Vinn brought Nero to Major Harrow's office. The man was bent over his desk, pen scratching across paper. He glanced up, expression unreadable.
"Do you need something?"
Nero met his eyes. "Dr. Elias Grant said you have something I might want."
Harrow studied him for a beat, then stood. "Follow me."
Nero and Vinn trailed close behind as he led them down the hall, into the quiet chill of the evidence room. Harrow pulled a box from the shelves and set it on the table.
"Take a look."
Nero lifted the lid. Inside lay a handgun—'SIG Sauer P320'. Slim polymer frame, low-profile sights. His fingers curled around the grip, and that's when he saw it: faint scratches etched into the left side panel. He leaned closer. Words carved by hand, jagged but deliberate.
I'm sorry, Angelo.
Nero froze. His throat locked. He didn't need to wonder whose hand made those marks. He knew Alex had written them.
The gun slipped slightly in his grasp as tears welled and spilled. This time he didn't cry silently. The grief tore out of him—raw. A scream ripped free as he wept, clutching the last trace of his older brother. His voice echoed off the cold walls, until it broke into ragged sobs.
Harrow and Vinn stood in silence, watching him pour out what he had held in too long.
When at last the storm of tears quieted, Harrow stepped closer. His tone hadn't changed, steady as always, yet somehow it carried a softer edge.
"Do you want to keep it?"
Nero nodded, wordless.
"Then it's yours from now on. It was meant to protect your family. You should name it accordingly."
Harrow moved toward the door, pausing only to add, "Now go and train. You have five years with us. We'll turn you into a super soldier."
Nero wiped the last wet streaks from his face, fingers tightening around Alex's gun. He carried it out with him.
The next day, the burial ceremony began.
They laid Kato and Rhea's bodies into the ground, alongside Ryan's and Hale's. The townsfolk too, even the children—they were given a place to rest. Nero and Grant stood together as Hale was lowered into the earth, watching their last glimpse of her vanish under the soil.
Vinn's eyes lingered on the caskets carrying the bodies of Kato, Rhea, and Ryan. Regret and grief etched on his face.
Lina hadn't wanted to come, but Nero brought her anyway. She wept until her voice cracked, while CH stood beside her, his gaze fixed on Dorne's lifeless form.
A bright flash of light split the air—Seraphine descended. Her eyes fell on Anika's body, strange and hard to read.
Nero stepped forward. "That person… she controlled monsters. Shadows, and something called a Hell-Lizard. Do you know anything about that?"
Surprise flickered across Seraphine's face. "That woman might not be from this dimension."
The words struck Nero cold. "What? Is that why she could control those things?"
"Yes," Seraphine said. "There are people like her—those who can bend creatures to their will. She must have been formidable." Her tone curdled with disgust. "But you killed her in such a gruesome way."
Nero's reply was sharp, cold. "She deserved it. She killed those innocent children in front of me, just to open a gate to something called the realm above all."
Seraphine shook her head. "No. I don't think that was her aim. I've seen the objects she used, the circle she drew. She was trying to return to her own dimension."
Nero narrowed his eyes. "But she told the others they'd offer me to the king of those creatures, in exchange for immortality. For a blessing."
"She lied to them," Seraphine said. "They were only pawns. All she wanted was her way back."
Nero's voice was like ice. "I don't care what her goal was. She killed those children. So I killed her."
Silence pressed between them.
After the ceremony, Seraphine destroyed every relic taken from the town—including the severed arm of the Hell-Lizard—so none of it could ever cause trouble again.
Nero began his training at Ironwatch Hold. Grant watched him closely and advised, "Seeing how your powers stop obeying you from time to time, it's time to train your body—and learn different fighting styles."
Nero arrived at the training area. Ox, Blythe, and Calder were already waiting. As Nero stepped onto the field, Ox barked, "The General assigned us to teach you everything about combat."
Calder frowned. "Why the hell am I here? I'm an engineer."
Blythe smirked. "You're the most skilled soldier here when it comes to combat and weapons. The General knows that very well."
Ox cut in sharply, "Let's start training him."
From that moment, Nero was pushed beyond limits no human should endure. Bone-crushing drills, exhausting exercises, extreme combat scenarios—everything was meant to break him. Even with his superhuman strength, Nero struggled, sweat and blood marking the floor beneath him.
Next, he trained with Vinn, Mera, and Stroud. Stroud taught him unpredictable, risky maneuvers; Vinn instructed him in precision sniping; Mera honed his understanding of weapons, showing him how to modify and improve them. Under her guidance, Nero rebuilt his Desert Eagle—barrel, slide, and springs tuned for high-velocity rounds, extended mag now holding nine. Then he turned to Alex's SIG Sauer P320. The compact weapon now bore steel inserts for durability, an extended 20-round mag, custom sights, and a minor compensator to tame recoil. Alex's etching still ran along the side, heavy with memory. Each modification made the guns ready—not just to survive the battlefield, but to dominate it.
Vinn and Stroud studied the weapons with impressed eyes. Stroud asked, "So… what are their names?"
Nero blinked. "Names?"
Vinn nodded. "Yes. Your weapons become part of you. They deserve names."
Nero lifted Alex's SIG, reading the scratches. "Major Harrow told me this gun was used to protect my family. I'll call it… Protector." He clenched it in his hand. "I'll only use it to protect, never to kill."
He turned to the Desert Eagle. "I'll use this to end those who stand against me… but I'm not sure what to call it."
Stroud chuckled softly.
Mera leaned closer. "Call it Oblivion. Total annihilation. It fits."
Nero held both weapons firmly. "Oblivion and Protector. One to annihilate… one to protect."
Vinn exhaled slowly. "Kind of poetic."
From that day forward, Nero carried two weapons he could always rely on.
The next phase of training was equally relentless. With Grant and Relin, Nero learned medicine, anatomy, chemistry, and first aid—everything he needed to heal himself or others in combat. Grant fueled his thirst for knowledge, teaching him the theory and strategy behind every move. Calder and Corporal Veera instructed him on technical skills—understanding machines, electronics, and advanced engineering. Harrow trained him in surveillance and espionage.
Training became his world.
Every day was hell. Each night, Nero returned exhausted, but he made time for Lina. Even amidst brutal training, they ate together, walked together, and shared moments that reminded them both they were still human. Slowly, Lina began to bond with others, learning to trust, to laugh, to belong. Calder took her under his wing, guiding her through mechanics and combat basics.
Nero also made friends among the soldiers. Morren, quiet and earnest, confided in him about loving Veera but lacking the courage to admit it. They would hang out after training, sometimes just sitting with others, sharing small moments of camaraderie amid the chaos.
Then, after a year, CH passed away from old age—quietly, as if he had simply decided his part in the story was over. Lina cried for days, refusing food, refusing the world. But Nero stayed by her side, supported by Mera, Vinn, Grant, and the others, helping her navigate grief. Slowly, she began to engage again, to learn, to live.
Through pain, loss, and unrelenting training, Nero grew stronger. Every day, he honed his body, his mind, and his weapons. Every night, he returned to Lina, keeping his promise—to protect those who could not yet defend themselves.
One day, while Nero was training with Ox, a soldier nearby began fixing something. He took out a drill, and the instant it whirred to life, the sound reached Nero's ears. He froze. Ox noticed immediately. "What happened?"
Nero started sweating, shaking, fear flashing in his eyes. The drill's noise tore through his mind, dragging back the memories of the town—how he was pinned down with screws, the children's dead bodies, how Eli and Lina had to sever his arm. His stomach turned, and he vomited, screaming at the soldier to stop. Ox and everyone nearby rushed to him, but Nero passed out.
They carried him to the medical wing. Relin checked his condition. "He's traumatized from what happened to him in that town," she said.
Vinn added quietly, "Can you blame the guy? Those bastards drilled steel screws into his bones and killed children in front of him. I'm surprised he didn't break down sooner."
Nero slowly opened his eyes and tried to sit up, but Relin stopped him. "You should get some more rest. You've been through hell."
Lina held his hand. Nero looked at her and said, "I can't take it easy. I was weak, that's why I couldn't save Eli and those children."
He got down from the bed and stood. He staggered for a second, but managed to keep himself straight. "I'll just have to become stronger, so that it doesn't happen again."
Back on the training ground, Ox asked, "Should you be back here so early?"
"No. But I can't afford to waste a single second," Nero replied, voice steady.
Ox gave the faintest smile. "That's the spirit, Angelo. Let's begin."
Days passed. Weeks turned into months. Months became years. Five years later, Nero was 25, Lina 15. He went through his final medical examination. Relin rubbed her temple, letting out a long sigh, then set the tablet down. "I shouldn't be surprised. But still… how is this even possible? You started at 95 kilos, and now you're 130, but your body shape hasn't changed a millimeter."
Grant picked up the tablet. "Muscle density… tripled. Bone density… tripled. All in five years. Nice, kid. You keep surprising me, even after all these years."
Grant glanced at Relin. "And on top of that, he's performing the same fine movements, dodging and reacting perfectly."
Relin looked at Nero. "How is that even possible?"
Nero deadpanned. "How am I supposed to know?"
Relin snapped, frustrated. "It's your fucking body!"
Grant held up a hand. "So… mentally? How are you doing? Any more panic attacks from hearing a drill?"
Nero shook his head. "No. I'm totally fine now."
"That's good," Grant said. He paused. "Time's already up, huh? Finished packing everything?"
"I have," Nero said.
The next day, everyone gathered outside Ironwatch Hold. The air was heavy. No one wanted to say goodbye. Nero stepped forward, clad in a matte-black tactical jacket and dark cargo pants, reinforced boots striking the ground with quiet authority. Protector rested along his left rib in a side-holster, angled for quick access. Oblivion hung at his lower back, on his custom 'S.O.B.', ready for a smooth, lethal draw. A tactical bag hung over his shoulder, carrying everything he might need for the journey ahead. Every detail spoke of preparedness, speed, and deadly precision—Nero didn't just carry weapons; he had become one.
Lina pushed Mera forward. Nervously, she handed Nero a locket—the kind with a twisting mechanism and a transparent center, the grains of soil inside from the crater where his family had died. Each speck glimmered faintly in the sun, a fragment of memory… of lives lost.
Nero asked softly, "What's this?"
Mera replied, her voice nervous, "It's a locket. Lina came up with it. Inside… is soil from the crater. I know you said it was pointless, but we…" She paused, took a breath. "… I want you to keep it with you all the time."
Nero took it, voice soft. "Thank you." He fastened it around his neck. "I'll always keep this with me."
He looked at Vinn. "Try to talk with more people."
He glanced at Veera. "Morren is actually in love with you. You should go out with him."
Morren yelled in protest, "Dude, I told you not to tell her!"
Nero looked at Lina, giving her a gentle smile. "No matter your past, keep moving forward. You're strong."
Lina ran to him, hugging him tightly, voice shaking, tears in her eyes. "Please stay safe."
Nero patted her head. "I will. I promise. No more crying. Live a happy life, okay?"
"Okay," Lina whispered.
Seraphine's five orbs spun, forming a circle, the other side unseen. Nero asked, "How am I supposed to go to a new dimension after this?"
Seraphine replied, "There are artifacts that let you travel through dimensions. You can also make the gods or devils of those dimensions open a gate. Or… you could learn how to do it, as you keep traveling."
Nero frowned. "Why didn't you teach me this? I had five years."
"It would take more than 100 years… could be more," Seraphine answered.
Nero let out a sigh. "It's going to be a long journey."
He looked at everyone one last time. "This is farewell, everyone."
Everyone, including the General, saluted. Nero saluted back, then stepped through the circle. Seraphine closed it behind him.
She spoke one last time. "The Void has left. You humans no longer have to worry about the army of the Corrupted King."
Then, with a bright flash of light, she vanished—never to be seen again.
And Nero? He was now in a new world, on a new journey.
— End of Arc V —