Limit Breaker Zero – Chapter 2: The Reckoning
Ren Kurogane's eyes locked onto Joseph Ayikon, disbelief burning in the black depths of his gaze. There was nothing there—no fear, no anger, not even sadness. Just a hollow emptiness that made Ren's chest tighten.
Is he… a monster? The thought crawled through his mind, unwelcome and terrifying.
Joseph tilted his head slightly, meeting Ren's stare without blinking. His voice was flat, cold, and carried no hint of emotion.
"You think I'm a monster too, right?"
Ren hesitated. His throat felt dry, guilt knotting his stomach. "…Yes. I do."
Joseph's lips curved into a faint shrug as he lowered himself onto the cracked asphalt, dust rising around him in tiny clouds. "Well… figured."
Ren's jaw tightened. He swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped back, fists clenching as the late afternoon wind ruffled his hair. "I can't let someone like you roam around like this. You're dangerous… a monster."
Joseph's dark eyes remained unwavering, empty as ever. "So… what are you going to do about it?"
Ren's pulse thundered in his ears. He didn't want this, didn't want to face Joseph this way—but duty left him no choice. Planting his feet, he dropped into a firm stance, fists ready. "Then… I'll have to kill you."
Joseph leaned back slightly, dust settling on his shoulders, and spoke with a calm that sent a chill down Ren's spine.
"Do it. I won't even try to defend myself. I lost my reason for living… my mom is dead. So go on—finish it."
Ren's chest tightened, and his hands trembled ever so slightly as he raised them. The ground beneath them felt alive with tension, dust swirling in the quiet. And then—his phone buzzed.
HQ.
Ren answered quickly, voice taut. "Yes?"
A crisp, controlled voice cut through the line.
"Situation under observation. Do not kill the boy. Let him live. The decision is final."
Ren froze, confusion and frustration twisting his features. "What… what do you know what you're getting into? This boy… he's a monster!"
There was a faint chuckle on the other end.
"This institution raises monsters. Besides… I'm curious what he will do. Let him join the organization. Recruiting him will be up to you. After all… aren't you classmates?"
Click. The line went dead.
Ren lowered the phone slowly, a cold breeze brushing against his face as he exhaled shakily. He turned to Joseph, whose gaze hadn't wavered.
"So… you have no reason to live, right?"
Joseph nodded once. "Yes."
Ren's eyes hardened, determination flashing. "…Then, if you have nothing to live for, how about you dedicate your life to saving people?"
Joseph tilted his head, the faintest glimmer of curiosity in his otherwise empty stare. "And why should I do that?"
"Because I said so. And… since you have nothing to live for anyway, why not do something for society? Something… for once in your life."
The words struck a chord somewhere deep inside Joseph. Faint memories flickered—his mother's gentle voice, lingering like a ghost in his mind: "Do something for humanity… at least once in your life. Society."
A small smirk tugged at Joseph's lips, and his eyes seemed to sparkle for the first time. "So… I will do it, Mom."
Ren's black eyes narrowed instantly, anger flashing across his face. "I am not your mom!"
Joseph's smirk lingered, a strange mix of emptiness and newfound resolve gleaming in his eyes.
The wind swirled around the ruined street, carrying dust and faint sparks of electricity from the distant destruction. Silence stretched between them, heavy, charged, and waiting.
To be continued…