The lab felt frozen in time.
The machines hummed quietly in the background, but Teji couldn't hear them.
Not now.
Not when she was standing.
His breath caught.
His chest felt tight.
His vision—still a blur from the blood, the pain, the chaos—focused only on one thing.
Tamiki.
Bruised.
Pale.
But standing.
Breathing. Alive.
"Tamiki…" he whispered—like her name was the only thing keeping him upright.
She didn't answer.
Didn't smile.
Didn't cry.
She just stepped forward.
Slow.
Steady.
One foot after another, like every step took everything she had left.
Then—
Her hand.
She held it out to him.
That same hand.
The one that always reached for him, even when he pushed her away.
The one that pulled him back when he lost his way.
The one that felt like home.
Teji just stared at it.
It looked small. Shaky. But strong.
So strong.
He raised his own hand.
Shaking. Bloody. Hesitant.
But when their fingers touched—
He felt it.
Warmth.
Strength.
Like something real finally returned to him.
He held on.
Then, slowly, he stood.
His legs wobbled at first.
But he locked his knees.
Planted his feet.
Lifted his head.
Now—
They stood together.
Face to face.
Eyes locked.
No words needed.
No pain too big.
Wounds ignored.
Just them.
Alive.
Together.
And then—
SMACK!
A clean, sharp slap across his cheek.
Teji flinched.
His hand moved up, touching the sting on his face—warm, pulsing.
But his eyes didn't widen from the pain.
It was the shock.
The jolt.
Tamiki stood there, hand still raised.
Her fingers trembled slightly, but her eyes didn't.
They were burning.
With rage.
With fire.
With something real.
Teeth clenched.
Her voice cut through the air—sharp and raw.
"If you ever say you want to die again…"
Her voice cracked—just a little.
"I'll kill you myself."
Teji didn't move.
Didn't speak.
He just stared—frozen.
Her words echoed inside him like thunder in an empty hall.
It wasn't just anger.
It was something deeper.
Realer.
It wasn't the slap that hit him the most.
It was what came with it.
The weight behind her voice.
The care.
The fear.
The love.
Someone still cared.
Still fought for him.
Still believed in him—even when he didn't.
His heart pounded once—loud, like a reminder.
He slowly lowered his hand.
Looked at her again.
She didn't say anything else.
She didn't need to.
So he just nodded.
Not out of guilt.
But understanding.
Gratitude.
Promise.
She was still here.
And because of that…
He was still here too.
Behind them, a low grunt broke the silence.
Prof. Toga slowly pushed himself back up, brushing off his lab coat, rubbing his jaw where Tamiki's punch landed.
A twitch.
Then—
A smile. Twisted. Cold.
"Wow…" he said, voice low and crooked.
"My experiment never fails."
He took a step forward.
"You were supposed to follow me," he muttered.
"Obey. Be my little puppet."
He tilted his head, studying her like she was a glitch in his design.
"So tell me…"
His tone dropped—curious, but mocking.
"How did you break free?"
Tamiki stepped forward, steady. No fear in her step. No shake in her voice.
"I'll never obey a stupid psycho like you."
Her glare hit like a blade—clean and direct.
Prof. Toga stared for a moment, then let out a low, twisted laugh. Not out of joy. But something darker. Unstable.
"Ah… I see now," he said, grinning wide. His eyes gleamed with madness.
"You've got a strong will. Fought it with your mind. How touching."
He clapped once—slow, sarcastic.
Then, his grin faded. His tone dropped like a blade.
"But it doesn't matter."
He rolled his neck.
A crack.
Then another.
Like a monster getting ready to bite.
"Because neither of you are getting out of here alive."
And without warning—
WHOOSH!
He moved.
Too fast.
A blur across the lab.
Teji's eyes snapped wide just in time to see the punch coming.
A sharp swing—full of power and fury.
He raised his arms, blocked it—
But the impact shook him to his core.
His knees buckled. His jaw clenched.
But before the second hit could land—
CRACK!
Tamiki's foot slammed into Prof. Toga's wrist—perfect timing, perfect angle.
The punch veered off course—just inches from Teji's face.
He looked at her—shocked.
She saved him.
And just from that glance—he knew what to do.
No words. No thinking. Just instinct.
Teji twisted his body forward, grounded his feet, and let it fly.
THUD!
His fist sank into his father's chest. A direct hit.
The force made Prof. Toga stumble back—just a bit.
Just enough.
Tamiki didn't wait.
WHAM!
A clean sidekick to his ribs. Snapping. Sharp. Strong.
Prof. Toga flew backward, his body hitting the floor and rolling like a rag doll.
But then—
A growl.
Low. Animal-like.
He pushed himself back up. Slow.
Breathing hard. Eyes wild.
That twisted smile still carved into his face.
He wasn't done.
He wasn't even close.
He was still strong.
Still dangerous.
And now…
Even angrier.
Teji glanced at Tamiki, eyes wide.
"How…? How did you do that?"
Tamiki wiped blood from her cheek. Despite the cuts, despite the bruises—she smiled.
Just a little.
"Guess what…" she said with a wink.
"I'm a special agent now too. Just like you. Hehe."
Her chest rose and fell, breath still heavy. But her eyes burned with energy.
With fight.
"So… what do we do now?" she asked.
Teji didn't hesitate.
He clenched his fists.
His voice—steady.
His eyes—focused.
"Now… we fight him."
Then he turned. Faced her.
"But this time—I'm not scared."
A faint smile touched his lips.
That same smile Tamiki hadn't seen in a long time.
"Because I'm not alone."
Tamiki blinked, stunned for a second.
Something in his voice—it hit her heart.
She quickly turned away, trying to hide her flustered face.
"Hmph… Fine then," she muttered.
Then, softer—
"But after this, we're going to a café again."
She peeked at him.
"And this time, you're paying."
Teji chuckled, voice lighter for the first time in what felt like forever.
"Okay. Bet."
He raised his fist.
Tamiki smirked.
She bumped it with hers.
A promise made in silence.
"Let's go," Teji said, his voice sharp—filled with fire.
Without another word, they ran.
Side by side.
Straight at Prof. Toga.
Their footsteps echoed through the lab.
Not just noise—rhythm. A beat of war.
Prof. Toga stood tall, arms raised like a monster waiting to crush them.
His face twisted with rage.
"RAAAAHHH!"
He lunged.
A massive swing—straight for Teji's head.
It could've cracked concrete.
But Teji dropped low—fast, clean.
The punch flew over him.
He slid beneath it like water, coming up behind his father in one smooth motion.
Tamiki was already airborne.
Her body spun once—fast.
WHAM!
Her heel smashed into Toga's jaw.
A perfect strike from the side.
Toga's head snapped back.
He staggered—but didn't fall.
And that's when Teji struck from behind—
A punch to the back of the knee.
Toga dropped slightly.
Tamiki landed, twisted, and threw a sharp elbow to his ribs.
Teji followed with a clean uppercut to the gut.
Blow after blow—
They were hitting faster than he could recover.
Prof. Toga tried to swing back—
But Tamiki dodged.
Teji ducked.
And together—they hit again.
This wasn't rage.
This wasn't desperation.
It was teamwork.
Sharp. Clean. Brutal.
And for the first time—
Prof. Toga looked… rattled.
He wasn't fighting one lost child anymore.
He was fighting two.
Two people who had every reason to quit.
But didn't.
The professor staggered, gasping for air.
His footing slipped for just a second.
And Teji didn't let it slide.
He charged forward—eyes locked, teeth gritted—
Fist cocked back like a bullet in the chamber.
Then—
BOOM!
A brutal punch to the gut.
The sound echoed like thunder.
Toga bent over, coughing, the air knocked clean out of him.
But Teji didn't stop.
His voice was low, steady—full of heat.
"You tried to make us heartless…"
He stared right into his father's eyes.
"You're gonna pay for it."
Toga's face snapped back up—fury lighting his eyes.
"Don't push your luck, kid!!"
He roared, spinning—
A heavy backfist slicing through the air, aimed for Teji's head.
But—
CLANG!
Tamiki blocked it.
Both arms up. Solid stance.
The force still shook her, but she didn't back down.
Then—
CRACK!
She slammed her knee into his ribs.
Toga grunted, stumbling back.
His eyes wild now, teeth clenched tight.
But Teji and Tamiki weren't waiting.
They came at him again—together.
One rhythm. One mind.
Toga threw a fast jab—
Tamiki ducked it with ease.
Teji answered with another shot to his ribs.
Toga growled, swung his elbow to clear space—
But Teji caught it. Blocked it. Held it steady.
And Tamiki?
She struck low, kicking his knee out from under him.
Toga hissed in pain, trying to punch Tamiki—
But Teji grabbed his arm, twisted it hard—
POP!
Then—
WHAM!
Tamiki launched herself, both feet forward—
A double kick to the chest.
CRASH!
Toga flew backward like a missile.
He smashed into the lab wall.
The metal cracked, sparks bursting from shattered tech.
The whole lab shook.
The lights above flickered.
Dust in the air.
Silence for just a second.
Then—
Toga stood up.
Wobbling.
Blood slipped from the corner of his mouth.
His chest rose and fell, slow and rough.
He looked at them—not like a scientist anymore.
But like a wounded beast.
Tamiki wiped her lip with the back of her hand.
Blood streaked across her skin.
"You getting tired, old man?"
Teji stepped up beside her.
Shoulder to shoulder. Calm. Ready.
And for the first time—
They weren't the ones breathing hard.
They weren't the ones hurting.
It was him.
And they?
They were just getting started.
Prof. Toga reached into his coat.
His hand came back holding a small injector—glass, glowing, dangerous.
The same color Teji remembered.
The same serum that once tore through his body like fire.
Toga raised it between two fingers, holding it up like a prize.
A twisted grin stretched across his bruised face.
"Haha… you recognize this, don't you?"
His voice dripped with pride—sick, cold pride.
"Thanks for testing it for me, son."
He chuckled.
"Now I'll use it… the right way."
And before either of them could react—
He jammed the needle into his neck.
PSSHHHH—!
The serum hissed as it emptied into his veins.
Then—
BOOM.
His body jerked.
He dropped to his knees, eyes wide in shock.
"GAAAAHHHHHH—!!"
A scream burst from him—raw, violent.
It echoed through the lab like thunder.
His veins lit up, glowing through his skin like hot wires.
His muscles twitched and stretched unnaturally.
His spine arched. His fingers clawed at the floor.
It was the same pain Teji had felt.
But this time, even worse.
Even louder.
Then—
Silence.
He stopped moving.
For a second, it looked like he might collapse.
Fall flat on the floor and never get up.
But then—
He stood.
Slow. Controlled.
Not like a man…
But something else.
He rolled his neck—crack.
His shoulders—crack.
Flexed his fingers.
Every joint snapped into place like weapons loading.
The pain had vanished.
And what stood in its place…
was something darker.
Stronger.
Faster.
Completely unhinged.
His grin was back—now wider, now dripping blood from his gums.
"…Now it's time to get exciting," he muttered.
Then—
BEEP.
He turned, slammed his hand down on the glowing control panel.
Sirens flared.
A red screen lit up.
[SELF-DESTRUCT INITIATED: 10:00]
"What are you doing?!" Teji shouted, eyes wide, voice shaking with both rage and panic.
Prof. Toga turned slowly.
His face twisted—lips curled in a crooked grin, eyes stretched wide like a man already far gone.
"Nothing…" he said, voice low, breath unsteady.
"Just burning it all down."
Then came the laugh.
Uneven. Sharp. Insane.
The kind of laugh that didn't come from humor—but from madness.
"You both will die here."
His hand swept around the lab like he was proud of it all.
"But me? I'll rebuild it. From ash. From blood."
He stepped closer to the screen—the red countdown flashing behind him.
"Boizano doesn't die with buildings or bodies," he hissed.
"It lives in the code. In the systems.
In you."
He jabbed a finger toward Teji.
Then slammed it against his own chest.
"In me."
His eyes burned now—like fire licking at the edges of his mind.
"I simply chose to live long enough to become it."
Then his voice rose—sharper, louder.
"Boizano is ME.
And I will NEVER die!"
Teji gritted his teeth. His jaw clenched so tight it ached.
"Shit…" he muttered.
He turned to Tamiki—ready to run, ready to escape before it was too late.
"Let's go, we don't have much time left—"
But—
He froze.
Something was off.
Tamiki wasn't moving.
Her eyes—flickering, unfocused.
Her breathing—shallow. Uneven.
And then—her legs gave out.
"Tamiki?!"
He caught her before she hit the floor—his arms wrapping around her limp body.
She trembled against him.
Her voice was soft. Weak. Barely hanging on.
"I'm sorry, Teji…"
Each word sounded like it took everything she had left.
"Guess I… wasn't ready for this yet."
Her head rested against his chest.
"Sorry, Teji… this is all I can give you…"
She tried to smile—but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I forced myself to stand… for you. But…"
A pause.
"I can't move… my body…"
Then—
Her eyes closed.
She went still.
Passed out.
The warmth in his arms… still there.
But fading.
And Teji could only kneel there, holding her, as the countdown ticked on behind him.
"No… no no no—Tamiki!"
Teji shook her. Desperate. Careful. But no answer.
Her head stayed limp against his chest.
Her face peaceful—too peaceful.
He looked at her, then looked back up.
And saw him.
Prof. Toga.
Grinning like a devil.
Blood on his lip. Madness in his eyes.
"HAHAHAHA!"
His voice echoed, bouncing off the metal walls like a curse.
"You really thought a fresh agent like her could go past the limit?
You're dreaming, boy. She's done."
Teji didn't move.
The words didn't hit him like a slap.
They sank.
Slow. Deep. Heavy.
Done.
Tamiki…
Done?
His hands trembled.
His chest rose and fell fast—but he felt… hollow.
Empty.
He looked at the screen behind Toga.
[9:00]
Still ticking. Still falling.
Time—slipping through his fingers.
He looked at her again.
Tamiki.
The one person who never gave up on him.
The one who stood up when she had nothing left—just to fight beside him.
And now… she was down.
Gone?
His breath hitched.
This felt… familiar.
Too familiar.
Blood.
A body in his arms.
And him—failing to protect them.
Again.
Just like—
His mom.
The memory stabbed into him like a blade.
And suddenly—he couldn't breathe.
The walls felt tighter.
The sound of the countdown louder.
The weight of everything—crushing.
Pain.
Grief.
Guilt.
Everything swirled inside him like a storm with no escape.
His arms shook violently now.
His knees almost buckled.
His mouth opened slightly—like he wanted to say something. But nothing came out.
He just stared forward.
Eyes glassy.
Dead.
Silent.
And then—
SNAP.
Something cracked inside his mind.
Not loud.
Not bright.
But clear.
A break.
A shift.
A trigger.
His muscles tensed.
His breath slowed.
The world dimmed.
He lowered Tamiki gently to the ground, like she was made of glass.
One last look.
Then—
He stood up.
Slow.
Silent.
Steady.
No shaky breath.
No stumbling steps.
His body was still beaten, but his posture was firm.
His fists clenched.
His jaw locked.
Prof. Toga raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Still got spirit?"
He took a slow step forward—confident, amused.
"Let's go, then."
But he stopped.
Mid-step.
His eyes narrowed.
Something was off.
No—something was wrong.
Teji wasn't just standing.
He was changing.
Right in front of him.
And his eyes—no longer hollow.
But cold.
Something had woken up.
And it wasn't Teji.
Not the Teji that cared.
Not the Teji that hesitated.
It was the other one.
The one who took down Agent 2.
The one who made Agent 3 run.
The one even Boizano couldn't control.
The monster.
The whites of Teji's eyes weren't white anymore.
Thin red lines spread across them like broken capillaries—like veins full of rage, crawling over glass.
Then came the black—thick, slow, and alive.
It slid around his pupils like ink dropped into water.
His face didn't twitch.
No anger. No fear.
Just… blank.
Empty.
Inhuman.
His body didn't move, but the room felt different.
He didn't speak, but it was loud.
The kind of loud that made your skin crawl.
The air changed.
Heavy.
Dense.
Like something awful just walked in.
Even Prof. Toga—cocky, mad, full of power—felt it.
His smile dropped a little.
Just a little.
His foot slid back.
Not on purpose.
Reflex.
His body reacting before his brain.
That presence…
It wasn't Teji anymore.
This was something darker.
Worse.
Then—
Teji spoke.
But it wasn't just his voice.
It was deeper.
Colder.
Like it came from somewhere else.
No emotion.
No mercy.
Just a sentence soaked in bloodlust.
"I'm gonna kill you."
Not a threat.
Not a shout.
Just truth.
Spoken like it was already done.
[End of Chapter 17]