Axel walked through the underground corridor while Rin quietly followed behind him.
After a few minutes, Axel suddenly stopped.
He reached into his pocket and took out a small metal container. Opening it, he poured a little gray powder onto his palm.
Rin looked at him curiously.
"What's that for, sir?"
Axel didn't answer. He simply blew the powder into the air. It spread around the corridor before slowly settling onto the floor and walls.
Then he smiled.
"For this."
He suddenly raised his pistol.
Rin's eyes widened.
"S-Sir?"
Bang!
The shot rang through the corridor.
The bullet flew past Rin and hit the ceiling.
Crack!
Pieces of concrete broke apart as two figures dropped from above.
Kaito landed first, followed by Herion.
Herion looked around and sighed.
"We've been exposed."
Axel lowered his gun with a faint smile.
"There you are."
"You've been following this man the whole time, haven't you?"
Kaito frowned. So that powder wasn't random. It was meant to reveal anyone hiding above them.
Axel turned to one of the scientists.
"Take him. Make sure he reaches the destination safely."
"Yes, sir."
The scientist nodded before leading Rin away. Several guards quickly followed, surrounding him from every side.
Rin looked back at Kaito for a moment but couldn't say anything before disappearing into another corridor.
Kaito clicked his tongue.
"Crap..."
"They still think Rin is one of them."
Herion nodded.
"If we don't follow him now, we'll lose our only lead."
Kaito tightened his grip on his knife.
"We have to get past him first."
Axel stepped forward, blocking the corridor by himself.
He rested his pistol on his shoulder and looked at the two of them with a confident grin.
"Hey, gangsters..."
He pointed the gun at Kaito.
"Eyes on me."
Axel looked at the two of them with a grin.
"So..."
"What should I do with you two?"
Neither Kaito nor Herion answered.
Axel shrugged.
"I know."
He raised his pistol.
"Just this."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots echoed through the corridor.
"Move!"
Herion shoved Kaito aside as the bullets struck the wall behind them.
Without wasting another second, Herion grabbed the briefcase hanging at his side.
Click!
The briefcase unfolded in his hands. Metal plates shifted and locked together in seconds, transforming into a rifle.
Herion pulled the trigger.
Rat-tat-tat!
A burst of bullets forced Axel to step behind a concrete pillar.
Kaito took the chance to move.
"We've got an opening!"
"No."
Herion kept firing, preventing Axel from coming out.
"You follow Rin."
Kaito looked at him.
"What about you?"
"I'll hold him off."
Another shot came from Axel's side.
Bang!
The bullet grazed Herion's shoulder, but he didn't stop firing.
"Go!" Herion shouted.
"If Rin disappears, everything we've done will be for nothing!"
Kaito hesitated for a split second before nodding.
"...Right."
He turned and sprinted down the corridor after Rin.
Axel peeked out from behind the pillar and noticed Kaito disappearing around the corner.
"Tch..."
He aimed at Kaito's back.
Before he could fire—
Rat-tat-tat!
Herion's rifle forced him back into cover again.
"Your opponent is me," Herion said calmly as he reloaded his weapon.
Axel smiled.
"...Interesting."
Not far from the fight, Saito watched everything unfold from another passage.
His expression turned serious.
"Crap..."
"Did we get exposed?"
Lily, standing beside him, sighed.
"Probably."
Saito clicked his tongue.
"Then we have to move."
He pressed the communication device attached to his collar.
"Herion, can you hold on?"
Back in the corridor—
Bang!
Axel fired another shot.
Herion quickly ducked behind a concrete pillar, the bullet smashing into the wall behind him.
He took a quick breath before answering through the communicator.
"Yeah."
"I've got this."
"Good."
Saito nodded.
"We'll keep moving."
He lowered his hand from the communicator and looked at Lily.
"Let's go."
The two disappeared into the next corridor while the sound of gunfire continued to echo behind them.
Bang!
Rat-tat-tat!
The battle between Herion and Axel had only just begun.
Saito looked up at the ceiling.
"This way."
He jumped, grabbing the edge of a support beam before pulling himself onto the roof structure above the corridor.
Lily followed right behind him with ease.
The two moved carefully across the beams, making sure not to make any noise.
Saito scanned the corridors below, his eyes searching from one group to another.
"Come on..."
"Where are you, Rin?"
A few seconds later, Lily stopped and pointed downward.
"There."
Saito followed her finger.
Rin was walking below, surrounded by several scientists and armed guards escorting him through the facility.
A relieved smile appeared on Saito's face.
"Thank God."
He immediately continued moving along the beams.
"Let's follow them."
Lily nodded.
The two silently tailed Rin from above, keeping their distance while making sure not to lose sight of him.
Inside the hidden base, the cold silence of the prison block made every second feel longer.
Alya sat on the edge of her cell's bed, glancing around for what felt like the hundredth time.
The walls were reinforced steel, the door was sealed shut, and a security camera watched every corner.
She let out a quiet sigh.
"How am I supposed to escape from here?"
Just then, footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
Alya immediately looked toward the corridor.
A woman wearing glasses and a gray scientist's uniform walked into the cell block. Unlike the other scientists, her expression was calm, almost gentle.
"Noxus..."
Alya muttered under her breath.
Without even looking at Alya's cell, Noxus continued walking down the corridor.
She stopped in front of another cell.
Inside sat a young man wearing glasses and the same gray scientist's uniform. His head rested against the wall, his eyes still closed as if he had been asleep.
Noxus smiled faintly.
"Dear..."
She gently placed a hand against the glass.
"Are you awake?"
The young man slowly opened his eyes and looked at the woman standing outside his cell.
His expression remained cold.
"What do you want now, Noxus?"
Noxus placed a hand over her chest and let out an exaggerated sigh.
"What?"
"Your beloved just wanted to see you."
She smiled playfully.
"You don't have to be so harsh on me, Yin."
"Yeah, right."
Yin replied without the slightest hint of amusement.
His gaze shifted to the next cell.
He noticed Alya sitting behind the reinforced bars.
His expression immediately darkened.
"...Did you kidnap her?"
Noxus glanced at Alya before smiling again.
"For our experiment... my beloved Yin."
Yin slowly stood up and walked toward the cell door.
"Experiment..."
He shook his head.
"Noxus, I've already told you to stop this."
Noxus's smile faded for a moment.
"But I've worked too hard for this."
She looked at Yin through her glasses.
"I'm not giving up now."
Yin frowned.
"How many innocent people are you willing to sacrifice before you finally realize you've gone too far?"
For the first time, Noxus fell silent.
Then she quietly replied,
"...As many as it takes."
The answer made the entire prison block feel even colder.
Yin simply closed his eyes in disappointment.
Noxus looked at Yin for a moment before turning toward the door.
"Wait here."
She adjusted her glasses.
"I'm going to prepare your meal."
Without waiting for a response, she walked out of the room, leaving the two prisoners alone.
The sound of the door locking echoed through the cell block.
Yin immediately turned his attention toward Alya.
"Hey."
Alya looked up.
"You okay over there?"
Alya nodded.
"I'm fine."
Yin studied her for a moment.
"So..."
"You're Alya, right?"
Alya nodded.
"And you're Yin?"
Yin nodded slightly.
Alya held onto the cell bars.
"I'm from the Blue Scarf gang."
Yin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"We came here to rescue you."
For a moment, Yin looked confused.
"Rescue me?"
"Why?"
Alya answered without hesitation.
"Because we're helping Alpha."
The moment she said that name, Yin's expression changed.
"...Alpha?"
His calm attitude disappeared.
"You know Alpha?"