Williams limped through the corridor, holding the phone to his ear as he moved forward.

– Damn it, honey! Why aren’t you answering the damn phone? – he muttered to himself, pulling the phone away to check the call, which eventually went to voicemail.

– Baby, leave your sister’s house with Katherine and grab that money. Go to your parents’ place and wait for me there… I love you… I love you both...

Williams said, panting, staring at the phone as the message was recorded in the voicemail. He then dialed the emergency number.

– This is the Nova Atlantida police. What’s your emergency?

Hearing a woman’s voice, he slowly started walking again, continuing down the corridor.

– I’m in danger! There are Enhanced ones... Please, send help! – Williams responded, his voice exhausted and frantic.

– Sir, I’m having trouble understanding you. Could you please try to speak more calmly? Where are you?

As the voice spoke through the phone, Williams frowned, pulling the phone closer to his mouth.

– Damn it! I’m in Freedom Valley! At the damn hospital... Williams shouted into the phone as he passed a junction between corridors.

His ear caught an irritating, continuous frequency. Suddenly, two bright yellow lights approached in the dim light, and Koji’s voice echoed.

– Hello, Williams...

His eyes widened, and he quickly tried to run in the opposite direction, falling to the ground as he struggled to put weight on his injured leg.

– Stay away from me! Help! Someone help me!

Williams screamed as he tried to get up, while Koji’s slow steps approached.

– How rude, trying to escape your punishment. Naughty boy. –Koji said as he stepped closer to Williams. – Let me teach you something about myself: I hate chasing.

With a slight gesture of his right hand, a wave of vibration was unleashed. A low sound reverberated through the corridor as Williams was thrown against the wall with great impact.

He screamed, dropping the phone, gasping for air as he clutched his chest, eyes squeezed shut.

– You’ve always been a coward, but appealing to public safety? That was low, even for you... – Koji continued, stepping on the phone lying on the ground.

Williams was curled up against the wall, but he sat up, bracing himself.

– After all the mess you’ve caused, you still think you’ll get out of here alive? – Koji asked, raising his eyebrows with a slight smile.

– Back off! Leave me alone! If you come any closer… I’ll shoot you! – Williams shouted, pulling a bloodstained gun from his coat and pointing it at Koji.

Koji observed the reaction and burst into laughter, leaning his back against the corridor wall.

– Come on! Look at yourself! I bet you don’t even have the guts to pull that trigger. – Koji said, leaning against the wall just a few meters from Williams.

A slight grin appeared on his lips, and his eyebrows raised subtly, showing his growing interest.

– But you know, Williams, inside each of us, there’s a monster that comes out when we’re in extreme situations... – Koji began, slowly pushing off from the wall, standing upright in the corridor.

Williams could only make out his silhouette and the gleam in his pupils, watching him coldly.

– It takes over to keep this hunk of flesh alive, usually in life-or-death moments. The problem is that society has 'evolved' and now loves creating weaklings like you. They think power can be gained with just money and influence.

– I’m not kidding, you bastard! – Williams screamed, gripping his gun more tightly. Sweat ran down his temples, and his hands were trembling so much that the gun almost slipped from his fingers.

– Of course not... Fine, I’ll give you a chance: shoot me... – Koji said, his tone turning serious.

Williams stared at Koji, swallowing hard; his finger hovered over the trigger, but he couldn’t get the strength to pull it.

– Don’t you want to end this nightmare? All you need to do is pull the trigger...

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Koji’s warm voice echoed in Williams’ ears, who took a deep breath as he stared at the man standing in front of him.

– Come on, Williams! You just need to pull the trigger. Unleash the monster you need to survive; that’s the only way this can get to an end!

Koji pointed to his own chest with his free hand as he spoke fervently, his eyes locked on Williams, who hesitated.

Then he commanded: – Shoot!

The sound of the shot followed Koji’s command, and Williams squeezed his eyes shut. For a moment, all he could hear was that agonizing frequency that had been bothering his ears relentlessly. Then he slowly opened his eyes, realizing that the figure with the glowing pupils was still there.

Williams fired several more shots, continuing to pull the trigger even after his gun was emptied. Koji’s laughter echoed down the corridor after the shots.

– It’s almost imperceptible, don’t you think? – Koji approached one of the bullets, which was floating in front of him, deformed and vibrating.

The bullets were suspended in mid-air, vibrating, but fell to the floor once the glow in Koji’s pupils disappeared.

– Your instruments are only power to this weak society! In reality, only those who can use their inner monsters can attain true power... and it’s taken only through violence. – Koji’s response was accompanied by a smile that became more pronounced as he approached Williams.

– Mr. Koji... please, spare my life... I won’t make any more mistakes! You know I have a family I love; they need me! –Williams begged, kneeling with his face pressed to the floor.

Koji watched him, now expressionless, as he pulled a phone from his pants.

– You love your family, huh? Funny, because most of the money you earned went to nights filled with drugs, gambling, and lust. Doesn’t seem like someone who cares much about his family, to be honest.

Hearing Koji’s words, Williams swallowed hard, not lifting his face from the floor for even a second.

– I’ve also heard that you neglected the family you claim to love, always keeping your distance. But I understand you; we men are ambitious creatures. I suppose that’s true even for someone as useless as you... But no more; that concern is in the past.

– What do you mean? – Williams asked, a lump forming in his throat and his eyes trembling as his fingers clutched the dirty floor of the corridor.

– Worship me as your messiah! I’ve freed you from your chains; from now on, you are a free man again!

Koji finished with a smile that revealed his straight white teeth as he offered a phone with the screen lit toward Williams. Williams’ hands slowly reached for the phone, turning it toward himself as he took it. When he looked at the screen, his eyes widened, quickly filling with tears. He shook his head in denial, barely able to hold the phone.

– She was a beautiful woman, but don’t worry; she certainly didn’t die alone... Unlike you, I kept her company until the very last second... – Koji said, that twisted smile on his face as he watched Williams intently.

Williams let out a furious scream, clenching his fists and preparing to strike. But just as he was about to attack, Koji made a slight gesture with his right hand, and his pupils shimmered with a supernatural glow.

In an instant, a concentrated wave of vibration was released, this time precise, targeting only Williams’ right arm, the one he would have used to attack.

The sound reverberated through the air, along with blood and flesh that splattered against the wall, and the tiny gold fragments of what was once his watch.

Williams collapsed to the floor, screaming, his left-hand clutching what remained of his arm. From his elbow down, there was nothing left but some skin and a piece of exposed bone.

– Oh... What happened, Williams? Don’t tell me you need a hand? – Koji asked with a genuine smile, picking up his phone and briefly glancing at the photos.

– You bastard! How could you do that to her!? Damn you! You son of a bitch! – Williams shouted as he lay on the ground, his eyes filled with tears.

– Shh... Big guy, it was fun, and believe me, she could barely contain her excitement... Or was it pain? I’m not sure because the only sound she made was ‘Urgh! Urgh!’ – Koji said, placing a hand over his mouth and making muffled sounds, then smiling.

– Kate, my love... my God... What did you do to my daughter!? – Williams’ voice faltered as he questioned, keeping his face on the floor, his voice broken with choking sobs.

Koji’s expression suddenly changed. His smile faded, and he locked his phone, glancing in the direction Williams had come from.

– Oh, Katherine, right? Unfortunately, not this time... I would’ve loved to have the whole family gathered here, but you know, Shadow is very protective when it comes to little kids... – Koji’s sharp eyes peered into the darkness. – Especially when it’s a little girl; must remind him of someone important.

The faint light in the corridor seemed to bend as Shadow emerged. His blades dripped with fresh blood, and the glow in his pupils faded as his figure slowly took form.

– So, how did that damned Mexican die? I hope you sliced the bastard up... – Koji said, eyeing the bloodstained blades.

– I’ll finish this quickly; there’s no point in dragging it out any longer. – Shadow said, cutting Koji off as he wiped the blood from his blades and made his way toward Williams, who lay on the ground.

However, he was stopped by Koji, who placed a hand on his chest, staring at him for a moment.

– Remember what I said? I wanted to handle this my way…

– I don’t give a damn; let’s just end this.

– But we’re just starting to have fun, aren’t we, Williams!? – Koji said, turning his attention back to the man on the floor. – I want this bastard to suffer! For screwing everything up!

With each shout from Koji, he kicked Williams, and with every kick, Williams’ body jolted violently. Blood spurted from his shattered arm, forming small puddles around him. With every new blow, his vision grew blurrier, and the pain became unbearable.

Koji finally ran his hand over his face, slicking his hair back. Shadow stared at him with a furrowed brow. Then Koji’s demeanor shifted.

– Alright, alright... time to finish this. I hope you find your whore of a wife in the afterlife... preferably in pieces, just like I left her... – Koji’s pupils began to flicker as he pointed his hand toward Williams.

But just as he finished speaking, a yellowish light approached from the darkness, coming from the direction of the stairs, like a will-o'-the-wisp in a desolate place. Koji stepped closer to Williams, squatted down, and grabbed his hair, yanking his head toward the floating flame.

– See that, you bastard? You screwed everything up! – Koji whispered, grabbing Williams’ head and slamming it against the floor, leaving him there, bleeding.

He then stood up and walked away from Williams, quickly signaling to Shadow, who vanished into thin air. Then, he tried to wipe the few blood stains in his clothes and looked toward the floating flame, which was drawing near him.