Blood...
Everywhere.
The once-pristine floor of the Weapon Temple had turned crimson.
The Weapon Guardian lay collapsed against the cold stone ground.
Deep sword wounds covered almost every part of her body.
Blood slowly dripped from her fingertips, forming small rivers beneath her.
Standing a few meters away...
Martial Artist Killer silently wiped the blood from his sword.
His expression remained cold...
...but his eyes did not.
He looked down at her.
Martial Artist Killer: "Is it over...?"
"...or do you still wish to fight?"
The Weapon Guardian struggled to lift herself.
Even breathing had become painful.
She glared at him with hatred.
Weapon Guardian: "You monster..."
"What are you trying to achieve?"
"Do you even know what will happen if they obtain the Weapon Core?"
Martial Artist Killer lowered his head.
For the first time...
His voice trembled.
Martial Artist Killer: "I know."
"...But I'm out of choices."
He closed his eyes.
Martial Artist Killer: "If I refuse..."
"...they'll kill my daughter."
Silence filled the temple.
The Weapon Guardian's anger slowly faded.
She saw it...
The pain hidden inside his eyes.
Without another word...
Martial Artist Killer slowly walked toward the floating Weapon Core.
The enormous crystal radiated unbelievable power.
Ordinary people would instantly be destroyed if they touched it.
Yet...
He calmly reached forward.
The moment his fingers touched the Core...
It accepted him.
The entire temple shook violently.
The Weapon Guardian's eyes widened.
Weapon Guardian: "...No..."
As the Core left its altar...
The temple's energy disappeared.
Her body immediately lost consciousness.
She collapsed completely.
Martial Artist Killer caught her before her head struck the ground.
He looked at her silently.
Then...
He opened a small medicine capsule.
Carefully...
He placed the pill inside her mouth.
Martial Artist Killer: "You don't deserve to die because of my sins."
For a brief moment...
A memory flashed across his mind.
A tiny newborn girl...
Holding his finger with her little hand.
His daughter's first smile.
His daughter's first laugh.
A father's heart...
Could never completely disappear.
He gently carried the unconscious Weapon Guardian.
Then—
A teleportation portal opened beneath his feet.
WHOOSH!!
Both of them vanished.
---
Far away...
Inside an enormous underground fortress...
Darkness covered everything.
Gigantic alien soldiers stood like statues.
Some carried swords.
Others held futuristic rifles.
Every single one of them wore masks.
At the center of the chamber...
A mysterious woman sat upon a black throne.
Even while remaining seated...
An overwhelming pressure filled the room.
Her face remained hidden beneath an elegant mask.
Only her cold crimson eyes were visible.
Martial Artist Killer knelt.
He raised the glowing Weapon Core with both hands.
Martial Artist Killer: "I've completed the mission."
He tossed the Core toward the throne.
The masked Queen caught it effortlessly.
She examined it quietly.
Then spoke with a calm...
Yet terrifyingly beautiful voice.
Masked Queen: "Excellent."
"You've done well."
She slowly looked at him.
Masked Queen: "Your daughter..."
"...will be released."
"Our agreement ends today."
"You are no longer one of us."
Martial Artist Killer remained silent.
Without saying another word...
He turned around.
His only destination...
The prison.
---
Heavy metal doors echoed throughout the underground prison.
Rows upon rows of terrifying alien criminals stared from their cells.
Martial Artist Killer ignored every one of them.
Then...
A weak voice echoed.
Little Girl: "...Dad..."
His body froze.
He immediately ran toward the cell.
Behind the bars...
A young girl sat on the cold floor.
Bruises covered her body.
Her clothes were torn.
She forced a smile.
Little Girl: "Dad..."
Martial Artist Killer's hands trembled.
He grabbed the prison bars.
Martial Artist Killer: "My child..."
"...What have they done to you...?"
Tears almost escaped his eyes.
Suddenly—
Clap... Clap... Clap...
A slow applause echoed behind him.
He turned around.
The mysterious Masked Man walked toward him.
His spiral mask reflected the prison lights.
He laughed quietly.
Masked Man: "Touching."
"Very touching."
With a snap of his fingers...
The prison door opened.
Martial Artist Killer hurried toward his daughter.
But—
BANG!!
The Masked Man suddenly shoved him inside the cell.
The metal door slammed shut.
CLANG!!
Martial Artist Killer immediately stood up.
Martial Artist Killer: "What does this mean?!"
The Masked Man's playful laughter disappeared.
His voice became frighteningly cold.
Masked Man: "We promised to release you."
"...Not to let you leave."
"If you walk free..."
"...our secrets walk free with you."
He slowly turned around.
Masked Man: "So..."
"You and your daughter..."
"...will spend the rest of your lives here."
He waved casually.
Masked Man: "Goodbye."
His laughter echoed through the prison as he disappeared into the darkness.
Martial Artist Killer punched the prison bars repeatedly.
But they didn't even move.
His daughter silently held his hand through the bars.
---
Meanwhile...
Back inside the throne chamber...
The Weapon Guardian lay unconscious on the floor.
The Masked Man returned and bowed.
Masked Man: "My Lady..."
"What shall we do with the Weapon Guardian?"
The Masked Queen looked down at the unconscious girl.
Her voice remained emotionless.
Masked Queen: "Take her."
"Begin the experiment."
"Restore her body..."
"...and implant the Weapon Core into her."
Several masked researchers immediately stepped forward.
They carefully carried the unconscious Guardian away.
One researcher hesitated.
"My Lady..."
"If a Guardian absorbs their own Temple Core..."
The Queen slowly smiled beneath her mask.
Masked Queen: "Then..."
"...their hunger for power consumes their mind."
"They become nothing more than living disasters."
"Exactly what we need."
---
Deep beneath the laboratory...
The Weapon Guardian slowly regained a little consciousness.
Her vision was blurry.
She felt herself being dragged across the cold floor.
She weakly opened one eye.
The Masked Man looked down at her.
Without saying a word...
He dragged her toward an enormous steel door.
The laboratory beyond it glowed with countless strange machines.
The Weapon Guardian struggled weakly.
Tears formed in her eyes.
Weapon Guardian: "...No..."
"...Please..."
"Don't do this..."
"You'll destroy the world..."
The Masked Man ignored her cries.
He strapped her onto a massive steel chair.
Heavy restraints locked around both wrists...
Both ankles...
And her waist.
CLANK!
CLANK!
CLANK!
The enormous laboratory door slowly began closing.
Just before it shut...
A forgotten memory flashed through her fading consciousness.
A warm hand...
Reaching toward the little girl she once was.
A blurred figure smiled at her.
Unknown Man: "Stand up."
"You cannot stay fallen forever."
"The world..."
"...will need you someday."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
She screamed with everything she had left.
Weapon Guardian: "NOOOOO!!"
BOOOOOOM!!
The giant steel door sealed shut.
Darkness swallowed the laboratory.