Despite the efforts of two top-tier healers, Seiya's wounds were merely treated; his eyesight, however, could not be restored. His father, Mr. Sanio, plunged into despair—not out of love or concern, but because Seiya was a weapon, a tool he had meticulously cultivated to achieve his ambitions. He even conducted extensive research to reverse Seiya's blindness, but every attempt ended in failure, leaving him defeated and enraged.
To Mr. Sanio, Seiya's blindness rendered him useless. In a fit of frustration, he even considered discarding his son entirely, though Seiya's teacher and Ms. Onoya vehemently opposed this decision. They proposed alternatives, arguing that Seiya could still serve as a weapon despite his blindness. Special training, they suggested, could help him fulfill his potential. Mr. Sanio dismissed these suggestions as futile, unwilling to waste more resources.
Seiya, now permanently blind, was isolated from the other children and confined to his old room. His father interrogated him relentlessly about the mysterious weapon allegedly linked to him—the one he was accused of using to kill the three boys from the third floor. Despite the pressure, Seiya maintained his innocence, insisting he neither knew of the weapon nor killed anyone. Yet, his father refused to believe him, convinced his son was lying.
Lying sprawled on his bed, Seiya let out a frustrated sigh. His face was partially covered in bandages, but the accusations against him weren't his greatest worry. Something else weighed heavily on his mind—an unsettling transformation within his own body. Since the incident, he had sensed subtle, inexplicable changes that made him question whether he was still human.
Sighing again, Seiya carefully rose from his bed. With one hand groping along the furniture, he navigated his way to the restroom, though he stumbled into objects along the way. Inside, he found the faucet and let cold water run over his hands, the sensation offering little comfort.
"Ibyu," he called softly, knowing the restroom was the only place in the facility free from surveillance.
{I'm here,} replied the calm, familiar voice from within him.
"There's a feeling... a strange tug at my heart. It's an emotion I can't quite define, but it fills me with unease. Can you feel it too?" Seiya asked, his hand resting on his chest.
{I can,} Ibyu admitted. {At first, I thought it was just the aftermath of all that's happened—losing your sight, being accused.}
"It's not that. There's something wrong with me... with my body," Seiya confessed, his pulse quickening.
{You need to calm down,} Ibyu urged, steadying Seiya's racing heart. {What exactly has you so concerned? What's happening to your body? Not that I'd expect it to be fine after the years of torture it's endured,} Ibyu added wryly.
Ignoring the remark, Seiya lowered his head. "Ever since the incident, my body feels—" He stopped abruptly, his attention snapping toward the door. He could hear approaching footsteps, accompanied by the distinct thrum of a heartbeat.
The footsteps halted just outside.
"You've been summoned," a deep voice announced. Seiya recognized it as one of the workers.
He was escorted to his father's office, where he detected two distinct heartbeats waiting for him—his father's and another unfamiliar one.
"You're going into a dungeon today," Mr. Sanio declared.
Seiya, preoccupied with his own thoughts, barely reacted.
"A dungeon you've explored before—the Ice Elves' Dungeon," his father disclosed.
Seiya's body tensed involuntarily, though the reason eluded him. His body seemed to recall the torments of the ice elves' dungeon more vividly than his mind, which had grown increasingly unreliable—grasping only fragments.
The gradual deterioration of Seiya's memory had been relentless, leaving him unable to recall much without considerable effort.
As the topic of ice elves' dungeon surfaced, Seiya forced himself to revise those forgotten memories. The effort sent a wave of goosebumps rippling across his skin as the agonizing ordeal he had forgotten resurfaced.
Still, beneath the discomfort, a spark of excitement ignited within him. He had long awaited the chance to return and exact revenge on the ice elves.
"This mission will determine your fate," Mr. Sanio explained coldly. "If, despite your condition, you survive and clear the dungeon, I'll reconsider discarding you. These are the terms I've agreed upon with your teacher who keeps begging me to spare you. He'll accompany you—but only as an observer. He won't assist you. So prepare yourself."
Seiya couldn't care less about being judged as a weapon to be kept or discarded. Death no longer frightened him—not anymore. All that consumed him now was the thought of slaying the ice elves. The mere anticipation of it sent a thrill coursing through his veins.
The second heartbeat, Seiya realized, belonged to his teacher.
"Let's head to the yard. Everything is ready," Mr. Sanio interjected, his voice tinged with irritation and impatience.
"You can leave. I'll escort him," Seiya's teacher said softly, addressing the worker who had guided Seiya here and was still waiting to guide him.
Hearing his teacher's gentle voice, even when speaking to a mere worker, Seiya couldn't help but wonder why someone as kind as him would remain in a place that kidnapped and tortured children.
He'd pondered it before but had never asked. The only conclusion he could reach was that his father must be holding something precious to his teacher hostage—just as he's doing with him. After all, his father was a cunning and merciless man.
As they exited the office and headed toward the yard, Seiya walked silently, guided by his teacher's firm but gentle hand. Suddenly, Ibyu's voice broke the silence, ringing in his mind.
{Sei, excuse yourself. I need to speak with you.}
That can wait, Seiya dismissed without hesitation.
{No, it can't! It has to be now!} Ibyu pressed, its urgency halting Seiya mid-step.
"What's wrong?" his teacher asked softly, concern in his tone.
"What else could be wrong? He's probably getting cold feet," his father interjected with a sneer.
"It's fine, Seiya. You can tell me," his teacher encouraged gently.
Now what do I say? Seiya asked Ibyu in frustration.
{Say you need to use the restroom.}
I don't want to, though.
{One little lie won't hurt you more than the years of torture already have,} Ibyu retorted bluntly.
"I need to use the restroom," Seiya said flatly.
His father narrowed his eyes. "We saw you go into the restroom before I summoned you. Why would you need to go again so soon?"
Seiya had no reply, but before he could be cornered, his teacher intervened. "Let him be. If he says he needs to use the restroom, then let him."
Without waiting for permission, his teacher turned and began leading Seiya away, ignoring Mr Sanio's glare.
Once they reached the restroom, Seiya's teacher stopped at the door. "Take your time. I'll wait here," he assured him.
As soon as Seiya was alone, he leaned against the sink and addressed Ibyu sharply. "What is it?"
{Sigh. I don't know if you remember clearly, but those elves aren't mid-tier. They're high—possibly top-tier.}
"So? That doesn't change anything. I'm still killing them all today," Seiya replied, his voice steady, almost excited.
{And to think you're now blind,} Ibyu muttered with a sigh.
{I don't doubt your capability—you shattered that massive boulder with a single punch after all. But a little extra caution won't hurt.}
Seiya recalled back to when he had shattered the massive boulder that always loomed in the middle of his training ground. He left them all in awe, especially his father who had thought it'd remain impossible forever.
"What are you getting at?" Seiya asked, confused by Ibyu's roundabout approach.
{Leave me here.} Ibyu blurted.
Seiya froze. "Huh?" Seiya thought his ears were playing tricks on him. The last time he checked was him being blind not deaf. So how come his ears are malfunctioning? Ibyu is clearly his heart, an inseparable part of him, so how the hell does he go and leave it behind?
{You heard me right. Leave me here.} Ibyu repeated, its tone resolute.