Khairul's eyes slowly opened, and he found himself lying in a hospital bed, his body broken and bandaged. His leg was fractured, and every movement brought intense pain. Despite the agony, he forced himself to move his head, finally waking from what felt like an endless sleep.

He was alone in the hospital ward.

"Mom..."

The first person I thought of when I woke up from the coma was my mother.

For two weeks, I was unconscious after the accident, the weakest I had ever felt in my life. My whole body ached, riddled with glass shards that had pierced my skin. They had to perform surgery to remove them because I had been thrown out of the car window.

Mom was also in a coma, but her condition was worse than mine. I only got to see her once, surrounded by machines. I couldn't bear to see her like that.

She fought for a week to stay alive, but then... she suddenly took her last breath.

The cemetery emptied as mourners left, leaving only Khairul in a wheelchair and his father standing by his side. Khairul's eyes were red and swollen from endless tears, while his father's face was cold and emotionless.

"Why... why are you alive and not her?" his father asked, his voice hollow. Khairul's expression shifted from sorrow to fear, hearing that question.

"We could make 'you' a hundred times over if we wanted. I loved her, not you... Why didn't you just die? I don't want you."

I turned to look at my father's face that day. His eyes looked at me with disgust. Then, out of nowhere, his expression twisted into rage, and his hands wrapped around my throat.

"D-dad!" I didn't know what was happening—it all happened so fast...

"You!" He threw me to the ground and kept squeezing my throat, smiling as he did it.

"Die..."

"Die... Just die..." Khairul's father pinned him to the bathroom floor, choking him even harder. Khairul stared at his father's face, his hands weakly gripping his father's arms, his entire body trembling.

I... I don't want to fight him...

You really do hate me, don't you, old man?

Just kill me...

I hate myself, too.

Hazim: What are you up to this time?

Hazim: I swear I'll fire you if you're not at work by the time I get back!

Hazim: Whatever you're doing. Come see me.

I read Hazim's messages too late. Sorry, Hazim... looks like I won't be able to see you again.

Thank you, Hazim. You were the first person to treat me like a human after so long.

"I've got you now... we've got each other... That's enough for me."

"What do you think, Khai? Does my short hair look... nice?"

Nasuha.

All this time running away, I enjoyed it. The time we spent together. I've never had fun like that with anyone before.

You're lucky, Nasuha. Your father still cares about you. He punched me in the face for you.

Nasuha...

"I really... was going to kill myself earlier. I was scared... I didn't want to go back... I didn't want to keep feeling this pain. But somehow, I'm glad... you pulled me back... I'm relieved that it was you, not someone else."

Images of his time with Nasuha flooded Khairul's mind—when he pulled her from the bridge railing, when they strolled through Concubine Lane, and when they shared a bed together.

No... I can't die yet.

"Arghhh!" Khairul suddenly found a surge of strength, ripping his father's hands from his neck and kicking him away with all the force he could muster. Gasping for air, he stumbled backward until his back hit the wall, his hands instinctively covering the red, bruised marks on his throat. His father, Zaki, looked furious and was ready to attack again, but just as he was about to lunge, another man walked into the restroom, completely unaware of the tense situation as he casually washed his hands at the sink.

"Why are you on the floor?" the man asked, noticing Khairul sitting on the ground, holding his throat. He then turned his gaze toward Zaki, who was standing menacingly, his eyes filled with rage. Realizing something wasn't right, the man hesitated, becoming more alert.

"Get the fuck out," Zaki snarled, his teeth grinding in anger.

"W-What are you doing to this kid?" The man stepped in between Zaki and Khairul, trying to prevent any further harm. Khairul glanced at him, breathing heavily, his body still trembling. Zaki glared, his jaw tightening.

This time, I'll kill him. No one... can stop me!

"Blargghhh!" Zaki's face started to change, transforming before their eyes. The man in front of Khairul froze, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Pregnant?"

"Yes... I'm pregnant," Aina had said, her face glowing with joy. Truthfully, back then, I wasn't ready at all.

I was never ready.

"His name... Khairul... I want to name him Khairul," Aina whispered after he was born. The baby cried—a loud, piercing sound. He looked odd to me. I never liked babies or kids.

"Haha! Help me, honey! Khai—Haha...he pooped on my shirt!" Aina laughed, holding the baby, now covered in filth.

Disgusting... I didn't like it.

"Please... make him stop," I had covered my face with a pillow, trying to drown out the sounds, while Aina gently rocked the baby to calm him.

Khairul... I never loved you, but Aina loved me. That was enough reason for me to take care of you.

But Aina's gone now... My life is meaningless... And so is yours...

"I love you, Zaki."

I only loved you, Aina.

Zaki's muscles bulged, thick fur sprouted all over his body, and his face elongated into that of a wolf. His hair grew long, flowing behind him as his nails and teeth sharpened into vicious weapons.

"Kurrghhh!" Zaki swiped at the man standing between him and Khairul, his claws tearing into the man's face, blood splattering everywhere. Some of it landed on Khairul's clothes and face, his eyes widening in horror.

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Without thinking, Khairul stood up immediately, panic surging through him.

"Run! Just run!" Khairul clenched his right fist, desperate for his sword to manifest. But nothing came. Zaki pounced at him, but Khairul dodged just in time and bolted out of the restroom, sprinting down the hospital hallway as fast as he could.

"Ngaaaarghhhh!" Zaki roared, smashing through the restroom door and leaping after him. Khairul pushed through the hospital crowd, his heart racing, accidentally knocking into several people in the corridor. As more people noticed Zaki's monstrous form, panic quickly spread.

"Aaaaah!" One man screamed in terror, collapsing to the floor. Amid the chaos, no one noticed the blood splattered on Khairul.

"Are you serious?! Not you too, old man!" Khairul groaned as he ran, looking back at Zaki, who was now bounding off walls and columns, closing the distance between them. More people in the hospital started to realize what was happening, and the terrified crowd swarmed around Khairul.

"Run!" People screamed, warning others of the danger as Zaki charged towards them, his saliva dripping onto the floor. Khairul reached the emergency lobby, breathless, just as Zaki came to a stop outside the entrance, growling with hunger and fury, drool spilling from his sharp fangs.

"Don't youuu dare run agaiiin! Khairrrrrullll!" Zaki's voice roared through the hospital lobby, but Khairul ignored his father's screams. People around him were growing more terrified by the second. A woman tripped beside him, paralyzed with fear, but Zaki paid her no attention, focused solely on his son as he continued his relentless pursuit.

"Giveeee...meee waaaaay!" Zaki shouted, demanding the frightened crowd clear a path. Fear-stricken, they obeyed, giving him enough space to lunge forward. Khairul glanced over his shoulder, realizing he was now at the center of the hospital's emergency lobby. Zaki was closing in fast, leaping through the air with terrifying speed. As Khairul braced himself for impact, a sudden series of gunshots rang out, hitting Zaki mid-air.

"What are you doing? Run!" barked a security officer, who had fired a shotgun at Zaki. Khairul glanced at the officer, exhaling deeply as he caught his breath.

"That hurttttt youuu fuckkk!" Zaki roared. Despite the gunfire, he was still alive. The bullets had barely scratched him, his thick skin too tough for the shots to penetrate deeply. The security officer tried to reload his weapon, but Zaki hurled a nearby counter desk at him, sending the officer flying and causing the next shot to miss its mark.

Khairul, eyes wide in disbelief, muttered, "Old man...What happened to you?"

"It's youuu! Youuu...who made my lifeeee like this! Youuu!" Zaki growled, his monstrous form twisted with anger and pain, but his mind still clung to fragments of humanity. He pointed accusingly at Khairul.

"Stop killing others! Kill me! Do it now!" Khairul cried out, surrendering himself. He was ready to die if it meant saving others. His resolve was clear. Zaki leaped toward him once more, but just before reaching Khairul, another round of gunshots knocked him to the floor.

"Get back, Khairul!" ordered a familiar voice. Rose, along with Shaurya and two other officers, fired relentlessly at Zaki. Khairul turned to see them, relief mixed with confusion.

"Cops..." he muttered, his body frozen in place.

"What are you waiting for? Run!" Rose shouted as her team advanced, positioning themselves between Khairul and Zaki, continuing their assault. Bullets riddled Zaki's body, but he refused to fall.

"He's...He's my father! That monster is my father!" Khairul's voice cracked with desperation. The shooting stopped momentarily as Rose and Shaurya exchanged shocked glances with him.

"Y-Your father?" Rose asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yes..." Khairul confirmed.

"Arrrrgh..... It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Zaki was still alive, even with bullets piercing his body; his skin was too hard for the bullets to penetrate fully.

All the police officers quickly reloaded their guns as Zaki lunged at one of them, biting into the officer's neck and spitting out chunks of flesh and blood toward the other officers.

"Shit!" Shaurya, Rose, and another officer moved away from Zaki. Rose managed to fire a shot that hit Zaki in the forehead, but it did nothing to stop him from attacking her again.

"Urgh!" Shaurya pushed Rose aside, resulting in Zaki biting into his right shoulder. Rose fell to the floor but continued firing at Zaki's face, forcing him to release his grip on Shaurya.

"Shaurya!" Rose screamed, worried for her friend.

"Don't worry about me, Sister Rose! Shoot that monster again!" Shaurya replied as he lay on the ground, trying to stop his own bleeding. Rose and the other officer continued firing, but this time Zaki evaded their bullets by leaping onto the ceiling, walls, and pillars.

He managed to get close and pierced the chest of another officer with his sharp claws, using the officer's body as a shield, making it impossible for Rose to shoot him.

Suddenly, Khairul jumped toward Zaki, his right hand ready to strike. Rose looked on in shock as thick veins began to emerge along Khairul's arm, reaching down to his right hand.

Enough! So many people have died because of me!

You want me, don't you? Old man!

Come and get me!

A mantis-like blade emerged from Khairul's right arm, tearing through his flesh. Khairul struck his father in the chest, causing Zaki to drop the officer's body he had been using as a shield.

"Arrgghhh!" Khairul screamed in pain. The blade emerging from his arm hurt him, but he quickly ignored it and glared sharply at his transformed father.

I don't understand what's happening to me.

But this power and this weapon... it feels natural to me, as if I was born with it.

Zaki attacked Khairul with rapid swings of his sharp claws, but Khairul dodged and deflected all his attacks. Their movements were fast, leaving Rose unable to process what was happening. Zaki managed to scratch Khairul's left abdomen, but Khairul also managed to scratch the side of Zaki's neck.

They paused for a moment; Khairul took a few steps back as Zaki watched him with eyes that had transformed into those of a beast. Khairul turned to Rose briefly.

"Get that police officer out of here! I—I can fight my father," Khairul ordered.

"What are you, Khairul?!" Rose asked.

"Just go, Miss Rose," Khairul said before launching himself at Zaki again. Rose hurried to help Shaurya stand.

"Sister Rose... What can we do?" Shaurya groaned, still in pain.

"Do you see that, Shaurya? People like us can't do anything. We have to trust that kid in the end. We'll just die in vain trying to fight that monster," Rose replied with a disappointed look. Shaurya also gave up, bowing his head weakly, while Khairul wounded Zaki again with his blade.

"I endured it all! Your beatings! It never stopped! I don't asked for this damn life! I'm just saved!" Khairul screamed as he attacked Zaki.

"Shuttttt uppppp!" Zaki caught Khairul and slammed him to the ground.

"I! Never wannntteeddd youu! Buttt sheeee wanttss aaa kiddd!" Zaki retorted. Khairul stabbed Zaki's hand that was pinning him down, causing Zaki to let go. Khairul kicked Zaki away from him.

Meanwhile, Rose hurriedly brought Shaurya toward the emergency room, where many nurses were moving patients to safety after realizing what was happening.

"Help anyone!" Rose called out. Two nurses stopped and came to assist Shaurya. They helped him to a nearby empty hospital bed while Rose gasped for breath, wiping blood and sweat from her face.

"Miss Rose... Have you seen Khairul? Where is he?" Nasuha, being pushed in a wheelchair by Ehsan, called out to Rose. Rose turned to Nasuha, her face showing distress.

"You know Khairul is actually a monster too, right? He's fighting the monster that's attacking the hospital right now!" Rose replied, and Nasuha's eyes widened in shock as she tried to move her wheelchair.

"Nasuha!" Ehsan exclaimed, surprised by her actions.

"Dad! We have to help Khairul! Miss Rose!" Nasuha pleaded anxiously.

"Help? What can we do? We'll just die if we face that monster. He's already killed two police officers. Only Khairul can fight him," Rose sighed, her expression turning sorrowful. Ehsan watched his daughter, feeling sad as well.

Suddenly, the emergency room door burst open as Khairul was thrown inside, sliding across the floor until he stopped in front of Rose, Nasuha, and Ehsan.

"Ahhh!" A nearby female nurse screamed as she ran for her life, only to have her head severed by Zaki, who jumped into the emergency room.

"Khairul!" Nasuha shouted, seeing the numerous deep claw wounds on Khairul's body. He opened his eyes and looked at Nasuha.

"Na-Nasuha..." His voice was weak. Rose quickly aimed her gun at Zaki.

"What the hell is that?!" Ehsan couldn't believe what he was seeing. Zaki showed his blood-covered hands, and Rose knew her shots wouldn't be enough to harm him.

"Run..." Khairul stood up again, nearly falling but raising his right hand, the sword also stained with blood.

"Don't even think about it!" Nasuha pulled Khairul's shirt back forcefully, but he tugged it back. Zaki attacked again, pushing Khairul aside and causing him to crash into several hospital beds and knock over a cabinet.

"Nooo oneee! Willl heeeellppp yooou!" Zaki choked Khairul and then slammed him against the wall. Khairul gritted his teeth, unable to fight back anymore.

"I can't fight you, old man. You always win against me. I know...you're angry... that I'm alive... I'm sorry." A tear slipped down Khairul's cheek, and Zaki only grew more furious, throwing Khairul toward the window. Khairul crashed into the parking lot, colliding with a car.

Zaki leaped out of the shattered window, glancing at Khairul, who was weakly leaning against the car he had crashed into. Khairul was gasping for breath but still attempted to stand.

"Don't... kill anyone else... You just want to kill me, right? Go ahead and do it..." Khairul sighed, his legs trembling as he fought to remain upright.

"Khairul!" Nasuha stood up from her wheelchair, nearly falling but pushing herself forward. Finally, she collapsed weakly against the window where Khairul had stood earlier, her eyes locked on Zaki as he approached Khairul, who was on the brink of collapse, his sharp claws glinting menacingly.

"No! Don't! Khairul!" Nasuha screamed, tears streaming down her face. Ehsan and Rose rushed to her side.

Khairul gazed at Nasuha from a distance, offering a faint smile.

"Without... you, the light of hope... our future will fade away... At least, I can... die as someone... good. I'll prove them wrong!" Khairul strengthened his voice, and Nasuha recognized those words from the comic Ms. Star, the last words of Mantis before he died.

Zaki lunged toward Khairul, intent on killing his son. Khairul shut his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

Nasuha extended her hands forward, revealing a hole between her palms, her eyes glowing with a bright yellow light.

"Star Beam!" Nasuha shouted, a radiant beam of yellow light shot from the gap between her hands, striking Zaki's back and sending him flying backward, singeing him slightly.

Everyone present was stunned by the sudden turn of events; the beam continued to push Zaki into the air until he vanished from sight. Khairul stared at Nasuha, his eyes still glowing with yellow.

"If you're Mantis, then I'm Ms. Star, Khai. And I won't let you die."