The shard lodged into his heart was a curse and a blessing. If it were to be removed, he'd die, and if it stayed there long enough for him to be operated on, then he'd live.
But that thought wasn't enough to comfort him.
"Well, looks like I'll go collect my rewards."
Swindler hummed a basic tune and merged back with his clones as he put his robe back on. The abandoned alleyway was now void of everything except Hugo's slowly dying body and the traces of battle.
Hugo tried to use his Black Matter against the poison but it turned out the matter only made everything worse and was even being dissipated by the poison.
'H-how is this possible?'
His last thoughts questioned everything he knew and believed. He remembered his first time going out, and realizing the world wasn't a good place.
'I was about eight years then. And I can't believe I didn't learn my lesson upon all that happened.'
