Someone once said; Stone walls do not make a prison, nor iron bars.
The reason to that was answered as; The cruelest prison of all is the prison of the mind.
"Brother! Brother! Brother...!"
The pretty girl in our team is going through such a stage.
Technically speaking she is unconscious. However, images of her brother are playing in her mind, which is making her body act without her control.
I know, because such a thing happened to me in the past. Even so, I didn't destroy things like this girl.
She only needs to realize the truth that her brother is dead. That's the only way for her to escape her mind prison.
I wasted so much trying to save them, I can't let them die now. Who would want their hard work to be in vain?
Certainly not me.
However, as much as I want to help her, I can't. Even if I shout a million times, it won't make a difference.
The only thing to do is knock her out.
Gritting my teeth, I start to crawl on the ground. With the sound of falling snow, I reach a place with a dozen of corpses.
Nonetheless, a pair of golden eyes were coldly staring at me. The owner's mouth repeated the same words, as she rushed towards me at bullet speed.
Bam—!
I was kicked in the gut, making some of my ribs crack. However, this time I manage to make sure I was sent flying towards the roof.
"Ahh!" I screamed.
My hands turned into fire and extended to burn the dead corpses. It was either that, or they would be shark food.
Soon after, my body followed. I just kept on floating a few inches above ground.
'I need to destruct her from the burning corpses, or she might get burnt.'
Swish, Swish, Swish—!
The gust of wind passing through me confirmed my plan was a success.
Looking at the girl's sclera which is covered in blood veins, together with the rivers of tears on her face, I felt a little tear evaporating in my eye.
Losing a loved one is never an easy thing. For a young girl like her, it would really break her down.
I just sighed. All I can do now is believe in her, just like I have been doing since I got here.
We already won, however until she is fine, we won't go anywhere.
....
In a room with a thousand television screens covering the walls. Sat two similar looking green skinned alien men. Thanks to the blinding light, they looked more like silhouettes.
The one in the Navy uniform descry, with an indifferent look, "It looks like the F block has gotten a new group. I honestly thought group 99F would lose since it was brought in by the ice-cold beast."
"Me too." The one in the green uniform replies. His green eyes wondered through the t.v screens.
After a minute he replied with a low voice, "They are also the group with the lowest kills. That fire ability user must be from a planet of strong beings."
"He is from universe 17.7. Look at the brand names of the papers he threw to the ground."
The one in the green uniform did as asked.
His mouth almost fell to the ground from shock, as he discovered the truth.
"Wha-wha-what?! Isn't that the universe where great stones are from?! The Aliens and humans there should be at war? No! How did a crystal bug get there in the first place?!?"
The other pondered for a few minutes. It was common knowledge that crystal bugs never show up near a universe filled with great stones.
The scar on his left eye ached, as he remembered a memory from ten years ago.
However, Instead of feeling enraged he smiled.
"Judging by his ability he must have got bitten by the Gemini firefly"
"What?!" The one in green exclaimed. He almost fell down from his seat.
The two were also results of being bitten by a Gemini bug.
"Why would a zodiac bug be doing there?!"
The other shrugged his shoulders, "Beats me."
"Shouldn't we report this?"
The one in navy shock his head.
He got up from his seat and addressed, "Don't bother about him. That guy's dream is to seat back and relax. He is no threat to the government. We should be more careful of the girl attacking him. She may be one of 'them'."
The original's body almost froze from fear. That little girl would be a problem to his prison. She is a thorn, and if let out to the outside world.
All the blame from the higher ups would be fall on him.
His clone noticed this and smiled. "Put them in the same cell. It's either that guy changes her mind, or she changes his mind."
"Won't it be better to kill her."
The clone laughed. He knew that the original was a coward. The Gemini crystal bugs creates clones that act the opposite as the original.
"If you ask the other inmates, yes. However, don't forget the possibility of making her stronger in the process. When people overcome hardships, they grow stronger. Take that flame kid for example. Even as a zodiac type ability user. It is rare for them to last that long in the elemental state."
The original understood the reasoning. Nevertheless, if you put a level 1 player and a level 100 expect in a game fight. It is only natural that the later would win.
A prison break hasn't happened in over five years. He wants to keep it that way, forever!!!
'No outsider should walk out of here alive.'
That was the reason why he created the Prison Entrance exam. Over a million teams would participate. However, less than ten would pass just like this.
The current Ablauf Government would like to keep things as they are. The adventurers might own half of the world, but there were not united like the Government.
"Idiot." The clone muttered in a mocking tone.
The original's plan wouldn't work for various reasons. Nevertheless, at the end it didn't matter.
With gentle footsteps, he walks out from the room, "Is that flame kid the original or the clone?"
...
"Brother, Bro…ther…, br… " The golden eyed girl finally ran out of stamina.
I caught her perfectly, before she hit the ground.
The whole hall was covered in carbon monoxide from the burning corpses.
I couldn't beat her in strength, so that was the only option left.
I wiped of the blood that is dripping from my nose. Maintaining my elemental state for that long, was extremely difficult.
I will be fine after having something sweet in my mouth. If there is no next stage.
I laid the girl next to the other sleeping two. She looked like an angel. It was hard to believe she was almost similar to a hungry tiger a few minutes ago.
My hands quickly took a bunch of name tags from the archkan (1) pockets of the prince looking guy.
Not even a single scratch was on them. It was a good idea to not keep them on me.
Even if ours broke, there were plenty of replacements. It really was a good plan to not keep the on me.
The sound from the television cube finally came.
[All team members walk through the front door and go to cell room 27F.]
One of the closed door opened, just like how I came to this dark place, I had to carry three deadbeats with me.
Tobacco smoke shrouded the whole place, making it hard to see through the dark pathway. However, compared to the smell of burning corpses it was nothing.
I didn't need to struggle, as my eyes quickly saw the names of the first two cells.
1F on the right and 2F on the left.
I walked through the path which was silent as a forgotten tomb, enduring the other inmates cold glances.
It was more akin to walking into a lion's den.
I took a sigh of relief, when I reached our cell. It was second from last on the right.
I muttered with a smile, "No smoke, at least."
The tobacco smell still lingered in the air, like a thousand-year-old ghost. Even so, I could see what's in front of me.
Like a moon's glow, the metal bars raised up to the cell open.
The place looked more like a regular house on Earth, if you remove the two bunk beds.
My eyes danced in awe, the moment I saw a 44-inch flat screen t.v pasted to the wall. Its red surface reminded me of the first t.v I bought.
Such a prison would be the life on Earth. There is even a cooking set and a laundry machine.
What else would a NEET need in a place like this?
'Maybe the food is horrible?'
My mind couldn't shake of the feeling that something was off.
It felt like fallen angels gathered in this place.
The moment the cell bars closed. I felt an intense glare at me from behind.
I turned my head slowly to face the cell on the left side of the block.
A pair of silver eyes glared at me like they wanted to drill a hole in my skull.
I wasn't one to waver. A person's glare is his second first life. Once you lose your glare it's over.
I looked back at the slim pink skinned woman in cell 28F.
"....."
"...."
As the seconds passed. The Alien started to chew on her knee long silver hair. Her big chest started pumping up and down from rage.
"Tsk. Idiot."
Would you look at this. She is in love with me already. I knew my face was pretty, but to think this much. Too bad sweetheart, I am engaged.
The moment, I turned back. I heard the woman's mutter, "I will slice you all up."
"!"
____
[A. N]
Achkan - an Indian dressing for man that consist of trousers and a long shirt.