Chapter 39: Jail break.

Adam POV

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I stood perched atop the corner of a towering building, striking the perfect pose. kneeling down, one hand touching the ground for balance, the other free, ready to strike.

The night air was crisp, my black cape fluttering in the wind.

"I am the creature of the night," I whispered dramatically. "I am Batman."

"You know," Nove chimed in, excitement laced in her voice, "now that I can hear your thoughts… this is actually so cool!"

I chuckled, fully embracing my role. "That’s right, Recruit Nove. But this? This is just scratching the surface. Stick with me, and I’ll show you the true wonders of art—the majesty of the Weeb Nation."

I could practically feel the stars in her eyes. "So… cool!" she said in awe.

Of course, Nove had only recently gained sentience. Technically, she was just a kid. And what’s the coolest thing in front of a kid?

Superheroes.

"I am 14, you know," she pouted.

Yeah, yeah.

I adjusted my position, my disguise blending perfectly with the shadows.

After we finished our plan, I gained temporary access to the warehouse. I had stocked up on potions, swapped out different core nodes, secured extra weapons and armor, and made sure I had everything I needed for tonight’s mission.

It was all possible since I told them that I had to work on the disguise— a fake suit designed to resemble the fugitive the House Luminari was hunting. That excuse alone was enough to get Dara to sign off on the request.

Of course, she still personally supervised my entire visit. Apparently, last time they let someone in unattended, certain… outfits mysteriously went missing.

…Dara had a hunch about who was responsible.

"…But that was you, wasn’t it?" Nove suddenly commented, her voice dripping with amusement. "Though, I don’t blame you. Some of these outfits are adorable. I totally love cosplaying them! Teehee~."

… What the hell is she doing over there in the Core Nexus area?

"Come on," she huffed. "I get bored when you sleep. It’s not like I can leave this place, read your memories, or even see the outside world unless you’re awake. Can’t I have a little fun?"

…Oh yeah, that’s right. She can’t sleep.

"Nope. I can’t," she confirmed, her voice suddenly turning playful. "And now you know… you better take responsibility for this~."

…Yep. I definitely need to be wary of her.

"I’ll make you some games later, so just be patient," I sighed.

"Yippie!" Nove cheered, her excitement almost infectious.

I shook my head. Sometimes I feel like I’m raising a child inside my own body… a 500 IQ supercomputer child.

Regardless, the plan was simple. Everyone had a role:

* Pao was handling logistics and backup, providing manpower as needed.

* Markus and his team were in charge of the escape plan—ensuring we all got out safely.

* Dix was the infiltrator, sneaking in ahead of me to unlock the doors and create an opening.

* Dara was our eyes in the sky, overseeing communications and adjusting our tactics in real-time.

* And me? My job was to go inside, free Lora, and bring her out.

Of course… there was one huge problem with this plan. A little detail I hadn’t mentioned to anyone.

I was literally the fugitive that House Luminari was hunting.

"You know," Nove chimed in, her voice carrying a hint of concern, "I still think it’d be better if you just went back to house Luminari, but… I also know you have your reasons. So… we’ll talk about it after you rescue your sister, okay?"

I nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Nove."

"No problem," she said softly.

And so, I waited—perched atop the building, hidden in the night.

Dressed in sleek black armor, with lightweight gear on my knees and elbows, I made sure my face was obscured, just in case. The only thing left uncovered was my blonde hair, freely swaying in the wind.

If my armor deactivated mid-mission, at the very least, they’d only recognize me as a blonde-haired, red-eyed boy.

Static crackled in my earpiece. Then, Dara’s voice came through, clear and crisp.

"Testing… testing… one, two, three. Can you guys hear me?"

I adjusted the earpiece. "Loud and clear."

One by one, everyone else checked in.

It was time.

"Alright, I can see everyone in their positions from here," Dara’s voice crackled through my earpiece. "We’re just waiting on Dix’s and Pao’s signal."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the floating blimp high in the sky.

She was inside that blimp.

…How? I have no flipping idea. But if it worked in our favor, I wasn’t about to question it.

My gaze shifted downward, locking onto the mansion I was about to infiltrate.

Security was noticeably tighter than last time. Dix had gotten in relatively easily before, but now? It was packed with guards. Still, I had faith in him. If anyone could slip through unnoticed, it was Dix.

"Alright Nya, I’m heading inside," I heard his voice through the comms.

Pao chimed in right after. "I’ve also sent some people to lure House Luminari soldiers toward the target’s mansion."

Perfect.

"Okay, Adam, is your armor ready?" Dara asked. "Best put it on now."

I had convinced them all that I’d made a brand-new armor set—a replica of the fugitive’s armor. They’d seen how skilled I was as an alchemist, so they bought the story without question.

"Don’t worry, I’m all set. They won’t be able to tell the difference," I assured her.

But I couldn’t equip it yet.

The armor drains 2 NEP per second. With my current NEP pool, I had about 450 seconds—and considering the ability usage and any other things, I had roughly five minutes—of active time. That was nowhere near enough for the entire mission.

I had to time this perfectly… But then again.

This kind of work was second nature to me.

Once Dix gave the all-clear, he’d have an infiltration path ready for us. After that, I had to wait for Pao’s signal, equip the armor, get in, rescue Lora, remove the armor, and escape.

Even if House Luminari caught me afterward, I had a backup plan.

I’d simply blend in as one of the rescued kids.

All in all, the only real variable was that noble.

I didn’t think he had done anything yet, but if he was in there with my sister, then we had a problem.

Regardless of what happened, I needed to interrogate him and find some things out—if I had the chance.

"Adam, my people are luring a number of House Luminari soldiers. They told the soldiers that they saw the fugitive moving from building to building, so you better be suited up by now," Pao’s voice crackled in my earpiece.

Dix chimed in next, his usual playful tone coming through. "Nya! I’m also ready here on my end, Nya!"

I grinned.

It was go time.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Activating my armor, I felt it seamlessly merge onto my body, encasing me in sleek, Greyish metal. I didn’t activate the Valkyrie core—it had some distinct visual differences that could blow my cover.

I stood up on the edge of the rooftop, peering down at the illuminated streets below.

"Over there!"

A voice called out from below.

I glanced down and spotted a group of armored soldiers—their gear eerily similar to my Valkyrie core.

For a fleeting moment, it almost felt like being back home.

I smirked, adjusting my stance.

"Alright. Let’s do this."

Then, out of nowhere, Nove’s voice chirped into my head.

"Ohhh~ I can play some nice songs too, if you want!"

I blinked. "...Wait, you can do that too?"

"Of course! As long as you think about it, I can recreate all sorts of things from your world. Music, anime, even 3D models!"

My mind whirled with possibilities. "Wait… Does that mean you can recreate all the things I’ve watched? Even make new parodies of them?"

"Naturally. I’m really powerful, you know?" There was a distinct hint of pride in her voice.

…Nove. I flipping love ya.

"Ehhehe~ I love you too."

…

You weren’t supposed to hear that one.

"Adam~ you tsundere~"

…Just play free bird, the guitar solo alone should be able to drown out the screaming in my heart.

"Affirmative~"

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Lora POV

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I grimaced as a wave of pain coursed through my body, leaving me weak, powerless… helpless.

“Hmm, this much should be enough,” the noble mused, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “At the very least, your soul should be easier to occupy now.”

I lay on the cold, unforgiving stone floor, my limbs devoid of strength. I couldn’t even bring myself to shiver.

I didn’t care.

If I had to fade into nothingness, then so be it.

What was the point anymore?

“You probably don’t understand why your soul is so precious, do you?” The nobleman chuckled as he walked away, fiddling with something on a table. “Getting a soul from another world is rare enough, but once we do find one and mix it with a body from this world…” He trailed off, voice brimming with greed. “The result is two nexus cores. A perfect combination. But I doubt you even know what that means.”

I barely heard him.

I just wanted it all to end.

But…

I heard him say that they get souls from other worlds.

Then…

What if?

I parted my lips, my voice barely a whisper.

“…How many souls… have you captured?”

The noble turned, raising a brow in mild amusement. “Oh? You can talk after all.” He grabbed something—a blue crystal, the size of his palm, emitting a chilling gas—and sauntered toward me.

"You know," he mused, rolling the crystal between his fingers, "I actually enjoy it when they fight back—just a little. It makes my job so much more… entertaining.”

He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me upward, dragging me off the cold stone floor like a discarded rag.

Pain flared through my skull. Yet, I barely felt it.

Because the moment he touched me, the moment his filthy hands dared to grab me—

I saw him.

A vision of his face flashed in my mind.

Adam.

My beloved brother.

My everything.

My Adam, who held me close when I cried. Who protected me when I was weak. Who never abandoned me no matter how broken, how sinful I was.

A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn’t from the noble’s touch. It was from the overwhelming, suffocating need inside me.

A twisted, aching longing.

If he was really in this world—if there was even a sliver of a chance—

Then I had to find him.

I had to.

The nobleman sneered. “Does someone you know happen to be here? Hmm? Captured by us?” He tightened his grip around my throat, effortlessly lifting me with one hand.

Choking. Suffocating.

The world around me blurred. My vision darkened.

But inside my mind, Adam’s face burned vividly.

He was out there.

I just knew it.

And when I find him…

I’ll never let him go again.

Not this time.

The noble clicked his tongue in irritation. “Tch. You’re no fun.”

Then, like I was nothing more than garbage, he threw me aside.

I hit the floor with a dull thud, but I barely noticed.

Because a single thought echoed in my mind.

A single, maddening, all-consuming thought.

Adam.

“I don’t know what our goddess did to you, but you’re pretty pitiful, aren’t you?”

The nobleman scoffed as he casually turned his back on me, walking back to his table and fiddling with whatever worthless filth he had over there.

I barely heard him.

The world was grey, empty, lifeless.

I had nothing left to give.

“Well, your body is going to become a vessel anyway, so I might as well…” He waved a hand dismissively before continuing, “The names of the souls we’ve collected so far are… Rosar, Saul, Virgil, Valka, Aurelia, Mina…”

There were… Familiar names.

A flicker of recognition sparked in my mind, followed by a hollow, aching void.

My brothers. My sisters. My family.

Some of them were here. Trapped. Doomed.

And then—

“…And finally, there was that powerful soul that escaped us… what was his name again? Adam? Something like that?”

…eh?

The air in my lungs froze.

“To be strong enough to punch and hurt our goddess? Augh~ You have no idea what I would have done to get his body as a vessel.” The nobleman sighed, almost dreamily, as if discussing his greatest regret. “He definitely would have had a really strong soul nexus core, and if it merged with mine? Oh~ I can’t even begin to imagine what I could’ve done.”

Adam…

He’s alive.

Not dead. Not gone. Alive.

My Adam.

My darling, precious, irreplaceable Adam.

A strange, twisted warmth spread through my chest. Something sick, something dark, something possessive.

He’s here. In this world.

And I’m going to find him.

No. I’m going to keep him.

He left me once.

Never again.

The dull, numbing pain in my body evaporated. My limbs, which had been lifeless moments ago, thrummed with renewed strength. Rage. Desire. Obsession.

I have to see him. I have to.

My nails dug into my palms as my entire body quivered—not from fear, but from sheer, unfiltered anticipation.

I slowly stood up as strength returned to my body.

“…What… where is he?”

The words spilled out of me before I even realized I had spoken them.

The nobleman froze.

“…Huh?” His voice wavered slightly, eyes widening as he took a step back. “How did you—?”

He blinked once. Then grinned.

“Oh~ I get it,” he purred, stepping closer. “Was this Adam someone close to you?”

Memories of Adam resurfaced in my mind.

His warmth. His voice. His touch.

The way he smiled at me.

The way he always belonged to me.

He’s mine.

Mine.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

The nobleman was close. Too close.

He thought I was weak.

Helpless.

A trapped little lamb, waiting for the slaughter.

Fool.

The techniques of assassination were drilled into my very bones.

I didn’t need a weapon.

I just needed my hands.

Because the only person allowed to touch Adam is me.

“Well, I’ll give you this information as a freebie,” the nobleman sneered, his voice laced with amusement. “You see, when we lose a soul, it either disperses forever or—” he leaned in, grinning like a madman, “it possesses some dead body somewhere in this world.”

He chuckled, enjoying the way my body stiffened.

“You’ll never see him again in this lifetime.”

He…

He could be alive.

No.

Of course, he’s alive.

My Adam… He’s out there.

I could feel it—I just knew it.

My lips curled into a smile. A soft, trembling, delicate smile.

He’s my brother.

He’s invincible.

Of course, he’s alive.

He’s probably looking for me right now.

Oh no…

I can’t let him worry.

What kind of horrible sister lets her dear, precious brother worry?

He must be worried sick.

Yes. I need to get back to him.

I have to.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about him anymore.”

The nobleman’s mocking voice pierced through my thoughts.

“A guy like that, even If he’s alive, he’ll have no choice but to settle down, get a wife, have some kids… and die a poor, sad, boring life like the rest of the pitiful souls that have ever escaped.”

…Eh?

Something inside me cracked.

The warmth—the hope that had begun to bloom in my chest—instantly withered.

The strength in my body evaporated.

I fell to my knees, my hands trembling.

No… That can’t be possible…

That’s a lie.

Tears blurred my vision. My heart clenched so tightly that it felt like I was being suffocated.

No… He won’t do that.

He wouldn’t.

He couldn’t.

Because—

He’s mine.

He won’t leave me.

He’s mine.

He’s mine.

HE’S MINE.

The nobleman laughed, clearly enjoying my torment.

“Oh, there it is… that beautiful, boiling hatred.”

He said something.

I didn’t hear it.

I didn’t care.

There was only one thought left in my mind.

Those witches.

Those filthy, disgusting parasites.

How dare they?

How dare they think they can touch him?

How dare they think they can claim what belongs to me?

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, blood dripping onto the cold floor.

I will not let them have him.

I will not let them defile him.

I will not let them steal him away from me.

I will burn this entire world down before I let that happen.

The nobleman kept talking.

I wasn’t listening.

His voice was an insect’s buzzing.

Something that didn’t matter.

And finally—

SNAP.

The iron shackles shattered, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

The nobleman froze.

“…Huh?”

That was the only stupid, useless word he managed to utter before blood dripped from my wrists—my joints were shattered, broken—but I felt nothing.

No pain.

Only rage.

Only vengeance.

Only the burning, obsessive need to rescue my poor, poor brother.

I lifted my head.

My lips stretched into a wide, trembling grin.

“…Adam.”

I took a step forward.

“My Adam.”

Another step.

“I will save you.”

The nobleman stumbled back.

“W-What the hell…?”

I tilted my head, my eyes gleaming.

“…I will save you from those wretched whores.”

And I will never let you go again.

As I stumbled forward, the nobleman staggered back.

His eyes widened in terror.

A pathetic expression.

Ah… I wonder—should I carve that fear into him permanently?

Should I make him understand what it means to take something that belongs to me?

But just then—

BOOM!

The wall beside him exploded.

Dust and debris filled the room, the force knocking the nobleman off his feet.

I blinked.

And then, from the cloud of destruction, a figure stepped forward.

A knight.

A knight in white shining armor with runes all over his body and a red cape fluttering on his behind.

He casually brushed the debris off himself as if he had done this a thousand times before.

Beside him, another figure staggered in—a tanned cat-man, coughing violently.

“COULDN’T YOU HAVE DONE IT ANY OTHER WAY?!” The cat-man screamed, still hacking up dust.

The knight didn’t even acknowledge him.

Instead—

He turned his head.

His helmeted gaze locked onto me.

I froze.

That stance. That aura. That undeniable presence.

And then—

His eyes snapped to the nobleman, now struggling to push himself up from the ground.

Something inside me stirred.

“You…”

His voice was filled with venomous rage.

The sheer power behind it made my body shudder.

“WHAT THE HELL—”

He took a step forward, and the nobleman flinched.

“ARE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER?!”

His roar shook the walls.

The room trembled under the sheer force of his rage.

I stopped breathing.

My chest tightened—a strange, unfamiliar feeling crawling up my spine.

Fear.

For the first time in years.

I felt fear.

But that’s impossible.

The only person who ever made me feel this way was—

Wait.

What… did he just say?

Sister?

My vision blurred.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears.

Sister?

Sister?

Sister?

Adam…?