He was like a lion with a black mane.

That was the first thought I had when I met Kyle. Smooth yet thick black hair flowing to his shoulders, sharp upturned eyes, and golden irises that gleamed like molten metal.

His presence reminded me of a lion—majestic and untamed—and it drew the gaze of everyone around him. I stood there for a long time, simply watching him.

Until he turned to look at me, hand resting lightly on his sword hilt, a faint smile on his lips.

Kyle noticed my stare almost immediately.

Ah.

I still remember his black hair fluttering in the wind.

“You’re Hildebert, right?”

We first met in the training arena.

It was during those bold, reckless years. The time when everyone sought a rival sharp enough to hone the edge of their own blade. I faced Kyle, who had already made a name for himself for various reasons—and he, in turn, faced me.

That was how our long, tangled bond began.

A bond that lasted until the end of the world.

It was never light or fleeting. The memories I shared with him were heavy. We had fought side by side through countless missions—beast hunts, rebellion suppressions, wars, dragon slayings, relic recoveries.

Through battles that demanded we entrust each other with our backs, our world expanded. We met others like Deltey, Ivon, and Lyn. Together we encountered new people, sometimes introducing one another to our own allies.

Kyle and I were utterly different. Perhaps that was why our connection endured. We complemented each other’s weaknesses and kept moving forward.

It was a time when I only had to look after myself. Even when we went out to subjugate something, the only resolve we needed was to risk our own lives and those of our comrades.

But as that pleasant era passed, the things we had to take responsibility for began to increase.

Even so, our friendship held firm—right until the world collapsed.

We watched it fall together.

Even the portal that unfolded into that distant darkness...

“Now that you’ve seen enough, it’s your turn to talk, Hildebert.”

A cold voice pierced my ear.

“Give and take, right? Balance must be kept.”

That’s fair and all, but—

I’d rather not climb onto the operating table in one piece, thanks.

Groaning, I lowered my head.

After a while, someone in ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) a white coat approached. I lifted my gaze to see a tall figure walking toward me through the darkness—his white lab coat fluttering, a black turtleneck beneath it.

John Mühlen stopped in front of me.

“You came on an empty stomach this time, I hope.”

The gray-haired scientist spoke in a low tone.

“Test Subject Zero.”

Whirr—! The electric saw came to life.

The century’s genius scientist pressed the spinning blade toward my neck.

Then came the words that froze me in terror.

“No—Hildebert Taleb.”

Why did he know my name...?

Agh!

Wait—

A person—

“Somebody help me!”

“Jesus—!”

Thud!

A dull pain slammed into my head.

I blinked several times with dry, stinging eyes.

The rush of sensations came all at once.

By now, I was used to this kind of situation—quick to piece things together. The seniors stood around me, their expressions caught between shock and exasperation. Ricardo leaned against the wall with a smirk. Bobby sat on the floor, eyes wide. Asil knelt beside me, looking down with a mix of concern and disbelief.

Apparently, Asil had been shaking me. I must have slammed my head against the wall as I woke up.

I tried to rub the sore spot but failed, ending up lying on my side instead.

Then I took in the scene before me—and confirmed the obvious.

We were still imprisoned.

“Feeling a bit more awake now~?”

Ricardo chuckled, watching me blink blankly.

At least the seniors seemed unharmed.

I opened my sticky eyes and nodded faintly.

“Yes.”

“How do you feel?”

Asil narrowed his blue eyes from right beside me.

Rolling my eyes upward, I checked my own condition.

First off, I desperately needed artificial tears. My head hurt from the impact with the floor. And... my body tingled all over, cramped and numb.

Probably because those lunatics had injected me with some unknown drug.

Still, it could have been worse. No hallucinations, no ringing in my ears. Once the numbness faded, I would be able to move normally again.

The seniors’ eyes fixed on me.

“Do any of you have artificial tears?”

They stared silently.

Bobby finally spoke.

“You’ve got dry eyes?”

“No, but... they’re really stiff.”

“Maybe you cried too much,” Asil said bluntly.

With his usual rough tone, he wiped the dried tear marks on my cheek with his thumb.

“You were crying nonstop.”

Feels like I’ve been caught not washing my face.

A bit embarrassed, I forced a weak smile.

“Thank you. My hands and feet are still numb, so... I’ll wash up properly later.”

“Your hands and feet are numb?”

Ricardo’s voice sharpened immediately.

Still smiling awkwardly, I met his green eyes.

“Yes. Other than that, I’m fine. The numbness should fade soon.”

None of them replied.

What was with those suspicious looks? Especially Ricardo’s—he stared at me like I was a ticking bomb.

Honestly, I take good care of my body. Not that anyone seems to trust that.

Anyway, how are we getting out of here?

As I rolled my eyes around, scanning the cell, Asil spoke again.

“Bad dream or something?”

Ah.

Just thinking about it made me tired.

“Yes. I dreamed John Mühlen called me by my full name.”

“Hm?”

Asil blinked, puzzled by the unexpected answer.

“John Mühlen? The genius scientist in the lab?”

“Yes.”

“And why is that a bad dream?”

Ricardo started laughing quietly.

I ignored him and waved it off. “It was... that kind of dream.” Even recalling it was chilling. Definitely the drug’s fault.

Horrifying, truly.

The tears were probably from dreaming about Kyle, though.

Thankfully, Asil didn’t press further.

Instead, the silver-haired senior asked if I needed help sitting up. I politely declined. I was grateful for the offer, but I’d rather stay lying down. The cold floor didn’t bother me anymore.

Besides, I doubted I could stay upright for long.

When will this drug wear off? I’m the only one with any strength left—I need to recover quickly.

Tilting my chin slightly, I scanned the pale corridor beyond the bars.

A chilly air drifted through the space. No sign of anyone else. We’d expected to be locked up with the illegal implants, but it seemed only our group was here.

Oh.

Good timing, actually.

“What are you doing?”

Bobby stared at me, dumbfounded, as I crawled toward the bars.

“Need help?”

“No, I’ve got it.”

The cell was small; I reached the bars quickly.

Ignoring the tingling numbness in my limbs, I stretched my hand out. I didn’t care that my fingers trembled or that the seniors looked at me like I’d lost it.

Dignity doesn’t matter right now.

First, let’s get out!

Crackle!

“Ugh!”

“Hey!”

Pain shot up my arm. Before I could even respond, Asil shouted sharply.

The jolt made it impossible to answer. He grabbed me by the back of the neck and yanked me away from the bars.

“Idiot! You think these are ordinary bars?”

“Unbelievable, this kid....”

I heard Ricardo get up from where he’d been sitting against the wall.

He clicked his tongue and walked toward me. I lay flat, cheek to the cold floor, hands twitching uselessly.

That hurt like hell.

Ricardo sighed and dragged me farther from the bars.

“Don’t act tough when you can barely sit up.”

“But I’m the only one who can still use any strength, sir.”

“See those cuffs on your wrists and ankles?”

He gestured toward my left hand and foot.

Feeling the unfamiliar weight, I nodded. He elaborated with a sigh.

“There’s a bomb inside. CCTV up on the ceiling, too. Step past the bars and—boom.”

“Ah, wonderful. Thorough bastards.”

So much for trying again.

Ricardo snorted as if reading my mind, but I ignored his annoyance. They had enough to worry about without me adding to it.

Sure, I was drugged half-unconscious, but at least my body wasn’t as fragile as a normal human’s.

The others, though, were now completely ordinary.

Even when they grabbed me earlier, I could feel the weakness in their grip. We needed a plan before things got any worse.

“We just have to win, that’s all.”

Bobby spoke suddenly.

She had loosened her tied-up hair and sat with her palms on the cold floor.

“The illegal implants get fame by winning their matches, right? Why can’t we?”

That would be the cleanest scenario.

But there was no way they’d pit them against Creatures weak enough for unenhanced humans to handle. I kept my grim expression. The seniors must have decided while I was out that they’d fight and win in the arena.

I didn’t like that plan one bit.

Ignoring Asil’s grumbling that she was being reckless—and Ricardo’s muttered agreement that she never learned even when scolded—I racked my brain for a better way.

Going over the situation carefully, I noted what we still had.

Our weapons were confiscated, but Ricardo still had his ring, and under our civilian clothes we still wore protective suits.

Small mercies.

At least if anything happened to them, I could shield them with my body.

I pulled my still-numb arm toward me.

If not for the sound of footsteps approaching, I would have told the seniors about my “Hildebert human-shield plan.”

Tap, tap.

Footsteps.

The sharp echo rang through the barren space. The seniors froze.

I also stopped moving and lifted my head slightly.

The sound came from the end of the bluish corridor.

Step, step.

At some point, the click of shoes shifted into the heavier rhythm of boots. The stride was unhurried but steady—disciplined, yet lazy.

The owner of the sound emerged slowly from the shadows.

Wearing a neatly pressed blue police uniform.

The moment I saw the man with the tilted cap and a faint smile, every sense in my body went on alert.

“Senior.”

He wasn’t talking to me. He was smiling at Asil.

“Long time no see. How have you been?”

Crash! 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Sparks flew—the moment Asil grabbed the bars, electricity surged through the metal. Ricardo and I rushed to pull him back.

I had to physically pin him down to stop him from throwing himself at the man outside.

Asil ground his teeth under my grip, struggling to break free.

“Jaeyeon!”

...Of all people.

I swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape and tightened my hold on him. The senior I was restraining twisted and fought, but the Green Dream still in his system made him easy to subdue.

Ricardo and Bobby watched silently, tension thick in the air.

I held back another sigh and turned to the corridor.

Black shoes, blue uniform. Short hair. The same fox-like eyes and handsome nose as always.

So today, Jaeyeon had taken a male form.

And apparently, he knew Asil personally—because he smiled even wider, as if delighted.

“First time since that day.”

I had to tighten my grip even more.

“I heard you quit the police and became a Badger.”

“You...”

Asil’s voice dripped with rage and betrayal.

“You’re the one who pulled the police out?”

“Ding-dong, correct.”

Jaeyeon cheerfully tapped the brim of his hat, straightening it.

“Me again.”

“I swear I’ll put you behind bars someday,” Asil hissed.

A vow only someone ignorant of who stood behind Jaeyeon could make.

“You and whoever’s pulling your strings.”

Jaeyeon burst into laughter.

It echoed through the cold corridor—pure amusement. It made sense; to him, Asil’s words must have sounded absurdly funny.

Even I was a little stunned that Asil was still alive after meeting Jaeyeon in this form.

Seeing the police uniform cracked open a dam of memories. Even before the war, Jaeyeon had always been an anomaly.

Those who saw his true face usually ended up dead—by Colton’s hand, unless they were another Elder or one of his inner circle.

But there were plenty who had met Jaeyeon when he wasn’t “Jaeyeon.”

The genius actor.

A flawless method performer—defying gender, height, physical limits. Only Colton could recognize him no matter what guise he took. Even Jaeyeon himself sometimes forgot who he really was once he transformed.

Kyle and Rei had called him a shapeshifter.

A being whose mimicry was so perfect it erased his own identity.

Only his aesthetic preferences ever gave him away—those sharp, fox-like eyes, that air of beautiful deceit.

After laughing for a long time, Jaeyeon wiped a tear from his eye with his pinky.

“Ah, that’s why I love you, Senior.”

His voice brimmed with joy.

“Buddy, please—don’t ever give up. I’m always looking forward to you.”