Translator: KJ

───「Outcast : Character Appendix」───

■ Meden

. 187cm. Pitch-black hair and eyes. Handsome, all things considered.

. Special Ability: Body Hardening. Hardens his blood and bones like a high-density Mana Alloy. Doesn't sound like much, but simple is best. Might one day stand toe to toe with the Empire's strongest, Sebestian? (Here's a hint: even his 'blood' hardens like Mana Alloy!)

■ Elze

. 168cm. Platinum hair. Cold and proud, and she really is that way.

. Special Ability: Phase Transition. Manipulates temperature and pressure through mana, drastically altering the physical state of matter.

■ Pain.

. 213cm. Even more overwhelmingly massive in person. Bald, scar-covered head. The kindest of the bunch.

. Special Ability: Vibration Collapse. Forces ambient mana particles into resonance, releasing shockwaves that crush any physical structure they touch. Anyone lacking sufficient mana resistance can't even stand in front of Pain.

■ Filty

. 160cm. Slim and lovely build. Everyone insists she isn't really 160cm, but she is. The series' officially canonized peerless beauty.

. Special Ability: Clairvoyance and Mana Visualization. Can observe scenes from tens to hundreds of kilometers away. However, due to brain overload, she can't fully remember the scenes she sees, so she has to draw them out as pictures.

■ Caden

. 173cm. Sharp, high-strung impression. Weasel-like features with a mohawk cut.

. Special Ability: Neural Disruption. Synchronizes mana wavelengths with the enemy's bioelectric current to distort their vision or induce auditory hallucinations.

────

...Before I knew it, I had finished the main story, and I was reading the densely packed Outcast member profiles in the appendix at the back of the comic.

I checked the release date for the next issue while I was at it.

─You done reading?

The vagrant beside me asked the question casually.

─I am.

─Ah, your way of talking is hilarious.

The homeless man snickered. I gave no particular response and handed the comic book back to him.

─Ah, it's fine. Keep it. It's just kindling anyway.

─...Ahem.

I gladly tucked it away inside my coat.

These days I wanted to get my hands on a bag, even just a small one. For storing emergency rations, and now for this comic too. Though carrying luggage did make running away harder...

That was what I had thought back then.

─When the next chapter comes out, where and how can I get a copy?

It was a serious question, but the homeless man cackled as he scooped up a few coins from the can in front of him.

─Just wait, it'll come out eventually~

─...What?

─It's such a popular comic, copies are scattered all over the place, and plenty get tossed in the trash, too.

He wa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌ved a soot-stained finger through the air as he continued.

─Long as you stay alive. You can read it again, anytime, anywhere. That's what I'm saying.

As long as you stay alive.

That single phrase from the past had struck me as something rather wistful.

* * *

──Orders from upper command. Everyone evacuate.

At that single phrase in the present, the researchers moved as one. Orders from above were sacred to them. I found it absurd, but I pretended to follow them up the emergency stairs and then stopped.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap...

The researchers' footsteps grew distant. By the time they had retreated far enough up, I started back down the stairs.

KOOOOM──

The core research lab on the upper floors of Mason Industry.

Feeling the Outcast slowly drawing nearer, I looked at Elze inside the lab.

"..."

I quietly stepped inside. Thump. I deliberately let my footsteps fall heavily. Elze fluttered her eyelids open. With her face caked in blood, she snapped at me the moment she saw me.

"What're you staring at? You wanna die? You fuck!"

It was, to a degree, a familiar sight.

"Your comrades are coming."

"...!"

Her body went rigid. Confusion, sorrow, and hope all flickered across her trembling pupils, but soon she scrunched her face up again and screamed.

"If anything's happened to them, I'll start by wringing every one of your fucking necks!"

I gave a faint smile at her cursing.

Thanks to them, I had been happy.

Ah, I don't mean that this kind of abuse is enjoyable.

The joy and amusement the Outcast had given me before my Regression...

It is a strangely peculiar emotion.

Perhaps it might be called a private sentiment of mine, mine alone.

To meet them in the flesh like this, the ones who had been my comfort during my fugitive days, my one pleasure in life.

"That's all."

I gave a light nod. I turned and started to walk away.

I had to leave first, so they could rally around Elze.

"Hey! If you let me out right now, I'll let you off just this once!"

Behind me, Elze shouted urgently.

"I know that's a lie."

I answered with a bitter smile. Per the canon, Elze was a liar. The character traits from the comic popped just as vividly here in reality.

"Hey! Where are you going! You fuck!"

No, the colors were even more cartoonish than the comic.

Since they were people who actually existed, I had wanted, at least once, to meet them in person.

That wish had been granted.

"You asshole──!"

But now those who should have lived would die, and those who should have died would live.

Far better that than for everyone to perish together in extinction. Hundreds of times better.

KOOOOOOOM───!

The tremor rang out as if it would swallow the building whole.

I walked down the corridor and checked the timer.

「4 : 18 : 13」

Soon, they will come.

.......

A predawn hour where the darkness has not yet stirred.

The armed group 'Onyx' was the first to breach Mason Industry's first-floor lobby. To get into Mason's research facility at all, the front had to be broken through, so they had gladly volunteered for the vanguard.

KABOOOM──!

"Forty-fifth floor!"

Meden no longer hid his strength. His skin and muscles hardened like Mana Stone Alloy. Guards blocking his path, researchers fleeing, every other thing that got in his way, he swept aside as he advanced.

─Kill them all! No reason to leave these fucking bastards alive!

Onyx, the armed group, screaming in pure rage.

While they reduced the lobby and lower floors to absolute ruin, the Outcast members exploited the chaos to climb rapidly to the upper floors. They charged up the emergency stairs like madmen.

"Eek!"

Then, at a corner, they ran into a single researcher.

"P-please, spare me..."

The researcher slumped to the floor, trembling. Pain moved to kill him, then hesitated. He merely glared, but right beside him Meden drove a fist down without a moment's pause.

THUD-!

The skull caved in and the researcher's breath was cut short.

"...These bastards deserve to die. Hesitate and we fall behind."

Meden flicked the blood and brain matter off his hand. Pain gave a small chuckle and nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go."

Toward the place where Elze was being held, they bounded up the stairs once more.

─Boom!

Obstacles were still plentiful. Suddenly an emergency door flew open and Mason Industry's private soldiers came pouring out.

BRATATATAT──!

The men opened fire with Mana Bullets. A storm of rounds filled the corridor, but the Outcast did not stop. They took the bullets with their bodies. Even as their flesh was torn apart, they pressed forward and reached out their hands.

─Aaaaargh!

─Gkk!

And so, ripping out their enemies' throats, they sprinted upward, higher and higher.

[ 02 : 15 : 31 ]

There was not much time left.

.......

Drrrrr-drrrrr──

Feeling the vibrations rumbling up from below, Elze drew her breaths in painful, ragged gasps. Frightened and overjoyed all at once, while a terrible worry and guilt crashed over her.

Could they really make it up here, into the heart of enemy territory, in one piece? And even if they could, from where, and how on earth...

"...Haa."

This time, I'm the one being a pain in the ass. I always used to nag Meden about not being a burden, going on and on about it. Now I'm regretting it. This is exactly why people shouldn't run their mouths. Same goes for actions— Such thoughts had been swelling in her head, when─

──KABOOOOOM!

The entire thick outer wall of the lab was blown apart in one go.

Fwoooosh! Mana shoved the concrete aside and came flooding in like a wave, and beyond it, her comrades came practically 'flying' in.

Elze's mouth fell open in shock.

"Ah..."

Elze stared at the ones who had burst in, scattering dust and debris. At the sight of Meden and the others, already drenched in blood, astonishment and overwhelming emotion welled up in her at the same time.

She muttered with a complicated expression on her face.

"Hey. What're you gonna do if you die like this?"

"Then we die together. Isn't that why we got together in the first place?"

Meden's answer was, to them, a perfect one. At least to them, who had leaned on each other and survived through that hell called T24.

"Let's go."

Just as Meden shattered Elze's Restraints and was about to grasp her hand.

──Zzap.

Somewhere, mana ignited. From a single point, a torrent like an ocean erupted. A massive tidal surge crammed itself into the entire space and went wild.

WHOOOOSH───

Suddenly, time seemed to slow. Before Elze's eyes everything fragmented and froze in place. Steam rolling in. The flash of red mana. Meden, sprinting toward her with his hand desperately outstretched. And, beyond the crumbling wall, the silhouette of a mechanical monster finally revealed.

'Falkenrath'.

KAAAABOOOOOM───!

As if snatched away, Elze was hurled out of the building.

──Whoooosh.

Air pressure surged in. Free-falling through the night sky, she took in the wrecked panorama of Mason Industry.

Steel. Concrete. Rebar. Glass. In that place, where shards rained down like a meteor shower, once again.

A single person appeared, just for her.

Elze cried out and stretched out her hand.

"...Meden!"

Her platinum hair, bathed in moonlight, scattered wildly, and her eyes shimmered, wet with tears.

"Elze──!"

The other protagonist, Meden.

Stepping off the collapsing debris, he leapt and seized Elze's hand. He pulled her into his arms.

And so the two embraced each other in midair,

KABOOOM!

And landed safely.

"Khurgh!"

Meden let out a groan. Elze hurriedly placed a hand on his cheek.

"Meden! Are you okay?"

"...I'm fine. Though my legs feel a little broken."

For a moment the two looked at each other. A silence followed in which no word was spoken.

The needless tension seemed about to flush a rosy pink, but there was no room for relief.

Hot on their heels, a far greater mass slammed into the ground.

KOOOOM──!

Acrid smoke rose from the impact crater. Through the dense veil, Falkenrath's deep-red prosthetic eyes glinted.

─How foolish. Did you imagine you could escape?

At his mockery-laced words, Meden kicked off the ground. Strike first, win first. His Hardened Body shot forward like a cannon shell. He drove a straight punch into Falkenrath's abdomen.

KRACK─!

But Falkenrath did not so much as flinch. Instead, he raised his mechanical arm and smashed Meden across the face.

"Gah!"

Meden was sent flying, vomiting blood. Flesh and gore sprayed from every part of him, and Falkenrath leapt after him as he was hurled through the air.

"You monster bastard...!"

But this time, 'Pain' blocked Falkenrath. Mana converged in both his hands. Vibration Collapse. The wave detonated at point-blank range against Falkenrath.

KOOOOOOM──!

The shockwave seeped into Falkenrath's mechanical joints and triggered resonance. Part of Falkenrath's armor crumpled, but he twisted his waist at a grotesque angle and seized Pain by the throat.

"Khuck...!"

─Is this the extent of it?

T⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌he thing slammed Pain down onto the floor. From behind Pain, Caden lunged in and discharged a Mana Wavelength. Neural mana disruption. It struck Falkenrath square in the back of the neck. The red prosthetic eyes sputtered for an instant and its vision warped.

Seizing the opening, Meden charged. He pushed himself past his limit. He pushed the density of his Hardened Body to its absolute extreme.

"Drop dead──!"

Meden's fist landed precisely on Falkenrath's knee joint.

CRACK!

At last Falkenrath's torso staggered. Pain and Caden joined in, raining blow after blow from every direction.

The roar of steel against Hardened Body, the explosions of mana, the wet rending of flesh, all of it filled the chaos to the brim.

[ 00 : 13 : 15 ]

.......

Mason Industry, the upper floors.

I leaned against a pillar of an outer wall that had been blown clean away and tilted to one side, gazing down endlessly at what lay far below. I looked down idly at the spectacle unfolding there.

A scene of carnage on this scale is probably without precedent in the history of the western Empire.

"...Interesting."

Two figures, a man and a woman, clutching each other amid the collapsing wreckage as they plummeted toward the ground.

I had just witnessed, in the flesh, the iconic scene I had once read in the comic. A bittersweet feeling rose in me.

Now they have landed and are locked in combat with Falkenrath. The victor, most likely...

"...?"

Once again I felt that familiar gaze. Not far from me, off to the side, the 'Super-Vision' was watching me. I met her eyes and gave a faint smile.

"Nice to meet you."

Filty's gaze wavered. Even at that distance I could feel the great agitation. Soon afterward her observation cut out.

I quietly closed my eyes.

Last of all, I focused on the deepest part of myself.

──Thump.

My heart beat heavily.

It was the Virus's pulse, directed at someone among the Outcast standing on the ground below.

Among them, too, there was an Ezenheim.

「00 : 07 : 15」

.......

Falkenrath had faltered briefl⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌y under the Outcast's combined assault, but it did not collapse. On the contrary, he ramped up his output and overwhelmed the three of them.

KABOOM─! CLANG! KRAAAACK─!

A relentless barrage. Meden's Body Hardening had reached its limit, and Pain dropped to one knee, drenched in his own blood. Caden, too, had been hit by Falkenrath's Rifle and lost part of his right arm.

─Vermin. Still, it was entertaining.

Falkenrath smiled leisurely as he closed his hand around Meden's throat. The objective was capture alive, so brain death was no concern.

Squeeeeze. The pressure from the mechanical arm shot up.

"Khh─"

Watching Meden being strangled, Elze staggered to her feet. Her platinum hair rippled with the pulse of mana. Her two eyes were dyed blue.

"Machines..."

Phase Transition. The mana that erupted from her eyes coiled around Falkenrath's mechanical body. For mana to penetrate, a 'gap' was needed, and one had already been made. Her comrades had made it for her. Wounds at the joints. That was enough.

FWOOOOSH──!

In an instant, the moisture in the surrounding air boiled and rose as superheated steam. Falkenrath's coolant flash-vaporized and began to burst out from between every mechanical joint.

─...!

Falkenrath's prosthetic eyes spun through wild colors and his body moved on its own.

In the end, a machine is just a machine. Unable to resist error, unable to adapt to its environment.

"Now!"

Elze cried out, vomiting blood.

Meden squeezed out the last of his mana and forged his r⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌ight arm into the most rigid form he could manage.

"You tin can bastard─!"

The blow he poured everything into hammered into Falkenrath's armor, glowing red from the overheating.

KAAAABOOOOOOOM────!

The impact erupted outward like an artillery shell. Falkenrath, struck dead-on, was sent flying back hard and slammed into a wall.

"Haa, haa..."

A breath escaped through Meden's teeth like steam. The shattered hunks of metal scraped along the floor with a screech of iron, and the area fell silent in an instant. The four of them slumped against the dirt and dragged in ragged breaths.

"...Khurgh."

"Ahh, fuck..."

"This hurts like hell, seriously."

The silence that came at the end of a death match. They were a wreck, every inch of them caked in blood and soot, but they were alive. The Outcast looked at one another and grinned.

"Let's go."

Meden hauled himself to his fee⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌t with effort.

"Meden. Before we go."

Elze pointed at Falkenrath.

Falkenrath was still alive. A Mechanical Human could recover its durability at any time, so a kill confirmation was essential.

"...Right. Confirm."

Meden nodded and started walking toward him.

──Tap.

Footsteps approached from across the floor.

From between the torn rebar and concrete, a single man in lab attire walked abruptly into view.

A mask. A white coat. Frameless glasses. His outfit was so impeccably neat, without a single crease, and even amid this chaos he merely watched the Outcast members with composure.

"...Hold on. That guy's face, I remember it."

Pain let out a dry laugh. He was the researcher Filty had 'flagged' in her manga. Seeing him, Elze tugged the corner of her mouth up, too.

"It's that researcher from earlier. Nice to see you!"

"Yeah? If you're glad to see him, shouldn't we take a closer look?"

Elze waved her hand, and Pain cracked his knuckles as he advanced toward the man.

"Ohh~ this guy isn't running."

Even before the colossal frame of Pain, the researcher remained still. He merely looked up at him as he approached.

"Hey. Let's talk for a sec. You were having a pretty good time torturing her, huh? This'll probably be your last conversation, so─"

The instant Pain grinned and reached out to grab him by the collar.

SHK──

Moonlight flowed.

A fine, clean line was drawn across Pain's neck.

A line of blood rose softly along it, then bloomed into full flower.

"...?"

Thud.

Pain's head fell.

His face, still wearing his smile, rolled across the pavement.

[00 : 00 : 00]

~~~

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