Elsewhere
In a dark room, two hands lay intertwined on a table.
Behind them, a calm, knowing smile lingered.
Ron activated Infinite Copy.
I am proud of you, the green-eyed man thought.
His smile slowly widened.
"Ron… I don't do anything for others without expecting something in return."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You're not in any condition to stand against me now." He said.
A pause.
"I wanted to play with you a little longer," the green-eyed man continued, "but now our main focus is Locki… and the secret of the Scars."
He picked up a photograph of Rocky from the table.
"That envelope might contain information about your death," he said, tapping the photo, "and about that symbol."
Then he glanced toward the corner of the room.
"What do you think?"
A table present there, covered with dozens of scattered documents.
A figure sat silently, writing. His face and form were covered by darkness—only the faint red glow of a ring on his finger was visible as it moved across the paper.
At the sound of the green-eyed man's voice, the writing stopped.
The pen was gently set aside.
Slowly, the figure looked up.
In a blink, his eyes shifted from black to Crimson.
In Shopping District (Hero Town)
Ava and her friends parted ways, leaving a quiet stillness in their wake. The aftermath of the fight lingered in the air like smoke. Ava turned.
Ava's steps were slow, almost hesitant, when a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Ava."
She stopped. Her heart skipped.
Ron emerged from the shadows, walking toward her with a calm, almost teasing smile.
"Leaving so soon?" he asked, his voice gentle but teasing.
"…." Ava could only stare. Words failed her.
Ron held out his hand. It hovered for a moment, a silent invitation. Ava's fingers trembled as she placed hers in his. Their touch lingered—a spark, electric and unspoken—before they began walking together, their steps in rhythm.
"Ron."
The voice startled them both. Ron's hand slipped from hers as though the moment had never happened.
"Yes, Carter? What brings you here?" Ron asked, steadying his voice.
Carter's eyes flicked between them, a slow, knowing smile forming.
"That's exactly what I was about to ask," he said, his tone both playful and sharp.
Sirens cut through the night, wailing like distant alarms. Carter's gaze fell on Ava. His smile widened, cruelly amused yet perceptive.
"Now I understand," he said.
"What?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes.
"You're on a… date," Carter said, eyes glinting.
"No!" Both Ron and Ava said in perfect unison.
Carter laughed softly, a sound that carried both amusement and challenge.
"Don't deny it," he said. "You like keeping your favorites close, but there's no need for shame. Go on—continue your da—"
His words froze in midair. The Blade of Vengeance gleamed in Ron's hand, an unspoken warning.
"…Did you say something?" Ron's voice was calm, steady, yet edged with authority.
"I… I'll handle this mess," Carter said, stepping back, masking respect with a sly grin. "You two… enjoy your moment."
With that, he disappeared into the night, leaving only the echo of his footsteps.
Ron exhaled, tension leaving his shoulders in a slow release. He looked at Ava—her face lit by the dim glow of streetlights, eyes soft, lips slightly parted.
"Let's go," he said, voice low and tender.
Ava's fingers brushed his once more as they walked together, the night wrapping around them, a quiet world where only they existed.
The area had been sealed.
Carter and his team were still investigating.
Finian explained everything in a low, hurried voice.
"Someone delivered these robots to my house… and there was a note. Addressed to Ron."
He had called Ron immediately. Ron arrived without knowing who had sent them.
"I sat beside him as we opened the package. Inside, a manual lay neatly folded. Step by step, Ron and I followed its instructions, building the robots." Finian took a deep breath.
"The moment we powered them on, chaos erupted. The robots lunged at Ron without hesitation. He fell hard to the ground. A few jumped at me, claws snapping. I fought them off as best I could and finally managed to make my way here."
"When I arrived I saw turning them into pieces in a second." He said enthusiastically.
"Do you know Ron?" Carter asked
"Yes. We are old friends." Finian said.