Krishna lay on the sterile medical bed, his bruised and bloodied body slowly healing. The remnants of the battle with Anna still stung, his body aching as his enhanced physiology recovered, but it was a slow process. The poison from the rage toxin had burned through his system, and the damage he had inflicted on himself was taking its toll.

The SAAHO base was quiet, its usual hum of activity muffled by the deep walls that surrounded him. The room where Krishna rested was dimly lit, with machines whirring and beeping, monitoring his vitals as he lay, lost in the haze of exhaustion. It wasn’t the first time he’d been in recovery, but this time felt different. His mind wasn’t clouded by rage anymore; the aftermath of the battle had left him more focused, but also more unsettled. The fight had left something gnawing at him, something he couldn’t shake. Something about Anna felt off.

The door to his room creaked open, and the faint sound of footsteps echoed against the walls. His brothers had arrived—Martin, Temna, and Takashi. The trio stepped into the room, their expressions a mix of concern and silent understanding.

"How’re you feeling?" Martin's voice broke the silence, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of his younger brother, battered and bruised.

Krishna grimaced, trying to sit up, but his body protested. "I've been better," he muttered, gritting his teeth against the pain. His hand reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, but Takashi was quicker, grabbing it and handing it to him.

"Dr. Machinist really did a number on you, huh?" Takashi said, his voice laced with a cocky tone, though it was clear he was concerned. "You went in looking like you were ready to take on the world and came out looking like you barely survived a nightmare."

Temna, who had been silent until now, stepped closer, his cold gaze fixed on Krishna. "What happened out there?" he asked, his voice quiet but sharp. "You were supposed to bring her down, not get yourself thrown around like a ragdoll."

Krishna exhaled heavily, his eyes meeting his brothers’ gazes. He knew they were all expecting answers, but what he had to say wasn’t easy. He took a long moment before speaking, his voice low and filled with frustration.

"It was Anna," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Dr. Machinist turned her into something else—something inhuman. She wasn’t the same person I knew. Her body, her abilities—they’re not human anymore. She’s a weapon now, a tool, but... she’s still there, deep inside, fighting it."

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Takashi scoffed. "So, you lost to a freakin' cyborg?" His voice was mocking, but Krishna’s intense stare made him fall silent.

"It’s not just that," Krishna continued, his voice growing darker. "She fought me like she was made to, like Dr. Machinist designed her to be an unbeatable machine. I couldn't get through to her. And I didn’t even have a chance. He was watching us. He’s been watching her the whole time, making sure she stayed under control."

Martin shifted, crossing his arms as he listened closely. "Dr. Machinist’s creations are dangerous," he said, his voice calculating. "But this Anna, she’s different. Why would he choose her?"

Temna, who had been deep in thought, suddenly spoke up, his eyes flickering with recognition. "It’s not just Anna," he said slowly, as if piecing together something that had been eluding him. "Anna’s not the endgame. This is bigger. Dr. Machinist—he’s trying to bring them back."

Krishna frowned. "Bring who back?"

Temna’s gaze turned sharp, his voice tinged with realization. "The Genocide Trio. Doku, Aliyah, and Toya Kurai."

Krishna’s mind spun. The name hit him like a freight train. The Genocide Trio—the three assassins who had died 65 years ago, three names whispered in the shadows of history. Doku, Aliyah, and Toya had been renowned for their unparalleled skills, their methods brutal and efficient. They had been forces of nature, wiping out entire families and organizations with ruthless precision. But they had all died under mysterious circumstances, and their deaths had been shrouded in legend.

Martin’s voice cut through Krishna’s thoughts. "You think Dr. Machinist is trying to bring them back? How could he possibly revive them? They died decades ago."

Temna’s eyes burned with a sharp intensity. "It’s all starting to make sense now," he said, his words falling like stone. "Dr. Machinist’s obsession with creating the perfect soldiers. Anna’s transformation—she’s just the beginning. He’s building something greater, something more powerful. He’s using Anna as a test, but he’s after them—Doku, Aliyah, and Toya."

Takashi shook his head, the pieces clicking together in his mind. "He’s not just making soldiers. He’s trying to revive the Genocide Trio and turn them into something worse—machines, cyborgs, weapons of mass destruction."

Krishna’s pulse quickened. He’d heard whispers about Dr. Machinist’s experiments, but this was beyond anything they had imagined. The Genocide Trio, resurrected as cyborgs—what kind of nightmare would that be?

"Why the hell would he want them back?" Krishna muttered, his thoughts spiraling. "What does he think he can do with them?"

Temna’s eyes narrowed. "Power. Control. The kind of power that can reshape the world. If Dr. Machinist succeeds in bringing them back, there won’t be anyone left who can stop him. The Genocide Trio were legends. Imagine them, enhanced and remade—unstoppable."

Martin's gaze hardened. "Then we can’t let that happen. We need to stop him before he gets any closer."

Krishna slowly sat up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body, but the fire in his eyes was undeniable. "We’ll stop him. I don’t care what it takes. He’s playing with fire, and it’s about time someone put it out."

Temna, Martin, and Takashi exchanged determined looks. The fight wasn’t over. It was just beginning. And Dr. Machinist had just made a dangerous enemy.