Flashback Arc Ends
The End of the Past, The Beginning of the Present
The Final Moments in the Base
Mri's chest was still rising and falling heavily as he stared at Aamon's unconscious body. His fists clenched involuntarily, his mind still processing the events.
The air was filled with burning metal and the distant sound of alarms. The underground facility trembled as if the structure itself sensed its incoming demise.
And then—
Zero stood up.
> BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Mri's eyes snapped towards Zero, who had pressed something on a device. The self-destruct sequence had been activated. A countdown started on the shattered monitors around the room.
> 5:00
4:59
4:58
The mad scientist, Professor Helix, stumbled back in shock.
Professor Helix (panicked): "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Zero turned his head slightly, his cold, lifeless eyes narrowing at Helix.
Zero: "Ending this place."(In sign language)
> 4:45
Without hesitation, Zero lunged at Helix, gripping him by the collar. The professor struggled, but Zero's grip was like iron.
Professor Helix (struggling): "You… you can't! You need me! The project isn't over!"
With that, Zero slammed Helix against the control panel, locking him in place. Sparks flew as the systems overloaded.
> 4:20
Mri snapped back to the present.
Mri (shouting): "Kai! Ishu! Kelly! We need to move!"
Kai was already supporting Ishu, who was still slightly dazed from the battle. Kelly rushed to help carry Aamon's unconscious body.
> 3:45
The walls shook violently. Metal beams collapsed from the ceiling, blocking some of the escape routes.
Kelly (panicked): "Shit! The whole place is falling apart!"
Mri, pushing through his exhaustion, took Aamon's arm over his shoulder and sprinted towards the exit.
> 3:00
The team raced through the facility, dodging falling debris and explosions. The roaring flames chased them, the sound of destruction growing louder with every second.
> 2:00
They finally reached the outer exit. A massive steel door blocked their path.
Kai: "Move aside!"
> BOOM!
Kai charged up his energy and blasted the door open, revealing the exit tunnel.
> 1:30
They ran as fast as they could, the bright moonlight greeting them as they finally burst out into the open air.
> 0:30
Mri and the others collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air, watching the base from a distance.
And then—
> 0:10
> 0:09
> 0:08
BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
A massive explosion engulfed the facility, sending shockwaves through the land. A bright fireball lit up the night sky, and the entire base collapsed inward, vanishing into nothing but flames and rubble.
The ground beneath them shook violently as a cloud of smoke and dust rose into the sky.
Silence followed.
Mri stared at the burning wreckage, his body tense.
> "It's over… for now."
---
Flashback Arc Ends – Present Day
On the train, heading to Dibrugarh
The rhythmic sounds of the train wheels clattering against the tracks filled the air. The sun was rising, casting a soft golden glow over the landscape.
Inside the train compartment, Mri sat by the window, staring out at the passing scenery.
Beside him, Jasmine sat silently, occasionally glancing at him.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
Jasmine: "You haven't said a word since we boarded the train. Are you okay?"
Mri exhaled slowly.
Mri: "Just... thinking."
Jasmine didn't push further. She could tell that whatever haunted Mri's mind wasn't something easy to talk about.
The train slowed down, and an announcement echoed through the speakers.
> "Now arriving at Dibrugarh station."
Mri straightened up.
Mri: "We're here."
As the train came to a halt, the doors slid open, and the two stepped out onto the platform.
Waiting for them was Kai and Konica.
Kai (grinning): "Took you long enough."
Konica nodded in greeting.
Konica: "Welcome back, Mri."
Mri smirked slightly.
Mri: "Good to see you too."
They led the way out of the station, heading towards an apartment complex nearby.
---
Reunion at the Apartment
As soon as they entered, Jasmine was shocked.
The apartment was filled with several people, all of them looking towards Mri with respect.
> "General is back."
> "He's finally here."
Each person greeted Mri with nods of respect and admiration.
Jasmine whispered to Konica.
Jasmine (curious): "Who... are all these people?"
Konica smiled.
Konica: "Mri's gang. His family."
Jasmine was stunned. She had never seen Mri in this light before.
In the corner of the room, someone sat in the shadows, smoking heavily. The strong smell of cigarette smoke filled the air.
> Ishu.
His eyes were dark and cold, his expression unreadable.
As Mri approached, Ishu exhaled a cloud of smoke and finally spoke.
Ishu (low voice): "It's been 7 months already…"
He took another deep drag before continuing.
Ishu: "That motherf*cker Aamon is finally awake from his coma."
The room fell silent.
Mri's gaze hardened. He took a deep breath and walked towards the dimly lit room where Aamon was resting.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
Aamon lay on the bed, his body weak but his eyes finally open.
Mri stood over him, his voice cold and demanding.
> "Why?"
Aamon simply stared at him.
And then, he smiled weakly.
> "You already know why, Mri."
---
Somewhere in a Hidden Location
A dark, unknown place.
A figure lay chained to the wall, blood dripping from his body. His breathing was shallow. His white hair was drenched in sweat and blood.
> Zero.
His eyelids fluttered open.
His body was bruised, beaten, and weakened, but his will remained unbroken.
As he regained consciousness, he realized something.
> The cuffs that bound him… were not normal.
They glowed with an eerie red energy, suppressing his strength.
Zero chuckled weakly, blood dripping from his lips.
A figure stood in the shadows, watching him. Their face was hidden, their presence overwhelming.
> "You're awake. Good."
Zero simply smiled.