounded by ominous energy, his expression unreadable. He looked composed, almost disturbingly so, as if the weight of the accusations didn't matter.
"I can't believe it," Rachael's voice trembled, filled with shock and disbelief. She stood from her seat, her eyes wide with panic. "Seo is the mole? How is that even possible?" Her voice rose, but no one else spoke. The room had gone eerily silent.
"Tell me they're lying, Seo," Rachael's plea was desperate, her voice shaking as she stared at him, hoping for an answer that would make sense of this nightmare.
But Seo didn't flinch. He didn't deny it. He didn't even try to cover it up.
Vicky Shaw, sitting on the opposite end of the table, let out a sigh before speaking up. "The proof is undeniable," he began, his tone steady, yet cutting. "You left obvious trails that led me straight to you, Seo. One of those was the call you made to Axel, giving him and his team illegal access to a restricted portal.
"Answer me, damn it!" Rachael screamed, shaking him violently.
And then, in one horrifying motion, Seo's hand shot up, grabbing Rachael's face like a vice.
"Shut up!"
The room exploded into chaos. A sickening sound echoed as blood sprayed across the walls, flesh torn apart in one brutal motion. The thump of a body hitting the ground followed, and then... silence. Cold, deathly silence.
Seo blinked, his hand still extended, dripping with blood. His vision blurred, and the lights of the boardroom flickered around him. His gaze fell to his hand, now clutching a piece of flesh. A mask? No, it wasn't a mask.
His heart lurched in his chest as the horrifying realization hit him. It was Rachael's face.
Her body lay at his feet, blood pooling beneath her lifeless form.
'What have I done?' The thought clawed at him, his mind spinning, unable to comprehend the horror before him.
"Vick—" Seo started, turning toward Vicky, but before he could say more, a blinding pain shot through his body, and the world around him faded into darkness.
---
Back in the present, Seo sat in his cell, his heart heavy with guilt as Hendricks walked away.
"Hendricks," Seo called out, his voice hoarse. "Tell me something. Just between us."
Hendricks paused, his back still turned, but he didn't look back.
"You did the same thing to me that you did to Axel, didn't you? You framed me. You messed with my head and pulled the strings. For what? Power? Greed?"
A low chuckle escaped Hendricks' lips. "It's good that you finally understand. But it's not just power, Seo. It's more than that. When Metorion comes, you'll see... everything will fall into place.
But first, I'll burn down your world before your very eyes."