That night, Shen Akira completely lost his composure. He couldn't think straight anymore, leaving everyone around him confused and worried about his mental state.
"FIND OUT EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT RAVEN! Pay whatever it takes—break into dark sites all over the world if you have to!" Shen Akira shouted.
"But Shen Akira, our funds are running low. Orders have dropped drastically lately. If we waste money on something useless like that, we're finished," his assistant warned.
"I don't care. That raven has to be eliminated first… or do you want to face it with your own lives?" Shen Akira said coldly.
"I don't mind if you volunteer yourselves to fight that damn raven."
"Of course we won't do something that reckless… Please calm down. We're still safe since there's no solid evidence yet. The main suspect is still that botanist."
Those words completely snapped Shen Akira's patience. He stormed over, grabbed the assistant by the collar, and snarled:
"YOU'RE AN IDIOT! I'M CORNERED RIGHT NOW, DAMN IT!
DO WHAT I ORDER YOU TO DO! I CAN ALWAYS SQUEEZE MONEY OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE LATER—SO USE EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO DIG UP INFORMATION ABOUT THAT RAVEN!"
The assistant swallowed hard, nodded silently, and ordered all subordinates to start gathering information about the raven through global dark sites.
While they worked, Shen Akira took the medicine and headed to Ochana's place.
"She wants that medicine so badly… fine. I'll give it to her so she stays happy and keeps belonging to me. I'll turn her into a weapon to destroy anyone who touches her," Shen Akira muttered with a twisted smile.
---
The locked room finally opened, revealing an extremely irritated Ochana.
"Are you trying to kill me?! I'M STARVING, DAMN IT! There's no food here, and you locked me in!" Ochana shouted.
"Smart dogs don't need to bark so much. I brought your medicine," Shen Akira said casually, showing it to her.
"Medicine…? What kind of medicine is that?" Ochana asked suspiciously.
"The medicine you've been wanting all this time."
Ochana crossed her arms in annoyance. "You think I'm stupid? There's no way a capsule can restore my face."
"It can't," Shen Akira said with a wide grin, his eyes sharp.
Ochana realized something was wrong and looked around for something to defend herself with.
Shen Akira opened the capsule and suddenly threw it straight at her face. The powder exploded on impact, hitting her before she could react.
"Ugh—cough—what is this?!" Ochana gasped, coughing violently.
"Alright, I'm done. I won't lock the door this time. Leave if you want—if people don't mistake you for a monster, that is. Enjoy it until the game ends," Shen Akira said before leaving.
Ochana collapsed to the floor, her chest tightening as she kept coughing.
"Damn it… what is this… my chest hurts… ahh!! Help!!"
Silence answered her screams. The room was underground—no one could hear her.
Hours later, Ochana regained consciousness. Her eyes were bloodshot. When she looked into the mirror… her face was worse. The old scars stood out even more—grotesque instead of healed.
"No… no… NOOO!!"
She screamed, smashing the mirror until it shattered, blood running down her hands. She trashed the entire room, dangerous potions spilling everywhere. She inhaled the fumes, making her condition even worse.
"YOU'RE ALL BASTARDS!!" Ochana screamed as she rampaged alone.
---
Elsewhere, Nic finally found the location after searching all night.
"Underground, huh… damn, déjà vu," Nic muttered.
[ Master Nic, it's normal to feel déjà vu. The atmosphere is very similar to Southern. ]
"I've got a bad feeling. Let's go—now."
Nic slipped inside and found the hidden door leading to Ochana's room.
This time, he didn't use Death Raven form. He wanted Ochana to see him clearly.
When Nic opened the door, he froze.
The room was destroyed—shattered glass everywhere, bloodstains, and Ochana sitting on top of a lab table, staring blankly at the floor.
The atmosphere was horrifying.
As Nic stepped forward, Ochana suddenly snapped her head up, stood, and lunged at him.
Nic calmly restrained her. Her eyes were crimson, her movements feral—she no longer felt human, more like a starving beast.
This must be the drug, Nic thought.
He locked her movements, considering how to get her out.
[ Master Nic, won't you try to calm her down? ]
"No need. I've got my own plan, Zeta."
[ What plan? ]
"Keep running. Activate: God of Speed."
Nic grabbed Ochana and sprinted at extreme speed. Even then, she managed to bite into his shoulder, drawing blood—but Nic didn't stop. He carried her all the way into the dangerous forest.
When he released her, Nic looked at his shoulder and arm, covered in bite marks.
"…Is she a vampire or what?"
Ochana snarled, ready to attack again—but then she froze.
Her gaze locked onto Hinata and Lingmei, who were standing there.
Nic had ordered them to wait here. They stood frozen, shocked by what Ochana had become.
Ochana, still in her feral state, moved to attack them—but Nic immediately threw a neutralizing potion. The drug's influence faded, though her anger remained.
"Huh… where am I…?" Ochana murmured as she slowly opened her eyes.
Her vision cleared, and she saw Hinata and Lingmei.
"You…?!"
Lingmei clung to Hinata, forcing herself to step forward.
"Ochana… I'm sorry—"
"NOW YOU APOLOGIZE?! WHERE WERE YOU ALL THIS TIME?!" Ochana screamed.
"YOU'RE ALL THE SAME—BASTARDS!!"
"You have no idea what kind of suffering I went through every single day! Everyone hated me! Avoided me! Treated me like I didn't exist!
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! THEY NEVER EVEN INVESTIGATED!
Did I ever wrong them—or you?!"
She pointed at her face. "Look at this disgusting face!"
"Ochana, stop… we understand. We regret it. We never meant—" Hinata cried.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, HINATA! YOU WERE TOO WEAK TO ACT! You should've realized from the start what needed to be done!
I DON'T NEED YOUR APOLOGIES ANYMORE! NOTHING IN MY LIFE WILL CHANGE!!" Ochana shouted.
Lingmei gathered her courage, rushed forward, and grabbed Ochana's hand.
"OCHANA! PLEASE, CALM DOWN! We want to fix this peacefully. Please—just listen to us!"
Ochana shoved her away.
"Don't touch me, traitor. YOU'RE THE ONE I HATE THE MOST!
You changed in such a twisted way—it drove me crazy! You acted cold and superior, and now you're acting like this again?!
IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE ENDED UP LIKE THIS!!"
Tears fell without her realizing it.
Animals gathered around, watching silently. Nic observed from a tree above.
"ENOUGH!! I KNOW, OCHANA! I'M THE CAUSE OF ALL OF THIS—and I REGRET IT!" Lingmei cried.
"I was trapped back then… brainwashed by my own father. I changed without realizing it.
That doesn't mean I don't feel guilty—I'm drowning in guilt! If I hadn't invited you to be friends, maybe none of this would've happened… please forgive me."
Ochana fell silent.
"Ochana… we all made mistakes," Hinata sobbed.
"You're right—I was wrong for being too afraid to act. You protected me at Qwelin Academy, but I was never there for you…
I blame myself every day. I have nightmares about you… please forgive me."
"Fuck… FUCK!! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?!" Ochana collapsed to her knees, crying.
"I don't understand everything… and even if what you're saying is true, it won't change me," she said, standing back up.
"But I want you to know this—
"I forgave you both a long time ago. I was just waiting for those words to come from your mouths.
But why now? WHY NOW, WHEN I'M AT MY LOWEST?!
You disappointed me… I was alone… in a silent room…
DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT FELT?!"
She broke down hysterically.
Hinata ran forward and hugged her tightly, crying as well.
"I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL! So please, come back to us! Don't hide anymore!
Change is real—and we promise we'll never abandon you again, Ochana!!"
Lingmei joined the embrace. The three of them clung to each other, crying.
Ochana gently pushed them away again.
"Enough… I don't want to be fooled. It's too late. I've already been alone too long—used as a tool.
If I go back, people will hate me even more. And you'll get dragged down with me."
"SAYS WHO?! WE WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Hinata shouted, gripping Ochana's hand.
"SISTER AURELIA TOLD ME TO BRING YOU BACK!"
"That's right!" Lingmei added.
"We're friends! We'll carry everything that happened to you together!
This isn't just your fault—it's ours! We'll fix it together!"
Ochana—who had always seen them as her younger sisters—finally broke down completely, hugging them sincerely.
The animals sat silently, witnessing the scene.
Up in the tree, Nic covered his face with one hand, tears slipping through his fingers.
"If I had suppressed Ochana's emotions earlier… this wouldn't have happened," Nic said with a soft smile.
[ So what now, Master Nic? Will you heal Ochana and add her to the list? ]
"Maybe… but only after she's healed."
To be continued…