Jin was in the middle of a white room, filled with a sharp screeching sound that pierced his ears without ceasing. He pressed his hands firmly over his ears, but the sound didn’t go away.

He whispered to himself: Where am I? Could I be dead?

Gradually, the room began to fade from top to bottom, as if being erased from reality. And at the bottom, the bottom of a dark abyss appeared.

The fading continued until it reached his feet, causing him to lose his balance and nearly fall.

Words echoed in his head as he said, “No... it can’t be.”

At that moment, he slowly opened his eyes.

He was lying in the middle of a strange room, filled with a pungent smell resembling entrails, while the sound of mice echoed from the corners.

Beside him, a phone rang incessantly.

A sharp headache and confusion clouded his thoughts, then he struggled to his feet. His body swayed as he slowly picked up the phone, leaning against one of the walls.

He answered calmly, “Hello.”

There was no reply.

Both sides fell silent.

Jin tightened his grip on the phone, then threw it forcefully to the ground.

He turned toward Devi and whispered, “See you later.”

Devi lay sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around him.

“Jin grabbed his sleek leather jacket and brushed the dust off it with heavy steps; its elegance seemed strange and completely at odds with the filth of the place and the smell of spilled guts.”

On the other side of Malysora...

At the Hidara residence...

I muttered as my dry lips moved: The broadcast is over... Why? Why was the broadcast cut off?

I approached the screen, trying to fix it, but to no avail.

“I pressed the remote control buttons at random; the screen switched to another channel and broadcast normally, but as soon as I returned to the same channel, I found nothing but a black screen and a sharp static noise.”

I felt a warm, large hand on my shoulder.

It was my father.

He whispered softly: The broadcast won’t work... The reporter and his camera have been destroyed.

I looked at him as I felt a burning liquid welling up in my eyes. I knew that... but I didn’t want to believe it.

My father looked at me for a few seconds, then turned and walked upstairs. Before he disappeared, he turned back to me and said, “Go to sleep, Hidara.”

I walked toward the bathroom, my steps unsteady. I was remembering what had happened, while a single question echoed in my head:

Will I be dealing with people like that...?

I approached the mirror.

I turned on the faucet; the water was cold. I washed my face and hair, then slowly lifted my head and looked at my reflection.

I stared at myself as if I were looking at someone else.

I repeated to myself: Pull yourself together... Pull yourself together... Pull yourself together...

Suddenly...

There was a knock on the door behind me. It was Ren.

She whispered from behind the door: Hidara... You’re in there, aren’t you?

I answered her in a low voice: Yes...

She leaned her back against the bathroom door, then slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor.

Silence reigned for a few seconds...

Then she whispered: Hidara... What are you going to do now?

I approached the door and placed my hand on it, then slowly leaned my back against it and slid down until I was sitting on the floor.

I whispered in a low voice: What do you think I should do, Ren...?

Ren replied while looking up, as if trying to escape her thoughts: I don’t know... but I don’t want to lose another person... again.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

I knew what she meant.

I whispered in a heavier voice: I know, Ren... but your father’s killer is still at large. I won’t rest until I’ve taken my revenge.

Cold water dripped from my hair onto my neck, but my body remained burning from within.

Ren sighed, then said in a faint voice: “And after you’ve taken your revenge, Hidara... what will you do?”

Thoughts flooded my mind all at once.

Emptiness...

Anger...

Fear...

Then my voice came out weakly from between my lips: I... don’t know.

Silence fell.

I felt something pulling at me from within, a strange, heavy sensation, as if it were whispering to me from a dark place inside my mind.

I slowly looked up.

There was a small lizard on the wall in front of me, devouring a fly without mercy.

I stared at it in silence.

Then I whispered: You know, Ren... what we’re going to do.

Ren’s voice suddenly rose, fear evident in it: But, Hidara... you saw them yourself! What are we going to do against them?! We’ll be dead in seconds!

I know, Ren...

I muttered as my fingers trembled.

I know, Ren, that I’m weak.

I felt a burning sensation between my eyes, and my vision gradually blurred.

I know I’m useless...

I know I’m just a fool...

And I know I’ll only be a hindrance...

But even so...

I want to help them.

I want to see them smile again.

I won’t be able to go on living if I don’t do something.

I know this is very dangerous... but I have no choice, Ren.

No... choice.

I closed my eyes as I felt warm liquid trickling down my cheek.

On the other side of the door, Rin placed her hand gently on it, then said in a trembling voice:

You’re not a fool, Hidara... and you’re not weak.

You... are my savior, in my eyes.

I trust you, Hidara... and I will always trust you.

I couldn’t bear Ren’s words.

She was more beautiful than she should have been.

I felt something crumble inside me, and my voice vanished amid my choked sobs.

I whispered to myself, “Thank you, Ren.”

At the same time...

At the Forbidden Academy...

Shina whispered as she looked at Kamal: “I called Devi several times... but he didn’t answer.”

She paused for a moment, then said: “And when someone finally answered... I didn’t know who it was, but I don’t think it was Devi.”

Kamal kept staring at the black screen in front of him for a few seconds, then said, “It looks like the situation is worse than we expected.”

Silence fell for a moment.

Then Kamal sighed and said, “Well... looks like we’re going to have to make a move.”